MiFio

News and Information Network

Business Day

5 Tips for Successful Succession Planning
From hiring the right professionals to help chart a course, to taking the time to train and work with your successors, these tips will set you on the path to a good succession plan and help ensure the long-term survival of your organization.

Research Gives New Insight on Retail Industry Customer Relationships
A new study confirms that customers really do feel strong relationships with the retailers they patronize.

Size Does Matter: Big Companies Retain Employees Longer
Research shows that employees at larger firms earn more and stay longer than those working at smaller firms.

New Study Shows Good Jobs for Hourly Workers Benefit All
One of the first major studies to focus on employee engagement among lower-wage hourly workers, the CitiSales Study finds that six workplace dimensions are essential components to employee engagement and customer satisfaction in the retail industry.

Musical Musings

Singing and recording : What has changed?
Computers and software have revolutionized the way recorded music is created. We are now able to manipulate what we record beyond our wildest dreams.

Ear Training for Musicians
Playing by ear. To the beginning or intermediate musician, the idea breaking free of pre-written arrangements might seem like an almost magical notion, but the skills needed to play by ear are in fact teachable and readily available.

Work Smarter

Online or Traditional Education: Which Is Right For You?
Compares and contrasts online and brick and morter educators giving you the information you need to chart the course which is right for you.

How To Choose the Right Degree For You
The number and nature of college degrees are as diverse as the people who get them. They come in different sizes - associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral - and in scores of different subjects. So how do you choose the right degree for you? Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself.

How To Build a Dynamite Resume
Hiring decisions are often made on first impressions. As such, you want to make sure your resume not only explains who you are and what you have to offer, but also does so in a way that is attractive to potential employers. Learn how you can create, beautify, and even airbrush your resume in order to make a lasting impression.

Web Styles

An Unorthodox Javascript Form Submission
Describes three fixes in handling an unorthodox Javascript form submission. Executing Javascript before submitting the data to the server; altering the behavior of the PHP running on the server so that it would return to the original page; and restarting animated GIFs.

Bring Your Web Site to Life With PHP
PHP is the scripting language that powers some of the biggest Web 2.0 content providers in the business. Whether you're looking to add a simple feedback form to your site, or have your heart set on building the next Facebook, read up on PHP in this informative tutorial and get started tonight.

Use JavaScript to Dynamically Update Your Website
Learn to use this simple JavaScript technique to change content and make instant updates across your entire site. Whether you update five pages or thousands, this handy web tip is a must read!

Using HTML Tables to Format Your Web Page
Follow these simple steps to master the use of the HTML table features and deliver beautiful layouts for all of your web page design work.

Tips for Improving Website Navigation
In order for visitors to find the right information, a website's navigation path needs to be clear. Without a clear navigation path, visitors will become confused and leave before they can make a purchase.In order for visitors to find the right information, a website's navigation path needs to be clear. Without a clear navigation path, visitors will become confused and leave before they can make a purchase.

Choosing the Right Color for Your Web Site
When people build a web site for their business (or hire a web design company to make it for them), not much thought is put into deciding what color their web site will be as most would rather focus on more important tasks like creating content, web site optimization and promotion. Most simply choose the most web-friendly colors, others use their company’s logo as base while some decide to just use their favorite color.

Designing A Website That Loads Quickly
The amount of time it takes for your website to load onto the visitor's screen is a major influence on traffic to your site. Research has shown that most internet users will leave your website if it takes more than 10 seconds to load and some potential guests will exit even faster. A quick loading website is vitally important to the success of your site.

How to Create Web2.0 Applications using AJAX and Clientside HTTP Requests
AJAX is an acronym that stands for Asynchronous Javascript and XML. A web 2.0 application, or AJAX application, runs on a single web page, and uses clientside javascript to initiate and process additional requests to the server.

Getting a Grip on VBScript Arrays with UBound
The ubound function returns the highest subscript in the given dimension of an array and can simplify your array handling tasks.

