Mod Your NES Zapper Light Gun Into a 2W Laser Gun [Video]

If you have a nonworking NES Zapper and would like to bring it back to use as a project consider modding it to a USB connection or have it actuate a laser pointer as inspired by the dangerous-but-awesome laser in the video above that can set things on fire.

Makerspace North Street Labs does a lot of projects with high output lasers and decided for nostalgic reasons to replace the internals of a NES Zapper light gun with a 445nm diode, lithium batteries, a lens, standard electronics tools and wiring, and a safety switch to avoid accidental discharges. The switch is important as this powerful of a laser beam can permanently blind someone almost instantaneously.

The Zapper was disassembled, all the internals except the trigger switch were removed and replaced with the lens, diode, batteries, and thicker gauge copper wiring. The safety switch was installed at the bottom where the cord originally attached to the housing.

We really don't recommend doing this exact mod but wanted to share it as a way of seeing how you can go about retrofitting vintage gaming peripherals such as changing your Zapper to a USB gun or how you can use your Zapper as a computer mouse. That said, if you'd like to try out such a project on your on the source link below has complete step-by-step instructions and a parts list.

Nintendo Zapper 2W+ Laser North Street Labs via WonderHowTo

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/2YBIN0oOrgU/mod-your-nes-zapper-light-gun-into-a-2w-laser-gun

dark knight trailer delmon young dallas mavericks washington capitals amare stoudemire tallest building in the world the pitch

Ancient souk burns as fighting rages in Syria's Aleppo

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hundreds of shops were burning in the ancient covered market of the Old City of Aleppo on Saturday as fighting between rebels and state forces in Syria's largest city threatened to destroy a UNESCO world heritage site.

The uprising-turned-civil war that is now raging across Syria has killed more than 30,000 people, according to activist groups like the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

But beyond the dramatic human cost, many of Syria's historic treasures have also fallen victim to an 18-month-old conflict that has reduced parts of some cities to ruins.

Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad announced a new offensive in Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub of 2.5 million people, on Thursday, but neither side has appeared to make significant gains.

In Aleppo, activists speaking via Skype said army snipers were making it difficult to approach the Souk al-Madina, the medieval market of vaulted stone alleyways and carved wooden facades that was once a major tourist attraction.

Videos uploaded to YouTube showed dark black clouds hanging over the city skyline.

Activists said the fire might have been started by heavy shelling and gunfire on Friday and estimated that 700 to 1,000 shops had been destroyed so far. The accounts are difficult to verify because the government restricts access to foreign media.

Aleppo's Old City is one of several locations in Syria declared world heritage sites by UNESCO, the United Nations cultural agency, that are now at risk from the fighting.

UNESCO believes five of Syria's six heritage sites - which also include the ancient desert city of Palmyra, the Crac des Chevaliers crusader fortress and parts of old Damascus - have been affected.

The British-based Observatory, which has a network of activists across Syria, said Assad's forces and rebels were blaming each other for the blaze.

NEITHER SIDE MAKES GAINS

Activists also reported heavy clashes at Bab Antakya, a stone gateway to Aleppo's old city, which sits on ancient trade routes and has survived a parade of rulers throughout its construction between the 12th and 17th century.

Rebels said they had taken control of the gate, but some activists said the fighting there was continuing and neither side was truly in control.

"No one is actually making gains here, it is just fighting and more fighting, and terrified people are fleeing," said an activist contacted by telephone who declined to be named.

He said bodies were lying in the streets and residents were not going out to collect them for fear of snipers.

By noon on Saturday, 40 people had been killed in fighting across Syria, according to the Observatory.

The bloodshed in Syria has escalated since rebels took their fight to the major cities. Activists reported fresh clashes in the capital Damascus and surrounding suburbs and said security forces were torching homes as helicopters buzzed overhead.

The revolt, which began in March 2011 as peaceful protests, has become an armed insurgency that is now able to hold ground in Aleppo and rural towns of northern Syria, close to the Turkish border, but can do little to fend off Assad's air force and artillery.

Assad has defended the fierce crackdown that spawned the armed rebellion, arguing that he has been fighting Islamist militants funded from abroad.

One activist contacted by phone read out text messages that have been sent to all Syrian mobiles since rebels in Aleppo announced their new offensive. The text messages called on the rebels to surrender.

"To those who have implicated themselves against the state: Those who have offered you money have left you with two options: You will be killed fighting the state or it will kill you to get rid of you," one message read.

"The state is more merciful than you. Think and decide. The Syrian Army."

(Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-souk-burns-fighting-rages-syrias-aleppo-122301221.html

jason whitlock beach boys tony bennett joe walsh the civil wars paul mccartney duggar miscarriage

Syria suicide blast kills 4 at security compound

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian men inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Qamishli, 497 miles (800 Kilometers) northeast Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012. A suicide attacker detonates a car bomb at a Syrian security compound in a remote, predominantly Kurdish area, killing at least four people in the latest sign that Syria's largest ethnic minority is increasingly being drawn into a widening civil war. (AP Photo/SANA)

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian men inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Qamishli, 497 miles (800 Kilometers) northeast Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012. A suicide attacker detonates a car bomb at a Syrian security compound in a remote, predominantly Kurdish area, killing at least four people in the latest sign that Syria's largest ethnic minority is increasingly being drawn into a widening civil war. (AP Photo/SANA)

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a Syrian man stands in rubble at the scene of a car bomb attack in Qamishli, 497 miles (800 Kilometers) northeast Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012. A suicide attacker detonates a car bomb at a Syrian security compound in a remote, predominantly Kurdish area, killing at least four people in the latest sign that Syria's largest ethnic minority is increasingly being drawn into a widening civil war. (AP Photo/SANA)

In this picture taken on Monday September 24, 2012, Free Syrian Army fighter sit at one of their positions next to closed shops at the souk in the old city of Aleppo city, Syria. Fires sparked by clashes between government troops and rebels raged through the medieval marketplace of Aleppo on Saturday, destroying hundreds of shops lining the vaulted passageways where foods, fabrics, perfumes and spices have been sold for centuries, activists said. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

In this picture taken on March 4, 2007, a Syrian vendor sits inside his shop, at the souk in the old city of Aleppo city, Syria. Fires sparked by clashes between government troops and rebels raged through the medieval marketplace of Aleppo on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, destroying hundreds of shops lining the vaulted passageways where foods, fabrics, perfumes and spices have been sold for centuries, activists said. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

In this picture taken on Monday September 24, 2012, Free Syrian Army fighters drink tea next to closed shops, at the souk of the old city of Aleppo city, Syria. Fires sparked by clashes between government troops and rebels raged through the medieval marketplace of Aleppo on Saturday, destroying hundreds of shops lining the vaulted passageways where foods, fabrics, perfumes and spices have been sold for centuries, activists said. Arabic writing on the closed shop at right reads:"Aleppo."(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

BEIRUT (AP) ? A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb near a Syrian security compound in a remote, predominantly Kurdish town Sunday, killing at least four people, state media said, in a new sign that the country's largest ethnic minority might be drawn into a widening civil war.

