Thursday, October 11, 2012

IMF calls for action as euro zone crisis festers

TOKYO (Reuters) - The IMF prodded the world's rich countries for swifter action on Thursday as Europe's debt crisis drags on while the United States and Japan show scant progress handling their budget deficits.

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said political wrangling added to economic uncertainty, slowing growth in both advanced and emerging economies. The IMF cut its global growth forecast this week for the second time since April.

"We expect action and we expect courageous and cooperative action on the part of our members," Lagarde told reporters ahead of the IMF's twice-yearly meetings in Tokyo.

The slowdown has not spared emerging market economies, which were instrumental in pulling the global economy out of recession in 2009. Brazil cut interest rates on Wednesday and South Korea on Thursday.

"Developing countries, which have been the engine of growth, will not be immune the increased uncertainty in the global economy," said World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

"The economic announcements emanating in recent weeks have been sobering. Everyone is vulnerable in times of uncertainty but especially the poor who have few, if any, safety nets and resources and live from day to day."

The IMF has expressed frustration with Europe's piecemeal response to its debt crisis and warned that a recent respite in borrowing costs for debt-laden countries such as Spain may prove short-lived unless euro zone leaders come up with a comprehensive and credible plan.

In its financial stability report on Wednesday, the IMF said that without swift policy action, including the triggering of the European Central Bank's bond-buying program, the premium that investors demand to hold Spanish and Italian debt instead of safer German bonds would nearly double.

Standard & Poor's cut its rating on Spain on Wednesday to a level just above junk territory, and Moody's may soon follow.

The IMF has said it stands ready to support a European bailout for Spain, should Madrid ask. Reuters reported on October 1 that Spain was ready to seek help, but that Germany was blocking an aid request because it preferred to combine a Spanish rescue with additional assistance for other struggling countries such as Greece.

Jose Vinals, the head of the IMF's monetary and capital markets department, warned that countries must not withhold help if Spain were to ask the European Central Bank to buy its bonds under a new bailout program, known as OMT for Outright Monetary Transaction.

"If it were to be the case that they decide to activate this mechanism and they can submit to the proper degree of conditionality, it would be essential that the creditor countries do not negate this activation of the OMT for Spain or for any of the countries," Vinals told Reuters.

TRUE MONETARY UNION

Japan's finance minister, Koriki Jojima, called the euro zone's debt and financial sector problems the biggest risk to the global economy and said it was crucial for Europe to quickly implement agreed steps to resolve the crisis.

"We hope that European countries will overcome conflicts in opinions and strengthen their efforts to unite together and establish a monetary union in the true meaning," he said.

But Japan also drew criticism from the IMF for failing to come up with a medium-term plan to address its own debt difficulties. In its financial stability report, the IMF said Europe's troubles provided a "cautionary tale" for Japan that waiting to address its towering debt - estimated at more than twice its annual gross domestic product - could be costly.

European officials are keen to ensure their region is not the sole topic of discussion, and want more attention placed on the difficulties Washington faces addressing its "fiscal cliff" of automatic spending cuts and tax increases that will take effect early next year unless Congress acts.

The IMF projected that the fiscal contraction would amount to more than 4 percent of total U.S. economic output and plunge the world's biggest economy back into recession.

The Fund itself is struggling to muster the sort of decisive action that Lagarde wants to see from world leaders. Its 188 member countries meet on Friday and Saturday, and will fall short of a goal to implement voting reforms that would give large emerging economies greater say and elevate China to the No. 3 spot in IMF power.

A territorial dispute between Japan and China added another element of disharmony. China's top central bank and finance ministry officials backed out of the meetings and sent deputies to Tokyo instead. Lagarde said she hoped the world's second- and third-largest economies could resolve their differences "harmoniously and expeditiously."

"I think they lose out by not attending the meeting," she said of the Chinese officials. "And they will be missing something great."

(Writing by Emily Kaiser; Editing by Tim Ahmann)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imf-calls-action-euro-zone-crisis-festers-011054589--business.html

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Nobel prize winner got poor marks in science

LONDON (AP) ? Teacher knows best?

That doesn't appear to be the case for one teacher who called a future Nobel Prize winner's dreams of becoming a scientist "quite ridiculous" in a scathing report card.

John Gurdon's future success was almost nipped in the bud in 1949 when a schoolmaster at elite Eton College wrote on his report card that pursuing science would be a waste of time.

"His work has been far from satisfactory," the teacher wrote. "If he can't learn simple biological facts he would have no chance of doing the work of a specialist, and it would be sheer waste of time, both on his part, and of those who have to teach him."

The teacher said that the teenaged Gurdon had gotten into trouble several times and didn't listen.

The scientific community could argue it's a good thing he didn't.

After starting out studying classics at Oxford, Gurdon switched to zoology. In 1962, he showed that the DNA from specialized cells of frogs, like skin or intestinal cells, could be used to generate new tadpoles ? a breakthrough rewarded Monday with the Nobel Prize for Medicine, which he shared with Japan's Shinya Yamanaka.

Scientists are trying to build on the work of Gurdon and Yamanaka to create replacement tissues for treating diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nobel-prize-winner-got-poor-marks-science-135701296.html

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Nigerian forces deny killing civilians in north

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian security forces dismissed reports on Wednesday that soldiers and police had shot dead at least 30 people in revenge for a bomb attack in the northeastern city of Maiduguri.

Residents told Reuters Nigerian forces had opened fire on civilians and burned houses in the city - the headquarters of Islamist rebel group Boko Haram - after an explosion hit a military convoy there.

