রবিবার, ৩১ মার্চ, ২০১৩

CrunchWeek: Amazon's Purchase Of Goodreads, YC's Smaller Demo Day And Bitcoin Hitting $1 Billion

CrunchWeekIt's time for CrunchWeek, that very special time each week when a few of us writers gather around the TechCrunch TV cameras to shoot the breeze about the biggest and most interesting stories from the past seven days.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6U0Hlu5KC2c/

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PPC marketing ? Popular method of advertisement on the Web

30 March 2013 No Comments

PPC marketing ? Popular method of advertisement on the Web

PPC marketing or pay per click marketing is the most popular method of advertisement employed by various websites on the Internet. PPC marketing may often be referred to as pay for position, cost per click or pay for performance. But regardless of the term used, PPC marketing is the online advertiser?s medium of choice for promoting products and services to online consumers.

PPC marketing is beneficial to both the advertiser and the consumer. Advertisers using PPC marketing only need to pay for the actual click throughs linked to their sites from search engines. At the same time as consumers are relieved of having to get annoying emails or pop-up ads for products and services.

When an online consumer searches for a specific product or service on the Internet, corresponding PPC marketing ads are also displayed alongside the results generated by the search engine. This forms a highly targeted consumer group that is more likely to purchase a specific product or service. In addition, websites get to limit their advertisement costs with the use of PPC marketing. PPC marketing is truly a winning solution for both parties.

Possible drawbacks of PPC marketing

Despite the obvious advantages of PPC marketing, there are possible drawbacks that can cancel out its benefits. One of the most common problems associated with PPC marketing is the inexperience of many people attempting to use this profitable advertisement method. Simply submitting PPC marketing ads to a search engine such as google, does not make up the entire campaign.

PPC marketing requires a calculated and systematic approach to setting up ads. PPC marketing involves the use of keywords and biddings in order to get top placement on a search engine. Getting top search engine placement helps boost traffic to a website that can easily translate into profit.

Without the necessary experience and knowledge to carry out a typical PPC marketing ad, may turn into an expensive campaign that does not convert into profit. PPC marketing ads also require continuous funding, as discontinued payments will also result in discontinued ads. This can be unfavorable for a website that has already built high rankings with their PPC marketing ads.

Bidding on keywords can also be quite costly, as the growing number of websites on the web struggle against each other to bid on the most popular keyword for their PPC marketing ad. Obviously small business websites are at a disadvantage here since big business websites are able to pay more for popular keywords related to their site. This is because most small businesses only set aside a small portion of their capital for advertisement, putting them at a disadvantage.

Running an effective PPC marketing campaign

There are a number of things that a website should consider when running an effective PPC marketing campaign. It is important to develop a marketing plan in order to get the most return on investment from PPC marketing. Selecting the most appropriate keywords that relate to the site?s business is essential in PPC marketing.

However, simply choosing the most popular keywords does not necessarily translate into profit. Selecting more specific keywords that will put a site within the first ten results of a search also gets greater awareness from online consumers. In addition, it doesn?t cost as much as getting the top spot for PPC marketing.

It is also important that a website constantly monitors the performance of their PPC marketing campaign. This will help the site modify any existing PPC marketing ad to make it more productive. At the same time any PPC marketing ad that has not proven effective can be immediately discontinued. Altering PPC marketing ads is a continuous process that many websites do in order to increase their return on investment.

Getting professional help with PPC marketing

The popularity of PPC marketing has given rise to professionals offering PPC marketing services for small and big businesses. Hiring a professional PPC marketing company is advisable for a small business without experience in PPC marketing. Most PPC marketing companies offer reasonable rates for their services and at the same time produce acceptable results.

A PPC marketing professional can attend to all the details commonly involved in a PPC marketing campaign. Handling a PPC marketing campaign is a time consuming process that can be overwhelming for a small business. A PPC marketing professional can help set up a PPC marketing campaign and later on train someone from within the business to handle it to ensure its continued success.

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Source: http://blogcashbiz.com/28471/ppc-marketing-popular-method-of-advertisement-on-the-web/

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শনিবার, ৩০ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Vegan Drinks: Coconut & Banana Smoothie | Nutrition Rocks

Smoothies are a great way to enjoy a?nutritious?drink, and coconut milk is a wonderful alternative to dairy milk if you?re craving that creamy taste. The almonds give it a protein boost and you can easily sneak in a portion of fruit too!

  • 1 banana
  • 150ml coconut water
  • 100 ml coconut milk
  • A pinch of grated ginger
  • A handful of almonds

Blend ingredients together and sip away.

Recipe by Madeleine Shaw. For more recipes see her webiste

Source: http://nutrition-rocks.co.uk/?p=3723

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৮ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Study finds anti-smoking drug improves smokers' chances of stopping

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Smokers have a higher probability of quitting smoking and a better overall cessation experience when taking varenicline compared to bupropion and to placebo ? unmedicated assisted smoking cessation ?according to a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

A team led by Paul Cinciripini, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Behavioral Science at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, investigated the relative efficacy of varenicline and bupropion ? both popular anti-smoking drugs on the market ? plus intensive counseling to assess the drugs' effects on smoking-cessation and emotional functioning while quitting.

"National surveys show that about 20 percent of adults continue to smoke, but it's disproportionally high among people in low socioeconomic populations and those with mental illness," said Cinciripini. "When smokers try to quit, many are likely to experience a range of nicotine withdrawal symptoms, including negative mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability and even depressive symptoms making quitting difficult and increases the chances of relapse."

"Our findings suggest that smokers trying to quit will have a better experience with varenicline as opposed to trying to quit on their own or by taking bupropion," Cinciripini said. "The more we can reduce these negative symptoms associated with quitting the better experience of the smoker and this may mean that even if they don't quit this time, they will be encouraged to try again."

In this study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, scientists examined data from 294 smokers who were trying to quit. The participants were randomized into one of three groups; varenicline, bupropion or placebo. QuitRx participants were assessed throughout the 12-week medication portion of the program, and also three and six months after quitting.

The researchers used four different measurements of abstinence and found that only varenicline significantly improved abstinence rates by all measures at all time periods compared with placebo, which is consistent with results from large phase 3 clinical trials with this medication. Varenicline consistently outperformed buproprion, but unlike the placebo comparisons did not reach statistical significance because of small sample size.

All participants received extensive smoking cessation counseling via QuitRx and were assessed for nicotine withdrawal and emotional functioning every week during treatment, using the Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (WSWS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). In the QuitRx program, scientists investigated the effects of medication alone, abstinence alone and the combination of the two on each of these measures, specifically evaluating symptoms of depression, negative affect ? a person's mood? and other symptoms of nicotine withdrawal including craving.

