Monday, December 31, 2012

Differences in generic pill characteristics may lead to interruptions in essential medication use

Dec. 31, 2012 ? Generic medications currently account for over 70 percent of prescriptions dispensed. However, while generic drugs are clinically bioequivalent to the brand-name version, they often differ in their physical characteristics, such as color and shape. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have found that some patients who receive generic drugs that vary in their color are over 50 percent more likely to stop taking the drug, leading to potentially important and potentially adverse clinical effects.

The study will be published online Dec. 31, 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Pill appearance has long been suspected to be linked to medication adherence, yet this is the first empirical analysis that we know of that directly links pills' physical characteristics to patients' adherence behavior," explained Aaron S. Kesselheim MD, JD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics at BWH, and principal investigator of this study. "We found that changes in pill color significantly increase the odds that patients will stop taking their drugs as prescribed."

The researchers conducted a case-control study of patients taking antiepileptic drugs and compared the odds that patients who did not refill their medication had been given pills that differed in color or shape from the prior prescriptions. Using a large national database of filled prescriptions, when the researchers identified a break in the patient's use of the drug, they looked at the previous two prescription fillings to see if they were the same color and shape. They found that interruptions in the prescription filling occurred significantly more frequently when the pills had different color. Interruptions in antiepileptic drug use for even a few days can raise the risk of seizure and have important medical and social consequences for patients.

These findings offer important take-home messages for physicians, pharmacists, and patients. As Kesselheim explained, "Patients should be aware that their pills may change color and shape, but that even differently-appearing generic drugs are approved by the FDA as being bioequivalent to their brand-name counterparts and are safe to take. Physicians should be aware that changes in pill appearance might explain their patients' non-adherence. Finally, pharmacists should make a point to tell patients about the change in color and shape when they change generic suppliers."

Researchers acknowledge that medication adherence is a multi-faceted issue, but suggest that taking steps to permit (or even require) similarity in pill appearance among bioequivalent brand name and generic drugs may offer a relatively simple way to contribute to better adherence.

This research was supported by a career development award from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (K08HS18465-01), and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research. Dr. Choudhry has received unrestricted research grants from CVS Caremark, Aetna, the Commonwealth Fund, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study medication adherence. Dr. Shrank has received unrestricted research funding from CVS Caremark, Aetna, Teva, Lilly, and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Kesselheim AS, Misono AS, Shrank WH, et al. Variations in Pill Appearance of Antiepileptic Drugs and the Risk of Nonadherence. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.997

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/iuPQbeuuq0E/121231161041.htm

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Source: http://writingandspeaking.deadale.com/uncategorized/turning-useful-tips-into-tangible-article-marketing-ideas/

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The Best Investing Style ETF This Fiscal? - Zacks.com

A debate between different styles of investing is not new to the financial world. There are various ?experts? from different schools of thought with strong arguments poised in favor of their beliefs as far as investment styles are concerned. Whether undervalued stocks have the potential to deliver high returns (value style) or overvalued stocks make for a good momentum play (growth style) or a combination of both flavors in a portfolio is a winner (blend style) has been and will be a never ending discussion.

Nevertheless, while there are pros and cons associated with each investing style, it is also true that the same strategy or style doesn?t work for different market conditions. Having said this, a look at the best performing investment style this fiscal year is prudent especially as we near the conclusion of yet another economically action packed year. (see 3 Emerging Market ETFs Protected from Global Events)

The methodology adopted was selecting nine ETFs, each ETF representing a particular investment style and a market capitalization bucket (i.e. large, mid or small). To compute the results we have assumed that an investor allocated capital uniformly across the entire spectrum of market capitalization, thereby focusing solely on the investment style and eliminating any market capitalization bias. (read Mid Cap ETF Investing 101)

The portfolio returns and risk is computed assuming that the investor allocates equally across the three types of ETF for any particular style. In other words, the weight allocated to each ETF across a particular style is 33.33%.

The following table summarizes the results obtained for each style box.

Table: 1

Capitalization

Large Cap

Mid Cap

Small Cap

Overall Portfolio

Rank

Growth

IVW

IWP

VBK

Risk

12.13%

14.94%

16.92%

14.21%

Return

10.85%

11.55%

13.18%

11.86%

Return per unit risk

0.83

2

Value

IVE

IWS

VBR

Risk

13.45%

13.72%

15.24%

13.73%

Return

12.23%

13.42%

13.79%

13.15%

Return per unit Risk

0.96

1

Blend

SPY

IJH

IWM

Risk

12.56%

15.25%

16.47%

14.25%

Return

11.45%

13.52%

9.86%

11.69%

Return per unit Risk

0.74

3

Note: Returns are computed on year-till-date basis.

Not surprisingly, the volatility tends to increase towards the small cap ETFs. Of course, this is quite expected as mid and small caps are more volatile than their large cap counterparts. This is especially true considering the volatility that we have witnessed over the past twelve months, first over the Eurozone issues and now over the impending fiscal cliff. However, the small caps have fared better in terms of absolute returns. (see more in the Zacks ETF Center)

Instead of concentrating on absolute performance, our exercise focuses on risk-adjusted performance. In other words, it takes into consideration the reward reaped by an investor for bearing up with the volatility of the investing style chosen by him/her.

The table summarizes the trailing performance of each style on the basis of their risk-adjusted returns. In order to compute this, the portfolio returns and risk were calculated, and the return was divided by the risk obtained. Based on this score the various styles were ranked.

As we can see, the value ETF portfolio has performed better, both in terms of absolute portfolio returns as well as risk adjusted returns, than its growth and blend counterparts, having a return per unit of risk score of 0.96. Compared to this, the growth portfolio has a score of 0.83 while the blend portfolio got a score of 0.74.

Also, the value ETF portfolio has exhibited less volatility than the growth and blend portfolios as indicated by lower portfolio volatility (read SPDR Files for Low Volatility ETFs).

Growth investing is basically a momentum play; this makes it a great strategy in a trending market (i.e. a market characterized by a prolonged up or downtrend). This is because stocks in the growth ETF portfolio harness their momentum in earnings to create a positive bias in the market which results in rocketing share prices. However, this only works when the broader market sentiments have a predetermined direction.

However, in the last 12 months the markets have seen movement in a quarterly up-down-up-down trend making it virtually impossible to predict a trend, at least this was the case for a good period of time this fiscal (read What Do Quarterly Trends Reveal about ETFs in Q4?). However, this doesn?t mean that growth stocks underperform during such markets.

However it does mean that they exhibit a higher degree of volatility especially compared to value stocks. This is the primary reason why growth stocks have a lower risk adjusted return performance, although in terms of absolute returns there seems to be hardly any difference between the three styles.

