Upton headed to Braves; Pettitte returns to Yanks

B.J. Upton is on his way to Atlanta, while Andy Pettitte is staying in pinstripes.

With the winter meetings only days away, baseball's offseason began to heat up Wednesday with a pair of moves involving potential closers: Ryan Madson joined the Angels and Jonathan Broxton remained with the Reds.

Hours later, the Braves made big news.

Looking for a new center fielder and some right-handed pop, Atlanta found both in Upton, who had 28 homers and 31 steals for Tampa Bay last season. The fleet-footed free agent agreed to a $75.25 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the deal said Wednesday night.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been completed. It was expected to be announced Thursday once Upton passes his physical.

Upton's score would be the biggest free-agent contract of the offseason so far and the largest in Braves history.

Pettitte, meanwhile, will return for another season with the New York Yankees.

Feeling strong at age 40, the veteran lefty completed a one-year deal worth $12 million, putting baseball's biggest postseason winner back in the Bronx.

"I think we're good enough to go all the way, I really do," Pettitte said on a conference call. "I'm at the point where, if I didn't feel like we had a chance to win it deep down, I wouldn't do this."

The five-time World Series champion retired after the 2010 season to spend more time at home but then decided to come back this year ? while working as an instructor during spring training ? and signed a contract guaranteeing him $2.5 million.

Pettitte went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 12 starts. He missed almost three months because of a broken lower left leg, sustained when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Cleveland's Casey Kotchman on June 27.

"I definitely think that if I would have pitched a full season and thrown 200 innings, that I definitely wouldn't feel as fresh and physically feel as good as I do right now," Pettitte said. "Obviously, I feel like that helped lead me to a quick decision."

The move means the AL East champs are set to start 2013 with the same rotation as last season: CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova or David Phelps.

Next up for general manager Brian Cashman could be a contract for 43-year-old closer Mariano Rivera, determined to come back from a torn knee ligament.

Madson is making a comeback from Tommy John surgery, and he agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels five days before the start of baseball's winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn.

The longtime Philadelphia reliever missed last season with Cincinnati, which signed him in January after a stellar performance in 2011 with the Phillies. He had surgery in April on a torn ligament in his right elbow.

Well ahead of schedule in his recovery, Madson said he expects to be the Angels' closer. General manager Jerry Dipoto agreed the veteran is likely to supplant Ernesto Frieri when fully healthy.

"I feel like if I can throw the ball like I'm capable of, I expect to have that role," Madson said. "I expect to come to spring training and earn the job."

Broxton isn't sure what role he'll have in Cincinnati after securing a $21 million, three-year contract that gives the NL Central champions a chance to reconfigure their starting rotation.

The two-time All-Star came to the Reds last July in a trade with Kansas City. He filled in as the closer when Aroldis Chapman developed a tired shoulder and had four saves in six chances overall with a 2.82 ERA.

Now the Reds have the option of turning Chapman into a starter, which was the plan last season until Madson blew out his elbow. The team has told Chapman to prepare for next season as a starter, although it hasn't committed to Broxton as the closer.

"Nothing's in stone right now," assistant general manager Bob Miller said. "When we talked to Jonathan we said he was going to be at the back end of the bullpen. What happens depends on spring training and how things play out in the offseason."

Broxton wanted a multiyear deal so he could settle in one place. He didn't insist on assurances he'd be a closer.

"I went into the offseason with an open mind," Broxton said. "I've got experience in both roles. Even if Chapman doesn't work out as a starter, he can come back in and fill in as the closer. I'll be happy to throw the eighth (inning). It doesn't matter. You saw what he did last year."

The 28-year-old Upton hit .246 with 78 RBIs for the Rays last season. He will replace free agent Michael Bourn as the Braves' center fielder and should provide much-needed power from the right side.

Upton's first full season with Tampa Bay was 2007, when he hit a career-best .300 with 24 homers and 22 stolen bases. His home run totals have increased in each of the last three seasons, but he has hit below .250 with more than 150 strikeouts in four straight years.

Bourn was the Braves' leadoff hitter, but Upton is not expected to fill that role.

Elsewhere, the Boston Red Sox made a flurry of minor moves, trading right-handers Zach Stewart and Sandy Rosario as well as third baseman Danny Valencia.

Stewart was sent to Pittsburgh and Rosario to Oakland for players to be named. Valencia was shipped to Baltimore for cash.

Boston also hired Greg Colbrunn as hitting coach.

Athletics reliever Pat Neshek agreed to a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration, while Kansas City traded right-hander Vin Mazzaro and first baseman Clint Robinson to the Pirates for minor league pitchers Luis Santos and Luis Rico.

The Chicago Cubs designated right-hander Casey Coleman for assignment to make roster room for newcomer Scott Feldman, who agreed to a $6 million, one-year contract the previous day.

Feldman's former team, the Texas Rangers, acquired right-hander Cory Burns from San Diego for a player to be named or cash.

___

AP Sports Writers Charles Odum, Greg Beacham and Joe Kay contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/upton-headed-braves-pettitte-returns-yanks-082645583--mlb.html

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A Look At The Five Positions In Basketball ? Recreation and Sports ...

In the game of basketball, there are five different positions that players can choose from. The different positions will play a very different role in the game. Take a moment to look over each position to better understand its role in the game.

A player who holds this position will ensure that the ball continues to move forward. To be successful in this position, a player will need to be aware of the other players and have the ability to shoot the ball in a matter of seconds. It is important to understand that while this player is going to occasionally shoot baskets, their main goal will be to pass the ball.

A shooting guard is focused on scoring points in the game. They will need to be able to prepare their shots for the basket and do so in as efficient of a manner as possible. Improved ball handling will also be essential for the individual in this position to have. When in this role, a player will find that they are frequently being blocked by the opposing team?s players and these blocks can result in a dropped ball.

It will be important that the shooting guard uses the point guard and small forward to help them to effectively setup their shots.

This position will be described at the power player. They will not only need to deliver strength on the court, but also help to improve the score of the team. They will block other players from making baskets, will helping to take blocks meant for the shooters in the game. In basketball, the small forward will greatly benefit from having a solid jump.

In this position, the focus will be playing defense while trying to slow down the opposing team?s momentum and to take away the ball. This means they do need to be focused and effective on both ends of the court.

For this position, the player will be focused on watching the basket and ensuring that they are in the way of anyone who tries to drive the ball. For this individual, it will be important that they do have a great athletic ability, with the skills to block drives and score without effort. They will also need to be a top contender when it comes to rebounds and ensuring that the team is well protected from all sides.

For this position, you will have the tallest player on your team who is focused on getting in front of the ball. It will be important that this player knows how to block the ball and will have the skills that are needed for setting up slam dunks as well. It will also be important that they properly stall players by adjusting their path.