VBScript Split Function
The VBScript Split function takes a string and returns an array broken up by the delimiter of your choosing. This functionality can make short work of parsing plain text, CSV, tab delimitted, or virtually any type of string you can imagine.

A Longest Common Substring Function for Javascript
Here is a down and dirty Javascript function that returns the longest substring shared by two string variables.

Javascript Chatterbot Workshop
Home of the Do It Yourself Chatterbot Project. Has a ready to go chatterbot shell and full instructions on how to program it.

Money Matters

Finance Professors Don't Practice What They Preach
A recent survey of finance professors from universities across the United States revealed that most use passive techniques such as mutual funds to manage their own wealth. Those that do trade actively perform only basic screens on fundamentals, avoiding the complex pricing models so often advocated by professional investment advisors.

Expert Cautions Against Reverse Mortgages
Aging baby boomers are being aggressively marketed for long-term care insurance funded by reverse mortgages. Lawyer Frank Darras says beware. Betting your house on an insurance policy can backfire and leave you with nothing, he says.

Five Easy Tips for Saving Money on Gas
Even small increases in fuel economy can add up to big savings.

You Can Raise Your Credit Score
Is a low FICO score is preventing you from getting a loan or forcing you into accepting unfavorable terms and rates? Is so then there are simple, ethical steps you can take to repair and restore your credit.

Five Tips to Help Disaster Victims Recover Financially
After a flood or other disaster strikes it is important to move quickly to assess your financial situation and file any claims. The Texas Society of Certified Public Accounts offers some advice to help disaster victims get back on their feet.

Are Get Paid To Shop Opportunities for Real?
Genuine mystery shopping opportunities exist, but job seekers beware - there are plenty of scammers out there looking to take advantage of you. If you are looking for a chance to work at home and set your own hours, be sure to check out these valuable tips for getting started as a secret shopper and finding real jobs.

Lifestyles

Popping the Question - The Second Time Around
Getting ready for a second, or third, marriage brings its own unique concerns, not the least of which are financial. It may not be the most romantic notion, but a peak into your intended's past can go a long way to ensuring a happy future for the two of you.

Plan Ahead for a Happy and Healthy Summer Wedding
We plan our weddings for months, sometimes years, to get every detail right. The bridal gown, bridesmaids dresses, color themes, music, food – nothing is left to chance. But take steps to make sure that your happy day is a healthy day, too. From managing stress to beating the summer heat, it takes good planning to ensure a healthy wedding.

The Net Generation Would Forgo Television Before Internet
From self image to career choice to favorite media, a 2007 survey of people between the ages of 16 and 29 from 12 different countries studies the habits of the Net Generation and draws some fascinating conclusions.

Avoid Injuries and Stay Safe While Enjoying Backcountry Hiking
Members of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees (CNPSR) bring you five survival tips for safer hiking. From proper planning to knowing what to do in an emergency, you can enjoy adventure and be safe too!

Wood Floor Installation Methods
Several options are available for installing wood floors, including nail down, glue down and floating.

Pet Care

Aging Dogs and Cats Need Special Care
Understanding the aging process of pets, and learning to see the signs of age-related decline in dogs and cats, can help owners better care for their beloved senior pets.

6 Powerful Dog Training Tips
Dog training should be an opportunity for you to build your relationship with your dog, to create a better bond, and to have some fun in the process.

Education and Assessment Help Protect Pets From Disease Risks
Pets can be exposed to illness causing organisms in many common areas such as parks, backyards and even inside the home. Fortunately, disease risks can be reduced through pet owner education, wellness exams and risk assessment from a veterinarian.

Destinations

London Is Great Destination for Music Fans
London's nightlife makes it a top destination for rock fans and pop music historians. From the crosswalk at Abbey Road to the venerable Royal Albert Hall, Great Britain is the place to go to see some of pop culture's most significant landmarks.

