ReadWrite ? The 7 Technology Trends That Will Matter Most To ...

If 2012 was a year of "wait and see," for small business technology, 2013 will be a year to "go for it."

One key reason is that small business optimism is already rising. According to the Fall 2012 Bank of America Small Business Owner Report, more than half of small business owners project sales will grow in the next year, and almost one-third plan to hire. Just 7% expect sales to drop and only 3% plan to lay off employees. And entrepreneurs typically believe they're local economies are doing better than the nation as a whole. (That can't be true for everyone, of course, but it still speaks to increasing optimism.)

That's not all. Some 45% of business owners in a recent Kauffman survey believe consumer demand will grow in 2013. Record sales over Black Friday weekend sales suggest consumers have "frugality fatigue" and are ready to spend again. Consumer debt is falling, the housing market is improving, and even the job market is showing signs of recovery-all of which could increase consumer spending by 3.5% by late 2013, according to Moody's Analytics. With pent-up demand for everything from housing to personal services to travel, there will be plenty of opportunity for small businesses who aren't afraid to seize it.

As always, though, technology trends will make a big difference in determining which businesses will be most successful. Here's what to look for:

1. Death of the desktop? Mobility will increasingly change how we do business. Already, according to The Mobility Edge: CDW's 2012 Small Business Mobility Report, 36% of small business IT managers say some of their employees have replaced a desktop or laptop computer with a smartphone or tablet. An additional 20% predict even more employees will do so by 2014. Adoption of tablets in the workplace is projected to grow a whopping 117% by then, while smartphone adoption at work will surge 33%. Smart entrepreneurs will tap into mobile's potential to work faster, more efficiently and more effectively.

2. Understanding your tech options will be critical. While small businesses recognize the opportunity technology presents, they're often confused about how best to implement it. In a Techaisle study, 54% of small and midsized businesses say their technology "pain points" have increased in the last three years, and that they're most mystified by cloud computing, virtualization, business intelligence, remote managed services and marketing automation.

3. Competition for talent will get tougher. It's never been easy for a small business to compete with big-company salaries, perks and bennies, and in 2013 it will become even more difficult, as employees are eager to search for those greener pastures. That's especially true for technology experts, so small businesses will have to find other ways to meet their tech needs.

4. Outsourcing will become an even better option. Freelancers and contractors, on the other hand, will be easier to find. MBO Partners' second annual State of Independence in America study projects the number of independent workers (contractors, consultants, freelancers or solo-preneurs) will grow from nearly 17 million to 23 million in the next five years. That will make it easier to hire the talent you need on a temporary basis.

5. SoLoMo goes shopping. Social/Local/Mobile is becoming the standard way to shop. People shopping on their mobile devices, "showroomg" (use their phones to compare in-store products with prices online), and use local search to find retailers and social media to find products. In a new study from the Advertising Research Foundation, nearly one-third of shoppers said social media affects their choice of brands; meanwhile, a survey by YP says 40% of consumers use local search daily. Making sure your website is optimized for mobile viewing and (if appropriate) developing a mobile app are the bare minimum of what you need to do in 2013.

6. Connected millennials - and their moms - matter more than ever. Much of the change in shopping behavior is driven by two key consumer groups: Millennials and moms. Both groups are constantly connected, rely on their friends' opinions (as well as those of social rating and recommendation sites) and aren't shy about sharing their own opinions of your business online (and in person). In 2013 it will be more crucial than ever to monitor and reply to what's being said about your business online.

7. Social means more than Facebook. Facebook and Twitter are still the big names in social media, most used by both consumers and businesses. But 2013 could see a shakeup from newer social sites as Pinterest, Tumblr and other visually oriented social media grab the attention of Millennial and younger consumers. And don't rule out Google+: The site's unique visitors grew by 80% in 2012, says a report by NM Incite.

What are we missing? What do you think will matter most in small business technology in 2013?

