Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Why Learn to Invest? | Investing | Economics Finance

There are savers, and there are investors.? Those who do not know how to invest,?or are afraid to accept financial risk?save money and keep it in the bank.? People who learn how to invest know investing basics, and know that they have plenty of latitude in tailoring their investments to fit their risk tolerance.

Savers take risks they may not even be aware of.? Inflation and taxes can eat up interest earnings, leaving them with a smaller nest egg than they expected in retirement.? For example, $ 100,000 at 4% interest produces $ 4000 in interest earnings a year.? Income taxes in the 25% tax bracket would take $ 1000 of this, and inflation at 3% would eat up $ 3000.? The net result is a real gain of zero.

The Rule of 72 drives home the investing basics, why you need to learn to invest and earn higher returns.? Earning 3% a year the rule says that it takes about 24 years to double your money.? At 10% a year your money should double in about 7 years.? Simply divide 72 by the interest rate or rate of return to get the answer.? For example, 72 divided by 10 equals 7 years (approximate).

Why learn to invest?? Very simply, you won?t make higher rates of return unless you do.? Let?s say you save $ 5000 a year in an IRA earning 3% interest for 30 years.? After 30 years you have about $ 238,000.? At 10% a year for 30 years you would have more like $ 822,000.

Here?s a more extreme example to get you motivated to learn how to invest.? Let?s say you roll your retirement plan assets of $ 100,000 into an IRA.? At 3% for 30 years it grows to about $ 243,000.? At 15% for 30 years, your $ 100,000 grows to about $ 6,621,000.

Historically, over the long term, if safe liquid savings paid 3% a year, high quality bonds returned closer to 5% or 6%.? U.S.

stocks returned a bit over 10% a year.? This is if you only bought and held stocks and/or bonds, without managing your investments.

People who really know how to invest and manage their investment portfolio can earn higher returns over the long term.? The investing basics are this:? You need to maintain a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds and other investments.

Once you learn to invest you can earn higher returns at a level of financial risk you are comfortable with.? You can not eat your cake and have it too.? It?s all a trade-off, and comes down to accepting some financial risk in order to get higher returns.?

Your financial security in retirement will likely depend on how you manage your financial assets.? Don?t cop out.? Learn to invest.

A retired financial planner, James Leitz has an MBA (finance) and 35 years of investing experience. For 20 years he advised individual investors, working directly with them helping them to reach their financial goals.


This entry was posted by admin on January 30, 2012 at 3:35 pm under Investing. Tagged invest, Learn. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Source: http://www.economicsfinance.com/why-learn-to-invest/

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Samsung Galaxy Note coming to Bell, Rogers and Telus in February

Those of you who seem to be more closely connected to the Maple Leaf than the pine needle might've jumped on the envious side at the news that folks across the border are getting their hands on the LTE Galaxy Note. Envy no more. Via blog post, Rogers has announced that Samsung's "phablet" creation will be surfing through its fresh 4G waves in the upcoming month. Aside from the Rogers branding we expect to see, it'll be hard to distinguish this Note from its AT&T brother, as it'll be identical in the specs department. Based on a page thrown up at Best Buy Canada, it looks as if it'll sell for $249.99 on a three-year contract (with Bell and Telus getting in on the fun, too), with the first of 'em shipping out on Valentine's Day. Desperate to be the first to try and fit this in your pocket? Head on to the source to join the carrier's reservation system.

Samsung Galaxy Note coming to Bell, Rogers and Telus in February originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Central, Unwired View  |  sourceRogers, Best Buy Canada  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Hg5F4ptqKhI/

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Emilio Rojas Reaches His Breaking Point

DJ Green Lantern's protégé Emilio Rojas talks to Mixtape Daily about his super lyrical tape.
By Rob Markman


Emilio Rojas
Photo: MTV News

Main Pick
Headliners: Emilio Rojas and DJ Green Lantern

Representing: Rochester, New York

Mixtape: Breaking Point

Real Spit: Emilio Rojas has reached his breaking point, and on his mixtape of the same name, the Rochester, New York, MC proves he's ready to break through — whether the rap world is ready or not.

"I named the tape Breaking Point after the record 'Breaking Point' that we dropped in April [2011]," Emilio told Mixtape Daily. "The record just had a really good response, so it just made sense."

The title track details all of the problems the MC has endured in the rap game and beyond. For Rojas, the drama started at home — or so he says on the song, because when he's talking about his childhood, Emilio spills his guts in a dramatic manner reminiscent of Eminem. First, he reveals that his birth was unplanned by his parents, and then he really goes in.

"My daddy learned she was pregnant and he was so angered/ He tried to end it, I'm no stranger to coat hangers/ He getting livid, sittin' in on the clinic visits/ And now he waitin' on drama like it's an intermission/ He takes it out on my mama 'cause he was into hittin'/ And yeah, that's probably the reason my sister is into women," Emilio rhymes.

"When we wrote the record, there was a lot of stuff that was goin' on. Everybody who's in the industry knows how frustrating the industry can be," he explained. "So I was kinda venting on the record."

On "SPIC," Rojas switches gears, showing more pride in his upbringing. Despite being raised by immigrant parents and facing racism, Emilio beats his chest with pride over the stereotypes, eventually flipping them by drawing power from his family's struggle. On "Middle Finger," he shows yet another side by getting political about corrupt cops.

The relative rap newcomer gets a hand from the Grammy Award-winning production trio J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League on "Pimpin." While big-name producers and R&B singers help out on Breaking Point, there are no rap features. Instead, Emilio proves his rap worth with potent bars on tracks like "Classic." With "Blame Me," he slows things down and shows off his singing voice. And the midtempo R&B-laced love song makes it clear that ER is more than just a rapper's rapper; there's definite hit-making potential there.

By the end of the 12-song ride, ER proves that he belongs. Already, there are rumors of a hook-up with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, but who knows if that will ever pan out? Granted, this is Rojas' fourth mixtape, but when it's all said and done, Breaking Point will probably mark Emilio Rojas' official arrival. Welcome!

