Console gaming 1 PC gaming 0 ? VG247 Forum

"I don't need to tweak my AA from 2x to 4x and lose 15fps. I don't need to turn on 'ultra high shadows' and notice absolutely no difference at all. I don't need to install some community mod that no-one will be playing after a week."

Oh brother, where to begin.

1) Most console games have no AA.
2) If you have a videocard made in the past few years, 4X AA is basically free.
3) An increasing number of PC ports are adding PC-exclusive graphical enhancements that definitely make a big difference. Sleeping Dogs and Borderlands 2, for example. If you see no visual difference between the PC versions of those games and their console equivalents, you may be clinically blind. And even without those extra features, simple things like higher resolutions, AA and AF make a significant difference.
4) 60+ FPS > 30 FPS.
5) Mods can greatly improve a game experience. Take any Bethesda game, for example. With mods, you get better AI, better textures, better models, better full-screen effects, better lighting, better sounds, better UI, better balancing, fewer bugs, new items, new dungeons, new companions, new quests, etc. Dark Souls is another good example. The vanilla port was horrible in that it was basically an exact replica of the console version (albeit with a more consistent framerate). The internal render resolution was locked at something like 1020x700 (which wasn't even considered HD ten years ago) and the framerate was capped at 30 FPS. Now, thanks to mods, you can render the game at your native resolution AND have it run at 60 FPS. There are also texture and UI mods being made as we speak.

It sounds like you are just severely out of touch with modern PC gaming. If we were talking about PC gaming in 1998, your points might be valid but today, not so much. I've been playing PC games for about almost 20 years and it is now cheaper and easier than ever before. 95% of the games I've played run without issue and for the ones that do have problems, those problems have almost always been resolved thanks to unofficial support by the community.

The certification process of closed platforms isn't even remotely as reliable as you seem to think. The top priority of TCR/TRC checks is to ensure compliance with a set of arbitrary rules set by MS and Sony. These rules primarily pertain to the system software and not the games themselves. There are also politics involved. Games like Call of Duty and Skyrim are allowed to get away with more violations because they are high-profile games and the platform-owners can't afford to hold them back because they didn't pass certification. It's not uncommon for platform-owners to let games pass certification as long as the publisher promises to fix certain issues in a patch. Ironically, the certification process also means that it takes much longer for patches to go public, even when the patch includes critical fixes. What would take five minutes to release on PC would take a week on consoles.

Source: http://www.vg247.com/forum/topic.php?id=6596&page=2

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Choose Wedding Dress Shoes

?

HTML Ready Article. Click on the "Copy" button to copy into your clipboard.

; <title>Article2008.com | Choose Wedding Dress Shoes</title><h3>Choose Wedding Dress Shoes</h3>

By: shanghaimg liu

When choosing your wedding shoe, the height of the shoe determines the length of the dress. You'll need your wedding shoes when you're having alterations made to your wedding dress.

It's for this reason you should purchase your shoes as soon as your dress is chosen. The last thing you want is to have your bridal the wrong length because you switched shoes mid-stream.

The second thing to consider is the style of your Cheap Wedding DressesA formal designer wedding dress warrants an elegant pair of shoes to match but you might consider a sparkly pair of flip flops for a beach wedding dress! A more informal gown might require a pair of white satin ballet shoes or even some strappy sandals.

While cute shoes are important, comfort is key. You won't be sitting down much!

Another option for some brides is to choose 2 pairs of shoes...elegant shoes for the wedding dress and 'reception' shoes for the party afterwards. Reception shoes are comfortable sneakers or flat shoes adorned with sequins, pearls and glitter and tied with satin or lace shoelaces.

bridal gowns Whatever your choice, we'd like to help you find the perfect shoes! bridal

When choosing your wedding shoe, the height of the shoe determines the length of the dress. You'll need your wedding shoes when you're having alterations made to your wedding dress.

It's for this reason you should purchase your shoes as soon as your dress is chosen. The last thing you want is to have your bridal the wrong length because you switched shoes mid-stream.

The second thing to consider is the style of your Cheap Wedding DressesA formal designer wedding dress warrants an elegant pair of shoes to match but you might consider a sparkly pair of flip flops for a beach wedding dress! A more informal gown might require a pair of white satin ballet shoes or even some strappy sandals.

While cute shoes are important, comfort is key. You won't be sitting down much!

Another option for some brides is to choose 2 pairs of shoes...elegant shoes for the wedding dress and 'reception' shoes for the party afterwards. Reception shoes are comfortable sneakers or flat shoes adorned with sequins, pearls and glitter and tied with satin or lace shoelaces.

bridal gowns Whatever your choice, we'd like to help you find the perfect shoes! bridal

When choosing your wedding shoe, the height of the shoe determines the length of the dress. You'll need your wedding shoes when you're having alterations made to your wedding dress.

It's for this reason you should purchase your shoes as soon as your dress is chosen. The last thing you want is to have your bridal the wrong length because you switched shoes mid-stream.

The second thing to consider is the style of your Cheap Wedding DressesA formal designer wedding dress warrants an elegant pair of shoes to match but you might consider a sparkly pair of flip flops for a beach wedding dress! A more informal gown might require a pair of white satin ballet shoes or even some strappy sandals.

While cute shoes are important, comfort is key. You won't be sitting down much!

Another option for some brides is to choose 2 pairs of shoes...elegant shoes for the wedding dress and 'reception' shoes for the party afterwards. Reception shoes are comfortable sneakers or flat shoes adorned with sequins, pearls and glitter and tied with satin or lace shoelaces.

bridal gowns Whatever your choice, we'd like to help you find the perfect shoes! bridal

Author Resource:->??Wedding,Dress,Shoes

Article From Article2008.com

Firefox users please select/copy/paste as usual

Source: http://article2008.com/Art/1365808/237/Choose-Wedding-Dress-Shoes.html

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Fish getting smaller as the oceans warm

ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2012) ? Changes in ocean and climate systems could lead to smaller fish, according to a new study led by fisheries scientists at the University of British Columbia.

The study, published September 30 in the journal Nature Climate Change, provides the first-ever global projection of the potential reduction in the maximum size of fish in a warmer and less-oxygenated ocean.

The researchers used computer modeling to study more than 600 species of fish from oceans around the world and found that the maximum body weight they can reach could decline by 14-20 per cent between years 2000 and 2050, with the tropics being one of the most impacted regions.

"We were surprised to see such a large decrease in fish size," says the study's lead author William Cheung, an assistant professor at the UBC Fisheries Centre. "Marine fish are generally known to respond to climate change through changing distribution and seasonality. But the unexpectedly big effect that climate change could have on body size suggests that we may be missing a big piece of the puzzle of understanding climate change effects in the ocean."

This is the first global-scale application of the idea that fish growth is limited by oxygen supply, which was pioneered more than 30 years ago by Daniel Pauly, principal investigator with UBC's Sea Around Us Project and the study's co-author.

"It's a constant challenge for fish to get enough oxygen from water to grow, and the situation gets worse as fish get bigger," explains Pauly. "A warmer and less-oxygenated ocean, as predicted under climate change, would make it more difficult for bigger fish to get enough oxygen, which means they will stop growing sooner."

