Before theyre even old enough to walklet alone fill out a resumeexperts say the die is cast on a babys career success simply because of their name.

The pressure to name a child is heavy and the choices plentiful--if not endless--with names varying from Bob to Pilot Inspektor (the name of actor Jason Lees son). Even if youre convinced that your cute bundle of joy is destined to be an artist, she also might want to become a CEO, and an unusual name could be the only thing standing in her way.

To some extent the idea that a name will shape your destiny is a very old idea. In the modern day, its simply a fact that one doesnt expect to find a high-powered female executive named Bambi or Britney, says Catherine Connors, spokesperson for Babble, an online parenting magazine.

Connors says that while a person is always free to change their name when they come of age, it's best if parents put some real thought into a name that straddles the fine line between boring and extreme.

You are branding your child. To say that giving your baby a strange name would be a curse is a strong word, but youre definitely going to be hanging an albatross around their neck. At a certain point, if they want to move into a professional field, an oddball name is going to have to be something they address, says Connors. Theyre going to have to make the tough decision of whether to change it completely, adapt the name, or go by their initials only.

Likewise, choosing a name that doesnt pack enough punchlike John Smithparents run the risk of the child getting passed over because the name is too common, says Sharn Lynn Wyeth, author of Know the Name, Know the Person.

If the name is too common, hiring managers are going to think, This person has nothing new to bring to the table, so why hire them? says Wyeth. Unless youre looking for someone for a redundant task who will be seen and not heard, youre going to look at that name and say, This person is just more of the same.

Unfortunately, prejudice against names isnt limited to the initial point of hire, says Connors. Its also possible that a name can mean your child gets passed over for promotions.

If your name is extremely odd or extremely flashy, its almost like wearing a low cut dress or glittery pumps to a business meeting, says Connors. People dont take you as seriously, and they may bypass someone named Angel for a promotion over someone named Elizabeth.

Of course, the impact of a name all depends on the field.

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The Baby Brand: Naming for Success… or Failure

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Winning still means everything to Penn State linebacker Mike Mauti, but success this season won't be defined by titles or a bowl.

It's a view he holds in part by necessity after the NCAA imposed strict sanctions on the program for the child sex abuse scandal involving retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

After a stormy offseason unlike any other team has seen, the Nittany Lions have goals in mind other than championship banners and trophies.

''I'm not really a believer in moral victories,'' Mauti, a standout linebacker and senior leader, said Thursday. ''At the same time, when all is said and done, I don't think we're going to get judged on wins and losses.''

It's not the normal chatter heard at Penn State media day, when the talk is typically about jockeying with Ohio State and Wisconsin atop the Big Ten or pie-in-the-sky hopes for a trip to the BCS.

But this has been anything but a normal year in Happy Valley.

Among the NCAA penalties are a four-year postseason ban and significant scholarship cuts.

The Nittany Lions undoubtedly still want to win every game. But they're using other motivating factors like playing for each other and the fans who have rallied behind the squad, as well as bringing more awareness to the problem of child abuse.

But the sanctions remain a sensitive topic in Happy Valley. Several school trustees have told the NCAA that they intend to appeal the penalties, as have several former players.

''I respect everybody's individual decision to do what they have to do, what they think is right. That is their individual opinion or their group's opinion, and I respect that. I would never step into the middle of that,'' coach Bill O'Brien said when asked about the appeal notices.

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New look, new definitions of success for Penn St

Summary: Social networking giant needs to better educate local marketers on benefits of both online and mobile ads through physical relationships to better monetize markets.

Social networking giant has successfully monetized in the emerging markets of Asia through social games, however, it now needs to focus on pushing advertising to marketers in the region.

Audrey Heng, market analyst for emerging technology at IDC Asia-Pacific, pointed out that Facebook had successfully monetized its social games business in Asia's emerging markets. "Social gamesare easy to learn and quick to play that are able attract new gamers and new internet users in these developing markets," she noted.

However, social games are only one aspect of monetization and the social network will need to address advertisements, said Heng. "Both online and mobile advertising remain low particularly in developing markets where traditional marketing continues to dominate," she said.

