Budget battle guide: This time may be for real

Air Force personnel salute as Air Force One, with President Barack Obama on board, arrives at in the rain at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. The president was returning from Newport News, Va., for an event on the automatic budget cuts. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Air Force personnel salute as Air Force One, with President Barack Obama on board, arrives at in the rain at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. The president was returning from Newport News, Va., for an event on the automatic budget cuts. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Standing in front of a ships propeller, President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks about about automatic defense budget cuts, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Following a closed-door party caucus, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, accompanied by fellow GOP leaders, meet with reporters, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, to challenge President Obama and the Senate to avoid the automatic spending cuts set to take effect in four days. Speaking at the Republican National Committee headquarters, Boehner complained that the House, with Republicans in the majority, has twice passed bills that would replace the across-the-board cuts known as the "sequester" with more targeted reductions, while the Senate, controlled by the Democrats, has not acted. From left are, Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kansas, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., Boehner, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, accompanied by fellow members of the House GOP leadership, responds to President Barack Obama's remarks to the nation's governors earlier today about how to fend off the impending automatic budget cuts, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? America's leaders have threatened to shut the government down, drive it over a cliff and bounce it off the ceiling. Now they're ready to smack it with a "sequester." And it sounds like they mean it this time.

If no one backs down, big cuts in federal spending begin Friday. Should Americans be worried?

A primer on the nation's latest fiscal standoff ? how we got here, who could get hurt and possible ways to end this thing:

___

What, again?

Like life in a bad Road Runner cartoon, the United States has survived the New Year's "fiscal cliff," double rounds of debt-ceiling roulette and various budget blow-ups over the past two years. Now the threat is $85 billion in indiscriminate spending cuts that would hit most federal programs and fall hardest on the military.

By law, these cuts known as the "sequester" will begin unfolding automatically at week's end unless President Barack Obama and Congress act to stop them.

Why did they agree to a law like that? In hopes of finally getting the nation's trillion-dollar-plus annual budget deficits under control.

___

Isn't deficit-cutting good?

Obama, nearly all of Congress and plenty of economists say two things:

1) The budget deficit needs to be reduced.

2) The sequester is the wrong way to do it.

"Only a fool would do it this way," says Paul Light, a budget expert at New York University. "Primordial. It's beyond belief."

It makes him think of the movie "Dr. Strangelove," with Slim Pickens riding bronco on an atomic bomb, waving his cowboy hat.

The sequester was designed to land with a mighty splat ? to create such a mess if allowed to occur that lawmakers would do the right and honorable thing and negotiate a measured, meaningful and discerning package of deficit reduction to head it off. But that didn't happen, so the sequester is about to.

And, yes, that should mean progress on the nation's debt. The sequester is one of several developments expected to restrain the nation's red ink after four straight years of deficits topping $1 trillion.

Yee-haw.

___

Are the cuts really that bad?

It's unlikely they will be as bad ? or at least as immediate ? as some overexcited members of the Obama administration have made out. But the cuts have the potential to be significant if the standoff drags on.

Early on, about 2 million long-term unemployed people could see a $30 cut in benefit checks now averaging $300 a week. Federal subsidies for school construction, clean energy and state and local public works projects could be pinched. Low-income pregnant women and new mothers may find it harder to sign up for food aid.

Much depends on how states and communities manage any shortfalls in aid from Washington.

Furloughs of federal employees are for the most part a month or more away. Then, they might have to take up to a day off per week without pay.

That's when the public could start seeing delays at airports, disruptions in meat inspection, fewer services at national parks and the like.

An impasse lasting into the fall would reach farther, probably shrinking Head Start slots, for example.

Much of the federal budget is off-limits to the automatic cuts. Among exempted programs: Social Security, Medicaid, food stamps, Pell Grants and veterans' programs.

Even so, officials warn of a hollowed-out military capability, compromised border security and spreading deterioration of public services if the sequester continues. It's "like a rolling ball," said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. "It keeps growing."

___

Maybe it's fiscal-crisis fatigue.

Americans are yawning this one off. Only 27 percent of those surveyed for a Pew Research Center/USA Today poll last week said they had heard a lot about the looming automatic spending cuts.

Less than a third think the budget cuts would deeply affect their own financial situation, according to a Washington Post poll. Sixty percent, however, believe the cuts would have a major effect on the U.S. economy.

That's what economists and business people are nervous about.

The political standoff is the factor that economists blame most for the slowing economy, according to the latest Associated Press Economic Survey. The uncertainty about future government spending is causing businesses to hold back on investment and hiring, and it's making consumers less confident about their own spending, economists warn.

___

How did it come to this?

Obama and congressional Republicans have been deadlocked over spending since the GOP won control of the House in 2010, with a big boost from tea party activists who champion lower taxes and an end to red-ink budgets.

House Republicans refused to raise the nation's borrowing limit in 2011 without major deficit cuts. To resolve the stalemate, Congress passed and Obama signed the Budget Control Act, which temporarily allowed borrowing to resume, set new spending limits and created a bipartisan "supercommittee" to recommend at least $1.2 trillion more in deficit reduction over 10 years. Republicans and Democrats on the supercommittee failed to compromise, however.

That triggered the law's doomsday scenario ? the so-called "fiscal cliff" package of across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts.

In a New Year's Eve deal, Obama and Congress agreed to raise taxes on some of the nation's wealthiest earners. And they postponed the spending cuts for two months ? until Friday.

That was supposed to buy time to cut a deal.

___

But there's still no deal.

As the days before Friday's deadline melt into hours, neither side shows sign of blinking ? or even negotiating.

Obama insists on a blend of targeted spending cuts and tax increases. Republican leaders reject any more tax increases and say the savings must come from spending cuts.

While both sides talk about reducing the deficit, Obama and other Democrats say this must be done gradually, to avoid wounding an already weak economy.

The president is taking his case to the people, blasting Republicans at campaign-style events. GOP leaders, just back from a congressional vacation themselves, are publicly grousing that Obama should be bargaining with them, not grandstanding.

___

Is there a way out?

Expect intense negotiations to begin in Washington if enough Americans begin yelping about the pain from reduced federal spending.

Obama and Congress could agree to pare down the budget cuts to a more logical package of reductions, perhaps with some tax changes, too. Such a deal could also retroactively restore spending where they want to.

