Obama gets first-hand look at storm devastation

President Barack Obama is greeted by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie upon his arrival at Atlantic City International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Atlantic City, NJ. Obama traveled to region to take an aerial tour of the Atlantic Coast in New Jersey in areas damaged by superstorm Sandy, (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama is greeted by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie upon his arrival at Atlantic City International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Atlantic City, NJ. Obama traveled to region to take an aerial tour of the Atlantic Coast in New Jersey in areas damaged by superstorm Sandy, (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Marine One, carrying President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, take an aerial tour of the Atlantic Coast in New Jersey in areas damaged by superstorm Sandy, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Doug Mills, Pool)

The view of storm damage over the Atlantic Coast in Seaside Heights, N.J., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, from a helicopter traveling behind the helicopter carrying President Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as they viewed storm damage from superstorm Sandy. (AP Photo/Doug Mills, Pool)

BRIGANTINE, N.J. (AP) ? President Barack Obama inspected the devastation from Sandy on Wednesday, flying high over flooded neighborhoods, sand-strewn streets and a burning fire that charred homes along the New Jersey coastline.

With Election Day less than a week away, Obama's visit to view the aftermath of the rare autumn storm was layered with political implications. The president's tour guide was New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican and top supporter of GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney who joined Obama on a Marine One helicopter ride over the region.

To the chagrin of some Republicans, Christie has lavished praise on Obama for his efforts in helping states deal with the storm.

Even though politics infuse every moment in the final week before Election Day, the White House sought to focus attention on the storm, an event that has given Obama an opportunity to project presidential leadership in the final days of the tightly contested White House race.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said there were no political motivations behind Obama's decision to join his supporter's rival Wednesday.

"This is not a time for politics," Carney said. "The president appreciates the efforts of governors, state and local officials across the various states that were affected by the storm, regardless of political party."

During the helicopter tour, Obama and Christie saw a carnival and a large pier that had been damaged, along with flattened houses and fragments of wood scattered throughout neighborhoods. Parts of the New Jersey shore's famed boardwalk was missing in sections and in one area, a fire was still burning and appeared to have taken out about eight homes.

As Obama and Christie flew over Point Pleasant Beach, sand and water could be seen covering several blocks of the community. But the president got a reminder of next week's election: someone had written "ROMNEY" in large letters in the sand at the north end of the beach.

Wednesday marked Obama's third straight day off the campaign trail. He canceled rallies across four battleground states and retreated to the White House to oversee the government's storm response. Obama stopped by FEMA headquarters in Washington before heading to New Jersey.

Obama planned to return to the campaign trail Thursday, with stops planned in Green Bay, Wis., Las Vegas and Boulder, Colo. He planned to be on the road campaigning every day through the Nov. 6 election.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-31-Obama/id-9b5c145a5c9a47aab80a8f3ac7ab2281

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What Brand Marketers Can Learn From Lance Armstrong | Business ...

Apparently, in some cases, even if you can conquer cancer and raise half a billion dollars for cancer research, never go up against the Goliath of?corporate marketing.

The tragic fall of cyclist Lance Armstrong will serve as fodder for business and marketing case studies for years to come. How can a cancer-surviving, elite athlete who won what some consider the toughest athletic event on earth be so unceremoniously dumped into brand marketing?s trash heap? How can sponsors like Nike and Anheuser-Busch seemingly throw millions of dollars at Lance and just as quickly turn a cold shoulder to him? What were brand marketers missing?

Reams of evidence are showing Lance to be a cheat. And it?s clear that cheating at what brought you your fame and fortune in unacceptable to sponsors. That?s why Tiger Woods, who faced a myriad of personal issues in a very public divorce,?is still sponsored by Nike. Tiger didn?t cheat at golf. Further, Tiger also apologized, and he did so quickly. Lance Armstrong hasn?t and may never apologize.

Is Corporate Marketing At Fault?

How much actual vetting and research did Nike do before signing Lance Armstrong? How?thoroughly did they look?at Lance and the sport of cycling? Cycling for years has been viewed as a corrupt sport full of back room deals?and finger pointing that was long overdue for an overhaul in governance. Should Nike have taken a deep dive into the cycling system to see how it really worked? Perhaps they would have?nixed all cycling?sponsorships if they had. It seems that some intense vetting would have shown alarming patterns of cheating and doping permeating the entire cycling system. So, did Lance Armstrong singlehandedly bring down cycling or was he?simply trying to outwit?an already corrupt and flawed system.

As brand marketers, we owe it to ourselves and to our clients to truly vet potential sponsorships. My sense is that a few weeks being embedded within the cycling community, even in the late 1990s, would have exposed some very unappealing truths that should have?raised a red flag even for the most eager of sponsors. We need to be overly cognizant of the systems and the processes of the industries we look to for sponsorship. Just because a gangster is likeable and handsome and has a personal story that resonates?across?demographics ? he?s still part of the mafia.

Is Lance Armstrong at fault? Yes.?Is the sport of cycling at fault??Most definitely. Is Nike Corporate Marketing to blame? Yes. Did they look past the seedy side of cycling to the potential revenue uptick that Lance could bring them? Most likely.

As marketers we need to vet not only the product, service, or person ? we also need to consider the systems and processes that produce the product or service or person ? if the systems are corrupt and flawed ? their outcomes will likely be corrupt and flawed as well.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/branding/what-brand-marketers-can-learn-from-lance-armstrong-0314108

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Why we need a financial transaction tax | GreenBiz.com

The financial crisis, from which the global economy is still rebounding, demonstrated a variety of systemic risks associated with the practices of financial institutions.

While most regulatory reform efforts have focused on the mortgage industry and lending practices, there are other significant threats to the financial system that remain unregulated and threaten the stability of global markets.

Of particular concern is the investment industry?s reliance on computer-driven, high-frequency trading on global stock exchanges. As an Accredited Investment Fiduciary^?, my role is to identify investments that have perceived long-term value. But the majority of trades on the exchanges today are conducted by high-frequency traders using enormous computers and sophisticated algorithms to buy and sell individual stocks multiple times in a fraction of a second. This approach is designed to maximize micro-profits with each trade, and aggregating them over time can yield positive results.

The problem with this approach is that a company?s fundamental financial value is completely overlooked by this type of investor. The threat to society from this activity is not hypothetical. Two years ago, the so-called "flash crash" took the Dow Jones average down more than 1,000 points in a matter of minutes.

While these glitches are eventually identified and explained, they illustrate the vulnerability of technology and its impact on investor confidence in the markets. For when the markets are volatile, investors park their money in cash. The purpose of investing is to raise capital in pursuit of enterprise, profit and economic growth, and this is simply not possible when investors are afraid of the infrastructure and an environmental of stability that facilitates such investment.

Photo of growth in pennies provided by Martin Kemp via Shutterstock.