While users in the developing markets of Asia tend to stay connected online using their mobile phones rather than the desktop, Heng noted that the mobile platform and services only started to develop in the recent two years.

Many Web sites were designed for desktop browsing and this was replicated for access on mobile phones, she said. "Only recently in the past year, more emphasis was made to design a separate mobile Web site that was user friendly and considered the mobile's smaller screen size and capabilities," Heng added.

Challenges monetizing mobile This is why it is "not surprising" that Facebook is facing challenges in monetization of mobile, she noted.

However, the social networking giant has been "aggressively" investing in mobile monetization strategies, such as by acquiring mobile apps such as Instagram and introducing advertising solutions like sponsored stories and App Centre, Heng noted.

Tackling monetization on the mobile platform is not a problem specific to Facebook. China's top social network Renren also saw its user base shifting from desktop to mobile.

In its second quarter results announcement Tuesday, Renren chaiman and CEO Joseph Chen noted that its strategy remains focused on mobile opportunities and will experiment on different monetization models such as mobile games, mobile advertising and mobile group-buying.

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Personal relationships key to Facebook's Asia advertising success

Local Mom Pioneering Software Development for Organizing Personal Health Records for Medical Emergency Readiness

A new personal health record computer software program created by a local Mom. Innovation by necessity. A new way for medical record storage. Software that creates organization for caregivers, seniors, families, individuals, retirees, and businesses.

I was faced with a medical emergency regarding my mother and I was unprepared. The incident left me feeling helpless, states Julie Slayton. I made the decision to find a product that I could use to keep my familys medical history and prescription information ready and available at all times. I quickly discovered there wasnt anything out there that was easy to use, easy to manage and affordable. I also didnt want anything that was managed on the World Wide Web. Julie added. Once Julie explained to me her decision to create a software program to easily maintain family medical history, I made a few suggestions based on my career in product development and here we are, launching our first version, Susie Brock comments.

MIMI launched to the public on March 12, 2012. For more information, go to http://www.MIMImedical.com or call 256-684-3444.

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Local Mom Pioneering Software Development for Organizing Personal Health Records for Medical Emergency Readiness

