Sunday, June 30, 2013

Alec Baldwin apologizes to gay-rights group for Twitter rant

Alec Baldwin has apologized to a New York City-based lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights group for a series of tweets that could be interpreted as homophobic.

Baldwin?s messages were directed at a newspaper reporter who accused his wife of tweeting during the funeral for former Sopranos star James Gandolfini. Baldwin says in a letter to GLAAD posted on its website Friday his tweets didn?t have anything to do with ?issues of anyone?s sexual orientation.?

The former 30 Rock star says he?s done political work with marriage equality groups and insists he wouldn?t advocate violence against someone for being gay.

GLAAD spokesman Rich Ferraro says Baldwin?s language was improper and his tweets didn?t reflect his ?history of actively supporting LGBT equality.?

Read more:
After another expletive-filled rant, Alec Baldwin begs off Twitter ? again
On the scene: Family, friends, and fans remember James Gandolfini at Manhattan funeral
Alec Baldwin blasts government for cutting corners, trading freedom for security

Source: http://news-briefs.ew.com/2013/06/30/alec-baldwin-apology/

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NO MORE a "App List"! A Symbol/ Icon view as in iOS or Android! [updated]

Lol, if you hate, you shouldn't use. This App List makes WP different from two others! This is WP and this is what WP users fall in love with WP. And honestly, App List is much more easier to search app. You should try to download about 50 apps on WP,iOS, Android and make a compare. I believe you'll find out how better App List is. Totally disagree with you.

Source: http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/forums/101801-feature-suggestions/suggestions/2285004-no-more-a-app-list-a-symbol-icon-view-as-in-i

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California dreaming? Travel deals to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.

Yearning for the land of starlets, sun, and surf? With these great deals on airfare and?accommodations, a California dream vacation is in reach.?

By Summar Ghias,?Contributor / June 29, 2013

A view of the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. A California vacation is within reach with these deals on hotels, flights, and more.

PRNewsFoto/Sherwin-Williams/File

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California's tourism commercials that poke fun at some of the state's stereotypes definitely reinforce one thing: sometimes, we really do wish we could reside in the land of Hollywood starlets, daisy dukes, convertibles, beaches, and surf galore. While relocating may not be an option, a visit to Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco is made possible by these airfare, hotel, and experience deals. Cali, here we come!

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is devoted to finding the best deals on consumer goods, whether or not they're from an advertiser. For more great offers visit dealnews.com, which works with advertisers to craft offers for readers.

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First, head west with a 1-way?flight on American's number one airline, Virgin America (from $59, a low by $3; expires June 30). Or, take advantage of roundtrip flights on United Airlines (from $178, a low by $10; expires June 30) that'll take you straight to SoCal or wine country.

Southern California: Los Angeles and San Diego Hot Spots

The City of Angels can be all glitz and glamour or beach bummy and relaxing. It's your choice: From Rodeo Drive to The Getty to Venice Beach you can explore all of L.A.'s neighborhoods from the centrally located Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites where a 1-night weekend stay starts at under $200 (a low by $10; expires June 30). The 4-star hotel is located in downtown LA, and is steps to the Philharmonic, the area's galleries, and famed eatery Bottega Louie.

Want to feel like a celebrity while you are at it? Indulge in a spa day at the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel & Spa ($99, a low by $101; expires June 29). The deal includes an 80-minute massage with luxurious hot stone and bamboo, a 15-minute body scrub, complimentary blended fruit smoothies, valet parking, and access to the sauna and steam room.

Don't stop there. Follow in John Travolta and Angelina Jolie's footsteps by piloting your own plane with a 90-minute private flying lesson (from $99, a low by $126; expires August 30). With an hour of ground instruction and 30 minutes in the air, you'll be able to control the cockpit and take in aerial views of plenty of Los Angeles sights, too.

Looking for something a little more romantic? Head an hour and a half south for a romantic summer escape to Southern California wine country. Stay in a deluxe two-queen or one king bedroom at the Temecula Creek Inn (from $89, a low by at least $21; expires July 1).?

A touch further south you'll find that San Diego's 70 miles of coastline and reliably sunny weather will keep your spirits high. The city also has plenty of sights to keep you giddy from start to finish. Tour the world-renowned zoo, visit the historic Gaslamp Quarter, and be sure to enjoy a fish taco or two. Once the sun goes down, rest your head in nearby Torrey Hills at the affordable Hilton Garden Inn San Diego Del Mar (from $154, a low by $18; expires June 30). With this offer, you'll also score a $50 dining or spa credit good towards the Serenity Spa and Salon, Bistro 39, or the NY Garden Deli.

Alternatively you could throw caution to the wind and stay at the AAA 4-Diamond Hilton San Diego Bayfront (from $179, a low by $20; expires June 30). The hotel is situated on the San Diego Bay and boasts easy access to the Gaslamp Quarter and Petco Park where you can catch a Padres game. If you prefer to kick back, take in the views from the hotel's renovated outdoor space and go for a dip in the saltwater infinity pool. And like the Hilton Garden San Diego Del Mar, you'll also enjoy a complimentary $50 dining credit to boot.

Northern California: Must-See San Francisco

San Francisco may not have the always-sunny and warm weather of SoCal, but it does happen to be "The City That Knows How." Head to the diverse Bay Area with a 3-night stay at the Laurel Inn ? A Joie de Vivre Hotel (from $1,050, a low by $50; expires June 29). Situated in the upscale Pacific Heights, the hotel sits on Sacramento Street amidst stylish boutiques and restaurants, so it's no wonder that the hotel also offers a wide range of high-end amenities including afternoon lemonade and cookie service in the lobby, coffee and tea service 24-hours a day, and more. To see the rest of this vibrant city, wander over to the nearby historic Presidio National Park and catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge, meander Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and Union Square.

With these deals to California, you'll be enjoying the West Coast before you know it. But, if you've got different ideas for a vacation, be sure to check out our daily travel deals for other airfare, hotel, and vacation packages.

At the time of publication, these travel deals offered the lowest prices we could find. Deals may include blackout dates, additional taxes, and fees. Some of our prices may be based on mandatory double occupancy.

