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It's been another eventful year in search, mainly thanks to Google, and the role of the SEO has changed, even in this short time.
We've had Penguin 2.0, the under the radar Hummingbird update, as well as the removal of the last remaining keyword referral data.
I've been asking folks in the industry about their thoughts on SEO in 2013, and the most significant events over the past 12 months....
What have the most significant developments been for SEO in the last 12 months?
Julia Logan, Irish Wonder:
Most people will probably say it's the complete loss of keyword data from Google, but that was coming and we all knew it would eventually get to this.
What seems more striking to me, however, is Google admitting its helplessness in some verticals to an extent where it just introduced handpicked whitelists of what can rank in those verticals.
Dr Pete Meyers, Marketing Scientist at Moz:
Not to be unoriginal, but I think [not provided] has to lead the list for me. While good SEOs take a broad perspective, keywords are still a big part of our job, and this one really hurt.
As a tool provider, it's reshaped many of our conversations. That's good and bad, but it was certainly jarring. I think Google's radical push to redefine mobile has changed our world much more than we know.
It's terrified of how mobile consumption could (and has) impact ad revenue, and mobile features are now leading desktop features. It's a big shift in direction that will have profound implications next year.
Kevin Gibbons, UK MD at Blueglass:
The integration of SEO being driven by marketing strategy has been the biggest shift I've seen. I wrote about how agency models are changing earlier in the year and we've seen lots of people edge away from SEO over the last year.
This is not so much because SEO isn't important anymore, (as long as there's organic search is sending traffic/sales it's always going to be valuable), but as the lines become more blurred SEO is now more commonly being viewed, quite rightly, as a single channel within a wider strategy.
Andrew Girdwood, Media Innovations Director at LBi:
There has been very many but the one which feels most important has been the changing numbers among the SEO tribes.
This isn't a scientifically researched observation but my perception is that the number of agency and in-house SEOs who embrace the earned model with outreach, engagement, content, editorial pitches now outnumber those who cling to the more 'traditional' model of process based link building.
A number of developments are responsible for that swing. I'd suggest it's the combination of Panda (to identify bad content), Penguin (to punish you for too many links from bad content) combined with Google being more transparent or verbose about action that has caused this change.
Will Critchlow, Founder and CMO at Distilled:
I'd call out three things that are significant in different ways:
The rapid change to 100% (not provided). Although the writing was on the wall before this year, it was easy to believe that Google would find some way not to take away the last shreds of organic keyword data.
I don't buy the public reasons given for the change or like the alternatives they talk about. I think this is almost purely an anti-competitive play.
- Hummingbird has had a negligible impact on actual search marketing strategies (at least for anyone who had been looking to the future before it dropped). It deserves a mention though as we believe it will be ultimately as significant as the changes enabled by the Caffeine update. You can see more of our thoughts on this in this video discussion.
- Google's ongoing PR offensive and treatment of businesses under penalty has continued through 2013 and has really started reaching the mainstream marketing consciousness. We're seeing fewer requests for the shady stuff. Previously we would see a lot and we would have to talk them out of it, now fewer businesses are keen to go down that route.
Teddie Cowell, Director of SEO, Mediacom:
Hummingbird was a major overhaul of the underlying algorithms that power Google and an important milestone in the evolution of search. Instead of being based on design concepts that were around over 10 years ago, the new infrastructure is designed to enable Google to evolve and do want they want in the next ten years.
The key components of Hummingbird are its ability to understand information better and return 'answers' to questions much more quickly.
It also opens up the possibility for a more natural 'conversational' style interaction with Google search, which will be required to break out of the current search box paradigm and enable hands free search experiences on mobile and Google Glass etc.
Matthew Barnes, SEO Executive at Stickyeyes:
There's been a lot of discussion over the last 12-months about keyword data being made unavailable to the masses, making it more difficult for SEO marketers to define and set the most effective strategy for their clients across unbranded keywords.
This challenge will force agencies to work smarter and more closely with their insights, content, social, paid search and strategic insight teams.
However, the most unappreciated changes are yet to come. Recently many Google users have experienced the paid search results which look almost identical to organic results.
This, combined with various other elements such as knowledge graph, in depth articles and news, is starting to take the attention away from organic search, increasing the competitiveness to grab the all-important click-through.
Richard Baxter, CEO at SEOGadget:
Developments in SEO have very obviously been fuelled by changes to the way Google's working. I think I have to reflect on how my agency has changed in the past 12 months to answer this question.
We started the year, pretty much like any other agency – building links with mostly articles and infographics, cranking out audit work, keyword research, all the usual things you'd expect, with a bit of bespoke consulting for more difficult projects with a sprinkling of USP for good measure.
Then, this thing happened – we decided we wanted to enjoy the work a little more beyond simply 'building quality links for rankings'. At the same time, and somewhat fortuitously, Google were starting to really grind away at low quality link profiles, penalising sites left right and centre.
I think our evolution is clearly tracking in response to how SEO has been pushed to develop in the last 12 months. We have such a general content marketing, revenue led focus to the work we do and that's definitely because of Google.
We're not an industry of link builders anymore. We're an industry of aspiring marketers, longing to find that sweet spot between attracting hundreds of links to our clients sites while converting the traffic generated to our new assets into sales.
It sounds an awful lot like advertising and I think that we're looking at the big ad agency guys in some detail for inspiration on our company structure, creative capabilities and marketing channels.
Jimmy McCann, Head of SEO at Search Laboratory:
The improved transparency and communication on Google's Webmaster Tools. Over the last 12 months the communication has really opened up on here, which is good but could still be better. It's definitely a start though.
Comments (12)
I agree with Dr Pete Meyers - The Not Provided issue has forced SEOs to change the way they measure and interpret SEO - Dr Pete Meyers was one on the main contributors in a recent blog post - It's All Going "Not Provided" – 9 Industry Experts Share Their Thoughts - Well worth a read - http://www.blueclawsearch.co.uk/blog/2013/12/04/its-all-going-not-provided-9-industry-experts-share-their-thoughts/
"We're not an industry of link builders anymore. We're an industry of aspiring marketers." Enough said, yep.
All points are valid and important but for me it has to sit with Hummingbird if we're talking about the most significant development *in* 2013, not necessarily that affects 2013.
I think we'll start to see the wider impact of Hummingbird in 2014 leading into the next 2-3 years as mobile device usage patterns evolve (ie voice searching via your Smart TV, Smart watch, other Smart-wear or Internet enabled car)... and more reliance on structured data which can be fed back either via audio or visual...
It is interesting to me that when we are talking SEO it is always about Google and what they are doing.
As each month passes, Google seems to be testing the envelope of what they can get away with in the name of "a better user experience".
Of course we all have to focus on Google when helping out clients, but I cannot help but hope for an underdog search engine to figure out the "wechat" answer to search. An important point to make is that this new underdog can "dodge" the Google buy-out unlike Aardvark!
I was amazed at the passive "what are you going to do" response to Google's move to increase the number of keywords not disclosed while at the same time allowing anyone to see those very same "secret keywords" in their Adwords campaigns.
Let's see what 2014 brings!
All the points raised seem relevant. In particular, I agree with Richard Baxter: SEO is marcoms channel as well as a route to direct conversion. If you understand your clients' brand position then you can implement SEO tactically to help them achieve their communications objectives and it's a lot more fun than cranking out low quality links.
With the release of hummingbird i really believe Google is gearing up it's search to return answers to longer "speech" based queries.
I can really see "Search by Voice" taking off over the next year or so. As a site it's imperative (in my mind) to have in-depth research to any query a person could ask about your product and/or service.
Does anyone know where we can find any data on the amount of people using "search by voice"? I'd be interested to see if this is taking off yet.
Richard Baxters commentary is spot on. It's always been about the end user (or the customer). Traditional SEO has evaluated the behaviour of the end user predominantly through the prism of keywords and (sometimes pseudo) algorithmic analysis. While I saw value in it, for me it was a small part of the puzzle.
Marketing/Advertising can be informed by keywords, content consumption and data picked up from social media, but at the end of the day you need to the ability to translate that and really understand what motivates, scares, entices and titillates the human being at the other end of tat smart phone tablet or laptop. Find it in data, ask people, ask client facing people who work in the industry find it on social - doesn't matter where you find it.
The big guns in the Ad industry (especially direct marketing) have known this for a long time. I think the removal of keywords, while reducing the available dataset is in fact a good thing. It forces marketers and agencies to do some real analysis and develop true insight.
It is ironical that we all blog less just when outreach and editorial marketing are becoming so important. Blogging did not manage to find a viable business model when Twitter made it less relevant. Remember Google discontinuing Google Reader in March this year?
Not a week goes by these days without me deleting one or two feeds for lack of activity from my extensive list of blogs. On the other hand, this is probably good: only the persevering authors and the best content will cut through.
Thank you this is the most useful article I've ever read.
This year we've come to see SEO and brand-building as essentially the same thing:
As a branding agency it's an exciting time for us, and we're looking forward to how Google (new & improved!) will help to promote great work.
Google's continual updates - not only to the search engine results but its own tools keeping us SEO types on our toes in 2013 was a challenge.
Agree not provided keywords was the biggest challenge last year followed closely by generating enough well written and useful content about each client to interest/engage users online.
For 2014 I can't help feel Google will manually intervene more in the organic results as it continues its push to integrate adverts and other universal results into the first page leading us all into more content and more social platforms.
I agree with the loss of keyword data cited by several contributors at the beginning, but, like Jimmy, have discovered Google's Webmaster Tools as a (poor) replacement.
Will we see its functionality improve in 2014?


