Tax Unsustainable Food, Report Suggests - Environmental Leader

Commercial and operational challenges within the food industry, along with weak government leadership and people?s dependence on?cheap food, are barriers to a sustainable food system, according to a report by the Food Ethics Council.

The ?Beyond Business As Usual? report, which includes information from in-depth interviews with senior business executives, policymakers, public servants and civil society organizations, suggests practical and transformative changes that food businesses, government and consumers can make to help create a sustainable food system. These include a tax on unsustainable food.

The report found UK food businesses know they need to change the way they operate, but most don?t know how to make those changes. For many businesses, there are insufficient incentives to adopt such practices, and often strong disincentives to do so, according to the report, which was part of a two-year project funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and sponsored by The Co-Operative Group.

Pressure to adopt short-term approaches undercuts longer-term investment in sustainability, even when there is genuine recognition of the need for change. Meanwhile, the global food system faces increasing challenges to adapt to the effects of climate change, world hunger and an escalating obesity crisis, the report said.

The Food Ethics Council urges government to lead the way in public sector food procurements and introduce sustainability taxes on unsustainably sourced food, with the revenue going to prevent further damage.

The report also recommends that businesses give sustainable meals to their workforce, retailers provide a better set of choices in products ? such as only stocking fair-trade teas and bananas ? and employees lobby for sustainably sourced food and drinks and for responsible pensions.

A separate report released earlier this month forecast that the number of eco-labels in the food industry will continue to rise in 2013, which could have adverse consequences. Currently over 200 seals and logos represent some ecological, ethical,?ingredient or sustainability attributes in the global food industry, according to research group Organic Monitor.

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Source: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/01/31/tax-unsustainable-food-report-suggests/

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JMIR--Type 1 Diabetes eHealth Psychoeducation: Youth ...

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Original Paper

Type 1 Diabetes eHealth Psychoeducation: Youth Recruitment, Participation, and Satisfaction

Robin Whittemore¹, PhD, RN, FAAN; Sarah S Jaser², PhD; Melissa S Faulkner³, DSN, RN, FAAN; Kathryn Murphy⁴, PhD, RN; Alan Delamater⁵, PhD; Margaret Grey¹, DrPH, RN, FAAN; TEENCOPE Research Group¹

¹Yale, School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, United States
²Vanderbilt University, Department of Pediatrics, Nashville, TN, United States
³University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
⁴The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Diabetes Center for Children, Philadelphia, PA, United States
⁵University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States

Corresponding Author:
Robin Whittemore, PhD, RN, FAAN

Yale
School of Nursing
100 Church Street South
P.O. Box 9740
New Haven, CT, 06536-0740
United States
Phone: 1 203 737 2351
Fax: 1 203 737 4480
Email:

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ABSTRACT

Background: The Internet and other eHealth technologies offer a platform for improving the dissemination and accessibility of psychoeducational programs for youth with chronic illness. However, little is known about the recruitment process and yield of diverse samples in Internet research with youth who have a chronic illness.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of youth with Type 1 diabetes on recruitment, participation, and satisfaction with 2 eHealth psychoeducational programs.
Methods: Youth with Type 1 diabetes from 4 sites in the United States were invited to participate (N=510) with 320 eligible youth consenting (mean age=12.3, SD 1.1; 55.3% female; 65.2% white; and mean A1C=8.3, SD 1.5). Data for this secondary analysis included demographic information (age, race/ethnicity, and income), depressive symptoms, and recruitment rates, including those who refused at point of contact (22.0%), passive refusers who consented but did not participate (15.3%), and those who enrolled (62.7%). Participation (80% lessons completed) and a satisfaction survey (ie, how helpful, enjoyable) were also analyzed. Chi-square or analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses were used.
Results: There were significant differences in recruitment rates by income and race/ethnicity such that black, Hispanic, or mixed race/ethnicity and low-income youth were more likely to refuse passively compared to white and higher-income youth who were more likely to enroll (P<.001). Participation in program sessions was high, with 78.1% of youth completing at least 4 of 5 sessions. There were no significant differences in participation by program, age, gender, or race/ethnicity. Low-income youth were less likely to participate (P=.002). Satisfaction in both programs was also high (3.9 of 5). There were significant gender, race/ethnicity, and income differences, in that girls (P=.001), black, Hispanic, or mixed race/ethnicity youth (P=.02), and low-income youth (P=.02) reported higher satisfaction. There were no differences in satisfaction by program or age.
Conclusions: Results indicate that black, Hispanic, or mixed race/ethnicity youth and low-income youth with Type 1 diabetes are less likely to enroll in Internet-based research than white and higher-income youth; thus, creative recruitment approaches are needed. Low-income youth were less likely to participate, possibly due to access. However, once enrolled, youth of diverse race/ethnicity and low-income youth with Type 1 diabetes were as highly satisfied with the eHealth programs as white youth and those with higher income. Results suggest that eHealth programs have the potential to reach diverse youth and be appealing to them.

(J Med Internet Res 2013;15(1):e15)
doi:10.2196/jmir.2170

KEYWORDS

Internet; patient participation rates; patient satisfaction; research subject recruitment youth

Type 1 diabetes is a common chronic illness in adolescents, affecting 1 in 400 youths [1]. The racial/ethnicity distribution of Type 1 diabetes affects primarily white youth in the United States. In a series of studies, the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth research group reported that the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in youths is approximately 70% white, 22% Hispanic, and 8% black [2-4]. Management of Type 1 diabetes is complex, requiring frequent monitoring of blood glucose levels, symptoms, and carbohydrate intake. Daily insulin treatment (3-4 injections/day or infusion from a pump) as well as meal-to-meal adjustment of insulin dose depending on diet and activity patterns is required [5]. As youth transition to adolescence and take on greater responsibility for their Type 1 diabetes management and decision making, adherence to diabetes tasks often deteriorates [6], resulting in family conflict, psychological distress, and poor metabolic control [7,8].

Psychoeducational programs for youths and family-based programs have shown to be effective in improving psychosocial and diabetes-related outcomes [9-11]. Psychoeducational programs provide education, behavioral skills, and psychosocial support for young people and their families to learn how to optimally manage a chronic illness. However, disseminating and translating research-based programs into clinical care has been challenging because of provider and family time constraints, as well as cost [12].

