Sunday, December 23, 2012

Job?s family Yacht supposedly impounded after payment dispute with designer Philippe Starck

Job?s family Yacht supposedly impounded after payment dispute with designer Philippe StarckVenus, the super Yacht that the late Steve Jobs was working on with French designer Philippe Stark has supposedly been impounded in a Dutch harbor because of a payment dispute between the Job?s family and Mr Starck.

Port of Amsterdam spokesman Jeroen Ranzijn confirmed the boat has been in the harbor since Dec. 8, and won't leave until the civil dispute is resolved ? possibly as early later Friday. "It was actually ready to continue its voyage when there was a dispute between two parties, including the heirs, and one party laid a claim on the boat," said Ranzijn. He said the dispute may be resolved shortly.

The supposed dispute is purely a financial one and is said to involve a lower than expected payment to Philippe Starck. His original fees were thought to be in the region of ?9 million ($11.8 million) but as the completed Yacht cost much less than originally thought, Starcks fees were supposedly reduced to ?6 million ($7.9 million).

The Yacht cost a total of ?105 million ($138 million) to complete so the dispute is really over small change and shouldn't take too long to resolve. The Yacht was finally completed this year and is unsurprisingly like an Apple Store taken float, with an aluminum exterior measuring 80 meters long that -- you guessed it -- makes it lighter than other yachts in its class. The design is minimalist, with teak decks and floor-to-ceiling glass, and 7 iMacs are front and center in the wheelhouse.

Source: Associated Press



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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

First Marine officer in three decades commissioned from Grambling State University

GRAMBLING, La. - The Marine Corps and Grambling State University witnessed history in the making, as one of Grambling?s own, Olaolu Ogunyemi, graduated and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps at Grambling State, Dec. 14, 2012.

Ogunyemi, who was born and raised in Ruston, La., became the first Marine Corps officer to commission from Grambling State University in more than three decades, by way of the Platoon Leaders Course.

?I am honored to have the opportunity to be one of the first Marine officers to be commissioned here at Grambling State University,? said Ogunyemi. ?Being a leader of Marines is truly an honor.?

In attendance for this momentous occasion was Maj. Gen. Ronald Bailey, commanding general of 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif., who rendered the oath of office to Ogunyemi after he received his college diploma on stage.

?Second Lieutenant Ogunyemi is an exceptional young man, and exactly the caliber of Marine we are looking for,? said Bailey. ?He possess the keen-intellect, physical endurance, spirit and leadership that we expect of our leaders of Marines.?

Ogunyemi, who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from the college of business, and a graduate of Simsboro High school, was accompanied by his parents, both prominent Grambling State University faculty members, Arnita Ogunyemi, director of institutional research and development, and Olatunde Ogunyemi, acting department head of educational leadership.

Taking part in his commissioning ceremony, both his parents proudly pinned his 2nd Lt. bars on the shoulders of his dress blue jacket.

?We are extremely proud of Olaolu?s achievements. My chest swells with pride knowing that my son made his dreams come true, and became a U.S Marine Corps officer,? said Mr. Ogunyemi.

Mr. and Mrs. Ogunyemi were a bit frightful of the news that their son was joining the Marines.

?My greatest fear was knowing that as a Marine, my son would be the first to go into harm?s way, as the Marine Corps? motto has always been ?first to fight?,? said Mrs. Ogunyemi.

However, after conducting her own research and talking to a few Marines herself, her fears soon subsided.

?I did my research on MarineOfficer.Com and talked to other Marine officers, and I soon realized that my son would receive some of the best military training in the world. I know now that my son will be well taken care of, and I am certain that he will take care of his Marines as well,? added Mrs. Ogunyemi.

Being the first in his family to join the Marine Corps, Ogunyemi is proud to be a part of an organization that has a long-standing legacy of honor and tradition.

?The Marine Corps is a highly-trained and elite fighting force in which members have a fraternal bond and look after one another on and off the battlefield,? Ogunyemi said. ?Marines are the first to fight and are known for winning battles and having a very sharp appearance. This legacy is one that should be respected and recognized as one of the most memorable legacies in the world.?
After his graduation and commissioning, Ogunyemi will soon report to The Basic School Quantico, Va., where he will learn the art and science of Marine officer military tactics and planning processes prior to his Military Occupational Specialty school.

For information on how to become a U.S. Marine Corps officer please visit MARINE OFFICER.COM at http://www.marines.com/officer.


Source: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/99471/first-marine-officer-three-decades-commissioned-grambling-state-university

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PFT: Jets' playoff hopes end with sloppy loss

New York Jets v Tennessee TitansGetty Images

As crazy as it seems, the New York Jets still entered Monday night?s game against the Tennessee Titans with a chance to backdoor their way into the playoffs.

Now those hopes are mercifully gone.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw four interceptions and lost a fumble late as the Jets fell to the Titans 14-10 on Monday night.

The Jets? (6-8) quarterback situation continues to be an absolute disaster as Sanchez was completely erratic once again. Sanchez completed just 13 of 28 passes for 131 yards. He was intercepted four times, twice by Jason McCourty and twice by Michael Griffin. Sanchez has now thrown ten interceptions in the Jets last four games.

Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was finally given a full series at quarterback in the second quarter. It went pretty much as expected. After running 12 yards for a first down, Tebow carried for one yard, was sacked, took a delay of game penalty and misfired on a pass to Jeremy Kerley to force a Jets punt.

With the Titans (5-9) backed up on their own 6-yard line, running back Chris Johnson took a carry over left guard and broke free into the secondary. He out-raced safety Yeremiah Bell for a 94-yard touchdown to give Tennessee a 7-3 lead. It?s the second 90-plus yard touchdown run of Johnson?s career and sixth touchdown run of 80 yards or more.

The Jets forced a punt with Tennessee backed up deep in their own end that gave New York great field position at the Titans 35-yard line. Four plays later, Sanchez hit tight end Jeff Cumberland for a 17-yard touchdown to take a 10-7 lead.

The lead was short-lived. Jake Locker led the Titans on a seven-play scoring drive on the ensuing possession to retake the lead. Locker scored on a 13-yard run on a sweep around left end to give Tennessee a 14-10 lead.

Yet Sanchez still had two more chances to keep the Jets miniscule playoff hopes alive. The Jets drove to the edge of the Titans red zone before Sanchez threw another backbreaking interception. Sanchez double-clutched and threw weakly down the seam and was intercepted again by Griffin.

A shanked 19-yard punt by Brett Kern gave New York another opportunity with less than a minute and the ball at the Tennessee 25-yard line. This time Sanchez fumbled the snap and Tennessee recovered to end the game.

Johnson finished with 122 yards on 21 carries for the Titans. Locker was 13 of 22 for 149 yards and rushed seven times for 43 yards and a touchdown.

