knitted adriatic: November 2012

Friday, November 30, 2012

Superheroes, Bond, hobbits vie for effects Oscar

AAA??Nov. 29, 2012?3:20 PM ET
Superheroes, Bond, hobbits vie for effects Oscar
AP

FILE - This publicity file photo released by Warner Bros., shows the character Gollum voiced by Andy Serkis in a scene from the fantasy adventure "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." The superhero blockbusters ?The Avengers,? ?The Dark Knight Rises? and ?The Amazing Spider-Man? are among 10 films that have made the cut for visual-effects nominations for the Feb. 24 Oscars. The other seven contenders announced Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, are the Bond adventure ?Skyfall,? ?Snow White and the Huntsman,? ?The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,? ?Cloud Atlas,? ?John Carter,? ?Life of Pi? and ?Prometheus.? (AP Photo/Warner Bros., File)

FILE - In this film publicity image released by Disney, Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor, left, and and Chris Evans portrays Captain America in a scene from "The Avengers." The superhero blockbusters ?The Avengers,? ?The Dark Knight Rises? and ?The Amazing Spider-Man? are among 10 films that have made the cut for visual-effects nominations for the Feb. 24 Oscars. The other seven contenders announced Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, are the Bond adventure ?Skyfall,? ?Snow White and the Huntsman,? ?The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,? ?Cloud Atlas,? ?John Carter,? ?Life of Pi? and ?Prometheus.? (AP Photo/Disney, Zade Rosenthal, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? James Bond, Snow White and a whole lot of hobbits and superheroes are in the running for the visual-effects prize at the Academy Awards.

The superhero blockbusters "The Avengers," ''The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Amazing Spider-Man" are among 10 films that made the cut for visual-effects nominations for the Oscars on Feb. 24.

The other seven contenders announced Thursday include the Bond adventure "Skyfall," ''Snow White and the Huntsman," ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," ''Cloud Atlas," ''John Carter," ''Life of Pi" and "Prometheus."

Members of the academy's visual-effects branch will view 10-minute excerpts from each of the films on Jan. 3, and then pick five nominees for the Oscars.

Nominations for the 85th Oscars will be announced Jan. 10.

___

Online:

http://www.oscars.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-11-29-Oscars-Visual%20Effects/id-ef4a0d264eb940ae85895cce0910277d

best superbowl commercials 2012 best super bowl ads chrysler super bowl commercial madonna half time show fiat 500 abarth madonna halftime m i a

Exploring post-divorce feelings may not help, study claims - Marilyn ...

Keeping a diary to explore your emotions after a divorce may do more harm than good, according to a new study from the University of Arizona.

Writing is a tool recommended by some therapists to encourage emotional healing after stressful life changes like divorce. The study, set to be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Clinical Psychological Science, examined the effect of three different styles of diary writing amongst 90 divorced or separated people. One group was asked to write diaries freely exploring their feelings and emotions; a second was also asked to write about their emotions, but in a narrative structure; and a third, the control group, was asked to keep a journal about their every day activities but not include any reference to their emotions.

The original aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of the two styles of emotional writing but after eight months, the researchers found that the non-emotional approach used by the control group was actually the most effective at promoting emotional healing, especially amongst a type of people referred to in the study as ?high ruminators?. These were defined as people who ?have a tendency to ruminate on their [failed relationship], brood on their experience and go over it and over it and over it again.?

Psychological scientist David Sbarra said dwelling on the past could be unhelpful. ?If a person goes over and over something in their head, and then you say, ?Write down your deepest darkest thoughts and go over it again,? we will intensify their distress.?

He added:

?If you?re someone who tends to be totally in your head and go over and over what happened and why it happened, you need to get out of your head and just start thinking about how you?re going to put your life back together and organize your time.?

Photo by?Barnaby Dorfman?under a Creative Commons licence?

Was this post valuable?

Share this post

Get free family law updates

Posted on 30 November 2012

Source: http://www.marilynstowe.co.uk/2012/11/30/exploring-post-divorce-feelings-may-not-help-study-claims/

hunger games box office xavier joan crawford joan crawford john goodman kendall marshall whitney houston news

Sneak peek at early course of bladder infection caused by widespread, understudied parasite

ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2012) ? Using standard tools of the molecular-biology trade and a new, much-improved animal model of a prevalent but poorly understood tropical parasitic disease called urogenital schistosomiasis, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers were able to obtain "snapshots" of shifting gene activity levels during the early, acute phase of what for most becomes a chronic bladder infection.

The findings, described in a study to be published online Nov. 29 in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, could lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to urogenital schistosomiasis, a chronic disease that infects about 112 million people, almost entirely in developing countries and particularly in Africa, said Michael Hsieh, MD, PhD, assistant professor of urology and the study's senior author.

"Schistosomiasis is a huge global health problem and one of the most neglected of the neglected tropical diseases," said Hsieh. "Some 150,000 people die each year from urogenital-schistosomiasis-induced kidney failure. And this doesn't include deaths from bladder cancer or as a result of increased susceptibility to other infections, such as HIV, attributable to schistosomiasis-generated genital tract damage." Estimates that take into account chronic schistosomiasis' overall impact on quality of life place it on a par with other world-class health scourges such as malaria and tuberculosis.

Schistosomiasis is caused by a parasitic worm of the genus Schistosoma. Different Schistosoma species infect different organs, said Hsieh, whose research focuses on infection-induced bladder inflammation. S. haematobium, which is responsible for infection of the urogenital tract, is acquired by exposure to contaminated water. "The parasite larvae can smell fatty acids in our skin as well as detect motion. They're like smart bombs, equipped to find us."

After invading the skin and a pass through the circulatory system, the larvae mature to adulthood, lodge in blood vessels of the bladder wall and other pelvic organs and begin to lay eggs. A single worm can extend to several millimeters, lay hundreds of sand-grain-sized eggs every day and live for years to decades, Hsieh said.

In a study published recently in the British Medical Journal, John Ioannidis, MD, DSc, a Stanford professor of medicine, deplored the dearth of treatments for neglected tropical diseases including schistosomiasis. There are no vaccines for preventing it, and only a single drug, praziquantel, is approved by the World Health Organization for treating it. While cheap and relatively effective, it doesn't cure all infections. Plus it tastes terrible, which causes a surprisingly large number of people to stop taking it. Experts believe it's just a matter of time before the parasite develops resistance to praziquantel.

Despite a pressing need to come up with good anti-S. haematobium agents, almost all the existing medical literature is on other Schistosoma species. That's because until recently there were no practical animal models for S. haematobium infection. "We know next to nothing about the earliest molecular events in the bladder after eggs enter the tissue," said Hsieh. "When you try to naturally infect mice by simply exposing them to the parasite, the mice develop an infection in their liver or intestine instead of their bladder wall."

