luni, 30 septembrie 2013

Blogger Outreach - What Do They Think About SEOs?

Blogger Outreach - What Do They Think About SEOs?


Blogger Outreach - What Do They Think About SEOs?

Posted: 29 Sep 2013 04:19 PM PDT

Posted by DaveSottimano

Have you ever wondered why bloggers didn't reply to your last outreach email? Why they refused to link to your shiny new infographic, or what they really think about SEOs?

I conducted a 26 question survey with a sample group of bloggers to help digital marketers construct better outreach pitches and give bloggers the opportunity to voice their opinions.

The feedback might shock some of you; I hope you're ready.

Disclaimer: Due to the nature of the questions, and in the interest of protecting the respondents, the full data set, exact sample size, and respondents' blog URLs will not be made public.

Survey information:

  • There are fewer than 100 bloggers in the sample, mostly from the parenting / food niche
  • No demographic requirements to participate, however the bloggers are largely from the UK and US
  • Survey format: Google docs forms, with a mixture of multiple choice questions and text boxes

Important: The sample is not representative of all bloggers, or bloggers within the UK, US, food or parenting niches.

Section 1: Website information (traffic, PR)

Most of the bloggers are currently making money from their blogs. The largest revenue source is paid content, which was defined as advertorials and reviews.

58% of our sample group is getting less than 10,000 visits per month, and 42% are considerably more popular, receiving more than 10,000 visits per month.

65% of the bloggers' homepages were PageRank 2 or less, and 31% were over PageRank 3.

Section 2: Link selling and link requests

58% of the bloggers said they sell followed links, defined in the question as follows: Do you sell links that pass PageRank, i.e. A followed link is a regular link, a nofollow link is a link that you wrap with rel="nofollow" in the HTML to prevent passing PageRank.

On the other hand, 73% said they also sold NO-followed links on their blogs. Both questions regarding followed and nofollowed links had an "I don't know what this is" option, but we were fortunate to have an educated sample, as no one used this response.

When it came down to their stances on selling links in general, 62% agreed that it was okay to sell links as long as they were disclosed.

88% of these bloggers were sent anywhere between 1-10 link requests per month.

38% already have a predetermined price list for link selling.

On a scale from 1 to 5, 1 being never, and 5 being highly likely, it seems as if our group was not very likely to editorially link to content that has been requested via email (by "editorially link" I mean create unpaid links).

Section 3: Outreach email details

31% said they would never open an email with "Link request" in the subject line.

Ambiguity in the outreach email (example: "hi there") seems to be less favourable, with 62% of bloggers choosing 1 & 2 as their responses, with 1 meaning "never" and 5 meaning they were "highly likely" to open the emails.

There was no clear answer in regards to likeliness of responding to shorter email requests. This was defined as emails with fewer than 100 words.

However, 46% seemed to prefer detailed email requests, defined as an email request with more than 100 words.

65% will open/read an email based on the subject line alone, and 19% will open/read the email regardless.

Section 4: Guest posting, preferred content type, and contact preference

The majority response to accepting guest post requests was "sometimes," the reason becomes a bit clearer in the next question.

If you can prove that you're credible, 54% of these bloggers were in favour of accepting your guest posts over others.

Something that surprised me: Most of the bloggers only received 0-1 guest-post requests per week. It might be helpful to note again that 42% were receiving more than 10,000 visits per month.

In descending order of preference, these bloggers were most likely to embed images, badges, videos, and infographics. None were willing to embed widgets (description of a widget was a weather widget).

81% of the bloggers preferred to be contacted via email or a contact form on their websites, as opposed to only 19% who preferred contact through social media (Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn were given as examples).

Section 5: Genuine feedback from open-ended questions

1) What are your overall thoughts regarding being pitched to?