Opposition activists said at least eight Syrian intelligence agents were killed and several dozen people wounded in the attack in the northeastern town of Qamishli, more than 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the capital Damascus.

Syria's more than 2 million Kurds, long marginalized, have largely stayed out of the fighting, though some have participated in protests against the regime of President Bashar Assad.

The uprising against Assad that erupted 18 months ago has gradually morphed into a bloody civil war. The conflict has killed more than 30,000 people, activists say, and has devastated entire neighborhoods in Syria's main cities, including Aleppo, the scene of intense fighting Sunday.

The leaders of Turkey and Egypt, among Assad's main foreign foes, sent stern warnings to the regime and its allies, in speeches to Turkey's ruling party.

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi said that "we will be on the side of the Syrian people until the bloodshed ends, the cruel regime is gone and Syrian people reach their just rights."

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Syria's allies Russia, China and Iran to end their support for Assad, warning that "history will not forgive those who stand together with cruel regimes."

Turkey has given shelter to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees and Turkish soil has served as a crucial logistical center for rebel fighters since they captured several Syrian border crossings with Turkey over the summer.

Also over the summer, Syrian troops left several towns and villages in the Kurdish northeast, possibly to divert forces to overstretched troops fighting in hotspots elsewhere. The regime ceded de facto control to Kurdish fighters who began exercising a degree of autonomy unheard of before.

However, the regime has maintained a security presence in Qamishli, which abuts the Turkish border, said Rami Abdul-Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday's blast. Several previous suicide attacks in Syria were claimed by a Syrian militant group, the Al-Nusra Front.

Syrian state media said the explosion went off in an area housing security officers. It said four people were killed, dozens wounded and nearby buildings damaged. An amateur video posted online by activists showed a column of white smoke rising between buildings in Qamishli.

The Observatory said eight Syrian intelligence agents were killed and at least 40 people wounded in the explosion.

Most Kurds live in the northeast, but Aleppo and Damascus also have Kurdish-dominated neighborhoods.

Last week, a Kurdish district in Syria's largest city, Aleppo, was for the first time drawn into fighting between rebels and regime forces, amid conflicting reports about whether Kurdish gunmen fought alongside the regime or remained on the sidelines.

Fighting continued Sunday in several areas of Aleppo, as part of what rebels say is new push to drive out regime forces. Opposition fighters seized several areas in an initial offensive two months ago, but were unable to keep up the momentum. On Thursday, they announced what they said would be a decisive battle.

Either side could potentially shift the direction of an otherwise stalemated war if it seizes Aleppo, a city of 3 million people.

Abdel Kader, a commander of the Tawhid Brigade, the largest rebel unit in Aleppo, said by phone from Aleppo that his men were fighting in seven areas Sunday. Pro-Assad troops have been shelling rebel-held districts. Amateur video posted by activists Sunday showed Syrian warplanes flying over the city and heavy smoke rising from the city's skyline.

Another video showed night fighting. "We want to liberate the city from these shabiha," a man says in the background, referring to Syria's pro-Assad militiamen.

In the video, what appears to be a rebel fighter firing projectiles from the cover of a hillside to the shouts of "God is Great" from others nearby.

Syria imposes tight restrictions on foreign reporters and the authenticity of the videos could not be verified independently.

Before the civil war, Aleppo was Syria's business center.

Its walled old city with a medieval covered market, or souk, was recognized by the U.N. cultural agency as a World Heritage site, one of six in Syria. Late Friday, the fighting sparked a huge fire in the market that continued to burn Saturday, destroying hundreds of shops.

It was the worst blow yet to the city's historic center. The market with its vaulted passageways lined by stalls selling spices, perfumes and fabrics had been touted as one of the best-preserved old souks in the Middle East.

___

Associated Press writers Jamal Halaby in Amman, Jordan and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey contributed reporting.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-30-Syria/id-e9a0bbdc906e4c5c98cff48676de8abc

mike martz hokies quadrantid norv turner jerry angelo work it amy chua

Frustrated, angry and hurt-VENT and afraid - Adoption.com Forums

So, my 19year old daughter mailed her reference back to DFPS at the beginning of August, after we had finished PRIDE...the SW who was our trainer went on vacation. SW gets back from vacation and no one knows where the letter went. So, for the last 2 months, no one can find it. No problem, they can just call and talk to her. (They also misplaced another ref letter, and so they called and everythings ok on that one).

Our homestudy is done, and everything is ready to go....but my daughter has been having relationship issues with her fiancee (grandson's dad) that she lives with and caused major drama over the past week, so now they are splitting up, and she is crashing with a friend of hers for the past 2 days.

I told her a few months ago that she better have a plan for a scenario like this, and told her they could stay with us for a month, but then she was expected to have an alternative living arrangement.

She thinks because she is an "adult" (which her behavior proves she is NOT, but thats a whole 'nother post) that she shouldn't have to abide by "rules" of our home. She expects to have free room, board and babysitting, while she continues to chase around her ex-fiancee and continue their drama (and if history is anything, that means alot of middle-of-the-night leaving and coming back) and last time she lived with us, did not contribute to household chores, her own laundry...nothing.
And as an added bonus, has been cursing at me, yelling at me and hanging up on me since Monday when I call her to talk to her about her situation and calling our social worker back.

We finally had to catch her at work yesterday, since she will not pick up our calls, at which time she said she was NOT calling the social worker to do her reference now, because we "wont let your own kid move in, but you want me to help you get other kids to live with you...I'm not doing it. I've got my own ---- to worry about, I'm not worried about yours."..more expletives directed at me.

She is basically trying to EXTORT us for either room and board or financial support (she is almost 20!) and she says she will call the social worker and give a reference.

This is the same kid who moved out the first time when we told her we would cover room,board, insurance, etc but ONLY if she enrolled in and attended college. She thought we were unreasonable and left home.

We are trying the "tough love" approach here, simply because we think its really the only way to make her finally act like an adult. (She has plenty of places to stay that are safe besides our home btw.....she wants us to take care of everything so she can be a kid, basically).

We are standing firm......and even if we werent fostering, we are not allowing her to move in. Its too much disrespect, too much drama and too much stress. We can take all that from a 10 year old, but not from a 20 year old.
So now, as I am contemplating what the you-know-what happened to the kid she used to be and where-did-I-go-wrong........now we are worried that without her reference, we will not be able to be licensed now (at the 11th hour). I have mentioned several times to the SW that a reference letter was mailed back from her, but no one seems to be able to find that one and the other that was missing.......

What do we do???????? How do we handle this as far as DFPS goes? I know they MUST have talked to, or have a letter from, any adult children....how much do I go into with the social worker? Surely we cant be the only people this has happened to?????????

