Saturday, December 31, 2011

Inside the Newt Smackdown (talking-points-memo)

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Seeking justice for victims across borders

The nonprofit group CJA tracks down those who commit crimes in one country and flee to another ? and hauls them into court.

Last August, federal agents in Massachusetts arrested a man in his late 60s. The man, Inocente Montano, had lived quietly north of Boston since 2002. Then, in May, Mr. Montano, who had been a military officer in El Salvador in the 1980s, was indicted by a judge in Spain for his involvement in the 1989 killings of six Jesuit priests and two women during the civil war. Now Montano endures home detention, facing US immigration charges, held by one government and wanted by another.?

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American law enforcement has arrested hundreds of people like Montano ? foreign former military commanders or officials now living in the United States despite involvement abroad in torture, extrajudicial killings, or other serious human rights abuses. These hundreds are dwarfed by the survivors around the world who are themselves victims of such acts or are relatives of the abused or dead.

For many survivors it has been decades since they were harmed. They have been denied by politics or corruption any redress in their home countries. Their histories show that one consequence of war is that peace may offer no justice.

A small San Francisco-based nonprofit organization called the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA) works to find a measure of justice ? and, just as importantly, truth ? for such victims.

??So often what happens in cases involving state-sanctioned violence is the state also hides any evidence,? says Pamela Merchant, the CJA?s director.? ?It?s hugely important for survivors to have their stories acknowledged at all.?

Montano was named in a 1993 United Nations report on human rights abuses during the Salvadoran war. It was the CJA that in 2008 first filed a criminal complaint in Spain for the Jesuits? killings (20 people were included in the May indictments).? It was the CJA that finally found Montano living outside Boston and publicized his past, leading to his arrest by US authorities for not disclosing his military career on his immigration applications.?

Yet much more of CJA?s work has focused on litigation in US courts to achieve civil judgments for clients from Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.?

?Most of our cases are civil litigation ? often we never see any money [from judgments]; it?s more about [having] your day in court and confronting the atrocity and the abuser, and having the opportunity to tell the truth,? Ms. Merchant says.

Along with pro bono counsel, the CJA (with just 10 employees) has won millions of dollars in judgments for its clients and has brought the importance of human rights to the attention of American politicians and news media.?

Even in victory, though, the CJA?s cases often depict a dismaying reality: After a war, peace, no matter how welcome, can fail to deliver justice and transparency.

In a 2008 result in Florida, the CJA won a $37 million judgment against a former army officer in Peru who led a 1985 massacre of villagers high in the Andes Mountains. The incident was one of the worst in the conflict between Peru and the Shining Path insurgents. The CJA?s clients, two women, then 12 years old, watched the officer and his men shoot their families and burn them alive. As many as 69 people were killed in what became known as the Accomarca Massacre.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/wT_wEl79A00/Seeking-justice-for-victims-across-borders

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Friday, December 30, 2011

NY bill would require bachelor's degrees for RNs

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) ? New registered nurses would have to earn bachelor's degrees within 10 years to keep working in New York under a bill lawmakers are considering as part of a national push to raise educational standards for nurses, even as the health care industry faces staffing shortages.

The "BSN in 10" initiative backed by nursing associations and major health policy organizations aims to attack the complex problem of too few nurses trained to care for an aging population that includes hundreds of thousands of nurses expected to retire in the coming years. But some in the health care industry worry that increased education requirements could worsen the problem by discouraging entrants into the field.

Currently, most registered nurses have two-year associate's degrees. No state requires a four-year degree for initial licensing or afterward, though New Jersey and Rhode Island have considered proposals similar to New York's over the past several years. New York's legislation died in committee last session, but it has bipartisan support in both chambers this year and could be debated as early as January.

Demand for more skilled nurses is increasing as the population gets older and has more chronic diseases, and as the new federal health care law promises to help 32 million more Americans gain insurance within a few years.

Federal health officials have recommended upgrading nurse education to BSNs for more than a decade, and the idea got a boost in a 2010 report, "The Future of Nursing," by the National Academy of Sciences nonprofit Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. As of 2008, about a third of RNs had bachelor's degrees or higher, according to federal statistics. The institute recommended increasing that to 80 percent by 2020.

Advocates say that in addition to improving patient care, a key reason for requiring more education is to put more nurses in position to move on to jobs in administration and in-demand specialties like oncology, and to teach at nursing schools, where the average faculty age is 53.

"More and more hospitals are looking to hire BSNs, but the catch is that not that many schools offer the RN-to-BSN program or have the faculty to teach it," said Sharon Shockness, an adjunct teacher at Mercy College in Westchester County.

The New York bill's main sponsors, Democratic Assemblyman Joseph Morelle of Rochester and Republican Sen. James Alesi of Monroe County, said the bill is needed to further professionalize nursing. Both serve on their respective higher education committees and represent districts that include University of Rochester Medical Center and St. John Fisher College, which have BSN programs.

In addition to helping provide future teachers, the lawmakers say the added education and critical thinking skills are needed as patient care has become more sophisticated and studies show staff with higher levels of education serve patients better.

In a memo supporting the bill, the New York State Nurses Association cites a 2003 University of Pennsylvania study that found every 10 percent increase in staffing by nurses with bachelor's degrees results in a 5 percent decrease in surgical deaths.

