Tomorrow's life-saving medications may currently be living at the bottom of the sea

Jan. 29, 2013 ? OHSU researchers, in partnership with scientists from several other institutions, have published two new research papers that signal how the next class of powerful medications may currently reside at the bottom of the ocean. In both cases, the researchers were focused on ocean-based mollusks -- a category of animal that includes snails, clams and squid and their bacterial companions.

Sea life studies aid researchers in several ways, including the development of new medications and biofuels. Because many of these ocean animal species have existed in harmony with their bacteria for millions of years, these benign bacteria have devised molecules that can affect body function without side effects and therefore better fight disease.

To generate these discoveries, a research partnership called the Philippine Mollusk Symbiont International Cooperative Biodiversity Group was formed. As the name suggests, the group specifically focuses on mollusks, a large phylum of invertebrate animals, many of which live under the sea. Margo Haygood, Ph.D., an OHSU marine microbiologist, leads the group, with partners at the University of the Philippines, the University of Utah, The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and Ocean Genome Legacy. Both of these newly published papers are the result of the efforts of this research group.

Here are brief summaries of the two studies:

Shipworms: The source of a new antibiotic

The paper focuses on a unique animal called a shipworm, which despite its name is not a worm. Shipworms are mollusks and are clam-like creatures that use their shells as drills and feed on wood by burrowing into the wood fibers. They are best known for affixing themselves to the sides of wooden ships. Over time, their wood feeding causes serious damage to the hull of those ships.

The research team initially focused on shipworms because the animals' creative use of bacteria to convert wood -- a poor food source lacking proteins or nitrogen -- into a suitable food source where the animal can both live and feed.

This research revealed that one form of bacteria utilized by shipworms secretes a powerful antibiotic, which may hold promise for combatting human diseases.

"The reason why this line of research is so critical is because antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to human health," said Margo Haygood, Ph.D., a member of the OHSU Institute of Environmental Health and a professor of science and engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine.

"Antibiotics have helped humans battle infectious diseases for over 70 years. However, the dangerous organisms these medications were designed to protect us against have adapted due to widespread use. Without a new class of improved antibiotics, older medications are becoming less and less effective and we need to locate new antibiotics to keep these diseases at bay. Bacteria that live in harmony with animals are a promising source. "

Cone snails: Another possible yet surprising source for new medicines

A team led by researchers from the University of Utah, and including OHSU and the University of the Philippines researchers, took part in a separate study of cone snails collected in the Philippines. Cone snails are also mollusks. There have been few previous studies to determine if bacteria associated with these snails might assist in drug development. This is because the snails have thick shells and they can also defend themselves through the use of toxic venoms. Because of the existence of these significant defensive measures, it was assumed that the bacteria they carry do not have to produce additional chemical defenses that might also translate into human medications. The latest research shows that this previous assumption is incorrect.

The research demonstrated how bacteria carried by cone snails produce a chemical that is neuroactive, meaning that it impacts the function of nerve cells, called neurons, in the brain. Such chemicals have promise for treatment of pain.

"Mollusks with external shells, like the cone snail, were previously overlooked in the search for new antibiotics and other medications," said, Eric Schmidt, Ph.D., a biochemist at the university of Utah and lead author of the article.

"This discovery tells us that these animals also produce compounds worth studying. It's hoped that these studies may also provide us with valuable knowledge that will help us combat disease."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Oregon Health & Science University.

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

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Journal References:

1. S. I. Elshahawi, A. E. Trindade-Silva, A. Hanora, A. W. Han, M. S. Flores, V. Vizzoni, C. G. Schrago, C. A. Soares, G. P. Concepcion, D. L. Distel, E. W. Schmidt, M. G. Haygood. PNAS Plus: Boronated tartrolon antibiotic produced by symbiotic cellulose-degrading bacteria in shipworm gills. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; 110 (4): E295 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1213892110
2. Zhenjian Lin, Joshua?P. Torres, Mary?Anne Ammon, Lenny Marett, Russell?W. Teichert, Christopher?A. Reilly, Jason?C. Kwan, Ronald?W. Hughen, Malem Flores, Ma.?Diarey Tianero, Olivier Peraud, James?E. Cox, Alan?R. Light, Aaron?Joseph?L. Villaraza, Margo?G. Haygood, Gisela?P. Concepcion, Baldomero?M. Olivera, Eric?W. Schmidt. A Bacterial Source for Mollusk Pyrone Polyketides. Chemistry & Biology, 2013; 20 (1): 73 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2012.10.019

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_environment/~3/cxOQn7lt-c8/130129130949.htm

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Revolutionary cooling system uses lasers

Jan. 30, 2013 ? With the latest discovery by scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), current cooling systems which uses refrigerant harmful to the ozone layer could be replaced by a revolutionary cooling system using lasers.

This discovery, published and featured on the cover of the 24 January 2013 issue of Nature, could also potentially lead to a host of other innovations. This includes making huge Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, unwieldy night vision goggles and satellite cameras -- all of which require extreme cooling systems -- even more compact and energy saving.

This breakthrough in laser cooling technology can even lead to the development of almost sci-fi like computer chips that cool on their own, minimising heat and thus prolonging battery life for portable devices like tablets and smart phones.

Assistant Professor Xiong Qihua from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering had cooled down a semiconductor from 20 degrees Celsius down to minus 20 degrees Celsius. Before this, the cooling of semiconductors by laser has never been proven.

The material, Cadmium Sulfide, is a type of group II-VI semiconductor commonly used in solar cells, sensors and electronics.

"If we are able to harness the power of laser cooling, it would mean that medical devices which require extreme cooling, such as MRI which uses liquid helium, could do away with their bulky refrigerant systems with just with an optical refrigeration device in its place," Prof Xiong said.

"Not only that, but it would also remove the need for compressors and coolants in air-conditioning and refrigerators used in our homes and automobiles, saving space, energy and green house gases which are harmful to our ozone layer.

The potential for a compact, cost-effective, vibration-free and cryogen-less cooling system is enormous, as the global market for energy-efficient buildings is estimated to be worth over $100 billion dollars by 2017, according to reports by Global Industry Analysts (GIA).

"This also translates into the ability to build miniaturised coolers to cool infrared sensors used in satellites for imaging and build self-cooling computer chips suitable for use in portable devices like tablets and smart phones."

Prof Xiong, who leads a research team of 25 people including three undergraduates, is now looking to bring laser cooling down to liquid helium temperature at minus 269 degree Celsius. This is because in principle and theory, semiconductors can support laser cooling down to such a low temperatures.

"Our initial results published in Nature, have shown that it is possible to laser-cool a semiconductor to liquid nitrogen temperature, so we are aiming to reach an even lower temperature, such as that of liquid helium," said Prof Xiong, who had directed the research efforts of his researchers Dr. Zhang Jun and Ph.D. student Li Dehui towards this new area.

This experiment which took three years to complete was funded by NTU, Prof Xiong's National Research Foundation Fellowship grant and the Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund.