Source: http://readwrite.com/2012/12/27/the-7-technology-trends-that-will-matter-most-to-small-business-in-2013

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Making Easy Child Friendly Home Improvements | Tyler Electric

TIP! You should have a detailed plan and idea of how much money your home improvement project will cost. Do this before starting any work.

No matter what level of experience you may have with home improvement, it can make your home a more pleasant place to live. Your home has a lot to do with who you are and your lifestyle. The below article provides some information on how you can drastically improve the condition of your home.

TIP! Have a plan formulated for discarding debris. Home improvement adventures, especially those requiring any kind of demolition, create debris that will only get in your way if you don?t decide what you?re going to do with it, prior to starting your project.

When you own a home with a deck you have to look for some things to see if it needs repair. Are there uneven or cracked boards? Are there nails or screws sticking out? Are any of the boards dry rotted?

TIP! Before starting a home improvement project, it is important to consider local conditions. For instance, a deck may not provide much enjoyment if your area is especially windy.

Remember that your bathroom needs to have plenty of ventilation to function properly. Humidity from taking showers can create environments where mold can spread and grow. Even if you continuously repaint the walls of your bathroom, the mold still will not die. You will need to be proactive to prevent mold from growing. Reduce the humidity in the space with ventilation or a window.

TIP! Make sure you get a pro to do your plans so you do not run into a disaster. The expense will be well worth the investment.

Try using radiant heat tiles if you are going to be resetting tile. These tiles use heat via electricity and are very interesting. If you follow the instructions, you could even do it yourself. You?ll be able to add this onto an existing project or do it on your own. Once you step onto that warm floor on a cold morning, you will be forever grateful that you installed heated floors.

TIP! If you decide to replace your roof entirely, white or lightly-colored tiles are your best bet. When you use light tiles, your attic will tend to absorb less heat, which in turn will keep your house a little cooler during the hot summer months.

Once you install new carpet or hardwoods, make sure the new surfaces stay fresh by forbidding shoes inside the house. You should have slippers at the front door for anyone who comes in. That way, dirt will be kept away from carpeting and scratches will not be made in wood flooring.

TIP! Don?t ever hire an unlicensed contractor. No matter where it is that you currently reside, all contractors are required to have some sort of certification from your state.

As a result, perfecting your home can improve your self-esteem. It is unpleasant to have to live in a house that is falling apart. This info should help you get your house back to somewhere you want to be.

IF you need an electrician in Thomasville ga, please give us a phone call at 229-234-9960. We can easily handle household and commercial job. No task is too huge or too little. Please see our site at http://www.sharperelectrical.com/thomasvillegeorgia

Source: http://www.sharperelectrical.com/thomasvillegeorgia/making-easy-child-friendly-home-improvements/

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Gunman's mother kept trials of home life hidden

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? At the bar, everybody knew her name.

Nancy Lanza was the one who, if she heard you were short on cash, regularly offered to pick up the tab at My Place.

Two or three nights a week, Lanza ? the mother of the gunman in Connecticut's horrific school massacre ? came in for carryout salads, but stayed for Chardonnay and good humor. The divorced mother of two ? still smooth-skinned and ash blonde at 52 ? clearly didn't have to work, but was always glad to share talk of her beloved Red Sox, gardening and a growing enthusiasm for target shooting.

But while Lanza spoke proudly about her sons and brought them in for breakfast when they were younger, friends say she held one card very close: home life, especially its trials and setbacks, was off limits.

Now, the secrets Lanza kept are at the center of the questions that envelop this New England town, grieving over the slaughter unleashed by her 20-year-old son Adam, who investigators say killed his mother Friday with one of her own guns before murdering 26 children and teachers at a nearby school.

"Her family life was her family life. She kept it private, when we were together. That was her own thing," said Louise Tambascio, who runs the warmly lit pizzeria and bar with her own sons, and became a shopping and dining companion of Nancy Lanza's.