Current registered nurses would be exempt from the education requirement to prevent driving more nurses from the field.

"This bill shouldn't discourage anyone at this point because it doesn't involve anyone even applying for licensure right now ... and 10 years is a long time to get a degree that will give you better pay," Alesi said.

Alesi contends the measure will "improve the landscape of nursing" by increasing the pool of RNs who can go on to obtain master's degrees and teach.

Researchers say almost 900,000 of the nation's roughly 3 million licensed RNs are older than 50, and while there's been an uptick in new, younger nurses, shortages are still expected as the health care industry continues to add nursing jobs. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated in 2009 that almost 582,000 new RN jobs would be created by 2018.

Federal projections in 2004, the most recent available, forecast a shortfall of 54,000 RN jobs in New York by 2020; the state currently has about 170,000 working nurses. But the state and national shortage estimates have varied greatly as the overall economy and national health policy have changed. A study published this year in the journal Health Affairs reports a surge among younger RNs entering the workforce, pointing to an easing of a national shortage previously forecast to reach 400,000 by 2020.

That shortage concerns New York's health care providers.

William Van Slyke, spokesman for the Healthcare Association of New York State, said the organization representing health care networks and hospitals supports having a better educated nursing workforce, but opposes a four-year degree mandate.

One problem, he said, is the lack of nursing faculty ? the same issue advocates say the bill would address.

"If you start the clock and you don't have the educational system, we may find ourselves having to turn away staff and have shortages," Van Slyke said.

The association has proposed legislation that would provide incentives like loan forgiveness to encourage people to become nurse educators, he said, but lawmakers haven't taken up the idea.

Morelle, the Assembly sponsor, said the state's community colleges also have expressed concerns that the requirement will cut into the number of people seeking the 2-year degrees they offer.

"Their classes are overflowing," Morelle said, and there is a "whole host of programs" that allow students to progress from a 2-year to a 4-year program.

A spokesman for the New York nurses association said New York City metropolitan area hospitals are increasingly requiring new RNs to have a bachelor's degree or earn one within five years, creating a disparity in standards between downstate and upstate, where fewer candidates have four-year degrees.

"Even without the legislation in place, hospitals and other medical facilities are making hiring decisions that favor those with BSN degrees over those without them," said Dr. Peggy Tallier, program director and associate professor in nursing school health at Mercy College.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2011-12-30-NY%20Nurse%20Education/id-241628b7062445eeb3475d279bc63cd5

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Chelsea: Chinese trio line-up for Drogba

Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande are plotting an ambitious bid for Didier Drogba which would make him the world's highest-paid player.

The Chelsea striker is out of contract at the end of the season and hasn't been impressed by the club's offer of a new one-year deal as he wants more security.
Tottenham and AC Milan have been waiting in the wings for some time but the 33-year-old could opt instead for a lucrative switch to the Far-East.
The Super League champions Evergande aren't the only Chinese team interested in signing him, with Shanghai Shenhua also expressing a desire to reunite the Ivory Coast international with Nicolas Anelka.
Dalian Aerbin are very keen as well and have reportedly offered the player a three-year deal worth ?30m or put another way, ?200,000 a week.
However, Evergrande are ready to top even that by paying him in excess of the ?350,000 a week that Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala shell out for Samuel Eto'o.

Source: http://www.clubcall.com/chelsea/chinese-trio-line-up-for-drogba-1359906.html

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Mark Wahlberg Explains Why His 'Planet Of The Apes' Reboot Failed

When "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" hit theaters earlier this year, fans and critics were quick to compare it to another "Apes" reboot: the Tim Burton-directed 2001 flick "Planet of the Apes." Both sought to bring new life to the "Apes" franchise, but while "Rise" was met with glowing reviews, Burton's faced a [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/12/29/mark-wahlberg-planet-of-the-apes-tim-burton/

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Obligatory: Obama plays 90th round of golf in Hawaii

posted at 6:00 pm on December 27, 2011 by Tina Korbe

This would be a blas? bit of news if 90 weren?t such a nice, round number, but, as it is, this represents a record of sorts. Not only did Barack Obama golf on Christmas day, but he hit the links yesterday, too ? and that round marked the 90th of his presidency. As Keith Koffler of WhiteHouseDossier.com points out, the time he?s spent on a golf course ? about four to five hours a round ? is the equivalent of three full months.

It?s not just that his perpetual self-indulgence signifies that ?kind of laziness? the president himself admits plagues him deep down. It?s also that this particular indulgence required an exceptional sacrifice from the military men and women who had to accommodate his desire to golf at the Marine Corps base. Melissa Clouthier breaks it down, including a few particularly devastating comments from wives of Marines:

Well, the big deal is that a bunch of Marines had to work?blocking roads and doing other miscellaneous security detail?instead of being home with their families.

Here are some of the comments from the wives of these men. (I am not going to include the link to this page, nor am I going to include names, because I don?t want anyone in trouble. I do, however, have the screen shot and have copy and pasted the comments verbatim.) ?

?Because he?s here, I didn?t get to see my husband all weekend, on our baby girl?s first Christmas, so he can have his vacation. So when I can?t get to my house because he wants to play golf it just adds insult to injury and yeah, gets on my nerves. I agree that it?s a sensitive subject for some of us who are more [a]ffected by his being here.? ?

