augustina battlefield: September 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Lenovo ThinkCentre M92z

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M92z is a very good Windows 7 all-in-one business desktop. It's got quad core power, plenty of system memory, and a responsive two-point touch screen. Unfortunately, Windows 8 is right around the corner with new requirements that the system doesn't quite match.

Design and Features
The M92z is built out of standard black ThinkCentre plastic, and it looks essentially like a monitor with built-in speakers. It's very corporate-looking, matching the Lenovo components and ThinkPads you may have around your office. The system's 23-inch screen has a two-finger touch screen using the more established infrared touch technology, rather than the newer capacitive touch found on newer PCs. This isn't a problem for most business use, as corporate IT departments are unlikely to switch to Windows 8 anytime soon. Touch functionality on Windows 8 is optimized for five to ten point touch screens.

The screen is sunken into the bezel because of the IR sensors, which is less clean looking than the seamless capacitive screens like that of the M92z's consumer cousin, the Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 ($1,449 list, 4 stars) . That said, the touch screen was responsive, and the system's IPS panel was bright and visible from a wide angle. The system came mounted to a height-adjustable, pivoting and tilting monitor stand that tilted far back enough that standing users could comfortably use the system while standing. This is good for kiosk and POS (point of sale) applications like in a retial environment.

The M92z came with a wireless keyboard and mouse, which can be stowed if they're not needed. The keyboard in particular was comfortable to use and the keys felt great to type upon due to their concave, semi-oval shape. The keyboard/mouse combo uses a USB wireless dongle, which fits in one of the system's four USB 2.0 ports on the back panel. Alongside the USB 2.0 ports on the back are an Ethernet port, DisplayPort-in, DisplayPort-out, and a Kensington lock port. DisplayPort-out is useful for connecting a second monitor, while DisplayPort-in can support an additional laptop (provided it has DisplayPort) or desktop. DisplayPort-in can also extend the life of the system, since it can act like a monitor after the rest of the system has been deemed obsolete. We would like to see HDMI-in to support other devices, but since the ThinkCentre line is so business-oriented, the lack of HDMI is not a deal breaker.

Two USB 3.0 ports, audio jacks, plus a SD-based media card slot are on the left side. The system's tray-loading DVD drive is on the right side of the system. The webcam on top of the screen has a physical shutter, so you can be assured the camera is off when you're not using it. That's important for businesses with privacy policies, like government offices. It matches the innovative webcam shutter system we saw on the Lenovo ThinkCentre M71z ($917 direct, 4 stars) .

Like most Lenovo business systems, the M92z comes free of extra icons on the desktop. There are a few programs built into the system's SimpleTap touch-oriented interface, but you have to manually turn that on for the first time. You'll find eBay, Kayak, PayPal, and other services there. It's not ideal, but at least Lenovo made an effort to make some of the services work in the touch interface. It's certainly a better solution than putting a dozen extra icons all over the system.

Performance
The M92z comes with an Intel Core i7-3770S processor, 8GB of memory, a 1TB hard drive, and Intel HD Graphics 4000. The combo is good enough for a 3,872 point score on PCMark 7, a test of the system's day-to-day performance. This is slightly faster than our midrange all in one Editors' Choice, the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C ($1,399 list, 4 stars) (3,512 points) , which has the same processor (but less memory). Both certainly outperform the aging Apple iMac 21.5-inch (Thunderbolt) ($1,199 list, 4.5 stars) (2,581 points) . Odd, since Apple is continuing to sell this model even though it is over a year old.

The M92z also did well on our multimedia tests: 1 minute 8 seconds on our Handbrake video test, 2:51 on our Photoshop CS5 test. The CS5 test in particular was fast for all-in-one PCs;p only the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C can match it. Systems like the recently reviewed Toshiba LX835-D3230 ($999 list, 3.5 stars) (1:17 Handbrake, 3:20 CS5) lagged behind the M92z. The 3D performance is as to be expected from an integrated Intel HD system: good for video, but only passable to poor for challenging 3D games like Crysis or Lost Planet 2. The system is fine playing casual games like Angry Birds or MMORPGs like World of Warcraft.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M92z is a very good all-in-one PC for business. The system we tested came with 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive, so it can support even content creation workers like web layout folks and desktop publishing. It's certainly more than a match for the aging Apple iMac 21.5-inch platform and other utilitarian systems like the Toshiba LX835 series. However, its lack of 10-finger touch is likely to be a significant factor in future Windows 8 rollouts, so the system's eventual useful life has to be tempered by that omission. (That said, you can always use a Windows 8 optomized keyboard and mouse, but it's not the same as having a 10-point-touch screen.) It's not terrible: The system is one of the better Windows 7 touch-screen PCs out there. But the lack of 10-finger touch hold it back from unseating systems like the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C, our current midrange all in one Editors' Choice systems.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Lenovo ThinkCentre M92z with several other desktops side by side.

More desktop reviews:
??? Lenovo ThinkCentre M92z
??? Dell OptiPlex 9010 Small Form Factor
??? Toshiba LX835-D3230
??? Lenovo ThinkCentre M92p Tiny
??? Vizio 27-inch All-in-One PC (CA27-A1)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/G770Dyewbkg/0,2817,2410384,00.asp

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After Kenyan attack, Somali militants abandon city

This undated photo provided by Kenya's Ministry for Defence on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, is said by them to show Kenya Defence Forces troops at an undisclosed location in Kenya, engaged in recent preparations for an assault on the Somali port city of Kismayo. Kenyan troops invaded al-Shabab's last stronghold in Somalia on Friday, coming ashore in a predawn beach landing at Kismayo that appeared likely to deprive the Islamist insurgents of their last big money-making enterprise. (AP Photo/Kenya Ministry for Defense)

Map locates Kismayo, Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) ? Al-Shabab rebels pulled out of a key port city in southern Somalia, the group said Saturday, a day after Kenyan troops invaded and marched toward the city center and seaside port that long served as the militants' key source of funding, officials said.