Each position has its own unique role for the game. Take your time to explore each position you can choose from and focus your efforts on improving the necessary skills to be successful in it.

About Author:

Ayub Farooq helps with a Basketball Coaching & Player Improvement Site that informs players and coaches about the different aspects of playing and coaching basketball: http://www.basketball-drills-and-plays.com.? Also be sure to see: http://coacheshome.tripod.com for a good collection of basketball coaching videos.

Tags: Basketball, basketball coaching, basketball improvement, basketball tips

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 at 10:02 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://recreationandsports.russiacourse.com/uncategorized/a-look-at-the-five-positions-in-basketball/

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Source: http://sturkieoburton86.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/a-look-at-the-five-positions-in-basketball-recreation-and-sports.html

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Possible generator tampering found at San Onofre (Providence Journal)

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

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Risk of childhood obesity can be predicted at birth

ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2012) ? A simple formula can predict at birth a baby's likelihood of becoming obese in childhood, according to a study published today in the open access journal PLOS ONE.

The formula, which is available as an online calculator, estimates the child's obesity risk based on its birth weight, the body mass index of the parents, the number of people in the household, the mother's professional status and whether she smoked during pregnancy.

The researchers behind the study hope their prediction method will be used to identify infants at high risk and help families take steps to prevent their children from putting on too much weight.

Childhood obesity is a leading cause of early type 2 diabetes and heart and circulatory disease, and is becoming more common in developed countries. According to NHS figures, 17 per cent of boys and 15 per cent of girls aged two to 15 in England are classified as obese.

The researchers developed the formula using data from a study set up in 1986 following 4000 children born in Finland. They initially investigated whether obesity risk could be assessed using genetic profiles, but the test they developed based on common genetic variations failed to make accurate predictions. Instead, they discovered that non-genetic information readily available at the time of birth was enough to predict which children would become obese. The formula proved accurate not just in the Finnish cohort, but in further tests using data from studies in Italy and the US.

"This test takes very little time, it doesn't require any lab tests and it doesn't cost anything," said Professor Philippe Froguel, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, who led the study.

"All the data we use are well-known risk factors for childhood obesity, but this is the first time they have been used together to predict from the time of birth the likelihood of a child becoming obese."

The 20 per cent of children predicted to have the highest risk at birth make up 80 per cent of obese children. The researchers suggest that services such as dieticians and psychologists could be offered to families with high-risk infants to help them prevent excessive weight gain.

"Once a young child becomes obese, it's difficult for them to lose weight, so prevention is the best strategy, and it has to begin as early as possible," said Professor Froguel. "Unfortunately, public prevention campaigns have been rather ineffective at preventing obesity in school-age children. Teaching parents about the dangers of over-feeding and bad nutritional habits at a young age would be much more effective."

Although common genetic variants did not prove to be helpful for predicting childhood obesity, the researchers say about one in 10 cases of obesity are caused by rare mutations that seriously affect appetite regulation. Tests for these mutations could become available to doctors in the next few years as the cost of DNA sequencing technology falls.

The Imperial researchers conducted the study in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Oulu, Finland; Harvard University in the US and the University of Verona, Italy. The work was funded by the Medical Research Council, Imperial College London, the University of Oulu and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

The obesity risk calculator is available online at http://files-good.ibl.fr/childhood-obesity/

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Imperial College London.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Anita Morandi, David Meyre, St?phane Lobbens, Ken Kleinman, Marika Kaakinen, Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman, Vincent Vatin, Stefan Gaget, Anneli Pouta, Anna-Liisa Hartikainen, Jaana Laitinen, Aimo Ruokonen, Shikta Das, Anokhi Ali Khan, Paul Elliott, Claudio Maffeis, Matthew W. Gillman, Marjo-Riitta J?rvelin, Philippe Froguel. Estimation of Newborn Risk for Child or Adolescent Obesity: Lessons from Longitudinal Birth Cohorts. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (11): e49919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049919

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/top_news/~3/3L_guxH0ow4/121128182739.htm

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Still Searching for Frameless Shower Doors to Match the Bathroom ...

The availability of shower doors and enclosures in such a large variety of styles and sizes, though of great help, can also make it challenging to select the correct one for your bathroom, as you may be left wondering at their designs and styles! So, if you are considering taking a project to improve your bathroom, you should be spending some time to make up your mind first for the kind of shower enclosure that would best solve your purpose, after all it?s not something that you would like to change too soon.

There are quite a few important factors needing your consideration when looking for a frameless shower door which would fit well in the bathroom. First, you need to ensure that what you finally buy harmonizes well with the rest of the design and style of your bathroom. You may also review its door system as frameless shower enclosures come with varied designs of openings. How its door closes or opens would significantly add the convenience of using the bathroom.

It is imperative to know the space available in your bathroom. You may be required to plan the layout, lest it poses practical problems at a later date. The way the glass door of the shower opens decides the positioning of glass panels of the shower stall. You need to calculate the space that shower enclosure occupies. Take care that on opening the bi-fold doors, you won?t be hitting on some other items kept in the bathroom. Make sure to provide adequate space for movement of doors.

You should understand that to a large extent it?s the floor area of the bathroom that finally decides the kind of glass doors one may have. For example, if you have a small sized bathroom, your best option would be to have frameless sliding doors. Such an arrangement enables you to have additional space for provision of extra bathroom accessories like toilet sink and cabinets. It may actually be possible for you to plan in such a manner as to include a bath tub next to that shower stall. In case you would like your shower room to remain more accessible, you should have a shower door without installing any tracks.

The thickness of glass enclosures and the dimensions of shower stall also pay a significant role. In fact, every corner and the angle in your bathroom affect the final layout of the bathroom. But on comparing the frameless doors with framed panels, you?ll realize that the former offers benefits of installation. You may require high quality thicker glass. But you are going to love the feeling of space and affluence it provides in your bathroom. Moreover, you?ll be able to fix the hinges and handles more conveniently. When you wish to use a perfectly fitted bathroom, you first choice would be shower glass doors.

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Source: http://www.hbergdesign.com/still-searching-for-frameless-shower-doors-to-match-the-bathroom/

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Rice meets with Republicans, fails to win them over

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice failed on Wednesday to win over Republicans opposing her possible candidacy for U.S. secretary of state, and more senators - including a one-time supporter - questioned statements she made after the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi in September.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins met with Rice for over an hour and said afterward she could not back Rice for secretary of state, if she were nominated by President Barack Obama, without more information.

The moderate Maine Republican even brought up a new concern about Rice's record in the State Department 14 years ago in connection with the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa.