I was so angry! They blocked off my driveway? -_-?

?It takes him forever to play too because he isn?t good at it either lol!?

She dubs him ?President Selfish,? and I think that moniker is more than appropriate.

?

Source: http://hotair.com/archives/2011/12/27/obligatory-obama-plays-90th-round-of-golf-in-hawaii/

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Silhouettes Of Wedding Dresses ( by whiteshuai in Nanjing, China )

Are you ?orrying about which wedding d?ess to choos? f?r y?ur wedding day?Are ?ou a ?it overw?elmed by the many different kinds of wedding dr?sses su?h as mat?rnity wedding d?esses, Pregnancy wedding dresse? and ?o ?n? Before y?u go to the shop fo? your wedding dress,I think it's necessa?y fo? you to lea?n some kn?wledges about wedd?ng dresses.The most expens?ve wedding dress ma? not be the on? wh?ch fits you very mu?h.You must choose following you? ?wn bod? type.There are ?any Silhouettes of wedding dresses,but not all ?f them fit you.S? ?ou should hav? a little kn?wledge of Silhouettes to help you ma?e a g?od choice.

Silhouette refer? to th? overall s?ape of a gown. It'? th? ?ost essential element t? a?sess, because ? gown's sha?e is ?ts bedroc? ,and it's what ?ets the mood for you? entir? look.Below i? the ma?n ty?es ?f Sihouettes you ?ill find for wedding dresses.
Ball Gown:The Cinderella d?ess,with a fitted cor?et bodice and a full, multi-layered skirt.The waistlines are eithe? "V" sh?ped, natural, higher than natural, or lower on your ?ips.This gown sh?pe ?s great for those ?ho a?e not fond of their ?ips, buttocks ?r thighs.
A-Line:Like the ball go?n, an A-Line d?ess also has ? fitted b?dice th?t is cut cl?se to the rib cage,but fr?m the wa?st down it will have a nice capital A shape.T?is type of dress has a very nice,?lean l?ne to ?t that is eleg?nt ?nd versatile.
Sheath:Simple eleg?nce ?s achieved a? thi? shape follows the natural ?ody c?rves fro? s?oulder to ?em. They are often c?t on the ?ias, whi?h m?ans t?ey w?ll cling t? your sh?pe. Most ?re strapless ?nd even backless.A ver? sexy dress f?r very sexy bodies.
Mermaid:A Mer?aid s?lhouette is a type of sh?ath ?here t?e ski?t fla?es o?t ?elow the knee.

Do yo? want a ball gown,a sheath,or ? Mermaid?Have yo? found which type fits ?ou very muc?.And are those wedding dresses ?n the local shops too ?xpensive for you?Then you can th?nk about buying your wedding dress online.It's usually cheap?r and ?lso ?ith go?d quality.

Source: http://www.hereorthere.com/members/whiteshuai/experience/3518

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'This Week' Transcript: 2011 Year in Review (ABC News)

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Ukraine mulling investing USD 1 billion in Iranian oil fields ...

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December 26, 2011 at 1:11 AM by AHN ? ?

AHN News Staff

Keiv, Ukraine (AHN) ? In order develop three oil fields in Iran, a Ukrainian company on Sunday announced its plans to invest USD 1 billion in the war-hit Middle Eastern nation.

Ukraine?s Inter Naft Gas Prom Pars is expected to sign the agreement with Iran?s Petroleum Engineering and Development Company by March next year.

The Ukrainian company is expected to produce 10,000 and 25,000 barrels of oil per day from Koohmond, Boushkan and Kouhkali oil fields in the first and second phase respectively.

Ukraine?s announcement came less than a week after local media claimed that Russian Tatarstan republic?s Tatneft Oil Company signed a contract with an Iranian company for Zagheh oil field?s development in southern Iran ? a claim later denied by Tatneft Oil Company.

Under the United Nations? sanctions, no country is allowed to invest in Iran?s oil and gas projects, prompting the several western energy giants like Shell and Total to withdraw their investments from the country.

The Islamic Republic is accused of developing nuclear power under civilian cover ? a charge Tehran strongly denies and claims it is for peaceful purposes. However, it fails to convince the West.

Article ? AHN ? All Rights Reserved


Source: http://gantdaily.com/2011/12/26/ukraine-mulling-investing-usd-1-billion-in-iranian-oil-fields/

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Recent attacks by radical Muslim sect in Nigeria (AP)

A look at recent major attacks in Nigeria attributed to the radical Muslim sect known locally as Boko Haram:

? Dec. 25: Boko Haram claims responsibility for an attack on a Catholic church in Madalla near Nigeria's capital that kills 35 people and wounds 52. The sect shoots and kills a police officer after a failed bombing at a church in Jos, as a suicide bomber detonates a car full of explosives outside the Yobe state office for the country's secret police, killing three.

? Dec. 22-24: Sect members fight with police and military forces around the city of Damaturu, leaving at least 61 people dead.

? Nov. 4: Sect members bomb government buildings and shoot their way through the city of Damaturu, killing more than 100 people, while bombs and a suicide attack in Maiduguri leave 4 dead.

