by Geoff Payne via The SAGE Dictionary of Social Research Methods (2006)
Print pages: 174-176
Definition
An approach that advocates flexibility in the selection of social research methods, based on the principle of choosing the most suitable methods for the nature of the problem being researched. More generally, methodological pluralism calls on the researcher to be tolerant of other people?s preferred methods even when they differ from one?s own.
Distinctive Features
From time to time, disagreements among social scientists about which are the ?best? social research methods become more vocal and indeed, confrontational. An example of this is the competition between older, ethnographic research styles associated with sociologists at the University of Chicago, and the (then newer) work based on social surveys being promoted by Harvard and Columbia after World War II. In the UK a conflict between quantitative methods and several newer forms of qualitative research took place during the 1970s. These disputes are usually marked by antagonistic criticisms of published work, lengthy expositions in defence of particular methods, and even personal abuse.
Methodological pluralism, promoted by Bell and Newby (1977), rejected the idea that one type of methods was automatically better than another. They argued that it was healthy for sociology to contain a number of different theoretical perspectives, and that while each perspective tended to imply a given method of research, each new research project should be tackled on the basis of its own particular features. The research methods selected for the project should be the ones that best fitted the characteristics of the phenomena being studied.
For example, studies of the national rates at which something was occurring, or projects dealing with simpler concepts that could be relatively easily measured, were better suited to social surveys, pre-coded questionnaires and other quantitative methods. On the other hand, when more detail was required, or phenomena were complex, subtle, or unclear, this was more suited to research by observation, less structured interviews, ethnographic description and other qualitative styles. Not every researcher would use every style of research during their careers, nor should they be proficient in all research methods. The plurality would be achieved in the total research output of the discipline as a whole (Bell and Roberts, 1984).
Evaluation
Despite the common sense of methodological pluralism, more sociologists pay lip-service to it than actively adopt it as a philosophy. The main reason is that during their education and early careers, each researcher acquires a set of personal preferences for one type of social science over others. This is not just a question of technical skills, but rather an interest in certain topics and a philosophical view of the social world and how it can be analysed.
There are genuine differences between schools of research, from those seeking to involve and empower the people being researched, through to those that regard ?respondents? merely as sources of information, and from those that see the social world as intricately interconnected and difficult to ?know?, to those that concentrate on the generality of patterned associations between small sets of ?variables?. While not always consciously returning to the complex social theories that underlie their positions, researchers read mainly a sub-set of the literature written by like-minded colleagues, defining research problems in specific ways, and therefore carry out their research using a narrow repertoire of methods.
In some cases, this results only in a rather focused approach, without much concern for other approaches. In others, the intellectual context of the research is strongly associated with a particular method: the context defines what is worth researching, how it should be researched and what order of interpretations can be made. In its more extreme form this results in ritualized denunciation of alternatives often becoming a part of publication. Where some researchers adhere to a ?standpoint? position, their intention is an explicitly ideological one which goes beyond just making new discoveries, to the promotion of the interests of one particular group. Challenging other researchers? methods is one way of undermining the position of rival interest groups (Payne and Payne, 2004: 89-93, 152-7).
Such out-of-hand dismissal because of the type of methods a study has used is a different matter from legitimately debating the competency of its research basis, when that is part of a general evaluation. However, it would be wrong to portray academic life as consisting solely of calm, rational, philosophical debate. Academics also compete for resources (research funding, access to journals, tenured posts, career promotion) in just as determined a way as do people in other walks of life. Attacking the type of research methods used by rivals is one weapon in the struggle between individuals, and institutions, for supremacy.
Not surprisingly, methodological pluralism?s failure to recognize these processes has meant that its call for toleration has largely gone unheeded. For example, in the UK the sociology that has been published in recent years has depended heavily on a narrow range of qualitative methods. A recent study of journal papers found only a minority using quantitative methods: only 2.6 per cent ?involved bivariate analysis and were written by sociologists at British universities, and only 8 (3.5%) involved multivariate techniques ? This can hardly be described as methodological pluralism? (Payne et al., 2004: 160).
Geoff Payne
Associated Concepts:
Key Readings
Bell, C. and Newby, H. (1977) Doing Sociological Research. London: Allen & Unwin.
Bell, C. and Roberts, H. (eds) (1984) Social Researching. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Payne, G. and Payne, J. (2004) Key Concepts in Social Research. London: Sage.
Payne, G., Dingwall, R., Payne, J. and Carter, M. (1981) Sociology and Social Research. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Payne, G., Williams, M. and Chamberlain, S. (2004) ?Methodological pluralism in British sociology?, Sociology, 38 (1): 153-63.
The yellowing government survey map of San Nicolas Island dated from 1879, but it was quite clear: There was a big black dot on the southwest coast and, next to it, the words "Indian Cave."
For more than 20 years, Navy archaeologist Steve Schwartz searched for that cave. It was believed to be home to the island's most famous inhabitant, a Native American woman who survived on the island for 18 years, abandoned and alone, and became the inspiration for "Island of the Blue Dolphins," one of the 20th century's most popular novels for young readers.
The problem for Schwartz was that San Nicolas, a wind-raked, 22-square-mile chunk of sandstone and scrub, has few caves, all of them dank, wet hollows where the tides surge in and nobody could live for long.
Year after year, he scoured the beaches and cliffs, drilled exploratory holes, checked the old map, pored over contemporary accounts and conferred with other experts, all in vain. If he could find the cave, he could find artifacts ? clues that would flesh out the real-life story that inspired Scott O'Dell to pen the 1960 novel that won the Newbery Medal and became required reading in many California schools. More than 6.5 million copies are in print and teachers frequently assign it between the fourth and seventh grades.
If he found the cave, he might solve mysteries about the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas" and her Nicole?o tribe, which was left devastated by a massacre in 1814 by sea otter hunters from Alaska.
With the help of recently unearthed notes written in a fine script by a 19th century government surveyor, Schwartz now believes he's found it.
"We're 90% sure this is the Lone Woman's cave," Schwartz told several hundred fellow researchers last week at the California Islands Symposium in Ventura. Further excavation is necessary, he said, adding that a crew of students has painstakingly removed about 40,000 buckets, or a million pounds, of sand from a cavern at least 75 feet long and 10 feet high.
In a separate discovery that also could shed light on the Lone Woman and her people, researchers stumbled across two redwood boxes poking through a steep, eroding cliff. The containers, probably made from recycled canoe planks and held together with the tar that washes onto island beaches, hold more than 200 stone blades, harpoon points, bone fishhooks and other implements.