In his first game back in New York, wide receiver Braylon Edwards caught three passes for 47 yards.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/17/sanchez-throws-four-picks-as-jets-playoff-hopes-come-to-end/related/

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Industrial chemicals: A new breed of stable anti-aromatic compound

Dec. 18, 2012 ? By synthesizing a stable "antiaromatic" compound, as well as a never before seen intermediate version of that compound, chemists at The University of Texas at Austin have written an important new chapter in the story of modern chemistry.

The research was done in collaboration with an international roster of colleagues from Yonsei University in Korea, the University of Hyderbad in India, and Osaka University in Japan. The results were published this week in Nature Chemistry.

This particular story began in 1825, when English scientist Michael Faraday first isolated benzene from gas lights. Benzene would later be identified as one of a class of compounds known as aromatics, which have immense importance in both biological function and industrial production.

In humans, for instance, all five nucleotides that constitute DNA and RNA are aromatic. In industry, aromatics derived from oil and coal tar are precursors to, among other things, plastics, solvents, lubricants, rubber, dyes, herbicides, and textiles.

"Benzene is probably the most famous aromatic compound," said Jonathan Sessler, the Rowland Pettit Centennial Chair in Chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences. "But there are many other critically important aromatic species. The heme in hemoglobin, which is what gives blood its red color, is one of a group of aromatics known as porphyrins. Without them we'd have either a very different or no existence."

Aromatic compounds have a ring-like structure that enables electrons to be shared amongst the different bonds between the atoms. This results, among other things, in an extraordinary degree of stability. They tend to persist in their structure under conditions that would cause other molecules to react.

"That's one of the reasons why they're so useful in industry," said Sessler. "It's also why they tend to be pro-carcinogenic. They're very hard for us to metabolize or catabolize, and the results of that are usually not benign. One of the first class of tumors ever observed was testicular cancer. It was highly prevalent among 18th century chimney sweeps, who were exposed to aromatic compounds found in coal tar."

Sessler made his name as a chemist synthesizing new classes of porphyrins, including Texaphyrin, a very large porphyrin, which is being developed as a key element in a potential new approach to treating cancer.

What he and his colleagues have now done is taken an already existing molecule, which was first synthesized by Sessler in 1992, and found a way to stabilize it in its so-called antiaromatic form. Antiaromatic systems are the evil twins of aromatics. Compounds that are antiaromatic have two additional or two fewer electrons than aromatic compounds.

"They don't want to exist in a planar form without giving up or adding the two electrons that distinguish them from their aromatic analogues," said Sessler, "so they tend to twist around, to a lower energy state. That destroys their antiaromaticity. The net result is that bona fide antiaromatic compounds are elusive. What we have done, by rational design, is put big buttressing groups around the compounds, basically clamping them into place."

The resulting compounds are antiaromatic -- with two electrons gone -- and an intermediate something, with both aromatic and antiaromatic properties, that doesn't have a common name yet because it hasn't been seen before.

"When you have to struggle for the words to describe what's being done, you know that it's cutting edge," said Christian Brueckner, a fellow porphyrin chemist and a professor at The University of Connecticut. "Twenty years ago when I was a graduate student I was told simply that you can't make large antiaromatics like this. Later the idea was that you can make them but you can't do much with them. Now you can do it, and it can switch between states, and it can exist in the intermediate state. It's just a beautiful progression of scholarship, a beautiful example of how the ability of chemists to manipulate matter is advancing."

In their natural state antiaromatics are as unstable as aromatics are stable. As a result they have only been stabilized a few times in the history of the field. The antiaromatic that Sessler has made, working with colleagues in Korea, Japan, and India, is significant simply for joining this elite group. As significant is the synthesis of the intermediate state, a scientific first, as well as the capacity of the system to be toggled back and forth between the three different electron states.

"It's the first time you can really do a Coke vs. Pepsi taste test," said Sessler. "We've had very sophisticated theory for a long time, but you need positive and negative controls in science to reach a really robust conclusion. Now we finally have a detailed, controlled comparison of what aromaticity really does, how it changes interactions with light, how it affects color, what an excited state does to the lifetime, and so on."

Sessler's compounds also have potential implications in the field of information storage.

"We are very good as humans at manipulating electrons," said Sessler, "and although this isn't my game at the moment, it's not hard to imagine how a system that has three different electron states, and is reversible, could provide an opportunity to store information in a way we couldn't previously. Binary gives us computers. Ternary could give us even more power."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin, 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://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/OqFcJTLnJ6Q/121218081917.htm

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This Cheap Unlocked iPhone is Your $150-and-No-Contract Deal of the Day

You know what an iPhone is. Hell, you might be reading this post on one right now. So you might be asking why you need one that came out in 2009, even if it's a damn steal at $149. Here's why: if you've got a phone on a contract, and you go overseas, you'll most likely be stuck paying exorbitant roaming fees. With this unlocked 8GB 3GS, you plug a cheap SIM card in there, and you'll have full burner capabilities attached to a very capable pocket computer. And at $150 for a refurb, it won't be a catastrophe if you get caught in the rain, or you drop it spelunking, or you get pickpocketed in a sketchy alleyway. It's a great deal for adventurers, and also a great backup phone for those of us prone to catastrophe at home. [Daily Steals] More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/KecwqcOBfHo/this-cheap-unlocked-iphone-is-your-150+and+no+contract-deal-of-the-day

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PC Insanity Cripples the Military

Posted GMT 12-18-2012 16:4:58

A proposed new handbook for soldiers serving in the Middle East reveals an alarming level of political correctness that infests the military chain of command. The 75-page document suggests that American ignorance of Taliban culture is chiefly responsible for the spate of so-called green-on-blue attacks by Afghan trainees on their American trainers, that have claimed the lives of 63 coalition troops this year alone. The manual is still in the drafting stages, but an article published by the Wall Street Journal reeks of the typically leftist "blame America first" mentality that should enrage every American.

The leaked manual, characterized by the WSJ as the "final coordinating draft," offers a list of "taboo conversation topics" soldiers should avoid. These including "making derogatory comments about the Taliban," "advocating women's rights," "any criticism of pedophilia," "directing any criticism towards Afghans," "mentioning homosexuality and homosexual conduct" or "anything related to Islam." In short, a combination of self-censorship and subservience to Islamist culture--self-imposed dhimmitude if you will--is seen as the key to countering the murderous behavior of Afghan trainees.

The handbook continues: "Bottom line: Troops may experience social-cultural shock and/or discomfort when interacting with [Afghan security forces,]" it states. "Better situational awareness/understanding of Afghan culture will help better prepare [troops] to more effectively partner and to avoid cultural conflict that can lead toward green-on-blue violence."

