Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295696781?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Sunday, March 31, 2013
Chavez's legacy gains religious glow in Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Holding a Bible in her arms at the start of Holy Week, seamstress Maria Munoz waited patiently to visit the tomb of the man she considers another savior of humanity.
The 64-year-old said she had already turned her humble one-bedroom house into a shrine devoted to the late President Hugo Chavez, complete with busts, photos and coffee mugs bearing his image. Now, she said, her brother-in-law was looking for a larger house to display six boxes' worth of Chavez relics that her family has collected throughout his political career.
"He saved us from so many politicians who came before him," Munoz said as tears welled in her eyes. "He saved us from everything."
Chavez's die-hard followers considered him a living legend on a par with independence-era hero Simon Bolivar well before his March 5 death from cancer. In the mere three weeks since, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status in this deeply Catholic country as the government and Chavistas build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections to pick a new leader.
Chavez's hand-picked successor, Nicolas Maduro, has led the way, repeatedly calling the late president "the redeemer Christ of the Americas" and describing Chavistas, including himself, as "apostles."
Maduro went even further after Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis earlier this month. Maduro said Chavez had advised Jesus Christ in heaven that it was time for a South American pope.
That comes as Maduro's government loops ads on state TV comparing Chavez to sainted heroes such as Bolivar and puts up countless banners around the capital emblazoned with Chavez's image and the message "From his hands sprouts the rain of life."
"President Chavez is in heaven," Maduro told a March 16 rally in the poor Caracas neighborhood of Catia. "I don't have any doubt that if any man who walked this earth did what was needed so that Christ the redeemer would give him a seat at his side, it was our redeemer liberator of the 21st century, the comandante Hugo Chavez."
Chavistas such as Munoz have filled Venezuela with murals, posters and other artwork showing Chavez in holy poses surrounded by crosses, rosary beads and other religious symbolism.
One poster on sale in downtown Caracas depicts Chavez holding a shining gold cross in his hands beside a quote from the Book of Joshua: "Comrade, be not afraid. Neither be dismayed, for I Will be with you each instant." The original scripture says "Lord thy God," and not "I," will accompany humanity each instant.
The late leader had encouraged such treatment as he built an elaborate cult of personality and mythologized his own rise to power, said Carolina Acosta-Alzuru, a University of Georgia media studies scholar who hails from Venezuela.
She said Chavez's successors are clearly hoping that pumping up that mythology can boost Maduro's presidential campaign, which has been based almost entirely on promises to continue Chavez's legacy. The opposition candidate, Gov. Henrique Capriles, counters that Maduro isn't Chavez, and highlights the problems that Chavez left behind such as soaring crime and inflation.
"They're fast-tracking the mythification," Acosta-Alzuru said of the government. "Sometimes I feel that Venezuelan politics has become a big church. Sometimes I feel it has become a big mausoleum."
Teacher Geraldine Escalona said she believed Chavez had served a divine purpose during his 58 years on earth, including launching free housing and education programs and pushing the cause of Latin American unity.
"God used him for this, for unifying our country and Latin America," the 22-year-old said. "I saw him as a kind of God."
Such rhetoric has upset some religious leaders and drawn the reproach of Venezuela's top Roman Catholic official, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, on the eve of the Easter holidays.
"One can't equate any hero or human leader or authority with Jesus Christ," Urosa warned. "We can't equate the supernatural and religious sphere with the natural, earthly and sociopolitical."
Chavez, in his days, crossed paths frequently with Venezuela's church, which sometimes accused the socialist leader of becoming increasingly authoritarian. Chavez described Christ as a socialist, and he strongly criticized Cardinal Urosa, saying he misled the Vatican with warnings that Venezuela was drifting toward dictatorship.
Emerging this week from a church on the outskirts of Caracas, Lizbeth Colmenares slammed politicians from both sides for using derogatory language in the campaign, particularly during Holy Week.
"They are not following the words of Christ," said Colmenares, a 67-year old retiree who was holding palm fronds woven into the shape of the Holy Cross. "They should be more humble and they shouldn't be attacking each other that way."
Of course, politics and religion have long mixed in Latin America, starting with the Spanish conquest of the New World, which Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes famously said was carried out "between sword and cross."
In the 20th century, Argentine first lady Eva Peron helped start a leftist Latin American pantheon after her untimely death in 1952. She's since become a veritable saint for millions in her homeland, with pictures of her angelic face still commonly displayed in homes and government offices. Like Chavez, Peron was worshipped as a protector of the poor as well as a political fighter.
Chavez tied his own legacy to Bolivar, incessantly invoking his name and delivering hundreds of speeches with Bolivar's stern portrait looming over his shoulder. Chavez renamed the whole country "The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" and ordered a giant mausoleum built to house Bolivar's bones.
A short animated spot shown repeatedly on state TV this month makes clear that Chavez has already become a political saint for millions. It shows Chavez, after death, walking the western Venezuelan plains of his childhood before coming across Peron, Bolivar, the martyred Chilean President Salvador Allende and Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, among others.
"We know that in Argentina we have a Peronism that is very much alive," said Acosta-Alzuru. "And there are other examples in Latin America where a leader, a caudillo, tries to be everything for the country. What Maduro and Chavez's followers are doing is trying to keep Chavez alive."
Some Chavez supporters waiting to visit his tomb on a hill overlooking Caracas said their comandante is with them in spirit ? and for that reason they planned to vote for Maduro, confident that Chavez was guiding his hand.
Reaching the marble tomb means first walking through an exhibit celebrating Chavez's life and military career, with photos and text exalting a seemingly inevitable rise to immortality.
"He's still alive," said 52-year-old nurse Gisela Averdano. "He hasn't died. For me, he will always continue."
___
AP writers James Anderson and Christopher Toothaker contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chavezs-legacy-gains-religious-glow-venezuela-154631980.html
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Dax Shepard & Kristen Bell Welcome Daughter Lincoln
Dax Shepart and Kristen Bell welcomed daughter Lincoln Bell Shepard on Thursday. The first time parents both took to Twitter shortly after their new family member made her debut. It was new dad Dax who was first to share the newes of the baby girl’s arrival. “Lincoln Bell Shepard?is here.?She has mom’s beauty and dad’s obsession with breasts. Hooray!!!” Not soon after it was mommy’s turn to talk about her new bundle of joy. “My new roomate poops her pants and doesn’t pay rent…basically @daxshepard1 pre-sobriety welcome baby Lincoln xo.” Proud and happy parents to say the least. The birth of Lincoln comes hot on the heels of the emotional story Dax wrote regarding his journey with his father, who passed away before the baby was born. The story included an amazing picture of Shepard’s father touching a very pregnant Bell’s belly. It was an emotional, personal and inspiring story that went viral as soon as it was released. The first time parents announced that they were expanding their family last November. The Parenthood actor and House of Lies actress have been dating for years and became engaged in 2009. However they have said numerous times that they will not [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/KwiO9UGl_R8/
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Access Hollywood section
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Source: http://www.today.com/id/7358550/ns/today-entertainment/
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Uncle Vernon actor from 'Harry Potter' dies at 65
Seth Wenig / AP
By Jill Lawless, Associated Press
Richard Griffiths, the versatile British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. He was 65.?