Brett Chulu

WELCOME to our Bible School Business School (BSBS) series. BSBS takes insights from the Bible and applies them to business, leadership and personal development. The cause of the financial crises by many of our corporates over the past 12 months, particularly those in the financial sector, was not necessarily incompetence but poor corporate governance. The failed institutions were led by highly-qualified executives, most of whom, ironically, belonged to professional bodies that pride themselves in promoting and upholding high standards of ethical business practice. To survive in the present and harsh banking environment, highly-qualified directors seem to have deliberately seared their consciences, setting aside ethical standards. Does the threat to a businesss survival in extraordinary economic times justify casting aside personal integrity? This article mines lessons from the Biblical-historical record on the role of personal integrity in shaping outstanding executive talent. Joseph-Daniel model Two of the worlds erstwhile glorious empires, Egypt and Babylon, whose cultural legacies are integrated into our contemporary world, are tutorials in the role of personal ethics in business. From amidst the daily grind of political administration in the two ancient empires, two characters stood out, Joseph and Daniel. These two personae both started out as slaves, Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon, and rose to the centre pinnacles of power in their respective empires. This they did, not through political hugger-mugger, but through a rare amalgam of competence and personal integrity. Nevertheless, in this instalment we shall only consider the ethical exploits of Daniel, together with his three friends Shadrech, Meshach and Abednego. Three tutorials stand out. Three business ethics laws To lay the ground for understanding the three laws of ethics, namely the law of ethical intelligence, the law of ethical minorities and the law of ethical legacy, we shall explore these through the eyes of the historical locus Daniel developed and matured in. In the year 605 BC, the Babylonian empire rose to prominence. The Bible records how Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, after vanquishing the kingdom of Judah, forcibly carried away into captivity members of its defeated royal house. That group of captives included Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, better known by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The Babylonians were master human capital developers. As part of their human capital strategy, they sought to develop their human capital base through selecting the best brains from among their captives. It was a very rigorous selection programme. Those who went through this sieve were taken through an intensive three-year tertiary education programme. Of this human capital strategy the book of Daniel 1:3-4 records: Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the kings descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the kings palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans, (NKJV). Herein lies the shortcomings of talent-acquisition processes that have persisted to our modern day. A careful analysis of the profile of candidates earmarked for Babylons top jobs shows a bias towards expertise and intelligence. Babylons recruitment criteria for top jobs differed markedly from the executive talent development practices of the Hebrew. The executive talent development strategy of the Hebrews placed a greater premium on ethics. For instance, Hebrew education taught how accepting bribes compromised intellectual freedom. Exodus 23:8 records: And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous. (NKJV) This could explain why a significant number of seemingly intelligent people in our country do things that defy logic. It is the ethics premium in Hebrew education that regularly brought Daniel and his friends on a collision course with their colleagues in the corridors of power. An ethical challenge surfaced during training. The training regime included a dietary routine specially-appointed by the king. Daniel 1:5 records: And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the kings delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king, (NKJV). The Hebrew quartet had had deep grounding in Hebrew ethics, including shunning harmful dietary habits. A deep grounding in ethics compelled the Hebrew boys to politely ask for an alternative diet. Daniel 1:8 reads: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the kings delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself, (NKJV). Daniel was a straight A student, who later became the emperors top aide and chief diplomat. From the get-go Daniel set clear ethical demarcations. The phrase purposed in his heart means he rehearsed in his mind, meaning he would envision future ethical challenges and he would then premeditate his responses. Thats one facet of ethical intelligence. The dividends of a risky ethical choice were astounding. Daniel 1:18-19 records how the Hebrew quartet outperformed the other trainees: Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them 10 times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm, (NKJV). What is clear from this narrative is that ethics combined with intelligence result in exceptional talent. Those who are scientifically-minded would have realised that there appears to be an association between ethics and quality of talent. Simply put, among the crme la de crme, ethics give an unassailable margin of performance. Ethical intelligence is what Zimbabwes corporate world needs to turn around the fortunes of industry and our national economy. A top chief executive with a leading Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed entity shared with me how ethical intelligence turned around the fortunes of a top Zimbabwean company. The company needed to fill the position of finance director to arrest a deteriorating financial position. Among those interviewed for the position was a candidate who spelt out clearly their ethical values which they were not willing to compromise.

The candidate literally told the high-powered interviewing panel not to bother offering him the job if there was a possibility that his stated ethical non-negotiables would be violated. The interviewing panel, impressed by such a rare ethical stand, settled for this candidate, though in terms of experience, he was no match for the rest of the candidates. It took less than three months for the new finance director to uncover the sources of financial leakages in the company. Within a space of six months, the financial position of the company had dramatically improved. Thats what the law of ethical intelligence entails. The law of ethical minorities states that only a few ethically intelligent individuals strategically placed in the top-echelons of an organisation are needed to positively impact on the performance of an organisation. This is a simple law that we can plug into to turn around Zimbabwes corporate and national fortunes. The law of ethical legacy states that the impact of ethically intelligent talent reaches into future generations. Daniel 2:21 states: Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus, (NKJV). Ethical intelligence can do more to safeguard our banks than strong capitalisation.

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The Human Capital Telescope: Role of personal integrity in business

Education degrees earned at online universities now dwarf those of traditional universities. USA Today analyzed recent Department of Education data and found that online education behemoth, the University of Phoenix, awarded more than twice as many education degrees as its closest traditional competitor, Arizona State University (5,976 vs. 2,075).

We shouldnt be surprised because the whole industry is moving in that direction, said dean of the University of Virginias Curry School of Education, Robert Pianta. The thing I would be interested in knowing is the degree to which they are simply pushing these things out in order to generate dollars or whether theres some real innovation in there.

While ASU still awards the most bachelor degrees, the other top 4 online universities, 3 of which are for-profit, hand out far more advanced degrees, which are increasingly important for hiring and promotion. This, of course, says nothing about the quality of online degrees. Senator Tom Harkins office released a blistering report, noting that though only 10% of enrolled students are with online schools, they account for roughly 50% of student loan defaults.

