Avlon: GOP's cowardly filibuster threat (CNN)

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Demi Lovato Paints Over Love In 'Heart Attack' Video

Lovato blackens at the thought of heartbreak in Chris Applebaum-directed clip, the first visual from her upcoming Demi album.
By Emilee Lindner

Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack" cover art
Photo: Hollywood

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1705292/demi-lovato-heart-attack-music-video.jhtml

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Big Sean Claims Kid Cudi's G.O.O.D. Exit And 'Switch Up' Is 'Just Ironic'

Sean clears the air about his supposed Cudi dis on 'Switch Up' with MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Lauren Child

Big Sean
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1705286/big-sean-kid-cudi-good-music.jhtml

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Analysis: Public doubt on bird flu a ghost of China's past

By Michael Martina and Kate Kelland

BEIJING/LONDON (Reuters) - China has earned praise from international scientists for its handling of an outbreak of a deadly new bird flu in humans, but a history of public health cover-ups means the Chinese public is harder to win over.

Even as global authorities have said the new H7N9 bird flu strain that has killed eight and infected 28 is no cause for panic, memories of past health scandals continue to undermine the government's credibility at home in dealing with outbreaks.

Those suspicions have driven anxiety about the human cases in eastern China, and put the government's response under the microscope as much as the bird flu virus itself.

"People aren't fundamentally worried about the bird flu, but about cover-ups and the lack of transparency. The mistrust of the government is far more frightening than H7N9," wrote one user on China's Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo.

Such fears stem from a long list of attempted cover-ups, including that of an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which emerged in China in 2002 and killed about one in 10 of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide.

Suspicions are also tied to an HIV/AIDS scandal in the 1990s, when officials tried to suppress information of thousands of villagers who were infected through blood donation stations.

But both of those scandals came before the advent of popular local microblog sites; these now have millions of Internet-savvy users who, despite heavy online censorship, have managed to whip up public awareness over galling health and food-safety issues.

The difficulty of keeping a lid on information is one reason China has increased transparency about H7N9, said Jia Xijin, an expert on civil society at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

"Concealing the information is impossible," Jia said. "If they keep the information it will only increase criticism."

Still, Chinese Internet users and newspapers question why it took weeks for the government to announce cases of the bird flu strain, especially as two of the victims fell ill in February.

Health officials said it took time to identify the virus, which was previously unknown in humans. Senior officials are acutely aware of the mistrust, and on Monday Vice Premier Liu Yandong called for greater transparency surrounding the virus.

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

In a sign of the intense public concern surrounding H7N9, people in China are making a record number of online searches for "bird flu", according to a Google tracking tool. Search volumes are higher now than at any time in the past nine years.

The results, calculated on a comparable adjusted basis, take into account growing Internet use in the country. More Chinese people use the Chinese-language search engine Baidu, but the spike in Google searches is still significant.

With the Internet at their fingertips, many Chinese are not holding back. Jia, the Tsinghua professor, said the government's tight grip on information made transparency seem unattainable, leading to constant criticism and occasional wild rumors - among them talk of the flu being the result of a U.S. attack.

Listening to the public, Chinese authorities have been quick to counter speculation that the H7N9 outbreak is related to more than 16,000 pig carcasses found dumped in rivers around Shanghai. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said some dead pigs from the rivers tested negative for influenza infection.

State media reported some Chinese consumers are making their own decisions, leading to a rush on pharmacy sales of isatis, a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine to cure fever.

GLOBAL PRAISE

While skeptics in China have taken to social media to speak their minds, flu scientists and global public health experts are heaping praise on Beijing for its efforts so far.

Chinese doctors and officials, they say, appear to have learned in the past decade that seeking to cover up a public health threat is more likely than not to backfire and create more panic and worry than publicizing what is known.

"Things have improved tremendously," said Ab Osterhaus, a flu expert at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands.

"What's important is that communication with the WHO and the international scientific community is happening."

