2012 Frankenfood Carving and Costume Contest ? Biology Fortified ...

Hello everyone! Frank N. Foode? here, ready to bring in the Hallo-weeny Cheer! October is closing fast, important elections are around the corner, and the fourth birthday of the Biofortified Blog is also coming up. For many, it is a very scary time.

Well here?s something to cheer you up? how about our 3rd annual Frankenfood Carving and Costume Contest? Oh yeah, break out your gene guns, it?s time to make us some monsters!

The Biofortified Blog was founded on October 31st, 2008 ? Halloween. For our first birthday, our readers helped us win a nice little contest that got the blog going. Each year after that, we turned it around and hosted a contest of our own. Not just limited to carving pumpkins ? we want you to think outside the pepo and concoct some creations fit for the mad scientist labs that we know you all work in. Is the genetic diversity of pumpkins too limiting? Add some bell pepper parts, or lemongrass stalks to the mix! Genetically engineer your own super-crops and bring them to light with a candle flame (or thermite reaction if that?s your thing)! Feel free to mix and match the plants that you put together for your carving.

Or, if genetically engineering plants is not your thing ? I bet that you wish you had a few personal enhancements to your human frame. Instead of carving a pumpkin, eggplant, or Palmer amaranth, why not dress yourself up as an eggplant, amaranth, or other food? You can enter the contest with any food or agriculture-themed costume instead! Dress up as a crazy chef, a plant breeder (they should all be famous), or a Caprese salad ? the world is your oyster (and you can be one too)!

Here are the rules:

• This contest is open to everyone ? you need not have ever commented on the blog before the day you enter in the contest. But, you will need to register for the blog to enter, and have a photo attached to your profile. You can upload one, or use Gravatar.
• Carve any fruit, vegetable, grain, or heck, algae into the scariest creature imaginable. While you may carve the classic pumpkin, extra points will be awarded for creative use of alternatives. Feel free to do a little genetic engineering and splice different plants together.
• OR ? carve yourself a killer food, plant, or genetics-based costume. Whichever you choose ? if you can include a reference to recent news, genes, or something we?ve talked about on the blog, that will certainly set you above the rest! Think: can you give a pumpkin a tumor?
• Upload a photo of your mad creation to the forum. The new uploading feature is great!
• To give you time to upload a picture from Halloween, the contest is open until November 4th, at midnight Pacific time in the US.
• The Biofortified Blog?s Editors will decide on a winner and announce it within the next week.

Prizes

For this year?s winner (Frank N. Foode? and hat not included)!

What can you get if you win? Well we?ve got something special for the First Place winner: a giant genetically engineered tomato! Wait, no, that?s not a real tomato ? but a tomato-shaped rug to cushion your feet in your kitchen! This baby is no cherry ? it is 28 inches wide, and has memory foam to take the weight off your tired toes. That, along with the usual blog tote bag, and you?re set to shop and cook in style.

Now if we get a lot of good entries like last year, we?re prepared to sweeten the pot by adding another equivalent prize to reward a second person?s creativity. How about $25 to spend on blog schwag in our Zazzle store? We could even throw in a book for someone.

So with that, good luck and have fun this Halloween, everyone! Don?t forget this chance to be on our eternal wall of Glory!

Source: http://www.biofortified.org/2012/10/2012-frankenfood-carving-and-costume-contest/

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Megastorm could wreak havoc across 800 miles of US

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. (AP) ? Forget distinctions like tropical storm or hurricane. Don't get fixated on a particular track. Wherever it hits, the behemoth storm plodding up the East Coast will afflict a third of the country with sheets of rain, high winds and heavy snow, say officials who warned millions in coastal areas to get out of the way.

"We're looking at impact of greater than 50 to 60 million people," said Louis Uccellini, head of environmental prediction for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As Hurricane Sandy trekked north from the Caribbean ? where it left nearly five dozen dead ? to meet two other powerful winter storms, experts said it didn't matter how strong the storm was when it hit land: The rare hybrid storm that follows will cause havoc over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes.

Governors from North Carolina, where steady rains were whipped by gusting winds Saturday night, to Connecticut declared states of emergency. Delaware ordered mandatory evacuations for coastal communities by 8 p.m. Sunday.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was criticized for not interrupting a vacation in Florida while a snowstorm pummeled the state in 2010, broke off campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in North Carolina on Friday to return home.

"I can be as cynical as anyone," said Christie, who declared a state of emergency Saturday. "But when the storm comes, if it's as bad as they're predicting, you're going to wish you weren't as cynical as you otherwise might have been."

Eighty-five-year-old former sailor Ray Leonard agreed. And he knows to heed warnings.

Leonard and two crewmates in his 32-foot sailboat, Satori, rode out 1991's infamous "perfect storm," made famous by the Sebastian Junger best-selling book of the same name, before being plucked from the Atlantic off Martha's Vineyard, Mass., by a Coast Guard helicopter.

"Don't be rash," Leonard said Saturday from his home in Fort Myers, Fla. "Because if this does hit, you're going to lose all those little things you've spent the last 20 years feeling good about."

Sandy weakened briefly to a tropical storm Saturday but was soon back up to Category 1 strength, packing 75 mph winds. It was about 260 miles (420 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and moving northeast at 13 mph as of 5 a.m. Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The storm was expected to continue moving parallel to the Southeast coast most of the day and approach the coast of the mid-Atlantic states by Monday night, before reaching southern New England later in the week.

It was so big, however, and the convergence of the three storms so rare, that "we just can't pinpoint who is going to get the worst of it," said Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Officials are particularly worried about the possibility of subway flooding in New York City, said Uccellini, of NOAA.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to prepare to shut the city's subways, buses and suburban trains. The city closed the subways before Hurricane Irene last year, and a Columbia University study predicted that an Irene surge just 1 foot higher would have paralyzed lower Manhattan.

Up and down the Eastern Seaboard and far inland, officials urged residents and businesses to prepare in ways big and small.

On Saturday evening, Amtrak began canceling train service to parts of the East Coast, including between Washington, D.C., and New York. Airlines started moving planes out of airports to avoid damage and adding Sunday flights out of New York and Washington in preparation for flight cancellations on Monday.

The Virginia National Guard was authorized to call up to 500 troops to active duty for debris removal and road-clearing, while homeowners stacked sandbags at their front doors in coastal towns.

