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Social Media Is Having a Major Impact on Businesses

Companies are shifting to digital platforms and media to interact and collaborate with customers and employees

Newswise — As businesses become increasingly global and competitive, social media is playing a major role because of its ability to bridge distances and enable the development of relationships, a key component for any business.

”It is totally reshaping the way organizations communicate,” says Andrea Goldberg, the president and founder of Digital Culture Consulting, LLC in Bedford, NY, and an industrial and organizational psychologist with a background in marketing, communications and human resources.

“Increased openness and collaboration are greatly impacting the workplace and leading to the creation of internal and external networks and communities. Driving much of this is the relatively new phenomenon of social media, which is also contributing to organizational effectiveness, branding and customer support,” Goldberg said.

A 2010 Burson Marsteller study of Fortune 100 companies found that 66 percent used Twitter; 54 percent had a Facebook page and half managed a corporate YouTube channel. And, according to another survey, 73 percent of businesses plan to increase their social media presence, while 90 percent of marketers have adopted social media as a valuable tool.

Savvy companies, both large and small, have recognized the value social media can bring to their organizations; something that employees and customers are expecting more and more.

This is due in large part to the increased use of social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn by people of all ages as well as the numbers of technically oriented people entering the workforce who have grown up with social media. For these people, social media is an integral part of their lives and they expect it to be part of their work environment as well.

“A new business environment is emerging as many employees have the ability and the desire to use these tools to interact with their colleagues, managers and customers and to accomplish work differently than by traditional methods,” said Goldberg.

On the customer or external side this has been demonstrated by the growth of sites such as Yelp and Angie’s list that allow customers to evaluate vendors. Twitter is being used to respond to customer concerns and Facebook enables customers to become fans.

On the internal side, Goldberg sees organizations transforming and shifting strategies because of the way social media is impacting recruiting and selection, communications, rewards and incentives, defining job roles and leadership and training and development.

The fact is that social media has already become a common part of the workplace, so companies need to accommodate the new realities, said Goldberg.

She said some of the positive outcomes stemming from these realities include new marketing and public relations channels; better customer acquisition, service and loyalty; new approaches for branding and communications; collaborative innovations for product development; opportunities for thought leadership; recruitment of hard-to-find skilled candidates and increased employee engagement.

This trend does come with some risks. Employees posting unacceptable comments about colleagues and/or their company on Twitter and other social media outlets have occurred.

To mitigate misuse, companies need to develop policies governing use of social media that restricts certain content including personnel matters, contract negotiations and corporate policies.

Forward thinking companies are leveraging employees’ social media skills and training them to become brand stewards to help promote loyalty and support for the organization. Positive postings on employees’ social networks can boost an organization’s employment brand. “They can help position the company as an employer of choice,” said Goldberg.

She also pointed out that organizations actively involved in social media often have employees more engaged with their companies. “The value is they get people talking and interacting across boundaries, borders and silos,” she said.

Benefits include greater transparency, trust, responsibility, innovation and improved customer service, she added.

But some things have to be in place before social media use can be effective, says Goldberg. Realistic expectations and guidelines must be established and clearly communicated to all employees while allowing opportunity for dialog and commentary. Also, employees should be aware of not only the benefits but also the limitations of social media. “Employees need to be careful how they use company information on social media networks,” she said.

Another way to enhance satisfaction is to encourage employees to offer ideas and suggestions and incorporate them into both company programs and products. “They need to know management is listening to them and they are important to the company’s success. And that helps build trust,” she said.

However, despite the proven benefits not all organizations have jumped on the social media bandwagon. Others are slow to see its value.

Goldberg pointed to Accenture as an organization that had made social media part of its culture. The global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company provides avenues for employees to connect through an internal Twitter Network, a company blog and a YouTube site.

Kevin Kramer, Accenture’s director of human capital, said “We are very wired. People here are excited about social media and have been using it for years. We are hooked on our mobile devices.”

Goldberg said that social media is not just the domain of young people. “The fastest growing segment of social media users is over 40. In part, that’s because so many young people are active users and there is not much room to grow. Nevertheless, older people are learning just how effective a tool social media can be and that’s why they are the fastest growing group.”

