PHOENIX, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweaty palms, memory lapses, indigestion, crying, headaches, and fainting. While they aren't symptoms of a mysterious tropical disease, they are experienced by countless school children in the classroom - all in the name of education. The cause? Let's call it Spelling Bee-itis.

Spelling Bees are a long-standing and important tradition in our educational system. Each year, thousands of elementary and middle school children study wood roots, definitions, spelling and etymologies countless hours; all for the honor of being crowned their school's spelling champ.  M&I, a part of BMO Financial Group, announces that it has continued its multi-year support of the Yavapai County Spelling Bee with sponsorship of this week's county event held in Prescott. The winner of the state spelling bee will travel to Washington D.C. later this year to participate in the 85th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, where last year's winner took home more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.

"Providing our young people a quality education is a critical component to their success as an adult," said Steve Johnson, Arizona Regional President, M&I, a part of BMO Financial Group. "Programs such as the Yavapai County Spelling Bee help enforce a number of life skills in addition to improving the child's spelling skills. BMO Harris is pleased to continue our financial funding of this event and the part it plays in support of our educational system."    

About BMO Harris Bank N.A.
Based in Chicago, BMO Harris Bank N.A. provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through approximately 700 branches and approximately 1,350 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.  BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S.  Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC.  BMO Harris Bank(SM) and M&I® and Harris® are trade names used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with 1,600 branches, and a retail deposit base of approximately $180 billion.

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How Do You Spell SUCCESS?

Among the fascinating outgrowths of the Facebook phenomenon are the psychological studies on what Facebook tells us about human behavior. One new study, published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, suggests that people experience an uptick in mood when they are on social networking sites.

In the study, researchers exposed 30 healthy people to a slide show, the person's own Facebook account or a mathematical test. During each three-minute exposure, the participants underwent tests to measure several physiological processes, such as brain-wave activity, blood flow, pulse, respiration and pupil dilation, and other tests that indicated changes in mood and stress.

Not surprisingly, the three minutes spent on Facebook was more rewarding than the relaxing slide show or the stressful math test. However, being on Facebook also triggered a response that indicated a positive mood shift.

The effect of Facebook points to what the authors refer to as the "broaden and build" theory of positive emotions. This theory suggests that positive emotions lead to creativity and social bonds that in turn build personal resources. These resources can be drawn on later for coping and survival.

Facebook's "activities lead to a positive emotional experience that people appreciate and seek again," the authors said.

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Facebook's success: It's about making people feel better

Still a Wagga boy at heart … Rebels powerhouse Nic Henderson said he had to contend with a void in his life following the tragic death of five childhood mates in an accident at a train crossing in 2001. Photo: Craig Abraham

Coming to terms with personal loss has made the Rebel a winner on the field, writes Stathi Paxinos.

There is a point on the Olympic Highway near Gerogery in southern NSW that Nic Henderson avoided for a decade. If the Melbourne Rebels front rower was heading that way, he would take an alternative route.

It was there that five teenagers from Wagga Wagga died when their car drove into the path of a train.

On January 27, 2001, Kyle Wooden, Cameron Tucker, Luke Milne, Graham Kelly and Ben Wilkins had been on their way to Albury to watch Henderson play a trial game for Melbourne Storm.

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They never made it - a coronial inquest suggesting a lack of safety warnings, such as boom gates, contributed to the accident.

Near the point where the train line crossed the road - flashing lights and bells the only warning of trains approaching at 160 kilometres an hour - there is now an overpass named Five Mates Crossing.

''I've only ever driven it once since the accident, which seems funny, but I superstitiously would always go the back way,'' he says. ''It's a nice way to remember them even though they're never really forgotten.''

Henderson had grown up with the five teenagers, going to the same high school - and primary school with two - and like many youngsters in country areas, forging a bond through sport, in their case basketball and rugby league.

When they were killed, Henderson was living away from home in Brisbane, playing for the Storm's then feeder club Brisbane Norths. But with the support of family in Wagga and that of his girlfriend and now wife Jodie and her family in Brisbane, he worked his way through the loss, initially spending a few moments before every game remembering his friends.