This study highlights the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions and develop strategies to monitor and adapt to changes that we are already seeing, or we risk disruption of fisheries, food security and the way ocean ecosystems work.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of British Columbia, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. William W. L. Cheung, Jorge L. Sarmiento, John Dunne, Thomas L. Fr?licher, Vicky W. Y. Lam, M. L. Deng Palomares, Reg Watson, Daniel Pauly. Shrinking of fishes exacerbates impacts of global ocean changes on marine ecosystems. Nature Climate Change, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1691

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/~3/YAN_hoMP_8c/120930142058.htm

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Multiple similarities discovered between cancer cells and induced pluripotent stem cells

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2012) ? UC Davis investigators have found new evidence that a promising type of stem cell now being considered for a variety of disease therapies is very similar to the type of cells that give rise to cancer. The findings suggest that although the cells -- known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) -- show substantial promise as a source of replacement cells and tissues to treat injuries, disease and chronic conditions, scientists and physicians must move cautiously with any clinical use because iPSCs could also cause malignant cancer.

The article, "Induced pluripotency and oncogenic transformation are related processes," is now online in the journal, Stem Cells and Development.

"This is the first study that describes the specific molecular pathways that iPSCs and cancer cells share from a direct comparison" said Paul Knoepfler, associate professor of cell biology and human anatomy, and principal investigator of the study. "It means that much more study is required before iPSCs can be used clinically. However, our study adds to a growing knowledge base that not only will help make stem cell therapies safer, but also provide us with new understandings about the cancer-causing process and more effective ways to fight the disease."

Since 2007, cell biologists have been able to induce specialized, differentiated cells (such as those obtained from the skin or muscle of a human adult) to become iPSCs. Like embryonic stem cells, iPSCs are a type of stem cell that is able to become any cell type. This "pluripotent" capability means that iPSCs have the potential of being used in treatments for a variety of human diseases, a fundamentally new type of clinical care known as regenerative medicine.

iPSCs are considered particularly important because their production avoids the controversy that surrounds embryonic stem cells. In addition, iPSCs can be taken from a patient's own skin and induced to produce other needed tissues, thereby evading the possibility of immunologic rejection that arises when transplanting cells from a donor to a recipient. In contrast to therapies based on ES cells, iPSCs would eliminate the need for patients to take immunosuppressive drugs.

Earlier research indicated that both ES cells and iPSCs pose some health risks. Increasing evidence suggests that pluripotency may be related to rapid cellular growth, a characteristic of cancer. iPSCs, as well as embryonic stem cells, are well known by scientists to have the propensity to cause teratomas, an unusual type of benign tumor that consists of many different cell types. The new UC Davis study demonstrates for the first time that iPSCs -- as well as ES cells -- share significant similarities to malignant cancer cells.

The investigators compared iPSCs to a form of malignant cancer known as oncogenic foci that are also produced in laboratories; these cell types are used by medical researchers to create models of cancer, particularly sarcoma. Specifically, the scientists contrasted the different cells' transcriptomes, composed of the RNA molecules or "transcripts." Unlike DNA analysis, which reflects a cell's entire genetic code whether or not the genes are active, transcriptomes reflect only the genes that are actively expressed at a given time and therefore provide a picture of actual cellular activity.

From this transcriptome analysis, the investigators found that the iPSCs and malignant sarcoma cancer cells are unexpectedly similar in several respects. Genes that were not expressed in iPSCs were also not expressed in the cancer-generating cells, including many that have properties that guide a cell to normally differentiate in certain directions. Both cell types also exhibited evidence of similar metabolic activities, another indication that they are related cell types.

"We were surprised how similar iPSCS were to cancer-generating cells," said Knoepfler. "Our findings indicate that the search for therapeutic applications of iPSCs must proceed with considerable caution if we are to do our best to promote patient safety."

Knoepfler noted, for example, that future experimental therapies using iPSCs for human transplants would most often not involve implanting iPSCs directly into a patient. Instead, iPSCs would be used to create differentiated cells -- or tissues -- in the laboratory, which could then be transplanted into a patient. This approach avoids implanting the actual undifferentiated iPSCS, and reduces the risk of tumor development as a side effect. However, Knoepfler noted that even trace amounts of residual iPSCs could cause cancer in patients, a possibility supported by his team's latest research.

Encouragingly, the UC Davis team also found important differences between the cell types that could provide clues to making iPSCs safer. As part of this study, the researchers transformed tumor-generating cell types into iPS-like cells by manipulating their genetic make up. Although the reprogrammed cancer cells did not behave identically to iPSCs, and had reduced ability to produce different cell types, the findings are exciting because they suggest that cancer cells can be reprogrammed into more normal cell types, possibly opening the door to new cancer therapies.

"We found that we could reprogram the cancer cells to behave more akin to normal stem cells," said Knoepfler. "This suggests that such cancer cell reprogramming could become a new way of treating cancer patients, in essence telling their tumors to turn into normal stem cells."

Knoepfler said the team is continuing to study the differences and similarities between iPSCs and cancer cells, as well as investigate possible ways to make iPSCs safer. It appears that targeting specific metabolic pathways may enhance iPSC formation, while modulating other pathways may improve safety.

Other study authors are John Riggs, Bonnie Barrilleaux, Natalia Varlakhanova, Kelly Bush and Vanessa Chan, all of the UC Davis Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy.

The study was funded by grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and from the National Institutes of Health (NIH grant 5R01GM100782-01).

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Davis Health System.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. John W Riggs, Bonnie Barrilleaux, Natalia Varlakhanova, Kelly Bush, Vanessa Chan, Paul Knoepfler. Induced pluripotency and oncogenic transformation are related processes. Stem Cells and Development, 2012; : 120921101948002 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2012.0375

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/cxC7BCZc-5g/120928141100.htm

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Israelis see no Iran war this year after Netanyahu's speech

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's U.N. speech about Iranian nuclear advances has dampened speculation in Israel that he could order a war this year.

Analyzing Thursday's address in which Netanyahu literally drew a "red line" on a cartoon bomb to show how close Iran was to building nuclear weaponry, commentators saw his deadline for any military action falling in early or mid-2013, well after U.S. elections in November and a possible snap Israeli poll.

"The 'decisive year' of 2012 will pass without decisiveness," wrote Ofer Shelah of Maariv newspaper on Friday.

Without explicitly saying so, Netanyahu implied Israel would attack Iran's uranium enrichment facilities if they were allowed to process potential weapons-grade material beyond his red line.

Maariv and another mass-circulation Israeli daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, said spring 2013 now looked like Netanyahu's target date, given his prediction that by then Iran may have amassed enough 20 percent-enriched uranium for a first bomb, if purified further.

But the front pages of the liberal Haaretz and pro-government Israel Hayom newspapers cited mid-2013 - Netanyahu's outside estimate for when the Iranians would be ready to embark on the last stage of building such a weapon, which could take only "a few months, possibly a few weeks".

Iran, which denies it is seeking nuclear arms, said Netanyahu's speech made "baseless and absurd allegations" and that the Islamic Republic "reserves its full right to retaliate with full force against any attack". Israel is widely assumed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal.

Israeli diplomats were reluctant to elaborate on Netanyahu's speech, saying its main aim was to illustrate the threat from Tehran.

Asked on Israel's Army Radio whether Netanyahu had signaled he would strike in the spring if U.S. and European Union sanctions fail to curb Iran's nuclear work, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said: "No, no, I would not go that far."

