Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users

Everyone has an opinion, and if they all stink, then Pew must have one hell of a tolerance for foul odors. The research group recently surveyed a number of mobile phone owners to determine their primary complaints, and while it's not much of a surprise, slow network performance stole the show. In all, 77 percent aired at least some dissatisfaction with download speeds, and nearly half of all respondents cited frequent frustration. The story is similar for dropped calls, as 72 percent of those surveyed claim to experience the annoyance at least occasionally. While less widespread, the distribution of those who receive unwanted marketing attempts via either telephone calls or text messages is roughly equal -- it seems reasonable to assume that many respondents are harassed by both means. For more surveys*, just text #eng-123 to 9999. *Outrageous fees will apply.

Continue reading Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Dropped calls, slow download speeds rank among top gripes of mobile users originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 03:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preschool Prep for Social Skills | metromoms.net

by Meghan Campbell, OTR/L

Parents often look forward to the time when their children are old enough for preschool. What a great opportunity it is when your child reaches that magical stage of maturity when they get to go off and play and learn with others. That free time often translates into a welcome timeout for busy moms and dads, too. So the entire family should be excited, right?

Unfortunately, just because a child is age-ready to start preschool doesn?t always mean the child is socially ready too.

According to Martha D. Austin, pediatric occupational therapist and owner of WeeCare Occupational Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey, there are three groups of children that often have difficulty with social skills in the school environment.
? those who have sensory processing challenges (diagnosed and undiagnosed)
? those who are young for their grade compared to their peers
? those who have had a lack of exposure to interaction with other children prior to beginning preschool

Challenges for little ones can include, but are not limited to:
? separating from caregivers
? sharing with peers
? respecting others? personal space
? playing together with friends
? communicating (verbally and non-verbally) effectively

With a little ?practice? young children?s social interaction challenges can be overcome.

Parents, caregivers, teachers and therapists can implement simple strategies and terminology to help develop and shape social skills through age-appropriate games and activities at home and in school.

Here are some opportunities using an adult-led craft activity where many social lessons can be learned if the activity is set up and prepared for ahead of time.

1 ? Set-up physically to encourage children to learn the difference between ?shared? space and ?personal? space. Craft supplies (paper, glue, scissors, etc) can be positioned in the middle of the craft circle. Individuals can work on their craft in their own space inside a hoola-hoop or another structured visual boundary like colored duct tape.

2 ? Each child can be assigned as ?captain? of a craft supply. This teaches the importance of being a leader and having responsibility.

3- Incorporate verbal communication into the activity. When a child needs a supply, he or she needs to ask that supply captain for it while exhibiting good manners using ?please? and ?thank you.?

4 ? Encourage eye contact. Some children have difficulty making eye contact (a non-verbal communication skill) with others, especially an adult. For those kids, it helps to tell them to look at a person?s nose. It?s not quite as intimidating and encourages looking at someone?s face when talking with or listening to others.

5 ? Avoid saying, ?look at me,? but rather touch your nose when asking them a question. That gets them to look at you without having to remind them that they are not making eye contact.

Incorporated into everyday activities to facilitate appropriate social skills, these lessons not only translate to preschool performance, but generalize to many other settings such as play dates in your home, Saturdays at the park and family gatherings throughout the year.

A flood of outreach to the occupational therapy community has followed parents? and teachers? heightened awareness of the potential social interaction struggles of young children.

To assist parents and caregivers, WeeCare Occupational Therapy in Hoboken has developed a curriculum of summer groups, including social skills groups that provide an intensive, yet fun way for children and parents to learn these skills together.

More information about these groups and other workshops can be found at http://www.weecareot.com/summer2012

Weekly discussions and tips can be found on Facebook at http://facebook.com/weecareot

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WeeCare Occupational Therapy provides child-centered and individualized comprehensive therapy services, combining basic techniques with the latest advances in therapy. They are located in The Monroe Center at 720 Monroe Street, Studio C408, Hoboken, NJ. Free parking available.

Tags: education

Source: http://metromoms.net/2012/08/03/preschool-prep-for-social-skills/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preschool-prep-for-social-skills

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Franchising: a solution to operator / tenant profitability? | Kimbells ...

?

The single biggest issue in the current economic climate ?faced by those who own pubs, hotels, coffee bars and late night venues is just how to increase operator profitability.? Could franchising be the answer?? The essence of franchising is using a package of intellectual property rights to drive up profitability. ?There is an initial investment on both sides and this can bring cash into the business. Franchisees often find it easier to get finance as the business format has a proven track record. ?For the pub industry this is new ground (despite some protestations to the contrary) and the issue will be: what are the key ingredients which can help drive profitability in this sector?

A franchise package is likely to include an established business brand and the franchisor?s knowledge of how to operate the business successfully. This goes way beyond business support of the type that many brewers and pubcos have been used to providing, although in the past, in different economic circumstances, limited support might have been enough.?

Currently, it is reported, Greene King has one of the biggest franchise operations in the pub/restaurant sector.? So the company, for example, provides franchisees with a full food and drink menu, full training and ongoing support in marketing and the logistics of running an outlet day to day.?