Agent Simon Beresford announced Friday that Griffiths died a day earlier of complications following heart surgery at University Hospital in Coventry, central England.
He paid tribute to Griffiths as "a remarkable man and one of our greatest and best-loved actors."
Griffiths appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, but will be most widely remembered as a pair of contrasting uncles ? the hero's grudging Muggle guardian in the "Harry Potter" series, and flamboyant Uncle Monty in 1980s cult classic "Withnail and I."
"I was proud to say I knew him," said "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe.
A large man and a huge stage presence, Griffiths was one of Britain's leading theater actors, creating roles including the charismatic teacher Hector at the emotional heart of Alan Bennett's "The History Boys" -- a part he took to Broadway, winning a Tony Award, and repeated for the film adaptation.
National Theatre artistic director Nicholas Hytner, who directed "The History Boys," called Griffiths' performance in that play "a masterpiece of wit, delicacy, mischief and desolation, often simultaneously."
Griffiths also played poet W.H. Auden in Bennett's "The Habit of Art," a hugely persuasive performance despite the lack of physical resemblance between the two men.
Known for his sense of humor, large store of theatrical anecdotes and occasional bursts of temper, Griffiths was renowned for shaming audience members whose cell phones rang during plays by stopping the performance and ordering the offender to leave.
Griffiths' last major stage role was in a West End production of Neil Simon's comedy "The Sunshine Boys" last year opposite Danny DeVito.
In 2007 he appeared in a London production of "Equus" alongside the then 17-year-old Radcliffe.
"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career," Radcliffe said Friday.
"In August 2000, before official production had even begun on Potter, we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys', which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease.
?"Seven years later, we embarked on 'Equus' together. It was my first time doing a play but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage and humor made it a joy.
"In fact, any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence."
Griffiths is survived by his wife, Heather Gibson.
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Saturday, March 30, 2013
Pest Control Tricks For Ridding Your Home Of - Professur ...
Do you have annoying pests in and around your home? Are you being driven crazy by these critters? Pests can be really problematic to your life as a whole. Some pests pose serious health risks. Continue reading to find out how to address your pest issues.
If you?re having a major pest problem, try switching out all of your small appliances. Ask your loved ones for extra toasters and coffee pots, and dispose of the ones in your house. Some bugs will settle in every crack and hole they can find, including the inside of appliances.
Nobody likes the idea that there are microscopic bugs in their bedding and other areas of their environment. Many have dust-mite allergies, but even if you are not allergic, it is always a great idea to keep them under control. Make sure to wash your bedding in very hot water every week and utilize pillow cases that are non-permeable.
Solutions to pest and bug problems are just around the corner. Go to a local store that specializes in home improvement and see if the professionals can help you eliminate pests. They are trained to know which remedies work effectively for all the different types of pests.
Start from where the starting line is. You have to cut off the pests food source to stop them from coming into your home. Pests may be drawn to your house because water, food and shelter can be found there. Leaks, entry points, and food scraps need to all be eliminated.
Outdoor lighting is awesome for keeping away strangers, but it?s not so great at keeping away pests. Choose bulbs in colors of pink, orange or yellow if you want pests to be less attracted.
If you are hiring a pest-control company, always check with the BBB to make sure they have no complaints filed against them. Also make sure they have the proper licenses to spray pesticides. They must be insured and bonded, as well. This documentation must meet your eyes before letting them step food in your home.
Make sure the exterior of your house is clean. Keep your grass trimmed and sweep your drive, walkways and porches. Cleanliness is a powerful weapon against pest infestation.
If a professional has installed stations for baiting mice, learn where they?re placed. You must keep your pets away from these baited traps. If your pet or child was to accidentally ingest some of the poison, it could kill them.
Reduce the amount of clutter that you have in your home or basement to eliminate bugs. There are many areas in the home that are clutter magnets, like bookshelves counters, and tables. Invest some time in reducing the clutter in your home to eliminate places where rodents and bugs like to nest.
Don?t try to deal with a bee infestation yourself. Hire a professional for this task. It can be difficult to know whether your bee problem is due to Africanized bees; it can be the difference between life and death and important to know for sure.
After reading this article, you should know that pests are a problem that every homeowner must face eventually. To make sure you don?t have pests, apply the tips in this article to your life. Do not procrastinate. Put these tips to use today, and permanently get rid of pests. internet building and pest inspection sunshine coast
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The name's BuckWheat. - ADK= Gaming Community
As you can see above, my name is BuckWheat.? I got into this community through Planetside2 (awesome outfit) and decided to join you guys.? I am very much of a strategic and puzzle gamer (like Portal 2, Civilization and such) but also like to play some casual FPS. Came to this community just looking for some people just to casually play games with.
Source: http://www.adkgamers.com/topic/25248-the-names-buckwheat/
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GameStop says demand hit as customers await new consoles
By Neha Alawadhi and Malathi Nayak
(Reuters) - Retailer GameStop Corp warned of weak sales this year as customers delay purchases ahead of the arrival of next-generation videogame consoles, but it reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results.
The world's largest retailer of videogame products said on Thursday that it expected full-year sales to remain flat or fall by as much as 8 percent, implying revenue of between $8.18 billion and $8.89 billion. Analysts on average expect $8.86 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
GameStop's full-year earnings forecast lagged analysts' estimates by a sizable margin. It expects a profit of $2.75 to $3.15 per share, while analysts had estimated $3.40.
The company said same-store sales were likely to fall 5.5 percent to 8 percent this quarter.
"The first half of the year is going to be very challenging because we're continuing the trend that we have seen in the last two or three months on sales of hardware from the current console set and sales of software," Chief Financial Officer Robert Lloyd said in an interview.
The videogame industry is anticipating a strong finish to 2013 with the release of Take-Two Interactive Software's "Grand Theft Auto V," Electronic Arts Inc's "Battlefield 4" and at least one next-generation console by the holidays.
As a result, consumers are postponing purchases until the fourth-quarter console introductions.
"But we expect to return to growth in the back half of the year," Lloyd said.
