Google?s No. 1 Asset Is Its Ability To Empathize With Its Users Through Design And Product Development

As your Internet use has evolved, Google has evolved with you. And for you. Its ability to make the right decisions about what to work on and at what time is a testament to the leadership at the company. The latest wave in its evolution comes from Sergey Brin and its new CEO Larry Page, the people who started Google back in 1998. If you’ve thought that all of Google’s products looked cobbled together, or are different from one another, it’s because they were. It was a public view into how siloed the company was as far as its product-management and design teams were concerned. Everyone worked in a vacuum, so when a new version of Google Calendar came out, it looked nothing like the user experience of, say, Gmail. While this didn’t seem like a problem for a long time, as more people used more Google products, it became clear that Google was a huge company that wasn’t in touch with its users — or each other. What I’ve also learned while covering Google over the past two years is that it has an uncanny ability to put itself in the shoes of its users, almost to the point where they can leverage data and feedback to build, in essence, the perfect product. When I say perfect, I don’t mean flawless. I mean that when you use Google products,?you’re in essence a Googler, too. Google takes the concept of “dogfooding” to unparalleled levels, putting current and new products through such rigorous real-world testing cycles, that it’s impressive that things ever see the light of day. When you scrutinize something so much, it’s easy to scrap it because you’ve fallen out of love with it after seeing it all the time. Not Google, because it has a system in place to get feedback from both employees and outside users. The system makes the go-to-market plan a near bullet-proof approach to launching products, because there’s a good sense that it’s something that people will want to use, and use a lot. But lately, people have noticed a bit of a change in how Google designs its products. Some of the “look and feel” has been infused in everything that Google touches these days. Whether it’s Google+ functionality, Search, Maps or YouTube, you’re starting to see a little bit of “style” come out of Mountain View. That’s not an accident, because it

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/yAB5OkCm9Vw/

university of texas UT Austin Lizzie Velasquez NFL Network att libya engadget

Cuba dissidents approved, denied for passports

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2011 file photo, Cuban dissident Angel Moya, right, accompanied by fellow dissidents, reacts during the weekly march of Cuban dissident group Ladies in White in Havana, Cuba. Moya and Hector Maseda, two well-known Cuban dissidents, were released from prison on Feb. 12, 2011, despite the fact both men said they wanted to remain in jail until other opposition leaders were freed and other demands were met. Moya said on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 that he has been denied a passport that would have let him go overseas under recently enacted travel reform. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2011 file photo, Cuban dissident Angel Moya, right, accompanied by fellow dissidents, reacts during the weekly march of Cuban dissident group Ladies in White in Havana, Cuba. Moya and Hector Maseda, two well-known Cuban dissidents, were released from prison on Feb. 12, 2011, despite the fact both men said they wanted to remain in jail until other opposition leaders were freed and other demands were met. Moya said on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 that he has been denied a passport that would have let him go overseas under recently enacted travel reform. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)

HAVANA (AP) ? Two Cuban dissidents who applied for passports to go overseas under recently enacted travel reform reported mixed results Wednesday, as one former prisoner was turned down while a prominent blogger excitedly tweeted a photo of her brand new, bright blue travel document.

"The called me at home to say my passport was ready! They just delivered it!" Yoani Sanchez wrote on Twitter. "Here it is, now the only thing left is to get on that plane."

By her own account Sanchez has on some 20 occasions been rejected for the much-detested exit visa that for decades was required of all islanders seeking to go abroad. Analysts have called such controls arbitrary and humiliating, though authorities long insisted they were necessary to prevent brain drain.

That requirement ended Jan. 14 when a new law took effect scrapping the permit known as the "white card," which Cuba routinely denied to those it considers "counterrevolutionaries" in the pay of foreign interests and bent on undermining the communist government.

But the case of Angel Moya, who was locked up for years in connection with his political activities, indicates that Cuba intends to exercise a legal clause by which it retains the right to restrict some citizens' right to travel.

Moya, one of 75 other anti-government activists imprisoned in a 2003 crackdown on dissent, said he went to file paperwork and the $50 application fee to request a passport, but a clerk turned him down.

"She told me, after consulting a database, that I was restricted and it couldn't be processed for reasons of public interest," Moya told The Associated Press.

Moya said the office clerk showed him her computer screen and the file did not contain a specific reason why he was not allowed to apply for the travel document. But the travel law contains language reserving the right to withhold passports for reasons of national interest and for people with pending legal cases, and he's sure that's affecting his situation.

Moya's release from prison was conditional and technically he's still serving a 20-year sentence for treason that expires in 2023. The rest of the former prisoners from the 2003 crackdown, like a number of other dissidents with legal issues, presumably could be in the same boat.

"Their release is very precarious," said Elizardo Sanchez, who monitors and reports on human rights on the island.

Other government opponents including frequent hunger striker Guillermo Farinas have explicitly been told they will be allowed to get passports and come and go freely.

Moya's wife Berta Soler, a leader of the Ladies in White protest group, said as far as she knows she's still scheduled to pick up hers on Feb. 8.

"I'm happy and sad: On one hand I have my document to travel, but several friends like (Angel Moya) will not be allowed," Yoani Sanchez wrote.

Government officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Havana usually avoids mentioning the dissidents at all except to accuse them of being traitorous "mercenaries."

Also Wednesday, human rights group Amnesty International formally designated a second prisoner of conscience on the island and urged authorities to free him immediately.

In a statement, Amnesty said Calixto Martinez was detained for his work reporting for the non-governmental news agency Hablemos Press and has been held without charge since Sept. 16, 2012.

The rights group said Martinez was arrested at an airport while looking into whether anti-cholera medicine provided by the World Health Organization was being held there. He supposedly took photographs and interviewed people there.

Cuban airports are highly sensitive, well-guarded facilities, and journalists generally are barred from reporting there without special permission.

Last summer's cholera outbreak in eastern Cuba was also a sensitive subject for the island, which relies on tourism as one of its main sources of foreign income. Authorities say that it was contained, and that another outbreak this month in Havana is under control.

Amnesty said Martinez was accused of "disrespect" for authorities, which is a crime in Cuba. The relevant legal statute has commonly been used as justification for the detention of dissidents.

Cuba contends that it does not hold any political prisoners.

When the last of the 75 arrested in 2003 walked free under a deal brokered by the Catholic Church, Amnesty said at the time that there were no more inmates it recognized as prisoners of conscience, though rights monitors complain that authorities have adopted a tactic of more short-term detentions to harass dissidents and impede their activities.

Cuba has long maintained nearly complete control over the island's media, and Hablemos Press has occupied a murky legal gray area.

"The imprisonment of Calixto Martinez goes to show that authorities in Cuba are far from accepting that journalists have a role to play in society, including by investigating possible wrongdoings," said Guadalupe Marengo, deputy Americas director at Amnesty International.

In a recently released press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, Cuba dropped four spots this year to 171st out of 179 countries ? ahead of only Vietnam, China, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea.

There have been some signs of opening, however. In 2011, President Raul Castro urged state media to be bolder with more "objective, constant and critical" reporting.

