Saturday, March 31, 2012

Guest Blogger: Saving the Earth with Green Bathroom Remodeling ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Justin Krutz blogs on various topics including bathroom remodeling and kitchen remodeling for Palatin Remodeling, a Southern California-based home improvement company. For more green living ideas on Stagetecture, ...

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Afghan massacre: Bales case echoes for vets on hotline

Combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts share their experiences with PTSD, and their reaction to reports that Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales allegedly gunned down 17 Afghan civilians. Msnbc.com's Kari Huus reports.

By Kari Huus, msnbc.com

LOS ANGELES ? The young men who answer the phones at the National Veterans Foundation's?hotline for troubled veterans speak with an authority that comes from having faced down the same demons that plague their callers.

All are combat veterans, having served up to four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all have struggled with either PTSD or traumatic brain injury ? the signature wounds of these conflicts ? or both.


For them, the story of Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, accused of murdering 17 Afghan civilians during his fourth combat deployment, triggers mixed emotions ? horror over the senseless rampage but also empathy for a soldier who, in their view, apparently was pushed beyond?the breaking point.?But their more immediate concern is the impact it may have on the troubled voices on the other end of the phone lines they answer each day.

"One of the biggest issues we have ? is the vets don?t get the jobs," said Apolonio Munoz III, 28, an Army veteran deployed during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 who works for the hotline while pursuing a social work degree. "[Employers] think they are whack-jobs and they?re all going to be cold-blooded killers, they?re going to come in and shoot up the place, which is not the situation."

Munoz and several other former soldiers who answer the hotline agreed to share with msnbc.com their thoughts on PTSD, the stresses of war and the news that Bales ? a 38-year-old soldier with a clean military record ? allegedly crept into an Afghan village at night on March 11 and slaughtered Afghan civilians, including women and children.

Their comments will likely presage parts of Bales' trial, in which the cumulative effects of combat deployments and the degree to which PTSD and TBI (traumatic brain injury) can be linked to violence will almost certainly play a role.

Bales, who has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder along with other charges, suffered a brain injury in Iraq but was not diagnosed as suffering from PTSD. His defense is expected to argue, however, that he suffered "diminished capacity" as a result of the injury and possibly undiagnosed PTSD. Bales, who is being held in detention at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, has not yet entered a plea to the charges, but his civilian defense attorney, John Henry Browne, has indicated he expects to mount a vigorous defense based in part on his client?s mental state.

How staff Sgt. Bales lawyers are fighting for his life

Many experts also expect the defense to produce expert witnesses to testify about the effects on mental health of repeat combat deployments. But just as with PTSD and TBI, the record is incomplete, as the Iraq and Afghan conflicts mark the first time the U.S. has cycled soldiers in and out of combat so many times.

The latter issue resonates loudly with the former soldiers who answer the hot line.

"It?s an absolute tragedy, and it never should have happened," Cameron White, 31, who served two tours of duty in Iraq with the Marines before leaving the military and becoming a college student and anti-war activist, said of the massacre in Kandahar province. He said he believes the killing were "a byproduct of a failed policy that continues to put traumatized troops out on the battlefield when they shouldn?t be there."

'Yes, I killed Iraqis'
White said that his experiences in Iraq led him to believe that not even the most hardened soldier is immune to meltdown amid the repeated stresses of combat.

James Cheng / msnbc.com

Left to right, Rich Rudnick, Wendell Guillermo and Apolonio E. Mu?oz III work at the National Veterans Foundation in Los Angeles.

"I think when you say ? 'that?s not me' or ?that would never happen to me,' I think anybody that says that is just lying to themselves," he said. "? Something like that could happen to any one of us."

Another hot line operator, Freddy Cordova, 29, who served four tours in Iraq from 2003 to 2008, said the mental health evaluations he received between deployments were cursory at best.

In an evaluation after his first deployment, Cordova said he answered 'yes' to most of the combat-related questions: "Yes, I saw dead people. Yes, I saw dead Americans. Yes, I fired my weapon. Yes, I killed Iraqis. Yes, I killed the enemy."?

"I didn?t report that I was a threat to others, but I put that I would like to speak to somebody," he said. "What did the Army turn around to do? They just overlook it. Four months later, I?m in Iraq again."

Floyd "Shad" Meshad, founder and president of the National Veterans Foundation and a psychiatric social worker with 40 years' experience working with combat veterans, said he has repeatedly seen the effects to overexposure to the horrors of war.

"We know that soldiers, when they have seen too much combat, they will either implode ? in suicide ? or explode," he said. "The military just continues to send people back into combat like they were rifles, just kind of cleans them up and sends them back in. ? I don?t want to say that everybody flips out like this, but a significant number do."

James Cheng / msnbc.com

Floyd 'Shad' Meshad, founder and president of the nonprofit National Veterans Foundation.

Meshad started his career as an Army mental health officer in Vietnam and was instrumental in developing a national network of community-based Veteran Centers, offering counseling, referrals and readjustment assistance, beginning in the 1970s. He has served as an expert witness in about a dozen trials for veterans facing the death penalty, he said, and appeared in court for hundreds of others facing?lesser charges.

When?Bales was identified as the suspect in the Afghan killings, Meshad rushed the soldier's?defense team an advance copy of a new book published by NVF, "Attorney's Guide to Defending Veterans in Criminal Court."

But he said he fears that politics -- including the need to appease the Afghan government -- may outweigh the role of mental health factors in the court's ruling on the Afghanistan slayings.

"They are going to cook Bales," he predicted.