"You never want to be too naive, but ultimately, it's not in our hands anyway," said Andrew Ferencsik, 31, as he purchased plywood and 2-by-4 lumber from a Home Depot in Lewes, Del.

Utility officials warned rains could saturate the ground, causing trees to topple into power lines, and told residents to prepare for several days at home without power.

President Barack Obama was monitoring the storm and working with state and locals governments to make sure they get the resources needed to prepare, administration officials said.

In North Carolina's Outer Banks, a group of about 20 people was forced to wait out the storm on Portsmouth Island, a former fishing village that is now uninhabited and accessible only by private ferry.

"We tried to get off the island and the ferry service shut down on us," said Bill Rowley, 49, of Rocky Mount, N.C.

Rowley said he could see 15-foot seas breaking over the island's dunes, enough to bring water to the island's interior.

"We'll be inundated and it'll probably be worse tomorrow," he said.

In New Jersey, hundreds of coastal residents started moving inland. Christie's emergency declaration will force the shutdown of Atlantic City's 12 casinos for only the fourth time in the 34-year history of legalized gambling here. City officials said they would begin evacuating the gambling hub's 30,000 residents at noon Sunday, busing them to mainland shelters and schools.

The storm also forced the presidential campaign to juggle schedules. Romney scrapped plans to campaign Sunday in Virginia and switched his schedule for the day to Ohio. First lady Michelle Obama canceled an appearance in New Hampshire for Tuesday, and Obama moved a planned Monday departure for Florida to Sunday night to beat the storm. He also canceled appearances in Northern Virginia on Monday and Colorado on Tuesday.

___

Breed reported from Raleigh, N.C. Contributing to this report were AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein in Washington; Emery Dalesio in Kill Devil Hills, N.C.; Karen Matthews and Samantha Bomkamp in New York; Randall Chase in Lewes, Del.; and Nancy Benac in Washington.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/megastorm-could-wreak-havoc-across-800-miles-us-084038745.html

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Transgendered Lana Wachowski: I made ?Cloud Atlas' to change those who want to lynch me

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Lana Wachowski, the co-creator of "Cloud Atlas," said she made the gender-bending, multi-character film to change the attitudes of bigoted people "who want to lynch me, want to crucify me."

In a wide-ranging interview with TheWrap, Wachowski, sporting neon pink dreadlocks, showed a newfound willingness to talk publicly about being transgendered, a process she has undergone in the past decade to become a woman.

Wachowski said that at least one of the characters in "Cloud Atlas," a waitress of the future who foments revolution, mirrored her own experience.

"Like Sonmi, there are people who will spit on me, want to lynch me, want to crucify me," she said. But she hopes by speaking out she can effect change.

"I am interested in engaging with the world, hopefully in a way that makes some people not as afraid of people like me or view people like me as these others who aren't as human as them or different than them," she added.

Born Laurence Wachowski, the filmmaker and her brother, Andy, gained fame creating the landmark "Matrix" trilogy. The Chicago-based pair were known for never talking to the media, but have broken with that tradition to promote their ambitious new film, which opens on Friday.

"Cloud Atlas," which they co-directed with German director Tom Tykwer, is based on the book by David Mitchell. Weaving together six disparate storylines, the film includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant and Susan Sarandon in the cast, playing multiple roles in multiple time periods, often crossing gender and racial lines.

Tykwer said he made the film as a reflection on the interconnection of human experience. "There is a perspective on mankind and humanity that any action you do has consequences and those consequences ripple throughout centuries, potentially. Ultimately it does have an impact on how the world changes and transforms from one state to another that doesn't have any relationship to your class or state or mindset or anything but gives you a certain responsibility as an existence and that is an equal responsibility of all of mankind," he said.

In an interview with all three, Lana dominated the conversation, peppering references to philosophy and film history with her own personal story and urging a change in attitude toward people who are different.

"When you try to make a difference in the world, when you try to engage, when you try to change conventional wisdom whether you are making an experimental film and the critics are saying, ?You can't combine action and mainstream narrative with philosophical art house aesthetics! This is not allowed!' they spit on us. They'll try to lynch us," she said.

Wachowski spoke with similar emotion about bigotry she suffered when accepting a Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award earlier this month.

"People are freaked out by GLBT people," she said. "They're angry about my gender or my life or the way I inhabit the world the same way that Hugo as Mephi feels that Sonmi is a threat to his natural order in the world. So it's a weighty choice to do this, but I think... I hope it's worth it."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/transgendered-lana-wachowski-made-cloud-atlas-change-those-234740264.html

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Pinching Pennies with Pilates OMBE Center

From the desk of Kristen M. Reynolds, PT, DPT, PMA^?-CPT

Can you believe it is almost November? Take a moment to reflect how you have been feeling physically during 2012:

• Are any joints feeling stiff?
• Do you experience pain in your neck, shoulders, back, hips, or knees?
• Have you been diagnosed with a condition, such as arthritis, bursitis, or osteoporosis?
• Did you have a surgery or medical procedure that left you with residual muscle pain or limited range of motion?

If you answered ?YES? to any of the questions above, then you can benefit from skilled, private training from a Pilates trainer and physical therapist. We know that investing in fitness now pays health dividends later, so why not start Pilates training today? If expense is a concern, then listen up on how to be as financially fit as you can be!

1. Talk to your healthcare provider and ask he or she to write an ?exercise prescription? that recommends Pilates training for a specific condition. Similar to a pharmaceutical prescription, the exercise prescription will read ?Pilates training for the treatment of <diagnosis>, # times per week for # months.?? Hold onto this document! If you have a flexible spending (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), then you may be eligible to use your funds to pay for your Pilates lessons with pre-tax dollars. Don?t have an FSA or HSA? The IRS does not offer deductions for gym memberships, workout DVDs, or exercise equipment, however it will accept Pilates to treat chronic arthritis with a physical therapist as medical expense. (NOTE: Physical therapy with a doctor?s prescription is tax deductible for all conditions and OMBE offers Pilates-based physical therapy!)
2. Check with your insurance company to see if a fitness reimbursement benefit is offered. For instance, Fallon Community Health Plan reimburses individuals ($200) and families ($400) for Pilates through the It Fits! program, while Health New England will reimburse families up to $150 per calendar year towards Pilates classes or personal sessions with a certified teacher (Kristen is certified through the Pilates Method Alliance. Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO plan members can also get up to $150 toward fees paid for Pilates classes each calendar year.
3. Schedule a private session or Pilates Mat class by clicking here or by calling 617.447.2222.? I?m also offering any private Pilates sessions booked on a Tuesday or Thursday at 4pm for just $79 now through November!