Next page: Why we need a financial tax on short-term trading

Source: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/10/24/why-we-need-financial-transaction-tax

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Let's Get Personal: How Coconut Oil Has Been Helping Me

I initially started this post to be a focus on how coconut oil can help improve thyroid function and aid in weight loss, but as I started writing, it turned into more of a Let?s Get Personal post. So, for the sake of not letting this post get too long, I am going to discuss my personal experience with how coconut oil has helped me, and then soon, I will share a more scientific post about how coconut oil helps the thyroid and weight loss.

NOTE: Due to the FDA and FTC laws on health claims, I need to make this very clear. None of the information in this post is to be construed as medical advice. I am not a doctor or certified medical practitioner of any sort. I am simply sharing the success that I have had with adding coconut oil to my diet. Every person is different and you should always consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, supplements, or exercise routine. For a full disclaimer,?please?read my Terms and Conditions. The following post is ALL my own, personal experience.

I?m a Nut for the Coconut

You all know that I have a major love affair with?coconut?oil. I have written about it many times and it is a staple in my kitchen. I use lots of it daily.?If you want to read some of my past posts, check these out:

For years, I have read, and been told, that coconut oil can help improve thyroid function and also help the body shed weight. I think that these two things go hand-in-hand, because typically if you have a low-functioning thyroid, you will also find it incredibly hard to lose weight. If you are hyperthyroid, you usually have the opposite problem (too much weight loss), so for the sake of this article, I will just be focusing on hypothyroid issues.

Coconut?s Role in My Healing Journey

As some of you know, this summer (on August 1st), I embarked on a healing journey. I finally got to a place in my life where I felt that I could handle taking on the health problems that I had been ignoring. I won?t go into a lot of detail about my healing journey in this post, so if you want to know more, I do encourage you to read my Let?s Get Personal Series. I will be talking about thyroid issues, hormone issues, adrenal issues, and blood sugar issues.

When I first started on this journey, the main?dysfunction?that I wanted to address was my low-functioning thyroid. Turns out, I actually have an autoimmune disease ? Hashimoto?s ? rather than just being hypothyroid. So, for me, we have to focus on the immune system first and foremost.?I was diagnosed as hypothyroid about 6 years ago. I look back and wish I had taken the extra tests at that time. I am curious to know if I was autoimmune this whole time. For the most part, I have not had many of the symptoms of low thyroid function, up until about a year ago.?Maybe?it was because I was not as in tune with my body as I thought I was. Or, maybe it was because I was in tune with my body and I was just in denial. Whatever the reason, I had just resolved that I would take my T4 medication and that was that. But, I finally realized that I owed it to my present self, and my future self, to figure out what was going on with my body and do?everything?in my power to fix it.

Now that I am a couple months into the journey, I can look back and see that I did have many more symptoms of low-functioning thyroid and adrenal issues that I ever realized. Here are some of the symptoms that I have noticed over the last 6 years:

• Slow, steady weight gain, despite eating a real food diet and exercising regularly
• Inability to lose weight, even when I would try
• Hair loss
• Unstable moods and emotions
• Brain fog
• Fatigue

Now, I have always eaten coconut oil. Really, I have eaten coconut oil for as long as I can?remember? It is one of my primary cooking oils and I use it daily. I never really took it medicinally, I just relied on whatever I was getting from my meals. In total, I was probably getting 2-4 tablespoons of coconut oil per day. With that amount, I was not experiencing increased thyroid function or weight loss.

Now, please note that I am not obsessed about being the ?perfect size?, nor am I focused on being skinny. I just want to lose the excess weight (60+ pounds) that I have put on over the last 6-8 years and get back down to a size where I can once again feel healthy and comfortable in my skin. It is a well known fact that excess weight is a burden on the body. It is hard not only on our bones, joints, and ligaments, it is also hard on our internal organs,?cardiovascular?system, blood sugar system, etc. So, my focus is not to be skinny. My focus is to be healthy. My goal weight is 160-170 pounds. That is where I feel healthy and it fits my 5?10? frame.

There. I said it. I just confessed to the world how much I weigh (you all can do the math).

I am now officially mortified.

Moving on ?.

So, over the last 6-8 years, I put on a total of 67 pounds. They just kind of crept on, and then one day I looked at the scale and said ?WHOA!?. I reached my heaviest weight about a year and a half ago, and over the course of the last couple years, I have lost around 15 pounds. Not a lot, and it wasn?t easy. Losing weight has never been easy. Still, it was a long ways away from my goal weight range of 160-170, which, BTW, according to the CDC, if I weigh 170, I would still be considered ?Overweight? by their BMI calculator. I honestly think the standard BMI calculators are a bunch of junk. They don?t take into consideration anything other than height and weight. There is no consideration for frame size (I am a big-framed person anyways ? you know, ?big boned?), muscle mass, etc. Hence the reason that I am not concerned with getting to what the CDC determines as a ?normal? weight.

I attribute this weight gain to (a) my low-functioning thyroid, (b) my?malfunctioning?adrenals, (c) food allergies (gluten/grains, legumes, and dairy), (d) emotional eating, and (e) too much stress. All of which, I am working on fixing. It is frustrating to realize how much weight you put on, despite eating a?relatively?clean diet with lots of real food. I know there are many, many people out there who feel the exact same way.

Anyways, I have completely digressed from my initial point. Thank you for sticking with me ?. I tend to do that a lot.

Back in the middle of August, I was whining confessing to Lydia how frustrated I was that I was eating such a clean diet (no grains, no dairy, no legumes, no sugar), better managing my stress, and exercising (walking and yoga ? nothing too strenuous to burden my adrenals), yet I wasn?t losing any weight. She told me two things:

1. You don?t lose weight to get healthy, you get healthy to lose weight.

2. Try upping your coconut oil.

Point number 1 really hit home for me. We live in a world where we are constantly told that we need to lose weight to be healthy. That, if we just lose weight, we?ll never have to worry about heart disease, diabetes, etc. Because of this, our society is obsessed with weight loss and we live in a world where we are judged by how we look. Losing weight is not a cure-all. Yes, it can help alleviate excess burden on your body, but it?s about time that we start focusing on why we are overweight and address those issues, before we do anything else. More times than none, there are going to be underlying issues that are simply preventing our bodies from dropping extra baggage.

Point number 2 was a total ?Duh!? moment for me. Of course! I should up my coconut oil. I have always known that it?s good in aiding weight loss and helping thyroid health, so why wasn?t I already doing that?

Starting that day, I upped my daily intake of coconut oil to 9-12 tablespoons per day. Yes. You read that correctly. Since I use a lot of coconut oil in cooking, I average about 3 tablespoons that way. The other 6-9 tablespoons, I get by adding it to my tea. I try to drink 2-3 mugs of herbal tea per day and I add about 3 tablespoons of coconut oil into each mug. I am so used to it by now that I actually crave it. For me, it?s almost a treat! I have a cup with breakfast and lunch, and then often another mug at dinner.