Michael O'Leary, the WHO's representative in China, confirmed his team was getting at least daily updates from China's National Health and Family Planning Commission and from the country's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Within a day or two of the first cases of the new strain being identified and reported in humans, scientists had posted gene sequence data from virus samples on the website of GISAID, the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, which makes such data available to flu researchers worldwide.

That swift publication has allowed flu experts in laboratories across the world to start picking through the DNA sequence data to try to assess H7N9'S potential for developing into a human pandemic.

China's official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday that the H7N9 virus had not triggered an epidemic among poultry. With no evidence of transmission between humans, experts say the H7N9 flu outbreak merits close watching, but so far does not present an immediate pandemic risk.

Jeremy Farrar, a leading expert on infectious diseases and director of Oxford University's research unit in Vietnam, told Reuters that China had done "a fantastic job" so far: "In a way, the West could perhaps learn from the way they have truly integrated the public health and clinical response to this."

(Additional reporting by Ben Hirschler in London, Sally Huang and Hui Li in Beijing and Nishant Kumar in Hong Kong; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-public-doubt-bird-flu-ghost-chinas-past-143440806.html

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UN says food distribution centers reopen in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) ? The United Nations says it has reopened food distribution centers in Gaza that closed last week following a violent protest at a U.N. compound.

U.N. spokesman Chris Gunness says the agency's decision was based on "assurances ... received from different local parties" on the safety of its property and staff.

Gunness says the distribution centers reopened on Tuesday. He says the U.N. may close its facilities in the future if its employees are threatened again.

Dozens of people stormed the U.N. headquarters on Thursday to protest the suspension of cash assistance to thousands of Palestinian families.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, known as UNRWA, assists Palestinian refugees and their descendants throughout the region. The agency says it provides food to 25,000 people a day in Gaza.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-says-food-distribution-centers-reopen-gaza-072741824.html

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Tumblr for Android gets overhauled with new interface

It looks like April is the month for major Android apps to get a visual overhaul. Following Twitter's refresh last week (and Facebook's decidedly more ambitious effort), Tumblr has today released its own app update that offers a whole new user interface. As you can see above, that includes some Path-esque expandable controls for creating various types of posts, as well as new post animations and a general appearance that's more consistent with Android's "Holo" theme. There's no indication yet of that new interface heading to iOS, which just got its own Tumblr update last month.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile

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Source: Google Play, Tumblr

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/0ZnS4gCkaxQ/

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Jon Gosselin: Spreading Lies About Kate For Profit?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/jon-gosselin-spreading-lies-about-kate-for-profit/

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Pastor Rick Warren?s son commits suicide: church

Jae C. Hong/AP

The 27-year-old son of Pastor Rick Warren committed suicide on Friday, Saddleback Valley Community Church said in a statement. Here Warren acknowledges the audience at the popular church.

LAKE FOREST, Calif. ? The Southern California church headed by popular evangelical Pastor Rick Warren said his 27-year-old son committed suicide on Saturday.

Warren?s Saddleback Valley Community Church near Los Angeles said in a statement that Matthew Warren had struggled with mental illness and deep depression.

?Matthew was an incredibly kind, gentle and compassionate young man whose sweet spirit was encouragement and comfort to many,? the church?s statement said. ?Unfortunately, he also suffered from mental illness resulting in deep depression and suicidal thoughts. Despite the best health care available, this was an illness that was never fully controlled and the emotional pain resulted in his decision to take his life.?

Warren, the author of the multimillion-selling book ?The Purpose Driven Life,? said in an email to church staff that he and his wife had enjoyed a fun Friday evening with their son. But Matthew Warren took his life Saturday after ?a momentary wave of despair at his home.?

Over the years, Matthew Warren had been treated by America?s best doctors, medication, counselors and prayers for healing, Warren said.

?You who watched Matthew grow up knew he was an incredibly kind, gentle, and compassionate man,? he wrote. ?He had a brilliant intellect and a gift for sensing who was most in pain or most uncomfortable in a room. He?d then make a bee-line to that person to engage and encourage them.?

Saddleback?s website says that about 20,000 people attend weekend services at the Orange County church.

In 2008, the church sponsored a presidential forum with Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney had been invited to a similar forum last fall, but Warren canceled it, saying the campaign had become too uncivil.

