Global Humanitarian Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Brings People from 109 Countries to Discuss Creation of a Violence-Free and Stress- Free Society

Largest and Longest Online Brainstorming Session of Concerned Citizens through a Compelling Dialogue and Meditation.

Washington D.C. (PRWEB) January 31, 2013

Creating a pivotal moment in history, hundreds of thousands of people from 109 countries joined world humanitarian and peace ambassador Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for a thought provoking session on Saturday, Jan. 26 to discuss how they could play a role in creating a stress-free and violence-free world. Sri Sri called on participants from all nations to work collectively and volunteer an hour every day to raise the happiness level in their society. He urged all participants to take a proactive role in bringing people together by helping them get rid of stress, anxiety and depression to create one world family.

?Hangout with SriSri? is the first virtual event where a diverse group of leaders from politics, religion, art, sports, and journalism representing countries like Oman, Taiwan, Paraguay, Zimbabwe, Slovenia, USA, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Argentina, Israel, India and Pakistan joined hands to get Sri Sri?s guidance on pertinent world issues. In this three hour long session, Sri Sri was quizzed on a variety of questions ranging from secret of health, education, corruption, raising children, managing guilt and anxiety, indecisiveness, freedom, competition, secret of happiness, enthusiasm, managing stress, balancing personal and professional life to invoking courage in youth.

?We need to incorporate human values of cooperation, compassion, respect, friendliness and a sense of service into our everyday lives,? said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of the of Art Living Foundation. ?The response to the event was overwhelming, with thousands of questions pouring from around the world. Though it was practically impossible to go over each question, it was satisfactory to feel connected with the overall objective of looking for a solution for a violence-free, stress-free society.?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reinforced the importance of managing the mind and emotions through the use of breath. He plays a key role in conflict resolution spreading his vision of non-violence at public forums and gatherings worldwide. Regarded as a neutral figure with a sole agenda of peace, he represents hope to people in conflict. He has received particular credit for bringing opposing parties to the negotiating table in Iraq, the Ivory Coast, Kashmir and Bihar. Through his initiatives and addresses, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has consistently emphasized the need for reinforcing human values and recognizing humanity as our highest identity.

Resources

About the Art of Living Foundation

The Art of Living Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational and humanitarian organization founded by spiritual leader and humanitarian Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Sri Sri?s initiatives have benefited more than 30 million people worldwide. The Foundation is one of the UN's largest volunteer-based NGOs, and works in special consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council, participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and disaster relief. For more information, visit artofliving.org.

About Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher and an ambassador of peace. His vision of a stress-free, violence-free society has united millions of people the world over through service projects and the courses of The Art of Living.

Deepa Menon
Art of Living Foundation
650.619.8523
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/global-humanitarian-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-brings-people-090129844.html

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Session Daily - Concerns about K-12 budget hint at debates to come ...

Education

published 1/29/2013

As lawmakers get their first look at Gov. Mark Daytons K-12 education budget proposal, theyre beginning to raise objections that are likely to shape the debates of coming weeks. House Education Policy Committee members got an overview of the governors plan from Education Department officials on Tuesday. In return, they had plenty of questions on topics ranging from teacher evaluation to proposed changes in the formulas used to distribute funding to school districts.

Rep. David Bly (DFL-Northfield) said hes worried about the governors proposal to shift funding thats currently allocated to districts based on the number of their students who spend extra time in after-school or summer programs. Instead, the money would be distributed based on how many poor students a school serves. State officials say the move would give districts more local control. But Bly argued that so-called extended time revenue was set aside precisely to protect the kinds of programs it funds, and that the change could end up hurting many at-risk students.

Similarly, Rep. Kathy Brynaert (DFL-Mankato) sounded a word of caution about a proposal to shift funds now earmarked for gifted and talented programs into the states basic education funding formula. Brynaert said she wants to make sure that the state keeps an eye on the learning needs of gifted children as well as those who struggle academically.

Rep. Bob Barrett (R-Lindstrom) raised a concern shared by many rural lawmakers: He asked why the governors budget doesnt do more to address funding disparities between school districts that many say are unfair. I represent North Branch, he said. Were on a four-day school week, not because we want to be, but because we dont have the money for a five-day week. Thats a pretty obvious representation that North Branch doesnt have the money it needs to educate its kids.

That districts budget woes are closely tied to the fact that, unlike many school districts, North Branch has been unable to get voter approval for a local operating levy, said Tom Melcher, the Education Departments school finance director. But thats only part of the problem, Barrett said, adding that funding gaps persist even when you take local levies out of the equation.

- Sarah Lemagie

---

Source: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/sessiondaily.asp?storyid=3308

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Private firms reportedly near deal for Hostess Twinkies

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private equity firms Apollo Global Management LLC and C. Dean Metropoulos & Co are near a deal to buy snack cake brands including Twinkies from bankrupt Hostess Brands Inc, according to a source familiar with the matter.

A deal, part of Hostess's bankruptcy reorganization, is not yet final, said the source, who declined to be identified as the discussions are not public.

The so-called stalking horse bid would be for more than $400 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. It would serve as the baseline offer for the business and could be topped by others at an auction.

Spokesmen for Metropoulos and Apollo were not immediately available to comment. Hostess declined to comment.

Earlier this month, Hostess chose a $390 million offer by Flowers Foods , maker of Tastykake products, as the stalking horse bid for several brands including Wonder bread.

On Monday, Hostess said it chose McKee Foods Corp, maker of Little Debbie snack cakes, as the initial bidder for its Drake's cakes, which include Ring Dings, Yodels and Devil Dogs. It also chose United States Bakery as the lead bidder for four of its smaller bread brands plus bakeries, equipment and depots.

(Reporting By Martinne Geller in New York; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apollo-metropoulos-near-deal-hostess-twinkies-source-170059961--sector.html

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Wallenda crosses Fla. tightrope 200 feet over road

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) ? Famed daredevil Nik Wallenda glided 500 feet across a wire suspended 200 feet above the ground on Tuesday, wowing several thousand people below in his hometown of Sarasota.

Without a tether or safety net, Wallenda was the lone figure against a blue sky, aided only by a balancing pole. He made the death-defying stunt look easy, but the performance was anything but simple: it took dozens of circus workers to pull and release the thick black cables that controlled Wallenda's wire as he walked. The morning was windier than expected, and at one point near the end, Wallenda dipped down to one knee on the wire, which led to loud gasps among the crowd.

