Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/yaQK_-nsTZY/faster+than+light-travel-may-be-possible
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Saturday, October 13, 2012
Faster-Than-Light Travel May Be Possible [Science Fact]
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Free product returns have major impact on future sales, study finds
ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) ? Contrary to economic research that suggested tougher return policies, a new study published in the September issue of the Journal of Marketing strongly recommends a policy of universal free product returns for online and distant retailers.
The study, "Return Shipping Policies of Online Retailers: Normative Assumptions and the Long-Term Consequences of Fee and Free Returns," was conducted by Amanda Bower, professor of business administration/marketing at Washington and Lee University's Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics. She was the lead author with James G. Maxham III, the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company Professor of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
The research was conducted in field studies with two leading online retailers over 49 months using two surveys and customer spending data. It demonstrated that when consumers received free shipping on returned items, their purchases over the next two years increased by between 58 percent and 357 percent.
In contrast, when consumers had to pay for return shipping, their subsequent purchases decreased by between 74 percent and 100 percent.
Product returns are a widespread and expensive problem for retailers. For example, product returns of consumer electronics cost retailers and manufacturers almost $17 billion in 2011, representing a 21 percent increase in returns since 2007. Consequently, online and distant retailers are motivated to limit or avoid paying return shipping costs.
According to Bower, many retailers have adopted an "equity-based" return shipping policy, where the retailer determines who is to blame for the product return -- the customer or the retailer -- and assigns responsibility for the return shipping costs accordingly.
"Obviously, their philosophy is that if it's your fault, you'll be fine paying for it, and it won't affect your future spending at all," said Bower. "So we wanted to look at that assumption and determine how consumers actually act. What we found was that, on almost every count, retailers who have these equity-based shipping policies are completely wrong."
The study found that the number one response that determined whether consumers would buy from a retailer again, based on whether they did or didn't pay have to pay return shipping, was regret or the anticipation of regret.
"For example, I've already paid $7 shipping and the piece of clothing arrives at my home. I try it on and it doesn't fit," explained Bower. "Now I've got to pay $7 return shipping, so I'm out $14 and I don't have anything. I've paid that money for the privilege of trying on clothing. So the really dominant driving characteristic is how much do I regret having spent $7 on return shipping in the past, and is it really worth it to risk paying that money again in the future?
"In contrast, free returns are similar to the saying 'What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?'"
The study also discovered other reasons customers base future purchases on shipping charges. For example, customers believe that retailers have a greater responsibility to absorb return shipping costs as part of the cost of doing business. Equity-based shipping return policies also assume that less blame to the retailer necessarily means more responsibility to the customer, whereas customers assess blame independently -- it could be nobody's fault. In addition, retailers' attempts at assigning blame in a manner consistent with the perceptions of customers are largely inaccurate, getting it right approximately as often as they get it wrong.
Bower noted that retailers do not have to rely on the study to judge consumer sentiment on the issue. "Marketers can look at their own data and see if this is something that would work for them," she said. "It's the proverbial 'don't take our word for it.' The only caveat I would put on that is that if they look at their own data set they should make sure they aren't only seeing what they want to see."
Bower acknowledged that one of retailers' concerns is that people could abuse a free return policy. "It's interesting that for the two years after they returned a product, not one of the customers in our study returned another product. It's fairly easy to quickly find people who are abusing the system. But punishing everybody because of a couple of people is not good for the retailer in the long run.
According to Bower, retailers need to look more at establishing a positive and trustworthy relationship with customers by not trying to make each discrete exchange a plus for the retailer.
"I'm fascinated by questioning and researching fundamental assumptions people make about how consumers behave, and the counterproductive things that marketers do," said Bower. "Retailers need to have a firm grip on reality, on how consumers are actually going to act, not on what retailers think consumers should do or what they consider fair."
The study appears in the Journal of Marketing, Volume 76, Number 5, September 2012, published by the American Marketing Association,
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Washington and Lee University, via Newswise.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Amanda B Bower, James G Maxham. Return Shipping Policies of Online Retailers: Normative Assumptions and the Long-Term Consequences of Fee and Free Returns. Journal of Marketing, 2012; 76 (5): 110 DOI: 10.1509/jm.10.0419
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Shedding Light On The Steps For Bankruptcy | Siben & Siben Long ...
TIP! Find a bankruptcy attorney that has a great reputation in your area. Once you have nailed one down, inquire as to whether they provide a free consultation.
