Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Republican Party Brings Politics To A Crisis Point: Michael Tomasky

The Daily Beast:

With their refusal to vote for Boehner?s Plan B, Republicans have definitively shown that they?d rather sabotage democracy than govern. How can they be stopped?

Read the whole story at The Daily Beast

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/republican-party_n_2360061.html

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School Shooting Victim's Message From Beyond the Grave | FOX8 ...

NEWTOWN, Connecticut (CNN) ? Grace McDonnell would write messages for her mother in the bathroom window.

On the first day without Grace, the bathroom fogged up and mom glanced at the window. And right there was a message from beyond the grave.

The little girl had drawn the peace sign, her favorite symbol. Above it was a heart with the words: ?Grace, Mom.?

?She was all about peace and gentleness and kindness,? said Lynn McDonnell.

Amazing, Grace. A girl who lived by the family?s mottos: ?Live for the moment? and ?Soak it in.?

The McDonnells are now part of a community bound together by the tragedy of what transpired at a Connecticut elementary school, joined by a nation that has grieved with them.

Yet amid the memories of that awful day in Newtown, signs of hope have emerged.

Gene Rosen won?t forget his connection. It?s touched his soul and made him believe more in God and angels again.

Rosen went out back to feed two of his cats shortly after 9:15 a.m. on December 14. His home sits on an acre of land on Riverside Road, with his backyard on a hill overlooking Sandy Hook Elementary.

That day, he heard staccato gunfire ? Boom! Boom! Boom! ? coming from the vicinity of the school. The retired psychologist convinced himself it was fireworks.

Andrei Nikitchyuk was working in his home office that morning. He received a robocall from the school that it was in lockdown. He didn?t think much of it ? the school recently had two lockdowns for false alarms: a suspicious car and bank robbery.

Inside the school, his son, Bear, walked down the hall with a friend toward the main office. Gunshots whizzed by.

Teacher Janet Vollmer huddled with her children away from doors and windows. Someone turned on the intercom system. The sound of gunfire and a woman crying was piped into every classroom.

Vollmer told her kids she loved them and began reading out loud.

A loss of innocence

It shattered a town and brought a president to tears. Twenty children ? all aged 6 and 7 ? were gunned down in the safest place they had ever known, their home away from home. Six educators died, too, hailed as heroes.

Never had an act of violence seemed so heinous, so horrifying in America. An attack on pure innocence at a school that symbolized peace and love.

Since then, residents of Newtown have been dealing with the arc of life in unimaginable ways ? of death and loss, of pain and suffering, of shock and horror, of beginning to heal.

Couples who settled here years ago had grown close to one another through their children and their schools. Teens in middle school had babysat the first-graders slain at Sandy Hook. Some teens had played on sports teams with siblings of the slain children; others attended dance class with sisters of girls killed at the school. College students, home for the holiday, saw the school they loved desecrated.

?I can?t even tell you how hard it is for these kids,? said Lillian Bittman, former chairwoman of the Newtown Board of Education. ?A lot of these kids have been here their whole lives. That?s why these connections are so strong.

?They?ve lost their childhood.?

Newtown?s Pastor Rocky Veach had been a preacher in Littleton, Colorado, when the Columbine shooting occurred. He said the biggest lesson he learned from the 1999 massacre was ?that a lot of things are going to pan out over the next months here, even years, and you will see God?s hand was in this, but you can?t see it now.?

Maybe it?s too soon, too difficult to imagine another reality further in the future. Right now, residents can only think of the town they once knew and how everything changed that Friday.

For most, the pain is just too fresh, the attack too senseless to comprehend.

In the wake of the massacre, Americans have begun looking at gun control and mental health issues. It?s also forced our society to take a deep introspective look: Have we become too polarized? What can we learn from those children?

Is there meaning to be drawn from Grace?s message on that window?

Journey into hell

Gene Rosen had blocked out the sounds of whatever he heard coming from the school. How obnoxious, he thought, that somebody would shoot off fireworks so early in the day.

?I wanted to think that,? he said, ?because I know the school is over there.?

He fed his two cats in a loft above his garage and walked back toward his home. He spotted something odd toward the end of his driveway.

There were six children ? four girls and two boys ? sitting on his lawn. A woman sat in the middle with them. A tall, skinny man stood over them and spoke in a loud voice: ?IT?S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT! IT?S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT!?

Rosen thought they were practicing a school skit. When he got closer, he could see the children were out of breath and crying.

?There?s been an incident at the school,? said the woman, a Sandy Hook bus driver.

Rosen?s not sure how the bus driver ended up with the children on his lawn. Nor does he know the identity of the man, who later walked off.

But Rosen knows this: It was the start of a ?journey into hell.?

He once had worked as a psychologist with the chronically mentally ill at a state psychiatric hospital. But nothing had prepared him for what would transpire next. Instead, at 69, his grandfatherly instincts kicked in.

He invited the children into his home. He ran upstairs and grabbed as many stuffed animals as possible. They calmed the children briefly.

One of the girls stared out his living room window. ?I want my mommy,? she said. ?I want my mommy.?

The two boys sat on the floor, crying uncontrollably and shouting, ?We can?t go back to school! We can?t go back to school! We don?t have a teacher!?

Then they said the name of their 27-year-old teacher, Victoria Soto.

?Mrs. Soto! Mrs. Soto! She?s gone,? they said in unison.

One of the girls said she watched the teacher fall to the ground.

Without prompting, one of the boys added, ?He had a big gun and he had a little gun.?

The other boy said, ?Yeah, yeah, he had a big gun and a little gun.?

Then they both began anew their chilling cry. ?We can?t go back to school. We can?t go back to school ??

Blowing Mom a kiss

Grace McDonnell, 7, enjoyed Sandy Hook Elementary School with its loving teachers and inviting learning environment. Earlier in the week she had a stomachache, and her mother suggested she stay home.

?No way,? the girl said. ?I have too much fun there, and I don?t want to miss anything.?

Eager to learn, Grace would pack her bag the night before school and skip to the bus stop when it was time to leave.

The night before the tragedy, Mom and Dad tucked their only daughter in bed. ?See you in the morning,? Chris McDonnell told her. ?Don?t let the bed bugs bite.?

Mom often joked that her daughter was so full of life ?she would talk from the minute she woke up until the minute she went to bed. We were always, ?It?s time for bed, Grace. It?s time for bed, Grace.??

That Friday morning was like any other school day, a whirlwind of activity before heading out the door. She skipped down the road and boarded the school bus.

Grace blew her mother a kiss, as she always did. An endearing final image.

?Luckiest guy in the room?

Bear was one of two third-graders chosen by their teacher for the important job of class helper. The pair headed out of the room that morning to deliver an attendance report to the office.