Released: 12/13/2011

Source: Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)

Related Link:

http://www.newswise.com/articles/social-media-is-having-a-major-impact-on-businesses

New Findings….Obesity Limits Effectiveness of Flu Vaccines

Newswise — People carrying extra pounds may need extra protection from influenza.

New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that obesity may make annual flu shots less effective.

The findings, published online Oct. 25, 2011, in he International Journal of Obesity, provide evidence explaining a phenomenon that was noticed for the first time during the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak: that obesity is associated with an impaired immune response to the influenza vaccination in humans.

“These results suggest that overweight and obese people would be more likely than healthy weight people to experience flu illness following exposure to the flu virus,” said Melinda Beck, Ph.D., professor and associate chair of nutrition at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and senior author of the study.

“Previous studies have indicated the possibility that obesity might impair the human body’s ability to fight flu viruses. These new findings seem to give us a reason why obese people were more susceptible to influenza illness during the H1N1 pandemic compared to healthy weight people.”

The study reports for the first time that influenza vaccine antibody levels decline significantly in obese people compared to healthy weight individuals. What’s more, responses of CD8+ T cells (a type of white blood cell that plays a key role in the body’s immune system) are defective in heavier people.

Researchers studied people at a UNC clinic who had been vaccinated in late 2009 with inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine, the common flu vaccine for that fall and winter season. Although obese, overweight and healthy weight individuals all developed antibodies to flu viruses within the first month after vaccination, the antibody levels in the blood declined more rapidly in obese and overweight individuals over time.

About 50 percent of obese participants had a four-fold decrease in antibody levels at 12 months compared to one month post vaccination. However, less than 25 percent of healthy weight participants had a four-fold decrease in antibody levels.

Also, when study participants’ blood samples were tested in the lab and exposed to a flu virus 12 months after vaccination, about 75 percent of healthy weight people’s CD8+ T cells still expressed interferon-γ, an infection-fighting protein. However, only about 25 percent of obese patients’ cells responded by producing the protein.

When vaccination fails to prevent flu infection, people must rely in part on their CD8+ T cells to limit the spread and severity of infection, said Patricia Sheridan, Ph.D., research assistant professor of nutrition and an author on the paper.

“If antibody titers are not maintained over time in the obese individuals and memory CD+ T cell function is impaired, they may be greater risk of becoming ill from influenza,” Sheridan said.

Heather Paich, a doctoral student in Beck’s lab, added: “The findings also suggest overweight and obese people are more likely to become sicker and have more complications. That’s because influenza-specific CD8+ T cells do not protect against infection, but instead act to limit the disease’s progression and severity of disease.”

In 2005, Beck and her colleagues reported that obesity in mice impaired the animals’ ability to fight influenza infections and increased the percent dying from influenza, compared to lean mice with the same infections. In 2010, her team showed that obesity seemed to limit the mice’s ability to develop immunity to influenza, suggesting vaccines may not be as effective in obese and overweight as in healthy weight humans. Also, the fatality rate was higher in obese mice – none of the lean mice died, but 25 percent of the obese mice died.

“This latest study shows that obese people may have a similar impaired response to influenza vaccines as our mouse models did to influenza virus,” Beck said. “We need to continue to study the effect of obesity on the ability to fight virus infections. Influenza is a serious public health threat, killing up to half a million people a year worldwide. As rates of obesity continue to rise, the number of deaths from the flu could rise too. We need to better understand this problem and to look for solutions.”

Along with Beck, Sheridan and Paich, other UNC nutrition department study authors were Erik A. Karlsson, now a postdoctoral research associate, at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Aileen B. Sammon and Lara Holland, who were undergraduates at the time. Other authors were Michael G. Hudgens, Ph.D., research associate professor of biostatistics in the public health school; and Jean Handy, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, Samuel Weir, M.D., clinical associate professor of family medicine, and Terry L. Noah, M.D., professor of pediatrics, all from the UNC School of Medicine.

For more information or a copy of the study, see: http://www.nature.com/ijo/index.html

Released: 10/20/2011

Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Via Newswise

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http://www.newswise.com/articles/obesity-limits-effectiveness-of-flu-vaccines

Important New Book Discusses China’s Economic Strategy

Newswise — Everyone is talking about China.