Residents in Kismayo said they woke to find police and government headquarters abandoned by the militants, sparking a looting spree of the government and police headquarters.

"They withdrew from here last night. The town is not under anyone's control now," Mohamed Hassan, a resident, said. "People feel some relief now. We hope no more fighting will take place."

The withdrawal came about 24 hours after Kenyan forces made a beach landing and as inland troops from Somalia and Kenya moved toward the port city from the west.

"Looting and chaos is going on here. Thugs are taking advantage of the vacuum," Maryan Hussein, another resident, said. "The abandoned houses are being ransacked and the streets are occupied by people carrying belongings."

Col. Cyrus Oguna, a spokesman for the Kenyan military, said five al-Shabab fighters were killed in a battle overnight. Two commanders were killed in the fighting, the military said.

He said the Kenyan forces are still verifying the reports that al-Shabab had pulled out of Kismayo. "For now we are treating it as a theory," he said.

The Kenyan troops landed by boats in the northern part of Kismayo on Friday and moved toward the port, he said. He said that al-Shabab lost "many, many militants, including some key commanders" during battles on Friday that involved helicopter gunships.

Al-Shabab used Twitter to announce the news it was leaving Kismayo.

"Last night, after more than 5 years the Islamic administration in Kismayo closed its office," the tweet said. "Kismayo shall be transformed from a peaceful city governed by Islamic Shari'ah into a battle-zone between Muslims" and invaders.

Al-Shabab found little popular support in Kismayo because of the conservative brand of Islam it tried to impose on residents. Al-Shabab carried out public executions, whippings and amputations as punishments, and enforced a conservative dress code.

Al-Shabab was forced out of Mogadishu in August 2011 and lost one of its major sources of funding when it could no longer tax businesses in the city's main market. Since then the taxes al-Shabab charged on goods coming into Kismayo's port were seen as its last major funding source.

As it no longer holds any major cities in Somalia, al-Shabab is expected to operate more as an insurgent force that carries out suicide and roadside bomb attacks.

___

Associated Press reporter Jason Straziuso in Nairobi, Kenya contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-29-Somalia/id-a6836c65fc0c4db8a6773e256dad2f4c

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Ron Howard's remarks played at Mayberry Days

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) ? Andy Griffith led by example on the set of his television show, teaching a 6-year-old boy that true leadership requires not only confidence and hard work but also humility, Academy Award-winning film director Ron Howard said in recorded remarks Sunday.

Howard's remarks were played during a Griffith tribute at the 23rd annual Mayberry Days celebration in Mount Airy. It's the first Mayberry Days held since Griffith, a native of Mount Airy, died July 3 at the age of 86 at his home in Manteo. The three-day event typically attracts 25,000 to 30,000 people.

"Andy's impact on my life and my approach to my work really can't be measured," Howard said. "The balance that he sustained between focused, creative effort and this overt, playful enjoyment that he got out of working hard with people that he liked, doing a show he loved, was something that I hope I'll always remember and emulate."

Howard played Opie Taylor, the red-headed son of Sheriff Andy Taylor, on "The Andy Griffith Show." The CBS TV show aired from 1960 to 1968, starting when Howard was 6 years old and ending when he was 14.

Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surry Arts Council, said Howard reached out to her and told her he wanted to "do something for Andy," adding that he knew Griffith loved his hometown. He emailed Jones after she had reached out to his father, actor Rance Howard, for help with the celebration that's held in the North Carolina town that inspired the fictional town of Mayberry.

Ron Howard hinted that what he learned on "The Andy Griffith Show" helped him with his future career, which includes an Academy Award for directing "A Beautiful Mind." Griffith, he said, established an inclusive set that allowed him, at age 6, "to feel safe, comfortable enough to participate and then to be able to witness and learn so much about the collaborative process ? the value of originality, the discipline of form and the bursts of individual inspiration that good moments and scenes are built on."

Rance Howard sent a statement praising Griffith's character to be read at the tribute.

"Andy was an excellent role model, the guardian of good taste and humor," wrote Rance Howard. "He loved to laugh out loud and long but his motto was, 'I don't want the public to laugh at us, I want them to laugh with us.'"

Griffith was recovering from a heart attack when Rance Howard's wife, Jean, died. Griffith flew with his wife, Cindi, to California so he could speak at the memorial service.

"That's the kind of friend Andy was," Rance Howard wrote. "Yes, he played an enormous role in our lives."

Ron Howard said he learned during the eight seasons "how much care had to go into making a program if it was going to be truly worthy of an audience's time.

"...He helped me to understand that high achievement and leadership require confidence, yes, hard work, absolutely. But it could be gained while still maintaining humility, humanity and a joyous appreciation for those around him. Like so many others, I'm going to miss you, Andy."

With his last words for the crowd, Howard mimicked Griffith, who was famous for telling the audience three words at the end of his shows: "I appreciate it."

___

Martha Waggoner can be reached at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-09-30-Mayberry%20Days/id-96dd013015614b3f914431d8f5c0ac57

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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Fighting in Aleppo starts fire in medieval souks

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian activists say raging firefights between government forces and rebels in the historic districts of central Aleppo have started a major fire in the city's medieval souks, or markets.

The covered souks, some of the Middle East's largest, were once a major tourist attraction.

Rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad launched Thursday an offensive to drive his forces out of Syria's largest city and commercial hub.

Aleppo-based activist Ahmad al-Halabi estimates the blaze destroyed a majority of the shops in the district overnight. He said some were still on fire.

The Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights and other activists also reported Saturday that part of the souks were on fire. A video posted online showed smoke covering Aleppo, said to be a result of the bazaar fire.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fighting-aleppo-starts-fire-medieval-souks-084605971.html

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Remake America: From $180,000 a year to $8 an hour

While Titina gave up her teaching career to raise their two children, Claude had a lucrative career as pharmaceutical sales representative. But Claude's lay-off earlier this year, coupled with a $75,000 debt from a previous marriage and $69,000 a year in child support, has sent shock waves through the family's finances. Now seriously considering a move to Titina's home country of Canada, the couple seeks alternative options by speaking with finance expert Farnoosh Torabi.