The "sequester" isn't the only line in the sand, however.

On March 27, legislation that has been temporarily financing the government expires. Without agreement to extend it, the threat of a partial government shutdown looms. Later in the spring, it will be time to raise the nation's debt limit again.

So far, two years of budget crises have been settled with temporary fixes. They have barely dented the underlying disagreement over how to reform Medicare, Social Security, taxes and spending to address the nation's long-term deficit problem.

If those festering questions remain unanswered, the U.S. economy will remain a hostage to politics.

___

AP Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report.

___

Follow Connie Cass on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConnieCass

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-27-Budget%20Battle-News%20Guide/id-6a09cbe13dcd4e3c872235d7525859f0

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Q&A with Ashley Bell | People's Critic: Film Reviews - seattlepi.com

Actress Ashley Bell took time out to talk about reprising her role as Nell in The Last Exorcism Part 2. We talk about the joy and challenges of playing Nell, working with Eli Roth, and she explains why horror films are great date movies.

Was there any apprehension playing the role of Nell in the Last Exorcism movies?

Ashley Bell: Oh no. It?s such a dream roll for an actress. I come from a theater background. I studied acting at NYU and also the Groundlings in LA. Jumping into a role that was so physically and emotionally demanding was just awesome.

Were there any subtle changes you wanted to make to Nell?s character in The Last Exorcism Part II?

AB: Very much so. With Nell?s character, when I read the script, you think about where she comes from. She?s been broken by the events that have happened in Part 1 and we see this person that?s shattered. She?s putting her life back together and picking up these pieces and there are a lot of pieces missing. There?s a lot of doubt and a lot of questions. In these questions is where the temptation comes in.

You see this arc in the first film of Nell not knowing what?s going on and then all these events start happening. I thought you played that very well. I know that?s tough to give a character layers without much dialogue.

AB: I really appreciate that. Growing up I was a huge fan of horror movies. There?s nothing more fun than going into a movie with a smile because you know you?re going to be scared to death [laughs]. There?s something thrilling about sitting there waiting for a scare to happen. When I saw Part 2 for the first time, people were jumping into each other arms. The film packs a lot of really fun scares. There?s also a real surprise ending. It?s really something only Eli Roth can pull off.

With your families acting background, was acting something you always wanted to do?

AB: Growing up I always wanted to always be something new. I thought if I was an actress, I would have a chance at doing it all. What?s incredible about this profession is every role you play; you learn a different skill set. That really appealed to me.

What was it like working with Eli Roth?

AB: Eli is such a master of the horror genre. He knows it so well, so he can break all the rules. He knows what hasn?t been seen, and how to make a twist to turn a film on its head and surprise audiences. I saw him work in the editing room and he?s like a magician. He knows how to turn a scene that?s scary into something truly horrifying.

I remember that when he did Cabin Fever and Hostile. He really pushed the envelope.

AB: What I loved about the Hostile movies was the revenge element. The characters get revenge and the 13 year old boy in me loves that. Audiences will be surprised when they see The Last Exorcism Part 2, Nell gets revenge.

In Part 2 what was your favorite scene to shoot?

AB: It?s really important to do all of my own physicality. I was important in Part 2 to one up the backbend. There?s a levitating backbend and that?s a really challenging stunt to do. It was one of the most exhilarating days on set. There was a stunt crew and they ok?d me to do it six times and we ended up doing the scene twenty times. Every take was more and more intense. We kept on adding things to it and the crew was involved. It was great. At the end of the day if somebody asked what I did today I could say, ?Well, I flew.? Who gets to say that?

As great as it is to be part of horror films, I?m jumping into a few other genres. I?m coming out in a romantic comedy called The Bounceback that?s premiering at SXSW. I?m also doing an action film called The Marine. It?s straight up action. I?m jumping through windows, cars are exploding, and I run around on an abandoned ship. I?m also stepping behind the camera. This year, I visited Cambodia to do a documentary on elephants called Love and Bananas. You can find out more information at loveandbananas.com.

Anything fans could look forward to in Part 2.

AB: I always say horror films are great date movies. In the first twenty minutes you?re going to end up in each other?s arms. [laughs]

[laughs] That?s a great tip

The Last Exorcism Part 2 opens in theaters on 3/1

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/peoplescritic/2013/02/26/qa-with-ashley-bell/

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?Goat edition?: Bizarre new meme skewers pop favorites

YouTube

Get your goat: Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" gets a barnyard augmentation

By Alex Smith, TODAY
The Internet is a weird and wild space where brilliance sometimes blossoms like ivy. Often, a passingly amusing idea will take hold, flourish, mutate and take on a new life of its own as a zeitgeist-infiltrating meme that reflects some core truths about our culture.

Other times, not so much. This is one of those latter times.

Take a beloved , instantly recognizable pop song, add a screaming goat and voila: the "Goat Edition" meme is born. ?Enjoy!

Alex Smith is an editor/producer who assures readers that no livestock was harmed in the production of this post.

More:

Internet meme is wasting milk, angry farmers complain
Wizard Obama makes muggles get meme-y
Why the 'crying kid' meme is just mean

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/02/26/17101831-goat-edition-bizarre-new-meme-skewers-pop-favorites?lite

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New talks on Iran nuclear program offer slim hope

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) ? World powers began a new round of high-level talks with Iranian officials Tuesday, trying to find a way out of a yearslong tussle over Tehran's nuclear program and its feared ability to make atomic weapons in the future.

Few believe the latest attempt to forge a compromise will yield any major breakthroughs, but negotiators are optimistically casting it as a stepping stone toward reaching a workable solution.

Officials described the latest diplomatic discussions as a way to build confidence with Iran as the country steadfastly maintains its right to enrich uranium in the face of harsh international sanctions.

"The offer addresses the international concern on the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program, but it is also responsive to Iranian ideas," said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is leading the negotiations. "We've put some proposals forward which will hopefully allow Iran to show some flexibility."

Mehdi Mohammadi, a member of the Iranian delegation, said Tehran was prepared to make an offer of its own to end the deadlock but will resist some of the West's core demands.