Kristen Reynolds, DPT, PMA?-CPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

PMA? Certified Pilates Teacher

Always interested in dance, sports and fitness, Kristen Reynolds is a former YMCA and Junior Olympic gymnast, coach, and ACE personal trainer. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from James Madison University in 2006 and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2009.

While practicing in orthopedics and sports medicine, a mentor introduced her to the Pilates Method and she has since pursued comprehensive training and professional certification from the Pilates Method Alliance to compliment her clinical interests. Dr. Reynolds is one of the few instructors in Massachusetts to have earned the distinction of PMA Certified Pilates Teacher. Additionally, she is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Sports Physical Therapy Section, APTA of Massachusetts Shoulder and Manual Physical Therapy Special Interest Groups, and Authentic Pilates Union.

Integrating the Pilates principles and repertoire with her manual therapy skills has produced successful rehabilitation outcomes for a wide variety of patients, including adolescents, elite athletes and dancers, and individuals with chronic orthopedic conditions. Dr. Reynolds utilizes this alternative therapeutic approach to improve muscle performance and joint mobility, correct posture and alignment, enhance body awareness, and create an evenly conditioned body that is more resilient to extremity and spinal injury.

~ by admin on October 25, 2012.

Physical Therapy, Pilates

Tags: Back Bay, Boston, Copley Square, physical therapy, Pilates, rehabilitation, sports medicine

Source: http://www.ombecenter.com/blog/?p=1080

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Get The Most From Your Own Home Advancement | Travel

Home improvement might appear very challenging and included, but once you learn what you will be carrying out, it can be a extremely renewing practical experience. Should you don?t know what you will be carrying out, you plumbing cape town may really damage on your own or help make your house dangerous. Don?t get worried, the tips listed here can help you steer clear of this.

Domestic plumbing

When focusing on house domestic plumbing assignments it?s generally a great idea to shut down the water. Shutting from the h2o can prevent any probable water pipe harm during fix procedure. It will also protect against normal water from floods to your house and leading to pricey water damage which can be a burden to fix.

Check your water lines and plumbing related on a regular basis. Clogs in basins, tubs, and lavatories can result in h2o rear-ups. Floods from back-ups can produce an dreadful mess and trigger huge quantities of high-priced harm. Slow-moving relocating drains can cause wedding rings of debris to seem with your tubs and kitchen sinks, making a awkward concern. It is recommended to always keep in addition to and take off clogs routinely.

Would it be less costly to make it happen your self or pay out someone else? If you opt to completely re-do your bathrooms, but know absolutely nothing about plumbing related, it may be helpful to shell out a local plumber in the future in. Also, you can check out the self-help textbooks in your neighborhood constructing offer. Don?t forget to ask. A simple undertaking shouldn?t cost more as a consequence of inexperience.

Before you begin home improvements sign up for the right creating permits. Any redesigning that concerns plumbing, electric power, or architectural adjustments can demand a allow. Check your nearby laws and regulations. If you continue without having a make it possible for then you can definitely be fined or it might have the house harder to sell down the road.

Should you come across any plumbing or electrical function that must definitely be accomplished, quit and contact a specialist. These are generally two aspects of home improvement that you need to by no means make an effort to do oneself in the event you aren?t appropriately qualified and knowledgeable. Taking care of these places of the home by yourself might lead to a mishap which costs far more than getting a skilled to get it done to suit your needs appropriate at the first try.

Don?t spend normal water as a result of leaky faucets or domestic plumbing. Check them on a regular basis and possess any issues handles as soon as possible. Together these very same facial lines, use cold drinking water to wash all your garments. It can minimize the force on your warm water heating unit and add time for you to its lifespan.

Before you try to deal with an expert venture such as a pipes or electrical matter all by yourself, get a professional quote initially. If the issue is a small one, then then you is able to afford the costs. If the problem is a large a single then chances are you aren?t capable of take care of it anyway. Looking to do these projects all by yourself will most likely result in much more injury and in many cases injury.

While it is much less expensive to work on your own home oneself, creating errors or perhaps not getting the determination to finish a project can rapidly increase the cost. It is essential to think through what you would like to accomplish this write-up is supposed to be described as a beginning point for you personally while you start to accumulate your feelings about what you should do.

Source: http://nicoleevaemery.com/services/get-the-most-from-your-own-home-advancement/

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Branson: Virgin space project keeps being delayed

WARSAW, Poland (AP) ? British billionaire Richard Branson says his space tourism project keeps being pushed back and isn't sure of an exact date for the first launch.

He says it will be at least another 12 or 18 months before the Virgin Galactic venture can offer paid space travel to adventurers.

The founder of the Virgin Group met with students on his first visit to Poland on Wednesday, where he came to launch Virgin Academy, which will help young people kick start their own businesses.

Asked about Virgin Galactic, Branson said he has "stopped counting" days to the launch because it gets delayed "to the next year, to the next year."

More than 100 would-be space tourists have signed up for the $200,000 two-hour trips that go 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/branson-virgin-space-project-keeps-being-delayed-134753117.html

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Warner Bros. to ditch 28-day release delay for rental stores?

Warner Bros. may have doubled its 28-day embargo on new releases for kiosk operators (even if they side-step it), but endangered bricks-and-mortar rental stores could be treated to the exact opposite. A rumor coming from Home Media Magazine's unnamed sources suggests the WB is going to ditch the embargo for these locations altogether, starting on October 30th. We have no idea why this break would be offered to the relic stores, although we doubt they care if it gets a few more bodies through the door. Warner Bros. has a recent habit of quiet implementation, but just to be sure, we've reached out for confirmation and will update you if-and-when we hear more.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Warner Bros. to ditch 28-day release delay for rental stores? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Home Media Magazine  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/W_c0s9iORX4/

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Samsung Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile now available for $370 on contract

T-Mobile may be a bit late to the Samsung Galaxy Note II party, but the mega-sized 5.5-inch smartphone has now landed in its online store for $370 on contract. You'll need to commit yourself for two years to get that price, but if you can manage it, the quad-core packing smartphone looks to be ready to ship in Marble White or Titanium Gray shades. Its presence in the store slid under the radar with few other details or fanfare, but if you've been eying a T-Mob variant of the phablet with bad intent, check the source to see how to grab it.