You know what really facilitates green-on-blue violence? Armed Afghan trainees in the presence of their unarmed American counterparts. Unbelievably, until the policy was quietly rescinded last August, American soldiers were required to remove their magazines from their weapons, while quartered inside bases with their armed Afghan trainees. That insidious policy was promoted as a "gesture of trust" directed towards our Afghan "partners." It took 21 deaths in 2011, followed by an additional 40 deaths in 2012, for military brass to reach the painfully obvious conclusion that it wasn't working.

In September, the training of Afghan troops was temporarily suspended. It was then Americans got their first hint regarding the mindset that has apparently reached fruition with this handbook. Islamic "sensitivity training" was stepped up. A list of orders troops were expected to obey--or face severe punishment--included the following: wear surgical gloves whenever handling a copy of the Koran; never walk in front of a praying Muslim; never show the bottom of boots while sitting or lying across from a Muslim, considered an insult in Islam; never share photos of wives or daughters; never smoke or eat in front of Muslims during the monthlong Ramadan fasting; avoid winking, cursing or nose-blowing in the presence of Muslims, all viewed as insults; avoid exiting the shower without a towel; avoid offering and accepting things with the left hand, which in Islam is reserved for bodily hygiene, and considered unclean.

A senior US Army intelligence official illuminated the insanity. "The Afghans that know we're doing all this PC cultural sensitivity crap are laughing their asses off at our stupidity," he contended.

Unfortunately, as this new handbook indicates, such thinking is in the minority among military leaders. Yet one leader, U.S. Marine Gen. John Allen, the top military commander in Afghanistan, is apparently dismayed by this latest effrontery to American men and women in harm's way. "Gen. Allen did not author, nor does he intend to provide, a foreword," said Col. Tom Collins, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan. "He does not approve of its contents."

Those contents are a testament to the poisonous multiculturalism that has apparently moved seamlessly from mainstream American culture into what ought to be the last bastion of resistance against it. Thus, the draft handbook includes a summary stating that some U.S. soldiers consider Afghan forces to be "basically stupid" thieves, "gutless in combat," "profoundly dishonest" and engaged in "treasonous collusion and alliances with enemy forces." Apparently any negative reaction by American soldiers to 63 insider deaths or the rigors of a decade-plus of combat are completely unjustified.

Nothing about this handbook should surprise anyone. It is little more than another facet of the Obama administration's ongoing effort to diminish the reality of Islamist extremism, lest it interfere with their "outreach" initiatives. Those initiatives include a document purge at the FBI, removing 700 pages of documentation from approximately 300 presentations given to agents since 9/11, a Justice Department program to protect Islamic civil rights, Homeland Security meetings conducted between Janet Napolitano and extremist Muslim organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood, and establishing Muslim outreach as the primary goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The version reviewed by the Journal is still subject to revisions, Lt. Gen. David Perkins, commander of the Army's Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., told the newspaper. Given the leanings of this administration, one is left to wonder whether such revisions might push the envelope on political correctness even further. Counter-jihad activist Pamela Gellar reveals the reality of ideological bankruptcy that has been elevated to the level of military policy. "Mass beheadings, gendercide, gassing of girls' schools, mass slaughter of non-believers and less than devout Muslims, attacks on US soldiers, acid attacks on women, brutal burka enforcement?must not be criticized," she writes.

Yet it was the grief-stricken father of a Marine slain during one of the insider attacks whose words should haunt everyone associated with this PC-inspired debacle. "At the end of the day, what happened is my son trained somebody to murder him," Greg Buckley Sr. said at the funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Gregory T. Buckley--aged 21. And a new army handbook contends that at least part of such carnage is the fault of American soldiers' cultural insensitivity. Pathetic.

By Arnold Ahlert
Frontpage Magazine

Source: http://www.aina.org/news/20121218100458.htm

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Boehner: a dealmaker and a survivor in tight spot (The Arizona Republic)

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Appeals court to hear Bonds' appeal on Feb. 13

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? A federal appeals court will hear Barry Bonds' appeal of his obstruction of justice conviction early next year.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday scheduled oral arguments for Feb. 13 before a three-judge panel in San Francisco.

The career home run leader was convicted in April 2011 of one felony obstruction count for giving an evasive, rambling reply during a 2003 grand jury appearance when asked whether he received drugs that required a syringe.

The jury deadlocked on three charges he made false statements, and prosecutors dropped those counts in August 2011.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston sentenced Bonds to 30 days of house arrest, two years of probation, 250 hours of community service in youth-related activities and a $4,000 fine. She delayed imposing the sentence pending the appeal.

Bonds' lawyers argue the answer was accurate and not meant to obstruct.

Bonds initially was charged in November 2007.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/appeals-court-hear-bonds-appeal-feb-13-234349064--mlb.html

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Friday, December 14, 2012

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Susan Rice withdraws from consideration as secretary of state (CNN)

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Video: Matthews: Obama?s cabinet choices need to be about what?s best for America

Beyond picky eaters: When your kid is too thin

At barely 25 pounds, 3-year-old Weston Carmann is about the size of an average 20-month-old. Like 3.5 percent of U.S. kids, he?s underweight, a barely recognized condition in a nation where two-thirds of children and teens are overweight or obese. But kids who are too thin are just as much of a worry, their parents say.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/hardball/50192093/

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Local News Watch: Economics and Society Today - fseneiuni's ...

Economics and Society Today


ECONOMIC NEWS ? NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA, Abuja. Nigeria Coordinating minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, has stated 3 new policy changes. Removal of VAT and stamps duties on capital market transactions. Excess crude account to $9bn USD The minster made this known in Abuja together with the Director General of the Securities Exchange Commission during a media briefing with journalist. SOCIETY NEWS: - EASTERN NIGERIA, Onitsha, Controversy surround the Will of the Late Biafran Leader, over his will among his family members continues. Eldest son who claims the Will is not genuine stating that he was in possession of the right will of the father, as against claims made by another lawyer representing the Wife.

Source: http://localnewswatchnigeria.blogspot.com/2012/12/economics-and-society-today.html

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Thursday, December 13, 2012

DIY Holiday Highlights Party #5 - DIY Show Off

{just typing that #5 made me hum Mambo Number 5?not very Christmas-y. lol!}?Welcome! It?s a busy time of year, that?s for sure! You?re all ready for the holidays, right? If so ? you?re on the ball, an amazing planner and I?m envious! I?m done with decorating and started on my shopping but not I?m not finished and I haven?t wrapped anything yet. I mostly wait until I have it all in one big pile then I have a wrapping party. for 1. by myself. not singing Mambo #5, but Christmas tunes. And that?d be why it?s a party for one. But I do love wrapping pretty presents!