Summar Ghias is a contributor to Dealnews.com, where this article first appeared.?

Original story:?http://dealnews.com/features/california-vacation-deals/

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/9RYhlEwmdXE/California-dreaming-Travel-deals-to-Los-Angeles-San-Francisco-and-San-Diego

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Women Fight Back: Ohio Bill Makes Erectile Dysfunction Her Business (Little green footballs)

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Tour de France perseveres through 100 years of wars, doping, and hooliganism

The century-old cycling race remains popular in France, even after the Lance Armstrong era.

By Sara Miller Llana,?Staff writer / June 29, 2013

A combination photo shows four stained-glass windows by artist and former French cyclist Henry Anglade inside the Notre-Dame des Cyclistes (Our Lady of Cyclists) chapel near the village of Labastide-d'Armagnac in Landes, southwestern France Thursday. The Tour de France begins today, offering a unique window into the country.

Regis Duvignau/Reuters

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As the Tour de France opens for the 100th time today, it would be logical to believe it?s in a fight for its survival.

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The 100th edition happens to be the first since disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong finally admitted ? after years of lawyer-defended denials ? that he?s doped, including for each of the consecutive seven years he won the Tour de France. The race?s official victory list has gaping holes where he and others? titles have been stripped over doping.

But the race is just as popular as ever. Networks around the world will be broadcasting the full nine stages into 190 countries, while some 12 million people are expected to crowd the route, in tiny picturesque villages and dramatic mountain passes across France, to catch a glimpse of British rider Chris Froome or Spaniard Alberto Contador whizzing by. Most of the revelers will be French, as the Tour de France has been firmly stitched into the fabric of a French summer.

In fact, if the 100th edition shows anything, says Bill McGann, co-author of "The Story of the Tour de France," it?s the staying power of a sporting event that, from its inception, was a wild success but has overcome, also from its outset, chronic cases of cheating, bad sportsmanship, and questionable ethics.

?It seems to have an extraordinary resilience,? says Mr. McGann, "which at its core is about the adaptability of the Tour de France."

A long, checkered history

The Tour was born of a publicity gimmick. In 1903, in an effort to boost circulation of the sports newspaper L?Auto, journalist Geo Lefevre proposed an idea to his editor Henri Desgrange that many bosses would have dismissed outright: to create a cycling race from Paris to Lyon, to Marseille to Toulouse, to Bordeaux to Nantes, and back to Paris.

Cycling at the time was like soccer in Europe today, having many avid fans. But a week before the proposed race, only 15 people had signed up. So Mr. Desgrange made last minute changes to the itinerary and prize money and finally garnered 60 starters. On July 1, 1903, at 3:16 p.m., they started off on a 2,428-kilometer (1,500-mile) course that wound its way around France and has since become the greatest stage race in the world.

Held every year since (except during the two World Wars), it was, from its start, the ultimate litmus test of strength and endurance. But it has also, from the very beginning, always been marred by scandal and events that nearly put it under.

In just the second year of the race, which drew 88 starters, it was already so popular that it provoked the kind of hooliganism that plays out in soccer stadiums today. Spectators spread nails across the roadway and physically attacked riders, who themselves sought advantage in any number of ways, including jumping on trains and cars to get ahead.

In November 1904, the French Cycling Union disqualified the first four riders who finished the Tour, according to the history amassed by McGann, amid a chronicle of antics that would have undermined the race?s credibility from the outset if it hadn?t been so compelling to spectators.

It is, of course, doping that has dogged the legitimacy of the race for the past quarter century, though the problem is not so new. As far back as 1924, two brothers, Henri and Francis Pelissier, told a journalist that they regularly took cocaine, chloroform, and many pills to get an edge. ?We run on dynamite," Francis famously said.

But doping has come to be forever epitomized by Mr. Armstrong?s fall from the king of the Tour to its ultimate rebel. He admitted in August to using performance-enhancing drugs in what he described as a cycling culture where ambition and cutting edge chemicals made this the status quo. He admitted on Oprah Winfrey in January that doping was as routine as "air in our tires or water in our bottles.?

The scandals, which persist today with questions over how clean cycling really is, have turned some fans forever off ? those who feel that it?s not genuine sportsmanship but more akin to the trickery of professional wrestling that?s now playing out on the back roads and mountains of Europe.

And the Tour de France has acknowledged the taint. Still, ?The Tour will be stronger than doping and cheating,? said Jean-Etienne Amaury, president of the company that owns the Tour, at the unveiling of the 2013 itinerary last October in Paris.

A window onto France

Many, like McGann, agree with that statement. For millions of fans, doping is not the main plot line, just part of a story that?s bigger than any one rider or team or scandal. It?s part of the ritual of France that has spanned generations. If in the beginning whole villages, from the butcher to schoolchildren, to the priest and postman, came out to watch, today some 12 million follow in their footsteps ? 80 percent of whom are French ? drawn to the roadsides each summer for a free, three-week affair. They spend on average six hours watching the race, according to Tour de France statistics, many of them with picnics in hand.

Spectators were once drawn to the Tour de France for very different reasons, says Christopher Thompson, the author of "The Tour de France: A Cultural History."

In 1903, France was still reeling from military defeat in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. Over time, organizers and journalists used the Tour de France as a vehicle to create role models of toughness and resilience for young French men that endured through the World Wars.

?They generated the image of [the riders] as heroic, tough? people who could overcome terrible difficulties,? says Mr. Thompson, a professor of French history at Ball State University. ?It came to be experienced by the public as an extraordinary epic, where racers struggled over bad roads, in terrible weather conditions, up extraordinarily high mountains, and down dangerous descents.?

After World War II, and more recently because of the doping scandal, the riders themselves are no longer national role models. And the Tour has grown into a huge international sporting event, with broadcasters, racers, and sponsors from across the globe. But it's still a window onto the geography, cuisine, and diversity of France. ?Many French people watch the Tour, though they are casual cycling fans at best, for the extraordinary images of various parts of France, the beautiful castles, valleys, towns way up in mountains, and the extraordinary vistas,? says Thompson.

