Crime rate surged during 2012 | Pakistan Today | Latest news ...

RAWALPINDI?-?The crime rate in Rawalpindi city has surged this year despite sweeping claims regarding strict security arrangements by the authorities.

According to statistics collected by APP in this regard, around 1,050 vehicles and 760 motorcycles were stolen in 2012, compared to 1,255 vehicles and 805 motorcycles stolen in 2011. However recovery of these vehicles remained very slow this year.

Statistics showed that despite the presence of 20 police check-posts at entry and exit points of the city, there was no let up in the crime rate and there were frequent reports of crimes including murders, attempted murders, kidnappings for ransom, robberies and street crimes. More than 4,500 similar cases were registered in the city this year while stolen items were recovered in 300 cases only.

The total number of cases recorded in 2012 was over 17,000. Around 255 murder cases were registered during the year while 12 persons were killed during robberies. A total of 490 attempted murder cases were also registered in 2012.

The Rawalpindi Police registered 3,127 cases against drug peddlers and liquor was recovered in 205 cases. Around 2,200 cases were also registered on the recovery of illegal weapons.

Several crimes in different areas also went unreported.

The Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer had shuffled several SHOs in response to the rise in crime but no significant improvement had been seen so far.

According to the City Police Officer (CPO) efforts were being made to control crime in the city. He said senior police officers had been directed to regularly monitor the situation and performance of police officials. ?All available resources are being utilised to control crime and foolproof security arrangements have been made in public places,? he added.

Solid steps to change the traditional ?thana? culture and improve the image of the police have also been taken, he said.

The CPO said ?Khuli Kutcharies? were being held regularly to address grievances.

Stressing the need for concerted efforts, he said people should come forward to play their due role as joint efforts by law enforcement agencies and the general public will have to be made to eliminate crime from the society.

It is the responsibility of police officers to act in accordance with the law and strict action is being taken against negligent police officials he said.

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Source: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/12/30/city/islamabad/crime-rate-surged-during-2012/

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Chavez suffers new post-surgery complications

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is suffering further complications linked to a respiratory infection that hit him after his fourth cancer operation in Cuba, his vice president said in a somber broadcast on Sunday.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro flew to Cuba to visit Chavez in the hospital as supporters' fears grow for the ailing 58-year-old socialist leader, who has not been seen in public nor heard from in three weeks.

Chavez had already suffered unexpected bleeding caused by the six-hour operation on December 11 for an undisclosed form of cancer in his pelvic area, and officials say doctors then had to fight a respiratory infection.

"Just a few minutes ago we were with President Chavez. He greeted us and he himself talked about these complications," Maduro said in the broadcast, adding that the third set of complications arose because of the respiratory infection.

"Thanks to his physical and spiritual strength, Comandante Chavez is confronting this difficult situation."

Maduro, flanked by his wife Attorney-General Cilia Flores, Chavez's daughter Rosa Virginia and her husband, Science Minister Jorge Arreaza, said he would remain in Havana while Chavez's condition evolved.

Chavez's resignation for health reasons, or his death, would upend politics in the OPEC nation where his personalized brand of oil-financed socialism has made him a hero to the poor but a pariah to critics who call him a dictator.

The president's allies have been openly discussing the possibility that he may not be able to return to swear in for his third six-year term on the constitutionally mandated date of January 10.

Opposition leaders say a postponement would be another signal Chavez is not in a fit state to govern and that new elections should be called to choose his replacement.

They believe they have a better shot against Maduro, who was named earlier this month by Chavez as his heir apparent, than against the charismatic president who for 14 years has been nearly invincible at the ballot box.

Any constitutional dispute over succession could lead to a messy transition toward a post-Chavez era in the country with the biggest oil reserves in the world.

Maduro has become the face of the government in Chavez's absence, imitating the president's bombastic style and sharp criticism of the United States and its "imperialist" policies.

(Additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago and Mario Naranjo; Ediitng by Kieran Murray and Todd Eastham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelas-chavez-delicate-condition-surgery-vice-president-005422267.html

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Lower Your Insurance Rates With One Of These Tips | valttiblogi.com

Posted by mikaza on December 31, 2012 in Business | Short Link

How much would you actually know about Florida motor insurance? A great deal of people can still use more knowledge about Florida car insurance because it?s really a subject that affects us all. Research is always a great input finding the insurance company and policy that?s suitable for you. Insurance protects you during accidents by potentially paying for any damages or another fees, and can even replace a totaled car auto insurance Redington Beach Florida. Don?t allow the myriad of Florida auto insurance choices allow you to get down. There can be so much to take into account and also to choose from. This article can assist you to know very well what your Florida car insurance policy provides for you. But this is going to be insurance through a call center. There are a handful of items that you really need to know about Florida motor insurance however.

With all of the knowledge you are now armed with, you should have a greater insight about Florida car insurance. Having the best website inside the business does definitely not mean a company has the best insurance inside the business. Having a far more experienced driver on your own plan can reduce your premiums. Much like having someone with a good credit rating co-sign financing with you, through an older, experienced driver on your own insurance will bring your repayments down motor insurance premiums concerns and explanations. Pay to your Florida auto insurance coverage in a single payment up front. Find out how much your automobile will probably be worth and calculate everything you pay every year to insure it. Take benefit of this!.

Choices are endless and corporations numerous if this comes to Florida auto insurance. Infractions on your own record can affect your Florida car insurance rates, plus it is possible that there is certainly old or incorrect information on yours. Make sure you notify your insurance right away if this happens. If your insurer offers this kind of deal, be sure to adopt advantage of it.

Discounts on Florida auto insurance coverage are occasionally offered for low mileage drivers. Your insurance company will invariably prorate your coverage and return any unused portion to you, but obtaining that unused portion can be described as a hassle. More importantly, you might be able in order to save a bit money. If you choose a higher deductible, this will mean that you simply pays higher out-of-pocket costs should you are participating in a car accident or should you must file an insurance coverage claim.

If your son or daughter is sharing the family car and moves away to varsity or makes the honor roll, what this means is you can obtain a discount on your insurance. This means some companies also offer a discount if your coverage is paid for ahead of time. Sportier cars or SUV?s can carry higher premiums because they?ve got more liability plus they are generally more costly to exchange or fix after they happen to be damaged.

Though simple, the tips listed above could save hundreds and thousands of dollars per year on expensive Florida auto insurance payments. What?s essential about Florida motor insurance would be to always gain more knowledge concerning the subject, this way you can make knowledgeable decisions. What?s essential about Florida auto insurance is always to always gain in knowledge in regards to the subject, that way you possibly can make well informed decisions. What are you currently to do? In this article, we now have covered some valuable tips that can help. Now you should better be in a position to understand coverage, find affordable rates, keep your loved ones safe and become prepared for just about any losses that may occur.