Nurses in the Umaru Shehu hospital said they had seen 35 bodies, five in army uniform and the rest wearing civilian clothes, after the shooting on Monday.

The military and police Joint Task Force (JTF) in northeastern Borno state dismissed the reports as a lie.

"No civilian or terrorist was killed by the JTF troops," task force spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Sagir Musa said in a statement.

There was "no established or recorded case of extra-judicial killing, torture, arson or arbitrary arrest by the JTF in Borno state," he added.

Musa said the houses had been burnt in the explosion that targeted the military convoy. Residents had told Reuters the buildings were set alight hours later.

Nigerian forces have launched a crackdown on Boko Haram, an insurgent group that wants to carve an Islamic state out of northern Nigeria.

Analysts say the military campaign has had some success - limiting Boko Haram's ability to carry out large scale attacks. But the army's heavy-handed tactics have angered some locals.

"This is revenge mission. Why are they killing innocent people instead of fishing out the Boko Haram members?" said Aishatu Ibrahim, as she wept over the phone.

Her husband, who had no link to the Islamists, was killed in the operation, she said.

Boko Haram's fighters have killed more than 1,000 people in bomb or gun attacks since they intensified their struggle in 2010, rights groups say. Campaign groups have also accused the military of killing scores of civilians during raids.

The United States has labeled three senior members 'terrorists' and put them on its sanctions list.

(Reporting by Ibrahim Mshelizza; Writing and additional reporting by Tim Cocks in Lagos; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nigerian-forces-deny-killing-civilians-north-092320299.html

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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Injured Nadal hopes to resume practice soon

ARCHIVO _ Rafael Nadal se saca el rostro durante su duelo con Novak Djokovic por la final del Abierto de Francia el 10 de junio de 2012 (AP Foto/David Vincent)

ARCHIVO _ Rafael Nadal se saca el rostro durante su duelo con Novak Djokovic por la final del Abierto de Francia el 10 de junio de 2012 (AP Foto/David Vincent)

Rafael Nadal is eager to trade in his backstroke for his backhand.

Swimming as part of his rehabilitation from a left knee injury, Nadal said he has been more encouraged recently about his progress and hopes to resume practice soon. He didn't rule out playing next month in the ATP World Tour Finals or Davis Cup final, but added that such a quick return would be difficult.

"I don't want to put any goals to play a tournament," Nadal said Tuesday. "I want to go day by day. I go every day to the gym and the swimming pool to continue with my recovery. I am trying to not think that far."

Nadal spoke from his home in Mallorca during a conference call to promote his participation in an exhibition in New York in March. He has also said he'll enter an exhibition in Abu Dhabi in late December.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion hasn't played since losing in the second round of Wimbledon in June. A partially torn patella tendon forced him to miss the Olympics, where he was the defending gold medalist, and the U.S. Open, where he was the 2010 champion and 2011 runner-up.

After deciding against surgery, Nadal was at first discouraged about how he responded to his rehabilitation regimen.

"I am feeling a little bit better now than the first couple of months," he said. "It has been very, very tough for me because I feel my knee didn't improve in the right direction, but today is something different. The last couple of weeks the improvement of my knee is something I really can feel."

Because of his long layoff, Nadal figures he'll likely need to hit balls for several weeks at least before he returns to competition. The biggest remaining events this year are the ATP World Tour Finals in London Nov. 5-12 and Spain's Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic Nov. 16-18.

"I will need a period of time of practice," he said. "I don't know if that will take a few weeks or one month and a half."

Nadal said he watched "a few matches" during the U.S. Open and felt bad he was unable to take part.

"That's the sport," he said. "That's the negative part of our life."

Nadal, 26, has battled recurring knee trouble for years and finds hard-court matches especially difficult. But he said he can't curtail his playing schedule if he wants to keep contending for a top ranking.

"I can make a few adjustments, but not much," he said. "It's very difficult to think about a completely different calendar for me."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-09-TEN-Nadal's-Return/id-ee3b055707e44a6b81aa078300f36fbb

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Watch Felix Baumgartner's space dive live right here at 9:30AM ET (update: more delays)

Watch Felix Baumgartner's space dive live right here at 8:30AM EDT (video)

Weather may have delayed Felix Baumgartner's record-breaking "space dive" by another (no doubt torturous) 24 hours, but all going well, the wait is almost over. In just over an hour, proceedings will kick off, and you can watch them live, right here. The latest reports indicated that conditions remain favorable, with the team sending a weather balloon up into the stratosphere earlier this morning. The fun begins at 8:30am eastern, but all you need to do is grab a coffee then head past the break for the live feed.

Update: Pre-flight checks have postponed the set off. Earliest launch is now set for 12:30PM ET

Continue reading Watch Felix Baumgartner's space dive live right here at 9:30AM ET (update: more delays)

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Watch Felix Baumgartner's space dive live right here at 9:30AM ET (update: more delays) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 07:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Language of Web Content: Creating Global Websites | Business ...

A decade ago, English was the internet?s lingua franca and foreign language content was sparse on the web. However, towards the end of the last decade, web population growth in emerging markets has resulted in greater levels of multilingual content being created. One growth contributor to the volume of multilingual content are global brands and prominent internet companies who aim to gain market share in fast-growing, less competitive markets.

Improving infrastructure in Asian and South American economies has led to large scale government initiatives to get their population online. The languages spoken in those specific regions have seen drastic increase in content availability online. As foreign language speakers grow in numbers, the more content in their specific language is being created online. For some businesses, this presents an excellent opportunity to target global consumers using the Internet. The main concentration of online expansion to foreign markets should be the website, the languages it should support and how the website should be designed.