And of course there are the many million who tune in because they are fans who are in awe of the brute force or subtle intellect that the Tour demands, says McGann. Most know that doping still goes on, but they are willing to employ the "suspension of disbelief.?

?I think sports spectators are in general very forgiving,? he says. ?We groan and gnash our teeth, and then the first of July get the TV turned on, and can?t wait to sit down.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/tLMVZ6fuxz4/Tour-de-France-perseveres-through-100-years-of-wars-doping-and-hooliganism

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Did These Celebs Pull It Off? Likes or Yikes?

Would you wear these outfits? You be the judge about the stars' (Eva! Miranda!) fashion choices.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/celebrity-style-were-iffy-about-likes-or-yikes/1-b-67322?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Acelebrity-style-were-iffy-about-likes-or-yikes-67322

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Video: The Guardian editor in chief speaks out on security, leaks (cbsnews)

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Computer Science Teacher: CS Educator Interview: Garth Flint

One of my summer projects is to collect stories from different computer science teachers. There are many teachers in many types of schools and many of them often feel like they are alone; that they are the only one in ?their situation.? While all schools and all teachers are different (which is not a bad thing) there are usually similarities if you know where to look for them. That is the purpose of this series. I have asked a good number of teachers to answer some questions for me so I can post the result as a sort of interview.

Garth Flint from Loyola Sacred Heart High School in western Montana is one of the first teachers I approached. Garth is a regular blogger (Garth Flint?s blog) and frequently comments on my blog. The result is that I learn from him. So without more wasted time here is Garth?s response to my questions.

Where do you teach? What sort of school is it?

I teach at a private Catholic High School in a town of about 60,000 in western Montana.? This is a poor Catholic School so close to half of our students are on some kind of scholarship.

How did you get started teaching computer science?

When I interviewed for my first teaching job as a math teacher in ?83 the superintendent was giving me the school tour. We walking into the classroom and he pointed to two TRS-80 computers and asked if I know how to use them.? Apparently they had just bought them and nobody in the school know what to do with them.? I lied and said ?Yes?.? I had some Apple IIe experience from college so I figured I could fudge a little on the answer.? That fall I started using them in my math classes and the kids wanted to learn how to program.? So I said to myself ?I can figure this out.?? I have been saying that ever since.

Describe the computer science curriculum at your school. What courses do you have and what are the focuses of each?

Our curriculum is very flexible but the usual is:

  1. Computer Apps (freshman usually) ? the usual Office, Photoshop and odds and ends.
  2. Computer Technology (9 ? 12) ? hardware, a little networking, viruses and malware, troubleshooting, ethics and a mish mash of other stuff that is happening in the world of technology.
  3. Programming I (9-11) ? Typically Scratch and Small Basic.? Just a intro to the concepts and idea of programming.
  4. Programming II/III (10-12) ? Mostly Corona but usually 2 or three other languages.? These courses are somewhat driven by the students in the class.? I like to show them a variety of languages with the intent of making them learn something from the beginning.? I try to teach them to learn, not teach them a language.? If I teach them language X then sure enough the college of their choice will use language Y.
  5. Programming Research (11-12) ? Whatever I think is cool.? Again the focus is on learning a language from the beginning and not building Christmas trees with asterisks.? This fall I think we are going to look at TouchDevelop and some C++.? One of the students is in a robotics club that uses C++ so I figured it would be a good direction.
  6. Computer Technology II (10-12) ? Offered when I have enough kids interested.? Setting up computers from scratch, building a domain, networking, Active Directory, Group Policy, routers, switches, troubleshooting weird issues, etc.

What is your overall teaching philosophy? Project based learning? Flipped classroom? In short, what makes your CS program ?your CS program??

I try to teach my students how to learn.? I taught math at the local university for 10 years and have friends teaching in the CS department.? College and high school students can learn by rote but they cannot seem to troubleshoot, develop a good trial and error strategy or locate learning resources.? My teaching philosophy/goal is to fix that as much as I am able.? One of my favorite assignments is ?Draw a house using a turtle in language X.? You have two weeks.?? The students reply ?But we do not know language X?.? My reply is usually ?Bummer.? You better get to looking for resources then.?? One year I gave ?Draw a house using a turtle in three different languages.?? One girl drew the house in Python.? I do not know Python.

What is the biggest challenge in teaching CS at your school?

My biggest challenge is keeping up with the kids.? I give these broad assignments then I have to find time to do them or at least be able to give the kids some help when they hit a bump.? Having learned all my CS on the job leaves some huge gaps in my knowledge base.? It also does not help when a good number of the kids are smarter than I am.? I think for any CS teacher the lack of formal education in methods of teaching CS is a massive handicap.? As a math teacher I have had multiple courses in math pedagogy and learning techniques.? There are a huge number of studies on why kids struggle or succeed in math classes.? CS not so much.

What is administration?s support (or lack of support) like at your school?

I get all the support my administration can afford.? Our graduation requirement is two semesters of computer technology.? We pride ourselves on offering more CS that the public schools.? Private schools can end up a little geek heavy demographically so my administration realizes a good percentage of our kids are going into computer intense fields.? We strive to be a tech school on a poor man?s budget and we do a pretty good job of it because the administration is behind the CS.

How do you measure success for your program? For your students?

I measure success by talking to the college students that come back to visit.? When they come back and say their first year of college CS was boringly easy I know I am doing OK.? My graduates are consistently hired to be tech aides at their universities.? Not because they know a lot of computer tech, but because they know how to troubleshoot and know how to learn.? I also measure my success by the way the students that take my CS courses are not absolutely turned off by CS or programming.? They may not go on in the field but they are no longer adverse to learning about computer technology or programming.

What is the one thing you like to talk about regarding your program that I haven?t already asked?

I get to build my own courses which allows me to pick up a new direction as CS changes.? Since we have not spent big money on a textbook or on some ?program? we are able to introduce something new in the time it takes me to figure it out.? CS is not like math.? Math has been pretty much the same for a long time.? Euclid did the geometry we teach today.? CS on the other hand can change last week.