Other Republicans have threatened to block Rice's nomination if Obama picks her to replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which would require Senate confirmation.

They accuse her of misleading the American people for political reasons in the run-up to the November 6 presidential election by playing down any al Qaeda links to the Benghazi, Libya, attack at a time when Obama was touting his record of successes against the militant movement.

The U.S. ambassador and three other Americans were killed in the September 11 Benghazi attack.

Obama, who has strongly supported his embattled ambassador, gave a show of moral support on Wednesday, prompting applause from his Cabinet - including Clinton - during their first meeting at the White House since Obama's re-election.

"Susan Rice is extraordinary," Obama said, adding he "couldn't be prouder of the job she's done."

Clinton told reporters later on Wednesday that Rice had done a great job at the United Nations, and she hoped a board reviewing the Benghazi attack would complete their review shortly.

"They have been hard at work, we are hoping they will be finished with their work very soon," Clinton said.

Votes from moderates like Collins, who introduced Rice to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when Obama nominated her to the U.N. post three years ago, would be needed to overcome procedural obstacles and win confirmation.

"I still have many questions that remain unanswered," Collins told reporters after a 75-minute meeting with Rice.

The top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, Collins said she still wanted more information about the attack on the U.S. mission and a nearby CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya.

The controversy raises the unpleasant specter of Obama starting his second term with a nasty confirmation fight. He also risks looking weak if he seems to give in to criticism from the party he just defeated to win re-election.

Obama should nominate Rice if he feels she is the best choice, said Lawrence Korb, a former assistant secretary of defense, now at the liberal Center for American Progress.

He predicted she would win confirmation, given that the main objection to her was over a political point that Republican Mitt Romney tried to feature in his failed presidential campaign this year.

"The Republicans are desperate for an issue," Korb said. "She's not the issue. The issue is that they want to undermine his (foreign policy) narrative."

PLAYING POLITICS?

Sticking with Rice could also be a potent demonstration of strength for Obama, Korb said, reminiscent of Republican President Ronald Reagan. Reagan, who is revered by his party, won points for winning the confirmation of Al Haig as secretary of state in 1981, despite objections to Haig's ties to the Watergate scandal, he noted.

Some observers have speculated that the Republicans would prefer that Obama nominate Senator John Kerry, leaving the door open for a Republican to win his vacated Massachusetts seat and narrowing the Democratic majority in the Senate.

"I think John Kerry would be an excellent appointment and will be easily confirmed by his colleagues," Collins told reporters.

Collins said the United States seemed not to have learned lessons from the bombings of the embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, when Rice was the State Department's Africa region head.

This year's attack in Benghazi "echoed" those attacks, she said. "In both cases, the ambassador begged for additional security," and State turned down both requests, she said.

"I asked Ambassador Rice what her role was. She said that she would have to refresh her memory but that she was not involved directly in turning down the request. But surely, given her position as assistant secretary for African affairs, she had to have been aware," Collins said.

Republicans have openly criticized Rice for initial comments after the Benghazi attack that suggested it was a spontaneous event arising from protests of an anti-Islam film rather than a planned terrorist strike.

Intelligence officials said later the attack was possibly tied to al Qaeda affiliates.

Rice, accompanied by acting CIA Director Michael Morell, also met with Senator Bob Corker, who is in line to be the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

After his meeting, Corker had tough words for the Benghazi attack and the aftermath, which he termed a "tawdry affair" that would add to Americans' distrust of the government.

He declined to discuss whether he would support Rice, but urged Obama to "step back" from the controversy and "take a deep breath" as he decided whom to nominate.

Rice also met for about an hour behind closed doors on Tuesday with Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte, who have been among her most vocal critics.

(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Andrew Quinn; Editing by David Storey and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rice-meets-republicans-fails-win-them-over-011931020.html

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Obama meets with CEOs, middle income earners on ?fiscal cliff?

In this July 6, 2011, file photo, President Barack Obama sits in front of a screen displaying a question he tweeted??Looking for leverage in "fiscal cliff" talks with Republicans, President Barack Obama on Wednesday was to host middle-class Americans whose taxes risk going up January 1 then retreat behind closed doors for talks with top corporate executives. The White House also worked to enlist support on Twitter, highlighting a hashtag, #My2K, for tweets about the standoff.

Obama planned to deliver a speech at 11:35 a.m. to press Congress to extend Bush-era tax cuts on income up to $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for families ? surrounded by Americans who stand to be affected when those reductions expire January 1.

The White House says that "a typical middle class family of four" would pay Uncle Sam an additional $2,200 unless those tax cuts are extended. Obama campaigned for reelection in large part on the argument that tax cuts that chiefly benefit the richest Americans? must expire in order to save popular government programs that face the axe. Republicans argue that will reduce investments that generate jobs at a time when the economy is still sputtering, with unemployment stubbornly high. The GOP has signaled it would be willing to consider boosting tax revenues as long as Democrats agree to overhaul popular entitlement programs like Medicare or Medicaid.

That $2,200 figure is the inspiration for #My2K, part of what the White House describes as an "online push" behind the president's approach. Obama has highlighted Twitter hashtags in past disputes with Republicans: #40dollars in the fight over the payroll tax holiday and #dontdoublemyrate in a feud over student loans.

The president, who spoke to top Republican and Democratic leaders over the weekend, was to make brief public remarks at the top of a meeting with his cabinet at 3 pm before huddling with senior executives from major American corporations.

Here is the list of attendees, as provided by the White House:

• Frank Blake, Chairman and CEO, The Home Depot
• Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman and CEO, Goldman Sachs Group
• Joe Echeverria, CEO, Deloitte LLP
• Ken Frazier, President and CEO, Merck and Co.
• Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO, Coca Cola
• Terry Lundgren, Chairman, President, and CEO, Macy's Inc.
• Marissa Mayer, CEO and President, Yahoo!
• Douglas Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO, Caterpillar
• Ian Read, Chairman and CEO, Pfizer
• Brian Roberts, Chairman and CEO, Comcast
• Ed Rust, Chairman and CEO, State Farm Insurance Co.
• Arne Sorenson, President and CEO, Marriott
• Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO, AT&T
• Patricia Woertz, President and CEO, Archer Daniels Midland

The "fiscal cliff" refers to an economically painful set of tax hikes and deep spending cuts that come into effect January 1 unless Congress and the president reach a deal.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-spotlights-middle-class-meets-ceos-fiscal-cliff-141910370--politics.html

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Stock futures off as investors worry about "fiscal cliff"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures fell on Wednesday as investors grew more concerned about the lack of progress in U.S. budget talks to avoid looming spending cuts and tax hikes, setting the S&P 500 up for a third consecutive day of decline this week.