"I have to get into a zone where I kind of forget about everything else and just focus on what I'm doing," he said shortly before he stepped on the wire. "Fear is a choice but danger is real, and that's very, very true for my line of work."

When Wallenda went to one knee, the drama reached a fever pitch.

"Scary," said Neil Montford, a vacationer from the United Kingdom, while wiping sweat from his brow and looking skyward.

Wallenda, 34, wore a gold cross around his neck and prayed with his wife, children and parents prior to the walk.

"It's my job, it's my career, it's my passion, it's what I love to do," he said.

The Sarasota City Commission allowed the stunt without a tether. Wallenda wore a tether for the first time last summer when he walked across Niagara Falls because the television network that was paying for the performance insisted on it.

Wallenda is a seventh-generation high-wire artist and is part of the famous "Flying Wallendas" circus family. His great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, fell during a performance in Puerto Rico and died.

But Wallenda wasn't focused on the possibility of tragedy. In the hours before the stunt, Wallenda walked underneath the wire, which was suspended between a crane and a condo in downtown Sarasota. He spoke of his city, of the nearby sparkling bay and how he loved hear the cheers of the crowd while hundreds of feet up in the air.

___

Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wallenda-crosses-fla-tightrope-200-feet-over-road-164138847.html

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Video game composer dies following battle with cancer

Featured

20 days

Video

Todd Kenreck , NBC News

2012 was a great year for video games, but one game stood out from all of the rest. NBCNews.com's Todd Kenreck reports. Play video

52 min.

Winda Benedetti , NBC News

Normand Corbeil, the award-winning composer who created the music for critically?acclaimed?games such as "Indigo Prophecy" and "Heavy Rain," as well as the stunning short film "Kara," died Friday following a battle with pancreatic cancer.?

Corbeil had been working on the music for the forthcoming game/interactive movie "Beyond: Two Souls" starring Ellen Page. His son, Laurent Corbeil, announced the news on a cancer discussion forum, writing: "My father, Normand Corbeil, 56, passed away today at 2:56 PM. He was a great composer and an amazing dad ... I am in shock."

Corbeil, who won a BAFTA award for the emotional and provocative music he wrote for "Heavy Rain" (see InGame editor Todd Kenreck's review below), had worked extensively with the game developers at Quantic Dream.

On Monday, Quantic Dream issued the following statement:

Over the past eight years, Normand had grown to become an integral part of our team. He had co-composed the original music of 'Fahrenheit' FAHRENHEIT (Indigo Prophecy) and was the composer of HEAVY RAIN. He had started working on Beyond.

Normand was not only one of the most talented composers of his generation; he was a formidable person, kind and humble.

Corbeil had also scored television shows and films such as "Human Trafficking," "Double?Jeopardy" and "The High Cost of Living," and was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for his work.

You can see the extensive?list of Corbeil's?achievements on his official site. And you can download the music he created for "Heavy Rain" via iTunes here.

Winda Benedetti?writes about video?games for NBC?News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti??and you can?follow her?on?Google+.?Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/award-winning-video-game-composer-dies-following-battle-cancer-1C8143491

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Nine Tenets for Retail in 2013 | denise lee yohn: brand as business ...

***

Transcript:

Online retail has matured

Online retail is the pawn that has become the queen.

According to Forrester Research,

online has grown to 9% of retail sales and is projected to generate $327 billion in sales in 2016

According to Shop.org,

270MM people shopped in 2012 holiday season

129MM shopped on Cyber Monday

?

In the digital world, our brand can be much bigger than our footprint.? Wherever [our customer] is, we?ll be there.

? Thomas Belk, Chairman and CEO, Belk, Inc.

?

Mobile holds even more potential

Social and mobile aren?t emerging technologies. The revolution is already over ? the customer is in control.

According to Whale Shark Media,

there?s been a 51.9% growth in time spent on mobile

?

Forrester Research predicts

the $5.5 billion spent in retail (media, CE, apparel) mobile commerce in 2012 to grow to $24.5 in 2017

?

?

Capability in new areas, particularly mobile, is mission critical.? It can?t be an afterthought. We must invest in it to get ahead of the technology and the growth curve.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

?

Mobile is no longer just a channel.? It?s not a one-way pipeline of content to consumers ? it is an intrinsic part of consumer behavior.????? ? Susan Jurevics, SVP, Global Retail CRM and Brand Marketing, Sony Corporation of America

?

Showrooming
must be embraced

The question is not how do you defend against [showrooming], but how do you leverage it in your business model.

According to Forrester Research,

37% of smart phone owners plan to showroom more in the future

47% of men aged 18-34 plan to show room more

so, you need to have a price matching strategy

and we will see more UPP (unilateral pricing policies)

Showroomers don?t end at the sale ? they?re active consumers.? 58% visit online communities 1+/day and half write reviews (positive ones.) They?re not your enemy.?? ? Jill Puleri, VP, Global Industry Leader ? Retail, Global Business Services, IBM

?

Organizational silos are hindering progress

?

Channel blur:? Consumers are going to force you to match prices online.? Online and in-store merchandising groups are going to have to talk, compare notes, require coordination.

? Cotter Cunningham, CEO, WhaleShark Media

CEOs are pushing for company-wide digital strategy, but digital departments still often operate independently.

? Vicki Cantrell, Shop.org Executive Director and NRF Senior Vice President of Communities

?

Business beats government

Charity alone won?t save the world; we need business and capitalism.

This [retail] industry is the greatest engine of growth in the U.S. today.? We offer hope, opportunity, and career progression.

? Bill Simon, CEO, Walmart

The world needs a lot of care and compassion and business is singularly positioned to deliver on that.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

?

Business is the most creative force in the world.

If we?re waiting on government, we?re waiting on a process that can?t act with the same speed as business.

? Bill Simon, CEO, Walmart

Retailers shouldn?t just produce for the middle and upper classes; ?the third world is waiting for retail.?

? Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

?

Employees and culture should be priority #1

?

Think of labor not as a unit cost, but as truly the heart and soul of business.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

If content is king, culture is checkmate ? you need the right people within the company on the bus.

? Eric Qualman, author of Socialnomics

?

?