Warren was named the top newsmaker of the year for 2009 by the Religion Newswriters Association, gaining attention with his invocation at Obama?s first inauguration and comments in the aftermath of California?s Proposition 8, which overturned gay marriage.

Warren also has made headlines for his fundraising abilities, raking in more than $2.4 million after making a plea for donations in 2010 to fill a $900,000 deficit at his Southern California megachurch.

The evangelical pastor made similar pleas after Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Asian tsunami, raising $1.7 million and $1.6 million from Saddleback parishioners.

Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/NydnRss/~3/IyxomegkU4E/story01.htm

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Former county judge questioned in Texas DA's slaying

By Matthew DeLuca, Staff Writer, NBC News

A former judge in Kaufman County, Texas, who lost his job when he was convicted of theft says he was questioned by agents investigating the double slaying of a district attorney and his wife.

Eric Williams, who served as a county justice of the peace before his conviction, said he did not mind investigators questioning him as they follow every possible lead in the brazen killings that have chilled the small town of Forney.

?If I was in their shoes, I would want to talk to me,? Williams told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. ?In the investigators? minds, they want to check with me to do their process of elimination.?

Kaufman County district attorney Mike McLelland was shot at 20 times and his wife Cynthia was shot once in their home on Saturday, a federal source with knowledge of the investigation told NBC News on Tuesday. The source did not say how many times the slain DA was hit. An earlier affidavit said that both of the victims were struck by multiple bullets, and the reason for the discrepancy remained unclear on Wednesday.

Williams said he had nothing to doing with the McLellands' violent deaths, and said prosecutors were doing nothing more than their jobs when they convicted him on a theft charge ? a conviction that cost Williams his job and his law license. He is appealing the conviction.

Investigators are looking into a number of theories in the case, including whether a white supremacist prison gang called the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas might have been involved, federal prosecutors told NBC News. Other possible leads may point to drug cartels or a single, angry gunman.

Yet none of the theories stands out as a likely explanation for the shocking killings, a federal source told NBC News.

Williams also said he had no role in the still-unsolved shooting death of Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse, who was gunned down in broad daylight on January 31. Hasse, whose death McLelland had vowed to solve, prosecuted Williams? theft case, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported.

Williams says he has nothing to hide.

A former police officer, Williams said he was contacted by investigators on Saturday night, just hours after McLelland and his wife were found dead.

?I?ve cooperated with law enforcement,? Williams said. ?I certainly wish them the best in bringing justice to this incredibly egregious act.?

Williams said he met with the agents at a restaurant, where they conducted a test for gunpowder residue on his hands. He also turned over his cellphone along with his wife?s, Williams said. The investigators gave the phones back to him on Sunday.

?I know I didn?t do anything,? Williams said. ?I know where I was.?

NBC News? Pete Williams and Jeff Black contributed to this report.

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In the UK, a DIY approach to mental health help

In this Feb. 5, 2013 photo, psychological well-being practitioner Nabila El-Zanaty talks to a self-help psychological course class run by Britain?s publicly funded health system, during a session in east London. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild to moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

In this Feb. 5, 2013 photo, psychological well-being practitioner Nabila El-Zanaty talks to a self-help psychological course class run by Britain?s publicly funded health system, during a session in east London. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild to moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

In this Feb. 5, 2013 photo, psychological well-being practitioner Nabila El-Zanaty, center, talks to a self-help psychological course class run by Britain?s publicly funded health system, during a session in east London. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild to moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

In this Feb. 5, 2013 photo, a woman poses for a photograph during a self-help psychological course class run by Britain?s publicly funded health system in east London. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild to moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

In this Feb. 5, 2013 photo, a woman talks during a self-help psychological course class run by Britain?s publicly funded health system, in east London. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild to moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

In this Feb. 5, 2013 photo, psychological well-being practitioner Nabila El-Zanaty talks to a self-help psychological course class run by Britain?s publicly funded health system during a session in east London. With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild to moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises. While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

LONDON (AP) ? After crocheting a colorful blanket, Joan Ferguson snuggled up under it one night and proudly thought: "This is one groovy blanket. I'm brilliant."