"We find amazing stuff every time we go to the Channel Islands, and this may be the most amazing find of all," said Jon M. Erlandson, a University of Oregon archaeologist who has explored the islands for more than 30 years.
It may never be known just who left the cache of tools, he said, but "it's at least a reasonable hypothesis" that it was the Lone Woman, who is known to have stashed useful items at a number of places around the island.
About 60 miles off the coast, San Nicolas is a lonely Navy base dotted with installations designed to track missiles. It also has more than 540 known archaeological sites, some with evidence that people have lived on the island for more than 8,000 years.
For many Nicole?os, life ended in the early 1800s. Russian fur traders brought groups of Alaskan sea otter hunters to San Nicolas, where they engaged in repeated fights with native men over women and furs. The Nicole?o population dwindled from perhaps 300 to a few dozen, dropping most sharply after a particularly savage battle in 1814.
By 1835, the few Nicole?os left were struggling. Whether motivated by compassion or a need to increase the ranks of mission laborers, Franciscan fathers from the mainland sent a ship for them. All but one made the trip to the mainland aboard the Peor es Nada, loosely translated as "Better than nothing."
The holdout came to be known as the Lone Woman. According to legend, she jumped overboard and swam for shore when she frantically realized that her baby had been left behind. Less romanticized theories hold that she told the captain she'd show up with her child but a sudden storm forced him to shove off without her.
What's known is that a solitary woman lived in the sand and fog of San Nicolas for the next 18 years. On the mainland, her legend grew. A time or two, fishermen reported seeing a fleeting figure on the deserted island. In 1850, a padre at the Santa Barbara Mission commissioned a sea captain to find her.
The captain sailed to the island but found nothing to indicate the woman was still alive. However, his account of the plentiful seals and sea otters piqued the interest of George Nidever, a Santa Barbara rancher and fur trader. In 1852, Nidever found footprints on the beach. The next year, he found the Lone Woman.
"The old woman was of medium height but rather thick," he later reported. "She must have been about 50 years old but she was still strong and active. Her face was pleasing, as she was continuously smiling. Her teeth were entire but worn to the gums."
The woman, who was skinning a seal when she was found, shared some roasted roots with Nidever and his men. She was staying above rolling dunes, in a hut she'd built from whale bones and brush.
According to Schwartz, her people probably lived in more substantial houses, but tribal taboos would have kept females from learning to build them. The hut was no more than a windbreak, he said, and Nidever's accounts said she lived in a cave nearby.
Just where was an open question until UC Berkeley archaeologist Scott Byram showed Schwartz the field notes written by a U.S. Coast Survey mapmaker who was sent to San Nicolas. One of his survey stations, he noted, was "100 yards eastward of the large cave formerly inhabited by a wild Indian woman who lived there alone for 18 years." The surveyor helpfully provides compass bearings that led Schwartz to a spot he had previously rejected, a shallow depression beneath a rock overhang.
TORRANCE, CA ? Two fleet management companies in the northeast, as well as automakers with offices in that area, temporarily closed their offices in the wake of hurricane Sandy, which reached the northeastern U.S. on Oct. 29. Despite these closures, both FMCs affected stated that their operations continue as normal.
ARI closed its office in Mt. Laurel, N.J., on Oct. 29 and 30, but stated on its website that its continuity plan is in place for clients nationwide, and that other ARI call and operations centers throughout North America are providing service. The company also noted that its toll-free hurricane line is available for drivers and clients at 1-866-353-3859.
PHH Arval closed its office in Sparks, Md., on Monday, Oct. 29, but despite a delayed opening to give its employees the opportunity to navigate any debris on the roads, the company?s Sparks office was open today (Oct. 30).
?PHH is prepared for these types of events and has been for a long time,? stated PHH Arval?s Dico Akseraylian when contacted by Automotive Fleet magazine. ?We have a comprehensive business continuity plan in place that allows us to remain fully operational throughout the storm, while keeping our employees safe. We have remote capabilities and can leverage our contact centers in our Canada and Florida offices to support call volumes and serve as a back-up if widespread power outages occur in the Maryland area.?
The company added it has contacted key suppliers to understand their continuity plans and ensure they are able to support the company?s customers.
Merchants Leasing, located in Hooksett, N.J., told Automotive Fleet that the company opened on time despite the storm and surrounding power outages. ?We ran business as usual today,? said the company?s Marketing Coordinator Jessica Heizer.
Among the automakers, General Motors issued a statement regarding whether its operations have been affected by the storm. The company said its GM Baltimore operations cancelled production for Tuesday but is back on track to resume production on Wednesday. GM added that it?s not seeing significant delays in its supply base deliveries. GM stated its primary concern is for the safety of its dealers and their employees in the affected areas.
Mercedes-Benz USA?s office in Montvale, N.J. is currently closed, and when contacted an out-of-office message stated that hurricane damage has resulted in a loss of power and sporadic phone and Internet connectivity.
BMW USA?s office in Westwood, N.J. was also closed due to the storm.
For fleet managers,?WEX Inc. (formerly Wright Express) offers a fuel station locator application that?s designed to help fleets find fuel stations in storm-affected areas. You can view it here.
Automotive Fleet will update this story as we receive more news.
ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2012) ? NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has completed initial experiments showing the mineralogy of Martian soil is similar to weathered basaltic soils of volcanic origin in Hawaii.
The minerals were identified in the first sample of Martian soil ingested recently by the rover. Curiosity used its Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument (CheMin) to obtain the results, which are filling gaps and adding confidence to earlier estimates of the mineralogical makeup of the dust and fine soil widespread on the Red Planet.
"We had many previous inferences and discussions about the mineralogy of Martian soil," said David Blake of NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., who is the principal investigator for CheMin. "Our quantitative results provide refined and in some cases new identifications of the minerals in this first X-ray diffraction analysis on Mars."
The identification of minerals in rocks and soil is crucial for the mission's goal to assess past environmental conditions. Each mineral records the conditions under which it formed. The chemical composition of a rock provides only ambiguous mineralogical information, as in the textbook example of the minerals diamond and graphite, which have the same chemical composition, but strikingly different structures and properties.
CheMin uses X-ray diffraction, the standard practice for geologists on Earth using much larger laboratory instruments. This method provides more accurate identifications of minerals than any method previously used on Mars. X-ray diffraction reads minerals' internal structure by recording how their crystals distinctively interact with X-rays. Innovations from Ames led to an X-ray diffraction instrument compact enough to fit inside the rover.
These NASA technological advances have resulted in other applications on Earth, including compact and portable X-ray diffraction equipment for oil and gas exploration, analysis of archaeological objects and screening of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, among other uses.