Please share your solutions, personal stories, and honest opinions. Please do not add personal attacks, vulgar language, or other offensive comments; they'll be removed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/episode-23--from--180-000-a-year-to--8-an-hour.html

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It?s past time for the Republican establishment to back Todd Akin (Powerlineblog)

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| Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/251625543?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Friday, September 28, 2012

Be A Big Loser With These Weight Loss Tips | meizitang ...

Losing weight does not concern dieting until you have done it. It is a lifelong path towards better health and fitness. The key to keeping weight off after you lose it is a change in lifestyle. This article offers some useful tools and can help you to reach your weight loss goals.

Keep a food and exercise diet journal. If you track these things, you?re more likely to lose weight. Some people lose a lot more weight just because they pay attention more closely.

Educate yourself about MUFA foods in order to help yourself lose weight. MUFA stands for monounsaturated fatty acids. There are many nuts, oils and butters which are included in this food group. These foods have been proven to help you drop the pounds and provide you with huge health benefits. Don?t underestimate the effectiveness of MUFA foods when they are used for weight loss.

Use plates that are smaller. If you are accustomed to filling your plate at meals, a smaller plate will trick your eyes into thinking you have a full plate when you actually have much less food than normal. By using a salad plate, you can trick yourself into eating less.

Whenever you begin to feel doubt creeping in, it is important to alter your thinking right away. Without an optimistic mindset, it will be extremely difficult to stick with your program and enjoy the results. Create a positive affirmation to use as you start every day.

Keep your kitchen free of temptation. Just by making the simple choice to leave the junk food outside the home, you will not need to constantly face temptation. Keep plenty of healthy foods in your house. This way, when you?re hungry you will reach for a healthy snack. Cut up fresh fruits and veggies and keep them in the fridge, or have healthy crackers in your cupboard.

You should avoid the hype around diet pills and supplements that promise quick and effective results. While you may shed a few pounds initially, there is a good chance that you will gain it back as soon as you discontinue the product.

Your weight will naturally fluctuate. You want to think about the long term trend rather than obsessing about the day-to-day changes. Just keep in mind that as long as you are seeing a decrease over all, you are doing a fantastic job.

Some people might be surprised to learn that consuming fats can help to burn fats. All fats aren?t bad. Fatty acids, such as Omega 3 and 6, are not found in preservative foods located on your grocery store?s shelves. Yet, these fatty acids, which are found in fish and legumes, contribute to weight loss by nourishing the cardiovascular system and lowering cholesterol.

Opt for whipped butter. Certain individuals simply refuse to eliminated butter from their diet. Some people just like the taste of real butter. However, it does not have to be completely eliminated when you are dieting. Used whipped butter instead. Whipped butter contains half the calories of real butter.

Keeping a food diary is a great way to track and control how many calories you are consuming in a day. You should log every single thing you consume to find out where you are going wrong. A food journal is an excellent way to see if you are making any mistakes in your diet.

A really good way to help you lose weight is to run along the beach. It is tougher to run on sand than it is to run on grass.

You can lose weight by cleaning your house. You can lose fat by burning a lot of calories while doing housework. Listening to music while cleaning will make chores seem more fun. Break into a dance now and then to burn a few extra calories!

If you apply these tips to your weight loss journey, they can be a great help. Changing your lifestyle is key to successful weight loss. The advice written in this article will help you have a good understanding of the type of changes you need to make. The suggestions presented here can also help you in your efforts to maintain your weight loss.

Source: http://www.meizitang-botanicalslimminggel.com/blog/uncategorized/be-a-big-loser-with-these-weight-loss-tips/

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Grandparents, ICPC and timeframe questions - Adoption.com Forums

FS's Mom is on the RU path, but the father's parents want to have him. CW said "to be our foster parents" so I assume that's kinship fostering. However, grandparents live in a different state. The ICPC paperwork has been turned in to our state's (NYS) office and our next court date is Oct 29th.

The therapist we work with for our two FD said that if mom has rights still, which she does, she can say she doesn't want the baby to move back to FL. This makes sense to me, especially after I heard that the parents aren't really getting along right now. I can't imagine being on an RU path and shipping my baby off to another state. There are also two other half-siblings. One is really concerned about her other two...where they are living etc and about seeing them.

CW said we'll see what the judge says, but "I'm not really sure about cases like these" and that the judge will decide about transition or if he goes.

Does anyone know how long kinship ICPC paperwork takes? He's only been in our care for just under 2 weeks, but I hate that this kids is getting shuffled every which way. We are his second home in 4 months.

Source: http://forums.adoption.com/foster-parent-support/408284-grandparents-icpc-timeframe-questions.html

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Stock trade stagnant | SaigonMoney.com - The digital provider of ...

With little investor interest, the local market largely moved sideways again on Tuesday while liquidity failed to make any improvement. The VN-Index inched up 1.4 points, or 0.36%, from the day earlier to close at 391.77 due to some help from GAS and VNM.

The market opened several points higher and then hit the daily high of 394.06 points before dropping back again by the end of the morning session. In the afternoon, the market traded in a narrow range and closed just above Monday?s close.

Liquidity on the Hochiminh Stock Exchange remained pitiful even with a VND86 billion block trade of VIC. Ending the day, there were only 23.9 million shares worth VND442 billion traded, which was similar to Monday?s levels.

There were 93 advancers but the number of decliners was bigger, at 111. The stocks that went up to the ceiling prices numbered 27 while 41 stocks dropped to the floor prices.