As they neared the office, gunshots rang out. Bear said he could see bullets flying by. Smoke filled the air.

The two children froze, like deer in headlights. A second-grade teacher saw the children were in harm?s way, raced toward them and grabbed them. She pulled them into a bathroom with other children and barricaded the door.

?If she didn?t do that, I don?t know,? said Bear?s father, Andrei Nikitchyuk.

Nikitchyuk and his wife were filled with anxiety when they realized the robocall was real. Rumors were rampant. Parents were panicked. Police were everywhere.

A Ukrainian native, Nikitchyuk came to the United States in 1992 shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He had always felt safe here and had been fortunate enough to live the American dream.

He settled in Newtown eight years ago. His two oldest children, ages 13 and 14, had attended Sandy Hook.

?It?s just horrific,? Nikitchyuk said. ?I don?t know how our little ones are going to be affected by all this, but our older ones, I think, matured in just a few days.?

The father was spurred to action: ?This horrific event woke me up.? He traveled to the White House to speak up for gun control. He was the Sandy Hook representative for a Newtown United delegation that was joined by families who had lost loved ones to gun violence in the mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado, Columbine and Virginia Tech, as well as random shootings in Chicago.

?I was the luckiest guy in the room because my kid survived and theirs didn?t.?

The group met with Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Obama.

Nikitchyuk?s message: ?This is unacceptable in our society. We have to do better.?

Emergency plans and instinct

Kindergarten teacher Janet Vollmer heard what she believed were gunshots. Then, the intercom system piped in the sounds of gunfire into her room. The teachers were well-schooled on drills; their principal made sure of that.

Vollmer immediately began putting her emergency planning to use. She knew the drill was to get kids outside and to the nearby firehouse. But it seemed too dangerous. She had 19 children she needed to protect.

?There was no announcement of what was going on,? she said. ?My instinct was it wasn?t good.?

The teacher of 18 years gathered her kindergartners in a cubby area away from the door. Teaching assistants closed the blinds.

?We read a story and we kept them calm,? she said. ?We do this as teachers. We are trained. We have drills. We talk to the kids and in case something were to happen, this is what we do.?

After about 30 minutes, she said, police knocked on the door. The children were told to close their eyes and walk in a line outside. She told the kids to look straight at the walls and nothing else until they got outside. They headed to the Sandy Hook firehouse, the school?s emergency gathering point.

It would be hours before she learned the awful magnitude. She had taught 10 of the slain children just last year.

?The gift of these children?

Gene Rosen?s home sits right next to the firehouse. Inside his house, the kids continued to wail.

?We can?t go back to school!?

At one point, one of the boys broke through his tears with a note of levity. He sat up, held his finger in the air and said, ?Just saying, your house is very small.?

?In that moment, he brought into the home peace and light,? Rosen recalled. ?I felt like an angel descended upon us and this boy, and we laughed.?

?God sent a respite from hell ? just a moment of recess.? He paused, then added: ?They saw their teacher assassinated.?

He and the school bus driver tried to call the children?s parents, but they got answering machines. They notified the driver?s supervisor who relayed the information to authorities. Some of the parents soon arrived. The parents, Rosen and the six kids walked to the neighboring firehouse.

The children and their teachers huddled in bay areas where firetrucks are typically kept so they could be counted.

Two hours later, after Rosen had returned home, a woman knocked on his door. She said she was the mother of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis.

?Her face looked frozen in fear. She said to me, ?I heard there were six kids here. Is he here???

Rosen knew the names of the six children who he helped. His heart sank. ?No, he?s not here,? Rosen told her.

As he recalled that encounter, Rosen wept. ?She was just looking for a miracle, and I wanted to deliver her son to her ? and I couldn?t.?

Initial reports had indicated two adults were dead, but by late Friday afternoon parents of the slain children were told of their loss at a private room in the firehouse.

Back at the firehouse, Rosen looked at a list posted later and wept again when he saw two of the names: Victoria Soto and Jesse Lewis.

Before the tragedy, Rosen often read children?s books to an elementary school in a neighboring town.

He?d recently come across a kid?s book about a girl whose dog died in a fire. For weeks afterward, the girl smelled soot in her dreams and couldn?t sleep. Then, one night a one-eyed cat jumped into her bed, cuddled with her and purred. The cat?s soothing purr helped her sleep for the first time.

?The book doesn?t end with a rainbow,? he said. ?It ends with hope in the sense of the continuity of her healing.?

He couldn?t help but wonder: What will be Newtown?s one-eyed cat?

?The one-eyed cat is here,? he said. ?I don?t know what it is yet.?

The son of Orthodox Jews from Ukraine, Rosen hasn?t been to synagogue in more than 40 years. But he said God delivered six angels to him that day. ?This experience has made me spiritual,? he said. ?I want to show those children that there is light.

?Let the goodness of the children, their essential innocence and goodness and energy ? let them provide us with a pathway,? he said. ?That?s what I want the gift of these children to be.?

?So many angels?

The McDonnells were overcome when they first saw Grace?s white casket at the funeral home. ?You felt like the floor was falling out beneath you and your breath was taken away,? her mother said.

But then, they pulled out Sharpies of all colors and began drawing: peace signs, ice cream cones, lighthouses, sea gulls. The family said it looked like it was covered in graffiti by the time they were done.

?We had to take great joy in knowing that when we walked in there it was so white, and our breath was taken away,? Lynn McDonnell said. ?But when we walked out of there, it was like we had joy again. It had so much color.?

The family also brought Grace?s favorite pocketbook, seashells, hair bows and flip-flops, as well as her sunglasses and a frying pan. Her father placed his New York Yankees cap with her. Grace loved Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney ? the family gave her music from both.

?When we left, we were like: She?s fully stocked,? her mom recalled.

Her father said that ?thinking of her smile, her spark, her brightness? helped guide the family through this most difficult time. Telling Grace?s 12-year-old brother Jack what had happened, he said, was the ?toughest thing to do.?

The McDonnells, like the other grieving families, met privately with President Obama when he visited Newtown last Sunday. Lynn McDonnell said his visit brought reassurance. ?He?s just a dad coming in to meet a dad and a mom and a son ? and we really felt that.?

Grace was a budding artist. The family gave the president a painting of an owl she had drawn. He told the family he would treasure it.

The parents say they?re comforted by the fact Grace died with her friends. ?She was at a place that she loved,? her mother said.

?We have so many angels and so many bright stars shining over all of us in this town right now,? the father said. ?They will teach us how to go on and how to live through them.?

They have no hatred toward the shooter, a point they?ve emphasized to their surviving son.

?The thing that Grace taught us is that you?ve got to live for the future,? her father said. ?You?ve got to live for happiness, peace, and to not divert your energies to hate, anger. That wasn?t her. It?s not us.?

That, they say, is their daughter?s lasting legacy.