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Shoppers ready for Black Friday
BLACKFOOT — With only 32 days left until Christmas is here, people scramble to make their holiday purchases but is Black Friday…err… Thursday ruining shoppers idea about the infamous day of bargain hunting?
Retailers market the after Thanksgiving shopping day as the holiday savings event of the season. This year many retailers that commonly have opened as early as midnight for Black Friday are opening their doors for sales Thanksgiving evening.
"I think it's kinda lame that they have sales on Thanksgiving now," said Lauren Lucio, a local shopper "I like waking up at 4 a.m. Friday morning to hit the sales. I'm never really looking for anything specific; it's really more for the fun of it. We always hit up Starbucks, and when all the shopping is done we do breakfast. I look forward to it almost as much as Thanksgiving."
Others discount Black Friday all together, claiming the madness is not worth a couple of saved dollars.
"I've seen women get in a fight over a pair of roller blades; people get knocked down and trampled; store clerks trying to get out of the way in fear," said Michelle Morgan, "It's not worth it to me."
Black Friday becomes even more baffling when you throw Internet sales into the mix. Retailers offer most of the deals that can be found in the store online before Black Friday. Throw in free shipping which most places offer and it leaves consumers wondering why they should even leave their homes at all.
"This will be my first time in 10 years I won't be going to the Black Friday sales." said Jared Christiansen, "The stores are souring it by starting on Thursday night. Besides just about everything I was planning on picking up on Black Friday I've found online for the same price… besides that, I just don't feel right about contributing to making these workers come in on Thursday night. They should be home with their families and so should I!"
Thanksgiving Day will leave us stuffed to the brim with holiday goodies. Tryptophan will course through our veins from generous helpings of turkey and, as we lay helpless watching football on the living room couch, there will come a time in which we consumers will make a decision to pick up our purses and wallets and head to the store, or head into the kitchen for that fifth piece of pumpkin pie.
"I am staying in my nice warm bed on Black Friday," said Fred Saunders, "and will probably stay there until noon!"

subset: commoncrawl


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We're a residential college, so you'll be spending a lot of time living with and getting to know other Grinnellians. Our residence halls are grouped on three sides: North Campus, South Campus, and East Campus. The residence halls all have their own quirks and bonuses, but all have spacious lounges, wi-fi access, laundry facilities, computer rooms, kitchens, and custodial services.
You can also join project houses (e.g., Eco house) and language houses, located in historic homes near campus. If you're not living on campus, you're likely studying abroad or live within a short walk.
North and East Campuses are prized for easy access to the fitness center. North Campus also has the Harris Center, with its cinema and concert hall. East Campus is our newest set of residence halls, with enormous windows, huge lounges, and elevators in each hall. South Campus is closest to our arts center, our main library, Bob's Underground Café, and our popular concert venue, Gardner Lounge. They all sport classic loggias.
The centrally-located Marketplace dining hall serves all of campus, and the Spencer Grill offers snacks, drinks, and lighter fare. Both are in the Rosenfield Center, our campus center that also showcases the Laurel Leaf lounge (a favorite study spot), the game room, and the post office. Upstairs you'll find the Student Government Association offices and many classrooms, while downstairs you'll find the student-run Lyle's Pub.
The Office of Residence Life oversees residence halls to create a welcoming, comfortable, and safe living environment for all students. Student advisers on each floor and adult residential life coordinators ensure you get settled in quickly and can handle any issues as they arise, and safety officers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


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Fellowships and Studentships at ESO
In this section you will find information about the ESO fellowship and studentship programmes.
Postdoctoral Fellowship at ESO
ESO has an active fellowship programme in Garching and in Chile, with yearly application deadline on October 15.
In addition, ESO has several ALMA fellowship positions - funded by the Marie-Curie COFUND Programme of the European Community - to complement its regular fellowship programme.
Studentships at ESO
There are two main studentship programmes at ESO through which PhD students can do full or part of their PhD project at ESO in Garching or in Chile: The ESO studentship programme running in Garching and in Santiago, Chile, and the IMPRS studentships in Garching. The PhD students coming to ESO work on their PhD projects under a supervision of a faculty member.
ESO Studentships
Students enrolled in a PhD project in a University in ESO member countries interested in spending part (1-2 years) of their PhD research period in Garching or in Chile, are encouraged to apply for the ESO studentship programme. Yearly application deadlines are on May 31 and November 15.
IMPRS Studentships in Garching
ESO is one of the partners in the IMPRS (International Max-Planck Research School) on Astrophysics and is offering in Garching two full (3 year) PhD positions every year. The yearly deadline for applications is on November 15.
If interested, please consult the list of PhD topics offered by the ESO staff.
Other Postdoc/PhD positions
Occasionally postdoc or graduate student positions are opened for some specific projects. These are announced on the ESO recruitment page.
In addition, ESO is participating in "The Cluster of Excellence for Fundamental Physics: Origin and Structure of the Universe", located in the University campus of Garching, which occasionally has offers for postdoc and PhD positions.


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Tonight marked the close of the Urban Alchemy concert series at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts in conjuction with the exhibition of collected works of Gordon Matta-Clark. The program featured Karlheinz Stockhausen's 1970 work Mantra, written for two pianos, electronics, and sparse percussion. The crux of the work is perhaps what ties it most closely to the exhibition in the surrounding space. As Matta-Clark re-envisioned spaces and interior-exterior relationships, Stockhausen here reformulates the two-piano classical form by addition of a novel element: the ring-modulator circuit.
It was popular in the 19th century, before recorded media, to reduce orchestral works to two-piano versions that could be played in your luxe foyer at the mercy of your caprice, bypassing the need to round up your cadre of orchestra-types (heavy drinkers they are). Here Stockhausen not only reworks an established form, but in my opinion he makes a parodic jab at the idea of 'reducing' musical works. Near the close of the lengthy Mantra, Stockhausen notates a lightspeed summary of everything that occurred in the piece up to that point.
But back to the new element: the ring-modulator. Though the 'ring' in the name is often erroneously traced to the bell-like tones that the circuit is able to produce, it derives from the typical structure of the analog circuit: a ring of diodes. (Pull out your Schaum's physics outline) SLSO Music Director David Robertson started to explain the operation of the device in the pre-concert lecture and a way that was totally understandable and almost fun, which I will try to replicate. The ring-modulator multiplies the input signal (piano) by a 'carrier' signal [that's convolution in the frequency domain] so that the resulting output contains tones at the sum and the difference of the input and carrier frequencies. For you acoustics buffs that means that the ratios between these new processed signals can be very un-harmonic. This is the means by which many ring-modulator outputs sound like bells (metallic overtones are often not harmonic). See also: Arvo Part's 'tintinnabular' period of composition, where he explicitly notates such overtones played on other instruments to create this rare quality.
The result is a vast continuum of timbre from the very limited starting material of two pianos and a circuit. For example, there is one segment of the piece where piano chords seem to waver in an out of audibility, like a tremolo effect on a surf guitar (awful analogy). I am fairly sure this is acheived if the carrier frequency is set very low, so that sum and difference tones generated are relatively close, creating the pulsating 'beat' heard here. When high-register tones are played with this carrier frequency, the beat is so fast that it generates its own buzzing 'undertone'.
Why doesn't every Steinway come with a little ring modulator and internal speaker? Listen to about 20 of the 70-ish minutes of Mantra and you'll understand how this component fell out of present-day favor from its heyday in electronic/computer music composition of the 60s-70s. The ring-modulator is now that guitar effect you never use, or more scathingly, it is a textbook space-age noise used for creating specific imagery. During one segment of the piece where a single chord is sustained while the ring-modulator's carrier freq. knob is turned up and back down again, I had to cover my mouth to keep from shouting "BLAST OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Such is the fate of a "new" sound — in an effort to subvert the expectations associated with 'traditional' music eventually it, too, lends itself to imitation and overuse.
If you are unfamiliar with the music of Stockhausen, Mantra is an excellent place to begin, since new listeners might find his prior chance-inspired works aimless or boring, and his early serialist pieces overcomplicated.


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Recipe: Goya champuru
It ain't easy being green
On the face of it, goya isn't the most appetizing of fruit. With its dark green complexion, prickly texture and bitter taste, it looks like a cross between a cucumber and a durian. Even its English name is less than appealing – 'bitter gourd'.
But while it may look intimidating and taste bitter uncooked, goya is actually delicious when properly prepared. And it's easy to remove much of the bitterness. Simply scoop out the seeds and slice into thin pieces. Soak these in water for 10 – 20 minutes and you're done.
The fruit is said to have a variety of health benefits (it's high in Vitamin C) and is commonly used in traditional medicines to combat such things as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Goya is a key ingredient in Okinawan cuisine (the name itself is Okinawan – nigauri in Japanese) and goya champaru is the prefecture's signature dish. Goya champaru is popular elsewhere in Japan, particularly during the summer months.
This preparation is for a very simple version of the dish. To add volume and texture, add a handful of moyashi (bean shoots). You can also add pickled ginger as a garnish.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 1 goya
- 200 to 350 g tofu (momen tofu)
- 100 to 150 g pork (sliced butabara pork is best)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 5 g kezuribushi
First cut the goya in half and take the seeds out using a tea spoon. These seeds and the white pith around them is very bitter and should be removed carefully. Next, slice the goya into 5 mm slices. Place these into a bowl of iced water for around 10 to 20 minutes (this too is to minimize the bitterness).
While the goya is soaking in the cold water, wrap the tofu with a paper towel and warm it in a microwave for 3 minutes in order to draw the water out of the tofu. Now cut the pork into bite size pieces and mix with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour 1 tablespoon of salad oil into a pan and cook the pork. Strain the water from the goya and as soon as the pieces of pork begin to change color, add the green vegetable to the mix. Cook the pork and goya together for 1 to 2 minutes.
Breaking the tofu into small pieces by hand, add these to the mixture in the pan. Season with a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce. Mix thoroughly, trying not do break the tofu up too much.
Crack the eggs and pour them into the pan, making a circle around the edges of the pan. Cook these slowly. When the egg begins to cook, turn off the gas and pour a dash of sesame oil into the pan.
Serve, placing kezuribushi onto the top of the dish.


