Among animals you don't want sucking sucking your blood, ticks are near the top of the list. These hemophilic arachnids don't just help themselves to your vital fluids, they are also host to nearly a dozen human pathogens including Lyme disease, which afflicted more than 24,000 people in 2011 alone, and the Spotted Rocky Mountain Fever that claimed the life of a six year old North Carolina girl earlier this year. Lucky for us, ticks are pretty stupid. They'll hop aboard anything that so much as looks and smells like a suitable host?even if it's coated in pesticide. It's this overzealous nature that Virginia Military Institute engineers hope to exploit with their ingenious new tick-hunting rover.
TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's largest labor union called on Tuesday for the dissolution of the Islamist-led government and the interior minister offered to resign as a political crisis deepened.
Softening its rejection of demands for the government's departure, the Islamist Ennahda party said it was ready for a new government, but opposed any move to disband an elected body that has almost completed work on a new draft constitution.
"We are open to all proposals to reach an agreement, including a salvation or unity government," Ennahda official Ameur Larayedh told Reuters. "But we will not accept dissolving the Constituent Assembly. This is a red line."
Protests against the moderate Islamist Ennahda party surged after last week's killing of a leftist politician, the second to be slain in six months, disrupting a tense political transition that began when Tunisians toppled an autocratic leader in 2011.
While politicians feud, the army is struggling to contain Islamist militants, who killed eight soldiers on Monday in a mountainous region near the Algerian border in one of the bloodiest attacks on Tunisian troops in decades.
The powerful Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), which has about 600,000 members in the public and private sectors, said a technocratic government should replace the one led by Ennahda.
"We consider this government incapable of continuing its work," Hussein Abbassi, head of the UGTT, said in a statement.
While endorsing demands for the government to fall, the UGTT has also opposed dissolving the assembly - a measure which would throw Tunisia's fragile transition process into limbo.
COALITION IN DISARRAY
"We propose maintaining the Constituent Assembly but ... with a time-frame to speed up completion of its work," said Abbassi, general secretary of the UGTT, which brought much of the country to a halt with a one-day strike on Friday.
The secular opposition, energized by the overthrow of Egypt's freely elected Islamist president this month, has stepped up pressure on the Ennahda-led government to quit.
Some opposition leaders were dissatisfied with Ennahda's offer to form a new government but keep the Assembly in place.
"The street wants to dissolve the Constituent Assembly, which is already dying politically and ethically. Its legitimacy is over," said Mongi Rahoui, a leader in the Popular Front.
Opposition leaders criticize the Assembly for far exceeding the one-year deadline it set in December 2011 to complete its tasks, which include drafting a constitution.
Rahoui also said Ennahda must relinquish the post of prime minister in any deal on a new government.
The ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has begun to fray in the last few days as political turmoil and street unrest grip the North African nation of 11 million.
Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou, a judge and political independent from the al-Qasreen area near where the troops were ambushed by militants, said he was keen to stand down.
"I am ready to resign," he told the local Mosaique radio station. "A salvation government or national unity government must be formed to get Tunisia out of this bottleneck."
On Monday, the secular Ettakatol party threatened to withdraw from the ruling coalition unless a unity government was formed to defuse widespread and often violent protests.
Ennahda, which won elections after President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown in the first of a series of Arab uprisings, has resisted demands to give up power.
The opposition, angered by the assassination of leftist leaders Chokri Belaid in February and Mohamed Brahmi on Thursday, has rejected several concessions and power-sharing proposals from the Ennahda-led coalition in the last few days.
(Additional reporting by Erika Solomon; Editing by Alistair Lyon)
WASHINGTON?A private survey shows U.S. businesses created a healthy 200,000 jobs this month.
The payroll company ADP said Wednesday that companies hired in July at the fastest pace since December. And it revised up its estimate of the number of jobs the private sector created in June from 188,000 to 198,000.
Professional and businesses services companies added 49,000 jobs this month, construction companies 22,000. But manufacturers shed 5,000.
Small businesses?those with fewer than 50 employees?added 82,000 jobs.
"Job growth is consistently good?solid across industries," said Mark Zandi, chief economist with Moody's Analytics, which compiled the jobs report for ADP.
The healthy hiring suggests that the economy is handling tax cuts that took effect in January and federal spending cuts that began in March "more gracefully than I expected," Zandi said.
He noted that the drop in manufacturing jobs probably reflected cuts by defense contractors pinched by a tighter federal budget. A weak global economy has also hurt U.S. exporters.
The ADP report is derived from payroll data and tracks private employment. It does not report government hiring.
ADP's survey has diverged at times from the U.S. Labor Department's more comprehensive monthly jobs report. The department's employment report for July will be released Friday. It's expected to show that the economy added 183,000 jobs in July after adding 195,000 in June, according to a survey of economists by FactSet.