But even the mention of PTSD and Bales in the same sentence worries Matthew Friedman, executive director of the National Center for PTSD under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

"It will be a terrible thing if people with PTSD were painted with a Sgt. Bales paintbrush. It?s just not appropriate," said Friedman, who has been involved in research and treatment of PTSD for 35 years and is also a professor of psychiatry, toxicology and pharmacology at Dartmouth Medical School. "There is evidence that some people with PTSD may exhibit irritable or aggressive behavior at times. There?s no evidence that this kind of indiscriminate violence is a symptom of PTSD."

And he said that Bales? history before joining the military ? which included financial fraud and an assault case in Washington state ? signaled that he was a troubled individual.

Referrals and suicide intervention
The veterans working the NVF hot line have what most experts consider textbook cases of PTSD. They have struggled with anxiety, anger and hyper-vigilance brought home from the combat zone. For some, visiting a shopping mall is a daunting experience, as they find themselves constantly scanning for potential threats. Even as these men recover and pursue civilian jobs and studies, some yell in their sleep, dream about explosions or are startled by?loud noises or a glimpse of trash along the road that looks like an IED.

Most of the time, experts say, the damage from repeated exposure to combat plays out in insidious ways. It contributes to divorce and substance abuse, and takes a toll on the mental health of children. According to the Center for New American Security, 18 vets commit suicide every day.

The NVF hotline has been fielding between 11,000 and 12,000 calls a year over the last several years. Four or five a month come from veterans, or even soldiers still in service, who are dangerously depressed and threatening suicide, Meshad said.

Most others are from frustrated veterans and family members who need help navigating the complex VA benefits process, in need of legal assistance, substance abuse treatment or job training. NVF employees pride themselves in walking them?through every step,?and then following through if they encounter problems.

Each week, NVF staff does rounds in a van to check in on homeless veterans ? mostly older Vietnam era veterans who tend to cluster together in encampments after losing jobs and families to mental illness and addiction.

To these young veterans serving at NVF, the weekly workload highlights the need for more attention to the mental health of soldiers. In the case of the massacre in Afghanistan, they suggest, responsibility for that mental health lies with more than one individual.

"My reaction to Sergeant Bales ? was shock," said Jose Castro, an Army veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan. "But, you know, when certain things are ignored about an individual soldier? and people are ? forced into situations that that aren?t healthy ? (that) ultimately can lead to something like this. It?s bound to happen."

"What do you expect for a guy who?s been deployed four times? Losing buddies, getting hurt, being in firefights and so forth," agreed Army veteran Wendell Guillermo, 26.? "And whether or not the military wants to acknowledge it? ? there is a breaking point."

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

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An All Natural Diabetes mellitus Cure For Style 2 Diabetes mellitus ...

Can Supplement Deb Support Stop Having diabetes

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Obama signs three-month extension of transportation bill (Star Tribune)

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Finding A Good Criminal Lawyer | Education Lawyer, Attorney ...

Part of our democracy is the opportunity given to people suspected of crime to be represented by criminal lawyers in a case. However, not all criminal lawyers are created equal. Some will boast of their education, others of their length of practice. However, these are not enough. When you talk about criminal law, you talk about experience. Law schools are there to educate aspiring lawyers but there is more to these schools that anyone seeking a good criminal lawyer must consider.

It is true that the law school a criminal lawyer attended could matter when assessing his professional expertise. However, there are many things the university won?t teach him and the only things that truly matter when you want the best criminal lawyer is to find one who has extensive experience in the courtroom. In other words, if you want someone who can represent you in a manner that brings the most advantage to you, find the one who has had a good number of jury trials in his career. This is because criminal attorneys do not really perfect their skills unless they have had the chance to practice them in a real courtroom handling real criminal cases. If you go looking around for a criminal attorney, ask how many cases they?ve handled in their career. This number will give you a good idea about whether or not they?ll make a good choice.

Board certification is another thing to look for when finding a criminal lawyer. When the lawyer has it that means he has devoted his career to criminal law and this will make him a much better candidate than someone who has simply ?experimented? with this branch of law practice. There are many areas of specialty for lawyers and if you want criminal representation, then you must choose someone who specializes on this. Besides, only those who are board-certified can legitimately claim to be criminal law specialists and there is enough reason to believe they will be good for you.

One thing you?ll want to avoid, however, is having a criminal lawyer promise you victory. There is no good lawyer who can even guarantee that he can win your case. He can promise to give you the best legal advice for whatever situation you are in but that is as far as he can go. He can also promise to do his best while representing you in the courtroom but he will never ever say that you will win, especially if he hasn?t reviewed your case thoroughly.

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Another Sickening Deluge of Open Racism at Breitbart.com (Little green footballs)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/210580888?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Video: The Etch-A-Sketch gaffe that keeps on giving

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46898337#46898337

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Once considered mainly 'brain glue,' astrocytes' power revealed

Friday, March 30, 2012

A type of cell plentiful in the brain, long considered mainly the stuff that holds the brain together and oft-overlooked by scientists more interested in flashier cells known as neurons, wields more power in the brain than has been realized, according to new research published today in Science Signaling.

Neuroscientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center report that astrocytes are crucial for creating the proper environment for our brains to work. The team found that the cells play a key role in reducing or stopping the electrical signals that are considered brain activity, playing an active role in determining when cells called neurons fire and when they don't.

That is a big step forward from what scientists have long considered the role of astrocytes ? to nurture neurons and keep them healthy.

"Astrocytes have long been called housekeeping cells ? tending to neurons, nurturing them, and cleaning up after them," said Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., professor of Neurosurgery and leader of the study. "It turns out that they can influence the actions of neurons in ways that have not been realized."