* Chief executives from top U.S. corporations, including Goldman Sachs , Deloitte LLP, and Caterpillar Inc , will meet with President Barack Obama on Wednesday to discuss U.S. fiscal problems, the White House said.

* Obama's meeting with influential leaders from the corporate world is part of his push for Congress to extend tax cuts for middle income Americans, one flashpoint in a standoff with Congress over a series of tax hikes and spending cuts that will go into effect next year if lawmakers and the president cannot come up with a deal to stop them.

* U.S. stocks slid on Tuesday in a choppy session, losing ground in the last hour before the close after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed disappointment that there has been "little progress" in dealing with the "fiscal cliff."

* S&P 500 futures were down 4.2 points and were below fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 30 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures were up 6.25 points.

* Deep divisions at the Federal Reserve were on display on Tuesday, just two weeks before the U.S. central bank's next policy-setting meeting, with one top Fed official pushing for more easing, and another advocating limits. [ID:nL1E8MS0ZC] The Fed will release its Beige Book summary of regional economic conditions at 2 p.m. (1900 GMT).

* New home sales data is due at 10 a.m. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a reading of 390,000 for October versus the previous reading of 389,000.

* U.S. retailer Costco Wholesale Corp is to pay a special dividend of $7.00, worth a total $3.0 billion to investors, it said when posting monthly same-store sales that beat forecasts.

* Microsoft Corp has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses in the month since the launch, according to one of the new co-heads of the Windows unit, setting a faster pace than Windows 7 three years ago.

* Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc forecast quarterly and full year earnings well above analysts' expectations, helped by an expanded lineup of single-serve coffee makers and drinks, sending its shares up 22 percent in after-hours trade.

* Advanced Micro Devices Inc plans to sell and lease back its campus in Austin, Texas, to raise cash and fund its chipmaking business as it diversifies beyond the struggling PC industry into new markets.

* Nokia said on Wednesday that an arbitrator has ruled in its favor in a patent dispute with BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion over use of Nokia's patents related to wireless local access network technology.

* The European Commission gave the go ahead for Spain to overhaul its stricken nationalized banks on Wednesday and opened the door for nearly 40 billion euros in euro zone aid to be disbursed, offering hope for an end to Spain's banking crisis.

(Reporting By Angela Moon; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-signal-flat-lower-open-092827816--finance.html

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Microsoft Updates Visual Studio 2012

News

Microsoft Updates Visual Studio 2012

The company has released the first in a series of planned Updates for its flagship IDE.

With Visual Studio 2012, Microsoft is replacing its traditional Service Pack model with a series of Updates to offer developers up-to-date tooling that supports modern development trends.

On Monday, Microsoft released its first Visual Studio 2012 Update, which is a major enhancement to the company's latest integrated development environment. The company announced its plans for regular updates as part of a new "continuous value" strategy when Visual Studio 2012 and .NET Framework 4.5 were officially launched in mid-September. The IDE and Windows 8 have been available to developers since August 15th.

"We have changed the model from a single Service Pack between major releases to a sequence of 'Updates,'" explained Microsoft Technical Fellow Brian Harry in his blog on Monday. "So you can, kind of, think of Update 1 as SP1. I suppose it's possible that, at some point, we will decide to name one of the Updates as an 'SP' but that won?t really change anything," continued Harry, program unit manager for Visual Studio 2012 Team Foundation Server. "We're shipping VS 2012 updates. We?ll ship several between VS 2012 and VS V.Next."

More than Bug Fixes
The new and enhanced features in Visual Studio 2012 Update 1 remain closely aligned with the tooling that appeared in the October Community Technology Preview. Designated CTP 3, it offered the first look at new Windows 8 diagnostics and testing features; Visual C++ 2012 development targeting Windows XP; SharePoint 2010 load and coded UI testing; and a Kanban board for project management and workflow visualization in Visual Studio 2012 Team Foundation Server.

"Importantly, this isn't just about bug fixes, though it contains quite a few of those to measurably address issues reported through Connect, UserVoice, and Windows Error Reporting," explained S. Somasegar, Microsoft corporate vice president of the Developer Division, in his blog about the release of Update 1. "This update also delivers a wealth of new functionality into Visual Studio 2012. The new functionality in Update 1 primarily spans four areas of investment: Windows development, SharePoint development, agile teams, and continuous quality."

With Update 1, Windows Store app developers can now perform mixed-mode testing using tools that support both managed and native code. New functionality to improve diagnostics has also been added to Visual Studio 2012 such as a JavaScript Memory Analysis tool and support for debugging native C++ dump files from ARM-based systems, according to Microsoft. Update 1 also enables code analysis for Windows Phone 8 development in Visual Studio 2012 Premium and higher.

The new functionality for SharePoint development is described by Microsoft as ALM enhancements, which are centered on testing. Update 1 includes a Powershell module that enables IntelliTrace data collection for SharePoint applications. The Visual Studio Update also introduces unit testing with a SharePoint emulator enabled by the Microsoft Fakes Framework and Stubs capability in Visual Studio 2012. This functionality requires Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate and SharePoint 2010.

In addition to the agile Kanban support, Update 1 adds "most of the improvements made to Team Foundation Service in recent months" to the on-premises version of Visual Studio 2012 Team Foundation Server, according to Somasegar. The Kanban board and cumulative flow diagram first appeared in the August preview of the cloud-based Team Foundation Service, which has since been released.

Microsoft has added several test features to Update 1, including code coverage for manually testing ASP.NET apps, which was previewed in CTP 3. The company has also added more cross-browser support such as coded UI tests. Developers can now record tests on Internet Explorer and replay them on other browsers, according to Somasegar. A lot of the new testing features require Microsoft Test Manager, which interacts with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server. Microsoft Test Manager is included in Visual Studio 2012 Premium, Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate and Visual Studio Test Professional 2012.

Update 1 does not support Test Case Management in Visual Studio Team Foundation Server Web Access. That functionality was dropped from Update 1 and is now slated for Update 2.

GUI Remains Unchanged
Some developers will be disappointed that Visual Studio 2012 Update 1 does not offer any major changes to the graphical user interface. However, changes are being considered for Update 2, according to Harry, who addressed concerns about the GUI in response to a complaint on his blog earlier this month. "We didn't make any significant UI changes in Update 1 (beyond the theme support we added on Codeplex)," explained Harry. "There is some work going on to figure out what changes we can make in Update 2 that might address some of the feedback."

Visual Studio 2012 Update 1 includes feature enhancements for Visual Studio 2012, Visual Studio 2012 Team Foundation Server and Microsoft Test Manager. Charles Sterling, a Microsoft program manager for Visual Studio Team Foundation Server, offers a comprehensive list of the Update 1 functionality--and which Visual Studio products support the new features--in this Visual Studio ALM + Team Foundation Server blog.