And then ?.

The weight started coming off. I began to steadily lose about 1 pound per week (sometimes a little more or less, depending on my activity and stress levels that week). And I am thrilled with that. A pound a week is a good, safe rate to lose weight. To date, I have lost 17 additional pounds. Combine that with my previous 15 pound weight loss and we?re at a whopping 32 pounds gone! I am officially halfway to where I want to be! And, there has been nothing difficult or frustrating. I don?t even think about it. I just eat as cleanly as possible, enjoy my tea and coconut oil, and let my body do what it needs to do. It took me 6+ years to get to this point, so it certainly isn?t going to change overnight!

I also feel like I have a little more energy throughout the day, and my energy levels are staying stable, whereas before, they were kind of up and down. A lot of that has to do with my determination to keep my blood sugar levels stable, but getting plenty of fat is key to making that happen.

Now, please don?t misinterpret this as me saying if you eat a whole bunch of coconut oil, you?ll lose weight. In my case, I think there are a number of reasons that I am finally being able to drop the excess weight, when in the past, I was not. I think all of the lifestyle changes that I have made over the last few months are all feeding off of one another to help with weight loss (upping my coconut oil intake may have been the one final thing that my body needed):

1. We?eliminated?allergens: grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar.

2. We started supplementing with high-quality?products for specific areas that I was deficient.

3. I started focusing on getting more rest ? in bed by 9:30pm most nights.

4. I got my blood sugar regulated so I no longer have spikes and dips.

5. I am working on the emotional aspects of illness and healing and that process is helping re-define my relationship with food.

(when I say ?we?, I mean me and my?nutritional?therapist Lydia)

I am so excited about all of this. I think that we really underestimate the amount of fat that our bodies need. After decades of being fed the low-fat nonsense, I think we forget that fat is an important part of our diet. I have a feeling that even when I was eating what I considered a lot of fat, I perhaps wasn?t really eating enough. I am looking forward to seeing where this journey takes me. Remember, fat does not make you fat! If you?re still afraid of saturated fat, please read this post.

Whew! That was a long post. But, that is how coconut oil has helped me and I wanted to share. Have you had success incorporating coconut oil into your diet? Have you experienced improved thyroid function and/or weight loss? I would love to hear your story! Leave a comment below.

P.S. Coconut oil is not just good for they thyroid, it?s good for a host of things.?For lots of health-related information on coconut oil, I have found?this book from the founders of Tropical Traditions?to be very informative. Because the FDA and FTC doesn?t like us talking about the health benefits of coconut oil, I recommend this book to everyone, so that you can learn more about coconut oil?s health benefits. It was just updated for 2012 and contains a ton of new information.

P.S. If you?re a?new customer, you can receive a copy for free on your first purchase, and I get a discount coupon for referring you!?Click this link?to place your order and receive your free book!

Virgin Coconut Oil Book from Tropical Traditions

About Jessica

Delicious Obsessions was founded by Jessica Espinoza in 2010. Jessica is passionate about real food, natural living, and more. She helps people see how to eat nourishing food, without breaking the bank. Her motto is "baby steps" -- making small, lasting changes, one at a time, is the best way to ensure long-term success. This website contains "affiliate links" where appropriate, on which, I may earn a small commission or referral fee on your purchase. This has no effect on your price. The monies earned help maintain and support this website's hosting, maintenance, and the development of free content. The content shared on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Statements/products discussed have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult your own health care practitioner before making changes to your current diet or before beginning any herbal or vitamin supplement regimen or exercise program.

Source: http://www.deliciousobsessions.com/2012/10/lets-get-personal-how-coconut-oil-has-been-helping-me/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lets-get-personal-how-coconut-oil-has-been-helping-me

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Video: Should Jets have played for win?

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/49526864#49526864

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Goldman Sachs tags London site as Europe HQ in "Project Armada"

By Tom Bill

LONDON | Tue Oct 23, 2012 8:59am BST

LONDON Oct 23 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs is lining up a future eight-storey building beside its London office as the site of its new European headquarters, according to confidential documents referring to project "Armada".

The bank purchased the second of two office blocks occupying the site of the new campus last year. But it has never confirmed it will move into the site adjacent to its current HQ on Fleet Street, the district which was the hub for Britain's newspapers until the 1980s when legal and financial firms moved in.

Over 100 pages of technical drawings and data seen by Reuters show a clear assumption that Goldman plans to consolidate its London operations into the new building, which is 1.2 million square feet.

The bank is simultaneously pressing ahead with plans to group its Bangalore offices together in a major new back-office centre housing 4,000 staff, codenamed "Big Bang."

"GS London and Bangalore campuses are currently not consolidated, obstructing collaboration among the GS employees and duplicating infrastructure requirements," the report by architect Adamson Associates said.

"Armada and Big Bang projects provide an opportunity for resolution of this situation," it said.

A Goldman Sachs spokeswoman declined to comment.

The London project has faced some hurdles. The site acquired by Goldman includes a building that was London's largest telephone exchange when it opened in 1961 and the bank needed special permission to remove protected murals from it.

The bank had argued that the nine ceramic panels by relatively unknown artist Dorothy Annan were not rare. But the murals were listed by the government as being of national importance and special interest as surviving works of 1960s mural art.

Goldman also had to promise telecoms firm BT Group that it would get access to current telecoms tunnels during and after construction.

The designs for the new London office include fan and generator rooms that can be used to power trading operations and a 50 square metre area for secure waste and shredding. There are also details on how much shower, locker and bicycle parking space will be included in the new building.

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/10/23/gs-london-idUKL5E8LGPOW20121023?feedType=RSS&feedName=rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews

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WATCH: Taylor Swift Performs Live in Times Square

Taylor Swift wowed crowds with her live Good Morning America performance in Times Square this morning. But it was her visit to the ABC morning talk show yesterday where she really opened up.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/taylor-swift-performs-times-square-good-morning-america/1-a-496226?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ataylor-swift-performs-times-square-good-morning-america-496226

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Officials: Mexico pacts hurt Tennessee

published Monday, October 22nd, 2012

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Local Volkswagen officials say they?re fighting within the giant automaker to win a second vehicle for the Chattanooga assembly plant.

But they may be sparring with one hand tied behind their backs.

A lack of free trade pacts between the United States and other nations may steer future VW production to Mexico rather than Tennessee, according to industry experts and others.

Jay Baron, chief executive of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., said Mexico has free trade agreements with 44 countries. The U.S. has 19, he said.

As a result, cars built in Mexico can be exported to more countries without the manufacturer having to pay import duties, which can boost the price of a vehicle by up to 10 percent.