The most important brand building tool of all is the ability to inspire our people ? not only about what we?re doing but why, and getting them to exceed expectations in way that?s authentic and real.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

Excellence is tremendous amount of fun; mediocrity is not.? People really want to work with great people and achieve great things.

? Kip Tindell, Chairman & CEO, The Container Store

?

The ecosystem of stakeholders is powerful

?

Shared Conversation concept:? The conversation is owned by consumers, peers, retailers, and countless influencers, bloggers, stylists, media critics and more.

? Susan Jurevics, SVP, Global Retail CRM and Brand Marketing, Sony Corporation of America

?The market? is more than the consumer ? it includes employees, customers, distributors, etc.? All vote and shape our brand everyday.? This requires new ways of working together against shared value.

? Allison Lewis, Senior Vice President, Marketing, North America Division, The Coca-Cola Company

?

?

When you operate with this stakeholder view, the universe conspires to assist you.

? Kip Tindell, Chairman & CEO, The Container Store

The opportunity is to become more of who are you and realize your full potential.? Many businesses aren?t exploring the full potential of their connections with stakeholders.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

?

?

Innovate or die

?

Relentless innovation will continue:

flash sales ? daily deals ? subscriptions ?

curated commerce / distributed commerce / crowdsourcing commerce

? Sucharita Mulpuru, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Forrester Research

Any business that embraces business as status quo?is literally facing a collision course with time.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

?

Capitalism

re-imagined:

Reimagine what is possible with business.? There is nothing more powerful than the imagination and creativity of individual team members.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

It has never been more important to push for innovation at every level ? we must do everything to push for self renewal, reinvention, a new level of surprise and delight with our customers.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

?

?

Brick and mortar is not dead

Retail at its basic level is individual connection.

Your customer engagements will be your ?30-second spots.?

?Tom Feltenstein, CEO/Founder of Tom Feltenstein?s Power Marketing Academy

Physical retail still has a lot of promising stories that will continue to grow and drive industry in the future.

? Sucharita Mulpuru, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Forrester Research

Source: http://deniseleeyohn.com/bites/2013/01/28/nine-tenets-for-retail-in-2013/

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Plane crash kills 22 in Kazakhstan: emergencies official

KYZYL TU, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - A passenger plane crashed in thick fog near Kazakhstan's commercial capital of Almaty on Tuesday, killing all 22 people on board, an emergency services official said.

The Canadian-built Bombardier Challenger CRJ-200 was en route from the city of Kokshetau in northern Kazakhstan to Almaty in the southeast when it crashed near the village of Kyzyl Tu, Deputy Almaty Mayor Maulen Mukashev said.

He told reporters near the scene that the plane belonged to private Kazakh airline SCAT, which operates extensive domestic services and some international flights.

"There was no fire, no explosion. The plane just plunged to the earth," Yuri Ilyin, deputy head of the city's emergencies department, told Reuters near the scene.

Ilyin put the death toll at 22.

Almaty and the surrounding area were veiled in thick fog on Tuesday.

"The preliminary cause of the accident is bad weather," Mukashev said. "Not a single part of the plane was left intact after it came down."

It was the second plane crash in the Central Asian country and former Soviet republic in just a over a month.

On December 25, a military transport airplane crashed in bad weather near the southern Kazakh city of Shymkent, killing all 27 people on board.

Prosecutors have said that a fatal combination of technical problems, bad weather and human errors caused that accident.

(Reporting by Mariya Gordeyeva; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/passenger-plane-crashes-kazakhstan-agency-says-21-board-084403126--sector.html

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Japan to be first with 4K TV broadcast starting in 2014 - AfterDawn

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Source: http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2013/01/27/japan_to_be_first_with_4k_tv_broadcast_starting_in_2014

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Skin cancer | BlueNC

Skin cancer sucks, even in its mildest early stages. Between doctor visits, ointments, creams and cutting, there's nothing to like about it except for the fact that it's not brain or liver cancer. But you know what would suck even more? Skin cancer with no insurance.

I've been lucky. I was able to see a doctor early and often, staying ahead of the disease. Without insurance, I might be well my way to dead right now.

More than 1.5 million adults in North Carolina have no health insurance. With an incidence rate of 30% for skin cancer, that means more than 450,000 uninsured citizens would be diagnosed if they somehow managed to see a doctor. But they won't see a doctor. They can't afford to.

The Republicans in Raleigh don't give a damn about people who can't afford to see a doctor. Just like they don't give a damn about people who have lost their jobs.

Source: http://www.bluenc.com/skin-cancer

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Caterpillar sets cautious tone for year after low profit

(Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc , the world's largest maker of construction equipment, posted a 55 percent drop in quarterly profit on Monday and set a cautious tone for the year, citing weak demand and oversupply.

Executives at the company, which last year slashed production to reduce inventory, balanced their optimism on recent improvements in U.S. housing starts with concern about China's slowing growth, the U.S. deficit and eurozone instability.

However, investors took heart in Caterpillar's 2013 profit forecast of $7 to $9 per share, lifting the stock 1.8 percent in afternoon trading.

Of the 25 analysts in the United States, Canada, Britain and South Korea who cover Caterpillar's stock, seven had cut 2013 profit estimates in the past month, with the lowest at $7.63 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

High inventory remains a short-term challenge for the Peoria, Illinois-based company. While Caterpillar cut its equipment inventory glut by $2 billion sequentially in the fourth quarter, levels remain $1 billion higher than a year ago.

Caterpillar still has an oversupply of products in China, and executives said they hope to sell some of it by June.

Quarterly results were hit by a charge of 87 cents per share after the company discovered accounting fraud at a Chinese coal mining supplier it bought last year.

In a somber note on the global economy, Caterpillar said the "most significant favorable factor" for 2013 profit will be the absence of the ERA accounting fraud writedown, not increased demand for its machines.

"We're encouraged by recent improvements in economic indicators, but remain cautious," Caterpillar Chief Executive Doug Oberhelman said on Monday.

For the fourth quarter, Caterpillar posted net income of $697 million, or $1.04 per share, compared with $1.55 billion, or $2.32 per share, in the year-ago quarter.

Excluding one-time items, the company earned $1.46 per share. Analysts had expected $1.69.

Caterpillar's operating margin fell to 6.5 percent from an all-time high of 15.8 percent in the third quarter of 2012.