[Thanks, Amon]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile now available for $370 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 05:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  T-Mobile (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/24/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-at-t-mobile-for-370/

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Mexico exhumes relative of drug lord for DNA test

Founded by military deserters, the Zetas are one of the most powerful gangs in a drug war that has claimed an estimated 60,000 lives in the past six years.

Lazcano was accused of masterminding the arson attack on a casino last year in the northeastern city of Monterrey that left 52 people dead.

He was also blamed for the killing for 72 migrants found with their hands tied in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, which borders the United States, in August 2010.

One of two main leaders of the Zetas cartel, Lazcano had a $2.6 million reward on his head. The United States had set its own award at $5 million.

The Zetas are engaged in a brutal turf war with the Pacific region's Sinaloa Cartel, led by fugitive billionaire Joaquin "El Chapo" (Shorty) Guzman, Mexico's public enemy number one and a billionaire criminal who escaped from a maximum-security prison in 2001.

The new top Zeta, Miguel Angel Trevino, will have to consolidate his leadership position while at the same time facing a furious offensive from their western rivals.

Trevino, 40, an ex-police officer also known as "Z-40" or "El 40," had been effectively running the Zetas for months, according to experts.

Guzman launched an offensive against the Zetas earlier this year focused on Nuevo Laredo, a northern border town that is the transit point for 40 per cent of all Mexico's overland exports into the United States.

The Zetas were founded by Mexican special forces soldiers who deserted and went to work for the Gulf Cartel as enforcers.

They eventually broke with their employers and struck out on their own, adding protection rackets, human trafficking, prostitution and kidnapping to their core drug smuggling business.

The Gulf Cartel has now joined forces with the Sinaloa Cartel, its former foe.

The Zetas are known for decapitating and dismembering their enemies, a shock tactic soon adopted by their rivals.

Source: agencies

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568301/s/24c50eb4/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cworldnews0Ccentralamericaandthecaribbean0Cmexico0C96270A160CMexico0Eexhumes0Erelative0Eof0Edrug0Elord0Efor0EDNA0Etest0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Facebook Accused Of Bombarding Users With Ads For Fake NFL Jerseys From China

Facebook's main source of revenue ? its "Sponsored" ads ? has put it in the middle of a proposed class action lawsuit.?

An NFL merchandise retailer accused Facebook, its ad partner adSage, and a number of alleged knock-off goods sellers of false advertising in a complaint filed Monday.

New Mexico-based Krystal's NFL Shoppe says Facebook displayed ads for seemingly authentic NFL products that were actually Chinese knock-offs.

"Nike NFL Jerseys $21" and other ads even appeared on Krystal's Facebook page ? leading people to believe Krystal's sold the knock-offs, according to the complaint.

Krystal's says in its suit that counterfeit goods makers are using both the credibility of legitimate merchandisers and Facebook itself to turn a profit. The company is suing on behalf of all makers of official NFL merchandise.

Facebook and adSage did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

These aren't the first allegations of customers being targeted by websites selling fake jerseys.?

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already shut down 70 websites selling sports goods, which allegedly violated the Lanham trademark law, according to Deseret News.

SEE ALSO: Here's GM's 'Tasteless Ad' Featuring Einstein That A Judge OKed >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-sued-for-running-knock-off-ads-2012-10

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Deal of the Day ? Microsoft Windows 8 Pro Pack plus $30 MaxPerks credit (Pre-order)

Tuesday’s LogicBUY Deal is a pre-order for?Microsoft Windows 8 Pro Pack, starting at $69.99 (for upgrade from Windows 8 “Core” to Pro). ?Release date is 10/26/2012. ?You’ll also receive a $30 MaxPerks Bonus Rewards Credit with this purchase. ?There are other options for those upgrading from?Windows 7, Vista or XP or for fresh installs. $99.99 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/10/23/deal-of-the-day-microsoft-windows-8-pro-pack-plus-30-maxperks-credit-pre-order/

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MoviePass Lets You See Unlimited Movies in the Theater for One Monthly Fee (and We've Got Invites)

MoviePass brings the convenience of Netflix to your local movie theaters: After paying a monthly fee, you can see as many movies in the theater as you want.

The price of MoviePass varies depending on where you live, but starts at $29.99 a month. When you sign up, you get an app for your smartphone and a membership card that works like a debit card. When you want to see a movie, just check in at the theater on your phone, then swipe your membership card like any other debit card?it'll work at any theater that takes Discover cards, and you can see up to one movie a day. If you're a particularly big movie buff, that means you could save quite a bit of money (though it doesn't work for 3D or IMAX movies).

Unfortunately, there are a few caveats: MoviePass is an annual membership, meaning you sign up for an entire year and are billed monthly. If you cancel more than 30 days after you've started your membership, you're charged a $20 termination fee, plus you'll have to pay for any tickets you used up until that point if they cost more than what you've paid for MoviePass. Be sure to read the FAQ and terms before you sign up to make sure the service is right for you. It boils down to this: if you know you see enough movies to make up the cost, it's a fantastic service, but if you aren't sure, don't sign up before you're ready or you might end up paying too much.

MoviePass is currently in invite-only beta, but we got our hands on 2,000 invites for Lifehacker readers. You don't need to enter a code or anything, just hit the link below to bypass the invite process and sign up for your membership.

MoviePass

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/PT7vXV8yEdU/moviepass-lets-you-see-unlimited-movies-in-the-theater-for-one-monthly-fee-and-weve-got-invites

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At Ohio University visit, Obama tells students &#39;Don&#39;t boo - vote&#39; | USA ...

By Jason Chow

President Obama speaks to the crowd at an Ohio University rally in Athens, Ohio, Wednesday.

In a second wind following last week?s presidential debate, President Obama riled up a crowd of 14,000 Wednesday in the heart of Ohio University?s campus, hoping to earn their vote.

?I came here today, Ohio, because I want your vote,? Obama said. ?I want your vote. I am not too proud to beg.?

Introduced by OU?s College Democrats president, Shannon Welch, on a beautiful fall evening, the president touched on issues regarding college tuition, energy, economics, women?s rights and the faults of his opponent, Mitt Romney, during his 30-minute speech.

?Everyone has something at stake during this election,? Welch said.

From the beginning, Obama got right to the point dismissing Romney?s five-point plan.