The Catholic Church is allowed to publish its own independent magazine, Palabra Nueva, bloggers are openly critical of the government and state TV recently began carrying programming from Venezuela-based Telesur news channel.

Amnesty has strict criteria for how it designates prisoners of conscience. One requirement is that the person not have a history of violence.

In an email to the AP, Amnesty noted the difficulty of accessing independent information in a tightly guarded society such as Cuba. It acknowledged talking to government opponents and other rights groups, but said it conducted its own investigation into the facts of Martinez's case.

He is one of two Cubans who Amnesty considers to be prisoners of conscience, along with Marcos Maiquel Lima Cruz, behind bars since December 2010.

___

Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-30-CB-Cuba-Dissidents/id-d89104e7631743edaf0d3364d66a1a17

passover recipes 2012 kids choice awards kansas ohio state wrestlemania results womens final four josh hutcherson google april fools

Review: Apple MacBook Pro 13? Retina Display Laptop

The Apple MacBook Pro 13? Retina has been out for a while and it?s been in use with me since it was announced. Over that time period, I have tested it, pushed it, tweaked it, and travelled with it. Many creative professionals swear by Apple products though some of us have been jumping ship to the PC world due to what we believe is a lack of innovation on part of the company.

But as far as this editor goes, I?ve got no major complaints.

?

Pros and Cons

Pros

- Excellent resolution for editing photos whether they go on the web or in print

- Calibrates significantly easier with the Spyder Pro 4 than previous Macbook laptops.

- A master multi-tasking machine

- Connects effortlessly to other devices such as Airplay enabled printers, Apple airport express, Apple TV, and the iPad mini.

- Simple resolution tweaking with a couple clicks of a button

- Insanely fast

Cons

- Keyboard wasn?t as comfortable as previous 13 inch Macbooks and took some time to get used to

- The gestures all changed and needed to be relearned.

- Expensive laptop for something that doesn?t have an interchangeable video card

- I can never add more RAM to this laptop, so it requires more contant maintenance.

Gear Used

My basic setup includes:

- My various cameras

- The Spyder Elite 4 Calibration setup

- Logitech M510 USB mouse

- Apple Airport Express

- Apple TV

Tech Specs

Specs taken from the B&H Photo Video listing of the unit

Performance
Processor	2.9GHz?Intel?Core i7?Dual-Core
Cache	L3: 4MB
Memory	Type: 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM Installed: 8GB
Graphics Card	Type: Integrated Installed: Intel HD Graphics?4000?Shared

Display
Type	Widescreen
Size	13.3?
Backlight	LED
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Finish	Glossy
Native Resolution	2560 x 1600
Supported Resolutions	1680 x 1050 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1440 x 900 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1024 x 600 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio
External Resolution	Up to 2560 x 1600
Dual Display	Yes
Video Mirroring	Yes

Storage
Hard Drive	Installed: 256GB Type: Flash Storage
Optical Drive	None

Input/Output Connectors
Ports	2x Thunderbolt 2x USB 3.0 (A)
Display	2x Mini DisplayPort?via Thunderbolt port 1x HDMI
Audio	Integrated Stereo Speakers 2x Integrated Digital Microphone 1x Combo Analog Headphone/Optical Digital Audio Out
Flash Media Slot	1x SDXC

Communications
Network	None
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Mobile Broadband	None
Webcam	Not Specified By Manufacturer

General
Operating System	Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?(64-bit)
Security	Not Specified By Manufacturer
Keyboard	Keys: 78 Type: Standard Notebook Keyboard
Pointing Device	TouchPad with Double-Tap, Drag, Four-Finger Swipe, Inertial Scrolling, Multi-Touch Control, Pinch, Rotate, Tap, Three-Finger Swipe
Battery	Lithium-Polymer Providing up to 7 Hours per Charge
Power Requirements	AC: 100-240 V AC, 50-60Hz Consumption: 60W
Dimensions (WxHxD)	12.3 x 0.7 x 8.6??/?31.2 x 1.8 x 21.8 cm
Weight	3.57 lb?/?1.62 kg

Ergonomics

Apple?s Macbook Pro Retina 13? retains everything that the company has become known for over the past couple of years in terms of ergonomics. This laptop is very simplistic and minimalist in design, and one can tell that they tried to keep it to just the essentials and nothing else.

When you open the laptop, you?ll see changes from the laptops of years previous. For instance, the computer no longer has a recessed power button built into the case. Instead, it is on the keyboard in the top right corner. Mostly everything else on the keyboard though is the same. However, Apple has spaced the keys out a bit more.

I used to own a regular Macbook that was tricked out to be just as powerful as a Macbook Pro. I still prefer its older keyboard to this new one. It took a while to get used to this new one and at some times it still bothers me. For instance, if I?m at my desk in my apartment, typing on this laptop for a very long amount of time can surely get done but for some odd reason or another it seems like this laptop was designed with the target demographic being cafe goers. And indeed, when at a cafe, I feel much more comfortable working on this laptop perhaps due to the smaller tables that cafes have vs. my desk.

Apple users update their laptops around typically every four or five years. Users that purchase the MacBook Pro Retina 13? will notice that the battery is no longer detachable nor is the hard drive accessible. In a move that angered many when the laptop was announced, it is physically impossible to customize this laptop after it has been built for you.

On the left side the user gets quite a bit of connectivity options. First off there is the power adapter port, then two thunderbolt ports, a USB 3.0 port, and a headphone jack.

Yes, you get a headphone jack but no microphone port. Want to use a microphone? Then you?ll need to use Apples built-in mic or you?ll need to get a USB port option. When you?re an Editor in Chief and need to narrate a voiceover in Adobe Premiere Elements, good luck. It will be quite annoying.

On the right side is another USB Port (which houses the connector for my mouse), an HDMI port, and an SD card port.

The fact that it is just so much simpler to use the SD card port vs an external connector has actually forced me to switch my entire camera system over to SD cards instead. For my 5D Mk II, I take an SD card and put it inside of an SD to CF adapter. It has worked out quite well so far.

Build Quality

This machine overall feels quite solid and very elegant. It surely feels more solid than other laptops out there perhaps due to the aluminum body.

Nothing about the Macbook Pro 13? Retina feels cheap. From the connectors, to the way the screen peels back from its collapsed state and to the way that the keys feel when you?re typing?you know that you?ve purchased a very high quality machine.

The Macbook has travelled with me in various camera bags, in planes, on the subway, and has survived the general tumble and tussle that an average NYC commuter will throw at their gear.

Ease of Use

For most of my uses, the Macbook Pro Retina 13 inch has been very simple to use. In the beginning though, there were quite a bit of caveats.

To start, it took a full three days for all the files from my old computer to transfer to my new computer using Apple?s interface. Three days? Yes. The Macbook had an issue trying to recognize my apartment?s wifi router, so after some investigation we finally found out that it wasn?t transferring the files. Instead, I switched to a hard wire connection and that took around two hours to port nearly everything over.

Then there were Apple?s changes in the gestures which partially came with Lion.

For example, three fingers swiped across the mousepad used to give me my Dashboard. Now, I have to swipe four fingers to the left.

Four fingers up lets me access all of my tabs. Two fingers down or up helps me to navigate?those all seem fine.