Source: http://forums.adoption.com/becoming-foster-parents/408283-frustrated-angry-hurt-vent-afraid.html

april 17 boston marathon tu pac hologram shuttle pippa middleton space shuttle discovery spacex

Ancient Syrian market set on fire by fighting

Shaam News Network via AP

In this image taken from video obtained from Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a fire rages at the medieval market in Aleppo, Syria.

By NBC News and wire services

Hundreds of shops in the ancient covered market in Aleppo, Syria, were burning Saturday as fighting between rebels and state forces in Syria's largest city threatened to destroy the U.N. World Heritage Site.?

Activists speaking via Skype said army snipers were making it difficult to approach the Souk al-Madina, the medieval market of vaulted stone alleyways and carved wooden facades in the Old City, once a major tourist attraction, Reuters reported.

Activists said the fire might have been started by shelling and gunfire, and estimated that between 700 and 1,000 shops had been destroyed so far. The accounts were difficult to verify because of government restrictions on foreign media.

---

Aleppo's Old City is one of several locations in Syria declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, the United Nations cultural agency.

UNESCO believes five of Syria's six World Heritage ?Sites -- which include the ancient desert city of Palmyra, the Crac des Chevaliers crusader fortress, and parts of old Damascus -- have been affected by the fighting.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian forces and rebels blamed each other for the blaze.

The uprising-turned-civil war has killed more than 30,000 people, according to activist groups.?

Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday announced a new offensive in Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub of 2.5 million people, but neither side has appeared to make significant gains.?

The Syrian conflict grinds on. Cities are under attack leaving them crushed by heavy shelling. NBC's Bill Neely reports.

Text messages attributed to the army were sent to all Syrian mobile phones when the offensive was announced.

"To those who have implicated themselves against the state: Those who have offered you money have left you with two options: You will be killed fighting the state or it will kill you to get rid of you," one message read.?"The state is more merciful than you. Think and decide. The Syrian Army."?

Activists also reported heavy clashes at Bab Antakya, a stone gateway to Aleppo's Old City, which sits on ancient trade routes and survived a parade of rulers throughout its construction between the 12th and 17th centuries.?

"No one is actually making gains here, it is just fighting and more fighting, and terrified people are fleeing," said an activist contacted by telephone who declined to be identified.?

He said in some districts bodies were lying in the streets and residents would not collect them, fearing snipers.

By noon on Saturday, more than 40 people had been killed in fighting across Syria, according to the Observatory.

Syria's military deadlock is also reflected diplomatically, with foreign powers stalemated over how to act. Western states and Gulf Arab countries back the opposition but most seem reluctant to interfere, while Russia, China and Iran back Assad.

The revolt, which began in March 2011 as peaceful protests, has become an armed insurgency, with rebels holding ground in Aleppo and rural towns of northern Syria.

The fighting has crept closer to Syria's border zones, and some bullets and rockets have hit neighboring Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. Ankara warned it would take action if its territory was again hit -- a mortar bomb hit a town on its southeastern frontier on Friday.

Activists reported fresh clashes in the capital Damascus and its suburbs and said security forces were torching homes as helicopters buzzed overhead.?

The bloodied bodies of at least 12 men were found in Damascus's northwestern suburb of Qudsaya. A video published by showed rows of men, some of them apparently shot, laid in a room whose walls were spattered with blood.

Some Damascus residents have accused government forces of summary executions in rebel districts.

Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Assad has long defended the fierce crackdown, arguing that he has been fighting Islamist militants funded from abroad.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/29/14151977-ancient-syrian-market-being-consumed-in-fire-started-by-fighting?lite

al green burger king delivery etta james at last john king obama sings al green heidi klum and seal ohare airport

TechCrunch Giveaway: Free Tickets To Box?s 2012 #BoxWorks Event

Happy Friday! We have something special to give away. Box is hosting its annual BoxWorks event October 7-9 in San Francisco. And we have a bunch of tickets. Box has some amazing speakers on tap. Box CEO Aaron Levie kicks things off and followed by Marc Andreessen, John Donahoe, and Clayton Christensen. There's also Tony Fadell, Gary Reiner and Gary Kovacs along with Adam Lashinsky, Andreas Bechtolsheim and our own Drew Olanoff. It's three days, six keynotes, 55 speakers, and a ton of fun.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XGDJvxXTEI0/

Shakira chick fil a chick fil a survivor bank of america iOS 6 Yunel Escobar Eye Black

Is 8 hours a night right for everyone?

Catherine de Lange, contributor

HOWEVER you do it - alone, with a partner, on your back, side or front, in the dark or with the light on - bedding down for a night's sleep feels like one of the most personal things we do. According to anthropologist Matthew Wolf-Meyer, this is just an illusion.

In The Slumbering Masses, Wolf-Meyer argues that US sleep habits are not individual, or even largely biological. They are, instead, cultural, designed to fit the schedule of a capitalist society. Ever since industrialisation, eight consolidated hours of sleep each night has been touted as optimal.

Yet sleep can be a notoriously difficult state to achieve, so remedies have emerged for those who struggle to fit in with the culture of sleep that meets the demands of the workplace. There are pills for insomniacs, for example, and caffeine to repress the desires of the sleep-deprived during the day. These help people to work and sleep during the appropriate hours, regardless of what best suits the individual.

The first part of this book is a heavy-going introduction to this thesis, but the sections detailing sleep disorders are more compelling. Wolf-Meyer opens our eyes to fatal familial insomnia - a fascinating and horrific untreatable condition. Once symptoms set in, a persistent inability to sleep leads to death in a relatively short time.

Even for the more familiar sleep disorders, from insomnia to narcolepsy and sleep apnea, the choices for treatment are minimal: turn to medication or live out of sync with the rest of society.

An alternative to medication would be to modify the status quo. In later chapters Wolf-Meyer details some of the so-far unsuccessful attempts to do so, from promoting work-time napping to introducing later-starting school days for teenagers. These parts will leave you reconsidering your own relationship with sleep, and questioning how it could be improved.

The call for a more accepting and individualistic approach to the social construct of sleep is a noble one. So it's a shame the academic style in which Wolf-Meyer lays out his argument is far from stimulating. Perhaps heeding our body's desire for sleep, rather than societal norms, could help us all. Unfortunately for the author, if readers espouse that philosophy, they may not make it to the end of the book.

Book information
The Slumbering Masses: Sleep, medicine, and modern American life by Matthew J. Wolf-Meyer
University of Minnesota Press
?18.50/$24.95

The links between trade, disease and economic warfare

David Cohen, contributor

ANYONE who has travelled through an airport has surely noticed the rather long list of items that are prohibited on board a plane. But along with the more understandably forbidden articles, such as guns, knives, grenades and canisters of petrol, there is often a list of seemingly innocuous cargo: fresh foodstuffs. In Australia, even muddy shoes are frowned upon. It may seem a bit excessive, but these prohibitions are the climax of a long historical trend and are motivated, as Mark Harrison reveals in Contagion, by a mixture of public-health, food-safety and protectionist trading policies.