School name and web site: Loyola Sacred Heart High School.? http://www.missoulacatholicschools.org/

Blog:? http://gflint.wordpress.com/

Source: http://blog.acthompson.net/2013/06/cs-educator-interview-garth-flint.html

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Bert And Ernie New Yorker Cover - Business Insider

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Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/bert-ernie-new-yorker-cover-gay-marriage-supreme-court-doma-2013-6

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Edward Snowden Asylum Decision Could Take Months: Ecuador

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Ecuador's foreign minister said Wednesday his government could take months to decide whether to grant asylum to fugitive U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino compared Snowden's case to that of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been given asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.

"It took us two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time," Patino told a news conference during a visit to Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur.

Asked if Ecuador would provide protection to Snowden while considering his request for asylum, Patino said through a translator that if Snowden "goes to the embassy, then we will make a decision."

Patino refused to say what criteria Ecuador would use to decide, but added that his government would "consider all these risks," including concerns that it would hurt trade with the U.S. and his country's economy.

Snowden, who is charged with violating American espionage laws, fled Hong Kong over the weekend and flew to Russia. He registered for a Havana-bound flight Monday en route to Venezuela and then possible asylum in Ecuador, but he didn't board the plane.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who acknowledged that Snowden is in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, has rejected U.S. pleas to turn him over.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/edward-snowden-asylum-ecuador_n_3502098.html

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Energy and roads get share of ?100bn

Danny Alexander: "We are putting long-term priorities before short-term political pressures"

Plans for a ?100bn modernisation of the UK's infrastructure, including new homes, road repairs and improved flood protection, have been announced.

The package, of which ?50bn will come in 2015-16, is also aimed at boosting new sources of energy like shale gas.

Treasury Minister Danny Alexander said the plans put "long-term priorities before short-term political pressures".

But Labour said projects must start now and capital investment in the engine of the economy was actually falling.

The announcement of the government's infrastructure plans came a day after Wednesday's Spending Review, in which ?11.5bn of cuts to Whitehall departments were spelt out.

While the first ?50bn is committed to infrastructure projects starting in 2015-16, the rest is for the period from 2016 to 2020.

The main funding commitments include:

  • ?3bn to build 165,000 new affordable homes
  • ?28bn for road improvements, including ?10bn for essential maintenance
  • ?10bn to clear a "backlog" of school building repairs
  • 850 miles of railway to be electrified as part of ?30bn rail investment
  • ?250m for extended super-fast broadband to rural areas
  • ?370m for flood defences. Agreement with industry to provide affordable insurance for flood-hit homes
  • ?800m extra funding for Green Investment Bank
  • ?150m for health research including into dementia
  • ?100m for a new prison in Wales

"This is an ambitious plan to build an infrastructure that Britain can be proud of," Mr Alexander told MPs.

The road building programme was the largest for 40 years and the support for new homes the most substantial for more than two decades, he said.

As part of efforts to boost home building, government-owned land will be sold to the private sector and together with sales of other government assets, including the Student Loans book, would raise ?15bn.

There will be new support to help the building of new nuclear plants, including Hinkley Point in Somerset, a guaranteed price for offshore wind energy and tax incentives brought in for shale gas projects.

Continue reading the main story

Spending Review Documents

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His speech came as a report was being published showing that the UK's shale gas reserves were greater than previously thought.

The transport plans focused mainly on roads and railways.

'Road decay'

Mr Alexander said ?10bn would be spent on dealing with the UK's "decaying" road network, with 21,000 miles of roads to be resurfaced and new lanes to be added to the busiest stretches of motorways.

Among the most significant projects, the ?1.5bn upgrading of the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge will be brought forward by two years to 2016.

Mr Alexander said the spending on roads was equivalent to the cost of filling 19m potholes.

On rail, he restated plans to electrify large parts of the network and increased the budget for the proposed HS2 line connecting London and seven of the largest ten UK cities, to more than ?42bn.

Osborne: "We've got a long-term plan now as a country to up our national game"

He also confirmed that ?2m feasibility funding would be provided for London's proposed Crossrail 2 project, but said Mayor Boris Johnson's challenge was to work out how the private sector could meet at least half the cost of the scheme.

He also said the basis of an agreement had been reached with the insurance industry for it to pay for a new scheme to help 500,000 homeowners in areas prone to serious flooding to get cover at reasonable prices.

Earlier, Mr Osborne told BBC Breakfast that "you cannot just build a road in a week" but new homes, schools and roads were already finished and the coalition had a "long-term plan" rather than the "stop-start" approach of previous governments.

On energy, he said shale gas was "environmentally safe" and could provide "cheap energy" for many years to come - but that projects - criticised by environmental campaigners - would need to get the appropriate planning approvals.

'Act now'

But shadow chancellor Ed Balls said most of the projects would not begin for four years.

"They should do an immediate boost for housing and transport this year and next," he told ITV's Daybreak.

Ed Balls: "The international monetary fund says a ?10bn boost is needed now"

"George Osborne talks about capital spending but he's not actually acting.

"I don't think the public buy into this at all - I think people see their living standards falling, tax cuts for millionaires, the economy flatlining, unemployment high. The plan has completely failed."

The ?50bn for 2015-16 represents a real-terms fall of 1.7% from the infrastructure budget for 2014-15 but the coalition says the figure is still higher than the one Labour was planning when it lost power in 2010.

'Rarely delivered'

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said spending was being directed towards "polluting high-carbon infrastructure" such as roads and shale gas instead of prioritising jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency,

The British Chambers of Commerce welcomed the announcement but said it must quickly be translated into action.

"Infrastructure projects are too often promised and too rarely delivered in this country, and that cycle must be broken," director of policy Adam Marshall said.

"The Whitehall machine must be judged by the number of diggers on the ground, not strategies and press notices."

In Wednesday's Spending Review, the chancellor said the economy was "out of intensive care" and announced several measures aimed at saving money, including:

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23074245#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Lenovo ThinkPad Helix Priced P92,100 in the Philippines, now ...