Friends had met Lanza's younger son, who stared down at the floor and didn't speak when she brought him in. They knew he'd switched schools more than once and that she'd tried home schooling him. But while she occasionally expressed concern about his future during evenings at the bar, she never complained about anything at all.

"I heard her as a parent. I always said that I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. But I thought, 'Wow. She holds it well,'" said Tambascio's son, John.

Despite those challenges, the trappings of Lanza's life in Newtown were comfortable. When she and then-husband Peter Lanza moved to the central Connecticut community in 1998 from southern New Hampshire, they bought a brand new 3,100-square-foot colonial set on more than two acres in the Bennett's Farm neighborhood. Nancy Lanza had previously worked as a stock broker at John Hancock in Boston and her husband was a successful executive.

When the couple divorced in 2009, he left their spacious home to Nancy Lanza and told her she would never have to work another day in her life, said Marsha Lanza of Crystal Lake, Ill., the alleged gunman's aunt. The split-up was not acrimonious and Adam spent time with both his mother and father, she said.

Those who knew Nancy Lanza recall her as very generous, often giving money to those she met and doing volunteer work.

When a mutual friend sought a loan from an acquaintance, Jim Leff, and Leff asked for collateral, Lanza intervened.

"Nancy overheard the discussion, and, unblinkingly, told him she'd just write him a check then and there," Leff recalled on his blog in a post after Lanza's death. "While I'm far from the most generous guy in the world, it's not often that I feel stingy. But I learned something from that. I should have just written him the check. She was right."

Mark Tambascio recalled the time Lanza invited him and his brother to attend a Boston Red Sox game, buying them tickets atop the outfield wall known as the Green Monster, and refusing any talk of repayment.

There were moments when she appeared carefree. Inside My Place on Sunday, friends passed around a book of photos from a 2008 sailing trip off Newport, R.I., including one showing Lanza, her eyes gently closed and head tilted back as the sea breeze blew through her hair. "Dreamer!" read the caption.

Neighbors knew her from the monthly gathering of women who rotated between homes for games of the dice game bunko. Lanza enthused about gardening, while poking fun of the fact that few could see the result because her house was set back from the road on a low rise, partly cloaked by trees.

"She used to give me a hard time, you know, because I put out all these Christmas lights, and she said, 'I put out mine, too, but you can't even see them,'" said Rhonda Cullens, who lives one street over.

Lanza also began telling friends that she'd bought guns and had taken up target shooting, John Tambascio said.

All three of the guns that Adam Lanza carried into Sandy Hook Elementary were owned and registered by his mother ? a pair of handguns and a .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle, his primary weapon.

Investigators said Sunday that Nancy Lanza visited shooting ranges several times and that her son also visited an area range.

Ginger Colburn, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, said it's still not clear whether Nancy Lanza brought her son to the range or whether he ever fired a weapon there.

Marsha Lanza told the Chicago Sun-Times that Nancy Lanza wanted guns for protection. "She prepared for the worst," Marsha Lanza told the newspaper. "I didn't know that they (the guns) would be used on her."

Guns were her hobby," Dan Holmes, who got to know Lanza while doing landscaping work for her, told The Washington Post. "She told me she liked the single-mindedness of shooting."

But while trips to shooting ranges gave Lanza an outlet, she returned home to the ever-present challenges of raising a son with intractable problems.

At Newtown High School, Adam Lanza was often having crises that only his mother could defuse.

"He would have an episode, and she'd have to return or come to the high school and deal with it," said Richard Novia, the school district's head of security until 2008, who got to know the family because both Lanza sons joined the school technology club he chartered.

Novia said Adam Lanza would sometimes withdraw completely "from whatever he was supposed to be doing," whether it was sitting in class or reading a book.

Adam Lanza "could take flight, which I think was the big issue, and it wasn't a rebellious or defiant thing," Novia said. "It was withdrawal."