Unfortunately, theres no good way to compare the quality of offline to online degrees.Schools and unions are still in a heated debate over how to measure the quality of existing teachers, largely because we still dont know how to measure learning.Children are educated and learn over a period of time, but we have this notion that children are to make a years growth for every year theyre in school, said Paul Heckman, UC Davis Associate Dean of Education, This is a problem, because children do not develop in nine-month chunks except during gestation.

Still, the convenience factor for online education is a major appeal. Meredith Curley, dean of the University of Phoenix College of Education, said that the average age of the student is 33, and many come back after starting families. Do you think it makes a difference whether a teacher was trained online or at a traditional college?

[Image Credit: Flickr User CollegeDegrees360]

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Online Education Degrees Now Dwarf Traditional Universities

Virtually unknown a decade ago, big online teacher education programs now dwarf their traditional competitors, outstripping even the largest state university teachers' colleges.

A USA Today analysis of newly released U.S. Department of Education data finds that four big universities, operating mostly online, have quickly become the largest education schools in the U.S. Last year the four - three of which are for-profit - awarded one in 16 bachelor's degrees and post-graduate awards and nearly one in 11 advanced education awards, including master's degrees and doctorates.

A decade ago, in 2001, the for-profit University of Phoenix awarded 72 education degrees to teachers, administrators and other school personnel through its online program, according to federal data. Last year, it awarded nearly 6,000 degrees, more than any other university. By contrast, Arizona State University, one of the United States' largest traditional education schools, awarded 2,075 degrees, most of them on campus. Columbia University's Teachers College awarded 1,345 degrees.

Traditional colleges still produce most of the bachelor's degrees in teaching - ASU topped the list with 979 bachelor's degrees in 2011. But online schools such as Phoenix and Walden University awarded thousands more master's degrees than even the top traditional schools, all of which are pushing to offer online coursework. Every one of the top 10 now offers an online education credential.

"We shouldn't be surprised because the whole industry is moving in that direction," said Robert Pianta, dean of the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education. "The thing I would be interested in knowing is the degree to which they are simply pushing these things out in order to generate dollars or whether there's some real innovation in there."

For-profit universities have been the subject of intense scrutiny in Congress. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, last week released findings from a two-year investigation showing that they cost more than comparable not-for-profit schools and have higher dropout rates. For-profits, the investigation found, enroll about 10 percent of U.S. college students but account for nearly 50 percent of student loan defaults.

Online education schools, many of which have open-enrollment policies similar to community colleges, say their offerings are high quality. Most of the top ones are accredited by the same organizations that certify traditional teacher education programs. And they stress that students don't just sit around in their pajamas.

Janet Williams, interim associate dean for educator licensure programs at Walden 's Richard W. Riley College of Education & Leadership, said her student-teachers must undergo a full semester in a real-live K-12 school as a "demonstration teacher," paired with a master teacher and supervisor in the school district. Walden's education school is named after the former U.S. secretary of education under President Bill Clinton.

Meredith Curley, dean of the University of Phoenix College of Education, said many students are returning to complete their education after starting families and changing careers. Their average age is 33, she said, and many work while they attend classes. Becky Lodewyck, Phoenix's associate dean, said teaching candidates must complete at least 100 hours of field experience. She said online classes are "incredibly dynamic" and have the potential to hold students more accountable than face-to-face classes. "You can't hide," she said. "Everyone participates - everyone has to be fully engaged in the work."

(c)2012 USA Today Distributed by MCT Information Services

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Online education degrees skyrocket

August 9, 2012

Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Slow breathing. Long stretches. These are just a few of the characteristics of yoga. Researchers from the University of Michigan recently revealed that yoga helps pregnant women have less depressive moments and also increases feelings of maternal bonding.

The study, featured in a recent issue of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, is particularly helpful for expectant mothers, many of whom suffer from depression. According to the University of Michigan, one in five expectant mothers report feelings of depression. Yoga can be helpful for this particular group of women to decrease any stress or anxiety they may have.