Sony Corp said last month it would release its next-generation PlayStation this year, its first videogame console in seven years. Microsoft Corp is also expected to announce the successor to its Xbox 360 later this summer.
Global sales of traditional videogame products such as consoles have suffered because of the rising popularity of online games as enthusiasts spend more time on tablets and phones.
U.S. sales of videogame hardware and software fell 25 percent in February, following a month-over-month downward trend that has continued since last year, according to a report by market research firm NPD.
Games software sales were down 27 percent in February, the report said.
GameStop has weathered the trend by focusing on selling new and used games to console owners and expanding its digital and mobile offerings, including the sale of iOS and Android devices in some stores.
The company said revenue fell marginally to $3.56 billion in the fourth quarter ended on February 2. Analysts on average expected $3.45 billion.
Net income attributable to GameStop rose to $261.1 million, or $2.15 per share, from $174.7 million, or $1.27 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding items such as the deferral of digital revenue, earnings were $2.16 per share. Analysts had forecast $2.09.
In January, GameStop cut its same-store sales forecast for the fourth quarter after customer traffic shrank over the holiday season.
The company's shares were up 0.5 percent at $26.58 in late-morning New York Stock Exchange trading.
(Reporting by Neha Alawadhi in Bangalore and Malathi Nayak in San Francisco; Editing by Sreejiraj Eluvangal and Lisa Von Ahn)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gamestop-posts-higher-fourth-quarter-profit-124533295--sector.html
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Hong Kong court rejects Filipino maids' plea for residency
Domestic workers in Hong Kong have long been treated a notch below other foreign workers, and are told that admission into the country can never be for the purposes of settlement.
Sringatin, a member of a domestic workers union, cries outside the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong Monday, March 25, 2013. Hong Kong's top court ruled against two Filipino domestic helpers seeking permanent residency Monday, the final decision in a case that affects tens of thousands of other foreign maids in the southern Chinese financial hub.
Kin Cheung/AP
EnlargeHong Kong?s top court announced that foreigners can enter the city as maids and domestic helpers, but cannot expect to settle there as permanent residents.
Skip to next paragraph Robert MarquandStaff writer
Over the past three decades, Robert Marquand has reported on a wide variety of subjects for?The Christian Science Monitor, including American education reform,?the wars in the Balkans, the Supreme Court, South Asian politics, and the oft-cited "rise of China." In the past 15 years he has served as the Monitor's bureau chief in Paris, Beijing, and New Delhi.?
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The verdict deals a blow to a huge contingent of Filipino maids and nannies ? estimated at some 300,000 females, usually unmarried and under 35 ? who make up a diaspora in Hong Kong. The domestic workers are increasingly seen as an indispensable part of the fast-paced city's social fabric, helping keep the Chinese family working and orderly in a highly competitive environment.
Yet sadly for the maids, today?s ruling reverses a lower court verdict that would have allowed the women?to seek residency.?Had it been upheld, the ruling would have been a breakthrough for the rights of domestic workers, who often complain of overwork, second-class status, and occasionally, abuse.
The system for foreign workers in Hong Kong is stratified. As CNN notes today:
While other foreign workers can apply for permanent residency after spending seven consecutive years in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, domestic helpers are excluded from the law.
Justice Ma wrote in his ruling that foreign domestic helpers are "told from the outset that admission is not for the purposes of settlement."
The ruling was greeted with disappointment by campaigners.
"It's very unfortunate and it's sad but in a way it will make us stronger as it highlights the social exclusion that foreign domestic workers face in Hong Kong," said Cynthia Tellez, General Manager of the?United Filipinos in Hong Kong.
In recent years the ubiquitous Filipino maid has become a staple part of Hong Kong culture. They are known for hard work, dignity, and efficiency. Collectively, they have built a kind of mini-civic society: They have their own postal system, often police themselves, have a variety of support groups, and even run ballots and campaigns for elections back home.
Most middle- and upper-echelon Hong Kong families hire a maid, and apartments usually include a tiny space as the maid?s quarters or abode.
For many years on Sundays, usually their only day off, Filipino nannies peacefully and colorfully gathered in central Hong Kong, along the main boulevard, past the city hall and the old Admiralty building, putting down blankets or chairs and pulling out lunch baskets, stretching out two-or three deep on a sidewalk in a line that often is a half-mile long.
Yet the right of maids to assemble has been under attack, and their overall legal status has been shrinking, as the city contemplates the costs (said to be $3 billion or more) of offering them the kinds of equal access that would involve education and other social services.
The South China Morning Post writes:
The judgment ends the right of abode saga started by a judicial review sought by Evangeline Vallejos Banao, a mother of five, who has worked in Hong Kong since 1986. She had argued that an immigration provision barring domestic workers from permanent residency was unconstitutional.
Mark Daly, a lawyer for Vallejos, said his client was ?speechless but calmly resigned and said ?no problem.?
Vallejos won a High Court ruling in 2011 granting her the right to request permanent residency status, denied to the city?s 300,000 foreign maids until then. The decision however was overturned later on a government appeal.
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Kind Hearted Woman, Raped at 3, Helps Others Heal
When Robin Poor Bear was in her 20s, she asked for a Native American name. The Road Man, or spiritual leader, came up with Kind Hearted Woman.
There was good reason: After a lifetime of physical and sexual abuse, her heart was still bursting with empathy for others.
The daughter of an alcoholic mother, Poor Bear was molested by her foster father at age 3. But today, at 35, she gives a voice to others who have suffered sexual abuse.
"I remember it -- not the rape itself, but the emergency room and the nurses trying to hold me down to examine me," Poor Bear, now living in Minnesota, told ABC News. "I remember the door and being so terrified it would fly open and someone would get me."
Poor Bear suffered repeated sexual abuse at the hands of her foster father and two uncles until she was 13. Then, as a young wife, she was beaten by her husband.
That pain is revisited after the couple divorces and her ex-husband is convicted of molesting their 12-year-old daughter, as well as a teenage foster daughter.
The psychological anguish caused Poor Bear, an Oglala Sioux and member of North Dakota's Spirit Lake tribe in North Dakota, to turn to alcohol. And when Poor Bear eventually spoke up about the abuse, her daughter and son, now 17 and 14, were taken away from her.
On Monday, April 1, and Tuesday, April 2 at 9 ET, PBS's "Frontline" will air a powerful documentary, "Kind Hearted Woman," about Poor Bear's struggle to stay sober, further her education and heal herself from the deep wounds of sexual abuse.
David Sutherland, whose films "The Farmer's Wife" (1998) and "Country Boys" (2005) also offer a cinema verite look at poor, rural life, spent three years with Poor Bear and her children.