In March of this year, Hsieh and his colleagues reported, in the journal PLoS Pathogens, that they had solved this problem by injecting S. haematobium eggs directly into the bladder wall of ordinary laboratory mice. For the new PLoS-NTD study, Hsieh and his colleagues used this mouse model to synchronize the initiation of bladder infection by the parasite, thereby synchronizing the timing of post-infection changes that take place in bladder tissue so the researchers could better observe the parasitic infection's early trajectory. They injected about 3,000 parasite eggs into each of a few dozen lab mice and used microarray technology -- a method of globally measuring the activity of virtually every gene in a tissue -- to monitor thousands of genes' activity levels in bladder-wall tissue over the ensuing weeks.

The investigators set their microarray probe's sensitivity to flag any gene whose activation level either increased or decreased by a factor of two or more. They monitored thousands of genes whose activity levels were either amped up or tamped down at one, three and five weeks post-infection. These changes peaked at merely three weeks post-infection. "This is an important result," said Hsieh. "It shows that continuous waves of egg deposition, not just the initial schistosome infection, are what's generating chronic disease. So if you can kill the worms flat-out, you should be able to halt the cycle."

It would have been impossible to see this simply by observing patients, said Hsieh. "With the natural human infection, you never know when any given person is initially infected -- unless it's that unfortunate American tourist that got infected while swimming in Lake Victoria on a weeklong Africa visit," he said.

The team also noted that these gene-activity changes fell into clusters. "Very soon after infection, we saw changes in activation levels in a cluster of cancer-associated genes. Likewise with another cluster of genes involved in fibrosis, or scarring, in the bladder. This confirms that fibrosis kicks in very quickly," said Hsieh -- a not unexpected result, as parasite eggs' burrowing causes significant bladder-wall damage.

On the other hand, within the first week there was a general suppression of genes associated with maintaining the integrity of the bladder wall. Inadequate production of this group of molecules would be expected to result in a leaky bladder wall, said Hsieh, and it probably did. "This happened at a time when the mice were shedding eggs in their urine. So it probably accounts for not only a lot of urinary symptoms but a significant aspect of the disease's transmission -- the expulsion of eggs into the urine, which eventually contaminates another body of water," he said.

Finally, as has been observed in infections produced by other Schistosomal species, the Stanford team noted signs of a shift in character of the immune response toward a state that it is oriented to tissue repair and to isolating pathogens -- effectively attempting to enclose them in cement-like jails called granulomas -- in order to prevent further tissue damage. (This mode of immune response may be best-suited to combating relatively large pathogens that would be likely to withstand an attempt by the immune system to kill them outright in a frenzy of inflammatory fury.)

Hsieh's group corroborated their microarray results at both intracellular and macroscopic levels with ultrasound, microscopic and molecular assessments. For instance, discernible evidence of scarring in bladder-wall tissue coincided with microarray readings indicating fibrosis-gene activation.

"Schistosomes have evolved with mammals for millions of years," said Hsieh. "Our shared evolutionary history makes our findings in mice likely to be relevant to humans. These observations may also have implications for fibrotic disease in general. Understanding fibrosis is very important, because it is involved in cardiovascular disease, cancer and other diseases accounting for up to half of all deaths in the developed world."

The S. haematobium mouse model may also pinpoint biomarkers that enhance the detection and monitoring of incipient bladder cancer, a poorly understood disease.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Stanford University Medical Center. The original article was written by Bruce Goldman.

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

Journal Reference:

Debalina Ray, Tyrrell A. Nelson, Chi-Ling Fu, Shailja Patel, Diana N. Gong, Justin I. Odegaard, Michael H. Hsieh. Transcriptional Profiling of the Bladder in Urogenital Schistosomiasis Reveals Pathways of Inflammatory Fibrosis and Urothelial Compromise. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012; 6 (11): e1912 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001912

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/~3/uRI8oRSQJfk/121129173946.htm

London Olympics Kristen Stewart Rupert Sanders Photos 2016 Olympics TD Bank mountain lion hanley ramirez Christian Bale visits victims

City Examines Incentives for Visa Jobs

News, Top Stories

November 28, 2012 5:44 pm by: Mark Dewey

The Austin City Council today reviewed its plan to offer incentives to the credit card company Visa to establish an information technology center in the city.

The incentives total $250 per job per year, for 10 years. To earn the money, Visa has to create 794 full-time jobs. Those jobs average $113,000 annual salary plus benefits. The council heard comments from the public, including Paul Robbins, who said Austin?s already high housing and utility costs are a reason to oppose incentives for ventures like Visa and Formula One.

?Credit transactions and race cars are not at the top of this pyramid,? Robbins said.

If the council approves the plan, the state of Texas will pay Visa an additional $8 million in incentives.

Source: http://kut.org/2012/11/city-examines-incentives-for-visa-jobs/

Tim Berners-Lee Olympics 2012 Schedule Kenneth Branagh Lupe Ontiveros London 2012 China muhammad ali Opening ceremony London 2012

Google adds spreadsheet editing to Drive mobile app

It's frustrated many a Drive user, and Google has taken heed, adding on-the-go spreadsheet editing to the service's iOS and Android apps. In addition to making tweaks to existing cells, users will also be able to create new spreadsheets from their iPads, iPhones or any Android device. You'll also have realtime access, letting you see changes from friends and colleagues as they're made. Other app tweaks include improved formatting reproduction for content pasted between Google documents, along with the ability to add Android home screen shortcuts to any Drive file. Hit up Google Play for the updated application today.

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

Comments

Source: Google Drive Blog

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/KFIgZuoGE_8/

kevin kolb sarah shahi george clooney rutgers dharun ravi george clooney arrested ravi

Thursday, November 29, 2012

iTunes 11 now available to download: fresh design, more iCloud features

Apple's thoroughly re-engineered iTunes is now ready for you to try. The desktop download includes a new MiniPlayer for playing tracks in a widget-sized window, an "Up Next" feature for cueing up songs and viewing what's next at a glance, and -- if you can't decide which tune to rack up -- Apple's software will now offer "instant recommendations" of its own. iTunes 11 will also endeavor to relocate your position within a song, movie or TV shows if your media consumption ever gets interrupted. Finally, iCloud integration will allow you to play back your library on any device, while an offline option should allow in-flight or underground listening sessions to continue without a hitch. Right now, iTunes 11 is mostly appearing as an option in Software Update for existing users, although it shouldn't be long before manual downloads are at hand.

Jon Fingas contributed to this report.

Filed under: Software, Apple

Comments

Source: Apple

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/29/itunes-11/

2012 nfl schedule dishonored april 18 delonte west vanessa williams nicklas backstrom discovery shuttle

Murder trial in Russia inflames ethnic tensions

MOSCOW (AP) ? A world martial arts champion from Russia's southern Caucasus region was convicted Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter, but set free after a trial that inflamed ethnic tensions.

The verdict led to protests by nationalists outside the court and prompted Russian riot police to flood the wide square outside the Kremlin to prevent possible violent clashes between nationalists and ethnic minorities from the Caucasus.

