Listing a New Website

How To Get Your Site Listed in Google is a source of information about how to make a new website known to Google and how to submit the site to DMOZ.

Yahoo's submission site is here. Click here for the Search Engine Guide.

Carpenter Bees

In continuing with a series of posts based on the article in Natural History titled Unsung heroines of pollination (May 1997 Vol. 106 Issue 4, p42), carpenter bees are the subject of this blog entry. Carpenter bees are large and look like bumblebees. Unlike bumblebees however, which are social in nature, carpenter bees are solitary. Although they tend to be found in tropical climates there are eight species found in North America. Wildflowers and crops are pollinated by carpenter bees in North America. Carpenter bees are ideally suited to pollinate certain flowers because of their size which can be advantagous with certain structures. Passion fruit flowers, which includes the North American maypop, are examples of flowers benefiting from pollination by carpenter bees.

While male carpenter bees near nests and flowers, pregnant females prefer tunnels in soft dry wood. This can include wood found in homes. Neat round entrance holes mark the nests.

An Antiviral Mechanism

A HUM-MOLGEN news item titled, Tethering HIV and dated January, 24 2008, discusses an antiviral molecule known as tetherin. Tetherin is able to inhibit the release of HIV-1 from cells. A protein identified as CD317 (renamed tetherin) tethers HIV particles to cell surfaces and halts the viral release.

On the viral side the HIV protein Vpu facilitates the release of viral particles by neutralizing CD317. The molecular struggle can determine the immunological fate of an infected individual.

The Young Yankees

Yanks prospects to contend for title tells us about some young Yankees. Some, like Joba Chamberlain, have already played in the major leagues while others have shown promise on a minor league level. Position players like outfielders Jose Tabata, Austin Jackson and Brett Gardner are discussed. Tabata played in the Florida State League last year. He suffered a wrist injury which caused him to miss playing time but managed to hit 307. He has speed and was only 18 years old last season. Austin Jackson is a five tool player who spent time playing for Tampa last season. Gardner is another speedster with many stolen bases to his credit.

The Yankees have a young catcher named Jesus Montero from Venezuela. He received a large bonus to sign with the Yanks. Montero played in the Gulf Coast league and has power.

Pitchers include a six feet seven inch right hander named Dellin Betances and relief pitcher Eric Wordekemper. Wordekemper, a righthander, spent almost the entire season with Tampa and compiled an impressive ERA.

Humberto Sanchez, acquired in the Sheffield trade, missed last season because of Tommy John surgery but is back for 2008. He will be 25 years old in May.

The Impact of Words

In an e-mail received by me citing an editorial titled "Ha! Made you look!" Or, how to capture -- and keep -- your visitors' attention, marketing guru Derek Gehl revealed some useful information about wording and positioning of words on webpages. A study was referenced (Eyetracker III) revealing that website visitors almost always view words before images. This provides an opportunity to tout the benefits of a service or product.

Where the words appear can impact your bottom line. It seems as if visitors focus mostly on the one-third part of a headline or text appearing on the left side. This signifies that the most attention grabbing or important words should appear there- at the begining of a headline for example.

The final piece of information is that we have a maximum of ten seconds to grab the interest of visitors. If their attention is not captured by within that time they are likely to leave without developing an interest in the site.

Perfectionism

Unhappy? Self-Critical? Maybe You're Just a Perfectionist is a New York Times article with some insight about perfectionists. From the article (in blue):

Some researchers divide perfectionists into three types, based on answers to standardized questionnaires: Self-oriented strivers who struggle to live up to their high standards and appear to be at risk of self-critical depression; outwardly focused zealots who expect perfection from others, often ruining relationships; and those desperate to live up to an ideal they’re convinced others expect of them, a risk factor for suicidal thinking and eating disorders.

“It’s natural for people to want to be perfect in a few things, say in their job — being a good editor or surgeon depends on not making mistakes,” said Gordon L. Flett, a psychology professor at York University and an author of many of the studies. “It’s when it generalizes to other areas of life, home life, appearance, hobbies, that you begin to see real problems.”

Unlike people given psychiatric labels, however, perfectionists neither battle stigma nor consider themselves to be somehow dysfunctional. On the contrary, said Alice Provost, an employee assistance counselor at the University of California, Davis, who recently ran group therapy for staff members struggling with perfectionist impulses. “They’re very proud of it,” she said. “And the culture highly values and reinforces their attitudes.”

Perfectionism can seem, not only harmless at times, but even a virtue. It is a difficult thing to combat as it seems so linked to striving and achievement. Yet for many it is an obstacle to accomplishment. Here is a link that may be helpful and here is another.