The centerpiece of the film is Poor Bear's battle to gain custody of her children while improving her own life.
Battling Alcohol on the Pine Ridge Reservation Watch Video Family Sues Sex Offender to Force Him to Buy Their Home Watch Video Chilling Details Emerge on Newtown School Shooter Adam Lanza Watch VideoSutherland, 67, followed the family from Poor Bear's first day out of alcohol rehab, through school and jobs, juggling being a mother and trying to become a social worker. Frustrated at every turn, Poor Bear fights a corrupt tribal legal system and a culture of domestic violence that pervades many Native American communities.
Native American women have the second-highest rate of rape of all races and ethnicities, at 27 percent, second only to mixed-race women, according to the Centers for Disease Control's 2011 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. Nearly half of all of these women have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking in their lifetime.
"There are two or three thousand enrolled members living on the reservation and just a small handful of law enforcement to get calls," Poor Bear said about the time she spent a Spirit Lake Reservation. "Some reports are not taken seriously and some are not followed through the proper protocols."
Last year, unrelated to the documentary, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs took over social services at Spirit Lake because of concerns that tribal mismanagement had contributed to abuse of children.
But Poor Bear said that the causes of domestic violence and abuse go deeper than scarce funding and little oversight on Native American reservations. She blames the "rape" of the indigenous culture when it was "Christianized."
"Who taught us how to be parents and how to be loving and caring and kind to each other when they took away all the traditions and we couldn't speak our language without being beaten?" Poor Bear asked.
A former singer, Poor Bear said that she comes from a legacy of heartbreak, but also of generosity.
Her mother, an alcoholic, froze to death in her 30s banging on the door of Poor Bear's foster family, who refused to let her in, Poor Bear tells an audience of abused women in the film.
Her grandfather died saving children in a log cabin fire, she tells ABCNews.com. "The doorway collapsed and when they found him, he was still protecting and holding a baby," she said.
Sutherland did not intend to make a film about Native Americans and was hesitant to reinforce negative stereotypes about life on the reservation. He had singled out several other battered women in his search for an authentic character-driven story about abuse, but Poor Bear's rose to the top.
"She had an associate's degree and was smart," he said. "I liked her sense of humor and she was always upbeat, even in the saddest moments, with the kids."
Sutherland never expected the turn the dramatic narrative would take. When Poor Bear's daughter Darian reveals she was molested by her father at the age of 12, she is required to testify in federal court.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/kind-hearted-woman-journey-heal-years-sexual-abuse/story?id=18834439
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Friday, March 29, 2013
Rogers' more reasonable unlocking policy takes effect
See where an appropriate amount of public pressure will get you? As promised, Rogers' long-due rational unlocking policy is in full effect. You can now pay $50 to have Rogers unlock a device bought on contract if it's either fully paid off or has been on the network for 90 days, making it easier to take your phone on a vacation -- or to a rival carrier, if you also pony up any relevant cancellation fees. Likewise, you won't have to make a phone call now that retail staff have resources to unlock devices in-store. We can't say that the gesture delivers more freedom than buying already unlocked hardware like the Nexus 4, but those lured into a contract by a sweet deal on an iPhone 5 or HTC One won't have to feel completely fenced in for the whole three years.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wireless, Mobile
Source: Rogers RedBoard
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/OrCYheWCfNY/
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Mate choice in mice is heavily influenced by paternal cues, mouse study shows
Mar. 28, 2013 ? Hybrid offspring of different house mice populations show a preference for mating with individuals from their father's original population.
Mate choice is a key factor in the evolution of new animal species. The choice of a specific mate can decisively influence the evolutionary development of a species. In mice, the attractiveness of a potential mate is conveyed by scent cues and ultrasonic vocalizations. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Pl?n investigated whether house mice (Mus musculus) would mate with each other even if they were from two populations which had been separated from each other for a long time period. To do this, the researchers brought together mice from a German population and mice from a French population. Although to begin with all the mice mated with one another randomly, the hybrid offspring of French and German parents were distinctly more choosy: they showed a definite preference for mating with individuals from their father's original population. According to the researchers, this paternal imprinting accelerates the divergence of two house mouse populations and thus promotes speciation.
In allopatric speciation, individuals of a species become geographically isolated from each other by external factors such as mountains or estuaries. Over time, this geographic separation leads to the sub-populations undergoing various mutations, and thus diverging genetically. Animals from the two different sub-populations can no longer successfully reproduce, so two new species evolve.
To find out what role partner selection plays in such speciation processes, Diethard Tautz from the Max Planck Institutefor Evolutionary Biology and his colleagues conducted a comprehensive study on house mice -- the classic model organisms of biology. "To investigate whether there are differences in the mating behaviour of the mice in the early stages of speciation, we caught wild house mice in southern France and western Germany. The two populations have been geographically separate for around 3,000 years, which equates to some 18,000 generations," says Diethard Tautz. Due to this geographical separation, the French and German mice were genetically different.
The Pl?n-based researchers created a semi-natural environment for their investigations -- a sort of "Playboy Mansion" for mice. The research enclosure was several square meters in size and was divided up using wooden walls, "nests" made out of plastic cylinders, and plastic tubes. It also featured an escape tube with several entrances, which led into a cage system nearby. "We constructed the enclosure in such a way that all animals had unimpeded access to all areas, but thanks to the structural divisions were also able to create their own territories or retreat into nests," explains Tautz. "The escape tube was a control element. If the mice retreated to it only very seldom -- as was the case in our experiment -- then we could be sure there was no overpopulation in the central enclosure."
In this central enclosure, the French and German mice had both time and space to mate with each other and reproduce. "At first, all the mice mated with each other quite randomly. But with the first-generation offspring, a surprising pattern emerged," says Tautz. When the first-generation hybrid offspring of mixed French and German parentage mated, they showed a specific preference for pure-bred mates whose "nationality" was that of their father only. "There must be some kind of paternal influence that prompts the hybrid mice to choose a mate from a specific population, namely that of their father," concludes the biologist, based on the results of his study. "This imprinting must be learned, however, meaning that the animals must grow up in the presence of their fathers. This was not the case for the original mice, which were kept in cages for a time after being caught."
"We know that mice use ultrasonic vocalizations to communicate with each other and that particularly in the case of male mice these vocalizations can reveal signals of individuality and kinship. We believe that, like birdsong, the vocalizations of the males have a learned component and a genetic component," says Tautz. Therefore, French and German mice really could "speak" different languages, partly learned from their fathers, partly inherited from them. Individual mice thus have a mating preference for mice that speak the same language as they do.
