Sunday, November 11, 2012

War Vets Find Solace In Four-Legged Friends - St. Louis News ...

CNN Hero Mary Cortani

(CNN) ? He was antisocial and difficult to work with at first. He?d clearly been abused by his father as evidenced by the deep, round scab near his shoulder. He hadn?t been eating well.

And he was so skittish that the slightest noise or motion set him off. But Army veteran Jeff Wilson needed a new dog, and this pound puppy ? a border collie-German shepherd mix ? was it.

He named him Lobo, and it wasn?t long before Wilson, 44, realized they had the same issues.

?We were kind of kindred spirits,? he said. ?I think it really helped deepen our connection because he wasn?t just helping me; I was helping him. I was helping him get past the same obstacles that I had. I had to recognize it in myself and get past that to help him.?

Wilson is a former tank commander and flight engineer who isn?t at liberty to speak about his time in Iraq other than to say he manned a machine gun while hanging out of the door of a helicopter. He can also say that he was often ?exposed to very dangerous situations? during his 14 years in the service.

He has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety from post-traumatic stress disorder, and he?s not alone. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 11% to 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are suffering from PTSD.

Wilson said his depression turned him into a hermit. He would ?curl up and not talk to anybody,? and his anxiety made it difficult to go into public.

If he did leave the house, he was hypervigilant. If someone walked up behind him or dropped something that emitted a clatter, it triggered the ?fight or flight? mechanism he?d groomed in the military.

The anxiety was so bad that before he was diagnosed with PTSD, he went to the emergency room four times because he thought he was having a heart attack. He ?self-medicated? so heavily with booze that it strained the relationship between him and his now-wife of two years.

?I was having to drink to numb all my senses and be quasi-normal,? he said.

But today, with Lobo by his side, Wilson is finding it easier to cope.

The two have been working with Operation Freedom Paws, a nonprofit in Gilroy, California, that helps veterans train their own service dogs. It is run by Mary Cortani, a veteran and one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012.

When veterans train ?their own service dog, there are immediate benefits right off the bat,? Cortani said. ?They have a mission and a purpose again. It gives them something to focus on and to complete. It gives them a sense of security and safety. ? They know they?re not alone. They?ve always got their buddy at the end of the leash.?

Now Wilson tells Lobo, ?Watch my back,? and his four-legged friend stands behind him and gives him a nudge if anyone approaches. When something stokes Wilson?s anxiety, Lobo senses it, jumps up and puts his paws on Wilson?s chest so he can redirect his focus.

?Knowing he?s there makes me comfortable,? Wilson said. ?I?m not worried about the attacks. I still think about them, but I?m not hampered by them. I can go to the movies.?

A study on hold

The Veterans Affairs Department recently put a study on hold that would determine the effectiveness of canine therapy for troops suffering from PTSD. Until that study is complete, the VA will continue providing dogs for a variety of ailments, but not PTSD.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, co-sponsored the 2009 legislation that kicked off the study. He was inspired by the strides that dogs helped his mother make from 1995 to 1998 after she was stricken with Alzheimer?s.

?She wasn?t very fond of dogs at all, but when she developed Alzheimer?s, they became a key part of her therapy,? the senator said. ?She was unable to really communicate at that time, but you could easily tell, emotionally, the calming effect the service dogs had.?

Isakson said the VA is rewriting the parameters of the study to take into account the dogs? temperaments and the importance of matching the trainers, not just the dogs, with the patients.

Yet not everyone is convinced ?the VA has the right stuff? to conduct the necessary experiments, said Corey Hudson, CEO of Canine Companions for Independence and president of the North American chapter of the umbrella organization, Assistance Dogs International.

Hudson said he hopes the study will be large enough to consider the broad gamut of symptoms associated with PTSD, as well as the anecdotal evidence suggesting canine companions can help tug the disorder?s sufferers from their shells.

?There?s something mystical and magical about dogs and people and placing them together,? said Hudson, who has ?worked with and against the VA? during his 22 years of experience with assistance dogs. Canine Companions for Independence has more than 900 puppy raisers and works to pair veterans with dogs regardless of whether the VA shells out for it.

Hudson doesn?t cite scientific studies, such as the one that says canine interaction increases a human?s level of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces anxiety and blood pressure.

Instead, he speaks about how dogs love unconditionally and don?t judge. He explains how they naturally spark social interaction ? ?Cool dog; can I pet her?? ? and how ownership precludes people from locking themselves in their homes, away from society.

?You can also use them as an excuse to get out of things or leave early,? Hudson said.

Case in point

Shadow is one pooch accustomed to being used for such occasions.