Local Websites

Web users from different parts of the world have differing characteristics and websites should be created to cater to their particular needs. This involves changing website navigation, imagery and site logic to make the website relevant for a foreign web audience. Websites for foreign language users should be created by country rather than by language because the same language can vary from one country to another. A website in Spanish would not be as effective as a website targeted for users in Mexico due to the subtle differences in Spanish spoken in the Latin American country. Generic language use is more likely to put off users than encourage them to buy from a website.

Growing Language Support

The top websites on the Internet are increasing the number of languages they support. Website globalization is now a mainstream activity and a large number of businesses will support multilingual content to gain a foothold in foreign markets. The primary focus of multilingual support is business-to-customer driven while business-to-business features highly too amongst the websites which support multilingual content.

Some sectors like retail and commercial banking are leading the way in operating multilingual websites. This is because they have a greater requirement for communication with consumers and other similar industries are following in their footsteps.

The on-going development of multilingual content on the web should be backed by insight and know-how of the? target market. This will help develop a strong brand reputation? brand online and increase its prospects for success to another audience. The aim should be to create content specific for the audience and this is why localization is a must.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/online-marketing/the-language-of-web-content-creating-global-websites-0302285

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Hemorrhoids Treatment: Natural Remedies To Cure Hemorrhoids ...

Hemorrhoids Treatment: Natural Remedies To Cure
Hemorrhoids

What are usually Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids, generally known as piles, usually are dilated, twisted (varicose) abnormal
veins situated in your retaining wall with the colon along with anal sphincter. Hemorrhoid
flare-ups arise whenever the actual abnormal veins inside the rear end as well as anus turn
out to be increased.

These people are generally inflamed and also inflamed veins round the rectum maybe in the
actual cheaper rectum. This rear end is definitely a final part of the large gut leading to the
actual anus. The rectum could be the launching towards the end in the digestion where by
bowel subject matter abandon the particular physique. Outside piles are found beneath the
skin color around the rectum.

Hemorrhoids which variety earlier mentioned the actual bounds between colon and also anal
sphincter (anorectal conjunction) are called inside piles. Inside hemorrhoids build within the
reduced colon. Interior hemorrhoid flare-ups might protrude, or perhaps prolapsus, through
the actual rectum. Most prolapsed hemorrhoids shrink back inside the butt. Significantly
prolapsed hemorrhoids may well stick out for good in addition to demand therapy.

Hemorrhoids which form below this anorectal adjunction are called exterior piles.

Equally interior as well as additional hemorrhoid flare-ups may continue in this anal sphincter
or even project outdoors the particular anus. Outside hemorrhoids may well grow to be
irritated as well as build a grume (thrombus). Interior piles may perhaps shed blood.

What are the The signs of Hemorrhoids?

The particular most popular characteristic of interior hemorrhoid flare-ups is actually vivid
reddish colored blood on chair, with mouthwash, as well as in the toilet bowl following a
movement. Interior hemorrhoids which have been not really prolapsed are generally not
necessarily distressing. Prolapsed hemorrhoids often cause pain, irritation, and also anal
retentive itching. Blood clots may possibly style throughout outside hemorrhoids.

Some sort of grume throughout a
of thinking is known as a thrombosis. Thrombosed additional hemorrhoids lead to
hemorrhaging, hurtful bloating, or even a tough large throughout the anal sphincter. Once the
grume dissolves, additional epidermis remains driving. This pores and skin can become
annoyed or perhaps scratch. Excessive forcing, take off, or perhaps clean-up round the butt
may possibly create signs or symptoms, such as itching in addition to irritation, a whole lot
worse.



Hemorrhoids are generally risk-free as well as deadly. Signs or symptoms generally
disappear in just a 7 days, and several those that have hemorrhoid flare-ups do not have
signs.

Hemorrhoid flare-ups In many cases are Confused With Fissures

While people view places regarding our blood about the bathroom. report and still have
agony with bowel motions, they generally right away think it can be hemorrhoids any time the
condition may perhaps be a tiny yet unpleasant split called the rectal scissure.

Anal retentive fissures will often be brought on by bowel problems. In the event that stools
tend to be dry in addition to hard, the particular sphincter ani needs wide open bigger than
usual, resulting inside a split, as well as anal crevice. You can find usually many spots
regarding shiny red blood vessels about the toilet tissue.

Arschfick fissures in addition lead to a clear, stinging, frequently severe pain using the
passageway of each one digestive tract movements (whereas hemorrhoids frequently lead to
hemorrhage yet absolutely no agony).

Exactly how frequent are generally Hemorrhoids?

About 75 percent involving folks may have hemorrhoids with a particular point inside their
day-to-day lives. Hemorrhoids are generally most common amid grown ups age ranges
fortyfive in order to sixty-five. Hemorrhoids can also be common with pregnant women.

What leads to Hemorrhoid flare-ups?

Swelling inside anal as well as rectal problematic veins leads to hemorrhoids. Various
components might cause this particular irritation, as well as

* Chronic Bowel irregularity or maybe Diarrhea.
* Straining throughout Digestive tract Movements
* Sitting around the commode with regard to long periods of energy.
* A new shortage involving Fibers in the eating plan.

Another cause involving piles will be the worsening with the connective tissue within the rear
end along with anal sphincter that occurs with age. Maternity could cause hemorrhoids
through escalating strain within the mid-section, which may increase the size of the particular
problematic veins inside reduced butt along with butt. For the majority of women,
hemorrhoids a result of being pregnant fade away immediately after the birth.