Rasul Mirzayev had punched former police academy student Ivan Agafonov outside a Moscow nightclub in 2011 after the drunken 19-year-old offended Mirzayev's girlfriend. Agafonov fell down, hitting his head on a sewer grate, and died four days later.

Mirzayev's trial had raised the anger of nationalists, who accused him of deliberately killing the Russian student. The athlete's supporters argued that Agafonov had provoked the lethal punch and his killing was accidental.

The Zamoskvoretsky court ruled Tuesday that since Mirzayev had already served his sentence while in custody awaiting trial he could walk free.

There are significant tensions between ethnic Russians, who make up two-thirds of the country's 142 million people, and dark-complexioned Muslims from the Caucasus, where there are more than 100 ethnic groups. Hundreds of thousands of Caucasus natives have flooded central Russia in search of jobs, causing a clash of cultures that aggravates deeply ingrained xenophobia.

Mirzayev, a bearded and lean 26-year-old, comes from Dagestan, Russia's most multiethnic province. Dagestan has for years been an epicenter of an Islamic insurgency that stems from separatist wars in neighboring Chechnya.

The Caucasus has also been beset by high unemployment and rampant corruption. The Kremlin has spent billions of dollars to subsidize the restive region, but government critics say most of the money is embezzled by local leaders.

Polls show that nearly half of Russians resent the Kremlin subsidies and dislike migrants from both the Caucasus and the former Soviet states in Central Asia.

A protest led by neo-Nazi leader Dmitri Demushkin erupted outside the court building Tuesday. Moscow police said six protesters, including Demushkin, were detained, while several dozen others chanted "Shame!" A similar protest took place in the western Siberian city of Novosibirsk.

Hundreds of riot police gathered outside the Kremlin, where they blocked off Red Square and limited access to the adjacent Manezh Square to prevent a nationalist rally. Two years ago, thousands of ultranationalists clashed with police and beat dark-skinned passersby on Manezh Square to protest the shooting of a Russian soccer fan by a group of Caucasus men.

A top human rights advocate urged Russians not to escalate ethnic tensions following Mirzayev's release.

"There is no need to turn this everyday conflict into an inter-ethnic collision," Mikhail Fedotov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

But thousands of angry comments made the conviction one of the top Twitter hashtags in Russia.

"Such verdicts might trigger a social explosion," opposition leader and outspoken Kremlin critic Vladimir Milov tweeted.

Other comments suggested that Mirzayev's release was prompted by pressure from the Kremlin and Caucasus leaders.

"The regime is more afraid of a small riot in the Caucasus than a big one throughout Russia," opposition activist Nikolai Permyakov tweeted.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny years ago coined a phrase urging the Kremlin to "stop feeding the Caucasus" and until this year was among the organizers of the Russian March, an annual rally of ultranationalists that also draws neo-Nazis, monarchists and militant Orthodox Christians.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/murder-trial-russia-inflames-ethnic-tensions-142520597--spt.html

file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer tax day freebies madison bumgarner wnba draft tax day

PST: Man U keeper talks about gays, soccer

It?s all about context. For you or I to say soccer needs a prominent player to declare his homosexuality would be so mundane as to border on a truism. Oh, so you think it would be a good thing if players worked in an atmosphere where being open about their sexuality would face no?repercussions? Please, tell me more about your epiphany.?

That we even use the pronoun ?his? in this conversation shows how perverse the topic is. Among female players, the presence of homosexuals is a non-issue. Megan Rapinoe?s confirmation of her sexual identity only made waves among people who aren?t fans of women?s soccer. Hopefully those waves serve to highlight the fact that this really shouldn?t be an issue.

In the men?s game, it?s still a big deal. As many outlets have noted today, there hasn?t been an openly gay active male soccer player since?Justin Fashanu (who played in the English First Division as well as for various teams in North America). Fashanu came out in 1990 and continued playing until 1997 (passing away in 1998).

David Testo is another exception of sorts. Last November, the former Montreal Impact midfielder made public the fact he was gay, but he also said his family, teams, and teammates were aware of his sexuality. It?s important to note: Us not knowing about gay footballers doesn?t mean they?re also unknown to their teammates.

Statistically speaking, it?s impossible that aren?t a lot more David Testos out there. According to a recent survey, approximately one in 28.5 adults in the United States identifies as gay, lesbian or bisexual, a number that certainly understates the case (many people are still reticent to be open with their homosexuality).

Per the numbers, there should be a handful of homosexual men in each major league. Even if you wish to posit homosexuals are less likely to make a living in professional sports, there should still be six-to-eight gay, first team players in each big professional league.

And there likely are. They just aren?t playing in an environment where being open is conducive to a long, professional career.

Which brings us to Manchester United goalkeeper Andres Lindegaard, who decided to take up the issue in a blog for a Danish betting site. His thoughts aren?t any more revolutionary than the mundane truisms we might overhear elsewhere, but the fact they?re coming from an active player at a prominent club make them newsworthy.

According to the Red Devils? co-No. 1, the gay community is in need of a hero, and soccer culture (specifically fans, not players) need to change.

Here are his words, as distributed by the Telegraph:

?Homosexuals are in need of a hero,? Lindegaard said in his blog. ?They are in need of someone who dares to stand up for their sexuality. But homosexuality in football is a taboo subject and the atmosphere on the pitch and in the stands is tough.

?As a footballer, I think a homosexual colleague would be afraid of the reception he could get from the fans, but my impression is that the players would not have a problem accepting a homosexual.

?The problem for me is that a lot of football fans are stuck in a time of intolerance that does not deserve to be compared with modern society?s development in the last decades.

?While the rest of the world has been more liberal, civilised and less prejudiced, the world of football remains stuck in the past when it comes to tolerance.

?To turn a blind eye only indicates that one is not recognising that there is a problem.?

Lindegaard fears that promising footballers could be lost to the game as a result of their sexuality.

?Of course there is a problem if young homosexuals, who love football, have to quit the sport because they feel excluded.? Lindegaard said. ?That is in every way an unpleasant trend that does not belong in a modern and liberal society.?

Earlier today, we talked about the reception the U.S. Women?s National Team got in Portland ? how so many kids see them as heroes for what they do on the field. It would be a naive to think the players? gender has nothing to do with that. While there were certainly a number of children who just see the USWNT as awesome soccer players, the fact that they?re women soccer players make them icons in a sports world that could use more female representation.

Lindegaard brings up the example of young homosexual athletes who, like those kids at Jeld-Wen, could use some icons, if for not other reason than to help stay on course while navigating the trials toward professional career.

Soccer culture should be open to that possibility.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/28/anders-lindegaard-and-the-likelihood-of-silent-gay-soccer-players/related

one world trade center bks new dark knight rises trailer khloe and lamar oklahoma city thunder rajon rondo sunoco

Nevada to Compete in the Seventh Annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl

11/26/2012 - Nevada to Compete in the Seventh Annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Gildan New Mexico Bowl

First game of the season kicks off with Wolf Pack making second appearance in Albuquerque this season.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- ESPN Regional Television (ERT) and the Gildan New Mexico Bowl announce that the Nevada Wolf Pack have accepted an invitation to the seventh annual game to be played on Saturday, Dec. 15. The game, which should pit the 7-4 program against a member of the Pac-12, will kick off the FBS postseason, at 11 a.m. MT at University Stadium on the University of New Mexico campus and air nationally on ESPN, ESPN HD and ESPN Radio.