The French and German mouse populations had evidently been geographically separated long enough for preliminary signs of species differentiation to be apparent as regards mating preferences. In addition, another aspect of mating behavior also sped up the speciation process. Although mice have multiple mates, the researchers found evidence of partner fidelity and inbreeding. The tendency to mate with relatives fosters the creation of genetically uniform groups. When both occur together, this accelerates the speciation process.
In a next step, Diethard Tautz wants to find out whether the vocalizations of the mice play the decisive role in paternal imprinting, or if scent cues are also involved. Furthermore, the biologist wants to identify the genes that are involved in mate selection.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Inka Montero, Meike Tesche and Diethard Tautz. Paternal imprinting of mating preferences between natural populations of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus). Molecular Ecology, 2013 DOI: 10.111/mec.122271
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/oUt1DL9X6YE/130328125331.htm
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Americans oppose paying for storm-ravaged beaches
WASHINGTON (AP) ? More than 4 out of 5 Americans want to prepare now for rising seas and stronger storms from climate change, a new national survey says. But most are unwilling to keep spending money to restore and protect stricken beaches.
The poll by Stanford University released Thursday found that only 1 in 3 people favored the government spending millions to construct big sea walls, replenish beaches or pay people to leave the coast.
This was the first time a large national poll looked at how Americans feel about adapting to the changes brought on by global warming, said survey director Jon Krosnick, a professor of political science and psychology at Stanford.
The more indirect options the majority preferred were making sure new buildings were stronger and reducing future coastal development. New building codes rated the highest with 62 percent of those surveyed favoring it.
Three in 5 people want those who are directly affected by rising seas to pay for protection, rather than all taxpayers.
Krosnick said the low favorability of sea walls and sand replenishment "reflect the public's fatalistic sense that it's more realistic to just give up the beach than to try to save it when other storms in the future will just wash it away again."
The nationally representative survey of 1,174 Americans conducted online by GfK Custom Research has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
University of Miami geology professor Harold Wanless, who wasn't involved in the survey, said he was at a Miami Beach meeting on Thursday with business and political leaders on how to try to keep from losing their "hugely expensive" land. But they are afraid of spending money in vain attempts that won't work.
There are three ways the public can deal with the effects of rising seas on beaches, said coastal geology professor S. Jeffress Williams of the University of Hawaii. He is an expert on sea level rise and methods of adapting to it. You can "hold the line" with expensive sea walls, retreat and leave the beach, or compromise with sand dunes and beach replenishing.
Sand dunes helped protect the New Jersey town of Seaside Park more than its dune-less neighbor Seaside Heights when Superstorm Sandy hit last fall, said Laurie Mcgilvray, a government coastline science expert.
Williams said the public's attitude about not doing much to protect current beach development would be fine if it were 100 years ago. "But we've got tremendous trillions of dollars of a tourist economy that depends on the coast.
"You should expect that if you are going to use the coast, you need to put some money in to maintain it," he said.
But people surveyed said money is an issue.
When it came to the general question of who should pay to protect the coast, 60 percent of the public said it should be paid for by local property owners and businesses, not the general taxpayers. And when it comes to specific solutions, about 80 percent of those surveyed said the money should come from local property taxes, not federal or state income taxes.
Nearly half, 47 percent, said the government should prohibit people from rebuilding structures damaged by storms.
The survey also found that 82 percent of the public believes global warming is already happening. About 3 out of 4 people said rising sea levels caused by global warming is a serious problem.
___
Online:
Stanford study: http://stanford.io/16kTvKo
___
Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears
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'Journey' sweeps Game Developers Choice Awards
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? "Journey" arrived on top at the Game Developers Choice Awards.
The artsy video game developed by thatgamecompany swept the 13th annual ceremony Wednesday with six wins, including game of the year and the innovation award. "Journey" was also honored for best audio, game design, visual arts and as best downloadable game.
"I really think the success of 'Journey' is because we're standing on the shoulder of the giants," said "Journey" designer and thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen.
The wordless but emotional downloadable PlayStation 3 game casts players as a mysterious scarfed figure that must trek across a desert, through temples and toward a towering mountain. Other players appear online in the game, but they aren't able to communicate with words or sound.
"If you've played the game, you can imagine how difficult it was for the team to go through it," said Chen. "Particularly at the mountain, right before the end. It was very, very stressful. I actually had to go see a psychiatrist."
Selected by a jury of game creators, the Game Developers Choice Awards honor the best games of the past year.
Other winners at the Moscone Convention Center ceremony included Ubisoft's island shoot-'em-up "Far Cry 3" for best technology, Telltale Games' interactive zombie drama "The Walking Dead" for best narrative, Fireproof Studios' puzzler "The Room" for best handheld/mobile game. Arkane Studios' stealthy revenge tale "Dishonored" won the inaugural audience award, which was chosen by online votes.
Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, masterminds of such seminal role-playing games as "Baldur's Gate," ''Knights of the Old Republic" and "Mass Effect," were honored with the lifetime achievement award.
"Spacewar!" developer Steve "Slug" Russell received the pioneer award for his contribution to video games. Russell's "Spacewar!" was created in 1962 and is considered to be among the first digital computer games.
Chris Melissinos, creator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's "The Art of Video Games" exhibit, was presented with the ambassador award, which recognizes individuals who have helped advanced the gaming industry.
"Thank you to all the game creators who have provided me with a lifetime of inspiration," Melissinos said while accepting his trophy. "You've had a much larger impact on the world than you may believe."
___
Online:
http://www.gamechoiceawards.com
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang/ .
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/journey-sweeps-game-developers-choice-awards-034152039.html
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Thursday, March 28, 2013
Getting under the shell of the turtle genome
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Public release date: 27-Mar-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Dr. Hilary Glover
hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22370
BioMed Central
The genome of the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) one of the most widespread, abundant and well-studied turtles in the world, is published this week in Genome Biology. The data show that, like turtles themselves, the rate of genome evolution is extremely slow; turtle genomes evolve at a rate that is about a third that of the human genome and a fifth that of the python, the fastest lineage analyzed.
As a group, turtles are long-lived, can withstand low temperatures including freezing solid, can survive for long periods with no oxygen, and their sex is usually determined by the temperature at which their eggs develop rather than genetically. The painted turtle is most anoxia-tolerant vertebrate and can survive up to four months under water depending on the temperature. Turtles and tortoises are also the most endangered major vertebrate group on earth, with half of all species listed as endangered. This is the first turtle, and only the second non-avian reptile genome to be sequenced, and the analysis reveals some interesting insights about these bizarre features and adaptations, many of which are only known in turtles.