In the news daily — on TV, online and in print — China’s arrival as a rapidly developing and industrializing global power is front and center.

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) ranks as the world’s second largest economy after the United States. It has been the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with consistent growth rates of around 10 percent over the past 30 years. The nation is also the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods in the world.

Despite an economy that seems to be growing at a boundless rate, China’s rise as an economic powerhouse has been carefully managed by its Communist leaders, according to Roselyn Hsueh, assistant professor of political science and Asian studies at Temple.

“In the last 30 years, China has opened its doors to global integration and external investment,” said Hsueh. “Today’s China is governed by a new economic model that departs fundamentally from its East Asian neighbors and its own Communist past.”

“But behind the buzz of ‘China’s rise’ is a complex story of how the Chinese government has selectively used market liberalization followed by re-regulation in a way that enables the Communist leadership to promote domestic industries, enhance its technology base and retain power, including the power to control the flow of information,” she said.

Hsueh examines China’s distinctive integration into the international economy in her new book, China’s Regulatory State: A New Strategy for Globalization (Cornell University Press, 2011).

While visiting China in the summer of 2002, Hsueh confronted a paradox: On the one hand, the state’s hand could be seen in economic activities everywhere; yet simultaneously there existed genuinely capitalist practice and values. Foreign influence was ubiquitous — from neon displays of ING on skyscrapers in Shanghai to billboards selling Motorola handsets on provincial boulevards. Yet, she said, visits to municipalities and towns and villages revealed the government was still maintaining tight control over some sectors of the economy.

“Witnessing this apparent unevenness of liberal market capitalism got me asking deeper questions about China’s politics and economy,” said Hsueh.

In her book, Hsueh demonstrates that China only appears to be a more liberal state. According to her model, the central government tightly regulates sectors with high strategic value, such as telecommunications, but will allow much looser regulation of nonstrategic subsectors, such as textiles.

“China has adopted a bifurcated economic strategy,” said Hsueh. “Even as it introduces competition, the state selectively asserts control over industry and market development at the sectoral level to achieve state goals.”

Released: 9/30/2011
Source:Temple University

Via Newswise

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http://www.newswise.com/articles/china-s-bifurcated-economic-strategy

Have Brain Fatigue? A Bout of Exercise May be the Cure

Newswise — Bethesda, Md. (Sept. 19, 2011)—Researchers have long known that regular exercise increases the number of organelles called mitochondria in muscle cells. Since mitochondria are responsible for generating energy, this numerical boost is thought to underlie many of the positive physical effects of exercise, such as increased strength or endurance. Exercise also has a number of positive mental effects, such as relieving depression and improving memory. However, the mechanism behind these mental effects has been unclear. In a new study in mice, researchers at the University of South Carolina have discovered that regular exercise also increases mitochondrial numbers in brain cells, a potential cause for exercise’s beneficial mental effects.

Their article is entitled “Exercise Training Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis in the Brain.” It appears in the Articles in PresS section of the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology, published by the American Physiological Society.

Methodology
The researchers assigned mice to either an exercise group, which ran on an inclined treadmill six days a week for an hour, or to a sedentary group, which was exposed to the same sounds and handling as the exercise group but remained in their cages during the exercise period. After eight weeks, researchers examined brain and muscle tissue from some of the mice in each group to test for signs of increases in mitochondria. Additionally, some of the mice from each group performed a “run to fatigue” test to assess their endurance after the eight-week period.

Results
Confirming previous studies, the results showed that mice in the exercise group had increased mitochondria in their muscle tissue compared to mice in the sedentary group. However, the researchers also found that the exercising mice also showed several positive markers of mitochondria increase in the brain, including a rise in the expression of genes for proxisome proliferator-activated receptor- coactivator 1-alpha, silent information regulator T1, and citrate synthase, all regulators for mitochondrial biogenesis; and mitochondrial DNA. These results correlate well with the animals’ increased fitness. Overall, mice in the exercise group increased their run to fatigue times from about 74 minutes to about 126 minutes. No change was seen for the sedentary mice.