But brands have to endow value and this means the intellectual property rights included in the franchise package have to be substantial and not play mere lip service to the idea of offering something of value to the franchisee. ?If you are not prepared to share your brand and business format with a franchisee then this may not be for you. For example, if all you intend to share is a few menus and promotional activities this is unlikely to be enough to provide a proper and valuable franchising opportunity.

In order to work there are a number of considerations:

• A franchise in the hospitality sector is not going to suit anyone who opts for it on the basis of a life style choice ? without understanding the true commitment needed. It is important to ensure a potential franchisee has the right personal qualities to make it work. Rigorous selection policies are required to screen out those do not and will not be able to make it work profitably.
• One of the issues the pub industry has suffered from is the lack of business acumen and know-how among new entrants to the trade.? BISC, and before that BEC, have bemoaned the lack of quality of training in the industry.? A franchised operation may not be suitable for some new entrants, without the business wherewithal, and who may require a different entry point into the trade.
• Training has to be comprehensive and continual. ?A major problem with the pub industry in the past has been that not enough training has been provided. An operator who is paying for this comprehensive training has to be sure he can get back the investment by way of profitable franchises.
• There is then the brand training which goes beyond the basic business training. What are the key characteristics of the brand and what are the brand behaviours?? This requires in-depth training in order to ensure the value in the brand is not diluted and the full value can be translated into turnover and profit.
• A few standard menus alone are not enough to create a franchise; there has to be a look and feel which is recognisable to customers. Is this likely to be the case with many pubs?
• Multiple operators should not be excluded from taking on franchises; indeed some of these may be better bets than the one site operator/occupiers.
• Franchisors should be ready for some possible loss of control.? Many brewers and pubcos pride themselves on their close working relationship with operators.? This may take a knock with a more independent breed of operator, albeit subject to the terms of the franchise. This can lead to the classic franchisor complaint that the operators are doing too well out of the franchise. This may seem like a distant dream at the moment but it happens!

The future

Commentators have suggested that in order to realise the full potential of franchising the pub industry needs to look at examples from other sectors such as the hotel industry and coffee bars.? Here franchises are more collaborative with very high calibre, entrepreneurial franchisees becoming multi-site operators with real input into how the business is run.

Practical points

• If you are considering a franchise operation you will need to ensure that you have a strong brand and offering in order to make a successful franchise operation which is able to attract the desired calibre of franchisee.?
• You will also need well drafted documentation to ensure that your brand and your business are adequately protected and that the future options for the franchise operation are set out.?
• Membership of the British Franchise Association will both enhance your credibility and enable you to attract good quality franchisees.? See:?www.thebfa.org?

For further information on franchising or drafting documentation please contact Fiona Boswell at Freeth Cartwright, who is a BFA accredited solicitor.?

---

Disclaimer This site is provided by Kimbells Freeth LLP for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as a source of detailed legal knowledge. Information was correct at time of publication, but be aware that it is possible that legal points may have been superceded since. Users should seek advice from a suitably qualified solicitor before taking any action based on information contained within this site. Kimbells Freeth LLP disclaims all responsibility for any losses arising from reliance on information contained within this site.

Source: http://hospitalitylaw.co.uk/franchising-a-solution-to-operator-tenant-profitability/

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Navy fighter drone promises pilotless future

16 hrs.

Eric Niiler , DiscoveryNews

Navy officials unveiled their new drone strike fighter this week, the UFO-like X-47B. This remote-controlled vehicle will ultimately be flying missions from the deck of an aircraft carrier at sea. This first demonstrator model, now undergoing trials at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland, isn't armed with weapons yet, but officials say it will have that capability.

Watch a test flight of the X-47B here

Even more exciting than the X-47B is the technology to fly aircraft with a laptop and click of the mouse instead of a joystick and human pilot. Would that same technology translate to fly commercial passenger or cargo aircraft?

Aviation experts say it's not the technology that's holding back that kind of flight; it's the risk.

"You could build one. The question is: Would you be allowed to operate it?" said John Hansford, director of the Center for International Air Transportation and a professor of aerospace engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"We already have the technology to take an existing commercial-scale airplane ?? say an Airbus 320 or Boeing 777 ?? and convert it to unmanned operations," Hansford added. "However, it's not clear yet that you could guarantee the safety of that to a level that would be acceptable for general public transport. If it has a problem, then (it)?becomes hazard to people on the ground."

For the past century, aviation technology has migrated from the military to commercial worlds. Jet engines, metal bodies and flight controls were all developed first by the Pentagon.

In the past decade, the Pentagon has also pushed for the development of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, from the Predator that launches Hellfire missiles at targets in Afghanistan and Yemen, to tiny backpack-sized craft that allow soldiers to peer over the next hill or into a village. U.S. Marines are also now using a remote-controlled helicopter, called the K-MAX, to carry food and supplies to remote bases in Afghanistan.