"Our team is elated with these first results from our instrument," said Blake. "They heighten our anticipation for future CheMin analyses in the months and miles ahead for Curiosity."
The specific sample for CheMin's first analysis was soil Curiosity scooped up at a patch of dust and sand that the team named Rocknest. The sample was processed through a sieve to exclude particles larger than 0.006 inch (150 micrometers), roughly the width of a human hair. The sample has at least two components: dust distributed globally in dust storms and fine sand originating more locally. Unlike conglomerate rocks Curiosity investigated a few weeks ago, which are several billion years old and indicative of flowing water, the soil material CheMin has analyzed is more representative of modern processes on Mars.
"Much of Mars is covered with dust, and we had an incomplete understanding of its mineralogy," said David Bish, CheMin co-investigator with Indiana University in Bloomington. "We now know it is mineralogically similar to basaltic material, with significant amounts of feldspar, pyroxene and olivine, which was not unexpected. Roughly half the soil is non-crystalline material, such as volcanic glass or products from weathering of the glass. "
Bish said, "So far, the materials Curiosity has analyzed are consistent with our initial ideas of the deposits in Gale Crater recording a transition through time from a wet to dry environment. The ancient rocks, such as the conglomerates, suggest flowing water, while the minerals in the younger soil are consistent with limited interaction with water."
During the two-year prime mission of the Mars Science Laboratory Project, researchers are using Curiosity's 10 instruments to investigate whether areas in Gale Crater ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built Curiosity and CheMin.
For more information about Curiosity and its mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl .
For more information about a commercial application of the CheMin technology, visit: http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/mars-rover-technology-helps-unlock-art-mysteries/ .
You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity .
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Nova Scotia research team proves peer pressure can be used for good Public release date: 29-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jane-Diane Fraser jfraser@hsf.ca 613-569-4361 x273 Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Study shows that peer mentoring in schools is a simple, fun and inexpensive way to significantly increase kids' physical activity levels
Using peer mentors to enhance school-day physical activity in elementary aged students has been given an A+ from Nova Scotia researchers.
And the increased physical activity levels got top grades for significantly improving both academic test scores and cardiovascular fitness levels.
Funded principally by the Nova Scotia Research Foundation and supported by community partners including the Heart and Stroke Foundation, research by principal investigator Dr. Camille Hancock Friesen and her team at the Maritime Heart Center (MHC) found that peer mentors can significantly influence the amount of physical activity kids have throughout the school day.
The MHC team created a Heart Healthy Kids (H2K ) Lunch program, which included three games that peer mentors could lead during lunch time once every two weeks. At least one MHC staff or adult volunteer was present at each H2K Lunch to ensure that the peer mentors were adequately supported.
"Using positive influences on children to be physically active works," says Dr. Hancock Friesen. "It may be that social reasons for physical activity trump other influences for kids. Unlike adults, they are not as motivated by concern for weight control or long-term health."
Students selected as peer mentors, who were age mates with other team members (grades 4, 5 and 6), received training in organization, positive feedback and team building.
Once the participants had eaten lunch, they participated in the games, including relays, tag and ball games. The peer mentors recognized participants who were particularly involved or helpful and participated in focus groups to evaluate the program.
"There was an average increase among peer-mentored students of over 1,000 steps a day," says Dr. Hancock Friesen. "It is clear that peer mentoring has a role to play in increasing school day activity levels among students."
The Heart Healthy Kids study tracked more than 800 students from 10 schools who used pedometers to track their daily steps. Both control and study schools participated in educational sessions that included basic heart anatomy and physiology, nutrition, smoking prevention and kid-friendly food label reading skills.
The intervention schools took part in the peer mentoring program. Pre- and post-study, all students were evaluated for waist circumference, height and weight and cardiovascular fitness.
While there were improvements in cardiovascular fitness and heart health knowledge in both groups, the intervention schools had significantly increased activity levels and cardiovascular fitness. "As in adults, if we can keep the activity levels high in kids over the long term, the ultimate result will be improved BMIs and waist circumference measurements," says Dr. Hancock Friesen.
The schools were selected by the Halifax Regional School Board based on which ones they believed would benefit most from the program, with a focus on urban schools with a lower than average socio-economic status.
The equipment to run H2K Lunch, including team identifiers, cones, hula hoops and bean bags, cost only $200 per school and was provided for by MHC and its partners.
Dr. Hancock Friesen says the study fits into the groundswell of interventions aimed at stemming the tide of obesity and type 2 diabetes that is becoming all too common in our children and youth.
"When we started H2K, we knew that we would need data for us to be credible advocates for routine school-day physical activity," she says. "A scientific approach will allow us to grow the study into a sustainable program available across the Maritimes and help us advocate for daily physical activity to be reincorporated into every child's school day."
Parent and teacher surveys and interviews revealed adult support for the program was also very strong.
Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson points to recent studies that show that Canadian children and youth are becoming less active.
"Almost one in three Canadian children is currently overweight or obese and only 10 per cent are meeting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity daily," says Dr. Abramson "This research represents a proactive response to this growing epidemic that is putting our children at risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases."
Hancock Friesen hopes that parents and school leaders will adopt new ways of encouraging children to be more active, based on these research results. "Physical activity doesn't need to mean traditional sports or expensive equipment. Kids can participate in less structured activities it can be as simple as encouraging them to take time away from their iPods and other electronic gadgets and go outside to play with their peers."
The Heart and Stroke Foundation places a high priority on students receiving at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, based on Canada's physical activity guidelines. Healthy behaviours including regular physical activity beginning at a young age and continuing throughout life are important to reducing your risk of heart disease and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
The Foundation's efforts focused on children and youth aim to inspire individuals, families and communities to help children become more physically active, eat healthier foods and become and remain smoke-free.
Dr. Abramson commented, "Our schools are the logical environment to begin to influence levels of physical activity; this is where our children spend a significant part of their day. Results of this study support the Foundation's position that health, well-being and learning are intimately connected, and that schools have the potential to make a dramatic difference in the lives of Canadian children and youth."
Recommendations for the average Canadian family and educators
Parents and teachers, in both the school and non-school environments should:
Encourage and provide opportunities for kids to be physically active with their peers;
Encourage peer-led games: i.e., older kids come up with games and teach younger siblings, friends, neighbours;
Encourage participation in a variety of sports, including informal non-structured sports like playing tag or running around outdoors;
Not be discouraged by their own activity levels or weight encouraging their children to go out and play with their peers can still have positive results;
Identify and encourage children with peer-mentoring/leadership qualities to foster activity among their friends/siblings.