DIY Holiday Highlights

Let?s move on to some highlights from last week?s DIY Holiday Highlights party, shall we?

DIY Christmas Highlights

I love.love.LOVE this hostess gift idea from Denise at Painted Home Designs?a cheery bucket of DIY kindling packs: newspaper wrapped pinecone, rosemary or cinnamon sticks and dried twigs tied with twine.??So original and a gift that will get used (if the hostess has a fireplace or woodburner of course)?

?Painted Home DIY Kindling Gift

There are so many unique and beautiful DIY projects went into the Christmas mantel at Down to Earth style. My favorite is the window with candles?placed in the shape of a tree but loving the twig Christmas tree bases on either side as well. I also know what a challenge decorating a mantel when a tv above is the focal point. Holly did a beautiful job!

Christmas mantel @Down to Earth Style

Rebecca from The Crafted Sparrow?s nutcracker mantel is filled with awesome DIY accents as well including the awesome nutcracker silhouette canvases, sweet felt trees and a holiday sled makeover. Simple. Beautiful.

?Crafted Sparrow Nutcracker mantel

I?m a fan of reindeer and silhouettes and sparkle. Okay, so everything Christmas. Did you see the cutest simple sparkle reindeer art?tutorial at OPC?s The Better Half? It?s a darling decorative accent for a Christmas-cheerful mantel?

OPC The Better Half sparkle reindeer art

Last week, I also shared my tutorial for a lighted starburst mirror tree topper?

DIY lighted sunburst mirror tree topper

Do have some holiday posts to share? You?re invited to link up! I can?t wait to browse through the links, listen to some Christmas music, warm up some cocoa and visit. ?Nothing to share? Join me by taking a look at the links for some inspiration!

And in case you didn?t know: There?s a Christmas tree party & contest going on right now! Link up here, there and everywhere. ?It?s a holiday party time of year.

Make sure to visit a few of the links to make some new friends for the holidays.Comments, pinning and sharing links this time of year are one of the best blog gifts!

DIY Holiday Highlights

{grab button html on the left side bar}

  • Link?YOUR?NEW Holiday DIY projects only?please! If linking an old project, please reintroduce in a 2012 post to share.
  • Please link back to this party in some way {permalink or the grab the button html from the side bar}.
  • By linking up you give permission to be a favorite holiday feature {with a link back your site}.
  • I will share links to your post on Facebook, Twitter, G+ and Pinterest. Feel free to do the same! Thanks!

On wrapping presents: Gift wrap is going to be a DIY project for me this year. Empty nest = extra time. I do love wrapping gifts and consider myself a professional giftwrapper (lol!) but I?ve always bought pretty coordinating paper. I?m buying this {affiliate link} which should last me a while {and work for other DIY projects too!}?

Reader submitted Christmas Trees for the Christmas tree contest:

Wendy?s blue and silver beauty:

Source: http://diyshowoff.com/2012/12/12/diy-holiday-highlights-party-5/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=diy-holiday-highlights-party-5

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Video: Bernanke Answer Questions on the Economy

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50180081/

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Newfound Asteroid Buzzes Earth Inside Moon's Orbit

A newfound asteroid gave Earth a close shave early today, zipping between our planet and the moon just two days after astronomers first spotted it.

The near-Earth asteroid?2012 XE54, which was discovered Sunday (Dec. 9), came within 140,000 miles (230,000 kilometers) of our planet at about 5 a.m. EST (1000 GMT) Tuesday (Dec. 11), researchers said. For comparison, the moon orbits Earth at an average distance of 240,000 miles or so (386,000 km).

Astronomers estimate that 2012 XE54 is about 120 feet (36 meters) wide ? big enough to cause substantial damage if it slams into Earth someday. An object of similar size flattened 800 square miles (2,000 square km) of forest when it exploded above Siberia's Podkamennaya Tunguska River in 1908.

Asteroid 2012 XE54 also passed through Earth's shadow a few hours before its closest approach, generating an eclipse on the space rock's surface, researchers said. [Video: Asteroid 2012 XE54 Flies Closer Than Moon]

"Asteroids eclipsing during an Earth flyby are relatively rare," astronomer Pasquale Tricarico, of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz., wrote in a blog post Monday?(Dec. 10).

The first known case, Tricarico?added, was "asteroid?2008 TC3 which was totally eclipsed just one hour before entering Earth's atmosphere over Sudan in 2008, and asteroid 2012 KT42 experiencing both an eclipse and a transit during the same Earth flyby in 2012."

2012 XE54 will be coming back to Earth's neighborhood before too much longer. The asteroid completes one lap around the sun every 2.72 years.

Scientists have discovered about 9,000 near-Earth asteroids to date, but perhaps a million or more such space rocks are thought to exist.

And some of them are potentially dangerous. Observations by NASA's WISE space telescope suggest that about 4,700 asteroids at least 330 feet (100 m) wide come uncomfortably close to our planet at some point in their orbits.

So far, researchers have spotted less than 30 percent of these large space rocks, which could obliterate an area the size of a state if they slammed into Earth.

But there are much bigger asteroids out there, such as 4179 Toutatis, a 3-mile-wide (5 km) behemoth that's in the process of flying by Earth now. Toutatis will remain 4.3 million miles (7 million km) away during its closest approach Wednesday morning, but it may come closer on future passes.

Toutatis would inflict devastating damage if it slammed into Earth, perhaps extinguishing human civilization. The asteroid thought to have killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was about 6 miles (10 km) wide, researchers say.

Follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall?or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook?and?Google+.?

Copyright 2012 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/newfound-asteroid-buzzes-earth-inside-moons-orbit-194412619.html

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Louisiana workers' compensation conference taking place next ...

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is holding its annual conference on workers' compensation issues for employers, human resources professionals, insurance industry workers and others in January with initial registration ending on Dec. 31. The event takes place Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 at the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge, 7000 Bluebonnet Blvd.

The conference features employers and legal, medical and insurance experts discussing the latest changes to Louisiana's workers' compensation system.

It aims to reach a range of professionals who deal with workers' compensation, including claims processors, doctors, lawyers, self-insuring businesses, rehabilitation care providers and risk managers.

The Workforce Commission, a state agency, is hosting the event alongside the International Workers' Compensation Foundation, a non-profit group.

In addition to covering the workings of the state's system, the conference will address human resources topics such as obesity, social media and Medicare issues.

Anyone seeking more details or planning to register can visit the commission's Internet site or contact the foundation by email at iwcf@bellsouth.net or 386-677-0042.

Source: http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2012/12/louisiana_workers_compensation_3.html

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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

FarCry 3 (Xbox 360)


Sometimes bro-ing it with the brahs can go horribly, horribly wrong. As in deathly wrong.