NTU's ground-breaking research into fundamental physics and sciences is one of the key components in Sustainability, one of the university's Five Peaks of Excellence, areas of research which NTU hopes to make a global mark in under its five-year strategic plan.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Nanyang Technological University.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Jun Zhang, Dehui Li, Renjie Chen, Qihua Xiong. Laser cooling of a semiconductor by 40 kelvin. Nature, 2013; 493 (7433): 504 DOI: 10.1038/nature11721

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/DxRHIe3WvXY/130130101932.htm

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PFT: Rams will not hire Rob Ryan

Reuters

While it?s true that the Philadelphia Eagles won?t be dumping quarterback Mike Vick before $3 million of his $15.5 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed on February 6, the Eagles won?t be taking their time in deciding whether Vick will be moving along.

The plan, as we understand it, will unfold like a flow chart.

Step one, new Eagles coach Chip Kelly will study film in an effort to decide whether he wants Vick or Nick Foles or someone else to be the team?s quarterback.

Step two, if Kelly decides that he definitely wants Vick, will be to try to work out an alternative arrangement that entails Vick making less than $15.5 million.? The amount the Eagles are willing to pay will be determined in large part by how badly Kelly wants Vick.? There?s a chance, in theory, that Kelly will want Vick badly enough to bite the bullet and pay the full amount.

There?s also a chance Vick will want to play for Kelly badly enough to take a proverbial haircut on his promised pay.

Step three, if it?s determined that Kelly doesn?t want Vick or that Vick won?t accept whatever reduced contract the team is offering, will be to try to trade Vick to another team that would pay him more than the Eagles are willing to pay ? and that would also give the Eagles value in return for the 2010 comeback player of the year.

Time is of the essence on all steps, because if the Eagles are going to maximize trade interest and trade value, they need to do it before teams make other plans at quarterback, by signing for example a free agent.? It?s expected that the Eagles will head to the Scouting Combine with an action plan, with the hopes of getting an agreement in principle with a new team well before March 13, when trades will become finalized.

Complicating a potential trade is that a new team would have to pay Vick $15.5 million this year or persuade him to take less.

If the Eagles can?t trade Vick and if they can?t work out a new deal with him, that?s when things will get interesting.? If Vick shows up for the start of the offseason workout program in April and drops a dumbbell on his foot or pops an Achilles while running at the practice facility, the Eagles will owe him the full amount of his salary if/when he lands on injured reserve.

The Eagles could be tempted to try to block Vick from the facility, like the Titans did several years ago with the late Steve McNair.? But McNair ultimately won his grievance on that issue, and the Eagles would be tiptoeing into dangerous territory if they try to freeze Vick out.

That approach also would counter the team?s new effort to treat its players with a higher level of respect and dignity, an approach that G.M. Howie Roseman seems to be adopting in the wake of the departure of former team president Joe Banner.? (This presumes that there was a problem under Banner; some with the Eagles may be trying to sell the idea that there was.? The Mike Patterson debacle would tend to counter the idea that everything is fine and dandy now.)

Regardless, while the Eagles aren?t worried about next week?s deadline, they?ll be operating on internal deadlines that will prevent this from lingering deep into the offseason.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/29/rob-ryan-wont-be-rams-defensive-coordinator/related/

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California family missing after trip to Mexico

By Sharon Bernstein, NBCLosAngeles.com

Three members of a Southern California family have been missing for nearly a month after taking a trip to Mexico, loved ones say.

Roberto Mu?oz, his wife Cecilia, and their grandson Armando Salinas, had gone to Mexico to visit relatives over the holidays. But just as the three were beginning their trip home, family members lost contact with them.

Relative Delphina Layton said the family had reached out to the U.S. Embassy and the FBI, to no avail.

More news from NBCLosAngeles.com

Cellphones belonging to the missing group appear to have been turned off, and border records show that they never crossed back into the United States, she said.

Mexico's drug war is also part of a drug culture with roots in music, movies and even religion

Layton expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation.

?I need returned calls,? she said. ?Somebody get back to me and tell me that you?re doing something.?

A Palm Springs, Calif., television station reported that the family had been traveling through Chihuahua, Mexico, and passing through the rough border town of Ciudad Juarez. U.S. relatives were reported to be living in the Coachella Valley, northeast of San Diego.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/28/16735211-california-family-missing-after-trip-to-mexico?lite

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Make at Home Orange Shrimp for Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year 2013 is the year of the Snake. The celebration begins on February 10th, which is a Sunday night ? so plan to party at home with family and friends.?

So that you can enjoy the fun, and not be stuck in the kitchen, we have a deliciously easy stir fry recipe for Orange Chicken to share with you.? The recipe comes from Carol Kicinski, renowned chef, food writer and gluten-free guru.? It?s a healthy meal that can be served in a matter of minutes with only 6 nutritious ingredients.? It gets its great taste from fresh ingredients and San-J gluten free orange sauce.? Hope you enjoy!

2013 is the year of THE WATER SNAKE

This is a year of? water Snake, and?all things will be possible.? Saving money and being thrifty should be your top priorities.? Delusion and deception are common in the year of water Snake.? Stay alert!? To gain the greatest benefits from this year, you must control spending and use your talents wisely.? If you are planning to get married or to begin a business partnership, be sure to thoroughly investigate the other person?s finances and background before you legalize the alliance.

?

ORANGE SHRIMP
Created by: Carol Kicinski

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 green onions, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces on the diagonal
• 5 Thai chilies, whole
• 1/3 cup San-J Orange Sauce

Preparation

1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and put into a mixing bowl with the cornstarch, toss to coat.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until it starts to shimmer, add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, until they turn pink and start to curl, about 2 minutes.
   
3. Add the green onions and chilies and cook for 1 minute.
   
4. Add the San-J Orange Sauce, cook for 1 minutes or until the sauce is heated through.
   
5. Serve immediately; don?t eat the chilies unless you can tolerate really spicy food.

?

Source: http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/the-menu/orange-shrimp-easy-recipe-chinese-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=orange-shrimp-easy-recipe-chinese-year

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Economists feeling more optimistic about 2013

12 hrs.

The Associated Press , Staff

Economists are increasingly optimistic about growth in the year ahead with hiring expected to pick up in coming months.?

A quarterly survey by the National Association for Business Economists released Monday shows half of the economists polled now expect real gross domestic product ? the value of all goods and services produced in the United States ? to grow between 2 and 4 percent in 2013. That's up from 36 percent of respondents who felt the same way three months earlier.?

About half expect sluggish or negative performance, down from 65 percent in October.?

The latest survey was conducted between Dec. 20 and Jan. 8 and asked 65 economists and others who use economics in the workplace about conditions at their firms or industries. It found that 34 percent of firms now expect to expand their payrolls in the next six months, the highest percentage since April of last year. Meanwhile, 2 percent said they expect their companies to cut payrolls through layoffs, while 14 percent see payrolls trimmed through attrition.?