###
Visit heartandstroke.ca/kids and sign up for the Heart and Stroke Foundation's new free e-newsletter for parents. Heart Smart Families gives you practical tips, inspiration and recipes to help you start your kids off healthy for longer, fuller lives.
The H2K study was presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, co-hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Statements and conclusions of study authors are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect Foundation or CCS policy or position. The Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society make no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation (heartandstroke.ca), a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy.
Healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke. Together we will make it happen.
For more information and/or interviews, contact the
CCC 2012 MEDIA OFFICE AT 416-585-3781 (Oct 28-31)
OR
Diane Hargrave Public Relations
416-467-9954 ext. 104
dhprbks@interlog.com
Congress information and media registration is at www.cardiocongress.org
After October 31, 2012 contact:
Jane-Diane Fraser
Heart and Stroke Foundation
(613) 569-4361 ext 273
jfraser@hsf.ca
[ | 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.
Nova Scotia research team proves peer pressure can be used for good Public release date: 29-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jane-Diane Fraser jfraser@hsf.ca 613-569-4361 x273 Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
Study shows that peer mentoring in schools is a simple, fun and inexpensive way to significantly increase kids' physical activity levels
Using peer mentors to enhance school-day physical activity in elementary aged students has been given an A+ from Nova Scotia researchers.
And the increased physical activity levels got top grades for significantly improving both academic test scores and cardiovascular fitness levels.
Funded principally by the Nova Scotia Research Foundation and supported by community partners including the Heart and Stroke Foundation, research by principal investigator Dr. Camille Hancock Friesen and her team at the Maritime Heart Center (MHC) found that peer mentors can significantly influence the amount of physical activity kids have throughout the school day.
The MHC team created a Heart Healthy Kids (H2K ) Lunch program, which included three games that peer mentors could lead during lunch time once every two weeks. At least one MHC staff or adult volunteer was present at each H2K Lunch to ensure that the peer mentors were adequately supported.
"Using positive influences on children to be physically active works," says Dr. Hancock Friesen. "It may be that social reasons for physical activity trump other influences for kids. Unlike adults, they are not as motivated by concern for weight control or long-term health."
Students selected as peer mentors, who were age mates with other team members (grades 4, 5 and 6), received training in organization, positive feedback and team building.
Once the participants had eaten lunch, they participated in the games, including relays, tag and ball games. The peer mentors recognized participants who were particularly involved or helpful and participated in focus groups to evaluate the program.
"There was an average increase among peer-mentored students of over 1,000 steps a day," says Dr. Hancock Friesen. "It is clear that peer mentoring has a role to play in increasing school day activity levels among students."
The Heart Healthy Kids study tracked more than 800 students from 10 schools who used pedometers to track their daily steps. Both control and study schools participated in educational sessions that included basic heart anatomy and physiology, nutrition, smoking prevention and kid-friendly food label reading skills.
The intervention schools took part in the peer mentoring program. Pre- and post-study, all students were evaluated for waist circumference, height and weight and cardiovascular fitness.
While there were improvements in cardiovascular fitness and heart health knowledge in both groups, the intervention schools had significantly increased activity levels and cardiovascular fitness. "As in adults, if we can keep the activity levels high in kids over the long term, the ultimate result will be improved BMIs and waist circumference measurements," says Dr. Hancock Friesen.
The schools were selected by the Halifax Regional School Board based on which ones they believed would benefit most from the program, with a focus on urban schools with a lower than average socio-economic status.
The equipment to run H2K Lunch, including team identifiers, cones, hula hoops and bean bags, cost only $200 per school and was provided for by MHC and its partners.
Dr. Hancock Friesen says the study fits into the groundswell of interventions aimed at stemming the tide of obesity and type 2 diabetes that is becoming all too common in our children and youth.
"When we started H2K, we knew that we would need data for us to be credible advocates for routine school-day physical activity," she says. "A scientific approach will allow us to grow the study into a sustainable program available across the Maritimes and help us advocate for daily physical activity to be reincorporated into every child's school day."
Parent and teacher surveys and interviews revealed adult support for the program was also very strong.
Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson points to recent studies that show that Canadian children and youth are becoming less active.
"Almost one in three Canadian children is currently overweight or obese and only 10 per cent are meeting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity daily," says Dr. Abramson "This research represents a proactive response to this growing epidemic that is putting our children at risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases."
Hancock Friesen hopes that parents and school leaders will adopt new ways of encouraging children to be more active, based on these research results. "Physical activity doesn't need to mean traditional sports or expensive equipment. Kids can participate in less structured activities it can be as simple as encouraging them to take time away from their iPods and other electronic gadgets and go outside to play with their peers."
The Heart and Stroke Foundation places a high priority on students receiving at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, based on Canada's physical activity guidelines. Healthy behaviours including regular physical activity beginning at a young age and continuing throughout life are important to reducing your risk of heart disease and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
The Foundation's efforts focused on children and youth aim to inspire individuals, families and communities to help children become more physically active, eat healthier foods and become and remain smoke-free.
Dr. Abramson commented, "Our schools are the logical environment to begin to influence levels of physical activity; this is where our children spend a significant part of their day. Results of this study support the Foundation's position that health, well-being and learning are intimately connected, and that schools have the potential to make a dramatic difference in the lives of Canadian children and youth."
Recommendations for the average Canadian family and educators
Parents and teachers, in both the school and non-school environments should:
Encourage and provide opportunities for kids to be physically active with their peers;
Encourage peer-led games: i.e., older kids come up with games and teach younger siblings, friends, neighbours;
Encourage participation in a variety of sports, including informal non-structured sports like playing tag or running around outdoors;
Not be discouraged by their own activity levels or weight encouraging their children to go out and play with their peers can still have positive results;
Identify and encourage children with peer-mentoring/leadership qualities to foster activity among their friends/siblings.
###
Visit heartandstroke.ca/kids and sign up for the Heart and Stroke Foundation's new free e-newsletter for parents. Heart Smart Families gives you practical tips, inspiration and recipes to help you start your kids off healthy for longer, fuller lives.
The H2K study was presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, co-hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Statements and conclusions of study authors are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect Foundation or CCS policy or position. The Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society make no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation (heartandstroke.ca), a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy.
Healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke. Together we will make it happen.
For more information and/or interviews, contact the
CCC 2012 MEDIA OFFICE AT 416-585-3781 (Oct 28-31)
OR
Diane Hargrave Public Relations
416-467-9954 ext. 104
dhprbks@interlog.com
Congress information and media registration is at www.cardiocongress.org
After October 31, 2012 contact:
Jane-Diane Fraser
Heart and Stroke Foundation
(613) 569-4361 ext 273
jfraser@hsf.ca
[ | 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.