Better mood, less anxiety for smokers

When measuring the effects of abstinence alone on emotional functioning, the study found that regardless of which medication the smoker received, people who were able to abstain from smoking had lower scores for overall negative affect, anxiety and sadness but also showed higher positive affect.

"This is a very interesting finding in that it suggests smoking itself may not be a very good anti-depressant," said Cinciripini, director of MD Anderson's Tobacco Treatment Program. "It also suggests that those who were able to abstain from smoking will ultimately feel better than those who continue to smoke."

The study also found that compared to the non-abstainers, abstainers using either bupropion or varenicline experienced lower levels of sadness, but in terms of overall depressive symptoms the varenicline group fared much better. For those taking varenicline, both abstainers and non-abstainers were less depressed. "This is especially intriguing given the post-marketing data with varenicline that suggests that it may worsen depressive symptoms," said Cinciripini. "More research is needed to look carefully at smokers with current psychiatric illness taking varenicline, since they were not included in this research study."

Suppressing other withdrawal symptoms

Smokers are also subject to other withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit including loss of concentration and craving for tobacco. In this study, both drugs reduced craving relative to placebo, however varenicline showed lower levels of craving even among those who did not quit fully.

Findings also indicate that when compared with bupropion, only varenicline reduced the psychological reward, or pleasure derived from smoking, when measured among those who initially lapsed, while trying to retain abstinence during the program.

Cinciripini noted that this is significant because varenicline which is thought to partially stimulate dopamine ? the neurotransmitter associated with reward that lessens overall withdrawal symptoms ? also supports another suggested mechanism of action that involves binding the nicotine receptor for a longer period of time.

He explains the net effect of lower withdrawal and psychological reward improves the overall odds of cessation success, which is consistent with other research. "The difference in our study was that this took place against a background of intense counseling suggesting that varenicline can even be of benefit in those situations as well as low counseling intensity environments."

"It is evident from the findings that varenicline is hitting many more affective targets, in comparison to bupropion or placebo, and there is a distinct benefit of these effects on cessation even among those who do not fully abstain," said Cinciripini.

###

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center: http://www.mdanderson.org

Thanks to University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127487/Study_finds_anti_smoking_drug_improves_smokers__chances_of_stopping

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Work underway to digitize 1500s Fla. records

In this Saturday, Jan. 27, 2013 photo, University of South Florida professor J. Michael Francis looks at documents at the St. Augustine Catholic diocese in St. Augustine, Fla. The records date back to the year 1594, when Spanish colonialists settled in the area. Francis is working to digitize the records, which are fragile. The project is timely as Florida celebrates its 500th anniversary this year. Records show that by the time Jamestown was settled in Virginia in the early 1600's, St Augustine was a diverse home to 500 people of European descent, Native Americans, free and enslaved Africans. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush)

In this Saturday, Jan. 27, 2013 photo, University of South Florida professor J. Michael Francis looks at documents at the St. Augustine Catholic diocese in St. Augustine, Fla. The records date back to the year 1594, when Spanish colonialists settled in the area. Francis is working to digitize the records, which are fragile. The project is timely as Florida celebrates its 500th anniversary this year. Records show that by the time Jamestown was settled in Virginia in the early 1600's, St Augustine was a diverse home to 500 people of European descent, Native Americans, free and enslaved Africans. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush)

In this Saturday, Jan. 27, 2013 photo, University of South Florida professor J. Michael Francis holds fragile documents at the Historical Archives of the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, in St. Augustine, Fla. The records date back to the year 1594, when Spanish colonialists settled in the area. Francis is working to digitize the records. They are written in Spanish and recorded the births, deaths, baptisms and marriages of the earliest settlers of the United States. Florida celebrates its 500th anniversary this year. Records show that by the time Jamestown was settled in Virginia in the early 1600's, St Augustine was a diverse home to 500 people of European descent, Native Americans, free and enslaved Africans. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush)

This Saturday, Jan. 27, 2013 photo shows a yellow and deteriorating document in the Historical Archives of the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, in St. Augustine, Fla. A University of South Florida professor is digitizing thousands of pages of these documents, which date back to the late 16th Century and record the births, deaths, marriages and baptisms of the early St. Augustine residents. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush)

(AP) ? Inside a Catholic convent deep in St. Augustine's historic district, stacks of centuries-old, sepia-toned papers offer clues to what life was like for early residents of the nation's oldest permanently occupied city.

These parish documents date back to 1594, and they record the births, deaths, marriages and baptisms of the people who lived in St. Augustine from that time through the mid-1700s. They're the earliest written documents from any region of the United States, according to J. Michael Francis, a history professor at the University of South Florida.

Francis and some of his graduate students in the Florida Studies department have spent the past several months digitizing the more than 6,000 fragile pages to ensure the contents last beyond the paper's deterioration.

"The documents shed light on aspects of Florida history that are very difficult to reconstruct," Francis said.

Francis' project is timely because the state is celebrating its 500th anniversary this year.

In April 1513, the Spanish monarchy contracted explorer Juan Ponce de Leon to find another island off of Cuba that was rumored to have great riches. Instead, he landed in Florida and named it "La Florida," after the "feast of the flowers" during Spain's Easter celebrations.

De Leon probably wasn't the first European to set foot in Florida, and there is debate on whether he landed in St. Augustine or the sites of present-day cities to the north or south.

Many Americans don't even realize that St. Augustine is the country's first European settlement. Jamestown, Va., was founded in 1607 and Plymouth, Mass., in 1620, and both are routinely emphasized in school history classes. Historians believe that because America is an English speaking country, an emphasis was put on the British settlements of Jamestown and Plymouth and not the Spanish-speaking St. Augustine.

St. Augustine holds many of the secrets to 16th Century Florida, largely because of these documents. Written in flourishing script, they are a treasure trove for scholars and genealogists who want to know more about who lived in Florida centuries before it became a state.

"People's daily lives here weren't the difficult struggle that was often represented," said Francis, adding that most homes had gardens and fruit trees.

The documents are yellowed with age and many have worn edges that resemble lace. Francis said that in previous decades, someone tried to preserve the documents by essentially shrink-wrapping them in plastic ? but it's destroying the paper faster due to acids and the plastic used.

While the parish there began in 1565 ? the same year St. Augustine was founded by Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles? records from its first 29 years are missing for unknown reasons. The documents are continuous from 1594 through 1763, which is the year the British took over the city. Spanish colonialists shipped the records to Cuba and they remained there for more than a century. A Catholic bishop had all of the records sent back to the St. Augustine by 1906.

Francis said the documents surprised him by revealing what a diverse place St. Augustine was in the late 16th and early 17th Centuries. By reading the records in Spanish, Francis has pieced together tales of Irish priests, Spanish missionaries, Native Americans. He's discovered family tragedies and stories of freed slaves.