Proper brain function relies on billions of electrical signals ? tiny molecular explosions, really ? happening remarkably in sync. Recalling the face of a loved one, swinging a baseball bat, walking down the street ? all those actions rely on electrical signals passed instantly along our nerves like a molecular hot potato from one brain cell to another.

For that to happen, the molecular brew of chemicals like sodium, calcium and potassium that brain cells reside in must be just right ? and astrocytes help to maintain that balanced environment. For instance, when a neuron sends an impulse, or fires, levels of potassium surrounding the cell jump dramatically, and those levels must come down immediately for the brain to work properly. Scientists have long known that that's a job for astrocytes ? sopping up excess potassium, ending the nerve pulse, and restoring the cells so they can fire again immediately.

In the paper in Science Signaling, Nedergaard's team discovered an expanded role for astrocytes. The team learned that in addition to simply absorbing excess potassium, astrocytes themselves can cause potassium levels around the neuron to drop, putting neuronal signaling to a stop.

"Far from only playing a passive role, astrocytes can initiate the uptake of potassium in a way that affects neuronal activity," said Nedergaard. "It's a simple, yet powerful mechanism for astrocytes to rapidly modulate neuronal activity."

Nedergaard has investigated the secret lives of astrocytes for more than two decades. She has shown how the cells communicate using calcium to signal. Nearly 20 years ago in a paper in Science, she pioneered the idea that glial cells like astrocytes communicate with neurons and affect them. Since then, has been a lot of speculation by other scientists that chemicals call gliotransmitters, such as glutamate and ATP, are key to this process.

In contrast, in the latest research Nedergaard's team found that another signaling system involving potassium is at work. By sucking up potassium, astrocytes quell the firing of neurons, increasing what scientists call "synaptic fidelity." Important brain signals are crisper and clearer because there is less unwanted activity or "chatter" among neurons that should not be firing. Such errant neuronal activity is linked to a plethora of disorders, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit disorder.

"This gives us a new target for a disease like epilepsy, where signaling among brain cells is not as controlled as it should be," said Nedergaard, whose team is based in the Division of Glia Disease and Therapeutics of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine of the Department of Neurosurgery.

The first authors of the paper are Fushun Wang, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Neurosurgery; and graduate student Nathan Anthony Smith. They did much of the work by using a sophisticated laser-based system to monitor the activity of astrocytes in the living brain of rats and mice. The work by Smith, a graduate student in the University's neuroscience program, was supported by a Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Other authors from Rochester include Takumi Fujita, Ph.D., post-doctoral associate; Takahiro Takano, Ph.D., assistant professor; Qiwu Xu, technical associate; and Lane Bekar, Ph.D., formerly research assistant professor, now at the University of Saskatchewan. Also contributing were Akemichi Baba of Hyogo University of Health Sciences in Japan, and Toshio Matsuda of Osaka University in Japan.

Nedergaard notes that the complexity and size of our astrocytes is one of few characteristics that differentiate our brains from rodents. Our astrocytes are bigger, faster, and much more complex in both structure and function. She has found that astrocytes contribute to conditions like stroke, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, and spinal cord injury.

"Astrocytes are integral to the most sophisticated brain processes," she added.

The latest paper caps a remarkable run for the Nedergaard group. In two months the team has published a paper on adenosine in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a paper on spinal cord injury in the Journal of Neuroscience, and two papers in Science Signaling on communication between neurons and astrocytes.

###

University of Rochester Medical Center: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu

Thanks to University of Rochester Medical Center 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/118844/Once_considered_mainly__brain_glue___astrocytes__power_revealed

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Friday, March 30, 2012

Garage Door Opener Choices - Home Remodeling Tips

When one thinks of a garage door opener one is likely to consider a storage door remote. Sure, it opens the garage door but it?s not actually the storage door opener. So when somebody is on the lookout for the storage door opener they usually ask ?Where is the storage door opener?? Your appropriate reply can be, effectively, its exterior inside the storage and above the storage door. However the person is probably asking where the storage door opener remote is! And that may take some time to find in the event you don?t keep it in your purse or by the door.

An actual door opener for the garage is the system, typically overhead, that physically opens the storage door. And so they come in mainly three different classes with every manufacturer adding their own bells and whistles.

One of many three varieties of garage door openers obtainable and the most typical and generally the most affordable is the chain driven opener the place a series is looped round a rail that?s installed from the within roof of the garage. This will even be the noisiest door opener. It may include a ? hp engine or a ? hp engine. It would most probably have a single button that when pushed opens the garage door. These could typically be referred to as jerky after they operate. There are some fashions that have poly coated rails which may make much less noise when the garage?nike apparel for men is opened.

The following type of door opener for a storage is the screw drive model. This is a bit more durable to find as not so many models of these are made. It is in the mid-range for noise. This sort of opener has a mechanism that moves up and down a threaded steel rod. This sort additionally comes with a ? hp engine or a ? hp engine.

The third mannequin accessible is the belt pushed door opener for garages. This can be a metallic reinforced rubber belt as an alternative of a sequence so it?s the quietest of the three garage openers and also the most costly generally. It?s not actually for the heaviest doors or the taller doors and it might want an extension installed to open a door tall sufficient on your RV.

There?s a fourth mannequin which is a more recent model. It?s a torsion door opener. It is the most quiet and it provides more headroom in a garage. That is because there is a devise mounted above the storage door which attaches directly to the torsion spring shaft and it lifts the door using the torsion springs. The overhead observe and motor are eliminated so there might be more overhead clearance.

Now in terms of bells and whistles you?ll have a fancy key pad versus a single button panel to operate the doors. You might have two overhead lights versus one which stays on just a few minutes. You may add a motion detector so a light-weight activates once you enter the garage.