The club gave the boy a place where he could be more at ease and indulge his interest in computers. His anxieties appeared to ease somewhat, but they never disappeared. When people approached him in the hallways, he would press himself against the wall or walk in a different direction, clutching tight to his black briefcase.

Marsha Lanza described Nancy Lanza as a good mother.

"If he had needed consulting, she would have gotten it," Marsha Lanza said. "Nancy wasn't one to deny reality."

But friends and neighbors said Lanza never spoke about the difficulties of raising her son. Mostly she noted how smart he was and that she hoped, even with his problems, that he'd find a way to succeed.

"We never talked about the family," John Tambascio said. "She just came in to have a great time."

___

Associated Press writer Matt Apuzzo in Southbury, Conn. and Michael Tarm in Crystal Lake, Ill. contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gunmans-mother-kept-trials-home-life-hidden-010414000.html

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Kidney failure under the microscope

Dec. 16, 2012 ? Better targeted treatments for 20 per cent of renal failure patients are on the horizon following a key discovery about the role of white blood cells in kidney inflammation.

In a study published December 16 in Nature Medicine, researchers from Monash University tracked the movements of white blood cells, or leukocytes, leading to a new understanding of their behaviour in both healthy and diseased kidneys.

Leukocytes play important protective roles in the body's immune system, but in some cases they cause damaging inflammation. Glomerulonephritis is an inflammatory disease of the kidney that can lead to the need for transplantation or regular dialysis. More than 20 per cent of end-stage renal failure cases result from glomerulonephritis.

Lead researcher, Associate Professor Michael Hickey of the University's Centre for Inflammatory Diseases in the Department of Medicine said the team used advanced microscopy techniques to visualise the movements of leukocytes through the kidney.

"In order to manipulate a system, you must understand it. Now, we have a really clear understanding of the disease process and the molecules involved in the key steps," Associate Professor Hickey said.

"Contrary to conventional medical and scientific opinion, we found that leukocytes are constantly circulating through and patrolling the blood vessels within healthy kidneys. It was previously believed that they only arrived in the kidney during the development of disease. That's not the case. However, during disease they linger in the kidney during the course of their normal journey, become agitated and cause inflammation and kidney damage."

End-stage renal failure leads to significant health and personal impacts, including ongoing visits to a dialysis unit several times a week, or a significant wait for a donor.

Renal Physician and co-investigator Professor Richard Kitching said therapies to effectively target glomerulonephritis were needed before end-stage was reached.

"The treatments we have can be fairly effective, but they are non-specific and they often have unacceptable side effects," Professor Kitching said.

"Currently, we have to suppress the immune system to combat the inflammation and this immunosuppression leaves the body more prone to infections. Additionally, some of the drugs have metabolic side effects, such as weight gain and bone thinning.

"Now we have a better understanding of how the disease develops, we can identify targets for more specific drugs, with fewer side-effects."

The Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry reported that 19,000 Australians had end-stage kidney failure at the end of 2010.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Monash University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Sapna Devi, Anqi Li, Clare L V Westhorpe, Camden Y Lo, Latasha D Abeynaike, Sarah L Snelgrove, Pam Hall, Joshua D Ooi, Christopher G Sobey, A Richard Kitching, Michael J Hickey. Multiphoton imaging reveals a new leukocyte recruitment paradigm in the glomerulus. Nature Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nm.3024

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/rop-I385gIo/121216132459.htm

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Molly Sims: Mommy and Me Makes Me Competitive

"He was only three weeks older than Brooks ... and he was crawling. He was almost standing up. I was like, 'Okay, we have got to move it. We've got to work on tummy time!'"

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/HEoJtF6RhEY/

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Hope Solo Defends Her Husband Jerramy Stevens

With Hope Solo's new husband Jerramy Stevens in jail for a possible probation violation following his domestic violence arrest, the women's soccer star is speaking out to declare that her husband has never hit her.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/hope-solo-defends-her-husband-jerramy-stevens/1-a-505579?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ahope-solo-defends-her-husband-jerramy-stevens-505579

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