Joints to Check For "Pu--- & Cologne": "It's pretty obvious what the record's about. The record is hard, it's street and we go in. It's ignorant enough for people to have fun singing it because they feel like they shouldn't be singing it."

"One Last Time": "It's produced by the homey V12 the Hitman; it features Emanny, he does a lot of work with Joe Budden. It's a breakup song, I'm good at those. It's basically just telling a girl like, 'Look, this isn't working but we're sticking with it just for the sex. So let's just get it in one last time and go our separate ways."

"Breaking Point": "It's just about being at that point where your back's against the wall, you're sick of all the bull. That's the point where you decide, 'All right, this is either gonna break you or you gonna break."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678164/emilio-rojas-breaking-point.jhtml

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Officer Mike Russow takes UFC on Fox 2 decision

CHICAGO -- Mike Russow did his city proud with a decision victory at UFC on Fox 2. The judges scored it 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 for Russow, causing loud cheers from the crowd at the United Center.

Russow started with a quick takedown. When they returned to their feet, Russow was aggressive, landing a combination before clinching up with Einemo. He moved inside with strikes, and then got another takedown. From there Russow controlled Einemo until the last five seconds, when Einemo briefly reversed position before the round ended.

The second round started much like the first, with Russow getting a quick takedown. Russow briefly stood up and towered over Einemo, but returned to controlling him on the ground. They were stood up with 22 seconds left in the round, but Russow returned to the takedown that served him well for the first two rounds.

Einemo was more aggressive in the third round, and nailed Russow with a knee and a punch. Russow got the takedown again, but had more trouble with it. When on the ground, Einemo came close to take Russow's back, but Russow slipped out of it. Russow controlled Einemo for most of the round, but the two were stood up with just over a minute left. Einemo hit Russow with a knee, then Russow used the next knee for another takedown.

Russow is a full-time member of the Chicago Police Department and took a month off from the department to prepare for this bout. He's now 4-0 in the UFC and 15-1 overall. Einemo, a member of the famed Golden Glory camp, has lost both of his UFC bouts.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/officer-mike-russow-takes-ufc-fox-2-decision-002431342.html

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

This Beautiful Hand Mixer Sadly Doesn't Actually Exist [Concepts]

It is a crime against humanity, at least those who cook, that Meike Harde's beautiful Quix handheld mixer only exists as a concept prototype. Because it somehow improves upon every one I've ever used with a design that's actually simpler. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/tkGXREuDzgg/this-beautiful-hand-mixer-sadly-doesnt-actually-exist

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Army chaplain sentenced in Puerto Rico porn case (AP)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico ? An assistant U.S. Army chaplain who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography in Puerto Rico has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison.

Nicolas Gonzalez Figueroa was accused in a case involving his daughter-in-law's 7-year-old girl. Gonzalez's stepson is married to the girl's mother, but it is unclear if he is her biological father.

The mother alerted authorities after she borrowed a USB flash drive from Gonzalez and found child pornography on it.

U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez said Friday that Gonzalez also faces 10 years of supervised release after serving time in prison.

Prosecutors haven't released Gonzalez's age or former Army rank.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_puerto_rico_chaplain_sentenced

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Ode To Ice

Discover the secret life of ice?what makes it cloudy or clear, why cracks form on ponds. Science Friday visited Queens ice sculptor Shintaro Okamoto in his studio and spoke with ice researcher Erland Schulson, of Dartmouth University, to find out why ice is an interesting subject for artists and scientists.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/27/145990094/ode-to-ice?ft=1&f=1007

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Obama vs. Brewer and the Tiff on the Tarmac (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama once again proves that he is the thinnest-skinned commander-in-chief in United States history.

The tiff on the tarmac between Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Obama captured national attention within minutes of the encounter. The president should have thought about his inability to handle even the slightest criticism before entering politics.

Gov. Brewer was surprised that Obama wanted to hop off the plane and launch into a mini-tirade about a rather mild comment made in her book, according to the Washington Post. There is probably little that the reasonable conservative and the far-left president have in common, but the juvenile hostility exhibited by the president is beneath his office. The photograph of Brewer with a finger pointed in the direction of the president garnered immense interest minutes after it was posted online. On Wednesday night, Brewer told Fox News journalist Greta Van Sustern that she frequently speaks with her hands and did not intentionally finger point at the president. In her book Brewer recalled a meeting where she felt President Obama patronized her and her views on immigration. The hyper-sensitive president apparently felt so disparaged by the mild remark that he could wait not longer to confront his accuser.

The president has as history of behaving like a petulant child when arriving in Republican territory. Within minutes of stepping out of Air Force One in Louisiana, Obama chastised Gov. Bobby Jindal for uttering an unflattering comment, according to The Weekly Standard. Jindal made the reasonable assumption that the president would want to discuss the oil spill disaster but was shocked to be rebuked for asking Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to allow food stamps for workers displaced because of the environmental disaster. Jindal maintains that Obama warned him to be careful with his comments because "this thing is going to get bad for everyone."

A career politician like Barack Obama cannot fathom the genuine concern public servants feel when faced with distraught citizens. Brewer wants to protect the citizens of Arizona from border crime and fiscal failure due to an overload on public services by illegal immigrants. Jindal was trying to help citizens who were still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, deal with the economic impact of the BP oil spill. The president's character will continue to be cast in a negative light until he learns how to use good manners with those who do not worship at his knee.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120126/pl_ac/10888883_obama_vs_brewer_and_the_tiff_on_the_tarmac

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Finding Paul Simon, seeking "Sugar Man" at Sundance (Reuters)

PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) ? Two documentaries that cast eyes back to South African apartheid and speak to music's healing power have shared the spotlight at the Sundance Film Festival this week among a wide selection of movies about songs, singers and musicians.

Nonfiction films "Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap," in which rapper and actor Ice-T interviews Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg and others about the roots of hip hop, and "Shut Up and Play the Hits," about LCD Soundsystem's last concert in New York, have focused on music.

"Filly Brown," about a female hip hop artist, "California Solo" in which Robert Carlyle plays a washed up rock star, and "I Am Not A Hipster," about a tortured singer songwriter, were among fictional films about the lives of musicians.