"Updating [Visual Studio] is pretty friction free," observed Harry. "It's a 'patch' that just updates your install," he explained in his blog about the Update 1 release. "Updating TFS is a little more involved. It's actually a full new install (though it will silently uninstall the older version and install the update so it feels like a 'patch'). However, we still have some work to do to make this as seamless as possible. If you've done any customization of your TFS install (enabling https, changing ports, etc.) you will need to reapply those customizations after installing the update. We are doing work in Update 2 to detect and reapply many of the common customizations automatically."

Visual Studio 2012 Update 1 is available for download here or from within the IDE.

About the Author

Kathleen Richards is the editor of RedDevNews.com and executive editor of Visual Studio Magazine.

Source: http://reddevnews.com/articles/2012/11/27/microsoft-updates-vs2012.aspx

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U.S. astronaut, Russian cosmonaut to spend a year in space

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida | Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:06pm EST

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Two veterans of the International Space Station will return for an experimental year-long stay aboard the orbital outpost, a test run for future missions to the moon, asteroids and Mars, NASA said on Monday.

Former U.S. space shuttle pilot and station commander Scott Kelly, 48, who last flew in 2011, will be paired with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, 52, for a 12-month space station assignment beginning in early 2015. Kornienko served as a flight engineer aboard the station in 2010.

"The one-year increment will expand the bounds of how we live and work in space and will increase our knowledge ... as we prepare for future missions," NASA associate administrator William Gerstenmaier said in a statement.

Only four people have lived off-planet for a year or longer, all Russians who served aboard the now-defunct Mir space station. The single longest stay in space was a 438-day mission in 1994-1995 by cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, a physician.

The current U.S. record for a long-duration flight is held by former International Space Station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, who spent 215 days in orbit between September 2006 and April 2007.

"You don't really notice it until you come back and begin recovery," Lopez-Alegria told Reuters. "When you come back, you decide whether you've pushed it too far or not."

With the retirement of the space shuttles last year and the completion of the U.S. construction of the $100 billion station, NASA is working on a new space transportation system that can fly astronauts to the moon, asteroids and other destinations in deep space. The goal is to send a crew to Mars in the mid-2030s.

The year-long station missions are intended to collect medical data and to test protocols for countering some of the adverse impacts of long-duration spaceflight, including bone and muscle loss, risks to eyesight and reproductive systems and changes in the immune and cardiovascular systems.

Kelly and Kornienko are scheduled to begin a two-year training program early next year.

(Editing by Jim Loney)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/t_49GctkcPQ/us-space-astronauts-idUSBRE8AP11J20121126

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David Cantone: Emprendedor Online, Internet Marketing & Business

By admin | Published November 20, 2012 This entry was posted in art movies and tagged Blogger, BloggerCast, Blogging, Business, Cantone, David, Emprendedor, Internet, Marketing, Negocios, Online, Podcast, Productividad, Strategist. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. or leave a trackback.

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Metabolic protein launches sugar feast that nurtures brain tumors

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have tracked down a cancer-promoting protein's pathway into the cell nucleus and discovered how, once there, it fires up a glucose metabolism pathway on which brain tumors thrive.

They also found a vital spot along the protein's journey that can be attacked with a type of drug not yet deployed against glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and lethal form of brain cancer. Published online by Nature Cell Biology, the paper further illuminates the importance of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) in cancer development and progression.

"PKM2 is very active during infancy, when you want rapid cell growth, and eventually it turns off. Tumor cells turn PKM2 back on -- it's overexpressed in many types of cancer," said Zhimin Lu, M.D., Ph.D., the paper's senior author and an associate professor in MD Anderson's Department of Neuro-Oncology.

Lu and colleagues showed earlier this year that PKM2 in the nucleus also activates a variety of genes involved in cell division. The latest paper shows how it triggers aerobic glycolysis, processing glucose into energy, also known as the Warburg effect, upon which many types of solid tumors rely to survive and grow.

"PKM2 must get to the nucleus to activate genes involved in cell proliferation and the Warburg effect," Lu said. "If we can keep it out of the nucleus, we can block both of those cancer-promoting pathways. PKM2 could be an Achilles' heel for cancer."

By pinpointing the complicated steps necessary for PKM2 to penetrate the nucleus, Lu and colleagues found a potentially druggable target that could keep the protein locked in the cell's cytoplasm.

MEK, ERK emerge as targets

The process begins when the epidermal growth factor connects to its receptor on the cell surface.

This leads to:

* Activation of the MEK protein, which in turn activates ERK.

* ERK sticking a phosphate group to a specific spot on PKM2.

* Phosphorylation priming PKM2 for a series of steps that culminate in its binding to the protein importin, which lives up to its name by taking PKM2 through the nuclear membrane.

Once in the nucleus, the team showed that PKM2 activates two genes crucial to aerobic glycolysis and another that splices PKM RNA to make even more PKM2.

An experiment applying several kinase-inhibiting drugs to human glioblastoma cell lines showed that only a MEK/ERK inhibitor prevented EGF-induced smuggling of PKM2 into the nucleus. ERK activation then is mandatory for PKM2 to get into the nucleus.

"MEK/ERK inhibitors have not been tried yet in glioblastoma multiforme," Lu said. Phosporylated PKM2 is a potential biomarker to identify patients who are candidates for MEK/ERK inhibitors once those drugs are developed.

MEK inhibitor blocks tumor growth

The researchers also found that the two glycolysis genes activated by PKM2, called GLUT1 and LDHA, are required for glucose consumption and conversion of pyruvate to lactate, crucial factors in the Warburg Effect. Depleting PKM2 in tumor cell lines reduced glucose consumption and lactate production.

In mice, depleting PKM2 blocked the growth of brain tumors. Re-expressing the wild type protein caused tumors to grow. However, re-expression of a PKM2 mutant protein that lost its ability to get into the nucleus failed to promote tumor formation. Experiments in human glioblastoma cell lines showed the same effect.

Injecting the MEK inhibitor selumetinib into tumors inhibited tumor growth, reduced ERK phosphorylation, PKM2 expression and lactate production in mice. In 48 human tumor samples, the team found that activity of EGFR, ERK1/2 and PKM2 were strongly correlated.

Cause of PKM2 overexpression

Lu and colleagues also published a paper in Molecular Cell that revealed a mechanism for overexpression of PKM2 in glioblastoma. They found that EGF receptor activation turns on NF-KB, which leads to a series of events culminating in PKM2 gene activation.