FarCry 3, the latest entry in Ubisoft's first-person shooting series, puts you in the role of Jason Brody, a 20-something who's kidnapped?along with his brother and friends?by pirates while they're partying on a Pacific island. Brody, after escaping from his jungle-prison, becomes a reluctant hero as he takes it upon himself to rescue his missing friends hidden away on a dangerous fictional island. And thus begins an adventure filled with peril, gunplay and, unfortunately, peril.

Danger Island
It's easy to dismiss FarCry 3 as just another FPS, but that would do the game a gross disservice. The meat of the game, admittedly, involves blowing enemies away in a first-person perspective. That said, Ubisoft gives player numerous tools and abilities to flesh out the experience?and they work well. FarCry 3 deftly guides gamers through the long-range and melee-game mechanics by presenting scenarios that build on what you've previously learned.?You'll learn to sneak, distract foes, and stealth kill all within a few minutes time of booting the disc.

The game world is huge and highly detailed; lush jungles, hills, and riverbeds give you plenty of areas to explore and look great on screen. The world map is filled with icons that show where particular animals, towers, and other items are located, which makes navigation simple. Consulting your map is essential for completing particular tasks.?Thankfully, you can fast travel back to your home base to save on long-distance walking/running/driving.

Wonderful Toys
Ubisoft gives player a plethora of firearms to ventilate?foes and wildlife. Guns are purchasable from shops, but you can also pick up hand cannons free of charge if you manage to reactivate radio towers that litter the landscape. Those re-powered towers don't simply give you new weapons, but maps, missions, and other goodies, too.

Crafting?a feature often associated with PC RPGs?makes an appearance in FarCry 3. You can blend the native flora into healing concoctions, transform animal hides you'e skinned into sacks that let you carry more gear, and more. There's a surprising amount of items to mix together to form items that will help you survive in the harsh environment. Mastering these skills is just as important as mastering your aim, and it gives the non-shooting segments significance.

You can also purchase skills which give you new abilities like stealth killing, jungle running, and combat archery. Each skill that you acquire scores you a tattoo, a mark of your success as a warrior among the rebel native populace who's warring against the pirate faction.

Thunder in Paradise
The FarCry 3 experience is sullied by two issues: a somewhat confusing interface and bugs. The first problem is one that Ubisoft plans to address with a UI patch?and it's much needed. Switching weapons is simple, but the menu screens that house your skill tree and crafting materials are difficult to read as they're overcrowded with information. The constant alert pop ups that notify you of mission statuses and new skills are highly annoying, too.

That, however, pales in comparison to the bugs?some game-ending?reported by several gamers. Some of stated that they had to abandoned their games and start from scratch during the "Saving Private Oliver" mission. Others have reported being unable to cycle through weapons. I didn't experience anything that horrid, but my game did freeze on several occasions. Buggy titles, unfrotunately, an increasingly common ill in modern gaming across the board an is one that I hope gets remedied as we enter the new console generation.

The Wrap
FarCry 3, in terms of pure gameplay, is an engaging shooter that's one of this generation's best, but bugs and a clunky interface keep it (for now) from moving into the upper-echelon with the likes of Halo 4??. Those are, hopefully, problems that Ubisoft will repair in the near future.

More Video Game Reviews:
??? Hitman: Absolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
??? FarCry 3 (Xbox 360)
??? Call of Duty: Black Ops II
??? Nintendo Wii U
??? Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Xbox 360)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/mHG9lAtMjjk/0,2817,2413057,00.asp

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Oregon lawmakers to vote on Nike expansion plan

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2006 file photo, the red Nike swoosh marks the entrance to the company's headquarters campus in Beaverton, Ore. Nike wants to expand its Oregon operations and hire as many as 12,000 new workers by 2020 but wants the government to promise it won't change the state tax code. Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber says he'll call the Legislature into session Friday to create a law to give Nike its promise. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2006 file photo, the red Nike swoosh marks the entrance to the company's headquarters campus in Beaverton, Ore. Nike wants to expand its Oregon operations and hire as many as 12,000 new workers by 2020 but wants the government to promise it won't change the state tax code. Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber says he'll call the Legislature into session Friday to create a law to give Nike its promise. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File)

(AP) ? Athletic footwear and apparel giant Nike Inc. plans to expand its operations in Oregon and hire hundreds of workers but wants the government to promise that tax rules won't change, prompting a special session of the Legislature.

Gov. John Kitzhaber said he'll call lawmakers together Friday in Salem to create a new law authorizing him to grant Nike's wish, and legislative leaders said they'll go along.

The Legislature is due to meet in its regular annual session beginning Jan. 14, but Kitzhaber said Nike needed certainty sooner. The company was being wooed by other states, he said.

"Getting Oregonians back to work is my top priority," Kitzhaber said in a news conference.

Nike wants an agreement that its state income tax will continue to be based solely on the company's Oregon sales, regardless of any future changes in the tax code, for a negotiated time period. Before 2005, Oregon also included a company's in-state payroll and property in the corporate tax formula.

Kitzhaber is asking for authority to make such a guarantee if a company invests at least $150 million and hires 500 or more workers. Nike has not specified its expansion plans, and spokeswoman Mary Remuzzi wouldn't say how many people would be hired beyond the 500 required under the proposed legislation. The company hasn't decided where it would expand.

"We support this proposed legislation as a way to help us continue to grow in Oregon," Don Blair, Nike vice president and chief financial officer, said in a statement.

The proposal is not a tax break for Nike but rather a tool to offer tax certainty to companies planning big expansions, Kitzhaber said.

Nike employs 44,000 people globally, including 8,000 in Washington County, home to its world headquarters in the Portland suburb of Beaverton. The company said its Oregon workers make an average wage of more than $100,000.

Kitzhaber said he expects the Legislature to adopt the legislation in a one-day special session. House and Senate leaders from both parties responded positively to the governor's proposal.

"This is a rare opportunity and we're not going to miss it," said Democratic state Senate President Peter Courtney.

Nike began discussions with the governor's office about a month ago, Kitzhaber said.

The governor and Nike pointed to an economic impact study by AECOM that said a potential Nike expansion could create as many as 12,000 jobs and $2 billion a year in economic impact by 2020. But the actual impact is murky. The study was based on a theoretical Nike expansion, not necessarily any specific plans the company has. It counts hiring by Nike as well as a multiplier effect from those workers buying more goods and services.

Nike has been selling off brands and making other moves to focus on its most profitable businesses, which include its namesake Nike brand, Jordan, Converse and Hurley.

It sold its Cole Haan brand to private equity firm Apax Partners for $570 million in November and in October said clothing licensing company Iconix Brand Group Inc. would buy Umbro for $225 million.