A quarter of respondents also said employment grew at their firms in the fourth quarter, which is comparable to the levels seen in the first half of 2012. The same percentage also reported a rise in wages at their firms in the final three months of the year, up 10 percentage points from the last survey.?

Overall sales growth was stable in the fourth quarter with results mixed across industries. For instance, growth slowed in the services, finance, insurance and real estate sectors, but rose in the transportation, utilities, information and communications sectors.?

Timothy Gill, chair of NABE's survey committee and director of economics at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, noted that sales growth was stable despite "widespread uncertainty surrounding the potential impact of the fiscal cliff."?

The "fiscal cliff" refers to the steep tax hikes and spending cuts that were to take effect Jan. 1 unless the White House and Congress reached an agreement to avoid them. The survey found that 27 percent of respondents postponed at least some hiring and capital spending during the quarter as a result, while 72 percent said the issue didn't affect hiring.?

Despite stable sales growth, survey respondents noted that profit margins deteriorated in the fourth quarter, with 25 percent saying their margins increased, down from 27 percent in October. On the flipside, 18 percent reported declining profit margins, compared with 15 percent a year ago. Over the next three months slightly more than a third said they expect primary non-labor costs to rise. That's down from 43 percent in the previous survey.?

Expectations for capital spending over the next year weakened from the last survey. Only 40 percent expect their firms to grow capital spending, down from 52 percent.?

For consumers, the survey suggests modest inflation could be in the works, with two-fifths of respondents ? the highest share over the past year ? saying they expect prices to rise in coming months. Most of those expecting hike prices think the increases will be less than 5 percent.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/economists-feeling-more-optimistic-about-2013-1C8137827

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The Perfect Mix ? thedishbytrish

Hi friends! How was your weekend?! I hope it was great! Mine was the perfect mix of work and play, with a little bit of relaxation to boot.

To be perfectly honest, my whole week was a pretty great mix of all of those things too. In the restaurant industry, we don?t really get what you call a ?traditional schedule?. I do get to work more day shifts now that I?ve?transitioned from serving and bartending to full-time management and event planning, but weekends and holidays are still work days for me. On the positive side of things, I get random weekdays off to take advantage of less-crowded stores, take care of normal business hours errands (bank, post office, etc.), and well, sleep in and lounge around while the rest of you are at work. And let me tell you, staying in bed for FIVE HOURS after my husband leaves for work on a random Tuesday doesn?t suck.

Also, working weekends means the case of the Mondays isn?t nearly as bad as it is for most people. Whether you?ve been working all weekend or not, Monday is still a bit of a downer, but not nearly as bad as it could be.

This past week I was off Wednesday and I was lucky enough to see my parents! My dad actually had an eye surgery here in town so I waited with my mom while he was under the knife, then hung out with them in recovery until he was ready to go home. Hoping to get to spend some quality time with them soon, preferrably not in a hospital.

I had plans to meet up with friends for lunch at Marigold Kitchen afterwards, but a miscommunication of time meant I sat and waited for about 40 minutes until I decided to get a salad to go. I knew I?d like this place from the moment I walked in, I?m a sucker for any place with chalkboard signs and menus.

Marigold specializes in creative, healthy food and I?m told their breakfast is simply the best. My salad was pretty good, even if I had to skip the toasted rustic bread and champagne vinaigrette in order to stick with the program. I was left with arugula, frisee, pine nuts, oven roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted chicken, and black currants that were pretty much undetectable. Each staff member that I encountered at Marigold was absolutely, positively, incredibly friendly. They definitely made me feel welcome while I waited and waited. I will for sure go back some day soon!

I worked Thursday and then lucked out with a whole Friday off too. It was Restaurant Week again so we met up with friends for dinner at Eldorado Grill. As it turned out, celebrating was in order as one of the couples got engaged on earlier that day!

So for that reason, as well as celebrating my ten pound weight loss, I had a margarita! I know, I know, never celebrate weight loss with food/drink. Psshh, food and drink is pretty much my favorite thing ever. That?s just how I celebrate and always will. One night of indulgence just means getting back on the wagon the next day.

I tried to be as smart as possible and went with the ?Tito-rita?. Handmade Vodka on the rocks with a splash of Patron Citronage and fresh lime. Lower sugar and lower calorie than your regular ol? marg, that?s for sure. You see those chips hanging out by my ?rita? Yeah? Don?t they look good?

You know who has two thumbs and didn?t touch a damn chip? Yep, this girl right here. You guys. You have no idea how difficult this was for me or how proud I was of myself for not eating them. I usually make a meal out of chips and salsa alone when I?m at a Mexican restaurant. And then proceed to eat an entire meal, of course?

In case you don?t recall, each restaurant participating in Restaurant Week offers a special three-course menu for $25. You get your choice of three items for each course. I started with Texas Torpedoes (which I totally forgot to photograph): Pickled jalape?o peppers stuffed with shrimp and Monterey Jack cheese, wrapped with smoked bacon and grilled to perfection. Served with pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh lime. AKA, my first dairy in nearly three weeks! So SO good.

My main course was the Seasonal Vegetable and Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Chile.

A smoked poblano pepper filled with garlic infused quinoa and roasted seasonal vegetables. Served over salsa Nortena and garnished with guacamole and queso fresco. I hardly touched the rice, and since there wasn?t much queso fresco IN the chile, I hardly broke the rules on this one!

And for dessert (which is also when I finally turned on my flash):
Spicy Chocolate Strawberries

Fresh strawberries dipped in chile-infused dark chocolate served alongside an agave and red chile infused tequila taster. Let?s see, what?s the positive in this? At least it was fruit? This was definitely the most diet friendly of the options, as the others all included either ice cream or custard in the form of key lime pie.

Such a great meal! I only felt the tiniest bit guilty about breaking my diet rules. But you know what? You gotta live a little, even when following a program.

We stopped for one more drink on the way home to celebrate the engagement (I had water). The bar of choice was Le Tigre Lounge. I can?t even find words to explain this place. Tigers. Everywhere. It also hasn?t been updated since the 1970s, smells a bit like an ?adult novelty store?, and doesn?t accept credit or debit. I took a few photos myself, but it?s so dang dark in there none of them turned out. So Google helped me find a couple.

This place is a freakin? hoot. But don?t get caught saying anything worse than freakin?. Says on the door ?NO SWEARING? and they mean it. People legit get kicked out for swearing. In a bar. Love it! We stop in every few months or so and it NEVER changes. I hope it never will!

When I got home, I had a major mirror sesh. You know, checking out your eyebrows, picking at your pores, etc. Don?t tell me you?ve never done it. I?m so torn. I actually love my hair right now. It sort of created it?s own ombre (AKA outgrowth, which people pay good money to cover up), and it?s longer than I?ve had it in years. Maybe ever. But the ends are pretty ugly and I?m obsessing over photos of how dark my hair was last winter. What?s a girl to do?! Here?s a side by side. What do you think?