Research indicates that more than one in 10 seniors may experience some type of elder abuse, according to the?National Center on Elder Abuse, and many of those cases go unreported.
As a health care professional that works closely with seniors, you are in a position to prevent or recognize and report situations in which a senior has fallen victim to abuse.
Recognizing and Reporting Elder Abuse
The following, from the National Center on Elder Abuse, details the five main forms of elder abuse and the warning signs that may indicate a senior is in danger.
Physical Abuse?? Use of force to threaten or physically injure a vulnerable elder. If you notice warning signs such as slap marks, unexplained bruises, or certain types of burns and blisters, question the senior as to how he or she got them.
Sexual Abuse?? Sexual contact that is forced, tricked, threatened, or otherwise coerced upon a vulnerable elder, including anyone who is unable to grant consent. Warning signs could include bruises around the breasts or genital area and unexplained sexually transmitted diseases.
Emotional Abuse?? Verbal attacks, threats, rejection, isolation, or belittling acts that cause or could cause mental anguish, pain, or distress to a senior. Withdrawal from normal activities, unexplained changes in alertness, or other unusual behavioral changes may indicate emotional abuse.
Exploitation?? Theft, fraud, misuse or neglect of authority, and use of undue influence as a lever to gain control over an older person?s money or property. Sudden changes in finances and accounts, altered wills and trusts, unusual bank withdrawals, checks written as ?loans? or ?gifts,? and loss of property could all indicate exploitation.
Neglect?? A caregiver?s failure or refusal to provide for a vulnerable elder?s safety, physical, or emotional needs. Warning signs include pressure ulcers (bed sores), filth, lack of medical care, malnutrition or dehydration.
What to Do If You Suspect Elder Abuse
If you see any warning signs that lead you to suspect mistreatment, report it to the local adult protective services agency or law enforcement. A professional will investigate the situation and may ask you questions, but know that you are not required to prove that abuse has taken place. If the problem persists after the investigation, continue to report anything you witness that violates a senior?s rights.
You can also play an important role in the?prevention of elder abuse. Keeping close tabs on the older adults you care for, especially those that are isolated, and encouraging communication about any problems they might be having could go a long way to ensure their safety.
At Home Instead Senior Care, we take elder abuse as seriously as you do. We train our CAREGivers to watch for abuse signs and put safeguards in place to ensure our clients receive the highest quality of care. If you have any questions or if we can help you prevent elder abuse in any way, please contact your local?Home Instead?office today.
If you need as much information about Hurricane Sandy as you could possibly get in a single glance, a tool created by Google's Crisis Response Center may be your best bet. Reliable and well-vetted, it?tracks the storm's progress and keeps you apprised of emergency resources and more.
Google's Crisis Map?combines information from the National Hurricane Center, American Red Cross and other trusted sources. It offers?details about the storm's current and forecasted locations, emergency shelter locations, live webcam feeds, public safety alerts, traffic conditions and a wealth of other vital information.?
At first glance the tool may feel a bit overwhelming, but if you scroll through a pane on the right side, you can make sure to select only the information and overlays you want to view. If you are specifically interested in how the storm is affecting the New York City area, there's also a separate map tool focusing on that.
Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.
Singles and Doubles Brackets Feature All-Yale Semifinals
NEW HAVEN, C.T. ? The Yale men's tennis team put on a stellar display on Saturday at the Connecticut State Championships to take complete charge of the event.? The Bulldogs' dominant performance at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center allowed them to claim all four semifinalist spots in both the singles and doubles draws, guaranteeing a Yale victory in both competitions.?
Yale fielded six players in the singles round of 16, including the top four seeds in the event, who all managed to live up to their billing.? Senior captain and defending champion Daniel Hoffman, the No. 1 seed, cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Fahoum Fahoum of Quinnipiac.? Freshman Martin Svenning, seeded No. 3, defeated Sacred Heart's Brian Power by the same score.? The No. 2 and No. 4 seeds, freshman Jason Brown and sophomore Daniel Faierman, respectively, did not enjoy such straightforward wins but came through nonetheless.? Brown overcame a stiff challenge from Dennis Zlobinsky of Fairfield, 7-5, 7-6, while Faierman fended off Jacob Spreyer of the University of Connecticut, 7-6, 6-3.? Junior Patrick Chase also advanced to the quarterfinals by upsetting the No. 6 seed, Ian Tesmond of Fairfield, 7-5, 6-2.? Senior Zachary Dean was the only Yale casualty of the round, as he lost 6-2, 6-1 to the No. 7 seed, Sebastien Barbero of Quinnipiac.
Yale began to take charge of the tournament with a sweep in the quarterfinals that saw Bulldogs claim all four semifinal spots.? The top four seeds all posted wins to advance to the penultimate round.? Faierman had by the far the most difficult match of the four, as he was thoroughly challenged by his own teammate, Chase.? Faierman was ultimately able to edge Chase in a final set tiebreaker to complete the 6-4, 4-6, 1-0(7) win.? In the semifinals, Hoffman will take on Svenning, while Brown will play Faierman.? ??
The doubles quarterfinal round offered a very similar story, as Yale's teams also claimed all four semifinal spots.? The Bulldogs' top senior duo of Hoffman and Marc Powers earned its place in the final four with a comprehensive 8-3 win over Zlobinsky and Ofir Solomon of Fairfield.? Chase and senior John Huang defeated the University of Connecticut team of Wayne Harrell and Wei Lin by the same score.? The all-freshman pairing of Brown and Svenning and the all-sophomore tandem of Faierman and Zachary Krumholz also advanced to the semifinals.? Faierman and Krumholz defeated their own teammates, Dean and junior Tommy Ratchford, in a close encounter, 8-6.
Yale's veteran teams controlled the semifinals, as Hoffman and Powers fought off a game challenge from Brown and Svenning to win 8-4, while Chase and Huang out-played Faierman and Krumholz to advance to the final round.? These two experienced teams will play for the doubles title, with Huang looking to claim the victory for the second year in a row.
The all-Yale singles semifinals and final of the Connecticut State Championships will take place Sunday at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center, as will the all-Yale doubles final.?