*Click to read more.

Source: http://fox8.com/2012/12/23/school-shooting-victims-message-from-beyond-the-grave/

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Sudan rules out devaluation despite black market gap

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan plans to close the gap between official and black market exchange rates through higher earnings from resources like gold and oil instead of devaluing the pound again, a vice-president said on Wednesday.

Sudan has been in economic crisis since South Sudan seceded last year, taking with it three-quarters of the once unified nation's oil output. This had been Sudan's main source of revenues and the dollars it needs to pay for imports.

Inflation hit 45 percent in October. This week Sudan's pound fell to a historic low of 6.5 pounds against the dollar on the black market as hopes faded that Sudan would soon collect revenues from South Sudanese oil exports.

In an interview with Reuters, Second Vice President al-Haj Adam Youssef said authorities were trying to get the rate down to about 4.5 pounds to the dollar, close to the official rate of around 4.4 pounds.

"There are some efforts to have the price of the dollar around 4.5 as an average in the next few months, and that will be appropriate for our economy, for export and import as well," he said in his office in Sudan's Republican Palace on the Nile.

Youssef said the government would not devalue the pound, as it did in July when it nearly halved the official value.

Instead, it hoped the pound would get a boost from previously announced plans to increase foreign currency earnings through higher output of gold and oil from Sudan's own resources.

"We want things to be normalised by the natural mechanism," he said.

There is little foreign trade in the pound, but listed firms like cellphone operator Zain, German airline Lufthansa and Bank of Khartoum, co-owned by Dubai Islamic Bank, watch the rate closely because they sell products in pounds and then struggle to convert profits to dollars.

CUTTING SUBSIDIES

Sudanese officials blame economic problems largely on tensions with South Sudan, which was supposed to pay Khartoum fees to pipe oil through Sudanese pipelines to a Red Sea port.

But the two fell out over the fees, and South Sudan shut down its 350,000 barrel-per-day output in January. Flows have yet to resume, although the two signed economic and border security deals in September that officials say could see oil exports restart by the end of the year.

Sudan says it aims to increase oil production in its remaining fields from 115,000 barrels per day to 150,000 bpd next year. It had planned to boost output to 180,000 bpd this year but failed to reach the target.

The country's gold exports reached between 47 and 48 tonnes this year and were expected to rise above 50 tonnes annually, bringing in more than $2 billion a year, Finance Minister Ali Mahmoud said this week.

Even before South Sudan seceded - the result of a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war - Sudan's economy was weakened by years of conflict, corruption and U.S. trade sanctions.

The government was forced to scale back its costly fuel subsidy programme in June to plug a budget deficit left by the loss of oil revenues, sparking small anti-government protests.

Youssef said the government still aimed to eliminate subsidies for all commodities but declined to give a timeline, saying only that subsidies would be phased out gradually.

The country's cabinet approved the country's 2013 budget on Monday, putting the budget gap at 10 billion Sudanese pounds - roughly $1.5 billion at current black market rates.

Even without earnings from the South's oil - which are not included in the budget - Youssef said the government could draw about half the deficit from the central bank and make up the rest with increased tax collection and other measures.

Support from friendly countries could also help, he said, although this was not included in the budget. "There is no problem as far as the deficit is concerned," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sudan-rules-devaluation-despite-black-market-gap-060041732--finance.html

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Asperger's dropped from revised diagnosis manual

(AP) ? The now familiar term "Asperger's disorder" is being dropped. And abnormally bad and frequent temper tantrums will be given a scientific-sounding diagnosis called DMDD. But "dyslexia" and other learning disorders remain.

The revisions come in the first major rewrite in nearly 20 years of the diagnostic guide used by the nation's psychiatrists. Changes were approved Saturday.

Full details of all the revisions will come next May when the American Psychiatric Association's new diagnostic manual is published, but the impact will be huge, affecting millions of children and adults worldwide. The manual also is important for the insurance industry in deciding what treatment to pay for, and it helps schools decide how to allot special education.

This diagnostic guide "defines what constellations of symptoms" doctors recognize as mental disorders, said Dr. Mark Olfson, a Columbia University psychiatry professor. More important, he said, it "shapes who will receive what treatment. Even seemingly subtle changes to the criteria can have substantial effects on patterns of care."

Olfson was not involved in the revision process. The changes were approved Saturday in suburban Washington, D.C., by the psychiatric association's board of trustees.

The aim is not to expand the number of people diagnosed with mental illness, but to ensure that affected children and adults are more accurately diagnosed so they can get the most appropriate treatment, said Dr. David Kupfer. He chaired the task force in charge of revising the manual and is a psychiatry professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

One of the most hotly argued changes was how to define the various ranges of autism. Some advocates opposed the idea of dropping the specific diagnosis for Asperger's disorder. People with that disorder often have high intelligence and vast knowledge on narrow subjects but lack social skills. Some who have the condition embrace their quirkiness and vow to continue to use the label.

And some Asperger's families opposed any change, fearing their kids would lose a diagnosis and no longer be eligible for special services.

But the revision will not affect their education services, experts say.

The new manual adds the term "autism spectrum disorder," which already is used by many experts in the field. Asperger's disorder will be dropped and incorporated under that umbrella diagnosis. The new category will include kids with severe autism, who often don't talk or interact, as well as those with milder forms.

Kelli Gibson of Battle Creek, Mich., who has four sons with various forms of autism, said Saturday she welcomes the change. Her boys all had different labels in the old diagnostic manual, including a 14-year-old with Asperger's.

"To give it separate names never made sense to me," Gibson said. "To me, my children all had autism."

Three of her boys receive special education services in public school; the fourth is enrolled in a school for disabled children. The new autism diagnosis won't affect those services, Gibson said. She also has a 3-year-old daughter without autism.

People with dyslexia also were closely watching for the new updated doctors' guide. Many with the reading disorder did not want their diagnosis to be dropped. And it won't be. Instead, the new manual will have a broader learning disorder category to cover several conditions including dyslexia, which causes difficulty understanding letters and recognizing written words.

The trustees on Saturday made the final decision on what proposals made the cut; recommendations came from experts in several work groups assigned to evaluate different mental illnesses.

The revised guidebook "represents a significant step forward for the field. It will improve our ability to accurately diagnose psychiatric disorders," Dr. David Fassler, the group's treasurer and a University of Vermont psychiatry professor, said after the vote.

The shorthand name for the new edition, the organization's fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, is DSM-5. Group leaders said specifics won't be disclosed until the manual is published but they confirmed some changes. A 2000 edition of the manual made minor changes but the last major edition was published in 1994.

Olfson said the manual "seeks to capture the current state of knowledge of psychiatric disorders. Since 2000 ... there have been important advances in our understanding of the nature of psychiatric disorders."