The way are usually Hemorrhoids Determined?



A doctor will probably look at the anus along with anus to discover regardless of whether a
new particular person provides hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoid symptoms are the same warning
signs of other anorectal complications, for instance fissures, abscesses, genital warts, along
with polyps.

The doctor will certainly perform a bodily test to watch out for noticeable hemorrhoids. A
digital rectal examination that has a gloved, greased kids finger and a great anoscope-a new
worthless, illuminated tubing-may possibly possibly be done to look at the particular anus.

An intensive examination and also suitable prognosis by way of a physician is vital any
moment anyone notices hemorrhage in the rear end or even blood vessels inside the a stool.
Bleeding can be a sign regarding various other intestinal conditions, including intestines
melanoma.

Additional examinations may perhaps be performed to eliminate additional reasons for
hemorrhaging, particularly in individuals 40 years old or maybe older:

* Colonoscopy. An accommodating, lighted tubing known as a colonoscope is actually
inserted by means of the anal sphincter, the anus, and top of the the main substantial gut,
called the colon. The actual colonoscope transfers photos regarding the within with the butt
along with your entire colon.
* Sigmoidoscopy. This action is similar to colonoscopy, but it relies on a smaller tv known as
a flexible sigmoidoscope and also transmits photos in the butt and the sigmoid colorectal,
the bottom portion of your intestinal tract which empties directly into the actual rectum.
* Barium enema by ray. Any distinction materials named barium will be injected into your
colon to make the actual colon a lot more seen inside a-light beam pics.

Prevention regarding Hemorrhoids

This a few basic principles that will decrease hemorrhoids signs are usually:

* Adequate drinking water absorption (some sort of the least six cups a new evening)
* Adequate fiber inside the diet
* Exercise

Points to help Remember

* Hemorrhoids are enlarged in addition to red-looking undesirable veins around the rectum or
maybe inside the lower butt.
* Piles will not be harmful or even terminal, and also indicators normally go apart inside a
week.
* An intensive assessment in addition to right medical diagnosis by way of a health
practitioner is significant just about any moment someone news bleeding on the rectum or


perhaps blood in your bar stool.
* Simple lifestyle changes frequently reduce the puffiness associated with hemorrhoid flare-
ups and lower piles signs and symptoms.
* In case on-home therapies will not reduce signs, topical treatments might become required.

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Source: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/hemorrhoids-treatment-natural-remedies-to-cure-hemorrhoids

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More weapons in Syria could trigger 'all-out war' - World News

Reuters

Turkish soldiers take strategic position at the Akcakale border gate in southern Sanliurfa province on Sunday.

By Jim Maceda, NBC News

News Analysis

SANLIURFA, Turkey ? Monday was another day of cross-border violence and rising tension between Syria and Turkey.

It was also a day when Gov. Mitt Romney pledged that, if elected president, he?d change the course of events here.

Among other things, he wants to green-light heavy weapons to the Syrian rebels ?who share our values? in order to ?defeat the tanks, helicopters and fighter jets? of the Bashar Assad regime.

For its part, the Obama administration says it has refrained from supplying the rebels with weapons out of concern that they could end up in terrorist hands.?

Others say escalating the conflict with more weapons isn?t necessarily good news for ordinary Syrians who are struggling to live along the 600-mile border ? or for the U.S., given the potential for a larger regional conflagration.

Romney: Risk of conflict higher in Mideast after Obama policies

On the border ? but not safe
Mahmoud Soukman is a truck driver who transports goods between Syria and Turkey. Three weeks ago he left his truck and fled with his wife, 9-month-old daughter and the clothes on their backs, moving in with his mother and siblings on a small farm just inside Turkey.

But they don?t feel safe, on either side of the border.

Mortars and shells explode ominously, and often in the distance, as Syrian rebels and government troops fight over strategic swaths of Northern Syria in the ongoing civil war. And one mortar did land near the farm house.?


Meanwhile, the tit-for-tat border skirmishes between Turkey and Syria have already become routine. The Syrian Army landed a mortar again on Monday about 100 yards inside Turkey, with no casualties; and the Turks have been returning artillery fire at imprecise targets inside Syria.

Andrea Mitchell talks to Ambassador Dennis Ross about the escalating tensions between Syria and Turkey, and what both presidential candidates are saying they'll do about the situation.

Syrian President Assad?s regime offered a weak apology for the deaths of five Turkish civilians, killed last week by an allegedly errant shell. But Turkish government officials have become increasingly bellicose. On Monday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Turks to prepare for war, if necessary.?

Also on Monday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said the "worst-case scenarios" were now playing out in Syria and Turkey would do everything necessary to protect itself.

"The worst-case scenarios are taking place right now in Syria ... Our government is in constant consultation with the Turkish military. Whatever is needed is being done immediately as you see, and it will continue to be done," Gul said.

"There will be a change, a transition sooner or later ... It is a must for the international community to take effective action before Syria turns into a bigger wreck and further blood is shed, that is our main wish," he told reporters in Ankara.

Near Soukman?s farm, we saw Turkish troops and armored personnel carriers beefing up the border, building sand berms that gave the ordinarily bucolic setting a front-line feel.

Turkey fires on Syria after another Syrian shell hits its terrority

?Very volatile?
Some Middle East analysts see a potential tinderbox. ?The situation is very volatile, very dangerous and has the potential to escalate into all-out war,? warned Professor Fawaz Gerges from the London School of Economics.?