This post is written by Luis Garcia 69

Source: http://www.remodeling24hours.com/garage-door-opener-choices.html

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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Video: Supreme Court wraps up final day of health care arguments

Shorthanded Knicks rout Magic

NEW YORK (AP) - Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks climbed above .500 for the first time since mid-January in overwhelming fashion, scoring 21 straight points in the third quarter and routing the Orlando Magic 108-86 on Wednesday night.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46885380#46885380

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Dem candidate: DCCC should stand for ?double-crossers, connivers, and cowards?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dem-candidate-dccc-stand-double-crossers-connivers-cowards-151703383.html

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Hon Hai Precision snaps up 10 percent of Sharp in display tie-up

Image
For those unaware, going at it alone in the cutthroat display business isn't exactly a recommended business approach. To wit, Sharp -- once a mainstay in the LCD industry -- has just sold an approximate 10 percent stake of itself to Taiwan's Hon Hai Group. Sharp will be issuing new shares worth $808 million to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., and we're told that it'll go down as the largest investment ever in a Japanese company by a Taiwanese one. Moreover, Hon Hai will grab half of Sharp's 92.96 percent stake in its LCD panel factory in Sakai, Japan. Though it may not be obvious, seeing Sharp accept this fate is hugely symbolic, and it's happening just as the company gets ready to eat "multibillion-dollar losses" for this fiscal year -- which just so happens to be the 100th anniversary of its founding. Sharp executive managing officer Takashi Okuda said this during a news conference in Tokyo: "We have tried to do everything by ourselves, but the environment is tough." Here's hoping for a better tomorrow, though.

Continue reading Hon Hai Precision snaps up 10 percent of Sharp in display tie-up

Hon Hai Precision snaps up 10 percent of Sharp in display tie-up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC


When you're shopping for a serious gaming desktop, you tend to snag the most powerful machine when you abandon all monetary constraints. But it doesn't have to be that way. Although the AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC ($3,100 direct) will never be confused with a budget system, this mid-size rig has undeniable gaming chops and will cost you less than competing systems. Its powerful processor and smart storage arrangement are enough to chew through any processing task, and its high-end video card ratchets up the system's gaming performance to a competitive level. You can find more powerful gaming desktops, but this one is a solid choice if you don't want your PC to take over your room or kill your budget.

Design and Features
AVADirect has used as the case for the Quiet X79 Gaming PC a white version of the NZXT H2, which sports accents of a bare metal panel on the front tower door and blue and white glowing LEDs. It's a look similar to that of the Polywell Ignition X7900i-3960 ($4,599 street, 4 stars), but cleaner?and much more sedate than the flame paint-job on the iBuypower Chimera 4-V1 ($2,499 direct, 4 stars).

On the top panel you'll find a power button, three USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, headphone and microphone jacks, and a three-speed fan controller. A magnetic plastic cover hides the top fan vent, but can be easily adjusted or removed to improve airflow. A snapping cover also serves as a lid for a SATA-equipped hot-swappable drive bay.

On the front of the tower you'll find a Blu-ray (BD-RE) optical drive, and a 65-in-1 card reader that accommodates every major media card format, including SD/MMC, microSD, CF/MD, MS/Pro/Duo, and xD, plus another USB 2.0 port thrown in for good measure. On the back of the tower you'll find scads of connections, with six USB 2.0 ports (one of which is occupied by a Bluetooth receiver), four USB 3.0 ports, a USB BIOS flashback port, and two USB/eSATA combination ports. The Gigabit Ethernet port is your only networking option, as the Silent Gaming PC has no Wi-Fi. Display outputs include two DVI, one HDMI, and one full-size DisplayPort. There are also several audio outputs, with ports for S/PDIF and eight-channel analog audio.

Pull off the case's side panel (the thumbscrews make it easy) and you'll find that the Quiet X79 Gaming PC is equipped with both a 120GB SSD (which serves as the OS drive) and a silent 2TB Western Digital hard drive (for storage). Plugged into the Asus P9X79 motherboard is a six-core Intel Core i7-3930K processor?the same model found in both the Chimera 4-V1 and the Velocity Micro Raptor Z90 (Intel Core i7-3930K) ($4,999 direct, 3.5 stars)?equipped with a giant heat sink?fan unit to keep it cool, and an overclocked Asus video card based on the Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 GPU. A quintet of whisper-quiet fans keep everything cool.

An 850-watt power supply provides more than enough juice for all of the Quiet X79 Gaming PC's components, and additional hardware if you choose to upgrade?and there are plenty of upgrade options available. Though the system comes equipped with 16GB of RAM, there are four open DIMM slots on the motherboard, which supports up to 64GB total RAM. You'll find four open PCI Express (PCIe) slots, though the two PCIe x1 slots are blocked by the bulky video card, and one open 5.25-inch drive bay; four SATA ports are also free.

Because this is a custom gaming rig, you'll find that the hard drive is immaculate, with the only software installed being Windows 7 Professional. The Quiet X79 Gaming PC also comes with AVADirect's Silver Warranty Package, a three-year warranty on parts and labor.

Performance
AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC In our tests the Quiet X79 Gaming PC proved it's able to mix it up with much more expensive gaming rigs. It tore through our processor-intensive Photoshop CS5 test in 2 minutes 31 seconds?ahead of the Polywell Ignition X7900i-3960 (2:34) and the iBuypower Chimera 4-V1 (2:42), but behind the 2:21 of the Digital Storm ODE Level 3 ($2,399 direct, 4.5 stars) and the 2:22 of the Velocity Micro Raptor Z90 (2:22). It finished Handbrake in 58 seconds, beating out the Chimera 4-V1 (1:03) and tying with the Ignition X7900i-3960 (0:58), but falling short of the ODE Level 3 (0:56).

AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC

The Quiet X79 Gaming PC pumped out respectable frame rates in our gaming tests, cranking through Crysis and Lost Planet 2 at 43 frames per second (fps), both at 1,920-by-1080 resolution with 4x anti-aliasing and high detail settings. Although these are playable scores, they can't match those of rigs running multiple graphics cards, like the ODE Level 3 (71 fps in Crysis, 122 fps in Lost Planet 2), which is equipped with two GTX 570 cards, or the Velocity Micro Raptor Z90 (44fps in Crysis, 81fps in Lost Planet 2), which contains two GTX 580 cards.

The AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC offers impressive performance and graphics for its relatively modest price tag. If you want a gaming rig that offers similar processing power, better graphics performance and a lower price, you may want to opt for the Digital Storm ODE Level 3, our Editors' Choice for midrange gaming PCs. If you want competitive performance with a realistic price tag, however, the AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC is tough to top.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC with several other desktops side by side.

More desktop reviews:
??? AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC
??? HP Omni 27
??? Shuttle X6100
??? Acer Veriton M4618G-Ui72601W
??? Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 71
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Udxds4nMKuE/0,2817,2402087,00.asp

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Annan says Syria accepts peace plan

By msnbc.com staff and news services

Updated at 11:34 a.m. ET: Syria accepted a ceasefire and peace plan drawn up by Kofi Annan, the U.N. and Arab League special envoy said on Tuesday, even as Syrian troops thrust into Lebanon to battle rebels who had taken refuge there.

On a two-day visit to Beijing, Annan told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that he faced a long and difficult task in his mission to end fighting in Syria, but global cooperation with China and other countries was the only way to do it.


"I indicated that I had received a response from the Syrian government and will be making it public today, which is positive, and we hope to work with them to translate it into action," Annan told reporters in Beijing after meeting Wen.

"I have a six-point plan which the Security Council has endorsed, dealing with issues of political discussions, withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centers, humanitarian assistance being allowed in unimpeded, release of prisoners, freedom of movement and access to journalists to go in and out," he said. "So we will need to see how we move ahead and implement this agreement that they have accepted."

Finally, UN reaches agreement over Syria efforts

However, the U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, expressed skepticism about the development, saying it would be best to look foraction, not words from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Ford told lawmakers in Washington that he had no information beyond the press reports of the development.

"We will see now in the days ahead what exactly Assad has said,'' Ford said at a hearing on human rights in Syria.

The diplomat, who left Syria last month because of the violence there, added: "I have to tell you that my own experience with him is you want to see steps on the ground and not just take his word at face value."

The United Nations said on Tuesday that more than 9,000 civilians have been killed in the Syrian government's yearlong assault on protesters opposed to Assad, an increase of nearly 1,000 over its previous estimate.

"Violence on the ground has continued unabated, resulting in scores of people killed and injured," Robert Serry, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, told the 15-nation Security Council.

"Credible estimates put the total death toll since the beginning of the uprising one year ago to more than 9,000," he said. "It is urgent to stop the fighting and prevent a further violent escalation of the conflict."

The Syrian opposition, meanwhile, welcomed the government's acceptance of a U.N. peace plan, a member of the Syrian National Council said.

Syria's rebel fighters are desperate for arms and ammunition. Members of the Free Syrian Army were forced from Idlib - one of the last rebel strongholds. ITN's John Irvine reports from outskirts of Idlib, the north western city which rebels surrendered last week.

Bassma Kodmani told The Associated Press by telephone that "we welcome all acceptance by the regime of a plan that could allow the repression and bloodbath to stop."

She is a Paris-based member of the opposition Syrian National Council.

"We hope that we can move toward a peace process," she said.

Incursion into Lebanon
Meanwhile, Syrian troops advanced into north Lebanon on Tuesday, destroying farm buildings and clashing with Syrian rebels who had taken refuge there, residents told Reuters.

"More than 35 Syrian soldiers came across the border and started to destroy houses," said Abu Ahmed, 63, a resident of the rural mountain area of al-Qaa.

Amateur videos from Syria were released online on Monday, purportedly showing shelling by government forces in the city of Homs. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.

Another resident told Reuters that the soldiers, some traveling in armored personnel vehicles, fired rocket-propelled grenades and exchanged heavy machine-gun fire with rebels.

Regional English-language news channel Al-Jazeera has previously reported an escalation in tensions along the border. It said residents claimed the Syrian military planted landmines close to inhabited areas while, in early October, a Syrian army tank reportedly fired shells at Lebanese military targets inside Lebanon's borders.

Officials: Iranian arms used against Syria protesters

Annan called for Beijing's support and advice, according to a pool report.

"And I know you've already been helpful but this is going to be a long difficult task and I am sure that together we can make a difference," Annan told Wen.

Annan's trip to China followed a similar one in Russia, where he asked Moscow to back his mission to end fighting in Syria.

Russia and China have shielded Assad from U.N. Security Council condemnation by vetoing two Western-backed resolutions over the bloodshed, but approved a Security Council statement this week endorsing Annan's mission.

Report: Syria leader's wife says she's 'real dictator'

However, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Syrian people, not foreign powers, should decide their own fate.

Russia has said Annan has its full support and that his mission could be the last chance to avoid a protracted and bloody civil war but would need more time.

"I would like the decision on the fate of the Syrian state, society, political system and people to be taken not by the respected leaders of world powers, even by those acting in good faith, but by the Syrian people themselves, by all the levels of the Syrian society," Medvedev said at the end of a nuclear security summit in Seoul.