The western painted turtle is a freshwater species, and the most widespread turtle native to North America. Bradley Shaffer and colleagues place the western painted turtle genome into a comparative evolutionary context, showing that turtles are more closely related to birds and crocodilians than to any other vertebrates. They also find 19 genes in the brain and 23 in the heart whose expression is increased in low oxygen conditions including one whose expression changes nearly 130 fold. Further experiments on turtle hatchlings indicated that common microRNA was involved in freeze tolerance adaptation.
This work consistently indicates that common vertebrate regulatory networks, some of which have analogs in human diseases, are often involved in the western painted turtle achieving its extraordinary physiological capacities. The authors argue that the painted turtle may offer important insights into the management of a number of human health disorders, particularly those involved with anoxia and hypothermia.
###
Media contact
Dr Hilary Glover
Scientific Press Officer, BioMed Central
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3192 2370
Mob: +44 (0) 778 698 1967
Email: hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
Notes
1. The western painted turtle genome, a model for the evolution of extreme physiological adaptations in a slowly evolving lineage H Bradley Shaffer, Patrick Minx, Daniel E Warren, Andrew M Shedlock, Robert C Thomson, Nicole Valenzuela, John Abramyan, Chris T Amemiya, Daleen Badenhorst, Kyle K Biggar, Glen M Borchert, Christopher W Botka, Rachel M Bowden, Edward L Braun, Anne M Bronikowski, Benoit G Bruneau, Leslie T Buck, Blanche Capel, Todd A Castoe, Mike Czerwinski, Kim D Delehaunty, Scott V Edwards, Catrina C Fronick, Matthew K Fujita, Lucinda Fulton, Tina A Graves, Richard E Green, Wilfried Haerty, Ramkumar Hariharan, Omar Hernandez, LaDeana W Hillier, Alisha K Holloway, Daniel Janes, Fredric J Janzen, Cyriac Kandoth, Lesheng Kong, A P Jason de Koning, Yang Li, Robert Literman, Suzanne E McGaugh, Lindsey Mork, Michelle O'Laughlin, Ryan T Paitz, David D Pollock, Chris P Ponting, Srihari Radhakrishnan, Brian J Raney, Joy M Richman, John St. John, Tonia Schwartz, Arun Sethuraman, Phillip Q Spinks, Kenneth B Storey, Nay Thane, Tomas Vinar, Laura M Zimmerman, Wesley C Warren, Elaine R Mardis, and Richard K Wilson Genome Biology 2013, 14:R28 doi:10.1186/gb-2013-14-3-r28
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.
2. Genome Biology publishes research articles, new methods and software tools, in addition to reviews and opinions, from the full spectrum of biology, including molecular, cellular, organism or population biology studied from a genomic perspective, as well as sequence analysis, bioinformatics, proteomics, comparative biology and evolution. @GenomeBiology
3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector. @BioMedCentral
4. Genome Medicine and Genome Biology are hosting the Beyond the Genome conference, 1-3 October 2013 at the Mission Bay Conference Centre, San Francisco. Registration is still open! @beyondthegenome #btg13
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 27-Mar-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Dr. Hilary Glover
hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22370
BioMed Central
The genome of the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) one of the most widespread, abundant and well-studied turtles in the world, is published this week in Genome Biology. The data show that, like turtles themselves, the rate of genome evolution is extremely slow; turtle genomes evolve at a rate that is about a third that of the human genome and a fifth that of the python, the fastest lineage analyzed.
As a group, turtles are long-lived, can withstand low temperatures including freezing solid, can survive for long periods with no oxygen, and their sex is usually determined by the temperature at which their eggs develop rather than genetically. The painted turtle is most anoxia-tolerant vertebrate and can survive up to four months under water depending on the temperature. Turtles and tortoises are also the most endangered major vertebrate group on earth, with half of all species listed as endangered. This is the first turtle, and only the second non-avian reptile genome to be sequenced, and the analysis reveals some interesting insights about these bizarre features and adaptations, many of which are only known in turtles.
The western painted turtle is a freshwater species, and the most widespread turtle native to North America. Bradley Shaffer and colleagues place the western painted turtle genome into a comparative evolutionary context, showing that turtles are more closely related to birds and crocodilians than to any other vertebrates. They also find 19 genes in the brain and 23 in the heart whose expression is increased in low oxygen conditions including one whose expression changes nearly 130 fold. Further experiments on turtle hatchlings indicated that common microRNA was involved in freeze tolerance adaptation.
This work consistently indicates that common vertebrate regulatory networks, some of which have analogs in human diseases, are often involved in the western painted turtle achieving its extraordinary physiological capacities. The authors argue that the painted turtle may offer important insights into the management of a number of human health disorders, particularly those involved with anoxia and hypothermia.
###
Media contact
Dr Hilary Glover
Scientific Press Officer, BioMed Central
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3192 2370
Mob: +44 (0) 778 698 1967
Email: hilary.glover@biomedcentral.com
Notes
1. The western painted turtle genome, a model for the evolution of extreme physiological adaptations in a slowly evolving lineage H Bradley Shaffer, Patrick Minx, Daniel E Warren, Andrew M Shedlock, Robert C Thomson, Nicole Valenzuela, John Abramyan, Chris T Amemiya, Daleen Badenhorst, Kyle K Biggar, Glen M Borchert, Christopher W Botka, Rachel M Bowden, Edward L Braun, Anne M Bronikowski, Benoit G Bruneau, Leslie T Buck, Blanche Capel, Todd A Castoe, Mike Czerwinski, Kim D Delehaunty, Scott V Edwards, Catrina C Fronick, Matthew K Fujita, Lucinda Fulton, Tina A Graves, Richard E Green, Wilfried Haerty, Ramkumar Hariharan, Omar Hernandez, LaDeana W Hillier, Alisha K Holloway, Daniel Janes, Fredric J Janzen, Cyriac Kandoth, Lesheng Kong, A P Jason de Koning, Yang Li, Robert Literman, Suzanne E McGaugh, Lindsey Mork, Michelle O'Laughlin, Ryan T Paitz, David D Pollock, Chris P Ponting, Srihari Radhakrishnan, Brian J Raney, Joy M Richman, John St. John, Tonia Schwartz, Arun Sethuraman, Phillip Q Spinks, Kenneth B Storey, Nay Thane, Tomas Vinar, Laura M Zimmerman, Wesley C Warren, Elaine R Mardis, and Richard K Wilson Genome Biology 2013, 14:R28 doi:10.1186/gb-2013-14-3-r28
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.