What could happen if the rebels get the shoulder-held rocket launchers and anti-aircraft weapons they want?

One likely scenario, say some Middle East experts, is that the Kremlin will loosen its own under-reported restrictions and sell the Syrian government ? which Russia considers a client state ? the high-tech weapons that Assad has been clamoring for.?

If that were to happen, some say it has the potential to unleash an arms race ? and an all-out war ? on Turkey?s doorstep.

In that case, Gerges believes, just one mistake, one miscalculation, could trigger a regional war - or worse.

During a campaign speech at the Virginia Military Institute, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney outlined his plan for easing tension in the Middle East, as well as his Syria strategy.

?If Turkey, a NATO member, is fed up and invades Syria, NATO would have no choice but to intervene in Syria. And you can bet that Iran would become involved, and this could quickly turn into a region-wide conflict between Turkey, NATO, Saudi Arabia and Qatar on the one hand, and Iran, Iraq, Hezbollah and Syria on the other.?

Luckily, this nightmare scenario can be avoided. In fact, both Russia and NATO (read: the U.S.) are using their considerable influence over Syria and Turkey, respectively, to keep tempers in check.

But Turkey is already bristling with almost 100,000 hungry Syrian refugees in camps on its border. And Assad is well aware that Turkey is largely spearheading the rebels? fight against his regime, supplying their weapons and hosting the military wing of the opposition.?

If a Syrian warplane were taken down by well-armed rebels and crashed into a Turkish village on the border, killing dozens, the incident could be the match that ignites a conflagration.?

?You have the potential not only for a region-wide war, but also for international conflict as well,? said Gerges.

Machine guns operated by motorcycle brakes? Get a glimpse at the rebels fighting against Assad's forces in Syria's mountainous Jabal al-Zawiya area.

Who are the Syrian rebels?

Political calculation
President Barack Obama has maintained that arming the rebels is a red line beyond which chaos could unfold, leaving the risk of an over-militarized Syria with a power vacuum ? a kind of Libya on steroids.

There is also the added danger of ?rogue rebels? ? both al-Qaida and affiliated militants have already joined the rebels? ranks ? getting their hands on sophisticated weapons and turning them on us.

At least in his public statements, Romney doesn?t appear too concerned about either happening. Instead, he seems more focused on a victory by freedom-fighters over an evil Syrian regime. His camp says that more powerful and deadly weapons will be a game changer. ?

From his precarious perch overlooking the border, Soukman, the refugee truck-driver, sees only dark days ahead.

?There?s no food or water in our village. You can die from hunger,? he said. ?If the fighting doesn?t calm down, maybe we?ll be here for years.?

Jim Maceda is an NBC News Correspondent based in London currently on assignment on the Turkish-Syrian border. Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/08/14298721-more-weapons-in-syria-could-trigger-all-out-war?lite

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Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month

Back when Lenovo formally announced the ThinkPad Tablet 2, it shared almost everything there was to know about its new Windows 8 slate: specs, an approximate shipping date and details on the optional accessories. The one thing Lenovo didn't reveal? The price. Well, you can rest easy now because the company just announced the tablet will start at $649, making it slightly more expensive than other Atom-powered slates running Windows 8. (To be fair, it does offer NFC and pen input, so perhaps we can all agree to call it even.) As a quick refresher, other key specs include a 10.1-inch (1,366 x 768) IPS display, a 10-hour battery, dual 2MP / 8MP cameras and optional 3G / 4G connectivity, with AT&T's LTE network being the spectrum of choice in the US. You'll also be able to buy it with an optional keyboard and a dock with three USB ports, HDMI-out and an Ethernet jack. That's all coming soon, so hopefully our full review won't be too far off either.

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Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can Octopuses Help Us Make Better Kindles?

octopus kindle e-reader camouflage display

Image of octopus camouflaging courtesy of iStockphoto/Suljo

Octopuses and?Kindles might have more in common than you think. It?s true that you can?t read a Jules Verne novel off an octopus. And a Kindle can?t camouflage itself against a brightly colored, textured coral reef. But the two both depend on using ambient light to generate their ?display,? and both can change their appearance with incredible rapidity.

This concept was first described to me byRich Baraniuk, a signal processing research at Rice University in Houston last fall. He drew the helpful contrast between the cephalopod ability to use only diffuse underwater light to make thecamouflage coloring come alive, whereas, our most popular display technology?computer monitors, TVs, iPhones, tablets?rely on energy-intensive light-generating displays. So, in many ways, the cephalopods have us beat, he said. Even the Kindle is hardly as nuanced or adaptive as an octopus going into?full, disappearing camo mode (thankfully?I have a hard enough time keeping track of mine as it is).

Now, a team of researchers is taking a closer look at these two disparate approaches to figure out what we can learn from these impressive animals. A review paper on the topic was published online in September in?The Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

?Only in the past decade has humanity begun to master?adaptive coloration for its own purposes, primarily in the form of reflective electronic paper (e-paper) devices such as the Amazon Kindle,? wrote the paper?s authors, led by Eric Kreit, of the University of Cincinnati?s School of Electronic and Computing Systems. Despite all of the extensive research and development that has gone into these products, ?e-paper still lags behind biological systems,? Kreit and his colleagues added. (Perhaps we shouldn?t feel too bad, as they pointed out, because these animals have had ?more than a 100 million year head start.?)