That Mexican trade advantage encouraged Volkswagen to put its Audi plant in Mexico rather than in Chattanooga; Huntsville, Ala.; or another U.S. location, Baron said.

?It?s in direct competition,? he told a recent conference of auto manufacturers from Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. The issue of free trade came up often at the Chattanooga meeting.

Audi, VW?s luxury-car unit, announced in April it will build the factory in Mexico to make a sport utility vehicle, reportedly the Q5, by 2016. A site next to VW?s Chattanooga plant reportedly had been eyed as a potential location for the plant.

Bill Hagerty, state economic and community development commissioner, said Tennessee competed for the project, but its efforts were hurt by trade issues beyond the control of state and local officials.

Hagerty, who is on a temporary leave of absence to volunteer for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, said this summer that a portion of the new facility?s output will target certain South American markets.

A top VW official told Automotive News recently that trade among Mexico, Europe and the Mercosur bloc of nations (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) is duty-free, which helps lower the automaker?s costs. A duty is a kind of tax on certain items.

By producing in Mexico, Audi can avoid a 10 percent duty that?s levied on cars built in the U.S. and shipped to Europe.

?Tariff treaties between Mexico and certain countries there made a material difference,? Hagerty said earlier this year. ?We understand Audi had to choose the location that best fit its business needs.?

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said that while there are some trade barriers, many of those are Europe?s fault.

?Europe won?t take our agricultural products, so we can?t get a free trade agreement with Europe,? he said. ?I regret that. That would benefit us in terms of autos. We could not only make more cars here. We could make them here and sell them in Europe.?

Alexander said Europeans won?t take food that is genetically engineered.

He said the next president, either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, needs to give Congress fast-track trade authority to make more free trade pacts.

?Or we?ll have more examples of VW plants going to Mexico,? Alexander said.

?Fast track? is the authority granted by Congress to the administration to negotiate trade agreements that cannot be amended by Congress and only can be voted up or down, as negotiated.

Jonathan Browning, Volkswagen Group of America?s chief executive, cited the Audi decision in a recent speech to the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

He said Mexico was chosen because 70 percent of production is expected to be exported outside the North American Free Trade Agreement region, which includes the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

?It simply doesn?t make sense to build in the U.S. if exporting is central to that investment decision,? Browning said.

He called for the U.S. to get its fiscal house in order as well as to look to improve radically its export-oriented infrastructure.

Baron also suggested the South improve its supply chain of parts to auto assembly plants to better compete with Mexico.

Wooing more suppliers to the region and putting those plants closer to automakers? factories will make the supply chain more appealing to car companies, he said.

Baron noted that two-thirds of a car comes from the supply chain.

?That?s where the opportunity really comes from,? he said.

Business Editor Dave Flessner contributed to this story.

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.

about Mike Pare...

Mike Pare, the deputy Business editor at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, has worked at the paper for 27 years. In addition to editing, Mike also writes Business stories and covers Volkswagen, economic development and manufacturing in Chattanooga and the surrounding area. In the past he also has covered higher education. Mike, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., received a bachelor?s degree in communications from Florida Atlantic University. he worked at the Rome News-Tribune before ...

Source: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/oct/22/officials-mexico-pacts-hurt-tennessee/

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Sandusky moved from county jail to state prison

Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is driven from the Centre County Courthouse after being sentenced in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. Sandusky was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison, effectively a life sentence, in the child sexual abuse scandal that brought shame to Penn State and led to coach Joe Paterno's downfall. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is driven from the Centre County Courthouse after being sentenced in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. Sandusky was sentenced to at least 30 years in prison, effectively a life sentence, in the child sexual abuse scandal that brought shame to Penn State and led to coach Joe Paterno's downfall. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

CAMP HILL, Pa. (AP) ? Jerry Sandusky became a state prison inmate Tuesday with his transfer out of the Centre County jail, his home since he was convicted in June of child molestation.

The 68-year-old former Penn State assistant coach arrived early in the morning at the State Correctional Institute at Camp Hill, just outside Harrisburg, a state prison system spokeswoman said.

He faces testing and evaluation that will take a week or more before he can be assigned a security risk level and sent to one of the state facilities as his "home" prison. At Camp Hill, experts will assess his mental state, physical health and education level, and determine whether he needs treatment.

"I have some concerns about his medical needs and we're going to be taking a careful look at that to make sure they're being addressed," said his lawyer, Karl Rominger. Specifically, he said, Sandusky has sleep apnea and uses a so-called CPAP machine.

Sandusky was sentenced this month to 30 to 60 years for sexual abuse of 10 boys over a 15-year period. He has repeatedly asserted his innocence and last week filed post-sentencing motions, seeking to have convictions thrown out or a new trial.

Rominger said he was waiting to see how state prosecutors respond to the defense motions and how Judge John Cleland rules on them. If the judge rules against Sandusky, the defense will then have a month in which to appeal to Superior Court.

There are about 6,800 sex offenders serving time in Pennsylvania's prison system. The Corrections Department does not maintain special units for sex offenders, and there is no way to predict where he will be sent.

Also Tuesday, a book by Aaron Fisher that recounts his abuse by Sandusky was published. "Silent No More" describes how Fisher's claims first came to light at his school district a half-hour northeast of State College, triggering the investigation that produced charges nearly a year ago.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-23-Penn%20State-Abuse/id-09216d3960934b669e4b1b4c2a5f8992

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Teachers' union drops case contesting health insurance law ...

AUGUSTA, Maine ? The union that represents most of Maine?s public school teachers has abandoned its efforts to block a law that requires school districts? health insurers to provide the districts with data on their employees? claims history.

The Maine Education Association said it was dropping its lawsuit against Maine?s insurance superintendent, Eric Cioppa, because it was unlikely to succeed if it kept fighting the law?s implementation in court.

?For financial reasons, it made no sense to continue the lawsuit,? MEA president Lois Kilby-Chesley said in a prepared statement. ?We will comply with the law.?

Gov. Paul LePage welcomed the MEA?s decision. ?School systems can now generate savings from their health insurance programs to reinvest in the classroom instead of wasting time and money fighting frivolous lawsuits,? he said in a statement.

The case centered around a law the Legislature passed and LePage signed last year that allowed school districts to request their employees? aggregate insurance claims history from their insurers so they could more easily shop around for cheaper health insurance coverage.

Nearly all of Maine?s school districts insure their teachers and many of their other employees through the MEA Benefits Trust, which has contracted with Anthem Blue Cross to provide insurance. The MEA plan covers about 70,000 people, said Christine Burke, the Benefits Trust?s executive director.

The MEA last October filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Maine, claiming that forcing Anthem to release employees? claims history would violate the union?s contract with the insurer, and that the employee claims history was the property of the MEA Benefits Trust and couldn?t be taken from the union.

A federal judge in February denied the union?s request for an injunction that would have stopped the state from enforcing the new law. The union subsequently took its case to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. That court ruled late last month that the union stood little chance of succeeding in its efforts to block the law.