"Slaves who escaped plantations in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, slaves in fact who had come all the way from New York City, to come to St. Augustine," he said. "And when you read those, one immediately begins to imagine a situation in which they're in these plantations, and they decide, one day, to try to escape and make their way to St. Augustine."

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-27-First%20Floridians/id-ca7155aba7174230a036cc439e4696db

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বুধবার, ২৭ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Georges St-Pierre cast in the next ?Captain America?

The last time we saw UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, he was defending his belt against Nick Diaz at UFC 158. But now you'll get to see him outside the cage, as he was just cast in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." GSP will play Batroc the Leaper, a French mercenary and kickboxer with a penchant for kicking Captain America.

[Related: Georges St-Pierre apologizes for controversial fight attire]

GSP is the perfect fit. He's French-Canadian, and French was his first language. As for the kicking:

It doesn't look like he'll have to do much research to figure that part of the character out.

Memorable Moments from Yahoo! Sports:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/georges-st-pierre-cast-next-captain-america-134706701--mma.html

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Golf: Tiger Woods' quest at Arnold Palmer Invitational delayed by storm

Tiger Woods is going to have to wait one more day to try to reclaim the No. 1 world ranking.

Moments after Woods made a 10-foot birdie putt on the second hole, a vicious thunderstorm packing gusts that topped out at 62 mph interrupted the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla., and wiped out play until Monday.

The storm dumped nearly 1?1/2 inches on Bay Hill and formed small ponds in the fairways -- there was even a fish in the middle of the 18th fairway. The wind toppled the TV tower behind the 10th green, which was a pile of metal poles, wood, mesh netting and had a stationary camera in the middle of it all.

Woods is going after his eighth win at Bay Hill, which would return him to No. 1 for the first time since October 2010.

He hit all of six shots Sunday, enough to build a three-shot lead over Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, John Huh and Ken Duke.

"At least we got a little activity in today, so we're not completely stagnant," Woods said. "We've dealt with this before."

There was plenty of action on a short day, none more bizarre than Sergio Garcia.

The Spaniard's tee shot on the 10th hole came to rest about 15 feet up in an oak tree, sitting between two large branches. Garcia used a cart to jump into the tree, and after a few minutes, hit a one-handed backhand shot to the fairway. He then jumped from about eight feet to the ground.

LPGA: Beatriz Recari

sank an 18-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the second hole of a playoff with I.K. Kim to win the Kia Classic in Carlsbad.

After Recari and Kim three-putted No. 18 both in regulation and on the first playoff hole, Recari ended it for her first victory since her rookie season of 2010.

Recari, who brought a two-stroke lead into the day, had a chance to win in regulation. But, like Kim in the twosome ahead of her, she three-putted the par-4 18th. Recari closed with a 2-over 74 to match Kim at 9 under at Aviara. Kim shot a 71.

Champions Tour: Michael Allen rallied to win the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in Saucier, Miss., for his fourth Champions Tour title, shooting a 5-under-par 67.

Web.com Tour: Edward Loar won the Louisiana Open in Broussard, La., closing with a 2-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Morgan Hoffmann.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/golf/ci_22863532/golf-tiger-woods-quest-at-arnold-palmer-invitational?source=rss_viewed

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Leading experts disagree on evidence behind prostate cancer screening recommendations

Mar. 25, 2013 ? Do the results of recent randomized trials justify the recent U.S. recommendation against yearly measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a screening test for prostate cancer? That's the topic of debate in a special "point/counterpoint" section in the April issue of Medical Care.

The recommendation against routine PSA measurement relies too heavily on randomized trial data, according to an article by Ruth Etzioni, PhD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, and colleagues. They argue that modeling studies provide a truer picture of the long-term benefits of PSA screening. But Dr Joy Melnikow of University of California, Davis, and colleagues disagree, asserting that randomized trials provide a sufficient level of certainty to recommend against PSA screening.

Point: Short-Term Trials Don't Reflect Long-Term Risk Last year, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against routine PSA measurement to screen for prostate cancer. The recommendation was mainly based on two recent studies -- one conducted in Europe and one in the United States -- in which men were randomly assigned to annual PSA screening or no screening. Both studies concluded that annual screening did not reduce the risk of death from prostate cancer.

But randomized trials have important limitations as a basis for screening policies, according to Dr Etzioni and colleagues. They note that screening trials generally provide short-term results, in contrast to the long-term results generated by population-wide screening programs. They argue that taking the randomized trial data at face value "misrepresents the likely long-term population impact of PSA screening (relative to no screening) in the United States."

Dr Etzioni and coauthors discuss the results of modeling studies that give a different picture of the benefits of PSA screening. Based on those models, screening may explain 45 percent of recent declines in U.S. deaths from prostate cancer, while changes in treatment account for 33 percent. When the randomized trial data are extrapolated to the U.S. population over the long term, the absolute reduction in deaths attributed to screening appears at least five times greater than in the original trial reports.

Modeling studies also suggest a lower rate of overdiagnosis -- screening detection of slow-growing prostate cancers that otherwise would have caused no harm -- than reported in the trials. Dr Etzioni and colleagues conclude, "With a disease whose hallmark is a lengthy natural history, the harms of developing cancer screening policies based primarily on limited-duration screening trials may well outweigh the benefits."

Counterpoint: Trials Are Best Evidence on Screening Effects But in their "Counterpoint" essay, by Dr Melnikow and colleagues notes that the U.S. and European trials provided 11 to 13 years' follow-up in more than 250,000 individuals. They also point out that the U.S. trial was highly representative of the population and showed no reduction in death resulting from annual PSA testing. (Dr Melnikow and colleagues were members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force when the recommendation was made.)

They add that, because of "competing causes of death," it becomes even less likely that a large reduction in deaths from prostate cancer will appear over long-term follow-up. The chances of overdiagnosis and potential harms from screening are also likely to increase with continued aging. Dr Melnikow and coauthors conclude, "Projections from models are subject to mistaken assumptions and investigator biases, and should not be accorded the same weight as evidence from randomized controlled trials."

In an editorial response, Dr Etzioni's group points out that modeling plays an essential role in addressing questions about the harms and benefits of screening. "While we acknowledge the centrality of screening trials in the policy process," they write, "we maintain that modeling constitutes a powerful tool for screening trial interpretation and screening policy development."

The debate is "no mere academic exercise," according to an editorial by Ronnie D. Horner, PhD, of University of Cincinnati Medical Center. With the increased emphasis on disease prevention under health care reform, it is essential to offer those services most likely to represent value -- including cancer screenings. While there's no easy answer, Dr Horner writes, "I am hopeful that this Point-Counterpoint exchange will initiate a discussion among healthcare scientists that will yield greater guidance for determining whether a health care service is, indeed, value health care."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, via Newswise.