Go darker? Shorter? I asked my Instagram friends and there was a unanimous ?DON?T CUT IT!!!?, but I didn?t ask about color. The photo collage on Instagram shows the ombre-ish-ness (totally a word) a bit better too.

I worked 8-5 both Saturday and Sunday, and we met up with friends again Saturday night. After work tonight, the hubs and I went grocery shopping and then recreated the Texas Torpedoes we had at dinner on Friday night. Yeah, that means I had more dairy. And turkey bacon. Oops. It was worth it.

I also threw together some brown rice, shrimp, and Rotel. I ate my torpedoes + shrimp and rice over spinach with some avocado. Sooooo yummy!

Hubby is going strong on Insanity workout and has now decided to try to eat a bit healthier too. We have some healthy meals planned for the next few days and he?s even showing a bit of interest in the AdvoCare products I?m taking. He thinks he might try a Meal Replacement Shake tomorrow, as his breakfast normally consists of a Nature Valley granola bar, leaving him famished an hour later due to the high sugar/low protein ratio in those bars.

I?m trying to explain to him that AdvoCare is not necessarily for weight loss, but for energy and performance enhancement too. I think he?s finally opening up to the idea that these products could help him a little bit too.

I?ll leave you with one last thing. A co-worker of mine is going through some tough stuff right now. His dad is in poor health and his family had to make some decisions over the weekend that are just not fair. He?s missed a few shifts and will continue to, as being with his family is of utmost importance right now. A few of my other co-workers decided to take up a collection for our friend so that he can continue to spend time with his family without stressing too much about missing work. In one night, they collected $258 from co-workers. I found this in the safe this morning at work and my heart melted a little bit as my eyes filled with tears.

I am surrounded by so many great people.

Have a great week, blends. Speaking of, are any of you going to The Blend Retreat this year? I think it would be so much fun! I don?t have plans to attend, but the thought has certainly crossed my mind and I?ve checked airfare a few times for sure.

Have you ever met any blog/online friends?? I?ve made online friendships both here and through a few different message boards over the years. I?ve been fortunate to meet a few of my online buddies and as luck would have it, they?ve all been just as fantastic in real life as in computer life!

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Source: http://thedishbytrish.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/the-perfect-mix/

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Accelerating neutral atoms on a table top

Jan. 27, 2013 ? Charged particle accelerators have become crucially important to modern day life, be it in health care for cancer treatment or for answering important fundamental scientific questions like the existence of the HIGGS boson, the so called 'God particle'.

In a simple picture, charged particles like electrons and protons are accelerated between two end plates across which an electrical voltage is applied. High energies need high voltages (millions and billions of volts) and long acceleration paths in giant sized machines -- for instance the trillion volt machine called the 'large hadron collider' (LHC) which discovered the Higgs boson, circles over 27 km underground in Geneva! A new concept for a compact accelerator was discovered in the last decade using high powered, short pulses of laser light.

Alternating large electric fields of the light can be transformed in plasmas to create quasi static fields that can produce hundreds of millions volt accelerating voltages just over millimeter lengths on a table top!

How do we accelerate neutral particles -- i.e. particles that cannot be energized by electrical voltages? And do it over millimeters rather than hundreds of meters and moreover using lasers? Research at Ultra Short Pulse High Intensity Lab in TIFR has now found a novel scheme that can do precisely this. The concept uses the ability of powerful lasers to strip nearly 8 electrons per atom in a nano sized, cooled aggregate of argon atoms- a nano piece of ice. A 40,000 atom cluster of argon is charged to 320,000 by a laser that lasts only a 100 billionth of a millionth of a second. Such a super highly charged ice piece explodes soon after, accelerating the charged atoms (Ions) to a million electron volts of energy. The TIFR research now found that all the expelled electrons can be put back into the charged ion that has been accelerated so that it now reverts to being a neutral atom but at high energies. To top it all, this process is nearly 100% efficient at neutralizing the speeding ions and converting them to fast atoms.

Accelerated neutral atoms are very important for many applications. Unaffected by electric or magnetic fields, they penetrate deeper in solids than electrons/ions and thereby create high finesse microstructures for novel electronics and optical devices. Fast atoms are used both as diagnostics and heating sources in Tokomak machines like the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in France, that are being developed to create sustained thermo-nuclear fusion. The TIFR scheme can produce a point source of fast neutral atoms close to the location of an intended application.

This certainly shows that staying neutral under extreme provocation has its advantages.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/k-thzKvbSYA/130127134204.htm

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Venezuela prison riot kills 61, government mum

URIBANA, Venezuela (Reuters) - A prison riot in southwestern Venezuela killed 61 people, a hospital official said on Sunday, although the government has refused to give an official death toll in the bloody standoff that highlighted chaos in the country's jails.

The violence took place on Friday at the Uribana jail near the city of Barquisimeto. Relatives who gathered outside the jail fumed at the lack of information from authorities who have started transferring prisoners to other facilities but have not confirmed how many were killed.

The rioting took place at a time when cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez remains in Cuba receiving treatment and with Vice President Nicolas Maduro - the notional head of state - visiting the socialist leader in Havana and then traveling to a summit in Chile.

The riot was the fourth high-profile conflict in 18 months in a prison system that houses three times the number of inmates it was designed to hold. Critics say it is controlled by gangs with ready access to machine guns and even hand grenades.

"We're suffering here, and the government is saying nothing," said Josefina Ramirez, 36, whose 25-year-old husband was inside. "We want Chavez to come here to give us news. We want an answer."

Chavez has not been seen or heard from in 45 days, which has spurred criticism from opposition leaders that the country is effectively without a president. Allies insist he is fully carrying out duties.

Ruy Medina, director of the Barquisimeto Central Hospital, put the death toll at 61.

A hand-written list posted on a barbed wire fence outside the Uribana jail listed 20 dead and 104 injured. Outside the nearby morgue, where hearses lined up on Saturday to collect bodies, a similar list showed 24 dead.

It was not known who posted the lists. A prisons ministry official did not respond to requests for comment. Amid the silence, rumors circulated among family members at the prison gates that the death toll had reached as high as 400.

'BUNCH OF DEAD PEOPLE'

"There's a bunch of dead people tossed on the ground in there, the government doesn't want to take them out to avoid showing the reality," said Veronica Chavez, whose husband told her he was being transferred to another prison but did not know which. She called the list outside the prison "a lie."

Maduro vowed a full investigation of the incident in pre-dawn comments on Saturday just after arriving back in Venezuela from Havana. Within hours, he left to meet with Latin American and European dignitaries at a summit in Chile.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff scrapped her agenda at that summit and returned home after a nightclub fire killed at least 232 people.

Prisons Minister Iris Varela in a news conference said the riot was triggered by reports in the opposition media about plans to search the prison to remove weapons. "It seems as though their thirst for blood and terrible things will never be quenched," she said, referring to media.

Varela said reports had exaggerated the number of dead by including prisoners whose bodies showed signs they died several days before the incident - comments that critics seized as further evidence of the cruelty of the penitentiary system.