?He has a tax plan that doesn?t add up,? Obama said. ?He?s got a jobs plan that doesn?t create jobs. He?s got a deficit plan that doesn?t reduce deficits. You?ve heard of the New Deal, Ohio. You?ve heard of a fair deal. Mitt Romney is trying to sell you a sketchy deal.?

Romney has said that his five-point plan will result in the creation of 12 million jobs during his first term. In the debate the night before, Romney also said Obama?s ?policies have been exercised over the last four years, and they haven?t put people back to work.?

Obama?s criticism of Romney during the debate continued at the rally.

?Now, we had our second presidential debate last night,? he said. ?I?m still trying to get the hang of this thing. But there are a couple of things that I noticed that keeps on recurring in this debate and during the course of this campaign. Governor Romney continues to run around talking about his five-point plan for the economy.

?But as we saw last night, the five-point plan really boils down to one point ? folks at the very top get to play by a different set of rules than you do.?

Throughout the president?s speech, the crowd continued to interrupt with bouts of laughter, cheers and, at times, a large swarm of boos in reference to the Republican Party.

?Don?t boo ? vote,? Obama said.

Realizing that the majority of his viewers were college students from Ohio University, Obama made sure to follow in the footsteps of his vice president?s speech during his previous stop to Athens ? football and college tuition.

?I just want to point out that I was pushing for a playoff system,? he said.

By Jason Chow

Ohio University students began waiting for President Obama?s 7 p.m. speech at 8 a.m. Wednesday. The line extended more than two miles.

Mentioning the expansion of Pell Grants, Obama highlighted the system created by the Democrats to keep interest rates low and tuition assistance high.

?If [students] have debt, they?re never going to have to pay more than 10% of their income,? he said. ?If they choose to become a teacher or do something that doesn?t pay a lot of money, they can still manage the debt from getting an outstanding education.?

Though not all spectators in the crowd were as easily swayed, OU student Mat Buchman, 19, said he believed the event was important for all to attend, no matter party affiliation.

?It?s a historic event for our college and for Athens, Ohio,? he said.

Fellow student, Cody Smith, 18, has a similar belief, saying that the large and versatile crowd is a sign of the importance of the election and of voting.

?Your voice counts,? he said. ?I think everyone should at least be well educated on the issues and what?s going on during the election. It affects all of us.?

The visit marked Obama?s 13th day in Ohio since kicking off his campaign May 5 at Ohio State University, and the seventh in regards to rallies on college campuses.

?I believe in you, and I need you to keep on believing in me so I can finish the job that we started,? he said. ?And only you have got the power to keep us moving forward. I can?t do it by myself. I need you. I?m only in Washington because of you.?

Source: http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/election2012/at-ohio-university-visit-obama-tells-students-dont-boo-vote

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Solar power used to study wild elephants in Africa

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Ethiopians take UK stage to show dance changes lives

LONDON (Reuters) - Two Ethiopians who take to the London stage on Monday evening are living proof that dance really can change lives.

Addisu Demissie, 30, and Junaid Jemal Sendi, 28, will perform in "A Holding Space", a dance collaboration which explores their extraordinary journey from the streets of Addis Ababa to some of the biggest arts venues in Europe.

In the film "Billy Elliot", the son of a tough northern English miner breaks taboos and challenges a community's prejudices by ditching boxing to take up ballet.

In the real world, Demissie was in his early teens and out shining shoes to make extra cash for his family when a stranger turned up at the door offering the chance of free education.

He and hundreds of other children turned up the following day, and quickly realised that the education they were to receive was not blackboards and books but movement and exercise.

In just 17 days, at a time when there were no known contemporary dancers in Ethiopia, some 120 children from the streets were dancing in a performance of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana".

Andrew Coggins, chief executive of the Dance United charity which organised the project in the mid-1990s, recalled the transformation he saw in the children.

"You saw kids on the street who were rather supplicant suddenly standing on the stage and taking their full space in the world," he told Reuters at The Place, the London dance venue where A Holding Space is being performed.

"It was a tremendous metaphor for what then followed."

Demissie and Sendi were among 18 boys who were then enrolled on a five-year dance course that earned them a qualification from Middlesex University.

Since 2002, they have performed at venues including Sadler's Wells, Britain's most famous dance stage, won a choreography award and helped develop a charity in Ethiopia that uses the arts to reach disadvantaged people.

"The main thing is we're not dancing for the sake of dancing, we're just using dance as a tool for changing people's behaviour, changing people's lives," said Sendi, speaking in near-perfect English.

"BETTER LIFE, BETTER CHANCES"

As well as taking in children from the streets, the Adugna Community Dance Theatre Company which they lead has begun to work with prisoners and young people with physical disabilities in the first such initiative in Ethiopia.

Others in Demissie's and Sendi's place may have been tempted to leave Ethiopia and pursue the bright lights of a high-profile career in the West.

"Of course there is a better life here, there are better chances," explained Demissie.

"I can live better and I can eat better, but that's not the important part for me. These people (Dance United) have spent a lot of money on us ... and we have this responsibility.

"I'm not going to be a dancer here because there are millions of dancers. I'm not avoiding competition but as Junaid says, we have more of a role in Ethiopia."

Of the original 18 who trained on the course, about half have left dance altogether, but the point of Adugna's work was not to create dancers.

"The rest, they chose to be someone else, but probably the training helped them to see what they wanted and that's what we are trying to do - give people the chance to see the world from a different direction," Demissie told Reuters.

The pair aim to continue their work with Adugna and to open their own studio in Addis Ababa if they can raise the funds, as well as expand dance teaching into festivals that will attract visitors from abroad.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ethiopians-uk-stage-show-dance-changes-lives-122305376.html

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Baseball-Coke quenches Tigers' thirst for late-game security

DETROIT, Oct 22 (Reuters) - If the Detroit Tigers are to celebrate their first World Series in 28 years it could ultimately depend more on how they finish games than how they start them, leaving the Motor City's fate in the glove of unheralded Phil Coke.

Until Detroit's American League Championship Series (ALCS) sweep of the New York Yankees last week, many baseball fans considered Coke one of the world's best known soft drinks rather than a hard-throwing reliever known for his late game mastery.

But when regular closer Jose Valverde suffered a post-season meltdown, Coke slipped into the role and recorded the last out in the final three games of the ALCS.