Tags: Florida car or truck insurance company

Source: http://valttiblogi.com/lower-your-insurance-rates-with-one-of-these-tips/

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Oil prices rise as 'fiscal cliff' talks to resume

BANGKOK (AP) -- The price of oil rose Wednesday after President Barack Obama indicated he would cut his Christmas holiday short and head to Washington to try to work out a deal to keep the U.S. from heading over the "fiscal cliff."

Benchmark oil for February delivery rose 49 cents at late afternoon Bangkok time to $89.10 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

On Monday, concerns over the stalemate in Washington drove benchmark oil prices lower, with the contract closing down 5 cents at $88.61 a barrel on the Nymex.

Obama was expected to arrive in Washington early Thursday, the White House said, after a brief vacation in Hawaii. Congress was also expected to return to the U.S. capital Thursday and begin budget negotiations.

Hopes that U.S. leaders might reach a budget deal helped buoy oil prices. Failure to agree on a plan before Jan. 1 would lead to spending cuts and tax hikes that economists predict will push the economy back into recession. Otherwise, the economy is expected to show slight improvement in 2013, a positive for energy consumption and prices.

In other energy futures trading:

? Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, rose 45 cents to $109.25 a barrel.

? Natural gas fell 3.5 cents to $3.311 per 1,000 cubic feet.

? Heating oil rose 1.5 cents to $3.0034 a gallon.

? Wholesale gasoline rose 0.8 cents to $2.7588 a gallon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oil-prices-rise-fiscal-cliff-052551228.html

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Look At These Fantastic Home Improvement Suggestions! powah ...

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Irrespective of how expensive or grand a residence is, there is constantly something that can be better. Maybe you have put off these enhancements as a result of expense or lack of information. If you have individuals reasons, continue reading for some helpful advice.

If you work with a licensed contractor, maintain mindful records. You are unable to keep this obligation as much as the professional. Keep copies for each invoice or contract relating to the task. This can help you and also the service provider remain focused on the job.

A sequence-website link or wood made fencing might be a good plan if you?ve purchased a home near a woody area or undeveloped place. This will always keep woodland critters like skunks, coyotes, possums and rabbits out of your grass and back garden.

Make sure you get your professional to signal files just before they start any venture. In case you are venture a costly home improvement task it may be worth the cost to enjoy about $150 to possess a legal professional review your home remodeling contract before you sign it. Everything, timeframes, distinct fees and assures must be included and clear and understandable.

Growing brilliant plants facing your property can quickly enhance its external visual appeal. Select vegetation that can blossom in each and every period. At the same time, maintain your hedges and bushes trimmed, and weekly mow and manicure your grass. By doing these straightforward tasks, it is simple to keep the property benefit increasing.

When performing the next advancement project, put aside place for all the dirt you produce. Removing everything trash can come across a huge costs, so it will be critical that you just plan ahead in order to economize and avoid setbacks pertaining to any project.

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If you would like swap the exterior siding on the house, make sure to take advantage of the proper insulating material. There are many different kinds you can pick from, such as permeable residence place, rigorous foam heat retaining material, and methods that entirely shield a wall. Figure out the costs for each option, and choose exactly how much you need to spend.

Well before the installation of new sections, you should fresh paint top to bottom lines on the walls. Regardless of your expertise, it seems like inescapable that a number of the aged walls will demonstrate through. To avoid this, you may look at the places the bedding of paneling will link. Fresh paint strips of your wall structure with a fresh paint shade which will greater match up the colour in the paneling.

It is actually easy to inexpensively tidy up the design of advise kitchen appliances. Stainless steel might be preferred, but why trash your refrigerator which is continue to doing work since it is not a ?awesome? coloration? You can get some very affordable equipment mist color and color your devices any colour of your deciding on. You can change your kitchen in a few several hours!

When coming up with renovations, there are a variety of screws you can use. It?s smart to know which type of screw is right for which kind of project you might have appointed. Hardwood screws are perfect for tasks which involve wooden simply because they could very easily go through it. Page metal jobs require page metal anchoring screws.

Doing home improvement tasks is something that you can achieve your self with some hard work, enthusiasm, and creativeness. A good skilled necessary to discover how at some time or some other. Using the suggestions in the list above will help you enhance your property to the method that you would like it to be.

There is more content available on hvac camden county read Sal I. Sicari?s site there?s loads of information not outlined in this post, find those details on Author?s web blog to discover more.

Source: http://kity.org/look-at-these-fantastic-home-improvement-suggestions-2/

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Egypt constitution passes with 63.8 percent

CAIRO (AP) ? The head of Egypt's election commission says the new constitution has passed with a 63.8 percent "yes" vote in a referendum.

According to official results announced Tuesday, 32.9 percent of voters participated.

The announcement turns the Islamist-drafted charter into the country's first constitution after the uprising that forced Hosni Mubarak out of office after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.

The opposition had campaigned against the constitution, charging that it will usher in Islamic rule in Egypt and restrict freedoms. It has vowed to challenge the results.

Judge Samir Abou el-Maati, the head of the electoral commission, denied allegations that judicial supervision was lacking in the vote.

The official results closely mirror unofficial results announced by the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group that backed the charter.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-25-Egypt/id-5bd2cb103ae44584ad714ce30e9844c0

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The Real Housewives of Atlanta Recap - No Ring in Anguilla

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Study shows rapid warming on the West Antarctic ice sheet

Dec. 23, 2012 ? In a discovery that raises further concerns about the future contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise, a new study finds that the western part of the ice sheet is experiencing nearly twice as much warming as previously thought.

The temperature record from Byrd Station, a scientific outpost in the center of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), demonstrates a marked increase of 4.3 degrees Fahrenheit (2.4 degrees Celsius) in average annual temperature since 1958 -- that is, three times faster than the average temperature rise around the globe.

This temperature increase is nearly double what previous research has suggested, and reveals -- for the first time -- warming trends during the summer months of the Southern Hemisphere (December through February), said David Bromwich, professor of geography at Ohio State University and senior research scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center.

The findings were published online this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.

"Our record suggests that continued summer warming in West Antarctica could upset the surface mass balance of the ice sheet, so that the region could make an even bigger contribution to sea level rise than it already does," said Bromwich.

"Even without generating significant mass loss directly, surface melting on the WAIS could contribute to sea level indirectly, by weakening the West Antarctic ice shelves that restrain the region's natural ice flow into the ocean."

Andrew Monaghan, study co-author and scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), said that these findings place West Antarctica among the fastest-warming regions on Earth.

"We've already seen enhanced surface melting contribute to the breakup of the Antarctic's Larsen B Ice Shelf, where glaciers at the edge discharged massive sections of ice into the ocean that contributed to sea level rise," Monaghan said. "The stakes would be much higher if a similar event occurred to an ice shelf restraining one of the enormous WAIS glaciers."

Researchers consider the WAIS especially sensitive to climate change, explained Ohio State University doctoral student Julien Nicolas. Since the base of the ice sheet rests below sea level, it is vulnerable to direct contact with warm ocean water. Its melting currently contributes 0.3 mm to sea level rise each year -- second to Greenland, whose contribution to sea level rise has been estimated as high as 0.7 mm per year.