"The picture for the US labor market seems to have improved in the past couple of months or so," Annalisa Piazza, an economist at Newedge Strategy, said in a research note.
Zandi cautioned that recent job growth has come disproportionately in lower-paying businesses such as retailers, hotels and restaurants.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico coach Jose Manuel de la Torre, under fire after a run of poor results, clung on to his job on Monday and was charged with seeing his misfiring team through to next year's World Cup finals in Brazil.
De la Torre, whose team failed to defend the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, would have his position reviewed again after the qualifiers, Justino Compean, president of the Mexican Football Federation, told a news conference.
Mexico had won the last two Gold Cup tournaments but were upset twice by Panama in their opening group match and in their semi-final last week.
"We don't justify the situation but there is still support for the present (coaching) administration," Compean said.
"There were voices who didn't agree ... I still believe (De la Torre's staff) is the best we have to take us to Brazil 2014.
"I asked (the board) for trust in the administration headed by Chepo (De la Torre), who has to recognize his mistakes."
Mexico also had a disappointing Confederations Cup in Brazil in June and have suffered from a chronic shortage of goals.
Expected to reach Brazil with ease, they are struggling in third place in the six-nation final qualifying group with eight points, scoring only three goals in their one win and five draws.
They meet fourth-placed Honduras in Mexico City on September 6 with a warm-up scheduled for August 14 against Ivory Coast.
The teams finishing in the top three places in the group will automatically qualify for the finals. The fourth goes into a playoff against Oceania winners New Zealand.
(Reporting by Carlos Calvo; Writing by Rex Gowar in London; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Video killed the interview starPublic release date: 29-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Julia Thomson thomsoj@mcmaster.ca 905-525-9140 x24871 McMaster University
Researchers find video conference job interviews bad for companies and candidates
Hamilton, ON, July 29, 2013 Job applicants interviewed through video conferencing come across as less likeable, a new study from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University has found.
The study, conducted by Greg Sears and Haiyan Zhang when they were PhD students at DeGroote, shows that using video conferencing for job interviews disadvantages both employers and candidates.
With use of video conferencing growingin recent surveys 50% up to 65% of employers have reported using the technology for job interviewsthe DeGroote study raises cautions about widespread use of video conferencing in recruitment.
In simulated job interviews, candidates who were interviewed by video-conferencing were rated lower by interviewers and were less likely to be recommended for hiring. On the other side of the webcam, candidates also rated their interviewers as less attractive, personable, trustworthy and competent.
"Increasingly, video technology is being used in employment interviewing because companies feel it provides convenience and cost savings. Despite their growing use, our study shows that video conference interviews are not equivalent to face-to-face interviews," explains Sears, now an associate professor at the Sprott School of Business.
Accurate assessments of candidates and positive evaluations of interviewers are essential as organizations compete for talent. Candidates who evaluate their interviewers more positively are more likely to accept a job offer.
Study co-author Willi Wiesner, associate professor of human resources at DeGroote, says, "These findings suggest that using video conferencing can adversely affect both applicant reactions and interviewer judgments. Video conferencing places technological barriers between applicants and interviewers. Employers and applicants should work to reduce the barriers that arise through video conferencing and improve the interpersonal aspects of the interview process."
The researchers recommend that video conferencing be used only for preliminary screening interviews. Final selection of candidates should be conducted through face-to-face interviews.
The study is published in the journal Management Decision. The research was funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 28,000, and more than 159,000 alumni in 139 countries.
###
10 tips for using video conferencing for job interviews
Use the same interview approach on all candidates who are competing for the same job. Don't interview some by video and some in person. Candidates might first be interviewed using video technology, with successful candidates invited for on-site face-to-face interviews.
Both interviewers and applicants should use the best equipment and internet connections they can afford to lessen delays or technical limitations which can lead to conversations becoming less fluid or interactive.
Body language is important, but facial expressions are most important. Ensure that cameras are positioned close enough to catch facial expressions of both the interviewer and the candidate.
Because people are looking at the image of the other individual on the screen and not the webcams mounted at the top of their screens participants report a lack of eye contact in VC interviews. Place the webcam as close to eye level as possible.
The lack of physical proximity, signal compression, and participants' nervousness in communicating via technology tend to make for stilted, flat communication. Just as screen actors need to be particularly expressive with their faces and voices in order to convey feelings or emotions on camera, interviewers and applicants should be more expressive than usual. Practice nodding more noticeably, smiling more broadly, making greater use of hand gestures, varying vocal pitch, tonality and emphasis.