Revenue fell 7 percent to $16.08 billion. Analysts had expected revenue of $16.12 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

CHINA FRAUD

Caterpillar closed the purchase of ERA Mining Machinery Ltd and its subsidiary Siwei, China's fourth-largest maker of hydraulic coal mine roof supports, last June for $653.4 million (HK$5.06 billion).

After the deal closed, Caterpillar found that physical inventory did not match accounting statements, a discovery that led to the charge. The case has opened questions about Caterpillar's research into ERA before the deal, as well as the adequacy of its auditors.

Caterpillar does not expect the fraud to harm its 2013 profit, but it will hinder the company's expansion into China, the world's largest coal producer.

"I recognize the decision to acquire (ERA) happened on my watch and the buck stops at my desk," Oberhelman said on a call with investors. "I am accountable for that acquisition."

Oberhelman, CEO since 2010, said Caterpillar is "considering all options to recover our losses and hold those responsible accountable for their wrongdoing."

Emory Williams, the chairman of ERA when the Caterpillar deal closed, ended days of silence on Monday, saying in a statement issued before the Caterpillar earnings statement that he was "dismayed" by the accounting charge Caterpillar was taking.

Williams said nothing about the accusation of accounting misconduct in his statement.

Citigroup Inc and law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP served as financial and legal advisers to Caterpillar on the transaction. Blackstone and DLA Piper acted as ERA's financial and legal advisers.

A source directly involved with the Caterpillar deal previously told Reuters that RSM Nelson Wheeler was ERA's auditor, while Deloitte and Ernst & Young acted on Caterpillar's side.

None of the auditors has commented.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Maureen Bavdek and Richard Chang)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/caterpillar-profit-drops-weak-demand-heavy-equipment-125216961--sector.html

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Jill Lepore: How Much Military Is Enough?

The New Yorker:

SSixty-two legislators sit on the House Armed Services Committee, the largest committee in Congress. Since January, 2011, when Republicans took control of the House, the committee has been chaired by Howard P. McKeon, who goes by Buck.

Read the whole story at The New Yorker

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/26/jill-lepore_n_2558158.html

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AP Interview: Algeria admits mistakes in standoff

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) ? Algeria's foreign minister acknowledged that security forces made mistakes in a hostage crisis at a Saharan gas plant in which many foreign workers were killed by Algerian military strikes.

Mourad Medelci, in an Associated Press interview, also conceded that Algeria will need international help to better fight terrorism. Algeria's decision to refuse foreign offers of aid in handling the crisis, and to send the military to fire on vehicles full of hostages, drew widespread international criticism.

The Jan. 16 attack, which an al-Qaida-affiliated organization has claimed responsibility for, sent scores of foreign energy workers fleeing across the desert for their lives. A four-day siege by Algerian forces on the complex left at least 37 hostages and 29 militants dead. Some of the fatalities were badly burned, making it difficult to identify them.

"We are in the process of assessing our mistakes. In that assessment we are leaning more towards establishing that the operation was a success," Medelci told the AP at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Friday.

He said Algeria is likely to reinforce security measures at sites where multinationals operate in the oil- and gas-rich country. But he insisted that foreign workers in Algeria "will continue to work in Algeria and that is the best way to answer the terrorists."

He defended the government's decision to attack instead of negotiating. "Faced with such an attitude (of terrorism), it's not just words that solve the problem. It's action," he said.

But he admitted that Algeria, which faced years of internal extremist violence, "can't continue to face international terrorism alone. It absolutely needs support."

He argued that Algeria wasn't the target of the attack, but "they are targeting investors in Algeria and the foreigners who work there."

___

AP correspondent Angela Charlton contributed from Davos.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-algeria-admits-mistakes-standoff-090850588--finance.html

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Clegg slams EU vote, polls show boost for PM

LONDON (Reuters) - Nick Clegg, leader of the junior party in the ruling coalition, denounced David Cameron's pledge to hold a referendum on quitting the European Union, as polls on Sunday indicated the prime minister's move may gain him votes.

"It is not in the national interest when we have this fragile recovery," said Clegg, whose Lib Dems strongly favour closer EU ties, in contrast to many members of Cameron's Conservative party. "I don't think it helps at all."

He dismissed as "implausible" Cameron's plan to take back powers from Brussels before a referendum on a new treaty by 2017 that would let voters take Britain out. EU leaders have shown little wish to grant Cameron concessions and Clegg said EU talks would distract ministers from efforts to revive the economy.

Cameron, he told the BBC, would damage economic growth if he spent "years flying around from one European capital to the next, fiddling around with the terms of Britain's membership".

The Lib Dems are languishing in the polls and are unlikely to leave the coalition before an election in 2015, but the EU issue has added to strains. Cameron, who says he wants Britain to stay in the EU, last week promised a referendum if he is re-elected. It is less clear what may happen if treaties remain unchanged.

The first opinion polls published since he made his pledge of an "in-out" vote, however, showed that the prime minister may be succeeding in reversing a drift from the Conservatives to a party which campaigns for Britain to leave the European Union.

A Survation poll in the Mail on Sunday, which showed Labour unchanged and in the lead on 38 percent, put the Conservatives on 31 percent, up two points, while the UK Independence Party was down by the same margin, on 14 percent. UKIP's surge from just 3 percent in the 2010 election has raised the prospect of a split on the right that could condemn Cameron to defeat.

Another poll, by ComRes in the Independent on Sunday, showed an even more marked "Brussels bounce" for the prime minister, with the Conservatives gaining five points from last month to 33 percent and UKIP losing four points to be on 10 percent. Again, ComRes put Labour in the lead, down a point on 39 percent.

Cameron's European move worries the United States and EU allies, which want Britain to stay in the bloc. Many business leaders say it creates dangerous uncertainty.

Many Conservatives, whose party toppled previous premiers over European policy, welcomed a referendum after 2015. However, without improvement in an economy which shrank by 0.3 percent in the last quarter, Cameron's re-election is far from certain.

(Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/clegg-slams-eu-vote-polls-show-boost-pm-141145590--business.html

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Pa. man gets drive-thru send-off after funeral

The hearse carrying David Kime, Jr. pulls up to the drive-through at the Burger King in York, Pa. on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. To honor Kime, who loved fast food, his mourners went to Burger King and each got a "Whopper Jr." sandwich. Kime Jr. passed away Jan. 20. (AP Photo/York Daily Record, Jason Plotkin) YORK DISPATCH OUT

The hearse carrying David Kime, Jr. pulls up to the drive-through at the Burger King in York, Pa. on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. To honor Kime, who loved fast food, his mourners went to Burger King and each got a "Whopper Jr." sandwich. Kime Jr. passed away Jan. 20. (AP Photo/York Daily Record, Jason Plotkin) YORK DISPATCH OUT

Linda Phiel places a "Whopper Jr." sandwich from Burger King on the casket to be buried with her father David Kime, Jr. at Prospect Hill Cemetery in York, Pa. on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. Phiel and other mourners went through the drive-through at Burger King and each got the hamburger to honor Kime, Jr. who loved fast food. (AP Photo/York Daily Record, Jason Plotkin) YORK DISPATCH OUT

Margaret Hess, the manager at Burger King in York, Pa. passes out a Whopper Jr. sandwich to a mourner of David Kime, Jr. before his funeral on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. To honor Kime, who loved fast food, his mourners went to Burger King and each got a Whopper Jr. Kime Jr. passed away Jan. 20. (AP Photo/York Daily Record, Jason Plotkin) YORK DISPATCH OUT

YORK, Pa. (AP) ? Mourners at a Pennsylvania fast-food fan's funeral wanted him to have it his way, so they arranged for his hearse ? and the rest of the procession ? to make one last drive-thru visit before reaching the cemetery.

David Kime Jr. "lived by his own rules," daughter Linda Phiel said. He considered the lettuce on a burger his version of healthy eating, she said.

To give him a whopper of a send-off Saturday, the funeral procession stopped at a Burger King where each mourner got a sandwich for the road.

Kime got one last burger too, the York Daily Record reported. It was placed atop his flag-draped coffin at the cemetery.

Phiel said the display wasn't a joke, rather a happy way of honoring her father and the things that brought him joy.

"He lived a wonderful life and on his own terms," she said.

Kime, 88, a World War II veteran, died Jan. 20.

Restaurant manager Margaret Hess said she knew his face and his order. She and her crew made 40 burgers for the funeral procession.

"It's nice to know he was a loyal customer up until the end ? the very end," she said.

___

Information from: York Daily Record, http://www.ydr.com

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-01-26-Fast%20Food%20Funeral/id-59a739bf072943998a75bbf25c8aa69d

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Spouses club relents, accepts lesbian Army wife

Courtesy Ashley Broadway

Ashley Broadway, left, is pictured with her wife, Lt. Col. Heather Mack and their 2-year-old son.

By Bill Briggs, NBC News contributor

Hours after same-sex Army wife Ashley Broadway was named Fort Bragg's 2013 ?spouse of the year,? the on-base spouses club???that has for two months rebuffed Broadway's bid to join?? fully reversed course and invited her "to become a full member," according to emails sent to NBC News and Broadway.

The decision comes one week after the Association of Bragg Officers' Spouses (ABOS) extended Broadway???who is married to Army Lt. Col. Heather Mack???a "special guest membership," an invitation she declined and called "extremely demeaning."

---

"After further reviewing the (club's) constitution, by-laws and internal procedures, the ABOS Board felt that in order to immediately support all military Officer spouses who are eligible for ABOS membership a more inclusive definition of spouse was needed. Therefore, any Spouse of an active duty commissioned or warrant Officer with a valid marriage certificate from any state or district in the United States is eligible for ABOS membership," the club's board said in a statement.

"ABOS does not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, creed, or sexual orientation. ABOS would like to publicly invite Ms. Broadway to apply for full membership to ABOS. It is and always has been our mission to support all military families."

In an email to Broadway ? shared with NBC News???the club said, "We would like to offer you to become a full member of ABOS."

"I will go ahead and submit my application," Broadway said in response to the invitation. "I need to educate some of the naysayers that are in that group and show them my family is just like their family."

In the online election held Tuesday, Broadway captured the Fort Bragg vote ?by a country mile,? said Babette Maxwell, founder of Military Spouse magazine and the Military Spouse of the Year award. Ballot totals were not revealed.

As one of the 154 base-level winners, Broadway now is eligible to be nominated for Army ?spouse of the year.?

?A lot of people who voted never me met or talked to me or knew me from Adam. I know it was a statement to the Obama Administration, to Secretary (of Defense Leon) Panetta, to Senator (Chuck) Hagel ? if he is confirmed (as defense secretary) ? to the Pentagon and, really, to America that, yes, she is a military spouse and she needs to be recognized,? Broadway told NBC News.

?There are things the government can do right now to make life a hell of a lot easier than what it is currently for those who are in same-sex marriages in the military,? she added. ?It was a lot of people saying, ?Enough?s enough.? ?

Broadway?s rejection from the Fort Bragg officers? spouses club sparked the U.S. Marine Corps to issue on Jan. 9 a pro-gay, branch-wide directive. On Jan. 16, her bid drew the Pentagon?s attention. The next day, the?on-base spouses club offered Broadway a "special guest membership" ? an invitation she declined, calling it ?extremely demeaning.??

Broadway married Mack, her 15-year companion, in November ? their first chance to hold a formal ceremony after?the 2011 repeal of ?Don?t Ask Don?t Tell,??the policy that kept gays from openly serving in the military. The couple has a 2-year-old son and Mack gave birth to their second child, a daughter, on Tuesday.?

?People got one vote per email address ? one ballot for the person you wanted to represent you. I think people would be unwilling to, quote-unquote, throw their vote away on simply doing what was popular,? Maxwell said. ?There was a significant amount of meaning in what they were doing when they voted for Ashley.

?Removing her a bit from the press and recognition she?s received the last few months, Ashley???more importantly???has a platform to benefit a large number of spouses, and that?s what people want to see happen,? Maxwell added. ?The winners are chosen based on their merits, their accomplishments and what they intend to do for the community in the year to come.?

Broadway has volunteered to tutor soldiers? children in reading, briefed inbound Army families on local school districts, and helped transferring soldiers with housing-location decisions.

?When I was denied membership, I asked to speak to the club?s board. I was convinced that if they?d just sit down with me for half an hour, if I could talk to them about what I?ve been doing, what I?ll be doing in the future, they would see what an asset I would be to the group,? Broadway said.

The meeting was not granted.

?That was the most frustrating thing,? she said.