On the other hand, value stocks are not very susceptible to the trending markets unlike their growth counterparts. They give the market ample time to find and realize the potential of these companies with hidden value. This makes them less susceptible to the broader market conditions. This also results in a lower realized volatility as indicated by the figures in the table. Therefore in a volatile market these make for great picks for highest risk adjusted returns. (see ETFs in a QE3 World)

Nevertheless, each investing style has its own advantages and disadvantages and it entirely depends on the individual investor?s risk-return profile as to which style is best suited for him/her. However, with 2013 poised to be yet another action packed year ahead of the fiscal cliff one might think that in order to seek investments with higher risk-adjusted returns, value ETFs might well be the place to be.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >>

Source: http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/89432/the-best-investing-style-etf-this-fiscal

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Unhappy New Year: Zynga shuts down?'PetVille,'?'Mafia Wars 2,' ?9 other games

Featured

3 days

Tomb Raider

The holiday shopping season is officially over?and that means the spasm of big game launches is over as well,?right? Well, no. In some ways,... Read more

33 min.

It was a little over a year ago that high-flying?Facebook gaming giant?Zynga was firing up "Mafia Wars 2"???the sequel to its?hit mobster game???along with a string of other?new games for Facebook and mobile devices.

Times were good. But here, on the cusp of 2013, those times are no more for the?beleaguered?game company. Over the course of the last few days, Zynga has shut down not only "Mafia Wars 2" but its long-running pet-simulation?game "PetVille." The company has also closed down and pulled from app stores nine other games.

As?TechCrunch first reported, the closures???part of an attempt on Zynga's part to restructure and thus?pull itself out of a business tailspin???are as follows:?

PetVille ? Shut down December 30th
Mafia Wars 2 - Shut down December 30th
FishVille ? Shut down December 5th
Vampire Wars ? Shut down December 5th
Treasure Isle ? Shut down December 5th
Indiana Jones Adventure World ? Closed to new players, shuts down January 14th
Mafia Wars Shakedown ? Pulled from app stores
Forestville ? Pulled from app stores
Montopia ? Shut down December 21st
Mojitomo ? Pulled from app stores
Word Scramble Challenge ? Pulled from app stores

Zynga CEO?Marc Pincus originally?announced in October that 13 games in total would be shuttered and 5 percent of the full-time staff cut?as part of??drastic?cost-saving measures needed to bring the company back in line. These moves come after a very bad year in which Zynga?has seen its share price tank, has been accused of insider trading?and?has been sued by gaming giant Electronic Arts?for allegedly copying its gameplay.

As it announced closures of its various games via?Facebook,?Zynga tried to encourage players to pick up one of its other games instead,?offering them?free credits in games like "ChefVille, "Farmville 2" and the original "Mafia Wars" game, all of?which are all still operating.

Still, news of the game?closures was met with anger and sadness and?seemed to hit players of?"PetVille" the hardest. "PetVille" tasked its players?with creating and then caring for their very own virtual pets ??virtual pets that are all?now gone.

"Goodbye to all my friends and a sad farewell to my pet Bailley???I'll miss you all," wrote PetVille player?Jan Brandner Heier?on the game's Facebook page.

"I loved my bbunny now i will never get to see her again it is not fair at all," wrote PetVille player Vick Lawson.

"Please don't remove PetVille," begged player Cynthia Diaz. "I been playing for 4 yrs. and I'm going to miss my pet Jaime....WHY DO YOU WANT TO KILL MY PET???"

"PetVille" player Judith Baur was especially?devastated?by the game's closure. "My Autistic son and I had played Petville together for two years," she wrote. "It was something we could do together, and made us very happy. I wish you 'people' could have seen the streams of tears running down both our faces as we played our last session. We even?took photographs. I guess money trumps everything!!"

-?Via TechCrunch

Winda Benedetti?writes about video?games for NBC?News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti?and you can?follow her?on?Google+.?Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/unhappy-new-year-zynga-shuts-down-petville-mafia-wars-2-1C7785090

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Chinese government calls for Land Rover recall

Big News Network.com Saturday 29th December, 2012

The Chinese government has asked Jaguar Land Rover's China unit to recall one hundred and ninety 2012 Evoque and Freelander vehicles produced on June 11th this year.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has said the recall was prompted by concerns about the rear brake calipers on the vehicles, which may lead to brakes failing and sudden tyre deflation.

The agency said another one hundred and forty seven 2012 Evoque and 2013 Evoque vehicles made between October 20th and September 18th would also be recalled due to problems in their steering boxes.

Jaguar Land Rover is owned by India's Tata Motors.

Vehicles such as the Land Rover and Jaguar are in high demand in China and other emerging markets.

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  • Source: http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/211659314/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc

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    How much do you know about US entitlement programs? Take our quiz.

    Question 1 of 20

    1. What percentage of Americans have received benefits from at least one of the six major entitlement programs?

    Sign-up to receive a weekly selection of top political stories every Friday.

    Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/911cbOeEr68/How-much-do-you-know-about-US-entitlement-programs-Take-our-quiz

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    Invitation for AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler's Toast on RAW, The Hogans and The Flairs Together In Florida

    - Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were back together again on Saturday night. It looks like they got together wth friends and family at Hogan's new restaurant in Florida. Here they are plus a shot of Nick Hogan with Flair's daughter, WWE NXT Diva Charlotte:

    flair hogan 1

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    - WWE announced the following last night for Monday's RAW:

    raw nye invitation

    "This Monday?s Raw will air on New Year?s Eve and what?s New Year?s Eve without a toast? In recognition of the beginning of 2013, Dolph Ziggler and AJ Lee have announced plans for a special toast on Raw and they?ve invited the whole WWE Universe to join them. There?s also a guest of honor on the controversial couple?s list ? John Cena. What will Dolph and AJ have to say during their toast? And will the Cenation leader accept their invitation? Join the dubious pair and the former WWE Champion on Monday at 8/7 CT on USA and help ring in the new year."

    DIRECT LINK: WWE Divas Looking Sexy for NYE ? Layla, Kaitlyn, Aksana, Tamina, Rosa Mendes, Alicia Fox, Cameron & Naomi!

    Source: http://www.ringsidenews.com/article/6370/invitation-for-aj-lee-and-dolph-ziggler-039-s-toast-on-raw-the-hogans-and-t/

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    'No English Science, Maths books' ? Hornbill Unleashed

    Joseph Tawie

    Fourteen percent of schools in Sarawak have opted to use English in their Maths and Science, but parents doubt the Education Ministry?s commitment to their choice.

    With schools set to begin their term next week, parents and teachers in Sarawak are in a dilemma over ?inconsistent? education policies and the lack of English language books for Mathematics and Science subjects.

    Some 14% of primary and secondary schools in in East Malaysian state have opted to continue learning Mathematics and Science in English next year, but have failed to receive their English text books todate.

    Said Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How: ?On this eve of the opening of the new school year, it is discovered that schools in Sarawak have not received their English textbooks and workbooks, but only the Bahasa Malaysia versions were distributed to all the students.

    ?This is despite the fact that these schools have filled in and submitted a designated form distributed by the Education Department asking them to decide and indicate whether their primary school students from the PPSMI batch chooses to continue PPSMI fully in English, Bahasa Malaysia or both.

    ?These schools have expressly opted for English language for those students now in Standard 4 to Standard 6.

    ?In fact, it was the Deputy PM (Muhyiddin Yassin) himself who revealed last year that 5% from the total classes in 7,495 primary schools and 9% out of 2,192 secondary schools chose to fully used English for Maths and Science.