Given the added novelty and nervousness that may occur from a VC interview, preparation is key. Practice with readily available technology, such as Skype or FaceTime. Conduct "mock interviews" with friends and family.
To make a good impression on a candidate, interviewers should take extra time at the start of the interview to outline the process and engage in small-talk to allow the applicant to get comfortable with the technology.
Add a more personal touch to the selection process. Provide candidates with an informational video showing existing employees and their work/non-work activities. Allow candidates to speak directly with employees about their experience at the company.
Have a notetaker, so that the interviewer does not further distance him or herself from the applicant by constantly looking down.
Reserve video conferencing for preliminary screening interviews. Final selection is still a job for face-to-face interviews.
Television Editors Live interviews with Willi Wiesner can be arranged using the
DeGroote School of Business' broadcast studio. Call Julia Thomson 905-525-9140
ext. 24871 to schedule airtime and book a live feed from campus.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Video killed the interview starPublic release date: 29-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Julia Thomson thomsoj@mcmaster.ca 905-525-9140 x24871 McMaster University
Researchers find video conference job interviews bad for companies and candidates
Hamilton, ON, July 29, 2013 Job applicants interviewed through video conferencing come across as less likeable, a new study from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University has found.
The study, conducted by Greg Sears and Haiyan Zhang when they were PhD students at DeGroote, shows that using video conferencing for job interviews disadvantages both employers and candidates.
With use of video conferencing growingin recent surveys 50% up to 65% of employers have reported using the technology for job interviewsthe DeGroote study raises cautions about widespread use of video conferencing in recruitment.
In simulated job interviews, candidates who were interviewed by video-conferencing were rated lower by interviewers and were less likely to be recommended for hiring. On the other side of the webcam, candidates also rated their interviewers as less attractive, personable, trustworthy and competent.
"Increasingly, video technology is being used in employment interviewing because companies feel it provides convenience and cost savings. Despite their growing use, our study shows that video conference interviews are not equivalent to face-to-face interviews," explains Sears, now an associate professor at the Sprott School of Business.
Accurate assessments of candidates and positive evaluations of interviewers are essential as organizations compete for talent. Candidates who evaluate their interviewers more positively are more likely to accept a job offer.
Study co-author Willi Wiesner, associate professor of human resources at DeGroote, says, "These findings suggest that using video conferencing can adversely affect both applicant reactions and interviewer judgments. Video conferencing places technological barriers between applicants and interviewers. Employers and applicants should work to reduce the barriers that arise through video conferencing and improve the interpersonal aspects of the interview process."
The researchers recommend that video conferencing be used only for preliminary screening interviews. Final selection of candidates should be conducted through face-to-face interviews.
The study is published in the journal Management Decision. The research was funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 28,000, and more than 159,000 alumni in 139 countries.
###
10 tips for using video conferencing for job interviews
Use the same interview approach on all candidates who are competing for the same job. Don't interview some by video and some in person. Candidates might first be interviewed using video technology, with successful candidates invited for on-site face-to-face interviews.
Both interviewers and applicants should use the best equipment and internet connections they can afford to lessen delays or technical limitations which can lead to conversations becoming less fluid or interactive.
Body language is important, but facial expressions are most important. Ensure that cameras are positioned close enough to catch facial expressions of both the interviewer and the candidate.
Because people are looking at the image of the other individual on the screen and not the webcams mounted at the top of their screens participants report a lack of eye contact in VC interviews. Place the webcam as close to eye level as possible.
The lack of physical proximity, signal compression, and participants' nervousness in communicating via technology tend to make for stilted, flat communication. Just as screen actors need to be particularly expressive with their faces and voices in order to convey feelings or emotions on camera, interviewers and applicants should be more expressive than usual. Practice nodding more noticeably, smiling more broadly, making greater use of hand gestures, varying vocal pitch, tonality and emphasis.
Given the added novelty and nervousness that may occur from a VC interview, preparation is key. Practice with readily available technology, such as Skype or FaceTime. Conduct "mock interviews" with friends and family.
To make a good impression on a candidate, interviewers should take extra time at the start of the interview to outline the process and engage in small-talk to allow the applicant to get comfortable with the technology.
Add a more personal touch to the selection process. Provide candidates with an informational video showing existing employees and their work/non-work activities. Allow candidates to speak directly with employees about their experience at the company.
Have a notetaker, so that the interviewer does not further distance him or herself from the applicant by constantly looking down.
Reserve video conferencing for preliminary screening interviews. Final selection is still a job for face-to-face interviews.
Television Editors Live interviews with Willi Wiesner can be arranged using the
DeGroote School of Business' broadcast studio. Call Julia Thomson 905-525-9140
ext. 24871 to schedule airtime and book a live feed from campus.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Public release date: 29-Jul-2013
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