"The prime minister clarified a message to the international community (that) if they want to prevent the next war, they must prevent a nuclear Iran," Lieberman added.

TRUCE WITH OBAMA

Netanyahu's increasingly hawkish words on Iran in recent weeks and months strained relations with U.S. President Barack Obama, who has resisted the calls to set Tehran an ultimatum while fending off charges by his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, that he is soft on Israel's security.

Netanyahu praised Obama's resolve in his U.N. address, which the prime minister described as advancing their "common goal" - a strong signal that Israel would not blindside Washington with a unilateral attack on Iran.

Israel Hayom pundit Dan Margalit said the speech constituted "an almost explicit acknowledgment that he (Netanyahu) is declaring a truce in the public argument between him and the president. At least, until after the (U.S.) election."

Netanyahu has political worries too, given deadlock in his coalition government over the 2013 budget which, if not ratified by December, could trigger an early Israeli election next year.

In a broadcast editorial, Army Radio depicted war with Iran as no longer an imminent dilemma troubling the prime minister.

Instead, the station said, Netanyahu would have to decide "whether he is going to elections sooner, in January, February, or maybe March, or whether he will be able to pass the budget, take care of the Iranian issue and then go to elections in October (2013) as scheduled."

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this month that Washington would have "about a year" to stop Iran should it decide to cross the threshold of producing nuclear weaponry - a more expansive timeline than that put forward by Israel.

That could spell fresh clashes between the allies over Tehran's continued 20-percent uranium enrichment, a process the Iranians say they need for medical isotopes but that also brings the fissile material much closer to weapons grade.

An Israeli official briefed on the government's Iran strategy cautioned against interpreting dates Netanyahu gave at the United Nations as deadlines, saying the preparations had already been made for military strikes.

"When he says Iran will have a bomb by this-or-that point in time, that in no way means the war option must wait until then," the official told Reuters. "There are other considerations to the timing - operational and strategic."

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israelis-see-no-iran-war-netanyahus-speech-095407531.html

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Information Technology Parks to boost Philippine Business Process ...

Home ? Editorial ? Information Technology Parks to boost Philippine Business Process Outsourcing industry

Manila, Philippines ? INFORMATION Technology (IT) Parks are rising in the provinces and in Metro Manila to provide the infrastructure and connectivity needed to boost the robust growth of the country?s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. The new IT Parks outside Metro Manila are in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Iloilo, Bi?an, Tarlac, Baguio, Cabanatuan, Dasmari?as, Dumaguete, General Santos, Lipa, Naga, San Fernando, and Urdaneta, and in the municipalities of Marilao, Bulacan; Bacong and Sibulan, Negros Oriental; Rosario and Silang, Cavite.

BPO firms are the predominant locators in IT parks registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. The government offers tax incentives to BPO firms, including value-added tax and income tax exemption. The IT-BPO industry is today one of the country?s biggest job creators. In 2011, the sector recorded $11 billion investments and created 638,000 jobs. For 2012, it expects $13 billion revenues on a labor force of 764,000. By 2016, it projects $27 billion revenues and jobs for 1.3 million Filipino workers.

The rising demand for call center services leads the BPO boom. The Philippines holds a major portion of the global outsourcing market, due to the English proficiency of Filipinos. Call centers count among its clients giant multinationals. Pharmaceutical firms outsource their medical transcriptions in the country.

This year, several grants and subsidies were earmarked by various agencies and institutions for the sector?s educational and technical development. The Asian Development Bank granted P27.3 million in technical assistance for skills enhancement. State universities nationwide were allocated a budget of P125 million to fund IT-BPO-based programs. A P450-million subsidy was set aside by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for training. The Information and Communication Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology allocated P350 million to support the IT-BPO industry.

We wish Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director General Dr. Lilia B. de Lima and Information and Communication Technology Office Executive Director Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Louis Napoleon C. Casambre, all the best and success in their unwavering support to promote the global competitiveness of the information and communication technology sector. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

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Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/information-technology-parks-to-boost-philippine-business-process-outsourcing-industry/

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Transocean served with Brazil drilling injunction

(Reuters) - Transocean Ltd said on Thursday it was served with a preliminary injunction by a federal court in Brazil that would require the drilling contractor's nine rigs operating in waters off the country to cease operations in 30 days.

The ban stems from an oil spill last November in an offshore field operated by Chevron Corp at a well drilled with a Transocean rig. The eight other Transocean rigs in Brazil work for Petrobras , including seven contracted to the state-led oil company and another subcontracted from BP .

If not overturned, the ban could seriously disrupt exploration and drilling in one of the world's most promising offshore oil frontiers by removing about 13 percent of Brazil's drilling fleet.

Petrobras Chairwoman Maria das Gracas Foster has said that a lack of drilling rigs, even with Transocean's rigs operating, is one of the reasons production growth at her company has stalled despite a $237 billion, five-year expansion plan, the world's largest corporate spending program.

The Transocean ban is related to civil lawsuits seeking about $20 billion in damages from Transocean and Chevron for the spill in the Frade field, which leaked 3,600 barrels of oil into the sea northeast of Rio de Janeiro.

Transocean said it was "vigorously pursuing" a reversal of the injunction, including an appeal to the Superior Court of Justice. "Absent relief from the courts, Transocean will be required to comply with the preliminary injunction," it added.

The world's largest offshore rig contractor warned two weeks ago, after the ban was upheld on appeal, that it could not be sure of overturning the decision in time to prevent its rigs going to zero revenue for some period of time.

Shares of Transocean, which earns 11 percent of its revenue in Brazil, declined by about 1 percent after the ruling, ending 1.7 percent lower at $45.37, on concerns that the average fourth-quarter earnings estimate of 90 cents per share might be at risk.

"The Brazilian issue will continue to overhang the stock until resolved," said UBS analyst Angie Sedita, estimating a drop in earnings of 5 cents per share for every week of Brazil downtime. "Rig has strong local support, but we believe the injunction is politically driven versus operationally driven."

Petrobras is working to help overturn the ruling, which would halt the exploration and development of some of its most promising deepwater fields.

Petrobras has a total of 31 offshore rigs, either self-owned or under contract, and it has struck a deal to build 28 more rigs in Brazilian shipyards by 2020.

The ANP, Brazil's oil regulator, has said there was no negligence in last November's Frade spill and that only Chevron had to pay fines and present a remedial plan before getting approval to drill again.

Chevron, the second-largest U.S. oil company, paid the ANP-levied fine on Thursday, and received a 30 percent discount on the 35.1 million-real ($17.3 million) charge because it paid promptly and did not challenge the 24 violations ANP found.

But prosecutors have won the injunction against Chevron and Transocean that will stand until the civil suit is resolved, which could take years. Chevron and Transocean say they have done nothing wrong.

When exactly that injunction takes effect is under dispute. The July 31 ruling by a Federal Court in Rio de Janeiro was supposed to go into effect 30 days after the judges' decision was published in a local legal gazette and the ruling physically served to company executives.

Separately on Thursday, Transocean announced the appointment of John Stobart as chief operating officer, effective Monday. Stobart had been worldwide drilling manager for BHP Billiton Petroleum since 1994 in Australia, the UK and Texas.

"I expect that he will be instrumental in taking the company to an even higher level of performance," said Steven Newman, Transocean's previous COO before he was promoted to chief executive more than two years ago.