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


Journal References:

  1. Joy Melnikow, Michael LeFevre, Timothy J. Wilt, Virginia A. Moyer. Counterpoint. Medical Care, 2013; : 1 DOI: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e31828a67d3
  2. Ruth Etzioni, Roman Gulati. Response. Medical Care, 2013; 51 (4): 304 DOI: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e31828a7e1a

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/ll5LaYLU0_I/130325111004.htm

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সোমবার, ২৫ মার্চ, ২০১৩

In gay marriage cases, Supreme Court may choose caution over boldness (Washington Post)

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Michigan falls in CCHA title game; NCAA tournament streak over

Detroit ? Michigan was a goal away from doing the unthinkable, winning the final CCHA tournament championship after entering the weekend with a sub-.500 record.

It didn't happen.

Instead of the Wolverines scoring the go-ahead goal, it was Notre Dame's Austin Wuthrich who beat freshman goaltender Steve Racine with a wrist shot from between the circles 29 seconds into the third period to give the Irish a 2-1 lead. They went on to earn a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena, ending the CCHA's 42-year run.

The Irish (25-12-3) swept the five games between the teams this season, ending Michigan's run of 22 straight NCAA tournament appearances and 25 straight winning seasons.

Notre Dame outshot the Wolverines (18-19-3), 33-21, carrying the play in Michigan's zone for the majority of the opening two periods, getting the upperhand in shots by a 28-10 margin.

"We probably had as much momentum as we've had all year and we were in a good place," said Michigan coach Red Berenson, talking of the Wolverines' nine-game (8-0-1) unbeaten streak entering the game, including a 6-2 semifinal win Saturday over top-seeded Miami (Ohio). "We had a tough game last night against Miami and that was a huge win for our team just to get in to the final. Maybe we didn't have enough gas. We definitely were on a mission and we got cut short.

"Notre Dame got off to a great start. They were all over us and didn't give us much and we didn't get much."

Notre Dame has been a thorn in Michigan's side the last several years, defeating the Wolverines in the CCHA title game at JLA in 2007 and 2009, and also eliminating them when they were ranked No. 1 in a national semifinal in Denver in 2008.

"It was only fitting to end it (CCHA) between us," Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson said of facing Michigan. "We've had so many great games between us when I was at Lake State and now here at Notre Dame. I have so much respect for them."

Notre Dame came out strong against Michigan, taking an 18-4 advantage on shots in the opening period before Derek DeBlois gave the Wolverines a 1-0 lead on a short-handed goal with one minute left.

Racine kept the Wolverines in the game, making several big saves before DeBlois' goal. He finished with 30 saves.

Notre Dame All-CCHA first-team center Anders Lee scored his 20th goal midway through the second period to pull the Irish even, taking a pass from Jeff Costello and beating Racine from point-blank range.

"He was a wall at the beginning of the game, really all tournament," Lee said of Racine. "It was a relief to get that first goal to give confidence to the boys so it was a huge break for us.

"I felt we controlled the puck a lot. We were the ones dictating the play and for us to have that ability was a huge reason we succeeded."

Berenson still felt the Wolverines had a chance to pull the game out.

"Even after two periods I thought our team would bounce back in the third," Berenson said. "They tried, but that first goal on that first shift was a tough one and we just couldn't get it back."

Wuthrich took control of the puck after it bounced off teammate Mario Lucia's skate and flipped a wrist shot past Racine for his first point in more than a month.

"T.J. Tynan got the puck just inside the blueline and passed it down to Lucia and it went off of his skate and deflected to me and I had an open net," Wuthrich said.

Notre Dame goalie Steven Summerhays had 20 saves, including two of his best in the final minutes, stopping Andrew Copp and then Lee Moffie before Costello's empty-netter with 1:07 left clinched the first title for Notre Dame's senior class.

Michigan was trying to duplicate its run of 2010 when the Wolverines entered the CCHA tournament as a No. 7 seed, needing to win the championship to earn an NCAA tourney bid. They upset Michigan State in the quarterfinal and then defeated top-seeded Miami in the semifinal before winning the title with a title win over Northern Michigan.

Instead of the Wolverines winning their 10th CCHA tourney title in the last 20 years Sunday, they now must look to the future of competing in the Big Ten League next season. Notre Dame will play in Hockey East.

Berenson vs. Jackson in CCHA title game:

2013: Notre Dame 3, Michigan 1

2009: Notre Dame 5, Michigan 2

2007: Notre Dame 2, Michigan 1

1996: Michigan 4, Lake Superior State 3

1994: Michigan 3, Lake Superior State 0

1992: Lake Superior State 3, Michigan 1

1991: Lake Superior State 6, Michigan 5

Berenson vs. Jackson in CCHA title game:

2013: Notre Dame 3, Michigan 1

2009: Notre Dame 5, Michigan 2

2007: Notre Dame 2, Michigan 1

1996: Michigan 4, Lake Superior State 3

1994: Michigan 3, Lake Superior State 0

1992: Lake Superior State 3, Michigan 1

1991: Lake Superior State 6, Michigan 5

david.goricki@detroitnews.com

Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130324/SPORTS0201/303240336/1131/rss17

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রবিবার, ২৪ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Rebels seize air defense base in southern Syria

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels on Saturday seized a major air defense base in a strategic region of southern Syria near the Jordanian border in the latest battlefield triumph for fighters seeking to topple President Bashar Assad, activists said.

Fighters with a rebel group active in the south stormed and seized control of the air defense base used by the 38th Division after a 16-day siege, according to a statement posted on websites of the group known as the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade.

The base near the village of Saida is situated along the international highway linking the Syrian capital, Damascus, with Jordan to the south.

Fighting in Syria's southern provinces bordering Jordan and Israel has increased sharply in the past few days. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of people, mostly opposition fighters, were killed in heavy clashes this week in the Quneitra region along the cease-fire line between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights.

The Britain-based group, which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said it had documented the deaths of 35 opposition fighters and the loss of contact with more than 20 others believed to have died in the fighting. Dozens of others were wounded, the group said.

The fighting in the area intensified midweek after rebels seized a village and parts of other villages, closing in on the strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and later annexed.

If the rebels take over the Quneitra region, it will bring radical Islamic militants to a front line with Israeli troops. The rebel force comprises dozens of groups, including the powerful al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, which the Obama administration labels a terrorist organization.

The Observatory said al-Nusra was among fighters who seized the air defense base in Daraa province. Both the rebels and the observatory reported that the opposition fighters killed the base commander.

In Damascus, supporters of Assad gathered in downtown amid tight security for the funeral of one of Syria's best-known clerics who was assassinated in a brazen mosque bombing earlier this week.