Like most consumer product makers, Nike has faced rising costs for packaging, fuel and other raw materials.

In its most recent fiscal first-quarter, net income fell 12 percent as the boost from higher sales was offset by increased costs and ad spending. The company said then it was facing a slowdown of futures order growth, particularly in China. Those are orders from retailers of products that are scheduled for delivery between September 2012 and January 2013.

In November, Nike said it was boosting its dividend payment and planning a 2-for-1 stock split.

Companies typically split their stocks when they think the price of an individual share has gotten too expensive or if the stock is trading too far above similar companies' stock. Nike stock is up about 2 percent since the beginning of the year.

Nike built its current headquarters campus near Beaverton in 1990. It had a scuffle with city leaders in 2005 when it filed a lawsuit to find out if Beaverton leaders had plans for annexing company property. A judge found that city officials were in contempt for deliberately withholding public documents from Nike, including a draft annexation plan that showed city leaders considered forcing the company's headquarters into city limits in 2002. Nike got a 35-year exemption from forced annexation in Beaverton.

Either the governor or the Legislature itself can call lawmakers into session at times other than the state Constitution specifies.

For much of the state's history, the Legislature's regular sessions have been held every other year, at the beginning of odd-numbered years. That's the kind of session the Legislature is scheduled to begin early next year.

In recent years, the Legislature has moved to meet annually, running briefer sessions in even-numbered years. Those led to voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 2010 that called for annual sessions.

Records list 38 special sessions since Oregon's statehood, ranging from one day on eight occasions to 37 days in 1982.

___

Associated Press writer Tim Fought in Portland and AP Retail Writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-10-Nike%20Expansion-Legislature/id-4bbcdd3b31cb43afa06eb2b15b4341d7

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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

akhisingh: Self-Defense For Women! | Jackies Womens Interest ...

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

Source: http://kaatun882.blogspot.com/2012/12/self-defense-for-women-jackies-womens.html

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Source: http://dipsomania-triple.blogspot.com/2012/12/self-defense-for-women-jackies-womens.html

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Source: http://akhisingh88.blogspot.com/2012/12/self-defense-for-women-jackies-womens.html

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7 Reasons Your Business Should Target Long Tail Keywords:

The keywords you choose to optimise your website content for can have huge implications on the success of your entire SEO strategy. Thus it is very important to get it right.

Guessing keywords or only targeting highly competitive broad keywords is a wrong strategy that can jeopardise your SEO campaign from the start and can be difficult to recover from. This is one of the biggest mistakes in Keyword research a business can make.

Rather than targeting the most common broad keywords in your niche, it is better for your business to focus on more niche, long-tail search terms that are easier and quicker to rank for.

Optimising your website for long tail keywords can prove extremely successful for your business. In fact, long tail keywords can amount for up to 60% of a website?s total search traffic. Take a look below at the top keywords that drive traffic to this website.? You can clearly see that long-tail keywords feature prominently.

Long-tail Keywords

If you are still not convinced, here are 7 reasons why targeting long tail keywords is more profitable for your business.

7 Reasons Your Business Should Target Long Tail Keywords:

1. Easier to Rank

It is much easier for your website to rank favourably on search engine results for long-tail keywords than it is for broad keywords.? By targeting broad keywords you are essentially competing with millions of other businesses which can make it next to impossible to rank on the first page of search results. Long tail keywords on the other have much less competition, making it easier to rank.

2. Quick ROI

The choice of keywords also has an impact on your return on investment.Due to diminished competition, you will have to spend far less time and resources to achieve a decent ranking for long-tail keywords that you would for highly competitive broad search terms. While a first page ranking for broad keywords can take more than a year to achieve, the same can be achieved for long tail keywords within a few months. As a result, the return on investment is noticeable faster for long tail keywords.

3. More Targeted and Relevant

The traffic generated from long tail keywords is more targeted than broad keywords. Long-tail keywords are more specific and offer a better match for meeting the exact needs of the searcher. For example, when a customer is searching for ?Web design services in London? and your web design company from London shows up in the results, it would be a better match than another high-ranking business that targets ?Web design?.

4. High Conversion Rates

Broad keywords are typically used by customers for initial research during the early stages of the decision making process. Long tail keywords, on the other hand, are very specific and typically used by customers when they are closer to the decision making process in the purchasing life-cycle. As a result, long-tail keywords often produce higher conversions and can be more profitable for a business to target. For the above example, corresponding long tail keywords can be ?Property for rent in West London? or ?Bespoke Web Design in London?, instead of the broad search terms ?Property? and ?Web Design? respectively.

5. Benefits for PPC campaigns

Long-tail keywords can prove very beneficial for Pay per click campaigns which are becoming increasingly expensive and can be a drain on your company?s marketing budget. If you use PPC campaigns such as Google Adwords, you can improve your results significantly by targeting long-tail keywords. The cost per click of long tail keywords is often many times lower than that of broad keywords. Targeting long tail keywords in your PPC campaigns ensures high conversion and lower overall costs.

6. Good Starting Point

Targeting less competitive long-tail keywords can also be a good starting point for your overall SEO strategy . As your site builds authority and trust by ranking favourably for long tail-keywords, it puts you in a better standing for achieving the same for more competitive broad keywords. It is a great starting point, particularly if your website is new.

7. Easier to Optimse Individual Pages for Specific Keywords

Search engines crawl every page on your website individually. It is thus important that the search terms, each page is optimised for, are as specific as possible to the content on that particular page. It is also important not to optimise two pages for the same keyword as they will be competing against each other for ranking. Long tail keywords make is easier to achieve this.

Drawbacks of Targeting Long-Tail Keywords

Like any other marketing technique, there are some drawbacks of targeting long-tail keywords that your business should know of. One of the main drawbacks of targeting long-tail keywords as part of your SEO efforts is search volumes. The traffic volumes of long-tail keywords can be considerably lower than that of broad keywords. But then again, the probability of your ranking high for a broad keyword is very limited and much higher for long tail keywords. My advice will be to not rely on guess work but use Google?s Keyword Tool to estimate monthly search volumes for your long tail keywords before finalising your decision.

Conclusion

This doesn?t mean that you can?t target broad keywords. It just means that you shouldn?t only target broad keywords. A business needs to find the right balance between broad and long tail keywords in order to maximise the benefits of SEO and get the highest converting traffic to their website. The best keywords to choose are mid range, not too broad or too specific.

If you like this article, please share it!

Source: http://www.kronikmedia.co.uk/blog/why-target-long-tail-keywords/6205/

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Monday, December 10, 2012

How deadly would chemical weapons in Syria be?

Concerns that the Syrian regime would use chemical weapons are putting the spotlight on these weapons of mass destruction.