Reuters and msnbc.com's Alastair Jamieson contributed to this report. Follow Alastair Jamieson on Twitter.

More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world?

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/27/10882807-annan-says-syria-accepts-peace-plan-fighting-enters-lebanon

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Monday, March 26, 2012

Asia stocks stagnate amid uncertain global economy

(AP) ? Asian stock markets were stagnant Monday as investors evaluated the prospects of a global economic slowdown.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.2 percent to 10,031.37 as the yen slipped against the dollar, helping the country's powerhouse export sector. Elsewhere, however, markets began the week in negative territory after reports in China and Europe last week pointed to a likely slowdown in those economies.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped as investors contemplated what the selection of Leung Chun-ying as the semiautonomous Chinese territory's next chief executive might mean to economic growth for the city, an Asian financial center. The Hang Seng fell marginally to 20,661.36.

South Korea's Kospi index fell 0.5 percent to 2,016.50. Australia's S&P ASX/200 rose 0.2 percent to 4,278. Benchmarks in Singapore and Taiwan also fell. Indonesia and New Zealand were higher.

Commodity-sector companies rose as the dollar weakened. Since commodities are priced in dollars, a weaker dollar makes them cheaper for traders who use other currencies. Jiangxi Copper Co. added 0.3 percent in Hong Kong. Energy Resources of Australia gained 2.3 percent.

The Dow closed up 0.3 percent at 13,080.73 Friday as investors shrugged off a Commerce Department report that sales of new homes fell 1.6 percent last month. Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.3 percent to 1,397.11. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.1 percent to 3,067.92.

Benchmark oil for May delivery was down 31 cents to $106.56 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract was up $1.52 to end at $106.87 per barrel in New York on Friday.

The euro rose slightly to $1.3265 from $1.3263 late Friday in New York. The dollar fell to 82.74 yen from 82.49 yen.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-03-25-World-Markets/id-49f49d354351475783204c02dca541ae

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Day Trading Cheap Stocks Strategies | azlibertycaucus.com

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Source: http://azlibertycaucus.com/day-trading-cheap-stocks-strategies/

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Personal Training Business Workshop Brings Top Fitness Pros to ...

1c3e1 gI 76247 FRLogo Personal Training Business Workshop Brings Top Fitness Pros to Frisco, TX

The Elite Training Workshop will bring together four leading fitness experts to help trainers grow their personal training businesses.

Elizabethtown, KY (PRWEB) March 23, 2012

The Elite Training Workshop will be hosted at Full Throttle Athletics, a Fitness Revolution franchise in Frisco, TX on April 21 . The event will bring together four leading fitness experts to help trainers grow their personal training businesses.

The workshop will provide hands on instruction geared toward both helping fitness businesses grow and improve their training techniques. The fitness experts plan to discuss a variety of topics concerning aspects of training and fitness marketing.

?All personal trainers face two main concerns,? said Pat Rigsby, CEO of Fitness Consulting Group, the group organizing the event. ?The first is that they are constantly trying to improve as trainers, and the second is that they want to find ways to grow their business.?

By bringing together leaders in the fitness community, the Elite Training Workshop seeks to address both concerns.

Eric Cressey is one expert who will be speaking at the event. He has trained professionals and Olympians, while also authoring five different fitness books. He is the owner of the elite Massachusetts gym Cressey Performance and a world-record holding Olympian.

Joining him will be President of Robertson Training Systems Mike Robertson, resistance band expert Dave Schmitz, and B.J. Gaddour, also a contributor to Men?s Health.

The fitness experts will be presenting on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from fitness-specific topics like medicine ball and core training, to business topics like how to market your fitness business.

The speakers hope that discussing their experiences can help other personal trainers. ?These experienced trainers have a lot to teach,? Rigsby explained. ?Both when it comes to training and how good trainers get their names out there.?

The Elite Training Workshop will take place on April 21, but there is a workshop on April 20 available to those who sign up by 5 pm on March 30. This workshop will focus exclusively on aspects of fitness business, and will be run by Rigsby, Nick Berry, and Ryan Ketchum.

For more information on the Elite Training Workshop, visit http://elitetrainingworkshop.com/frisco/.

About Pat Rigsby and Nick Berry: Pat Rigsby and Nick Berry are the co-owners of Fitness Consulting Group, a leading business development consulting firm within the fitness industry.

Fitness Revolution is a member of the Fitness Consulting Group family of companies. Fitness Revolution franchises focus on providing clients with the best fitness coaching available today, using a training staff made up of nationally certified fitness professionals.

To learn more about acquiring a Fitness Revolution franchise, visit: http://www.fitnessrevolutionfranchise.com/franchise/.

# # #


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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Wacom Intuos5 PTH650


The Wacom Intuos5 ($349 direct) continues the company's tradition of delivering quality drawing tablets at reasonable prices. The Intuos5 is a modest step up from the successful Intuos4 (4 stars), refining the design and adding multitouch gestures. But the basic concept?and execution?remain the same. Whether you're a professional illustrator, photography enthusiast, or an amateur cartoonist, this is the midrange tablet to get and a clear Editors' Choice winner.