Nobody is enthusiastic about filing for bankruptcy, but sometimes it is simply the right financial choice. It?s best to make the decision of filing for personal bankruptcy after doing a little research and gaining a clear understanding of the topic. Keep reading to learn some solid advice for navigating the treacherous world of bankruptcy.
TIP! You need to tell your bankruptcy attorney about all of your financial obligations, even small ones. No matter where the source of the debt comes from, you need to include it in your bankruptcy, or else it is still a debt you hold, even if it was a debt to another individual.
Do not delay when it comes to filing your petition. Delaying the process will not make things better if you have no other choice. Your financial position may deteriorate even further and make an already stressful situation even less tolerable. The adverse consequences can spread and cause problems in other areas. The quicker you file the better.
TIP! Some people think that after bankruptcy, they will no longer be able to seek financing. This may be somewhat true, but it could be better than what your credit score was previous to filing.
If possible obtain a personal recommendation for a bankruptcy lawyer instead of randomly choosing one. There are lawyers out there who will take advantage of your financial state and not deal honestly with you. Make sure your filing process goes as well as possible by finding a trustworthy lawyer.
TIP! Do your research before hiring a bankruptcy attorney. Many novice lawyers get their feet wet with personal bankruptcy cases.
Be sure that you include all debts you want discharged in your bankruptcy filing. Any debts not included will not be discharged at your bankruptcy. It is up to you to ensure that all important information is there, so all debts are discharged.
TIP! Meet with a few attorneys who offer free consultations before hiring one. By law, paralegals and assistants can not give legal advice, so be sure that you are meeting with an actual attorney.
List each of your debts clearly and efficiently. The list will be a fundamental element of your bankruptcy petition, and therefore it is important not to omit anything. Review your records to determine the precise amounts that you owe. Don?t be careless about this step, as discharge depends on submitting the correct numbers to the court.
TIP! It?s likely that you will come in contact with your creditors while filing for bankruptcy. Make a point of getting any agreements you make with creditors in writing.
Do not feel free to start running up credit card bills immediately before you file. While you may think that you will soon be able to write off that debt, it will quickly come back to bite you when the court looks at how financially irresponsible you have been. Be financially responsible during this time. It?s best to start handling your debts responsibly now rather than later.
TIP! Keep the concept of shame out of your head if you are contemplating bankruptcy. Many people get feeling of guilt when going through bankruptcy.
Do a check of your credit report from all the top companies who report on consumer credit after two or three months have passed following your bankruptcy. Remember that this report would be representing your closed credit accounts and your discharged debts. Ask about any discrepancies once you see any, so that you could start repairing your credit.
TIP! When you hire a lawyer, find one who is experienced with bankruptcy cases. Lots of lawyers are interested in getting your business.
When you file for bankruptcy, you don?t necessarily get all of your debts discharged. Filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy will allow you to keep some of your property and continue to pay off some debts. For many people filing for bankruptcy makes them feel like they are irresponsible and untrustworthy. When you file Chapter 13, you can still work with creditors to pay a portion of your debt without crushing under an overwhelming amount of debt.
TIP! Reconsider going through a divorce as it could put you into a rough financial situation. It is not uncommon for individuals to seek a divorce only to immediately file for bankruptcy due to unforeseen financial difficulty.
File when the time is right. When you time things right, it does you good, especially when you?re filing for personal bankruptcy. Sometimes you should file immediately; however, there are times when it is better to delay until the worst has passed. Talk with a bankruptcy attorney to find out the ideal timing for filing based on your particular situation.
TIP! Be aware that getting unsecured credit is going to be tough once you?ve gone through bankruptcy. If that is the case, you should try applying for one, or two secured cards.