The Obama administration is pushing for diplomacy to solve the impasse but has not ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Israel has threatened it will use all means to stop Iran from being able to build a bomb, potentially as soon as this summer, raising the specter of a possible Mideast war.

A senior U.S. official at the talks said Monday that some sanctions relief would be part of the offer to Iran but refused to elaborate. The new relief is part of a package that the U.S. official said included "substantive changes."

The official acknowledged reports earlier this month that sanctions would be eased to allow Iran's gold trade to progress, but would neither confirm nor deny they are included in the new relief offer, and spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic talks more candidly.

In a statement before the talks began Tuesday, the Interfax news agency cited Russia's envoy as saying the easing of sanctions was possible only if Iran can assure the world that its nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes.

"There is no certainty that the Iranian nuclear program lacks a military dimension, although there is also no evidence that there is a military dimension," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

China's Foreign Ministry said diplomacy offered the only route to resolve the dispute and called for all sides to show flexibility.

"We think the Iranian nuclear issue is very complicated and sensitive. All parties should have firm confidence in peacefully resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation and take an objective and pragmatic attitude," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily briefing in Beijing.

Members of the Chinese and Iranian delegations met at a bilateral session before the main talks got under way.

Interfax cited an unidentified Iranian delegation member as saying Iran might also hold one-on-one talks with Russia, but ruled out direct negotiations with the United States in Almaty.

Officials from both sides have set low expectations for a breakthrough in Almaty ? the first time the high-level negotiators have met since last June's meeting in Moscow that threatened to derail the delicate efforts.

While Mann acknowledged the Almaty talks would unlikely lead to a firm, he insisted that it remained an important stepping stone toward a definitive solution.

"We're not interested in talks just for talk's sake. We're not here to talk, we're here to make concrete progress," he said.

The first session talks are being held in private at a hotel in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, and were deemed so sensitive that reporters were not allowed on the premises Tuesday save for a small handful of TV cameras and photographers allowed to watch Ashton greet Saeed Jalili, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

The opening round Tuesday afternoon lasted 2 ? hours.

Tehran maintains it is enriching uranium only to make reactor fuel and medical isotopes, and insists it has a right to do so under international law. It has signaled it does not intend to stop, and U.N. nuclear inspectors last week confirmed Iran has begun a major upgrade of its program at the country's main uranium enrichment site.

Over the last eight months, the international community has imposed harsh economic sanctions on Iran that U.S. officials said have, among other things, cut the nation's daily oil output by 1 million barrels and slashed its employment rate. Western powers have hoped that the Iranian public would suffer under sanctions so the government would feel a moral obligation to slow its nuclear program.

The six world powers ? United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany ?want Iran to suspend enrichment in its underground Fordo nuclear facility, and to ship its stockpile of high-grade uranium out of the country.

Mohammadi said that the shuttering of Fordo was "out of the question."

Negotiators hope that easing some of the sanctions will make Tehran more agreeable to halting production of 20 percent enriched uranium ? the highest grade of enrichment that Iran has acknowledged and one that experts say could be turned into warhead grade in a matter of months.

Mohammadi said Iran would only agree to that stipulation on the condition of UN Security Council sanctions being suspended.

But an analysis released Monday by the International Crisis Group concluded that the web of international sanctions have become so entrenched in Iran's political and economic systems that they cannot be easily lifted piece by piece. It found that Tehran's clerical regime has begun adapting its policy to the sanctions, despite their crippling effect on the Iranian public. Doing so, the analysis concluded, has divided the public's anger "between a regime viewed as incompetent and an outside world seen as uncaring."

Iran has been unimpressed with earlier offers by the powers to provide it with medical isotopes and lift sanctions on spare parts for civilian airliners, and new bargaining chips that Tehran sees as minor are likely to be snubbed as well. Iran insists, as a starting point, that world powers must recognize the republic's right to enrich uranium.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/talks-iran-nuclear-program-offer-slim-hope-114039844.html

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Stuxnet deployed against Iran in 2007: report

Jim Finkle , Reuters ? ? ? 1 hr.

Researchers at Symantec have uncovered a version of the Stuxnet computer virus that was used to attack Iran's nuclear program in November 2007, two years earlier than previously thought.

Planning for the cyber weapon, the first publicly known example of a virus being used to attack industrial machinery, began at least as early as 2005, according to an 18-page report that the security software company published on Tuesday.

Stuxnet, which is widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was uncovered in 2010 after it was used to attack a uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, Iran. That facility has been the subject of intense scrutiny by the United States, Israel and allies, who charge that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb.

Symantec said its researchers had uncovered a piece of code, which they called "Stuxnet 0.5," among the thousands of versions of the virus that they had recovered from infected machines.

Stuxnet 0.5 was designed to attack the Natanz facility by opening and closing valves that feed uranium hexafluoride gas into centrifuges, without the knowledge of the operators of the facility, according to Symantec.

The virus was being developed early as 2005, when Iran was still setting up its uranium enrichment facility, said Symantec researcher Liam O'Murchu. That facility went online in 2007.

"It is really mind blowing that they were thinking about creating a project like that in 2005," O'Murchu told Reuters in ahead of the report's release at the RSA security conference, an event attended by more than 20,000 security professionals, in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Symantec had previously uncovered evidence that planning for Stuxnet began in 2007. The New York Times reported in June 2012 that the impetus for the project dated back to 2006, when U.S. President George W. Bush was looking for options to slow Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Previously discovered versions of Stuxnet are all believed to have been used to sabotage the enrichment process by changing the speeds of those gas-spinning centrifuges without the knowledge of their operators.

Since Stuxnet's discovery in 2010, security researchers have uncovered a handful of other sophisticated pieces of computer code that they believe were developed to engage in espionage and warfare. These include Flame, Duqu and Gauss.

Stuxnet 0.5 was written using much of the same code as Flame, a sophisticated virus that researchers have previously said was primarily used for espionage, Symantec said.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/stuxnet-was-deployed-against-iran-2007-researchers-say-1C8563843

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Leaky Gut Syndrome: Legit Problem or Imaginary Illness? [Either ...

See, your gut may betray you but at least it?s not a KILLER CROTCH. Dun, dun, dun!! (Seriously though is this not the best anti texting while driving advert you have ever seen?! Canada, you win again!)