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Reduce Blood Glucose and Shed Pounds Fast
According to the World Health Organization, some 1.5 billion people are obese or overweight.(1) Each of these obese individuals runs up to a three times increased risk of death compared to normal-weight people.(2)
Obesity results in shortening of the life span by an average eight to ten years compared with people at normal weight. For every 33 extra pounds, risk of early death increases by around 30%.(3)
Beyond just looking good, shedding extra pounds is a proven life-saving strategy.
The good news is that scientists have found green coffee bean extract can intervene in a unique way to inhibit the process behind obesity.
Now recognized as a complex metabolic disease itself and not merely a "risk factor,"(4) obesity occurs when excess calorie consumption overwhelms the body's ability to expend calories as energy.(5-9) Then, the obesity disease process causes further increases in body fat and blood glucose levels.
In this article, you will learn how chlorogenic acid compounds in green coffee bean extract work in the intestinal tract to inhibit the absorption of calories.(10-11) Green coffee bean extract also works along multiple pathways to reduce [body] fat(12-16) and glucose levels.(15,17-27)
In a small but compelling placebo-controlled study reported January 2012, a formulation of green coffee bean extract produced weight loss in 100% of the overweight participants – who lost an average of over 17.6 pounds and reduced their body fat.(28) Without changing their consumption of calories, protein, or carbohydrates, or their exercise habits – a remarkable 37% of participants reversed their pre-obesity status (25-30 BMI) back into the normal-weight range.(28)
Obesity Now Defined as 'Chronic Metabolic Disease'
Recent research placed the overall risks of obesity into clear and frightening perspective: scientists concluded that the healthcare costs associated with obesity exceed those associated with smoking.(29) With that level of risk, it's important that we view obesity as the complex disease that scientists now know it to be.(4)
As a disease, the scientific community now specifically recognizes obesity to be a chronic metabolic disorder, one that plays a key role in the induction of many age-related diseases – and early death.(30) Obesity alters the body's pulmonary, endocrine, and immunological functions.(4)
For example, a study concluded that adipose (fat) tissue is not simply a passive fat storehouse, but an active endocrine organ capable of synthesizing a variety of molecules and releasing them into the bloodstream, where they can disrupt the normal metabolic balance and cause a host of diseases.(30,31)
Scientists have learned that this metabolic disruption can trigger diabetes,(31) hypertension and cardiovascular disease,(30,31) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD),(32,33) liver and colorectal cancer,(33) and various digestive diseases.(32)
With these risk factors, it is easy to understand why obesity involves a 200%-300% higher risk of death than being of normal weight(3) -and why excess body fat may be robbing almost 2 out of 3 people of both quality and quantity of life.(1,4)
The medical establishment's longstanding answer to the obesity epidemic has been "more exercise and a balanced diet." And body weight often comes down in response to striking a balance between energy (food) intake and energy expenditure (physical activity).(7-9)
But the contribution of other factors is poorly understood, and obesity can, in part, be a response to environmental stimuli, genetic predisposition, and endocrinological (hormonal) abnormalities.(4)
Reversing an obesity epidemic of this magnitude requires attacking it on several fronts, including exercise, diet – and novel interventions. So scientists have been investigating the safest and most effective, natural agents that might hold the ability to actively halt obesity's underlying process.
Following the Clues to a Unique Obesity Intervention
Extensive epidemiological evidence had previously shown that a high level of coffee consumption lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 67%.(34) This anti-diabetic effect appeared to result from reduced levels of blood glucose, increased insulin sensitivity, and decreased storage of both fat and carbohydrate.
To scientists, this suggested that compounds in the coffee bean can somehow modify digestion or metabolism. It also suggested, confirmed by a later review,(35) that the anti-diabetic benefit from coffee may stem from a weight-reducing effect – because excess weight is a well-known risk factor for diabetes.
Further research, including a meta-analysis that combined data on over 450,000 people, discovered that decaffeinated coffee provided the same protective effects as caffeinated.(36-40) This proved to scientists that coffee's ability to affect digestion or metabolism stemmed from non-caffeine compounds in the coffee bean, most likely chlorogenic acid, possibly enhanced by other coffee bean compounds.
Studies then found that caffeine stimulates glucose absorption, whereas chlorogenic acid in coffee antagonizes glucose uptake.(21)
It apparently does so by shifting the glucose uptake to more distal regions of the small intestine.(21) It also seems to inhibit amylase, the enzyme that breaks down starch into sugar.(10)
Scientists recognized from these findings that coffee's chlorogenic acids represented a potential breakthrough against obesity – because these compounds may be helping coffee drinkers to prevent diabetes by an inhibition of weight gain, effected by a reduction in glucose levels(2) and by – the Holy Grail of anti-obesity efforts – a decrease in intestinal calorie uptake.(10,28)
Confirmation of this began with a study concluding that the chlorogenic acids in coffee inhibit glucose-6-phosphatase, in turn interfering with glucose synthesis and release within the body.(19) This lowers blood sugar levels – and promotes weight loss.
This study also found that chlorogenic acid reduces the hyperglycemic peak associated with carbohydrate ingestion.(19) This lowers insulin activity and reduces adipose tissue accumulation(40) – both associated with weight loss. Additionally, research has confirmed that compounds in coffee decrease adipose tissue.(13)
With increasing support for the weight-loss effect of coffee compounds, scientists set out to investigate specifically the effects of coffee on weight.
In a human study, daily consumption of coffee that was rich in the compounds that are found abundantly in green coffee beans, and also in roasted beans, did indeed result in a lower energy (food) intake – which caused reduced weight and body fat.(41) Scientists wondered if even greater calorie-blocking and weight loss could be achieved by a higher concentration of chlorogenic acids in the coffee.(17,18)
Green Coffee Bean Extract Inhibits Calorie Absorption
To investigate the weight-reducing effect that had been shown in roasted and brewed coffee, scientists turned to compounds extracted directly from green coffee beans. The green coffee beans contain higher amounts of chlorogenic acid and other polyphenol compounds that are substantially lost during the roasting process that turns them brown.
Investigators tested two agents on mice: chlorogenic acid, a key green coffee bean compound and green coffee bean extract. They found that chlorogenic acid alone showed a moderate weight-reducing effect. However, the green coffee bean extract produced greater weight loss.(13) This was attributed to its ability to inhibit the absorption of fats from the intestine and enhance fat metabolism in the liver.(13)
Further testing involving induced-obese mice administered a high-fat diet (37% calories from fat) confirmed these findings.(16)
In other research with mice, coffee polyphenols enhanced energy metabolism, decreased lipogenesis (the formation of fat) and inhibited weight gain. The researchers found a suppression of body fat, which resulted from a downregulating of sterol regulatory element-binding protein and related molecules.(14)
Encouraged by the anti-obesity effect of these extracts in animals, scientists designed new experiments to confirm that green coffee bean extract would significantly decrease body weight in humans.
In a 12-week, placebo-controlled study, scientists tested the efficacy of green coffee bean extract.
Thirty overweight or obese human volunteers took either the extract or a placebo, dissolved in instant coffee. The extract produced an average 11 pound weight loss. This was paralleled by a decrease in glucose absorption and an increase in glucose utilization. The researchers reported that the lower availability of glucose that results from these effects would cause the body to increase the metabolism of fat reserves, which would eventually decrease body fat and mass.(17)
By this point, scientists had accumulated substantial evidence that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee – and especially, green coffee bean extract – significantly reduce the absorption of glucose,(17,19,21) and the absorption of fats.(13,16) There was also evidence of a decrease in the enzyme amylase,(10) which would reduce the absorption of carbohydrates. These effects indicated that green coffee bean extract decreases absorption of calories and produces substantial weight loss.(17)
A 2011 review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished human studies involving randomized clinical trials using green coffee bean extract in doses of 180 mg to 200 mg daily concluded that there was an overall decrease in body weight. However, the scientists concluded that further rigorous research was needed to conclusively establish the weight-loss efficacy of the extract.(42)
Compelling Weight-Loss Results
To determine conclusively that green coffee bean extract has a potent anti-obesity benefit, scientists set up a study of rigorous design: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study on humans.
In a crossover study, participants are cycled through different phases of treatment and placebo. In this case, subjects took a high dose of green coffee bean extract for 6 weeks, a lower dose green coffee bean extract for 6 weeks, and a placebo for 6 weeks in a randomized, double-blind manner. Between phases, there was a 2-week "washout" period, making the entire study 22 weeks long.
Crossover studies are considered sound, because each person in the test group serves as his or her own control. This improves the chances of getting an accurate result, because it eliminates the possibility of the outcome reflecting a difference between the active and control groups. Instead, any difference in results can be attributed with much greater confidence to the different supplements taken.
To ensure the findings were more representative, the investigation enlisted both men and women. Participants were restricted to those who were classified by their BMI as obese or pre-obese, because those who have these conditions are subject to obesity's metabolic effects and find weight loss difficult to achieve. To avoid any confounding effect from drugs, subjects were excluded if they had taken any medications known to influence weight during the previous 6 months.
To further ensure that any effect on weight, body fat or BMI could be solely attributed to the extract, there were no significant changes in dietary calories or in the dietary percentages of carbohydrates, fat, and proteins at any time during the study. There were also no significant changes in exercise. The daily capsules were the only intervention, although in a non-study situation, people seeking weight reduction would ideally combine this intervention with lower calorie consumption and greater physical activity to promote maximum weight loss.
During the high-dose phase, subjects took 350 mg of extract, three times daily. The lower dose phase included 350 mg of extract, taken twice daily. The placebo phase involved a 350 mg dose three times daily of an inert capsule containing an inactive substance.
In January 2012, the scientists reported the striking results.
Although there were no changes in calorie intake or exercise over the 22-week trial, the investigators found that all subjects experienced an impressive reduction in body weight, BMI, and body fat during both the high-dose and low-dose phases of the study, but not in the placebo phase. After just 12 weeks of administering green coffee bean extract over the course of the 22-week study, the scientists found that:(28)
Weight decreased by over 17.6 pounds on average – with some subjects losing more than 22.7 pounds.
BMI decreased by an average of 2.92.