Importance of the Findings
These findings suggest that exercise training increases the number of mitochondria in the brain much like it increases mitochondria in muscles. The study authors note that this increase in brain mitochondria may play a role in boosting exercise endurance by making the brain more resistant to fatigue, which can affect physical performance. They also suggest that this boost in brain mitochondria could have clinical implications for mental disorders, making exercise a potential treatment for psychiatric disorders, genetic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.

“These findings could lead to the enhancement of athletic performance through reduced mental and physical fatigue, as well as to the expanded use of exercise as a therapeutic option to attenuate the negative effects of aging, and the treatment and/or prevention of neurological diseases,” the authors say.

Study Team
The study was conducted by Jennifer L. Steiner, E. Angela Murphy, Jamie L. McClellan, Martin D. Carmichael, and J. Mark Davis, all of the University of South Carolina.

Source: American Physiological Society

Via Newswise

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http://www.newswise.com/articles/have-brain-fatigue-a-bout-of-exercise-may-be-the-cure

Career and Employment News: What Color is Your Resume? Go Green to Land a Job

Winston-Salem, N.C. – As corporate and nonprofit recruiters prepare to storm college campuses this fall, applicants need new ways to distinguish themselves in an increasingly challenging job market.

Viewing the world through the lens of sustainability and demonstrating practical experience with a “greener resume” can make a difference when applying for jobs, says Dedee DeLongpré Johnston, Director of Sustainability at Wake Forest University.

A recent study found 93 percent of CEOs believe sustainability will be “important” or “very important” to the future success of their companies. DeLongpré Johnston offers three simple solutions for students wanting to bolster their green potential without greenwashing their resumes.

1. “Act like an ‘intrapreneuer.’ Seize opportunities for innovation and creativity – just like an entrepreneur – by incorporating sustainable values and practices into existing campus organizations and everyday life. Internships focused on sustainability are especially invaluable because they help students demonstrate to employers that they can think critically and solve problems.”

2. “Start a ‘green team.’ Demonstrate results-driven leadership and help others develop more socially and environmentally responsible behaviors by evaluating the current level of sustainable practices on campus and taking action for improvement. Even small initial actions such as making available reusable mugs rather than using disposable cups can inspire larger scale changes over time.”

3. “Look beyond job titles. Sustainability is a way of thinking, and opportunities are often embedded in functional areas such as marketing, research and development, and even accounting.”

Tracey Watson never imagined her campus sustainability internship would lead to working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its “Go Green, Get Healthy” initiative. The 2010 Wake Forest graduate says promoting her on-campus experience was invaluable in landing and enjoying her job, which combines her personal and professional interests in the environment and health communications.

“I am one of the few people on my team who doesn’t have a environmental science background, and in some ways that has helped me,” says Watson. “Don’t let your major discourage you from a career in sustainability – just follow your passion, be a self-starter and learn as you grow. There’s plenty of room for progress.”

Released: 9/8/2011
Source: Wake Forest University

Via Newswise

Related Link:

http://newswise.com/articles/view/580422

New Survey, Why Do Men Hate Going to the Doctor?

Newswise — MAYWOOD, Ill. – A national survey found that women were three times more likely to see a doctor on a regular basis than men. Even though men on average die younger than women and have higher mortality rates for heart disease, cancer, stroke and AIDS, trying to get a man to a doctor can be harder than pulling teeth. So, why do men hate it so?

“There could be as many answers to that question as male patients that I see, but more often than not it’s that it’s not a priority for them,” said Timothy Vavra, DO, Loyola University Health system physician and associate professor of internal medicine at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. “They’re not willing to make a lifestyle change so they think it’s a waste of time listening to a doctor tell them to change the way they eat, to start exercising and stop smoking if they’re not going to do it anyway.”

According to Vavra this thinking doesn’t add up. The longer a person puts off seeing a doctor the more likely they’ll have to see a doctor on a regular basis.

“Prevention isn’t 100 percent, but we can address issues and keep an eye out for warning signs,” said Vavra. “I have patients that if they would’ve seen me more regularly we could have made little changes that would have helped prevent them from having a medical crisis that resulted in a complete lifestyle change.”