For as long as there has been cheese and chocolate, a certain group of people has skulked around the outside of buffet tables, orbited appetizer platters and played the Hokey Pokey with hors d?oeuvres trays. You?ve probably noticed them since they have to ask every waiter ?Does this have dairy in it?? before they order and then drool over your ice cream sundae while clutching a bottle of Lactaid like it?s the last pregnancy test in the store after a weekend with Flava Flav. They are ? we, actually, as you know I?m one of the?beleaguered?too ? the lactose intolerant. And for as long as we?ve been made miserable by our inability to digest dairy, as demonstrated by our gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea after eating dairy products, we?ve been told that we?re basically stuck with it for life. Then, to add the cream-pie-to-the-face insult to injury, often people think we?re making our food sensitivit(ies) up.

I myself was even in the doubter camp for most of my life. First, because I was vegetarian so long, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and other forms of dairy made up a large part of my diet (and were usually the one ?normal? thing I could eat at parties other than fruit). And second, let?s be honest, because a wheel of Brie is so close to heaven that I hear angels sing whenever I eat one. (And by ?one? I do actually mean one wheel. When I was pregnant my favorite meal was a loaf of crusty French bread and a wheel of double-creme Brie. It?s one of the sad facts of pregnancy that your bean almost never makes you crave kale and cod liver oil but inevitably wants to stunt its own growth with entire pans of peanut butter rice krispie treats. He/she isn?t even born and they?re already embarrassing you in public.)

But my doubt as to the legitimacy of food sensitivities in general and dairy issues in particular all?dissipated?last year when I did what has become the single most impactful Great Fitness Experiment yet. Upon the advice of my nutritionist (a great guy named Darryl Bushard I met through LifeTime Fitness) I took all dairy and gluten out of my diet for a month. Unlike previous dietary experiments where I?ve felt deprived and rebellious, this time it was relatively easy to stick with because ? and I can?t overstate how huge this is for me ? my panic attacks stopped. Completely.

For most of my life I?ve been plagued with ?incidents? where I think I?m dying, get insanely anxious, cry, have diarrhea and even vomit. Yet even though the source of my pain was always in my stomach, the doctors always told me it was in my head. (In retrospect I think I was having a very painful reaction to dairy and because I?m an inveterate worrier and the source of the pain was unknown, I?d get all panicky about it and work myself up to a tizzy.) At any rate, eventually I added gluten back into my diet and was fine with it but any significant amount of dairy and I was right back in the bathroom trying to hug the toilet with both ends, which is exactly as elegant as it sounds.

Because my mood (and life) was light years better without dairy I was content to give it up for the rest of my born days. So when a friend posted on Facebook, ?It?s funny that people think their problems with dairy come from dairy.? My brain did that screechy-record noise and I e-mailed him all ?Whaaaa?!? The gist of his reply was that lots of people have this thing called ?leaky gut syndrome? which causes them to have food sensitivities but if you cure your leaky gut then you could eat that stuff again.

Beloved Brie?!? I hit Dr. Google so hard he jumped.

Leaky Gut Syndrome is described as a collection of symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal distress to mood disorders to even things like skin conditions and extreme fatigue, caused by the thinning of the lining of the intestinal wall making it hyper-permeable and thereby allowing pathogens and undigested food into the blood stream. But?I quickly learned that, similar to adrenal fatigue and Anne Hathaway?s best supporting actress Oscar win last night, Leaky Gut Syndrome is a very controversial thing. (Seriously I loved Anne in Les Mis. I didn?t see any of the other movies/actresses in the nominated category so I may not be the best judge but come on, when they ripped her teeth out with pliers didn?t you just?feel something??)

WebMD says bluntly, ? ?Leaky gut syndrome? isn?t a diagnosis taught in medical school. Instead, leaky gut really means you?ve got a diagnosis that still needs to be made.? Tell me how you really feel! While the article does go on to acknowledge that the group of symptoms exists,?The WebMD article adds, ?But with leaky gut, the evidence ? about what causes it and how to treat it ? has yet to fully accumulate. This is something that is essential for patients to understand.?We are in the infancy of understanding what to do. People who are making claims about what to do are doing so without evidence.?

Well lucky for me I love dubious diagnoses! Actually I don?t. I love research. LOVE science. But I also knew what I had experienced and that seemed to fit with the descriptions of leaky gut, especially in light of?the 2010 study?commissioned by the respected National Institute of Health. ?The Consensus Development Conference on Lactose Intolerance and Health concluded that first, deciding who is and who isn?t lactose intolerant isn?t as simple as it sounds as many people lacking the digestive enzymes tolerate dairy fine while some who have problems produce plenty of the enzymes, and second, ?avoiding dairy products isn?t even necessary for lactose-intolerant individuals.? The trick, according to the scientists, is to cure the food sensitivity. And their recommended steps for curing lactose sound very close to the ?alternative? therapies suggested for curing Leaky Gut. Also, the biological mechanism described for causing Leaky Gut ? the hyper-permeability of the intestinal wall ? is already known to occur, especially in conditions like Celiac Disease and Crohn?s Disease.

So when I got to interview Jill Brunewald, a holistic health coach and expert in food intolerances, for an article for?Shape?I perked up when she started discussing leaky gut syndrome. ?Oh it?s real!? she enthused. She explained that thanks to an unhealthy diet, illness or antibiotic?usage?many people fall into a vicious cycle where their gut is compromised and becomes aggravated, leading to more sensitivities which leads to more thinning of the lining, until you throw up at the mere mention of food or Anne Hathaway. Kidding. Kinda.

What the medical community is missing, Jill says, is that it isn?t enough to remove whatever food is irritating you from your diet but you have to repair the damage done to your intestinal walls ? she calls it ?healing and sealing?. Once your gut is back to normal function ? a period that takes a minimum of six months ? then you can, in moderation, eat the foods you were formally sensitive to with no problem. (And because this post is getting crazy long, I?ll go into more detail about how exactly she recommends to ?heal and seal? your gut in another post. Yeah, that?s the best attempt at a teaser I?ve got?)

So what do you think of Leaky Gut Syndrome? Is it just another faddish diagnosis or is it a legit affliction? Any of you have it or have experience with it? Have any of you ?cured? your lactose (or other food) intolerance? How?d you feel about the Oscars last night??