    ?He is fully aware of the needs and extent of schools requiring textbooks and workbooks in English for the batch of students still under PPSMI policy, yet these textbooks and workbooks are not being printed and distributed.

    ?The schools were given the textbooks and workbooks in Bahasa Malaysia instead.?

    He added that a quick survey in the bookshops had shown that no English reference books are prepared and printed in English, as the profit-driven private companies are switching immediately to produce reference texts and workbooks for the policy of MBMMBI (Upholding the Malay Language, Strengthening the English Language) whereby Mathematics and Science are only taught and learned in Bahasa Malaysia.

    ?Muhyiddin is worst Education Minister?

    See, who is also state PKR vice president, said parents were now doubtful as to whether or not the Education Department has the contents and syllabus of the books prepared.

    ?The schools and parents can?t be blamed for their doubts and queries as to whether the education department is going to supply the requisite textbooks and workbooks in English to these schools.

    ?There are even doubts whether the education department has the syllabus and contents of the textbooks and workbooks prepared and whether it is printing them,? he said.

    See said the availability of Malay language books on the subjects meant teachers and parents were forced to translate the syllabus and contents, according to their own respective understanding and perception of the Bahasa Malaysia texts.

    ?It certainly reflects poorly on the Umno-led BN federal government. The Education Ministry should have the proper planning in the formulation and implementation of the country?s education policies and plans.

    ?The Deputy PM and Education Minister (Muhyiddin) has failed to appreciate the sensitivity and special needs in the East Malaysian states, particularly Sarawak, where English is also an official language and that special rights to use English is cherished and dear to Sarawakians.

    ?The inconsistency in the formulation and implementation of the educational policies, regulations, guidelines and instructions are the hallmark of his ministership. He is the country?s worst Education Minister,? he said .

    Source: http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/39440/

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    A DOG NAMED LEAF ? Book Review by Amy Shojai, About.com ...

    ?This touching, almost lyrical book [A Dog Named Leaf] is a very personal story bravely told by the author and his wife?? This is a lovely story that will uplift anyone who has ever loved a dog.?

    ?Amy Shojai, About.com Guide, December 27, 2012

    http://puppies.about.com/od/ToysSupplies/fr/Book-Review-A-Dog-Named-Leaf.htm

    A DOG NAMED LEAF

    A DOG NAMED LEAF

    Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/angelanimals/2012/12/30/a-dog-named-leaf-book-review-by-amy-shojai-about-com-guide/

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    Sign of the cross in a tree after tornado gives true believers in Alabama hope

    ? whnt.com

    Christmas carols about angels have special meaning to a Marshall County woman who says she frequently feels their presence.

    Barbara McKinley said she received a sign of the cross after the April 27 tornadoes, when a tree fell in one of her neighbor's yards, in the Preston Island community.

    "After the tornado, he went up to start cutting the tree limbs up and that to haul out to the road to be picked up, and as he was cutting up, when he got into this part of the tree, is when he saw the cross," McKinley said.

    Her neighbor began to cut the same timber looking for more, but McKinley said the cross disappeared after 12 to 15 inches, and she was glad to receive a cross-cut of the cross.

    She said some people think this is a hoax, claiming photos are doctored with a computer, or someone drew the cross on this piece of a tree.

    "I keep trying to tell everybody God's trying to tell us something, and we're not listening."

    ? whnt.com

    Splotches appeared in the middle of several other trees in the area but none were like this.

    McKinley believes it and her safety are a sign.

    "We've had two tornadoes here and my house has never been touched, so I know my angels are watching me," she said.

    Her faith continues to grow as a result of feeling that protection for years.

    "My husband's had two bouts with strokes, and prostate cancer, and he's fine," she said.

    "I feel my angels are looking are over us, all the time."

    She said the cross is God's way of saying he is there, too.

    Her son made the display case for the cross, along with a wooden plaque which reads:

    "this cross came from the middle of a tree limb found after the tornado of april 27, 2001 on hwy 79 in marshall county, al."

    Source: http://www.sott.net/article/255370-Sign-of-the-cross-in-a-tree-after-tornado-gives-true-believers-in-Alabama-hope

    joe biden Alex Karras

    INTERVIEW: KERN Automotive GmbH: 8.3 V10 Z4 | Drifted ...

    bmw z4 coupe

    Engine swaps have been getting a bit of a bad rep recently; it seems as though people are bored of LS swapped S13s & S14s. Saying that, we still love a well executed swap, and there?s something fun about shoehorning a gigantic lump into a small, lightweight car.

    KERN Racing have taken this to extreme, by squeezing a Viper SRT-10 8.3 V10 into the rarely modified Z4 Coupe. We caught up with Eike from KERN Automotive to find out more about the build!

    bmw z4 coupe

    Hey Eike, we love the car. What inspired you to choose a Z4 chassis for the build? Are they readily available in Germany?

    I always very much liked the Z4 Coupe. Also it is the last real Coupe made by BMW. The Z4 was sold by a VLN race team nearby. It was a complete car with small damage, and I have a lot of BMW parts lying around here.

    Is the car finished, or do you have future plans?

    The car is not finished yet. Even if it was running very well at the Essen Motorshow, a lot of things have to be done or must be improved.

    Wiring with a new data logging system, improved steering and clutch hydraulics, several gauges and many other things have to be done until the car can get street legal in Germany. This should be done by the end of March.

    V10 BMW Z4

    Did you have to make major modifications to get the large Viper lump to fit?

    Yes, quite a lot. The oil pan was cut 9 cm in the height and enlarged from 6 to 8 liters.

    The exhaust manifolds had to be made completely new to fit the small engine compartment and to let the steering column go through.

    To fit the length of engine and gearbox, we hat to cut and replace large areas of firewall and transmission tunnel. To get the chassis strong enough, Stahlus has developed a special roll cage with integrated transmission tunnel.

    With this and the strengthening for the engine mountings the chassis got extremely warp resistant. Also the wiper and heater had to be replaced.

    bmw z4 coupe

    How does the car feel on track with such a heavy lump in the front?

    It feels much better than I expected, because there is no heavy lump in front! The engine is completely behind the front axxle, so that the balance is still near to 50%.

    We will check the wheel load in February and do some changes if required to get it as near to the 50% as possible, so that it will be really fast on track too.

    It seems you?re happy with the end result; what would you change if anything?

    I am very happy with the result and have not found anything that needs to be changed.

    Great that you?re happy with the end result ? what is your favourite part/element of the vehicle?

    My favourite is the power and the sound of the engine. Especially when the valves in the exhaust are open, the V10 sounds gorgeous.

    Have you thought about what your next project will be?

    I have not thought about it. First we have to finish this one and some customer orders. Maybe we could start again by end of next year, but it will be difficult to find something more interesting than this.

    Thanks Eike! Keep us up dated :)

    For more pictures and updates, check out the Z4?s Facebook Page!