Security forces sealed off all roads leading to the eighth century Omayyad Mosque where the funeral for Sheik Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti, an 84-year-old pro-government cleric, was held.

Al-Buti, his grandson and 48 others were killed Thursday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a mosque where al-Buti was giving a religious lesson.

His assassination was a blow to Assad, who vowed Friday to avenge his death, saying he would "purge" the country of the militants behind the attack in the heart of the capital.

Both Assad and the rebels seeking to topple him have blamed each other for the bombing at the mosque.

Al-Buti, the most prominent religious figure killed so far in the 2-year-old conflict, had supported the regime since the early days of Assad's father and predecessor, the late President Hafez Assad, providing legitimacy to their rule. Sunnis are the majority sect in Syria while Assad is from the minority Alawite sect ? an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

Mourners carried al-Buti and his grandson's coffins, draped in white cloth, on their shoulders amid shouts of "God is Great."

Al-Buti was imam of the Omayyad Mosque, a landmark in Damascus. Church bells tolls and mosque minarets in the ancient city blared "God is Great" during the funeral procession.

Syrian state TV said Assad was being represented at the funeral by one of his cabinet ministers.

Al-Buti was being buried in a courtyard at the rear of the mosque near the tomb of Saladin, a medieval Muslim ruler.

In a show of support, a delegation from the Lebanese Shiite Muslim Hezbollah group, a staunch ally of Assad, drove to Damascus for the funeral. A delegation from Iran was also present.

"We will continue on the same path," said Sheik Mohammed Yazbeck, a member Hezbollah's highest decision-making body, the Shura Council. "We will return the blow to the enemies of Syria and the enemies of the nation," he added.

___

Associated Press Writer Albert Aji contributed to this report from Damascus.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rebels-seize-air-defense-southern-syria-120452653.html

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The After Math: Engadget Expand SF special

Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week's tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages.

The After Math Engadget Expand special

Last weekend, we wrapped up our inaugural Expand event, and while several of our international editors (yours truly included) are still battling an unhappy combo of jet lag and the sniffles, we've pulled together some numbers that should offer at least a glimpse at how the weekend in San Francisco all went down. What if you missed out on all the tech, discussions, Engadget editors and giveaways this time? We wouldn't worry. Next stop, New York.

Comments

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

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Nerve mapping technology improves surgery for compressed nerves

Mar. 22, 2013 ? Nerve mapping technology allows surgeons to determine whether surgery has been effective for relieving pressure from compressed nerves, which often function poorly and cause sciatica or pain and weakness in muscles supplied by the nerve.

In a small study involving 42 patients at Henry Ford Hospital, lead author and orthopaedic surgeon Stephen Bartol, M.D., says that mechanomyography, or MMG, is effective with measuring nerve function and determining whether nerves are compressed. MMG, which functions by detecting muscle movement and sending real-time alerts to surgeons, measures the performance of nerves during surgery, thereby reducing the risk of inadequate surgery and eliminating the need for additional surgery.

While encouraged by his findings, Dr. Bartol urged caution that more research is needed involving larger patient populations.

"Traditionally, when we operated on someone who has nerve decompression, we didn't know if we had done enough during the surgery at the time. It was basically wait and see after the patient recovered," Dr. Bartol says. "With the MMG tool we can differentiate between normal and compressed nerves, and gauge the severity of the compression."

The study is being presented Friday at the American Academy of Orthoapedic Surgeons' annual meeting in Chicago.

It is estimated that back pain will affect eight of 10 people in their lifetime, and one-quarter of U.S. adults report having back pain lasting at least one day in the past three months. With the rise in minimally invasive procedures, physicians are craving the need for an effective tool to monitor nerve function during surgery.

Conventionally, surgeons assess nerve decompression using direct visualization or a probe called a Woodson elevator, methods Dr. Bartol describes as "purely subjective" and prone to error. Another method electromyography, or EMG, which monitors the electrical response of muscle, is unreliable because electrical noise in the operating room makes it difficult to quantify nerve responses, Dr. Bartol says.

MMG, Dr. Bartol says, monitors the same physiological effects as EMG but uses smart mechanical sensors that are not susceptible to electrical interference. He says clear signals of muscle movement can be detected at low electrical current thresholds.

In the study, researchers sought to test the electrical threshold of stimulation of 64 nerves in 41 patients by direct contact prior to and after decompression, during which a small portion of bone over the nerve root is removed, enabling the nerve root to heal without hindrance. Stimulation started at 1mA electrical current and gradually increased until an MMG response was achieved.

The findings: ? Prior to decompression, 89 percent of nerves had an elevated median threshold of 4.89mA. ? After decompression, nerves had a median threshold of 2.08mA and 70 percent had normal threshold of 1mA. ? After decompression, all 64 nerves had measurable increases in MMG response. ? After decompression, 98 percent of nerves with abnormal pre-compression values had a drop in threshold greater than 1mA.

Dr. Bartol says these findings show that MMG technology "allows the surgeon to make better decisions in the operating room. Inadequate decompression means patients will continue to experience pain after surgery. Better nerve testing during surgery should translate to better outcomes."

The study was funded by Henry Ford Hospital.

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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/MYk-pEAVUZA/130323152444.htm

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শনিবার, ২৩ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Regency Travel and Tours unveils highlights of Qatar | News ...

As the burgeoning city of Qatar rapidly advances becoming ever more attractive to local, regional and international tourists, Regency Travel and Tours - named World?s Leading Travel Agency by the World Travel Awards in 2012 - has unveiled a new hand-guide to the country?s top excursions.

Regency Holidays, the leisure & tours division of Regency Travels and Tours, and a household name for holiday travel in Qatar is launching a new range of exciting serviced tour packages, allowing both locals and expats alike to discover the hidden treasures of Qatar ? 101 Things to do in Qatar.

The ?101 things to do in Qatar? product will offer a range of serviced packages under History, Culture, Adventure, Entertainment, Water Sports, Shopping and Leisure. Whether you?re a Doha resident looking for a fun family weekend or a traveller in transit searching for a spot of culture, Regency Travel and Tours tailored packages and 24 hour booking service make discovering Doha easy.

From afternoons of adventure in your own private desert camp to an evening of romantic dining at a sunken desert dinner table, carved from the sands of the Arabian dunes. See a falcon race across the sky after its prey or take a turn through history at the Museum of Islamic Art. Stroll through Souq Waqif on a hot Doha day and haggle with the spice merchants, watch a wonderful sunset splinter across the Arabian Sea from the deck of your own private Dhow, listen to tales of the undiscovered ocean from the original pearl divers.

