Fairmount CA

Stuffed animals were given early this morning to children after a Lafayette apartment fire affected five kids. American Red Cross volunteers have responded to help the families, which also include nine adults. The fire occurred about 4:30 am at 429 and 427 Unit A Daffodil Loop in Lafayette. Among the services that have been provided are shelter, clothing, food, cleaning supplies and referrals to other community partners.

The Acadiana Area Chapter of the Red Cross has responded to several blazes since last Tuesday, including four fires in four days that affected 18 people. Earlier this month, the Red Cross assisted 35 people in one week. You can make a difference for our neighbors in need by donating via www.acadianaredcross.org.

The American Red Cross is doing everything we can to ensure that when anyone is affected by disaster, we are there. We need your help to continue to providing the level of service that people need and rightfully expect from us – a safe and dry place to stay, food, emotional support and many other kinds of assistance – whenever and wherever disaster strikes. Any donation is deeply appreciated and will greatly help those affected by disaster

Though adding smart collars to animals in the wild doesnt do anything for the animal, it helps us humans better understand their habits. Which hopefully means we end up helping the animals.

Traditional collars have used GPS before but these new ones, which are expected to be implemented in the next few years, use GPS and accelerometers to more accurately measure the animals daily life (running, sleeping, jumping, eating, etc.). Heres how Terrie Williams, a co-investigator on the project, explained it to the New York Times:

What you end up with is a diary for the animal, a 24-hour diary that says he spent this much time sleeping, and we know from the GPS where that was. Then he woke up and went for a walk over here. He caught something over here. He ate something and we know what it was because the signatures we get for a deer kill vs. a rabbit kill are very different.

The researchers have established data points with captured mountain lions and plan to put out more of these smart collars in the near future. The goal of the smart collars is to eventually predict the behavior of wild animals. Like getting inside their brains and motivations by studying their habits. Read more about the fascinating project over at the NY Times. [NY Times, Image Credit: Matthew Staver/New York Times]

The Debt makes Nazi-hunting pay

Focus Features
Jessica Chastain stars as a younger secret agent Rachel Singer in John Madden’s espionage thriller “The Debt.” Helen Mirren portrays Singer at retirement age, drawn back to complete unfinished business.

(CBS/AP)

TRIPOLI, Libya – Libyan rebels believe they have an idea of where Muammar Qaddafi is.

The rebels are hunting for Qaddafi amid fears that he can continue to stoke violence even after being forced to flee the Libyan capital, Tripoli, last week.

Ali Tarhouni, a minister in the rebel Transitional National Council, had originally told reporters Tuesday that we have a good idea where he is. We dont have any doubt that we will catch him. However, that earlier statement has since been toned down.

Nothing was elaborated further.

Libyan rebels also pledged Tuesday to launch an assault within days on Qaddafis hometown, the ousted strongmans last major bastion of support.

The rebels and NATO said that Qaddafi loyalists were negotiating the fate of Sirte, a heavily militarized city some 250 miles east of the capital, Tripoli.

Qaddafi spied on Libyans with international help
Qaddafis daughter gives birth in Algeria
Search for Qaddafi goes on as family flees

Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the head of the Transitional National Council, said that negotiations with forces in Sirte would end Saturday after the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, when the rebels would act decisively and militarily.

We cant wait more than that, he told reporters in the eastern city of Benghazi. We seek and support any efforts to enter these places peacefully. At the end, it might be decided militarily. I hope it will not be the case.

Col. Roland Lavoie, a NATO spokesman, said its possible Sirte might surrender without a fight.

We have seen dialogues in several villages that were freed Im not saying with no hostilities, but with minimal hostilities, he said.

Lavoie said NATO would continue its mission as long as civilians in the country are under threat, although the area around the capital, Tripoli, is now essentially free.

Lavoie appeared to struggle to explain how NATO strikes were protecting civilians at this stage in the conflict. Asked about NATOs assertion that it hit 22 armed vehicles near Sirte on Monday, he was unable to say how the vehicles were threatening civilians, or whether they were in motion or parked.

The rebels also demanded that Algeria return Qaddafis wife and three of his children for trial after they fled, raising tensions between the neighboring countries.

Safiya Qaddafi, her daughter Aisha and sons Hannibal and Mohammed entered Algeria on Monday, while Qaddafi and several other sons remain at large. In Washington, the Obama administration said it had no indication that Qaddafi himself has left the country.

Photo by Zachary Kaufman

Flowers sit behind the register Friday while sales clerk Ryan Green, right, explains to a customer that Beacock Music Founder Dale Beacock was killed on Thursday in a bicycle accident near Garibaldi, Ore. You explain the best you can what happened; its just a sad somber day, said Green.

