Woman charged with murder in NYC subway death

NEW YORK (AP) ? A woman who told police she shoved a man to his death off a subway platform into the path of a train because she has hated Muslims since Sept. 11 and thought he was one was charged Saturday with murder as a hate crime, prosecutors said.

Erika Menendez was charged in the death of Sunando Sen, who was crushed by a 7 train in Queens on Thursday night, the second time this month a commuter has died in such a nightmarish fashion.

Menendez, 31, was awaiting arraignment on the charge Saturday evening, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said. She could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted. She was in custody and couldn't be reached for comment, and it was unclear if she had an attorney.

Menendez, who was arrested after a tip by a passer-by who saw her on a street and thought she looked like the woman in a surveillance video released by police, admitted shoving Sen, who was pushed from behind, authorities said.

"I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up," Menendez told police, according to the district attorney's office.

Sen was from India, but police said it was unclear if he was Muslim, Hindu or of some other faith. The 46-year-old lived in Queens and ran a printing shop. He was shoved from an elevated platform on the 7 train line, which connects Manhattan and Queens. Witnesses said a muttering woman rose from her seat on a platform bench and pushed him on the tracks as a train entered the station and then ran off.

The two had never met before, authorities said, and witnesses told police they hadn't interacted on the platform.

Police released a sketch and security camera video showing a woman running from the station where Sen was killed.

Menendez was arrested by police earlier Saturday after a passer-by on a Brooklyn street spotted her and called 911. Police responded, confirmed her identity and took her into custody, where she made statements implicating herself in the crime, police spokesman Paul Browne said.

The district attorney said such hateful remarks about Muslims and Hindus could not be tolerated.

"The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway commuter's worst nightmare," he said.

On Dec. 3, another man was pushed to his death in a Times Square subway station. A photo of the man clinging to the edge of the platform a split second before he was struck by a train was published on the front page of the New York Post, causing an uproar about whether the photographer, who was catching a train, or anyone else should have tried to help him.

A homeless man was arrested and charged with murder in that case. He claimed he acted in self-defense and is awaiting trial.

It's unclear whether anyone tried ? or could have tried ? to help Sen on Thursday.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday urged residents to keep Sen's death in perspective as he touted new historic lows in the city's annual homicide and shooting totals.

"It's a very tragic case, but what we want to focus on today is the overall safety in New York," Bloomberg told reporters following a police academy graduation.

But commuters still expressed concern over subway safety and shock about the arrest of Menendez on a hate crime charge.

"For someone to do something like that ... that's not the way we are made," said David Green, who was waiting for a train in Manhattan. "She needs help."

Green said he caught himself leaning over the subway platform's edge and realized maybe he shouldn't do that.

"It does make you more conscious," he said of the deaths.

Such subway deaths are rare, but other high-profile cases include the 1999 fatal shoving of aspiring screenwriter Kendra Webdale by a former psychiatric patient. That case led to a state law allowing for more supervision of mentally ill people living outside institutions.

___

Associated Press writer Karen Matthews contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-charged-murder-ny-subway-shove-death-223404308.html

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Bipartisan senators propose curbing filibusters

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A bipartisan group of senators proposed Friday to clamp modest limits on filibusters, hoping to head off a bitter partisan fight over the issue when the new Congress convenes next week and approves its rules.

Led by Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and John McCain, R-Ariz., the group proposed limiting the use of filibusters, the procedural delays minority parties often use to grind the Senate's work to a halt. The proposal would also thwart majority parties from using a counter-tactic ? blocking the minority from offering amendments.

Senate Democrats and Republicans, meeting separately Friday, were each given details of the proposal. Senators and aides said no final decisions were made about what rules the Senate would consider next week, a choice that largely rests in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Complaining that Republicans filibuster too frequently, Reid has threatened to impose even stricter filibuster limits with a simple majority vote ? in effect ramming them through over GOP objections. That could well precipitate retaliatory procedural delays and other steps from Republicans, and poison already frayed partisan relations, even as the two parties face months of complex disputes over taxes, spending, the economy and other issues.

Republicans say they filibuster because Reid often blocks them from offering amendments.

Filibusters require the votes of 60 of the 100 senators to halt. Democrats will have a 55-45 majority in the Senate next year.

The proposal by Levin and McCain would let the majority leader prevent filibusters when the Senate starts debating legislation. It would also reduce the number of filibusters when the Senate is ready to start trying to write compromise legislation with the House.

The group's proposal would also ensure that each party is allowed two amendments to each bill. And it would reduce the number of federal judgeships subject to filibusters, although not for top judges.

"All of us are totally frustrated with this gridlock," McCain told reporters.

Another group of mostly newer Democratic senators, led by Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Tom Udall of New Mexico, said the proposal by Levin and McCain is too weak. Besides limiting the number of filibusters, they want to require that senators who filibuster a bill actually do so by debating on the Senate floor, in hopes of making such delays less frequent and more difficult.

That type of filibuster ? displayed in the 1939 film "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" ? seldom happens. Instead, senators opposing a bill merely inform Senate leaders that they will force the measure to win 60 votes to prevail.

"The heart of the paralysis in the United States Senate is the silent, secret filibuster," Merkley told reporters.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-28-Senate%20Filibuster%20Fight/id-1b0233438a5541779c4657755527e38b

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Judge approves Toyota's settlement

17 hrs.

Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO --?A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval on Friday to Toyota Motor Corp's $1.1 billion settlement of a class-action lawsuit brought by consumers who lost value on their cars due to sudden, unintended acceleration.