But it was singer-songwriter Paul Simon who captured the media spotlight with the premiere of documentary "Under African Skies," and another nonfiction film "Searching for Sugar Man" that wowed crowds here. Both of them are linked to South Africa.

"Under African Skies," recounts the making of Simon's groundbreaking 1986 album "Graceland" and shows Simon returning to South Africa where he recorded much of the acclaimed record that sparked controversy for breaking a cultural boycott of that country due to apartheid policies.

The film shows footage of original recording sessions from "Graceland" in South Africa and chronicles Simon's 2011 reunion with the album's musicians for a 25th anniversary concert.

The film makes the case that the album and resulting concert tour were overwhelming forces in bringing together people of various races and that political attacks against Simon by groups including the African National Congress were unwarranted.

"The 'Graceland' phenomenon really came from a musical source and didn't have an overt political point of view," Simon told the Sundance audience about recording in South Africa. "I am actually saying, 'I have no regard for the structures of apartheid, I am here purely on a musical basis.'"

The film cuts back-and-forth between Simon's 2011 reunion trip and the original "Graceland" recording sessions, offering insight into how hit songs like "You can call me Al" were assembled after Simon was inspired by South African music groups including Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

"My first impulse was to go where the music was and the musicians that I wanted to play with, and I didn't know how it was going to come out," Simon, now 70, told the audience.

"What happened with Graceland in becoming a worldwide hit was that the traditional music of South Africa became hip all over the world and South Africa began to take pride in what was a musical form that they considered old hat, really," he said.

"SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN"

In stark contrast to Simon's success as an artist, there is the story of an obscure, 1970s Detroit folk singer known as Rodriguez, who is the focus of "Searching for Sugar Man."

Producers of his only two albums, "Cold Fact" and "Coming From Reality," considered Rodriguez better than Bob Dylan with his poetic lyrics protesting racial and economic inequality. He wrote about a hard life on the streets of Detroit.

His records failed to sell in the United States.

The film about him has won standing ovations from cheering, tearful audiences at Sundance where many have said it was among the best movies they had seen.

"Searching for Sugar Man" begins in South Africa where the folk singer's song, "Sugar Man", was banned on the radio and he became an enigmatic, cult hero in the 1970s to a mostly white, liberal crowd spurred by his anti-establishment message in their questioning of apartheid.

Yet, after his two albums bombed in the U.S., Rodriguez faded into obscurity, never recording again nor knowing about his success in South Africa.

A record retailer in that country, Stephen "Sugar" Segerman termed him, "bigger than Elvis," and set about searching for the Mexican-American singer rumored to have shot himself or set himself afire on stage.

"It's been quite a journey to make this film, it took five years," said director Malik Bendjelloul who painstakingly uses grainy footage, animation and interviews to reconstruct Segerman and music journalist Craig Bartholomew's quest to find out what happened to the singer and his royalties. The film's soundtrack utilizes the folk singer's songs.

"We knew nothing, his name never cropped up anywhere," Segerman said of the search. "There was a mythology around this man for 30 years."

And in a strange twist of Sundance fate, Segerman believes one reason Rodriguez's first album never took off was because it was released near the same time as Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon's seminal smash hit, "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

(Additonal reporting by Zorianna Kit, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/film_nm/us_sundance_paulsimon

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Kinect and Windows Phone combine to create holographic game engine (video)

If your life is anything like ours, it's in sore need of more pseudo-holographic helicopters. Fortunately, YouTube user programming4fun has come up with a solution, using Microsoft's Kinect beta SDK and a Windows Phone handset. The system, pictured above, basically consists of a Kinect and a 3D engine; the former tracks the position of a viewer and automatically adjusts the image projected by the latter, creating the illusion of a 3D landscape. In this case, that landscape happened to feature a holographic helicopter, which could be controlled using a phone's accelerometer and a Windows Phone 7 app (apparently called HoloController). Watch it in action, after the break.

Continue reading Kinect and Windows Phone combine to create holographic game engine (video)

Kinect and Windows Phone combine to create holographic game engine (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WMPoweruser  |  sourceprogramming4fun (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/kinect-and-windows-phone-combine-to-create-holographic-game-engi/

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Philadelphia will host 2012 MLS All-Star Game

updated 2:30 p.m. ET Jan. 24, 2012

PHILADELPHIA - The 2012 MLS All-Star game was awarded Tuesday to the Philadelphia Union, who will host the annual event July 25 at PPL Park.

The opponent has yet to be determined, though MLS Commissioner Don Garber said that an answer should come in the next two months.

"We have nothing specific yet," Garber said after a news conference at Philadelphia City Hall. "We're hoping to have something soon, within 60 days. That's the plan."

Garber appeared at the news conference with Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter and Chester, Pa., mayor John Linder.

Last year's game was held at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., and featured top MLS players taking on Manchester United.

PPL Park is located in nearby Chester, along the Delaware River.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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US women to do-or-die semis

The U.S. women's soccer team was still on the field, having dispatched rival Mexico, when Abby Wambach gathered her teammates for a little speech.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46119435/ns/sports-soccer/

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

French parliament passes Armenian 'genocide' bill (AP)

PARIS ? France's parliament voted Monday to make it a crime to deny that the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago constituted a genocide, risking more sanctions from Turkey and complicating an already delicate relationship with the rising power.

Turkey, which sees the allegations of genocide as a threat to its national honor, suspended military, economic and political ties and briefly recalled its ambassador last month when the lower house of parliament approved the same bill.

Before Monday's Senate vote, Turkey threatened more measures if the bill passed, though did not specify them. President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose party supported the bill, still needs to sign it into law, but that is largely considered a formality.

The debate surrounding the measure comes in the highly charged run-up to France's presidential elections this spring, and critics have called the move a ploy to the garner votes of the some 500,000 Armenians who live in France.

Valerie Boyer, the lawmaker from Sarkozy's conservative UMP party who wrote the bill, did not deny that, saying that politicians are supposed to pass laws that they think their constituents want.

"That's democracy," she said.