The union decided to drop its lawsuit following that opinion.

?We were just throwing good money after bad in trying to litigate this,? Burke said. ?It just didn?t make sense.?

Burke said about 70 school districts so far have requested the claims history for their employees. It?s uncertain, however, whether that means many districts will end up pursuing coverage outside of the MEA Benefits Trust.

If many districts end up leaving the MEA plan, Burke said, the districts that stay will inevitably be those that are more expensive to insure.

?If a number of the good-performing districts decide to go off on their own, we?ll have difficulty staying afloat,? she said. ?We?re going to fight really hard to stay alive. We have to show the districts the value of staying with the trust.?

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/10/22/politics/teachers-union-drops-case-contesting-health-insurance-law/

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Secondhand smoke in cars, bars impairs breathing within 20 minutes

Public release date: 22-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jennifer Stawarz
jstawarz@chestnet.org
847-498-8306
American College of Chest Physicians

Heavy concentrations of secondhand smoke, such as those found in smoke-filled bars and cars, can lead to airway restriction for bystanders within minutes of exposure. The study, presented at CHEST 2012, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, showed that after 20 minutes of exposure to highly concentrated secondhand smoke, participants experienced near immediate physiologic changes, including airway resistance and impedance.

"Bars and cars are places where high concentrations of fine particles usually occur because of smoking. Nonsmokers are then forced to inhale extreme amounts of particulates directly into their lungs," said Panagiotis Behrakis, MD, FCCP, of the University of Athens, Greece. "The observed short-term effects of secondhand smoke tell us that even a short exposure is indeed harmful for normal airways."

In order to test the effects of short-term secondhand smoke exposure, Dr. Behrakis and colleagues from the University of Athens and the Hellenic Cancer Society in Greece, and the Harvard School of Public Health, exposed 15 healthy participants to air heavily concentrated with smoke particulates within an exposure chambersimulating a bar or moving carfor 20 minutes. During this time, researchers measured participants' total respiratory impedance, resistance, and reactance with the use of an impulse oscillometry, a noninvasive way of measuring the physical properties of respiratory movement during quiet breathing.

Results showed that short-term exposure to concentrated secondhand smoke significantly and immediately impacted participants' airways, invoking such physiologic changes as increased airway impedance and resistance. Participants showed no clinical signs or feelings of discomfort during the test.

Although exposure to secondhand smoke appears to be slightly less harmful than direct smoking, Dr. Behrakis believes secondhand smoking should be recognized as a global health issue. "Secondhand smoking is the most widespread form of violence exerted on children and workers on a global level. The whole issue of secondhand smoke needs to be recognized as a global problem of human rights violation."

"Research has shown that exposure to secondhand smoke can have short and long-term effects on our health, especially in children," said ACCP President-Elect Darcy D. Marciniuk, MD, FCCP. "Although select states and cities have taken steps to eliminate smoking in restaurants, bars, and other public areas, more state and local governments need to acknowledge the dangers of secondhand smoking and follow suit."

###

CHEST 2012 is the 78th annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, held October 20 - 25 in Atlanta, Georgia. The ACCP is the global leader in clinical chest medicine, representing 18,500 members who provide patient care in the areas of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine in the United States and throughout the world. The mission of the ACCP is to promote the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. For more information about the ACCP, visit the ACCP website at www.chestnet.org, or follow the ACCP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/accpchest and Twitter @accpchest.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 22-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jennifer Stawarz
jstawarz@chestnet.org
847-498-8306
American College of Chest Physicians

Heavy concentrations of secondhand smoke, such as those found in smoke-filled bars and cars, can lead to airway restriction for bystanders within minutes of exposure. The study, presented at CHEST 2012, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, showed that after 20 minutes of exposure to highly concentrated secondhand smoke, participants experienced near immediate physiologic changes, including airway resistance and impedance.

"Bars and cars are places where high concentrations of fine particles usually occur because of smoking. Nonsmokers are then forced to inhale extreme amounts of particulates directly into their lungs," said Panagiotis Behrakis, MD, FCCP, of the University of Athens, Greece. "The observed short-term effects of secondhand smoke tell us that even a short exposure is indeed harmful for normal airways."

In order to test the effects of short-term secondhand smoke exposure, Dr. Behrakis and colleagues from the University of Athens and the Hellenic Cancer Society in Greece, and the Harvard School of Public Health, exposed 15 healthy participants to air heavily concentrated with smoke particulates within an exposure chambersimulating a bar or moving carfor 20 minutes. During this time, researchers measured participants' total respiratory impedance, resistance, and reactance with the use of an impulse oscillometry, a noninvasive way of measuring the physical properties of respiratory movement during quiet breathing.

Results showed that short-term exposure to concentrated secondhand smoke significantly and immediately impacted participants' airways, invoking such physiologic changes as increased airway impedance and resistance. Participants showed no clinical signs or feelings of discomfort during the test.

Although exposure to secondhand smoke appears to be slightly less harmful than direct smoking, Dr. Behrakis believes secondhand smoking should be recognized as a global health issue. "Secondhand smoking is the most widespread form of violence exerted on children and workers on a global level. The whole issue of secondhand smoke needs to be recognized as a global problem of human rights violation."

"Research has shown that exposure to secondhand smoke can have short and long-term effects on our health, especially in children," said ACCP President-Elect Darcy D. Marciniuk, MD, FCCP. "Although select states and cities have taken steps to eliminate smoking in restaurants, bars, and other public areas, more state and local governments need to acknowledge the dangers of secondhand smoking and follow suit."

###

CHEST 2012 is the 78th annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, held October 20 - 25 in Atlanta, Georgia. The ACCP is the global leader in clinical chest medicine, representing 18,500 members who provide patient care in the areas of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine in the United States and throughout the world. The mission of the ACCP is to promote the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. For more information about the ACCP, visit the ACCP website at www.chestnet.org, or follow the ACCP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/accpchest and Twitter @accpchest.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/acoc-ssi101712.php

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ZaidLearn: IMU-LS-14: Authenticity & WizIQ (Nellie Deutsch)

We thrilled to announce that our next speaker for IMU Webinar Series is Dr. Nellie Deutsch, who is an amazing Educational Technologist and e-Learning Specialist (Founder of IT4ALL). She, is also the Ambassador for WizIQ and an expert on Moodle. At IMU we are using Moodle, and in the process of inspiring more lecturers to use WizIQ, so having her give a webinar to IMU, is simply awesome.? Yes, this webinar is open to anyone (in the world)! Please attend by simply clicking here (or the icon above) on the 24th October, 10:00 AM, Kuala Lumpur time (Check Time Differences). No registration is required this time around.? ? Can we trust the products and people we hear from in online webinars? What makes online communication authentic? Dr. Nellie Deutsch will discuss what it means to be authentic and where we stand when it comes to leading with authenticity in online learning environments such as WizIQ.? Dr. Nellie Deutsch is a Canadian e-Learning expert, course designer, presenter, author, and mentor to thousands of educators worldwide. Nellie is passionate about improving learning and promoting teaching as a way to learn. Nellie has a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership specializing in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. She researched instructor experiences with implementing technology in blended learning courses in higher education worldwide.