''I used to say a few things before a game, but superstitiously I haven't done that in I don't know how long,'' he says. ''The biggest thing … was there's a huge void in your life. All of a sudden where five of your best mates are no longer there to laugh with or call or talk to, it's not how do you fill it but where do you go from there."

The 30-year-old, who switched to rugby union after two years in the Storm reserves, says there is no shying away from the tragedy when he returns to Wagga.

''There's a whole bunch of us left behind to remember them … the first thing we do is remember them and talk about them and laugh about them,'' Henderson says. ''I know a lot of us are still close to the parents of the guys who passed away. I'm lucky to call a few of them very close, almost second mothers and second fathers, which is great …''

Despite spending his early life on a sheep-grazing farm run by his father, Henderson said farming life had never been for him.

"Mum and dad split when I was eight or 10 years old so half my [childhood] was spent on the farm and the other half was living in Wagga, so I never really planted firm enough roots in the country to follow in my old man's footsteps," Henderson says.

That fell to his elder sister, Katie, who is "now a fully fledged farming girl" and has taken control of the operation of a property just outside Wagga after her partner was killed last year in a farming accident.

Henderson, who was recruited from the Western Force, is off contract with the Rebels this season and says he would like to continue his career in Melbourne for a few more years yet. As for life after rugby, that is still something he is working on. ''It's something that I've never really had a clear direction in life - what I'm going to do once football finishes," Henderson says.

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How Henderson turned tragedy to success with help from friends

TORONTO, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Patheon Inc. (TSX: PTI.TO - News), a leading provider of contract development and manufacturing services to the global pharmaceutical industry, announced today that Ramsey Frank has resigned as Chairman of the Board and a Director of Patheon Inc. effective today. The Board has appointed Paul S. Levy, Managing Director, JLL Partners, as Patheon's new Chairman. Mr. Levy joined the Board in April 2007.

Mr. Levy founded JLL Partners in 1988. Prior to founding JLL Partners, Mr. Levy was a Managing Director at Drexel Burnham Lambert. Previously, Mr. Levy was Chief Executive Officer of Yves Saint Laurent Inc., Vice President of Administration and General Counsel of Quality Care, Inc., and an attorney at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.

Patheon is also pleased to announce the appointment of Nicholas O'Leary, Associate, JLL Partners, to its Board of Directors, filling the vacant seat left by the departure of Mr. Frank. Mr. O'Leary joined JLL Partners in 2009. Prior to that, Mr. O'Leary worked as an analyst with Merrill Lynch & Co., Mergers and Acquisitions Group. He received a B.A, Economics from Washington and Lee University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

As well, Mr. Michel Lagarde has been appointed Chair of Patheon's Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Lagarde joined JLL Partners in 2008 and Patheon's Board of Directors in December 2011. He was previously the CEO and CFO of the Domestic Appliances and Personal Care division of Philips Electronics North America. He also held positions as CFO of Philips Electronics Indonesia and Financial Controller of Philips Electronics Hong Kong. Mr. Lagarde currently serves on the Boards of ACE Cash Express and SOS Children's Villages - USA. He received a B.B.A from European University Antwerp and an Executive Master in Finance and Control from the University of Amsterdam.

Mr. Daniel Agroskin, Managing Director at JLL Partners, Inc., and a current member of the Board, will become a member of Patheon's Corporate Governance Committee, filling the position vacated by Mr. Clark. Mr. Agroskin joined JLL Partners in 2005. Prior to joining JLL, he worked at JP Morgan Partners and in Merrill Lynch's Mergers and Acquisitions Group. Mr. Agroskin is a graduate of Stanford University and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined Patheon's Board of Directors in December 2009.

About Patheon

Patheon Inc. (TSX: PTI.TO - News) is a leading global provider of contract development and manufacturing services to the global pharmaceutical industry. The company provides the highest quality products and services to approximately 300 of the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Its services range from preclinical development through commercial manufacturing of a full array of dosage forms including parenteral, solid and liquid forms.