Report by Robert Batista '15, Yale Sports Publicity
Singles ? Round of 16
(1) Daniel Hoffman (Yale) def. Fahoum Fahoum (Quinnipiac), 6-2, 6-1
(2) Jason Brown (Yale) def. Dennis Zlobinsky (Fairfield), 7-5, 7-6
(3) Martin Svenning (Yale) def. Brian Power (Sacred Heart), 6-2, 6-1
(4) Daniel Faierman (Yale) def. Jacob Spreyer (UConn), 7-6, 6-3
Patrick Chase (Yale) def. (6) Ian Tesmond (Fairfield), 7-5, 6-2
(7) Sebastien Barbero (Quinnipiac) def. Zachary Dean (Yale), 6-2, 6-1
Singles ? Quarterfinals
(1) Hoffman (Yale) def. Erik Kremheller (Fairfield), 6-4, 6-0
(2) Brown (Yale) def. Barbero (Quinnipiac), 6-2, 6-1
Readers know that I believe our country is already past the tipping point and headed for a bad transition.? For me the tipping point represents that unfortunate state of affairs in our nation from which recovery by 'normal' or historically successful corrective measures will not be enough to save us from a disastrous transition.? If we are to be saved, we now must prepare for more dramatic efforts and draconian events to restore the republic.? But not to lose heart, dear reader, we have been through such dire straits in the past, the last one was called the War Between the States, The War for Southern Independence, or erroneously The Civil War.
Let me be clear and state that there are also other ways that nations have navigated such waters, Germany?s Weimar Republic comes to mind.? And we all know its aftermath.
Evidence of our being past the tipping point is what I want to memorialize in these offerings.? I am reminded that all posts on the internet will survive ?forever?, so that these offerings could inform or amuse a future cyber-anthropologist digging back into the history of the early 21st century.
Two major national institutions are now beyond normal repair ? K-12 public education and our justice system.? Since the feds? Great Society (1964-68) started the destruction, we have revamped public education by spending trillions and getting nothing out of it save a workforce ever more out of touch with the realworld labor markets.? (See figure and the Friedman Foundation report and more details here.)?? Instead we have built up an extremely ignorant and state-dependent teacher class, led by their corrupt unions, that in the aggregate is barely smarter than the students they claim to matriculate.? Socialism is openly taught in government schools as the correct way to organize society.? Nevertheless, education remains the Republic's ONLY hope.
The legal industry has turned our justice system into their private sinecure.? Again in the aggregate, America?s justice system from the law enforcement agencies, through ?justice departments?, to the courts are corrupt beyond comprehension by the average citizen.? Two decades ago we saw an obviously guilty OJ Simpson exonerated of criminal charges, and then convicted of the same crime in a turn-around civil suit that essentially deprived him of his property but left him free.? Double jeopardy has become institutionalized under the ruse of ?different sovereignties? and back-to-back criminal and civil liabilities ? it is nothing more than a full employment provision for trial lawyers.
A more recent case underlines this.? A 90 year-old man was attacked in his home by an armed meth head with a criminal record who broke into his house.? The senior citizen grabbed his gun and fought off his assailant in an ensuing indoor gunfight that did not end entirely successfully.? The homeowner was shot in the jaw, and was only able to wound his assailant who then took the old man?s gun, pressed it to his head, and pulled the trigger.? Fortunately the gun was empty and the wounded low-life fled.? He was picked up by police a short distance away profusely bleeding in his stopped car.
After long stays in the hospital for both criminal and victim, the criminal was tried and faces a long prison sentence.? And here?s the rub, the criminal?s father and attorney have filed suit against the elderly homeowner for causing the criminal bodily harm, emotional distress, problems with his marriage, and financial loss.? The corruption inherent in our justice system is that the court, instead of throwing out the suit amid peals of communal laughter, has accepted the case for trial.
Reports from many quarters describe a fearful government that is readying its multiple departments through massive purchases of arms and ammunition, surveillance drones, urban fighting vehicles, and new 18-24 year-olds being trained by FEMA as 'disaster relief corps' who march with military precision.? Preparations are afoot for things we are not told.
This kind of rot drizzles down from the top and did not start with President Obama.? However, he has pushed Executive Branch lawlessness and lying to new heights.? (Nixon?s Watergate was a piker's pursuit compared to what we already know about Benghazi.)? For example, brazenly advising corporations to ignore the Warn Act, end-running Congress on using regulatory agencies to instigate policies that will change the economic landscape of the country with no elected representative having a say, and using Executive Privilege to cover up communications (?Fast and Furious?) between agencies and departments that involved no communications with the President or the White House, and the list goes on.
(BTW, I believe the Benghazi tragedy, as originally mishandled and then covered up, appears to involve one or more impeachable offenses, and that a Republican House will so indict Obama.)
Finally, our Fourth Estate ? the see, hear, speak no leftwing evil media ? is no longer the watchdog of the Republic, but is solidly in the tank for anything and everything that promotes socialism and globalization.? They report no inconvenient news, pursue no obvious leads of government malfeasance, have become unabashedly virulent against capitalism, and will go to any length to appropriately propagandize the news.? Journalists are vying with lawyers for the muck at the bottom.? Woodward is now a lonely old relic, still doggedly pursuing his trade.
The corruption of our politicians is unchanged and continues apace along its historical and well-documented lows.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The firing of Citigroup stock analyst Mark Mahaney on Friday in the regulatory fallout from Facebook Inc's initial public offering was greeted with shock and dismay in Silicon Valley, where Mahaney was a well-known and well-liked figure.
"Pretty shocked," was the reaction of Jacob Funds Chief Executive Ryan Jacob, who described Mahaney as one of the most respected financial analysts covering the Internet industry.
"I'd put him at the top. If not at the top, then near the top," said Jacob. "He really knew what to look for."
In addition to firing Mahaney, Citigroup paid a $2 million fine to Massachusetts regulators to settle charges that the bank improperly disclosed research on Facebook ahead of its $16 billion IPO in May.
The settlement agreement said Mahaney failed to supervise a junior analyst who improperly shared Facebook research with the TechCrunch news website. (Settlement agreement: http://r.reuters.com/pyj63t)
The settlement agreement also outlined an incident in which Mahaney failed to get approval before responding to a journalist's questions about Google Inc -- and told a Citigroup compliance staffer that the conversation had not occurred -- even after being warned about unauthorized conversations with the media.
Mahaney declined to comment.
Mahaney got his start in the late 1990s, during the first dot-com boom where he worked at Morgan Stanley for Mary Meeker, one of the star analysts of the time. He went on to work at hedge fund Galleon Group before moving to Citigroup in 2005. Unlike most of his New York-based peers in the analyst world, Mahaney worked in San Francisco's financial district, close to the companies and personalities at the heart of the tech industry.
Earlier this month, Mahaney was named the top Internet analyst for the fifth straight year by Institutional Investor. The review cited fans of Mahaney who praised a "systematic" investment approach that allows him to avoid the "waffling" often evidenced by other analysts.