Body fat decreased by an average 4.44%, with some subjects losing 6.44% of their body fat.
Heart rate decreased by a significant average of 2.56 beats per minute.
The substantial anti-obesity impact was clearly reflected in the finding that a remarkable 37% of participants who were assessed as having pre-obesity (25-30 BMI) at the start of the study had their condition reversed to the normal-weight range!(28)
A study follow-up showed that, contrasting with food-restriction diets, a surprising 87.5% of the test subjects were able to maintain their weight loss after completing the study.(28) No side effects were observed.
Exploring the Biochemical Mechanisms
Research into exactly how green coffee bean extract produces its dramatic pound-shedding effect is in its early stages. However, existing evidence indicates that this powerful coffee extract has the ability to safely decrease the intestinal uptake of glucose, fats, and carbohydrates – and reduce the absorption of calories. Research shows that it also interferes with glucose transport and the production and storage of fats; and promotes utilization of glucose and breakdown of fats. Scientists speculate that its multiple biochemical mechanisms may work to:
• Inhibit the enzyme amylase, which would decrease the gastrointestinal tract absorption of sugar and calories(10)
• Interfere with glucose-6-phosphatase, an enzyme involved in creation of often surplus blood glucose from protein and fats(19)
• Suppress accumulation of hepatic triglycerides(13)
• Alter body-fat distribution(16)
• Downregulate fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis(16)
• Upregulate fatty acid oxidation and expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-alpha), a key regulator of lipids and glucose(15,16)
• Interfere with glucose transport(21)
• Inhibit pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats in the digestive tract(11)
• Retard absorption of fats from the intestine, and activate fat metabolism in the liver(13)
• Enhance energy metabolism(14)
• Reduce lipogenesis and fat accumulation by downregulating sterol regulatory element-binding protein and similar molecules(14)
• Inhibit the enzyme alpha-glucosidase, which breaks apart complex sugars and enhances their absorption into the blood(43)
• Increase the signal protein for insulin receptors in liver cells, increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing glucose levels(22)
• Antagonize glucose uptake in the proximal small intestine, shifting absorption to more distal regions of the small intestine, thus reducing overall glucose uptake(21)
• Promote synthesis of the homeodomain transcription factor IDX-1, which helps the insulin-regulating beta cells respond to increases in plasma glucose(24)
• Promote dispersal of the sodium ion (Na+) electrochemical gradient, in turn reducing glucose absorption(27)
• Enhance whole-body metabolism, as shown by greater oxygen consumption.(14)
Whatever the mechanism through which green coffee bean extract delivers its beneficial effects, it has been shown to have a unique anti-obesity benefit: It substantially reduces body weight and body fat – even without a change in exercise or calorie consumption!(28)
Obesity increases the risk of chronic diseases and puts its victims at a 200%-300% greater risk of death.(3,4)
The good news is that scientists have found that green coffee bean extract can intervene in a unique way to inhibit the process behind obesity. Its compounds can reduce levels of fat(11-16) and glucose(14,15,17-27) in the body – and can decrease the absorption of calories.(10)
In a recent, placebo-controlled study on humans, green coffee bean extract decreased weight by a remarkable average of over 17.6 pounds.(28) And 37% of participants reversed their pre-obesity status back to the normal-weight range.(28) These results confirm that green coffee bean extract is a unique and potent intervention to halt obesity.
1. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/. Accessed on April 24, 2012.
2. Adams KF, Schatzkin A, Harris TB, et al. Overweight, obesity, and mortality in a large prospective cohort of persons 50 to 71 years old. N Engl J Med. 2006 August 24;355(8):763-78.
3. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/1/61/49716427.pdf. Accessed April 24, 2012.
4. Conway B, Rene A. Obesity as a disease: no lightweight matter. Obes Rev. 2004 3:145-51.
5. Ouchi N, Ohashi K, Shibata R, Murohara T. Adipocytokines and obesity-linked disorders. Nagoya J Med Sci. 2012 Feb;74(1-2):19-30.
6. Larson-Meyer DE, Heilbronn LK, Redman LM, et al. Effect of calorie restriction with or without exercise on insulin sensitivity, beta-cell function, fat cell size, and ectopic lipid in overweight subjects. Diabetes Care. 2006 Jun;29(6):1337-44.
7. Kant AK, Graubard BI. Secular trends in patterns of self-reported food consumption of adult Americans: NHANES 1971-1975 to NHANES 1999-2002. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1215-23.
8. Bagnol D, Al-Shamma HA, Behan D, Whelan K, Grottick AJ. Diet-induced models of obesity (DIO) in rodents. Curr Protoc Neurosci. 2012 Apr;Chapter 9:Unit9.38. 9. Fair AM, Montgomery K. Energy balance, physical activity, and cancer risk. Methods Mol Biol. 2009;472:57-88.
10. Narita Y, Inouye KJ. Kinetic analysis and mechanism on the inhibition of chlorogenic acid and its components against porcine pancreas alpha-amylase isozymes I and II. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57:9218-25.
11. Ong KW, Hsu A, Tan BK. Chlorogenic acid stimulates glucose transport in skeletal muscle via AMPK activation: a contributor to the beneficial effects of coffee on diabetes. PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e32718.
12. Superko HR, Bortz W Jr, Williams PT, Albers JJ, Wood PD. Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee effects on plasma lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins, and lipase activity: a controlled, randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991;54:599-605.
13. Shimoda H, Seki E, Aitani M. Inhibitory effect of green coffee bean extract on fat accumulation and body weight gain in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006;6:9.
14. Murase T, Misawa K, Minegishi Y, et al. Coffee polyphenols suppress diet-induced body fat accumulation by downregulating SREBP-1c and related molecules in C57BL/6J mice. Am J Physiol Endocrino Metab. 2011;300:E122-33.
15. Li SY, Chang CQ, Ma FY, Yu CL. Modulating effects of chlorogenic acid on lipids and glucose metabolism and expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha in golden hamsters fed on high fat diet. Biomed Environ Sci. 2009;22:122-9.
16. Cho AS, Jeon SM, Kim MJ, et al. Chlorogenic acid exhibits anti-obesity property and improves lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced-obese mice. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010;48(3):937-43.
17. Thom E. The effect of chlorogenic acid enriched coffee on glucose absorption in healthy volunteers and its effect on body mass when used long-term in overweight and obese people. J Int Med Res. 2007;35(6):900-8.
18. van Dijk AE, Olthof MR, Meeuse JC, Seebus E, Heine RJ, van Dam RM. Acute effects of decaffeinated coffee and the major coffee components chlorogenic acid and trigonelline on glucose tolerance. Diabetes Care. 2009 Jun;32(6):1023-5.
19. Tunnicliffe JM, Eller LK, Reimer RA, Hittel DS, Shearer J. Chlorogenic acid differentially affects postprandial glucose and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide response in rats. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011 Oct;36(5):650-9.
20. Bidel S, Hu G, Sundvall J, Kaprio J, Tuomilehto J. Effects of coffee consumption on glucose tolerance, serum glucose and insulin levels: a cross-sectional analysis. Horm Metab Res. 2006;38(1):38-43.
21. Johnston KL, Clifford MN, Morgan LM. Coffee acutely modifies gastrointestinal hormone secretion and glucose tolerance in humans: glycemic effects of chlorogenic acid and caffeine. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78:728-33.
22. Rodriguez de Sotillo DV, Hadley T, Sotillo JE. Insulin receptor exon 11+/? is expressed in Zucker (fa/fa) rats, and chlorogenic acid modifies their plasma insulin and liver protein and DNA. J Nutr Biochem. 2006;7:63-71.
23. Arion WJ, Canfield WK, Ramos FC, et al. Chlorogenic acid and hydroxynitrobenzaldehyde: new inhibitors of hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1997;339:315-22.
24. McCarty MF. A chlorogenic acid-induced increase in GLP-1 production may mediate the impact of heavy coffee consumption on diabetes risk. Med Hypoth. 2004;64:848-53.
25. Henry-Vitrac C, Ibarra A, Roller M, Merillon JM, Vitrac X. Contribution of chlorogenic acids to the inhibition of human hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity in vitro by Svetol, a standardized decaffeinated green coffee extract. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Apr 14;58(7):4141-4.
26. Andrade-Cetto A, Vazquez RC. Gluconeogenesis inhibition and phytochemical composition of two Cecropia species. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010 Jul 6;130(1):93-7.
27. Welsch CA, Lachance PA, Wasserman BP. Dietary phenolic compounds: inhibition of Na+-dependent D-glucose uptake in rat intestinal brush border membrane vesicles. J Nutr. 1989;119(11):1698-704.
28. Vinson JA, Burnham BR, Nagendran MV. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2012;5:21-7.
29. Moriarty J, Branda M, Olsen Kerry, et al. The Effects of incremental costs of smoking and obesity on health care costs among adults: A 7-year longitudinal study. J Occup Environ Med. 2012 March;54(3):286-91.
30. Poirier P, Eckel RH. Obesity and cardiovascular disease. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2002 Nov;4(6):448-53.
31. Field AE, Coakley EH, Must A, et al. Impact of overweight on the risk of developing common chronic diseases during a 10-year period. Arch Intern Med. 2001 July 9;161(13):1581-6.
32. Available at: http://patients.gi.org/topics/obesity/. Accessed April 13, 2012.
33. El-Koofy NM, Anwar GM, El-Raziky MS, et al. The association of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in overweight/obese children. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jan-Feb;18(1):44-9.
34. Zhang Y, Lee ET, Cowan LD, Fabsitz RR, Howard BV. Coffee consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in men and women with normal glucose tolerance: The Strong Heart Study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Jun;21(6):418-23.
35. Greenberg JA, Boozer CN, Geliebter A. Coffee, diabetes, and weight control. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;84:682-93.
36. Huxley R, Lee CM, Barzi F, et al. Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea consumption in relation to incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Dec 14;169(22):2053-63.
37. Greenberg JA, Axen KV, Schnoll R, Boozer CN. Coffee, tea and diabetes: the role of weight loss and caffeine. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2005;29:1121-9.
38. van Dam RM, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study in younger and middle-aged U.S. women. Diabetes Care. 2006;29:398-403.
39. Wu T, Willett WC, Hankinson SE, Giovannucci E. Caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and caffeine in relation to plasma C-peptide levels, a marker of insulin secretion, in U.S. women. Diabetes Care. 2005;28:1390-6.
40. Loopstra-Masters RC, Liese AD, Haffner SM, Wagenknecht LE, Hanley AJ. Associations between the intake of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and measures of insulin sensitivity and beta cell function. Diabetologia. 2011 Feb;54(2):320-8.
41. Bakuradze T, Boehm N, Janzowski C, et al. Antioxidant-rich coffee reduces DNA damage, elevates glutathione status and contributes to weight control: results from an intervention study. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011 May;55(5):793-7.
42. Onakpova I, Terry R, Ernst E. The use of green coffee extract as a weight loss supplement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2011;2011.
43. Ishikawa A, Yamashita H, Hiemori M, et al. Characterization of inhibitors of postprandial hyperglycemia from the leaves of Nerium indicum. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol. 2007 Apr;53(2):166-73.
* This article is excerpted with kind permission from the July 2012 issue of Life Extension Magazine (www.LEF.org/magazine).©1995-2012 Life Extension® All rights reserved.
Note: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness, condition or disease. Never make a change in your healthcare plan or diet, exercise, or supplementation regimens without first researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.