"They're not dogs, they're not animals, they're people like us," said Angelia Ibarra, 42, seeking information about her 25-year-old son inside. "The true animals are the government people."

Venezuelan jails have been increasingly in the headlines because of repeated shootouts and riots as well as conditions that are both outrageously cruel and downright surreal.

Inmates refusing to be transferred out of a Caracas prison battled security forces in May for days as smoke rose above the compound and shots rang out. Chavez later said he called from Cuba, where he was receiving medical treatment, and spoke with one of the inmates to help negotiate an end to the standoff.

Local media last year published a story about a nightclub called Disco Tokio that held a Mother's Day party that featured musical groups flown in from Colombia and Puerto Rico. The club was located inside the Tocoron jail.

An online animated series about jail violence called "Jail or Hell," produced by a former inmate, has drawn a following among Venezuelans captivated by the chaos of the prisons.

(Writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Will Dunham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-prison-riot-kills-61-government-mum-193314251.html

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Jon's Blog: Horse Shooting in Johnson County, Iowa // Plus My ...

Not too long ago, I learned from the KCJJ Facebook page some troubling news about a horse, specifically:

Scanner traffic indicates Johnson County sheriff's deputies are investigating the reported shooting of a horse; 1 other injured

Which got me thinking that this would be a really good article to write about if I knew more, which then got me thinking that I haven't posted a list of favorite comic book characters in a while. So until I get more information about our local horse shooting, I though it might be fun to list my Favorite Five Comic Book Horses!: 5. Horse: Horse is one of those characters that I know almost nothing about, but that I would absolutely love to see in comic books so that I could learn about him. Horse was a Chinese agent who once belonged China's now-former national super-hero team, China Force. After he left China Force, Horse and two other super-agents attempted to conquer Hong Kong, but ended up getting killed by an American agent named Rick Mason. Horse's powers were pretty basic. He could kick -- really hard. I would love for someone to resurrect this Chinese mutant and I'm not even for sure why. I like the simplicity of his powers, but I also kind of just like the way he looks. And sometimes that's enough to get onto my various lists of favorite comic book characters! 4. Brightwind: Long ago while lost in Asgard, Danielle Moonstar of the New Mutants rescued a winged horse from hunters. Because of her actions, Danielle ended up becoming a Valkyrie. Brightwind moved to the X-Mansion with the X-Men and New Mutants and then died and then got better, but she's always remained bonded to Danielle. In recent years, Danielle once again became a part-time Valkyrie. Unfortunately, we haven't seen enough of Brightwind for my preference. Danielle is slated to joined an all-female team of Defenders soon and that team is being modeled after the Valkyries, so I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get to see more of Brightwind soon! 3. Thunder: Several years ago, Marvel Comics relaunched a poorly conceived version of Alpha Flight, Canada's premier super-team. Sasquatch was gathering a new team of Alphans and recruited a local hero named Major Mapleleaf, who appears to have the powers of flight and super-strength and invincibility. Except that he didn't. His horse did. That's right. Major Mapleleaf's horse, Thunder, was a magical steed who kept his master safe from harm -- until the costumed mountie got himself killed by an out-of-control mutant named the Collective. Presumably Thunder is still galloping around Toronto -- which offers the possibility of future Pet Avengers membership. Not that I'm begging... 2. Comet: I have actually never read a comic book with this classic comic book character in it, but the pure creepiness of Supergirl's pet horse, Comet the Super-Horse, is enough to get him onto this list. Apparently, Comet the Super-Horse was once an ancient centaur who got transformed into a horse by a nasty witch. Supergirl eventually adopted him as her pet horse and he eventually fell in love with her. He eventually begins visiting her dreams every night and then learned how to become human when in our solar system so that he can romance Supergirl. When not making out with Supergirl, Comet could often be seen fighting crime with Krypto and the other Superman-themed animals in the Legion of Super-Pets. 1. Comet: You read the correctly. My first and second favorite comic book horses are both named Comet. This second Comet was introduced in a relaunched SUPERGIRL comic book back in the late 90s. Supergirl kept running into this really fast horse-like alien hero named Comet and found herself falling head-over-heels for the big lunk. There was an ongoing storyline where she struggled to figure out which of the guys in her life was Comet's alter ego. Then she found out that Comet wasn't a "he". He was a "she" named Andrea Martinez. Sort of. You see, Comet was an injured jockey who became a superhuman through an injection of equine DNA and Andrea Martinez was a suicidal lesbian who had just been rejected by her parents. Comet tried to save the suicidal Andrea and they both ended up getting killed by an avalanche. Fortunately, this sacrifice merged and resurrected the two into an Earth Angel of Love. (Yes, it's complicated, but they were still pretty cool.) Comet and Supergirl eventually broke up, which led to Comet hooking up with another Earth Angel named Blithe (a bisexual woman who loved both Comet and Andrea).

Comet was one of the first blatantly gay characters in comic books back in the late 90s. Before that, LGBT characters weren't unheard of, but they were often more hinted at than anything else. Andy was an out lesbian who was clearly attracted to both Supergirl and Blithe and that was pretty cool at the time. Unfortunately, both Comet and Blithe disappeared into comic book limbo when this particular SUPERGIRL series got canceled. Still, there's hope that one or both of them will revisit Supergirl at some point in the future. Maybe...

So those are my favorite comic book horses. Who are your favorites?

Source: http://jontrouten.blogspot.com/2013/01/horse-shooting-in-johnson-county-iowa.html

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WindowsAndroid runs Google's mobile OS natively on the Windows kernel

Sure, you could enjoy Android on your PC through dual-booting or virtualization, but the folks at Socketeq have whipped up yet another alternative: a port of Mountain View's mobile OS, fittingly dubbed WindowsAndroid, that runs natively on the Windows kernel (under Vista, 7 and 8) instead of Linux. Not only does the operating system run speedily since its free of virtualization chains, but it serves up the appropriate tablet or smartphone UI based on window size, and plays nice with keyboards and mice, to boot. Socketeq's solution serves up the full Android experience, but you'll have to separately flash the Google apps that typically come baked in, according to Android Police. Ice Cream Sandwich is the freshest flavor of Android to have undergone the kernel-replacement treatment, and it's currently being offered as a free "first-try" download at the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Tablets, Microsoft, Google

Comments

Via: Android Police

Source: Socketeq

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/27/android-native-windows-kernel/

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Boka Restaurant + Bar ? the best deal in Seattle for a pre-show ...

When my friend, Diane, and I recently attended a concert at Benaroya (Chris Botti ? amazing ? Spotify him!) we chose Boka Restaurant + Bar for a pre-show dinner, and boy were we glad!

To begin with, Boka offers a 3-course dinner for $30, which is a price that?s hard to beat in the downtown core. Not only that, the food is tremendous! The special 3 for $30 menu has limited choices, but that?s okay by me because sometimes, especially when on a schedule, choice is overrated. Besides, these choices provided something for everyone to enjoy.