Ferguson, 53, who struggles with low self-esteem, said it was the first time she had ever praised herself. She attributed the breakthrough in part to free self-help classes on mental health run by Britain's government-funded medical system.

With a long wait to see a psychologist, the British government is turning to the classroom to treat people with mild-to-moderate mental health problems with a mix of PowerPoint presentations and group exercises.

Ferguson's class of about 10 people, which meets once a week in east London, is led by two "psychological wellbeing practitioners." The instructors are trained for a year on how to help people change their behavior or thinking but they aren't fully fledged psychologists.

While some dismiss the approach as do-it-yourself therapy, experts say there is convincing evidence that people with conditions like depression and anxiety can be successfully treated without ever seeing a psychologist or a psychiatrist.

The strategy was adopted after Britain's independent health watchdog ruled that classes and self-help books are cost-effective. Treating people with mental health problems this way could get them back to work quicker and save the U.K. an estimated 700 million pounds in lost tax revenue over four years, a previous study found.

The government is aiming to use the classes to treat least 15 percent of the more than 6 million who need treatment for anxiety or depression. In 2011, only about 5 percent got some kind of therapy; about half were treated in classes or settings such as telephone sessions or computer therapy.

Those with more serious problems, like schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress disorder, are usually offered traditional psychotherapy.

The self-help classes have a recovery rate of about 46 percent, slightly lower than the 50 to 60 percent recovery rates for those who get personal psychological counseling, according to statistics from the department of health.

The British Psychological Society, a professional group, helped design the training received by the class instructors. The society's David Murphy, however, said the classes might not be a fit for everyone.

"Some people are wary about going to a class instead of seeing a psychologist," said Murphy, who isn't involved with the program.

The classes often require more effort by the individual than working with a psychologist, he said.

"For the (self-help) classes to be effective, the onus is on the patient to change what they're doing in between sessions," Murphy said.

Some American experts weren't sure the approach would work in the United States.

"The expectations of treatment are very different in the U.S.," said Michael Otto, a professor of psychology at Boston University who has studied self-help approaches. "People think, 'if I'm going to be paying for care, I want to get the treatment I want and that's often personal therapy."

Otto said the downside to such self-help programs is that people who don't get better might just give up.

Instructor Nabila El-Zanaty said the classes aren't meant to be like group therapy.

"It's more like psychological education," she said, after leading a session that taught participants how to spot negative thoughts about themselves.

She said patients must be monitored closely in case they need more intensive help. At the start of every class, they fill in a survey about their recent behavior, including whether they have hurt themselves or had suicidal thoughts.

El-Zanaty said she's been surprised by how much the participants are willing to share in class. She said one woman who cried during every session and talked about suicide attempts was referred to personalized therapy.

Most courses run about eight to 12 weeks. El-Zanaty said they check in with participants a month after the classes end. After three months, they can apply to do another course if they still need help.

Ferguson and her classmates in El-Zanaty's course realize it's up to them to make sure the classes work.

"They only give us the tools," she said. "I know if I don't practice the techniques, it will be back to square one."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-04-02-DIY%20Therapy/id-fd5bc0b51c17416397c8af2b1bdfa425

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Weather Radio Sales To Benefit Salvation Army Disaster Relief Program

CBS 11 is partnering with Midland Radio Corporation to offer NOAA weather radios for sale at a reduced price at all Dallas-Fort Worth area Academy, Kroger and Walgreens locations. A portion of the purchase price from each radio sold now through June 30 will benefit The Salvation Army Disaster Relief services.

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) all-hazards weather radios monitor special radio broadcasts from the National Weather Service and the Department of Homeland Security to provide critical information in the event of severe weather such as tornadoes and other local emergencies.

Dallas-Fort Worth area partner stores are offering the Midland WR-120 desktop weather radio for $29.99. The HH54VP portable handheld model with travel mode is $34.99.