From jet skiing, to fishing and horseback riding choose any one of the 101 Things to do in Doha and discover the city as you?ve never seen it, through the eyes of the locals who know best.

101 Things to do in Qatar is the brain child of Regency Travel and Tours, birthed from 26 years of experience as the leading tour operator in the country. As one of the key ambassadors for inbound and outbound tourism in Qatar to both international and local traders, it was only natural that Regency Travel and Tours progress Qatar?s vision 2022 goals to market the country to the next level.

By positioning Qatar as an ideal cultural and luxury leisure destination for individual and family travellers the new range of affordable packages designed by the local Qatari community outlines the numerous opportunities Qatar holds for entertainment under the 101 Things to do in Qatar brand.?

The core objective of this new brand is to expose the possibilities for family and independent entertainment by educating the public and tourism faculties with a series of pamphlets and brochures highlighting prime locations, activities, camps, outings, trainings and recreations.

With an emphasis on quality and service, Regency Holidays will roll-out their new campaign from March 2013 with a series of trademarked red ?101 Things to do in Qatar? branded flyer stands, soon to be available in hotels, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls and gas stations across the country; offering free city-guide brochures to the public, inviting them to experience the city?s best entertainment and excursions.

On a mission to educate the public the Regency Holidays team will be inspiring the industry with a branded road show, enhancing the knowledge of hotel concierges, and sub-agents in the local market with the full list of ?101 Things to do in Qatar?; equipping them with the perfect tool to sell the experience to travellers who might be curious about what the country has to offer in the way of entertainment. With packages created from as short as a two hour shopping blitz to a day of overnight desert camping anything can be easily and affordably arranged through Regency Holidays, depending on the client?s desires and availability. By training these key bodies in the local tourism industry Regency Holidays believe they will be able to provide a better service to visiting guests from neighboring GCC countries and international travellers by giving them a richer and more meaningful experience of Qatar.

The new campaign will involve heavy social media plugs and presence on the recently re-launched website,? www.RegencyHolidays.com and on Facebook, in an effort to captivate a wider audience, promoting the product extensively as the ?101 Things to do in Qatar? gathers momentum and champions itself firmly as the countries number leading city-guide. In 2012 Qatar was named World?s Leading Business Travel Destination by the World Travel Awards.

Recommended

Source: http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/regency-travel-and-tours-unveils-highlights-of-qatar/

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Larry Magid: Households Abandoning Cable and Satellite for ...

My son and daughter, both in their 20s, are part of a growing group of people who have "cut the cord" and no longer watch video via broadcast, cable or satellite TV. The apartments they live in are among the more than five million U.S. homes that, according to a recent Nielsen study, have "zero TV." That's up from just over 2 million in 2007.

But as the report points out, zero TV doesn't mean zero video, nor does it mean that they never sit in front of a TV set. More than 75 percent of these homes still have at least one TV that's being used for DVDs, video games and -- in some cases -- watching Internet video.

Young adults more likely to have Zero TV

As you'd expect, the Nielsen study found that younger adults were much more likely to live in zero TV households than people over 44. Cost was a factor for 36 percent of these homes, but 31 percent of these non-TV households cited "lack of interest." Just as many in my generation jettisoned their antennas in favor of cable, many younger adults are dropping cable or satellite in favor of Internet TV.

My wife and I don't fit into this zero-TV demographic. We have a satellite dish on our roof to beam in live news, special events like the Oscars and Super Bowl and the occasional sitcom, TV drama or American Idol show. But we find ourselves spending a lot less time watching broadcast programs and a lot more watching online video from Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO GO and other sources.

Streaming

We have Roku boxes on our TVs to stream content in high definition on our big living room TV or the smaller sets in our exercise room and bedroom. Roku boxes, which start at $50, are small devices that connect to a wired or wireless home network and plug into a TV, giving you access to nearly 100 channels, including Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, CNet, Disney, NBA Game Time, Al Jazeera English, Blockbuster On Demand and others that I had never heard of. Roku doesn't charge any monthly fees, but some channels do. Game consoles also stream Internet video as do some Blu-ray players.

One thing I like about Netflix, Amazon Prime and a few of some other channels is the ability to stream old TV shows that I can watch sequentially at my own pace. My wife and I, for example are almost done watching all five seasons of Alias. We also devoured all 75 episodes of Friday Night Lights and I'm reliving The West Wing. I've also been known to watch an occasional episode of shows from my youth, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Rockford Files and, purely for the nostalgia value, an occasional episode of Leave It to Beaver.

But streaming isn't just about movies and old TV shows. Netflix is taking a cue from HBO and Showtime by producing its own original content. We watched all 13 episodes of House of Cards, a political drama that debuted this year. Breaking from TV tradition, Netflix released the entire series at once, so viewers could watch them at their own pace. Based on what I saw on Twitter and Facebook, I'm not the only one who watched several episodes per evening rather than having to wait a week between shows as is typical of broadcast and cable networks. When searching for the show, I also came across the original BBC version -- also on Netflix -- which I liked as much as the American adaptation.

Another thing I like about streaming is that I can watch these shows on multiple devices. Sometimes we watch them on our Internet-connected TV, but I also watch them on my laptop when traveling or when I want to sit in the backyard. I also watch shows on my iPad mini, my Kindle Fire HD and a variety of Android tablets. And even though watching video on a smartphone isn't an ideal experience, I've done it on iPhone and Android phones simply because it was convenient, such as when I find myself with a little spare time and not near a laptop or tablet. My daughter often watches video on her phone when she's at the gym, though she has to be careful to stay within her data plan. My Sprint iPhone has unlimited data so I have no qualms using it to watch video.

HBO understands the value of streaming and is making its content available not just on PCs and mobile devices but on Rokus and other Internet streaming services. Yet it's still wedded to the cable and satellite industries. To watch HBO GO, you have to enter your user ID and password from AT&T U-verse, Dish, Time Warner Cable, Xfinity or other participating providers. But it's only a matter of time before content packagers like HBO come to the realization that they can make more money by going directly to consumers.

And, speaking of direct, we may also see more examples of content creators -- the producers, directors, writers and crew that actually make the programs -- figuring out that they too can go directly to the public.

This post first appeared in the San Jose Mercury News and on LarrysWorld.com

?

Follow Larry Magid on Twitter: www.twitter.com/larrymagid

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-magid/my-son-and-daughter-both_b_2929749.html

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Former chef who cooked wife's body gets 15 years to life in prison

By Jason Kandel, NBCLosAngeles.com

A former chef who killed his wife and cooked her body for four days to dispose of her remains was sentenced on Friday to 15 years to life in prison.

David Robert Viens, 49, was convicted of second-degree murder for the slaying of his wife, Dawn, in 2009.