"I don't have any idea what's going on, I just know I'm having a good time," Coke, whose two postseason saves are one more than he had all season, told reporters. "We have a common goal that we're trying to achieve and the last thing I want to be known for is the one that didn't do his job."

Valverde's nightmare resulted in Coke's dream come true, the anonymous middle reliever thrust into the spotlight and poised to play a leading role on baseball's biggest stage.

Led by reigning American League Cy Young winner and Most Valuable Player Justin Verlander, the Tigers' starting rotation is of the highest quality and a known quantity.

In nine postseason games, Detroit starters have posted a miniscule 1.02 earned run average (ERA) and limited the mighty New York Yankees to just six runs in the ALCS.

While Detroit starters were painting masterpieces, Valverde was unable to provide the finishing touches, surrendering seven runs in three playoff games.

With the Tigers up 4-0 in Game One of the ALCS and cruising towards an easy win, the Yankees pounded Valverde for four runs in the ninth inning, including a pair of homers, forcing Detroit to stage a late rally and claim victory in 12 innings.

Tigers manger Jim Leyland had seen enough, deciding things would go better with Coke.

"No, he wasn't (expecting to close)," said Leyland. "That is probably the good thing about it, he didn't expect it. ... He didn't have a lot of time to think about things and reacted and pitched.

"Nobody knew it would play out this way."

In five seasons spilt between the Yankees and Tigers, Coke has never quite settled into a permanent role.

After acquiring the lefthander from New York in 2009, as a throw in to the trade that brought center fielder Austin Jackson and starter Max Scherzer to Detroit, the Tigers flirted with the idea of developing Coke into a starter.

But after 14 starts in 2011 that produced a 3-9 record, the Tigers abandoned the experiment and returned Coke to the bullpen as a setup man, where this season he made 66 appearances posting 2-3 record with a 4.00 ERA.

Now, Coke, armed with a mid-90s fastball, has inherited one of baseball's most pressure packed jobs, a task the easy-going lefty has embraced and seems ideally suited.

"We just get the ball when given and go out and do our thing," said Coke, who won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009. "I'm just going out there and doing what I need to do and whether it's to end the game or it's to be in the fifth inning and throw a couple innings, it doesn't matter.

"My job is not to worry about that; it's to throw strikes and get outs. That's what my job is and that's where my head's at and that's all I pay attention to." (Editing by Frank Pingue)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/baseball-coke-quenches-tigers-thirst-game-security-194558346--mlb.html

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Box-office activity slows for 'Paranormal,' Perry

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Kathryn Newton in a scene from "Paranormal Activity 4." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Kathryn Newton in a scene from "Paranormal Activity 4." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)

Scary movie fans are still into "Paranormal Activity," though the horror franchise looks as though it's starting to run out of steam at the box office.

Paramount's "Paranormal Activity 4" debuted at No. 1 with $30.2 million, a big drop from the $40 million and $50 million opening weekends of the last two installments, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Perpetual hit maker Tyler Perry failed to find an audience for his new persona as an ace crime solver. Summit Entertainment's "Alex Cross," starring Perry as author James Patterson's brilliant criminal profiler, was a dud, opening at No. 5 with $11.8 million.

Perry has written, directed and starred in a string of hits featuring his sassy grandma Madea, which mostly have had opening weekends two and three times bigger than that of "Alex Cross." Fans didn't buy into Perry as the title character, who goes up against a diabolical serial killer.

"He's become so identified and so successful with the Madea franchise that when he steps outside of that, it doesn't necessarily follow that the audience is going along with him," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "It's fun for him to stretch out a little bit, but it didn't really pay off."

Ben Affleck's Iran hostage tale "Argo" held up well in its second weekend, remaining at No. 2 with $16.6 million, dropping just 15 percent from its debut. Big studio releases often drop 50 percent or more in subsequent weekends, but "Argo" has proven a hit with critics and audiences alike, earning Academy Awards buzz and strong word of mouth that should give it a long run at theaters.

Affleck, who also directed "Argo," plays a CIA specialist who concocts a wild plan to rescue six Americans hiding in Tehran after the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy there.

Released by Warner Bros., "Argo" raised its domestic total to $43.2 million.

Liam Neeson's action sequel "Taken 2," which had been No. 1 the previous two weekends, slipped to fourth place with $13.4 million, lifting the 20th Century Fox release's domestic haul to $106 million.

Adam Sandler's animated hit "Hotel Transylvania," from Sony Pictures, also held up well at No. 3 with $13.5 million, pushing its domestic earnings to $119 million.

While domestic revenues were way down for the fourth "Paranormal Activity" flick, the franchise remains a big moneymaker for distributor Paramount. "Paranormal Activity 4" was produced on a tiny budget of $5 million, continuing the franchise's trend of turning minimal investments into tidy profits.

"For us, the focus is always, what are these movies made for and how profitable are they? Within Paramount, it's a colossal success," said Don Harris, the studio's head of distribution. "A $5 million movie that has an opening weekend of over $30 million, it's really kind of irrelevant what No. 2 or No. 3 did. The movies really stand on their own."

Overseas, "Paranormal Activity 4" had a good start with $26.5 million in 33 countries, giving it a worldwide total of $56.7 million.

In limited release, Fox Searchlight's acclaimed drama "The Sessions" did solid business, opening with $121,005 in four theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, for a healthy average of $30,251 a cinema. By comparison, "Paranormal Activity 4" averaged $8,851 in 3,412 theaters.

"The Sessions" stars John Hawkes and Helen Hunt in the true-life story of a man, paralyzed by polio and stuck in an iron lung most of his life, who hires a sexual surrogate so he can lose his virginity. The film expands to more cities over the next month.

While "Paranormal Activity 4" fell short of the franchise's third installment, which opened over the same weekend last year, overall Hollywood revenues continued to rise after a late-summer slump.

Strong holdovers such as "Argo," ''Hotel Transylvania" and "Taken 2" made the difference, with domestic business totaling $131 million, up 8 percent from the same weekend a year ago, according to Hollywood.com. Revenues were up for the fourth-straight weekend.

"Last year, the box office was so top-heavy with 'Paranormal Activity 3,' and the rest of the films really underperformed," Dergarabedian said. "This year, we have a much more balanced lineup."

Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Paranormal Activity 4," $30.2 million ($26.5 million international).

2. "Argo," $16.6 million ($1.2 million international).

3. "Hotel Transylvania," $13.5 million ($14.5 million international).