PKM2 levels were measured in tumor samples from 55 glioblastoma patients treated with standard of care surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The 20 with low PKM2 expression had a median survival of 34.5 months, compared to 13.6 months for the 35 patients with high levels of PKM2.

Level of PKM2 expression in 27 low-grade astrocytomas was about half of the expression found in higher grade glioblastomas.

"In these two papers, we show how PKM2 is overexpressed in tumors, how it gets into the nucleus, that nuclear entry is essential to tumor development, and identified potential drugs and a biomarker that could usefully treat people," Lu said.

Co-authors of the Nature Cell Biology paper are first author Weiwei Yang, Ph.D., Yanhua Zheng, Ph.D., Yan Xia, Ph.D., and Haitao Ji, Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Neuro-Oncology and Brain Tumor Center; Xiaomin Chen, Ph.D., of MD Anderson's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Ken Aldape, M.D., MD Anderson's Department of Pathology; Fang Guo, Ph.D., Nanomedicine Center, Shanghai Research Institute, China Academy of Science; Costas Lyssiotis, Ph.D., and Lewis Cantley, Ph.D., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School.

This research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (numbers 2RO1CA109035, RO1GM068566 and RO1GM56302), MD Anderson's Cancer Center Support Grant (CA16672) from the National Cancer Institute; and a research grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, via Newswise.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Weiwei Yang, Yanhua Zheng, Yan Xia, Haitao Ji, Xiaomin Chen, Fang Guo, Costas A. Lyssiotis, Kenneth Aldape, Lewis C. Cantley, Zhimin Lu. ERK1/2-dependent phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of PKM2 promotes the Warburg effect. Nature Cell Biology, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/ncb2629

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/top_news/~3/_dUZzBAdjxE/121126164003.htm

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The Godfather of Video Games Is Baffled By The Wii U - Nintendo Life

Atari founder Nolan Bushnell doesn't think Nintendo's console will be a success

When you're considering the history of the video game industry, the name Nolan Bushnell is almost certain to crop up. Bushnell founded Atari back in 1972 and enjoyed incredible success with arcade hits like Pong and the Atari VCS home console. Although he's not been directly involved in the industry for quite some time, his opinion still holds a lot of weight.

Which is why his comments regarding the Wii U make for difficult reading if you're a Nintendo fan - Bushnell doesn't believe the console will be a success. To make matters worse, he thinks that the home console market he helped to create is on its last legs. Speaking to the New York Times, he said of Nintendo's system:

I actually am baffled by it. I don?t think it?s going to be a big success. These things will continue to sputter along, but I really don?t think they?ll be of major import ever again. It feels like the end of an era to me.

Before we start getting too emotional about these comments, it's worth remembering that despite his legendary status in the history of video gaming, Bushnell has made some particular poor choices over the past few decades. He famously declined the chance to invest in Apple Computers when the company was just starting out, and his Chuck E. Cheese's line of restaurants went bankrupt in 1984 (although the brand has since been reborn). He also publicly backed the abysmal Commodore CDTV, one of the biggest hardware bombs of the '90s.

Do you think Bushnell's comments are worth taking notice of, or has he been out of the loop for so long he simply doesn't understand what modern gamers want? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section.

Source: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/the_godfather_of_video_games_is_baffled_by_the_wii_u

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Give the Gift That Gets People Talking ? Cyber Monday Special ...

Give the Gift That Gets People Talking ? Cyber Monday?Special!

November 26, 2012 by voicesofdragon

If you?re looking to get your Holiday shopping done early, then today is your lucky day. Check out some of the great deals we?re offering below, and give the gift that gets people talking!

Dragon Home Holiday Bundle

It?s all about friends and family with our exclusive Dragon Home Holiday Bundle. This package features Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 Home, the fast, fun and convenient way to interact with your PC using your voice. Dictate documents, send email, search the Web, and more ? with simple voice commands. There?s no easier or more enjoyable way to capture creativity and get more done on your PC.

Here?s what you get:

• Package includes Dragon Home Edition speech recognition software
• Family Tree Maker genealogy software
• USB headset

Price: $74.99, a $155 retail value!

Dragon Premium Holiday Bundle

This holiday, we?re making it all about friends and family with our exclusive Dragon Premium Holiday Bundle. This package features Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 Premium edition to let you get through your ?to?do? list faster than ever before ? by talking! Dictate or modify documents, spreadsheets and presentations, send email, search the Web, and more. Even capture notes on the go using a digital recorder and Dragon will transcribe the audio files back at your PC.

We?ve combined our best-selling speech recognition with Family Tree Maker? Workshop 2, genealogy software that will bring your family history to life with photos, historical records and interactive maps. We finish this package off with our USB headset.

Dragon speech recognition makes a great gift, so ignite new possibilities for your friends and family this holiday season.

Here?s what you get:

• Package includes Dragon Premium Edition speech recognition software
• Family Tree Maker genealogy software
• USB headset

Price: $149.99 a $255 retail value!

Dragon Dictate Holiday Bundle

This holiday, we?re making it all about friends and family with our exclusive Dragon Dictate for Mac Holiday Bundle. Our holiday package features Dragon Dictate for Mac 3 speech recognition software, which lets you use your voice to create and edit text or interact with your favorite Mac applications. You can even use a digital voice recorder and Dragon will transcribe your dictation when you are back at your Mac.

We?ve combined our best-selling speech recognition with Family Tree Maker? Workshop 2, genealogy software that will bring your family history to life with photos, historical records and interactive maps and more. We finish this package off with our USB headset.

Dragon speech recognition makes a great gift, so ignite new possibilities for your friends and family this holiday season.

Here?s what you get:

• Package includes Dragon Dictate for Mac speech recognition software
• Family Tree Maker genealogy software
• USB headset.

Price: $149.99?a$255 retail value

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Source: http://voicesofdragon.com/2012/11/26/give-the-gift-that-gets-people-talking-cyber-monday-special/

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Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/kendall-jenner-very-long-legs-cover-miss-vogue-australia/

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Home Ownership Possible After Foreclosure or Short Sale ...

Posted on 25 November 2012. Tags: forclosures, housing crisis, investing, Real Estate Investing, Short Sale

?There?s a new term in real estate to know ? boomerang buyers. This is the term the Wall Street Journal has coined for people who have gone through a foreclosure or a short sale and are ready to be a homeowner again. They have come through the rough patch and are back in the market. Over three-quarters of a million foreclosed borrowers are eligible to apply for an FHA mortgage. It?s not an automatic thing, and depending on whether you?ve gone through a short sale or a foreclosure and who the lender is, there are different rules to follow, but the point is, it?s possible.

In either case, there is going to be a waiting period and a minimum credit score to qualify. In general, a short sale has less of an impact than a foreclosure. Late payments cause the most damage, and since foreclosures take longer than short sales, the damage is more dramatic. Also, a ?settled? debt is less damaging than a ?defaulted? debt.