?

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Tagged as: curing lactose intolerance, diagnosis, lactose intolerance, leaky gut syndrome, research

Source: http://www.thegreatfitnessexperiment.com/2013/02/leaky-gut-syndrome-legit-problem-or-imaginary-illness-either-way-it-wins-the-oscar-for-best-disease-name-ever.html

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Military Attack ambushes field to win HK Gold Cup

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Population	23,885,206+
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Mainstream Australian culture is a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of Western European migrants beginning with the early settlers from England, Scotland, and Ireland. As such Anglo-Celtic Australians have been highly influential in shaping the nation's culture.

The demographics of the major cities are often different to that of rural cities as a result of the differing migration patterns.

Australians can refer to:

The citizens of Australia, as defined by Australian nationality law

People whose ancestors lived in Australia

Indigenous Australians

The earliest accepted timeline for the first arrivals of indigenous Australians to the continent of Australia places this human migration to at least 40,000 years ago, most probably from the islands of Indonesia and New Guinea.

These first inhabitants of Australia were originally hunter-gatherer peoples, who over the course of many succeeding generations diversified widely throughout the continent and its nearby islands. Compared to the West, their technical culture remained static and depended on wood, bone, and stone tools and weapons? despite this, their spiritual and social life is believed to have been highly complex. Most spoke several languages, and confederacies sometimes linked widely scattered tribal groups. Aboriginal population density ranged from one person per square mile along the coasts to one person per in the arid interior. Food procurement was usually a matter for the nuclear family, requiring an estimated 3 days of work per week. There was little large game, and outside of some communities in the more fertile south-east, they had no agriculture.

Dutch navigators landed on the coasts of modern Western Australia and Queensland several times during the 17th century, and Australia may have been sighted by Portuguese sailors in 1701. Captain James Cook claimed the east coast for Great Britain in 1770, the west coast was later settled by Britain also. At that time, the indigenous population was estimated to have been between 315,000 and 750,000, divided into as many as 500 tribes speaking many different languages. In the 2006 Census, 407,700 respondents declared they were Aboriginal, 29,512 declared they were Torres Strait Islander, and a further 17,811 declared they were both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. After adjustments for undercount, the indigenous population as of end June 2006 was estimated to be 517,200, representing about 2.5% of the population.

Since the end of World War II, efforts have been made both by the government and by the public to be more responsive to Aboriginal rights and needs. Today, many tribal Aborigines lead a settled traditional life in remote areas of northern, central, and western Australia. In the south, where most Aborigines are of mixed descent, most live in the cities.

Australian diaspora

There is an estimated 1 million Australians (approximately 5% of the population) residing outside Australia. Hundreds of thousands of young Australians traditionally spend time living in Europe, but most return to Australia. The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement facilitates open migration to and from New Zealand. Key factors affecting the Australian Diaspora are rise of a global labour market, more accessible and economical international transport, and increasingly sophisticated communication technologies along with a growing interest in broader global community.

Population

The current Australian population is estimated at 000}} ( ). This does not include an estimated 1 million Australians living overseas (see above), but it includes the estimated 24% of Australians born overseas (in various nations, but predominantly the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, China, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, and Greece).

Historical

The data in the table is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Note that population estimates in the table below do not include the Aboriginal population before 1961. Estimates of Aboriginal population prior to European settlement range from 300,000 to one million, with archaeological finds indicating a sustainable population of around 750,000.

style="width:50px;" colspan="4" style="text-align:center;" Pre-Federation style="width:50px;" Year Population >style="width:90px;"| Population 859 332,328 4,588 1,050,828 10,263 1,539,552 25,859 2,092,164 58,197 2,981,677 151,868 3,664,715

style="width:90px;" style="width:50px;" Year Population || % change Year Population % change Year Population % change 3,788,123 - 7,109,898 4.9 14,923,260 6.3 4,059,083 7.2 7,465,157 5.0 16,018,350 7.3 4,489,545 10.6 8,421,775 12.8 17,284,036 12.8 4,943,173 10.1 9,425,563 11.9 18,310,714 5.9 5,455,136 10.4 10,548,267 11.9 19,413,240 6.0 6,056,360 11.0 11,599,498 10.0 20,848,760 7.4 6,526,485 7.8 13,067,265 12.7 6,778,372 3.4 14,033,083 7.4

Ancestry

For generations, the vast majority of both colonial-era settlers and post-Federation immigrants came from the United Kingdom and Ireland, although the gold rushes also drew migrants from other countries. Since the end of World War II, Australia's population more than doubled, spurred by large-scale European immigration during the immediate post-war decades. At this time, the White Australia Policy discouraged non-European immigration.

Abolition of the White Australia Policy in the mid-1970s led to a significant increase in non-European immigration, mostly from Asia and the Middle East. 60.2% of Australia's population declared European ancestry in the 2011 census. In addition, many of those who chose Australian ethnicity are of European ethnic origin themselves. The total indigenous population is estimated to be about 520,000 individuals, including people of mixed descent. The population of Queensland also includes descendants of South Sea Islanders brought over for indentured servitude in the 19th century.

In the Australian Census residents are asked to describe their ancestry, in which up to two could be nominated. Proportionate to the Australian resident population, the most commonly nominated ancestries were:

English (36.1%) (2011)

Australian (35.4%) (2011)

Irish (10.4%) (2011)

Scottish (8.9%) (2011)

Italian (4.6%) (2011)

German (4.5%) (2011)

Chinese (4.3%) (2011)

Indian (2.0%) (2011)

Greek (1.9%) (2011)

Dutch (1.7%) (2011)

Lebanese (0.92%)

Armenian (0.82%)

New Zealand (0.81%)

Filipino (0.81%)

Maltese (0.77%)

Croatian (0.59%)

Australian Aboriginal (0.58%)

Welsh (0.57%)

Serbian (0.48%)

Indonesian (0.47%)

Spanish (0.42%)

Macedonian (0.42%)

Sinhalese (0.37%)

American (0.28%)

French (0.5%)

South African (0.4%)

Hungarian (0.3%)

Russian (0.3%)

Turkish (0.3%)

At the 2006 Census 455,026 people (or 2.3% of the total Australian population) reported they were of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin.