    Photos by Markus Bruhn / Driftlove

    Source: http://www.drifted.com/alex-quail/interview-kern-automotive-gmbh-8-3-v10-z4/23110/

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    Gun Magazines & Gun Owner Psychology (OliverWillisLikeKryptoniteToStupid)

    Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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    Sunday, December 30, 2012

    Villas-Boas: Mourinho is the best coach of all time

    Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid - Andr? Villas-Boas - Chelsea

    Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid - Andr? Villas-Boas - Chelsea

    Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has described Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho as "the best coach of all time".

    The 35-year-old worked as his compatriot's assistant at Porto, Chelsea and Inter before beginning his own managerial career.

    And he has underlined the importance of the lessons he learnt under Mourinho, describing working alongside the Setubal-born boss as a "privilege".

    "Mourinho is perhaps the best coach of all time", he told Brazilian newspaper?Lancenet.

    "[Working with Mourinho] was a unique experience. It's difficult to find someone with so much professionalism, dedication and knowledge of the game.

    "Luckily, he saw in me a good professional in the studying of matches and of opponents. It was a privilege to work with him and learn his training methods."

    Villas-Boas was also keen to dismiss comparisons between himself and Mourinho, with both having tasted success with Porto before moving to Chelsea.

    "They're made by people outside the game," he added.

    "We're not concerned with seeming like anybody or working with anybody. We might have ways of leading which people could think are similar, but it's not imitation. I'm not worried about that."

    The Spurs coach also hailed the impact of Sir Bobby Robson on his career, with the Englishman having helped him on his first steps into coaching during his time at Porto.

    "He lived in my building and I was a Porto fan," he said.

    "So I started to talk to him about the players and he told me, very friendlily, that he's let me come to the training sessions. That's when my passion for the game and the tactics started.

    "He was crucial in my choice of vocation. I started to do a course and train the youngest. Those are times I remember very fondly."

    Source: http://www.goal.com/en/news/755/europe/2012/12/30/3638579/villas-boas-mourinho-is-the-best-coach-of-all-time

    brett ratner stevie nicks

    Former President George H.W. Bush remains hospitalized

    Associated Press

    Posted on December 30, 2012 at 1:04 PM

    HOUSTON ? Former President George H.W. Bush remains hospitalized in Houston recovering from an illness that began with a bronchitis-related cough.

    There was no update on his condition Sunday, but a family spokesman said Saturday that the 88-year-old had been moved back to a regular room at Methodist Hospital. Bush had spent a week in intensive care in order to knock down a fever.

    Bush spokesman Jim McGrath said Saturday that Bush continued to improve and he and his family thanked everyone for their prayers and good wishes. Bush was hospitalized Nov. 23 and moved to the intensive care unit Dec. 23 after developing a fever.

    Bush, the 41st president, is the country's oldest living former president by a few months.

    Source: http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/Former-President-George-HW-Bush-remains-hospitalized-185220532.html

    soa andy williams

    Using Car Batteries as an Emergency Welder

    Using Car Batteries as an Emergency WelderUsing Car Batteries as an Emergency WelderIf you're ever driving through rough terrain and break an important part such as a drag link or tie rod, you may be stuck until help arrives. If you were unable to summon help you could weld the part together with heavy-gauge jumper cables, two automotive batteries, and a welding rod.

    YouTube user engineer775 shows in the video above how to setup an emergency welding rig by connecting two 12v car batteries in series (wiring them into a single 24v battery), connecting one side of a set of jumper cables to the positive and negative terminal not wired in series. The other end of the jumper cables will connect to the welding rod and the other to the metal workpiece. Touch the welding rod to the joint that needs to be connected to weld. You'll also want leather gloves and a welding helmet if you ever do this.

    The problem with this technique is that you have no real control over the amperage generated by the batteries. This will vary depending on if you wire 2 batteries (24v) or 3 batteries (36v) together. Keep in mind that we are not endorsing this technique, especially for those who have no welding experience, but if you're stuck in the boonies with no cell phone signal you might like knowing how it can be accomplished. That said, if I were in the habit of going off road alone I'd probably add a couple of welding rods, an extra charged battery, two sets of jumper cables, and a cheap welding helmet to my vehicle emergency kit just in case.

    Bug out Tip...Welding using car batteries | YouTube

    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/uxgsQkLgE_g/using-car-batteries-as-an-emergency-welder

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    Articles From The World: Day Trading or Investing for the Long Haul?

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    Summary:
    Among those who buy and sell stocks there is an ongoing debate about whether the most profitable approach to stock market trading is short or long term investment.

    Keywords:
    loans

    Article Body:
    Among those who buy and sell stocks there is an ongoing debate about whether the most profitable approach to stock market trading is short or long term investment. And the two sides rarely reach agreement, because one side is rather conservative in its approach, whereas the other has a more radical and freewheeling attitude. Day traders are usually considered the mavericks of the trading world, and they are known for taking gambler?s risks and making huge profits in short amounts of time ? sometimes buying and selling the same stock several times in a single day. Those who prefer to buy and hold their stocks follow a more risk-averse path, and cite historical trends to back up their claim that their method is actually more reliable and is the real shortcut to wealth.

    Most investors can enjoy the best of both worlds, by setting aside some of their money for day trades, and the balance of it for longer-term investment. Because day trading tends to be more volatile, and can result in quick profits or fast losses, most of us would be advised to put only as much of our investment capital as we can comfortably afford to lose, into this kind of trading strategy. That way, even if you encounter a worse case scenario, it will not adversely impact your overall financial situation.

    There are pros and cons to both styles of investing. Those who do day trades enjoy the fact that they can get in and out of the market quickly, and make money without waiting for the results. But any kind of stock market investment strategy requires research into the companies you decide to invest in, and research can take time to do. If you are buying and selling so fast that you don?t have time to do adequate background analysis, day trading may not be a prudent approach.

    Investing in companies that provide slow but steady returns is a time-tested approach to the stock market. In fact, most historical evidence supports the idea that if you buy quality stocks and hold them for long periods of time ? at least five years or more ? you will do very well in the stock market. For that reason, those who are young enough to have time on their side would probably be wise to buy some stocks and sock them away for retirement.

    With most investments, it is usually best to diversify to minimize risk and maximize potential gains. One way to accomplish this in the stock market is to employ both strategies, and use a portion of your investment capital for short-term trades, while leaving another portion in long term investments. If one basket of investments doesn?t do well, the other probably will. And if both do well, you will enjoy twice as much success.

    Source: http://articles-from-the-world.blogspot.com/2012/12/day-trading-or-investing-for-long-haul.html

    dow jones Selena Gomez

    Video: Surfer fends off shark attack using board, fist

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

    Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50323703/

    the Rumble 2012 Columbus Day 2012

    On fatal Clay helicopter crash anniversary, families still grieving ... - Florida Times-Union

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

    Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGXvTMXFqNrhPRCNEQYYQe8mc60Pg&url=http://jacksonville.com/community/clay/2012-12-29/story/fatal-clay-helicopter-crash-anniversary-families-still-grieving

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    PHP Web Development Beneficial For Online Business | Web ...