Eximbank (EIB) continued to take the lead in terms of liquidity, rising 2% from the day earlier to VND14,800 per share with two million shares changing hands. Tan Tao Investment Industry Corporation (ITA), the second most actively traded stock, dropped 4.3% to VND4,400 on a volume of 994,000 shares.

Foreigners stayed on the selling side for the second day, offloading VND57.7 billion worth of shares. They accounted for 15% and 28.5% of the market?s buying and selling value respectively.

The Hanoi market dropped for the second straight session while turnover fell to VND137 billion. The HNX-Index lost 0.24 point, or 0.43%, against the previous session and ended the day at 56.22.

Only 58 stocks gained while 112 others lost, including 19 stocks going up to the ceiling prices and 34 stocks dropping to the floor prices. Foreigners accounted for 4.6% of the buying value and 4.9% of the selling value.

HCMC Securities Corp. (HSC) said the markets are drifting sideways for now but with a slight downwards bias.

Domestic trading volumes have been puffed up by some large put-through transactions in recent weeks, which means that normal market trading has dropped to levels not seen since this time last year, HSC commented.

?Underlying sentiment then is quite bearish and stocks are seen as cheap but for now there appears to be no compelling reason to buy them. This reflects the overall macroeconomic picture where despite the fact that we seem to be at the bottom of the cycle, a sputtering credit function means that hopes for a recovery have been postponed,? it added.

The Saigon Times Daily

Source: http://www.saigonmoney.com/2012/09/26/stock-trade-stagnant/

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Italian seismologists face prison in quake

Six Italian scientists and one government official could see four-year prison terms for manslaughter for allegedly downplaying the risk of an earthquake in the town of L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009.

According to prosecutors, the six researchers and the Department of Civil Protection downplayed the likelihood that a series of tremors that hit the city in early 2009 were foreshadowing a larger quake. On April 6, 2009, a magnitude-6.3 earthquake killed 309 city residents.

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The trial, which began about a year ago, has worried scientists, who point out that earthquake prediction is not possible. But prosecutors insist that the trial is not about predicting the unpredictable, according to Nature News. During closing arguments on Monday and Tuesday, the prosecution assistant told the courtroom that instead, the scientists and officials had inadequately assessed the risk of a quake and given deceptive information to the public. The prosecution is asking for four-year prison terms for the accused.

Earthquake swarms are notoriously unreliable predictors of future quakes, say seismologists. In 1988, researchers found that about half of large quakes in seismically active areas of Italy were preceded by foreshocks, but only 2 percent of small earthquake clusters predicted a big temblor.

At the controversial March 31 meeting in L'Aquila, earth scientist Enzo Boschi, now a defendant in the case, acknowledged the uncertainty, calling a large earthquake "unlikely," but saying that the possibility could not be excluded. In a post-meeting press conference, however, Department of Civil Protection official Bernardo De Bernardinis, also a defendant, told citizens there was "no danger."

Prosecutors have portrayed De Barnardinis as a victim of bad information from the team of seismologists, reported Nature News.

The trial is on hold until Oct. 9, when the defense will present its closing arguments.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas ? or LiveScience @livescience.? We're also on? Facebook ? and Google+.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49197473/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Putin defends big football signings in Russia

Moscow, Sep 26

Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended expensive signings by Russian Premier League clubs, saying it is high time the competition attracted world stars at their peak.

His comments come in the wake of internal feud at Zenit St. Petersburg which spent 80 million euros on Brazilian forward Hulk and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel in the summer transfer window.

One of the club's top players, Russia captain Igor Denisov, was dropped to the reserves after allegedly complaining the players' salaries were three times higher than the average wages at the club.

"Sport lovers want to see world stars, and not just those who are over the hill, but who are at the very peak, on the way up," Putin said. "Here there are certain pluses that affect millions of people, of sports lovers."

Putin acknowledged the sums paid to the players are high, but noted this was a private matter because the money does not come from the tax payer.

"I have a moan now and again," Putin said in reference to the huge sums forked over for foreign players. "Even today I had a dispute with company executives, but I want to make it clear that it's not the state but the companies that buy the players," he said.

Zenit are backed by government gas company Gazprom.

One of Putin's main drives during his time in power has been to raise the country's national prestige through sports, plowing more funding into Olympic sports and promoting the Russian Premier League and the KHL hockey league.

The Russian Premier League had for years been seen as one of Europe's fringe competitions, an alternative destination for players who didn't quite make it in the glamour leagues of Western Europe.

But in recent seasons, clubs fuelled by oligarchs and state energy giants have begun to attract some global names including Roberto Carlos, Samuel Eto'o and Hulk.

Denisov was dropped from Saturday's 2-2 league draw against Krylya Sovetov for issuing a pay rise ultimatum after Hulk and Witsel were reported to have secured bigger salaries.

Denisov said he had confronted coach Luciano Spalletti about the issue Friday.

The midfielder said he had not urged other members of the squad to refuse to play, and did not know why striker Alexander Kerzhakov had also been forced to train with the reserves.

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller suggested Tuesday that the situation surrounding Denisov and Kerzhakov would soon be resolved, saying "it will all be fine".

Source: http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a330188.html

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Duck Volunteer Fire Department to Host Fire Prevention Open House

The Duck Volunteer Fire Department, located at 1259 Duck Road, will hold an Open House on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in celebration of National Fire Prevention Week.? Come on out and meet your local firefighters, see the equipment, and tour the station.? Watch fire extinguisher demonstrations and more, while enjoying light refreshments.

The Duck Volunteer Fire Department is always looking for individuals who are willing to serve the Town as volunteers.? If you are interest, please call the Fire Department at (252) 261-3929.

For more information, please contact the Duck Volunteer Fire Department at (252) 261-3929.? For more information on the Town of Duck, click here.