The menu begins with a choice between house-made soup and salad. We had the Boka Salad, which is mixed greens with tart cherries, bavarian meats bacon and toasted pecans in a rogue smokey blue dressing.

Next up is a choice of entrees. For the seafood lover, a Northwest?Style Seafood Stew?with salmon, cod, mussels and oysters in a?spicy tomato broth. Diane had this and loved it. For the vegetarian, an Agnolotti offering was really tempting. And for the meat eater ? that was my choice for the evening ? there was Braised Skagit River Ranch Pork Shoulder?sitting upon roasted winter squash, chanterelles and boistfort valley farm tuscan kale, with an oregano cream sauce. Oh my! The pork shoulder was kind of like pot roast except even more tender and full of flavor. It was also huge, but I made a significant dent in the entree.

For dessert, the 3 for $30 menu offers what I wish every restaurant would ? three scoops of ice cream from a choice of about 10 sorbets and creams. Served in three separate demi-cups, the flavors do not mix and are the perfect topper for a very filling meal. Diane chose sorbets for their fresh and sharp flavors ? peach, kiwi and blood orange. I went for chocolate and gingerbread ice cream (my favorite!) and blood orange sorbet. Yummy!

It is worth noting two things: Boka sources locally for the freshest food available and the main courses on this menu are in the $30 range on the regular menu, so this really is an affordable way to have a special dinner out before a theater show or concert.

But, there?s more! Boka has valet parking for patrons, and it allows you to park for up to eight hours FOR FREE. That alone is worth the price of a dinner! We could have walked to our concert, but because we were running late the hotel graciously gave us a lift, taking us right to Benaroya?s front door. Talk about service.

Boka Restaurant + Bar is in Hotel 1000, located at 1000 First Avenue, in Seattle. For more information, visit www.bokaseattle.com.

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Source: http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/theflyingsalmon/2013/01/25/boka-restaurant-bar-the-best-deal-in-seattle-for-a-pre-show-dinner/

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NRA lobbyist criticizes ad referring to Obama's kids

Fulfilling a promise made in Newtown one month ago, President Obama is set to reveal proposals to curb gun violence, which will reportedly include universal background checks, a crackdown on gun trafficking, and a renewed assault weapons ban. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.

By Susan Cornwell, Reuters

WASHINGTON - One of the National Rifle Association's senior lobbyists said an ad by the nation's leading gun-rights group after a school shooting in Connecticut that refers to President Barack Obama's children was "ill-advised."

Jim Baker, head of the federal affairs division at the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, said he had made his views known to others at the powerful gun-rights organization.

The ad, which cast Obama as hypocritical for having expressed skepticism about putting armed guards in schools, when "his kids are protected by armed guards at their schools," drew widespread criticism when it first became public on Jan. 15.

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Nationwide outrage over the shooting of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14 moved gun violence and gun control to the center of the U.S. political debate.

"I don't think it was particularly helpful, that ad," Baker told Reuters in a telephone interview. "I thought it ill-advised."

"I think the ad could have made a good point, if it talked about the need for increased school security, without making the point using the president's children," he said. The NRA has advocated putting armed guards in schools.

Baker was the NRA's representative at a meeting with Vice President Joseph Biden on Jan. 10 to discuss the administration's plans to reduce gun violence in the wake of the school shooting.

He said he was not involved in creating the ad, and once it appeared, he had let others at the NRA know what he thought. "I got to say my piece," he said.

Baker gave no details of their response to him, but said, "Believe it or not, there are occasionally differences of opinion in this building."

In the ad, a narrator asks, "Are the president's kids more important than yours?" Obama's daughters, 14-year-old Malia and 11-year-old Sasha, attend private school in Washington and receive Secret Service protection, as is routine for children of presidents.

The White House has called the NRA ad "repugnant and cowardly," while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said it was "reprehensible" and undermined the NRA's credibility by bringing the president's children into the debate. Christie is considered a possible Republican presidential contender in 2016.

Susan Eisenhower, the daughter of the late President Dwight Eisenhower who had Secret Service protection as a child, wrote in the Washington Post that she was "disgusted" by the ad.

The NRA's president, David Keene, objected to the White House criticism earlier this month, saying "We didn't name the president's daughters ... What we said is that these are people who think that their families deserve protection that yours don't."

The president's critics also have noted that when Obama announced his plan to respond to the gun violence, he was flanked by four children. Obama proposed renewing a U.S. assault weapons ban, as well as banning high-capacity magazines and more stringent background checks for gun purchasers.?

Related stories

David Keene, president of the National Rifle Association, responds to the Obama administration's proposed gun safety measures, saying law-abiding gun owners "have a good deal to fear" from the proposals and defending the NRA's controversial new ad.

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Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16700937-nra-lobbyist-pro-gun-ad-referring-to-obamas-children-ill-advised?lite

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Five Star Resort strikes Platinum & Gold ? Golf Business News

Page last updated at 12:01 am, Friday, January 25th, 2013

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Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa from the Swilken Bridge

The five red star Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa in St Andrews is celebrating ?the best possible start? to 2013 with three very high profile awards.

VisitScotland has acknowledged the ?exceptional standards? at the Home of Golf resort with five gold stars through its national tourism Quality Assurance Scheme. Richard Pinn, VisitScotland Regional Director, explains: ?Our gold award recognises serviced accommodation businesses across Scotland that consistently achieve the highest levels of excellence. Businesses achieving this prestigious award excel in customer care and hospitality and show real commitment to staff development and training.? Richard adds: ?Establishments such as the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa are the stand-out businesses when it comes to exceptional quality and service in providing accommodation for visitors. It is a real pleasure to make this announcement ? and we congratulate all at the St Andrews resort.?

The iconic resort has also been recognised by Cond? Nast Traveler in their ?Platinum Circle?, an award for destinations that have made their gold list every year for five consecutive years. The 144 bedroomed hotel scores highly with those voting for the award, achieving over 90% for the ?killer location?, ?Jacques Garcia-designed rooms? and the array of activities available to guests. The service provided by the resort staff is complimented as ?courteous, prompt and professional? and the award-winning Kohler Waters Spa, the three AA rosette Road Hole Restaurant and the world famous Road Hole Bar all receive mentions within the award summary. And hot on the heels of the Gold & Platinum recognition is the resort?s inclusion in the exclusive Travel & Leisure?s Top 500 Worldwide Resorts ? the Old Course Hotel being the only destination recognised in Scotland.

General Manager, Daniel Pereira, is ?absolutely delighted? with the news, saying: ?Awards are always welcome, but accolades that recognise our ongoing commitment and investment in our staff and training are especially welcome.?

Daniel adds: ?Recognition from those who travel the world and stay in destinations around the globe are also very highly valued as they truly reflect the customers? view. When we share news of this kind, it helps to show that the resort is so much more than a hotel. It is the day-to-day enthusiasm, dedication and commitment from our entire team that results in such recognition, benefiting not just the resort but also our many local, regional and Scottish suppliers as well as the wider tourism market. It is wonderful news of which we are enormously proud ? and the best possible start to 2013.?

Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk

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Source: http://www.golfbusinessnews.com/news/travel/five-star-resort-strikes-platinum-gold/

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What?s really going on with Apple and it?s stock price in 2013?

Here we go again. Another Apple quarter that demonstrates long term strength in its business, and another quarter where Wall Street is waving its hands in the air claiming that the business is broken. Apple shares are down over $50 (10%) as I write this.

Always remember value investor Benjamin Graham?s famous expression: In the short term the market acts like a voting machine. In the long term it acts like a weighing machine. Today, the voting machine dominates. But over the course of many product cycles, those daily votes amount to nothing. That?s why the market is volatile, and why I focus on long term investing.

Apple reported the best quarter in its history. Sales of $54.5 billion were up huge compared to $46.3 billion in the year ago holiday quarter. Earnings were $13.81 per share versus $13.87 last year. But once you adjust for the 13-week quarter in the current year versus 14 weeks last year, earnings actually grew 7% year over year.

That 7% growth comes despite gross margin dropping, which is a fact of life when you introduce revolutionary products like the iPad mini. The growth also comes despite the fact that Apple built less channel inventory this year versus last year. Add another $700 million to Apple?s top line this year (or subtract it from last year) to get a more fair comparison.

Oh, and let?s not forget the new iMacs, which were severely supply constrained. Apple sold about a million fewer Macs than last year, which equites to over a billion dollars of revenue. Let?s add that to our adjustment of Apple?s so-called ?broken? business.

Wall Street is worried about earnings growth. They see the revenue growth, but they focus on the gross margin decline of 6% year over year. Wall Street focuses on the short term ?optics? of a situation. And in the short term, Apple looks weak because margin weakness seems to be offsetting the revenue growth.

But look at the bigger picture. The iPad and the iPad mini are canabalizing the PC market. This includes Macs, but it also includes Windows machines. This is the quote that I found most interesting out of last night?s conference call:

?I see cannibalization as a huge opportunity for us...On iPad in particular, we have the mother of all opportunities here, because the Windows market is much, much larger than the Mac market is. And I think it is clear that it?s already cannibalizing some and I think there is a tremendous amount more opportunity there. And as you know, I have said for two or three, actually three years now I believe that I believe the tablet market will be larger than the PC market at some point. And I still believe that. And you can see by the growth in tablets and the pressure on PCs that those lines are beginning to converge.?

And let?s not forget China. Is it totally lost on investors that China has become such a huge market for Apple that they need to break it out as a separate reporting segment? $6.8 billion of Apple?s revenue (that?s 12.5%) came from Greater China. Year over year growth was only a modest 67%. Hmmm, sure seems like a broken story to me.

Speaking of China - there has been a lot of attention on the possibility of a less expensive iPhone. Until last night, I was of the view that we?d see one of these lower cost phones hit sooner rather than later. But I?m not so sure anymore. Obviously Apple can sell a TON of iPhones in China at full price. So there is no need to rush out with a cheaper product. Apple?s style is to absorb as much growth as they can with higher priced products before launching lower cost versions. I don?t think we?ll see a less expensive iPhone in 2013.

The media and the investing community is fully absorbed in the bear story around Apple. That story is probably best told by the Nomura analyst. I don?t mean this in a good way, because I honestly feel the guy is insane to put forth this analysis, but it is what it is. And the market believes it right now.

Nomura?s position is that Apple isn?t growing any more. They?re an ?ex-growth? story with earnings potential ?capped? at about $50 per share. Without growth, people shouldn?t pay more than about 8x earnings (so $400) plus the company?s excess cash balance, which is another $89 per share. Round it up to $490 and you have their target price.

Why 8x earnings? Apparently because that?s what Microsoft fetches. And Microsoft is also an ?ex-growth? stock.

Does anyone else notice the total insanity in this statement? We have the Mac market that has been outgrowing the PC market for a very, very long time. And now we have the iPad market cannibalizing the PC market, which allows Apple to grow at the expense of Microsoft. One company is slaughtering the other. Yet we are to believe both stocks should trade at a similar earnings multiple?

As Rene said to me earlier today, ?It makes you think it's humans that are doomed.? Of course humans are emotional. Investors and analysts are human. Wall Street is all about the short term. Nobody wants to get caught being wrong on a stock in the short term. The pain of being short term wrong outweighs the pleasure of being long term right. That?s why we?re seeing so many negative reports.

I thought the comments from PiperJaffray and JP Morgan were much more rational. Piper calls for investors to return to the stock once the focus shifts to new products in the next 3-6 months. Makes sense. JP Morgan uses the beautiful line, ?Apples and Oranges: Fundamentals and Investor Expectations Continue to Diverge?.

I couldn?t have said it better.

Chris owns shares in, and is long on, Apple.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/2G1hdAWFOM0/story01.htm

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Advertising Property Management Company Online: Pay-Per-Click ...

Today at Fourandhalf, we are going to help you become an educated consumer when it comes to advertising your property management company on the Internet. The first thing you need to do when choosing how to market your business on the Internet is to identify your goal or purpose. Marketers often focus on a number of things such as exposure, branding and reputation. The bottom line for most of us is growth. If you are looking to employ digital marketing services, you probably want to grow your business.

Why is the Internet the right place for growth?

When you use the Internet for marketing, you use a pull strategy instead of a push strategy. As property managers, you focus on a specific segment of the population. You try to reach people who own homes that are not owner-occupied. You look for people who manage properties themselves as well as reluctant landlords and property investors. An example of a push strategy would be a television commercial. You pay a lot of money to get a commercial on television, which gives you exposure to a lot of people you don?t want, and cannot possibly target all of ?the people you really want to reach. So for businesses like property management companies, this is the wrong method.

The Internet uses pull marketing. You cater your content and information to people who are already searching for property management in your town. You get targeted access to people who are searching for questions you can answer, such as how to rent a house, how much rent to charge, etc. There are different avenues of digital marketing that can be included in your strategy. One such avenue is pay-per-click.

Pay-Per-Click

Pay-per-click advertising is a quick shot of adrenaline for your business. You tell Google that you are willing to pay $2 to $5 per click to be on the front page for particular keywords. For example, if you?re a San Francisco property manager, you want to be listed near the front anytime someone searches for ?San Francisco property management.?

Having a strategic landing page will help you tremendously with pay-per-click. You want to make sure that when your potential prospects click on the company listing that you paid for, they will go to a specific landing page. Don?t send them to the generic front page of your website. The landing page should outline the advantages of your company specific to the customer your ad is trying to reach. We always recommend having a brief video that pitches your business, as well as a phone number and a ?Contact Us? form or button. The landing page alone will increase your conversion by up to 50 percent.