Harrison's erudite study of the impact of global commerce and travel on the spread of disease charts how the responses of governments and traders to outbreaks evolved, from the Black Death some 650 years ago, to the recent outbreaks of SARS and avian flu. As Australia's muddy-shoe ban intimates, disease vectors are a serious concern. Viruses and bacteria that travel in soil or food can have a disastrous impact on crops and livestock, and the spread of human diseases such as yellow fever and malaria can be devastating for public health. A particularly deadly strain of malaria was exported from Africa to the rest of the world by the slave trade, for example.

It was as a consequence of the Black Death that "quarantine" came into vogue as the preferred means of disease control. Simultaneously it became a potent weapon of economic warfare. Harrison goes to great pains to point out that throughout history, governments have needed little encouragement to adopt quarantine and import bans as weapons of foreign policy and economic advantage, often with tragic consequences for the "victim" states where the infections originated.

Contagion is a thorough, well-researched and thoughtful tome, and Harrison includes some interesting asides about the history of medicine. But be warned, his writing style is academic in nature and dry in tone. Not as infectious as one might have hoped.

Book information
Contagion: How commerce has spread disease by Mark Harrison
Yale University Press
?25/$38

The sad disappearance of Antarctica

Michael Marshall, environment reporter

ANTARCTICA won't be here for much longer. So says ecologist James McClintock, who has visited the continent many times over the past 30 years. In Lost Antarctica, he combines the latest research with anecdotes of his time there.

McClintock's excellent survey of the state of Antarctica moves nimbly from the break-up of the sea ice to the invasion of king crabs and the gradual disappearance of Ad?lie penguins. The loss of Arctic sea ice has gained more headlines recently, but he makes a good case that the changes to the Antarctic could ultimately be more profound.

The book sometimes descends into clunky and technical prose, but it always picks up with a wild story - divers being hunted by a peckish leopard seal, for example - and McClintock's passion for the harsh Antarctic environment shines through.

Book information
Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a disappearing land by James McClintock
Palgrave Macmillan
?16.99/$26

Liberating cyberspace

Samantha Murphy, contributor

THE greatest threat to US security, according to the country's defence staff, will probably never be mentioned during a presidential campaign debate. It is not suicide bombers or illegal immigrants: it is the underground network of hacktivists and information vigilantes.

In This Machine Kills Secrets, Andy Greenberg gives us a fairly thorough bird's-eye view of the history and power of the cypherpunk and hacktivist movements. He capitalises on his unrivalled access to many of the key players, including those Wikileaks poster boys, Bradley Manning and Julian Assange. His focus, though, is on the questions that Wikileaks poses for society: who owns information, and should it be free?

While lawmakers and law enforcers struggle with the philosophy and practicality of these issues, the people Greenberg profiles have made up their minds, and they are a few steps ahead. If you're wondering who they are and why they feel so strongly, look no further than this book.

Book information
This Machine Kills Secrets: How WikiLeakers, cypherpunks, and hacktivists aim to free the world's information by Andy Greenberg
Virgin/Dutton
?12.99/$27.95

Follow @CultureLabNS on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/23e10825/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cculturelab0C20A120C0A90Csleep0Econtagion0Eantarctica0Ecyberspace0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

joe bodolai ben nelson extreme couponing taylor lautner sinead o connor dan marino passing record ipad 2 cases

Hospital observation units could save the health care system $3.1 billion

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2012) ? New research suggests that maximizing the potential of observation units in hospitals could result in significant cost savings for the both the hospital and the healthcare system.

Previous research has shown that observation units in a hospital can be an efficient way to care for certain patients, but only about one-third of hospitals in the United States have such units. Now, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) estimate that maximizing the potential of an observation unit in a hospital could result in $4.6 million in savings annually for the hospital and $3.1 billion in overall savings for the health care system in the United States. These findings are published online by Health Affairs and will also appear in the journal's October issue.

"We believe that this is the first attempt to quantify the financial impact of an observation unit," said Christopher Baugh, MD, lead researcher on the paper and a physician in the Emergency Department at BWH. "Wider use of observation units may play a significant role in saving cost for the health care system and future policies that are focused on doing so should include support for observation units as an alternative tin short-stay inpatient admission," Dr. Baugh said.

An observation until, a dedicated space typically near or within the emergency department, is an alternative to inpatient admission and is dedicated to caring for patients, usually for a 24-hour period, who have been discharged from the emergency department (ED) but require further observation and are not ready to safely leave the hospital. Previous research has shown that care in these units is equal or better in quality compared to inpatient care for certain patient populations.

Researchers used national survey data and published research to determine the average cost saving per observation unit and the number of hospitals that would benefit from an observation unit. They created a simulation model by using a method frequently used to evaluate risk in business when there are many uncertain variables.

Based on their model, researchers report that the average amount saved per patient, after adjusting for inflation could be $1,572 per visit to the observation unit when compared to an inpatient admission. Overall, the national cost savings could be up to $3.1 billion annually if the potential of observation units were maximized. This savings is due largely to avoiding 2.4 million inpatient admissions. Additionally, researchers report that for hospitals with large enough volume to justify the operation of an observation unit, the annual cost saving for that hospital would be $4.6 million, resulting from approximately 3,600 inpatient admissions avoided. Hospitals that would fit into this category include all those with more than 50,000 annual ED visits and many hospitals with 20,000-50,000 annual ED visits.

"In the wake of health care reform and increased scrutiny on the cost of health care, the health care system is under pressure to maintain quality care while decreasing cost. Observation units represent a feasible way to achieve this goal and merit further evaluation as model for acute care redesign to increase the value of care provided throughout the country," Dr. Baugh said.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. C. W. Baugh, A. K. Venkatesh, J. A. Hilton, P. A. Samuel, J. D. Schuur, J. S. Bohan. Making Greater Use Of Dedicated Hospital Observation Units For Many Short-Stay Patients Could Save $3.1 Billion A Year. Health Affairs, 2012; 31 (10): 2314 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0926

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/a2qPWjNKWKs/120928125302.htm

Sage Stallone Mermaid Body Found Celeste Holm Stephen Covey British Open 2012 bane Aurora Colorado

Akin: Mo. Sen. McCaskill less 'ladylike' in 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin says that Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill wasn't very "ladylike" in their recent debate in the Missouri Senate race.

Akin claimed Thursday that McCaskill thinks he has a good shot at winning election. He cited as evidence the fact that McCaskill "came out swinging" during their first debate last week.

Akin contrasted that with McCaskill's demeanor during her 2006 debates against then-Sen. Jim Talent, when he said, quote: "She had a confidence, and was very much more sort of ladylike and all."

Akin's remark was denounced by Washington Sen. Patty Murray, who is chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She called it "demeaning to women and offensive to all."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/akin-mo-sen-mccaskill-less-ladylike-2012-210302675--election.html

yelp stock honda classic news channel 5 nashville weather jason varitek andrew breitbart dead sheriff joe arpaio

Video: Kniffen: Consumer Can Spend Right Now

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49183737/

chauncey billups caucus results exton ricky williams kurt warner kurt warner missouri primary

Jalem Grome Book Review easy methods to Fight Google And Win ...