Due to its location some 700 miles from the South Pole and near the center of the WAIS, Byrd Station is an important indicator of climate change throughout the region.

In the past, researchers haven't been able to make much use of the Byrd Station measurements because the data was incomplete; nearly one third of the temperature observations were missing for the time period of the study. Since its establishment in 1957, the station hasn't always been occupied. A year-round automated station was installed in 1980, but it has experienced frequent power outages, especially during the long polar night, when its solar panels can't recharge.

Bromwich and two of his graduate students, along with colleagues from NCAR and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, corrected the past Byrd temperature measurements and used corrected data from a computer atmospheric model and a numerical analysis method to fill in the missing observations.

Aside from offering a more complete picture of warming in West Antarctica, the study suggests that if this warming trend continues, melting will become more extensive in the region in the future, Bromwich said.

While the researchers work to fully understand the cause of the summer warming at Byrd Station, the next step is clear, he added.

"West Antarctica is one of the most rapidly changing regions on Earth, but it is also one of the least known," he said. "Our study underscores the need for a reliable network of meteorological observations throughout West Antarctica, so that we can know what is happening -- and why -- with more certainty."

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Ohio State University, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. David H. Bromwich, Julien P. Nicolas, Andrew J. Monaghan, Matthew A. Lazzara, Linda M. Keller, George A. Weidner, Aaron B. Wilson. Central West Antarctica among the most rapidly warming regions on Earth. Nature Geoscience, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1671

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/lz9UIrKYNWg/121223152408.htm

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FREE IS MY LIFE: MOVIE REVIEW: This is 40

This movie review for "This is 40" was written by guest blogger Liz Parker...

This is 40 is being billed as the "sort-of sequel to (2007's) Knocked Up," and so Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann reprise their roles as Pete and Debbie. However, you won't find Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl here at all, though there are a few other recurring characters, such as Jason Segel, playing an athletic trainer aptly named Jason, and Charlyne Yi, playing an employee who works at Debbie's clothing store (and who is so weird she actually steals a few scenes). I remember I saw a screening of Knocked Up when I was attending U of M and thought it was funny, and This is 40 matches that, though it's definitely not a movie for kids because of its language and adult jokes.

Five years after?Knocked Up,?Pete and Debbie are turning 40, though Debbie insists on having "38" written on her cake. They're in some serious money troubles too, although Debbie doesn't even know the half of it; Pete's music studio isn't doing well, and he brings back one of his favorite "old fogies" and his band in a last-ditch attempt to make some money. Debbie has taken to smoking near windows in secret, and Pete eats too many cupcakes, so they decide to start a healthier lifestyle - which of course makes them miserable. Their oldest daughter, Sadie (Maude Apatow, real-life daughter of director Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann), is thirteen, too, and they're having a hard time dealing with her; their youngest daughter, Charlotte (Iris Apatow, sister of Maude), is hating that her sister and herself aren't close anymore, too. The movie follows these characters through their ups and downs, and brings a large dose of comedy with it.

During the opening scene of This is 40, you can tell this is not going to be a kids movie: we see shadows having sex in the shower, and then the door opens and Debbie scolds Pete for taking Viagra; she says that they are young and that young people shouldn't need those kinds of drugs. I had also forgotten that Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) was going to be in this film, and she plays the mother of one of Sadie's classmates, whom Debbie tries to (hilariously) intimidate at one point. Jason Segel and Megan Fox also have supporting roles, Segel in the same role as before and Megan Fox as another of Debbie's employees whom all of the married men like to ogle.

Yes, see this film. I'd like to rewatch?Knocked Up?now too, since I last saw it five years ago and would like to remember these characters who are now in this movie more. I was surprised, too, that neither Heigl nor Rogen made a cameo in this film, but they undoubtedly both have busy schedules. Despite all of the raunchy, signature Apatow situations and language in the film, at its core it's really about family, and is actually quite a sweet movie.

This is 40 is in theaters today, December 21st, and is rated R with a runtime of 134 minutes. 3.5 stars out of 5.

Click here if This is 40 movie trailer is not shown

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Liz Parker is a University of Michigan graduate with a degree in Creative Writing and Literature, and she loves going to the movies.?Visit her at her movie blog?Yes/No Films

Source: http://www.freeismylife.com/2012/12/movie-review-this-is-40.html

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Christmas is magical at a national park lodge

1 day

A. Pawlowski , NBC News contributor

Built smack in the middle of some of the most gorgeous, pristine scenery in America; warmed by crackling fireplaces and full of rustic charm, there?s something special about spending Christmas at a grand National Park lodge.

Besieged by tourists in the summer, they?re calmer, quieter and decked out for the season in the wintertime.

The weather outside may be frightful, but these historic lodges ? with log-beamed ceilings, grand lobbies and scrumptious holiday feasts ? promise warm Christmas memories.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Yellowstone National Park
Carolers may sing about walking in?a winter wonderland, but visitors who come to Yellowstone when it is covered in snow get to experience the real thing.

?It?s gorgeous,? said park spokeswoman Amy Bartlett. ?It?s a whole different world here in the wintertime versus the summertime.?

The Old Faithful Snow Lodge is one of two inns catering to guests who want to stay inside Yellowstone when the weather gets cold, and its 100 rooms and 30 cabins usually fill to capacity during the week between Christmas and New Year?s, said Rick Hoeninghausen, a spokesman for Xanterra, which runs the park?s accommodations.

The lodge is in a festive mood for the holidays, with a big Christmas tree and live music in the evening for guests who want to sing Christmas standards. A special dinner will be served to mark the big day.

But the main attraction, as always, are the park?s geysers, steam vents and hot springs, made more dramatic by the freezing temperatures.

?In a geyser basin, it just becomes otherworldly because of the play of the steam and the cold,? Hoeninghausen said.

Many guests also enjoy the scenery at night, fascinated by the starry sky that can only be visible away from city lights.

?People think we have more stars here because you see them more. If you let your eyes adjust, you can actually see star shadows ? the shadow on the white snow just from star light,? Hoeninghausen said.

Wondering how to ring in Jan. 1 in Yellowstone? Visitors mark the occasion by watching the first eruption of Old Faithful in the New Year.

The Ahwahnee, Yosemite National Park
With spectacular views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point at Yosemite National Park, this grand lodge fills up quickly during the summer, but also lures visitors with its cozy atmosphere in the winter.

??It?s a really popular time of year at The Ahwanee,? said Lisa Cesaro, a spokeswoman for DNC Parks & Resorts, which manages lodging at Yosemite. ?It?s just really festive and wonderful.?

The heart of the hotel is the Great Lounge with its 24-foot-high ceilings and a massive stone fireplace. This is where guests tend to congregate, drinking hot cocoa, playing games and feeling as though they were in their own living room, Cesaro said.