Read the entire article here.

About Josh Cantwell

Josh is a full time real estate investor from Cleveland, Ohio who?s been involved in thousands of wholesaling, rehabs, rentals, foreclosure, pre-foreclosure and short sale transactions over the past 7 years.

Source: http://www.strategicrealestatecoach.com/2012/11/25/home-ownership-possible-after-foreclosure-or-short-sale/

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List Building Class | Helpful Tips and Reviews for all | Improve your ...

List Building Class
Jim Cockrum Teaches You How To Grow A Mailing List In This Video Training Series.
List Building Class

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The Gift Basket Connectory Is The Ultimate Resource For The Gift Basket Industry. How-to Videos, Guides, Templates, Supplier Lists And More/ Visit The Affiliate Page At Http://www.rockhillcottage.com/affiliate.html
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Source: http://5-tips.com/list-building-class/

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Vonn to race giant slalom in Aspen, skip slalom

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, carries her skis during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, carries her skis during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, waits during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Lindsey Vonn, right, of the United States, rides a chair lift with her ski service personnel during practice for the women's World Cup ski race in Aspen, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

APSEN, Colo. (AP) ? Lindsey Vonn says she's healthy enough to race in one of the two World Cup races this weekend in Aspen.

The four-time overall champion will compete in the giant slalom Saturday, but skip the slalom Sunday.

Vonn recently returned to training after missing time with an intestinal issue that landed her in the hospital. She squeezed in two training runs Friday before calling it a day. Vonn then consulted with her coaches before electing to step into the starting gate just for the giant slalom.

The main concern with Vonn was whether she was in good enough race condition. The Olympic downhill gold medalist recently spent two nights in the hospital with what she described on Facebook as "some infection in my tummy."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-23-Vonn's%20Return/id-2d1aa437ca8547bfb7c94e817fda0e3b

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Is it Possible to Save Too Much for Retirement? : Money Smart Life

On the surface, this seems like a ridiculous question, but I?m going to put on my contrarian?s hat here and dare to raise the question. There are probably far more people who are inadequately prepared for retirement than there are people who are over-funded for it. And yet retirement preparation can be a little bit obsessive at times.

It?s not that being well-prepared for retirement is a bad thing, but more that nothing that we do ever happens in a vacuum. While we?re preparing for retirement other things are happening in life. We could miss them if we?re too focused on planning for retirement.

Are You Forgetting The Near Future?

Retirement planning is about preparing for the final years of life. We can become so focused on preparing for our later years, that we can neglect the present and the many years that will play out between now and retirement.

A factor that is often neglected in the retirement equation is that many people may find themselves in their peak earning years during what we normally think of as the retirement years. If for example, you have a very successful business, you may find that the business increases throughout your life. Many people who have their own businesses never retire. When you work for yourself the desire to retire often doesn?t exist.

If this turns out to be your situation, then retirement preparation will have been mostly to develop an income/asset supplement more than anything else.

Paying Off and Staying Out of Debt

It?s possible to get so caught up funding your retirement that you find other ways to pay the bills in the present. That sometimes takes the form of debt. Your retirement plan rises over time, but so do your debts. Because so much money is going into retirement, less available for routine purchases, for making large down payments on major items (like cars), or even for paying down your mortgage.

If you have $100,000 in your retirement plan but you also have $50,000 in car loans, credit card debt and other loan types, it?s almost like having a margin loan on your retirement plan.

Having a well-funded retirement plan is an important goal, but so is maintaining a debt free position. And getting out of debt actually helps your retirement planning in a major way. The less debt you owe, the more money you have available to put in your retirement plan.

Investing Outside Retirement

It?s not unusual for people to have most of their money sitting in a retirement plan. But as important as retirement is, it?s equally important to save and invest money for other contingencies as well.

You can have an emergency fund that will help you in times of crisis, such as the loss of a job. But what happens if you have a sequence of major expenses or if the job loss is more than short-term? Your emergency fund will be drained in a hurry, and if you have no other savings or investments, you?ll either have to borrow money or consider tapping your retirement plan.

Another situation that?s becoming increasingly common is either forced or voluntary early retirement. It?s important to have non-tax sheltered money available for just such an event. That will prevent you from having to draw down your retirement savings ahead of schedule.

Helping Others

Most of us have a certain amount of discretionary income that will cover non-survival expenses, such as entertainment and travel, paying off debt and funding retirement. Somewhere in there should be room to help others. This is particularly true of those who are close to us, such as extended family and close friends.

How many people you want to help and how far you go with each is a personal decision. But if you have the means, leaving a little extra for just that purpose can enable you to help out where you can.

Building a Business

It?s possible to be so concerned with building your retirement plan that you?re hesitant to do anything to interfere with the process. You could stay at a job that you don?t especially like because your 401(k) plan is doing particularly well. You may harbor thoughts in the back of your mind of one day leaving your job to start a business in something you really enjoy. But you put that off because it might interrupt or even end your contributions to your 401(k) plan.

The years pass and you never do pursue the business idea. Retirement becomes a self the filling prophecy?you can?t quit your job because you have to fund your 401(k), so that you can retire and get away from your job. Throughout your career however, though your 401(k) is healthy, you?re never truly happy.

But let?s say that you do decide to quit your job and start a business? You?d be doing work that you enjoy while building your business and increasing your income. Soon enough you?ll be able to start a retirement plan through your business and resume increasing your portfolio. But even better, when you do reach retirement age you?ll have a business and that will open up some options.

You can either decide to sell the business to raise extra money for your retirement savings, or you could keep the business into retirement and use it as a nice supplement to your retirement income.

But that kind of opportunity will only happen if you?re prepared to let go of your job ? and the 401(k) attached to it ? and take a chance on starting the business. If retirement planning is the main force that drives you, you may never take that chance.

As important as it is to save for retirement, it should never dominate your financial situation. Many other obligations and opportunities are developing all around you, right here and right now. Make some preparation for the future, but don?t allow today to be neglected in favor of a retirement that may be decades away.

Are you investing for retirement? Or are you focusing on other financial goals? Leave a comment and let us know!

Kevin Mercadante is professional personal finance blogger, and the owner of his own personal finance blog, OutOfYourRut.com. He has backgrounds in both accounting and the mortgage industry. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two teenage kids and can be followed on Twitter at @OutOfYourRut.

All posts by Kevin Mercadante

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Written by Kevin Mercadante ? Filed Under Retirement?

Source: http://moneysmartlife.com/is-it-possible-to-save-too-much-for-retirement/

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Despite the growth of integrated education, most schools remain ...