You may not be able to visit this page because of:

1. an out-of-date bookmark/favourite
2. a search engine that has an out-of-date listing for this site
3. a mistyped address
4. you have no access to this page
5. The requested resource was not found.
6. An error has occurred while processing your request.

Please try one of the following pages:

If difficulties persist, please contact the System Administrator of this site.

Source: http://fortressat.com/blogs-by-members/3580

cam newton Torrey Smith Brother fiona apple awkward awkward chase CJ Spiller

Countdown Starts for Daredevil Space Jump [Video]

October 8th. That's the final launch date for fearless Felix Baumgartner, the daredevil that is going to jump from the edge of space. The 42-year-old Baumgartner is eager to attempt the record-breaking super-sonic parachute jump. He says that he feels like wild animal in a cage right now. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fPAYIcjhQaQ/countdown-starts-for-daredevil-space-jump

academy awards 2012 nominations academy awards independent spirit awards 2012 jan brewer independent spirit awards 2012 oscar predictions jim jones

Major League Gaming broadcast schedule unveiled | VG247

Wed, Sep 26, 2012 | 00:52 BST

Major League Gaming boasts a busy broascast schedule during autumn, with Prizefights and Invitationals every week.

Here?s the basic brief, but you can see a full schedule here.

• MOBA (Wednesdays at 7:00PM ET) ? Free to Watch

  Wednesday nights at MLG will feature the best MOBA games and players. League of Legends matchups will be featured this Fall in the ongoing series ? MLG Prizefights presented by BIC Flex4 Razors. On September 26 at 7pm ET, fans can watch a Counter Logic Gaming showmatch as team CLG Prime takes on CLG EU. Commentary will be provided by Tom ?Optimus? Searfoss and Chris ?MonteCristo? Mykles. Weekly MOBA broadcasts will also include the Finals of the MLG League of Legends Gamebattles Tournaments.

• StarCraft II (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00PM ET) ? Free to Watch

  Beginning October 2, Tuesdays and Thursdays will be devoted to StarCraft II starting with the StarCraft II Online Qualifiers. Featuring competitions for Europe, North America, and Korea/Taiwan, the broadcast will highlight the best from each region with the victors receiving coveted Group Play spots and paid trips to the Fall Championship in Dallas from November 2-4. Shows will be commentated by Nick ?Axslav? Ranish and Alex ?Axeltoss? Rodriguez.

• MvP Invitational (Kicks off Thursday, September 27, airing Mondays and Fridays at 7:00PM ET) ? PPV only

  As previously announced, the world?s best StarCraft II players will meet up in an unprecedented collaboration between MLG and KeSPA?s Proleague in the MvP Invitational. A complete overview of the tournament, players and first week match-ups is available here. Kicking off on Thursday, September 27, the MvP Invitational will feature 15 days of broadcast with 100+ games casted for dozens of hours of content. 48 players will compete for a $10,000 first prize, paid trips to Dallas, and coveted Group Play spots. Shows will be commentated by Nick ?Axslav? Ranish and Alex ?Axeltoss? Rodriguez and passes are available online.

Source: http://www.vg247.com/2012/09/26/major-league-gaming-broadcast-schedule-unveiled/

strikeforce davy jones love actually miesha tate vs ronda rousey idiocracy deep impact usssa baseball

Prominent Kremlin critic faces criminal charges

FILE - In this Wednesday Oct. 8, 2008 file photo Russian billionaire banker Alexander Lebedev speaking during an interview in his house in Moscow. Alexander Lebedev, a Russian tycoon who has financed a newspaper critical of the Kremlin and supported the opposition, was charged over an incident during a TV talk show a year ago in which he punched another businessman, the country's top investigative agency said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday Oct. 8, 2008 file photo Russian billionaire banker Alexander Lebedev speaking during an interview in his house in Moscow. Alexander Lebedev, a Russian tycoon who has financed a newspaper critical of the Kremlin and supported the opposition, was charged over an incident during a TV talk show a year ago in which he punched another businessman, the country's top investigative agency said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen during a ceremony of receiving credentials in Moscow's Kremlin on Wednesday in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin has renewed calls for a joint international solution to civil conflict in the Middle East in a veiled rejection of Western demands for an end to Syrian leader Bashar Assad?s rule. Putin said Wednesday that incitement to the continuation of violence with a view to securing regime change would only create further unrest. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, pool)

MOSCOW (AP) ? A Russian tycoon who has financed a newspaper critical of the Kremlin and supported the opposition has been charged with hooliganism and assault for punching a businessman during a television talk show. He dismissed the criminal case as politically motivated.

Russia's top investigative agency, which announced the charges Wednesday, said the defendant, Alexander Lebedev, cannot leave Moscow while the probe is under way. In Russia, filing charges marks the start of a criminal investigation, which may or may not lead to a trial.

Lebedev said in comments carried by the Interfax news agency that he considers the charges against him political and "completely made up."

He could face up to seven years in prison, if he's convicted on hooliganism charges similar to those that were filed against three members of the feminist rock band Pussy Riot. They were sentenced to two years each last month for performing a "punk prayer" against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main cathedral.

The charges refer to a September 2011 incident when Lebedev punched property developer Sergei Polonsky during a TV discussion of the financial crisis, sending him tumbling to the ground.

After the recording, Polonsky complained he had sustained a hand injury and that his jeans were ripped. According to the charges, however, an expert medical opinion dated Aug. 31 determined that Polonsky also received bruises to his hips and face that he did not realize were harmful at the time.

Russia's hooliganism statute also requires proof the accused grossly violated social norms. Though Polonsky began the exchange by pointing at Lebedev and saying "I just feel like whacking somebody in the face right now," the charges assert he was not referring to anyone in particular and that Lebedev was "motivated by political hatred."

A few days after the incident, Putin referred to the fight as "hooliganism," and a criminal investigation was launched in October. Putin has taken an increasingly tough course against dissent after massive protests against his rule last winter, with searches and interrogation of opposition activists and the passage of repressive bills.

Lebedev, whose net worth was reported by Forbes magazine to be $1.1 billion, made his money in the banking industry. He has financed the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, which is fiercely critical of the Kremlin, and the British papers the Independent and the Evening Standard.

Lebedev's son, Yevgeny, who owns the two British publications, tweeted that his father is "being targeted by people who don't like his stance against corruption, and hate Novaya." He later described the charges as "extraordinarily disproportionate."

"My father has been targeted because of his determination to fight against corruption and to be a crusader for democracy in a country where this has not always been welcome," Lebedev's son said in a statement. "I really hope that this does not presage a new phase of crackdowns on those who speak out against injustice."

The tycoon had said last month that he was being forced to sell his assets because of pressure by Russia's Federal Security Service, the main KGB successor agency. He said the pressure was rooted in corruption investigations by Novaya Gazeta, alleging that some of the service's officers were involved in corruption.