But perhaps the best-known Ahwahnee Christmas tradition is the Bracebridge Dinner, which the hotel describes as ?a four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals and entertainment of the Middle Ages.?

First held in 1927 when the hotel opened, the event was meant to encourage people to come visit Yosemite in the winter, Cesaro said. Today, it?s so popular that there are eight Bracebridge Dinner performances. Guests are served a seven-course meal in the elegant Ahwahnee Dining Room during the production.

Don?t want to splurge on the dinner, which starts at $299 for adults? The Ahwahnee hosts concerts in the Great Lounge throughout the season, which are complimentary and open to the public.

For New Year?s, guests can dress up for the ?Black and White Ball? dinner dance celebration.

El Tovar, Grand Canyon National Park
A Grand Canyon vacation usually guarantees two things: hordes of tourists and sweltering heat. Visit the park during the holidays, however, and it?s a whole different experience.

?It?s a quiet getaway ? the park is not crowded. Often it has snow and that adds to the romance,? said Bruce Brossman, a spokesman for Xanterra, which runs the park?s accommodations.

With a prime location on the Canyon rim, the El Tovar Hotel is even more stunning for the holidays, with a 15-foot Christmas tree in the main lobby and poinsettias adding a bright touch to the wood d?cor.

It?s been snowing steadily at the Grand Canyon, so visitors will experience a white Christmas, a time of year that?s so popular at the lodge that the hotel usually sells out, Brossman said, adding that shouldn't stop people from dropping by.

?You don?t have to sleep at El Tovar to enjoy El Tovar. We can?t accommodate all the people who actually want to stay there, but the lobby and the lounge and the dining room and the porches are all public spaces,? he said.

The hotel hosts special dinners on Christmas and New Year?s, though there are no official parties scheduled.

"It?s just a very peaceful, quiet place to spend the holidays,"?Brossman said.?"And, of course, when it does snow, walking along the rim is just spectacular."

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/christmas-magical-national-park-lodge-1C7661428

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Unique Content Article: How Physical Therapy Will Benefit You ...

Recovery is the process that comes after having been hurt. It proves to be a crucial process, as it involves letting your body move and respond the way it used to before you sustained a grave injury or contracted a severe illness. In order for recovery to take place effectively and smoothly, turning to physical therapy cambridge ma can be ideal. Significant benefits will be reaped, as well as results, when you choose to work with a medical professional.

Physical therapy is a form of treatment applied when medical conditions have impaired or disabled a person. The process involves the management of pain and more importantly, the promotion of mobility, movement and functional ability. Treatment is applied with the use of different procedures. Its overall objective is for the body to work and function the way it is supposed to when you are in excellent health.

Other than those who suffered injuries and medical conditions, a rehabilitative procedure can also be applied to those who underwent an operation. Therapists apply rehabilitative procedures to patients who have undergone surgery as a means of pain management. If you recently went through surgery, a rehabilitative procedure will help in allowing you to move and function the way you used to.

Orthopedic diseases, such as spinal problems and muscle and joint conditions, are also addressed by such procedures. If you suffer from arthritis or back pains, a therapist will be able to provide treatment to you by applying specific routines and exercises. Apart from treatment, another benefit proves to be the improvement of flexibility.

Acquiring the benefits that will be relevant to you is a matter of searching for an excellent therapist. The person you will be working with will aid you in the recovery process. Going on the search for a therapist is relatively simple. Reliable sources are what you need.

Beginning with your primary care physician proves to be the best initial step. Your doctor will most likely refer you to a good therapist. Physicians work with therapists and other medical specialists. It is possible that your doctor will be able to find a therapist for you, thus enabling you to stay put and just wait for a specific rehabilitative procedure to be applied during the stage of treatment.

Visiting your local hospital or healthcare center can also be helpful. You will be instantly directed to distinguished therapists by going to such medical venues. It can also be possible for you to talk to them so as to address your questions and concerns.

When you secure a complete list of therapists, pick out several options and contact them. It is important that you are able to meet up with them one by one. Each therapist will most likely assess your situation and subsequently come up with the right rehabilitative procedure that will be the solution to your condition.

If you feel comfortable around and have trust towards a particular therapist, officiate your treatment period with them. The right choice is someone who is efficient, as well as motivating. Availing physical therapy cambridge ma will simply require you to pick a therapist that can be relied on.

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Title: How Physical Therapy Will Benefit You
Author: Marisol Guy
Email: nathanwebster335@live.com
Keywords: health, fitness, nutrition, living, care, conditions
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Source: http://solutionfree.blogspot.com/2012/12/unique-content-article-how-physical.html

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???? ? Navigating ?China's Internet?

Adapted from an article written for Canada China Business Council?s ?Business Forum? magazine. ?Read the published version in the 2012 Fall/Winter edition.

?One World, Two Internets? is how long-time China media analyst Bill Bishop describes China?s position in the online world.??Encouraging consumers to ?like us on Facebook? may be common practice for companies around the world, but not in China, where Facebook is blocked and still has minimal penetration.??When it comes to marketing via social media in China, Western companies find that it?s a whole different world.

Attending a conference in Silicon Valley, I heard one speaker say: ?In China they have no Facebook, no Twitter, no YouTube, no Google; they know almost nothing about the Internet!???Wrong. They have Weibo and WeChat and Youku and Baidu, and more.??Each of these has hundreds of millions of users and is a household name across China.??China?s online community is incredibly vibrant, technologically advanced and increasingly global in scope; it?s just that they play their own game.? In fact, China has the world?s most active social media environment, with over 300 million users.? China?s netizens on average spend 40% of their time at social media sites, a much higher percentage than in the West.

For companies looking to market themselves in China through social media, setting up a Facebook page, a Twitter feed or a YouTube channel will get you nowhere.??Waiting for sites to become unblocked may well take longer than the entire history of these companies to date.??Hoping that Chinese consumers will use readily-available tools to reach blocked sites is futile ? the vast majority simply don?t bother to even try.??You have to learn how to navigate ?China?s Internet.?

King of the hill in China?s social media scene at present is Weibo, often erroneously described as ?China?s Twitter?.? While Weibo clearly began as a Twitter clone, like many Chinese Internet start-ups it quickly evolved into something more, adapting to its own environment and user preferences. These days, Weibo is much more versatile and offers more functionality than Twitter, and continues to release new features on a steady basis.

Moving beyond the ?square peg in a round hole? approach of describing Chinese web services as ?the Chinese version of?? is an important step towards understanding China?s Internet.? There really is no ?Chinese Facebook?, because the industry is much more fragmented in China, and no one site has the power or influence of a Facebook.? Beyond Weibo, popular sites like Renren and Kaixin offer much of the social networking services of Facebook, but each with their own niche.? The inability of any one player to become truly dominant has forced sites to differentiate themselves and focus more on specific market segments.? Perhaps as a result, over 80% of social media users in China subscribe to multiple sites ? again a much higher average than in Western countries

Even Weibo (which literally means ?micro-blog?) is fragmented.? Among white-collar users in first tier cities and among a large contingent of overseas Chinese, ?Weibo? refers to Sina Weibo.? But ask grassroots users in second and third tier cities which micro-blogs they follow and the answer is usually Tencent Weibo. ?And then there?s WeChat, already threatening to eclipse Weibo and become China?s first truly global Internet product.