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) August 08, 2011

Alchemy Systems, the leader in innovative training solutions for the global workforce, today announced the guest speakers for their third annual SISTEM User Group. The User Group, held at the Omni hotel in downtown Austin on August 15-16, brings together SISTEM users from food manufacturing and processing plants across North America to learn more about the training platform and provide product feedback for future enhancements.

During the event, Alchemy will host two panel discussions composed of leading industry experts titled, “The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI): Meeting the Standards of Today and Tomorrow” and “Settling the Score: Simplified Measurement of your Training ROI.” The sessions will target the importance of a well-developed training program when preparing to meet GFSI standards and the financial benefits that can follow upon successful implementation.

The session “The Global Food Safety Initiative: Meeting the standards of Today and Tomorrow” will introduce User Group attendees to the upcoming Safe Quality Food (SQF) and British Retail Consortium (BRC) scheme revisions and offer insight from a senior GFSI auditor on key challenges for achieving and maintaining GFSI certification. Speakers will include:

• LeAnn Chuboff, Senior Technology Director, SQFI
• John Kukoly, Senior Marketing Consultant, BRC
• Kim Onett, Audit Operations Manager, Silliker, Inc.

Panelists of the session, “Settling the Score: Simplified Measurement of your Training ROI” will systematically explore the components of a defensible training ROI analysis while allowing attendees to calculate their company’s training ROI based on recent industry analysis. Speakers will include:

• Robert Meyer, President, Breakthrough Consulting Services
• Hector Gonzalez, VP of HR Operations, Tyson
• Shawn Stevens, Attorney, Gass Weber Mullins, LLC
• Annamarie Gibbs, Senior VP, Manager, Risk Control Services, Lockton Companies, LLC

“Our customers have proven to be innovators within their industry and it is our goal during the user group to deliver valuable information that will help them continue to improve their food safety plans,” stated Jeff Eastman, CEO at Alchemy. “The level of intelligence and experience that is represented in the panel discussions will be of great value to our customers.”

About Alchemy Systems

Alchemy is dedicated to providing innovative training products that use technology and media to educate the global workforce. Our award-winning training and compliance management platform, SISTEM, enables companies to effectively deliver, document and manage personnel training using interactive, multilingual courseware. With SISTEM, Alchemy helps to solve the training challenges most companies face when balancing production demands with increasingly strict regulatory requirements. For more information, please go to http://www.alchemysystems.com.

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Macys Passport presents Glamorama took flight Like a G6 with performances by Far East Movement and Grammy Award-winner Cee Lo Green at the Chicago Theatre. The sold-out event lived up to its reputation with guests viewing fall fashion by Jean Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, Sonia Rykiel, Papi, Tracy Reese, Armani Jeans and Bar III. The event raised more than $350,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana in their efforts building the worlds largest Ronald McDonald House. I was proud to be the honorary chairwoman for this event.

My idea of street food has always been Maxwell Street pork chop sandwiches, but oh how far weve come! With the inaugural event of StreetFood Artistry, the emerging rich street food culture of Chicago is being recognized. Held recently at Galleria Marchetti, the family friendly fest featured not only street-inspired dishes, but also highlighted some of Chicagos best food trucks, cooking demos by top chefs, street art, photography and a kids corner. Entertainment was provided by MADD Rhythms, the Real Connection, Soul People and H2O Soul.

There was even a cart for four-legged guests offering organic treats from Lick-Lick. I loved the noodle dish from chef Takashi Yagihashi, who was manning the Macys chefs a-go-go truck as well as the old school root beer float cart. Founded by Patrice Perkins and Alicia August-Wright, the event also included a silent auction which benefited the University of Chicago Charter School, Common Threads and Chicago Street Musicians.

Freelance writer Candace Jordan is involved with many local organizations, including some whose events she covers.

Click here to see photos from the events.

Find Candace Jordans blog at CandidCandace.com.

Last year, it was a combination of old and new. Sir Shina Peters, MI, Ice Prince, Nneka, Bez and KAS were on the bill of Hennessy Artistry. But this year, Hennessy Artistry, which is a globally celebrated brand, is pushing in another direction.

Hennessy Artistry began globally in 2006 and made its debut in Nigeria the following year. It is a programme launched by French cognac house, Hennessy, as a way of celebrating the vibrant multiculturalism that exists in different musical genres. The first Nigerian edition that took place in 2007 was a cocktail mixing contest among bartenders. In 2008, the concept of Hennessy Artistry changed as it became a competition among upcoming Nigerian DJs.

The next edition became a live band contest among Nigerias best rising urban musical talents. Contestants in that years competition included Ice Prince, MoChedda, Blaise, Jimmy Flames and Bez, and after a series of live performances by the contestants in select locations across Lagos, the competition was won by Choc Boi Ice Prince, who had the pleasure of going home with the grand price.

The 2010 edition was a very flamboyant edition, as it brought together top acts like Nneka, MI, Sir Shina Peters, Bez and Ice Prince to compose a song entitled Like a Bottle. The song, which was produced by Kas, was accompanied by a musical video. The edition ended in grand style with an exclusive Grand Finale Halo Concert at GET Arena in Lagos.