But this domestic gamble could have major international consequences. France's relations with Turkey are already strained, in large part because Sarkozy opposes Turkey's entry into the European Union. The law will no doubt further sour relations with a NATO member that is playing an increasingly important role in the international community's response to the violence in Syria, the standoff over Iran's nuclear program and peace negotiations in the Middle East.

"It is null and void for us," Turkey's Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said on live TV immediately after the bill's passage Monday. "It is a great disgrace and injustice against Turkey. I want to tell to France that you have no value for us in the slightest degree, we don't care."

The bill has also drawn massive protests in Paris, with thousands of Turks converging on the city this weekend to denounce it. On Monday, smaller rival demonstrations, separated by a substantial police presence, gathered outside the Senate.

The Senate voted 127 to 86 to pass the bill late Monday. Twenty-four people abstained. The measure sets a punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine of euro45,000 ($59,000) for those who deny or "outrageously minimize" the killings.

Despite the potentially serious consequences, many senators did not show up for the vote, instead allowing colleagues to serve as proxies. Those in the Senate chamber, however, fiercely debated the measure over several hours.

For some in France, the bill is part of a tradition of legislation in some European countries, born of the agonies of the Holocaust, that criminalizes the denial of genocides. Denying the Holocaust is already a punishable crime in France.

Most historians contend that the 1915 killings of 1.5 million Armenians as the Ottoman Empire broke up was the 20th century's first genocide, and several European countries recognize the massacres as such. Switzerland has convicted people of racism for denying the genocide.

But Turkey says that there was no systematic campaign to kill Armenians and that many Turks also died during the chaotic disintegration of the empire. It also says that death toll is inflated.

Boyer, the bill's author, said Monday that it seeks to protect the very human rights that France first defined during its revolution.

Others warn that it threatens those same rights, especially freedom of expression. A Senate commission, in fact, recommended against the passage of the law, saying it raised constitutional questions, and the law could still face constitutional challenges.

"It's not up to parliament to define history," said Jean-Jacques Pignard, a senator who spoke against the measure in an hourslong debate. "We can't impose repentance. Repentance is a long personal journey."

But the senators who spoke for it on Monday said it was their duty to fight against those who would deny settled history.

"Once it's written, isn't it up to us to take notice?" asked Yannick Vaugrenard, a Socialist senator. "The truth is not always strong enough to conquer lies."

While senators debated the law Monday afternoon, about 150 pro-Armenian protesters and the same number of pro-Turkish demonstrators gathered outside the building.

Those in the pro-Turkish camp held banners declaring, "Liberty, Equality, Stupidity" and "It's not up to politicians to invent history."

Turkey's ambassador to France later lamented the vote.

"Everyone is going to suffer (from this). France, Turkey, Armenia of course. There will be unfortunately a radicalization of positions of all sides," said Tahsin Burcuoglu.

But Alexis Govciyan, national president of the Council of Coordination of Armenian Organizations in France, said that the law that would protect "the memory of the victims of the genocide, and the dignity of their descendants like us will be respected."

___

Associated Press writers Selcan Hacaoglu in Ankara, Turkey, and Jeffrey Schaeffer and Nicolas Garriga in Paris also contributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_turkey_genocide

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New malaria maps to guide battle against the disease

Monday, January 23, 2012

A new suite of malaria maps has revealed in unprecedented detail the current global pattern of the disease, allowing researchers to see how malaria has changed over a number of years.

In a study published in the Malaria Journal, a multinational team of researchers from the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), funded mainly by the Wellcome Trust, present the results of a two-year effort to assemble all available data worldwide on the risk of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the most deadly form of the disease. Using computer modelling and data on climate and human populations, they have revealed the complex landscape of malaria across the globe. The maps build on the first ever Atlas of Malaria-Eliminating Countries published earlier this year.

Malaria continues to exert an huge burden of illness and death worldwide but, after decades of neglect, the war against the disease has entered an unprecedented era: it is high on the policy agenda, international funding is beginning to translate into real increases in populations protected by bed nets and other key interventions, and a growing body of evidence points towards important reductions in illness and death.

The maps have been made freely available, along with a wide range of other malaria resources via the launch of a new online portal at www.map.ox.ac.uk. The research was led by Dr Pete Gething from the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford. He says: "These new maps and our online portal are really aimed at everyone involved in the battle against the disease: from the major international organisations and funders, to other scientists, to those actually doing the disease control work on the ground."

However, in order to allocate funding where it is most needed, accurate maps detailing where the disease is most intense and where the largest concentrations of people at risk are found. The new maps reveal for the first time the startling variations in malaria risk, even over short distances.

Dr Simon Hay, who leads the MAP group in Oxford, explains: "It's increasingly clear that malaria transmission is extremely heterogeneous. This means a one-size-fits all approach to controlling is not appropriate. What works in one place might not work elsewhere. These maps are designed to help unravel that complexity and provide a practical guide to help target resources."

Sir Richard Feachem, Director of the Global Health Group at the University of California, San Francisco, and Chair of the Malaria Elimination Group has welcomed the role the new maps can play in pursuing malaria elimination. He says: "From the perspective of elimination, the key message is that malaria transmission is actually very low across large swathes of the endemic world - including the 36 countries currently engaged in elimination programmes. Mapping transmission levels in detail helps to guide these initiatives and highlights how, with concerted effort and sustained financing, we can continue to shrink the malaria map."

###

Wellcome Trust: http://www.wellcome.ac.uk

Thanks to Wellcome Trust for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116941/New_malaria_maps_to_guide_battle_against_the_disease

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

"Shahs of Sunset" puts young Iranians on U.S. TV map (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? California's vibrant Iranian-American community is getting its own reality TV show -- its stars spending, squabbling and showing off in what looks like a cross between the gossipy "Real Housewives" series and splashy "Keeping up with the Kardashians".

"Shahs of Sunset", premiering on cable TV channel Bravo on March 11, follows six "passionate socialites" in their 30s who try to juggle their careers and social lives with family and tradition, Bravo said on Monday.

Four of those taking part in the show work in real estate in Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Hills and other pricey areas of Los Angeles. Most enjoy a lavish lifestyle where expensive cars, huge mansions, gold jewelry and shopping are a must, judging by a short promotional trailer for the new series.