The new COO comes just a few weeks after Transocean named a new chief financial officer after an eight-month search. Esa Ik?heimonen, the former CFO of rival Seadrill who spent two decades working for Royal Dutch Shell Plc , will succeed interim CFO Greg Cauthen on November 15.

(Reporting by Braden Reddall in San Francisco and Jeb Blount in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz and Jean Yoon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/transocean-served-brazil-drilling-injunction-022929025--finance.html

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Summer's over, but drought persists; most of Lower 48 affected

By Miguel Llanos, NBC News

You'd think the end of summer would mean the end ? or at least beginning of the end???of this year's drought, but the nation's official stat keepers on Thursday revealed otherwise.

With the Midwest corn harvest in full swing, the worst U.S. drought in decades actually worsened:?65.45 percent of the lower 48 states was in some form of drought on Tuesday, up from 64.82 percent a week earlier, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.?

The 65.45 percent is a new record in the 12-year index tracked by the monitor, and it could get worse before getting better.

"I would not be too surprised to see conditions continue to worsen if we do not see widespread rain/snow events" soon, Brian Fuchs, a climatologist who compiles the stats for the Drought Monitor, told NBC News. "The forecast does not bode well for any type of widespread improvements any time soon outside of the central and eastern Corn Belt and maybe into portions of Arkansas and Texas."

---

"The western and northern Great Plains have indeed continued to worsen and this has spread into the central and northern Rocky Mountains as well," he added.

Brad Rippey, a meteorologist for the Department of Agriculture, noted that?the Seasonal Drought Outlook indicates any improvements are likely to "be at least partially offset by worsening conditions from the Pacific Northwest to the upper Midwest."?

Why the drought's impact on a small sector of the economy could sway the presidential election, with CNBC's Steve Liesman.

Other stats from the latest Drought Monitor were not encouraging:

• Areas in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories, were at 21.5 percent, up from 20.7 percent a week earlier.
• The worst drought conditions remain in the heart of the U.S. breadbasket, weather.com reported: Nebraska at 73 percent, Kansas at 51 percent and Oklahoma at 42 percent.
• Iowa: 100 percent of the nation's biggest corn producer is in some form of drought. That's the same as the previous week.
• Minnesota: 77 percent is now in drought, up from 64 percent, with extreme conditions in the northwest and spreading into southern areas, weather.com noted.
• North Dakota: 95 percent is in drought, up from 88 percent the week before.
• South Dakota: The entire state is in some form of drought, up from 96 percent.

As bad as it's been, some farmers are feeling lucky they got as much out of their harvests as they have.

"Technology and farm practices have helped compared to the last significant drought in the Corn Belt back in 1988," said Fuchs.

That technology includes seed hybrids engineered to be drought tolerant. While environmentalists are concerned genetically engineered plants will alter ecosystems, farmers are quick adopters.

Related: Drought-resistant corn seen as minimizing crop loss this year
Related: Drought-induced 'bacon shortage' not quite what it seems
Related: Time-lapse photos show drought's impact on corn field

Another factor has been Mother Nature.

"Some soybeans in the mid-South and lower Midwest were helped by late-summer rainfall, which included the remnants of Hurricane Isaac," said Rippey.

In the case of corn, "perhaps one of the biggest wild cards ... was the timing of reproduction," he added. A June/July heat wave "hammered corn in the lower Midwest," he said, while the western Corn Belt was hit by a separate heat wave in July.?

"Fields that managed to pollinate either before or after these two heat waves fared better," he said.

"Still, we lost more than one-quarter (28 percent) of the U.S. corn production from pre-drought estimates ? a total of nearly 4.1 billion bushels," he said. "Nearly one-fifth (18 percent) of the U.S. soybean production, or 575 million bushels, was lost."

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/27/14124426-summers-over-but-drought-persists-two-thirds-of-contiguous-us-affected?lite

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Mothers Who Know: Motherhood Moments

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?

Update to Mother's Day...

?

I know what you are thinking..."Mother's Day was over 4 months ago."

Isn't that the joy of it all?? It is one of the holidays that keeps on giving sometimes all year long...
Lindsey?one of my 18 year old daughters throws a piece of folded up paper in my lap and??says, "Hey Mom, I forgot to give you this on Mother's Day.? Happy Mother's Day Mom"?[over 4 months ago]

Expecting to see the tender but usual.."you're the best mom ever" note we moms receive quite often...

I was quite taken back by the depth of her note. It was a much needed motherhood payday that we don't get? too often.

Dear Mom,

Thank-you for everything you've ever done for me! Thank-you for being my best friend and being so willing to listen to me talk about boys.? Thank-you for letting me make my own decisions.? That lets me know you trust me.? But most importantly, thank-you for being so strong in the church!? Thank you for teaching us in the church!? I always feel comfortable coming to talk to you about everything!! Thanks for being the best listener!! {she likes exclamation marks}? {then for the mom-moment...} I want to be a mom? exactly like you!? You are the Best Mom EVER!

Excuse my while I wipe the tears away and clear my throat...

Wow!? OK!? Well...

My most important goal in life is to be a Mother Who Knows. I am aspiring to be...I have not arrived. ?By having all daughters, who will hopefully be mothers themselves someday, shaping little souls...I do feel this responsibility to get it right.

To be an example....?the good kind, so there will be more tender tearful moments of joy in the future.

For now, I am basking in the light, that I did OK for today.

Now if you'll excuse me,? my 7 year old daughter is throwing a temper tantrum on the carpet behind me?because she wanted me to buy her fruit snacks at the store, and I forgot.

Source: http://mothers-who-know.blogspot.com/2012/09/motherhood-moments.html

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Press release | Chief Eugene Eastman at ... - Online Gambling News

Jamie Hinks
September 25, 2012
No Comments

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GEObet iGaming Symposium
Tuesday, September 25^th, 2012
at the Trading Places Economic Development Conference
Prairieland Park Exhibition Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

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September 24, 2012 (Tsuu Tina Nation, Alberta, Canada)? ??GEObet Gambling Network, sponsor of the iGaming Symposium at the Trading Places Economic Development Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan next week, is pleased to confirm that Chief Eugene Eastman, Saulteaux-Dakota/O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation in Manitoba, will be among the First Nations leaders speaking at the event. He will join a panel discussion exploring the sovereign rites being exercised in order to establish an igaming industry. Also on the panel will be Bernie Shepherd, the former Chief of the White Bear First Nation and the driving force behind the first Indian-owned land-based casino in Canada, and prominent First Nations entrepreneur Gerry Gionet, founder of the GEObet Gambling Network. Gerry Gionet is of the Saulteaux-Dakota/ O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation currently living and operating his businesses in the Tsuu Tina First Nation.

iGaming industry experts from France, the UK and Vancouver will also be converging on Saskatoon for the event to offer their insight into operating an online gambling company and provide information on the ?revenue and employment opportunities the industry has generated in other jurisdictions.

?It is our right to develop our own industries, industries that will create jobs for our people and generate revenue for our communities,? said Shepherd. ?Many of us are convinced that creating an online gambling industry will have many benefits to our Nations, just as there has been from our land-based casinos.?