? Aug. 26: A sect member detonates a car loaded with explosives at the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria's capital Abuja, killing 24 people and wounding another 116.

? June 16: A car loaded with explosives detonates at the federal police headquarters in Abuja, killing at least two people. Police first call the attack a suicide bombing, but later deny it.

? April 9: Gunmen from the sect set fire to the Maiduguri International Hotel and kill a politician ahead of local elections.

? April 8: A bomb allegedly planted by the sect explodes at an election office in Suleja in Niger state, killing 16 people.

? Jan. 28: Gunmen with the sect shoot and kill the leading candidate for governor in Borno state along with six others in his entourage.

? Dec. 31, 2010: A bomb allegedly planted by the sect explodes at a crowded and popular outdoor beer garden at a military barracks in Abuja, killing at least four people.

? Dec. 24, 2010: A series of bombs allegedly planted by the group explode in the central Nigerian city of Jos, killing as many as 80 people.

? Sept. 7, 2010: Gunmen with the sect free about 700 inmates from a Bauchi federal prison.

? July 2009: About 700 people die after sect members riot and a security crackdown hits Maiduguri, the sect's spiritual home.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_af/af_nigeria_violence_glance

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Monday, December 26, 2011

vodafone_es: @enrikem me confirman que es una incidencia, est?n trabajando en solventarla a la mayor brevedad. Disculpas!

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@enrikem me confirman que es una incidencia, est?n trabajando en solventarla a la mayor brevedad. Disculpas! vodafone_es

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American Idol's David Archuleta Pausing Career for Church Mission

On Wednesday American Idol's David Archuleta Pausing Career for Church Mission was a top story. Here is the recap: American Idol star David Archuleta is putting his music career on hold for two year so that he can go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Archuleta broke the news to fans at a Christmas concert Monday night in Salt Lake City, Utah and reportedly received a standing ovation from the crowd. He released video of the announcement on his website.

In the video he tells fans: "It's not because someone told me that I'm supposed to do it, and not because I no longer want to do music, but because it's the feeling that I've felt I need to do this with my life."

Watch video of the announcement - here.

antiMUSIC News featured on RockNews.info and Yahoo News

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Source: http://www.antimusic.com/news/11/dec/ts21American_Idols_David_Archuleta_Pausing_Career_for_Church_Mission.shtml

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

Noise-free spectroscopy: Reversing the problem clarifies molecular structure

ScienceDaily (Dec. 23, 2011) ? Optical techniques enable us to examine single molecules, but do we really understand what we are seeing? After all, the fuzziness caused by effects such as light interference makes these images very difficult to interpret. Researchers at the University of Twente's MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology adopted a "reverse" approach to spectroscopy which cleaned up images by eliminating background noise.

The researchers presented their findings in Physical Review Letters.

Rather than starting with the laser beam, the trick is to take the molecule you are studying as the starting point. This radical "reversal" led to a relatively simple modification of conventional CARS spectroscopy, which delivered better images. CARS was already a powerful technique which used lasers to visualize molecules for such purposes as food testing and medical imaging. One advantage is that no fluorescent labels are needed to make the molecules visible. However, background noise complicates the task of interpreting the resultant images. This new approach eliminates such noise completely, leaving only the "real" image. More information than ever before, such as accurate details of the substance's concentration, can be obtained using this technique. It is easier to detect the signature of the molecule in question.

Energy

The key to side-stepping the overwhelming complexity involved lay in Prof. Shaul Mukamel's exhortation to just "Look at the molecule!" (the professor, who holds a post at the University of California, collaborated on the present publication). So don't focus on the way that light interacts with the molecule, as this makes it very difficult -- even impossible -- to "separate the wheat from the chaff" and reveal the real image. Instead, start by examining the energy levels inside the molecule. Previous work, based on Prof. Mukamel's exhortation, has mainly led to the development of new theories. The University of Twente researchers have now translated this theory into the new technique of Vibrational Molecular Interferometry, which will vastly expand the uses of CARS and other techniques.

This study was conducted in Prof. Jennifer Herek's Optical Sciences group. The research group is part of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology of the University of Twente. The study was funded in part by the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), and partly from the VICI grant previously awarded to Jennifer Herek by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

The publication, entitled "Background-free nonlinear microspectroscopy with vibrational molecular interferometry," by Erik Garbacik, Jeroen Korterik, Cees Otto, Shaul Mukamel, Jennifer Herek and Herman Offerhaus, was published on 16 December, in the online edition of Physical Review Letters.

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Journal Reference:

  1. Erik Garbacik, Jeroen Korterik, Cees Otto, Shaul Mukamel, Jennifer Herek, Herman Offerhaus. Background-Free Nonlinear Microspectroscopy with Vibrational Molecular Interferometry. Physical Review Letters, 2011; 107 (25) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.253902

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://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111223091329.htm

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ApunKaChoice: I posted 2 photos on Facebook in the album "Don 2 Wallpapers - Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta" http://t.co/O6HV23N9

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

[OOC] Cherry Blossom Cafe

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Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Cherry Blossom Cafe?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.


Hi can i reserve one of the waitresses please?

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inara1917
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Can I reserve the other waitress please. This sounds fun.

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snipergirl24
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Can I reserve the bus boy?