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Launched back in June, the Amazon Kindle app for Android has just received its first major upgrade, bringing with it some tasty new additions.
First up in Kindle 2.0, is the ability to purchase over 100 newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, Newsweek and The Atlantic - a feature that was promised when the app was first announced.
The Kindle Store now takes its rightful place within the app - there's no longer any need to switch to the browser to access the virtual goodies.
There's also now the option to save your digital content to you SD memory card, which is handy if you were running low on internal space.
The social aspect of the app has also been tweaked, with support for sharing your reading history with your buddies, and UI improvements have been made when it comes to viewing images and turning the pages.
"We want to give customers the freedom and flexibility to buy their newspapers and magazines once, and read them everywhere across the devices and platforms they chose - just like they do with Kindle books today", said Russ Grandinetti, VP at Amazon Kindle.
"Kindle for Android is our fastest-growing application, and we're excited to launch over 100 newspapers and magazines for our Android customers".
Kindle 2.0 for Android is free, and in the Android Market now.


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The Montcalm Conference and Meeting venues
venuedirectory.com lists venues in order of those most recently updated with full entries listed first and including a thumbnail picture. Click on the venue name or image to view detailed information and check the boxes next to each property you would like to add to your enquiry list.
No venues found


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I think we are in need for additional option to add scroller genre (example: Astro Menace). I am going to add several games of this genre.
yes, agreed, its not obvious. But this can only be changed with proper category descriptions.
A lot is still missing and something needs more detail.
i am willing to revisit the game taxonomy if we can agree on the major idea of game genres.
we could base the genres on wikipedia:
I have added some messages on problematic categories here: http://www.lgdb.org/forums/lgdb/games
If you give me rights to correct the categories I can do much myself. It seems it is actually mess now.
I agree we can use Wikipedia.
I suggest the following in short:
1. RPG - player controls hero/hero's spacecraft, upgrades, manages inventory, buys things. Available inventory is very diverse and/or unique (not just medkit). Quests and experience.
- MMORPG - online RPG with prolonged game time (at least several days)
- Dota-like (Heroes on Newerth)
- Dungeons (single-player)
2. Strategy - player controls units and sometimes base/buildings, units are produced/bought during the game
- City building/economic (Railroad tycoon, Sim City, Caesar III, Settlers, Hospital, Tropico etc) Building/buying roads and utilities, trade, selling goods. Goods chains. Events (disasters, recession). Distinguishing feature - units usually not controlled directly. The player only builds buildings, roads.
- 4X - subgenre of strategy. extended diplomacy, technology tree, research. technology is based on research rather than buildings. exchange of technologies with other factions, spying. unique projects. extensive colonization is essential to win.
3. Adventure - storyline is based on puzzles. Player uses text/conversation to advance the storyline. Sometimes have to find hidden items. Gameplay is divided into distinct locations between which the player can move. The graphics may be static. No fight.
4. Platformer - you jump from one floor to another, use stairs, open chests. Can jump on the clouds etc. Avoid stationary turrets and guns.
5. Shoot'em up/scroller. New and new enemies appear, you stay at place or the screen scrolls. Move usually in one direction. Each level ends with a boss. Two subgenres: with flyings and with beatings. Differs from platformer in that you cannot move back.
6. Simulation. You drive a vehicle or aircraft, very realistic. Economic simulation does not belong here.
7. Shooter - descendants of Wolfenstain 3D. Usually first-person. You see your own hand with a weapon.
8. Racing - you shell win a race.
9. Casual (including board and card games as well as Tetris, Lines, Arcanoid, Python, maze, pipes etc). Manipulation of abstract objects.
> I think Shoot'em up/scroller should be two separate and distinct categories.
How would you distinguish them?
> I also don't agree that Adventure should have no fight.
Typically has no fight or fight is unimportant, otherwise it is a mix of genres. But what's your definition then?
Anixx good list and from what you wrote i think its best to NOT have genre and subgenre but just one taxonomy. in know some categories are only used in combination with others e.g. 4x can only be a startegy game, but that gives us more flexibility.
e.g. for adventure: if a game has the category adventure it should have no fighting, but if it has adventure and action (an action-adventure) it can have combat.
we will not have a separate description of action-adventure but probably a small info in the adventure description.
A separate category "shooter" very important.
the category "arcade" has to go, a lot games in that category will be in the casual category.
@anixx why should simulation not include economic simulation if economy is selected as a second category?
i just outline the changes from the existing categorization scheme:
first person shooter -> first person
tactical shooter -> tactical
EDIT: it took me to long to write this comment and anixx posted inbetween, sorry.


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Many club owners never go through the process of developing a mission statement. A mission statement is a strategic management tool to describe the business's objectives. It provides a cultural contract between the club, its owners, employees, vendors, customers and partners. The mission statement includes the club's values, goals, beliefs, codes of conduct and so on.
Unfortunately, without a mission statement, club constituents are unsure where the club is going and what is expected of all parties concerned.
A mission statement does make a difference to the bottom line. Publicly held companies have won the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award by a three to one margin since 1994 with mission statements in high compliance with Gast's Laws. Walter Gast was a professor at St. Louis University who defined the fundamental societal objectives of a business. The laws are objectives that every club should strive to meet.
The first law is to produce a product or service that people need or want. In this case, people need or want a fitness club. However, many club owners have not clearly defined what their clubs really do. Writing a mission statement is an opportunity to address this important question. People also expect a club to continually improve. Being content and standing still is not an option.
The next step in Gast's Law is to increase the wealth or quality of life of society. A club should improve the community where it is located. Managers and staff both have an obligation to ensure that a club produces quality services in a cost-effective way.
A club should also provide opportunities for the productive employment of people. A club should have respect for employees and not act like they own them. When employees are hired, the club has a responsibility to keep them productively employed.
The fourth step is to provide opportunities for the satisfaction of normal occupational desires. People naturally want to participate, grow and share in the rewards of the club. It is up to the facility owner to make sure these innate rights come through.
The next step is a given: provide just wages for labor. This includes everyone from the janitor to vendors.
Finally, provide a just return on capital. This means maximizing profits subject to the constraints of the other laws.
Club owners must discuss and understand each law with staff, then determine and write down how their club will achieve each of the six objectives. After club owners have a written description of how their club will achieve each objective, they can draft the mission statement.
Creating a mission statement involves four steps:
1. Form a mission team.
2. Use Gast's Laws to create the objectives of the club.
3. Write the mission statement.
4. Use the mission statement.
The mission team should include owners and managers of the club who make a commitment to see this process through successfully. The team should include staff from many areas, including fitness, housekeeping, child care, administration, sales, marketing, etc.
The creation of a mission statement that reflects the culture of a club is not simple or quick. It requires a willingness to rewrite drafts and time for the team to process the changes.
Once completed, the mission statement must be used regularly to guide decisions. This is called organizational integrity (meaning the club does what it says it will do). Clubs that respect this process gain the respect of all their constituents.
Finally, post the mission statement in an obvious place where everyone can see it.
The following is a mission statement aligned with Gast's Laws:
Our mission is to help people lead healthier and more fulfilling lives. We will:
• Be one of the top U.S. health clubs and a model for the industry internationally
• Strive to help our members achieve their goals at every level of the organization
• Retain our members through our commitment to continuously improve
• Provide our members with an environment that is welcoming, friendly, comfortable, fun, attractive, clean and safe
• Be an educational vehicle for our members and the community at large in the field of health and wellness
• Be a significant asset to the communities
• Foster the personal and professional growth of all staff
• Provide an environment that encourages the creative input of all staff
• Strive to be a profitable business able to annually reinvest in improving its services, facilities and personnel
Greg Maurer is an associate partner with New Paradigm Partners. He can be reached at [email protected].