Source: http://www.townofduck.com/duck-volunteer-fire-department-to-host-fire-prevention-open-house-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=duck-volunteer-fire-department-to-host-fire-prevention-open-house-3

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Melatonin and exercise work against Alzheimer's in mice

ScienceDaily (Sep. 26, 2012) ? The combination of two neuroprotective therapies, voluntary physical exercise, and the daily intake of melatonin has been shown to have a synergistic effect against brain deterioration in rodents with three different mutations of Alzheimer's disease.

A study carried out by a group of researchers from the Barcelona Biomedical Research Institute (IIBB), in collaboration with the University of Granada and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, shows the combined effect of neuroprotective therapies against Alzheimer's in mice.

Daily voluntary exercise and daily intake of melatonin, both of which are known for the effects they have in regulating circadian rhythm, show a synergistic effect against brain deterioration in the 3xTg-AD mouse, which has three mutations of Alzheimer's disease.

"For years we have known that the combination of different anti-aging therapies such as physical exercise, a Mediterranean diet, and not smoking adds years to one's life," Coral Sanfeliu, from the IIBB, explained. "Now it seems that melatonin, the sleep hormone, also has important anti-aging effects."

The experts analysed the combined effect of sport and melatonin in 3xTg-AD mice which were experiencing an initial phase of Alzheimer's and presented learning difficulties and changes in behaviour such as anxiety and apathy.

The mice were divided into one control group and three other groups which would undergo different treatments: exercise -unrestricted use of a running wheel-, melatonin -a dose equivalent to 10 mg per kg of body weight-, and a combination of melatonin and voluntary physical exercise. In addition, a reference group of mice were included which presented no mutations of the disease.

"After six months, the state of the mice undergoing treatment was closer to that of the mice with no mutations than to their own initial pathological state. From this we can say that the disease has significantly regressed," Sanfeliu states.

The results, which were published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, show a general improvement in behaviour, learning, and memory with the three treatments.

These procedures also protected the brain tissue from oxidative stress and provided good levels of protection from excesses of amyloid beta peptide and hyperphosphorylated TAU protein caused by the mutations. In the case of the mitochondria, the combined effect resulted in an increase in the analysed indicators of improved performance which were not observed independently.

Treatment not easily transferable to humans

"Transferring treatments which are effective in animals to human patients is not always consistent, given that in humans the disease develops over several years, so that when memory loss begins to surface, the brain is already very deteriorated," the IIBB expert points out.

However, several clinical studies have found signs of physical and mental benefits in sufferers of Alzheimer's resulting from both treatments. The authors maintain that, until an effective pharmacological treatment is found, adopting healthy living habits is essential for reducing the risk of the disease appearing, as well as reducing the severity of its effects.

The melatonin debate

The use of melatonin, a hormone synthesized from the neurotransmitter serotonin, has positive effects which can be used for treating humans. With the approval of melatonin as a medication in the European Union in 2007, clinical testing on this molecule has been increasing. It has advocates as well as detractors, and the scientific evidence has not yet been able to unite the differing views.

According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, melatonin is probably effective in sleeping disorders in children with autism and mental retardation and in blind people; and possibly effective in case of jet-lag, sunburns and preoperative anxiety.

"However, other studies which use melatonin as medication show its high level of effectiveness," Dar?o Acu?a-Castroviejo explained. He has been studying melatonin for several years at the Health Sciences Technology Park of the University of Granada.

The expert points out that international consensus already exists, promoted by the British Association for Psychopharmacology -also published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in 2010-, which has melatonin as the first choice treatment for insomnia in patients above the age of 55. This consensus is now being transferred to cases of insomnia in children.

Its use in treating neurodegenerative diseases is acquiring increasing scientific support in lateral amyotrophic sclerosis, in Alzheimer's, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

"Even though many more studies and clinical tests are still required to assess the doses of melatonin which will be effective for a wide range of diseases, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of melatonin mean that its use is highly recommended for diseases which feature oxidative stress and inflammation," Acu?a-Castroviejo states.

This is the case for diseases such as epilepsy, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and even the aging process itself, where data is available pointing to the benefits of melatonin, though said data is not definitive.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Yoelvis Garc?a-Mesa, Lydia Gim?nez-Llort, Luis C. L?pez, Carmen Venegas, Rosa Crist?fol, Germain Escames, Dar?o Acu?a-Castroviejo, Coral Sanfeliu. Melatonin plus physical exercise are highly neuroprotective in the 3xTg-AD mouse. Neurobiology of Aging, 2012; 33 (6): 1124.e13 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.11.016

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/W2ni7qSGnGA/120926110110.htm

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First-Ever Treatment For Rare Childhood Aging Disease Shows ...

Drug Originally Developed for Cancer Proves Effective for Children with Progeria

BOSTON, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Results of the first-ever clinical drug trial for children with Progeria, a rare, fatal "rapid-aging" disease, demonstrate the efficacy of a farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI), a drug originally developed to treat cancer. The clinical trial results, completed only six years after scientists identified the cause of Progeria, included significant improvements in weight gain, bone structure and, most importantly, the cardiovascular system, according to The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF) and Boston Children's Hospital. The study results were published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Epub ahead of print).

Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), is a rare, fatal genetic disease characterized by an appearance of accelerated aging in children. All children with Progeria die of the same heart disease that affects millions of normal aging adults (atherosclerosis), but instead of occurring at 60 or 70 years of age, these children may suffer heart attacks and strokes as early as age 5, with the average age of death at 13 years.

"To discover that some aspects of damage to the blood vessels in Progeria can not only be slowed by the FTI called lonafarnib, but even partially reversed within just 2.5 years of treatment is a tremendous breakthrough, because cardiovascular disease is the ultimate cause of death in children with Progeria," said Leslie Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study, medical director for PRF, and mother of a child with Progeria. In addition, Dr. Gordon is a staff scientist at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and associate professor at Hasbro Children's Hospital and Alpert Medical School of Brown University.?