He suggests men go to a physician and establish care when they are young and healthy so there is a base level. This allows the physician and patient to know when things are heading in the wrong direction. It’s not only a sound investment for your health, but financially as well.

“If you wait till you have a health crisis it’s no longer preventive care, it’s secondary care and that may include surgery and/or hospital stay. Instead of making a simple change in diet and lifestyle a person will have to make significant changes and often be on medications,” said Vavra.

Having to see specialists, paying for procedures and taking daily medications can really impact a person’s financial health. In addition, many health insurance companies offer financial incentives for staying on top of health conditions and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Other than having a health problem of their own, often what prompts men to health action is a health crisis in someone with whom they can relate.

“When Bill Clinton had his heart attack, my office schedule was suddenly filled with men who wanted to talk about heart health,” said Vavra. “When men see someone that resembles themselves having a health issue they often start paying attention.”

Everyone is busy and for many men the time going to a doctor can feel like a waste of a precious resource. Still, Vavra says going to the doctor is one of the best things a man can do for his family.

“A man may feel selfish or weak going to the doctor or caring for his health, but it makes a positive impact on the whole family. Kids look to their parents for examples of how to live. So lead by example. If you live a healthy life so will your kids,” said Vavra.

Here are a few screenings every man should get:
High blood pressure. Every man age 18 or older should have his blood pressure checked at least once a year.

Diabetes. Men with risk factors such as a family history of diabetes, being overweight or experiencing diabetic symptoms should be screened with a fasting blood test. This test measures the amount of a sugar called glucose in your blood. Normal is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter; 101 to 125 is pre diabetes and above 125 suggests diabetes.

Cholesterol. Men ages 20 to 35 who have cardiovascular disease risk factors such as diabetes should be screened. After age 35, men should be screened once every five years if normal, or more often if levels are borderline.

Colorectal cancer. Men should be screened beginning at age 50. The gold standard is a colonoscopy. A doctor uses a slender, lighted tube to examine the entire colon. A colonoscopy can find and remove precancerous growths called polyps. If a colonoscopy is normal, it’s good for 10 years. Other screening exams include a yearly fecal occult blood test (which can find blood in the stool) or, every five years, a fecal blood test combined with an exam called a sigmoidoscopy, which examines the lower part of the colon.

Prostate cancer. Men ages 50 or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years should get annual PSA tests and digital rectal exams.
Released: 6/8/2011
Source: Loyola University Health System

Via NEWSWISE

Consumer Reports Survey: Car Buyers Want Better Fuel Economy and Are Willing to Pay for It

YONKERS, N.Y., May 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The tough economy and high gas prices are driving consumers to prioritize fuel economy with their next car purchase according to a new survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. And to save at the pump, they are willing to compromise on purchase price, amenities, and size  but not safety.

Taking the pulse of American motorists on car buying and fuel economy issues, the Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted 1,764 random, nationwide telephone interviews of adult car owners from April 28-May 2, 2011.

The results of the survey are available at http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/.  Updated daily, Consumer Reports is the go-to Website for the latest auto reviews, product news, blogs on breaking news and car buying information.

The economy has caused a significant drop in annual car sales over recent years, and the age of the average car driven by respondents has increased to eight years. This trend was consistent across most demographics, though household income was a key factor. In households earning $50,000 or more a year, the average age of their cars was six years, whereas lower-income households drove 10-year-old vehicles on average. A significant 23 percent of surveyed motorists are driving cars from the 1990s, many of which must be at the tail end of their reliable service life and certainly well behind current safety standards.

What will they buy?

For their next car, nearly twice as many consumers expect to choose a model with much better or somewhat better fuel economy (62 percent) relative to those who are targeting about the same fuel economy (32 percent). Just 5 percent say their next car will have worse fuel economy, likely driven by changing needs, such as a growing family (minivan) or launching a small business (pickup truck).

Survey respondents expect their next car to deliver an average of 29 mpg. Older drivers, women, and those from lower-income households expect even greater fuel economy. These demographic groups favor small cars and sedans – car types that can deliver that desired mileage. More than 10 percent said they expect 40 mpg or better in their next car.