The Internet and other eHealth technologies offer a platform for improving the dissemination and accessibility of psychoeducational programs for youth with Type 1 diabetes. Access to the Internet is increasingly available nationwide, with 94% of youth online regularly [13]. Approximately 90% of young people of all demographic and socioeconomic categories have access to the Internet [13]. Thus, eHealth interventions have the potential to reach a diverse group of youths. Programs provided on the Internet can include psychoeducational content, interactive learning, immediate feedback, and social networking [14,15].

Psychoeducational programs delivered via computer-based Internet access have demonstrated efficacy in youths with various chronic illnesses, leading to improved knowledge, symptoms, health outcomes, and quality of life [14,15]. With respect to youths with Type 1 diabetes, an eHealth self-management program with a focus on problem solving and social networking demonstrated improved self-management and problem solving in youth who completed the program compared to a control group [16]. An Internet coping skills training program, developed by our research team, did not demonstrate differential improvements in metabolic control and diabetes-related outcomes compared to an Internet diabetes education program, but youths in both groups reported significantly increased self-care autonomy, higher diabetes self-efficacy, and improved overall quality of life over time [17]. The Internet, therefore, represents a potentially efficient and effective delivery platform for psychoeducational programs for youths with Type 1 diabetes and other chronic illnesses. When evaluated, high satisfaction with eHealth programs have also been reported [18].

Despite the numerous benefits of eHealth programs for youths with chronic illnesses, concerns have been raised about the ?digital divide? and Internet access for youths of diverse race and ethnicity and those living in low-income families. Although the vast majority of youths are online, access is higher in white youths and those who live in high-income families [13]. White youths and youths in high-income families are more likely to have online access at home (96%) and go online more frequently compared with black youths (92%), Hispanic youths (87%), and youths from low-income families (86%) [13]. A positive relationship between socioeconomic status and computer-based Internet use has been demonstrated in diverse middle school students [19] and a diverse pediatric clinic population [20].

Challenges of recruiting youths of diverse race and ethnicities for research are well established [21,22]. Issues about the perceived value of research, access to research for families of all strata of society, and cumbersome informed consent procedures have been documented [22]. However, little is known about the recruitment process and yield of diverse samples in Internet research with youths who have a chronic illness.

In addition to concerns regarding access to eHealth research, participation in eHealth programs has varied considerably across studies [14]. For example, in an eHealth program for youth with asthma, participants did not complete self-monitoring on 60% of study days [23]. In an eHealth program for depression, only 30% of youths completed 50% or more of the program modules [24]. In the eHealth problem-solving program for youth with Type 1 diabetes, the mean number of modules completed was 5.22 (of 8), with only 63% of youths completing all modules [18]. Participation in eHealth programs for youths typically decreases over the course of the study [23,25] and higher participation has been associated with more positive outcomes. For example, school-aged youths who had greater participation in an eHealth obesity prevention program demonstrated improved outcomes compared to youths with less participation [26]. A structured environment (ie, school vs home) may improve youth participation in eHealth programs. Youths who participated in a school-based eHealth program for depression had almost a 10-fold higher completion rate for modules and program exercises compared to youths who participated in the same program delivered as open access online [27].

Factors associated with eHealth program participation have begun to be identified. Girls have demonstrated greater participation compared to boys [18,27]. Increased depressive symptoms may also influence participation, although this effect may vary depending on the characteristics of the program, severity of symptoms, and the type of chronic illness. For example, in one study evaluating an eHealth program for depression treatment, less participation was reported in youths with higher depressive symptoms at baseline [24]. In contrast, in another study evaluating an eHealth depression prevention program, the authors reported that youth with higher depressive symptoms had greater participation in the program [28].

In summary, recruitment, participation, and satisfaction with eHealth programs have the potential to influence eHealth program outcomes and generalizability of results. Yet, little research has been undertaken to systematically evaluate the recruitment, participation, and satisfaction of eHealth programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of youth with Type 1 diabetes on recruitment, participation, and satisfaction with 2 eHealth psychoeducational programs. Specifically, recruitment, participation, and satisfaction were compared by age, gender, race/ethnicity, household income, metabolic control, and depressive symptoms.

The current study is a secondary analysis of data from a clinical trial evaluating the effect of an Internet coping skills training program (TEENCOPE) compared to an Internet diabetes health education program (Managing Diabetes) for youth with Type 1 diabetes. Each program consisted of 5 sessions with content tailored to adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. TEENCOPE used a cast of ethnically diverse characters (youth with Type 1 diabetes) and a graphic novel format to model common problematic social situations (ie, parent conflict) and different coping skills to solve the problems (Figures 1 and 2). Managing Diabetes used visuals and a highly interactive interface that allowed adolescents to actively problem-solve diabetes self-management situations (Figure 3 and 4) [29].

A convenience sample was recruited from 4 university-affiliated clinical sites that included Children?s Hospital of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; University of Miami, Miami, FL; and Yale University, New Haven, CT. Inclusion criteria were: youth diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes for at least 6 months, aged 11 to 14 years, with no other significant medical problem, school grade appropriate to age within 1 year, able to speak and write English, and access to high-speed Internet at home, school, community, or clinic.

Source: http://www.jmir.org/2013/1/e15/

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AP Interview: Top US general confident in Afghans

KABUL (AP) ? The top commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan believes government security forces have improved faster than expected and will be ready to take the lead in the 11-year-old war against the Taliban when foreign combat forces take a back seat this spring.

Marine Gen. John Allen told The Associated Press that the main job over the next two years for the International Assistance Force ? as the NATO-led troops in Afghanistan are called ? will be to advise, train and build the capabilities needed for Afghan forces to go it completely alone.

They will face their first test when the fighting season gets under way in the late spring and summer. During the harsh Afghan winter, snow often blocks roads and fighting dies down.

The Afghan security forces, which have nearly reached their full strength of 352,000, still need much work to become an effective and self-sufficient fighting machine, but a vast improvement in their abilities was behind a decision to accelerate the timetable for putting them in the lead nationwide, Allen said.

President Barack Obama announced earlier this month that the Afghans would take over this spring instead of late summer ? a decision that could allow the speedier withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

The Afghan troops "are further along in their capabilities than we had anticipated, and I'm very comfortable frankly with their being in the lead in 2013," Allen said in a recent interview ahead of his departure. "This is an acknowledgment of their capabilities."

The general, who has led the military coalition for 19 months, is leaving Afghanistan on Feb. 10. The White House said it would nominate him to become the head of NATO forces in Europe after he was exonerated in a Pentagon investigation of questionable email exchanges with a Florida woman linked to the sex scandal that led his predecessor, David Petraeus, to resign as CIA director.