  • "I don't mind being pitched to, but the truth is I never accept anything that isn't well written, personally addressed to me (shows that they've read my blog) and is in accordance with my blog and audience."
  • "I like being pitched to providing the person has some idea of who I am and what I do, I don't get annoyed by completely irrelevant pitches and try to reply to all whether I am interested or not."
  • "Despite clearly stating on my disclosure page that I do not publish sponsored posts or paid links I still receive a number of such requests each week. This is wasting both my time and the SEOs time. I generally delete such requests without responding."
  • "My blog is just that...my blog! Whilst I like to ensure that it pays it's own way in that it covers the cost of the domain name, hosting etc it's not just some random space that is crying out for graffiti. I have had random generic one size fits all pitches that I think are quite arrogant (read rude) in their approach in that they want me to do a review or add a link and in return they apparently will share my blog to their network that I know nothing of its size or influence. Whilst I must clearly be flattered that they have emailed me, it in fact makes my blood pressure increase and I don't bother to reply."
  • "I love being pitched to. It makes me feel like I am writing about relevant things that can fit with brands and that people actually want to read about! Makes me feel a bit *special* (she says in a daft voice!) It makes me feel like companies want to interact with my readership and encourages me to try new ideas/recipes/competitions. I can do this on my own BUT if I am going to be paid, receive a gift or samples in exchange for my effort then that is even better!"
  • "I have no issues at all to being pitched, but rather than ambiguity about what an SEO wants i.e. I am a freelance writer and want to offer you a guest post, I would just prefer a straight we are looking for a follow link and have this budget! I also prefer more unique pitches. I am happy to write posts if you provide me with experiences or review product of a certain value. I like regular income, I love working with clients that I know will be coming back or want to develop relationships and value my websites."
  • "I like that PR companies are taking bloggers more seriously. Some pitches/approaches do have some way to go before we, as bloggers, feel that we are seen as on a par with mainstream media, however things are improving and its getting there."
  • "I am happy to be pitched to, I prefer honesty in the pitch and I like to know that the pitch is genuine and the person has actually bothered to look at my site. I can pinpoint flattery a mile away and when a person has not even bothered to find out the ethos of my blog. A genuine pitch will be for something that would fit in with my blog and what I write about too often than not I get pitches for non relevant stuff that would never fit in with my food blog."

2) Can you think of the most outrageous request for links?

  • "Asking for a backlink straight up, no offer of anything, nothing in it for me but hard work and no reward, or a brand asking you to review a product they aren't prepared to send you - because they say you can write a good review incl backlinks without a product, from a description sheet and recommend it. You can't be truthful about something without having the full story (or product) I'm all about transparency so this and sly ways to get links really annoy me."
  • "I am often asked to place a link for free on my blog to a company in return for the opportunity to write content for their website as no charge to myself....what a treat!!!"
  • "The kind of approach which starts off sounding good, that we can build a working relationship but ends with we have no budget. It makes us feel very undervalued and miss led to a degree"
  • "An online craft store wanted me to feature a seasonal craft activity tutorial that they'd written. It all sounded good and was relevant to my blog so I went back to them with my rate card and said that as I liked the tutorial so much I would actually be happy to discuss about a rate reduction to feature this. Their short, sharp response was to tell me that it was "illegal to pay for links" and if I was a "proper blogger" I would have known that!"

3) Is there anything you'd like to say to the SEO community?

Personal note here, this is by far the best feedback I've ever received as an SEO. I've intentionally added as many quotes as possible because I find it extremely valuable and hope you will too.