?We have the technology and management expertise to make this happen,? said Gionet from one of his engineering construction worksites in Fort MacMurray.? ?We?re ready to move on this right now. We want the community participating in the process from the beginning. We hope this conference will get the dialogue going.?

The GEObet Gambling Network, operated by Golden Arrow Worldwide Ltd, is currently exploring opportunities with Saskatchewan First Nations to develop an online gaming industry.? The GEObet Gambling Network offers a simple solution to tribal and independent casino operators to compliment and extend their land-based casino operations, enabling them to immediately start moving their land-based casino customers online.

END

Media inquiries:
Larry Colcy, Lyceum Media
geobet@lyceummedia.com
(604) 788 7957

About the GEObet Gambling Network
The GEObet Gambling Network, operated by Golden Arrow Entertainment, provides a turnkey igaming solution for tribal and independent land-based casino operators.? GEObet.com, launched in September 20122, is the first igaming brand operating on the network. Created by respected tribal business leaders and managed by a top international team of industry veterans, the GEObet Gambling Network offers a simple and cost effective way to have a world class online business operating in 60 to 90 days.? With its industry leading and award winning online gaming products, the GEObet Gambling Network enables casino operators to defend and retain their customer base against online raiding by the major casino consortiums.? Licensed internationally in Malta, Curacao and Kahnawake, the turnkey system expands both land-based and online casino business with complete legal compliance and virtually zero cost of development.

Further background information on GEObet and Gerry Gionet: http://www.lyceummedia.com/?page_id=1741

About Golden Arrow Worldwide Ltd. (http://www.goldenarrowmarketing.com)

Based in? the Tsuu Tina Nation (Redwood Meadows, Alberta, Canada), Golden Arrow Worldwide Ltd. has formed Golden Arrow Entertainment Limited Partnership for the purpose of providing the complete online gambling ?solution developed for its own igaming brand, GEObet.com, to First Nations and independent casino operators. Its initial limited partner is First Nations entrepreneur Gerry Gionet. Limited Partnership units are currently available to Accredited Investors. Interested investors should contact Gerry Gionet, CEO and President, at (587) 226-8293 for further information.

About the Trading Place Economic Development Conference (http://www.fsin.com/index.php/calendar-of-events/98/795.html)

The Trading Place, sponsored by The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Economic Development Secretariat, is designed to bring together top leaders and interested parties looking to be a part of one of the fastest and hottest growing economies while exploring development possibilities. Conference participants will include public and private sector leaders and experts as well as FSIN leaders. The mission of the conference is to address one of the most critical issues-the economic growth and development of the Saskatchewan region. The FSIN hopes that by working together in a collaborative manner and combining shared ideas, conference participants will find ways that the benefit not only regional residents and resources but outside investors as well. Event activities will include workshops, panels, plenary sessions, Indian Market and Exhibits to attract major corporate, public and private business to our event.

Fax Registration forms to 877.871.1277.? Further information: 306 665 1215.

Download registration form: http://www.fsin.com/images/stories/fsindownloads/events/2012_tradingplace/Registration%20Form.pdf

If you have any further information related to this story that you would like to share with us privately please click here.

Can't get enough CalvinAyre.com? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, then you'll never miss out on the latest gaming industry news.

Views and opinions expressed are those of the Author and do not necessarily reflect those of CalvinAyre.com

Source: http://calvinayre.com/2012/09/25/press-releases/chief-eugene-eastman-among-first-nations-leaders-participating-in-geobet%E2%80%99s-saskatchewan-igaming-day-this-week/

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Brooke Astor home auction fetches $8.7 million

Sotheby's / AP

This undated photo provided by Sotheby's shows a group of five seated porcelain dogs for auction that belonged to the late philanthropist Brooke Astor. The first day of the auction fetched $8.7 million.

By The Associated Press

The first day of an auction of the contents of philanthropist Brooke Astor's two homes brought in $8.7 million, Sotheby's said.

Sotheby's is offering the contents of both homes, 901 objects in all, including European and Asian furnishings, Old Masters, Qing Dynasty paintings, tea sets, silverware, jewelry, a porcelain menagerie, over 100 dog paintings ? and even the uniforms of her domestic staff.

The two-day auction continues Tuesday.

Proceeds will go to institutions and charities, including the New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, under a settlement negotiated by the state Attorney General's office.

The collection had expected to fetch just $6 million to $9 million.

The auction comes after a nasty family feud involving her only son, Anthony Marshall. The five-year dispute ended in March with a settlement that freed $100 million for her charities and cut by more than half the amount going to Marshall, who was convicted of taking advantage of his mother's dementia, partly by engineering changes to her will. He has appealed.

The dispute had threatened to deplete the entire estate.

Astor spent her life putting the fortune that her third husband, Vincent Astor, left to use where it would do the most to alleviate human misery. Her efforts won her a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 1998.

Astor died in 2007 at age 105.

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Source: http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/25/14091658-brooke-astor-home-auction-fetches-87-million?lite

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Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro Achieves Virus Bulletin VB100 Certification

• Latest Virus Bulletin review allows for cloud-based scanning and showcases Panda Security?s superior detection capabilities
• Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro is one of the 34 certified solutions (out of 51 tested products)

Panda Security, The Cloud Security Company, today announced that Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro has been awarded VB100 certification after being tested alongside 50 other antivirus solutions in Virus Bulletin?s recent independent comparative review on Windows 7.

VB100 certification is granted to products that prove a 100% detection rate for malware samples listed as ?In the Wild? by the WildList Organization. To display a VB100 logo, a product must generate no false positives when scanning an extensive set of goodware samples. The comparative review was conducted on a system running Windows 7 Professional. Testing was made up of three main parts: on-demand tests, on-access tests, and false positive tests. Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro obtained a 100% perfect result in the on-demand and on-access tests, as well as zero false positives.

Additionally, Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro recorded an installation time of 30 seconds, the fastest of all tested products. Virus Bulletin also praised the product?s interface and ease of use.

Commenting on achieving the VB100 certification, Pedro Bustamante, Senior Research Advisor at Panda Security, said, ?We are delighted to take part once again in Virus Bulletin?s comparative reviews, following their decision to allow cloud connection in their tests. Panda Security is a pioneering company in cloud-based computer security for consumers and businesses, and this certification recognizes our success in offering lightweight solutions with the best possible disinfection rates.?

Panda Cloud Antivirus Pro 2.0, launched in July, is the first ?in the cloud? security service offering online and offline protection for home users. It includes a personal, community-based firewall to prevent unauthorized access to users? computers and data leaks, s as and offers 24?7 technical support and automatic USB vaccination to protect against auto-executable malware.

This certification continues the recognition that Panda Cloud Antivirus receives, following the additional certifications by the independent labs AV-Test.org and AV-Comparatives earlier this year. More information on those tests is available here and here

For more information about Virus Bulletin?s test results and methodologies, please visit http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archive/test?recent=1. The full report can be read in the August 2012 edition of Virus Bulletin.

For more information about Panda Cloud Antivirus, please visit http://www.cloudantivirus.com/.? A free 6-month trial of Panda Cloud Antivirus can be downloaded from the product?s Facebook page

Source: http://press.pandasecurity.com/usa/news/panda-cloud-antivirus-pro-achieves-virus-bulletin-vb100-certification/

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NY pension fund invested in controversial private equity funds

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An investigation by New York's top prosecutor into whether a group of private equity firms used a fee arrangement to dodge taxes may be undermined by the state's own public pension fund.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in July subpoenaed more than a dozen private equity firms, including Apollo Global Management LLC, Bain Capital LLC, KKR & Co LP, Silver Lake Partners LP and TPG Capital LP, over their practice of converting management fees paid by investors into fund investments.