The military environment is already more dangerous than domestic airspace, Hansford says, so using a drone to carry cargo isn't that big of a leap. But carrying passengers is another matter.

"The real problem comes when things go wrong," Hansford said. "What happens when an unmanned aircraft is flying along and sunspot activity takes out their GPS navigation? What does the airplane do?

"Part of the reason we are comfortable having humans operate airplanes is we believe humans can help compensate when there is a problem that is unanticipated,.

PHOTOS: Top Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Taking Flight

Some aviation researchers are trying to combine the best of human and robot pilots in something called an "optionally piloted aircraft." That's the goal of the Centaur, a unique craft developed by Aurora Flight Sciences in Manassas, Va.

The Centaur's cockpit has one set of controls for a human pilot on one side and a robotic mechanism on the other that can be operated remotely via laptop from the ground. "You use either a keyboard or mouse to set the heading, altitude and airspeed that you want," said John Langford, chief executive officer and co-founder of Aurora. Langford ran the first remote test flight of Centaur last month. "You hit a button that says launch and it just takes off."

Aurora has spent a decade developing Centaur. Langford hopes to use it to help scientists explore remote polar regions where it's too dangerous to fly, or perhaps domestically as a way to shuttle air taxis around the country without putting a pilot in each plane.

Drones will be carrying passengers sooner than we think, Langford predicts. Perhaps a robot-copter would carry a wounded soldier back from the front lines when no pilots are available for a Medevac. "The first time it probably won't be a big giant planned experiment," Langford said. "It will be a spot decision on the ground, and it will be one of those days that gets marked in history."?

Source: http://www.futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com/technology/futureoftech/new-navy-fighter-drone-promises-pilotless-future-919904

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Rumored HTC One X+ with 1.7GHz Tegra 3 revealed in NenaMark report?

We've heard murmurings of it before, but they've been just that. Now we've got the first shred of hard evidence that the fabled HTC One X+ is actually real. Rumored to be heading to T-Mobile (or AT&T, depending on who you ask), this 1.7GHz super phone popped up over at NenaMark's site, bearing the model number PM63100. Sadly, that internal moniker doesn't really reveal much, but between that and the fact that it's running Jelly Bean 4.1.1 we're confident this isn't something already on the market. And the reported resolution of 1280 x 720 combined with its high-speed Tegra 3 innards puts this squarely in flagship territory. What else do we know? Not a whole heck of a lot. But, as always, the truth will be revealed in time.

Filed under: Cellphones

Rumored HTC One X+ with 1.7GHz Tegra 3 revealed in NenaMark report? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tips For Investing In Real Estate

It?s important to realize, whether you?re investing in real estate or some other type of investment, that investments run in cycles. Investing in real estate is no different. There?s no way to know how long each cycle will last. If it was that easy, everyone would be rich. For real estate, a rule of thumb is 5-6 years, however, that is merely a rule of thumb! While real estate prices will rise for a number of years, they will also fall at times. Often, however, they will seldom fall to the level they were before the rise began. So ? if you?re serious about investing in real estate buy when prices of properties are falling. It?s at these times, when prices are falling, that analysts use the term ?A buyer?s market.?

Good things can happen when prices of housing or commercial real estate decline. Let?s take a look at a few:

1. You might be able to buy with no money down. You aren?t investing your money up front. During a buyer?s market, many more of these deals are available. The sellers will, in many cases, accept a mortgage in place of a cash down payment.

2. During a buyer?s market, you have a better chance of asking for and getting the price of the property reduced. This happens because sellers really want to get out from their property before the price drops further. In a way, you are helping the seller get out, while at the same time getting a price that you feel good about.

3. You also have a better chance of finding great values, gems of real estate. These are high-quality properties in locations people would love to own, and you are in a position to do this because prices are falling. Over time, these great values will almost always become even better values as time goes buy. This is one way the wealthy become more wealthy.

4.? During a buyer?s market you will see the listings on the Internet increase. You then have a great tool to search for even better values. One fact to always keep in mind ? You?re better off buying no property than one with a negative cash flow! Don?t be so anxious to buy that you allow your emotions to get the better of you and you end up buying a property that will cost you money up front.

Allow yourself enough time to find the right property for you. When you are really anxious to buy, you are putting yourself in a bad position. Don?t let that happen to you. You?ll find the right property for you, and if it takes a little time, that?s okay!

Source: http://www.prohomebuyer.com/tips-for-investing-in-real-estate/

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GOP congressman from Ky. resigns, cites family

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) ? Republican congressman Geoff Davis of Kentucky has resigned, citing a family health issue.

Davis had previously announced he would retire this year from Congress. He says in a statement issued Tuesday that a family health issue has developed recently that needs more of his time.

Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Bill Adkins are running to succeed Davis in November's general election for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District.

Davis is a fiscal and social conservative. Now 53, he has been in the House since 2005. His district stretches along the upper tier of Kentucky from the Louisville suburbs to the West Virginia border.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-07-31-US-Kentucky-Congressman-Resigns/id-119b873eb43b4568952b44fb30d18731

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