The 2-year-old Labrador-Burmese mountain dog mix is the inseparable pal of Jennifer Haeffner, a seven-year Army veteran who had been housebound for about five years before meeting Shadow in the summer.

?He?s a very active dog. It makes me do things. I don?t have the option of hiding in the house. I have to go out,? said the 41-year-old Ripon, California, resident.

During Operation Desert Storm, where she served for about nine months between 1991 and 1992, she was sexually assaulted on multiple occasions by other service members, she said. It?s a fairly common occurrence that befalls about one in four women in the military, according to the VA.

It left her feeling alone in the world. She wanted to disappear. She forgot how to deal with people and eventually became a recluse, considering it a ?good month? if she got out just once to shop for groceries.

She didn?t attend any of her large family?s gatherings. Too many people and too much noise, she said. It terrified her.

?For years after that, I would go out and wander the streets late at night, just hoping someone would kill me because I wasn?t brave enough to kill myself,? she said.

About five months ago, her therapist recommended that she meet Cortani.

Cortani recalls Haeffner wouldn?t look her in the eye when they met. Her leg bounced when she spoke, and she pressed her fingernails into her arm. Her boyfriend was constantly by her side.

?You could just tell the pain and the anguish that even meeting me for the first time was causing,? said Cortani, an Army veteran herself.

Operation Freedom Paws teaches participants to train their own dogs, to customize their behavior. First, the dogs learn to sit, then heel ? the basic stuff.

Shadow now knows how to pick things up for Haeffner so she doesn?t put stress on her bad back and hips. He acts as a barrier, physically putting himself between her and any new people she meets.

When she wakes up feeling gloomy, he lets her stay in bed and pet him until she?s ready to face the day. If she hears a sound during the night, he stays by her side as she checks it out, and Shadow is quick to snap her out of nightmares.

?He?ll breathe on me or lay his head across mine to wake me up,? she said of her 55-pound companion. ?If I?m in a bad mood, he?ll come over and insist I play with his toy or lay his lead in my lap or lick my feet ? cheer me up.?

Cortani said the difference between the Haeffner of five months ago and the Haeffner of today is like ?night and day.?

She builds friendships. She?s been to the aquarium. She?s gone horseback riding. She goes places without her boyfriend.

?She?s creating her own new normal,? Cortani said.

Added Haeffner: ?I?m much better now. I?m happier.?
??
By Eliott C. McLaughlin and Christie O?Reilly contributed to this report.

CNN
?? & ? 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
?

Source: http://fox2now.com/2012/11/09/war-vets-find-solace-in-four-legged-friends/

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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Great family card game ? Blink! ? OCEANS OF JOY - Typepad

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Source: http://herbertdrake.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/great-family-card-game-blink-oceans-of-joy.html

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How To Blog: 6 Easy & Effective Tips For Retailers [Part 1]

With holiday shopping at the forefront of consumers? attention, knowing how to blog effectively can be a lucrative online marketing tactic for retailers of all shapes and sizes. When it comes to blogging for business, the benefits are pretty clear by now: share your knowledge of the industry, attract more followers, improve your organic search presence, and on and on and on.

Now the age old question ? what do I blog about and how can I turn my blog readers into shoppers?

As with anything else, there are some tips specifically for retailers that I?d like to share to aid in marketing (and selling) your products!

Whether you just added a new blog on your website or need a few tips to keep the blogging momentum going, here are some great topics that you can write about on your retail blog.

Let?s get started!

Show Off Your Merchandise

Exclusivity is a powerful psychological trigger- it gives people the sense that they are ahead of the curve and ?in the know?! Get customers to crave your latest shipment of goods by discussing the uniqueness of your new line-up.

Tease people with just a few of the hottest items, and then encourage them to visit your store to check out your other new pieces. Showcasing your new fall fashion line in a visual story board or just candid shots of you unwrapping the new goods will be enough to let your fans know you have new merchandise for them to drool over!

Storyboards are great for this. One of my favorite resources for creating storyboards is Polyvore. This nifty little tool lets you make stunning, polished storyboards to create an entire look with your apparel. In fact, you can use this tool to create a storyboard for just about anything: home d?cor, ensembles, cooking gadgets, paint colors, even tool kits (think the Fall Yard 101 kit -winterizer seed, lawn mower, etc.).

Example of a storyboard created with Polyvore

Always be mindful of the season: for the holidays, offer a printable holiday gift guide; for spring cleaning, offer a printable checklist branded with your logo. These are very easy to create, and very useful to your target audience.

Plus, you have just taken the guess work out of the chore, be it shopping for people on their Christmas list or doing the necessary home chores for spring cleaning.