Among the cast is one of the few openly gay men in southern California's Iranian-American community, Bravo said.

The series is thought to be one of the first on U.S. TV to document the lives of young Persians whose parents fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, or who settled in California as young children.

An estimated 500,000 Iranian-Americans live in the Los Angeles area -- the largest Persian community outside Tehran -- and some 20 percent of the population of Beverly Hills are of Iranian descent.

"From outings on Rodeo Drive to traditional Persian feasts at home, this series celebrates the unique lifestyle of a group of friends who have worked hard for what they have and are not afraid to flaunt it," Bravo said.

"Shah's of Sunset" is produced by Ryan Seacrest, host of "American Idol" and the producer of the popular "Keeping up with the Kardashians", about Armenian-American socialite sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, and its spinoff series.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/tv_nm/us_shahsofsunset

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Thunderstorms, tornadoes possible in southern U.S.

Severe storms were expected to spread across several southeastern U.S. states on Sunday into Monday with tornadoes, highwinds and large hail possible, weather forecasters said.

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A second stormfront expected to hit California late Sunday night will bring significant snowfall to the mountain regions, according to the National Weather Service, before rolling into the southern United States later in the week.

The potential for severe storms stretched from the Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi to southern Indiana and Ohio, according to AccuWeather.com meteorologist Bill Deger.

"Some of the thunderstorms are even expected to spawn tornadoes, making for an especially dangerous situation given the veil of night," Deger said.

In Alabama, residents were bracing for storms that could hit after dark on Sunday or overnight with a strong cold front from the west combining with warm moist air flowing up from the Gulf of Mexico, said Mary Keiser, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Birmingham, Alabama.

"The best dynamics for this are going to be across the northwest part of the state and lesser so as you move to the southeast part of the state," Keiser said of the forecast for severe weather to strike in Alabama.

The weather service said thunderstorms could bring wind gusts up to 80 mph, tornadoes or gulf ball-sized hail in Mississippi. Farther west, the weather service warned of a high fire danger in Texas with wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

Weather.com said the greatest tornado threat appeared to be in eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, northern Louisiana and northern Mississippi.

Parts of central and southern California were under a winter weather warning as a storm system was expected to sweep into the area late Sunday into Monday morning, with the weather service predicting 6 to 12 inches of snow.

The Sierras and the Rockies may accumulate as much as 3 feet of snow, the weather service said, and driving in mountain passes will be "very hazardous" due to low visibility, gusting winds and heavy snowfall.

In Reno, Nevada, meanwhile, snowfall provided welcome relief to firefighters who were monitoring remaining hotspots from a blaze that raged near the outskirts of the city beginning Thursday, destroying 30 houses and prompting thousands of people to flee their homes.

"As long as we keep on getting snow instead of rain, it looks like we'll be okay, at least for the next couple of days," said Mark Regan, spokesman for the Sierra Fire Protection District.

Rain had threatened the area with flash flooding on Friday night. Emergency responders had the blaze 100 percent contained as of Saturday, and all residents have been allowed to return to their homes, Regan said.

In the upper Midwest, freezing drizzle was expected to make roads and sidewalks slippery from southeastern Minnesota into Wisconsin, changing to snow later Sunday, the weather service said. Up to 4 inches of snow was expected farther north in southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota.

In the northeast United States, a fast-moving storm from central Pennsylvania eastward dropped up to a foot of snow in parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts on Saturday.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40493174/ns/travel-news/

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Monday, January 23, 2012

The White House joins Google+, invites you to Hangout

President Obama may have been on Google+ since November, but the administration is now stepping up its presence on the social network even further in anticipation of next week's State of the Union address and the forthcoming presidential campaign. It now has an official White House Google+ page, where it plans to post the usual news, photos and videos, and also host regular Hangout video chats. There's no promises yet that the President himself will take part, but the White House says it will regularly have administration officials and policy experts take part in the conversations, which will also be streamed on YouTube and WhiteHouse.gov. Those interested can click the link below to add the page to their Circles.

The White House joins Google+, invites you to Hangout originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  sourceThe White House (Google+), The White House Blog  | Email this | Comments


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The Evolving Truth about Fracking for Natural Gas [Updated]

Web Exclusives | Energy & Sustainability

Scientists are speaking out about the risks that fracking may or may not pose to drinking water

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Top Justice officials linked to mortgage banks

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who's Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows.

The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.

Both the Justice Department and Covington declined to say if either official had personally worked on matters for the big mortgage industry clients. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Holder and Breuer had complied fully with conflict of interest regulations, but she declined to say if they had recused themselves from any matters related to the former clients.

Reuters reported in December that under Holder and Breuer, the Justice Department hasn't brought any criminal cases against big banks or other companies involved in mortgage servicing, even though copious evidence has surfaced of apparent criminal violations in foreclosure cases.

The evidence, including records from federal and state courts and local clerks' offices around the country, shows widespread forgery, perjury, obstruction of justice, and illegal foreclosures on the homes of thousands of active-duty military personnel.

In recent weeks the Justice Department has come under renewed pressure from members of Congress, state and local officials and homeowners' lawyers to open a wide-ranging criminal investigation of mortgage servicers, the biggest of which have been Covington clients. So far Justice officials haven't responded publicly to any of the requests.

While Holder and Breuer were partners at Covington, the firm's clients included the four largest U.S. banks - Bank of America, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo & Co - as well as at least one other bank that is among the 10 largest mortgage servicers.

Defender of Freddie
Servicers perform routine mortgage maintenance tasks, including filing foreclosures, on behalf of mortgage owners, usually groups of investors who bought mortgage-backed securities.

Covington represented Freddie Mac, one of the nation's biggest issuers of mortgage backed securities, in enforcement investigations by federal financial regulators.

A particular concern by those pressing for an investigation is Covington's involvement with Virginia-based MERS Corp, which runs a vast computerized registry of mortgages. Little known before the mortgage crisis hit, MERS, which stands for Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, has been at the center of complaints about false or erroneous mortgage documents.