Catherine Lord, an autism expert at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York who was on the psychiatric group's autism task force, said anyone who met criteria for Asperger's in the old manual would be included in the new diagnosis.

One reason for the change is that some states and school systems don't provide services for children and adults with Asperger's, or provide fewer services than those given an autism diagnosis, she said.

Autism researcher Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for the advocacy group Autism Speaks, said small studies have suggested the new criteria will be effective. But she said it will be crucial to monitor so that children don't lose services.

Other changes include:

?A new diagnosis for severe recurrent temper tantrums ? disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Critics say it will medicalize kids' who have normal tantrums. Supporters say it will address concerns about too many kids being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated with powerful psychiatric drugs. Bipolar disorder involves sharp mood swings and affected children are sometimes very irritable or have explosive tantrums.

?Eliminating the term "gender identity disorder." It has been used for children or adults who strongly believe that they were born the wrong gender. But many activists believe the condition isn't a disorder and say calling it one is stigmatizing. The term would be replaced with "gender dysphoria," which means emotional distress over one's gender. Supporters equated the change with removing homosexuality as a mental illness in the diagnostic manual, which happened decades ago.

___

AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-12-01-US-MED-Mental-Disorders/id-804f91e992cc40a9832c0ae0177be70b

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Undermining faith in law enforcement and national security: the legacy of Eric Holder (Powerlineblog)

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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

American Chemical Society Climate Science Toolkit: Fostering climate science understanding

American Chemical Society Climate Science Toolkit: Fostering climate science understanding [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 5-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

A new web-based resource on climate science, designed to help scientists and others understand this key topic, is the focus of a Comment article in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the American Chemical Society's weekly newsmagazine. ACS, the world's largest scientific society, launched the resource this week.

ACS President Bassam Z. Shakhashiri explains in the article that the Society is among the major scientific organizations with position statements acknowledging the reality of climate change and recommending action. ACS' policy statement mentions that people need a basic understanding of climate science in order to make informed personal decisions, and it describes climate change education for the public as "essential." In 2011, Shakhashiri formed the ACS Presidential Working Group on Climate Science to develop a toolkit to guide members' self-education about the fundamental chemical and physical processes that determine Earth's climate.

Shakhashiri points out that the American Chemical Society Climate Science Toolkit, available at www.acs.org/climatescience, includes explanations of the greenhouse effect, how vibrational energy from molecules changes into translational kinetic energy and more. It also provides "Climate Science Narratives" that can be adapted and personalized for speaking to students, educators, public officials and other audiences.

###

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 164,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook



[ 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.


American Chemical Society Climate Science Toolkit: Fostering climate science understanding [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 5-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

A new web-based resource on climate science, designed to help scientists and others understand this key topic, is the focus of a Comment article in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the American Chemical Society's weekly newsmagazine. ACS, the world's largest scientific society, launched the resource this week.

ACS President Bassam Z. Shakhashiri explains in the article that the Society is among the major scientific organizations with position statements acknowledging the reality of climate change and recommending action. ACS' policy statement mentions that people need a basic understanding of climate science in order to make informed personal decisions, and it describes climate change education for the public as "essential." In 2011, Shakhashiri formed the ACS Presidential Working Group on Climate Science to develop a toolkit to guide members' self-education about the fundamental chemical and physical processes that determine Earth's climate.

Shakhashiri points out that the American Chemical Society Climate Science Toolkit, available at www.acs.org/climatescience, includes explanations of the greenhouse effect, how vibrational energy from molecules changes into translational kinetic energy and more. It also provides "Climate Science Narratives" that can be adapted and personalized for speaking to students, educators, public officials and other audiences.

###

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 164,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook



[ 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/2012-12/acs-acs120512.php

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Bryan Chiropractor and Others Charged in Insurance Scam

A 31-count sealed indictment has been returned against an area chiropractor and four others alleging conspiracy and mail fraud in a scheme to defraud auto insurance companies such as Farmers, USAA, State Farm and AIG of more than $3 million, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

The indictment, returned under seal Nov. 28, 2012, was unsealed today following the arrests of Chase Lindsey, 44, Earlie Dickerson, 50, Marion Young, 52, Edward Graham, 46, and Brittany Jessie, 23. Lindsey is a chiropractor and part-owner of Lindsey Chiropractic Care in Bryan. Dickerson was the office manager of the Bryan office of Sanjoh & Associates Law Firm as well as part-owner of several chiropractic clinics he owned with co-defendants Young, Graham and Jessie in Bryan. Lindsey and Young appeared today in Houston before U.S. Magistrate Judge George C. Hanks Jr., while Graham is expected to appear before Judge Hanks tomorrow. Dickerson and Jessie appeared before a before U.S. Magistrate Judge in Waco today. Lindsey was released upon posting a $75,000 bond. Young was ordered to remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning.

According to allegations in the indictment, from February 2007 through December 2009, Dickerson used his position at Sanjoh and Associates to recruit individuals involved in auto accidents to be represented by the Sanjoh Law Firm. Dickerson also co-owned three chiropractic clinics in Bryan with Young, Graham, and Jessie: Texas Avenue Chiropractic Clinic, H&E Chiropractic Care and Private Chiropractic Care. Dickerson would send the individuals he recruited to these three clinics and one clinic owned by Lindsey. Lindsey was the chiropractor at all four clinics.

The indictment alleges Lindsey would routinely recommend medically unnecessary therapeutic treatments for the Sanjoh clients sent by Dickerson in return for approximately $2,000 per month, usually in cash. Lindsey also allowed false and fraudulent chiropractic clinic bills under his name from Texas Avenue Chiropractic Clinic, H&E Chiropractic Clinic, Private Chiropractic Care and Lindsey Chiropractic Care to be submitted by the Sanjoh law firm to various auto insurance companies. Jessie first prepared the fraudulent chiropractic bills, then prepared and sent settlement demand letters based on the fraudulent bills to the various auto insurance companies. The insurance companies paid the Sanjoh and Associates Law Firm and its clients more than $1.5 million based on the fraudulent claims.

Upon conviction, the conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Each of the 30 mail fraud counts carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in a federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

The criminal charges are the result of a joint investigation by agents of the FBI and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Al Balboni.

Source: http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Bryan-Chiropractor-and-Others-Charged-in-Insurance-Scam-181927641.html

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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The ?Art? of Physiotherapy ? Tutor System Biofeedback Rehabilitation

Physiotherapy?is the profession ?that assists those who have basically three types of ailments.

1) Musculoskeletal conditions: sports injuries, arthritis, back pain, ?muscle pain, bones and joints (also called orthopaedic physiotherapy). Some common conditions treated include ?sprains, strains, ?bursitis, workplace ?problems with posture, incontinence and reduced mobility.