  • "Don't try and trick a blogger, we talk!"
  • "SEO is becoming overrated and content, which should be more important, is fast becoming less so. I find it hard to "follow the rules" of SEO, to have enough "key words" in my opening paragraph, or my title, to remember everything that I "should be doing to improve my SEO". I know that's why my SEO is in the toilet, but I would like to say that I find it to hard, complicated and confusing as to why I should. The problem today is that it has become a game of who will win - the SEO or the search engine, and the content, who is the king, is fast becoming obsolete."
  • "Please don't try to persuade me to not disclose any links or features, it is not good for either side."
  • "I feel like anyone else wanting to work with bloggers that SEO's need to show they value bloggers, read our blogs and give us credit for knowing about guidelines with regards follow/no follow rules. Trying to convince us that we don't know about these things does not hold well and makes us feel undervalued. We want to work with SEO's and want to build good relationships but this can only be done by treating us with respect for what we do from the start. Make approaches personally instead of making us feel part of a blanket approach email."
  • "Buying follow links on blogs risks the page rank of not only the bloggers you work with, but also your clients. Google are regularly updating their algorithms to identify paid follow links and remove them from their indexes. Google provides a sanctioned way for you to get your clients to the top of the search results by paying - it's called Adwords."
  • "I sometimes feel like I am at the mercy of the SEO community and that there is something secretive about it all. I am just a person who has a blog and I have no knowledge on the whole SEO front, but I would like a fair go at being 'discovered' out in the big world of the web."
  • "Don't expect that we (bloggers) are going to give our time, effort and energy to you for free. You wouldn't work for free so please don't expect us to! Make sure what you pitch is relevant, READ MY BLOG,I'm not just ""a blogger"" I do have a name! It's even in my URL and my email address - how can you get it wrong?
  • I write because I love it first and foremost, but if your brand fits with mine and we can build a relationship with each other then that's good but I don't want to write about clinical trials in Oz for money! I don't have type of readers that would be interested - it needs to fit with my content and a sufficient incentive needs to be offered. If you want something for nothing, you'll go no further than my trash can with a spam flag next to your email address! I want to be challenged, I don't just want to write a boring post that includes a back link, I want it to be fun for me, and if my readers can take part in some way, even better! Interaction with my readers makes them real. Otherwise, they are just a number on a stat sheet. If I have pitched you and my blog is not suitable, please tell me why! If my stats & metrics are not good enough then tell me your bottom line for accepting, if I got in touch with you then I feel that your brand IS relevant so I will get back in touch once I have met your baseline for stats & metrics as I want to work with you. Metrics aren't everything to a blogger like they are to an SEO. Stats and metrics are not our jobs, writing is so often when people don't get back in touch, I feel like they were never interested in my pitch in the first place. I'm not going to tweet my hatred to the world if you say no, I'm just going to go back to you at some point - I am a person the same as you, manners cost nothing, even if you're telling me no!
  • Please don't get the same people writing the same things over and over, I read blogs too and it sometimes gets boring when the whole of your bloglovin feed is crammed with the same SEO link that everyone has just been paid for, stagger it out a bit more! You'd probably see better results too! I won't click on the same link from every blog, I'm sure most other people won't either!
  • Don't get overwhelmed by stats! Some bloggers don't even care about them or know what DA, PR and PA is never mind MozRank or citation flow. If you want a blogger to know this, show them how it is relevant to them and to you at the same time.
  • A lot of bloggers are scared of stats because they are complicated to understand and it's impossible to fathom how you can make them go up as there is no clear explanation that lots of us have tried to find! The rest either care too much or don't care at all about their stats! I fall into the I get it, I care category. I want to know who reads me and where in the world they are, I am actually interested! Educate us more on the kind of metrics and stats that you want from us and how they are relevant to you! Be clear on nofollow and dofollow when you pitch to avoid confusion too, there is nothing worse than agreeing a fee with someone only to find that you won't be paid unless you change to a dofollow link once your post has gone live, the fee is almost always higher from a bloggers point of view for a link of this kind, it's OUR pagerank that is being put at risk if we disclose or not!"
  • "Please, please don't try to confuse me with jargon. Don't make up stories about what is and isn't acceptable according to Google as I do know. Try to offer everyone roughly the same fair rates. Its very amusing when an SEO person tells me that they have no budget left so can only pay me a third of what they paid my husband twenty minutes ago. Try to pay promptly and also pay me the amount I've agreed and invoiced for, not ten or twenty pounds less and expect me to chase as seems to happen quite often."
  • "False praise will almost always get you caught out- don't tell me I'm an amazing baker when I haven't written about baking on my blog for years- I'll hit delete after reading that sentence."
  • "Many bloggers, especially parent bloggers, are people juggling lots of balls at once. Whilst blogging may not be their full time occupation please don't assume that this means that we're either stupid, prepared to work for free, or don't talk to other people. Professional bloggers do know the law around disclosure rules, do know what Google's position on follow / nofollow links is, understand what other bloggers are being offered for similar content and do know just how much brands pay SEO agencies to get links out there on the internet. I have great working relationships with some SEO companies where both sides know exactly what the other one wants out of the relationship and there is professional respect between us. Sadly that is not the case with all SEOs who approach me."
  • "I like being given links before other people, so my content is unique and more applicable to my blog. I like to be paid extra to write the copy myself (I do a good job of making it applicable to my readers).
  • Be clear in your requirements and explain what they mean in none SEO jargon. Are you looking just for an embedded link, or do you want a post with lots of engagement? Give constructive feedback. Look at ways to reward bloggers that respond in a timely manner and please pay promptly. I do not have time to keep chasing payments."
  • "The majority of bloggers work hard, we take our work seriously and are very proud of what we create. Please do stop and think before asking us to cover press releases or produce copy with no incentive for us at all - would you work for free?"
  • "Let's all work together to create a professional, mutually beneficial network. Bloggers who blog to blag give us a bad name. Equally PRs who throw things out to hit numbers give you a bad name. We need a foundation of respect, professionalism and effort from both sides. Bloggers will provide you excellent copy, network well on your behalf and promote things if you treat them as professionals and respect what they do.
  • Don't ask them to bend or break rules, don't ask for non-disclosure, don't insist you're doing them a favour by letting them promote your site, business or product without paying for the time and work that they give you in return."
  • "We may seem like odd people that waffle on on the internet but you know what, we are just people too and blogging, more often than not, is our hobby and passion. A little respect about what we do and our worth goes a long way. As does friendliness and relationship building. I'm ten times more likely to do a cheap or even free post as a favour for an SEO I like, respect and have built a relationship with than a fly by night SEO."
  • "If there was a way that bloggers could be in touch with more white hats then they wouldn't feel the need to accept the black hat approaches that appear so frequently in their inbox."