Before its decision late Friday to relent and offer Broadway full membership, the ABOS board had maintained Broadway was never rejected because ?a formal application was never filed,? and that she simply had inquired about the eligibility of a same-sex spouse and was told the club would need ?time to look at the issue.??

Online voting for the next round of the 2013 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year???the branch level???will take place Feb. 5. The overall winner, elected from the branch finalists, will be revealed May 9.

"I never thought in a million years I would be the one to advance the cause. If that?s what it?s going to take to get attention for all the military same-sex spouses, then so be it," Broadway said. "But I do take this (Bragg 'spouse of the year' award) very seriously. And we'll see where it goes from here."?

Related stories:

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/24/16686603-rebuffed-by-fort-bragg-spouses-club-lesbian-army-wife-named-bases-spouse-of-the-year?lite

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This Clever Resume That Looks Like an Amazon Page Is So Good I Would Buy It

Making your resume stand out from a pile of papers or a bunch of pixels on a screen is hard as hell. How can people who went to similar schools and worked similar jobs and have similar skills differentiate themselves? By being clever. Like Philippe Dubost. He turned his resume into an Amazon product page. It's brilliant! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jXQZtxGMuNY/this-clever-resume-that-looks-like-an-amazon-page-is-so-good-i-would-buy-it

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Spain newspaper sorry for "false photo" of Chavez

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's influential El Pais newspaper apologized on Thursday for publishing a "false photo" of elusive, cancer-stricken Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, removed the image from its website and withdrew its print edition.

Chavez is currently convalescing in Cuba after undergoing surgery for cancer for the fourth time on December 11. He has not been seen publicly for six weeks, fuelling rampant speculation over how serious his condition is.

The Venezuelan government and the leader of Argentina, Chavez ally President Cristina Fernandez, condemned the publication of the photo. "As grotesque as it is false," said Venezuelan Information Minister in a Twitter comment.

The grainy photo that El Pais originally splashed on its front page on Thursday, billed as a global exclusive, portrayed the head of a man lying down with a breathing tube in his mouth.

El Pais, one of the biggest Spanish-language publications in the world and an institution both in Spain and in Latin America, said in a brief online statement that it had withdrawn the photo after ascertaining that the image was not of Chavez.

Venezuelan political opposition leaders have criticized government secrecy over Chavez's condition while his supporters have accused foreign media of being in league with the opposition to spread rumors that the president's medical condition is worse than it really is.

The handling of information over Chavez's health has become as contentious as the man himself and official medical updates have been confusing and contradictory.

"El Pais apologizes to its readers for the damage caused. The newspaper has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of what happened and the errors that were committed in the verification of the photo," the newspaper said in the statement.

The photograph was on the paper's website for half an hour and also appeared in early editions of the print version that were then withdrawn from news stands and replaced with a new edition with a different front page, the company said.

(Additional reporting by Eyanir Chinea in Caracas; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spain-newspaper-sorry-false-photo-chavez-151556199.html

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Neo Geo X production allegedly discontinued, additional carts to be released as planned

The Neo Geo X was the subject of so much talk and so many renders, we thought it was destined to be vaporware. We were proved wrong and it was released in December, but if Japanese site Gamer is correct, production of the retro handheld-come-console has already been discontinued. Apparently, this isn't due to affect the release of add-on cartridges for the platform -- although not all owners are in need of more games. We reached out to Neo Geo's PR folks and they didn't confirm or deny the report, but said they'll have more information for us shortly.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Comments

Via: Joystiq

Source: Gamer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/24/neo-geo-x-production-discontinued-rumor/

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Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

January 24, 2013, 10:57 am

A proposed overhaul of the Combined Federal Campaign, the U.S. government?s workplace charity drive, could significantly reduce contributions by over-emphasizing new technology, a Washington Post columnist writes.

The Office of Personnel Management plan, now under review by the Obama administration, calls for eliminating cash, check, and money-order contributions in favor of giving by electronic means.

Joe Davidson, who writes the Post?s Federal Diary column, says the proposal is aimed at streamlining CFC operations, but he notes that in 2011, only 22 percent of the $272-million pledged came from electronic giving. Mr. Davidson quotes charity leaders who are concerned about the impact of shifting to exclusively electronic giving.

This entry was posted in News-updates. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://philanthropy.com/blogs/philanthropytoday/opinion-workplace-giving-campaigns-shift-to-e-giving-is-risky/61511

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Ore. suspect's jihadi magazine writing highlighted

FILE - This file image released Nov. 27, 2010, by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office shows Mohamed Osman Mohamud. Testimony from an undercover agent who posed as an al-Qaida recruiter continues Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, in the trial of Mohamud. A second man, who posed as an al-Qaida bomb expert, is also expected to testify. (AP Photo/Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, file)

FILE - This file image released Nov. 27, 2010, by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office shows Mohamed Osman Mohamud. Testimony from an undercover agent who posed as an al-Qaida recruiter continues Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, in the trial of Mohamud. A second man, who posed as an al-Qaida bomb expert, is also expected to testify. (AP Photo/Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, file)

FILE - A Nov. 27, 2010 file photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office shows Mohamed Mohamud. Justice Department attorneys Monday focused on the contact between the Oregon terrorism-sting suspect and suspected terrorists overseas in the opening salvo of their case. FBI agent Miltiadis Trousas said government agents first found Mohamud because of his emails to an American-born al-Qaida recruiter. (AP Photo/Mauthnomah County Sheriff's Office, File)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) ? In a slow, dispassionate monotone, an FBI agent on Thursday read selections from an Oregon terrorism suspect's contributions to a jihadi magazine as prosecutors attempted to establish Mohamed Mohamud's mindset in the year before his arrest.

Mohamud's federal terrorism trial is in its third week, and prosecutors have tried to show Mohamud was predisposed to committing terrorism before a monthslong sting operation culminated with his November 2010 arrest.

As a teenager in 2009, Mohamud contributed to the online, English-language jihadi magazine "Jihad Recollections."

His contributions to the publication varied in focus and appeared alongside articles written by Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida higher-ups.

While bin Laden wrote a piece called "Four practical steps to expand global jihad," Mohamud's contributions were more innocuous and included a workout advice column to jihadis fighting in war zones. That column earned Mohamud the nickname "Osama Gym Laden" from a British tabloid.

In opening statements, one of Mohamud's defense attorneys described the workout advice from Mohamud as being akin to "high school gym class."

On Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Pam Holsinger pointed out a photo above the story, which included masked men holding guns.

"Does this look like high school gym class?" she asked FBI agent Ryan Dwyer.

Dwyer replied, "It does not."

Establishing Mohamud's state of mind before the FBI targeted him in a terrorism sting operation is key to the prosecution's assertion that it did not entrap a then-teenager, as his defense claims.

Mohamud's pseudonymous contributions to "Jihad Recollections" were made public soon after his indictment on charges that he attempted to detonate a bomb at Portland's 2010 Christmas-tree lighting ceremony. The bomb was a fake supplied by undercover FBI agents.

Jurors heard at least one straight hour of content from the magazine, read by Dwyer. The articles, written by a variety of authors other than Mohamud, were aimed at radicalizing Muslims in the U.S. and included advice on bringing recent Muslim converts into a war against the West.

The issue was a significant one at the time Mohamud was writing ? more than a dozen Somali teenagers left Minneapolis in 2009, apparently en route to join a global jihad. The magazine also tracked with terror cases in the U.S., praising both the massacre at Fort Hood, outside Killeen, Texas, and an attempted bombing in Times Square.

Mohamud's defense team showed dozens of text messages intercepted by the FBI during his first year at Oregon State University. They showed a teenager preoccupied with partying, drinking and using marijuana.

By his sophomore year, after he'd began working with undercover FBI agents to plot an attack, Mohamud began telling friends that he was trying to give up drinking and partying. But the messages were interspersed with others asking for marijuana or talking about a night of partying.

Interactions with Mohamud's parents indicated they were having marital problems. In September, Mohamud's father texted, "Also, I need ur help. I'm thinking of bringing back your mom..."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-24-Oregon%20Car-Bomb%20Plot/id-3f51eece5fea4315bbd768e54aadbc78

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Big News - a simple and well-designed news widget

There are plenty of news readers and widgets out there, but not many do their job as elegantly as Big News Pro. Since moving to a new design language with Ice Cream Sandwich, we've been looking to fill our homescreens and app drawers with as many properly-designed holo apps as possible. Big News fits right in with this design, and actually has a nice feature set hiding behind its simplistic exterior. 

Read on past the break and see what Big News has to offer as a news widget.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/ZaalZUyttG0/story01.htm

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Major League Gaming Pro Circuit Details Announced - Game Informer

Major League Gaming announced details today for its 10th annual Pro Circuit Winter Season, revealing the date of the winter championship and what games to expect for competition.

This season, League of Legends and Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360) are the games of choice. A third game will be revealed in the future.

For Black Ops II competitors, tournaments are already posted on the MLG website,?and passes are available on January 29. League of Legends information will trickle out in the coming weeks.?

Those interested in the grand finale should note that the MLG Winter Championship takes place this year in Dallas, Texas at the Dallas Convention Center from March 15-17. Spectator passes go on sale in February, but if you want to get a head start, hotel information is already available.

?The Winter Season includes games built for competitive play, an event format and production level unparalleled in the industry and a passionate global fan base that continues to grow. Combine that with our TV-esque online broadcast, and we have everything needed for MLG and eSports to dominate the entertainment industry and appeal to an even broader audience," says Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO and co-founder.

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/01/24/major-league-gaming-pro-circuit-details-announced.aspx

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Page Not Found - Yahoo!

Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Yahoo!, try visiting the Yahoo! homepage or look through a list of Yahoo!'s online services.

Please try Yahoo Help Central if you need more assistance.

Source: http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/weightloss

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MileHighGayGuy: Dumb Friends League Pledges for Pets Telethon

Sit ? Stay ? Watch ? and make a pledge to support homeless pets at the Dumb Friends League on Sunday, Jan. 27. Tune in to the 15th annual Pledges for Pets Telethon, sponsored by Hill's Science Diet?, on FOX31/KDVR from noon to 5 p.m.

During the five-hour live broadcast, viewers will hear heartwarming stories as well as meet dozens of adoptable pets, including cats, dogs, rabbits and other small pets.

?Pet lovers will see the many ways the Dumb Friends League helps pets, horses and people in our community,? said Bob Rohde, president and CEO. ?They?ll also see how their donations can make a difference for thousands of homeless animals that come into our care every year.?

The Dumb Friends League hopes to raise more than $300,000 during this year?s telethon. The funds raised will help provide care for thousands of cats, dogs and other small animals in need of help. The funds will also help abused and neglected horses at the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center?. The private, nonprofit organization spends nearly $31,000 a day on companion animal services and an additional $1,800 per day to provide shelter, feed, veterinary care and training for the animals at the equine center.

?We need the community?s support now more than ever,? said Rohde. ?Any dollar amount?whether it?s a one-time or monthly contribution?will have a direct impact on the pets and people we help each day.?

Last year, 19,851 animals were adopted to new homes or returned to their owners by the Dumb Friends League. In addition to adopting out homeless pets, the region?s largest animal welfare organization offers other services, including lost and found, humane education, behavior training, foster care, animal cruelty investigations and spay/neuter surgeries at reduced fees (subsidized by Dumb Friends League donors) for pets in underserved areas.

The Pledges for Pets Telethon will be hosted by FOX31 on-air talent, including Melody Mendez, Nick Emmons, Shaul Turner and Ken Clark. Denise Plante and Murphy Huston of KOSI 101 will also help emcee the telethon.

For more information about the Dumb Friends League and the telethon, visit ddfl.org/telethon or call (303) 751-5772.

Source: http://www.milehighgayguy.com/2013/01/dumb-friends-league-pledges-for-pets.html

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Could botox change your life for the better?

Michael Bond, consultant

(Image: Thierry Du Bois/Reporters/Eyevine)

In The Face of Emotion, Eric Finzi explores how one of the world's most popular cosmetic procedures could alleviate depression

THE idea that emotions and feelings are triggered by changes in the body, rather than the other way round, seems counter-intuitive. Yet this idea has been entertained by psychologists for more than a century. In 1890, the father of them all, William James, wrote: "Common-sense says, we lose our fortune, are sorry and weep; we meet a bear, are frightened and run; we are insulted by a rival, are angry and strike... The more rational statement is that we feel sorry because we cry, angry because we strike, afraid because we tremble."