Perhaps you have a shopping cart on your e-commerce site? If so, it can be worthwhile to include links for instant shopping gratification. You could even include a Blog Exclusive Promo code to track how much traffic is coming direct from the blog AND encourage repeat followers!

Highlight Industry Styles and Trends

For fashion boutiques and other retailers be sure to use your expertise and creative eye to discuss the latest trends. Use your blog to talk about the new fall trends, what is happening on the run-way, hot colors, etc.

Not everyone is blessed with an eye for fashion- it takes a creative-type to be able to say what top goes best with those new jeans. If you have that knowledge then don?t hesitate to share it with your audience- it?s a great way to communicate your understanding of how to match specific pieces of clothing, and make people look (and feel) their best!

If your tips are really helpful, it?s likely that your blog followers will eat that information up and share it with their social networking communities.

[Sharing content is critical for helping your message go viral. To enable easy content sharing we suggest adding AddThis.com or ShareThis.com to your blog immediately!]

Add This social media plugin

Answer Common Customer Questions

Get your followers to engage with you. Ask them specifically what they think of the new trends, what they would like to see in your store, what brands they like/dislike and so on.

Remember, the conversation shouldn?t always be about you and your brand. It?s about becoming a trusted resource for your audience to turn to when they need help with an industry-related question.

Sometimes, all it takes is just to ask at the end of your post for comments! By doing so, you have now developed a relationship with your customer (or potential customer).

And when they comment, respond back! Thank them for their input, provide your feedback and BAM ? you?re on your way to forming a genuine relationship with your audience.

[If your blog platform makes your followers jump through 7 gates of hell to leave a comment on your posts, you definitely need a new comment tool. We recommend using Disqus- which is a simple plug-in that makes it easier for your followers to comment on your blog.]

Promote Events and Sales

This sounds like a no-brainer but?promoting your events and store sales is a great way to get people in the door ?even with short notice.

You could even run special events or discount days just for your blog followers, like a blogger meet-up for all your readers. Chances are, they will bring friends, and family with them too.

To increase sales, attract new customers, and retain current customers, many retail stores implement various sales promotion techniques. Make sure to let your customers know when you are running these sales and promotions.

Offer Giveaways or Contests

Run a post giving away something you sell in the store. Request that they comment in order for their chance to win and have them check back a few days later to see if they won! This will encourage excitement, interaction and repeated visits.

You can also use a tool?like Rafflecopter which you can embed right in your blog to easily set up a giveaway. Rafflecopter is neat too by providing additional entries if your subscribers share your content, retweet the contest, etc. It is fully customizable so you can pick and choose what other actions you want blog readers to do in order for additional entries.

Best of all ? it is free and easy to set up and track analytics!

For more suggestions, tips and tools for retailers keep an eye out for our follow up post: Blogging Tips for Retailers [Part II]

Have you used- or do you plan to use- any of the tools mentioned in this post? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

Source: http://blog.mannixmarketing.com/2012/11/tips-for-retail-blogs/

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Friday, November 9, 2012

James Carville and Mary Matalin spar over election, fawn over New ...

Mary Matalin and James Carville star in new commercials for Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating. (Photo by Mitsubishi Electric Cooling @ Heating)

"James take it over from here because I'm going to start crying," Matalin said.

James Carville came to the University of New Orleans on Thursday night equipped with a practiced one-liner for Democrats to savor after President Obama's dramatic victory this week: "Never have so few spent so much and accomplished so little." And it drew the warm laughter it was supposed to from the crowd of several hundred who gathered to watch the pugnacious Cajun spar congenially with wife and dueling partner Mary Matalin at UNO's University Center Ballroom.

The two famously oppositional election operatives-turned-television pundits sat under the stage lights on a mock living room set for an election debriefing with Gambit chairman and columnist Clancy DuBos, part of a series of events to welcome new UNO President Peter Fos.

Carville's punch line referred to the relatively small circle of billionaires who poured cash into the new "super PACS" whose attacks ads filled TV screens this political season. And he marveled at how the Obama camp's get-out-the-vote effort seemed to have landed more of a dent at the polls.

"The ground game is going to be worthy of a lot of study," Carville said. "The Obama people had a very sophisticated, very new, very nuanced ground game," and it appears to have "produced a lot more than all the TV ads."

Carville also noted what seems to be the increasingly accurate election-day projections furnished by aggregated survey data, nodding to forecasters Nate Silver, the New York Times blogger, and Mark Blumenthal, the Huffington Post polling editor. The pollsters, he said, have "never, ever been more than a percentage point off in any presidential election since 2000."