Before Viens was sent back into custody, the victim's sister, Dayna Papin, urged the court to continue to keep Viens locked up.

See original story at NBCLosAngeles.com

"He's going to continue to fight for his freedom, which I hope you don't give to him for a very long time," Papin said.


Viens attended his court proceedings in a wheelchair as a result of injuries suffered when he jumped 80 feet down Inspiration Point in Rancho Palos Verdes on Feb. 23, 2011, after a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy tried to stop his vehicle and Viens' girlfriend tried to stop him from plunging from the oceanfront cliff by grabbing his clothes.

Viens said he argued with his wife and bound her mouth, hands and feet with duct tape because he didn't want her going out driving while intoxicated, prosecutors said.

After he found her dead the next morning, he concocted a plan to cook her remains, prosecutors said.

"I took some, some things like weights that we use and I put them on the top of her body, and I just slowly cooked it and I ended up cooking her for four days," Viens said, according to audio released in court from an interview with deputies.

Defense attorneys argued that Viens did not intend to kill his wife.

Dawn Viens was reported missing by friends and family members three weeks after she was last seen at the couple?s Lomita restaurant, the Thyme Contemporary Caf?, in October 2009.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/29e3365d/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C220C174198710Eformer0Echef0Ewho0Ecooked0Ewifes0Ebody0Egets0E150Eyears0Eto0Elife0Ein0Eprison0Dlite/story01.htm

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শুক্রবার, ২২ মার্চ, ২০১৩

BlackBerry CEO says Samsung?s smartphone security will never be ?top-notch? [updated]

March 22 (Reuters) - San Marino 0 England 8 - World Cup qualifying Group H result. In Serravalle Scorers: Alessandro Della Valle 12og, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 28, Jermain Defoe 35, 78, Ashley Young 39, Frank Lampard 42, Wayne Rooney 54, Daniel Sturridge 70 Halftime: 0-5 Teams: San Marino: 1-Aldo Simoncini; 2-Fabio Vitaioli, 5-Alessandro Della Valle, 6-Davide Simoncini, 3-Mirko Palazzi; 4-Alex Gasperoni, 7-Matteo Vitaioli, 8-Fabio Bollini (19-Carlo Valentini 81), 11-Enrico Cibelli (15-Lorenzo Buscarini 68); 9-Michele Cervellini, 10-Andy Selva (18-Danilo Rinaldi 75) England: 1-Joe Hart; 2-Kyle ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-ceo-says-samsung-smartphone-security-never-top-164004759.html

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Darren Clarke's Grand Designs ? 19th Hole ? The ... - Your Golf Travel

As Darren Clarke is the Your Golf Travel Global Ambassador we thought we?d take a look at the golf courses he has designed to date and what he currently has in the pipeline.

Moyvalley Hotel & Golf Resort

The Moyvalley Hotel & Golf Resort is located in over 500 acres in the beautiful countryside in Kildare, just 50 kilometres west of Dublin. The Resort boasts a selection of 4* accommodation as well as some excellent dining options for its guests. The Balyna House (a magnificent 19th century Italianate mansion) provides 10 of the guestrooms at the resort as well as a glorious backdrop to the championship golf course.

The golf course itself, designed by Darren Clarke, was opened for play in 2007 and has since played host to the 2009 Challenge of Ireland Tournament, an event on the European Challenge Tour. Darren worked closely with European Golf Design to produce this top quality golf course at Moyvalley.

?I?m especially delighted with the greens,? Clarke commented on his first expedition into golf course design,?which are among the best putting surfaces in the country. We created gentle slopes which will make players think about where to place their approach shots, especially when the greens are fast or in windy conditions.?

Obviously as the course was only opened five years ago you shouldn?t be expecting a course steeped in tradition, however if you?re searching for a truly challenging and strategic test of golf on a track with excellently kempt playing surfaces, then you needn?t look any further as Moyvalley is a superb option for those looking to explore the Emerald Isle on their next golf break.


Moyvalley

Large putting surfaces, numerous water hazards and strategically positioned sand-traps are the primary features of this par 72 course which requires a studied, accurate approach rather than a mindless grip and rip it style of play.


Castle Dargan Resort

Local businessman Dermot Fallon purchased the Castle Dargan Golf Resort in 2000 with the ambition to transform a relatively run-down property in the North West of Ireland. After an extensive refurbishment and six years of development the Castle Dargan Resort finally opened in 2007 and now includes a 4* hotel & spa and, naturally, a modern 18-hole parkland golf course.

For the golf course at Castle Dargan Darren teamed up with the renowned Irish architect Patrick Merrigan to create a golf course which is nestled within a 170 acre estate just south of the town of Sligo. They have joined together to create a true masterpiece which is definitely worth a visit if you are travelling anywhere near the North-West of Ireland.

Both the opening and closing three holes at Castle Dargan are very strong, with the marvellous downhill, par-3, 3rd considered the signature hole from the course. From the tee it plays into a wide but shallow putting surface with a large beech tree guarding the approach, it?s a lovely little par-3.

The last three holes on the course are par-4?s, each measuring over 400 yards in length. They offer a superb closing to the round with the 16th heading towards the ruins of Castle Dargan before the final two head back towards the clubhouse.

Darren was very happy to be given the opportunity to help design this magnificent course, he commented, ?All we had to do was pull back some of the covers to reveal a truly outstanding piece of land? We worked with the magnificent mature trees, the old stone walls and natural lakes, and the course unveiled itself, as if it was always there.?


Castle Dargan

This new star is a welcome addition to the County Sligo landscape, providing the ideal balance between the region?s array of terrific coastal courses.


Pinnacle Point Golf Course

The Pinnacle Point Golf Course is the only golf course that Darren has designed, thus far, which is out with the British Isles. Located on the Southern Coast of South Africa, four hours drive East of Cape Town, Pinnacle Point is a proper 18-hole championship course which was laid out by the South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich along with Darren Clarke, in November 2006, who has said Pinnacle Point is ??the best golf course on the planet.?

The cliff top Fynbos golf course influences the golfer to play this difficult course with a certain level of respect due to its unbelievable views and tremendous terrain. The course plays to a par of 72 and is inspired by the seven splendid holes which border the Indian Ocean rock cliffs, four of the holes are played over ocean and cliff!

It was also selected as one of the Top Ten New Golf Courses of the World in 2006 by the American publication Travel and Leisure in January 2007.


Pinnacle Point

Each of the holes at Pinnacle Point have been designed to fit the lay of the land and it?s a true testament to the stunning design that this was achieved.


The Angus

The Angus, on the outskirts of Dundee, will be the most recent addition to the golf course portfolio of Darren Clarke. It is due to start construction soon, in the spring of this year, and is to be completed in 2015. The resort will incorporate a luxury 5* hotel, spa and leisure facilities and, of course, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by the man himself.