    In today?s competitive world ?f business over th? internet, ???r? online business website needs latest web technology solutions w?th best web application development. B?t th?r? ?r? intense competitors wh?n ?t comes t? developing ?n eye-catching website ?nd m?k?ng ?t function effectively ?r perform f??t ?nd easy multi-tasking. Th?r? ?r? ?? many platforms f?r website designing l?k? static HTML, flash websites ?nd many more. PHP ?? one such platform th?t effectively works th? best f?r custom cutting-edge web solutions. Another major feature f?r opting PHP ?? th? cost advantage. Designing, customizing, developing ?nd modifying PHP based websites ?? done well w?th affordable investment. Major web development companies offer professional web services ?n PHP including website development, developing web application, CMS development, custom PHP website development, static/dynamic ?nd interactive MYSQL websites designing ?nd much more w?th PHP web Development.

    PHP ?? very well known ?nd recognized programming language f?r custom website development w?th ?t? fully functional scripting language. Significantly ?t ??n b? quickly mixed up ?nt? HTML easily. PHP Development ?? quite easy ?? opposed t? ?t? competitors such ?? ASP.Net, Coffee ?nd ??m? ?th?r. PHP Website Development g?t uncomplicated format, techniques ?nd features ?nd ???r? programmer ??n understand ?t quite quickly. Th?r? m?? b? ??m? efficient alternatives available f?r th? development ?f efficient website, b?t PHP web development fits th? best.

    Extensive Benefits ?f PHP Web Development:

    ? A website developed w?th PHP w?ll h??? f??t data processing ?nd easy functionality.
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    ? It h?? a best ability t? upload ?nt? th? HTML value.
    ? Th?? ?? very much appropriate w?th many hosts such ?? IIS, Apache ?nd ??m? more.
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    ? Major Web applications ?r? easy t? integrate w?th PHP such ?? Ajax, Flash ?nd ??m? more offering best website visibility.
    ? PHP development w?th feature rich collection uses less value ?nd ??n b? outfitted well w?th design advancement ?f ?t? ?wn f?r custom website design.

    W? provide ??? th? best web solutions f?r website development w?th years ?f quality experience ?n PHP development. W?th PHP ?t h?? become possible t? m?k? robust website th?t goes ?n ?n extensive way t? ?????t th? best through ?t? functionality. PHP website development ?l?? raises th? visibility ?nd representation ?f th? website ?n a highly effective ?nd professional style.

    Hiring a dedicated PHP web developer w?ll offer excellence ?nd keeping ?f time along w?th efficiency t? ???r web development. Th? companies ??n work out ?n ??m? ?th?r primary areas ?f development ?ft?r selecting th? affordable PHP developer.

    All th? above advantages avail w?th affordable cost price f?r web development through open source PHP Web Development, ?n best ?h???? f?r ?n? online business organization t? come up w?th modern th??ght? ?nd try t? fulfill th??r requirement w?th better services. Dedicated PHP developer works timely t? meet ???r requirement w?th client interaction ?b??t work updates ?nd regular interaction. Th?? w?ll produce working reviews t? ??? ?nd one ?f th? points th?? w?ll provide ??? ?? th??r easy development style. W? provide professional PHP developers ?nd PHP programmers well experienced ?n PHP t? offer ??? quality website development services.

    Along w?th th? latest PHP development ?nd excellence ?n PHP web development w? ?r? anxious t? satisfy ??r client needs ?nd give th?m best quality work. O?r dedicated PHP Developers ?nd Programmers ?r? resourceful ?ll th? time f?r project customization. S? ?f ??? ?r? looking f?r highly skilled PHP developer t? g?t custom PHP web development ???t ?t?rt w?th ?? t? Hire PHP Developers ?nd PHP Programmers.

    Both comments and pings are currently closed.

    Source: http://www.bitarray.info/48-php-web-development-beneficial-for-online-business.html

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    Source: http://cvymeotyf.posterous.com/php-web-development-beneficial-for-online-bus

    Olympics Live Mens Gymnastics Allison Schmitt Olympic Schedule Kyla Ross Ryan Lochte Montenegro

    Source: http://mufemu.posterous.com/php-web-development-beneficial-for-online-bus

    Ledecky Nadia Comaneci

    Obama: Troops aiding African diplomat evacuation (The Arizona Republic)

    Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

    Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273806529?client_source=feed&format=rss

    small business saturday small business saturday

    Bobbie replied to Bobbie's discussion Indefinite Military Detention Of US Citizens To Be Signed Into Law By Obama

    And, here's another one!!? My senators voted YEA on this bill - both Republican!!? I have written them a letter telling them they have some explaining to do!!!!? You can check at the link below entitled NDAA 2013 to see if your senator signed it.

    ARTICLE:

    We?ve been trying to keep you aware of what has been taking place with the talks concerning the 2013 version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). We?ve covered the Feinstein amendment, which effectively did nothing, except to empower Congress to authorize the military at their whim to violate people?s 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendment rights. But now the talks are all done and the legislation is headed for Barack Obama?s desk to be signed into law soon, just as it was nearly one year ago today, including provision to use the military to indefinitely detain US citizens.

    Previously, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) voted for the Feinstein amendment to the NDAA. But then there came the hashing out of language in the bill and Paul blasted Senator John McCain (R-AZ) for stripping away the amendment.

    ?We had protection in this bill. We passed an amendment that specifically said if you were an American citizen or here legally in the country, you would get a trial by jury,? Paul said. ?It?s been removed because they want the ability to hold American citizens without trial in our country. This is so fundamentally wrong and goes against everything we stand for as a country that it can?t go unnoticed.?

    The problem with Paul?s assertion is that there was no protection for anyone, whether they are a citizen of the US, a permanent resident or a visitor. Rights that are supposed to be protected under the Constitution be damned! Neither the NDAA, nor the amendment proposed protected one person who is on American Soil.

    Paul called the NDAA an ?abomination.? It is that, but so was the Feinstein amendment and even more so because it was deceptive at its core.

    The Senate easily passed NDAA 2013 by a vote of 81-14. The next stop is Obama?s desk.

    UPDATE: People are asking when the House passed NDAA for fiscal year 2013. The links have been provided. This one comes from the one at the end of the article, ?Obama?s desk.? Here?s the screenshot. They passed it first in May and then the final passage took place one day before the Senate passed it; December 20.

    status ndaa

    UPDATE: Additionally some have asked for the language in the bill. Here is section 1033, which I provided a link to in the article. You can also read my comments and others on the article I wrote concerning this ... Congress gave their authorization (unconstitutional as it was) last year in Section 1023 of the 2012 NDAA.

    SEC. 1033. PROHIBITION ON THE INDEFINITE DETENTION OF CITIZENS AND LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS.

    Section 4001 of title 18, United States Code, is amended?

    (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and

    (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

    ?(b)(1) An authorization to use military force, a declaration of war, or any similar authority shall not authorize the detention without charge or trial of a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States apprehended in the United States, unless an Act of Congress expressly authorizes such detention.

    UPDATE: Ben Swann has just released a video explaining the amendment.

    Source: http://www.912communique.com/xn/detail/3397719%3AComment%3A213296?xg_source=activity

    gregg williams theraflu

    Chinese tea farmers are switching to coffee

    PU'ER, China ? This remote southwestern city near the borders of Laos and Myanmar is named after one of China's most famous teas, grown on mountain terraces painstakingly carved out of the region's rich red soil.