Thankfully, because Apple imported most of my previous settings this laptop was easier to use down the line. It became a bit more complicated when I purchased an Apple TV, Airport Express, and an iPad Mini.

For example, I found out that if I wanted to beam Spotify into my room (where my Airport Express is hooked up to a speaker system) I can hold down the option key and click on the audio icon in the top right corner. Then it gives me the option of having all audio beamed through to there or through the internal speakers.

Performance

The Macbook Pro Retina 13? performs like a speed demon. It has a speedy startup in around three seconds and hasn?t started to lag out on me yet. Even when having Photoshop Elements, Adobe Premiere Elements, Lightroom 4, Chrome, Spotfiy, and Steam (because every photographer has to play video games sometimes) the laptop hasn?t slowed down. However, the fans will blare like sirens sometimes.

In terms of visual performance, I can?t say a bad thing about the Retina display. It has helped me to edit and create better images since getting it. To boot, it is also very simple to calibrate using Spyder?s software and utilities.

This laptop?s screen is very bright. Since quitting my day job, I often work at home and being a freelancer and editor of this website demands me to work at a furious pace. In the morning, I?ll work without a light on in my living room (where my desk is) because of the soft window light coming in that works perfectly. But as outside gets darker, I?ll realize that my entire room is so dark after a while that I should turn on a light. Nonetheless, the screen illuminates the entire living room, some of my roommate?s room, and a part of my kitchen. This is with the setting on the brightest, do note.

Assisting With Tasks

This machine is sometimes used for more than just work as it is my personal computer. However, it can be one heck of a workhorse.

Airport Express

As stated before, I can beam music from Spotify to my Airport Express in my room. Granted, the connection goes in and out like crazy. So I only reserve it for when I really need it.

Apple TV

Mirroring my computer?s display onto my Apple TV and then onto my 43? television can be quite useful at times. When News Editor Peter Walkowiak was staying over my apartment for a week, I showed him the beauty of Adobe Lightroom editing simplicity on my big screen when mirrored through Apple TV. He was speechless.

When it comes to wanting to accomplish other tasks though (like watching a YouTube video) the best experience comes from using Safari because it also transmits the sound. In fact, Apple?s products often work best with each other. In many cases, I will end up favoriting a video on YouTube, turning on Apple TV, going to the YouTube app, and then going into my favorites to find the video?and that?s providing everything has synced.

I really wish that Apple would be a tad bit more open.

Also thankfully, Chrome is Retina display ready.

iPad Mini

I rarely connect my iPad Mini to my computer, though I should more often. I keep my portfolio on the Mini to show off when I need to.

iCloud could have this taken care of, but I also hate iPhoto and instead manually set a folder to by synced. It works with my overall workflow because folders move on and off of my desktop all the time.

Otherwise, the Mini is often right next to my laptop screen and when I?m busy in freelance work, editing, or something else then the little notifications that come up on it almost make it act like a second monitor. For example, if my friends are messaging me to the point of insanity on Facebook, that will stay synced easily. Same goes for Gmail. Overall, it helps keep the load off of the laptop when also combined with what my phone is capable of.

Indeed, I don?t have an iPhone. I?m sticking to the HTC One S: which has been beaten up quite a bit. Many people tell me that I should just give in and get one, but Android?s handheld devices are just so much more?wondrous.

In Use With Editing

One of the primary reasons why I went for the 13? Retina display laptop was for the display and powerhouse that it can be for editing. And in my tests so far, I?ve seen no major problems.

Lightroom 4

Everything that you would expect from Lightroom 4 works well with the new laptop but better. The software is retina display ready, so no matter what you?ve set your DPI to, you will get the clearest and crispest images you can. Ensure that your display is properly calibrated for even better results.

If you have high megapixel cameras, you really should spring for this laptop as you?ll be able to work with the higher resolutions even easier when it comes to retouching.

Adobe Premiere Elements 11

At the time of publishing this review, this software isn?t Retina display ready yet. In order for me to work with it, I often need to lower my DPI settings down to a normal level instead of the HiDPI settings. It?s a real pity.

Conclusions

So am I happy that I made this purchase? Absolutely. This laptop is being used much more like my primary work machine than for showing off portfolios or anything else. And for running websites, editing photos, and the?occasional video edit, I have no problems with the software.

If you?re a professional photographer, you should save up for this laptop because it will make your overall workflow and images better. The display is loads better than previous ones have been and the images I edit often look great not only to me, but my clients. Sure, it?s not perfect: I really wish that I could add more RAM or install a new graphics card , but I?ll have to make do with what I have and maintain the machine well, which I sometimes slack on because of being so busy.

Please Support The Phoblographer

We love to bring you guys the latest and greatest news and gear related stuff. However, we can?t keep doing that unless we have your continued support. If you would like to purchase any of the items mentioned, please do so by clicking our links first and then purchasing the items as we then get a small portion of the sale to help run the website.

Also, please follow us on?Facebook,?Flickr?and?Twitter.

// ]]>

Tagged as: 13 inch, 13", adobe lightroom 3, Adobe Premiere, airport express, apple, apple tv, ipad mini, MacBook, performance, photoshop, pro, Retina, speed

Source: http://www.thephoblographer.com/2013/01/31/review-apple-macbook-pro-13-retina-display-laptop/

colbert report legionnaires disease underwear bomber unclaimed money godspell media matters hana

Plume for Twitter (for Android)

By Max Eddy

Just because Twitter is working to curtail non-canonical clients doesn't mean that developers have stopped trying to deliver its 140-character utterances in better and better ways. Plume for Twitter brings a highly customizable Twitter client to Android devices (free, $4.99 to remove ads) with a powerful muting feature to help you manage the chaos of Twitter.

Starting up Plume for the first time, users are greeted by a colorful screen and Plume's cute, friendly duck/penguin masot. Once inside the app, Tweets are displayed in a series of scrolling columns, showing @ replies, the latest updates, direct messages, and so on. Users can scroll up and down to move chronologically through the feeds, and left and right between feeds. Swiping left to right from off the screen will open a hidden tray of other features, such as search and trending topics.

The Sound of Silence
By far, Plume's strongest and most useful feature is "muting" certain users, words, and services from appearing in your feed. One of the drawbacks of Twitter, and it is surely like this by design, is that ?the only way to remove a user from your feed is to un-follow them?a public and noticeable act. Twitter's Lists feature helps, but it lacks fine-grain controls. If you mute a user in Plume, you'll still appear as their follower and you can unmute them at any time. For a sticky social situation, or a power user who has accounts he or she is obliged to follow, "muting" is a powerful tool.

Plume also has the ability to mute Tweets that contain certain words or phrases, as defined by the user. For everyday folks, this is a great way to avoid the weekly cavalcade of #FF tweets, Apple product announcements, or particularly tiresome memes from invading your Twittersphere. For people with PTSD or emotional triggers, being able to hide certain terms from view could make participating in Twitter a far less stressful experience.

Users can manage all their mutes from the settings menu, including muted updates from other apps that publish on Twitter.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/N_Kfc4j1Cvs/0,2817,2414773,00.asp

edgar rice burroughs dallas clark litter marinol flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen

The Science of Productivity :: Refresh Leadership | Fresh Ideas for ...