2) Cardiothoracic conditions: asthma, bronchitis, emphysema. Rehabilitation after thoracic surgery can also be offered.

3) Neurological conditions: MS, stroke, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson?s disease and multiple sclerosis. Rehabilitation after brain surgery is also in this category.

Physiotherapists are trained in a range of specialty areas such as children?s health (pediatrics), ?women?s health or sports medicine. They can help speed recovery after certain surgeries as well.

The methods used include exercise programs, manual therapies and electrotherapy to restore proper functioning and to reduce the impact of dysfunction as described below.

Physiotherapy (physical therapy) aims to restore proper functioning to the body or, in the case of permanent disease or injury, to reduce the impact of any dysfunction.

Physiotherapists can also help a person ?recover from surgery. Treatment options include a wide range of manual therapies and techniques such as: airway clearance techniques, tailored to ?specific conditions. Physiotherapists ?also show ?how to acquire and use equipment aids.

The Physiotherapist may work in ?private practices, community health centers, public hospitals, rehabilitation centers, fitness centers, sporting clubs, ?schools and also in the workplace. He/she may work alone, or with other health care providers. Because they are registered health professionals, physiotherapists can issue sick leave certificates, if necessary. A physiotherapist will want ?to use a holistic approach to improve ?mobility and health and help ?to reduce the risk of injuries. In some cases injury is caused by a number of factors working together. For example, ?back pain may ?result from ?a combination of poor posture, ?overweight, repetitive work-related activities or an ?incorrect technique when involved in sports.

The physiotherapist ?treats the back pain, but at the same time wants to address the factors that contributed to the problem.

A physiotherapist uses a wide range of therapies, tailored to an individual need. They include:

Exercise programs ? such as stretching, posture retraining, cardiovascular training and muscle strengthening .

Manual therapies ? such as spinal mobilization, massage, ?manual resistance training, stretching and joint mobilization /manipulation.

Electrotherapy techniques ? such as diathermy, ultrasound, laser therapy and electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Other services ? correcting flawed sporting techniques, taping and splinting ?and providing information on equipment aids.

Physiotherapists ?are university trained, registered health care professionals. They work in a variety of places including hospitals, private practice, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports clubs.

When exercise is the preferred method of treatment the most effective physical therapy solutions and products should be used. These would be the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR.

?These recently developed ?devices ?have become a key system in neuro-muscular rehabilitation and physical therapy used by physiotherapists for interactive rehabilitation exercise. The TUTORs implement an impairment based program with augmented feedback and encourage motor learning through intensive active exercises. These exercises are challenging and motivating and allow for repetitive training tailored to the patient?s performance. This training is customized by the physiotherapist, occupational or ?physical therapist to ensure that the patient stays motivated to do intensive repetitive manual therapy and exercise practice. ?The TUTORs are now ?part of the rehabilitation program of leading U.S. and foreign hospitals and are used in clinics and in the patient?s home through tele-rehabilitation.

Fully certified by the FDA and CE the TUTORs are usable by adults and children from the age of 5 and up. See WWW.MEDITOUCH.CO.IL for further information.

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Source: http://handtutorblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/the-art-of-physiotherapy/

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Addappt Debuts An Auto-Updating Mobile Address Book For iPhone

addaptAddappt, a new startup from Crossloop co-founder and early LinkedIn employee Mrinal Desai, is officially launching today to tackle the surprisingly still cumbersome problem of maintaining an up-to-date address book. Available in the iPhone App Store, where the company has been quietly running a public beta, the app connects your mobile, desktop and iCloud address books, and keeps them current by automatically updating them with new information as it comes in.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/9fblYjQNVcE/

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BannerPlay: Making Banner Ads As Simple As Google AdWords ...

Successfully advertising on the internet is not an easy feat for small and medium businesses with limited budgets. While Google and Facebook have opened the gates of advertising to small businesses, banner ads are still monopolized by larger businesses with strong buying power. Israeli company BannerPlay is now offering professional banner ads, using a pay-per-click (PPC) business model.

Related articles

?BannerPlay is basically an end-to-end solution, a system that generates banner ads very simply,? BannerPlay CMO Niv Calderon tells NoCamels. ?Instead of hiring a designer to create the banner, then buy the media and then use some sort of analytic tool to get statistics ? we offer a one-stop-shop solution.?

The company uses a ?Google-like? method, buying?the ad space online and placing the banners created by customers on various web pages. The customer is billed using a pay-per-click method, which means they allocate a certain budget for their campaign, which remains online until the budget runs out.

The company says that customers can make real-time adjustment to their campaign, according to the statistical data BannerPlay offers its users. In addition, customers can create as many banners as they like for each campaign. ?We want to make our banner-creating system as accessible as Google Ads,? says Calderon.

The startup was founded last January by Rafi Ton (CEO) and Yoad Gidron (CTO). According to Calderon, the two were involved in creating banner ads for major brands, and decided to make the popular advertising platform more accessible to smaller clients. Calderon tells NoCamels: ?They said: ?let?s create this for everyone, so that whoever wants a banner ad could have it easily and not spend tens of thousands of dollars on a campaign.??

It?s all about usability

What BannerPlay claims to achieve is quite ambitious. The six-employee Israeli startup wants to rival Google as a prominent tool for affordable, effective online advertising. Calderon tells NoCamels that the company believes its tall order is achievable by simplifying the user interface, so that anyone can create a professional-looking internet campaign. Once generating the banner, the user can decide whether to let BannerPlay choose where to advertise it, or embed it themselves using an embed code.

Although the process is pretty much automated, the company insists that users with special requests, such as limiting target audiences, will have control over where their campaign is displayed.

?Our interface is so simple it?s crazy,? Calderon claims, ?you can design your banner ad within five minutes. We have dozens of ready-made templates and we also offer tailor-made designs for $200.? The company also offers ready-made in-banner game templates, such as wheel of fortune and crossword puzzles, which allow more interactivity with the user.

BannerPlay has some more advanced features, which are designed to increase engagement. ?We allow users to embed YouTube videos, contact forms and Facebook ?likes? in the banners,? says Calderon, ?so that you don?t even necessarily have to set up a landing page for your campaign.?

Creating an advertising ecosystem

Yoad and Rafi sit 300x200 BannerPlay: Making Banner Ads As Simple As Google AdWords

The Founders: Yoad Gidron and Rafi Ton

BannerPlay?s next step is developing a network of designers and game developers, who will be paid whenever their template is utilized. For instance, if an advertiser uses a certain designer?s template, whenever the banner ad is clicked, the designer will get a small share of the revenue. ?A major focus of ours is developing a strong social community of designers and game developers,? says Calderon.