4. "Taken 2," $13.4 million ($23.6 million international).

5. "Alex Cross," $11.8 million.

6. "Sinister," $9 million ($2.3 million international).

7. "Here Comes the Boom," $8.5 million.

8. "Pitch Perfect," $7 million ($320,000 international).

9. "Frankenweenie," $4.4 million ($4.1 million international).

10. "Looper," $4.2 million ($5.6 million international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Paranormal Activity 4," $26.5 million.

2. "Taken 2," $23.6 million.

3. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," $14.9 million.

4. "Hotel Transylvania," $14.5 million.

5. "The Impossible," $8.7 million.

6. "Asterix et Obelix: Au Service de Sa Majeste," $8.1 million.

7. "Ted," $8 million.

8. "Looper," $5.6 million.

9. "Perfect Number," $4.1 million.

10 (tie). "Frankenweenie," $4.1 million.

10 (tie). "Masquerade," $4.1 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-10-21-Box%20Office/id-d5db4cca5b07404d8260eeba1acf17a5

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Police: N.J. mom, grandma attacked 4th-grade bullies

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) ? The mother of a 9-year-old girl who says she was bullied has been arrested on charges she boarded a school bus and slapped and cursed at two fourth-grade boys, while the girl's grandmother is accused of screaming at them, authorities said.

Rebecca Sardoni, 28, of Toms River, and her mother, 51-year-old Stephanie Sardoni, of Beachwood, were arrested Friday and released on summonses.

Toms River Police Chief Michael G. Mastronardy told The Asbury Park Press that witnesses said the two women boarded a school bus Friday morning bound for East Dover Elementary School and asked for a boy they claimed had been harassing Rebecca Sardoni's daughter on the bus.

Several students on the bus said Rebecca Sardoni then cursed at the boy and slapped him and a boy seated next to him while Stephanie Sardoni yelled at the two boys, Mastronardy said.

Rebecca Sardoni is charged with simple assault, criminal trespass and making terroristic threats. Stephanie Sardoni is charged with criminal trespass.

A woman who identified herself as Rebecca Sardoni answered the phone Sunday at a listing for Stephanie Sardoni in Beachwood. She told The Associated Press that she regretted boarding the bus, but she denied touching or hitting anyone.

"I was upset. I wasn't crazy woman upset," Rebecca Sardoni said. "I don't put my hands on my own kids. I would have never put my hands on anyone's kid."

Rebecca Sardoni said her daughter is upset and nervous about going to school Monday. She said she's considering sending her daughter to a new school but knows for sure that she won't be taking the bus anymore.

"It's crazy that this got blown into me doing something wrong ? me and my family ? when this is my daughter that is the victim," Rebecca Sardoni told the AP.

Rebecca Sardoni said she took matters into her own hands after school officials ignored complaints that her daughter, who is also in fourth-grade, had been verbally and physically bullied by four students. She said her mother merely stood at the front of the bus with the driver.

School officials couldn't be reached Sunday by The Associated Press.

The boys were treated by nurses from Toms River Regional Schools for cuts to their mouths. One of the boys was taken by his parents to a local hospital for treatment of a neck injury, Mastronardy said.

The stepfather of one of the boys ? who have not been named because of their ages ? told the newspaper his stepson had a cut on his lip after Rebecca Sardoni slammed his head against the bus window.

___

AP Radio reporter John Klobucar in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cops-nj-mom-grandma-attacked-4th-grade-bullies-213539264.html

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U.S. prepared to meet one-on-one with Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House says it is prepared to talk one-on-one with Iran to find a diplomatic settlement to the impasse over Tehran's reported pursuit of nuclear weapons, but there's no agreement now to meet.

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said Saturday that President Barack Obama has made clear that he will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and will do whatever's necessary to block that from happening. Vietor said Iran must come in line with its obligations, or else faced increased pressure.

"The onus is on the Iranians to do so, otherwise they will continue to face crippling sanctions and increased pressure," Vietor said in a statement. He noted that efforts to get Iran back to the table with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany ? the so-called "P5+1" ? continue.

Iran has been a recurring issue in the presidential election campaign and Vietor's statement was released shortly after The New York Times reported Saturday that the U.S. and Iran have agreed in principle for the first time to negotiations. The paper said Iran has insisted the talks wait until after the Nov. 6 election.

Vietor, however, denied that any such agreement had been reached.

"It's not true that the United States and Iran have agreed to one-on-one talks or any meeting after the American elections," he said. "We continue to work with the P5+1 on a diplomatic solution and have said from the outset that we that we would be prepared to meet bilaterally."

Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will meet Monday night in a debate focusing on foreign policy and Iran's nuclear ambitions will likely be a topic. Obama has said he'll prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He hopes sanctions alongside negotiations can get Iran to halt uranium enrichment. But the strategy, which began during President George W. Bush's administration, hasn't worked yet. Obama holds out the threat of military action as a last resort. Romney has accused Obama of being weak on Iran and says the U.S. needs to present a greater military threat.

Despite unprecedented global penalties, Iran's nuclear program is advancing as it continues to defy international pressure, including four rounds of sanctions from the U.N. Security Council, to prove that its atomic intentions are peaceful.

Those sanctions, coupled with tough measures imposed by the United States and European nations are taking their toll, particularly on Iran's economy. Iranian authorities have in recent weeks been forced to quell protests over the plummeting value of the country's currency. The rial lost nearly 40 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar in a week in early October, but has since slightly rebounded.

U.S. officials say they are hopeful that pressure from the sanctions may be pushing Iran's leaders toward concessions, including direct talks with the United States. But several said on Saturday that they did not believe such discussions would happen any time soon.

If one-on-one talks are to occur, they would likely follow the model that the U.S. has used in six-nation nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, the officials said.

In those discussions, U.S. negotiators have met separately with their North Korean counterparts but only as part of the larger effort, which also involves China, Japan, South Korea and Russia. Direct U.S.-North Korean talks are preceded and followed by intense consultations with the other members of the group.

However, the direct talks with North Korea have yet to bear fruit and U.S. officials warned that talks with Iran may not yield anything either. If U.S.-Iran talks do occur, they would likely be part of the P5+1 process, which groups the Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States and is overseen by the European Union. The group has met numerous times with Iranian officials but has yet to achieve any significant progress.

In late September, the group instructed EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to reach out to Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, to organize another meeting. No date had been set for the possible resumption of talks.