?We are happy to welcome Nevada back to the Gildan New Mexico Bowl,? said Jeff Siembieda, Gildan New Mexico Bowl Executive Director. ?They are an exciting team having a terrific season and we look forward to hosting Coach Ault and his team for what should be another great bowl week.?

Nevada, representing the Mountain West Conference, makes its second appearance in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The Wolf Pack competed in the 2007 game as a representative of the WAC, falling 23-0 to the New Mexico Lobos.

The Wolf Pack are 7-4 overall and 4-3 in league play with one game remaining in the regular season, hosting No. 22 Boise State on Saturday, Dec. 1. Their last game was in Albuquerque on Nov. 17, where the Wolf Pack picked up a 31-24 win over New Mexico. Nevada ranks seventh in the nation in rushing offense and 10th in total offense. They are led by running back Stefphon Jefferson, who is second in the country in rushing.
Nevada has been to seven straight bowl games, competing last year in the Sheraton Hawai`i Bowl against Southern Miss. The Wolf Pack?s last victory in a bowl game was the 2010 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, topping Boston College, 20-13.

Tickets, which are on sale now, range from $25-$40 and can be purchased at the University of New Mexico Ticket Office located in The Pit, online at www.unmtickets.com, or by calling 925-LOBO or 925-5999.
The Gildan New Mexico Bowl is owned and operated by ERT.

Source: http://www.itsatrip.org/media/press-releases/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=900

kelly clarkson playoffs empty nest nbc sports bengals vs texans nfl playoffs cincinnati bengals

Build a Brand, They Will Come, And Don't Be Afraid to Let Go of ...

Dave Perry-Miller ? his name is now on a luxury real estate boutique company. He has been honored innumerable times as one of Dallas? top-producing agents, and is a leader in sales of million-dollar properties. With more than $800 million (wowzers!) in sales and 850 satisfied customers, the Wall Street Journal ranked him #27 in sales in the United States in 2006 and as having the most million-dollar residential sales in Texas. For 30 years, Dave has sold many of Dallas? most significant homes, including Frank Lloyd Wright- and Phillip Johnson-designed properties. His reputation with home buyers and peers in the industry globally is stellar and growing as he recently returned from an international sales conference in Europe. He often represents multiple generations of buyers and sellers in the same family.

Though his name is on the door ? Ebby Halliday bought his company in 2007 ? ?Dave is still an agent at heart and loves to share his passion for architecture, art and design with home buyers, sellers and even other agents. We caught up with him recently to learn just how he does it.

CD: Where are you from??

Dave: I came down to Dallas in 1980 from Virginia when I graduated from Washington and Lee University where I studied architecture.

CD: Considering that George Washington funded that university, I imagine there was a lot of great architecture to study! Did you plan to be an architect?

Dave: (laughs). No, I?m too dyslexic for that ? my buildings would probably all fall down. But I love architecture and selling real estate lets me see a lot of architecturally interesting homes.

CD: Why did you come down to Dallas and how did you get into real estate?

Dave: ?I had friends down here from college and had visited the previous year. Sixty days after I?d established my residency, I got my real estate license and nearly starved to death. At one point I gave my watch as collateral for $12 worth of gas. I was four days out from my first closing. Luckily, I didn?t know any better and I sold a number of expensive homes in Lakewood right after that, including Ray Hubbard?s estate which was the most expensive home in Dallas at the time. I never looked back from there.

CD: Where is home for you in Dallas?

Dave: For the past 20 years I?ve lived in a 1930?s colonial revival cottage in Bluffview. It was designed by Henry ?Coke? Knight ? the same architect who designed the Museum of Fine Art in Fair Park.

CD: And you drive a? let me guess, Mercedes Benz???

Dave: It depends on where I am. I have two vintage Mercedes Convertibles that I drive when I?m visiting my homes in Palm Springs and Tucson.? I drive a Jaguar XJR here in Dallas and I have a Jeep Wagoneer that I drive when I?m in Nantucket.

CD: What?s your favorite ?hood in Dallas and why?

Dave: Obviously I love Bluffview and I?m a huge fan of old Highland Park and old Preston Hollow, but if I were younger, I think I?d move to Kessler Park. It has such great energy and I love the restaurants and shops that are popping up there. The houses are interesting on these beautiful huge lots with old trees.

CD: What was your best/highest sale?

Dave: Besides the Hubbard estate which helped me get established, the two houses I?m the most proud of were the Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson homes. They were in disrepair and in danger of demolition. I was able to sell them to preservationists who have restored them to their former glory and they are magnificent. I hate to think Dallas might have lost two such treasures.

CD: What was your hardest or worst sale?

Dave: Hmm. I guess I?d have to say Candy Evans? house. It was like herding a cat to get the deal done. And she had seller?s remorse at closing! She?s always running around. I loved the house and Candy. We laughed a lot and are still friends 10 years later.

CD: How quickly have you ever turned a house?

Dave: We often find a buyer before the house even goes on the market ? a few hours basically.

CD: How much did you sell last year?

Dave: Although I still sell a few properties myself each year, my associates do a lot of the leg work nowadays. I referred out over $100 million to them last year.

CD: What have you learned in 30 years of selling?

Dave: I tell my agents, ?Selling is a mindset.? If I can sell multimillion dollar properties at the age of 23 while living in a $325-a-month apartment eating Ramen noodles, so can they. Customers don?t care if you have expensive houses or cars they only care about what you can do for them and how professionally you do it.

I always looked at my career as a profession, not a transaction. I was in it for the long haul so building relationships was very important to me. I enjoy people and try to bring some fun to my relationships. For example, a client of mine crashed his Porsche 10 days after he got it and was upset. I wrote him a ?get well? card from my Jaguar to his Porsche which made him laugh at the situation.

I knew early on that I needed to brand myself and distinguish myself from the competition ? just like we do with the houses we sell. I carved out my niche of selling architecturally interesting luxury homes right from the beginning. It fit in with my love of architecture, art and design and it fit with who I am as a person. The most successful agents I see have built businesses that reflect who they are as people as well as professionals.

Most realtors don?t get that. They don?t know how to brand themselves and it holds them back in more than one way. Not only are they not memorable, but a prospective seller will naturally wonder ?if he can?t sell himself, how is he going to sell my house??

I also tell them that if all else fails, get a dog.? I use my dog Tucker as a courier and business development program for my business. He comes to the office with me about four times a week and has helped me find new sellers. He?s very charming. OK, maybe not all dogs are as talented as Tucker, but they all will run right up to a new person and make friends without a moment?s fear or hesitation ? a great skill for a salesperson.