Conversation, politics and stray insights

Slugger is undergoing a facelift. Please have a look around and report any bugs you come across.

If you thought things were changing since the peace process began in the education system, then think again. Kathryn Torney compares the aspiration of the First Minister, with the record of all devolved administrations:

When Peter Robinson described Northern Ireland?s segregated education system as ?a benign form of apartheid? in a speech in October 2010, it was a remark that had the potential to be a major turning point for integrated schooling in Northern Ireland.

The DUP leader said: ?If one were to suggest that Protestants and Catholics would be educated at separate universities it would be manifestly absurd; yet we continue to tolerate the idea that at primary and secondary level our children are educated separately.

The problem with such statements is that they just wishfully defy anything approaching reality. As Torney notes we still live in a disintegrated society (I really recommend playing around with The Detail?s interactive map. Just try finding a school in Belfast where the minority figure is more than ten pupils):

In July 2012, secretary of state Owen Paterson said that over 90 per cent of public housing in Northern Ireland was segregated. This means thousands of children are continuing to both live and learn with only others of the same religious background.

Prof Tony Gallagher is pro-vice chancellor at Queen?s University Belfast and former head of the university?s school of education. He said: ?These new figures suggest that our schools remain strongly differentiated on the basis of religion, with only limited evidence of any change between 1997/8 and 2011/2.

?There has been a significant increase in the number of pupils in integrated schools over that period but the overall proportion in that sector remains low. It is likely most young people will continue to be educated in schools where the majority of their peers are from the same religious community.?

But here?s the interesting thing. Which schools are going integrated fastest? The large voluntary Grammars. Belfast Royal Academy has a healthy and substantial population of Catholic students:

Total pupil enrolment: 1421
Number of Protestant pupils: 800
Number of Catholic pupils: 358
Number of ?other? pupils: 263

As does Methody:

Total pupil enrolment: 1783
Number of Protestant pupils: 840
Number of Catholic pupils: 376
Number of ?other? pupils: 567

The ninety per cent figure applies to public housing, and those are the areas where people have less socio economic choices. It?s also where, the education failure of the Northern Irish system is most in evidence.

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Copyright ? 2003 - 2012 Slugger O'Toole Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source: http://sluggerotoole.com/2012/11/23/despite-the-growth-of-integrated-education-most-schools-remain-segregated/

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Window Cleaning, a Simple and Effective Home Improvement Project

Windows may look simple, but in reality they are actually a critical element of all homes and offices. It is critical that your windows are kept clean and maintained at all times. Instead of worrying about this task, why not trust your cleaning to experienced professionals? Our service has the expertise to clean commercial or residential windows. We always use the highest quality biodegradable and eco-friendly materials and chemicals to guarantee safety and sustainability. To make your home or business more attractive, we ensure that each window is cleaned to a long-lasting shine. Call us now and we will perform an estimate before we get to work as quickly as possible. Window Washing Murray

Source: http://www.glhfcasting.com/window-cleaning-a-simple-and-effective-home-improvement-project-4/

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New drug overcomes resistance in patients with rare sarcoma

Thursday, November 22, 2012

A new targeted drug demonstrated its ability to control metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor, an uncommon and life-threatening form of sarcoma, after the disease had become resistant to all existing therapies, report investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who led the worldwide clinical trial.

The treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor, or GIST, even in its advanced metastatic stage, has been dramatically improved with two oral targeted drugs ? imatinib (Gleevec) and sunitinib (Sutent). To date, these have represented the only two FDA-approved treatments with the proven ability to control GIST. However, in more than 85 percent of patients, GIST becomes resistant to these drugs after seven years and the disease worsens with fatal results.

The new study, whose results are being published in the Lancet, demonstrated that the oral drug regorafenib, which inhibits several cancer-promoting kinase enzymes, was able to control GIST for nearly four months longer than placebo in patients for whom Gleevec and Sutent were no longer effective, a result that was highly significant statistically.

"When added to best supportive care, regorafenib significantly improves disease control, as measured by progression-free survival time in patients with GIST after progression which represents failure of all other therapies," said George Demetri, MD, of Dana-Farber, principal investigator of this clinical trial.

Demonstrating the aggressive nature of this resistant disease, the study found that tumors objectively grew in less than a month, on average, in GIST patients who were initially randomized to receive a placebo. The study's "cross-over" design made it possible to treat those patients whose tumors grew, and 85 percent of the patients initially on placebo were able to receive regorafenib, which then controlled the disease in these patients as well.

Because of the study's cross-over design, Demetri said, it was not expected to prove that the patients initially randomized to receive regorafenib survived longer ? the researchers would have had to withhold the drug from the placebo patients to demonstrate that difference. "But there is no question that people are living longer" with regorafenib treatment, he said, based on the results of this trial.

An application to have regorafenib approved for use in resistant GIST is under an accelerated review by the Food and Drug Administration, Demetri said.

GIST is a rare form of sarcoma that develops in the gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the stomach and small intestine. GIST is estimated to affect more than 5,000 people per year in the United States and about 8,000 in Europe.

Regorafenib is a novel rationally designed drug manufactured by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals that was FDA-approved in September 2012 to treat metastatic colon cancer after failure of standard chemotherapy. It blocks several cancer-promoting enzymes called kinases, which spur runaway growth in GIST and other cancers.

The phase 3 international trial involved 199 treatment-resistant GIST patients at 57 hospitals in 176 countries. Of the 199 patients, 133 received a regorafenib pill daily for three weeks followed by a one-week break, while 66 received a matching placebo. The patients were monitored for at least one year after the trial began.

As for other targeted therapies, the drug did not often shrink tumors but controlled the disease for an average of 4.8 months before it progressed, while patients in the placebo group experienced less than one month (0.9 month) before the disease worsened. There was a high rate of adverse effects including high blood pressure, fatigue, diarrhea, and redness, swelling, numbness and peeling of skin on the hands and feet. These side effects were managed by reducing or interrupting the regorafenib treatment, the report said.

A companion report in The Lancet said that the drug had a "modest" benefit in patients with metastatic colon cancer. A commentary by David Cunningham, MD, of the Royal Marsden Hospital in England, said, "In the relatively rare GIST, the case for routine use of this drug in patients following failure of existing treatments is strong."

Demetri added "We know that regorafenib can inhibit many of the mutated proteins and abnormal signals that cause this cancer, and the next step will be to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which this new treatment can control GIST after resistance appears to other 'targeted therapy' drugs for this aggressive malignancy."

The clinical trial was supported, in part, by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, as well as the Ludwig Center at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: http://www.dfci.harvard.edu

Thanks to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125439/New_drug_overcomes_resistance_in_patients_with_rare_sarcoma

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