Results Yield Improvements in One or More Study Measures for All Children
Twenty-eight children from sixteen countries participated in the two-and-a-half year drug trial, representing 75 percent of known Progeria cases worldwide at the time the trial began. Of those, 26 are children with the classic form of Progeria. The children traveled to Boston every four months to receive comprehensive medical testing through Boston Children's Hospital's Clinical and Translational Study Unit.

Treatment consisted of the FTI lonafarnib, supplied by Merck & Co., given to children orally, twice-a-day over the course of the study, under the supervision of principal investigator Mark Kieran, M.D., Ph.D., director of pediatric medical neuro-oncology at the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center.

The research team, which included specialists at Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, evaluated the children's rate of weight gain compared to their pre-therapy rate as the primary outcome because children with Progeria experience severe failure to thrive, and have a consistent, very slow linear rate of weight gain over time. Researchers also examined arterial stiffness (a predictor of heart attack and stroke in the general population), bone density and rigidity (indicators of osteoporosis). Every child completing the study showed improvement in an ability to gain additional weight, increased flexibility of blood vessels or improved bone structure.

Results included improvement in one or more of the following areas:

Weight: One in three children demonstrated a greater than 50 percent increase in annual rate of weight gain or switched from weight loss to weight gain, due to increased muscle and bone mass.
Bone Structure: On average, skeletal rigidity (which was highly abnormal at trial initiation) improved to normal levels after FTI treatment.
Cardiovascular: Arterial stiffness, strongly associated with atherosclerosis in the general aging population, decreased by 35 percent. Vessel wall density also improved with treatment.

Following the 2003 discovery of the gene that causes Progeria, researchers identified FTIs as a potential drug treatment for Progeria. Children with Progeria have a genetic mutation that leads to the production of the protein progerin, which is responsible for Progeria. Progerin blocks normal cell function and part of its toxic effect on the body is caused by a molecule called a "farnesyl group," which attaches to the progerin protein. FTIs act by blocking the attachment of the farnesyl group onto progerin.

"In the early stages of planning for this clinical trial, we realized that my team's experience using FTIs to treat children with brain cancer could bring together PRF's preclinical research efforts and the expertise we needed to study the drug in children with Progeria," said Kieran, the study's senior author and associate professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. "The premise behind studying this drug was that by stopping the attachment of the farnesyl group onto progerin in children with Progeria, progerin may be inactivated, reducing some effects of the disease."

"PRF provides a model for disease research organizations, and is a good example of successful translational research, moving from gene discovery to clinical treatment at an unprecedented pace," added Dr. Kieran.

Since PRF's founding in 1999, the organization and its scientific partners have identified the genetic mutation that causes the disease, funded preclinical research and funded clinical trials. A second clinical trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health and PRF, is currently underway and more trials are expected to follow.

"The partnership between The Progeria Research Foundation, the research team and these courageous families was essential for success," said Dr. Gordon. "It required identifying children and their home doctors from around the globe, obtaining the essential pre-trial clinical information, transporting families to and from Boston, supplying translators both inside and outside of the hospital setting, and putting together a multidisciplinary clinical team to assess treatment effects. But it was all worth it, and I believe we have set in motion a blueprint for successful treatment trials for children with Progeria and for other rare diseases."

"The results of this study provide our family with excitement and hope for Megan's future," said Sandy Nighbor, mother of Megan, a 12-year-old child who participated in the clinical trial. "We're grateful to The Progeria Research Foundation and all of the doctors for their commitment to helping my daughter and all children with Progeria."

Progeria Linked to Normal Aging Process
Previous research shows that progerin is also produced in the general population and increases in the body with age. A number of studies successfully linked progerin with normal aging, including a causal link between progerin and genetic instability, specifically telomere dysfunction in the aging process. Researchers plan to continue researching the effect of FTIs, which may help scientists learn more about cardiovascular disease that affects millions, as well as the normal aging process.??

"One of the main reasons we achieved breakthrough results in this first trial is because of the tremendous supporters who provided funding, and helped get us one step closer to achieving our ultimate goal ? a cure for Progeria," said Audrey Gordon, Executive Director of PRF. "Every donation makes a difference. With continued support, we will fund research that will not only allow children with Progeria around the world to live long and healthy lives, but may also advance our understanding of the normal aging process that affects us all."

About The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF)
The Progeria Research Foundation (PRF) was established in 1999 to find the cause, treatment and cure for Progeria ? a rapid aging disease that causes children to die from heart disease or stroke at an average age of 13 years.? In the past 13 years, research conducted in partnership with PRF has identified the gene that causes Progeria and possible treatments.? PRF funded and coordinated this first-ever Progeria clinical trial.? PRF is currently funding a clinical trial in which children with Progeria receive FTI plus two additional medications to slow the progression of Progeria.? PRF continues to identify more children who can benefit from the programs and services that it provides while helping advance research towards treatment and cure.? To learn more about Progeria and what you can do to help, please visit www.progeriaresearch.org.

About Boston Children's Hospital
Boston Children's Hospital is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 1,100 scientists, including nine members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and nine members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children's today is a 395 bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families. Boston Children's also is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information about research and clinical innovation at Boston Children's, visit: http://vectorblog.org/.

About the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center
Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC) combines the strengths of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a world-class cancer institute, and Boston Children's Hospital, an internationally known pediatric hospital. For over 60 years, these two Harvard Medical School affiliates have provided comprehensive care for children and adolescents with cancer. Committed to conducting research to better understand and treat childhood cancers, DF/CHCC is the Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigator Consortium's (POETIC) only Phase I Clinical Trial site in New England, and is home to one of the world's most sophisticated and accomplished Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation centers. DF/CHCC also offers comprehensive transitional and long-term survivorship programs to childhood cancer survivors of all ages.

SOURCE Progeria Research Foundation; Boston Children's Hospital

Source: http://www.healthcareglobal.com/press_releases/first-ever-treatment-for-rare-childhood-aging-disease-shows-improvement-in-all-trial-participants

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House of the Week: Island Homes for Sale (VIDEO) | Zillow Blog

Belden Island, Branford CT
For sale: $3.95 million

0 Jepson Is, Branford CT
For sale: $1.995 million

Getting a vacation home on an island can be fairly common, but getting an entire island as a vacation retreat is a little bit harder to come by.