2. Genome Biology publishes research articles, new methods and software tools, in addition to reviews and opinions, from the full spectrum of biology, including molecular, cellular, organism or population biology studied from a genomic perspective, as well as sequence analysis, bioinformatics, proteomics, comparative biology and evolution. @GenomeBiology
3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector. @BioMedCentral
4. Genome Medicine and Genome Biology are hosting the Beyond the Genome conference, 1-3 October 2013 at the Mission Bay Conference Centre, San Francisco. Registration is still open! @beyondthegenome #btg13
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/bc-gut032613.php
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From tuna to tech, Hexagon breaks Swedish mould
By Niklas Pollard and Johannes Hellstrom
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - In the shadow of well-known brands like Volvo and Ericsson, an acquisition-packed decade has made technology firm Hexagon one of Sweden's most valuable companies and a rare newcomer among its top blue chips.
The company, market leader in precision measurement technology used in fields from microchip making to surveying dam construction, is now worth more than Swedish world number two white goods maker Electrolux after taking its business so far from its roots as to be unrecognizable.
When Ola Rollen stepped through the doors at Hexagon as CEO in 2000, leaving a job as head of a division at engineer Sandvik, he entered a company with lots of businesses but no business idea and scarcely any growth prospects.
Founded in 1975, Hexagon was then a sprawling conglomerate with its fingers in everything from tuna fish imports to vehicle hydraulics and, as financier Melker Schorling told Rollen at a meeting in downtown Stockholm in 1999, it was basically garbage.
Schorling had bought a controlling stake in the company the year before, aiming to build something from the ground up. Rollen, who first made a name for himself as a young CEO of metals firm Kanthal, had attracted his attention.
"He said: It can't get much worse. Build what you want," Rollen, now a trim and youthful 47, told Reuters from the company's Stockholm office of Scandinavian wood design, with large windows overlooking the capital.
Rollen had to think of ways to realign a company so diverse it came as a surprise when he found it ran day-care centers.
"We set up a number of criteria - that we would be world leading, that we would have large R&D content and little invested fixed assets - it should be easy to move the operations if there were shocks in the global economy," he said.
PATH TO LEADERSHIP
Focusing the business on telecommunications gear or vehicle components were among the options he was considering when he recalled U.S. measurement technology firm Brown & Sharpe, which had once sought to recruit him - an offer he turned down.
While Hexagon had no previous business in the field, the firm offered a possible path toward leadership in a fragmented market being reshaped by innovation in fields like lasers.
To free up resources, Hexagon began selling off assets in less promising sectors, starting with its food business that under previous management thinking was a buffer for the cyclical engineering business but which was barely profitable.
Brown & Sharpe was fortuitously in receivership at the time and though it was as big as Hexagon, Rollen bought it, taking the first step down a road that would see the firm acquire more than 100 companies and shed virtually all its original business.
"Very often I find company executives just have really poor imagination," Rollen said. "Just because you run a paper mill doesn't mean you have to keep on trudging on the same spot."
Hexagon's four biggest deals - Brown & Sharpe, Swiss Leica Geosystems, Canadian NovAtel and U.S. Intergraph - cost nearly $4 billion and group sales have more than quadrupled since 1999 to 2.38 billion euros ($3.08 billion).
In the same period its operating margin has risen to 20.6 percent from below 5 percent, underpinning a rise in market capitalization to 60 billion crowns ($9.28 billion) from just under 2 billion crowns. By comparison, the wider Swedish market index has gained 14 percent in that time.
Schorling owns Hexagon shares totaling 26.7 percent of capital and 47.7 percent of votes in the company, whose biggest owners also include H&M founding family member Stefan Persson.
A RARE BIRD
Its rapid rise and acquisition-fuelled transformation makes Hexagon a rare bird among Sweden's top 20 listed companies by market value, most of which are businesses a century or more old, which critics say shows a lack of dynamism in Sweden.
But the growth has not come without risks, highlighted when its heavy debt burden was seen as too risky in the financial crisis following the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers, when Hexagon only narrowly avoided breaching its loan covenants.
"If you are poor and are going to build something big, then you have to take risks," said Rollen, who owns 2 million, or 0.6 percent, of Hexagon shares, according to the firm's website.
Since then, Hexagon has lowered its net debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization ratio to its target of 2.5 to attain investment grade on any notes it issues, down from about five after Intergraph was acquired in 2010.
That still leaves it well above the Swedish engineering companies against which it is measured, despite now generating more than half its sales from software. Atlas Copco's net debt to EBITDA ratio is 0.4.
"The worry about the debt levels has been the Achilles heel that has sent the share down in the past," said Nordea equity strategist Mattias Eriksson, whose bank has a hold recommendation on the stock.
"Now they have room to make acquisitions again ... That is more or less what people have been waiting for really - that they dream up something new and exciting."
Rollen said four or five potential big acquisitions were always on the radar of the group, which is now headquartered in London, and its goal of reaching sales of 3.5 billion euros and a 25 percent margin in 2015 would alone require 300-400 million euros of acquisitions.
"We can deliver on this plan while keeping our debt in absolute numbers roughly where it is and still make acquisitions and pay dividends and reach our targets," he said.
LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU
Rollen, who in his youth played the guitar in a rock band that cut a record deal with ABBA manager Stikkan Anderson, has a knack for showmanship.
Nowhere was this more evident than when he took the stage before thousands of customers in an Orlando, Florida, ballroom in June 2011 to Robbie William's raucous "Let Me Entertain You" to deliver a keynote that smacked more of show business than corporate presentation.
His high profile has some wondering how the company would fare without him. When he sold 1.7 million shares in mid-2011 to pay personal debts, the sale set off a 40-percent slide in the share price, though it has since recovered.
"The company certainly doesn't stand and fall with him," said Bjorn Enarson, analyst at Nordik bank Danske, which also has a hold recommendation on the stock.
"But the valuation may include some hopes he will figure out another exciting thing that turns into a new major shift for the company. And that hope might expire if he disappeared."
Rollen says the prospect of leaving is not on his mind.
"It is still fun," he said, and cited a remark made by one-time board member Carl-Henric Svanberg, now chairman of British oil and gas group BP.
"He said at a board meeting that the graveyard is full of irreplaceable people. One day I will resign and it will work out fine finding a successor."