Schneiderman's office is investigating whether the practice, known as a "management fee waiver", was exploited by private equity firms to reduce their taxes.

But one issue for Schneiderman may be that the $150.6 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund is among the investors that has long agreed to management fee waivers, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

The Common Retirement Fund is overseen by New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who supervises state finances and is the sole trustee and manager of the fund. Representatives for DiNapoli and Schneiderman declined to comment.

Some outside experts say the fund's endorsement of fee waivers may offer some legitimacy to the practice.

"This tells us that the New York state pension fund thinks this is legal or they wouldn't be doing it," said Steven Kaplan, a University of Chicago finance professor whose research focuses on private equity.

Public pension funds that participate in waivers enjoy no tax benefits as a result, but these waivers can help them cut losses if a private equity fund does not perform well by allowing them to recoup some or all of management fees paid.

The New York public pension fund is now reviewing the use of fee waivers because it wants private equity fund managers to commit more of their own money to funds, not because of worries about the legality of the arrangement, the source said.

News of Schneiderman's investigation emerged in September and quickly took on political overtones. One of the buyout firms subpoenaed by the attorney general is Bain, which was co-founded by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Some Republican lawmakers have said the probe by Schneiderman, who is a Democrat, is politically motivated. DiNapoli, also a Democrat, has said he supported the investigation.

"I have full confidence that Attorney General Schneiderman is doing this on the merits and looking at an issue in terms of responsibility on taxation that I think everybody cares about," DiNapoli told cable news program Capital Tonight earlier in September, when asked about political criticism of Schneiderman's private equity tax probe.

DiNapoli did not publicly disclose that the pension fund he oversees has such arrangements with private equity firms.

New York's state pension fund has invested in several funds run by private equity firms that have been subpoenaed by Schneiderman, including Apollo, KKR, TPG, Providence Equity Partners Inc and Vestar Capital Partners, according to public filings listing the fund's assets as of March 31, 2011.

Some of these funds boast hundreds of investors each, a significant portion of which may have participated in management fee waivers.

The potential loss of revenue for New York from the fee waiver practice is not clear, but experts have said it is likely smaller than that for the federal government. The Internal Revenue Service has potentially seen hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue due to these waivers, but has not taken action against their use.

Schneiderman is armed with a new tool - an enhanced state False Claims Act that allows for treble damages and penalties in tax cases.

Schneiderman and DiNapoli are two independently elected state officials, but they have teamed up on investigations, including a probe on unpaid life insurance benefits and a joint task force against government corruption.

DiNapoli's predecessor, Alan Hevesi, resigned in December 2006. In 2010, Hevesi pleaded guilty to participating in a pay-to-play scandal at the state pension fund. He was sentenced to up to four years in prison.

(Additional reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Paritosh Bansal, Tiffany Wu and Bernard Orr)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-pension-fund-invested-controversial-private-equity-funds-110120473--sector.html

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Protesters Denounce Akin for Stance on Women&#39;s Health ...

From a birth control costume to a sign that read "Voting Vagina," it was pretty clear why participants of a voters' rally outside a Todd Akin fundraiser thought the U.S. Senate candidate was the wrong man for the job

"It's disgusting we have a congressman who doesn't understand science," said LaDonna Appelbaum, of Creve Couer. "We need women making decisions for women, not men."?

Protesters lined the street of South Kirkwood Road outside Woodbine Center near Trattoria Branica?where Akin was holding a fundraising event after a press conference at the Kirkwood Train Station.?

Many protesters wore pink Planned Parenthood T-shirts. The St. Louis chapter of Advocates of Planned Parenthood mobilized supporters of the organization through an email listserve.?

"We're here because we don't think (Akin) is right for Missouri," said Alison Gee, Vice-President of Public Policy for Advocates of Planned Parenthood-St. Louis Region (PPSLR).?

Gee said Akin's comment on Fox 2 that referenced "legitimate rape" was not specifically the reason for the presence of PPSLR at the protest. Instead, it was Akin's record on women's health issues as a whole.

"His record stands for itself," she said.

The voter rally drew men who were equally concerned about Akin's stance on reproductive rights and women's health issues.

"He's threatening the rights of half of Americans," said Scott Callaghan, of Kirkwood. "It's our duty to stand up for a group even if you're not affected."

Although women's health was the primary concern of protesters, it was not the only issue that brought voters to South Kirkwood Road Monday.

David Meinell, of St. Charles, and Judith Parker, of Des Peres, said they did not support Akin's opposition to the Affordable Health Care for America Act and feared retired residents would suffer if Akin was elected.

Patricia Schuba, of West Chesterfield, disagrees with Akin on environmental issues.?"It's possible to have great jobs and a clean environment," she said.

As motorists drove by the demonstration, some gave encouraging honks that met with cheers from protesters. The group planned to stay at the strip of South Kirkwood Road until the fundraising event was underway.?

Source: http://maplewood-brentwood.patch.com/articles/protesters-denounce-akin-for-stance-on-womens-health-7559a3b8

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There could be more financial trouble ahead for the Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his conservative-led coalition according to a report in the German magazine Der Spiegel. The magazine says Athen?s budget shortfall is almost double previous?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/euronews/en/home/~3/E1r1Z3GY_qs/story01.htm

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State Dept. slams report on ambassador's diary

WASHINGTON?? A State Department spokesman sharply criticized CNN on Saturday, saying the network had reported on the diary of American ambassador Christopher Stevens after his death at the U.S. consulate in Libya despite the objections of his family.

State Department spokesman Philippe Reines said CNN took Stevens' personal journal from the site where he and three other Americans were killed in an armed attack in Benghazi on Sept. 11 and used it in reporting on the story despite the express wishes of his family members.

"Whose first instinct is to remove from a crime scene the diary of a man killed along with three other Americans serving our country, read it, transcribe it, email it around your newsroom for others to read, and only when their curiosity is fully satisfied thinks to call the family or notify the authorities?" Reines said in a statement.

CNN responded that it did not initially report on the existence of the journal out of respect for the family, but ultimately "felt there were issues raised in the journal which required full reporting."

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"We think the public had a right to know what CNN had learned from multiple sources about the fears and warnings of a terror threat before the Benghazi attack which are now raising questions about why the State Department didn't do more to protect Ambassador Stevens and other U.S. personnel," CNN said in a written statement emailed to Reuters.

"Perhaps the real question here is why the State Department is now attacking the messenger," CNN said in the statement.

Protesting Libyans overrun militant compound

In a story posted on its website, CNN reported that it found the journal on the floor of the consulate compound, which it said was "largely unsecured."

CNN described the diary as seven pages of handwriting in a hand-bound book and said it contained tips about the situation in Libya that the network corroborated with other sources.

Many Muslims denouncing anti-Islam film decry violent protests, too

In his statement, Reines said that CNN staffers asked Stevens' family members at least several times in phone calls if the network could report on the contents and were repeatedly told that the family wanted to see it first.