CD: If you ever change careers for an encore you?ll?

Dave: I can?t imagine doing anything else. I can only imagine doing it somewhere else like Palm Springs. I?ve sold three homes there already without meaning to in the neighborhood where I have my second home.

CD: How many second homes are we talking about here? And were you part of the inspiration for SecondShelters?

Dave: Quite possibly, you?ll have to ask Candy! A friend of mine told me once ?Dave, you can?t go anywhere for six hours without buying a house!? I have too many second homes ? which wouldn?t stop me from buying another one if I fell in love with it. There?s the 1920?s Spanish Colonial in Tucson; the 1890 Victorian in southeast Arizona that used to be a B&B; my 1960 Bungalow in Palm Springs which was designed by Rick Harrison ? the same architect who designed the Palm Springs airport; and my 1930?s beach cottage on Nantucket Island. ?While I have them rented out most of the time, I love to visit often. Each one has furniture and decorations that suit the period and style of the house and neighborhood.

Source: http://www.candysdirt.com/2012/11/28/dave-perry-miller/

espn greg oden st patricks day st. bonaventure ira glass march madness swain

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Tech21 Impact Band is possibly the best bumper on the market for iPhone 5 [Review]

If you?re from the UK and you?ve ever watched the BBC series Dragon?s Den there?s a very good chance you?ll already have heard of the Tech21 company. The manufacturer?s products are all constructed from a material named D3O, which contains a very unique protective quality. The quality ? known by Tech21 as ?Impactology? ? essentially means that as it is hit, the particles tighten and the once soft and flexible material becomes incredibly hard. The harder you hit it, the harder D3O gets. In essence, it gets better at its job the more you subject it to. It?s pretty awesome.

I have to admit, I had one of the early Tech21 skins for iPhone 4 and was not impressed. The design and material meant it was a little loose. So, when they contacted me to ask me about reviewing the new range (just launched in the US) I was excited, but also unsure about what to expect.

The Impact Band is a bumper case with the added benefit of having a hard (but flexible) transparent back plate that?s removable. The case I got is a completely clear material, with the bright orange D3O running around the edge protecting all the corners. Not only does the orange vein add vital protection, it also adds to the aesthetic appeal. The bottom edge is pretty much completely exposed to the elements, thanks to a large cutout. The volume and power/lock buttons are all covered with specifically designed ?buttons? within the case. They can be a little hard to press at times, but not enough to put you off. Mute switch is easily accessible thanks to a well designed cutout with the perfect slanted edges to ensure you can stick any of your digits in there to switch the sound on or off with ease.

The Impact Band fits snugly around the phone, but it does add noticeably width to your handset. Texture wise, it?s an odd, semi-shiny and simultaneously sticky feel. A huge plus point is that ? in terms of resistance ? when you do use your grip to try and squash it, it has very little give and a whole lot of resistance. It gave me the reassurance that it was going to protect my iPhone with its life. Almost like my own iPhone bodyguard.

One part I almost dismissed as pointless turned out to be one of the elements I loved the most: the back plate. When I first put it on the phone, I genuinely thought that all it was for was to relieve my ?Scratchgateophobia?. Almost like an after thought, thrown in at then end. ?Just another clear plastic back cover!? Was my exact thought. And, to prove it (like any good reviewer would) I tried to break it by bending it, assuming it was a brittle material. I was expecting bits of hard plastic flying everywhere. Nothing of the sort. It bended. Needless to say I felt confused, shortly followed by sense of admiration. I even bent it double, with the top and bottom edges meeting, bracing myself for it to snap. Nope. The material didn?t even show any signs of disfigurement afterwards, no whitening where it had bent through the middle either. It?s not just an after-thought. It a stiff, shatter resistant, protective backplate. It may not look amazing on your phone, but it?s not going to break that?s for sure.

I found only two negative points worth noting. Firstly, the rubbery material left at the bottom edge (on the top and bottom of the cutout) is incredibly flexible. Although it?s not likely to break, it slips very easily and feels too loose. Sadly, I think that?s unavoidable without adding a hard material instead. Secondly, I?d love it if the volume and power buttons had a hard plastic cap, just to give it that more pleasing ?click?.

All-in-all, you get a whole lot of protection for your ?24.99 ($34.95) thanks to the revolutionary material and its qualities. I?m well impressed, and can?t wait to see what else this company has to offer. To check out the rest of Tech21?s gear, head on over to?http://shop.tech21.uk.com. US buyers should hit the Apple online store (where early reviews are excellent). UK buyers can purchase direct from the tech21 store link mentioned previously. Excellent job Tech21. Well played!

Source: http://www.todaysiphone.com/2012/11/tech21-impact-band-is-possibly-the-best-bumper-on-the-market-for-iphone-5-review/

x factor x factor megan fox Bb&t Lane Goodwin Romnesia eminem

Stephenie Zamora: Are You Living in Limbo?

Limbo. It's that awkward place between where you are now and where you'll be "soon."

Maybe you're planning to move across the country in the near future. Or your lease is ending in a few months and you're not sure if you'll be able to stay. Perhaps you have to travel for work off and on for the next six months.

So you think to yourself... What's the point in trying to meet someone new and amazing, I'll just be moving soon. Why bother getting that little arts and crafts corner set up in my current place, I may have to box it all up. Why bother taking that class, joining that group or making new friends, I'll just be on the go and away from it all.

The point is that life is precious and way too short to waste in limbo.

Limbo is also the birthplace of unfulfillment, depression, frustration, isolation and general "meh"-ness. When you allow yourself to enter the mental space of limbo, you effectively put living, loving, dreaming, scheming playing, connecting and whatever other wonderful ing-thing you want and desire on hold.

You put life on hold.

And when life is on hold, it slips by fast -- opportunities go unclaimed, amazing love remains undiscovered, friends, laughter, adventures and happiness fade away before you even experience them. All because you're waiting for something that's going to happen "soon."

Your "soon" may be two weeks, two years or two months. Doesn't matter. What matters is that you deserve an amazing, joy-filled life with phenomenal people in it.

So how do you stop living in limbo?

Start living in the moment.

One of the most transformational lessons I've learned in my life thus far is how to live in this exact moment, rather than getting lost in the mess of thoughts, negative chatter, worry, fear or drama in my head.

Think about it for a moment. (Yes, I'm giving you temporary permission to go in your head.) Instead of putting yourself out there, falling in love, making amazing friends, having fun and exciting life experiences, you're probably sitting at home or work thinking about how you'd love to be doing those things, but can't, since you have this change happening "soon."

Here's the truth, you can have those things. So what if you're only here for two more months? Get yourself out there and do all the things you want to do! Date (maybe even fall in love), meet new people (find the bestie you've always dreamed of), take that art class (so you'll miss the final show... at least you'll have made some art)!

Start showing up to every moment of every single day fully present and engaged in what you're doing or who you're with. Stop thinking about how things "have to be" because of something happening later. Be here now for this moment and have the most amazing experience you can.