Chateau Villandry In The Stunning Loire Valley - A Must See Garden
Chateau de Villandry is open to the public and is one of the most visited castles in France. People come from the world over to see its famous Renaissance gardens which combine flowers and vegetables in intricate beds, best viewed from the castle tower.

Sesame Place: A Pennsylvania Theme Park for Young Children
For some children, a theme park can be overwhelming, but not Sesame Place. This Pennsylvania destination in Langhorne near Philadelphia encourages children to seek out adventure with the same philosophies as Sesame Street.

Cafe Boogaloo, Brass Monkey, and Vibrato are Top Voted Los Angeles Nightspots
Zagat Survey has announced the results of its 2007-08 Los Angeles Nightlife survey. The results are based on the collective opinions of 3,115 avid, local late-nighters who went out an average of 1.8 times per week, which is roughly 291,000 nights of market research.

Discover Fine Arts and Craftsmanship Across Pennsylvania
The artisan trails program combines attractions for arts and crafts enthusiasts and collectors with lodging opportunities to create a unique road trip experience.

Green Living

Researchers Crash Through Solar Efficiency Barriers
Funded by a U.S. government research grant, a consortium led by the University of Delaware is making great strides forward in solar electric generation and is well on it's way to achieving its goal of 50 percent efficiency.

Controlling Insects Organically
It's easy and fun to control garden pests without resorting to scary chemicals. Here are some great tips to help you learn how.

Seven Ideas To Save Energy and Money During Hot Weather
Warm weather brings high electricity bills as utilities struggle to keep up with peak demand. Here are seven tips to help you save money while conserving resources and helping the environment.

Better Salmon Farming Techniques Would Protect Chile's Patagonian Lakes
The majority of salmon consumed in the U.S. is farmed, and the bulk of it comes from Chile. Fish farming has emerged as the most significant point source of pollution for Chile's unique and pristine Patagonian Lakes.

Tech Talk

Recent Progress in Computer Vision May Have Been Overstated
Flaws in the tests scientists use to evaluate a computer's ability to recognize objects visually may have led to overly optimistic reports of progress in the challenging field of computer vision. A new MIT study posits that these tests inadvertently favor the computer.

Cognitive Theory Shows Promise for AI Advances
Researchers are applying the cognitive theory of affordances developed by psychologist James J. Gibson to robotics. The principal shifts the focus of the artificial intelligence system from what a thing is to how it can be used. Early experiments show promise that this new approach will help robotic systems better identify real world objects and put them to use.

Computer Vision May Not Be Advancing As Rapidly As Believed
Flaws in the tests scientists use to evaluate a computer's ability to recognize objects visually may have led to overly optimistic reports of progress in the challenging field of computer vision. A new MIT study posits that these tests inadvertently favor the computer.

Maximum Computer Performance in the Green Computing Age
With comuter bencharking attention shifting from strictly performance to performance with energy efficiency, performance-saving measures are needed now more than ever.

Natural Language Processing Comes Alive - Chatterbots Multiply on the Web
Find chatterbots, information on AIML and other bot scripting languages, natural language processing, text based question answering and more.

Piecing together the next generation of cognitive robots
While building robots with anything akin to human intelligence remains a far off vision, making them more responsive would allow them to be used in a greater variety of sophisticated tasks in the manufacturing and service sectors. Such robots could be used as home helpers and caregivers, for example.

An Apple Is What You Do With It
Using a corpus containing more than a trillion words, and the brain activity of nine volunteer subjects, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have demonstrated that they can predict unique brain activation patterns associated with names for things that you can see, hear, feel taste or smell.

Robofish Inspired By Nature Communicate With Each other In Underwater Teams
University of Washington researchers looked to the behavior of schooling and herding animals to improve the performance and inter-machine communications in underwater robots. Someday these more efficient laborers could take on tasks such as tracking groups of whales, or exploring environments too dangerous for manned exploration.