Eventually, the company wants to create a sort of advertising ecosystem that will bring together designers, developers, advertisers and end users. The company?s role in that ecosystem is buying the media, offering the banner-creating platform and advertising the banners online. ?When you advertise with Google, you don?t really know where your ads will appear ? but you trust them. That?s what we want to achieve.?

The BannerPlay dashboard is available for free online. The website currently only operates in English, but Calderon says that they are in the process of translating it to several languages.

Calderon says that BannerPlay?s initial funding comes from local Angel investors, but would not elaborate further. He adds that BannerPlay is currently preparing for an additional financing round.

Photo by BannerPlay

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Source: http://nocamels.com/2012/12/bannerplay-making-banner-ads-as-simple-as-google-adwords/

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Valley sports and recreation calendar | Clovis Independent ...

Nov 30, 2012, 12:45pm

Central San Joaquin Valley recreational opportunities and announcements. Submit items and search for more events using planitfresno.com. All numbers in 559 area code unless otherwise noted.

BASEBALL

ADP Baseball Academy: Premier Tournament Series 16U. Dec. 7-9, Fig Garden Loop Park, three-game guarantee, eight-team max, $300. Also accepting new players, grades 8-11. Free holiday camp, starting at 7 p.m. Dec. 24, 4265 N. Figarden Drive, 549-4487, adpbaseball.com.

Bullard Cal Ripken Spring Sign-Ups: Saturdays through Dec. 15. Ages 4-12 and grades 7-8 prep. Starr Elementary cafeteria or bullardcalripken.org., 289-8630.

Central Valley Baseball Coaches Clinic: 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Saturday, featuring ex-Fresno State coach Bob Bennett, UCLA?s John Savage, Long Beach State?s Troy Buckley and others. Reedley College Dining Hall. $100. Jason Murrietta (714) 943-1565 or Josh Labandeira 901-8912.

BASKETBALL

Youth tournament: 9 a.m. Dec. 15, East Fresno Boys & Girls Club. Seventh-grade boys. $125, includes lunch for all players, trophies for first and second place. bgclubfc.org/.

Lil Riders Sign-Ups: 6-7 p.m. today. Ages 7-15 for boys and girls, East Fresno Boys & Girls Club, 266-7605, bgclubfc.org, $25.

Youth Basketball: 7 p.m. Jan. 5. Six-week program, boys and girls ages 3-6. Ted C. Wills Community Center. 621-7529, parksonline.fresno.gov, $50.

Junior Basketball: 7 p.m. Jan. 12. Eight weeks, boys, girls ages 7-9 and 10-12. Holmes Neighborhood Center. 621-7529, parksonline.fresno.gov, $50.

Bullard Little Knights League: Games 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Jan. 19, 26, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23. Boys, girls grades K-8. Bullard High. 213-2533, bullardbasketball.com, $75.

GOLF

Junior Tournament: 1 p.m. Sunday. Ages 6-17. Riverbend Golf Club, Madera. 269-6369, cvjrgolf.com.

Start Smart Golf: 10 a.m. Jan. 19 at Orchid Park, 12:30 p.m. at Selma Layne. Parent participation program for children ages 5-7. 621-7529, parksonline.fresno.gov, $50.

LACROSSE

Girls team seeks players, coaches: Six weeks, plus playoffs. Educational clinic on final day of registration Jan. 12, 10 a.m. (grades 3-5), noon (6-8). Hoover High cafeteria. 621-7529, parksonline. fresno.gov, $50.

Central California Lacrosse Club: 9:30 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Men?s club seeks players. San Gabriel Park, Clovis. 388-4428, fresnolacrosse@gmail.com.

MARTIAL ARTS

West Clovis Judo Club seeks members: 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Kastner Intermediate. 434-3459, jtakedachukajudo.org.

Clovis Judo: 7-8:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Alta Sierra Intermediate. 299-3739.

Japan Ways Traditional Karate: Mondays-Saturdays. Beginner, intermediate and advanced. 432-7817, japanways.com.

Karazenpo Karate: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. 225-2199, karazenpofresno.org. $25 monthly, $10 additional family member.

MISCELLANEOUS

Clovis Rugby Club: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Bicentennial Park, Clovis. 322-9160.

Dart tournaments: 7:30 p.m. second Saturday each month. Classic Billiards, Clovis. 765-9540. $15.

Fresno P?tanque Club: Game days 1 p.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Sundays and 5 p.m. Tuesdays. Cary Park, 4750 N. Fresno St. Beginners welcome. 431-5944, fresnopetanque@gmail.com.

Fresno Scuba Club: 6:30 p.m. first Wednesday each month, Marie Callender?s, 1781 E. Shaw Ave., centralvalleyscubafrogs.com.

Pickleball: All ages, skills. 834-2688.

Pickleball league: City of Visalia, 18 and older. 8-9 a.m. Saturdays at Plaza Park tennis courts. $35. 713-4381 or jcoyne@ci.visalia.ca.us.

Tulare County Trap Club/Shooting: 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Sundays. Trap, wobble trap, skeet. 772-2334.

RUN/WALK

Jingle Bell Run, Toys for Tots: 9 p.m. Dec. 15. Christmas Tree Lane, 322-9371, fresnojinglebellrun.com, $30, $20 Children.

Gnarly Neon 5K: 9 a.m. Feb. 23, Woodward Park. Benefits the Special Olympics in Fresno.

SOFTBALL

Central California Krush: Tryouts Dec. 8-9, Central High East fields. 10U, 12U, 16U at 10 a.m.; 14U, 18U, 18 Gold at 2 p.m. Pitchers and catchers should report one hour prior for workout. Download consent form at leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=cckrush.

Madera Destroyers fast-pitch tryouts: Available through Jan. 26. Ages 8-15. Also seeking coaches. 363-6035, leaguelineup.com/maderadestroyers12u.

Fresno Force tryouts 12-U-Rodriguez team: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Keith Tice Memorial Park, fresnoforce.com.

Fresno Blaze Club: Seeking players and coaches. Ages 12-18. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 15, Bullard High. 970-0935, fresnoblaze.com.

TENNIS

Start Smart Tennis: 5:30 p.m. March 5. Parent participation program for children ages 5-7. Orchid Park. 621-7529, parksonline.fresno.gov, $50.

Source: http://clovisindependent.com/2012/11/30/valley-sports-and-recreation-calendar-4/

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Source: http://langleytitus.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/valley-sports-and-recreation-calendar-clovis-independent.html

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Why China A-Shares Have Been Weak - Business Insider

The Chinese stock market has been the worst major market in the world this year (see right).

Down again today, the Shanghai Composite index is trading near a four-year low.

Even though the Chinese economy has had its bumps, the growth rate continues to be staggering, and most recent economic data show growth is accelerating again.

So why have the stocks done so poorly relative to the economy?