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#medical #asst #school, #online #medical #assistant #programs
Medical Assistant
What is a medical assistant?
Medical Assistants are vital in the day-to-day work of most healthcare facilities such as doctors' offices, immediate care facilities, nursing homes, clinics and hospitals. These professionals perform both hands-on patient care (such as taking blood pressure and drawing blood) as well as taking a patient's medical history. In addition, they handle administrative and clerical duties, including answering the phone and scheduling appointments .
Opportunities and career growth will be best for those with the right education and certification.
Do you have the flexibility to provide both clinical and office support?
Medical assistants have both administrative duties as well as hands-on clinical responsibilities. They have to be flexible and willing to not only assist physicians during examination and prepare laboratory specimens but also be able to file patient records, make appointments and keep the examination rooms clean and neat.
A medical assistant online or on-campus education may be right for you, if you:
- Are good at listening to others
- Can juggle several tasks at one time
- Are good at working with your hands
- Are compassionate and supportive
- Work well as part of a team
- Are good at following detailed instructions and rules
- Have good communication skills
- Do not get queasy at the sight of blood or wounds
- Have a pleasant and friendly personality
Medical Assisting Career Paths
Medical assistants can choose employment that best suits their strengths. For medical assistants who excel at clerical duties (or find they do not enjoy working around blood), an administrative role would make use of their organizational, detail-oriented and computer skills. For those who wish to provide direct patient care, a clinical role would be the best path as they may collect lab specimens, explain medical procedures and medications to patients, and record vital signs (duties vary according to state law). Or, the medical assistant may wish to incorporate both clinical and administrative duties into their daily work routine and therefore choose to work in a smaller office that requires a medical assistant who can perform both functions. Position titles for medical assistant program graduates include:
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Records Clerk
- Medical Office Assistant
- Medical Secretary
- Medical Administrative Assistant
- Medical Clerk
Medical assistant careers typically include a 40-hour work week with full benefits (such as 401(k), paid vacation, and medical/dental insurance), although part-time and weekend shifts are often available. About 73% of medical assistants build careers in general practice or specialty physicians' offices while 12% work in hospitals; the remainder are employed by other patient-care facilities such as long-term care homes and outpatient clinics.
Herzing University provides medical assistants graduates with the skills and capabilities needed to work in a private medical practice, public clinic, nursing home, and critical care facility as well as at a hospital and immediate care facility.
Medical Assisting Services Program Curriculum
*Average number of months for students to complete program
Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management
Designed for future career growth, this program gives graduates the business and management skills required for a leadership or management position in healthcare. For specific advancement opportunities, students may transfer in healthcare-related courses completed as part of diploma or certificate programs in specialties such as medical coding, medical assisting or medical office administration and others. View Program Course Sheet
Associate and Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting Services
This program adds the general education courses that are required for an associate degree to the diploma program's curriculum, which will give most graduates greater advancement opportunities. View Program Course Sheet
Diploma in Medical Assisting Services
This program is the first step in becoming a medical assistant. It provides the basic capabilities needed for entry-level positions in both doctor's offices and hospitals. View Program Course Sheet
What certification/licensure does this program prepare you for?
Registered Medical Assistant
Graduates of Medical Assisting Services programs at Herzing Online, Herzing University Kenosha, New Orleans and Toledo locations are eligible to take the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) exam offered by American Medical Technologists.
Certified Medical Assistant
Graduates of Medical Assisting Services programs at Herzing University locations where the Medical Assisting Services program is specially accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) are eligible to take the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) certification offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants. View Herzing University Accreditation and Approvals


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For over 50 years, the University of Michigan has been training Russian, East European, and Eurasian specialists.
Many alumni from CREES and other degree programs have gone on to have distinguished academic careers; 10 have directed area studies centers at major U.S. universities. CREES-affiliated University of Michigan alumni have also pursued careers in the following fields:
- Government - CIA; Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State Departments; NSC; NSF; U.S. Army; U.S. Forest Service
- Non-profit sector - American Councils for International Education, CIEE, Human Rights Watch, IREX, Kennan Institute, NDI, Open Society Institute, Oxfam
- For-profit sector - Citigroup, GM, Merrill Lynch
- International organizations - EBRD, OSCE, United Nations, World Bank
In April 2011, CREES invited some of our distinguished alumni to participate in panel discussions at our 50th Anniversary Celebration and Reunion: Alumni in Action. Visit Alumni News for updates from these and other graduates, or connect with us on social media.
Supporting CREES
We gratefully acknowledge gifts from CREES alumni and friends whose support will insure the Center's excellence and financial security in the future. For information about how your gift will support Center activities, visit CREES Donate.


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Capcom has announced that it will be bringing a Bloody Palace Mode to DmC Devil May Cry "shortly after launch" for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.
Yup keep adding onto my reasons why I won't be buying this game
Why add a mode as DLC...free or not it shouldn't happen, if you actually cared about making a good DMC game this mode would of been in from the start.
Knowing how easy this game is even on the hardest setting, I bet it will be p*** easy to do.


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School Programs
Take your class on the ultimate field trip experience or have your band, choir, or dance team perform at a Chicago Wolves hockey game!
School Field Trip Programs
Teach your class with the ultimate field trip experience at Get Schooled by Skates! It's a field trip experience your students will never forget.
Live Performances for Dance Teams, Studios, Cheer & Pom Squads
Have your dance team or studio perform in front of thousands at a Wolves hockey game!
Live Performances
Have your school's choir or band perform in front of thousands at a Wolves hockey game during the season (October to April).