Matalin countered by arguing that Obama, despite the win, "is the first president in history who received fewer electoral votes and a smaller margin than the first time around. ... Now what does that mean? What that means is, there's no mandate."

In the U.S. Senate, she said, where Democrats picked up two seats, it was more a case of the Republicans losing than the Democrats winning. "We had -- I just don't have another word for this -- W-T-F candidates," she said, pointing in particular to Todd Akin, the Missouri Republican who stumbled badly during the campaign with his comments about "legitimate rape."

Seasoned political analysis aside, the real show was Carville and Matalin themselves, whose colorful commentary has kept them in the media spotlight 20 years after either of them ran their last domestic political campaign.

Their cranky antics at each other's expense provided most of the laughs Thursday night. He compared her tenacity to a Japanese soldier who wouldn't come out of his foxhole on Iwo Jima until years after Word War II had ended. She aped his dramatic hand gestures when the microphone went haywire, and looked quizzically at the audience when he began absentmindedly and unreservedly scratching under his armpit in the middle of a response.

"We don't talk on election night and we haven't really talked since," she said.

To close the evening out, they reflected warmly on New Orleans, where they relocated from Washington just a few years after Hurricane Katrina. (DuBose noted earlier that they had both donated their regular speaking fee back to the university.)?

Cheering the city's post-storm comeback, Matalin said, "James take it over from here because I'm going to start crying. I just find this the most compelling, heartening, optimistic model for the country."

Carville, unmistakably the Louisiana native, noted that in other parts of the country, people are obsessed with their "quality of life," where in New Orleans, "we're obsessed with our way of life."

"We have our own food, we have our own music, we have our own funerals, we have our own social structures, we have our own architecture, we have our own body of literature," he said. "No one ever went to an Ohio restaurant to listen to Oregon music."?

Source: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/11/james_carville_and_mary_matali_2.html

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

NZealand beaching proves rarest of whales exists

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? The spade-toothed beaked whale is so rare that nobody has seen one alive, but scientists are sure the species exists.

Two skeletons were identified as belonging to the species after a 17-foot whale and her calf beached themselves in New Zealand in 2010. Scientists hope the discovery will provide insights into the species and into ocean ecosystems.

It was almost a missed opportunity, however, since conservation workers misidentified the carcasses as a much more common type of whale and buried them.

In a paper published Tuesday in the journal "Current Biology," researchers from New Zealand and the United States say of their discovery: "For the first time we have a description of the world's rarest and perhaps most enigmatic marine mammal."

Previously only three skull fragments of the species had been found: in New Zealand in 1872 and in the 1950s and the last one 26 years ago on an island off Chile. The males have broad blade-like tusk teeth that give the species its name. Both males and females have beaks which make them resemble dolphins.

"This is pretty fantastic," said Ewan Fordyce, a geology professor at the University of Otago who specializes in the evolution of whales and who was not involved in the research. "There would be few, if any, mammalian species in the world that would be rarer. And we know much more about panda bears and other iconic, rare animals."

The beached whales, an adult and her 11-foot male calf, were discovered on Opape Beach on the North Island on New Year's Eve in 2010. Conservation workers thought they were Gray's beaked whales and took tissue samples before burying them about nine feet under the sand.

Those samples ended up at the University of Auckland where scientists did routine tests about six months later. Rochelle Constantine, a co-author of the paper, said she and her colleague Kirsten Thompson couldn't believe it when the results showed the pair to be the rarest of whales.

"Kirsten and I went quiet. We were pretty stunned," she said.

Further tests confirmed the discovery. Constantine said they then retested about 160 samples taken from other stranded Gray's whales but didn't find any more that had been misidentified.

This year, researchers returned to the beach to exhume the skeletons.

Anton van Helden, who manages the marine mammals collection for New Zealand's national museum Te Papa, said it wasn't a straightforward task to find the remains after so long and that the mother's skull, which was buried shallower than the rest of the remains, washed out to sea. But they were able to recover the rest of the skeletons.

"It's a hugely significant find," said van Helden, a co-author of the paper.

He said it's impossible to know why the whales came ashore although whales often beach themselves when they become ill. He said almost nothing is known about the species except they live in the South Pacific Ocean and eat primarily squid.

Fordyce said it may be possible to use the skeletons of the rare whales to reconstruct their muscles and tissues and to find out more about how they live and die and why they are so reclusive.

The scientists say the discovery could also provide broader insights into the ocean's complex ecosystems.

"This is good reminder," said Constantine, "of how large the oceans are, and of how little we know about them."

___

Follow Nick Perry on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nickgbperry

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nzealand-beaching-proves-rarest-whales-exists-060411935.html

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