We hear about pregnant women trying yoga to reduce stress but theres no data on how effective this method is, commented lead author Dr. Maria Muzik, assistant professor of psychiatry and assistant research scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development, in a prepared statement. Our work provides promising first evidence that mindfulness yoga may be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical treatment for pregnant women showing signs of depression.

In the project, pregnant women who were seen as being psychiatrically high risk participated in a yoga intervention that lasted ten weeks. The intervention included 90-minute mindfulness session that featured poses for the pregnant body and an understanding of how bodies change during pregnancies. The researchers stated that they saw a decrease in depressive symptoms and an increase in attachment to the babies in their womb.

This promotes both mother and baby wellbeing, noted Muzik in the statement.

Furthermore, over the past few years, health professionals have become increasingly concerned about mental health disorders for women during pregnancy. Some of the disorders include anxiety and depression, genetic predisposing, hormonal changes, and social factors. Expectant mothers often cite feeling overwhelmed, have difficulties dealing with stress, and continuous irritability.

If the symptoms arent treated, it can place a toll on both the mother and the child. A few health risks related to this situation includes premature labor, poor weight gain, and difficulty in developing a relationship with the new baby. Other studies done on the topic report those pregnant women are less likely to take antidepressants to treat the mood swings, fearing that the drugs could ham the babys health and safety.

Unfortunately, few women suffering from perinatal health disorders receive treatment, exposing them and their child to the negative impact of psychiatric illness during one of the most vulnerable times, remarked Muzik in the statement. Thats why developing feasible alternatives for treatment is critical.

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Yoga for Pregnant Women Reduces Depression, Increases Maternal Bond

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (WUSA) - If you scoff at the notion that Yoga might become an Olympic sport, consider this, it may be more physically challenging than some sports already in the Olympics... like table tennis or race walking.

Ha Nguyen, a Yoga Instructor at Dancing Mind Yoga in Falls Church is accepting of race walking, "They get really into it and there was form, and stuff, so I think its really cool. I'll try it out."

But some question why rhythmic gymnastics or synchronized swimming are Olympic sports. And how about shooting?

Ha Nguyen: "I don't know about shooting. I'm not a big fan of guns. But, you know, they could be my body guard anytime."

Pole dancers may need body guards after their routines... but is it a sport worthy of a formal competition at the highest level?

Zach Street, another instructor at Dancing Mind Yoga answered, "Is dancing an Olympic sport? I don't think so. Its more of art form, right? An entertainment form...right?"

The International Pole Sports FederationandUSA Yoga...are both working toward getting in the official games.

Paula Baake, owner ofDancing Mind Yoga would love to see her passion brought to the world's stage. "Let's bring it on. If it means more people understanding about Yoga and getting to see how beautiful a practice is, why not?"

If Yoga becomes an Olympic sport, it would mean yogis competing against one another and that's not what Yoga is all about ... or is it?

"With Yoga, the mind-body-spirit connection is within. So, to have Yoga as an Olympic sport, it'd be great to have coverage, but I don't believe that is the true teaching of Yoga,' said Nguyen.

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Yoga And Pole Dancing: Olympic Sports Or Not?

10 August 2012 Last updated at 00:12 ET

Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev's anti-corruption hunger strike has entered its second day in the capital, Delhi.

The yoga guru says he is campaigning for the recovery of suspected bribe money allegedly held overseas.

He is also demanding strong anti-corruption laws and more autonomy for government investigation agencies.

Baba Ramdev has said he will wait for the government's response until Sunday to decide on "the next course of action".

The yoga guru has millions of supporters and his daily television programme is eagerly watched by millions of people across India.

Last June he held a nine-day anti-corruption hunger strike before the police evicted him from Delhi.

His latest protest - attended by several thousand people - is being held at the Ramlila ground in Delhi, the venue of his protest last year.

Baba Ramdev said on Thursday that he was undertaking a "symbolic" three-day-long hunger strike, and he would decide on his next move on Sunday.

"The government must pay heed to the people's demand. The money stashed away abroad does not belong to anybody. It belongs to the nation and must be brought back to the nation," he told supporters.

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India yoga guru fast continues