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HoneyDoodle
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Can I reserve the cupcake decorator (girl)

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mgoodwin2
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'Dark Knight Rises' Buildup Brings Year Of Questions, Expectations

Despite trailer, Christopher Nolan's Batman film is shrouded in secrecy.
By Eric Ditzian


Christian Bale in "The Dark Knight Rises"
Photo: Warner Bros.

The "Dark Knight Rises" trailer left the MTV News movie staff with a whole fresh set of questions: Is Robin really in the movie? Why is Bruce Wayne walking with a cane? But in a way, there was something very familiar about our state of mind after checking out the new footage.

That's because, since the beginning of the year, we've been consumed with burning questions about Christopher Nolan's third Batman film. And at every turn, we'd tried to get answers to those questions, hitting up the film's stars time and time again. Sometimes, we came away with new insights. Sometimes, answers only led to another set of queries. There's something exasperating about this whole endeavor — but also something awesome. And the movie doesn't even hit theaters for another seven months.

When it does finally arrive, will the film deliver a definite end point to the story line Nolan and his cohorts have been spinning since 2005's "Batman Begins"? After all, Nolan himself promised us back in February, before production even began on the project, that it would: "We're very much excited about really finishing a trilogy and giving a conclusion to our story," he said. "And that's what we're doing."

By the end of the year, after shooting had wrapped, co-star Gary Oldman assured us Nolan had stuck to that promise. "There's a conclusion," he said. "[Nolan] brings and he touches on the first [film, 'Batman Begins'] and he weaves it in, and it resolves. And I think it's a trilogy, but it's just great. The story is terrific. I mean, it's just epic."

So, a tiny bit of confirmation there. Yet Oldman also laughed afterward, "I can't say anything!" That was a theme we heard repeated again and again during the year. When we asked Joseph Gordon-Levitt if his character was Robin, he answered, "You know I can't have this conversation!" When we pressed Tom Hardy about his role as the villain Bane, he exclaimed, "I can't [talk about it], so let's have another question!" And when we wondered whether Marion Cotillard was telling us the truth when she claimed her character, contrary to rumor, would not in fact turn out to be Talia al Ghul, the daughter of "Batman Begins" villain, Ra's al Ghul, the actress responded with a sly smile, "I am!"

We're not sure what's more impressive: Nolan's oeuvre or his ability to keep his actors' lips sealed. They would, however, say one thing without worrying about giving up a "Dark Knight Rises" spoiler: Everyone loves Nolan. "It's genius, what he does," Hardy shared. Cotillard told us, "It's amazing to work on Christopher Nolan's set," while Nestor Carbonell added, "He's one of these amazing storytellers."

If anyone could sum up the year in "Dark Knight Rises" news, though, it was Liam Neeson, who may or may not actually be in the movie (though we're pretty sure he is) and who told us simply that he doesn't have "a f---ing clue what it's about!"

Well put, Mr. Neeson. Us too. But we can't wait to find out.

Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

Related Videos Related Photos

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676426/dark-knight-rises-news-2011.jhtml

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Mapping for the Agile business | The Mindjet Blog

Recently I read a post by Chuck Frey where he highlighted nine information maps for managers and I was struck how mapping uniquely helps teams be more agile. But, before I get into that, for those who haven?t been introduced to the concept ? what do I mean by being more agile?

Agile is typically software development term, but the method is increasingly being applied across business functions. Here?s a pretty good excerpt from CIO Magazine breaks it down.

Agile programming breaks down an application development project into small modularized pieces. Each piece, addressed one at a time in a very short time frame, adds to the application and represents a complete part of the functionality.

Each piece is an iteration that lasts from one to four weeks. As a result, you know immediately when a particular piece of an application proves troublesome. That lets you work through the issue immediately.

Each iteration is like a mini-project by itself.

Here?s how Agile practices work outside of engineering. For example, you have a marketing outreach campaign that runs for 13 weeks and incorporates several executions that include email, banner ads and direct response. By building a map you can then use it as a dynamic road map- providing strategy, an outline of your tactics, for note taking and then as report on the campaign?s success.? For each ensuing week you can iterate and improve upon your campaign with the knowledge that you?ve acquired along the way.

With Agile business practices you can affect change much earlier so your results are optimized. Beyond marketing and development, Agile can lend itself to strategic planning, HR and talent management, business development and sales management.

After reading Chuck?s post it?s clear that information maps are the perfect complement to the Agile process.? Why?

  1. They assist in planning to help teams collectively decide what they can do and what?s necessary to achieve the immediate goal.
  2. Maps can be leveraged as a team dashboard. They provide a visual recording of the plan, discussion and direction. Team members can track status, keep notes and quickly move from high level goals and/or drill down into minute details as required.
  3. They are a real-time resource that provides a snapshot for team members to review, learn and improve.
  4. Team members can leverage online maps to share progress, information and files regardless of location.
  5. Maps are dynamic.? As such they can be easily updated to incorporate the latest thinking, success metric or resolution.

If you want to check it out the Chuck?s complete report, Mind Maps for Leaders & Managers report, click here.? Got other tips to make your business more Agile?? Let us know!