A simple search engine query for ?productivity tools? yields more than 50,000,000 results, so it?s probably safe to say it?s an issue shared by more than a few people in the world. In fact, there?s an entire industry built around making people more productive. But before you rush out to buy a new planner, cover your office in sticky notes, or hire a personal assistant, it might be a good idea to first try to understand the science of productivity.

AsapSCIENCE, a popular YouTube channel that seeks to provide its viewers with ?a weekly dose of fun and interesting science,? breaks down all the scientific ins and outs of productivity and why, for many people, it?s such a difficult beast to tame.

What tips and tricks do you have to ensure you stay productive at work each day? Let us know in the comments section below.

The ideas and opinions expressed herein and their sponsors do not necessarily represent the views of Express Employment Professionals and are used for entertainment purposes only.

?

Related Posts

Source: http://www.refreshleadership.com/index.php/2013/01/science-productivity/

kawasaki disease resurrection masters tickets one direction tulsa news scalloped potatoes the ten commandments

New rules for running a non-profit business explained in business ...

January 30, 2013 by Mark?

The Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce is holding its next event in the Sax Macy Fromm Fist-to-Five event series next week.

The seminar, titled ?A new playbook?, will present three experts who will discuss the new rules for non-profit businesses and advise businesspersons on the best way to adapt to those new rules. The experts are Dawn Apgar of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Annette Baron of Proposal Architect, and Robert Davison of the Mental Health Association of Essex County.

The new rules involve having to deal with a rise in income taxes, governmental policy changes, and economic uncertainty. The three experts will help those in attendance to design their own playbook in order to survive and to thrive. Those who attend will also receive breakfast.

This event should be a first-rate networking prospect for those who run non-profit companies or who plan to start a non-profit business throughout the area, including nearby Bloomfield. Many of those businesspersons attending will no doubt wish to place a business card printing order in good time so that they are equipped with an ample supply of cards. They will also want to make sure that their contact information is fully up-to-date. There will be time either before or after the seminar to briefly discuss business and work on growing a referral network.

?A new playbook? will take place at The Grove in Cedar Grove on February 6 from 8:00 am ? 10:00 am. For more information, such as the cost, call 973-472-6250.

Source: http://www.shop.minutemanpress.com/news/northeast/new-jersey/bloomfield/new-rules-for-running-a-non-profit-business-explained-in-business-event-27542.html

Teen Choice Awards 2012 Aurora victims usher James Holmes Minka Kelly sex tape Colorado shooting Colorado shooting victims

Under pressure, Boy Scouts may ease no-gays policy

NEW YORK (AP) ? Facing diverse and ceaseless protests, the Boy Scouts of America is signaling its readiness to end the nationwide exclusion of gays as scouts or leaders and give the sponsors of local troops the freedom to decide the matter for themselves.

If approved by the Scouts' national executive board, possibly as soon as next week, the change would be another momentous milestone for America's gay-rights movement, following a surge of support for same-sex marriage and the ending of the ban on gays serving opening in military.

"The pulse of equality is strong in America, and today it beats a bit faster with news that the Boy Scouts may finally put an end to its long history of discrimination," said Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign, a major gay-rights group.

Under the proposed change, which was outlined Monday by the Scouts, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue ? either maintaining an exclusion of gays, as is now required of all units, or opening up their membership.

Southern Baptist leaders ? who consider homosexuality a sin ? were furious about the possible change and said its approval might encourage Southern Baptist churches to support other boys' organizations instead of the BSA. The Southern Baptists are among the largest sponsors of Scout units, along with the Roman Catholic, Mormon and United Methodist churches.

Under the proposed change, said BSA spokesman Deron Smith, "the Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members, or parents."

The Irving, Texas-based BSA, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, has long excluded both gays and atheists. Smith said that a change in the policy toward atheists was not being considered and that the BSA continued to view "Duty to God" as one of its basic principles.

Protests over the no-gays policy gained momentum in 2000, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the BSA's right to exclude gays. Scout units lost sponsorships by public schools and other entities that adhered to nondiscrimination policies, and several local Scout councils made public their displeasure with the policy.

More recently, pressure surfaced on the Scouts' own national executive board. Two high-powered members ? Ernst & Young CEO James Turley and AT&T Inc. CEO Randall Stephenson ? indicated they would try to work from within to change the membership policy, which stood in contrast to their own companies' non-discrimination policies.

Amid petition campaigns by Change.org, shipping giant UPS Inc. and drug-manufacturer Merck & Co. announced that they were halting donations from their charitable foundations to the Boy Scouts as long as the no-gays policy was in force.

Also, local Scout officials drew widespread criticism last year for ousting Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mom, as a den leader of her son's Cub Scout pack in Ohio and for refusing to approve an Eagle Scout application by Ryan Andresen, a California teen who came out as gay last fall.

Tyrrell said she was thrilled for parents and their children who've been excluded from scouting and "for those who are in Scouts and hiding who they are."

"For me it's not just about the Boy Scouts of America, it's about equality," she told The Associated Press. "This is a step toward equality in all aspects."

Many of the protest campaigns, including one seeking Tyrrell's reinstatement, had been waged with help from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

"The Boy Scouts of America have heard from Scouts, corporations and millions of Americans that discriminating against gay scouts and scout leaders is wrong," said Herndon Graddick, GLAAD's president. "Scouting is a valuable institution, and this change will only strengthen its core principles of fairness and respect."

The Scouts had reaffirmed the no-gays policy as recently as last year and appeared to have strong backing from the conservative religious denominations that sponsor large numbers of Scout units. Under the proposed change, they could continue excluding gays.

Before Monday's announcement, the BSA conferred with some leaders of these religious groups, including the Rev. Frank Page, who leads the Southern Baptist Executive Committee.

According to Roger S. Oldham, a spokesman for the executive committee, Page then wrote to the Scouts "expressing his tremendous dismay at the decision."

"They had been working for months on this proposal and just days before they informed us," Oldham said in a telephone interview. "We would anticipate that there would be a very significant backlash to this as churches re-evaluate whether scouting comports with."

If the Scouts proceed with the change, Oldham said, SBC leaders were likely to issue a statement "expressing disappointed and encouraging our churches to support alternative boys organizations."

Neither the Catholic Church nor the Mormons' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued official statements as to how they would respond.

Said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The bishops hope the Boy Scouts will continue to work under the Judeo-Christian principles upon which they were founded and under which they have served youth well."

Were the change adopted, said BSA spokesman Smith, "there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation."

"BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit that best meets the needs of their families," he said. "Under this proposed policy, the BSA would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization's mission, principles, or religious beliefs."

The announcement came shortly after new data showed that membership in the Cub Scouts ? the BSA's biggest division ? dropped sharply last year and was down nearly 30 percent over the past 14 years.

According to figures provided by the organization, Cub Scout ranks dwindled by 3.4 percent, from 1,583,166 in 2011 to 1,528,673 in 2012. That's down from 2.17 million in 1998.

The BSA's overall "traditional youth membership" ? Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers ? totaled 2,658,794 in 2012, compared to more than 4 million in peak years of the past.