In Connecticut?s idyllic Thimble Islands, there are not one, but two islands for sale, each with its own rustic beach retreat.

?There are other homes in Thimble Islands, but there haven?t been any full private islands offered since 2006,? said Margaret Muir, the listing agent for the two homes.

Each home??? like most of the places in the islands?? is seasonal, and neither home has electricity, instead relying on solar power and natural gas.

One home, on larger Belden Island, celebrates its 100-year-old birthday this year, Muir said.

?It?s nicely maintained and very functional with original beadwork and wood floors,? she said. ?It has a very original feel, but it?s very usable.?

Belden Island is a little over an acre and comes with 2 acres of clam and oyster beds and a ?rocking chair porch.?

?It has 900 square feet of porch,? Muir said. ?If you?re gonna live on the island, you?re going to live on the porch.?

The other island, Jepson Island, holds a more contemporary home, built in the 1980s. Like Belden Island, the home does not have its own power, but has a sandy beach and dock for boat mooring.

The Thimble Islands are just two hours from New York and Boston, and their ideal location made them a convenient summer White House for President William Howard Taft.

The rumor goes that the Islands also were a convenient place for pirate Capt. William Kidd to store his treasure, but as Muir says, that?s more of a local legend.

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Sunday, September 16, 2012

A Fracking Good Story

Natural gas is burned off next to water reservoirs used for fracking at an oil well site August 23, 2011 near Tioga, N.D.

Photo by Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images.

Weather conditions around the world this summer have provided ample fodder for the global warming debate. Droughts and heat waves are a harbinger of our future, carbon cuts are needed now more than ever, and yet meaningful policies have not been enacted.

But, beyond this well-trodden battlefield, something amazing has happened: Carbon-dioxide emissions in the United States have dropped to their lowest level in 20 years. Estimating on the basis of data from the US Energy Information Agency from the first five months of 2012, this year?s expected CO2 emissions have declined by more than 800 million tons, or 14 percent from their peak in 2007.

The cause is an unprecedented switch to natural gas, which emits 45 percent less carbon per energy unit. The U.S. used to generate about half its electricity from coal, and roughly 20 percent from gas. Over the past five years, those numbers have changed, first slowly and now dramatically: In April of this year, coal?s share in power generation plummeted to just 32 percent, on par with gas.

America?s rapid switch to natural gas is the result of three decades of technological innovation, particularly the development of hydraulic fracturing, or ?fracking,? which has opened up large new resources of previously inaccessible shale gas. Despite some legitimate concerns about safety, it is hard to overstate the overwhelming benefits.

For starters, fracking has caused gas prices to drop dramatically. Adjusted for inflation, natural gas has not been this cheap for the past 35 years, with the price this year three to five times lower than it was in the mid-2000s. And, while a flagging economy may explain a small portion of the drop in U.S. carbon emissions, the EIA emphasizes that the major explanation is natural gas.

The reduction is even more impressive when one considers that 57 million additional energy consumers were added to the U.S. population over the past two decades. Indeed, U.S. carbon emissions have dropped about 20 percent per capita, and are now at their lowest level since Dwight D. Eisenhower left the White House in 1961.

David Victor, an energy expert at UC-San Diego, estimates that the shift from coal to natural gas has reduced U.S. emissions by 400 to 500 megatons CO₂ per year. To put that number in perspective, it is about twice the total effect of the Kyoto Protocol on carbon emissions in the rest of the world, including the European Union.

It is tempting to believe that renewable energy sources are responsible for emissions reductions, but the numbers clearly say otherwise. Accounting for a reduction of 50 Mt of CO₂ per year, America?s 30,000 wind turbines reduce emissions by just one-10^th the amount that natural gas does. Biofuels reduce emissions by only 10 megatons, and solar panels by a paltry three megatons.

This flies in the face of conventional thinking, which continues to claim that mandating carbon reductions?through cap-and-trade or a carbon tax?is the only way to combat climate change.

But, based on Europe?s experience, such policies are precisely the wrong way to address global warming. Since 1990, the EU has heavily subsidized solar and wind energy at a cost of more than $20 billion annually. Yet its per capita CO₂ emissions have fallen by less than half of the reduction achieved in the U.S.?even in percentage terms, the U.S. is now doing better.

Because of broad European skepticism about fracking, there is no gas miracle in the EU, while the abundance of heavily subsidized renewables has caused overachievement of the CO₂ target. Along with the closure of German nuclear power stations, this has led, ironically, to a resurgence of coal.

Well-meaning U.S. politicians have likewise shown how not to tackle global warming with subsidies and tax breaks. The relatively small reduction in emissions achieved through wind power costs more than $3.3 billion annually, and far smaller reductions from ethanol (biofuels) and solar panels cost at least $8.5 and $3 billion annually.

Estimates suggest that using carbon taxes to achieve a further 330-megaton CO₂ reduction in the EU would cost $250 billion per year. Meanwhile, the fracking bonanza in the U.S. not only delivers a much greater reduction for free, but also creates long-term social benefits through lower energy costs.

The amazing truth is that fracking has succeeded where Kyoto and carbon taxes have failed. As shown in a study by the Breakthrough Institute, fracking was built on substantial government investment in technological innovation for three decades.

Climate economists repeatedly have pointed out that such energy innovation is the most effective climate solution, because it is the surest way to drive the price of future green energy sources below that of fossil fuels. By contrast, subsidizing current, ineffective solar power or ethanol mostly wastes money while benefiting special interests.

Fracking is not a panacea, but it really is by far this decade?s best green-energy option.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=b5c6d53cb6910a4307ac07a6f3c5c30c

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On what basis to The Best Auto Transport Company For Your ...