Languages

English is the de facto national language of Australia and is spoken by the majority of the population, regardless of other languages spoken. Most Australians speak Australian English, however Australian Aboriginal English and Torres Strait English, along with various creoles and pidgins, are spoken by some Indigenous Australians. Australia is home to a great number of unique but endangered Indigenous Australian languages, as well as Australian Aboriginal sign languages. Australia's hearing-impaired community primarily uses Auslan, a member of the BANZSL language family.

The diverse backgrounds of Australians lead to a great number of community languages being spoken:

style="width:50px;" 15,581,333 316,895 252,226 243,662 220,600 194,863 98,001 92,331 75,634 70,011 67,836 63,612 53,389

style="width:30%;"	Language	Speakers||	Language	Speakers	Language	Speakers
English language	English only	|	Korean language>Korean	54,623	Portuguese language>Portuguese	25,779
Italian language	Italian	|	Turkish language>Turkish	53,857	Assyrian Neo-Aramaic>Assyrian	23,526
Greek language	Greek	|	Serbian language>Serbian	52,534	Indonesian language>Indonesian	23,164
Arabic language	Arabic	|	French language>French	43,216	Persian language>Persian	22,841
Mandarin language	Mandarin	||Danish||	42,036	Hungarian language>Hungarian	21,565
Vietnamese language	Vietnamese	|	Maltese language>Maltese	36,514	Hindi language>Hindi	20,223
Spanish language	Spanish	|	Russian language>Russian	36,502	Urdu language>Urdu	19,288
Filipino language	Filipino (Tagalog)	|	Dutch language>Dutch	36,183	Bengali language>Bengali	15,743
German language	German	|	Japanese language>Japanese	35,111	Punjabi language>Punjabi	13,164
Cantonese language	Cantonese	|	Tamil language>Tamil	32,700
Macedonian language	Macedonian	|	Hebrew	67,835
Croatian language	Croatian	|	Romanian language>Romanian	29,055
Polish language	Polish	|	Khmer language>Khmer	24,715

Religion

Australians have various religions and spiritual beliefs. The Australian Bureau of Statistics gathers information on religious belief in the national census. As in many Western countries, the level of active participation in church worship is lower than would be indicated by the proportion of the population identifying themselves as Christian; weekly attendance at church services is about 1.5 million, or about 7.5% of the population. {|class="wikitable" |- |Christianity||63.9%||Islam||1.7% |- |No religion||18.7%||Judaism||0.4% |- |No response||11.2%||Other||2% |- |Buddhism||2.1%||colspan="2"|Source: ABS |}

Nationality

Australians share Australian nationality, which is governed by Australian nationality law. Since there is no national identification card, commonly accepted proofs of Australian citizenship are the Australian passport, an Australian birth certificate (prior to 1986, when jus soli was abolished), or an Australian citizenship certificate. Australia permits dual citizenship with no restriction, but a more restricted qualification is imposed on people wishing to enter Parliament (see Sue v Hill).

References

Category:Ethnic groups in Oceania

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Source: http://article.wn.com/view/2013/02/24/Military_Attack_ambushes_field_to_win_HK_Gold_Cup/

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What's New In Social Media? ? Career Partners International ...

by Elaine Varelas CPI Boston Keystone Partners

I know of at least a few HR traditionalists who are secretly hoping that the social media frenzy will quickly go the way of the mimeograph machine and typewriter, becoming obsolete and fading away. In fact, the opposite is happening. According to a comScore report, social networking accounts for one of every six minutes spent online. It?s growing exponentially and has a significant and dynamic impact on business. Having a social media ?presence? isn?t enough any more. Organizations that don?t have a concentrated, encompassing social media strategy are being left behind. The same is true for all job seekers and business professionals.

While social media?s early adopters may have been the ubertechies and middle-schoolers, it isn?t just the realm of teens and tweens anymore. Believe it or not, a? Pew Internet and American Life study found that the average age of Facebook users is 38! Social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter are being utilized by millions of Americans for professional endeavors including recruitment, job searches, and other career development activities. Here?s what you need to know and do to be a social media star:

Accept it ? Social media is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. It isn?t just ?fun? or ?interesting,? but is quickly emerging as a powerful tool for HR and other business areas. Once you accept this fact, you can figure out how it can (and will) impact your organization and your career. If you can learn how to harness it you, can get out in front of it.

Change your perceptions (and those of leaders) ? There is an erroneous perception that social media is just for the slacker generation. However, that is no longer the case. Social media is a viable business tool. It isn?t just for the marketing team or IT department. Used the correct way, it can drive business, attract customers and employees, aid in a job search, increase employee engagement, and help to build a brand. HR professionals may have to work within the organization to change these perceptions. Those whose job it is to take the lead on social media strategies cannot be deemed as having a less important ? or more frivolous ? job than others in the company.

Educate yourself ? If you think a Tweet is a sound a bird makes and Pinterest is a typo, it is time to learn about social media. You may have a personal understanding of social media (hey, you?re on Facebook!) or a peripheral knowledge of how the technology works but you need to build your business-based knowledge. How can you drive business, attract customers and clients, and recruit new employees? How are job seekers using it? Customers? Competitors? You can educate yourself, take a seminar, or enlist an expert at your organization to become your social media mentor.

Get a person (or a team) ? Have a designated person to work on social media strategies. If you?re in a large organization, you may need a team or a department.? Social media is fluid. It changes everyday. You can?t just put a plan in place and follow it. The plan could be obsolete within a week! You will fall behind if you don?t have that person to update and implement your plan.

Have a strategy ? It is possible to waste your time on Facebook or Pinterest (face it, we?ve all done it). While it?s okay to waste a few hours on a Saturday morning, it shouldn?t be done on business time. Have a policy of ?who? and ?what? ? who should be using the technology and how. What is expected of people in different positions? At many companies, middle managers aren?t even on LinkedIn. They may think they ?don?t have time? or that time spent on social media won?t be valued.? Management also needs to be educated about how social media can help the organization and their employees careers, not to mention how it can help them reach their own department (customers, sales, referrals, retention) goals.? Someone in the midst of career transition will also need a solid social media strategy to ensure that they get the most out of their social media efforts when it comes to their job search.