If all this seems confusing, it?s because it is. China?s social media scene is a messy, diverse and rapidly evolving environment. ?Yet this is the main online forum where people are exchanging information and forming opinions. ?It?s no longer sufficient to simply have a Chinese language website and wait for people to visit.?To be effective, you have to pick your online venues based on your target audience and manage your exposure across social media platforms.

For my part, I currently maintain micro-blogs on both Sina and Tencent. And while information is often cross-posted, I find there is little overlap between the roughly 2 million followers on either site.

Accumulating vast hordes of zombie followers does little more than boost one?s ego, however. What?s more important is being involved and helping shape opinions within this very active forum.??More impact tends to come from being re-posted and thus reaching new users, or simply raising a topic and watching the ensuing discussion take on a life of its own.??You don?t have to say everything for yourself, because others will fill in the blanks. ?You?re only?one voice in a multi-nodal conversation, and what?s more important is not what you or anyone else says specifically, but the general tone?of the online discussion and the fact that a discussion is taking place at all.

Keep it down-to-earth and as personalized as possible, but grow a thick skin.??This is not a place to simply be issuing press releases and impersonal, standardized notices. And be prepared for the strong anti-commercial, anti-authoritarian, anti-just-about-everything streak of social media. ?Much of the commentary on Weibo and other social media can be discouraging, but the overall impact is well worthwhile.

Increasingly I am finding that media inquiries, performing and business opportunities are coming out of the buzz created on Weibo.? Even for serious business enquiries, people are much more likely reach out with a first message via Weibo than to use the traditional ?Contact Us? page on my website. ?And traditional media outlets are increasingly referring to social media sites for story ideas, so momentum gained on Weibo often continues to grow through print, radio and television.

Of course, social media is a natural forum for public figures, but corporations and other organizations are also increasingly using the medium to communicate directly with their customers, users, or simply a broader public audience. ?We all face the same challenge of how to reach out to ordinary Chinese citizens with as few barriers and filters as possible.? Actively participating in the domestic social media scene in China provides the most direct way to do that.

If you?re truly interested in engaging your Chinese customers/users/audience in a real conversation via social media, invite yourself onto their turf and join in the discussions that are happening on ?China?s Internet.?

Source: http://dashan.com/blog/eastwest/navigating-chinas-internet/

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Alamo Bowl matchup: Oregon State tradition vs. Texas tradition

Today, The Oregonian, in conjunction with the Austin American-Statesman, starts a 10-part series comparing Oregon State and Texas ahead of the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio (3:45 p.m., TV on ESPN).

TRADITION

What to know about Oregon State: When you talk about the Beavers, there's no ignoring the 28-season losing streak. Just a few years after playing in the 1965 Rose Bowl -- a 34-7 loss to Michigan -- Oregon State went on a miserable run that seemed never-ending. From 1971-98, the Beavers were just plain bad, winning a 65 measly games over 28 years.

OSU finally snapped that streak in 1999, becoming bowl eligible under former coach Dennis Erickson. The Beavers had their best season ever in 2000, going 11-1 and throttling college football power Notre Dame 41-9 in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl.

Since Mike Riley took over the Beavers again in 2003, Oregon State is 73-47 (.608). If Oregon State beats Texas on Dec. 29 it will be just the second time the Beavers have won 10 games under Riley; they did so in 2006 when they went 10-4 and beat Missouri 39-38 in the Sun Bowl. That team finished ranked No. 21.

What to know about Texas: There aren't many schools with a richer football tradition than Texas. Darrell Royal really put the Longhorns on the map with national championships in 1963, 1969 and 1970 -- the only titles Texas has won outside of the 2005 season. The Longhorns have won 67 conference titles dating to the beginning of the Southwest Conference in 1915. But only three of those have come in the Big 12.

Texas sits behind only Michigan in all-time wins, with 858. Texas has two Heisman Trophy winners (Earl Campbell in 1977, Ricky Williams in 1998) and two runners-up (Vince Young in 2005, Colt McCoy in 2008).

Still, the past three years have been a shock to the system for Longhorns fans; since the 2009 BCS title game loss to Alabama, Texas has won no more than five conference games in the 2010, 2011 or 2012 seasons.

The Oregonian's Lindsay Schnell says: Between multiple national championships and Heisman winners, the edge clearly goes to Texas. The Longhorns have long been considered one of college football's powerhouses, and they've got the hardware to prove it.

The American-Statesman's Dave Behr says: Despite a recent swoon, Texas without a doubt has a richer football tradition. Four national titles, two Heisman winners, the birthplace of the wishbone offense and, of course, Bevo gives Texas the edge.

Coming next: Quarterbacks

- Lindsay Schnell; follow her on Twitter
- Dave Behr; follow him on Twitter

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2012/12/alamo_bowl_matchup_oregon_stat.html

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Google, Microsoft go head to head in Santa-tracking tech race

Competition between Google and Microsoft keeps heating up, and this Christmas Eve children will be caught in the crossfire as the two tech giants battle to see which can keep the tightest tabs on Santa Claus as he pilots his sleigh around the globe.

Since 1955, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has tracked the progress of the red-clad Yuletide icon as he plays havoc with global air traffic during his annual mission to deliver Christmas presents to children everywhere.

NORAD's Santa Tracker began life as a telephone hotline*, but for the last five years it has offered a web-based version of the service powered by mapping data provided by Google Maps.

The agency's contract with Google ended this year, however, and it wasted no time jumping ship to the Chocolate Factory's biggest rival for 2012's St. Nick?spotting software.

Not only is this year's web-based NORAD Santa Tracker powered by Bing Maps and Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud platform, but Redmond has also partnered with the agency to develop additional sleigh-locating apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

In a statement, Microsoft account team unit manager Dana Barnes said that Microsoft's experience supporting NORAD's day-to-day activities during the rest of the year was what gave the agency the confidence that Redmond could pull off a project as important as the Santa Tracker.

Not content to be outdone, Google has announced its own version of a Santa Claus?locating service, the Google Santa Tracker. This one is naturally still powered by Google Maps and other Googly technologies, and it includes an interactive "Santa's Village" HTML app that children can explore while they count down the seconds until Santa's takeoff.

"On Christmas Eve we'll be proudly showcasing a preview of Santa's dashboard ? the technology that powers his sleigh during his around-the-world journey," Google reps said in a statement. "Santa's dashboard ? featuring the latest and greatest in Google Maps technology and sleigh engineering ? will allow you to follow his progress around the world, and also learn a little about some of his stops along the way."