Court records show that Covington, in the late 1990s, provided legal opinion letters needed to create MERS on behalf of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and several other large banks. It was meant to speed up registration and transfers of mortgages. By 2010, MERS claimed to own about half of all mortgages in the U.S. -- roughly 60 million loans.

But evidence in numerous state and federal court cases around the country has shown that MERS authorized thousands of bank employees to sign their names as MERS officials. The banks allegedly drew up fake mortgage assignments, making it appear falsely that they had standing to file foreclosures, and then had their own employees sign the documents as MERS "vice presidents" or "assistant secretaries."

Covington in 2004 also wrote a crucial opinion letter commissioned by MERS, providing legal justification for its electronic registry. MERS spokeswoman Karmela Lejarde declined to comment on Covington legal work done for MERS.

It isn't known to what extent if any Covington has continued to represent the banks and other mortgage firms since Holder and Breuer left. Covington declined to respond to questions from Reuters. A Covington spokeswoman said the firm had no comment.

Several lawyers for homeowners have said that even if Holder and Breuer haven't violated any ethics rules, their ties to Covington create an impression of bias toward the firms' clients, especially in the absence of any prosecutions by the Justice Department.

O. Max Gardner III, a lawyer who trains other attorneys to represent homeowners in bankruptcy court foreclosure actions, said he attributes the Justice Department's reluctance to prosecute the banks or their executives to the Obama White House's view that it might harm the economy.

But he said that the background of Holder and Breuer at Covington -- and their failure to act on foreclosure fraud or publicly recuse themselves -- "doesn't pass the smell test."

Recusal requirements
Federal ethics regulations generally require new government officials to recuse themselves for one year from involvement in matters involving clients they personally had represented at their former law firms.

President Obama imposed additional restrictions on appointees that essentially extended the ban to two years. For Holder, that ban would have expired in February 2011, and in April for Breuer. Rules also require officials to avoid creating the appearance of a conflict.

Schmaler, the Justice Department spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that "The Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General Breuer have conformed with all financial, legal and ethical obligations under law as well as additional ethical standards set by the Obama Administration."

She said they "routinely consult" the department's ethics officials for guidance. Without offering specifics, Schmaler said they "have recused themselves from matters as required by the law."

Senior government officials often move to big Washington law firms, and lawyers from those firms often move into government posts. But records show that in recent years the traffic between the Justice Department and Covington & Burling has been particularly heavy. In 2010, Holder's deputy chief of staff, John Garland, returned to Covington, as did Steven Fagell, who was Breuer's deputy chief of staff in the criminal division.

The firm has on its web site a page listing its attorneys who are former federal government officials. Covington lists 22 from the Justice Department, and 12 from U.S. Attorneys offices, the Justice Department's local federal prosecutors' offices around the country.

As Reuters reported in 2011, public records show large numbers of mortgage promissory notes with apparently forged endorsements that were submitted as evidence to courts.

There also is evidence of almost routine manufacturing of false mortgage assignments, documents that transfer ownership of mortgages between banks or to groups of investors. In foreclosure actions in courts mortgage assignments are required to show that a bank has the legal right to foreclose.

In an interview in late 2011, Raymond Brescia, a visiting professor at Yale Law School who has written about foreclosure practices said, "I think it's difficult to find a fraud of this size on the U.S. court system in U.S. history."

Holder has resisted calls for a criminal investigation since October 2010, when evidence of widespread "robo-signing" first surfaced. That involved mortgage servicer employees falsely signing and swearing to massive numbers of affidavits and other foreclosure documents that they had never read or checked for accuracy.

Recent calls for a wide-ranging criminal investigation of the mortgage servicing industry have come from members of Congress, including Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., state officials, and county clerks. In recent months clerks from around the country have examined mortgage and foreclosure records filed with them and reported finding high percentages of apparently fraudulent documents.

On Wednesday, John O'Brien Jr., register of deeds in Salem, Mass., announced that he had sent 31,897 allegedly fraudulent foreclosure-related documents to Holder. O'Brien said he asked for a criminal investigation of servicers and their law firms that had filed the documents because they "show a pattern of fraud," forgery and false notarizations.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46070458/ns/business-us_business/

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Many Politicians Softening Opposition to Same-Sex Marriages (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | A major step in the effort to legalize same-sex marriage was taken on Friday, January 20, when a coalition of 80 mayors announced their support for legalizing marriage between gays.

Mike Bloomberg, mayor of New York City and head of Mayors for Freedom to Marry said ,"Mayors understand that welcoming committed gay couples to the rights and responsibilities of marriage isn't just the right thing to do." Mayors of Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles are each supportive of such measures.

This announcement comes one day after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie softened his opposition to same-sex marriage and that is a good thing. His most recent statement is that he will make a "deliberate and thoughtful" decision if the New Jersey legislature passes a bill. Previously, in 2009, he vowed to return to the legislature any bill legalizing same-sex marriage "with a big red veto across it."

Governor Christie and other politicians may have been influenced by a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University which showed that a majority of New Jersey voters favor legalizing marriage between same-sex partners. This is the first time that more than 50 percent of the respondents favored same-sex marriage. The key word here is "marriage", because New Jersey has recognized domestic partnerships or civil unions since 2006.

If, and when the bill is passed and signed into law, New Jersey would then become the seventh state where same-sex couples can get married. There are also 10 states which recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships.

This is important because during the Republican debates, many candidates, including front-runner Mitt Romney, have called for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. You need 39 states to ratify an amendment and the more states which recognize marriage, the less likely that passage would occur.

While it is wonderful that some states recognize same-sex marriage, the real progress will only come when the federal government and the IRS recognize that two people of the same sex can be married.

Unfortunately, much of the discrimination is in the form of financial punishment. Gay couples cannot save on their federal income taxes by filing a joint return. They are not entitled to the unlimited marital deduction which is available to heterosexual couples, and that makes their estate issues more complex and expensive.

Heterosexual couples can contribute to a spousal IRA even if one spouse does not work. Gay couples are denied that right. In a traditional marriage, the surviving spouse is entitled to roll over the retirement assets of their deceased loved one without incurring tax consequences. This process is denied gays.