The Boy Scouts attribute the decline largely to broad social changes, including the allure of video games and the proliferation of youth sports leagues and other options for after-school activities.

However, critics of the Scouts suggest that its recruitment efforts have been hampered by high-profile controversies ? notably the court-ordered release of files dealing with sex abuse allegations and persistent protests over the no-gays policy.

The Scouts have been buffeted in recent years by multiple court cases related to past allegations of sexual abuse by Scout leaders, including those chronicled in long-confidential records that are widely known as the "perversion files."

Through various cases, the Scouts have been forced to reveal files dating from the 1960s to 1991. They detailed numerous cases where abuse claims were made and Boy Scout officials never alerted authorities and sometimes actively sought to protect the accused.

The BSA has apologized for past lapses and cover-ups and has stressed the steps taken to improve youth protection policy. Since 2010, for example, it has mandated that any suspected abuse be reported to police.

___

Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this report.

___

Boy Scouts: http://www.scouting.org/

___

David Crary can be reached at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/under-pressure-boy-scouts-may-ease-no-gays-075125406.html

giuliana rancic elie wiesel temptations work hard play hard tim ferriss wmt human nature

RIM lowers minimum app prices on BlackBerry World

BlackBerry-toting penny-pinchers have cause to rejoice, as RIM is introducing lower price tiers in BlackBerry World, starting with the British Pound and Euro. New price tags have yet to take hold across the board, but the the UK will see their lowest level fall from £1.00 to £0.75 (around $1.20). When it comes to the Euro, prices will vary by country, and we spotted apps as low as €0.75 ($1) on Spain's version of the shop. According to RIM, the tweak takes currency exchange rates and VAT requirements into account, and is an effort to gain a competitive edge and catch the eyes of consumers. It's certainly a far cry from how things used to be.

Filed under: Mobile, RIM

Comments

Via: N4BB

Source: BlackBerry Developer Blog

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Ht7w09YTu4I/

some like it hot duke university whale shark whale shark platypus platypus overboard

Adele's Dad: I'm Dead to Her!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/adeles-dad-im-dead-to-her/

uganda the parent trap invisible children kony 2012 space weather sunspots pac 12 tournament sun storm

Home Improvement

Categories

Source: http://atixi.com/home-improvement/

san antonio spurs greta van susteren tony parker the five year engagement chris kreider correspondents dinner 2012 white house correspondents dinner 2012

The Love Guru solves relationship conundrums | The Daily Aztec

Titleless in Tenochca: I?ve been dating this guy for two months and I can tell we?re both serious about each other, but I don?t know how to get him to have ?the talk? with me. I want to have a title, but I?m not sure if he wants to. What do I do?

Love Guru: Two months is definitely enough time to get the conversation going. Take initiative, girl! I?d definitely ease into it by saying something such as, ?So my friend asked me where we stand and I didn?t know what to tell her; what do you think?? Or just ask him what he thinks about relationships and titles in general. It sounds hard, but if you want something serious and he doesn?t, then you should find out soon before you waste any more time.

Be prepared if he doesn?t want a title and ask yourself why a title is so important. If he isn?t seeing anyone else, then maybe you should put on the brakes for a little bit longer. Don?t ruin what you have because you?re too focused on the future. Living in the moment is part of the fun with a new relationship.

He should know what?s going through your head, but I would avoid telling him everything on your mind. Tell him the direction you want to be going in and stay open-minded.

?

Delayed Destiny: I?m in love with a girl who already has a boyfriend. The girl and I have a lot in common and I really feel like she may be the one. What should I do?

?

Love Guru: This, my friend, must be one of the toughest predicaments for a man to be in. But have no fear?for if you truly love this girl, your heart will stop at nothing to win her over and this attitude will take you a long way. First things first: Don?t rush it. This is a delicate situation that needs to be carefully thought through before making any irrational moves. Think like a lion. No, I?m not saying to stalk her and then pounce the second she looks away, but, rather, be observant from a distance. Talk with her via text or other electronic communication; just keep the conversation casual and fun. She may eventually begin talking about her current boyfriend and the things she both likes and dislikes. Use this information to your advantage.

But waiting only works for so long before things may become serious between them. You must make your presence known after a while. I?m not advising you to become a home wrecker, but I?m advising you to eventually be able to tell it like it is to this girl so she knows what?s going on. As far as confrontation with the boyfriend goes, I have one simple rule?always be the bigger man. This will show a great deal of maturity, which she is bound to recognize and admire. Good luck, dude.

?

Decision Deadlock: I have been with my boyfriend since high school and have been trying to make the long distance work for the past year and a half. We have been fighting lately and I feel like we barely have anything in common anymore. He is my first boyfriend, so I am having trouble making the decision to keep us going or to break it off.

?

Love Guru: First loves can be a tricky subject because there is so much history. In addition to the struggles of a first love, you?re also dealing with long distance which can be extremely challenging as well. It seems like you aren?t entirely sure what your head and heart want. I recommend creating a pros and cons list. Reflect back on all of the great things you two have shared together, but also think about the negative aspects of your situation. If you notice the cons outweigh the pros, you?ll know what to do. You?re young and in college, maybe it?s time to branch out and try something new.

Source: http://www.thedailyaztec.com/2013/01/the-love-guru-solves-relationship-conundrums-2/

david foster wallace pinterest attwireless taylor swift zac efron the scream stephen colbert new madrid fault

Super Sports Golf & Recreation Center in Orange, CA | Flickr - Photo ...

Copy and paste the code below:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_t.jpg" width="100" height="56" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_t.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_s.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_s.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_q.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_q.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_m.jpg" width="240" height="135" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_m.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_n.jpg" width="320" height="180" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_n.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_z.jpg" width="640" height="359" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_z.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_c.jpg" width="800" height="449" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_c.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_b.jpg" width="1024" height="575" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_b57ee7b7e5_b.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<textarea name="SharingEmbedMarkupOBBCode" id="share-options-embed-textarea-o-bbcode" rows="4" wrap="virtual" class="embed-markup">[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/][img]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_2d311cf065_o.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/]Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/dwwp/]Daralee's Web World photos[/url], on Flickr<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/" title="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA by Daralee's Web World photos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8420996301_2d311cf065_o.jpg" width="1073" height="602" alt="Super Sports Golf &amp; Recreation Center in Orange, CA"></a>

Photo license: All Rights Reserved

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwwp/8420996301/

Chicago teachers strike september 11 2001 september 11 2001 dr oz serena williams blake lively Espn Fantasy Football

Azarenka beats Li, defends Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Victoria Azarenka had the bulk of the crowd against her. The fireworks were fizzling out, and when she looked over the net she saw Li Na crashing to the court and almost knocking herself out.

Considering the cascading criticism she'd encountered after her previous win, Azarenka didn't need the focus of the Australian Open final to be on another medical timeout.

So after defending her title with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over the sixth-seeded Li in one of the most unusual finals ever at Melbourne Park, Azarenka understandably dropped her racket and cried tears of relief late Saturday night.

She heaved as she sobbed into a towel beside the court, before regaining her composure to collect the trophy.