Chocolate Factory elves have also collaborated with their cousins at the North Pole to develop a Chrome extension that embeds the Santa Tracker directly into the browser.

While this apparent effort to draw attention away from the Microsoft-powered service may raise eyebrows, however,?Google is being a downright Grinch on the mobile front. While NORAD has released Santa Tracker apps for Android and iOS in addition to Windows Phone, the Chocolate Factory's tracker app is for Android only.

This Reg hack can't help but note such selfish behavior notoriously doesn't go over well with a certain white-bearded holiday ambassador. The Chocolate Factory may have the technology to track St. Nick's progress, but if it insists on dragging Christmastime into the competition between itself, Apple, and Microsoft, it may well find that all Santa has to deliver when he lands in Mountain View will be a few shovelfuls of coal. ?

Bootnote

* It's amusing to note that NORAD's Santa-tracking service actually began unintentionally. In 1955, a Sears, Roebuck & Co. department store ran an advertisement inviting children to call Santa Claus, but misprinted the phone number as one belonging to an Air Defense Command hotline normally reserved for major emergencies.?

Colonel Harry Shoup, who was manning the hotline that night, eventually realized why he was getting so many wrong numbers and decided to play along, checking the radar and relaying Santa's location to the children who called. NORAD decided to continue the practice in following years, and today it considers it a "goodwill military outreach program."

Source: http://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/19/microsoft_google_santa_tracking_competition/

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Moments of silence around NFL for shooting victims

Two players who wear No. 26 joined hands with the coaches of the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings in tribute to the victims of the school massacre in Newtown, Conn.

The moment of silence before Sunday's game included coaches Jeff Fisher of St. Louis and Leslie Frazier of Minnesota, along with Rams running back Daryl Richardson and Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield.

The players were selected because their number represents the number slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday.

Dozens of children wearing uniform jerseys held hands with players in a circle extending from the 30-yard lines at the Edward Jones Dome, centered on the Rams logo at midfield. Richardson, Winfield and the coaches formed an inner circle.

Flags were at half-staff at M&T Bank Stadium when the Baltimore Ravens hosted the Denver Broncos in one of the eight early games.

With the Maryland National Guard standing on the opposite end of the field from the flag bearers, the scoreboards went black as the public address announcer asked the crowd to observe "silent reflection" in the wake of Friday's "horrific tragedy."

Players from both team stood stoically on the sideline. The moment of silence was followed by the national anthem.

In New Orleans, the Superdome fell silent for nearly 30 seconds before the Saints hosted Tampa Bay. People around the stadium removed their hats, bowed their heads and remained still until the public address announcer introduced the national anthem singer, "American Idol" contestant Skylar Laine.

In Houston, video screens went black as the moment was observed before the Texas hosted the Indianapolis Colts.

In Chicago, Green Bay wide receiver Donald Driver retweeted the names of the victims.

Buffalo Bills CEO Russ Brandon tweeted that a moment of silence was to be held in Toronto later Sunday before the Bills played the Seattle Seahawks at the downtown Rogers Centre.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/moments-silence-around-nfl-shooting-victims-185844782--nfl.html

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ruhitsharma: Recreation And Sports: Hunting Report Classification ...

Posted by prebroiled in Uncategorized

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tulsidas toenail: jugindarsharma8: Shopping and Product Reviews ...

The popularity of online shopping has been seen by many as a threat to the existence of traditional shopping. Their argument is based on the recent widespread closure of established brands like Sears and Best Buy. But can we really say that traditional shopping is dying?

In 2011, even though the U.S economy was sluggish, shopping grew by 15% over the previous year. In addition, about 35% of Americans now have smartphones which enable them to purchase goods and services over the internet and this figure is expected to rise significantly in subsequent years. In actual fact, about half of smartphone users have used their phones for one purchase or the other. On Christmas day of 2011 alone, about 6.8 million iOs and Android smartphones were activated. Top internet retailer, Amazon, recorded a whooping net sale of $48.08 billion in 2011 which represents 40.6% increase over $32.20 billion recorded in 2010. This figure is expected to rise in 2012 and subsequent years. What then is the implication of all these to physical retailing?

Since many people now decide to shop over the internet due to the benefits derivable in doing so like convenience, easy access to market, price comparison, avoidance of crowd, better prices and so on, can we really say that that the traditional way of shopping is being threatened? In my own opinion, technology will enhance the traditional method and not kill it. The popularity of video cassette recorder (VCR) in the 80?s was seen by many as a threat to movie theaters then, but today, the film industry has been strengthened by the new technology and the demand for films has increased.

Moreover, when the email became very popular, a lot people thought that the traditional postal service would die, but today, it is waxing stronger. The point I?m driving at here is that, if traditional shop owners can embrace new technology, shopping on the internet would not be a threat to them but a blessing.

If physical retailers can monitor shopping behavior through the use of Wi-Fi signals from smartphones, they would be able to compete favorably in a fast-changing world. They can use technology to measure loyalty, make better staffing decisions, improve store layouts, reduce wait times in checkout lines and so on. Online shopping has come to stay but it is not a threat to traditional shopping because many consumers still value some of its features like quality of customer service, the experience of trying and buying products, how products are displayed and so on.

Olushola Otenaike is an online shopping expert.

Source: http://mysoupbaby.blogspot.com/2012/11/will-traditional-shopping-die-because.html

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Reviewing Tours Going From Las Vegas To The Grand Canyon ...

Posted by Travel-and-Leisure:Destination-Tips Articles from EzineArticles.com on December 14, 2012

There are many ways to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, NV, the top options being helicopter, airplane and bus. Which is the right choice for you? This article explains......

Click to read the complete article

Source: http://www.becleanlivegreen.com/?p=93623

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There and Back Again, Day 3: The Return of the King

And so it ends. Having journeyed through The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, almost always conscious and (for legal purposes) resoundingly sober, we now arrive at the final -- and most epic -- chapter, The Return of the King. Will the extended edition yield another four-hundred endings? Has Gollum's lost boogaloo on the cliffs of Mount Doom been restored to the film? To Mordor we go...

---

Luke: I know some of us balked at the notion of an extended Return of the King -- wasn't the theatrical cut, with its endless endings (in the book, by the way) enough? Well I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Unlike the Two Towers, and even more than Fellowship, I ate up every extended moment in the longer Return of the King. In fact, not only would I say it's my new favorite, it also -- finally -- elevated everything to that rousing level that I thought had been missing before. One thing I loved about the books was the feeling of dread that ran through the story, the idea that the world was ephemeral and about to be swallowed up by darkness at any moment. Return of the King captured that for me; it was like a series of climaxes where everyone's fate was balancing on the precipice. And everything comes into its own here, too -- visually, Jackson is less indebted to the "Spielberg face" and finds his own classical groove, and the characters (even Merry and Pippin, who bordered on annoying for me at earlier points) all pull their weight.