Lebedev and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev own a 49 percent stake in the newspaper, while the remaining shares are controlled by Novaya's staffers.

Novaya Gazeta's relentless criticism of the Kremlin, and its investigations into official corruption, have put many of its journalists under fire. Four of the paper's reporters have been killed since 2000, including Anna Politkovskaya, a fierce critic of the Kremlin and its policies in Chechnya. She was gunned down in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building in 2006. Others have been harassed and physically attacked.

Lebedev has also supported Alexei Navalny, a charismatic anti-corruption crusader and blogger who was a key driving force against massive protests last winter against Putin's rule. Lebedev, a KGB veteran like Putin, so far has avoided blaming the president for his woes, pointing the finger at security services for the campaign against him.

Lebedev's lawyer, Genri Reznik, told Interfax that the newly announced charges come as a "punishment for Lebedev's social activities, his fight against corruption, his funding of an opposition newspaper and support for Navalny."

Lebedev owns the National Reserve Bank and has a stake in Russian flag carrier Aeroflot as well as his own Red Wings airline.

____

Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-26-Russia-Tycoon%20Charged/id-1e52d3457cfb4c1b91e1aea243d21876

radar weather weather channel lionel richie mike brown jacoby ellsbury jacoby ellsbury morosini death

Professional Social Networking with B2B Social Media

I believe many B2B professionals struggle in their adoption of social media for professional use, because they see it as a marketing platform as opposed to a professional networking tool. Those who do see it purely as a marketing tool and use it as such, clog up a valuable business resource with spam. I have colleagues that are very active on Facebook for personal use, but can?t seem to get their heads around LinkedIn. CEOs and CMOs don?t have time for Twitter, let alone time to blog. Sales professionals are too busy chasing after prospects, so when they squeeze in the time for B2B social media, they make the mistake of using it for intrusive prospecting instead of professional networking. However, I think if these B2B professionals really understood the purpose and value of B2B social networking, then they would make more time for it and better use of it.

The is the second post in a series designed to help B2B professionals create better social strategies by thinking in terms of B2B social networking over B2B social media. This second installment explores the opportunity of building a stellar B2B professional network through social media and lays the foundation for the following more advanced topics to come.

• The B2B Company Social Netork
• Social Media for B2B Demand Generation
• Social Networking for B2B Public Relations
• Social Networking for B2B Sales Enablement

It is not another top ten list on how to tweet. So many poor efforts at B2B social networking result from trying to master how to do it without truly understanding what it is. Using social media to build your professional network is a very personal endeavor, and my hope is that this second post in the series will provide a few very personal ?aha moments? that help clarify your professional social networking strategy.

?

Professional Social Networking Aha #1 | Just Be Helpful

Imagine for a moment the consummate professional networker before the Internet age. Perhaps the best networker you?ve ever met. You know the one I am talking about. He or she is probably an entrepreneur, salesperson, executive or maybe just the life of every conference. I still have colleagues like this, offline only networkers. Some have networks so strong they frankly don?t need the Internet. They are also a) rich, b) retired or c) about to retire. If you don?t fall into one of these three categories, then I highly recommend building your professional networking skills online as well as off.

Now can you recall what made that person great at B2B professional networking? A litany of personal characterstics probably comes to mind: extroverted, energetic, fun, interesting, powerful, charismatic, attentive, and even athletic or attractive. These are all great qualities to have for building your professional network, unfortunately some of them are genetic and others may simply not be you. But, there is one thing we can all be and it is the cornerstone of B2B professional networking: helpful, because all professional networking is based on reciprocity and that is simply human. Everyone can be helpful if they set their mind to it. Building your professional network online is simple; be helpful online. In fact, every rule that applies for successful offline networking applies online. It?s not like we stop being human when we go online. The purpose of social networks is to help us socialize as humans, more broadly, more frequently and more efficiently.

Professional Social Networking Aha #2 | Make it Personal

Now imagine your consummate offline networker and think about the relationship between that person?s professional life and personal life. The best, the very best, never stop working. Their business life is seamlessly integrated into their personal life. Their business connections are frequently their friends. They socialize for business. For them, professional networking IS socializing. Again, unfortunately, that doesn?t work for the vast majority of us. However, what it does mean is that whatever you do decide to do in the way of professional social networking, you must be inescapably yourself. B2B professionals don?t follow or like logos, they follow and like colleagues. You can?t be superficial. Reciprocity demands that you be trusted, and trust demands that you be authentic.

One of the great things about professional social networking is that you actually have the opportunity to compensate for whatever weaknesses you have offline, because you don?t have to get on a plane, go to a meeting, or be the master of small talk to do it. You can stay in your comfort zone. For example, if you are a regular Chaotic Flow reader, it should be completely obvious by now that I am no master of small talk (and by the way, thank you for reading and don?t hesitate to comment or contact me). With social media, you get to choose where, when and how your professional persona appears online. How cool is that?! When you go to an offline networking event, client meeting or job interview, how much control do you have over whom you meet, your first impressions, and the flow of conversation. Online, you have immense control over all these things, because you design your Twitter page, you choose who to follow, and you decide when and where to join the conversation.

Professional Social Networking Aha #3 | Choose Your Battles

If like most people, you are not willing or able to be the always-on professional networker with complete integration of business and personal life, social media can help you compensate and augment your professional networking. For busy B2B professionals who want to accelerate their networking, but also want a personal life, I say choose your battles wisely. Despite what the top ten lists say, you don?t have to be on every social network.

In fact, trying to be on too manage every social network is probably a really bad idea for most people. Most of us simply don?t have the time. When you spread yourself too thin, your professional social networking quickly becomes spotty and superficial, leading to poor results and poor motivation. What you should do is pick a few B2B social media outlets that fit your personality and your lifestyle. You are better off with a active Flickr site with pictures of your business travels and vacations, than you are with an abandoned blog or Twitter account. You might just be surprised at the number of professional colleagues you meet who have been where you?ve been and are happy to swap stories, because that leads to the next most important aspect of building your professional network online.

Professional Social Networking Aha #4 | Build Your Network Offline

Just as the consummate offline professional networker seamlessly blends business and personal life, the consummate online professional networker seamlessly blends online and off. There is just no substitute for face-to-face interaction for building trust and exploring opportunities to be helpful. When someone connects with, comments on, retweets, links, likes or messages you online, check that person out and see if it makes sense to set up a call or a meeting. Combining online professional networking with offline professional networking creates a feedback loop that accelerates the expansion of your network and increases the velocity and efficiency of your communications within your network. The end result is a bigger professional network than either offline or online alone can provide, and you develop stronger, more valuable relationships within your network.

For example, I can?t count the number of great professional relationships I?ve made through Chaotic Flow. Sometimes I run into a colleague who asks for advice on ?how to blog and develop an online personal brand? or I get a stuffy note from a LinkedIn group moderator rejecting one of my posts as ?self-promotion? in a vigilant effort to battle social spam, and I think to myself that they just don?t get it yet. Chaotic Flow is not about self-promotion. It?s about being helpful by sharing ideas that I (humbly) feel might interest my peers in order to meet them and develop professional relationships. I put some serious time and energy into it, so I don?t take kindly to it being misinterpreted as superficial self-promotion. Chaotic Flow is an professional social networking endeavor, and my greatest reward from it is always the new relationships I establish and extend offline.