Source: http://blog.mindjet.com/2011/12/mapping-for-the-agile-business

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Video: Deal reached to extend payroll tax cut

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

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45770121#45770121

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Estimating global malaria incidence

Estimating global malaria incidence [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 20-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Clare Weaver
press@plos.org
44-122-344-2834
Public Library of Science

Estimates of malaria incidence derived from routine surveillance data suggest that 225 million episodes of malaria occurred worldwide in 2009. This estimate is lower than other published figures, such as those from the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), particularly for estimates of malaria incidence outside Africa. Richard Cibulskis and colleagues at the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland present a critique of different estimation methods of the worldwide incidence of malaria in this week's PLoS Medicine.

Knowing the burden of malaria in any country is an essential component of public health planning and accurately estimating the global burden is essential to monitor progress towards the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. In this study the authors produced their estimate by analysing routine surveillance reports compiled by national health ministries and conducted a statistical analysis to determine the range of uncertainty of their estimates.

The researchers also compared the strengths and weaknesses of surveillance-based and cartographic-based (relying on surveys) malaria incidence estimation methods, finding that although at present malaria surveillance systems currently miss at least 90% of cases, accurate surveillance has both temporal and spatial advantages over population survey data and should therefore be the ultimate goal for malaria control programmes.

The authors say: "To strengthen surveillance requires a critical evaluation of all the types of error we have identified in this paper. Only with investigations of this kind can we confidently assess malaria burden and trends, and the return on investments in control programs."

In an accompanying Perspective, Ivo Mueller, Laurence Slutsker, and Marcel Tanner (uninvolved in the research study) highlight the importance of using complementary methods to estimate the burden of malaria and call for a renewed focus on efficient malaria surveillance. These authors say: "[Both methods used in the research article] have their unique strengths and weaknesses, and rather than seeing them as competing approaches, they should be synergistically combined."

They continue: "Ultimately, good quality and up-to-date information on malaria burden will become even more important for both monitoring and operational purposes as malaria control activities are further intensified."

###

Research article by Richard Cibulskis and colleagues

Funding: REC, MA, RW, MO, and CD are employed by the World Health Organization. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this paper, which do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy or views of the WHO. Financial support from the Global Fund (GL.GLO.ATM.501.FG.06) is gratefully acknowledged. The funding source had no involvement in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation: Cibulskis RE, Aregawi M, Williams R, Otten M, Dye C (2011) Worldwide Incidence of Malaria in 2009: Estimates, Time Trends, and a Critique of Methods. PLoS Med 8(12): e1001142. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001142

CONTACT:

Richard Cibulskis
Global Malaria Programme
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria & Neglected Tropical Diseases Cluster
World Health Organization
>Geneva
Switzerland
cibulskisr@who.int

Perspective by Ivo Mueller, Laurence Slutsker and Marcel Tanner

Funding: This work was in part supported by the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation: Mueller I, Slutsker L, Tanner M (2011) Estimating the Burden of Malaria: The Need for Improved Surveillance. PLoS Med 8(12): e1001144. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001144

CONTACT:

Ivo Mueller
Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB)
Barcelona
Spain
ivomueller@fastmail.fm



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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


Estimating global malaria incidence [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 20-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Clare Weaver
press@plos.org
44-122-344-2834
Public Library of Science

Estimates of malaria incidence derived from routine surveillance data suggest that 225 million episodes of malaria occurred worldwide in 2009. This estimate is lower than other published figures, such as those from the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), particularly for estimates of malaria incidence outside Africa. Richard Cibulskis and colleagues at the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland present a critique of different estimation methods of the worldwide incidence of malaria in this week's PLoS Medicine.

Knowing the burden of malaria in any country is an essential component of public health planning and accurately estimating the global burden is essential to monitor progress towards the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. In this study the authors produced their estimate by analysing routine surveillance reports compiled by national health ministries and conducted a statistical analysis to determine the range of uncertainty of their estimates.

The researchers also compared the strengths and weaknesses of surveillance-based and cartographic-based (relying on surveys) malaria incidence estimation methods, finding that although at present malaria surveillance systems currently miss at least 90% of cases, accurate surveillance has both temporal and spatial advantages over population survey data and should therefore be the ultimate goal for malaria control programmes.

The authors say: "To strengthen surveillance requires a critical evaluation of all the types of error we have identified in this paper. Only with investigations of this kind can we confidently assess malaria burden and trends, and the return on investments in control programs."

In an accompanying Perspective, Ivo Mueller, Laurence Slutsker, and Marcel Tanner (uninvolved in the research study) highlight the importance of using complementary methods to estimate the burden of malaria and call for a renewed focus on efficient malaria surveillance. These authors say: "[Both methods used in the research article] have their unique strengths and weaknesses, and rather than seeing them as competing approaches, they should be synergistically combined."

They continue: "Ultimately, good quality and up-to-date information on malaria burden will become even more important for both monitoring and operational purposes as malaria control activities are further intensified."