Bank of America economist Ting Lu explains:

Why Chinese investors are bearish about A-shares?
The most asked question from global investors is why Chinese onshore A-shares did not respond to the improving fundamentals. Is this because these macro indicators have low quality and give us a wrong picture? We don?t think so. Very often the sentiment-driven A-share market is a barometer for Chinese investors? mass psychology instead of the real economy. More specifically, domestic investors might get increasingly disappointed about prospects of future financial reforms, especially reforms on stock markets. Availability of other investment channels such as wealth management products and housing also divert demand. Heavy-handed interventions in the past year sows the seed of bear market now as about 100 IPOs have been approved but yet to be listed and 700 more are in the pipeline.

In other words, stocks aren't the economy.? It's a reflection of psychology, which is arguably the case for stocks everywhere.

Here's a 5-year look at China's Shanghai Composite courtesy of Bloomberg:

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-china-a-shares-weak-2012-11

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Offbeat Travel And Tourism Destinations In India

The country of India is vast, with a diverse set of geographical regions and cultures ready for exploring. With such a huge percentage of India being considered rural; there are destinations, sights and centuries old culture waiting for the more adventurous traveler. Whether you are looking for a high adventure, a cultural experience or a city adventure there is something for every type of independent traveler to try in India. The following are some of exciting places to visit within India that you might never have heard of before.

Head to the peaceful Kerala territory where anyone can enjoy the beauty and serenity of the country. Houseboats, elephant rides, pristine hiking conditions and wildlife excursions can all be arranged in the land known as God's country and viewed as magical by locals and visitors. Considered just as pristine, but offering an entirely different type of natural vacation is the Himachal area deep in the Himalayan Mountain range. Incredible landscapes and breathtaking views can be seen, in person, in this overlooked corner of India. There are plenty of ways to reach this area within the country and trips can last from a single day trip to week long retreats.

India is known for its beautiful architecture and buildings, but there are some destinations that are not as well known. The palace at Lucknow, known as the Gravity Defying Palace, is one of those spots that every person in India should see. This eighteenth century palace is known for its maze-like characteristics and blended architectural styles. Another equally impressive, but hard to reach architectural destination, is the Phuktal Monastery in the Zanskar Valley. Perched on the ledge of a steep mountain, Phuktal is reminiscent of mountain villages of old, abandoned and left in ruins in other parts of the world. Which such a gem still thriving in your country, it only makes sense to see the beauty and wonder that is Phuktal.

If you enjoy history, there is a rich amount of history within India, both in the big cities and in the countryside. Orccha is a historical gem that has been overlooked by the outside world for a long time, being a seasonal destination for most of its existence. Marked by a palatial fort and a ninth century temple, Orccha is a playground for everyone that craves a peek into the past. With this out of the spotlight destination, as well as the others mentioned, it is great to feel you have the place to yourself.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Offbeat-Travel-And-Tourism-Destinations-In-India/4301897

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Travel And Leisure: Alaska Cruise Or Land Tour For A Vacation That ...

November 23, 2012 at 4:04 am

Category: Travel And Leisure

Besides its reputation for being ?cold?, what else do you know about our 49th State? Alaska has an abundance of things to do and see, whether you are a first time vacationer or a returning travelerThere is no other place like Alaska for traveling and exploringAlaska is 586,000 square miles. With an area that big, think about the possibilities.
Here are just a few of the attractions that are available and are sure to whet your appetite for adventure. Wildlife viewing, helicopter tours, and train rides are very popular. You can also relax on a bus tour into Denali State Park, watch a totem pole being carved, or try your luck at catching one of Alaska?s world famous King Salmon.
It would take (2) lifetimes to experience everything Alaska has to offer. With its vast wilderness, Alaska provides opportunities for viewing wildlife either up close or from far away, in its natural habitat. For example, Alaska holds the distinction of having the largest Eagle population in the world. Whether you are a nature lover or not, just seeeing these magnificent birds soar throught the air is enough to take your breath away. With a wilderness area that is 2 1/2 times the size of the state of Texas, you can be guaranteed excellent photo opportunities.
It?s hard to believe that Alaska has the largest temperate rain forest in the United States. Take the time to walk in it and discover this incredible gift. Indescribable adventures await you whereever your journey takes you in Alaska. Every ?ice-blue? glacier and historic waterfront town calls for you to jump in to explore and discover its uniqueness and beauty. Give yourself the freedom to answer this ?call of the wild?. In every city from Anchorage to Fairbanks and beyond, there?s plenty to do and see.
One of the ways to see this beautiful state is to cruise the Inner Passage. Taking one of the cruise ships is a simple way to get your feet wet and explore the state. You have the security of knowing that your basic needs like food, transportation, and your lodging is handled while you have the freedom of choosing any number of activities.
Depending on the town you stop in, you can choose to go whale watching, or take a helicopter trip and walk on a glacier. You can ride the White Pass Railroad or pan for gold. You can even take a Jeep tour on a logging trail and top it off with a salmon bake. Also, every town appears to have their own special and historical events happening on a regular basis and you definitely want to catch these, as well. There are also many fascinating museums and remember to save time to see the stunning Aurora Borealis, especially if you go in the fall.
Alaska seems to have it all. From world famous Parks & Preserves to Volcanos. From Historical & Annual Events and everything in between. With such variety, it?s surprising that anyone would look anywhere but north when vacation time comes. Alaska is a great American Vacation destination that you will want to experience for yourself at least once in your lifetime.

Watch videos related to Alaska Cruise Or Land Tour For A Vacation That War

    The French R?sistance has had a great influence on literature, particularly in FranceA famous example is the poem "Strophes pour se souvenir", which was written by the communist academic Louis Aragon in 1955 to commemorate the heroism of the Manouchian Group, whose 23 members were shot by the NazisThe R?sistance is also portrayed in Jean Renoir's wartime This Land is Mine (1943), which was produced in the USAIn the immediate post-war years, French cinema produced a number of films that portrayed a France broadly present in the R?sistance.[188][189] The 1946 La Bataille du rail depicted the courageous efforts of French railway workers to sabotage German reinforcement trains,[190] and in the same year Le P?re tranquille told the story of a quiet insurance agent secretly involved in the bombing of a factory.[190] Collaborators were hatefully presented as a rare minority, as played by Pierre Brewer in J?richo (1946) or Serge Reggiani in Les Portes de la nuit (1946), and movements such as the Milice were rarely evokedIn the 1950s, a less heroic interpretation of the R?sistance to the occupation gradually began to emerge.[190] In Claude Autant-Lara's La Travers?e de Paris (1956), the portrayal of the city's black market and general mediocrity revealed the reality of war-profiteering during the occupation.[191] In the same year, Robert Bresson presented A Man Escaped, in which an imprisoned R?sistance activist works with a reformed collaborator inmate to escape.[192] A ...