Stop being afraid of what you can't control or foresee.

Unless you're some kind of amazing psychic, you don't know what's going to happen with anything, so stop assuming that you do.

"They won't want to hang out with someone who's moving soon."

"No one would ever want to date me seriously the way I have to travel."

"I'm not going to be able to stay here, anyway."

You don't know that. It's not possible for you to know that, especially when other people are involved. So stop assuming! Your "soon" is in the future, not right now. For all you know, you could meet a kindred spirit that you connect so deeply with you remain best friends via text, email and Skype for the rest of your lives. You could meet the man of your dreams who, by the time "soon" arrives, is willing to make things work. Or, your landlord will let you stay in your place and you just wasted a couple months not doing crafts because you assumed you'd have to move.

Stop being afraid or "realistic" about things... just live your life.

Remember that you can't control everything.

I strongly believe that if something's meant to happen, it will happen, whether you're ready for it or not. So if you're supposed to connect with someone specific, come across a certain opportunity or be guided in a certain direction, it's going to happen. Trust that everything happens for a reason and start moving with the flow of life.

Don't try so hard to maintain "control" of your life and your plan. When you do, you miss out on amazing things. Unexpected job offers, the person you're supposed to spend your life with, that best friend you've always wanted,

Just because you planned to move, change jobs, get married or whatever else, doesn't mean that's what's supposed to happen for you. If life presents you with an opportunity and your intuition says "hell yes!" you'd better listen up and act accordingly. Trying to control every little thing just causes unnecessary stress, frustration and anxiety. Loosen up your grip, begin listening to and trusting your intuition, and start to enjoy the amazing journey that is life.

Most importantly, stop wasting time in limbo!

Take action now!

If you feel like you're living in limbo, grab a notebook or journal and answer the following questions:

Why am I so afraid/hesitant to do the things I want to do?
How would it feel to do them anyway and really start living and enjoying my life in the present moment?
Where can I relax my need for control and start moving with the flow of life?

Then... close your eyes, take a deep breath and re-engage in your life, in this moment (and every single moment after that) fully and completely.

Stephenie Zamora is the founder of www.stepheniezamora.com, a full-service, life-purpose development, design and branding boutique. Here she merges the worlds of personal development and branding to help young women build passion-based businesses. Click here to download her free guide, "The Unexpected Trick to Transforming Your Life With ONE Single Question."

Connect with Stephenie on Facebook and Twitter!

For more by Stephenie Zamora, click here.

For more on happiness, click here.

Follow Stephenie Zamora on Twitter: www.twitter.com/StephenieZ

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephenie-zamora/happiness_b_2175805.html

zerg rush david wilson playstation all stars battle royale kim zolciak kim zolciak travis pastrana quinton coples

Human Resource Assistant ? (J5816)? Bristol ? up to ... - Lucy Bristow

Our client, a large firm based in Bristol has the opportunity for an HR Assistant to join the team for a 12 mth FTC.

Purpose of the role ?

To provide high quality Human Resource administration support

To ensure that the Human Resources department receive a

comprehensive operations service to meet the current and future

needs of the business.

To ensure line managers and candidates receive a first class and

professional HR and recruitment service.

Key customers and services ?

Ensure that the HR operations team services:

Reflect the Firm?s values;
Comply with current legislation and Company policy;
Are time/cost effective and efficient;
Are professional and high quality.
Understand and adopt the principles of acting as a professional service

provider.

Contribute to the continuous review and improvement of processes.
Promote a culture of mutual understanding through effective Communication

Person ?

Strong communication skills;
Self-motivated/pro-active;
Professional and flexible approach to work;
Able to operate as part of a team or on own initiative;
Strong organisational ability;
Strong interpersonal skills, able to interact with people at all

levels and be assertive;

Comprehensive knowledge of HR policies and processes.

Source: http://www.lucybristow.com/human-resource-assistant-j5816-bristol-up-to-20k-12-mth-ftc

old navy dallas cowboys walmart black friday walmart black friday Target Black Friday PacSun apple store

Users Abandon Ship If Online Video Quality Is Not Up To Snuff, Says Study

An anonymous reader writes "The first large scientific study of how people respond to poor video quality on the Internet paints a picture of ever rising user expectations and the willingness to abandon ship if those expectations are not met (PDF). Some nuggets: 1) Some users are willing to wait for no more than 2 seconds for a video to start playing, with each additional second adding 6% to the abandonment rate. 2) Users with good broadband connectivity expect faster video load times and are even more impatient than ones on mobile devices. 3) Users who experience video freezing watch fewer minutes of the video than someone who does not experience freezing. If a video freezes for 1% of its total play time, 5% less of its total play time is watched, on average. 4) Users who experience failures when they try to play videos are less likely to return to the same website in the future. Big data was analyzed (260+ million minutes of video) and some cool new data analysis techniques used."

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/U42wEN6r6mU/story01.htm

louisville lotto numbers susan powell megamillions winners university of louisville louisville ky final four

#SciAmBlogs Tuesday - parasitoid's parasitoid, complete Pompeii, smellspace, chimps, marmosets, lions, and more

About the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

More??

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=eec8fdf7cb5fa1537c3d74cb73291339

jimmy fallon nick collins dave matthews ambien wwdc heart attack grill madden 13 cover

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Rejewvenation2005.com | Shopping and Product Reviews

Without having a doubt, L-arginine benefits are the hot subject of conversation, but surprisingly, a lot of people are not conscious of just how long the list of benefits really is. Each day, much more and much more people are understanding that medical doctors and scientists have found that nitric oxide is 1 of the body?s most important molecules. That getting mentioned, you will be likely asking yourself what positive aspects are provided by introducing L-arginine to your body, and do you need it for anyone who is healthy?

Lower Cholesterol

A majority on the population is walking about with cholesterol levels that are far larger than they really should be. 1 from the greatest Marg Matrix rewards is the fact that it reduces poor cholesterol levels though increasing fantastic cholesterol levels. When you know that you?ll want to do anything about your cholesterol, but hate the thought of changing your eating plan drastically, L-arginine ought to be quite appealing to you. Needless to say, there will come a time, you will need to create those dietary modifications!

Heart Wellness

One particular in the most well-known L-arginine advantages is that it?s recommended to promote blood circulation for healthful vessels. It works by relaxing blood vessels and enabling blood to flow extra effectively. This reduces tension within the heart muscle, lowers high blood pressure and reduces the chance of blood clots forming. All this dictates to a lowered danger of heart attack and stroke.

Boosts Immune Technique

Are you an individual who seems to choose up every single cold that circulates, or do your wounds take longer than they should really to heal? Probably you have just had or are organizing to possess surgery; L-arginine can speed up recovery time by boosting your immune method.

Anti-aging

There is a lengthy list of unfavorable well being effects that come in addition to aging. L-arginine is viewed as an HGH enhancer which might help fight the aging process. It stimulates the pituitary gland to make far more of this pretty useful hormone.