Nellie provides e-learning and blended learning mentorship to educators, manages a few Moodle websites where she coordinates and facilitates professional development workshops on Moodle for Teachers, Teacher Admin for Moodle, WebQuests and Professional Electronic Portfolios. Nellie founded Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (IT4ALL), a volunteer network of educators from around the globe. Nellie has facilitated/consulted for Open University, Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada & WikiEducator/OER New Zealand. She manages connecting online (CO09-CO13) annual free online conference on WizIQ and is editing the first CO12 book based on chapters by the presenters of the conference. Nellie also coordinates the annual online Moodlemoot (MMVC11-MMVC13). Nellie has edited books on Moodle such as Moodle 2.0 Multimedia Cookbook by Hillar, Mary Cooch and other Moodle books published by Packt Publishers and written chapters in books.

?Also, don't forget to follow her on Twitter, too: @nelliemuller

?

RECORDING

It will be made available on YouTube soon after the webinar.

Dr. Nellie Deutsch, we are looking forward to learn how to use WizIQ in more effective and inspiring ways...can't wait :)

Source: http://zaidlearn.blogspot.com/2012/10/imu-ls-14-authenticity-wiziq-nellie.html

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Verizon sells 3.1 million iPhones in Q3 2012

Verizon has reported that Q3 2012 results, including over 3.1 million iPhones sold, over a fifth of which were Apple's latest generation iPhone 5. That compares to 3.4 million Android phones. That's an interesting mix given the iPhone 5 launched less than a month ago, and iPhone sales in general were greatly reduced prior to that. Lowell McAdam, Verizon chairman and CEO had this to say:

In the third quarter, Verizon continued to deliver double-digit earnings growth and strong cash generation, and we remain solidly on track to meet our financial objectives for the year. With our 4G LTE network advantage, well-received Share Everything Plans and unmatched product portfolio, Verizon Wireless continues to do an outstanding job of balancing growth and profitability. Wireless achieved record profitability in a quarter in which we reported the highest number of retail postpaid gross and net adds in four years.

And the Verizon Wireless specific results:

Verizon Wireless Results: Record Profitability, Strong Customer and Revenue Growth

In third-quarter 2012, Verizon Wireless delivered the highest number of retail postpaid net additions in four years; strong growth in revenues; an increase in smartphone penetration; and the highest segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP) in the company?s history, surpassing last quarter?s previous high.

Wireless Financial Highlights

• Service revenues in the quarter totaled $16.2 billion, up 7.5 percent year over year. Retail service revenues grew 7.9 percent year over year, to $15.5 billion.
• Total revenues were $19.0 billion, up 7.3 percent year over year.
• Retail postpaid ARPA (average revenue per account) grew 6.5 percent over third-quarter 2011, to $145.42 per month. Following the recent introduction of the Share Everything Plan and as customers continue to add multiple devices to accounts, Verizon Wireless now reports ARPA instead of ARPU since customers can share data among multiple devices.
• Wireless operating income margin was 31.8 percent and segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP) was 50.0 percent, setting record highs for the second consecutive quarter.

Wireless Operational Highlights

• Verizon Wireless added 1.8 million retail net connections in the third quarter, including 1.5 million retail postpaid net connections, the highest in four years. These additions exclude acquisitions and adjustments.
• At the end of the third quarter, the company had 95.9 million retail connections, a 5.7 percent increase year over year, including 90.4 million retail postpaid connections.
• Verizon Wireless had 34.8 million retail postpaid accounts at the end of the third quarter, a 1.0 percent increase over the third quarter 2011, and an average of 2.6 connections per account, up 4.0 percent year over year. At the end of the third quarter, smartphones constituted more than 53 percent of Verizon Wireless? retail postpaid customer phone base, up from 50 percent at the end of second-quarter 2012.
• Retail postpaid churn was 0.91 percent in the third quarter, an improvement of 3 basis points year over year. Total retail churn was 1.18 percent in the third quarter, an improvement of 8 basis points year over year.
• Verizon Wireless continued to roll out its 4G LTE mobile broadband network, the largest 4G LTE network in the U.S. As of today (Oct. 18), Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service is available to more than 250 million people in 419 markets across the U.S.
• The company introduced seven 4G LTE smartphones in third-quarter 2012: the DROID Incredible 4G LTE by HTC, Samsung Galaxy S III, Pantech Marauder, Intuition by LG, Samsung Galaxy Stellar, DROID RAZR M by Motorola, Apple iPhone 5; and one 4G LTE tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. The company also announced the availability of the DROID RAZR HD and the RAZR MAXX HD by Motorola, which are launching today.
• After receiving FCC approval in late August, Verizon Wireless purchased AWS spectrum from SpectrumCo and Cox Communications, and also completed its spectrum transactions with T-Mobile USA Inc., Leap Wireless and Savary Island Wireless.

Source: Verizon

Verizon

q3 2012

Financial Results

News

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/1cYdOYbZdtA/story01.htm

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10 to Watch: Scottsdale and PV Land $500k-$1m | Exclusive ...

There are many fantastic opportunities to buy land in both Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.? All of the lots below are in prime locations, just waiting for that special buyer to build a dream home.? See #6 for more details on the pictured property above.

1.? 20289 N 103rd Way 1249, Scottsdale

$995,000

Presented by The Silverleaf Group

If you know Silverleaf at all, you know this is one of the finest golf properties for the money available. Located on the third fairway of the Silverleaf golf course, this one acre homesite has unobstructed long views of the McDowell mountains and lush fairways that go on forever. A truly spectacular and private setting. The easy building site, proximity to the Stone House and Desert Springs Park Lake are an added bonus.