VillMan Computers just posted on their Facebook page that the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix, a premium convertible that defines the next generation of mobile computing through its ground breaking ?rip and flip? design is now available at the Thinkpad Store at the Annex at SM City North EDSA for Php92,100! More about the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix after the jump.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix first functions as a high performance Ultrabook. For added mobility, the 11.6-inch tablet can separate from its base to become the thinnest full-function Intel 3rd generation Core tablet with vPro, also weighing in at 835 grams, making it one of the lightest around.

The innovative ?rip and flip? screen lets users flip the tablet 180? and snap it back into the base ? this mode, called Stand mode, transforms Helix into a mini-movie theatre or business presentation central. From here, users can also fold the screen down to use it as a tablet while keeping the base connected for added ports and connectivity.

As a ThinkPad-branded device, the Helix also delivers on the brand?s reputation for quality and reliability, along with enhanced security and manageability features.

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix?(3702-2SA) Specifications
11.6-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS (400nit) display
10-point multi-touchscreen with Gorilla Glass
Intel Core i5-3337U 2.7GHz (3M Cache, up to 2.80 GHz)
Intel SFF QS77 with HD 4000 Graphics
4GB of RAM
180GB mSATA SSD
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 62055
Integrated mobile broadband (3G)
ThinkPad Digitizer Pen (Optional)
Bluetooth 4.0 / NFC
Windows 8 Professional
5MP Full HD rear camera
2MP front-facing camera
3-cell Lithium Polymer battery
Price: Php92,100 (VillMan) with FREE Thinkpad Carrying Case
Availability: The Thinkpad Store at the Annex at SM City North EDSA

Source: VillMan Computers (Facebook)


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Source: http://www.ilonggotechblog.com/2013/06/enovo-thinkpad-helix-priced-p92100-in-the-philippines-via-villman-computers.html

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Papelbon blows third straight save in Phillies loss

Associated Press Sports

updated 1:56 a.m. ET June 25, 2013

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Kyle Blanks' big night became another frustrating one for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Blanks singled home the winning run in the 10th inning for his career-best fourth hit, and the San Diego Padres rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth to beat Philadelphia 4-3 on Monday.

Blanks also had a two-run single and scored the tying run on a passed ball as the Padres fought back against Cliff Lee and struggling closer Jonathan Papelbon.

When he came to bat in the 10th, Blanks knew a hit would set his career high.

"I kind of had that in the back of my mind," he said. "It's been that kind of elusive game for me. It's always fun to have those and I'm looking forward to having a lot more."

Looking for his 10th win of the season, Lee took a six-hit shutout into the ninth but lasted only three more pitches. Carlos Quentin led off with a single and went to third when Chase Headley followed with a double that ended Lee's night.

On came Papelbon, who gave up a two-run single to Blanks on his first pitch.

Jesus Guzman was hit by a pitch, but Papelbon had a chance to get out of the jam after Yasmani Grandal grounded into a double play that left Blanks at third.

Instead, Blanks scored on a passed ball by catcher Carlos Ruiz. Mark Kotsay swung and missed at a 2-0 pitch, but the ball got past Ruiz and went to the backstop. With a headfirst slide, Blanks just beat Ruiz's throw to Papelbon covering the plate.

Papelbon had converted all 13 of his save opportunities going into last week, but he's blown four of five attempts since - several in particularly frustrating fashion.

"I don't know what is worse, losing 15-0 or getting beat that way. Either way, it's a loss and it doesn't sit well with me," Papelbon said.

The Phillies were handed an opportunity to go back ahead in the 10th.

Jimmy Rollins led off with a single and Chase Utley flied out to deep center. But when Chris Denorfia tried to throw the ball back to the infield, it slipped out of his hand and trickled away for an error that allowed Rollins to go all the way to third.

Michael Young, however, struck out on three pitches against Luke Gregerson before Joe Thatcher (3-1) retired Domonic Brown on a fly to center.

In the bottom half, Denorfia drew a one-out walk from Justin De Fratus (2-1) and Quentin was hit by a pitch. Headley walked on a full count to load the bases and Blanks singled down the third base line.

"He was a guy I hadn't faced before," Blanks said. "I picked a little off the video. The first pitch was a slider in the dirt and I swung. The second pitch I was just looking to get down early and stay back enough to put something hard into play. I got enough of it and the ball hugged the line."

Utley homered and Ruiz had an RBI single for the Phillies. Rollins hit a sacrifice fly.

Eric Stults pitched a strong game for the Padres in his career-high 16th start of the season. Stults allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, with four strikeouts and no walks. He has given up two earned runs or less in each of his last six starts.

Ruiz and John Mayberry Jr. each had three hits. Utley hit his eighth homer in the eighth off reliever Tommy Layne, called up earlier in the day from the minors.

NOTES: Phillies 1B Ryan Howard sat out with a sore left knee. Kevin Frandsen took his starting spot. ... Phillies RHP Roy Halladay, on the disabled list since May 6 with a right shoulder injury, played catch from 50-60 feet, according to pitching coach Rich Dubee. "He wanted to start throwing with me and this is his third day doing it," Dubee said. "It looks very, very good." ... Dubee took manager Charlie Manuel's place during the pregame session with the media because Manuel was under the weather. Manuel did take his spot in the dugout at game time. ... Headley batted cleanup for the first time this season after hitting in the No. 3 spot in his previous 61 games. ... Padres manager Bud Black said 2B Jedd Gyorko, on the DL with a right groin strain since June 10, could be headed out on a rehab assignment Tuesday. "He ran the bases (Monday) and came out of it fine," Black said. "We are working through the scenario to getting Jedd out to play in a minor league game or two. And from that point we will reassess how his leg is doing and make a determination whether he joins us on the road (later in the week)." ... Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 3.56 ERA) faces RHP Jason Marquis (9-2, 3.59) on Tuesday night.

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


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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/52303251/ns/sports-baseball/

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Ultramarathoners: Faster, Higher, Stronger And Sleepier

Runners test the limits of their strength in Italy's Valle D'Aosta.

By Enrico Romanzi

Runners test the limits of their strength in Italy's Valle D'Aosta.

By Enrico Romanzi YouTube

The Tor des Geants covers over 200 miles and 20 mountain peaks.