I think this word cloud sums up the bloggers' thoughts pretty well:

My personal conclusions from the survey

  • Don't expect bloggers to work for free. I am not telling you to buy followed links.
  • Be honest, and don't try to pull off any tricks.
  • Talking about stats will only confuse them, and benefits no one. Be clear with your intentions and outline the benefits for them in your request.
  • If you want to buy nofollow links, your best bet is to provide an advertorial feature that is likely to target longtail keywords and drive referral traffic. I am not saying your only option is to buy nofollow links, but you should understand the risks of buying followed links and make your own call.
  • Bloggers are far more informed about SEO than we think, so don't try and pull any tricks and be honest about your intentions. I am not saying that all bloggers were ever oblivious to requests, nor that all SEOs have tried to take advantage of all bloggers.
  • I would experiment with different subject lines, but I'd steer clear from ambiguity, and provide a detailed request versus a quick email.
  • From the results, I would assume that a good guest post is still probably the best way to get an editorial link, as long as you can prove credibility and the content is relevant. I would also ensure that the content I would provide would be good enough to post on any other site, including my own. I would also include exclusive/unique images for the post as an added incentive for the blogger to accept my request.
  • Email and contact forms still seem like the right way to approach a blogger, although I would still resort to social media as plan B.

Additional reading regarding topics discussed in the post

Final word

There are likely to be errors in the survey design, and the sample is not representative of all bloggers. It doesn't mean that the results are not indicative of the situation; in fact, I've learned more from the feedback questions than any other blogger outreach post. I'd love to hear your comments, but please try to keep them constructive. I'd like to thank all of the bloggers who took their time to fill in the survey, your feedback is greatly appreciated.


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Google AdSense Newsletter - September 2013

bubbles
September 2013 Publisher ID ca-pub-1492172262972996

Dear publisher,

This month we'll focus on the fundamentals by discussing what's happening with AdSense, how to be 'responsive' in a mobile world, and ways to continue growing. Be sure to check out our blog - Inside AdSense - for learnings and a brush up on the basics. In this edition, you'll read about:
  • Responsive ad units to help deliver a positive user experience
  • New controls for specific ad features
  • An AdSense success story
  • Policy refreshers to help you stay informed
Regards,

Peter
The Google AdSense Team


Was this newsletter useful? Share your feedback with us.

Updates

The responsive web + AdSense

We know one of the biggest challenges publishers currently face is designing websites that adapt to different screen sizes, resolutions and user experiences. You've been asking for responsive ad units to help you deliver the best possible user experience on your pages, and we've listened to your feedback. We're happy to share that responsive ad units are now available as a beta feature.



More control over ad features

We're always looking for innovative ways to improve our ad formats and help you earn more revenue from your content. As part of our continuous efforts to improve our ad formats and help you earn more revenue, we've recently launched features like clickable arrow icons and favicons on text ads. We understand that some publishers may prefer not to show these enhancements on their ad units, and so we're now offering the ability to opt out in a few short steps. We hope that having more control over these features will be helpful when deciding on the look of your ads.
Case Study

An AdSense success story

Theme park enthusiast Robert Niles runs ThemeParkInsider, a review site for amusement parks around the world. After signing up for AdSense in 2003, he was able to quit his day job a few years later thanks to the revenue he was earning from AdSense. Hear more of Robert's AdSense story and don't forget to share your own!


Program Policies

Get informed with a policy refresher

You've let us know that you'd like more educational material to understand our policies. With that in mind, we've created two short animated videos to help explain the topics we most frequently receive questions about: adult content and copyright content. We've chosen adult & copyright content, as these are two of the most frequently asked about topics. We hope you find these videos informative.

Find out about our different support options.

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Seth's Blog : 'Category of one' is a choice

 

'Category of one' is a choice

Fit in or stand out.

Do what works now or build what works later.

Avoid criticism or seek it out.

Follow the manual or write the manual.

When you define the category, when the category is you and you alone, your marketing issues tend to disappear. At least they do if the category is one that enough of the right people want to engage with.

Faced with the opportunity to become the category of one, we almost always hesitate, almost always compromise, almost always dumb it down to play it a little bit safer.

You may very well become a category of one in a market that's devoid of customers. But you will never become a category of one if you run with the pack.

       

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duminică, 29 septembrie 2013

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis


More Government Shutdown Hype

Posted: 29 Sep 2013 03:31 PM PDT

The AP comments How budget showdowns could squeeze the US economy. The story is nearly all hype. Let's take a look.

Q. What exactly will happen within the next days and weeks?

A. The most urgent deadline is for Congress and the White House to agree to keep funding the government after the current budget year ends Monday. Otherwise, some of the government would have to shut down. The House and Senate are considering bills to fund the government past the deadline. But House Republicans want to cut off funding for President Barack Obama's health care law as a condition of passing the spending measure. Senate Democrats and the White House have balked. Unless one side essentially blinks, a partial shutdown of the government will occur.

Mish: That is accurate so far.