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    The Holland America Line is a British-American owned cruise lineIt was founded in 1873 as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company (Dutch: Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij), a sh..Holland America Line - Wiki Article - wikiplays.org Original @ http All Information Derived from Wikipedia using Creative Commons License: en.wikipedia.org Author: Jan van Beers jr(1852 -- 1927) Image URL: en.wikipedia.org Licensed under:This image is ineligible for copyright and therefore is in the public domain, because it consists entirely of information that is common property and contains no original authorship., This work is in the Public Domain., This work is in the public domain in the United StatesAuthor: Welkinridge Image URL: en.wikipedia.org Licensed under:This image is ineligible for copyright and therefore is in the public domain, because it consists entirely of information that is common property and contains no original authorship., This work is in the Public Domain., This work is in the public domain in the United States.

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    goo.gl We would like to thank all our fans and The Father for propelling this video to almost 4 million views in only 18 months, making this video the most heavily viewed Independently Produced Religious Music Video in the world! We would also like to publicly thank the following folks who have worked with us to make this a reality: Technical Support: Bradley Myer Photography: Sherry LAldrich CD package Layout and Design: Sherry LAldrich CD Graphics: Sherry LAldrich and Marie Brandt Marketing and Promotions: Marie Brandt Photographers Assistant: Charles Aldrich Secretary and Treasurer: Marie Brandt CPA and Financial Counsel: Tracy Corta at "Jordan & Company" All the great folks at Disc Makers, particularly, Chad Fondren: Product Specialist Gaye Feightner: Product Specialist--Graphics Christina Tapia: Project Manager-Foundry Angela Seltzer: Product Specialist Additional Printing Supervisor: Kathy Eby at Lithos Printing Website Development and Maintenance: Poop Dog Website Graphics Design: Marie Brandt "Rule of Man" Music Video Graphics Design: Marie Brandt US Retail Storefronts: Rich Graves at Budget Tapes and Records, Pocatello Idaho Susan Leak at Renagades Music and Bonanza Music Store Posters and Promotional Graphics Design: Marie Brandt and Sherry LAldrich Contract Law and Legal Counsel: William Faler at "Faler Law" Director of Marketing & Publicity: Marie Brandt at BrandtMorainPR Additional Publicity: Susan Leak, Karen Plant, Kjelene Bertrand, Patricia Mostyn ...

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    Vote for TYT every day at www.podcastawards.com (through 11/30/09) & www.mashable.com (through 12/13/09) For more details visit www.TheYoungTurks.com and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com

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Anxiety Tony Romo Jersey Obtained You Lower? Try The Following ...

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Retailers trying harder to lure holiday shoppers - Spokesman.com ...

November 22, 2012 in Business
Brick-and-mortar stores may offer apps, store pickup, free?layaway

Mae Anderson Associated Press

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Associated Press photo

A customer shops at a Kmart in Chicago last week. Retailers are learning that discounts aren?t enough to lure finicky American shoppers into stores these days, so this holiday season, retailers are doing all kinds of things to make it easier for shoppers to part with their?money.
(Full-size photo)

Have it your?way

The have-it-your-way approach is partly a response to fear. Merchants are concerned that shoppers will spend less freely this season because of worries about the economy and?taxes.

NEW YORK ? This holiday season, Burger King won?t be the only place where you can have it your?way.

It used to be enough for stores to promise discounts up to 70 percent to lure shoppers during the busy holiday period. But the ease of ordering online and the sluggish economy changed that. Americans are no longer impressed by discounts alone. Now they want their shopping just like their fast food: not only cheap, but convenient?too.

That means they?re no longer afraid to walk away from the cashmere sweater with the perfect fit if the store is crowded. They?re unwilling to buy those suede pumps in just the right shade of blue if shipping costs extra. And they cringe at the prospect of carrying around paper coupons; they?d rather pull them up electronically on?smartphones.

Retailers from Wal-Mart to Macy?s are doing everything they can to make it easier for more finicky shoppers to spend during the holidays. Several are opening on Thanksgiving Day. Some are offering free layaway and shipping. Many are matching in-store prices with cheaper online deals. Others are allowing shoppers to buy online and pick up their merchandise in?stores.

It?s the latest effort by stores to court shoppers like Patty Edwards, of Bellevue, Wash. Four years ago, Edwards made all of her holiday purchases online through Amazon because she thought it was the easiest way to shop. But this year, she plans to go elsewhere because stores are offering more shipping?options.

?Now I?m not necessarily tied to Amazon,? said Edwards, a retail analyst and principal at investment firm Trutina Financial. ?I can go to Nordstrom, Saks or Target and have stuff available to pick up. It?s a pretty simple process. That wasn?t the case four or five years?ago.?

The have-it-your-way approach is partly a response to fear. Merchants are concerned that shoppers will spend less freely this season because of worries about high unemployment and a package of tax increases and spending cuts known as the ?fiscal cliff,? which will take effect in January unless Congress passes a budget deal. The changes also come as the growth of smartphones and tablet computers has made it easier to browse and?buy.

That puts pressure on brick-and-mortar retailers, which count on holiday shopping for up to 40 percent of their annual revenue, to get shoppers into stores. It?s becoming an increasingly difficult feat: The National Retail Federation estimates that overall sales in November and December will rise 4.1 percent this year, below last year?s 5.6 percent growth. But the online part of that is expected to rise 17 percent, according to research firm?comScore.

This isn?t the first time stores have had to up the ante. As Americans cut back on spending during the economic downturn, merchants ramped up their already deep?discounting.

Shoppers became addicted to the ever bigger sales, and they began fleeing to online?retailers.

To better compete, brick-and-mortar stores concluded that they would have to replicate their online rivals? formula. Shopping needs to be cheap and easy, they figured. So stores began trying new ways to make shopping more convenient last year, such as free shipping and expanded?hours.

This holiday season, they?ve expanded the scope and scale of those incentives to?include:

? Expanded hours for shoppers who can?t wait to hit the mall. ? More shipping and return options: About 44 percent of retailers are offering free shipping this year, a jump from 12.5 percent last year, said Vicki Cantrell, executive director of Shop.org, the National Retail Federation?s digital retail division that tracks retailers? online offers. And UPS said retailers also are working to make returns easier by including return labels in packages or providing a link online that customers can use to print?labels.

? Layaway plans for financially strapped shoppers: Shoppers have typically been charged a fee for layaway programs that allow them to pay over a period of?weeks.

? Price matching for shoppers who are addicted to deals: Small mom-and-pop stores long have offered to match the cheaper prices that customers find online, but this year many big merchants will do the?same.

? Updated shopping apps for smartphone-toting shoppers: This year retailers are beefing them?up.

? Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/nov/22/retailers-trying-harder-to-lure-holiday-shoppers/

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