Design, Pen, and Setup
For this review, we tested the PTH650 (Medium) version, which retails for $349; Wacom also sells the smaller PTH450 ($229) and the larger PTH850 ($469). The PTH650 measures 9.9 by 15 by 0.5 inches (HWD), with a 8.8 by 5.5 inch (HWD) drawing area, and weighs 2.2 pounds. Like prior Intuos tablets, the Intuos5 is made of black plastic, but this one features a sleeker, slightly rubberized border instead of a hard plastic one. The usual nicely textured hard plastic drawing surface remains intact. Along the left are eight recessed, programmable ExpressKeys as before (albeit with a different labeling scheme?more on that later). There's also a circular control pad you can configure for auto-scrolling, rotation, cycling between layers in Photoshop or another compatible program, and changing the brush size.

The included pen offers just the right amount of weight and balance. Two earlier nits remain: The pen grip attracts a surprising amount of dust particles and lint, and it's too easy to accidentally press the front-mounted DuoSwitch while laying down virtual ink. On the plus side, you still get an eraser, unlike with two of Wacom's latest low-end Bamboo tablets, and the included weighty base is still an ideal place to park the pen when you're not using it.

Installing the included driver CD was painless; all it did was go out to the Web and download the latest drivers anyway. Then I chose the appropriate right-handed orientation and plugged in the included USB cable as directed. The tablet's status LED lit up, and the system finished installing the drivers. From there, the Intuos5 became active; I could control the Windows 7 mouse cursor using the tablet surface as well as my existing mouse.

Bundled Software, ExpressKeys, and Multitouch
Wacom also provides a good amount of bundled software with the Intuos5, though it requires a somewhat clunky login setup and download process on the company's website. Even so, it's worth the (minor) trouble: You get full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 , Anime Studio Debut 8 , and Autodesk SketchBook Express, plus a copy of Nik Software Color Effects Pro 4 Select Edition and a 90-day trial of Corel Painter 12. All five programs work on both PCs and Macs.

The programmable ExpressKeys on the left are of a new capacitive design. Simply running your finger over them pops up a translucent heads-up display on screen showing what each one does, which is quite slick. When you're writing in Microsoft Word, the Intuos software pops up a small drawing pen icon near the on-screen cursor. Tap it, and it opens up a dialog box showing various handwriting recognition options.

Meanwhile, the new multitouch gestures work much the same way as they did on the lower-end Wacom Bamboo Capture CTH470?($99, 3.5 stars). I had little problem pinch-zooming the view on-screen in both directions, providing I did it fairly deliberately. Rotation gestures also worked well. That said, not all of my gestures registered on the first try; Wacom still has a way to go before it approaches the consistency of a good laptop trackpad, like you'll find on the Apple MacBook Pro.

Settings, Testing, and Advanced Features
A Wacom Tablet Properties icon in the Start menu lets you go deeper into the tablet's settings. Here, you can configure plenty of options for the surface, the grip pen, and for various applications. Of particular note are the Tip Feel and Tilt Sensitivity settings, which let you define with precision exactly how the pen draws, and the Eraser settings, which also have a configurable feel and can be programmed for other tasks instead of erasing. You can also program individual settings on a per-app basis, letting you choose different levels of tip firmness for painting versus photo editing.

Once everything is installed and underway, using the Intuos5 is an absolute pleasure. This is one accurate drawing surface, and by now, Wacom has long since nailed the pen feel and surface texture. The Intuos5 offers 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity, which is the same as before. As with any drawing tablet, if you've never used one before, you'll need to adjust how you position your hand, wrist, and arm so that you don't trigger accidental movements or "ink," and you may want to fiddle with some of the preferences to tune the sensitivity. But once you get the hang of that, it's easy to apply exactly the right amount of pressure, and the tablet picks up even the absolute slightest movements.

In addition, if you use Adobe Photoshop CS5 , Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 , or AutoDesk Maya , among other apps, the Intuos5 lets you take advantage of plenty of advanced features. For example, pen tilt and pressure can control brush opacity and exposure in Photoshop, as well as color and size. Photoshop Quick Masks and Layer Masks also work specifically with Wacom pens, and you can burn, blur, and sharpen as precisely as you need. You don't get the tilt support if you're not using a compatible app, but given the target market for the Intuos5 line, which is usually familiar with at least one of these professional packages, that's not a huge con.

Wireless Kit and Conclusions
Wacom also sent us a Wireless Accessory Kit ($39) to try out. Even if you buy one with the tablet, you still need to set the tablet up over USB first, because the battery isn't charged. Installing the battery underneath the tablet is simple, and it takes about six hours to fully charge. You also get a separate piece that adds a charging LED light and a power button to the Intuos5, in place of a dummy plastic cover that ships with the tablet. Finally, a tiny USB receiver plugs into a free port on your desktop or laptop. Overall, the wireless kit works fine; I'd just rather see all of the Intuos5 tablets be wireless by default, instead of requiring an optional kit that costs extra.

The Intuos5 continues to reign supreme as the ideal midrange drawing tablet for professionals and amateurs alike. Upgrading from an older Intuos model isn't necessary; there's not much here that improves over the prior Intuos4 line , for example, at least in terms of must-have features. But if you don't already have one, or if you're thinking of upgrading from one of Wacom's entry-level tablets like the Bamboo Capture CTH470 , it's a no-brainer. Short of buying one of Wacom's high-end touch screens, which let you draw directly on the screen surface, the Intuos5 strikes an ideal balance of features, accuracy, and price for professionals and amateur enthusiasts alike.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/5Ju_0Iqx5_I/0,2817,2401697,00.asp

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Easy Home Improvement Strategies To Add Ambience And Security ...

Quite a few people have ample ideas for home improvement projects. Nevertheless, as we all recognize, the one thing that usually gets in our way is know-how and price. Anyway, just a tiny bit of ingenuity and exploration can take care of most Ponder over what all is feasible on a smaller scale; you dont have to completely redo a room.