Although people don?t want to file bankruptcy, it?s sometimes necessary. After reading these tips, you can go through the process with some helpful tips. Gleaning insight from others who already walked the same path can minimize complications and help to reduce your own stress at a difficult time
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Monday, October 8, 2012
Art Institute Online Blog! ? Blog Archive ? Goldsmiths campus tour
Goldsmiths, College of London, is a single of the world?s best one hundred, and UK?s top rated twenty, universities for the arts and humanities. We?re rated 9th in the British isles for world-top analysis, and we?re portion of the internationally-recognised College of London. We offer undergraduate and postgraduate levels in topics covering the arts, humanities, cultural sciences and computing. www.gold.air conditioning.united kingdom
Movie Rating: / five
Muqeem Khan ? Early morning Demonstrate with Savera Nadeem at Aaj Television set +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Muqeem?s motion photograph credits, as a visual effect artist with Walt Disney and Square Usa, are Deep Climbing, George of the Jungle, Flubber, Armageddon and Final Fantasy. He is a repeated presenter and speaker on VFX in movement photos, animation and surfacing technologies. He been given his Grasp of Arts in Industrial Layout in 1996 with specialization in computer graphics and animation from Advanced Computing Centre for Arts and Design (ACCAD) and Section of Industrial, Inside, and Visible Communication at Ohio State College, Columbus Ohio. He also obtained his Bachelor of Science diploma in Industrial Layout from the identical college in 1994. His analysis pursuits include training methodologies, collaborative action across multiple disciplines and computer graphic resources for artists and designers. He has been exploring and investigating intangible cultural heritage, animation and interaction layout via his PhD scientific studies. He has presented his investigation in conferences this sort of as ?Hawaii Int. Convention on Arts and Humanities? in Honolulu, ?Summit on Digital Equipment for the Humanities? in Virginia, ?ACM Graphite? in Singapore, ?Information Visualization? in London, Int. Conference on Training in Honolulu, Virtuality and View Conferences in Turin and ?Computers in Education? in Auckland. Muqeem also served as a member of specialized committee, IASTED, The Worldwide ?
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Ashman to Receive Award of Excellence for Gaithersburg Ebook Pageant
City of Gaithersburg Council member Jud Ashman has been named recipient of the County Executive's Local community Award for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities. The award recognizes Ashman for his purpose in founding and promoting the Gaithersburg Ebook ?
Read a lot more on Towncourier
Source: http://gei2za.com/arts-and-humanities/goldsmiths-campus-tour/
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Megalornithophobia: Fear of big birds forced Romney to skip kids talk (Americablog)
Campus officer kills naked freshman at University of South Alabama
Gilbert Thomas Collar, 18, was fatally shot by police Saturday.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The University of South Alabama says the student was acting erratically
- The school says the student charged the officer, who drew his gun
- 18-year-old Gilbert Thomas Collar was killed in the Saturday shooting
- His mother and friend says he was a varsity wrestler and a good-natured guy
(CNN) -- Authorities are investigating why a University of South Alabama officer fatally shot an 18-year-old freshman who they say was naked and acting erratically outside the campus police station early Saturday.
With few details of the shooting in the Gulf Coast city of Mobile, the student's mother and one of his friends said they could not understand how a six-year varsity wrestler and good-natured teenager could have died under such strange and sad circumstances.
According to a statement from the school, the campus police officer heard a loud banging noise on a window at the station at 1:23 a.m. CT (2:23 a.m. ET) Saturday. When he left the station to investigate, the school said, "he was confronted by a muscular, nude man who was acting erratically."
Minnesota: police officer facing charges for hitting man in detox
The man, later identified as Gilbert Thomas Collar, of Wetumpka, Alabama, repeatedly rushed and verbally challenged the officer in a fighting stance, the school said.
The officer, whose name hasn't been released, drew his weapon and ordered Collar to stop, the school said. The officer retreated several times to try to calm the situation.
"When the individual continued to rush toward the officer in a threatening manner and ignored the officer's repeated commands to stop, the officer fired one shot with his police sidearm, which struck the chest of the assailant," the school statement said. "The individual fell to the ground, but he got up once more and continued to challenge the officer further before collapsing and expiring."
Collar's mother, Bonnie, said the two people who called her with the news of her son -- someone from the school and another involved in the investigation -- did not mention that her son was trying to attack anyone when he was shot.
"He was wearing no clothes and he was obviously not in his right mind," she told CNN. "No one said that he had attacked anybody, and obviously he was not armed. He was completely naked."
Bonnie Collar said she did not know why her son was acting that way when he was killed. She said he weighed 135 pounds and was 5-foot-7 with a wrestler's build.
"The first thing on my mind is, freshman kids do stupid things, and campus police should be equipped to handle activity like that without having to use lethal force," she said.
Campus police immediately contacted the district attorney's office to request an external investigation, and the Mobile County Sheriff's Department will assist, the school said.
The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of internal and external investigations, according to the school, which enrolls about 15,000 students.