''It isn't easy, that's for sure, but I knew what I had to do,'' the 23-year-old Belarusian said. ''I had to stay calm. I had to stay positive. I just had to deal with the things that came onto me.''

There were a lot of those things squeezed into the 2-hour, 40-minute match. Li, who was playing her second Australian Open final in three years, twisted her ankle and tumbled to the court in the second and third sets.

The second time was on the point immediately after a 10-minute delay for the Australia Day fireworks - a familiar fixture in downtown Melbourne on Jan. 26, but not usually coinciding with a final.

Li had been sitting in her chair during the break, while Azarenka jogged and swung her racket around before leaving the court to rub some liniment into her legs to keep warm.

The 30-year-old Chinese player had tumbled to the court after twisting her left ankle and had it taped after falling in the fifth game of the second set. Immediately after the fireworks ceased, and with smoke still in the air, she twisted the ankle again, fell and hit the back of her head on the hard court.

The 2011 French Open champion was treated immediately by a tournament doctor and assessed for a concussion in another medical timeout before resuming the match.

''I think I was a little bit worried when I was falling,'' Li said, in her humorous, self-deprecating fashion. ''Because two seconds I couldn't really see anything. It was totally black.

''So when the physio come, she was like, 'Focus on my finger.' I was laughing. I was thinking, 'This is tennis court, not like hospital.'''

Li's injury was obvious and attracted even more support for her from the 15,000-strong crowd.

Azarenka had generated some bad PR by taking a medical timeout after wasting five match points on her own serve in her semifinal win over American teenager Sloane Stephens on Thursday. She came back after the break and finished off Stephens in the next game, later telling an on-court interviewer that she ''almost did the choke of the year.''

She was accused of gamesmanship and manipulating the rules to get time to regain her composure against Stephens, but defended herself by saying she actually was having difficulty breathing because of a rib injury that needed to be fixed.

That explanation didn't convince everybody. So when she walked onto Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, there were some people who booed, and others who heckled her or mimicked the distinctive hooting sound she makes when she hits the ball.

''Unfortunately, you have to go through some rough patches to achieve great things,'' she said. ''That's what makes it so special for me. I went through that, and I'm still able to kiss that beautiful trophy.''

She didn't hold a grudge.

''I was expecting way worse, to be honest. What can you do? You just have to go out there and try to play tennis in the end of the day,'' she said. ''It's a tennis match, tennis battle, final of the Australian Open. I was there to play that.

''The things what happened in the past, I did the best thing I could to explain, and it was left behind me already.''

The match contained plenty of nervy moments and tension, and 16 service breaks - nine for Li. But it also produced plenty of winners and bravery on big points.

Azarenka will retain the No. 1 ranking she's mostly held since her first Grand Slam win in Melbourne last year.

Li moved into the top five and is heartened by a recent trend of Australian runner-ups winning the French Open. She accomplished that in 2011, as did Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Maria Sharapova (2012).

''I wish I can do the same this year, as well,'' Li said.

Later Saturday, Bob and Mike Bryan won their record 13th Grand Slam men's doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-4.

Sunday's men's final features two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic and U.S. Open winner Andy Murray. Djokovic is seeking to become the first man in the Open era to win three titles in a row in Australia.

Azarenka was planning a night of partying to celebrate her second major title, with her friend Redfoo and the Party Rock crew, and was hopeful of scoring some tickets to the men's final.

She said she needed to let her hair down after a draining two weeks and hoped that by being more open and frank in recent times she was clearing up any misconceptions the public had of her.

''When I came first on the tour I kind of was lost a little bit,'' he said. ''I didn't know how to open up my personality. It's very difficult when you're alone. I was independent since I was, you know, 10 years old. It was a little bit scary and I wouldn't show my personality.

''So the (last) couple of years I learned how to open up to people and to share the moments. I wasn't really good before. I hope I got better. It's your judgment.''

NFL video from Yahoo! Sports:

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Tattoo artist lives his dream with Colin Kaepernick as canvas | Photos
? Dr. Phil lands big Manti Te'o hoaxer interview
? Are the 2012 Oakland A's sustainable?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/azarenka-secures-back-back-australian-113505989--ten.html

keith olbermann andrew bynum the time machine michelin tires michelin tires rett syndrome where the wild things are

RolePlayGateway?

The tone of this thread will be a mixture of the dark humor of Black Bulter, violence of Hellsing (OVA/Manga) with the snarkiness of Devil May Cry with a flair of The Godfather.

January 5th, 2013

Location: New York City

Operatives: Sector Jackel and Sector Hyde

Mission: Apprend rouge informant

Additional Notes: Keep public damage to a miniumum i.e NO EXPLOSIVES

It was a cold and wet day in New York City with a light rain starting to fall from the sky. The once busy streets of Dante Avenue were practially vacant for one single reason SLAYER operatives were currently on a mission. Said operatives were currently located inside a black van attempting to work out a plan...as well as refrain from killing each other.

"Our target is a Ferin by the name of Alexander Yente, who is currently under the guise of a human tattoo artist. Despite his status as netural he has been useful to our sector of Jackel as an informatant due to his personal relations with a servant of the Rein Crime Family, said servant is currently unidentifed by our reporters."

Glasses shined slightly for a moment as they were adjusted with a gloved hand revealing cold blue eyes staring intently at the file. The smooth voice continued reading as he turned the page of the file "Our target has been declared missing as of last week when he failed to show up for report. That is our mission to find our missing link so to speak".

"Maybe he just was out chasing some new tail. Don?t those Ferin go into heat around this time?"

A gruff new voice asked with impatience. Hiding out was not part of a Hyde's job. Hell, there was a reason he was currently even there was because the place they were staking out at was known for aggressive clients none too fond of humans unless they were a food source.

"That is beside the point; you don't seem to understand without him our Intel is as good as non-existent. Any future conflicts with the Rein family would be a grim situation even for you Hyde combatants."

"Any fight is a fight I am determined to win Suit. There is a reason I brought Gretel with me for this little mission". The rough voice spoke with a cheerful tone as the burly man gently patted the rocket launcher at his side.

Suit rolled his eyes as the large weapon. Hyde operatives were renowned in SLAYER for their combat skills; however silence was not in their skillset. As far as Suit was concerned the Hyde sector was all brawn and no brain..Tank was no exception. A loud beep broke the awkward silence as Suit nodded as the coordinator at SLAYER gave them the all clear to start the second phase of their mission. Casing the building itself and hopefully locating their target. The duo went over their plan once before stepping out into the now pouring rain.

Their destination was the vacant building in which they had been watching for the past two hours. Suit knew otherwise thanks to his glasses which allowed him to see through any type of camouflage magic or not. Adjusting the frame of his glasses with a small tap, data streamed across the glass before vanishing. Suit?s stoic demeanor broke for a moment as the building remained the same as ever aside from a bright neon sign boldly displaying ?W: Brothel and Bar?. A smirk appeared as Suit caught the wolfish smile of Tank who was gaping at the sign.

?What thought that you were the only one who knew about this place? The joys of technology my friend rendering any magical concealment worthless like a cheap trick...?