Businesses Online | Internet and Businesses Online | * Written by nationsauto | Friday, 14 September 2012 21:18 | Word Count: 550

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Turmoil Shapes Presidential Race (WSJ)

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| Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Marketing on the Internet | Business Online at Home - iblog.at Blogs

There are more individuals promoting information on how to generate income on the Online than there are individuals earning cash on the Internet! Here are some guides to help you along the way to your prospective online lot of money, such as ?pure? Online Promotion and relevant guides?. Study more

Secrets of Successful Blogging System

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The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing for Small Business: Low-Cost/High Return Tools and Techniques that Really Work

Source: http://iblog.at/terryfernandes/?p=6733

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Yellowstone supervolcano's lava mystery

The currently dormant supervolcano at Yellowstone may erupt with lava flows in the future, and scientists are working to pinpoint where exactly this might happen.

Their findings may improve eruption forecasting in this vast area of volcanic unrest, the researchers said.

Supervolcanoes are capable of eruptions dwarfing anything ever recorded by humanity, spewing out thousands of times more magma and ash than even the catastrophic Krakatoa eruption of 1883.

The supervolcano that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park was responsible for the fourth-largest eruption known to science about 2 million years ago, and its activity continues to fuel the park's famous geysers. The most recent giant eruption in the area, which happened about 640,000 years ago, created the oval-shaped, 40- by 25-mile (64- by 40-kilometer) Yellowstone caldera. [ Infographic: The Geology of Yellowstone ]

There is evidence that Yellowstone might one day explode with another colossal eruption capable of covering half the United States in 3 feet (1 meter) of ash, although there are no signs of any imminent outbursts, and experts agree the odds the supervolcano will erupt in our lifetimes are vanishingly small.

Still, weaker but nevertheless dramatic eruptions could happen every several hundreds of thousands of years, potentially spewing large volumes of lava, the researchers noted.

To learn more about the future of Yellowstone, the research team analyzed some of the youngest volcanic rocks from the area, known as rhyolites, which are made of silica-rich minerals. The composition, shape and other features of crystals in these rocks could shed light on when and how they were formed, and thus on activity deep below the surface.

Their findings suggest the magma that gave rise to these rocks ascended rapidly from sources about 5 to 6 miles (8 to 10 km) below the surface. The researchers propose any volcanism at Yellowstone will probably resume at these sources, which coincide with three major faults in the area. Two of these were the focus of volcanism 70,000 to 174,000 years ago, and the other is currently the most intense source of unrest in the caldera.

"The point of this was to delineate these zones at Yellowstone that might be subject to a higher probability of future eruptions," said researcher John Stix, a volcanologist at McGill University.

It remains a very difficult question as to when Yellowstone might erupt in the future, Stix noted.

"An eruption there could happen fairly quickly, geologically speaking," Stix told OurAmazingPlanet. "I would think there would be signs beforehand, but how much time beforehand is really unknown ? is it days, weeks, months or years?"

Stix and his colleague Guillaume Girard at the University of Iowa at Iowa City detailed their findings in the September issue of the journal GSA Today.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49037141/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Friday, September 14, 2012

Barney Frank Blasts 'Inaccurate' GOP Claims About Federal Reserve

Republican critics have taken issue with the Federal Reserve's stimulus measures in the past. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) believes it's time for voters to stop taking them seriously.

"[Republicans'] bitches and moans about the consequences of quantitative easing have been as inaccurate as the similar predictions they've made about same-sex marriage," Frank told The Huffington Post in a phone interview on Thursday. "None of the negative consequences they've said would happen have."

Frank, who became the first sitting member of Congress to marry someone of the same gender in July, said that the Federal Reserve's new quantitative easing measures will boost the economy through the "wealth effect," in which higher stock prices spur consumers and companies to spend more by making them feel wealthier.

"Congress was doing some good stuff in 2009 and 2010, and then the right wing took over the House and paralyzed it," Frank said. "The right wing cut off our efforts to help the economy."

Frank's comments come after the Federal Reserve announced Thursday that it would embark on a third round of quantitative easing, or asset purchases aimed at stimulating the economy. This time, the Fed said it would buy $40 billion in mortgage-backed securities per month on an open-ended basis. It also said it would keep interest rates near zero through the middle of 2015.

The Romney campaign attacked the Fed's announcement on Thursday, saying in a statement: "The American economy doesn't need more artificial and ineffective measures. We should be creating wealth, not printing dollars." Republican Congressmen also blasted the move, accusing the Fed of overreaching.

Contrary to Republican predictions of high inflation and the Federal Reserve losing money as a result of its stimulus measures, inflation has been low, and the Federal Reserve has been making a substantial profit largely thanks to its asset purchases, Frank noted. The Federal Reserve, Frank added, has been "absolutely" more responsible than Congress in addressing high unemployment "for one simple reason: there are no Tea Party members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors."

Frank plans to retire from Congress at the end of his current term.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/13/barney-frank-republicans-federal-reserve_n_1881987.html

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Nintendo's Wii U up close and personal: a photo tour

We're here at Nintendo's Wii U event in New York City where the gaming outfit's prexy Reggie Fils-Aime just announced US pricing and release details for the console, as well as it's own unique TVii service. And now that those important tidbits have been squared away, it's time to focus on the hardware. Yes, you may have seen the Wii U console many times before, but the House that Mario built's been notoriously stingy about giving media access to a non-tethered unit. Well, the time has come to see nearly every facet of this next-gen contender. As you'll note in the gallery below, the only area the Big N wouldn't let us photograph is this Premium version's backside. For whatever reason, the company doesn't want those ports shown, but we can tell you what they consist of: AC adapter, AV multiout, sensor bar, HDMI out and what looks like two ports for USB. Undecided on whether you should be placing that pre-order right about now? Then take a tour of this onyx pair and see if it changes things any.

Gallery: Nintendo Wii U console hardware tour