To get significant fuel-economy gains, more than half of respondents are willing to pay extra for a more efficient vehicle, playing right into the strategy of several automakers who offer special-edition models for a premium. Often the gains for such models are slight, just 1-2 mpg, and the return on that investment – even when just a few hundred dollars – may be much longer than consumers anticipate.

What would you do to save on fuel?

	New car	Used car
Pay more for fuel-efficient car	58%	49%
Compromise amenities or comfort	44	54
Compromise size or capacity	47	48
Compromise performance	27	35
Compromise safety	11	14

Despite consumers craving relief from operating costs, and owning older cars, just 17 percent plan to purchase a car in the coming year. Younger consumers (aged 18-34 years) are three times as likely to buy a car this year as older consumers (aged 55 and over).

Among those who plan to purchase, about four in 10 will buy a new car, led by older, more affluent consumers. Most car shoppers (55 percent) will likely buy used, thereby avoiding the initial depreciation hit experienced with new cars and giving them more vehicle for the money.

Car type planned to purchase in next year

	New car	Used car
Sedan	21%	18%
Small car	18	19
Midsized SUV	16	11
Small SUV	12	10
Pickup truck	8	13
Minivan	7	9
Sporty car	6	5
Large SUV	5	5
Convertible	2	2
Wagon	1	1

Compared against their current cars, shoppers are moving away from both new and used sedans, despite that many sedans provide a good balance of fuel economy and safety. The number of respondents who expect to buy a new or used sedan is 5 and 8 percentage points lower, respectively, than the number who currently own a sedan. Pickup truck interest is also down, but that is less surprising given economic conditions.

The car-type shift sees shoppers gravitating toward new small and midsized SUVs – traditionally versatile vehicles, though often not the thriftiest choices. There is only a 1 percentage point shift from large SUV ownership (6 percent) to purchase intent (5 percent), giving this expensive, gas-guzzling category surprising market resiliency. The best balance of dynamics, flexibility, and ownership costs is often a wagon, yet wagons rate at the absolute bottom for purchase intent.

More older consumers intend to get a sedan or small car than others. Men prefer pickup trucks by a wide margin, while women lead small SUV interest.

While America’s passenger-car fleet continues to age, less than a fifth of car owners will be looking to replace their ride in the coming year. When it does come time to buy, fuel economy will be a primary factor, driven by operating costs. To reach their fuel-economy goals, most shoppers will need to compromise on size and even consider paying more for a diesel or hybrid – something many consumers claim they are willing to do.

Consumer Reports will dig deeper into the survey’s findings on attitudes toward car buying in upcoming blogs at www.ConsumerReports.org.

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted telephone surveys of 2,033 random adults comprising 1,018 men and 1,015 women 18 years of age and older. Respondents were screened for ownership by the household of one or more vehicles. The analysis is based on the 1,764 adults who said that their household owns a vehicle. Interviewing took place over April 28-May 2, 2011. The sampling error is +/- 2.4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

SOURCE Consumer Reports

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http://www.consumerreports.org

The Royal Forecast: MyWeather Predicts Brollies and Clouds at Westminster Abbey for Big Day

Hour-by-hour forecast for the Royal Wedding from MyWeather.com (PRNewsFoto/MyWeather)

MADISON, Wis., April 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — MyWeather, a new consumer brand from Weather Central, the world’s leading provider of interactive weather graphics and data services for television, Web, and mobile, is projecting cloudy skies and scattered showers throughout the Royal Wedding at the end of this week. The multimedia extravaganza, which will marry Prince William and Kate Middleton, will take place at Westminster Abbey this Friday, but onlookers would be wise to bring their brollies and macks. (Americans making the trip should consider packing umbrellas and raincoats.)

More precise than any other service, MyWeather’s forecast for the wedding is not based on broad information for the entire city of London, but rather specific data for Westminster Abbey’s exact location and the surrounding 1km-wide area. Throughout the week, MyWeather.com and its social media assets will be the authoritative online destination for precise, accurate and immersive weather information concerning the Royal Wedding, featuring graphics, video forecasts and more. A video that includes a 3-D “fly-over” of Westminster Abbey with hourly forecast conditions can currently be viewed at youtube.com/myweather.