The company's comprehensive range of fully integrated Pharmaceutical Development Services includes pre-formulation, formulation, analytical development, clinical manufacturing, scale-up and commercialization. The company's integrated development and manufacturing network of 10 manufacturing facilities, nine development centers and one clinical trial material packaging facility across North America and Europe, enables customer products to be launched with confidence anywhere in the world.

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Patheon announces changes to its Board of Directors

or all intents and purposes, U.S. Soccer tipped its hand on its plans for the Development Academy last year when it extended the season from seven to 10 months for a selected number of clubs.

This trial run might have resembled a test drive, but it would only produce one outcome. Forget about mitigating circumstances or tweaks along the way. The revised model would trump any proffered alternatives and sweep through the Development Academy sooner or later.

The inevitable unveiling arrived on Friday afternoon as U.S. Soccer – complete with plenty of supporting documentation – announced it would enact a 10-month schedule for the 2012-13 season and prohibit all Academy players from taking part in high school athletics.

“If we want our players to someday compete against the best in the world, it is critical for their development that they train and play as much as possible and in the right environment,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in a press release issued by the federation. “The Development Academy 10-month season is the right formula and provides a good balance between training time and playing competitive matches. This is the model that the best countries around the world use for their programs and I think it makes perfect sense that we do, as well.”

Borrowing this European-style structure represents the next step in the process as federation officials attempt to establish and refine a uniform way to mine and polish raw talent.

Extending the Development Academy season represents an important step forward toward that particular objective. Players will benefit from more frequent instruction in a carefully controlled setting. Games remain critical learning tools, but training sessions serve as the primary method of skill development. No wonder then that the revised schedule will dramatically increase the time players can spend on the practice field and permit coaches to construct overarching ways to impart necessary tactical and technical knowledge.

Instead of watching their players try to recover lost time in both departments in the early stages of their professional careers, U.S. Soccer officials hope this shift will allow American prospects to compete with European and South American starlets.

“This schedule puts our elite players in line with kids in their age group internationally and places the appropriate physical demands on them at this stage in their development,” U.S. Soccer youth technical director Claudio Reyna said in a release. “The addition of as many as 50 extra training sessions per year will greatly enhance the ability of players to work on individual skills and receive advice and instruction from coaches. Along with the support of our membership, this move has been greeted with enthusiasm from soccer experts from around the world.”

MLS coaches and executives will likely concur in the long-term. This shift continues the gradual transition from profit-seeking organizations squeezing every last cent out of youth soccer to professional setups designed to develop players over the long term (and, in some instances, make some money along the way). The presence of MLS academy sides within the Development Academy structure even provides a modicum of control and supervision over the process. In time, each MLS club will possess the capability to mold and shape players in accordance with first-team needs and philosophical guidelines.

Every measure employed by the clubs and the federation shows the Development Academy program offers a level of training that far exceeds what existed in this country a decade ago. The philosophies are wiser and the structures are stronger than they once were. Room for growth remains, but these determined steps create a path worth following in some instances.

There is, however, still the open question of whether too many kids will sprint down that road without fully understanding the social education they will give up to do so.

The adults constructing these plans seem to willingly discount the significant life sacrifices ahead for the affected teenagers. No more high school soccer. No more high school sports of any kind. No more pressure-filled situations with their teammates. No more civic angst or pride at the outcome of matches. No more letter jackets. No more spaghetti dinners. Fewer nights to enjoy life as a teenager without contemplating the responsibilities of an apprentice advancing toward the professional level.

(Note: This issue has little to do with the quality of play in high school soccer.  That particular brand of the game usually doesn't offer much to the Development Academy player in terms of tactical and technical development. In fact, high school soccer may even hamper that growth, unless kicking it to the corner suddenly makes a dramatic comeback at the highest levels. Regardless of the approach of high school coaches, the concern here is that the social aspects of participating on high school teams [or in any other high school activity, for that matter] are now pushed to the side without any form of comparable replacement.)

Academy kids must now decide to eschew the traditional high school experience to pursue a distant and difficult dream. The system is now overtly designed to cultivate the most promising prospects without catering to the fundamental needs of the vast majority of players that will never make the grade.  