Take the lead ? Where do the social media conversations happen? Who is involved in making decisions? It should be done at the leadership level. These aren?t backroom conversations in the IT department.? Social media can reach active and passive job seekers. It can also be a valuable retention tool and help to build brand and company awareness and loyalty. It can touch almost every aspect of business, from employee engagement to the job search, so it needs to be given credence by company leaders. Not too long ago company leaders were wondering if every employee should have a computer. Leaders should be having these same conversations about social media.

Despite your secret wishful thinking, social media is here to stay?and it is changing at lightning fast speed. Instead of lamenting it, get out in front of it. It is time to embrace social media before you miss out on a tremendous business tool.

We would love to hear how your organization is using social media!

Source: http://cpikc.com/2013/02/23/whats-new-in-social-media/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=whats-new-in-social-media

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Diablo 3 heading to PlayStation 4 (and 3), part of 'strategic partnership' between Blizzard and Sony

Blizzard Entertainment's Chris Metzen announced tonight that Diablo 3 is headed to both the PlayStation 3 and 4. He announced as much during Sony's big PlayStation 4 reveal event this evening, noting that it's part of a "strategic partnership" between the two companies. He didn't say anything about how it'll change, but he did say that fans will get a chance to check out the new version at PAX East this March.

Check out our liveblog of Sony's event to get the latest news as it happens!

Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/IVQbjChm6z0/

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Hollywood couple Diane Lane and Josh Brolin split after 8 years

(Reuters) - Hollywood couple Diane Lane and Josh Brolin are divorcing after more than eight years, their representatives said on Thursday.

"I can confirm Diane Lane and Josh Brolin have decided to end their marriage," said Lane's spokeswoman, Kelly Bush.

A source close to the couple termed the split as "amicable" and said it was a mutual decision.

The divorce will be the second for both Lane and Brolin. They have no children together.

Lane, 48, who was Oscar-nominated for her role in the 2002 film "Unfaithful," and Brolin, 45, married in August 2004 after being introduced by Barbra Streisand, the actor's stepmother through her marriage to James Brolin.

Josh Brolin played a lead role in last summer's sci-fi comedy franchise "Men in Black 3" and his most recent film appearance was the January release "Gangster Squad."

(Reporting By Noreen O'Donnell in New York; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hollywood-couple-diane-lane-josh-brolin-split-8-204348628.html

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Report: Josh McRoberts, Dahntay Jones dealt before NBA trade deadline

J.J. Redick isn?t the only Orlando Magic player on the move today.

Former Duke basketball players Dahntay Jones, Elton Brand and J.J. Redick spoke to Duke alums after last night's Dallas Mavericks-Orlando Magic game. Jones and Redick were both traded today. (Photo credit: Scott McCartney)

In addition to shipping Redick to the Milwaukee Bucks, forward Josh McRoberts has reportedly been traded to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for former Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick.

McRoberts was averaging 16.7 minutes per game for the Magic, but had been a healthy scratch three of the team?s last four games. Warrick, who was already traded once this season, has played in just one game since January 28. He is expected to be immediately waived by his new team.

In Charlotte, McRoberts will join former Blue Devil Gerald Henderson, who is third on the team with 13.1 points per game.

Meanwhile, Atlanta Hawks general manager and former Blue Devil Danny Ferry made a trade to acquire a fellow Duke alum, Dahntay Jones. Guard Anthony Morrow was the compensation sent to the Dallas Mavericks to complete the trade. Jones has made 15 starts for the Mavericks this season, but has been in and out of the rotation all season. He could see time for the playoff-bound Hawks as a defensive stopper to compliment sharp-shooter Kyle Korver.

Tagged as: Dahntay Jones, Danny Ferry, Josh McRoberts

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/chronicleblogs/sports/~3/ppdVHsq1tMQ/

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Political newcomer Lincoln enters race for Connellsville mayor

By Marilyn Forbes

Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 7:12?p.m.
Updated 3 hours ago

Greg Lincoln, 39, of Connellsville, is seeking a nomination for the Democratic ticket for his first political run for office ? mayor of the City of Connellsville. Lincoln is hoping to get enough votes on the Democratic ticket in the May primary that his name will appear on the ballot in the general election in November.

Lincoln is a volunteer member of the Connellsville Park and Recreation Board.

It was because of his time serving on this city board that he decided to wanted to run for public office.

?After volunteering my time on the city's parks and recreation board, I have been able to see the truths of what is occurring in our city and feel that we all deserve better. Change is needed in order for Connellsville to prosper and I want to be part of that change,? Lincoln said.

The political newcomer feels he has a good vision for the town that he would like to pursue.

?I feel like I would be a great mayor because I have a vision of what Connellsville can be and I have the passion and energy to make that vision a reality,? said Lincoln.

Lincoln is a graduate of Connellsville Area High School and attained his BA in science at the University of South Carolina. He is presently employed with the North Fayette County Municipal Authority.

With a focus on community service and coming to the aid of others in the city, Lincoln would like to work closely with local nonprofit groups while also encouraging a stronger sense of neighbors helping neighbors.

?Community service is one of the main focus points I will have if elected and I will work with all the city's nonprofits to assist in this effort,? Lincoln said. ?I would like to get community service programs organized through our local schools to provide the opportunity for all children to see that giving back to your community is a great way to keep it safe, strong and vibrant. I would ask all citizens to take pride in your neighborhood, get involved, and keep your property maintained. Since we do have an older population throughout the city, I would ask that you offer assistance to those who may need it. Community service simply builds pride and enhances the quality of life for all citizens.?

Since his involvement with the city parks and recreation board, Lincoln has seen the need to keep the city's parks thriving and would plan to try to implement ways to not only keep them maintained but to enhance them for the community that uses them.

?Another focus point is getting funding for the parks and recreation department included in the city's budget,? Lincoln said. ?Connellsville cannot allow our parks to fall apart and deteriorate. The parks provide a safe environment for adults and kids that are full of fun and free activities. Parks also play a very big part in attracting new families to our city.?

Lincoln said concentration needs to be focused on the city's finances. He believes it's important a mayor also focuses on finding ways to attract new businesses and families into the city and to promote growth in the city. A mayor must let the people know the city is a viable place to live, work and find entertainment, he said.