Allen, 59, of Warrenton, Virginia, said the investigation was troublesome, but he was confident that the process would clear him.

"I'll make no secret that it was on my mind, but my number one goals were the interests of the troops, the coherence of the campaign and doing all I could obviously to further our combined interests here," he said. "But it does weigh on you, and while it weighed on me it really weighed on my family, it really weighed on my family, and the findings ultimately were announced and I continue to move on."

If confirmed by the Senate, Allen would succeed Navy Adm. James Stavridis in the NATO post.

He would not comment on how quickly the remaining 66,000 U.S. troops would return home, or how many American soldiers will remain after the end of 2014, when all foreign combat troops are to leave Afghanistan ? saying Obama will make that decision.

"We are advising now, and for the foreseeable future and until the latter part of the spring we will be advising at the battalion level," Allen said, adding that the advising would progressively move up to larger formations until the work was completed. "This is in conjunction with the drawdown of our own forces and in a very measured way, in a way that the Afghans are familiar with and we are able to predict we will eventually move up to the corps level."

Afghan troops already have taken the lead for security on territory holding 85 percent of the country's population of around 30 million.

"In many respects they are already leading operations, 80 percent of operations across the country are being led by the Afghans right now. So I am confident that in this coming fighting season, where technically they will be in the lead across the country operationally, that they are ready and we will be in support of them," Allen said. "I think they are going to do fine this year and we will stay with them. There is much work still to be done."

The Afghan lead in fighting has already become apparent in the casualty figures.

U.S. troop deaths declined overall from 404 in 2011 to 295 in 2012. More than 2,000 U.S. troops and nearly 1,100 coalition troops have died here since the U.S. invasion in late 2001. Last year many of those deaths were at the hands of the Afghan forces they were partnered with or training. Deaths from so-called insider attacks ? Afghan police and troops killing foreign allies ? surged to 61 in 45 attacks last year compared with 2011, when 35 coalition troops were killed in 21 attacks

By comparison, more than 1,200 Afghan soldiers died in 2012 compared to more than 550 in 2011, according to data compiled by the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

Many are concerned that the Afghan forces will not be up to the task of securing the country after 2014. The size of the force will also have to be reduced after coalition forces leave because much of the funding for it will have dried up. At its summit in Chicago last May, NATO agreed on a fundraising goal to underwrite a force of about 230,000 that would cost about $4.1 billion annually.

When Allen took over from Petraeus in July 2011, the war was in full force. But the tide was turning, and public opinion in the United States and in coalition countries was tiring of a lengthy conflict that was widely seen as propping up a corrupt and thankless Afghan government.

In mid-2010, the United States had more than 100,000 troops and coalition forces totaled close to 150,000. The U.S. was spending billions of dollars on a costly counterinsurgency strategy that had all the hallmarks of nation-building. The Afghan army and police were rapidly growing thanks to a mostly U.S.-funded program that cost more than $20 billion, but their combat abilities did not match their numbers.

"When I got here we had virtually no battalion level operations under way, and the brigade level operation was only an ambition. Today, every day, there are brigade and corps level operations going on across Afghanistan," Allen said. He said those operations were being planned, carried out and often supplied by the Afghans, with foreign troops there in a mostly advisory role.

The improvements allowed Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai to announce the spring handover date earlier this month.

Allen said the decision was made after the withdrawal last September of the 33,000 U.S. troops who were part of a surge announced by Obama in December 2009. In early 2012, Allen said he was grappling with the question of how many combat brigades he could carve out of the 68,000 troops that would remain in Afghanistan after the withdrawal, but the drawdown actually provided an opportunity to thrust Afghan forces in the lead.

"The term that I used was they were better than we thought, more importantly they were better than they thought," he said.

But the Afghan forces still need work and to build up key capabilities, including their ability to sustain themselves on the battlefield ? from medical evacuations to fuel and ammunition ? and to carry out combined arms operations.

"The building of their capabilities will take time," Allen said, adding that he was "comfortable that our plan to do both these things is on track over time."

The Afghan military will have to make do without requested weapons such as heavy tanks and F-16 fighter jets, but Allen said the equipment that they will receive should give them considerable firepower. They include converting MI-17 transport helicopters to gunships and providing Afghan combat units at all levels with mortars.

He said the Afghans had to get used to the idea that they will not have the same air support in the future as they have today. Currently the coalition can provide air support to troops on the ground anywhere in Afghanistan within 12 minutes of a request.

"They have to get used to their own resources being the firepower necessary," he said.

___

Follow Patrick Quinn on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PatrickAQuinn

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-top-us-general-confident-afghans-050634149.html

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What?s next for Anthony Pettis? Waiting patiently for the lightweight title shot

With his performance against Donald Cerrone on Saturday night, Anthony Pettis made a believer out of many fight fans. One of those who now thinks Pettis belongs in the title shot conversation is UFC president Dana White.

Pettis =AMAZING!!!! Ok I'm sold

? Dana White (@danawhite) January 27, 2013

While the next bout for UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is set with Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez in April, Pettis has set himself up as the obvious next man up.

"I think the Melendez fight is pretty set, but (Pettis is) next. I can't say enough things about the kid tonight. That was incredible," White said in the postfight press conference.

The last time Pettis had a title shot, he had a wrench thrown into the plans. Pettis won the WEC lightweight belt in the promotion's final fight. A title shot was promised to whoever had the belt when the WEC merged with the UFC.

But two weeks after Pettis won the belt, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard faced off for the belt. They fought to a draw and Edgar kept the belt, but Maynard was given an immediate rematch.

Instead of waiting for the title shot then, Pettis fought Clay Guida. He lost a decision, and the title shot was gone. This time, he's not going to let the title shot slip through his hands.

"If it's a guaranteed title shot, then I'm waiting. That was my goal this year, and I'm definitely going to wait and get better," Pettis said.

The way title shots have been going in the UFC, there's no way to know if Pettis is making the right call. However, what Pettis is doing is setting himself up as the go-to guy if the UFC needs him. Melendez has had to postpone fights because of injuries in the past, and you never know what could happen as fighters prepare for their bouts.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/next-anthony-pettis-waiting-patiently-lightweight-title-shot-172409772--mma.html

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?How To Glow?

Click the arrow on the audio player to?hear Dean Young read this poem. You can also download?the recording or?subscribe?to?Slate's Poetry Podcast on iTunes.