About The Salvation Army Disaster Relief Program:
Recognized by the U.S. Government as an official disaster services provider, The Salvation Army provides multiple services including mobile feeding and onsite mass feeding; financial assistance; shelter; distribution of basic necessities such as personal hygiene products, baby and child care products; and building materials. The Salvation Army also provides victims identification and registration; spiritual, emotional and grief counseling; recovery and reconstruction support.

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Source: http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/04/01/weather-radio-sales-to-benefit-salvation-army-disaster-relief-program/

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FDA says longer use of nicotine gum is OK

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) ? The Food and Drug Administration says smokers who are trying to quit can safely use over-the counter nicotine gum, patches and lozenges for longer than previously recommended in a move to help millions of Americans kick the habit.

Current labels suggest consumers stop smoking or using other products containing nicotine when they begin using the products to help them quit and that they should stop using nicotine replacement products after 12 weeks at most.

The federal agency said Monday that the makers of gum and other nicotine replacement products can change the labels that say not to smoke when using the products. The FDA also said the companies can let consumers know that they can use the products for longer periods as part of a plan to quit smoking, as long as they are talking to their doctor.

Nicotine replacement products, designed to help people stop smoking by supplying controlled amounts of nicotine to ease the withdrawal symptoms, were first approved about 30 years ago and have since gone from prescription to over-the-counter within the last 17 years. However, when they were approved for over-the-counter use little reliable data existed on the safety of long-term use or use of more than one product containing nicotine, the FDA said.

In recent years, the agency said, a number of stakeholders in public health have suggested the current labels were barriers for smokers that are trying to quit because they'd relapse if they stopped using the nicotine-replacement products after the suggested time period, and they'd abandon their attempt to quit if they had a cigarette while using them.

More than 45 million Americans smoke cigarettes and about half try to quit every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the U.S. and is responsible for the majority of the nation's lung cancer deaths. It's also a factor in heart attacks and a variety of illnesses.

The agency hopes the recommended changes will "allow more people to use these products effectively for smoking cessation and that tobacco dependence will decline," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a statement.

The makers of the nicotine replacement products must seek approval to change their labels, but the FDA said the companies can cite the studies used by the agency.

GlaxoSmithKline, the leading seller of nicotine-replacement therapy products under the Nicorette and NicoDerm CQ brands, called the FDA's action a "positive step to help more smokers quit." It plans to work with the FDA to make changes to its product labeling "as soon as possible."

The move by the FDA comes less than a week after government health officials launched the second round of a graphic ad campaign designed to get smokers off tobacco. The CDC campaign cost $48 million and includes TV, radio and online spots as well as print ads and billboards.

The ads feature sad, real-life stories: There is Terrie, a North Carolina woman who lost her voice box. Bill, a diabetic smoker from Michigan who lost his leg. And Aden, a 7-year-old boy from New York, who has asthma attacks from secondhand smoke.

Last year's similar $54 million campaign was the agency's first and largest national advertising effort. The government deemed it a success: That campaign triggered an increase of 200,000 calls to quit lines. The CDC believes that likely prompted tens of thousands of smokers to quit based on calculations that a certain percentage of callers do actually stop.

Meanwhile, the FDA said it is missing a Monday deadline to submit three tobacco-related reports to Congress, which the agency said are nearing completion. It also is missing another deadline to publish a consumer-friendly list of the levels of dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes and other tobacco products, as well as tobacco company testing and reporting requirements for ingredients and additives.

There are no penalties for forgoing the deadlines outlined in the 2009 law that gave the FDA authority to regulate a number of aspects of tobacco marketing and manufacturing

___

Michael Felberbaum can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/MLFelberbaum .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fda-says-longer-nicotine-gum-ok-174643143--finance.html

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TuneIn Radio adds new 'live' interface for music discovery

"TuneIn Live", added in the latest update, aims to improve music discovery with a visually appealing interface.

Popular music and radio streaming service TuneIn Radio is adding a new way to browse for interesting content via the "live" tab at the top of the interface. The so-called TuneIn Live area presents large tiles of album artwork for stations that are currently playing interesting things. By default the live feed will show a wide selection of stations from country, hip hop, jazz, news, rock and sports, but you can also choose to customize which genres you see if you have a TuneIn account.