In the decidedly nutty sport of ultramarathoning, the stakes keep getting higher. The courses get longer and the terrain steeper, but runners continue to push the boundaries of human endurance and sheer will.

So a team of researchers in exercise physiology led by Jonas Saugy, of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, explored what happens when these ultra-long-distance runners, whose muscles are already fatigued, are also deprived of sleep.

To do this, they found a group of hardcore runners at the Tor des Geants, a particularly excruciating race in the Italian Alps. These volunteers were willing to be poked, prodded, and covered with electrodes in the name of science while competing.

What the researchers found was that these runners experienced significantly less overall muscle fatigue by the end of the race than a similar group at a race of only half the distance.

The Tor des Geants is unique in that the clock is continuously running. So unlike races, such as cycling's Tour de France, that are run in daily stages over predetermined distances, these runners have to figure out when to sleep and for how long.

The Tor des Geants lasts days. And the runners are often in a state of intense sleep deprivation. In 2012, the average racer finished in 107 hours, with only nine hours of sleep.

To test muscle fatigue under the Tor's extreme conditions, Saugy's team administered a battery of tests before, during and after the race.

French ultramarathoner Chistophe Le Saux took third place in the Tor de Gentes.

Courtesy of Enrico Romanzi

French ultramarathoner Chistophe Le Saux took third place in the Tor de Gentes.

Courtesy of Enrico Romanzi

Volunteer sat upright in a chair equipped with straps, pedals, strain gauges and electrodes. A series of leg and ankle extensions tested the runner's voluntary muscle strength. To test involuntary muscle strength, electrodes zapped the runners' muscles and the researchers measured the reactions.

Tor runners experienced a roughly 25 percent loss in muscular strength compared with a loss of 35 percent in a shorter race over equivalently difficult terrain.

Saugy says the Tor runners' preservation of muscle strength can be explained by pacing strategy, including sleep breaks during the middle of the race.

"They try to run a maximal distance in a minimal time, which involves a great deal of sleep deprivation," he says. "In the second half of the race, the runner's speed decreases significantly, and this decrease of speed involves a decrease of intensity and therefore a preservation of muscle tissue."

The overwhelming exertion in the first half of the race also means that runners sleep a lot more in the second half, which helps to preserve their muscles.

It's been well-documented that muscle fatigue in long races reaches an eventual plateau, but these new results surprised Saugy. "I thought that the decrease of force would stay at this plateau, but I was surprised to see that we found less fatigue after this race," he says.

Shots spoke with Leadville Trail 100 veteran and running coach Scott Weber about his experience on an ultramarathoning circuit lasting days. "A regular runner should plan to cover 55 percent of the distance in half of their realistic goal time, and 45 percent in the second half," he says.

At one point in his career, Weber completed a quadruple solo crossing of Badwater, one of ultrarunning's most notorious gauntlets. "Usually after 20 hours of running I would get so sleepy that I couldn't go on," he says. "So, I would lay down and sleep with the idea that I could sleep as long as I wanted, but the second I opened by eyes I would immediately start moving."

And how much shut-eye did this mean for Weber? "Generally I would sleep extremely soundly for 15 to 30 minutes," he says.

But analyzing the body's response to these challenges only tells you so much about these extreme runners. "Ultramarathoning is an expression of the soul of the runner, their tenacity, their will to go beyond their perceived limits," Weber says. "It's more important than the physiology. It's about what's inside, and you see that at the finish line."

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/06/25/195533580/ultramarathoners-faster-higher-stronger-and-sleepier?ft=1&f=1007

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Partying with fans, Blackhawks show off Cup

Chicago Blackhawks center Michal Handzus carries the Stanley Cup after arriving at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Blackhawks center Michal Handzus carries the Stanley Cup after arriving at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Dani Weadley, center left, of Fox Lake, Ill., cheers with fellow Chicago Blackhawks fans at Harry Caray's Restaurant in Rosemont, Ill., early Tuesday, June 25, 2013, as the Blackhawks players arrived carrying the Stanley Cup after beating the Boston Bruins Monday in the NHL Stanley Cup hockey finals. (AP Photo/Daily Herald, Mark Welsh) MANDATORY CREDIT, MAGS OUT

A plane carrying the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks is welcomed with water cannons after arriving at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

A plane carrying the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks is welcomed after arriving at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. The Chicago Blackhawks landed home with the Stanley Cup just before dawn Tuesday morning and were greeted on the tarmac with a water cannon salute, about a dozen fire trucks and even more police cars _ all with their lights flashing. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Blackhawks center Michal Handzus carries the Stanley Cup after arriving at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

(AP) ? The after-party roared on until well after dawn for the victorious Chicago Blackhawks and some die-hard fans.

Hours after returning from their 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins, the team gave awed fans a close-up look at the gleaming Stanley Cup on Tuesday, hauling their prize around to bars and restaurants around the city for the second time in four seasons.

Just like in 2010, their first stop was at Harry Caray's in suburban Rosemont, where more than a thousand fans were waiting before sunrise in hopes the team would again use the Italian steakhouse to kick off their party. Players took turns lifting the trophy above their heads as fans went wild, still barely able to fathom the two third-period goals just 17 seconds apart that gave the Hawks the win.

"I was in shock. ... I jumped up so high that I stubbed my toe," Frank Espinoza told WBBM radio at Harry Caray's, recalling the stunning pair of goals. "I didn't realize it until the game was over; I felt a pain in my toe afterwards."

The team and their families wound their way through Chicago in a convoy of limos and buses under police escort and trailed by TV news helicopters. At their second stop, The Scout bar in the South Loop area of downtown, team members greeted cheering fans outside with high-fives before filing into the bar. Mayor Rahm Emanuel even showed up to share in the fun, WBBM reported.

Emanuel released a statement congratulating the team on a "hard-fought victory" and offering best wishes to the people of Boston.

Earlier, the team was greeted on the tarmac at O'Hare International Airport with a water cannon salute from about a dozen fire trucks and even more police cars ? all with their lights flashing.

Minutes before the chartered Boeing 737 from Boston touched down at 4:05 a.m., lightning danced across the sky as the edge of a windy storm front passed through.