###

Research article by Richard Cibulskis and colleagues

Funding: REC, MA, RW, MO, and CD are employed by the World Health Organization. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this paper, which do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy or views of the WHO. Financial support from the Global Fund (GL.GLO.ATM.501.FG.06) is gratefully acknowledged. The funding source had no involvement in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation: Cibulskis RE, Aregawi M, Williams R, Otten M, Dye C (2011) Worldwide Incidence of Malaria in 2009: Estimates, Time Trends, and a Critique of Methods. PLoS Med 8(12): e1001142. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001142

CONTACT:

Richard Cibulskis
Global Malaria Programme
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria & Neglected Tropical Diseases Cluster
World Health Organization
>Geneva
Switzerland
cibulskisr@who.int

Perspective by Ivo Mueller, Laurence Slutsker and Marcel Tanner

Funding: This work was in part supported by the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation: Mueller I, Slutsker L, Tanner M (2011) Estimating the Burden of Malaria: The Need for Improved Surveillance. PLoS Med 8(12): e1001144. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001144

CONTACT:

Ivo Mueller
Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB)
Barcelona
Spain
ivomueller@fastmail.fm



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/plos-egm121511.php

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Ask and Answer Questions About Facebook Timeline [Help Yourself]

Ask and Answer Questions About Facebook TimelineEvery day we're on the lookout for ways to make your work easier and your life better, but Lifehacker readers are smart, insightful folks with all kinds of expertise to share, and we want to give everyone regular access to that exceptional hive mind. Help Yourself is a daily thread where readers can ask and answer questions about tech, productivity, life hacks, and whatever else you need help with.

Facebook has finally launched the long awaited Timeline feature. We've shown you how to enable and edit your timeline, but make sure your ready for the changes since you can't turn Timeline off once you've turned it on. Ask and answer questions about enabling, setting up, and using Facebook Timeline in the comments.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/1lesT2W-hBE/ask-and-answer-questions-about-facebook-timeline

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Woman set afire in elevator of her NYC building

This Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 surveillance photo provided by the New York (City) Police Dept. shows a suspect wanted in connection with a homicide, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A woman burned to death in the elevator of her Brooklyn apartment building Saturday afternoon after a man ambushed her, sprayed her with liquid and set her afire with a Molotov cocktail, police said. (AP Photo/New York Police Dept.)

This Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 surveillance photo provided by the New York (City) Police Dept. shows a suspect wanted in connection with a homicide, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A woman burned to death in the elevator of her Brooklyn apartment building Saturday afternoon after a man ambushed her, sprayed her with liquid and set her afire with a Molotov cocktail, police said. (AP Photo/New York Police Dept.)

Police arrive at the scene where a woman burned to death in the elevator of her apartment building after a man ambushed her, sprayed her with liquid and set her afire with a Molotov cocktail, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Jaime Holguin)

Police arrive at the scene where a woman burned to death in the elevator of her apartment building after a man ambushed her, sprayed her with liquid and set her afire with a Molotov cocktail, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Jaime Holguin)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A woman burned to death in the elevator of her Brooklyn apartment building Saturday after a man ambushed her, sprayed her with liquid and set her afire with a Molotov cocktail, police said.

The unidentified man was waiting for the woman, who was in her 60s, when the elevator doors opened to her floor of the Prospect Heights building. The man sprayed her with an accelerant and set her on fire, New York City police spokesman Paul Browne said.

"It was apparent he knew she was on the elevator," he said.

No arrests had been made as of Saturday night and police were still searching for the suspect.

The brutal attack happened shortly after 4 p.m., lasted about a minute and was recorded by two video cameras, including one inside the small elevator.

Brown said the video showed the elevator doors opening to the fifth floor where the woman's apartment was located and the assailant stepping in and spraying the woman.

The woman, who had grocery bags in her arms, turned about 180 degrees and then crouched in an attempt to protect herself, he said. But the man sprayed her directly in the face and continued to spray her "sort of methodically" over her head and parts of her body as the bags draped off her arms. She turned around and retreated to the back of the elevator.

At some point, Browne said, the suspect then pulled out a barbeque-style lighter, used it to ignite a rag in a bottle and then waited for a few seconds before using the flames to set her afire, causing smoke to fill the elevator.

The man backed out as the woman fell to the floor of the elevator, Browne said, and seemed to pause before tossing the bottle inside the elevator onto the woman.

Browne would not comment on the motive in the killing, but said the suspect knew his victim. Police did not identify the woman pending notification of relatives.

Investigators believe the suspect fled down the stairs of the building, he said.

Police released still images of the man Saturday night, showing him in a black jacket, wearing what appear to be surgical gloves and with a white dust mask perched atop his head like a pair of sunglasses. He is holding what appears to be a canister with a nozzle and spraying as he steps into the elevator.

Neighbors reported a fire in the building, unaware that the woman, who police declined to identify, was burning to death in the elevator.

Residents were evacuated from the six-story building for hours Saturday night.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-18-Woman%20Torched/id-1ca25e930fa9486fbe0948453d8af8dd

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Europe's banks face new credit squeeze (AP)

PARIS ? The rates banks charge to lend dollars to one another are at their highest since late september as the financial system faces a new credit squeeze.

A slew of bad news has hit European banks this week. Five large lenders were downgraded and a sixth, Commerzbank, has seen its stock plummet amid speculation it might need more government support.

Banks depend on loans from each other for a large part of their daily funding. When fears grow that a bank may fail, that credit market tightens.