Philadelphia: Officer who struck parade-goer will be fired
Investigators are looking at security camera tape of the shooting, Collar's mother said. CNN's calls about the tape were referred to school spokesman Keith Ayers, who did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Earlier Saturday, Ayers called it a "campus tragedy" for the university family but offered no other details, citing the active investigation.
One of Collar's oldest friends was Chris Estes, 18. He said the boys became friends at age 5 and grew up playing baseball together. Along with their friend Jared, they became three best friends with the slogan "JGC for life," Estes told CNN by e-mail.
"Gil was a very 'chill' guy, mellow and easy going," Estes wrote. "That's why I don't understand the story that he attacked the cop. He got along with anybody at school no matter who you were. He could always have a conversation with anyone. As many times as I've hung out with Gil, I've never seen aggression in him, especially not towards a cop."
As the boys grew up in Wetumpka, Estes said, Collar stopped playing baseball to focus more on his dominant sport, wrestling. Collar's mother said he was a two-time state qualifier in wrestling, and Estes said he could have wrestled at the collegiate level if he chose.
"Gil loved to hang out with friends, he loved having a good time and made the best out of every situation, always keeping his head up," said Estes, who stayed behind to attend nearby Auburn University at Montgomery.
Estes said it's unfortunate he didn't go off to college with his friend. "If I did, I think the whole situation would have been avoided," he said.
Collar's mother said their hometown of nearly 8,000 people is in disbelief about the shooting. On Twitter, some used the hashtag #WetuFam (Wetumpka Family) on Saturday in remembering Collar.
"Our entire community is in shock because this is so different than his demeanor and his personality that we've seen for the 18 years that he's been on this earth," she said.
Texas: Police kill amputee in wheelchair at group home for the mentally ill
CNN's Elwyn Lopez contributed to this report.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/07/justice/alabama-student-killed/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular
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The Passionate Foodie: Rant: Wine vs Spirit Geeks, A Historical ...
Are wine geeks different from spirit/cocktail geeks??
I pondered this question as I attended the first annual?Boston Cocktail Summit, a three day event devoted to a diverse selection of spirits and cocktails issues and items. By geeks, I refer to intense and passionate devotees, those to whom these alcohols are central to their lives. There is a difference between wine and spirit/cocktail geeks which stood out to me, which was even initially noticeable from the cocktail summit program. It is a type of "historical divide."
As a generalization, and there are definitely exceptions, the average spirit/cocktail geek is much more interested in history than wine geeks. They seem to know and understand the history of their favorite spirits, the history of Prohibition, the history of cocktails and bars, and the alcoholic history of their region. They research old cocktail books, mining them for ideas and information. They throw parties which seek to emulate prior historical periods.
The program for the cocktail summit had 2 pages of historical spirit/cocktail trivia, much of it concerning the Boston area. There was a rum party one night that sought to emulate Cuba during the 1950s. At a number of the seminars, history played a role in the spirit/cocktail discussions. There were spirits in the tasting rooms that sought to replicate old recipes and cocktails at the bar events which sought to do the same. History played a vital role in the cocktail summit. ?
On the other hand, wine geeks are much less interested in historical events. They might understand some general basic facts but they usually never delve deeper. They seem much more interested in how wine is made than in its historical roots and origins. They are more concerned about grapes and barrels than what occurred in the past. They rarely throw wine parties that hearken to another era. It is much more about the now and the future, rather than the past.
I love history and have written numerous posts concerning the history of spirits and wines, from Rum to Sherry, from Champagne to Port. I find it all so fascinating, yet too many other wine lovers seem to be much less interested in such matters. Why is that so? Why are spirit/cocktail geeks so much more interested in history? These questions perk my interest but I currently don't have any answers as to the whys. Yet I believe that wine lovers need to acquire a greater appreciation and love for history.
To properly understand a subject, one should understand its origins. That history creates the present and by understanding it, we can better appreciate how it got to its present state. The winemaker Paolo di Marchi once said "If we understand the past, we get a healthy path to the future." He was referring to how one cannot understand the Chianti Classico region without understanding its history. That would be applicable to any and all wine regions. In this respect, spirit/cocktail geeks might better comprehend their subject matter by knowing more about its history.
If you are a wine geek and not interested much in history, why not? ?If you do love history, why does it excite you?? ?
Source: http://passionatefoodie.blogspot.com/2012/10/rant-wine-vs-spirit-geeks-historical.html
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