Erectile Dysfunction

Even though a subject few want to speak about, numerous males are appreciating L-arginine advantages within this category. Because it enhances how productive nitric oxide is within your body, it enables muscles to relax, lets blood flow freely and final results in improved sexual well being.

Other Rewards

Even though the above are the most typical L-arginine positive aspects that most of the people are excited about, there are extra rewards to be reaped when your body makes right use of nitric oxide. It really is suggested that it could enable fight cancer, promote fat loss, enhance workouts and so much extra!

Source: http://rejewvenation2005.com/shopping-and-product-reviews/11/12/36/

mega millions winners anthony davis palm sunday toure patti smith lottery winners lottery winners

Source: http://josephmcgriff3.blogspot.com/2012/11/rejewvenation2005com-shopping-and.html

google drive apple stock pilar sanders andrew young real life barbie zipper armenian genocide

Asbestos Mesothelioma

http://www.humphreys.co.uk ?

Looking for asbestos compensation claims solicitors UK? Humphreys & Co. is UK's leading soliciting firm providing claims for mesothelioma and asbestos diseases throughout the UK. We have a dedicated and prominent industry disease and injury unit having vast experience in asbestos and mesothelioma related matters.

Created by raykersten 13 hours 43 min ago ? Made popular 13 hours 43 min ago
Category: Business

Source: http://www.humansthink.com/content/asbestos-mesothelioma-0

nick cannon kidney failure consumer financial protection bureau casey anthony video recess appointment eastman kodak eastman kodak richard cordray

Monday, November 26, 2012

How would you change the Huawei Ascend P1?

2012 was the year Huawei stepped out of the OEM shadows and make a "name" for itself. That hasn't been the smoothest process, but political wrangling aside, what about the phones themselves? Huawei's Ascend P1 has a slender body (and a chubby camera module), marred by a flimsy plastic shell and 4GB of on-board storage. However, it more than made up for its failings in the performance stakes, but what did you think about it? Did you buy one, and if so, what would you change?

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/25/hwyc-ascend-p1/

john king obama sings al green heidi klum and seal ohare airport etta james songs east west shrine game haywire

Transformation at SWD Cricket : The Gremlin ? Daily online ...

This day marked the official handover of new Office Complex and dressing room facilities at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn, the home of the South Western Districts Cricket Board. The event was attended by Mr Alderman Jurie Harmse, Chairperson of the Strategic Services Portfolio Committee, who officially opened the complex together with Mr Rudy Claassen, President of the SWD Cricket Board, and Mr Maxwell Jordaan, Projects Chairman of The Sports Trust and Manager of Transformation of Cricket,South Africa.

At the Opening function were: Albertus Kennedy (CEO SWD Cricket), Ms Anita Matthews (Executive Director of the Sports Trust), Rudi Claassen (President SWD Cricket Board), Leigh Ann Paulick (the MC from Supersport), Carol Crawford (Marketing and Communication Manager Sports Trust), Maxwell Jordaan (Manager Amateur Cricket, Cricket South Africa and Projects Chairman of the Sports Trust) and Obakeng Oganne (Project Co-ordinator, Sports Trust).

The Sports Trust together with their Trustee, Cricket South Africa (CSA), have funded an amount of R 300,000 towards the completion of the 2nd phase (dressing room facilities) of the overall complex, and implemented this project on their behalf.

This project was started in April 2011 and the initial phase was funded by the NLDTF (National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund) to the amount of R 2.7 million. Phase 1 ? the construction of a Club house, President Suite and Offices was completed in October 2012. Phase 2, the construction of dressing rooms ? adjacent to the existing structure ? started in May 2012 and was completed in October 2012.

Alderman Jurie Harmse, Chairperson of the Strategic Services Portfolio Committee of the Oudtshoorn Municipality officially opens the complex. With him are Albertus Kennedy (CEO SWD Cricket), Maxwell Jordaan (Manager Amateur Cricket, Cricket South Africa and Projects Chairman of the Sports Trust) and Rudi Claassen (President SWD Cricket Board)

?The construction of the new facilities is a symbol of growth in an exciting period in the history of SWD Cricket and contributes towards the objective of SWD Cricket to become a full affiliate of Cricket SouthAfrica. The new facility will allow SWD Cricket to host high profile cricket matches and enhance the total image of cricket in the region?, says Mr Rudy Claassen, President of SWD Cricket Board.

The South Western Districts Cricket Board actively strives towards a situation where resources for cricket are accessible to all persons, and playing the game is encouraged in all communities, in order to fulfill the CSA Transformation policy, and uplift the image of cricket in the province.

?The Sports Trust?s role is to bring about equitable change in the sphere of sports and recreation. The assistance to South Western Districts Cricket bears testimony to that focus. The modern cricket facility in a rural area levels the playing fields with all of the SWD cricket rivals. This facility is a symbol of quality, pride and dignity ? reflective of the manner in which this cricket Board does its business. We wish them well in their on-field endeavours?, says Maxwell Jordaan, Projects Chairman for the Sports Trust and Transformation Manager at Cricket SA.

The SWD Cricket Facility is symbolically opened by cutting the ribbon by Alderman Jurie Harmse, Chairperson of the Strategic Services Portfolio Committee of the Oudtshoorn Municipality and Mr Maxwell Jordaan (Manager Amateur Cricket, Cricket South Africa and Projects Chairman of the Sports Trust). Also present were Albertus Kennedy (CEO SWD Cricket), John Komanisi (Vice-President), Simon Swigelaar (Honorary Life-President) and Rudi Claassen (President SWD Cricket)

Popularity: 1% [?]

Source: http://www.thegremlin.co.za/2012/11/22/transformation-at-swd-cricket/

new york auto show khalid sheikh mohammed masters par 3 gwen stefani overeem laron landry mary j blige burger king

Source: http://fugidamypito.posterous.com/transformation-at-swd-cricket-the-gremlin-dai

downton abbey new york knicks president day lin j.r. smith espn jeremy lin sleigh bells

Source: http://urookyt.posterous.com/transformation-at-swd-cricket-the-gremlin-dai

HMS Bounty dominion power nbc news Heather Clem Con Edison LaGuardia Airport weather radar

Sunday, November 25, 2012

4th season of 'Downton Abbey' confirmed

LONDON (AP) ? British television channel ITV has confirmed that hit drama "Downton Abbey" will return for a fourth season.

Filming of eight new episodes for the award-winning period series will begin in southern England's Highclere Castle and London's Ealing Studios early next year.

ITV said Friday that as before, the opening and closing episodes will be feature-length, and that the series will continue the story of the Crawley family and their servants in the 1920s.

The channel said that an extended special episode for next Christmas is also planned.