Sheer numbers prohibit a raft of success stories. Seventy-eight clubs participate in the Development Academy. Each club (barring any exceptions) fields a U-16 side and a U-18 side. If each team (conservatively) names 18 players to each roster during a season, then 2,808 players will feature at some point during any given Academy season. Only a modest percentage of those players will warrant a Division I scholarship by the end of their Academy careers. Barely a handful will play professional soccer. A miniscule number will appear with a national team of any sort.

(Note: The validity of these social complaints would dwindle significantly if U.S. Soccer pared down the number of clubs in the Development Academy. It's hard to envision how this accommodating structure offers a uniform level of development across clubs with varying levels of resources. A leaner model would cull some of the weaker clubs, reduce the number of players affected and likely strengthen the level of competition. Every player should participate at minimal or no cost as well, but that contention sparks a philosophical discussion too lengthy for this space.)

In its quest to mimic European developmental models, U.S. Soccer discounted the importance of crucial social development structures relied upon by American teenagers. Some potential stars and their parents won't stand for it. They will suspect the concessions demanded in exchange – the crowded schedules, the travel demands and those lost high school experiences – for Academy participation are too great for a teenager to make, especially with college and its alternative path toward the same goal looming in a few short years.

It's tough to blame them. For all of the benefits the extended Development Academy will bring for players on the field, it will force them to shoulder many burdens off of it. In the end, U.S. Soccer must hope the success of the structure outweighs the social impact felt by the scores of players that fail to reach its intended goal. Otherwise, the cost could prove too great for all parties to bear.

Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSsoccer.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

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Monday MLS Breakdown: Extended Development Academy season prompts concerns about its participants

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE:APD - News) today announced it has acquired Schluchtern, Germany-based ROVI Cosmetics International GmbH, an established leader in the development of cosmetic actives and delivery systems for the European personal care industry. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ROVI Cosmetics has 18 employees and provides targeted and differentiated delivery systems that enable personal care formulators' performance and label claims in their finished skin care and hair care products.

"We are pleased to complete the acquisition of ROVI Cosmetics and continue to build our personal care portfolio," said Pam Mattimore, vice president and general manager of Performance Materials for Air Products. "This acquisition adds critical mass to our business as we develop into a differentiated specialty ingredient supplier to the personal care industry."

"We are excited about this opportunity. Air Products and ROVI present a perfect match that will facilitate the development and global sale of advanced skin care actives," said Dirk Teichmuller, president and chief executive officer of ROVI Cosmetics.

ROVI Cosmetics' technically advanced product lines will complement Air Products' current offering, which includes temperature switch polymers under the Intelimer® brand, "functional-feel" polymers under Deposilk™ brand, and Hybridur® urethane-acrylic interpenetrating network polymers.  

For more information, please visit http://www.airproducts.com/personalcare.

Air Products (NYSE:APD - News) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000 employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of $10.1 billion. For more information, visit http://www.airproducts.com. 

***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2011.

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Air Products Acquires ROVI Cosmetics

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McGraw-Hill Higher Education Partners with University of Nebraska-Lincoln to Develop All-Digital Economics Course with ...

OldHawk777 writes with news that MITx, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's online learning initiative, has opened free enrollment for its first course: 6.002x: Circuits and Electronics. "Modeled after MIT’s 6.002 — an introductory course for undergraduate students in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) — 6.002x will introduce engineering in the context of the lumped circuit abstraction, helping students make the transition from physics to the fields of electrical engineering and computer science. ... 'We are very excited to begin MITx with this prototype class,' says MIT Provost L. Rafael Reif. 'We will use this prototype course to optimize the tools we have built by soliciting and acting on feedback from learners.' To access the course, registered students will log in at mitx.mit.edu, where they will find a course schedule, an e-textbook for the course, and a discussion board. Each week, students will watch video lectures and demonstrations, work with practice exercises, complete homework assignments, and participate in an online interactive lab specifically designed to replicate its real-world counterpart. Students will also take exams and be able to check their grades as they progress in the course. Overall, students can expect to spend approximately 10 hours each week on the course."

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MIT's Online Education Prototype Opens For Enrollment

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Evan the Life Coach - Video

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