2.? 24066 N 90th Street 18, Scottsdale

$950,000

Presented by Russ Lyon Sotheby?s International Realty

Incredible views of City lights, Pinnacle Peak, Troon Mountain, McDowells |? Approximately 4.37 acres | City view, Hill/mountain view | Corner lot | Located on a cul-de-sac | Lot size is between 2 and 5 acres | Utilities present: APS Electricity, SW Gas, Sewer | Call for details on association fee | School District: Elem School Dist # 093 ? Cave Creek Unified District, High School Dist # 093 ? Cave Creek Unified District

3.? 22031 N Church Road 5, Scottsdale

$900,000

Presented by RE MAX Excalibur Realty

Own the mountain! Sellers spent months choosing this beauty! Privacy next to mountain. City lights* 6 acres* 10 acre parcel to south with house to front* plans available w purchase. Can do gated entrance plus guest house* lovely quiet,tranquility,vegetation,location! Just minutes to restuarants,shopping,101. Seller may finance

4.? 7600 N Mountain View Pass 203, Paradise Valley

$850,000

Presented by REALTY EXECUTIVES Center Pointe

Stunning views near the top of beautiful clearwater hills. Popular guard gated subdivision. This is the best of the best for location and views.? City view, Hill/mountain view | Located on a cul-de-sac | Lot size is between 2 and 5 acres | Scottsdale Unified District, High School Dist # 048 ? Scottsdale Unified District,? Elementary School: Kiva, Jr. High School: Mohave, High School: Saguaro

5.? 10920 E Tusayan Trail 66, Scottsdale

$825,000

Presented by Russ Lyon Sotheby?s International Realty

One of eleven custom homesites nestled in the boulders of the Troon Mountain hillside in the gated community of Tusayan at Troon Village. This 3.6 acre custom homesite meanders through an incredible array of abstract formations and rugged boulder outcroppings. Due to the high elevation of this lot, the views of Pinnacle Peak, the McDowell Mountains and the city lights are SPECTACULAR. One of the best lots the Pinnacle Peak area has to offerdont miss your chance to own it!

6.? 6810 E Valley Vista Lane 4, Paradise Valley

$780,000

Presented by SANDRA WILKEN LUXURY PROPERTIES

Large 1.06 acre lot with flat building space. Views of Camelback Mountain include Praying Monk. Surround yourself with beautiful custom homes in your new neighborhood. Previous home is completely leveled. Building plans for a 7,000 sqft home are available for review. Fantastic opportunity for a custom home.

7. 16410 N 113th Way 107, Scottsdale

$729,000

Presented by City to City Commercial

McDowell Mountain Ranch offers community pools, playgrounds, meeting rooms, tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts. The lot is near the McDowell Mountain Golf Club that has been acquired by Phil Mickelson and is part of the exciting ?M Club? www.themclub.com. The Clubhouse is undergoing extensive renovation and reconstruction for an even better experience. There are also plenty of picnic areas, hiking and biking trails. The Retreat in One Hundred Hills is a guard gated community and offers its own heated pool and tennis courts. Lot 107 is a secluded lot that backs to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and is almost two acres. Not a short sale and not lender owned. Owner may carry on approved terms and credit

8.? 21517 N 81st Street 17, Scottsdale

$699,900

Presented by Talka International Realty

Custom homesite #17 is located in the Serenity neighborhood within the 24-hour guard gated Raptor Retreat at Grayhawk. Situated on the 12th hole of the Tom Fazio designed Raptor golf course, this 0.83 acre homesite features stunning McDowell Mountain views, golf course views, and a south-east facing lot orientation. Homesite #17 is one of the last available golf course lots in the Serenity at Grayhawk neighborhood, a special enclave of custom homesites. The natural desert vegetation and generous lot dimensions afford privacy, with the south-east exposure still capturing the stunning views.

9.? 10040 E Happy Valley Road 785, Scottsdale

$599,900

Presented by RE/MAX Excalibur Realty

Spectacular 15th fairway view lot with pinnacle peak as your back yard, troon mountain to the east and the mcdowell mountains and city lights to the south front yard. One of the finest remaining lots in desert highlands (originally owned by jack nicklaus). Buyer to pay $75,000 membership/transfer fee at coe and $1025 dues per month which include green fees to jack nicklaus golf course, 18 hole putting course, 13 tennis courts and raquet club, fitness center, award winning club house with fine and casual dining, walking paths, garden amenities, guard gated and security patrolled and all hoa fees included in monthly dues.

10.? 6801 E Jackrabbit Road 1, Paradise Valley

$599,000

Presented by SANDRA WILKEN LUXURY PROPERTIES

Location & VIEWS! Corner lot situated on nearly an acre with north/south orientation. Highly desirable area near Fashion Square Mall, restaurants, fabulous resorts & spas. House is a teardown. Perfect for builder or build-to-suit opportunity.

Source: http://www.sandrawilken.com/blog/10-to-watch/10-to-watch-scottsdale-and-pv-land-500k-1m/

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Minecraft 360 latest patch details | Video Game Blog, Video Games ...

By Richard WoodPublished: 17 October 2012 7:02 AM UTC

Posted in: News, Xbox News

Tags: 1.8.2, enderman, minecraft, mojang, patch, xbla, xbox360

Minecraft is a game that is best known for being on the of the defining games of the past few years on the ?PC?. Much to the disgust of the purists out there, there is also a version of the game out on the Xbox360. Despite many turning their noses up on the console port of the game when there is a much more complete and regularly updated version on the platform of the PC master race, there are many gamers out there that would have probably never actually gotten into Minecraft if it hasn?t been for the Xbox version, myself included.

The latest patch, called 1.8.2 by it?s friends is the fifth title update to the game and includes a ton of new content for the console. Here is a run down of just some of the major additions and changes:

• New enemy types added including the Endermen, Silverfish and cave spiders.
• New Items including?Melons, Pumpkin Seeds, Beef, Chicken(Meat), Rotten Flesh, Iron Bars, Fence Gate, Stone Bricks, Stone Brick Slabs, Stone Brick Stairs, Brick Slabs, Brick Stairs, Ender Pearl, Web, Vines, 10 more Music Discs, Sponge and Chain Armour.
• The new crafting recipes that go along with the new items.
• Random generation of towns, strongholds and abandoned mineshafts on the world.
• The addition of creative mode, giving unlimited items for players who simply want to create.
• New Biomes.
• Food bar added.
• The ability to block in combat.

These are only a few choice features of the update, and they?re obviously the type of things that would interest a filthy casual like myself. If you?d like to see a much more comprehensive guide of what new additions are in the game, then have a look here.

As well as additions, there have been a load of bug fixes that have been game breaking to some players.

Minecraft has been hugely?popular?on the console, it jumping to the top of the XBLA chart almost?immediately?after becoming?available. If you?ve been burned out on Minecraft for a while, now might be a great time to come back to it.

Article from Gamersyndrome.com

Related posts:

1. More details on the latest PSN Firmware Update
2. Infinity Ward?s Latest Patch is a Failure
3. Bethesda takes legal action against Minecraft creator Markus Persson
4. Complete Details For Mass Effect 3?s New Patch
5. Bayonetta PS3 Patch Now Live

Source: http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/news/minecraft-360-latest-patch-details/

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10 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today (times in EDT):

1. AGGRESSIVE OBAMA REBOUNDS, ROMNEY HOLDS FIRM

AP's Ben Feller described the crackling debate as an almost desperate competition of ideas and claims between two men who badly want the job.