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Exchange Features
Add only the features you need with Exchange Add-ons for payment gateways (offline payments, PayPal or Stripe), coupons, digital downloads, sales reports, multi-item cart, product categories and product tags.
- Accept PayPal Standard or Offline Payments - Process transitions out-of-the-box with PayPal Standard or take payments offline to process cash or check payments
- Stripe - Enable the premium Stripe Add-on to process payments with Stripe, our recommended payment gateway
- Coupons - Generate basic coupons that apply to all products in your store
- Multi-item Cart - Allow customers to purchase multiple products with one transaction
- Basic Reporting Dashboard Widget - View basic sales statistics from the WordPress admin dashboard
- Digital Downloads - Add a product type for distributing digital downloads through iThemes Exchange
- Product Categories and Tags - Organize your store by grouping with category and tag taxonomies
Advanced Product Options
iThemes Exchange allows you to create products quickly and easily. But sometimes you need more than just the basics, so Advanced Product Options help by offering additional ways to manage products.
- Download Expirations - Option to apply settings for download links to expire or to limit access to download links/file downloads
- Product Availability - Apply product availability start and end dates
- Product Inventory - Set and track product inventories
- Hidden Source Files for Digital Product Downloads - Use source file URLs from the WordPress media library or from Dropbox, Amazon, etc. and exchange automatically hides this source URL for digital product downloads.
- LoopBuddy compatible - Use LoopBuddy queries and layouts for individual product
- Builder compatibility - Apply iThemes Builder layouts for individual products
Payment and Customer Management
View transaction details and manager customers from within Exchange
- Payment/Transaction Details - See order number, payment total, status, customer, payment method and date of payment for individual transactions
- Customer Registration - Use Exchange Registration or WordPress Registration settings
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text:
Related Links
- full release in pdf
- watch live broadcast: Yale at Dartmouth, Jan. 7
- watch live broadcast: Yale at Harvard, Jan. 8
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale men's hockey team (12-1-0, 6-0 ECAC), ranked No. 1 in the country by both polls for the fifth straight week, returned from break with an exhibition victory over the Russian Red Stars before blasting Holy Cross 10-3 on Jan. 2. The ECAC stretch run begins this weekend when the Bulldogs, a point behind first-place Princeton and a point ahead of Dartmouth, go to Hanover to face the Big Green (7-4-2, 5-2-1), before taking on Harvard (3-8, 2-7) Saturday night in Boston with the nation's longest (7) active win streak on the line. Both games are 7:00.
Yale and Dartmouth have met 195 times since 1907 with Yale having a 100-84-12 lead. The Bulldogs swept the series last year and have taken the last four straight. The Elis and Cantabs split last year with the home team taking each contest. Harvard leads 135-75-18 and has dominated (36-4-3) at the Bright Center.
Broc Little and Kevin Limbert (Fruitvale, BC) each had two goals as the Blue beat the Big Green 7-3 in a non-conference game at Ingalls the second game this season. Ryan Rondeau made 23 saves and stopped five of six Dartmouth man-advantages… Six different players scored goals - including three on the power play -- and Billy Blase '10 stopped 20 shots as the Elis raced past Harvard 6-3 last February at New Haven. Sean Backman had a goal and two assists and helped the Bulldogs outshot the Crimson 47-23.
The 25-day layoff for exams and the holidays did nothing to slow down the Bulldogs' offensive output. Yale, led by Broc Little and Kenny Agostino hat tricks, pumped out a season-high for goals in a 10-3 non-league win over Holy Cross before a packed house at Ingalls Rink on Jan. 2. Agostino (Flanders, N.J.) a freshman forward, entered the game with a goal and three assists and produced three goals and five points against the Crusaders. Denny Kearney and Josh Balch (Wilmette, Ill.) each had a goal and two assists while Brian O'Neill and Mike Matczak (Sewell, N.J.) also lit the lamp in Yale's last non-league game of the year. Senior Yale goalie Ryan Rondeau played the first two periods and stopped 14 of 16 shots to earn his 11th victory of the year. Sophomore Nick Maricic (5 saves) played the final period, his first action of the season. The Blue outshot the Crusaders 40-22 and converted two of four power plays while blanking the visitors on three man-advantages.
Dartmouth is 4-1-1 over its last six outings and is giving up under three goals per game with junior James Mello (1.93) getting most of the action in net. Junior Nick Walsh has a team-best seven goals. The Crimson are coming off a win over Army and a loss to Vermont at the Catamount Cup. Junior Alex Killorn, a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick, leads the squad with six goals while senior Kyle Richter (2.49) has had most of the work between the pipes.
Yale's 2010-11 start is unique. This is the first time the Elis have won their first six conference games, while this is the best (12-1) start of the season since Yale was perfect in 1929-30 on the way to 16 straight wins and a 17-1-1 mark. The Elis' best ECAC start was 8-1 in 1997-98.
FROSH FEAT Kenny Agostino tied a team record and became the first Yale newcomer in 30 years to record five points in one game. He notched three goals and two assists against Holy Cross and became the school's first freshman to tally five points since former Olympian and NHL star Bob Brooke '83 established the mark against Dartmouth in 1980.
Sophomore F Andrew Miller (47 gp, 9-46-55), voted "best passer" by his teammates, is No. 1 in the nation with 1.23 assists per game. What's more impressive is that 12 of his 17 assists are primary ones. He is also hitting the net when it counts this season; three of his four goals have been winners, which ranks third in Division I. Miller (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), who is fifth in the nation with 1.62 points per contest, registered the most (34) points by a Yale rookie since Tom Walsh set the bar with 41 in 1984-85. The speedy forward was the 2008-09 USA Junior Player of the Year and 2007 Michigan High School Mr. Hockey. Last winter, he was second among conference rookies with one point per game, which also put him fourth in the country for newcomers. He ranked eighth in Division I last year with .85 assists per outing.
Goalie Ryan Rondeau (Carvel, AB), who played two periods against Holy Cross and stopped 14 of 16 shots, had his scoreless streak end at 141 minutes and 29 seconds early in the first period. The senior was coming off consecutive shutouts (Union, Vermont), the first Bulldog netminder to do that since Alex Westlund blanked Cornell (11-0) and Colgate (2-0) at the Whale on Feb. 6-7, 1998. Rondeau was ECAC Goalie of the Week on Dec. 6 (30 saves, Union; 15, RPI) and now owns all but two of Yale's decisions this season. He currently ranks third in GAA (1.78) and fourth in SP (.932) in Division I. Eight of the 19 goals he has allowed this year came on the man-advantage. The senior, who owns a 17-4-1 career record, has been in net for six wins over ranked teams including a 3-2 decision with North Dakota at the 2010 NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal.
Denny Kearney (Hanover, NH) is second on the team with eight goals and 21 points. The most significant aspect of his assist total (13) is that 11 of them were primary helpers, while he ranks fourth in the country with a 1.0 average. Kearney is fifth in Division I with 1.62 points per game. He notched eight of those over the first two games (Brown, Dartmouth on Oct. 29-30) and was ECAC Hockey's Player of the Week. That included his first collegiate hat trick (natural) and a game-winner during the best weekend of his collegiate career. In addition, all four assists were primary ones. Kearney (115 gp, 37-74-111), who was voted by his teammates as the "best dresser" and "most talkative" among the Bulldogs, is Yale's active career assist leader but may not be the best athlete in his family. His sister, Hannah Kearney, won an Olympic gold medal in mogul skiing at the 2010 Games and is the top ranked American in that event.
Yale senior forward Broc Little (Rindge, N.H.) leads the team with 12 goals and 23 points. He leads the nation with .92 goals per game and is third with 1.77 points. Little, the only Bulldog with three (PP, SH, GW) different types of goals this season, had his third career hat trick (3-1-4) against Holy Cross. Six of his 11 assists have been primary ones. He was named one of the 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in hockey, which honors student-athletes who excel both on and off the ice. Little (108 gp, 65-57-122), who has 14 more points than games played, led the 2009-10 Bulldogs with 27 goals, a Yale record for juniors, while leading all of Division I in goals per game (.79). He was second on the team with 41 points and garnered numerous post-season honors. Little was named RBK Second-Team All-America and first-team All-ECAC, All-Ivy and All-New England. Little, a political science major, has shown the same dedication in the classroom. He owns a 3.1 GPA and has been a three-time ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team pick.
Keith Allain '80, Yale's Malcolm G. Chace Head Coach of Hockey, is 84-50-12 as a head coach, including 9-7 in the post season. Only four other Yale hockey head coaches have more wins, and none have reached the 80-win mark faster than Allain. The former Yale goalie has led the Blue to three Ivy League titles, two ECAC regular season championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Allain, who played and worked for Tim Taylor at Yale, earned the 2008-09 Tim Taylor Award as the ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year by leading the Elis to the best season in the program's history. A school-record 24 wins, Yale's first ECAC Tournament Championship and a school-best No. 5 national ranking in late March were a few reasons why he was selected. College Hockey News named him 2008-09 national coach of the year. This is Allain's 12th overall year at Yale; he spent four as a student-athlete goalie and three as an assistant coach in the 1980s. Allain, a former NHL (17 years) and Olympics (1992, 2006) assistant, was named the 11th head coach of the Yale men's ice hockey program on April 15, 2006. Allain is the second Yale graduate to take the position and the first since Holcomb York '17 led the Bulldogs from 1930 to 1938 (Lawrence M. Noble '27 coached the Elis from 1928 to 1930). The starting goalie on four Bulldog squads, Allain recorded the second-most (31) wins for a Yale netminder and ranks third at the school with 2,337 career saves. He owns four of the top 10 Yale single-game save totals, including 55 stops in a 7-3 loss at Minnesota on Dec. 28, 1978.
Keith Allain is serving as head coach of the 2010-11 U.S. Junior National Team at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships in Buffalo, N.Y. The U.S., 3-1 under Allain, lost to Canada in the semifinals on Jan. 3 and takes on Sweden in a Jan. 5 bronze medal contest. Allain owns a 12-4-2 overall record as a head coach in the event, giving him the top winning percentage (.722) of any U.S. head coach to have served on multiple teams. Former Yale mentor Tim Taylor, who coached Allain in New Haven and brought him back as an assistant coach, joins his protégé as Team USA's director of player personnel. Allain and Taylor were featured in a documentary that aired on CBS College Sports TV during the Nov. 19 Yale-Cornell broadcast.
Kyle Wallack, in his first year as Yale's associate head coach, is working his fifth campaign with the Bulldogs. He served as Yale's head coach for the games against the Red Stars and Crusaders while Keith Allain was out of town with the U.S. Junior National Team.
Captain Jimmy Martin (St. Louis, Mo.) is a defensive defenseman who has turned himself into a player with offensive potential. He has three assists over his last two games. He now has six goals and 42 career points, including a career-best two goals and 17 assists last winter. Martin is a political science major who was a member of the Des Moines Buccaneers' 2007 USHL final four squad.
A pair of experienced sophomores joins Ryan Rondeau in the net mix. Jeff Malcolm (12 gp, 4.02, .837, 6-4-0) made 16 saves in the 7-4 win over Brown on Oct. 29 before stopping 25 shots in a 4-3 loss at Air Force. The Lethbridge, AB, native has allowed eight goals, including six on the power play and two with a 5-on-3 advantage. Alta Loma, Calif., resident Nick Maricic (15 gp, 2.96, .887, 7-4-2) played the last period against Holy Cross (5 saves) but has not had a start this winter.
Junior F Brian O'Neill (80gp, 36-55-91) is third on the team with eight goals and ranks seventh nationally in points per game (1.54). He began 2010-11 with a 3-2-5 weekend in the two wins including a career-best 2-1-3 and the GWG against Dartmouth on Oct. 30. O'Neill is 14th in the nation with .92 assists and 17th with .62 goals. Last winter he led the Elis with 29 assists and 45 points while ranking seventh in the country with 1.32 PPG. One of his best plays of 2009-10 was a pass he put on Sean Backman's stick in OT that set up the winner at Cornell. He also had the tying goal in the OT draw at the Badger Showdown title game against Wisconsin. O'Neill (Yardley, Pa.), who was voted "most humorous" by his teammates, made the 2008-09 CHN (national) and ECAC Hockey All-Rookie teams after going 12-14-26 in 2008-09.
Chris Cahill (North Andover, Mass.) entered the season with 16 goals in three collegiate seasons. He already has half (8) that total this winter, including three different two-goal games and a pair of three-point outings. Cahill, 17th in Division I with .62 goals per game and 20th with 1.31 points, was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week on Dec. 6 after leading (3-1-4) Yale to a pair of wins over nationally ranked teams with three goals and four points. The senior forward is second on the team in goals with career numbers of 24 goals and 58 points.
The class of 2014 includes four forwards and one defenseman. All five competed in the Northeast during 2009-10. Three of the new Elis played in the juniors (Eastern, North Atlantic) last winter while two came to Yale from New England prep schools. F Clinton Bourbonais (Colchester, Conn.), F Kenny Agostino (Flanders, N.J.) and F Jesse Root (Pittsburgh, Pa.) have all found the net this season. D Gus Young (Dedham, Mass.) has an assist in two games played, while F Brad Peltz (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) is looking for his first action. Agostino (2), Root and Peltz combined for four of Yale's five goals in the win over the Red Stars. Agostino had the best night for a Bulldog rookie this season when he went 3-2-5 against Holy Cross.
The Bulldogs have 69 goals and are No. 1 in the nation with a 5.31 average. They scored 10 against the Crusaders and had seven goals twice, six once and five on five occasions this year. Yale led the nation in scoring in 2009-10.
The Yale roster includes players from 12 different states and three provinces. Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are represented twice each while six hail from Alberta, including a Calgary pair.
Northeast prep schools and the United States Hockey League each contributed nine players to the Bulldog roster. Six former British Columbia Junion Hockey League skaters are at Yale while the Atlantic Junior Hockey League has a pair. One Eli played in the Eastern Junior Hockey League and another came from a private school.
The Bulldogs have outshot 12 of 13 opponents (by 143 combined) this year after having the advantage in 26 of the 34 games last year. Vermont (32-30) was the only squad to outshoot the Blue this season.
The Class of 2011 became the winningest in Yale men's hockey history after beating Holy Cross on Jan. 2. The current seniors have amassed 73 victories, surpassing the total reached by the Class of 2010. In addition, the Class of 2011, which is the first from this school to be undefeated (3-0-1) at Cornell, could be the first at Yale to have four winning seasons since the Class of 1954.
Eight members of the senior class have accounted for 34 goals. The juniors (6) have hit the net 21 times. Yale sophomores (3) have six tallies while the freshmen (4) have seven goals. The newcomers accounted for four goals in the exhibition game against the Red Stars, but the stats from that contest do not count. Bulldog defensemen have hit the net five times.
Yale's first goal of 2010-11 was shorthanded by Broc Little, the school's career leader with six, but the team has not done that since. The Elis had four SHG last winter.
Junior Dan Otto (Lake Zurich, Ill.) waited two and a half seasons to get the medical clearance to skate in his first collegiate game. He played forward and saw regular ice time against the Red Stars, nearly scoring a goal on a shot that glanced off the pipe… Yale has 18 goals in its last three games… Ryan Rondeau's 11-0 record this season is the best in Division I... The Blue is 9-0 at home; RPI and Union are also unbeaten at home and nationally ranked... Junior Chad Ziegler (Spruce Grove, AB) has a career-best 5-3-8 already this season.
Yale has a home-and-home series with its ECAC travel partner next week. The Elis are at Brown on the 14th and the Bears come to Ingalls for a 4 p.m. game on Saturday the 15th. Brown beat Boston University 6-1 on Jan. 1 at a tournament in Illinois.
Thirteen former Yale players are skating professionally this winter: Sean Backman '10 (Texas Stars, AHL, 26 GP, 5-7-12 ), Ryan Donald '10 (Providence Bruins, AHL), Mark Arcobello '10 (Stockton Thunder, ECHL, 27 GP, 6-8-14), Alec Richards '09 (Rockford Icehogs, AHL), Brennan Turner '09 (Elmira Jackals, ECHL), David Meckler '09 (Manchester Monarchs, AHL), Matt Cohen '07 (Hamburg Freezers, DEL), Brad Mills '07 (New Jersey Devils, NHL; Albany Devils, AHL), Chris Higgins '05 (Florida Panthers, NHL, 32 GP, 7-7-14), Joe Callahan '05 (Rochester Americans, AHL), Stacey Bauman '03 (Tulsa Oilers, CHL), Jeff Hamilton '01 (HIFK Helsinki, FNL), Ray Giroux '98 (Chelyabinsk Traktor, KHL).
A survey of the 2010-11 Bulldogs produced the following results about the student-athletes.
Who on the team…
Is the strongest (pound-for-pound): Peel
Is the fastest on skates: Balch
Has the hardest shot: Matczak
Is the best fore-checker: Jaskowiak
Is the best passer: Miller
Which teammate is…
The best singer: Anderson
Has the most unique hobby (what is it): O'Neill (community theater)
Has best sense of humor: O'Neill
Has the biggest appetite: Peel
Most soft spoken: Dueck
Most talkative: Kearney
Want your sister to date: Dueck
Best dresser: Kearney
Likely to become a head hockey coach: Rondeau
The pay-per-view Yale home hockey "TV" broadcasts on yalebulldogs.com are a Yale Athletic Department production that employs students to produce, shoot and broadcast most of the action. Sam Dorward '13 is the producer and Joel Oblizalo '12 does the camera work. Evan Ellis '11 handles most of the play-by-play for the Elis as well as an interview with Coach Allain.
The Feb. 5 Dartmouth game airs live on the YES Network as part of the winter Yale on YES package. This is the first time the Yale hockey team will appear on YES, the network available in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania on cable, DirecTV, AT&T U-verse and Verizon FiOS. The home of the New York Yankees and New Jersey Nets is also available nationally on DirecTV, AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS and select cable operators.
The Dec. 5 game against Union aired live on ESPNU with Barry Melrose and E.J. Hradek calling the action. It was the first of two Yale games on ESPNU this season. The Feb. 20 game at Princeton is also on ESPNU. The Union game was Yale's third on the tube this season. The first was Nov. 19 at Cornell on CBS College Sports followed by a Nov. 20 game at Colgate on Time Warner Cable.
The Yale student radio station formerly found on AM-1340 and on wybc.com, is only availabe via internet this season. WYBC does most of the home contests and a pre-game interview with Coach Allain.
Yale hockey celebrated the re-dedication of Ingalls Rink (3,500 capacity) on Jan. 16, 2010, with ceremonies on and off the ice. The rink built in 1958 has been modernized in many ways while adding 13,000 square feet of varsity operational space. The additions include locker rooms and space for strength & conditioning (including skating treadmill), student-athlete study area, medical & training, officials, video, coaches, equipment, reception (Schley Room) and more. There are new historical displays and concession stands and bathrooms for the building nicknamed the Yale Whale because of its humpback-shaped roof.
Yale co-hosted the 2009 East Regional at The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, and the Bulldogs were one of the four teams to participate. The 2011 and 2012 East Regional Tournaments will also be at The Arena co-hosted by the Elis and Fairfield. This coming NCAA tourney is March 25-26. Game times on the 25th are 3 and 6:30 with a 6:30 p.m. championship contest on the 26th.
For the fifth straight week, Yale has the nation's top ranked men's college hockey team. The Bulldogs received all 34 first-place votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and 45 of 50 in the uscho.com poll. North Dakota, Boston College, New Hampshire, Minnesota-Duluth and Denver round out the top six on both lists. The Fighting Sioux and Eagles were the other schools to earn first-place tallies in the uscho.com poll.
filed by Steve Conn, Yale Sports Publicity Director