(This story is corrected with description of Stefan Persson in para 16)
(Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tuna-tech-hexagon-breaks-swedish-mould-131140259--sector.html
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Myer, David Jones among top 20 Australian online retailers | Crikey
A decade after shutting down its original digital strategy, David Jones has come back with a vengeance. The retailer, along with department store rival Myer, has spent tens of millions of dollars in buffing up its online presence. Woolworths and Wesfarmers have started giving regular updates on online sales in their financial updates. Chains like Speciality Retail and Country Road are reporting sales increases, or actual revenue figures from digital sources
Even though Harvey Norman boss Gerry Harvey still decries the use of the internet, Harvey Norman is turning over several million dollars a year in online sales. That?s not forgetting pure play online retailers like electronics retailer Kogan, Shoes of Prey, or Appliances Online. These companies, like StyleTread, are not only making a huge stamp on the retail consumer space, but they?re demonstrating retail is able to attract serious venture capital money.
As Telsyte senior research manager Sam Yip says, it?s been a ?very big year of change?. ?There have been players early in the space that have dropped out, and a lot of bricks-and-mortar retailers are doing more.?We?re not hearing any more Gerry Harvey stories; everyone acknowledges that this is the channel to be operating in,? he said.
The debate over the GST threshold has largely disappeared, although the industry at large is still hopeful of some government relief. At the very least, most have accepted a 10% change in price isn?t going to help much of anyone. The smarter retailers are simply getting on with the job.
If there?s any evidence the online retail revolution is taking hold, look no further than Australia Post?s reaction. It is investing more money in parcel lockers and out-of-hours delivery services to cater for the huge number of parcels being delivered. So much so, the majority of its revenue is now being made from these types of parcel deliveries. Experts believe online retail in Australia has tipped over the top of the hill, so to speak. The hard work is being done already. Now, Yip argues, the next challenge is to transition that success to platforms like mobile.
The other big challenge here is around delivery. ?In the past year we?ve seen horror stories of where logistics have gone wrong, with people getting wrong orders all the time,? Yip said. ?There?s a need to really refine that back-end logistics functionality.?
We?ve created a list based on a mixture of different metrics, including traffic data from Experian, revenue, and any sort of noteworthy achievement. Local divisions of global companies, such as Apple and Amazon, are excluded, along with auction sites such as eBay and Gumtree So in no particular order ?
1. Kogan
If not the most popular, Kogan is one of the best-known homegrown online retailers in Australia. Mostly thanks to founder and CEO Ruslan Kogan?s insistence on putting himself and his business in the news through quirky???and sometimes weird???comments and campaigns. More recently the?Internet Explorer tax?got a mention in several international news outlets.?It?s difficult not to be impressed by Kogan?s reach. After shipping a single container of televisions five years ago, Kogan has transformed into a $250 million business with more on the way.?Spars with Gerry Harvey aside, Kogan has maintained a solid footing, with Ruslan saying he?s ?happy to be everybody?s first choice for a second television?. With a view to growing into a billion-dollar business, and expansion into services like mobile, Kogan will be around for a while yet.
2. Milan Direct
The other half of Ruslan Kogan?s online empire, Milan Direct, was initially an odd proposition. Selling furniture online back in 2007 wasn?t done very much in Australia, if at all. But Dean Ramler and Kogan have managed to turn the business into a $12 million powerhouse.?The company?s success has spawned some eager competitors. But with growth of 100% last year and international expansion ahead, Milan Direct seems set to hold on to its strong market position for a while.
3. Catch of the Day
Perhaps the largest online retail success story in Australia, Catch of the Day continues to grow from strength to strength. After starting as an eBay business, Gabby and Hezi Leibovich have managed to transform the company into a $350 million powerhouse, complete with funding from one James Packer.?Part of the success of the Catch Group can be attributed to its savvy expansion plans. Rather than start a business for every category, the team has been able to pick up start-ups and nurture success from there. After expanding into grocery and wine, it seems natural the business could continue to thrive???and all signs are pointing to an eventual float.
4. Booktopia
Given books are one of the cheapest things to buy from offshore retailers, it?s surprising any local online store has managed to create a thriving business. But Tony Nash at Booktopia has been able to do just that, on track to turn over $28 million in 2012-13.?There isn?t much complicated strategy here. A focus on clean design, good customer service management and an ever-present need to reduce shipping times has kept Booktopia at the top.
5. JB Hi-Fi
One of the larger businesses in Australia to actually understand how online retailing works; JB Hi-Fi is making a good name for itself online. With more than $37 million in digital revenue in the first half of the year alone, at 2% of total sales, the company is proving itself as a good example for dedicated bricks-and-mortar stores heading online.?In fact, JB Hi-Fi perhaps encapsulates what retailers need to be doing online. With the ability to check stock, ?click and collect? and some pretty fast customer service, chief executive Terry Smart seems to be doing a good job in transforming the iconic business into a powerhouse online.
6. Officeworks
Office supplies are a boring topic, but Officeworks has at least managed to make the buying process as easy as it can. After all, office supplies are something you should be able to buy online instead of heading to a store.?The company won?t confirm how much revenue the business makes online, although reports indicate it could be anywhere up to $150 million, equivalent to 13-14% of revenue. That?s an astonishing figure for an office supplies store, but it does make sense???the company understands how people shop online. ?Just like JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks shows it understands how to not only get people browsing on a site, but makes sure it knows how to capture their money.
7. Specialty Fashion
Although the retail and fashion industries obviously haven?t been having the best time, Speciality Fashion has been working on its digital presence???and it?s doing very well.?The company, which operates the Millers, Katies and Crossroads brands, recorded $11.3 million in online revenue during the first half of the year, representing 3.6% of total value. It isn?t the biggest online retailer around, but the fact the company has been so successful with its digital push???and is willing to disclose just how much money it makes online???is a good step in the right direction.
8. Big W
While the company doesn?t divulge how much of its revenue is made online, the popularity of Big W?s site indicates it could be making quite a lot of cash. In any case, Woolworths is giving DealsDirect a run for its money with the Big W online store, which doesn?t have many frills but is focused on simplicity of use and cheaper prices.
9. BrandsExclusive
BrandsExclusive has been at the forefront of the private shopping club scene in Australia. The business, which has mostly focused on fashion, quickly found a loyal user base and has been growing ever since.?Perhaps the company?s biggest success has been its ability to leverage demand for private shopping networks into cash. Even last year APN News & Media announced a massive $36 million stake.?The business was aiming to turn over $70 million last year.
10. The Iconic
The Iconic certainly isn?t divulging much with regard to revenue, but it seems outrageous to leave the company off a list detailing the most important online retailers in Australia.?The business has made a huge splash in Australia with its bright marketing tactics, but it?s also gained a reputation for securing not only one $25 million funding round, but a second earlier this year.?The Iconic certainly has enough money to make a dent on the online retail market. It remains to be seen whether that success will continue.
*For the full list read the rest of this article at SmartCompany
Source: http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/03/28/whos-cashing-in-online-the-top-20-australian-retailers/
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