Mahaney's Buy rating on IAC/InteractiveCorp in April 2011, when the stock traded at $33.32, allowed investors to lock in a 51 percent gain before he downgraded the stock to a Hold at $50.31 a few months later, according to Institutional Investor.
But it wasn't only his stock picks that put him in good stead. He earned kudos for simply being a nice guy.
"He's a kind and thoughtful person and that's evident in the way he deals with people," said Jason Jones of Internet investment firm HighStep Capital. "He's very well liked on Wall Street because of that."
A CAUTIOUS VIEW ON FACEBOOK
Mahaney was only indirectly involved in the incident involving the Facebook research, according to the settlement agreement by Massachusetts regulators released on Friday. But the actions of the junior analyst who worked for him provide an unusual glimpse into the type of behind-the-scenes information trading that regulators are attempting to rein in.
While the Massachusetts regulators did not identify any of the individuals by name, Reuters has learned that the incident involved TechCrunch reporters Josh Constine and Kim-Mai Cutler as well as Citi junior analyst Eric Jacobs.
Jacobs, Constine and Cutler all did not respond to requests for comments.
In early May, shortly before Facebook's IPO, Jacobs sent an email to Cutler and Constine. Constine attended Stanford University at the same time as Jacobs.
Constine, who studied social networks such as Facebook and Twitter for his 2009 Master's degree in cybersociology at Stanford, had a close friendship with Jacobs, according to the settlement agreement.
"I am ramping up coverage on FB and thought you guys might like to see how the street is thinking about it (and our estimates)," Jacobs wrote in the email. The email included an "outline" that Jacobs said would eventually become the firm's 30-40 page initiation report on Facebook.
He also included a "Facebook One Pager" document, which contained confidential, non-public information that Citigroup obtained in order to help begin covering Facebook after the IPO.
Asked by Constine if the information could be published and attributed to an anonymous source, Jacobs responded that "my boss would eat me alive," the agreement said.
A spokeswoman for AOL Inc, which owns TechCrunch, declined to answer questions on the matter, saying only that "We are looking into the matter and have no comment at this time."
Ironically, Mahaney was one of a small group of analysts at the many banks underwriting Facebook's IPO who had cautious views of the richly valued offering. Mahaney initiated coverage of the company with a neutral rating.
Analysts at the top three underwriters on Facebook's IPO - Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan - started the stock with overweight or buy recommendations.
Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Facebook had pre-briefed analysts for its underwriters ahead of its IPO, advising them to reduce their profit and revenue forecasts.
Facebook, whose stock was priced at $38 a share in the IPO, closed Friday's regular session at $21.94 and has traded as low as $17.55.
"There were tens of billions of dollars in losses based on hyping the name, a lack of skeptical information and misunderstanding the company," said Max Wolff, chief economist and senior analyst at research firm GreenCrest Capital.
"It's highly unfortunate and darkly ironic that one of the signature regulatory actions from this IPO so far involves punishing analysts for disseminating cautious information about Facebook," he added.
(Editing by Jonathan Weber, Mary Milliken and Lisa Shumaker)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Early voters could account for up to 40 percent of all voters in the 2012 presidential election, and polls of people who already have cast ballots show President Barack Obama with a comfortable lead over Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
Both candidates have been urging supporters not just to vote but to do it early as Republicans and Democrats campaign vigorously - particularly in key battleground states - to lock up as many votes as possible before Election Day on November 6.
Polls of people who say they already have voted show Obama with a lead in many of the states. The Obama campaign, which benefited from early voting in 2008, has focused heavily on urging supporters to vote early in this election as well.
Obama leads Romney 54 percent to 39 percent among voters who already have cast ballots, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling data compiled in recent weeks. The sample size of early voters is 960 people with a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
About 18 percent of registered voters already have cast ballots, the Reuters/Ipsos polling data showed. Around a quarter of minority voters - who tend to support Obama - and almost a fifth of white voters have cast ballots, the data showed.
Allison Gilmore voted during her lunch break at a community center in Arlington, Virginia. Like many who vote early, Gilmore was not sure she could make it on Election Day.
"I don't know how busy I'll be at work, (with) childcare - and I want to make sure I get my vote in," said Gilmore, 35, who said she voted for Obama.
RECORD NUMBERS
Early voting, which began in some states in September, is now underway in nearly all 50 states, either by mail-in or in-person voting. Political scientists who specialize in early voting predict that a record 35 to 40 percent of all U.S. voters will cast their ballots before the November 6 election.
"In some of the battleground states, rates are even above that," said Michael McDonald, a political science professor at George Mason University in Virginia who runs the U.S. Election Project and tracks all early votes (http://elections.gmu.edu/early_vote_2012.html).
"There's a lot of activity out there with both the Romney and the Obama campaigns organizing and mobilizing their supporters to vote early," McDonald said.
According to McDonald's data, states like Iowa and Ohio - both of which are considered pivotal in the election - show a faster pace of early voting than in 2008.
A main reason for the increase in numbers of people voting early is that Republicans, who were caught flat-footed by Obama's strong performance in early voting in 2008, have put more emphasis on it this time around, experts said.
The parties have been sending out dueling memos in the past few days with each side claiming to have the upper hand in early voting.
As a sign of the importance the Democrats place on early voting, Obama became the first sitting president to vote early when he cast his ballot in Chicago on Thursday.
The two parties spent a lot of time in court this year battling over early voting laws in states like Florida and Ohio as Democrats accused Republicans of trying to limit early voting to suppress the turnout of working-class and minority voters.
In the end, Ohio was ordered by the courts to allow early voting to all until the eve of the election. And while Florida cut the number of days of early voting, it agreed to extend the number of hours on each day to satisfy critics.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Chicago; Patricia Zengerle in Arlington, Virginia, Sam Youngman in Cincinnati and Gabriel Debenedetti and Maurice Tamman in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
You and your husband would get pleasure from for more information regarding have a multi functional baby. But,and then for several reason,it has to be that harder as well as for all your family members to educate yourself regarding conceive than a resource box could be the also a number of other parents. Another thing you understand usually that as your family be capable of getting ancient conception continues for more information on be capable of geting harder and harder. After a multi function some way talk providing some one your husband,the both the concerning you have determined for more information about are trying to find be of assistance all the way through throughout the vitro fertilization.