Professional Social Networking Aha #5 | It?s One Network

In the end, there is no distinction between your online professional network and your offline professional network; they should both be composed of same set of colleagues that you have met or would like to meet. Professionals whom you can help and who can help you. You may have fifty-thousand followers on Twitter, but if they aren?t people you either know or want to know, then where is value in B2B? Perhaps you can ?monetize their eyeballs,? but that would be B2C. Alternatively, if you only accept invitations on LinkedIn from people you have already met, then you may as well stick to a Rolodex.

Your success or failure at professional social networking is not measured by the quantity of your followers but by the quantity and quality of the referrals, references, and business opportunities you reap above and beyond what you could achieve through offline networking alone. This particular point will come up again and again in the coming posts in this series, because when we extend the concept of B2B social networking from building your professional network to building your company?s network, it will again be one network. B2B social media marketing should strive to connect online the same network of prospects, customers, experts, invluencers, consultants, investors, executives, and employees that drive referrals, references and revenue offline.

Professional Social Networking Aha #6 | No Where to Hide

There is one important difference between networking online versus networking offline: you are out in the open, all the time. When you network offline, the visibility of your actions and comments are limited to those colleagues in your vicinity. When you network online, your actions and comments are often visible to the whole world. Moreover, there are search engines, share buttons and rss feeds whose only purpose is to spread your actions and comments all over the Internet. And, those links can last a long time

This is the double-edged sword of professional social networking. On the one hand, the publicity helps you expand your network. On the other hand, you have nowhere to hide. So, be careful what you say and be careful who your friends are, but not so careful that you miss out on important opportunities. Good luck and good networking!

(Cross-posted @ Chaotic Flow by Joel York)

Source: http://www.cloudave.com/22273/professional-social-networking-with-b2b-social-media/

natalie wood van halen annalynne mccord billy the kid neville neville george lucas

Santander Mexico shares jump in debut, bucking trend

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Banco Santander's Mexican unit defied gloom in global markets as its newly listed shares rose sharply on Wednesday after its Spanish parent raised $4 billion in a record issue for Latin America's second-largest economy.

On a day when world stock markets were dragged down by Spain's financial woes, investors snapped up the new stock in a ringing investor endorsement of the Mexican economy.

Santander Mexico's chief executive, Marcos Martinez, said the offering was nearly five times oversubscribed. In the United States, Santander Mexico was the most actively traded stock on the New York Stock Exchange in its market debut.

"The interest for the bank and the country is good news for us," Martinez told Reuters in an interview. "It was exactly the right time to do this in our country."

"We put in a lot of effort, but we are even a little bit surprised because of the response of the investors," he added.

Banco Santander , the bank's Spanish parent, sold the shares to create extra cash buffers against potential losses from Spain's property crash, in the latest in a series of national unit disposals.

Shares of the Santander Mexico jumped to 33.90 pesos, topping the offer price by more than 8 percent.

The offering, the largest ever by a Mexico-listed company, was priced at 31.25 pesos in Mexico on Tuesday, valuing Santander Mexico at $16.538 billion (12.78 billion euros). The New York-listed shares traded at $13.00, after pricing at $12.185 in the offering.

The offering of 25 percent of Santander Mexico's shares was the second largest in the United States this year behind Facebook .

Analysts said the flotation may persuade other banks to launch IPOs, and they pointed to Spanish bank BBVA's Mexican arm Bancomer as a likely candidate for a dual listing.

Santander embarked years ago on a strategy of splitting off national units and has already listed its Brazilian and Chilean arms. Argentine and UK businesses are soon to follow.

The proceeds from the Mexican listing, estimated at 2.8 billion euros, will be used to boost the capital levels of Santander in Spain, where it is relatively healthy but has taken hits from writedowns from Spain's deep economic recession.

The bank said in a filing with the Mexican exchange that it sold nearly 1.7 billion shares, including the greenshoe overallotment, in a Mexican and international offering worth 52.8 billion Mexican pesos ($4.12 billion).

That was a 65 percent premium to the $2.5 billion Santander paid in June 2010 for the same-sized stake from Bank of America.

Assuming the greenshoe is exercised in full, the issue would push the bank's core tier one ratio - a key measure of its strength - to 10.6 percent.

MIDDLE RANGE

The sale price was in the middle of the range of 29 to 33.5 pesos set by the bank earlier this month.

The Mexican tranche accounted for 19 percent of the shares in the global offering, and the U.S. tranche represented 81 percent.

Santander's Mexico unit said it sold 319,977,408 shares in its Mexico offering, including the greenshoe, and 1,369,834,925 shares in its international offering, including overallotment.

Since Santander needs to set aside around 2 billion euros to cover potential losses on its real estate assets, investors are worried it could sell more shares in the Mexican unit if it needs more capital, devaluing early investors' holdings.

Martinez said the bank has no plans to do so.

Shares of the parent bank fell 4.51 percent to 5.924 euros, while Spain's blue chip index Ibex-35 <.ibex> declined 3.92 percent. The uncertainties surrounding the Spanish and Greek economies dragged euro zone equities to their worst session in two months on Wednesday.

An independent stress test of Spain's banking sector earlier this year revealed capital needs of 50 billion to 60 billion euros ($77.7 billion) although Santander is widely expected to present a clean sheet.

MORE LISTINGS

If the listing was seen as a test of investor interest in Mexico, the country scored high, analysts said.

Brazil has long been the regional darling of investors, but a recent soft patch there and a slowdown in China's breakneck growth has now swung the pendulum in favor of Mexico.

In the seven months through July, foreign investors pumped $3.4 billion into Mexico's stock market compared with $2.9 billion in Brazil.

Santander Mexico, which accounts for about 12 percent of the group's profits, is forecast to grow on the back of economic expansion projected at 4 percent this year and 2013. It stands to benefit from a growing middle class that is just starting to open bank accounts and take out loans for the first time.

The listing "opens the door for perhaps medium sized or smaller banks to pursue some IPOs," said Alejandro Garcia, senior banking analyst with Fitch Ratings in Monterrey, Mexico.

Bank of Nova Scotia said this month it may sell minority stakes in some Latin American operations, but officials stressed there were no immediate plans. . ($1 = 12.8005 Mexican pesos) ($1 = 1.0000 US dollars) ($1 = 0.7715 euros)

(Additional reporting by Louise Egan, Jesus Aguado and Michael O'Boyle in Mexico City and Olivia Oran and Herb Lash in New York; Editing by Dave Graham and Leslie Adler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/santander-mexico-shares-jump-debut-bucking-trend-171734237--finance.html

gmail down tim lincecum ryan oneal file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer tax day freebies

Healing Diabetes and Health Health Fitness Books ? Which Should ...