?The number one issue addressing the city right now is its finances,? Lincoln said. ?The City of Connellsville is in financial distress and the citizens need to know what is occurring. The city had to take out a second loan of $650,000 loan in order to stay afloat and to help pay off the $450,000 loan from the prior year. They continue to take on additional financial burdens not knowing how much they will collect in taxes and I promise to never pass a budget that inflates revenue just to get it approved. I would also work to promote our city outside of the local area to attract new businesses here. New business will increase our tax base which the city so desperately needs and provide additional employment opportunities for our citizens.?

?As Mayor, I would be transparent in my leadership and welcome all citizens of Connellsville to be a part of the decisions that affect their town,? Lincoln, ?I personally am dedicated to building a community that will prosper for generations and if given the opportunity by the citizens, I promise to do my best and make decisions based on what is best for the entire city now and in the future.?

Lincoln and wife Leigh Ann have two children.

Marilyn Forbes is a freelance writer.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tribunereview/fayette/~3/PaNeC71uNe4/lincoln-connellsville-community

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Jesse Jackson Jr. pleads guilty to misusing campaign funds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., the son of a civil rights leader and a one-time rising star in Democratic politics, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to misusing about $750,000 in campaign money.

Jackson, 47, of Chicago, wept quietly as he entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Washington, where Judge Robert Wilkins accepted the plea.

"Guilty, your honor. I misled the American people," Jackson said after the judge asked his plea.

Jackson, who dropped out of public view last year and underwent treatment for bipolar disorder, could be sentenced to five years - the maximum allowed by law - under an agreement with prosecutors.

Wilkins scheduled sentencing for June 28.

Jackson's father, Jesse Jackson Sr., sat in the front row of a courtroom filled with family, friends and reporters during the hour-long hearing on Wednesday.

The former congressman's wife, Sandi, is expected to appear at a separate hearing at 2:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) and plead guilty to filing false tax returns that did not report the campaign money as income. She is a former member of the Chicago City Council.

Born with a name that would be known across the United States because of his father's activism and campaigns for president, Jesse Jackson Jr. was once considered among the nation's most promising black politicians.

He ran for Congress and won at age 30, serving from 1995 until resigning on November 21, citing health reasons and acknowledging he was under investigation by the FBI.

At the hearing, he expressed regret for living off his political campaign's money for years. "I fully understand the consequences of my actions," he said.

Jackson was accused of shipping a $43,350 men's Rolex watch purchased with campaign funds to his Washington address. He also shipped fur capes and parkas purchased with $5,150 in campaign funds to the Beverly Hills home of an unnamed person, the documents said.

Jackson disappeared from public view last summer and speculation swirled for weeks about his condition. He said in late June he had taken a leave of absence two weeks earlier for treatment of what was described as exhaustion.

He issued a statement on July 5 saying his health problems were more serious and he needed extended in-patient treatment for unspecified "physical and emotional ailments."

On July 11, his physician said the congressman was receiving intensive care for a "mood disorder" and was expected to make a full recovery. The Mayo Clinic announced on July 27 that Jackson had been admitted.

Jackson was treated for at least six weeks at Mayo for bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depression. It is marked by highs and lows of mood, and can be treated by medication and psychological counseling.

(Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-congressman-jesse-jackson-jr-pleads-guilty-fund-164041192.html

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iPad mini Case Review: Sena Cases Jornal for Apple iPad mini Leather Case Review

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Source: http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Board=news&Number=44246

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Quantum dots that assemble themselves

Feb. 19, 2013 ? Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other labs have demonstrated a process whereby quantum dots can self-assemble at optimal locations in nanowires, a breakthrough that could improve solar cells, quantum computing, and lighting devices.

A paper on the new technology, "Self-assembled Quantum Dots in a Nanowire System for Quantum Photonics," appears in the current issue of the scientific journal Nature Materials.

Quantum dots are tiny crystals of semiconductor a few billionths of a meter in diameter. At that size they exhibit beneficial behaviors of quantum physics such as forming electron-hole pairs and harvesting excess energy.

The scientists demonstrated how quantum dots can self-assemble at the apex of the gallium arsenide/aluminum gallium arsenide core/shell nanowire interface. Crucially, the quantum dots, besides being highly stable, can be positioned precisely relative to the nanowire's center. That precision, combined with the materials' ability to provide quantum confinement for both the electrons and the holes, makes the approach a potential game-changer.

Electrons and holes typically locate in the lowest energy position within the confines of high-energy materials in the nanostructures. But in the new demonstration, the electron and hole, overlapping in a near-ideal way, are confined in the quantum dot itself at high energy rather than located at the lowest energy states. In this case, that's the gallium-arsenide core. It's like hitting the bulls-eye rather than the periphery.

The quantum dots, as a result, are very bright, spectrally narrow and highly anti-bunched, displaying excellent optical properties even when they are located just a few nanometers from the surface -- a feature that even surprised the scientists.

"Some Swiss scientists announced that they had achieved this, but scientists at the conference had a hard time believing it," said NREL senior scientist Jun-Wei Luo, one of the co-authors of the study. Luo got to work constructing a quantum-dot-in-nanowire system using NREL's supercomputer and was able to demonstrate that despite the fact that the overall band edges are formed by the gallium Arsenide core, the thin aluminum-rich barriers provide quantum confinement both for the electrons and the holes inside the aluminum-poor quantum dot. That explains the origin of the highly unusual optical transitions.

Several practical applications are possible. The fact that stable quantum dots can be placed very close to the surface of the nanometers raises a huge potential for their use in detecting local electric and magnetic fields. The quantum dots also could be used to charge converters for better light-harvesting, as in the case of photovoltaic cells.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. M. Heiss, Y. Fontana, A. Gustafsson, G. W?st, C. Magen, D. D. O?Regan, J. W. Luo, B. Ketterer, S. Conesa-Boj, A. V. Kuhlmann, J. Houel, E. Russo-Averchi, J. R. Morante, M. Cantoni, N. Marzari, J. Arbiol, A. Zunger, R. J. Warburton, A. Fontcuberta i Morral. Self-assembled quantum dots in a nanowire system for quantum photonics. Nature Materials, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nmat3557

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/matter_energy/physics/~3/v--aBhA9qAk/130220100744.htm

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