Either that or the police blotter.
Someone steals a bicycle because he wants
to fly. Wants a new heart. A hive on the porch.
There?s someone suspicious in the graveyard
with a torch. What the librarian needs
she cannot say but she?s listening
to Bulgarian language tapes in her car anyway.
Sure beats eating your own pancreas.
The difference between surrealism and dada
like the difference between first- and second-degree
manslaughter hardly matters to most of us.
What you get is a chalk outline of dust,
bells for no reason, mouthfuls of starlight
rusty as blood, gra gra gra gra grape stems
stammering of summer and lots of dreams
on paper like in analysis and graduate school.
The difference between graduate school and analysis
is approximately $20,000 although both
occur mainly lying down. The white coats
in the lab peer at the microscope slides
and think it?s bad news that the blood
is a wolf?s blood. Dear Oblivion, I love
your old song. Let a spinning wheel be
my fireplace, the lit-up nerves of jellyfish
my universe. The greatest indication of truth
is laughter and maybe now I?m ready
to talk to my mother and father. This morning
I have the distinct impression my house
is about to crumble so let rubble be my crown.
Release the hound! What a joke, she?s about
a hundred years old and when you look into
her almost-no-one-home eyes, you come to a river
and when you come to that river, float.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=86911a554c075a929ba6a1db5e7c3f11

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Businesses plan to boost spending, gauge shows

16 hrs.

Reuters

A gauge of business investment improved in December, a sign that worries over tighter fiscal policy may not have held back capital spending plans as much as feared at the end of 2012.?

The Commerce Department said on Monday that non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for investment plans, edged up 0.2 percent last month.?

Many economists had expected businesses to be more timid with spending late last year because of uncertainty over government spending cuts and tax increases, which had been scheduled to kick in this month. Congress struck a last-minute deal in early January to avoid or postpone most of the austerity measures.?

Monday's data showed companies were still planning to expand their businesses.?

"There's a lot more confidence," said Wayne Kaufman, an analyst at John Thomas Financial in New York.?

The data pushed down prices for U.S. government debt, while giving the dollar a lift against the yen. But stock prices opened little changed.?

The report showed new orders for overall durable goods - long lasting factory goods from toasters to automobiles - jumped 4.6 percent in December, beating economists expectations of a 1.8 percent gain.?

Gains were broad based, with new orders for machinery, cars and primary metals all increasing. Orders of civilian aircraft, a volatile category, jumped 10.1 percent.?

Economists still think economic growth cooled in the fourth quarter as companies slowed the pace at which they re-stocked their shelves.?

But Monday's report suggested businesses expect demand in the U.S. economy to improve.?

In a further sign firms were betting their business will grow, the investment plans proxy for November was revised higher to show a 3 percent gain.?

"It certainly seems to us that companies are slowly but surely expanding," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer at Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, New York.?

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/businesses-plan-boost-their-spending-gauge-shows-1C8135107

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Music Spotlight: Matt Hectorne & the Family Tree | Brite Winter Festival

Hanging around the green room below the Beachland Ballroom, Matt Hectorne seems at his most content talking church music and his Mississippi upbringings when the conversation comes to a halt and a smile breaks behind a grizzly beard. ??I?ll Fly Away,?? he points upstairs in approval to the Womack Family Band?s psychedelic rendition of the spiritual standard taking place on stage that?s echoing through the floor. In 20 minutes he?ll take the stage himself for the last time with Humble Home. In five months he?ll move to Nashville.

For a boy who grew up in a small suburb of Memphis immersed in a church of country and gospel vintage lore, a Southern homecoming marks the past year as a return to the roots. With a contributing cast of musicians he released two EPs, The Family Tree and Your Light My Dark, a collection of songs that were no doubt inspired by the way he paints his Episcopalian youth: Sunday bands with Elvis slick backs and sideburns, pedal steel and banjo players, running, screaming, dancing, and speaking in tongues.

?As soon as I started writing songs that style came naturally; the imagery, the Christian allegory,? Hectorne says of his early years. ?I started delving into outlaw country like Merle Haggard, Guy Clarke, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn. When I play now, it?s nothing I ever really think about any more. That?s just what comes out.?

The result was February?s Family Tree EP, written and recorded over an inspired two week span. Its spontaneous live recording added an immediacy to Hectorne?s antiqued Americana, a human quality that parallels the songs? themes of questioning and denouncing faith that ends with a stand-out bonus track of a sparse, arresting cover of Bruce Springsteen?s ?Downbound Train?.

?What I love about classic albums, when bands like the Byrds or the Animals would record live back in the day, is they just took everything off the floor, did a take and said that felt good, let?s just keep that,? he explains on producing the EP. ?It?s not so much that every song should be pristine; I think the idea of recording isn?t so much getting it perfect as getting it right for that moment. It should be a portrait of the time you were in.?

Hectorne spent the next months penning Your Light My Dark, an EP that expanded into moments of shimmering pop and choral sing-alongs. With the hushed harmonies of Nina DeRubertis becoming fully realized on the chanting hymnal ?(Will There Be a Time When I Will Not Be) Lost Without You? and the release of the stark black-and-white video for ?Coming Around?, Your Light My Dark is a project steeped in minimalism, an unembellished effort that finds beauty in subtlety.

?I never set out to make the simplest video or the simplest sounding recording. To me it?s just being honest and almost a necessity. I?m not necessarily a prolific musician; I learned my instrument to write songs and it?s all I know,? says Hectorne. ?But when you strip songs down, the only thing that stands up or holds anything together is the lyrics. You have no room for any other pretense. You have the song or you have nothing. ?

In late June, Hectorne will move to Nashville with a two week tour planned for this year and demos in the works that he hopes to turn into a full-length album to be released by early 2014. ?I love the hospitality of the South,? he says about the move. ?I love the dynamic and that?s where I want to be. I just feel like it?s the right time and I feel very good about it.?

Matt Hectorne & the Family Tree plays at the Market Avenue Wine Bar. Stream the Family Tree?s album?Your Light My Dark?on?Bandcamp?and keep up with them on?Facebook?and?Tumblr.

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Source: http://www.britewinter.com/music-spotlight-matt-hectorne-the-family-tree/

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Sept. 11 defendants won't respond to Gitmo judge

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) ? Two Sept. 11 defendants delayed the start of their hearing Monday at Guantanamo when they refused to respond to questions from their judge in the case.

Defense lawyers didn't say what prompted the silent protest by self-proclaimed terrorist mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and one of five co-defendants at the military tribunal on the U.S. base in Cuba. Mohammed refused to say whether he approved the hiring of another attorney for him. Fellow defendant Walid bin Attash refused to say why he wanted a military lawyer removed from his team.