Employing the company’s highly precise and accurate technologies, MyWeather’s best-in-class meteorologists are expecting mild temperatures, mostly cloudy skies and growing chances for rain at Westminster Abbey on the big day. Temperatures Friday morning will likely start out between 7 degrees and 9 degrees C (mid 40s F), but will rise to around 15 – 17 degrees C (upper 50s to low 60s F) through the ceremony and into the afternoon. Brisk east-northeast winds will range from 10 – 20 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph. Rain chances for Friday are right around 30%, as scattered showers may blow in from the east off of the North Sea.

Forecast for the Ceremony:

• 11:00 AM – Mostly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers. Temperatures around 14 degrees C, with an east-northeast wind at around 13 mph.

“Any wedding beckons for a beautiful, sunny day. Though not the most desirable conditions for a wedding – let alone one of this magnitude – the forecast doesn’t presume that there is anything but a bright road ahead for Great Britain’s beloved couple,” said MyWeather’s President, Chris Kelly. “After all, should it rain, showers can only mean good luck for the future of this royal union; we all know that a wet knot is harder to untie.”

SOURCE MyWeather

RELATED LINKS
http://www.MyWeather.com

Disaster In Japan — Powerful World Premiere Documentary Captures Historic Catastrophe Through the Eyes of Those Who Experienced It, Announced by National Geographic Channel

Rarely Seen Home Video, Cell Phone Video and News Coverage Provide Immediacy and Raw Emotion in Detailed, Chronological Account of the Disaster

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The world watched in horror on March 11, 2011, as the fourth largest earthquake

Photo Credit, NOAA

ever recorded crippled Japan and triggered a massive tsunami that swallowed entire communities, leaving unprecedented catastrophe in its wake.  All the while, amateur videographers, news crews, tourists and countless others were recording the sights and sounds of the unfolding chaos.  From the producers of the critically acclaimed special Witness Katrina, NGC now presents Witness: Disaster in Japan, a powerful firsthand look at the tragedy, entirely through the eyes of those who experienced it.

Premiering on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, just over a month after the disaster occurred, Witness: Disaster in Japan weaves together an array of video sources — some rarely seen, and others shown in more depth — to build a comprehensive one-hour special that exemplifies the sheer magnitude of the disaster in chronological order, starting with the earthquake’s first tremor through the unbelievable devastation caused by the tsunami.

Dramatic video accounts document the progression and increasing impact of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake.  During the small rumblings and first earthquake warnings, we see video of residents around Tokyo remaining calm.  But as the earthquake’s intensity builds, panic spreads — ceilings collapse at shopping centers and grocery stores, the ground cracks, water mains break beneath neighborhoods, industrial smokestacks and skyscrapers precariously sway and people scramble out of their homes to find safety.  After recording several minutes of the shaking, a young American turns the camera on himself, admitting, “I’m underneath a desk and I’m f’ing scared.”

Meanwhile, sirens alert Japan’s coastal regions of the impending tsunami.  Then, a mere 30 minutes after the earthquake, a massive tsunami engulfs the coast.  From mountainsides and parking garages, survivors use their phones and video cameras to document the horror as it’s happening, while helicopters follow the sweeping wave as it destroys almost everything in its path.  Handheld video captures the massive wave as people desperately try to get to higher ground.

The immediate destruction is captured throughout the region, from the airport in Sendai to the small town of Otsuchi to the city of Asahi.  Houses topple like playing cards; cars are washed away like ants.  The sheer destruction is unbelievable, and the immediate reactions of panic, terror and disbelief are captured as the moments unfold.

Witness: Disaster in Japan also captures the immediate aftermath in all its epic human complexity — raw images of fear, grief and hope as the search for survivors begins.  Witness an American working with a Japanese woman who doesn’t speak English as they attempt to help those stranded, floating in the harbor, and experience the pain of a woman sifting through debris to find her family.

Visit natgeotv.com for more information.

SOURCE National Geographic Channel

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http://www.natgeotv.com