You can come up with quite a few ideas, if you keep the improvement of safety in mind, while you do a walk-through of your home. Also, there is a multitude of ways you can improve your home with smaller projects. If you have a hankering to learn some new skills, then you can add to the realm of possibilities.

To add an attractive touch to your kids rooms is actually very easy. Just follow these steps as we are about to present. An inexpensive way to quickly change the way their rooms appear is to add wallpaper and wallpaper trim. Several companies focus solely upon wallpaper for children, making designs and colors that they will enjoy. Websites on the Internet usually have quite an assortment and range of styles and patterns to choose from. We recommend going there first. Once you find a couple of these websites, you will be astounded by at what is available. Choose something that is nice, colorful, but not too much for the eyes. It is your decision in the end. Choose wisely and also keep your childs interests in mind.

Everyone who has a garage knows how aggravating it can be to keep it organized. Evidently, there is no plus side to the fact that garages at some time or another become the catch-all storing place. Therefore, locate and set up hangers in your garage, if you wish to do something to keep things in order. There are several different fashions and figures, plus those that can hang on walls. A majority of individuals use these for hanging garden gizmos and other tools that dont weigh a whole lot. This will free up some space, regardless if you have 20+ or less than half a dozen hand tools.

Adding a large basin to your basin can be a great idea. The service this basin provides can be endless. You will find that this type of generalized basin has a wide range of functions. For those things that are not meant to be washed in your kitchen; this sink will be perfect. If you work on your cars or trucks, or anything else, then you will use it for cleaning up your hands. This installation can actually be a fairly easy job. If you can do the undertaking by yourself that would be great; otherwise you can hire the job out to a plumber.

The way things are today, you almost cannot do too much for home improvement with security in mind. You can actually spend very little money and have a security system installed that works. Determine what you need to have and have this installed. After that, just go online and begin looking at all the solutions on the market.

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Source: http://empleoclasificados.com.ar/?p=190946

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Friday, March 23, 2012

Idaho health insurance rate hikes deemed excessive by feds | Idaho ...

Two health insurance companies in Idaho may need to provide refunds, lower their rate increases or tell the public why they won't, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The agency said Thursday that insurance rate increases in nine states including Idaho have been deemed excessive under new rate-review authorities granted by the 2010 health care reform law. The law set a new rule that double-digit rate increases must be reviewed.

The two insurance companies weren't identified in a news release, but Idaho insurers have proposed rate increases of 13 to 16 percent. The only insurance companies whose rate increase reviews have been completed, according to the HHS website companyprofiles.healthcare.gov are two Assurant Health divisions named John Alden Life Insurance Co. and Time Insurance Co.

"It's time for these companies to immediately rescind these unreasonable rate hikes, issue refunds to consumers or publicly explain their refusal to do so," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Since state and federal regulators started reviewing proposed rate increases in September, insurers have tried to raise rates less than they did before the new rules took effect, the agency said.

The agency said insurance rates were unreasonable in Idaho and the other states because the insurers wouldn't be using enough of their premium dollars "for actual medical care and quality improvements, and because the justifications were based on unreasonable assumptions."

Have your health insurance premiums risen by at least 30 percent in a year? The Statesman wants to hear from you. Call or email reporter Audrey Dutton at adutton@idahostatesman.com or 377-6448.

Source: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/03/22/2046352/idaho-health-insurance-rate-hikes.html

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How to ask China's prime minister a question - and get a real answer

Since China's prime minister approves questions before a press conference, he has time to formulate bland answers. But sometimes a cheeky foreign reporter finds a workaround.

There is no better measure of Chinese officialdom?s control-freakery than Prime Minister Wen Jiabao?s encounter with the press at the close of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress, China?s ersatz parliament.

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This year?s performance, like last year, and the year before, was a grand set-piece event. Several hundred journalists gathered in a gaudily pillared reception room in the Great Hall of the People, photographers clicked madly whenever Mr. Wen made a photogenic gesture, and we all went through the motions of a press conference.

But if you thought the rubber-stamp National Press Club sessions were scripted, you should have been at the press event. Every question asked had been solicited, negotiated, and approved by Chinese officials. If you had not been through that process, there was no point in putting your hand up.

Chinese state-run media, whose reporters always get a chance to ask a question, can be trusted to serve up softballs. The official news agency Xinhua, for example, opened the proceedings today with a less-than-challenging request that Wen ?evaluate your work? since he took office nine years ago.

Foreign reporters generally make more of an effort to elicit something other than pabulum, but they can do so only if they play by the rules. And that means submitting questions in advance and negotiating their wording so as not to give offense.?

This can take several days of back and forth, and frankly I wonder whether it is worth it.

Foreign journalists asked Wen questions on sensitive topics such as when China would allow direct competitive elections to its national leadership, the recent spate of self-immolations by Tibetan monks, and China?s controversial refusal to back Western policies toward Syria.

But since the prime minister had seen the questions in advance, he and his aides had had plenty of time to formulate bland and unexceptional answers to all of them.

Luckily for us, though, at the end of the three-hour press conference at which the didactic Wen took an average of 13 minutes to answer a question, a cheeky Reuters correspondent ducked the rules. He asked the question that he had flagged in advance ? an anodyne inquiry about the level of local government debt ? and then snuck in a second question about a disgraced police chief who has sparked a scandal that has embroiled one of China?s most high-profile politicians, Bo Xilai.(?read more about that here)

Wen took the question, and he gave a newsworthy answer. It did not seem that hard, or painful for him. Why, we were left wondering, can he not do that all the time??

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/FWXrrhFaVt8/How-to-ask-China-s-prime-minister-a-question-and-get-a-real-answer

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