Their silence Monday delayed by about an hour the start of a four-day hearing on pretrial motions for the five Guantanamo prisoners charges in the death penalty case. The judge eventually granted the changes without statements from the men.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-28-CB-Guantanamo-Sept-11-Trial/id-56d7bb363a184ac2b23b95547c063197

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Final salary pension schemes close at record rate

LONDON (Reuters) - UK companies closed final salary-based pension schemes at a record rate last year as funds struggled against rock bottom returns on their staple investments and growing life expectancy, the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) said on Monday.

Firms closed 31 percent of so-called defined benefit (DB) pension pots, compared with 23 percent in 2011.

Only 13 percent of DB schemes in the private sector were open to new joiners, down one third from 19 percent in 2011 and against 43 percent in 2005 when NAPF started keeping records.

Just over half of the schemes still open to new members said they were "considering further changes in the next few years".

DB pension schemes have been grappling with spiralling deficits amid pressure from an ageing workforce, red tape from the European Union and the UK government and lacklustre investment returns, NAPF said in its 2012 Annual Survey.

Over the last three years, 375 billion pounds of quantitative easing by the Bank of England has contributed to a sharp drop in the yield on British government bonds, key investments for pension pots.

The deficit of British final-salary linked company pension schemes more than doubled to 231 billion pounds in 2012, according to the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).

Meanwhile, EU legislation requiring funds to have enough cash to cover employee pensions if a company goes bust may stop British firms offering final-salary linked pensions altogether.

The proposed rules would force British firms to find an extra 300 billion pounds to strengthen pension pots.

DB pensions, linked to an employee's salary at retirement and length of service, are typically more expensive to provide than other annuity-purchase schemes.

The NAPF survey comes amid major changes to the pensions sector. Last October, the government introduced an "auto-enrolment" scheme to draw up to 10 million more people into a workplace pension.

The government is also considering a new type of pension scheme to encourage more people to save for retirement.

(Editing by David Cowell)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/final-salary-pension-schemes-close-record-rate-145610366--sector.html

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Numark NS7 II Serato DJ controller hands-on (video)

Like buttons? Numark at NAMM evidently thinks they are this season's DJ must have. The latest bit of kit to get the manual-input makeover? Its NS7 II Serato DJ controller. The second iteration of its motorized-platter DJ tool lands augmented with 16 "MPC-style" pads. Of course, when you are part of the same corporation that also makes the MPC, swinging these sort of add-ons must be a little easier. Those pads will be assignable to a host of features (cues, loop, roll, sampler, and slicer) in the Serato DJ software (sadly not ready for a demo with the hardware at this time). Of course, the NS7 II is all MIDI compatible, so if your software of choice is something else, then you are free to map and a buse as you wish. That's not all, you might notice in the picture above that the pads have some jazzy colors going on. They are have RGB illumination which can be set and customized to your choice by MIDI data. It's not all about the pads though. Numark has also added touch functionality to a lot of the rotaries. So, if you have one set to control a filter, you can just tap the tip of the control to trigger it on / off. The last of the big news is that with the NS7 II, you can also control four virtual decks. A nice addition for the fast-fingered DJs out there. We ran into the device on the show floor and spent some time with it. Head past the break for more.

Gallery: Numark NS7 II hands-on

If you ever got your hands on the original NS7, you'll know that it is quite the machine. Big, heavy, covered in controls, and most famously, sporting fully motorized 7-inch platters. It's this curious mix of new and old methodology that pretty much sums up the Serato DJ software it is designed to work with. With the NS7 II, it's basically more of the same. The hardware is built like a tank, the platters feel authentic enough to bring back nostalgia (even if it's in smaller, 7-inch form). The MPC buttons look and feel great too. Intense mashing and finger / thumb abuse? These look more than capable at taking it by the bucket load. The color effect is pleasing to the eye. We're not sure how important it will be in real world application, but if you like to mark out your triggers and samples, this will let you do that. And what the heck, it just looks pretty sweet -- never a bad thing. As for the touch-enabled rotaries? Well, sadly we'll just have to imagine how they work, as there was no connected software for us to test them out. We're imagining it to be a handy feature, none the less. The same applies to the four deck functionality. We were unable to test it, but it's utilitarian enough that we welcome the addition. Each of the two hardware platters has a pair of buttons beneath it letting you switch between decks easily. These buttons are again, solid and firm, letting you get carried away without damaging your new pride and joy.

Prospective buyers will be pleased to know that as Numark has done before, the unit also contains a full independent mixer. This means you can plug in CDJs, turntables and more and bring them into your set without problem. That mixer is also somewhat larger this time around, thanks to the extra two channels it sports for the four decks. This also serves to enhance its chunky, no messin' look and feel. We'd love to have spent some time actually using it, but alas it wasn't to be. We did manage to grab some video of the hardware though, so head south to take a look of that, while we patiently wait for price and availability information.

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ge1O6z0X_80/

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The Greatest Internet Marketing Advice That WIll Change Your ...

Every so often you get an idea for an amazing business. When the light in your head goes off, now is the time to get that business up and running. Read on and learn some great Internet promotion tips that are sure to increase your profits.

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Source: http://goozleology.com/the-greatest-internet-marketing-advice-that-will-change-your-business.html

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Video: Watch bat attack at college basketball game

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

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Harkin's Exit Sets Off Scramble for Senate Seat (WSJ)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Magnitsky's mother thanks Obama for legislation

MOSCOW (AP) ? The mother of a whistle-blowing Russian lawyer who died in prison is thanking President Barack Obama for a U.S. law targeting Russian officials deemed to be human rights violators involved in her son's death.

Sergei Magnitsky died in jail of untreated pancreatitis in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of stealing $230 from the state. The case has angered both Russian activists and the West, and in December, the U.S. Congress passed legislation in Magnitsky's name, calling for sanctions against officials deemed to be connected with human rights abuses.

Natalya Magnitskaya said Thursday she is grateful to Obama for facilitating the adoption of the bill saying that it "will somehow keep my son's memory."