"But the Stevens family was never given that chance. I guess four days was as long as CNN could control themselves, so they just went ahead and used it. Entirely because they felt like it," he said.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49136130/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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Stop Smoking With Some Great Cessation Tips - Ayushveda

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?Cigarette smoking is injurious to health?. This is the tag that is engraved on each and every pack of cigarettes, but this neither stops the cigarette production nor the cigarette smokers. People smoke in spite of knowing that it is harmful to their health. The main reason behind this is, the habit itself is such that once you start with a small puff, you will soon start craving for more only to realize one fine day that you have become a chain smoker.

Smoking is a kind of slow death. Recent studies shows that the rate of deaths caused due to tobacco is considerably high when compared to the deaths caused due to other reasons.?Besides its usual ill-effects to the smokers like damage to the lungs, cancers, heart attacks and damage to the body cells and tissues, it also has its impact on the non-smokers who come into contact with this smoke, which is usually known as second hand smoking.

People who realize this generally want to quit.? But this certainly is not as easy as it sounds. Many have tried and failed several times whereas some have been successful in kicking this habit out of their lives forever.

Here are some cessation secrets or rather to say the actual experiences of some of the successful quitters, which have been purposefully compiled and revealed for those who really want to put an end to this dangerous habit. If you are one finding a solution for your problem, you will find the information that is to follow to be much useful.

Some Great Solutions To Get Rid Of Smoking

Get Yourself Motivated

If you genuinely want to stop smoking, first of all give a thought to what made you think of quitting smoking. Think whether you want to quit due to the concern for your health, or for your family, or to set an example and be a good parent or maybe you want to stop smoking just because your boyfriend or girlfriend does not want you to smoke.? Whatever may be the reason, take it as a tool for your motivation. Because once you are motivated you will be committed better.

Commitment

Next follows the commitment. Though commitment naturally follows motivation, you also have to ensure that your commitment is strong and you do not allow even a bit of leniency to it. It is a natural human tendency to be enthusiastic in the beginning and to gradually lose interest as the time passes by. Hence, stay away from this kind of commitment. You need to be strict to yourself and promise that you will never smoke even a single puff ever in your life again.

Plan

So when you are determined to quit smoking, now you have to make a plan.? Because planning will help you know your progress and allow you to quit this habit systematically and without much difficulty.? So, set targets as to how many cigarettes you want to quit per day, how would you increase your quitting gradually and what would you expect after six months or a year.

Also plan the alternate options that you would like to replace to get rid of the smoking urge. You can also plan and list out the names of the people with whom you want to talk to if you feel any difficulty in following your plan. Put whatever you have planned in writing, and paste it in every accessible place.

Inform Your Quitting Plans To Everyone

This of course is important due to two reasons. At the first place, others who are smokers might not insist you and be supportive if they come to know that you are determined in quitting smoking, and the next benefit is that people around you would also prepare themselves to cope with your behavioral or any other changes, which may usually arise due to the effects of quitting.

Quit Slowly

Quitting does not mean stopping to smoke suddenly. This is also impossible. Hence, try to cut the number of cigarettes per day.? Even cutting a cigarette a day would work and you will soon find the difference. Once you get accustomed to it, you can gradually increase the number and within no time you will find that you are smoking no more.

Also Read

Tips To Help Your Husband Stop Smoking Drugs
How And Why Should You Quit Smoking
Stop Smoking Remedies
Ways To Help A Person Quit Smoking

Divert Your Cravings

The urge for smoking is not that easy to overcome. This is the reason due to which many people fail even after several attempts.? Hence, the best way to get rid of craving for a smoke is to divert it to some healthy habits such as having a snack or juice, or you can also prefer chewing a gum. If you are used to smoking at particular occasions or situations, try avoiding all of them until you are totally free from this habit.

Keep Yourself Busy

Another best way to keep your triggers unnoticed is to keep yourself constantly busy. So, never let you free and give a chance for the craving to arise.

Even if you are stressed, try some other alternatives such as meditation, breathing exercises and running with which you will feel much better and be able to nip off your triggers.

Get Support From The Forums

Joining an online forum for quitters, might help you a lot. You can share your own experiences as well as know what others are doing to quit smoking. It would also be a good place to vent all your feelings, which you might otherwise feel embarrassed to express with your family and friends. Fellow quitters can be of a great help in your tough times.

Try Rewarding Yourself

This of course is a good idea for keeping yourself motivated, and it may also help you in avoiding any deviation from your aim. If you find that you have succeeded in quitting smoking as per your target for a day or a week, get yourself rewarded by the way of your favorite gifts such as a shoes, T-shirts, books, CDs or even an outing for a dinner with your family. You can also try to reward yourself by putting all the money that you might have spent on cigarettes in a reward jar and open it after a determined day. You are sure to celebrate your success.

If You Fail, Start Again

Mistakes are common and they are always committed by humans. So, after climbing all the stairs if you happen to fall down, do not lose heart. Failing once does not mean that you will fail always. Give a fresh start and start again, but never stop trying until you win.

Getting rid of a habit, be it smoking or anything else, is always related to the mind. If you think that you can do it, you can certainly do it. If you think you cannot you could never make it. Hence, think positive and give a try and the rest is success assured.

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Source: http://www.ayushveda.com/mens-magazine/stop-smoking-with-some-great-cessation-tips/

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Romney campaign trails in crucial ground game

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? Richard and Jessi Constantine were alone recently as they wheeled their 1-year-old son in a stroller around a Las Vegas subdivision, knocking on doors to promote Mitt Romney's candidacy. Yet legions of volunteers working to re-elect President Barack Obama are a pervasive presence in the state.

In one office park on the eastern end of the metropolis, dozens of union members fanned out to canvass for Obama and Democratic campaigns. To the north, members of the 60,000-strong Culinary Workers Union emerged from their union hall for their daily door-knocks on the incumbent's behalf.

In Obama campaign offices to the northwest and north, throngs of workers and volunteers heard rousing speeches from San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to fire them up before they hit the streets to register new voters and argue the president's case to undecided ones.

The Obama campaign's dominance of the ground game ? the volunteer-driven nuts and bolts of electioneering that ranges from registration drives to door-to-door canvassing ? contributed mightily to his 2008 victory. His campaign is banking on its advantage on the ground, assisted by a new array of digital innovations, to deliver victory once again.

"Our massive grassroots organization will make the difference on Nov. 6," Obama campaign spokesman Adam Fetcher said.

Republicans are scrambling to narrow the gap and say they will improve greatly over what they acknowledge was a dismal performance in 2008. They contend that the Obama campaign's dominance on the ground is largely a public relations construct.

"We are just rocking it on the ground game out there," said Rick Wiley, the Republican National Committee's political director.

There are no independently verified numbers documenting how the campaigns are doing on the ground, but a discrepancy can be found in the internal data each side promotes.

The RNC released a memo last week boasting it has made 20 million voter contacts ? phone calls and face-to-face conversations. At the Democratic National Convention this month, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina told the crowd the re-election campaign had, to date, made 44 million phone calls alone.

The Democratic campaign boasts nearly three times as many offices in eight swing states.

In Colorado, the Obama campaign has 55 offices to the Romney organization's 14. In Iowa, it lists 65 compared with 14 for the Republican candidate. In Nevada, the margin is narrower, 25-11, with the Romney campaign scheduled to open a new office this weekend. Nonetheless, this state, where Democrats have dominated on the ground for eight years, sharply illustrates the imbalance.