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BRISTOL, Tenn. – No more than four points separated King University and Limestone College for most of the second half before the Saints finished the contest on a 22-2 run. The Lady Tornado were held to just two points over the final eight minutes of the game in a 72-52 loss, Thursday night in the Student Center.
King (9-6, 5-6) overcame an early 10-point lead held by the Saints, 21-11, when Bonnie Durrett (West Paducah, Ky.) and Brooke Johnson (Mountain City, Tenn.) hit back-to-back three pointers to cut the Saints' lead to two points, Brittany Kinser joined the three-ball bash with a connection from deep, making for 27-26 game in Limestone's favor. King trailed by only three going into the half. Twenty of their 33 first-half points came off the bench with seven of those coming from Durrett, who had been battling an illness entering the game.
The Lady Tornado retook the lead less than two minutes into the second half when Johnson put one off the glass and in but the lead was short-lived when Morgan Brown hit a deep shot to put Limestone back on top, 39-37. Limestone's strategy went towards the deep ball as their next six shots were from behind the arc, connecting on three of those. Durrett continued to lead by example, hitting a jumper with 12:34 to go and giving the lead back to the Navy and Scarlett, 46-45, but once again the Saints regained the lead and never gave it back when Stephanie Hayes laid a shot up and in on the next possession.
Limestone finished the game on a 22-2 run, holding King scoreless in its final seven minutes on the court. After Alley Sprouse's layup off an offensive rebound, the Lady Tornado went 0-for-10 from the field. They finished shooting 33.3 percent from the field on the night.
King was led by Bonnie Durrett and Allison Bosse (Knoxville, Tenn.), each finishing with nine points and four rebounds. Alley Sprouse added to her conference-best block total with three more swats, now giving her 36 on the season. She came into the game ranked 10th in NCAA Division in blocks per game (2.50).
The loss drops King to 9-6 on the season with a 5-6 Conference Carolinas mark. They will play their next two games on the road at Coker (Jan. 26) and North Greenville (Jan. 30). They will return to the Student Center on Feb. 2 against Barton and follow by hosting Erskine for the Solid Blue celebration.
Additional note: The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at King University scored a major win for a local youth who attended Thursday night's game. As part of SAAC's Make-A-Wish Foundation project, young 'Kellan' was "adopted" and a special effort was made to make her wish of going to one of the family-friendly Disney theme parks a reality. After a successful fundraising mission was initiated that included the selling of 'Support Stars' and Make-A-Wish t-shirts, SAAC announced that the recorded count at game's end was $2,231, all of which will be donated to Kellan and her family to make that wish come true.


text:
I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.
"Think of the pussy, Weevil."
"What's a pussy-weevil?"
Just a dancer in the darkDelete
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
Never take candy from strangers...... But popcorn is okay!Delete