    But in recent years, pu'er tea has surrendered prime real estate for a more lucrative brew: coffee. Chinese farmers have taken to the new crop, which thrives in high-altitude areas of Yunnan province and commands up to three times as much money as tea.

    "My sole income depends on coffee now," said Ma Jiaying, a farmer from a dab-sized hamlet in Pu'er called Tea Tree Village.

    Behind the change are major foreign producers, including Seattle's Starbucks Corp. and Switzerland's Nestle. Those multinationals are training farmers and buying beans from the region to meet the world's growing thirst for coffee.

    More important, Yunnan has the potential to thrive as a production base in a country that is becoming increasingly hooked on the caffeine-loaded beverage. Long dismissed by many Chinese as being too bitter, coffee has enjoyed a surge in popularity among the country's young, urban elite.

    Few pairings denote upward mobility more than an iPhone in one hand and a white-and-green Starbucks cup in the other. In central Beijing, the company's smallest cappuccino costs about $4.33, making a Chinese Starbucks habit one of the most expensive in the world.

    "Starbucks in China for the young generation is almost like religion," said Liu Minghui, head of Pu'er-based Ai Ni Coffee, China's largest coffee production and exporting company. "They want to be seen drinking their coffee. A lot of these Chinese kids have come back from studying overseas where they've been introduced to this new lifestyle."

    Quiz: How much do you know about the Chinese economy?

    At 120,000 tons last year, China's coffee consumption was only 6% that of the U.S., the world's top consumer of hot joe. Meanwhile, about 1 million tons of tea was consumed in China last year.

    Still, analysts for Barclays expect Chinese coffee demand to grow nearly 40% each year until about 2015.

    More stores and shops are stocking instant coffee. Nestle's Nescafe brand has captured more than two-thirds of the Chinese market, thanks in part to blends mixed with powdered milk and sugar to make it more appealing to local palates.

    Coffeehouses are percolating too; sales are projected to expand 23.5% annually on average to about $1.6 billion by 2016, according to Euromonitor, a global research group. Much of that growth is expected to come from Starbucks, which plans to more than double its Chinese stores to 1,500 by 2015. That would make China its second-biggest market, following the U.S.

    "This is a long-term commitment," said John Culver, president of Starbucks Coffee China and Asia Pacific.

    Part of that effort will be raising the profile of Yunnan coffee. Starbucks released a special blend in 2009 for Chinese consumers called South of the Clouds, which includes beans from Baoshan, a city northeast of Pu'er in Yunnan. A year later, the company partnered with Ai Ni Coffee to grow and test four coffee varietals on a plantation in Pu'er. Those beans could reach domestic and global markets in a few years.

    Yunnan, considered one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world, is responsible for almost all of the roughly 60,000 tons of coffee grown in China. The provincial government has plans to increase coffee production to 200,000 tons by 2020.

    But growers will have to invest heavily to guarantee consistent quality, experts said.

    "It's still very messy," said Safi Malik, co-founder of Shangrila Farms, a boutique coffee brand that carries beans from Yunnan. "A lot of farmers don't have training. There's great coffee there, it just needs to be found and worked on."

    A big test is whether Chinese farmers will remain committed to the crop through price fluctuations. This year, growers are being offered about $1.20 a pound, half of what they earned two years ago.

    "The best I can do this year is break even," said Ma Xinwen, 40, who grows five acres of coffee on a hillside in Tea Tree Village about 4,000 feet above sea level.

    Neighbor Ma Jiaying also worries about the lower prices, but he's confident they will bounce back.

    Source: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-china-coffee-20121229,0,7074339.story?track=rss

    masters 2012 tom watson

    Twitter: Where ostensibly intelligent Conservatives go to say truly and unbelievably stupid things

    Grover Norquist gave voice last night to a sentiment that?s been surprisingly common over the last several weeks. It is, to be sure, a transparently dumb sentiment, but the idea keeps popping up anyway. Hmm. In the mind of this influential uber-lobbyist, Republicans had a great election cycle, so President Obama should just ?get over it.? In context, this is presumably in reference to the ongoing fiscal talks, in which Norquist apparently thinks the GOP should get its way since John Boehner was ?elected Speaker.?

    There?s the refusal to accept reality. There?s denial. And then there?s whatever it is Republicans are doing these days, which seems to revolve around ignoring the fact that Mitt Romney lost the election and Democrats gained a million more votes in Congressional elections. The modus operandi appears to involve pretending that- math be damned- the election actually presented Republicans with a mandate to pursue their agenda, and that Democrats would be well advised to get the Hell out of the way and let the adults (Republicans) do the heavy lifting.

    There?s just one little problem with that strategy, though: Mitt Romney lost and Democrats did in fact receive a million more votes in Congressional elections than Republicans. I may have been a History major, but I seem to recall that the definition of ?victory?, as it pertains to elections, was ?receiving more votes than your adversary.? To Republicans in Washington, ?victory? seems to be about acting as if you won regardless of actual results- and then expecting Democrats to cave to your obvious and unassailable moral superiority- BECAUSE IT?S WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT. In their defense, this argument is true?if you only happen to poll people whose primary source of information is Fox Noise Channel.

    If you listen to the Congressional Republican leadership (something I recommend only for those with a strong stomach and a high tolerance for unvarnished B.S.), you?d think it was the President?s responsibility to come to their way of thinking. It?s the ?Here?s the Romney plan; accept it whole or we?ll tell the American people that you?re an obstructionist who refuses to negotiate in good faith.?

    Hmm?project much?

    Hmm. In the mind of this influential uber-lobbyist, Republicans had a great election cycle, so President Obama should just ?get over it.? In context, this is presumably in reference to the ongoing fiscal talks, in which Norquist apparently thinks the GOP should get its way since John Boehner was ?elected Speaker.?

    In case anyone is confused enough to take this argument seriously, let?s set the record straight.

    Boehner, for example, wasn?t ?elected Speaker? by the electorate. The Speaker is chosen by House members, and in this specific case, we don?t yet know with certainty that Boehner will prevail when the House votes next week.

    Despite what Republicans may think, cats and reality are not fungible commodities. President Obama won re-election rather handily, winning 332 electoral votes and 51% of the popular vote to Mitt Romney?s 47% (47%? Ain?t irony sweet??). Grover Norquist can act however he wants, but the facts are what they are. Denial, being more than the large African river that it is, doesn?t change those facts simply because they?re inconvenient for Republicans.

    In the Senate, Democrats expanded their majority, and in the House they added seats to their minority. The only real strategy left to Republicans is to obstruct, oppose, and then blame the gridlock on the President?s intransigence. By acting as if the President is the only one charged with the responsibility of leading, Republicans can sit back and do- well, nothing. Rather than work to make America a better place for Americans, Congressional Republicans are primarily concerned with ensuring that nothing happens. That way they can blame the President for ?intransigence,? ?failure to lead,? or ?not bargaining in good faith?- which, if Republicans possessed any degree of self-awareness, would be things they should be admitting to.