This is a great improvement for users looking to just browse through stations to find something new. One of the downfalls of TuneIn's extensive radio listings is that it becomes hard to choose just one. The update is now live (pardon the pun) for both free and Pro versions of the app, and you can find both via the Play Store link at the top of this post. If you haven't given TuneIn Radio a try before, it's certainly worth a look.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Srqgh6kkCkk/story01.htm

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Professional Business Marketing ? How To Distinguish Your ...

Photo Credit (Wikipedia)

When envisioning and establishing my business, I focused on both short- and long-term goals. My short-term goal was to outgrow a local competitor?s annual gross sales. I knew I wanted to eventually compete with multimillion-dollar giants, but first, I needed to examine?my?strengths and?their?weaknesses.

Market competition can create a battleground and my goal was to win the war. This mindset might be controversial, but many businesses have failed because they did not capitalize on their competitors? faults. I built my business from modest beginnings to achieve multimillion-dollar revenues by distinguishing my venture from others like it. Here?s how:

1. Analyze the industry.?Studying the competition allows you to find weaknesses in their organizations. Begin by subscribing to their newsletters. Approach a competitor as an interested customer so you can see what its sales and customer service processes are like. I was able to gain invaluable information by simply buying a product and noting the logistics of the sales process. You can take it further and visiting the business? location, which allows you to speak to managers or even the owner. To your benefit, many of these leaders will brag about how they started their businesses ? or their own accomplishments. Take note and begin to brainstorm ideas for setting your business apart.
2. Outshine the competition.?Now that you?ve gained knowledge about your competitors, put it to use. Create a more professional, user-friendly website. If applicable, outbid your competitors and secure exclusive contracts with your clients. Work to take your competitors out of the picture. By limiting their market appeal, you can increase your own. Your goal is to provide the most effective and efficient service or product from the start so customers recognize the quality of your company as well as its integrity.
3. Focus on customer service.?Do this by assembling the best team possible. After all, your business is only as good as your employees ? they?re the face of your company. Positive and resourceful customer service helps set your venture apart at the outset, since larger companies are simply not as hungry for new customers. Aim to create the best shopping experience for your customers and do not compromise on the quality of your employees. Seek out intelligent and independent individuals who share your passion and vision. Regular communication about business priorities and strategies is crucial to professional and monetary growth.
4. Create quiet opportunities.?This can be difficult. As you?re putting together the best team, best product, and best marketing, you want to keep a low profile. If you?re overexposed, your competitors will notice quickly and begin fighting back for market share. Try to keep your company under the radar as long as possible, while also gaining valuable and dedicated customers. Once those customers understand the quality and reliability of your business, they will remain loyal ? despite increased attention or competitors who might offer lower prices or more blatant promotions.
5. Maintain your lead.?You should know your business better than anyone. Be proactive and deliver a quality product or service consistently. The most successful entrepreneurs anticipate future advances in technology, customer service, and production, and incorporate them into their game plans. You need to constantly push yourself and your team to new heights through active research and by attending professional conferences to avoid losing your edge to the competition. Team-building and potential contacts enrich the overall experience.

While a magic formula to benefit from the competition?s weaknesses ? and boost your business ? doesn?t exist, conducting extensive research is the key to see how your business can better connect with customers. Once you find your niche, you can begin building and maintaining your momentum by delivering quality service and a unique experience. The way to the top can be a war. Make sure you are motivated and diligent enough to be the victor.

Courtesy of YEC

Yosef Martin?is founder and President of?Merchandize Liquidators, a closeout and liquidation wholesale company specializing in selling overstock and customer-returned merchandise from major stores back to the market for a fraction of the original wholesale cost. ?A thought leader and entrepreneurial expert, Yosef welcomes anyone to reach out to him on?Facebook,?Twitter?or?Google+.

Courtesy of YEC

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world?s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.

Source: http://lowbrowse.org/how-to-distinguish-your-business-from-the-competition.html

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