Tim: I totally agree. The first two chapters are undoubtedly visually masterful, and the story is propulsive, but I found the characters to be archetypes rather than great characters -- sturdy archetypes, to be sure, but more defined by their quest than by distinctive personalities or emotional weight. However, The Return of the King is where the trilogy finally achieves the magisterial power I'd been waiting for. It's able to juggle its multiple plot strands with greater ease; the characters feel more fleshed out, and there's an apocalyptic urgency to just about everything, from Frodo's precarious climb to Aragorn's tense meeting with the King of the Dead (for me, the scene where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli escape from an avalanche of skulls is one of my favorites in a franchise overstuffed with astonishing set pieces -- it's the type of nightmarish threat that would make Indiana Jones wake up in a cold sweat).

Ryan: Tim, you took the words right out of my mouth regarding the scene where Aragorn and Co. confront the undead army. That entire sequence, though relatively short, is one of my favorites. In fact, the first half of Return of the King had me well engaged, what with its "rally the troops" vibe; it's one of those common filmic themes that tend to excite me.

Having said that, though, I might disagree with your assertion that the film did a better job of balancing the various story threads, especially in the extended version; the film does cut back and forth between Gandalf at Minas Tirith and the forces of Rohan pretty effectively, but during the long middle stretch, Sam and Frodo are only visited sporadically. In fact, it seemed as though the quest to destroy the ring was far less important here than the large scale battles being fought elsewhere. The difference, at least for me, was that, while I found Sam and Frodo's journey with Gollum the most compelling in the previous film, they were decidedly much less interesting in this one, so I didn't mind that they disappeared from the story for long stretches. Plus, there were so many great moments peppered throughout that I remained wholly engaged.

Luke: Maybe that's because Frodo was unconscious for a lot of it? I see what you're saying though. I don't think the quest to destroy the Ring was any less interesting for me, it's just that everything else rose to the same level of engagement. Events here was just so much more vivid to me. (Granted, I was awake this time, too). Like, when Denethor asks Pippin to sing, and the melancholy hobbit ballad, set against scenes of battle, is intercut with those wonderful closeups of Denethor crunching and slurping on his food. The way Jackson shoots the Nazg?l (some excellent blood-curdling sound design work, by the way) against the ashen skies. Or one of my favorite mini-moments -- when Sauron's grisly emissary greets the heroes at the gate, and Aragorn cocks his head quizzically at the sight of the creature's grotesque mouth and voice -- a great, subtle bit of playing from Viggo Mortensen. Also, credit where it's due: Has anyone given a more compelling monotone performance than Orlando Bloom here?

Ryan: Well, considering his role up to now has primarily consisted of firing arrows and periodically uttering vaguely ominous lines like, "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night," sure, I'll grant you that. By the way, the scene with Sauron's emissary at the gates of Mordor was cut from the theatrical version, and it's actually one of the choices I agreed with. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't necessary, and I might argue that the bizarrely comical quality of his twitchy smile felt a little out of place in that moment.

Luke: Oh, I didn't realize that. It was indeed comical, I guess which is why I enjoyed it.

Ryan: And while I'm speaking of scenes that were wisely omitted, what on Middle-earth was with that whirlwind romance between Faramir and Eowyn? They'd met, what, twice? I'll grant that even when I originally saw RotK, the strange sexual tension between Aragorn and Eowyn, and Aragorn's eventual rejection of her affections, left me a little sad for Eowyn and a little angry with Aragorn. I mean, is it just me, or was he totally leading her on from the moment they met? But even with that in mind, Jackson's attempt to give Eowyn her happy ending by bringing her and Faramir together was poorly executed, and I'm glad that never made it into the theatrical cut.

Luke: Eowyn was totally playing all those dudes off of each other in an elaborate move to assert her proto-feminist agenda and take the glory by cutting down the black rider on the battlefield. And the chumps fell right into her trap. In seriousness, though, I agree the love triangles were one of the weakest elements of the series. Marks for the effort to make these elements accessible for a modern audience, but they didn't quite sit with the way the other stuff was operating dramatically. But the arthouse spinoff feature, Eowyn and Aragon Take Broth, would make a lovely extra on the 145-disc set one day. In fact, I've ordered a copy for you Ryan, just in time for Christmas. Another spinoff movie that I would love to see -- and Peter Jackson could go back to his Meet the Feebles sensibility to make it -- would be a knockabout buddy comedy set in the ranks of the Orc army. Seriously, those guys are so pent up and angry seemingly all the time, I found myself laughing at their filthy antics and wondering if there were moments during the day where they were just hanging out, playing cards and talking about their crappy paychecks. There'd be some quality slobbering and slapstick in that movie, and I'm always in for that on film. Get Guillermo del Toro on it.

---

Join us on Monday when we return with our thoughts on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

---

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926457/news/1926457/

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U.S. designates Syrian rebel group 'terrorists'

The US State Department designated the Jabhat al-Nusra militia fighting Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria a foreign terrorist organization Monday.

The speed with which the US government moved to designate a fairly new group that has never attacked US interests and is engaged in fighting a regime that successive administrations have demonized is evidence of the strange bedfellows and overlapping agendas that make the Syrian civil war so explosive.

The State Department says Jabhat al-Nusra (or the "Nusra Front") is essentially a wing of Al Qaeda in Iraq, the jihadi group that flourished in Anbar Province after the US invaded to topple the Baathist regime of secular dictator Saddam Hussein. During the Iraq war, Sunni Arab tribesmen living along the Euphrates in eastern Syria flocked to fight with the friends and relatives in the towns along the Euphrates river in Anbar Province.

Think you know the Middle East? Take our geography quiz!

The terrain, both actual and human, is similar on both sides of that border, and the rat lines that kept foreign fighters and money flowing into Iraq from Syria work just as well in reverse. Now, the jihadis who fought and largely lost against the Shiite political ascendancy in Iraq are flocking to eastern Syria to repay a debt of gratitude in a battle that looks more likely to succeed every day.

The Nusra Front has gone from victory to victory in eastern Syria and has shown signs of both significant funding and greater military prowess than the average citizens' militia, with veterans of fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya among its numbers.

The US of course aided the fight in Libya to bring down Muammar Qaddafi. In Afghanistan and Iraq, the chance to fight and kill Americans was the major drawing card.

In Iraq, the US toppled a Baathist dictatorship dominated by Sunni Arabs, opening the door for the political dominance of Iraq's Shiite Arab majority and the fury of the country's Sunni jihadis. In Syria, a Baathist regime dominated by the tiny Alawite sect (a long-ago offshoot of Shiite Islam) risks being brought down by the Sunni majority. Iraq's Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is in the odd position of now rooting for a Baathist regime to survive, frightened that a religiously inspired Sunni regime may replace Assad and potentially destabilize parts of his country from Haditha in Anbar's far west to the northern city of Mosul.

For the US, the situation is more complicated still. The Obama administration appears eager for Assad to fall, but is also afraid of what might replace him, not least because of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. If the regime collapses, the aftermath is sure to be chaotic, much as it was in Libya, where arms stores were looted throughout the country. The presence of VX and sarin nerve gas, and the fear of Al Qaeda aligned militants getting their hands on it, has the US considering sending in troops to secure the weapons.