By Tom A. Peter,?Correspondent / December 6, 2012

A view of damages on an empty street in the Aleppo district of Salaheddine, Syria, Dec. 5. Serious concerns have been raised about the Syrian regime using chemical weapons.

Aref Hretani/Reuters

Enlarge

Serious concerns have been raised about chemical weapons in Syria as unnamed US officials on Wednesday told NBC News that Syrian forces have loaded sarin, a deadly nerve gas, into bombs that can be dropped by planes.

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The officials said the bombs had not been loaded onto planes and there was not yet a decision from Syria's leader to use them.

President Obama has said the use of chemical weapons in Syria is a ?red line? that would draw the US into the war. Embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied that he?s planning to use them, unless international forces intervene. And Syrian officials have called recent accusations a ?pretext for intervention.?

The international community is now debating if and how to respond to this latest development.

As the situation unfolds, for many unfamiliar with sarin gas there may be some question as to what it is and just how deadly it can be. Though it?s classified as a weapon of mass destruction and is extremely lethal, it is not in the same league as nuclear weapons.

?Chemical weapons are not nuclear weapons. In order to produce a lot of damage they have to be distributed very efficiently. The problem with them is that they can be very deadly and efficient if used in population centers and their effects are indiscriminate,? says Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.

?The explosion of a single chemical shell would not necessarily be a catastrophe if it went off accidentally at one of these storage sites, but the deliberate use of one chemical shell in a population center could be very deadly,? adds Mr. Kimball.

Sarin is a colorless and odorless nerve agent that can be attached to missiles and artillery rounds and is primarily lethal when inhaled but can also penetrate skin and clothing.

It evaporates quickly, though under the right conditions it can linger for up to five days. As a result, a sarin attack requires little clean up and areas affected by sarin can be quickly reoccupied, making it a desirable weapon for military units looking to advance without destroying infrastructure and equipment.

It was first developed in Germany in 1938, but there was no known use of it as a weapon, until 1988 when Iraq used it against the Kurdish town of Halabja. The Iraqi military is also believed to have used sarin against Iran during the war between the two countries that spanned from 1980 to 1988.

Most recently, it was used by the Japanese group Aum Shinrikyo which manufactured their own form of impure sarin gas and released it on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The attack killed 12 and injured at least 5,500 people.

It?s unclear exactly how much damage would be caused were Syrian jets to drop bombs filled with sarin gas on an apartment block or populated area, but experts say the attack would likely be lethal and devastating, creating a major impact.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/ou5UFQmwEXQ/How-deadly-would-chemical-weapons-in-Syria-be

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Holidays provide some of the best opportunities to get great photos, if you remember a few simple tips. Here?s professional photographer Nigel Barker of America?s Next Top Model, with great advice for getting the most out of every photo op.

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Tuesday, May 1, 2012

First of its kind 'menopause map' helps women navigate treatment

First of its kind 'menopause map' helps women navigate treatment [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Aaron Lohr
alohr@endo-society.org
240-482-1380

Dionne Dougall-Bass
dionne@burnesscommunications.com
301-961-5803
Burness Communications

Nationwide Poll found 7 out of 10 women suffering from menopausal symptoms are not treated; Majority not talking to their doctors about various relief options

May 1, 2012 (Chevy Chase, MD) Women going through menopause now have a first-of-its-kind interactive guide to help them better understand their menu of treatment options, including whether hormone therapy may be right for them. The Endocrine Society and its Hormone Health Network today released the "Menopause Map," an online tool to help women and their doctors discuss which hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options would be most effective and safe to relieve the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause. A new accompanying survey found that the majority of women facing challenging symptoms are concerned about hormone treatment and are not discussing it, or other non-hormonal options, with their doctor. The Map was developed by Endocrine Society physician experts who specialize in menopause management.

The tool is based on the latest unbiased research and is intended to jumpstart conversations between women and their doctors about the choices available to them as they approach and experience menopause.

Hormone therapy has been under intense scrutiny since 2002, when a large government study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) reported that hormone therapyspecifically the combination of estrogen and progestin togetherincreased the risk for blood clots, stroke, breast cancer and heart attacks. The researchers halted the study and concluded that the risks of hormone therapy outweighed the benefits. Although the study was designed to evaluate the role of hormone therapy in the prevention of diseases related to aging, many women and their doctors also abandoned it as therapy for menopausal symptoms.

Over the past 10 years, additional research has found that the level of risk depends on the individual woman, her health history, age, and the number of years since her menopause began. In general, younger women (under 60) who have recently started menopause are at a lower risk than older women when taking low doses of hormone therapy.

"Left with the false impression that hormone therapy isn't a safe option, far too many women have suffered in silence thinking their options for symptom relief were limited or non-existent," says Cynthia Stuenkel, MD, a member of The Endocrine Society and an endocrinologist specializing in menopause at the University of California, San Diego. "We know that for some women, hormonal therapy provides the only relief for severe menopausal symptoms. Women deserve some clear answers and helpful tools to engage their doctors in meaningful conversations about the multiple choices available to improve their menopausal symptoms."

When a woman enters menopause, she stops menstruating and her body produces less of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. The process of menopause takes years. During that time, women may experience moderate to severe symptoms, including hot flashes, interrupted sleep, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms that affect her quality of life.

The survey found that 72 percent of women currently experiencing symptoms have not received any treatment for them. Other findings include:

  • Majorities of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have not talked to their primary health care provider or OB/GYN about hormone therapy (62%) or non-hormone options (61%), and half of them have not talked about lifestyle changes;
  • Nearly half (49%) of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have a negative impression of hormone therapy; and
  • While the sample sizes of African Americans and Latinas in the survey are small, only 17 percent of African-American respondents say they have talked to their doctors about hormone therapy, compared to 39 percent of white women and 35 percent of Latinas, suggesting that disparities may exist.

"Unfortunately, as in many health care issues, significant disparities exist. Add to that, many primary care doctors don't have enough information about the latest research or what to prescribe," Dr. Stuenkel says. "We want to make health care providers across the nation aware of this tool so that they can facilitate better discussions with their patients."

The "Menopause Map" is an online interactive tool that guides a woman through the different options available to get relief from her symptoms through a series of prompting questions about those symptoms and her personal health history. The Map also has links to questionnaires that help assess current risk for breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The tool weighs hormonal and non-hormonal therapies against the risks based on individual symptoms and medical history.

The Map was not designed to be a self-diagnostic tool. It's recommended that women print out their results along with a list of provided questions to discuss the best treatment options for them with their provider. Women should revisit this tool to check their symptoms and have a continuous, informed dialogue with their provider.