Recent research has put flesh on the bones of these musings. Neurobiologists such as Antonio Damasio of the University of Southern California have demonstrated that emotions begin with actions - rapidly increased heart rate, for example - and end with the perception of those actions - the sensation of fear or anger. Damasio calls this the "body loop": the brain learns of the body's response to change via chemical and electric signals conveyed by the bloodstream and nervous system. Thus feeling follows behaviour; the mind follows the body.

In The Face of Emotion, Eric Finzi explores how this plays out in facial expressions. There is no doubt these are integral to the way we embody and experience emotions: simply forcing your face into a smile or frown will induce feelings of happiness or sadness. Finzi, an American dermatological surgeon, is a fundamentalist in the church of embodied emotion. He believes facial expressions are "the power behind the throne", the principal driver of our moods and feelings.

More than that, he thinks he can change people's feeling of mental well-being by manipulating what they can do with their face. And for some years he has been doing just that by injecting botox into the corrugator, or "frowning", muscle of depressed patients to prevent it from contracting. This, he reasons, interrupts the feedback loop to the brain that causes their negative outlook and thus improves their mood.

It sounds incredible. Finzi seems to be saying that people with depression can cure themselves just by looking happier, or by repressing their ability to look sad. Yet he describes some striking success stories. One person who had had severe depression for 13 years felt so much better after botox that he decided not to take his Prozac. Another who had tried therapy and various antidepressants with no effect reported a "dramatic improvement" after Finzi's work. Finzi mentions several clinical trials, such as one last year in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, that confirm his findings.

Is this a solution to depression or is it merely cosmetic? Time and more research will tell. Finzi does acknowledge the treatment is no cure, and that the injections need repeating every few months to maintain the effect. He says his patients do not feel better simply because they look better - not all of them had pronounced frown lines before treatment (a contracting corrugator does not always leave wrinkles). Yet given the effect of social interaction on mood, it is possible that some of the improvement is due to those around the treated person reacting more positively to a brighter countenance.

This is one of several questions that Finzi fails to address. He has a knack of glossing over or not recognising potential downsides. What are the effects of not being able to express sadness or anger? How might it affect the way we relate to others, beyond boosting our ability to bluff in poker? Some studies, not mentioned in the book, suggest that because botox impairs people's capacity to mimic facial expressions, it can make them seem less trustworthy or likeable. None of this gets much of a look-in. It all sounds a bit too good to be true.

Yet The Face of Emotion is well worth reading. The scientific debate about the regulation of the emotions is as lively as ever, and this is a provocative and insightful contribution. Some of the outcomes Finzi reports look remarkable, even if the mechanism is unclear. As one satisfied patient testifies after receiving botox to reduce his anger, "I don't really understand how this is working, but my wife says keep it up."

Book information:
The Face of Emotion: How botox affects our mood and relationships by Eric Finzi
Palgrave Macmillan
?16.99/$27

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Celgene's Abraxane increases survival in pancreatic cancer

(Reuters) - Celgene Corp said its Abraxane drug helped patients with advanced pancreatic cancer live an average of two months longer than chemotherapy and significantly increased the percentage of those who survived with the disease for up to two years, according to a late-stage study.

Based on the results, Celgene said it expects to file applications in the United States and Europe in the first half of this year seeking approval for the use of Abraxane for pancreatic cancer.

Celgene previously said Abraxane met the main survival goals of the study of 861 patients who had not previously been treated for their cancer. It released the details on Tuesday ahead of a medical meeting where the study will be presented this week.

Patients who received Abraxane in combination with the chemotherapy agent gemcitabine had a median overall survival of 8.5 months, compared with 6.7 months for patients who received standard therapy of gemcitabine alone. The result was deemed to be statistically significant, researchers said.

"It's such a tough disease that moving the needle on survival at all is a major accomplishment," Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, the study's lead investigator, said in a telephone interview.

"It's been a pretty tough, discouraging area," he said, adding that the overwhelming majority of studies of similar patients have failed to improve survival at all.

Abraxane plus gemcitabine demonstrated a 59 percent increase in one-year survival - 35 percent vs 22 percent - and doubled the rate of survival at two years from the start of treatment, with 9 percent still alive compared with 4 percent for gemcitabine alone.

Von Hoff said this was the first study in such advanced pancreatic cancer to report two-year survivors.

"People will look at it and say, 'I have more of a chance than I thought,'" he said. He added that if people can live for 24 months with the disease, Abraxane might enable them to survive until better options evolve.

"It gives you more of a chance to get to hopefully a real breakthrough," said Von Hoff. "You just don't know what's coming."

He will present the data on Friday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

Abraxane is already approved to treat breast and lung cancer and has also demonstrated efficacy against melanoma.

Advanced pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate among all cancer types, with a five-year survival rate of less than 2 percent. With few recent advances in the field, it remains one of the most critical unmet needs in oncology.

The survival extension seen in the Abraxane study is likely to be viewed by regulators as clinically meaningful and result in an expanded approval and a significant sales boost for Abraxane.

The drug had sales of $106 million in the third quarter of 2012. Celgene has targeted Abraxane sales of $1 billion to $1.25 billion in 2015, reaching as high as $2 billion in 2017, helped by use of the drug against pancreatic cancer and melanoma.

Abraxane also met secondary goals of the study. It demonstrated an improvement in a median progression-free survival, or the time it took for the disease to worsen, at 5.5 months versus 3.7 months, and had an overall response rate, or those who experienced tumor shrinkage, of 23 percent compared with 7 percent in the control group.

Time to treatment failure was also improved with Abraxane plus gemcitabine, Celgene said.

Patients in the study had the most advanced form of the disease, in which the cancer had already spread to other organs, such as the liver and lungs.

Von Hoff characterized the side effect profile of the combination therapy as "acceptable and manageable."

Deaths connected to adverse events were 4 percent in both arms of the study.

There was a significantly higher incidence of peripheral neuropathy, a numbness in the fingers or toes, seen in the Abraxane group, at 17 percent versus less than 1 percent in the control group, researchers said.

"One thing we worry about is febrile neutropenia," or a low white blood cell count with fever, Von Hoff said. The incidence was 3 percent for the Abraxane combination and 1 percent for gemcitabine. "That is very comforting," he said.

"I'm glad to see we've got something that has an impact on survival," Von Hoff said. "It's something to build on."

(Reporting by Bill Berkrot; editing by John Wallace)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/celgenes-abraxane-increases-survival-pancreatic-cancer-230101920--finance.html

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