2. BINDERS FULL OF WOMEN

The line by Romney inspired its own Twitter account, (at) Romneys_Binder, which had more than 12,000 followers before the debate ended.

3. WHO'S FIGHTING THE REGIME IN SYRIA'S LARGEST CITY

If they win, the rebels' blend of poverty, religious fundamentalism and anger could define the future of Aleppo, and perhaps the rest of the country.

4. CUBA'S TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS LOOSENED

Scrapping the detested exit visa after half a century means Cubans can leave the nation anytime as long as they have a passport and permission from the country they want to enter.

5. HOW CITIGROUP COULD CHANGE UNDER NEW CEO

Analysts say likely moves include: More cost-cutting, more shrinking and more focus on boring, traditional banking, such as making loans.

6. IT'S A HOT VERSION OF EARTH

Astronomers discover a planet just outside our solar system that is similar to ours in size ? but its surface may be like molten lava.

7. WHAT'S UP APPLE'S SLEEVE

Invites went out for an event next Tuesday, where the company is expected to announce the release of a smaller iPad.

8. WHY BIN LADEN'S DRIVER IS CLEARED

An appeals court overturned the conviction of Salim Ahmed Hamdan because material support for terrorism was not a war crime under international law when he committed the act.

9. WHEN THE DICTIONARY WAS WRONG

The Macquarie Dictionary is broadening its definition of "misogyny" ? from a hatred of women to include entrenched prejudice against women ? after Australia Prime Minister Julia Gillard was accused of hyperbole.

10. YANKEES ON BRINK OF ELIMINATION IN AL PENNANT

Justin Verlander took a shutout into the ninth inning and the Detroit Tigers held on to beat New York 2-1 for a 3-0 lead in the American League championship series.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-today-101340019.html

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Canada ups cyber security spending as China worry rises

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada said on Wednesday it will beef up spending on defenses against Internet hackers as it grapples with reports of Chinese hacking of Canadian companies and a U.S. warning of the risks of Chinese cyber espionage.

The Conservative government will spend an additional C$155 million ($158 million) over five years on strengthening its response center for dealing with cyber threats in the private sector as well as boosting the security of the government's own communications, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said.

The announcement came less than a month after Toews' department acknowledged a pair of cyber attacks on a Canadian energy company and on a manufacturer of software used by energy firms. The government declined to comment on reports that suggested a Chinese connection.

A U.S. congressional report last week warned of the risks of doing business with Chinese telecom equipment makers Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp because of possible Chinese cyber espionage.

"Keeping our cyber networks and infrastructure secure and resilient is one of the most challenging issues facing our government, our citizens and our allies," Toews told a news conference at a technical college in Ottawa.

"I can assure you that our government is fully engaged in meeting and overcoming this challenge."

Declining to name China or any company, Toews said his announcement was partly in response to concerns that have been raised, but also part of a broader strategy laid out two years ago to try to make Canada's cyber infrastructure safe.

The focus on China has come at an awkward time for Chinese state-owned CNOOC Ltd, whose $15.1 billion bid to buy Canadian oil producer Nexen Inc needs Canadian government approval.

Toews said strengthening the provisions of Investment Canada Act, which governs foreign takeovers of Canada companies, may be a possibility.

"This is a constant struggle because of the nature of technology and how quickly technology is evolving, so we are certainly looking at all possibilities when we look to further buttress our secure mechanisms," he said.

He said all industrialized nations must face the dangers posed by hackers.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned last week of the potential of a "cyber Pearl Harbor," in which cyber attacks would be launched on critical or military infrastructure, possibly in combination with a physical attack.

"I don't know if he has overstated it," Toews said of Panetta's comments, "but certainly there is a risk to cyber security. Cyber security is something that every developed nation has to be worried about given the nature of technology and the rapid change of technology."

Toews refused to confirm that Huawei will be excluded from taking part in building a new secure network for government communications, saying that at this time there was nothing to announce in that respect.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said last week that the government had invoked a national security exception that allows it to prevent risky companies from participating in the building of the secure government network, and he said he would leave it to reporters to judge if Huawei should be allowed to take part.

The new government funding announced on Wednesday is on top of a previous allocation of C$90 million over five years.

($1=$0.98 Canadian)

(Editing by Peter Galloway)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canada-beefs-cyber-security-amid-reports-chinese-hacking-160935058.html

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Apple buys Particle - Know Your Cell

Your iPad and iPhone may soon have better HTML5 capabilities, as Apple recently purchased the Web app design firm Particle, according to CNET.

The acquisition reportedly happened last month and it should beef up Apple's Web technology team. Particle was founded in 2008, features investments from the likes of Justin Timberlake and has done some HTML5 work for such notable companies as Apple, Google, Motorola and Amazon, among others.?

On its About page, we get a little interesting insight into what Particle brings to the table:

"Particle brings positive and energetic relationships with Google and the Chrome team specifically, as well as great relationships and execution experience around iAds, iTunes Extras, and Apple.com. We have participated in and piloted much of the technology, which will display the next generation of advertising and deliver media content for the next decade."

The Apple acquisition of Particle could also mean a reinvigorated iAd product. Apple introduced iAd a few years ago but it hasn't been as successful as it would like despite the massive usage of apps for iOS. Perhaps the Particle team could help Apple capitalize on the mobile advertising market, which is expected to boom as users transition away from desktop and toward mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad.

[Via CNET]

?

Source: http://www.knowyourcell.com/news/1638163/apple_buys_html5_specialist_particle.html

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Most expensive U.S. fighter jet program moves forward ? CNN ...

By Larry Shaughnessy

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been a magnet for problems for years, but the new warplane's developers are slowly making progress toward deployment.

During testing at a facility in Lakehurst, New Jersey, pilots flying the Navy's carrier variant successfully caught five arresting wires in eight attempts, according to Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the F-35 program office.

That's an improvement over the first tests when pilots couldn't hook the wire. But it is not good enough.

The Pentagon's most expensive fighter jet has been afflicted by delays and a ballooning cost of nearly $400 billion, according to the Government Accountability Office.

The cost per plane has doubled since the program began in 2001, according to the GAO.

For a fighter to land on a carrier, a hook projecting from the bottom of the jet must grab a wire stretched across the deck. If the hook doesn't grab the wire, the pilot has to take off. So when the F-35 C failed initial tests, it spelled serious trouble for the Navy portion of the program.

DellaVedova said Lockheed Martin, the jet's builder, improved the shape of the hook as well as a device that pushes it down to better catch the wire.

Despite improvements, it will be awhile before F-35 C's land on a carrier at sea. As of now, the first sea trials are slated for spring of 2014.

Meanwhile, the Air Force on Tuesday successfully dropped an inert 2,000-pound bomb in an F-35 test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It was the first such bomb deployment by the Air Force's version of the jet.

Source: http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/16/most-expensive-u-s-fighter-jet-program-moves-forward/

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