    For that matter, there?s overwhelming polling evidence that the American mainstream agrees with Democrats and supports a policy agenda in line with Democratic proposals. It?s why nearly all surveys say voters will blame the GOP is a fiscal agreement isn?t reached in time.

    Republicans aren?t stupid. They know what the numbers are, and they understand their untenable position. Nonetheless, they?re determined to, if not win, then to at least gum things up for as long as they possibly can. That their strategy reveals them to be devoid of vision, compassion, and willingness to compromise seems lost on them. That the American people appear to recognize this seems not to matter?which is why today?s GOP is incapable of governing. The sooner they admit to this reality the better off America will be. When people like Grover Norquist, John Boehner, and Mitch McConnell are the ones leading the charge, it?s not difficult to understand why the GOP is a mess?and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

    Memo to Republicans: It?s no fun realizing that Americans recognize that you have nothing, is it? Perhaps if you stopped being the party of the 1% and figured out how to create a better America for ALL Americans?but that?s not about to happen, is it?

    Source: http://whatwouldjackdo.net/2012/12/twitter-where-ostensibly-intelligent-people-go-to-say-truly-unbelievably-stupid-things.html

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    UFC 155 picks from Kevin Iole, Maggie Hendricks and Cagereaders like you

    UFC 155 is only a day away. It's time for picks from Yahoo! Sports' columnist Kevin Iole, Cagewriter editor Maggie Hendricks, and Cagereaders who posted their picks on Facebook.

    Kevin Iole: Junior dos Santos W5 Cain Velasquez -- I can't believe I'm picking against Velasquez. To me, he is in many ways the perfect heavyweight, with great conditioning, great wrestling and tremendous power. But how do we ignore what dos Santos has done? Much was made of Velasquez's knee injury before their first fight, but what isn't as well known is that Junior had a bad leg, too, and couldn't do much. It's going to be a dogfight, but I think Junior finds a way to pull it out.

    Maggie Hendricks: Cain Velasquez W5 Junior dos Santos -- Velasquez was injured in his last bout with JDS. With a healthy knee, he'll get to use his wrestling to control and beat on JDS for five rounds.

    Cagereaders: Couldn't ask for a better way to end the year than this rematch. This will last longer than the first but not by much. I'm picking Cigano by KO R1. Cain has amazing wrestling and ground and pound. However, I think Junior is the guy that has his number and things won't go as planned for Cain. Velasquez will come out more aggressive than the first fight and that will spell the end. Junior will rock him with some brutal counters causing Cain to shoot in for the take down. Junior will stuff the attempt and finish the fight with an uppercut around 3 minutes into the first. -- Jackson Torres

    __

    Kevin Iole: Joe Lauzon W3 Jim Miller -- Definitely will be the Fight of the Night in my opinion (is there any other kind of fight for Lauzon?) I don't think Joe will be able to submit Jim, but he is so active and works so hard I think he'll pile up the points to win.

    Maggie Hendricks: Joe Lauzon Sub2 Jim Miller -- Lauzon's submission game is tough to beat. He will need to avoid Miller's well-rounded game, but can do it.

    Cagereaders: My two favorite 155 pound fighters. When I saw Miller step in for Maynard, my heart sank. I'm going to see one them lose, and it looks to be J-Lau. Miller matches up really well for Lauzon's style. He has power in his punches and solid wrestling, backed up with a serious ground game and outstanding cardio. Joe has a killer instinct and a more dangerous ground game. Still, I like Miller taking this fought by a UD. -- Tom Hogan

    --

    Kevin Iole: Tim Boetsch W3 Costas Philippou -- Boetsch will grind out a victory by controlling the distance and limiting Philippou's power

    Maggie Hendricks: Tim Boetsch W3 Costa Phillippou -- Ditto on what Kevin said. Boetsch won't make it a thrilling fight, but it will be a convincing win.

    Cagereaders: Boetsch over Phillipou by 3rd Round TKO -- I think this fight will be back to forth, I have counted out Tim Boetsch in many fights just to be shocked, from the poor decision in the Lombard fight, to the amazing knock out of Okami, I think Phillipou gets the better of him early in the fight, while Boetsch owns the latter part of the fight, this could easily be fight of the night and if it does go decision, it will be close, but I see Phillipou gassing late and Boetsch taking advantage. -- Daniel Ryan

    --

    Kevin Iole: Alan Belcher TKO2 Yushin Okami -- This outcome would have been unthinkable a year ago, but Belcher improves tremendously each time out and is now one of the world's most complete fighters.

    Maggie Hendricks: Alan Belcher W3 Yushin Okami -- With title shot hopes hanging over him, Belcher has good reason to fight a smart game and come out with a win over Okami.

    Cagereaders: Yushin Okami will beat Alan Belcher by decision. Okami will go back to what made him successful before his fight with Anderson Silva. He will use his jab and height, keeping Belcher back, then take him down for ground and pound. This will continue for 3 full rounds and Okami will come out with the unanimous decision. -- Marcus Min

    __

    Kevin Iole: Chris Leben TKO3 Derek Brunson -- This is a big fight for Leben, and I think he knows it. I expect him to eventually catch Brunson with something big that will end it.

    Maggie Hendricks: Derek Brunson W3 Chris Leben -- In his first fight after a long layoff, Leben will have a hard time dealing with a wrestler with power like Brunson.

    Cagereaders: Derek Brunson should be able to defeat Chris Leben by decision because he has a great wrestling background and Chris Leben may not be in the best shape coming off a 13-month layoff. -- Edgar Diaz

    Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-155-picks-kevin-iole-maggie-hendricks-cagereaders-161442619--mma.html

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    Saturday, December 29, 2012

    Apple loses another copyright lawsuit in China: Xinhua

    SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A Chinese court has fined Apple Inc 1 million yuan ($160,400) for hosting third-party applications on its App Store that were selling pirated electronic books, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

    Apple is to pay compensation to eight Chinese writers and two companies for violating their copyrights, the Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court ruled on Thursday, Xinhua said.

    Earlier in the year, a group of Chinese authors filed the suit against Apple, saying an unidentified number of apps on its App Store sold unlicensed copies of their books. The group of eight authors was seeking 10 million yuan in damages.

    "We are disappointed at the judgment. Some of our best-selling authors only got 7,000 yuan. The judgment is a signal of encouraging piracy," Bei Zhicheng, a spokesman for the group, told Reuters.

    Apple said in a statement that it takes copyright infringement complaints "very seriously".

    "We're always updating our service to better assist content owners in protecting their rights," Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said.

    China has the world's largest Internet and mobile market by number of users, but piracy costs software companies billions of dollars each year.

    Apple, whose products enjoy great popularity in China, has faced a string of legal headaches this year. In July, Apple paid 60 million yuan to a Chinese firm, Proview Technology, to settle a long-running lawsuit over the iPad trademark in China.