Octopuses get most of their coloration from?tiny chromatophores, which are pigment-filled sacs in the skin that can expand or contract with a push or pull of muscles. Their displays? nuances, however, come from irridophores and leucophores. Irridophores are reflective patches that can also change thickness to reflect different colors. And leucophores are more static components that use proteins to reflect white light, helping to provide light and vibrancy to the rest of the display. With this complex orchestration, they are able to change color camouflage in less than a second?all without the benefit of liquid crystal displays or any other light-producing abilities.

?Cephalopod skin is exquisitely beautiful and radiant and can be changed in milliseconds, all without generating any intrinsic light from within the skin,? Roger Hanlon, a biologist at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory and co-author of the paper, said in a prepared statement. ?There are elegant solutions from biology waiting to be translated to our consumer and industrial world,? he noted.

It doesn?t appear that we have come very close so far. Compared with an octopus?s display, a gray-scale Kindle might seem relatively simple (it relies on electric charges to attract or repel the e-ink to various pixels). But, for us, this reflective-based display is an impressive step forward from our other, light-emitting devices. To rely on reflected light means that the medium must be highly efficient at zapping photons back out, rather than absorbing them. ?Animal pigments and structurally colored reflectors are very efficient at using available light,? the researchers noted. Even in very low-light underwater conditions, an octopus can put on a convincing camouflage display. And the researchers hope that we can learn more about it from them. ?It is imperative to study biology closely to help direct the development of technology,? Kreit and his co-authors noted.

Cutting-edge products that take advantage of these lessons are already underway. Engineers are hard at work developing full-color passive displays. One prototype being developed by Hewlett-Packard can approach the quality of color newsprint, the researchers reported. Cephalopods have more gradients in many colors (other hues, less relevant to their underwater environment, such as grays, are less developed in their palates).

Cephalopods generally lack the ability to go as dark black as many of our technologies (which can reflect less than 5 to 10 percent of the ambient light). But as the researchers pointed out, ?this comparison may be unfair as most cephalopods do not require adaptation to a pitch black background.? Many of those?octopuses that live in the deep sea, below where sunlight can penetrate actually have lost their color-changing abilities altogether and are a pale white since other organisms have little to no light to be able to see them by.

The octopus is known for being?super-flexible, yet our displays are, so far, frustratingly firm. Octopuses can also change the texture of their skin, making it blend in with their environment, whether that is a smooth rock or a ripply sprig of kelp. Our display technology is only beginning to explore this realm, one appealing application being a textured keyboard. ?Studying these systems will certainly yield new ideas about how toengineer synthetic systems,? the researchers noted.

Octopuses and other cephalopods also have an elegant and relatively mysterious near-instantaneous integration of their skin display with their visual systems?a connection both biologists and engineers are trying to parse.

?Humanity has never developed anything as complex nor as sophisticated as the biology and physics of cephalopod skin,? the authors noted. Or at least, not yet.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=78871b268a759b7225e03be8420a17a5

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Vitamin C prevents bone loss in animal models

ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) ? Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have shown for the first time in an animal model that vitamin C actively protects against osteoporosis, a disease affecting large numbers of elderly women and men in which bones become brittle and can fracture.

The findings are published in the October 8 online edition of PLoS ONE.

"This study has profound public health implications, and is well worth exploring for its therapeutic potential in people," said lead researcher Mone Zaidi, MD, Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease, and of Structural and Chemical Biology, and Director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program.

"The medical world has known for some time that low amounts of vitamin C can cause scurvy and brittle bones, and that higher vitamin C intake is associated with higher bone mass in humans, "said Dr. Zaidi. "What this study shows is that large doses of vitamin C, when ingested orally by mice, actively stimulate bone formation to protect the skeleton. It does this by inducing osteoblasts, or premature bone cells, to differentiate into mature, mineralizing specialty cells."

The researchers worked with groups of mice whose ovaries had been removed, a procedure known to reduce bone density, and compared them with control mice that had "sham" operations, which left their ovaries intact. The mice with ovariectomies were divided into two groups, one of which was given large doses of vitamin C over eight weeks. The scientists measured the bone mineral density in the lumbar spine, femur, and tibia bones.

The mice who received an ovariectomy -- and no vitamin C -- had a much lower bone mineral density (BMD) versus controls, whereas mice who received a ovariectomy and large doses of vitamin C, had roughly the same BMD as the controls, suggesting vitamin C prevented BMD loss in this group.

"Further research may discover that dietary supplements may help prevent osteoporosis in humans," said Dr. Zaidi. "If so, the findings could be ultimately useful to developing nations where osteoporosis is prevalent and standard medications are sparse and expensive."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Mount Sinai Medical Center, via Newswise.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Ling-Ling Zhu, Jay Cao, Merry Sun, Tony Yuen, Raymond Zhou, Jianhua Li, Yuanzhen Peng, Surinder S. Moonga, Lida Guo, Jeffrey I. Mechanick, Jameel Iqbal, Liu Peng, Harry C. Blair, Zhuan Bian, Mone Zaidi. Vitamin C Prevents Hypogonadal Bone Loss. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (10): e47058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047058

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/health_medicine/nutrition/~3/XlhX6T--Msc/121009151258.htm

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World Bank cuts East Asia GDP outlook, flags China risks

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The World Bank cut its economic growth forecasts for the East Asia and Pacific region on Monday and said there was a risk the slowdown in China could worsen and last longer than many analysts have forecast.

"Unlike the rest of the region, China is experiencing a double whammy -- the growth slowdown is driven by weaker exports as well as domestic demand, in particular investment growth," World Bank Chief Economist for East Asia and the Pacific Bert Hofman said at a briefing in Singapore.