Q. What about the federal borrowing cap? First of all, what is it?

A. It's a legal limit on how much debt the government can pile up. The government accumulates debt two ways: It borrows money from investors by issuing Treasurys. And it borrows from itself, mostly from Social Security revenue.

Mish: It's important to note there is no social security fund whatsoever. Every penny and then some has been borrowed and spent. Here comes the hype.

Q. What if Congress can't agree to raise the cap in time?

A. It could be disastrous. No longer authorized to borrow, the government would have to pay its bills only out of the revenue it gets from taxes and fees. This would force the government to immediately slash spending by 32 percent, the Bipartisan Policy Center estimates. Most analysts think the government would delay paying each day's bills until it had accumulated enough money to pay them all.

Even worse, the government could miss interest payments on Treasurys, triggering a first-ever default by the U.S. government. U.S. Treasurys are held by banks, governments and individuals worldwide. Ultimately, a prolonged default could lead to a global financial crisis.

At the same time, Social Security and other benefit payments would be delayed. Government contractors might not be paid and would likely lay off workers. Paychecks for military personnel could be delayed.

The government actually reached its borrowing limit back in May. Since then, the Treasury has taken a variety of measures to avoid exceeding it. But the cash generated by those measures will run out sometime between Oct. 22 and Oct. 31, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates.

The date isn't exact because it isn't possible to foresee precisely how much revenue the government will receive and when.

Mish: The following AP statement is preposterous "Most analysts think the government would delay paying each day's bills until it had accumulated enough money to pay them all."

I am not aware of any analysts who have stated the government would delay paying all bills until it could pay them all.

Moreover, the suggestion that "the government could miss interest payments on Treasurys, triggering a first-ever default by the U.S. government" is equally nonsensical. US treasuries would be the last thing that would go unpaid.

Q. Will the economy escape harm if both deadlines are met?

A. Probably. But even brinksmanship can have consequences. The last major fight over the borrowing cap, in the summer of 2011, wasn't resolved until hours before the deadline. Even though the deadline was met, Standard & Poor's issued the first-ever downgrade of long-term U.S. credit. That, in turn, led to a 635-point plunge in the Dow Jones industrial average the next day.

In August that year, consumer confidence plummeted to its lowest level since April 2009, when the economy was in recession. Spending at retail stores weakened.

"The fallout nearly caused the fragile economic recovery to stall," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.

Mish: The report goes on and on blaming everything but hornet attacks on what happened in 2009. I call it's ridiculous speculation at best. And the hype continues ...

Q. All this sounds pretty scary. Why aren't financial markets panicking?

A. Stock prices have fallen in six of the past seven days, partly because of the looming deadlines. But the price declines have been modest. Many investors likely feel they have seen this movie before and know how it ends: with another last-minute deal.

"After several rounds of fiscal brinksmanship ... markets may be somewhat desensitized to the headlines," Alec Phillips, an economist at Goldman Sachs, wrote in a note to clients.

Mish: It's not scary at all, but the AP sure did its best to make it sound that way.

A partial shutdown would hardly be disastrous. In fact I welcome such a shutdown as noted in Government Shutdown is a Fantastic Idea.

Fantastic Idea

If you think that a government shutdown is a fantastic idea (I sure do), then please contact your elected representatives and let them know.

But don't expect anything to come of it. After all, the money will last until the end of October, and that is a long time in politics.

Of course, to keep the government running now, the treasury is already borrowing against Social Security funds that are already spent! That's how absurd the setup is. 

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Giant Deadly Hornets Kill Dozens In China; Venom Dissolves Flesh and they Can Spray It

Posted: 29 Sep 2013 11:22 AM PDT

I have received hundreds of emails regarding my post Attack of the "Digger Bees".

Many suggested getting an EpiPen® (epinephrine) Auto-Injector‎ for Liz and we will do that.

Many pointed out that "digger bees" are not bees but rather wasps. That is something I knew but did not mention in my post.

I responded to some individuals that I like bees, and even have a "humble bumble" home for bumblebees, and I put out nests for mason bees.

With that backdrop, some of you may be interested in Giant Deadly Hornets Kill Dozens And Injure Hundreds In China.
Deadly hornets have killed at least 28 people in China following a string of recent attacks that have injured hundreds.

A number of tragic cases have been reported, including a mother and son who died after being surrounded by a killer swarm.

A man who tried to help them suffered kidney failure after the giant hornets chased him for 200 metres and stung him repeatedly on the head and legs, The Mirror reported.

In the city of Ankang alone, 18 people have died from the stings, while a further 212 people have been injured health official Zhou Yuanhong told Associated Press.

Experts are blaming the vicious attacks on Asian giant hornets, which terrifyingly grow up to 5cm in length. The mammoth insects also wield a stinger in excess of 6mm long.

The natural predators have jaws powerful enough to chew through regular protective bee suits and their venom, which they can spray, dissolves human flesh.