Veteran forward Michal Handzus, who skated with significant injuries, was the first player to emerge from the aircraft, hoisting the Cup above his head with both hands and shaking it several times. Guests, police officers and firemen cheered at the bottom of the stairs.

Players, coaches and team officials mingled with the crowd for about 10 minutes before heading for the city to continue the party at locations that were kept secret until the team showed up.

"This is completely amazing," said Willis Morgan, a 24-year-old electrical engineer, soaking up the scene of celebration at Harry Caray's.

"I watched the game at work on my phone and then we came right over," he told the Daily Herald newspaper of Arlington Heights. "Having the Stanley Cup back in Chicago is unbelievable."

A parade for the team was planned for Friday morning.

The Blackhawks fifth Cup in their 87-year history capped an amazing run through a lockout-shortened season that didn't start until mid-January.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-25-Blackhawks%20Return%20With%20Cup/id-5854b5781afe48a1b70095fce9eecf47

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Garmin Monterra handheld GPS runs Android, ships in Q3 for $650

Garmin's featurepacked Monterra handheld GPS runs Android, ships in Q3 for $650

This technically isn't Garmin's first foray into Android territory, but it could prove to be one of the most successful. The navigation company's just introduced Monterra, a dedicated handheld GPS running a TBA version of Android. Basic specs are in line with what you'd expect from a mid-range smartphone, including a 4-inch touchscreen, an 8-megapixel camera with flash and geotag support, 1080p video capture, 6GB of internal storage and microSD expansion. Naturally, the display is optimized for outdoor use -- it's transflective, so you only need to use the LED backlight in low light, letting you conserve power during daytime river treks and sunlit hikes.

The device is ruggedized, with an IPX7 waterproof rating, and can run on either a rechargeable battery pack (included) or AA batteries. It includes WiFi, ANT+, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, a built-in FM radio with NOAA weather and SAME alerts, dual-band GPS and GLONASS receiver, a 3-axis compass with accelerometer and gyro, a UV sensor for monitoring the sun's intensity and a barometric altimeter, which can report altitude and predict weather based on pressure shifts. There's also a handful of preinstalled apps designed to take advantage of this plethora of connectivity, including Europe PeakFinder, or you can download favorites from Google Play -- anything from farming aids to efficiency trackers can utilize many of Monterra's bundled sensors. The device is expected to ship in Q3, and should run you about $650 in the US or £600 in the UK.

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Monday, June 24, 2013

Brazil sets $23B hike for transit after protests

People march toward the Cinelandia square during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 24, 2013. Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff said Monday her government will spend $23 billion more on public transportation and announced five core areas that leaders will focus on to speed political reform and improvements to government services. Rousseff made the announcement after meeting with leaders of a free-transit activist group that launched the first demonstrations more than a week ago and has called for new protests Tuesday.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

People march toward the Cinelandia square during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 24, 2013. Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff said Monday her government will spend $23 billion more on public transportation and announced five core areas that leaders will focus on to speed political reform and improvements to government services. Rousseff made the announcement after meeting with leaders of a free-transit activist group that launched the first demonstrations more than a week ago and has called for new protests Tuesday.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

People gather at Cinelandia square as police officers stand guard during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 24, 2013. Under pressure after more than a week of nationwide protests, Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff said Monday her government will spend $23 billion more on public transportation and announced five core areas that leaders will focus on to speed political reform and improvements to government services. Rousseff made the announcement after meeting with leaders of a free-transit activist group that launched the first demonstrations more than a week ago and has called for new protests Tuesday.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff meets with governors and mayors representing Brazil's 26 states and its federal district, to discuss the wave of protests, at the Presidential Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, June 24, 2013. The recent protests have become the largest public demonstrations Latin America's biggest nation has seen in two decades. They began as opposition to transportation fare hikes, then became a laundry list of causes including anger at high taxes, poor services and World Cup spending, before coalescing around the issue of rampant government corruption. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, right, and Gilberto Carvalho, secretary-general of the presidency of Brazil, second right, arrive for a meeting with representatives of the Free Fare Movement, the group that ignited the original protests in Sao Paulo against a hike in public transport fares, at the Presidential Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, June 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

A man is silhouetted against a Brazilian flag during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 24, 2013. Under pressure after more than a week of nationwide protests, Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff said Monday her government will spend $23 billion more on public transportation and announced five core areas that leaders will focus on to speed political reform and improvements to government services. Rousseff made the announcement after meeting with leaders of a free-transit activist group that launched the first demonstrations more than a week ago and has called for new protests Tuesday.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

SAO PAULO (AP) ? Under pressure after more than a week of nationwide protests, Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff said Monday her government will spend $23 billion more on public transportation, promised to push a plebiscite on political reform and announced five core areas her government will focus on to improvements to government services.

Rousseff made the announcement after meeting with leaders of a free-transit activist group that launched the first demonstrations more than a week ago. They said they would continue to protest, including lending their support to a Tuesday demonstration in Sao Paulo organized by other groups.

The president also opened a meeting of governors and mayors from 26 capital cities to discuss ways to make deep improvements.

"I mainly want to repeat that my government is listening to democratic voices. We must learn to hear the voices of the street," Rousseff told the governors and mayors. "We all must, without exception, understand these signals with humility and accuracy."

Rousseff said she would push debate about holding a plebiscite on political reform ? a special constitutional assembly that would hear from the Brazilian public about what action needs to be taken to improve Brazil's political system. She also said her government would focus on five priorities: fiscal responsibility and controlling inflation; political reform; health care; public transport; and education.

Protesters have filled cities across this continent-sized country to air a wide spectrum of grievances including poor public services and billions of dollars of spending to prepare for next year's World Cup soccer tournament and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Mayara Longo Vivian, one of the leaders of the Free Fare Movement who met with Rousseff in Brasilia, said that no concrete measures were given to the group and that their "fight would continue." The movement has been working since 2006 to eliminate public transport fares.

Vivian referred to the billions of dollars Brazil is spending to host the World Cup, saying, "If they have money to build stadiums, they have money for zero tariffs" on public transportation.

"The people are on the street, the left is on the street, with legitimate agendas," she said. "Only with concrete measures from the state will this situation be reversed."