He stressed, however, that the World Bank, like many economists, still expects China to have a soft landing as seen from the bank's revised 7.7 percent growth forecast for this year and 8.1 percent for next year.

The World Bank earlier on Monday released its latest East Asia and Pacific Data Monitor, warning China's that slowdown could accelerate.

In the report, the international lender said that ambitious investment plans announced by several local governments in China could face funding constraints, "not least because governments are feeling the pinch of a cooling real estate market, which lowers land sales revenues".

The World Bank said the central government was unlikely to come up with a major fiscal stimulus package as policymakers were concerned about a rebound in home prices and a possible reversal of hot money flows.

Nevertheless, the bank expects growth in China to pick up in 2013, helped by monetary policy measures introduced earlier this year and an acceleration of central government investment spending.

The World Bank had earlier this year forecast 8.2 percent GDP growth for China in 2012 and 8.6 percent in 2013.

For the region as a whole, the World Bank now expects developing East Asia to grow by 7.2 percent this year and 7.6 percent in 2013, down from earlier estimates of 7.6 percent and 8.0 percent, respectively.

"This is the slowest growth rate in the Asia Pacific region since 2001. It's even slower than the peak of the financial crisis in 2009," Hofman said.

The World Bank last week cut its 2012 growth forecast for sub-Saharan Africa to 4.8 percent from 5.2 percent, and lowered its outlook for Latin America to 3 percent from the previous 3.5 to 4 percent, citing the global economic slowdown.

"Economic projections for EAP (East Asia and Pacific) are surrounded by considerable uncertainties, and a variety of risks continue to loom over the global and regional economy," the bank said.

"Although recent policy moves have reduced the risk stemming from the Eurozone, financial market disruptions still constitute the main risk to this outlook, followed by the 'fiscal cliff' risk in the United States," it added, referring to the sharp cuts in U.S. government spending that could be triggered next year if lawmakers fail to reach a new agreement.

SOUTHEAST ASIA, QE3

The World Bank was bullish about Southeast Asia due to strong domestic demand and noted investment spending in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia was booming. For Indonesia, the ratio of investment to gross domestic product has now returned to pre-Asian financial crisis levels.

The multilateral lender kept its 2012 GDP forecasts for Indonesia and Thailand at 6.1 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively, and raised its 2012 growth outlook for Malaysia to 4.8 percent from 4.6 percent.

The 2012 forecast for the Philippines was increased to 5.0 percent from 4.2 percent.

"In the Philippines, the acceleration of government infrastructure spending has contributed to the strong growth performance in the first half, while revenue growth is supported by tax administration reforms as well as strong GDP growth," the World Bank said.

Most developing East Asian economies were well positioned to weather troubles in the global economy as they enjoyed current account surpluses or only modest deficits and held high levels of foreign exchange reserves relative to their international payment obligations, the World Bank added.

Hofman said the latest round of "quantitative easing" by Western central banks will not be as disruptive to East Asia as previously, as weakening exports coupled with still strong imports mean overall inflows to the region were not as large as they had been in the past.

"It was a problem almost two years ago and even one year ago but it seems less of a problem now," he said.

The U.S. Federal Reserve last month unveiled a third round of quantitative easing, whereby it will inject new money into the system by buying mortgage securities. The European Central Bank has also announced plans to buy the bonds of trouble eurozone countries such as Spain to bring borrowing costs down.

The World Bank, however, warned that countries such as Mongolia, Laos, Timor Leste, Fiji and Papua New Guinea could experience a sharp terms-of-trade shock in a major slowdown, as commodities accounted for at least 80 percent of total exports.

It added the recent spikes in global food prices were less of a risk to the East Asia and Pacific region as rice markets had not been affected.

"Rice prices have been relatively stable, with most of the price risks on the downside as stocks in Thailand continue to build as a result of the new floor price policy, and good crops in Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines," it said.

(Reporting by Kevin Lim; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and John Mair)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-bank-cuts-east-asia-gdp-outlook-flags-020258151--business.html

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david.alask: Successful dating tips for mature online Baby Boomer ...

A safe baby boomer dating experience can be very challenging, even online! For many mature people who have experienced a significant life event or found themselves in the dating pool when they least expected it. Dating for older people is not the same as for younger people and entering the dating scene requires the person to have a clear idea of what they expect from their dating experience for it to be fun and life fulfilling.

Some people begin dating after they have experienced a loss because there is a void in their lives that they would like to fill. Others are used to having someone go with them to events or activities and want to find a companion that can be their activity partner. Deciding on the type of relationship you want will help in your online dating experience.

For an older person, dating is not so much about getting to the ?next base? as it is finding the level you are comfortable with and enjoying it. For most of us that means spending time with someone with whom you share interests and enjoying companionship for activities.

When people get older a long term relationship becomes less the focus than for the younger generation. Many baby boomers have spent their lives caring for others and when they enter the dating scene, they are not looking for a long term relationship. Many baby boomers are comfortable with the habits they have formed and a really good date ends with a bowl of ice cream and our favourite book with a cat in their laps. Staying ?up? are not on the list of priorities for them.

Thinking that a person you are going to meet on a safe baby boomer dating website is going to be perfect and have no baggage is not realistic. Some people start collecting emotional baggage from the time they are very young. By the time they reach senior dating, they have enough baggage to fill a warehouse. Finding the right person for you does not mean that they will not have baggage or issues that they are working through. If you do meet a mature person?without baggage, this maybe a warning!