If their venom lands in the eyes, the eye tissue will melt, according to a National Geographic documentary.
Japanese Hornet Documentary



The documentary is a lengthy 45 minutes, but some may find it interesting. Link if video above does not play: Japanese Hornet Documentary.

Those giant "hornets" look like giant yellow-jackets to me. But yellow-jackets and paper wasps look alike. About.Com explains differences in a report on Wasps, Yellowjackets, and Hornets.
The vast majority of bees and wasps in our world pose no threat to people. Most prefer to go about their business, parasitizing or preying on other insects. The social wasps of the family Vespidae, however, can be a downright nuisance. Vespid wasps include paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets, all of which will defend their homes vigorously should we disturb them. Worse yet, they have a tendency to build their homes in the places we like to spend our time, so there's a good chance you'll encounter them.

Paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets are all masters of papermaking. In spring, the queen constructs a new nest by gathering wood fibers and turning them into a papery pulp, from which she builds a home. Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped nests, often found suspended from eaves or window casings on the outside of your home. Hornets are famous for their massive, enclosed nests which can be seen hanging from tree branches or other sturdy perches. Yellowjackets also make enclosed nests, but theirs are found below ground. Care should be taken to check for yellowjacket nests before using string trimmers or lawn mowers.

All the paper wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets produce new colonies each year in temperate climates; only the mated queens survive the cold winter months, tucked away in sheltered places. The queen emerges in spring, chooses a nest site, and builds a small nest in which she lays the first eggs. Once the first generation of workers matures, these wasps will expand the nest for succeeding generations. In late summer or fall, the old queen dies, and a new one mates before her siblings die off. The old nest usually degrades over the winter.
Behavioral Differences Between Wasps, Yellowjackets, and Hornets



True Bees

The above table neglected bees.

Honeybees, bumblebees, and mason bees, etc., go after pollen. The things you see flying around at picnics, garbage cans, and especially sweets and sodas are yellow-jackets. They are an outright nuisance, and can be deadly.

As far as "dissolving flesh" goes, I can actually attest to that. On one hand I was stung three times and skin was gone in all three places. Other stings were simple swollen and itchy for over a week.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Seth's Blog : The secret of the five top

 

The secret of the five top

The person who invented the banquet table, the round table for ten, wasn’t doing it to please those at the banquet or even the banquet organizer. He did it because this is the perfect size for the kitchen and the servers. The table for ten is a platonic ideal of the intersection of the geometry of bread baskets, flower arrangements and salad dressing. Bigger and you couldn’t reach, smaller and there’s no room.

But, here’s the thing: the table for ten isolates everyone at it. You can’t talk to your left without ignoring your right, and you can’t talk across the table without yelling. And so, the very thing you’ve set up to engage the audience actually does the opposite. This is even true if you're taking nine people out for dinner--ten at a table undermines what you set out to do.

Worse, if you’re brave enough to have a speaker or a presentation at your banquet, you’ve totally undermined your goals. Half the audience is looking in the wrong direction, and there are huge circles of empty white space that no microphone can overcome.

In my experience--I’m sharing a hugely valuable secret here--you score a big win when you put five people at tables for four instead. Five people, that magical prime number, pushes everyone to talk to everyone. The close proximity makes it more difficult to find a place for the bread basket, but far, far easier for people to actually do what they came to do, which is connect with one another.

Thousands of speeches later, I can tell you that the single worst thing an organizer can do to her event is sit people at tables for ten.

If you want to let the banquet manager run your next event, by all means, feel free. Just understand that his goals are different from yours.

       

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sâmbătă, 28 septembrie 2013

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis


Is the U.S. Headed in the Right Direction?

Posted: 28 Sep 2013 08:33 PM PDT

Polling Report has an interesting data series on Direction of the Country.

Here is the question: "In general, do you think things in the nation are headed in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track?"

The polls were conducted by Bloomberg, CBS News/New York Times, NBC News/Wall Street Journal, ABC News/Washington Post, Gallup, Pew, and other polling agencies.

The Bloomberg National Poll (show below) was conducted by Selzer & Company. Sept. 20-23, 2013. Sample size was 1,000 adults nationwide. The margin of error is ± 3.1.

To produce the table and graph below, I reordered the rows in date chronological order so that the most recent recent dates are last. These results are from Bloomberg polls, with dates as shown.

Click on the link above to see results from other polling agencies (in table, not chart form).