Granting same-sex couples the same rights and entitlements that heterosexual couples receive should be fundamental and the sign of a maturing society.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120120/cm_ac/10861993_many_politicians_softening_opposition_to_samesex_marriages

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Pro-fighter Gina Carano goes "Haywire" in movie debut (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Retired female mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano may be a household name to those in the sporting world, but the 29-year old beauty is now broadening her horizons to include acting.

Carano, a pioneer in the world of female competitive fighting, makes her big screen debut in Steven Soderbergh's action thriller "Haywire," in U.S. theaters on Friday. She plays a framed government agent who must prove her innocence and find out who betrayed her, all the while warding off assassins.

Carano sat down with Reuters to talk about her first film and making the transition from fighting to acting.

Q: You've never starred in a film before. What was that like?

A: "I feel like I went to Film School 101 on 'Haywire' because I never experienced anything like this. I've never read lines with an actor and I got Michael Fassbender for my very first actor in Dublin. I was sitting there in awe. I was like, 'Okay, this is what's he's doing, so I just gotta keep up.' He actually became a mentor to me for the majority of the movie."

Q: Any take-away moments for you during this first experience?

A: "Every single day in this movie is ingrained in my heart. You have certain firsts in your life but this whole movie was a first -- my first time acting, my first day of filming in Dublin with Michael Fassbender. Steven Soderbergh is my first director. It was my first time in Barcelona, my first time in New Mexico."

Q: The film was designed to showcase your strengths as a fighter. That must have made your experience much less daunting.

A: "Any day I was physical, I was really happy. That's where my confidence came from - from the running to the fight scenes. I think that's why Steven kept me active in the film, so I wouldn't get into my head too much."

Q: What was the most challenging thing?

A: "Reading lines and acting, but that soon became an every day thing...But I learned how vulnerable a person has to be, how open they have to be. You have to let yourself go and be ridiculous and let go whatever walls you have up. That's not incredibly easy for me."

Q: What do you consider yourself now - an actor or a fighter?

A: "I'm definitely between worlds. The fighting world is like, 'Wow, she left us,' or 'She was one of us, we respect her for that.' And the acting world is like, 'Who is this? Who is this stranger?' (laughs) So it's like starting over."

Q: So you want to continue with acting?

A: "Fighting is always my first love and my passion. With acting, I got to express myself in a different way...I didn't have to hurt anybody or get hurt doing it, but I could still be physical. I would love to do that again."

Q: So what's next for you then? Are producers and studios lining up to meet with you?

A: "I think a lot of people have been reserved on this. They don't know what to expect yet. I have little projects here and there that are on hold because people have been waiting for the film to come out first. Of course I've got a little anxiety, like, 'What's next?'"

Q: You've paved the way for so many young female fighters and now you're kicking butt on the big screen. Do you feel like a role model?

A: "If you're inspired, God bless you and keep being inspired by as many people you can...Because if you can see it in me, you can see it in yourself. But don't build anybody up too high because they'll just let you down. I've done so many things wrong in my life and I've done so many things right, but I'm real and you can talk to me and if I inspire you, I'm glad. But be you."

Q: How does a middle child of three sisters end up a fighter?

A: "I was the boy my dad never had - the darker one with dark eyes, dark hair and big bones. So I played that role my whole life. I got in street fights because I was never good at talking."

Q: So even as a kid you fought?

A: "I definitely did. I had a lot of street fights growing up in Las Vegas. Not ones that I instigated, but I would not back down. My mom and dad both told me: punch a bully in the nose and they'll go away. You don't have to be pushed around. That's something I hope I can access more as I get older"

Q: Punching bullies in noses?

A: "No, life. Punch life in the nose if it starts pushing you around. You gotta face it. You can't run from it."

(Editing By Jill Serjeant)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120118/film_nm/us_ginacarano_haywire

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Video: Gym App: Pump or Pay

CNBC's Darren Rovell has the story on a new app for iPhones that will charge you a predetermined amount of money every time you skip a scheduled visit to the gym.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46072886/

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Big Picture Communications, Inc., Begins the New Year by ...

By PR Newswire

Article Rating:

January 19, 2012 03:27 PM EST

Reads:

126

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --?Big Picture Communications, Inc., is proud to announce and welcome Steve Smith as Principal /Creative Director to the BPC team.? With over 25 years of experience in advertising and video production, Steve will be an innovative source of talent alongside the current Principals, AJ Drexler, Lead Strategist and Maureen Mashek, Executive Creative Director.

Steve is an award-winning writer and creative director with experience at both large and small agencies in the Pittsburgh market.? As previous creative director for Ten United (now Engauge), as well as Point Communications, Steve has traditional and digital advertising experience.? Prior to coming to BPC, Steve owned his own advertising consulting agency, The Unchained Brain.? His knowledge of the industry and leadership qualities make him an excellent addition to the BPC team.

"Steve approaches work from a strategic, problem-solving perspective. He values strong client relationships and has an unmatched creative aesthetic," said Drexler. "His impact has already been felt throughout our agency.? Prior to officially joining Big Picture, he contributed to a number of campaigns for our clients, including Range Resources and the Women's Center & Shelter of Pittsburgh. We are very excited he has joined our firm."

The Big Picture Companies include Big Picture Communications and Big Picture Media Solutions. The 16-person agency provides strategic, creative and media services to a variety of consumer and business-to-business clients in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Business Times recently ranked Big Picture No. 5 on its annual list of the largest Pittsburgh-area advertising agencies. For more information on Big Picture, visit www.bigpicturecomm.net or call (412) 341-4656.

SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE: FACEBOOK

Big Picture is proud to officially announce and welcome Steve Smith, Principal and Creative Director and to the BPC Team.? With over 25 years of national and local account experience in traditional and digital advertising, Steve will bring depth? and new opportunities to the agency.? Big Picture looks forward to his contributions in 2012 and for years to come.?

CONTACT:
Maureen Mashek
Principal/Executive Creative Director
Phone: (412) 341-4656
mmashek@bigpicturecomm.net

SOURCE Big Picture Communications, Inc.