The everywhere in the vitro fertilization selection process will be the reasonably straight forward as all that?s involved is that more then one on the vitro fertilization doctor not only can they extract a woman?s egg and will fertilize a resource box in an all in one lab. The IVF doctors then places going to be the embryo into the woman?s uterus as she not only can they are during an all in one normal full insurance coverage pregnancy. In vitro fertilizations are appropriate as well as for the women and men allowing you to have various infertility all in all
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Fertility Training-
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Infertility Doctors
Embryologists
Reproductive Endocrinologists
Success Rate Statistics-
A ach and every important characteristic having to do with in line with the IVF doctors includes the average a success rates that going to be the fertility clinic has and going to be the personal a hit rates that going to be the IVF doctor has. You are going to want evaluate written provides back and forth from going to be the Center having to do with Disease Control and Prevention as if that?s the case as the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies regarding IVF popular rates that include several factors,one of these as:
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success rates about IVF tactics that happen to have been performed last year Ensure that going to be the reports are defined judging by rate category,any of these as initial pregnancy rate,live conception rate and ongoing pregnancy rate.
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You?ll want for more information regarding are aware of that how do you the clinic?s approaches are handled as if that?s the case Does the woman have any say with your eggs fertilization selection process regarding going to be the number concerning embryos placed back inside the If your family are giving spin out of control all the way to learn more about going to be the doctor, this has to be that an all in one down and dirty characteristic that all your family should be wary clear about for those times when integral is the domain a minumum of one all over the vitro fertilization doctor.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gives his presentation at the launch of Microsoft Windows 8, in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Windows 8 is the most dramatic overhaul of the personal computer market's dominant operating system in 17 years. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gives his presentation at the launch of Microsoft Windows 8, in New York, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Windows 8 is the most dramatic overhaul of the personal computer market's dominant operating system in 17 years. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
FILE - In this Aug. 24, 1995, file photo, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates sits on stage during a video portion of the Windows 95 Launch Event on the company's campus in Redmond, Wash. One of the biggest changes with Windows 8 is the disappearance of the familiar start button at the lower left corner of the screen. There will be a new screen filled with a colorful array of tiles, each leading to a different application, task or collection of files. (AP Photo/File)
El director general de Microsoft Steve Ballmer presenta el nuevo sistema operativo Windows 8, el jueves 25 de octubre de 2012 en Nueva York. (Foto AP/Richard Drew)
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR MICROSOFT - Today, Steven Sinofsky, president of Windows, announces the availability of Windows 8 at the launch event at Pier 57 on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 in New York City. (Jason DeCrow /AP Images for Microsoft)
Graphic shows global sales of personal computers, tablets and smartphones by operating system
NEW YORK (AP) ? With the launch of Windows 8, buyers are about to discover a computing experience unlike anything they've seen before. Here's a guide to getting past some of the hurdles.
The main thing to know is that Windows 8 is designed especially for touch-screen computers, to make desktops and laptops work more like tablets. It is Microsoft's way of addressing the popularity of tablets, namely the iPad. But Windows 8 will work with mouse and keyboard shortcuts, too. It'll take some getting used to, though.
There are two versions of Windows 8, or more precisely, there's Windows 8 and there's Windows RT. They look the same, but they run on different processing chips. Windows 8 runs on standard chips from Intel and AMD and is the version you'd get if you're upgrading your home desktop or notebook PC. Windows RT is the version for light, small tablets and laptop-tablet hybrids.
Windows 8 will run programs written for older versions of Windows. Windows RT won't. It's limited to applications specifically written for it and available through Microsoft's store. (As a consolation, a version of Microsoft Office is included free on Windows RT devices).
Here are some tips on how to navigate the new Windows:
? When you start a Windows 8 machine, you're greeted with a screen that shows the time and a pretty picture. To get past it with a touch-screen device, swipe upwards with your finger from the bottom edge of the screen. If you have a keyboard, hit any key.
? Next, you'll see a mosaic of Live Tiles, each representing an application. Programs specifically written for Windows 8 will run in this new environment, which is unofficially nicknamed Metro. Each application fills the screen when you run it. Applications written for older Windows versions will open up in something that looks very much like the old Windows Desktop environment. You can switch back and forth between Metro and the new Desktop, though Microsoft wants people to eventually use only Metro.
? The Desktop screen lacks a Start button, so it's hard to start programs from there. Microsoft's idea is that users should learn to go to the Metro tiles to start programs or access settings, even if many programs, including some Windows utilities, will open up in Desktop. To get back to the tiled Start screen with a mouse or touchpad, move the mouse cursor to the top right corner of the screen, then swipe it down to the "Start" icon that appears. If you have a touch screen, reveal the Start icon by swiping in from the right edge of the screen.
? In the Desktop environment, you can glance at the Taskbar to see which Desktop programs are running. If you're a mouse or touchpad user in Metro and want to see what's running, you have to know this trick: Move the cursor into the top left corner of the screen, then drag it down along the left edge of the screen. If you have a touch screen, swipe in from the left edge, then quickly swipe back in.
? Neither environment will show you programs that are running in the other environment, but if you have a touch screen, swiping in from the left side of the screen lets you jump between open applications. The "Alt-Tab" combination does the same thing with a keyboard, in case you aren't using a touch screen.
? There are two versions of Internet Explorer, one for each environment. A Web page you open in one doesn't appear in the other, so if you're trying to find your way back to a page, it helps to remember which browser you were using.
? When using Metro on a touch screen, you close a program by first swiping your finger down from the top edge of the screen. That shrinks the window. Then you swipe your finger down to the bottom edge of the screen. Don't stray to the right or left edges of the screen, or the app will end up "docked" in a column along that edge. You can perform the same action with a mouse cursor by clicking and dragging from the top edge of the screen, but using the old "Alt-F4" command is easier.
? In the Desktop version of Internet Explorer, you can see at a glance which pages you have open in "tabs." In Metro, each Web page fills the screen, leaving no room for tabs.
To see which other pages are open on a touch-screen computer, you swipe your finger down from the top of the screen to reveal thumbnails of the other windows. Don't sweep too far, or you'll shrink the window instead.
If you're using a mouse in Metro, you right-click anywhere on the screen to reveal the tabs. Of course, this means right-clicking no longer does any of things it can be used for in previous versions of Windows, such as letting you open a link in a new tab.
? When Microsoft introduced Windows 95, some people thought it was amusing and counterintuitive that the procedure for shutting down the computer began with the "Start" button. In Windows 8, that incongruity is gone along with the Start button, but shutting down with a mouse or touchpad isn't obvious either. Move the cursor into the top right corner of the screen. A menu will pop out. Sweep down to the "Settings" button that appears, and click it. Then click "Power," then "Shut down." If you're on a touch screen, start by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, then tap "Settings."
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Public release date: 29-Oct-2012
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