"Downton Abbey" has won fans worldwide and an average of 11.9 million viewers in Britain watched its third season, which will premiere in the U.S. on PBS in January.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-11-23-Britain-Downton%20Abbey/id-459f52e1b00946bca9e0f51e346fcaba

kansas state last house on the left last house on the left rich forever mixtape blow the unit bob weston

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Magnesium oxide: From Earth to super-Earth

ScienceDaily (Nov. 22, 2012) ? The mantles of Earth and other rocky planets are rich in magnesium and oxygen. Due to its simplicity, the mineral magnesium oxide is a good model for studying the nature of planetary interiors. New work from a team led by Carnegie's Stewart McWilliams studied how magnesium oxide behaves under the extreme conditions deep within planets and found evidence that alters our understanding of planetary evolution. It is published November 22 by Science Express.

Magnesium oxide is particularly resistant to changes when under intense pressures and temperatures. Theoretical predictions claim that it has just three unique states with different structures and properties present under planetary conditions: solid under ambient conditions (such as on Earth's surface), liquid at high temperatures, and another structure of the solid at high pressure. The latter structure has never been observed in nature or in experiments.

McWilliams and his team observed magnesium oxide between pressures of about 3 million times normal atmospheric pressure (0.3 terapascals) to 14 million times atmospheric pressure (1.4 terapascals) and at temperatures reaching as high as 90,000 degrees Fahrenheit (50,000 Kelvin), conditions that range from those at the center of our Earth to those of large exo-planet super-Earths. Their observations indicate substantial changes in molecular bonding as the magnesium oxide responds to these various conditions, including a transformation to a new high-pressure solid phase.

In fact, when melting, there are signs that magnesium oxide changes from an electrically insulating material like quartz (meaning that electrons do not flow easily) to a metal similar to iron (meaning that electrons do flow easily through the material).

Drawing from these and other recent observations, the team concluded that while magnesium oxide is solid and non-conductive under conditions found on Earth in the present day, the early Earth's magma ocean might have been able to generate a magnetic field. Likewise, the metallic, liquid phase of magnesium oxide can exist today in the deep mantles of super-Earth planets, as can the newly observed solid phase.

"Our findings blur the line between traditional definitions of mantle and core material and provide a path for understanding how young or hot planets can generate and sustain magnetic fields," McWilliams said.

"This pioneering study takes advantage of new laser techniques to explore the nature of the materials that comprise the wide array of planets being discovered outside of our Solar System," said Russell Hemley, director of Carnegie's Geophysical Laboratory. "These methods allow investigations of the behavior of these materials at pressures and temperatures never before explored experimentally."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Carnegie Institution, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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

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

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121122152949.htm

wilson chandler bristol motor speedway prometheus grand canyon skywalk tonga pid corned beef hash

Circus owner found guilty of elephant cruelty

LONDON (Reuters) - A British circus owner was given a conditional discharge on Friday for causing unnecessary suffering to an Asian elephant by keeping her chained up and allowing a handler to beat her.

Bobby Roberts, 69, was convicted of three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Northampton Crown Court heard that Anne, an arthritic, 58-year-old elephant was kept tethered to the ground by one front leg and one back leg at all times.

Roberts failed to give Anne her arthritis medicine and to prevent a handler from repeatedly beating the animal. Roberts told the court he would never have condoned the beatings.

Secret film of the beatings taken by rights group Animal Defenders International (ADI) formed a key part of the prosecution case.

Roberts's wife Moira, 75, was cleared of the same three charges following a five-day trial. Both she and her husband had denied the charges.

The Press Association reported that District Judge David Chinnery told Bobby Roberts he recognised that he had not directly inflicted the suffering, adding that he had cared for animals "for the greater part of your 70 years without criticism from any quarter.

"No cruelty was administered by your own hand. The chaining I regard as serious but the real cruelty it seems to me was inflicted by your groom, a man whom you had entrusted with the care of Anne, behind your back and without your knowledge."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) issued a statement after the verdict.

"Today should serve as a warning that those who mistreat animals can expect to face prosecution," it said.

But ADI was disappointed with the sentence.

"Despite the considerable suffering caused to Anne the elephant, the sentencing meted out to Mr Roberts is derisory and provides no faith that the Animal Welfare Act can protect animals in circuses," ADI Chief Executive Jan Creamer said in a statement.

In April 2011, as a result of the secret filming, Anne was taken away from the Super Circus in Polebrook, Northamptonshire owned by Roberts, and re-homed at a safari park.

She was born in the wild in Sri Lanka in 1954, the ADI website said. In 2001 her offspring Janie and Beverly died suddenly, leaving Anne alone, the website added.

(Reporting By Dasha Afanasieva, editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/circus-owner-found-guilty-elephant-cruelty-173005826.html

pierre thomas beyonce gives birth portlandia kelly clarkson playoffs empty nest nbc sports

What Online Paid Surveys Actually Work? ~ How to start a internet ...

What Online Paid Surveys Actually Work?

'; div.innerHTML = summary; } //]]>

There are many types of online paid surveys that people can participate in. If you want to gain the best benefits from these opportunities, it will be necessary to clearly define your goals. This will help you to determine which offers are best-suited to your interests.

Many companies compensate participants, but not in cash. Instead, those who complete questionnaires are awarded points that they can apply to their online purchases or trade for specific goods. Although it can be a lot of fun to take part in these processes, the resulting benefits really do not help people to pay their bills or to increase their regular income.

It is important to understand that no company will ever offer money for information that it does not need, data that is not valid or details that do not help them to reach a desired end. Due to this fact, most companies that will offer you cash for your efforts will also require you to undergo a comprehensive screening process before you get started.

This manner of screening helps these entities to determine whether or not you fit into one of the targeted consumer demographics. They will ask you questions about your normal shopping habits including where you go to buy your household necessities and how much you spend for these things. You will not usually be compensated for any initial questionnaire of this type, however, completing these applications could open the door to a number of high-paying opportunities.

It helps to maintain a very realistic mindset when you are pursuing these offers. If companies are not careful to screen you or to identify your consumer demographic, they are often looking to solicit your personal details rather than your consumer opinions. They will then sell these to other parties who will contact you with their promotional offers. The value that you provide is no longer in the consumer information that you supply, but in the personal contact information that you give away. Although there is some money to be earned in this fashion, it can also result in a lot of annoying sales calls, spam mails and other efforts to contact you that significantly diminish the value of the offered compensation.

People do best in their efforts to find online paid surveys when they look for community forums, work-at-home blogs and other online posting mediums that supply information on these types of income opportunities. They can use the feedback that has been supplied by others to avoid scams and to find legitimate operations that actually pay participants for the information that is offered. It is additionally important for prospective survey takers to carefully read through any user agreements that are provided before they decide whether or not to participate in a program. This will help these individuals to develop fair expectations concerning the related processes and the resulting payments.

Get paid from the thousands of companies who give money to people everyday for taking paid surveys online. Get-Paid-Online-Surveys.net provides safe and reliable ways to earn money doing online surveys. Visit us today!

View the original article here

Source: http://internetbusinessfordummies.blogspot.com/2012/11/what-online-paid-surveys-actually-work.html

denver weather planned parenthood what time does the superbowl start kobayashi margaret sanger paul george eddie long