Source: http://buyersteps.ulitzer.com/node/2135154

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Microsoft's Windows 8 hardware requirements: some good, some not-so-good

First, an apology: Microsoft released details of Windows 8's tablet hardware requirements back in December, but we were too preoccupied with Christmas and CES to notice. Now that the only thing we're suffering from is jet-lag, let's take a quick tour of some notable extracts from the documentation and what it'll mean for users when the operating system arrives towards the back end of the year.

Continue reading Microsoft's Windows 8 hardware requirements: some good, some not-so-good

Microsoft's Windows 8 hardware requirements: some good, some not-so-good originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechMeme  |  sourceWithin Windows  | Email this | Comments


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Family to meet with hospital in transplant debate (AP)

PHILADELPHIA ? The parents of a 3-year-old New Jersey girl who claim she's being denied a kidney transplant because of her mental disabilities said their problems may be with one doctor, and not The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"It's one doctor who's never seen us who is making this call," Joe Rivera told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "We've had a great experience with CHOP. We're not against CHOP, but maybe something needs to be changed. One guy tarnished their reputation."

Rivera, 39, and his wife Chrissy plan to meet with hospital officials next week, amid a growing online furor that has experts warning the situation may be much more complex than many realize. The hospital has not commented on the child's case, citing patient confidentiality laws, but acknowledged the online discussion and said on its Facebook page that "we hear your concerns."

Chrissy Rivera posted a blog entry last week that described an encounter she claimed happened at The Children's Hospital. She and her husband were there to discuss treatment for her daughter, Amelia, who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, a rare genetic defect that can cause physical and mental disabilities. Amelia will need a transplant in six months to a year.

Chrissy Rivera, 36, wrote that a doctor, whom she did not name, told her and her husband that Amelia wouldn't be eligible for a transplant because of her quality of life and her mental condition.

"I put my hand up. `Stop talking for a minute. Did you just say that Amelia shouldn't have the transplant done because she is mentally retarded. I am confused. Did you really just say that?'" she wrote. "I begin to shake. My whole body trembles and he begins to tell me how she will never be able to get on the waiting list because she is mentally retarded."

Joe Rivera said he was left thunderstruck.

"It just felt like that you were punched in the gut," he told the AP. "It was mind blowing how people think these days."

But he said that the experience was not necessarily indicative of the treatment they've gotten from the hospital.

Afterward, Chrissy Rivera, who teaches high school senior English, detailed the exchange on the blog.

Her story was seen by Sunday Stilwell, the mother of two severely autistic boys, and she began an online petition Friday, demanding that the hospital give a transplant to the girl. By Wednesday afternoon, 26,520 people had signed it.

"I read Chrissy's original blog post, and I just cried. I couldn't believe it," said Stilwell, whose boys are 6 and 9. "I shared it on Twitter with all my followers and on Facebook."

Children's Hospital said in a statement that it "does not disqualify potential transplant candidates on the basis of intellectual abilities."

"We have transplanted many children with a wide range of disabilities, including physical and intellectual disabilities," it said, adding that it is "deeply committed" to providing the best possible medical care for all children, including those with disabilities.

It noted the debate on its Facebook page. "We're listening. We hear your concerns and take seriously your posts, emails and phone calls," it wrote, adding, "Please know that you have been heard and that your feedback is appreciated."

Stilwell has been in contact with the Riveras daily over the events.

"There's a lot of camaraderie" between parents of special-needs kids, Stilwell said. "Almost all of us, across the board, have experienced some discrimination. I've certainly had some bad run-ins with some certainly ignorant doctors, but nothing like this. That's part of the reason I did it. I couldn't actually believe this was happening."

The issue the Riveras face is not simple, said Arthur Caplan, director of the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics. For example, the blog notes that Chrissy Rivera told the hospital that "we plan on donating" the kidney because they come from a large family.

"Most adults can't donate an organ because it won't fit" a child, Caplan said. "You're starting to say you're going to use another child as a living donor, and that's ethically really trouble."

The supply of organs for child transplants is "extremely limited," Caplan added. "So you have hard choices to make," he said. "Dialysis may be a better option."

However, in recent years some hospitals have pioneered ways to use an adult's kidney in a child.

According to the National Institutes of Health, 87,820 people were awaiting kidney transplants as of last February. The National Kidney Foundation, which seeks to enhance the lives of people affected by kidney disease, said 4,573 patients died in 2008 while waiting for kidney transplants.

A 2006 study from Ohio State University on kidney transplants for patients with mental disabilities found that the one- and three-year survival rates for 34 people were 100 percent and 90 percent, respectively.

"The studies reported good compliance with post-transplant medications due to consistent support from family members or caregivers," the paper noted.

The researchers added that previous controversies over mental disabilities and transplants led the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations to express concern that many people with disabilities are "denied evaluation and referral for transplantation."

Whatever the medical details of Amelia's situation, her mother's blog captured the anger of parents with disabled children who don't want outsiders to decide life and death issues.

"Do not talk about her quality of life," Rivera wrote of her exchange with the doctor last week. "You have no idea what she is like. We have crossed many, many road blocks with Amelia and this is just one more. So, you don't agree she should have it done? Fine. But tell me who I talk to next."

Mary Beth Happ, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Bioethics and Health Law, said that the issue of severe mental disability and kidney transplants has been a source of contention for nearly two decades.

"Co-existing health problems such as weakened immune system and/or heart disease, which are prevalent in (Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome), are an additional risk that transplant centers and parents must consider," Happ wrote in an email.

But Happ and Caplan noted that it's virtually impossible to have a full discussion of Amelia's case because of medical privacy laws.

"We're seeing this more and more where very private, difficult medical decisions are debated in the media without the full facts," Happ said, adding that while the general discussion can be good, the risks of one side or another inflating the situation is problematic.

Caplan said he has heard of cases in which other transplant programs considered severe mental disability as a factor in transplants.

"With scarcity, social factors do count, with every transplant," he said.

___

Begos reported from Pittsburgh.

___

Follow Matt Moore at http://www.twitter.com/mattmooreap

___

Online:

Rivera's Blog: http://bit.ly/xAmRaV

CHOP's Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/wkvIW0

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_he_me/us_disabled_child_transplant

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