Obama operatives launched their most recent voter registration drive here in April 2011. The Romney campaign at that time was fight for the Republican primary and didn't start its own drive until July. As a sign of the Obama campaign's lead, Democrats have a 61,000-voter edge over Republicans in registration, according to the Nevada secretary of state's office.

That is close to the edge that Democrats had in 2010, when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid narrowly won re-election amid the Republican wave that swept many of his colleagues out of office, though not as large as in 2008, when Obama notched a 12-point victory in the state.

Romney's campaign notes that the contest looks very different this time, despite the Democrats' persistent registration edge. With Nevada boasting the highest unemployment rate in the nation, polls show the Republican candidate remains within striking distance.

"They have a head start, but I feel good about where we are," said Romney's Nevada state manager, Chris Carr. "They're trying to recreate what they had in '08, and they don't have it."

Republicans also are trying to eat into the Obama campaign's technological edge, but the Democrats appear to still have the lead.

The Obama campaign, which pioneered the use of social media in its 2008 campaign, released a smartphone app in July to allow volunteers and supporters to track events, see how the president's policies benefited their neighborhoods and find other voters to contact. The Romney campaign came out with an app just last week to let people find out about local campaign events.

Both sides agree that, in Nevada, Democrats have had the upper hand since 2004, when Reid's re-election campaign began to build a major campaign infrastructure in the state and the Nevada GOP melted down under infighting that persists to this day. This year, the national Republican Party put staffers in the same offices as the Romney campaign to essentially stand in for the absent state party. It is rushing additional staff members from Washington and neighboring, noncompetitive states for a final push..

Americans For Prosperity, a conservative group, watched in alarm as the Obama campaign and its allies in the labor and immigrants' rights movements continued to dominate in voter registration and canvassing. It hired 100 people through a private vendor to try to beef up conservative voter registration.

"They've had this going on since 2004," said Adam Stryker, AFP's Nevada director. "We're definitely up against a formidable foe."

Last weekend, the Romney campaign office was active, with volunteers swinging by to pick up a canvassing packet. Several others, like the Constantines, had grabbed their material Friday night and were already on the streets.

On Tuscan Sun Drive in the Mountain View subdivision, the Constantines, who just moved here from Minnesota, remained optimistic, even though they found no voters willing to listen after an hour of door-knocking. "The people we've run into who are going to vote for Romney are very excited," said Richard Constantine, 25.

Romney's staffers estimated they had about 100 people out knocking on doors. But the low-key push contrasted sharply with nearly a half-dozen organizing events the Obama campaign was holding, partly to capitalize on a parade celebrating Mexican Independence Day that would draw tens of thousands of Hispanics.

Even at the Obama supporters' locations, however, it was obvious that the contest would be close.

At a union office in the eastern suburb of Henderson, John Martinez, co-state political coordinator for the United Steelworkers, acknowledged that, despite the Democrats' numerical superiority on the ground, the vibe is different than in 2008.

"People haven't been into the ball game yet," he said. Still, he added, "things are picking up. That feeling is coming back."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-campaign-trails-crucial-ground-game-121307959--election.html

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Beige ? Leadership Thinking

September 23, 2012 | Leadership |

I think there is often pressure in international education to adopt systems that ?everyone else? is using.? Such imitation leads to a form of legitimacy and, by extension, recognition.?? However, if we are all doing the same things, then I reckon this shows very little leadership.? Here is my thinking:

The first reason is because of the word ?think?.? It is very easy to look around and just do what others are doing.? It gives you a sense of validation, among other things, but it is often a cognitive shortcut.

Secondly, if you think of international education as something of an ecosystem, then if we are all offering the same thing then we can?t cater to much diversity in terms of students? learning needs.? It is better ? from the perspective of the scope of student needs ? to offer different types of education.

Another thing that can undermine leadership in international education is the accreditation process.? (I am praying I don?t get struck by lighting writing this here.)? It compels schools to fall within the boundaries of a certain framework and, while this is a great source of quality assurance, I can?t help but think we can all come out the other end a bit more beige than when we started.? Having said this, I think there is great merit to undergoing accreditation in terms of self improvement but we have to guard against blindly drinking the Koolaide it can represent.

I think our schools, and our leadership, need to dare to be different.? I realize no one wants to take risks when it comes to kids ? and this is a correct orientation ? but sometimes the status quo can be the most dangerous position of all, especially with all the change we see in our world today.

A fantastic mentor taught me that as educators we should give ourselves permission to do things differently as this can can lead to great things.? To be extraordinary you either have to do something different than everyone else, or do the same activities differently.? Otherwise, you may be good, even very good, but you will only ever be another shade of beige.? And life is too short for that, and our kids education is too important.

Source: http://jamesmacdonald.edublogs.org/2012/09/23/beige/

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Squeeze light 'till it hurts' on a quantum scale: Researchers push the boundaries on ultra-precise measurement

ScienceDaily (Sep. 21, 2012) ? An international team of physicists has pushed the boundaries on ultra-precise measurement by harnessing quantum light waves in a new way.

It is one thing to be able to measure spectacularly small distances using "squeezed" light, but it is now possible to do this even while the target is moving around.

An Australian-Japanese research collaboration made the breakthrough in an experiment conducted at the University of Tokyo, the results of which have been published in an article, "Quantum-enhanced optical phase tracking" in the journal Science.

Leader of the international theoretical team Professor Howard Wiseman, from Griffith University's Centre for Quantum Dynamics (pictured), said this more precise technique for motion tracking will have many applications in a world which is constantly seeking smaller, better and faster technology.

"At the heart of all scientific endeavour is the necessity to be able to measure things precisely," Professor Wiseman said.

"Because the phase of a light beam changes whenever it passes through or bounces off an object, being able to measure that change is a very powerful tool."

"By using squeezed light we have broken the standard limits for precision phase tracking, making a fundamental contribution to science," he said. "But we have also shown that too much squeezing can actually hurt."

Dr Dominic Berry from Macquarie University has been collaborating with Professor Wiseman on the theory of this problem for many years.

"The key to this experiment has been to combine "phase squeezing" of light waves with feedback control to track a moving phase better than previously possible," Dr Berry said.

"Ultra-precise quantum-enhanced measurement has been done before, but only with very small phase changes. Now we have shown we can track large phase changes as well," he said.

Professor Elanor Huntington from UNSW Canberra, who directed the Australian experimental contribution, is a colleague of Professor Wiseman in the Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology.

"By using quantum states of light we made a more precise measurement than is possible through the conventional techniques using laser beams of the same intensity," Professor Huntington said.

"Curiously, we found that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Squeezing beyond a certain point actually degrades the performance of the measurement, making it less precise than if we had used light with no squeezing."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Griffith University.

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. H. Yonezawa, D. Nakane, T. A. Wheatley, K. Iwasawa, S. Takeda, H. Arao, K. Ohki, K. Tsumura, D. W. Berry, T. C. Ralph, H. M. Wiseman, E. H. Huntington, A. Furusawa. Quantum-Enhanced Optical-Phase Tracking. Science, 2012; 337 (6101): 1514 DOI: 10.1126/science.1225258

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/lJZAZH5YN5I/120921083542.htm

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