This years Hennessy Artistry is obviously set to follow the footsteps of previous editions. Already, a few big names have been mentioned as well as a producer, and news making the rounds is that the organizers are set to ensure this years edition goes to establish Hennessy Artistry as a multi-cultural initiative that serves as an avenue for different musical styles and artistes to mix, blend, learn and thrive.

The companys Communication Manger, Tokini Peterside, while commenting on what to expect this year, stated: We started something quite interesting last year, and we intend to improve on it this year. We would be working with a group of talented urban Nigerian artistes, who have that unique style that separates them from the rest. As usual, the Hennessy Artistry will be a unique blend of sound, visual innovation and that premium Hennessy cognac experience.

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NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — It’s looking more and more likely that rookie Stefen Wisniewski will start right away. The surprise is that he likely will be at left guard and not at center, the position coach Hue Jackson anointed him the starter the day the Raiders selected him in the second round.

Incumbent center Samson Satele has played so well in practice and in Oakland’s first exhibition game the Raiders are contemplating making room for both players.

Wisniewski played mostly guard in college, which makes it a logical decision to have him begin his NFL career there, too. Jackson said he wants to go with his five best offensive linemen, regardless of their natural positions. He feels as if Satele and Wisniewski are among those five.

Notes: Jackson is thrilled with how well quarterbacks Trent Edwards and Kyle Boller have performed the first two-plus weeks of camp. Their arms are healthy, they are up to speed with the offense and they give Jackson three veteran quarterbacks on his roster, in case something happens to unquestioned starter Jason Campbell. Edwards and Boller are competing for the primary backup spot, with the battle too close to call. Both played well in Oakland’s first exhibition game, and they are giving Jackson reason to think that he is set at quarterback this season.

MORE NFL: Training camp reports from all 32 teams

Many people spend more time on Facebook than they do watching TV. While getting them to “like” a store or brand is crucial, the next step is engagement and participation. It’s one thing to follow a brand: It’s quite another to play games or seek status levels that prove brand devotion.

Shoppers love feeling in control — they want to have input into the design of the next Old Navy t-shirt or Pepperidge Farm cookie variety. And being rewarded with incentives helps turn those consumers into loyalists.

Crowdtap, an on-demand consumer participation network, digs deeper into target audiences to get real-time feedback and further develop loyalty rewards. Brands like Old Navy use it for surveys, open-ended polls, discussions and product feedback.

“This is on-demand brand participation,” says Crowdtap CEO and founder Brandon Evans. “We make it easy and proactive for brands to easily reach out and market.”

Instant feedback
Prior to the advent of social networking, marketers relied on focus groups or other methods that could require months to generate results. With Crowdtap, the feedback is instant.

That’s important, since trends change in a “tweet,” says Evans. By involving consumers at various stages of product and marketing program development, firms can drive better results.

“Understanding these motivators that reinforce engagement and loyalty can unlock deeper and more rewarding relationships for both consumers and brands,” Evans says. “We have a fashion retailer looking to build an influencer campaign with a core target of women 24 to 34. They are looking to have a group of people they can go to for research.”

From there, the retailer will get new ideas for clothing design and open up a dialogue for ongoing product development.

Granular measurement
Crowdtap has a growing 115,000-person database integrated with social media sites and it digs down to find those who are deeply involved in a brand, offering online discussions and the ability to share content and provide couponing or sampling. An Old Navy spokeswoman says her company participated in at-home t-shirt decorating programs and encouraged shoppers to post Old Navy shopping trip videos.

Crowdtap’s gaming aspect is key, Evans notes, since it simultaneously engages customers while gathering information for companies. Crowdtap can also analyze the content of Facebook pages to determine interests and eligibility for other money-making marketing programs.

“We do a lot of measurements” for the company’s 50 brand clients, Evans says. “We know how many participated and can calculate intent to purchase and can see a lift in purchasing. The motivation we provide is not to get someone to simply post something. We motivate members to participate in a [brand's] community and with our site in a way that’s as authentic as it can be.

“We can provide measurement that’s granular,” he says. “We factor in proximity, intensity, engagement and memory — time users spent with a brand in addition to [how many users the brand] reaches.”

Points for charity, gift cards
Crowdtap members earn redeemable points for taking “brand actions” like completing quick-hit surveys, voting in polls, participating in live online discussions or sharing brand-related content with friends via social media and the Crowdtap platform. Points can be redeemed for incentives like gift cards or cash donations to a charity chosen from the company’s list of approved organizations.

During a six-month closed beta test that concluded earlier this year, Crowdtap members helped more than 25 major brands, as well as a number of startups and non-profits. Crowdtap members received more than $100,000 in rewards for themselves and their selected charities.