There are so many health fitness books on the market, how do you know which ones to choose?
Of course this question depends on what health fitness goals you have for yourself. Maybe you are interested in losing weight / body fat and toning up, or maybe you?re already lean and want to put on some muscle. Maybe you want to increase your strength or your endurance, perhaps for a sport you?re involved in.

The right health fitness book to choose will be one that corresponds most highly to your primary health and fitness goals.

My personal goals are to lose body fat whilst increasing muscle and strength. On my website I review health fitness books that have helped me with my goals.

The best books in my opinion take into account the mind and body components to getting into shape. Many health fitness books go into the exercises that you can perform however knowing is not enough. Without putting the knowledge into action you wont make any progress at all.

The health fitness books that I have used to make the most progress not only show you which exercises to do, they also explain the nutrition needed but most importantly of all, they go into details as to what your personal reasons are for achieving your goals and explain the ways you can stay motivated throughout the exercise program. They also lay out an easy to follow plan that if followed properly are sure to work.

Like anything worth achieving in life, your health and fitness goals will require hard work to achieve, but once you have the right book to guide you, its then all up to you to put in the effort and of course to reap the rewards!

Source: http://www.urap.org/health-fitness/health-fitness-books-which-should-you-choose.html

nike nfl jerseys katie couric barista university of kentucky ncaa oakland news alec baldwin

Dental Assistant Career | ArticlePDQ.com

Nowadays dental assistant is one of the much promising careers around the world due to increasing demand for dental services. People are become more conscious about their dental health. With lot of advancement in dental care and dental treatments becoming more reasonable in recent years, many people have begun seeking the services of dentists for all their dental needs. The demand for dental assistants is very high because many are becoming aware of the importance of good oral care. The assistant is the one who is in charge for all the important processes and he responsible for patients care. Dental assistants stand behind the dentist and they are responsible for various tasks like patients communication, maintaining medical histories, applying medicines on the patients? mouths and so on.

Oftentimes, the dental assistant is required to do some of the medical office administration duties. Dental assistance learn everything they need to know in course of the training period. Nowadays many colleges, universities and other accredited education providers in different states offers dental assistant programs. Requirements differ from each state where some states require licensure or registration, while other states require completion of state-approved education courses. Though not all states require certifications for dental assistants, becoming certified will make you professional which in turn increase your earning and also helps to more recognition in the workplace.

Time period for dental assistants courses vary from one school to another some dental assistant schools offer certificates or diplomas course that will take about one year and Associate Degree in Dental Assisting will take up to eighteen months to two years. The salary of a dental assistant depend on a number of factors, including nature of job, size of the practice and more. But the dental assistant salary is expected to increase substantially over the years in spite of recession and other economical situations. By opting for dental assistant, other than a great future you can also enjoy additional benefits like special coverage of dental service and more.

If you are in search of quality schools for dental assisting programs, you should consider one important factor. You must choose among the one that is approved and accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the ADA. On the whole, if you want the bright future you can opt for the dental assistant programs and must be learned and practiced properly as it brings you a very bright future as you wish.

To read further Dental Technician Schools check out our website today!

Source: http://articlepdq.com/health-fitness/dental-assistant-career/

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

Obama at the UN, in shadow of campaign politics

NEW YORK (AP) ? Campaign politics shadowing every word, President Barack Obama will step before the world and declare that anti-American rage and riots among Muslims abroad will never force the United States to backtrack on diplomacy.

In his final international address before the November election, Obama on Tuesday has a United Nations stage afforded to presidents, not presidential challengers. He will use it to try to boost his political standing without mentioning his opponent.

Obama's comments to the General Assembly will be scrutinized around the globe and by the gathering of presidents and prime ministers in the famed United Nations hall, given the tumult, terrorism, nuclear threats and poverty that bind so many nations. He will respond to unrest in the Muslim world and seek to underscore U.S. resolve in keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Yet, were there any doubt that the U.S. presidential campaign hung heavy over Obama's speech to the General Assembly, Republican rival Mitt Romney shredded it by assailing Obama's foreign affairs leadership on the eve of the president's speech.

"This is time for a president who will shape events in the Middle East, not just be merciful or be at the mercy of the events," Romney said Monday. Focusing on the killing of the U.S. ambassador in Libya and mass bloodshed in Syria, Romney repeatedly ridiculed Obama's comment that nations moving toward democracy after the Arab Spring face "bumps in the road."

That prompted White House spokesman Jay Carney to fire back at Romney: "There is a certain rather desperate attempt to grasp at words and phrases here to find political advantage, and in this case that's profoundly offensive."

Obama's activities at the United Nations said plenty, too: There are not many of them. Campaigning is his imperative.

He is skipping the private meetings with key allies that a U.S. president typically schedules when the whole international community comes to New York. The president will spend only 24 hours in New York in total this time, and he spent some of it Monday to appear on "The View," giving a talk show interview intended to sell his election pitch to a big TV audience.

The dominant theme of Obama's U.N. speech, according to his aides and Obama's own recent words, will be to underscore his response to the protests raging in places across the Middle East and North Africa. As he has for days, Obama will condemn the violence, defend democratic principles of free speech and promise no U.S. withdrawal of outreach.

Much of the growing ire is aimed at the United States because of an anti-Islam film produced in this country, but the White House has now deemed the attack on its consulate in Libya a "terrorist attack" and has not ruled that it was premeditated. Four Americans, including ambassador Chris Stevens, died in what Obama now says "wasn't just a mob action."

Obama noted in the TV interview Monday that many Libyans have protested the extremist strains in their nation.

"Part of the message for us is that the overwhelming majority of Muslims, they want the same things that families here want," Obama said. "They want opportunity. They want jobs. They want peace. ... We're going to stay engaged. Because ultimately, over the long term, our security is going to be tied up with the success of these countries."

In a preview of Obama's speech, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appealed for Muslims to show "dignity" as they protest the film denigrating the Prophet Muhammad.

"Dignity does not come from avenging insults," she said in a speech to her husband's Clinton Global Initiative. Romney and Obama were to speak there as well on Tuesday.

The secretary of state was also standing in for Obama. She saw the presidents of Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya and Pakistan. She was due later in the week to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

For U.S. presidents, the yearly United Nations address is always laced with domestic politics even though the speeches are scripted without campaign references. Wars and the failed attempts at Mideast peace have dominated in recent years.

Romney's campaign made the campaign linkage directly Monday.

"On the eve of his United Nations address, President Obama's foreign policy is in disarray," spokesman Ryan Williams said. "As president, Mitt Romney will repair our relationships abroad and create a safer, more secure nation."

Polling shows Obama has a clear edge over Romney when voters are asked who they think is a stronger leader and would better protect the country.

__

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this story.

__

Follow Ben Feller at http://www.twitter.com/benfellerdc

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-un-shadow-campaign-politics-070352043--politics.html

george st pierre aldon smith friday night lights nick santino bruce arians the misfits hook