DateRight Direction %Wrong Track %Unsure %
9/10-14/0940528
12/3-7/0932599
3/19-22/1034588
7/9-12/1031636
10/7-10/1031645
12/4-7/1027667
3/4-7/1128639
6/17-20/1126668
6/15-18/1231627
9/21-24/1233607
12/7-10/1238557
2/15-18/1337549
5/31-6/3/1332608
9/20-23/1325687


The Wrong Track



click on chart for sharper image

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Future of Medicine: Meet Sedasys - Your New Robot Anesthesiologist

Posted: 28 Sep 2013 11:55 AM PDT

Johnson & Johnson's new sedation machine promises cheaper colonoscopies, but anesthesiologists, among the highest paid physicians, don't like it one bit. It's yet another case of robots replacing humans.

Please consider the New York Times article Robots vs. Anesthesiologists.
Anesthesiologists, who are among the highest-paid physicians, have long fought people in health care who target their specialty to curb costs. Now the doctors are confronting a different kind of foe: machines.

A new system called Sedasys, made by Johnson & Johnson, would automate the sedation of many patients undergoing colon-cancer screenings called colonoscopies. That could take anesthesiologists out of the room, eliminating a big source of income for the doctors. More than $1 billion is spent each year sedating patients undergoing otherwise painful colonoscopies, according to a RAND Corp. study that J&J sponsored.

An anesthesiologist's involvement typically adds $600 to $2,000 to the procedure's cost, according to a research letter published online by JAMA Internal Medicine in July.

By contrast, Sedasys would cost about $150 a procedure, according to people familiar with J&J's pricing plans. Hospitals and clinics won't buy the machines, instead paying a fee each time they use the device, these people say. The $150 would cover maintenance and all the costs of performing the procedure except the sedating drug used, which would add a few dollars, one of the people says.

As J&J prepares for a limited rollout, many anesthesiologists are sounding the alarm. They say the machine could endanger some patients because it uses a powerful drug known as propofol that could be used improperly. They also worry that if the anesthesiologist isn't in the room, he might not be able to get to an emergency fast enough to prevent harm.

During testing, none of the 1,700 patients sedated by Sedasys required rescuing, says Steven Shafer, editor in chief of the medical journal Anesthesia & Analgesia, who helped J&J develop the machine. He says that the machine's use is limited to healthy patients who aren't at risk for problems and that the machine has mechanisms to monitor patients and make rapid adjustments, such as boosting oxygen.

"These are all things an anesthesiologist would do," says Dr. Shafer, a professor of anesthesiology at Stanford University.

J&J is also developing a device that could cut anesthesiologists out of another popular procedure: surgery to insert tubes into the ears of children seeking relief from infections. J&J hopes that ear, nose and throat doctors will be able to insert its device with the push of a button, avoiding having to put the kids under anesthesia in a hospital.
Meet Sedasys - Your New Anesthesiologist

The median annual salary of Anesthesiologists is $286,000. That is ninth among all physicians and third among nonsurgeons surveyed by PayScale.com, a salary data and software firm.

Those costs are about to change. Here is a picture of Sedasys, who bills at $150 per use.



The image is from the Wall Street Journal report J&J's Sedasys Puts Challenge to Anesthesiologists

What cannot go on won't. And two of the things that cannot go on are spiraling education costs and spiraling healthcare costs.

I welcome these changes and assure you that more are coming. It's a good thing, but current Anesthesiologists won't see it that way.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

The "Right Value" of the Indian Rupee

Posted: 28 Sep 2013 10:22 AM PDT

Reader Manish, from India, pinged me today regarding a statement made by India's Finance Minister that the Right Value of Rupee is 59-60 to a Dollar
Asserting that the right value of rupee is 59-60 to a dollar, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said that government will make all efforts, including extending priority sector status to export credit, to boost shipments. "We think that based on the REER (real effective exchange rate) value, that (59-60) is the right level of the rupee and it should not overshoot its mark.
Manish writes ...
Hello Mish

The Indian Govt knows the 'right' value of the rupee. How? Maybe it's because the Indian Prime Minister is one of the world's foremost economists. Perhaps it's because our brilliant Harvard educated Finance Minister threw a dart on a board.

Anyway, I thought the idea was funny and thought you would too.

Manish
The "Right" Value in Pictures



Foolish Proclamations

Bureaucratic fools make proclamations based along the lines of what they want to see, even though they have no idea of the economic forces in play.

The notion that India's Finance Minister knows the true value of the Rupee is idiotic, and Manish knew in advance that I would agree.

Here's the deal: If governments worldwide would stop printing money and stop manipulating interest rates, we would find out in a flash what the true exchange rates should be.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Government Shutdown is a Fantastic Idea

Posted: 28 Sep 2013 12:06 AM PDT

Looking for a reason to support a government shutdown? If so, please consider Obama Stripped to Skeleton Staff in a Government Shutdown.
A U.S. government shutdown means President Barack Obama will have fewer people to cook meals, do the laundry, clean the floors or change the light bulbs, according to a White House contingency plan.