Darren has commented on the opportunity has been given to design The Angus, ?When you first glimpse the landscape where The Angus will take shape, you can?t help but feel you?re somewhere Mother Nature intended for golf. It is a stunning location which, as it matures will become an even more memorable experience.?

Angus Golf Resort will be set in more than 200 acres of spectacular Scottish countryside, and the course will boast a number of tee boxes which will mean that the course will range from 6,300-7,000 yards depending on which you choose to play from. The undulating fairways and gorgeously landscaped greens and bunkers will be strong characteristics of The Angus when it finally commences for play.

The Angus will take inspiration from the very famous neighbouring links at Carnoustie, and although it will be a contemporary design, it will still manage to incorporate all that is cherished and looked for by golfers across the globe, of traditional tracks.

The course will be lined by trees indigenous to the area as well as wild grasses and bushes. It will also be able to boast superb views across the neighbouring countryside ? anyone who plays The Angus is guaranteed to feel both inspired and challenged.


The Angus

The ?60 million golf resort will also include elegant holiday lodges, golf club house, golf academy and a private gated community with residential houses overlooking the fairways.


Source: http://www.yourgolftravel.com/19th-hole/2013/03/21/darren-clarkes-grand-designs/

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Kim Kardashian Deposed, Swears True Love for Kris Humphries

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/kim-kardashian-deposed-swears-true-love-for-kris-humphries/

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২১ মার্চ, ২০১৩

Pushing back on Perry (Offthekuff)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Why the London Riots Created a Greater Business Travel Threat ...

Introduction to the London riots threat

If you have business travel to London, you need to read this article. In this article you will discover why the London riots created a greater travel threat than a terrorist attack. We will examine the threat posed by the London riots and demonstrations, terrorist attacks and resulting travel delays, disruptions and changes. At the end of this article, you will have a specific understanding of the required business travel management response and awareness as to why this will happen again.

The London riots and demonstrations has resulted in one of the largest business travel disruptions of 2011.

London Riots and Demonstrations

The London riots and demonstrations have come as a complete surprise to many. It is not a unique event and certainly not unique to the UK. The scale, violence, fire and failure of the authorities is often something expected in other countries but the lack of preparedness for destinations like the UK is common and widespread. Therefore, the lack of preparedness and last-minute scramble to respond and the inability to avoid major business travel disruptions are widespread as a result.

Due to the footprint of disruption, many routes and modes of transport have been negatively affected. Simple commute from the airport, trains and ports to planned accommodation options have been altered and continuous review of hazard or threat assessment are required. Furthermore, travel support providers such as taxis, hotels, restaurants, emergency services an other basic amenities have also been affected, to varying degrees.

Travel and risk managers need to immediately identify:

Affected areas,
Degree of threat,
Affected and exposed (inbound and outbound) business travellers,
Arrival/departure points,
Safe and non-affected areas,
Mitigation or eradication options,
Cost of implementation,
Funds available,
Emergency support,
Accommodation options,
On-going or developing events,
Social or non-business activity,
Insurance claims and compliance requirements,
Cancellation criteria,
Resumption of travel criteria,
Extended event plans,
Travel alternatives (domestic and international)

The London riots have affected multiple support systems related to business and leisure travel. Any leisure travel disruptions will further compound business travel threats such as decreased accommodation options, airport congestion and increased public transport demand. Even simple actions like withdrawing money from an ATM will prove a challenge and compound the hazard/s.

The London riots have had a prolonged affect on UK business travel sector, far greater than the majority of terrorist attacks. Further affects such as planning and preparation for the 2012 Olympics will also contribute to the lingering affects.

A lack of planning and subsequent response capability by businesses could constitute a failure of duty of care, due diligence, corporate social responsibility, workplace health and safety or other related legislation.

Terrorist attacks less of a threat than London riots

With the exception of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, most have limited travel disruption and only affect a narrow band of travellers. Inclusive of the Mumbai terror attack, terrorist attacks typically have clearly defined threat elements (terrorist, bombings, gunfire, etc) whereas the London riots is a constantly changing and unclear threat. Most business travellers will be unprepared for such decision-making demands and lack sufficient experience to make consistent and safe decisions.

Most contemporary business risk management systems focus on location and plausible event threats, then seek to inform or prepare travellers for the best results to mitigate or eliminate the hazards and threats. Therefore, the bulk of business travellers will not be prepared or educated on how to respond in London, with such wide spread disruption and threats. Few will have residual knowledge from information and preparation for such events in other locations, considered more likely to be medium to high risk. Many of the supporting business travel management departments and managers will be equally unprepared and resourced.

A terrorist attack and other similar violent crimes would have a much smaller footprint of disruption, not affected such a wide business travel demographic, not affect business travel support providers so comprehensively or have such a prolonged impact on all exposed.

Routine travel delays, disruptions and changes represent one of the most persistent and probable travel risk management issues.

Travel delay, disruption and changes

Change management and the decision-making involved is one of the most commonly accepted workplace hazard concerns. This is equally relevant to business travel and business travel threats.

The instinctive and guided response of travellers to any delay, disruption or change can significantly affect the outcome of any spontaneous or new hazard as it presents. Particularly when this is the first level of response, before support options and resources can be activated or come into affect.

Travel delays have been triggered due to airport and airline workers unable to get to work, taxi drivers not able to refuel vehicles, hotels and staff overwhelmed, business travellers unprepared and convergence of business and leisure travellers upon all available exit travel nodes.

Access to information, at all levels, the ability to consume and process all the options and explore alternatives is imperative in this and similar travel disruption events. Crisis leadership will succeed more frequently than simple crisis management, to which are dependent upon timely and accurate information from all available resources.

Unfortunately, many will fail to fully understand the gravity of the events, the threats posed and respond or prepare accordingly. While many others exposed will chalk it up to another force majeure or random act that is just part of the rich experience of international travel. Courts, business travellers and peer review increasingly do not share this flippant view.

This scenario and lack of preparedness has been played out numerous times in recent history. Volcanos, volcanic ash affects, Japan's tsunami, airport closures, airline failure and many others have caught business travellers and managers alike unprepared. This disturbing trend will continue.

Conclusion: London riots threat

You should now see why the London riots have a far greater impact and threat to travellers than you may have originally thought. We have examined the business travel threat posed by the London riots, terrorist attacks and resulting travel delays. You now have a specific plan for this and similar events and the required business travel management and response. This will happen again. Perhaps not in London, perhaps not a city wide demonstration but this kind and scale of business travel disruption event will happen more than once before the end of 2011. Review your plan and make the necessary enhancements now.

Source: http://themakingsofanotsograndescape.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-london-riots-created-greater.html

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