It was Tank?s turn to smirk as he slung an arm over the gangly frame of Suit, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes boldly stating
?Nah, I am just surprised you even know about this place. Everyone figured you were about as sexual as a rock.?

Tank grinned as he ruffled the man?s coal hair with a rough hand, much to the annoyance of the owner who swatted the hand away with surprising speed. His playful demeanor vanished as he was suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun. More specifically a pistol with a silencer in the right hand of an irritated Suit.

?Shut up and go around back NOW. Before I blow your damn head off and leave you to the strays to pick your corpse.?

?Morbid fellow aren?t you Suit.? Tank chuckled before heading into the alleyway for once being serious about his job, at least for now.

Suit placed the gun back into his suit with a sigh before entering the brothel with a blank face. The interior of the building smelled of alcohol and sex..an extremely nauseating combination. Suit glanced through the crowds trying to find his target. His search was interrupted by a buxom woman practically draping her scantily clad figure across Suit?s form painted lips pursed in a pout.

?Looking for someone handsome? Or perhaps just a good time?? The woman purred with lust dripping in her voice. A classic Ferin in heat still dangerous despite possibly being compromised. Suit?s cold eyes traced the woman?s form eyeing the tattoos that covered her body like a second form.
?Of course, I am darling allow me to escort you to somewhere..more private?

Gently grabbing the woman?s wrist Suit pulled her through the crowd out into the crisp air his hair rapidly becoming soaked from the rain. Slicking his hair back with a hand he shoved the woman against the wall. The woman gasped in surprise as her back collided roughly with the brick, her eyes darkening with desire.
?It?s okay sir..I like it rough?

Suit grinned at that comment before laughing coldly and stepping back with his gloved hands in his pocket. The large figure of Tank appeared behind him along with the glint of brass knuckles that lined his fingers.

?Now, lady I would hate to hit a girl..but we all know you an?t no gentlewoman? Tank grinned before gripping the slender throat of the shocked woman.
?Enough games Alexander we caught you so give up the act?

The woman hissed through her teeth as her ?tattoos? rapidly began to move before consuming her entire figure. Tank quickly removed his hand as the ink attempted to crawl onto the man?s hand like a type of parasite.

?Welcome back to the land of testosterone Alexander?I will never understand why you chose to cloak yourself in such a feminine form.? Alexander merely smirked with cocky look before brushing off his crisp white shirt.

Tank stood shocked as the man who was a she was acting so calm despite going through a complete transformation. Nothing on the Ferin?s file stated he had the power to change gender. A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his shocked state.
? No need to look so worried Tank, Alexander was merely cloaking himself with his ink in the form a woman. He cannot not switch genders without medical procedures as far as I know. Am I correct Alex??

?Yes you are Suit. I apologize for frightening your little giant. I couldn?t help myself humans are such amusing creatures.?
Suit grinned for the first time before calling in back to SLAYER headquarters. ? Target has been found and is willing to corporate. Mission complete?. His blue eyes glanced at Alexander who was merely toying with Tank now by constantly changing his hair color from crimson to a bubblegum pink.

Taping his glasses once more this time having them act as a recording device he readied himself to interview Alexander. Alexander?s antics stopped upon seeing a the blinking red light on the lens of the glasses.

?I do have a good reason for not reporting in Suit.?

Tank merely rolled his eyes and inched toward the handle of Gretel, ready at any moment to send an explosive rocket into the Ferin before him at any sign of hostile or dishonesty.

? Oh really what would that be??

?I was nearly murdered by another Ferin in the service of a rival family. My darling little Vixen graciously allowed me to copy her form in order to hide out in her master?s house. Now those were some interesting nights??
Suit held up his hand to cut off anymore unwanted monologues of Alexander?s love life. That was one thing that he did not need to include in the report. The only thing was of any use was the fact that it seemed tensions between rival families was growing once more.

It would be up to SLAYER to stand as the barrier between the supernatural and the public. After all the human public did not need to know what truly went bump in the night.

G

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

ozzie guillen buster posey eric holder eric holder carole king crystal renn matilda

Tiger: Creative Writing Worksheet

	108 1 2 3 4 5 rated by 3 teachers by simranraj Other Adjectives, Animals | Views: 538 | Level: Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate | 4 out of 5, rated by 3 teachers Tweet
	It's a creative free writing worksheet which you can use for your elementary students, words are given - let your students use all the words and describe a tiger in their own words. You can use this worksheet also for pre intermediate and intermediate students. Similar Worksheets Tiger Woods Free As A Bird [CREATIVE W ... The Egg: Creative Writing ... Register & Download only registered users can download

Source: http://busyteacher.org/14492-tiger-creative-writing-worksheet.html

michele bachmann donald trump Election 2012 map Election Results Map Early voting results BBC Dick Morris

Find Unexpected New Uses for Your Crock Pot ... - Limerick Patch

Sure, you've used your Crock Pot for soups and stews. You probably own a cookbook, and you might even have sites like Crock Pot Girls bookmarked.

But have you made bread in a Crock Pot? Would it ever cross your mind to prepare veggies in one?

Pinterest, my new go-to corner of the Internet for recipes and kitchen inspiration, has more slow-cooker ideas than you could prepare in two lifetimes. Here are a few of my favorite you-can-make-that-in-a-Crock-Pot? recipes.

Lemon and garlic artichokes - I'm not sure why this spiky green veggie - a thistle flower, to be exact - gives people such pause. It strikes fear into the hearts of men. Most of you have had artichoke hearts on pizza or in dip, but I'd bet few of you have prepared them fresh. Why not? They're delicious and extremely healthy. This step-by-step recipe, with photos, should help take some of the fear out of preparing fresh artichokes.

Cheesecake - Prepare a perfect cheesecake in your slow cooker! The secret is a water bath, so you'll have to find a heat-resistant dish that fits into the Crock Pot. Prepare crust and cheesecake batter in the dish, then lower carefully into water bath in the Crock Pot. Bake two to three hours (but check after one). Chill for two hours.

Sourdough bread -Whether you use prepared dough, or make your own, you can have freshly baked bread, in under three hours, from the slow cooker! This is also a great way to bake without heating up the oven. (Hard to think about this now while it's 12 degrees outside, I know, but keep this in mind come July!)

Sausage and egg casserole - A complete breakfast! In a slow cooker! Prepared the night before! Does it get any better? Layer hashbrowns, cooked sausage, onions and cheese, then pour seasoned, whisked eggs over the whole thing. Cook on low for six to eight hours (overnight), and enjoy in the a.m.

Baked apples - All the goodness of baked apple pie, without the guilt of the crust (although, admittedly, the crust is my absolutely favorite part). Carve out the core of six apples and fill them with a mix of brown sugar, nuts, butter and cinnamon. Pour apple juice or apple cider into the Crock Pot, around the apples. Cook on high for two and a half to three hours, until soft. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Have a favorite slow cooker recipe? Share it with us below!