The company you hire to help you with pay-per-click needs to understand your business and the keywords that equal money to you. Your digital marketing company also needs to understand and respect your budget. You should get to determine whether you want to spend $10 a day or $1,500 a month. The beauty of pay-per-click is that you can adjust your budget as you go. It gets you real clients, but it requires an investment from you. You need to hire a pay-per-click company to manage your campaign, and you also need to pay Google or Facebook or whatever platform you choose.

Attend Fourandhalf Classes at NARPM

I hope this overview has helped you understand a bit about the lay of the digital marketing land. We will be speaking about digital marketing services and how they benefit property management companies at a number of upcoming conferences. Check out our schedule:

• Broker/Owner Conference in Las Vegas February 19-20, 2013 ? Fourandhalf?s class is at 5:30pm, 2/20

• Pacific Southwest Regional Conference in Las Vegas February 21, 2014 ? Fourandhalf?s?class is at 2:50pm

• Eastern Regional Conference in Nashville March 28-29, 2013 ? Fourandhalf?s?class TBA

• Northwest Regional Conference in Tacoma April 19-20, 2013 ? Fourandhalf?s?class TBA

• CALNARPM Conference in Napa April 21-24, 2013 ? Fourandhalf?s?class TBA

• Central Regional Conference in Chicago May 23-24 ? Fourandhalf?s?class TBA

• NARPM Florida State Chapter Conference in Orlando September 19, 2013 ? Fourandhalf?s?class TBA

Register to attend NARPM conferences here

Hopefully you?ll be attending one of them, and you can stop by and meet us. Our presentation is about an hour long and we?d love to share more of our information and ideas with you. Our plan is to delve into each element of digital marketing and help you understand what kind of results to expect from each type of Internet marketing campaign and how much you should expect to pay.

If you have any questions before then, don?t hesitate to contact us. We?ll see you soon.

About Alex Osenenko

Alex Osenenko is the President of Fourandhalf.com, Board Member of CALNARPM and a co-author of Fourandhalf Property Management Technology Blog: http://fourandhalf.com/technology-blog/

Source: http://fourandhalf.com/advertising-property-management-company-pay-per-click/

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Super Bowl commercial shocker: Sex sells

The Parents' Television Council is outraged over a Mercedes Benz Super Bowl ad featuring model Kate Upton that they say reinforces the notion of using sex appeal to get what you want. The video has attracted nearly 3 million views on YouTube in only two days.

The news this week that a watchdog group was criticizing a sexy Super Bowl ad had some readers grumbling ? about the quality of the ad.

The Parents Television Council raised a red flag over a Mercedes Benz ad showing Kate Upton using sex appeal to get a group of guys to wash her car. The ad has already been viewed online millions of times.

Some readers raised a red flag about the ad, too, but not because it was inappropriate. They just thought it wasn?t that good.

??Boring commercial. Girl is attractive, but music is annoying,? one reader wrote.

Others just said the ad wasn?t very original.

?I'm amazed no one ever thought of using sex to sell something before. Brilliant marketing,? another wrote - sarcastically, we assume.

Still, most readers said they wouldn?t have a problem with the ad airing during the Super Bowl, with many noting that there have been plenty of racy ads in years past

About three-fourths of the nearly 10,000 people who took our poll said they didn?t think the ad was inappropriate for the Super Bowl.

Those who said the ad was inappropriate argued that it?s a bad message to be sending young women.

?It's getting harder and harder to raise confident young girls when all they see that is valued in women is their looks,? one reader noted.

Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/01/25/16697882-super-bowl-commercial-shocker-sex-sells?lite

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Computer scientists develop new way to study molecular networks

Jan. 24, 2013 ? In biology, molecules can have multi-way interactions within cells, and until recently, computational analysis of these links has been "incomplete," according to T. M. Murali, associate professor of computer science in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech.

His group authored an article on their new approach to address these shortcomings, titled "Reverse Engineering Molecular Hypergraphs," that received the Best Paper Award at the recent 2012 ACM Conference on Bioinformatics, Computational Biology and Biomedicine.

Intricate networks of connections among molecules control the processes that occur within cells. The "analysis of these interaction networks has relied almost entirely on graphs for modeling the information. Since a link in a graph connects at most two molecules (e.g., genes or proteins), such edges cannot accurately represent interactions among multiple molecules. These interactions occur very often within cells," the computer scientists wrote in their paper.

To overcome the limitations in the use of the graphs, Murali and his students used hypergraphs, a generalization of a graph in which an hyperedge can connect multiple molecules.

"We used hypergraphs to capture the uncertainty that is inherent in reverse engineering gene to gene networks from systems biology datasets," explained Ahsanur Rahman, the lead author on the paper. "We believe hypergraphs are powerful representations for capturing the uncertainty in a network's structure."

They developed reliable algorithms that can discover hyperedges supported by sets of networks. In ongoing research, the scientists seek to use hyperedges to suggest new experiments. By capturing uncertainty in network structure, hyperedges can directly suggest groups of genes for which further experiments may be required in order to precisely discover interaction patterns. Incorporating the data from these experiments might help to refine hyperedges and resolve the interactions among molecules, resulting in fruitful interplay and feedback between computation and experiment.

Murali, and his students Ahsanur Rahman and Christopher L. Poirel, both doctoral candidates, and David L. Badger, a software engineer in Murali's group, all of Blacksburg, Va., and all in the computer science department, used funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation to better understand this uncertainty in these various forms of interactions.

Murali is also the co-director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science's Center for Systems Biology of Engineered Tissues and the associate program director for the computational tissue engineering interdisciplinary graduate education program at Virginia Tech.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/OwPP7b81r9Y/130124140727.htm

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Healthcare reform fears unfounded, small business expert says ...

COLORADO - The fears about federal health reform among small business owners are unfounded in many cases, according to a business consultant who spoke Tuesday at a seminar sponsored by the Pueblo Small Business Development Center. Tim Gaudette, western outreach manager for Small Business Majority, said the requirement for small businesses to provide insurance coverage won't impact most small businesses nationwide because it applies only to businesses with 50 or more employees. Gaudette said 96 percent of American businesses have fewer employees.

Businesses with more than 50 employees are eligible for varying tax credits to help them recoup the cost of health insurance premiums, which Gaudette said likely will go down after Colorado's health benefits exchange program is up and running late this year.

The tax credits have been available since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, but few businesses have taken advantage of them, Gaudette said, adding that the value of the credits was estimated at $15 billion in 2011.

The credits may be claimed retroactively. They can be claimed yearly on the federal Form 8941, Gaudette said.

He encouraged business owners who can to provide health coverage to employees because it's such a valued part of compensation packages. He predicted that, once individuals and families can buy their own coverage through exchanges, many bright individuals now "stuck" in large corporations might take the leap to open their own businesses.

Small Business Majority is an advocacy group founded and run by small business owners and operating in 20 states. Gaudette is based in Denver.

For links to health insurance tax credit tables and other information, go to www.chieftain.com.

lorettas@chieftain.com ___

Copyright 2013 MedCity News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://medcitynews.com/2013/01/healthcare-reform-fears-unfounded-small-business-expert-says/

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