About three-fourths of president's 1,701-person staff would be sent home. The national security team would be cut back, fewer economists would be tracking the economy and there wouldn't be as many budget officials to track spending.

Of the total, 438 people work directly for the president. Under a shutdown, 129 could continue working, according to the contingency plan.

Biden, who has a staff of 24, would have had to make do with 12.

Obama's national security staff of 66 would be cut to 42. Similar staff cuts would be imposed at the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Council of Economic Advisers and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which are all part of the president's executive office.
Fantastic Idea

If you think that a government shutdown is a fantastic idea (I sure do), then please contact your elected representatives and let them know.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Weekly Address: Averting a Government Shutdown and Expanding Access to Affordable Healthcare

Here's What's Happening Here at the White House
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Weekly Address: Averting a Government Shutdown and Expanding Access to Affordable Healthcare

In this week’s address, President Obama says that on October 1st, a big part of the Affordable Care Act will go live and give uninsured Americans the chance to buy the same quality, affordable health care as everyone else. It is also the day when some Republicans in Congress might shut down the government just because they don’t like the law. The President urged Congress to both pass a budget by Monday and raise the nation’s debt ceiling so that we can keep growing the economy. He also said that those without health insurance and those who buy it on the individual market should visit HealthCare.gov to find out how to get covered on Tuesday.

Click here to watch this week's Weekly Address.

Visit HealthCare.gov to find out how to get covered on Tuesday.

Watch: President Obama's Weekly Address

 
 
  Top Stories

Talking Healthcare: While in New York on Tuesday, President Obama joined former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting to discuss health care reform in America. “What we’re saying to people is, look, just go to the website yourself,” the President said. “Go to healthcare.gov; take a look at whether this is a good deal or not and make your own decision about whether this is good for you.” Check out their conversation here.

On Thursday, the President spoke at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland about why access to affordable health care is a cornerstone of middle-class security, and why he took on the work of fixing our broken health care system during his first term.

In the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one should go broke just because they get sick. In the United States of America, health care is not a privilege for the fortunate few -- it is a right.  And I knew that if we didn’t do something about our unfair and inefficient health care system, it would keep driving up our deficits, it would keep burdening our businesses, it would keep hurting our families, and it would keep holding back economic growth.

Starting October 1, those without health insurance will be able to visit the Health Insurance Marketplace and find health coverage that fits their needs – and their budget. A new report released on Wednesday found that Marketplace premiums are lower than initially expected. This means you can get high-quality, affordable health care under the Affordable Care Act for less than your cell phone bill. 

Make sure to watch the latest White House White Board to learn what the Affordable Care Act means for you.

United Nations General Assembly: On Monday and Tuesday, President Obama took part in the 68th session of the U.N. General Assembly. During his time there, the President held an event on supporting civil society, engaged in discussions with world leaders, and spoke in front of the General Assembly.

When he addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, President Obama focused on Syria and the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, the prospects for diplomatic engagement with Iran, and potential for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. "For decades, the United Nations has in fact made a difference -- from helping to eradicate disease, to educating children, to brokering peace," the President said.

But like every generation of leaders, we face new and profound challenges, and this body continues to be tested. The question is whether we possess the wisdom and the courage, as nation-states and members of an international community, to squarely meet those challenges; whether the United Nations can meet the tests of our time.

Read his full remarks here.

President's Statement from the Briefing Room: President Obama spoke from the White House Briefing Room on Friday about new diplomatic efforts with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the situation with Congress. Earlier that day, President Obama spoke with President Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is the first communication between an American and Iranian President since 1979. Turning to Congress, the President stated the urgency of raising the debt ceiling and voting on a budget. "My message to Congress is this: Do not shut down the government.  Do not shut down the economy. Pass a budget on time. Pay our bills on time.  Refocus on the everyday concerns of the American people," the President said.   

Memorial Service for Victims of the Navy Yard Shooting: President Obama spoke at a memorial service on Sunday to honor the 12 victims of the Navy Yard shooting. “We know that no words we offer today are equal to the magnitude, to the depths of that loss,” the President told the families of the victims.

The President also spoke about the need to prevent future tragedies like this one. “I do not accept that we cannot find a common-sense way to preserve our traditions, including our basic Second Amendment freedoms and the rights of law-abiding gun owners, while at the same time reducing the gun violence that unleashes so much mayhem on a regular basis,” he said.

Vice President Biden Travels to Colorado: On Monday, Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Colorado to view the damage from recent flooding and survey the recovery efforts.

“When President Obama issued the disaster declaration for the state, as you all know, that provided additional assistance -- everything from cleaning up debris to helping people with their housing costs to boots on the ground that are providing technical assistance and helping the search and rescue,” the Vice President said.

Vice President Biden called the progress “remarkable” but said recovery efforts will continue as long as the people of Colorado need help rebuilding.

 

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