At a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, 68-year-old sociologist Irene Loewenstein said she was not impressed by Rousseff's action.

"It's a necessary first step, but not a particularly meaningful nor surprising one," she said. "Neither Dilma nor any other politician here is capable of even understanding, much less putting into practice, the kind of systematic change the people are demanding. It's just not within their world views."

Monday marked the beginning of a more hands-on approach for Rousseff in the face of sharp criticism that she had been too silent during protests last week. She only made brief comments on June 17 and then a 10-minute, pre-recorded nationwide address Friday, a week after the protest exploded and a day after a million people took to the streets in at times violent protests.

Since then, the demonstrations have shrunk and become less widespread. Rousseff, seeking to get off her heels, looked stronger Monday as she pushed her agenda.

Many of the means she listed for progress, including using oil royalties to fund education and a program to attract foreign doctors to work in areas underserved by Brazilian physicians, had already been proposed by Rousseff before but met stiff resistance in congress. By putting the issues before the public at this sensitive time, the president is ratcheting up pressure on congress, an institution widely loathed by the population, to not serve as a bottleneck for the proposals.

Opposition politicians in congress, including a senator who is at this point viewed as her biggest rival for next year's presidential election, blasted Rousseff's call for a plebiscite on political reform.

"It's the specific jurisdiction of congress to call a plebiscite," said Sen. Aecio Neves, likely the top opposition candidate Rousseff will face next year. "To divert attention, she's transferring to congress a privilege that is already ours and isn't responding to the expectations of the population."

Some scattered protests flared Monday, and two women died after being hit by a car as they tried to block a highway in the state of Goias near the nation's capital. The highway patrol in Goias said the driver of the car fled and is being sought.

Protests in Sao Paulo state also blocked road access to the nation's largest port in Santos, causing a massive backlog of trucks trying to unload products. In Brasilia, a group of about 300 students protesting against corruption blocked some streets while a protest was expected in Rio de Janeiro later in the evening.

The protests have hit as the nation hosts the Confederations Cup soccer tournament, seen as a warm-up for the World Cup.

Experts said the protesters, though mostly disorganized, were in control thanks to support from the majority of Brazilians as seen in recent polls. That opened a window for concessions on their demands for less corruption and improvements to the nation's woeful public services.

Complicating matters, though, is Brazil's worsening economic climate, which Rousseff referred to Monday. The government has been struggling against both a lagging economy and rising inflation, which economists say require contradictory actions to fix. While the nation's benchmark interest rate could be slashed to stoke economic growth, it could also be raised to keep inflation at bay.

"Brazil will see several waves of protests," said Guillermo Trejo, a professor at the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. whose research focuses on social protests in Latin America. "This cycle will decline, and it'll likely return to episodic protests once the media attention of the Confederations Cup goes away."

But next year could be a bumpy ride, as Rousseff faces re-election, Trejo said. Already, the protests have become the largest of their kind in Brazil in at least two decades.

"Presidential elections are always a huge magnet for protests and hosting a major event like the World Cup will open a window for more," Trejo said.

Three-quarters of Brazilians support the protests, polls show, while demanding more for the heavy taxes they pay. In fact, Brazilians pay more in taxes as a share of gross domestic product than any nation outside the developing world.

The U.S.-based political risk consulting firm Eurasia Group wrote Monday that the Brazilian leader is "crafting a strategy that tries to generate a sense of progress on protester demands while avoiding increasing spending" as she is "facing a dual challenge ? one on the streets and a crisis of confidence in financial markets."

"Her economic team is well aware that it has little room to engage in more spending to meet protester demands," the note said.

___

Associated Press writer Bradley Brooks reported from Sao Paulo and Marco Sibaja from Brasilia. Jenny Barchfield in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-24-Brazil-Protests/id-3bb42f186a064c4faf5d4d7bb9f24dde

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Pleasure response from chocolate: You can see it in the eyes

June 24, 2013 ? The brain's pleasure response to tasting food can be measured through the eyes using a common, low-cost ophthalmological tool, according to a study just published in the journal Obesity. If validated, this method could be useful for research and clinical applications in food addiction and obesity prevention.

Dr. Jennifer Nasser, an associate professor in the department of Nutrition Sciences in Drexel University's College of Nursing and Health Professions, led the study testing the use of electroretinography (ERG) to indicate increases in the neurotransmitter dopamine in the retina.

Dopamine is associated with a variety of pleasure-related effects in the brain, including the expectation of reward. In the eye's retina, dopamine is released when the optical nerve activates in response to light exposure.

Nasser and her colleagues found that electrical signals in the retina spiked high in response to a flash of light when a food stimulus (a small piece of chocolate brownie) was placed in participants' mouths. The increase was as great as that seen when participants had received the stimulant drug methylphenidate to induce a strong dopamine response. These responses in the presence of food and drug stimuli were each significantly greater than the response to light when participants ingested a control substance, water.

"What makes this so exciting is that the eye's dopamine system was considered separate from the rest of the brain's dopamine system," Nasser said. "So most people- and indeed many retinography experts told me this- would say that tasting a food that stimulates the brain's dopamine system wouldn't have an effect on the eye's dopamine system."

This study was a small-scale demonstration of the concept, with only nine participants. Most participants were overweight but none had eating disorders. All fasted for four hours before testing with the food stimulus.

If this technique is validated through additional and larger studies, Nasser said she and other researchers can use ERG for studies of food addiction and food science.

"My research takes a pharmacology approach to the brain's response to food," Nasser said. "Food is both a nutrient delivery system and a pleasure delivery system, and a 'side effect' is excess calories. I want to maximize the pleasure and nutritional value of food but minimize the side effects. We need more user-friendly tools to do that."

The low cost and ease of performing electroretinography make it an appealing method, according to Nasser. The Medicare reimbursement cost for clinical use of ERG is about $150 per session, and each session generates 200 scans in just two minutes. Procedures to measure dopamine responses directly from the brain are more expensive and invasive. For example, PET scanning costs about $2,000 per session and takes more than an hour to generate a scan.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/sP3xYVux-9w/130624111014.htm

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