Banks are also under pressure due to the risky government debt they hold, while their stocks are plunging and governments want them to keep more cash in rainy-day funds.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_banks

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

The BIGGEST battles in WWE history

Giants have been one of sports-entertainment?s most popular attractions since the 1950s when plodding behemoths like Happy Humphrey and Haystacks Calhoun used their ample girth to break canvases across the country. Andre the Giant changed the game in the 1970s when he proved that a big man could actually move. Today, massive Superstars like Big Show and Kane are taking it even further by throwing their weight around in ways never thought possible. (PHOTOS)

With The World?s Largest Athlete set to square off with World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry at WWE TLC, (MATCH PREVIEW) WWE.com decided to weigh in on some of the most gargantuan big man battles in WWE history. Surprisingly, none of them occurred in the buffet line at Golden Corral.

1327695607001|03:53The Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzales

Total combined weight: 755 pounds

From the 450-pound King Kong Bundy to the monstrous Kane, The Undertaker has felled more giants than any Superstar in WWE history, but none of The Deadman?s opponents matched the towering height of the 8-foot-tall Giant Gonzales. A man-beast from the mountains of Argentina, Gonzales looked like a Ripley?s Believe It or Not! exhibit come to life and nearly dealt The Undertaker his first loss on The Grandest Stage of Them All when the heavy hitters clashed at WrestleMania IX. Of course, The Demon from Death Valley survived ? as he always does ? and went on to lay the giant to rest for good at SummerSlam in 1993.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Bastion Booger1327659295001|02:08

Total combined weight: 791 pounds

Shortlisted by greats like Bret ?Hit Man? Hart as one of the most gifted big men of all time, Bam Bam Bigelow busted scales at 390 pounds, but he could cartwheel and moonsault like a cruiserweight. Bastion Booger, on the other hand, was just a guy who liked to abuse his make-your-own-sundae bar privileges. In January of 1994, the superheavyweights tested the integrity of the Raw ring after Bam Bam caught the human garbage can slobbering over his main squeeze, the unpredictable Luna Vachon. Bigelow flicked Booger in a few minutes, but it took the ring crew hours to clean up the stains the ogre left behind.

1327634981001|01:25Big Show vs. The Great Khali

Total combined weight: 861 pounds

The World?s Largest Athlete and The Punjabi Titan could have formed a friendship based on a shared love of roomy slacks and a mutual hatred of compact cars. Instead, they became heated rivals who clashed in grand fashion at Backlash in 2008. Looking to reclaim his spot as WWE's giant after losing to Floyd Mayweather at WrestleMania, the 7-footer targeted the biggest dog in the yard ? The Great Khali. The colossus tried to prevent the bout by offering his opponent a chicken and a goat as a peace offering, but no farm animal could save Khali from the beating he received.

1327663263001|01:59Andre the Giant vs. Big John Studd

Total combined weight: 905 pounds

Andre the Giant was born big in the French Alps in 1946 and grew, quite literally, to become one of sports-entertainment's greatest attractions. Few were foolish enough to challenge Andre?s spot as WWE?s true giant, but the powerful Big John Studd did just that at the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985. He quickly learned this was a mistake. Although he was a Royal Rumble winner who weighed nearly 400 pounds, Studd looked downright preadolescent in the shadow of The Eighth Wonder of the World. Few were shocked when The Giant quickly disposed of Big John.

1327659290001|01:36Big Show vs. Akebono

Total combined weight: 999 pounds

A legitimate sumo wrestling champion in Japan, the 500-plus pound Akebono stomped into L.A.?s Staples Center to battle Big Show in WrestleMania?s first Sumo Match in 2005. The results weren?t pretty. That?s not to say the bout was bad ? even though it was awkward and lasted a little longer than a minute. No, it was the sight of two men who collectively weigh as much as a Kia dressed in nothing but adult diapers that made this one of the ugliest scraps of all time.

1327679850001|01:44Vader vs. Yokozuna

Total combined weight: 1050 pounds

One of sports-entertainment?s hardest hitting competitors, Vader did not face many opponents who could challenge his immense size ? that was until he met Yokozuna. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing well over 600 pounds, the sumo wrestler was the largest man to ever hold the WWE Championship and a problem for every Superstar he faced. Outsized and outmatched by the mighty Yokozuna, The Rocky Mountain Mastodon avoided his opponent when the two behemoths collided at In Your House: Beware of Dog in 1996 before stealing a win thanks to the help of his eely manager, Jim Cornette.

1327659309001|03:18ECW?s Monster Mash Battle Royal

Total combined weight: 1569 pounds

If the combined strength of The Great Khali, Kane and Big Daddy V couldn?t stop Mark Henry, how does Big Show expect to do it? Facing these behemoths in ECW?s epic Monster Mash Battle Royal on October 30, 2007, the gatekeeper of the Hall of Pain showed his awesome power by manhandling The Punjabi Titan before flinging The Big Red Monster over the top rope like he was taking out the trash. It was a scary reminder that The World Strongest Man isn't just a nickname.

WANT MORE GIANTS?

Click through WWE.com's massive photo gallery of some of the biggest Superstars in WWE history and check out our Top 25 list of the greatest big men of all time.

?

Then, take to Facebook and Twitter to dicuss your favorite super heavyweights with the rest of the WWE Universe.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwetlc/2011/big-man-battles

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