That's the context in which today's designation was made ? part of an overall effort to shape the Syrian opposition to US liking, and hopefully have influence in the political outcome if and when Assad's regime collapses. But while the US has been trying to find a government or leadership in waiting among Syrian exiles, Nusra has been going from strength to strength. Aaron Zelin, who tracks jihadi groups at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, notes in a recent piece for Foreign Policy that 20 out of the 48 "martyrdom" notices posted on Al Qaeda forums for the Syria war were made by people claiming to be members of Nusra.

Zelin writes that it's highly unusual for the US to designate as a terrorist group anyone who hasn't attempted an attack on the US. In fact, the US only designated the Haqqani Network in Afghanistan, which had been involved in attacks on US troops there for over a decade, this September.

His guess as to why the US took such an unusual step?

The U.S. administration, in designating Jabhat al-Nusra, is likely to argue that the group is an outgrowth of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). While there is not much open-source evidence of this, classified material may offer proof -- and there is certainly circumstantial evidence that Jabhat al-Nusra operates as a branch of the ISI.

Getting Syria's rebels to disavow Jabhat al-Nusra may not be an easy task, however. As in Iraq, jihadists have been some of the most effective and audacious fighters against the Assad regime, garnering respect from other rebel groups in the process. Jabhat al-Nusra seems to have learned from the mistakes of al Qaeda in Iraq: It has not attacked civilians randomly, nor has it shown wanton disregard for human life by publicizing videos showing the beheading of its enemies. Even if its views are extreme, it is getting the benefit of the doubt from other insurgents due to its prowess on the battlefield.

Will it hurt the group's support inside Syria? It's hard to see how. The US hasn't formally explained its logic yet, but it's hard to see how that will matter either. The rebellion against Assad has raged for almost two years now and the country's fighters are eager for victory, and revenge. The US has done little to militarily assist the rebellion, and fighters have been happy to take support where they can get it.

Most of the money or weapons flowing into the country for rebels has come from Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar and some of that support, of course, has ended up in the hands of Islamist militias like Nusra.

Usually the US doesn't like support flowing to its designated terrorist organizations, and leans on countries like Saudi Arabia to cut off support. But in this case, a doctrinaire enforcement of its will could look like helping Assad (who has insisted everyone fighting his government is a terrorist since long before Nusra even existed).

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-designates-syrias-jabhat-al-nusra-front-terrorist-222557608.html

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BreastCancer.org: Ardmore-based breast cancer awareness site ...

BreastCancer.org, a nonprofit dedicated to breast cancer awareness and education, has been on the up and up since it was founded more than a decade ago. This year, it projects more than 15 million hits and says it has reached visitors from more than 200 different countries. It?s also won more than a dozen awards, including seven ?Best Site Design? awards from the eHealthcare Leadership Awards.

But you might be surprised to learn that the the 20-person staff is based right outside of Philly in the suburb of Ardmore.?[Updated, see below]

Visit the site here.

Founded by local breast cancer oncologist Marisa Weiss in 2000, the site aims to provide the most up-to-date and reliable information about breast health and breast cancer, including its symptoms, treatments and how to handle day-to-day matters as a woman diagnosed with breast cancer. BreastCancer.org features articles and tips written by the site?s 8-person editorial staff and freelancers, as well as an active community discussion board with nearly 120,000 registered users. As of last year, the site also publishes its core content in Spanish.

The nonprofit is funded by a number of sources including events, corporations and online banners, but primarily by individuals, in-kind donations and corporations, according to information provided by BreastCancer.org?s Director of Marketing Pamela Green.

It?s a separate organization altogether from the other various research, foundation and fundraising efforts dedicated to combating breast cancer, but the educational and community elements of BreastCancer.org stands out, says the staff.

The BreastCancer.org website was designed by Foraker Labs, a Boulder, Colo.-based web dev shop.

Updated 5:19 p.m. 12/11/12 to reflect that BreastCancer.org has a staff of 20, not a staff of eight.

Source: http://technicallyphilly.com/2012/12/10/breastcancer-org-awareness-ardmore-best-site-design-award-15m-hits

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Sleep Apnea Symptoms - Revista Women's Health

Sleep apnea can exist for years without being diagnosed. This is because the sleep disorder manifests itself only during sleep, just when the person suffering from it is totally out of the bounds of consciousness to actually notice the irregularities. On the other hand, his bed partner may take the snoring and snorting as normal occurrences.

An undiagnosed case of sleep apnea, however, can be irritating and fatal all at the same time. Those who have it can experience as simple as fatigue and as life-threatening as heart disease. But the question is, how can one be so sure if he or his loved one is already having bouts with sleep apnea? There are warning signs to look out for, and they come as sleep apnea symptoms.

Red Flag: The signs and symptoms
Sleep apnea requires prompt attention. If the following symptoms surface, a consultation with a doctor or a sleep specialist must immediately take place.

1. Snoring. Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but snoring is typical to those who suffer from the sleep disorder. Loud and chronic snoring is ordinarily accompanied by grunts, snorts, gasps for breath, and restless movements.

2. Breathing irregularities. Sleep apnea renders a person to have breath pauses that lead to frequent and brief silences during sleep, but which then break into loud snoring. It is the bed partner who notices these breath intervals.

3. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). It is described as the unordinary and persistent sleepiness. People experiencing EDS normally feel the urge to and sometimes involuntarily fall asleep for brief moments many times during the day and when performing daily itinerary such as eating, talking over the phone, and driving. Over time, EDS becomes a threat to someone?s performance at work and in school because it usually weakens a person?s competency to complete tasks.

4. Daytime fatigue. Due to disrupted sleep, people with sleep apnea normally feel tired as though they haven?t slept the night before. It then results in forgetfulness, lack of concentration, and learning difficulties. Mood changes are also apparent, causing the person to become irritable and anxious.

5. Depression. Although it is not clear how exactly sleep apnea contributes to depression, it is said that people with the sleep disorder are five times more prone to developing depression. Sleep apnea is also reported to aggravate an existing case of depression.

6. Morning headache. People suffering from sleep apnea wake up with morning headache. In fact, statistics says that headaches occur in approximately half of the people with sleep apnea. Headaches at night are also reported.

7. Other symptoms. People with sleep apnea have a frequent need to urinate at night and experience excessive sweating when asleep. Upon waking up, they tend to have a dry throat. Sexual dysfunction is also observed from people with sleep apnea.

Experts suggest that the more sleep apnea symptoms present in a person and the more intense they are, the more severe his case of sleep apnea is. Undergoing sleep test and treatment then is necessary. But because it is hard for a potential patient to observe some of these symptoms from himself, the bed partner is put in a place of greater accountability.

Source: http://revistawomenshealth.com/sleep-apnea-symptoms.html

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