She also criticized Moscow's decision to bar Americans from adopting Russian children in retaliation.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-25-Russia-Magnitsky/id-c3eb3d099f1f4fdaa8156de73b3df02f

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The Giant Squid Stalker

Dr. Edie Widder, President and Senior Scientist at Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) inside the deep diving suit WASP. Courtesy of ORCA

Deep-sea biologist Edith Widder was working on a ship positioned off Japan?s Ogasawara Islands when Wen-Sung Chung asked her to step into the lab to see something. Cameras followed her as she got up. This was not unusual, since the Japan Broadcasting Commission (NHK) and the Discovery Channel were funding the expedition, which was being conducted from a research yacht named Alucia leased from a billionaire hedge fund owner. Chung was nonchalant, so it didn?t occur to Widder that she was about to see the culmination of a quest that has driven ocean explorers for more than a century. She thought maybe it was going to be video of a cool shark.

The purpose of the expedition was to capture footage of the enigmatic giant squid in its natural habitat. The animal can grow to 35 feet or longer, and its eye is as big as your head. But it lives about 1,000 feet below the surface and deeper, and it had only been glimpsed a few times at the surface and photographed alive once.

Widder is a world expert on bioluminescence, the light that countless marine animals use to communicate, especially in the dark world of the deep sea. For years she?s been studying how the deep?s bizarre inhabitants use the light. Some animals use it to lure a mate, others a meal. And she suspects that certain jellyfish pulse with bioluminescence when they are getting attacked. It?s a last-ditch attempt that works sort of like a burglar alarm to bring in something even bigger to attack the attacker.

Widder has spent months of her life underwater, at times piloting submersibles. For years, she has argued that scientists were getting at best a tilted view of the wonders of the deep sea. By going down with robotic vehicles or in submersibles with lights blazing, she and others have reasoned, they were scaring lots of good stuff away. Deep-sea animals barely see any light, so a typical submersible dive is the equivalent of coming into a darkened theater and shining a spotlight at the audience. Everything bolts.

Years ago, on a shoestring budget, she and her team built a deployable system that included a low-light camera and dim red lights, which most deep dwellers can?t detect. (Their eyes are tuned to blue wavelengths, which travel farther through water.)

Then she added bait. The system, called Eye-in-the-Sea, is fitted with a device that mimics the ring of blue lights fired in a marquee pattern by certain jellyfish?the ones she thinks do the burglar alarm trick. She deployed the system for the first time in the Gulf of Mexico. Just 86 seconds later, a large squid darted into view; it was a species new to science.

Widder brought a more advanced version of that system, dubbed Medusa, aboard the Alucia. She hoped the secret weapon would attract a giant squid. They hung it about 2,300 feet down from a surface buoy and left it running for hours.

Watch the Pulsing Deep-Sea Lights of Bioluminescence

The giant squid has been the stuff of legend for about as long as people have sailed across oceans. Aristotle and Pliny the Elder described what may have been giant squid, which occasionally wash ashore or end up in fishermen?s nets, and the species is thought to be the origin of the Norwegian kraken myth.

Countless groups in past decades have tried to manufacture giant squid encounters, investing millions, getting all the best advice from the experts, only to come back as failed crusaders. One of the other scientists aboard the Alucia, Tsunemi Kubodera of Japan?s National Museum of Nature and Science, has been hunting giant squid in these waters for years. He managed to capture some still images of one giant squid and video of another after it was caught and brought to the surface. But none of that could compare to video of the animal alive in the deep, a view that would finally allow scientists to begin to understand the mysterious animal.

The expedition has not released expense figures, but it must have cost millions. When Chung, a graduate student at the University of Queensland, brought Widder into the lab and started fast-forwarding through the video, the scientists were already a week into a six-week expedition with nothing significant to show. Producer-types were growing tense.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=d453925ac18ef942f7820e454fc1209d

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Video: FLASHBACK: John Kerry on MTP ? April 18, 1971

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50587574#50587574

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S&P 500 breaks through 1,500, first time since '07

NEW YORK (AP) ? The Standard & Poor's 500 index traded above 1,500 for the first time since December 2007 following a sudden drop in claims for unemployment benefits, another sign that the labor market is healing.

A plunge in Apple's stock pulled the Nasdaq composite index lower. The electronics giant predicted slower sales.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 66 points at 13,846 after the first hour of trading.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index inched above 1,500 in early trading, and was up four points at 1,499 as of 10:24 a.m. The S&P has risen over the previous six days.

The Nasdaq fell nine points to 3,144. A 10 percent drop in Apple, the country's most valuable company, was enough to pull the technology-heavy index lower. Apple is the largest component of the Nasdaq, making up 9.9 percent of the index.

The Labor Department reported that the number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to the lowest since January 2008. Applications dropped 5,000 to 330,000. The four-week average also hit a five-year low.

Apple sank $49.92 to $464.09 in early trading. The company predicted that its sales would grow just 7 percent in the current quarter, as iPhone sales peak and the company lacks new products to introduce. That's a let-down for a company that has regularly posted growth rates above 50 percent.

Netflix jumped 37 percent, or $38.23, to $141.49. Analysts had expected rising expenses to lead the provider of movies and television shows to post a loss in the last three months of 2012. But Netflix said late Wednesday that it turned a profit with the help of 2 million new subscribers.

Microsoft and Starbucks are scheduled to report after the closing bell.

In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.84 percent from 1.83 percent late Wednesday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/p-500-breaks-1-500-first-time-since-152011382--finance.html

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Best Limo Services in Alamo - RedTie Transportation

RedTie Transportation is the premier provider of high end Transportation, throughout the country. We specialize in luxury limousines for all occasions, wherever the location it may be. Our top of the notch limousine are available to add that extra special touch. If you are looking for something extraordinary in a special occasion, keep in mind we are here to serve with the best.

RedTie Transportation has become the premier San Francisco limo service by providing their clients with impeccable service, the best selection of luxury limos in the Bay Area, and the most flexible rates in the industry. From San Francisco wedding limousines to Bay Area sporting event transportation to SF prom limos, airport shuttle service, or any occasion that you?d like to make extra special, call the luxury ground transportation specialists at Redtie when you want the very best. Our San Francisco limo amenities are designed to impress and delight you no matter where we?re taking you.

Choose from our carefully selected fleet of luxury limousines and enjoy exclusive luxury treatment. Our hire service comes with dedicated and professional drivers to keep you constantly on the move, whenever required. Our chauffeurs are professionally trained to be at your service with professionalism and friendliness.?We have been operating for several years, successfully providing a professional service to many clients.?While we provide the highest quality limousine service to be found in the Bay Area, our rates are also among the most competitive.