Source: http://limerick.patch.com/articles/find-unexpected-new-uses-for-your-crock-pot

Colorado Shooting News joe paterno British Open MC Chris Colorado shooting suspect accuweather Finding Nemo 2

Frontiers publishes systematic review on the effects of yoga on major psychiatric disorders

Public release date: 25-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Gozde Zorlu
gozde.zorlu@frontiersin.org
Frontiers

Yoga on our minds: The 5,000-year-old Indian practice may have positive effects on major psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, ADHD and sleep complaints

Yoga has positive effects on mild depression and sleep complaints, even in the absence of drug treatments, and improves symptoms associated with schizophrenia and ADHD in patients on medication, according to a systematic review of the exercise on major clinical psychiatric disorders.

Published in the open-access journal, Frontiers in Psychiatry, on January 25th, 2013, the review of more than one hundred studies focusing on 16 high-quality controlled studies looked at the effects of yoga on depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, sleep complaints, eating disorders and cognition problems.

Yoga in popular culture

Yoga is a popular exercise and is practiced by 15.8 million adults in the United States alone, according to a survey by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau, and its holistic goal of promoting psychical and mental health is widely held in popular belief.

"However, yoga has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has become difficult for physicians and patients to differentiate legitimate claims from hype," wrote the authors in their study. "Our goal was to examine whether the evidence matched the promise."

Benefits of the exercise were found for all mental health illnesses included in the review, except for eating disorders and cognition problems as the evidence for these was conflicting or lacking.

Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke University Medical Center, US, and author of the study, explained that the emerging scientific evidence in support of the 5,000 year old Indian practice on psychiatric disorders is "highly promising" and showed that yoga may not only help to improve symptoms, but also may have an ancillary role in the prevention of stress-related mental illnesses.

The review found evidence from biomarker studies showing that yoga influences key elements of the human body thought to play a role in mental health in similar ways to that of antidepressants and psychotherapy. One study found that the exercise affects neurotransmitters, inflammation, oxidative stress, lipids, growth factors and second messengers.

Unmet need among mental health patients

Depression alone affects more than 350 million people globally and is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On World Mental Health Day last year, the WHO called for improved access to treatments.

While there has been an increase in the number of medications available for mental health disorders, many of which can be life saving for patients, there remains "a considerable unmet need," according to Dr. Meera Balasubramaniam, lead author of the study, who is also based at Duke University, US.

Poor compliance and relapse as well as treatment resistance are growing problems, and medications are expensive and can leave patients with significant side effects.

The Primary Care study, carried out by WHO, found that 60% of patients were still depressed after a year of being treated with an anti-depressant and a National Institute of Mental Health funded research showed remission in only one-third of patients.

"The search for improved treatments, including non-drug based, to meet the holistic needs of patients is of paramount importance and we call for more research into yoga as a global priority," said Doraiswamy. "If the promise of yoga on mental health was found in a drug, it would be the best selling medication world-wide," he added.

There are many benefits associated with practicing yoga for improving mental health, including, fewer side effects, relatively low cost, generally good access and the improvement of physical fitness, added the authors.

The authors also note that while the results are promising, the findings should be viewed as preliminary because all studies of yoga to date have consisted of small samples, and more rigorous research will be needed before the exercise can be applied to help patients with mental health disorders.

###

Researcher Contact:
Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy
Duke University Medical Center
murali.doraiswamy@duke.edu

Article Information: Yoga on our Minds: A Systematic Review of Yoga for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Authors: Meera Balasubramaniam, Shirley Telles and P. Murali Doraiswamy.

Front. Psychiatry DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00117

For online articles, please provide full citation and a link to the study, which is available for anyone to read free of charge. The study will be published when the embargo lifts on the following URL: http://www.frontiersin.org/Affective_Disorders_and_Psychosomatic_Research/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00117/abstract

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 25-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Gozde Zorlu
gozde.zorlu@frontiersin.org
Frontiers

Yoga on our minds: The 5,000-year-old Indian practice may have positive effects on major psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, ADHD and sleep complaints

Yoga has positive effects on mild depression and sleep complaints, even in the absence of drug treatments, and improves symptoms associated with schizophrenia and ADHD in patients on medication, according to a systematic review of the exercise on major clinical psychiatric disorders.

Published in the open-access journal, Frontiers in Psychiatry, on January 25th, 2013, the review of more than one hundred studies focusing on 16 high-quality controlled studies looked at the effects of yoga on depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, sleep complaints, eating disorders and cognition problems.

Yoga in popular culture

Yoga is a popular exercise and is practiced by 15.8 million adults in the United States alone, according to a survey by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau, and its holistic goal of promoting psychical and mental health is widely held in popular belief.

"However, yoga has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has become difficult for physicians and patients to differentiate legitimate claims from hype," wrote the authors in their study. "Our goal was to examine whether the evidence matched the promise."

Benefits of the exercise were found for all mental health illnesses included in the review, except for eating disorders and cognition problems as the evidence for these was conflicting or lacking.

Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke University Medical Center, US, and author of the study, explained that the emerging scientific evidence in support of the 5,000 year old Indian practice on psychiatric disorders is "highly promising" and showed that yoga may not only help to improve symptoms, but also may have an ancillary role in the prevention of stress-related mental illnesses.

The review found evidence from biomarker studies showing that yoga influences key elements of the human body thought to play a role in mental health in similar ways to that of antidepressants and psychotherapy. One study found that the exercise affects neurotransmitters, inflammation, oxidative stress, lipids, growth factors and second messengers.

Unmet need among mental health patients

Depression alone affects more than 350 million people globally and is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On World Mental Health Day last year, the WHO called for improved access to treatments.

While there has been an increase in the number of medications available for mental health disorders, many of which can be life saving for patients, there remains "a considerable unmet need," according to Dr. Meera Balasubramaniam, lead author of the study, who is also based at Duke University, US.

Poor compliance and relapse as well as treatment resistance are growing problems, and medications are expensive and can leave patients with significant side effects.

The Primary Care study, carried out by WHO, found that 60% of patients were still depressed after a year of being treated with an anti-depressant and a National Institute of Mental Health funded research showed remission in only one-third of patients.

"The search for improved treatments, including non-drug based, to meet the holistic needs of patients is of paramount importance and we call for more research into yoga as a global priority," said Doraiswamy. "If the promise of yoga on mental health was found in a drug, it would be the best selling medication world-wide," he added.

There are many benefits associated with practicing yoga for improving mental health, including, fewer side effects, relatively low cost, generally good access and the improvement of physical fitness, added the authors.

The authors also note that while the results are promising, the findings should be viewed as preliminary because all studies of yoga to date have consisted of small samples, and more rigorous research will be needed before the exercise can be applied to help patients with mental health disorders.

###

Researcher Contact:
Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy
Duke University Medical Center
murali.doraiswamy@duke.edu

Article Information: Yoga on our Minds: A Systematic Review of Yoga for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Authors: Meera Balasubramaniam, Shirley Telles and P. Murali Doraiswamy.

Front. Psychiatry DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00117

For online articles, please provide full citation and a link to the study, which is available for anyone to read free of charge. The study will be published when the embargo lifts on the following URL: http://www.frontiersin.org/Affective_Disorders_and_Psychosomatic_Research/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00117/abstract

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/f-fps012213.php

kim kardashian flour bomb hunger games box office xavier joan crawford joan crawford john goodman kendall marshall