Meeting potential dates on online is a lot more fun and less traumatic when we are enjoying activities with a group. Getting involved with groups that enjoy the same interests and activities is a great way to make friends and meet dates. Many people find that they are able to establish some solid dating relationships when they meet people in this way because there is less pretension and everyone is in the area because they genuinely enjoy the activity.

There are several websites that offer services for online dating. When choosing an online dating site it is important that you follow the same rules that you tell your friends and children to follow. Check the site out thoroughly to make sure it is reputable; never give personal information to strangers. Someone you chat with online is a stranger; do not give personal information to them. Maybe use an anonymous phone service to chat via your mobile such as paginglist.com or Skype. We recommend safebabyboomerdating.com. When you decide to meet someone from the service, plan a neutral location for coffee. This will give you the opportunity to get to know them and see if you want to meet at a restaurant for a second date at a later time. Most importantly watch for red flags. If a person is supposed to be wealthy, smart, and fantastic looking, they should be able to pay for their own coffee!

To get yourself register for a senior dating service, search for one like safebabyboomerdating.com on the internet. There is joy for all people meeting new friends and starting new relationships, so what are you waiting for?

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Source: http://bestpittsburghgym.com/uncategorized/successful-dating-tips-for-mature-online-baby-boomer-dating-in-2011/

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Source: http://davidalask.blogspot.com/2012/10/successful-dating-tips-for-mature.html

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Spain doesn't need help, euro zone ministers say

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers delivered a united defense of Spain on Monday, saying the country was taking steps to overhaul its economy, funding itself successfully in the financial markets and did not need a bailout, at least for now.

Arriving at a meeting in Luxembourg to discuss Greece and Spain and to inaugurate the euro zone's permanent bailout mechanism, the ESM, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Madrid had made clear it wanted no help.

"Spain needs no aid program. Spain is doing everything necessary, in fiscal policy, in structural reforms," he told reporters as he arrived for a gathering that will also discuss plans to establish a single supervisor for euro zone banks.

"Spain has a problem with its banks as a consequence of the real estate bubble of the past years," he said. "That's why Spain is getting (EU) help with banking recapitalization."

Luxembourg Finance Minister Luc Frieden took the same line but added that if Spain were to make a request for aid beyond the 100 billion euros already earmarked to recapitalize its banks, it would be examined.

"I think we should deal with such a request when it comes, but so far the Spanish government is undertaking reforms which go in the right direction," he said.

Finance ministers agreed in June to provide up to 100 billion euros for Spain's banks, many of which are weighed down with bad property loans and need to be recapitalized.

An independent audit has shown the banks need around 40 billion euros, less than originally expected, a result Austria's finance minister, Maria Fekter, said was positive.

"We have the banking application from Spain," Fekter said. "We are likely to hear today that this 100 billion euros is not all needed, that Spain needs significantly less."

Many in the financial markets are convinced Spain will not be able to meet its sovereign funding needs at an affordable cost without euro zone and European Central Bank support, especially with several of its regions requiring a bailout from Madrid.

A euro zone source said ministers may also discuss Spain's 2013 budget, outlined last month, which the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission both believe is based on an over-optimistic forecast of a 0.5 percent economic contraction next year. The IMF forecast of a 1.2 percent recession may be revised further downwards on Tuesday.

NO MOVES ON GREECE

As well as Spain, ministers will discuss the situation in Greece, where intense negotiations continue between the government and the 'troika' of inspectors from the Commission, the ECB and the IMF over budget cuts for 2013-2014.

But Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of the Eurogroup, said no developments on Greece, which has fallen behind on its second bailout program, were likely at least until the troika finishes a report on the country's debt situation. That report is now expected in early November.

"I don't think that we will have any major decisions on Greece," Juncker said. Asked whether a decision on Greece could be expected soon, he replied: "Hope never dies."

Monday's meeting will also discuss plans for the ECB to be given responsibility for supervising all eurozone banks and the idea of creating a single budget for eurozone countries, issues that will be discussed further by eurozone and EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on October 18-19.

But little formal progress is expected, with questions unresolved about how many of the eurozone's 6,000 banks the ECB will be charged with overseeing and whether it will be able to start its new role from January next year.

Instead, the only firm action taken on Monday was the unveiling of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), a 500 billion euro, rescue mechanism for the 17 euro zone countries.

The ESM, which replaces the temporary EFSF, will be used to lend to distressed euro zone sovereigns in return for strict fiscal and structural reforms that aim to put economies that have lost investor trust back on track.

"The start of the ESM marks a historic milestone in shaping the future of the European monetary union," the fund's chief executive, Klaus Regling, told reporters

"The euro area now is equipped with a permanent and effective firewall, which of course is a crucial component in our strategy to ensure financial stability in the euro zone."

The fund's lending capacity will be based on 80 billion euros of paid-in capital and 620 billion of callable capital, against which the ESM will borrow money on the market to lend it on to governments cut off from sustainable market funding.

From Monday it has a capacity of 200 billion euros and it will reach its full capacity gradually by 2014.

(Additional reporting by Eva Kuehnen, Robin Emmott, John O'Donnell and Luke Baker in Luxembourg, writing by Luke Baker, editing by Paul Taylor)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/euro-zone-launch-bailout-fund-spain-focus-091216302--business.html

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by admin on October 7, 2012

@ JacLaurita @ chris_laurita I too support autism awareness. Elements Armwear on Facebook! Bless u both! http://t.co/X6SVMlLr

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@JacLaurita @chris_laurita I too support autism awareness. Elements Armwear on Facebook! Bless u both! http://t.co/X6SVMlLr

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