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Check Your Flight Status Online

At RedTie Transportation we understand the daily demands of the corporate world. Our dynamic staff is fully aware of the importance of being prompt and professional as businesses today value time because they have deadlines to meet.?Whether you have a business lunch meeting with clients, a trip to the Airport, a VIP guest to entertain or an office party, we can cater for all your company?s transportation needs and our luxurious service will impress your executives and business associates.

We can also arrange the pick up and delivery of valuable parcels and important documents with guaranteed delivery time.

The RedTie Fleet is made up of the highest quality vehicles from the best car manufacturer?s. We offer many options and can recommend and customise the best limo hire for your needs, from an individual transfer to groups. We guarantee that all of our cars will arrive on time, in immaculate condition and with a professional chauffeur. Our fleet is listed in further detail below.

RedTie proudly presents an updated fleet of Lincoln Town Cars, considered the flagship of corporate transportation. Each spacious vehicle offers ample leg and head room, and can accommodate up to four adult passengers.

Passengers: Up to 4.

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The traditional Lincoln Stretch limousine is a stylish, and sophisticated look, for any event. We carry a full array of new model Lincolns in various sizes and styles. This vehicle is available for corporate conventions and other special events.

Passengers: Up to 6, 8 and 10.

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RedTie offers a seven-passenger sport utility vehicle that delivers ample space without sacrificing style. Our SUVs seat seven adults plus luggage. Enjoy the safety and security of a 4-wheel drive combined with all the comforts of a limousine.

Passengers: Up to 7.

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RedTie features vans designed for the comfort of our passengers. Customers traveling in small groups, for business or leisure, love the convenience and affordability of our van service.

Passengers: Up to 10 and 13.

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Whether you?re planning service for a few VIPs or a convention of thousands, RedTie charter bus service is your source for filling all of your convention or group?s transportation requirements.

Passengers: Up to 28.

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RedTie lets you take the party on the road! For the ultimate in luxury transportation, this brand new, state of the art, luxury Limo Bus includes fine leather perimeter seating, built-in bars, fiber optic lighting, stereo CD, DVD player, and Plasma TV.

Passengers: Up to 20.

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Source: http://www.redtietransportation.com/services-2/cities/best-limo-services-in-alamo

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Europe finance tax to net tens of billions of euros: France

PARIS (Reuters) - France plans to implement a tax on financial transactions at the end of 2014 and believes the levy to be rolled out by 11 European countries will raise "tens of billions of euros" a year, its finance minister said.

The 27-member European Union gave the go-ahead on Tuesday to 11 countries pledging to impose a tax that was proposed 40 years ago by American economist James Tobin but never got off the ground internationally.

Paris will give itself a year or so to think about how the tax will work and aim to have a law in place by the end of 2014, Moscovici said in an interview on BFM TV.

"It'll take about two years, most probably," Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said. "The calendar is deliberations in 2013 and implementation from the end of 2014 undoubtedly.

"I note in passing France already has a trading tax that generated an extremely small take of 246 million euros," the minister said.

The new tax was inspired by a political drive to make the financial industry contribute more heavily after a financial crisis in 2007 sparked a global economic downturn. It is due to be rolled out with 10 other European countries, including Germany and Italy but not Britain.

Critics say such a tax can only work if it is imposed worldwide, or at least Europe-wide, and that its adoption in around 2015 risks pushing trading and jobs elsewhere.

"The total tax take could be several tens of billions of euros," said Moscovici.

Moscovici said he was keen to see the proceeds go into the pan-European budget and a "significant share" of it used for international development aid.

Britain, which is Europe's largest financial centre and has its own duty on the trading of shares, registered its protest by abstaining when EU finance ministers were asked to endorse the tax move by 11 EU countries in a vote on Tuesday.

Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Malta also abstained, EU officials said.

The European Commission, the Brussels-based executive body that proposes EU legislation, plans to produce a blueprint for such a tax in February. One EU official has said the levy could raise 35 billion euros ($46.50 billion) a year.

($1 = 0.7526 euros)

(Reporting by Brian Love; Editing by Leigh Thomas and Catherine Evans)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/europe-finance-tax-net-tens-billions-euros-france-101211656--business.html

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Lance Armstrong Sued For Selling "Fiction" as Memoir

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/lance-armstrong-sued-for-selling-fiction-as-memoir/

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"Disrespectful" IKEA ad touches nerve with Thai transsexuals

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai man and his girlfriend are shopping at a furniture store. She sees pillows on sale and gets excited, her feminine voice falls suddenly to a deep male-like tone.

Shocked and horrified, her boyfriend runs off.

The advertisement by IKEA, the world's biggest furniture retailer, has incensed a Thai transgender group which called it "negative and stereotypical" and "a gross violation of human rights" in an open letter to the Swedish retail giant.

The 20-second commercial shown on YouTube (http://link.reuters.com/gyz45t) and on Bangkok's trains in December and January entitled "Luem Aeb" ("Forget to Keep Hidden"), was disrespectful to transsexuals, according to the Thai Transgender Alliance, which demanded an explanation from IKEA.

Transgenders, or "Ladyboys" as they are often referred to, are widely accepted in Thailand and are commonplace in the fashion, beauty and entertainment industries, but are not officially recognised as women.

A marketing official at IKEA Thailand, which opened its first store in the country in November 2011, said on Thursday it had talked with the group in response to its January 9 complaint.

"IKEA has spoken to the group over the telephone and the conversation went very smoothly. We are now drafting a letter in response," the official said, declining to be identified.

(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Martin Petty and Ron Popeski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/disrespectful-ikea-ad-touches-nerve-thai-transsexuals-134153944--finance.html

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Aspirin Use Tied to Vision Loss

Regular aspirin use is linked to an increased risk of vision loss with age, a new study found.

The study of nearly 2,400 Australian men and women found those who routinely took aspirin were more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration. The results were published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

However, "the evidence is insufficient to adjudicate the relationship between aspirin and [age-related macular degeneration], thereby challenging causal inferences," Dr. Sanjay Kaul and Dr. George Diamond of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles wrote in an editorial accompnying the study.

Read this story on www.medpagetoday.com.

The study is not the first to suggest a possible link between neovascular age-related macular degeneration and routine aspirin use, but other studies have yielded conflicting findings.

To examine the potential link, Jie Jin Wang of the University of Sydney and colleagues analyzed data from the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which included 2,389 Australians ages 49 and older.

Retinal examinations were done every five years, and lesions classified as neovascular, or wet macular degeneration, or geographic atrophy, also known as dry macular degeneration.

Aspirin use was reported on a structured questionnaire, and information on relevant risk factors was obtained during physical examination and history reports.