    ($1 = 6.2360 Chinese yuan)

    (Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom and Melanie Lee; Editing by Kazunori Takada and Matt Driskill)

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-loses-another-copyright-lawsuit-china-xinhua-093548443--finance.html

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    antonycarrickxx: victorrusso23: Shopping And Product Reviews

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    Source: http://matkopliza9.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/shopping-and-product-reviews-toys-article-category-by-elleeatist.html

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    Senate renews warrantless surveillance act

    8 hrs.

    The U.S. Senate Friday voted?overwhelmingly in favor of keeping a?George W. Bush-era surveillance law that will allow continued warrantless surveillance of Americans for the next five years.

    The Senate's 73-23 vote on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is an extension of the warrantless wiretapping law that grants legal immunity to telecommunications providers in order to continue to assist intelligence agencies with monitoring communications.

    In addition to phone calls, text messages and emails may also be obtained by investigators for counterterrorism purposes, an easy assertion for law enforcement to make, Gizmodo reports.

    The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an Internet rights advocacy organization, claimed in a statement that the act "allows the government to get secret FISA court orders???orders that do not require probable cause like regular warrants???for any emails or phone calls going to and from overseas. The communications only have to deal with "foreign intelligence information," a broad term that can mean virtually anything. And one secret FISA order can be issued against groups or categories of people???potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of Americans at once."

    "Incredibly, the Senate rejected all the proposed amendments that would have brought a modicum of transparency and oversight to the government's activities," the EFF said?Friday?after the vote.

    The bill is now headed for President Obama's desk where he is expected to sign it. Although an identical bill elicited contentious debate in 2008, a different political climate made passage much easier now.

    "This is the last opportunity for the next five years for the Congress to exercise a modest measure of real oversight over this intelligence surveillance law," Sen. Ron Wyden,?D-Oregon, told the press before the vote. "It is not real oversight when the United States Congress cannot get a yes or no answer to the question of whether an estimate currently exists as to whether law abiding Americans have had their phone calls and emails swept up under the FISA law."

    Wyden had introduced an amendment to the bill that would have forced the National Security Agency?to disclose how many Americans had been affected by FISA. Since 2009 the agency has refused to share that information on the basis that it would violate the privacy of those affected.?

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

    Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/senate-renews-warrantless-surveillance-act-1C7753034

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    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 20122012 saw a few updates to Firefox with improvements of all types, and alongside those we've seen plenty of add-ons to customize your browsing experience. Here are the most popular Firefox extensions and posts from the last year.

    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Everyone's Trying to Track What You Do on the Web: Here's How to Stop Them

    It's no secret that there's big money to be made in violating your privacy. Companies will pay big bucks to learn more about you, and service providers on the web are eager to get their hands on as much information about you as possible. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Make Facebook Infinitely Better with One Browser Extension

    With each update, Facebook has gotten incrementally more cluttered, perplexing, and ornery-and I'm not even talking about all your annoying acquaintances flooding it with inane status updates. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Block Annoying Political Posts on Facebook

    Election Day is over, and we all know what that means: tomorrow you'll wake up to an onslaught of annoying, ignorant Facebook posts from your friends (God love 'em) complaining about whichever candidate won. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Browser Speed Tests: Chrome 19, Firefox 13, Internet Explorer 9, and Opera 12

    Firefox 13 is out and it's all about speed, Opera 12 has added a few new features, and Chrome is still cranking out new versions, so we thought it time for another browser speed test. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Banish Embarrassing or Annoying Autocomplete Suggestions from Your Browser

    Stop me if you've heard this one: Once upon a time, you visited a web site that you're not exactly proud of. Let's say the content of said web site rhymes with "corn". More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Collusion for Firefox Shows You Who's Tracking You on the Web In Real Time

    Firefox: We talk a lot about privacy at Lifehacker, specifically about how your activities are tracked on the web and what you can do to stop it. If you're still on the fence or not convinced that the issue is as widespread as it is, Collusion is a Firefox extension that will show you in real time... More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Fix All of Your Biggest YouTube Annoyances: Hide Comments, Turn Off Autoplay, and More

    You probably use YouTube every single day, but it's not something you think about tweaking the way you do, say, Gmail. Yet YouTube is filled with annoyances, like obnoxious autoplay, intrusive ads, and mind-numbingly stupid comments (to name a few). More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Browser Speed Tests, Mac Edition: Chrome 22, Firefox 15, Safari 6, and Opera 12.02

    Now that Mountain Lion's out with a shiny new version of Safari 6, we thought it time to revisit our browser speed tests. As always, we're pitting the four most popular browsers-this time, on a Mac-against one another in a battle of startup speed, tab loading prowess, and lots more. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Gmelius Makes Gmail's User Interface Awesome and Ad-Free

    Gmail is Google's golden child, but it isn't perfect. It's full of numerous user interface elements you don't necessarily want or need and there's no way to turn them off. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Privacyfix Shows Who's Tracking You on the Web, Gives You the Tools to Stop It

    Chrome/Firefox:Everyone's trying to track you on the web, and it's hard to keep track of every privacy setting you need to tweak. Privacyfix is here to help, showing you which privacy-invading features you have turned on in Facebook and Google, plus how to keep other sites from tracking you. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    HTTPS Everywhere Keeps Your Personal Information Safe on Over 1,400 Sites, Available for Firefox and Chrome

    Chrome/Firefox: HTTPS Everywhere is a simple extension that, with just a one-click installation, can seriously increase your security on over 1,400 web sites by encrypting your connection. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Master Your Browser's Tabs with These Tricks and Extensions

    There's a strange joy in keeping 20 tabs open and pretending like you have the ability to multitask and actually manage all of them. But in reality, most browsers buckle under the pressure of too many tabs and you start to lose track of what you have open. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Invert Your Browser's Colors for Easier Reading at Night

    If you're a night owl, you know how much a regular white web page can hurt your eyes when you open it up. Here are two browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox that will make the web a little bit nicer at night. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Make Reading on Your Computer a Better Experience

    A lot of us stare at a computer monitor for the bulk of our day and reading long articles or books is rarely a comfortable experience. With that in mind, here's a few steps you can take to make you reading experience less terrible.
    The key to getting your computer monitor into shape is partially... More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Supercharge Google Reader with Styles and Extensions

    Despite the increase in the variety of ways you can consume media and learn about news, Google Reader is still the default news reader for many. While you can always find a good desktop RSS reader to suit your needs, many people still prefer the plain old web experience. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    How to Hide Ads in Gmail

    If Gmail's ads-especially the new, experimental image ads-are annoying you but you don't want to go all out and install a sledgehammer ad blocker like AdBlock Plus, here are a few ways to keep Gmail ads from infiltrating your inbox. More ?


    Most Popular Firefox Extensions and Posts of 2012

    Chat Undetected Prevents Others From Knowing When You've Seen Their Facebook Message

    Chrome/Firefox/Internet Explorer: Facebook Chat now includes a feature that lets you know when a friend has read your message-or when you've read theirs. More ?


    And there you have it. It was a big year for Firefox with plenty of incremental updates and lot of handy new tricks. If you're hunting for more Firefox goodness, check out our best Firefox posts from 2011, 2010, and 2009.

    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/3hEreaQx3sU/most-popular-firefox-extensions-and-posts-of-2012

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