Iran says its program is for peaceful energy and research purposes but Western nations fear the Islamic republic is determined to develop nuclear weapons and fundamentally reshape the balance of power in the Middle East. That would pose a grave threat to Israel.

Israel has threatened to strike Iran's nuclear facilities if Tehran doesn't stop uranium enrichment a process that can be a pathway to nuclear arms. Israel could decide to strike Iran's nuclear sites on its own, and Israeli leaders say time to act is running out. They have also hinted they would like U.S. support for any such attack.

An Israeli strike on Iran with or without Washington's involvement would likely draw retribution from Tehran including possible attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests overseas or disruptions to the transit of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which could send oil prices skyrocketing.

Obama has counseled patience as public as American public support for another Mideast conflict is low with the Iraq war over and the conflict in Afghanistan winding down.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Andrew Miga contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-prepared-meet-one-one-iran-234043257.html

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News: Barclays hosting international business clinic in Rotherham

Barclays and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) are hosting an international clinic in Rotherham next week to inform local businesses on the ways to start trading overseas safely and successfully.

The business bank recently carried out research amongst 1,500 small businesses in the UK, revealing the rapid benefits of exporting. 29 per cent experienced a positive impact on their bottom line within just six months of expanding into international markets. Eight in ten (82 per cent) businesses experienced a positive impact on their bottom line after two years of exporting.

31% of businesses that currently sell overseas have had to employ more people in the UK as a result of their exporting activity. These businesses, on average, have recruited an extra 15 people in the UK each as a direct result of their exporting activity, which equates to around 336,0002 more people being employed across the UK as a result of businesses exporting or selling to overseas customers.

The research also found that 31 per cent of those who currently export are planning on branching into new markets in the next year and a further 24 per cent in the next two years. And, with continuing uncertainty in the Eurozone, businesses are looking for export opportunities further afield. Nine out of the top ten countries listed as targets by businesses exporting for three years or more3 are outside of Europe, with Hong Kong, India, China and Australia topping the list.

The research comes as Barclays recently launched a unique proposition, "Business Abroad", which provides the tools and know-how that businesses need to instantly start trading internationally with confidence. It offers free access to expert guidance, advice, workshops and tools, as well as discounts on international products and services.

Steve Cooper, vice chairman of Barclays Business Banking said: "Winning business overseas is a vitally important way for SMEs to prosper and help the economy grow out of recession. Our new research shows that in the challenging domestic market, exporting provides attractive new revenue growth for businesses, boosting the bottom line and supporting job creation.

"We are committed to helping UK SMEs take that step to winning new trade around the world, and have experts in place across the globe ready to lend their support and advice."

The event at the Holiday Inn on the morning of October 25 will cover the "Business Abroad" initiative. Barclays is also working with UKTI to help small businesses trade internationally ? from securing their first international customer to setting up an overseas operation.

Lord Green, Minister for Trade and Investment, said: "Boosting the UK's export performance and supporting the growth of small and medium sized enterprises are key parts of our plan for growth that will help us secure a stronger, more balanced and resilient economy. The Government wants to see a further 100,000 British businesses exporting by 2020 and is committed to helping businesses of all sizes take their products and services to new markets overseas.

"Alongside the support offered by UK Trade and Investment, the Business Abroad proposition launched by Barclays will play an important role in helping British products and services find new markets overseas. I look forward to seeing our partnership deliver real results."

Barclays website

Source: http://www.rothbiz.co.uk/2012/10/news-3045-barclays-hosting.html

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Social Engagement Strategy: The Serious Business of Taking ...

Earlier this month, a Facebook user, Richard Neill put up a post that suddenly went viral. The post was a rant against Maxipad maker Bodyform alleging that they?lied in their advertisements.

Rather than just let it go and hope the 84,000 or so ?likes? would be forgotten with the next viral wave, Bodyform put up a response immediately and turned the whole episode around. Their video response to Richards post was a masterpiece and worked to Bodyforms advantage like a charm.

You might think that kind of response is something that comes of a great ?social media marketing framework? or some super strategy. Perhaps, but in my opinion, I think not. And I?d also add that it is not about the platform, or the technology either, but about the actual tone of engagement Bodyform chose.

Let me explain.

Take a step back and look at what really has happened to us with all this social brouhaha. One of the most important impacts its had on us, in my humble opinion, is the sense of lightness it has brought to our basic cognition of communication itself. It has loosened up the whole ritual of writing and expressing thoughts and emotions. There are a lot of people I know who never wrote letters or sent emails longer than a line or two, because they?weren?t?up to framing sentences. It just did not appeal to them. But today social tools like Facebook have allowed them to step out of that mental block and got them sharing and engaging more frequently and with more people than before.

In a way it has sort of disrupted our mental blocks and mind-sets and loosened us up, giving us channels to share, incentives to comment, to collaborate and express views more freely, more openly. And add to that tools like twitter, which have further made us effective in how we say what we want to say. Result ? there is more sharing, more humour, satire and empathy now than ever before. All this is happening at the audience end ? the customers and influencers.

On the other end, from an organizations point of view, Public Relations has always been, and will always be serious business. Representing a corporate brand and taking its communication to the world was a very important job and called for a grim no-nonsense approach.

And here is my view of the basic problem: The new social networking paradigm thrives on various levels of simplicity of?engagement,??informality and lightness. Don?t get me wrong ? none of that in anyway undermines the importance or seriousness of topics involved in conversations. Marketing and PR are perhaps challenged to fit into that ask, and it is a sort of a struggle ?to get out of that traditional mode of being rigid and all too serious. Years of?serious pursuit of serious objectives can make it a big challenge to suddenly change gears and make it a lighter pursuit of the same serious objectives: engaging with an audience on a radically new platform, in a dramatically lighter vein, where satire, sarcasm, humour, maybe even a little flippancy perhaps work best, but without losing sight of the basic serious purpose of managing that brand.

Bodyform?s case is an excellent example of a firm responding to that supposedly negative post in the right spirit ? with the same sense of humour and satire that Richard meant it in. Richards rant was certainly not a call to war

The best laid Social CRM or Social Engagement Strategies and plans may amount to nothing if there isn?t room for some lightness, some humor and, oh yes, a lot of conversation.

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Source: http://successfulworkplace.com/2012/10/20/social-engagement-strategy-the-serious-business-of-taking-things-lighter/

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On the ground in Southern New Hampshire (Powerlineblog)

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