A total of 257 participants were regular aspirin users. Compared with nonusers, they were older and more often had conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or elevated blood pressure.

During 15 years of follow-up, age-related wet macular degeneration was identified in 63 individuals.

Among regular users, the cumulative incidence was 1.9 percent, 7 percent and 9.3 percent at years 5, 10, and 15, while the incidence among nonusers was 0.8 percent, 1.6 percent, and 3.7 percent, respectively.

The incidence of neovascular macular degeneration rose with more frequent aspirin use, increasing from 2.2 percent in those who never took aspirin, to 2.9 percent for those who used it only occasionally, and 5.8 percent for those who took aspirin routinely.

Aspirin use was not associated with risk for dry macular degeneration.

Additional analyses found that the risk was four times higher in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease and in those without a gene variation linked with macular degeneration.

The researchers also considered whether other medications often taken by aspirin users, such as acetaminophen and beta-blockers, might influence risk, and the results were negative.

These results create a quandary for the many patients using aspirin, particularly those taking the drug as secondary prevention of CVD, according to Wang's group.

"Aspirin is one of the most effective CVD treatments and reduces recurrent CVD events by one-fifth," they wrote.

However, significant adverse events can occur, such as cerebral and gastrointestinal bleeding.

"Our present study now raises the possibility that the risk of neovascular [age-related macular degeneration] may also need to be considered," they wrote.

Nonetheless, they conceded that the risk is small, at slightly under 4 percent over 15 years, and the evidence is thus far insufficient to support a change in practice away from widespread aspirin use, except for patients at very high risk for macular degeneration.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/EyeHealth/aspirin-tied-vision-loss-age/story?id=18277655

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EE launches limited edition 4G price plans - budget ?31 contract and 20GB 'super-user' plans

When EE (Everything Everywhere) first launched its 4G LTE service in the UK, two common complaints focused on the price of its subsidized smartphone contracts and the 8GB ceiling for data allowances. Today it seems the carrier's ready to test the water with some more adventurous price plans, as for a limited time it'll offer a budget-centric £31 per month, 24-month deal, along with a new "super-user" contracts with 20GB of data per month. 

The £31 per month plan costs £5 per month less than EE's cheapest standard contract, and will be available to customers from Jan. 31 to Mar. 31. Like all of EE's smartphone-inclusive plans, it runs for 24 months and includes unlimited calls and texts. Phones offered on the £31 plan will include the HTC One SV (check out our review) and the Windows Phone-powered Nokia Lumia 820, so there's a clearly a focus on entry-level hardware here.

But it's the second limited edition contract that'll probably be of interest to Android Central readers. For £46 per month on a 12-month, SIM-only contract, EE's offering a whopping 20GB of data per month. Alternatively, customers can get the new 20GB deal with a subsidized smartphone on a 24-month, £61 per month contract. The 20GB plans will be available in stores from today until Feb. 28, EE says.

In addition, EE says it's introducing a new 8GB, 12-month SIM-only plan costing £41 per month.

Due to its current monopoly over 4G LTE in the UK, EE's prices remain higher than rival networks. But the company will be hoping that this diversification of its range of price plans will help it to scoop up some additional customers before rival networks launch their LTE services later this year.

Any UK readers tempted by EE's new tariffs? Let us know in the comments.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Jym3wEpYeqY/story01.htm

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Leading Online Marketing Ideas To Expand Your Business

Posted by Sawyer Lunthmoreland on Jan 23, 2013 in Internet Marketing |

Internet marketing is the promotion of products over the internet. It easily brings together the creative aspects of the internet with the technical. This will bring a rise in sales to companies that put time into it. You will be reading many tips that will help you develop internet marketing for your company.

To create a quality newsletter, you need to write educational content. Your goal is to provide interesting information to your audience. Mention your products into your educational content, write informative texts about the products themselves, or explain how your product can have an educational use. Remember that people subscribed to your newsletter to learn something.

An important tip regarding Internet marketing is that if want to expand globally, you need to think globally. This is important because in order to best cater to people from other countries, you may wish to consider making changes to your site if it contains cultural sensitivities or humor intended solely for Americans.

It?s important that if you?re linking on someone else?s site for internet marketing that you make sure your link is a ?do-follow? link. You can click the page source of any link and look at the HTML. Unless it specifically says something to extent of ?do not follow," you know you?re safe here. Always be sure to check this.

Use forums to gain readers. Posting a teaser paragraph in several different forums can get people?s attention very quickly. The best way to do this is to find the forums that your target audiences frequent the most, and post it there. Make sure the paragraph is enticing and entertaining to gain the most.

Whether you?re allowing comments on your blog or website, you?re always going to run across a few jerks when running a business. Make sure you never reply to the buffoons of the world. Simply delete their comments and get on with your day. Do not appear childish by engaging in a back-and-forth with idiots.

When starting an online business, find a niche and become the authority on that product. For example, instead of selling shoes, sell extra wide shoes for men. While you narrow your playing field, you bring in traffic that has difficulty finding your product through other avenues, increasing your chances of making a sale. In addition, your business will be easier to find online because of your detailed key phrases. Try entering a search for ?shoes" and then enter a search for ?men?s extra wide shoes" and see what a difference a niche can make.

Internet marketing is often seen through banner ads, but these are not highly recommended. Do not invest much of your resources in banner ads if you want to successfully market your products or services online. Banner ads are increasingly being blocked with extensions in browsers, effectively deleting your ads from sites.

Creating a site map is very helpful for both search engines and visitors. It will help to find all of your pages, especially if you have a larger site. There are free tools that will help you create XML sitemaps, which are used by the major search engines to index webpages accurately.

Keeping yourself motivated is an important part of internet marketing and it is hard to keep your enthusiasm up if you keep jumping from project to project. Try sticking with just one project and stay with it until you see positive results. It may take some discipline, but it will be worth the effort.

When you concentrate on improving your internet marketing efforts, you are making excellent use of your valuable time. The marketplace accessible online is the largest in the world, and the potential customer base is incredibly vast. Reading articles like this one can pay off in a big way when you pick up useful new internet marketing tips.

Check out this additional training on Finding Profits Through Successful Internet Marketing Ideas. While you?re at it check out the many other resources that discuss Internet Marketing Strategies That Are Sure To Help Your Business Grow.

Tags: Internet Marketing

Source: http://www.candam-marketing.com/WP/13523/leading-online-marketing-ideas-to-expand-your-business-15/

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