The important facts to know about hormone therapy are:

  • Women 60 years and older should not use menopausal hormone therapy.
  • Women 50-59 years or younger, with no family or personal history of breast cancer, no history of heart disease or stroke, and with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms are the best candidates for hormone therapy.
  • If considering hormone therapy, women should talk with their health care provider to determine a plan that is right for them.
  • In addition, lifestyle approach also helps alleviate symptoms and benefit long-term health.
  • For those who decide on hormone therapy, this is an ongoing process and might require a period of trial and error to find the right fit for each individual woman.
  • For those who decide on non-hormonal options, there are several proven therapies available that may help with symptoms. It is important women share information about all medications they are using, including over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements, to make sure the choice of therapy doesn't interact with other medications.

###

The Menopause Map can be found at www.hormone.org/MenopauseMap.

About the Survey: The Endocrine Society commissioned Lake Research Partners to conduct a nationally representative survey of 810 women ages 45-60 years old, April 13 -17, 2012. The margin of sampling error is + 4.3 percentage points.

Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 15,000 physicians, scientists, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, MD. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org.

The Hormone Health Network works to join Endocrine Society physicians, primary care providers, patients and the public in meaningful, informed discussions about hormones and health. The Network offers patients and their providers free, on-line resources that are based on the Society's most advanced clinical and scientific knowledge of endocrine-related diseases and conditions. Join the Hormone Health Network today by visiting www.hormone.org and subscribing to Hormone Hotline, our monthly e-update on hormones and health.



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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.


First of its kind 'menopause map' helps women navigate treatment [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Aaron Lohr
alohr@endo-society.org
240-482-1380

Dionne Dougall-Bass
dionne@burnesscommunications.com
301-961-5803
Burness Communications

Nationwide Poll found 7 out of 10 women suffering from menopausal symptoms are not treated; Majority not talking to their doctors about various relief options

May 1, 2012 (Chevy Chase, MD) Women going through menopause now have a first-of-its-kind interactive guide to help them better understand their menu of treatment options, including whether hormone therapy may be right for them. The Endocrine Society and its Hormone Health Network today released the "Menopause Map," an online tool to help women and their doctors discuss which hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options would be most effective and safe to relieve the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause. A new accompanying survey found that the majority of women facing challenging symptoms are concerned about hormone treatment and are not discussing it, or other non-hormonal options, with their doctor. The Map was developed by Endocrine Society physician experts who specialize in menopause management.

The tool is based on the latest unbiased research and is intended to jumpstart conversations between women and their doctors about the choices available to them as they approach and experience menopause.

Hormone therapy has been under intense scrutiny since 2002, when a large government study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) reported that hormone therapyspecifically the combination of estrogen and progestin togetherincreased the risk for blood clots, stroke, breast cancer and heart attacks. The researchers halted the study and concluded that the risks of hormone therapy outweighed the benefits. Although the study was designed to evaluate the role of hormone therapy in the prevention of diseases related to aging, many women and their doctors also abandoned it as therapy for menopausal symptoms.

Over the past 10 years, additional research has found that the level of risk depends on the individual woman, her health history, age, and the number of years since her menopause began. In general, younger women (under 60) who have recently started menopause are at a lower risk than older women when taking low doses of hormone therapy.

"Left with the false impression that hormone therapy isn't a safe option, far too many women have suffered in silence thinking their options for symptom relief were limited or non-existent," says Cynthia Stuenkel, MD, a member of The Endocrine Society and an endocrinologist specializing in menopause at the University of California, San Diego. "We know that for some women, hormonal therapy provides the only relief for severe menopausal symptoms. Women deserve some clear answers and helpful tools to engage their doctors in meaningful conversations about the multiple choices available to improve their menopausal symptoms."

When a woman enters menopause, she stops menstruating and her body produces less of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. The process of menopause takes years. During that time, women may experience moderate to severe symptoms, including hot flashes, interrupted sleep, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms that affect her quality of life.

The survey found that 72 percent of women currently experiencing symptoms have not received any treatment for them. Other findings include:

  • Majorities of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have not talked to their primary health care provider or OB/GYN about hormone therapy (62%) or non-hormone options (61%), and half of them have not talked about lifestyle changes;
  • Nearly half (49%) of menopausal women experiencing symptoms have a negative impression of hormone therapy; and
  • While the sample sizes of African Americans and Latinas in the survey are small, only 17 percent of African-American respondents say they have talked to their doctors about hormone therapy, compared to 39 percent of white women and 35 percent of Latinas, suggesting that disparities may exist.

"Unfortunately, as in many health care issues, significant disparities exist. Add to that, many primary care doctors don't have enough information about the latest research or what to prescribe," Dr. Stuenkel says. "We want to make health care providers across the nation aware of this tool so that they can facilitate better discussions with their patients."

The "Menopause Map" is an online interactive tool that guides a woman through the different options available to get relief from her symptoms through a series of prompting questions about those symptoms and her personal health history. The Map also has links to questionnaires that help assess current risk for breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The tool weighs hormonal and non-hormonal therapies against the risks based on individual symptoms and medical history.

The Map was not designed to be a self-diagnostic tool. It's recommended that women print out their results along with a list of provided questions to discuss the best treatment options for them with their provider. Women should revisit this tool to check their symptoms and have a continuous, informed dialogue with their provider.

The important facts to know about hormone therapy are:

  • Women 60 years and older should not use menopausal hormone therapy.
  • Women 50-59 years or younger, with no family or personal history of breast cancer, no history of heart disease or stroke, and with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms are the best candidates for hormone therapy.
  • If considering hormone therapy, women should talk with their health care provider to determine a plan that is right for them.
  • In addition, lifestyle approach also helps alleviate symptoms and benefit long-term health.
  • For those who decide on hormone therapy, this is an ongoing process and might require a period of trial and error to find the right fit for each individual woman.
  • For those who decide on non-hormonal options, there are several proven therapies available that may help with symptoms. It is important women share information about all medications they are using, including over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements, to make sure the choice of therapy doesn't interact with other medications.

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The Menopause Map can be found at www.hormone.org/MenopauseMap.

About the Survey: The Endocrine Society commissioned Lake Research Partners to conduct a nationally representative survey of 810 women ages 45-60 years old, April 13 -17, 2012. The margin of sampling error is + 4.3 percentage points.

Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 15,000 physicians, scientists, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, MD. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org.

The Hormone Health Network works to join Endocrine Society physicians, primary care providers, patients and the public in meaningful, informed discussions about hormones and health. The Network offers patients and their providers free, on-line resources that are based on the Society's most advanced clinical and scientific knowledge of endocrine-related diseases and conditions. Join the Hormone Health Network today by visiting www.hormone.org and subscribing to Hormone Hotline, our monthly e-update on hormones and health.



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