U.S. District Judge James Selna in Santa Ana, Calif., scheduled a hearing in June for final approval of the deal, which was announced this week. It provides $500 million in cash for plaintiffs, plus installation of break override systems and a customer support program valued at about $600 million combined.

"Settlement will likely serve the interests of the class members better than litigation," Selna wrote.

Plaintiff lawyer Steve Berman said he was pleased with the favorable comments in Selna's order. Toyota spokeswoman Julie Hamp said the company was gratified by Selna's approval of the settlement, "which will provide value to our customers and provides an extra measure of confidence in their vehicles."

About 16 million Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles sold in the United States spanning the model years 1998 to 2010 are covered by the settlement. Company officials have maintained that the electronic throttle control system was not at fault, instead blaming ill-fitting floor mats and sticky gas pedals.

A study by federal safety officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA found no link between reports of unintended acceleration and Toyota's electronic throttle control system.

Toyota, the No. 3 automaker in the U.S. market, admitted no fault in proposing the settlement, one of the largest U.S. mass class-action litigations in the automotive sector. One plaintiff's law firm called it the largest settlement in U.S. history involving auto defects.

However, the deal does not cover wrongful death or injury lawsuits, believed to total more than 300 according to a Toyota filing in June.

Toyota's recall of its vehicles between 2009 and 2011 relating to the unintended acceleration issue hurt its reputation for reliability and safety.

But the automaker's sales were up almost 29 percent in 2012 through November, compared with a 14 percent increase in the industry, and Toyota's share of the U.S. market has risen to 14.4 percent from 12.7 percent in 2011.

In his order on Friday, Selna said the settlement is fair, given the risks of further litigation and the complicated legal rulings he has issued throughout the case.

"Some of these rulings have been favorable to plaintiffs, some have been favorable to Toyota," Selna wrote. "Were the parties to proceed to a fully litigated result, virtually any outcome would face the risk of uncertainty upon appellate review of these rulings."

Selna also approved up to $200 million in attorneys' fees, saying the amount falls within 25 percent of the total settlement which is the benchmark established by appellate law.

The case is In re: Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. 10-ml-02151.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/judge-oks-toyota-settlement-over-sudden-acceleration-1C7753062

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Taking Care of Your Home's Heating and Air Conditioning Systems ...

Read the rest of this entry ?

Hiring an experienced professional who uses the quality materials and understands heating and cooling system is the most important thing if you need repairs in your home. There are many brands of furnaces that all have different advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your home and location, your utility bill and home temperature can improve dramatically if you purchase an appropriate furnace. Cooling systems are also very different and it is essential to use one that operates effectively. When you meet with a heating and cooling specialist, they will analyze your home and help choose the tools that will meet your needs the best. These specialists can also handle all kinds of heating and cooling repairs. Experience a large difference in your year-round comfort with quality heating and cooling specialists working for you. heating system provo utah

Source: http://www.iamtekken.com/taking-care-of-your-homes-heating-and-air-conditioning-systems-2/

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Booze Blues -- How to care for a hangover |

The hangover ? lots of interesting ways to describe it: ?I have post party trauma?; ?someone slipped me a bad ice cube?; ?suffering the wrath of grapes?; ?the high cost of low living? and my favorite, ?I was over served.?

No matter how you describe it, over indulgence can be painful the morning after. So, as a public service effort on behalf of my readers, I scoured the web for solutions.

First, how does it happen? Aside from the fact that you drank too much (duh), alcohol in large amounts creates a diuretic effect. The body will try to replenish the loss of liquid, often sending a message in the form of dry mouth. According to a researcher at George Mason University, ?the body?s organs will attempt to replenish their own water, usually stealing water from the brain?? Hence, the headache.

While there doesn?t seem to be a sure fire cure, there are lots of remedies. They work by providing chemicals your body needs. Eggs, for example contain cysteine, an amino acid that helps your liver. Potassium, fructose, sodium and, of course, water are beneficial the next day.

The Atlantic Wire has a hangover story that suggests eating a bowl of the Vietnamese soup known as Pho. Some people refer to it as a miracle hangover cure. Here?s an excerpt from Caveday, which has lots of information on hangovers:

?So how did Ph? become nominated as a contender for the?best hangover cure?? For one, it?s a big bowl of soup so you get uber hydrated.? The spices cause you to sweat out all of the toxins and exfoliate the layer of (booze) that has permeated your skin.? To add, soup is comfort food.? You drink soup when you?re sick, and I think that you would agree that you feel sick when you?re hungover.? Lastly, the main ingredient is magic.?

Speaking of Asian remedies, the Japanese suck on Umeboshi, a pickled dried plum/apricot. Apparently, it?s one of Japan?s oldest and best-known hangover cures. The acid raises the pH level easing nausea and stomach pains. The fruit itself provides potassium and sodium.

Here?s what it looks like:

Umeboshi

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I?d rather give up drinking. Or, just stick with bacon and eggs and lots of juice.

Got a remedy you?d like to share?

Source: http://www.boozebusiness.com/2012/12/28/booze-blues/

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Take Care of Expensive Deals With Revised Mortgage Refinance ...

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Source: http://www.sturly.com/take-care-of-expensive-deals-with-revised-mortgage-refinance-and-debt-consolidation-refinance-rates/

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A Size 2 Is a Size 2 Is a Size 8

'Tis the season ? to return all the gifts that didn?t work out. For many recipients, those gifts will be clothes. Even if you are lucky enough to have an aunt who understands and appreciates your style, you still may not get that coveted reindeer sweater in a size that fits. In part, that?s because America?s clothing size system is rather confusing, as the following article, first published in January 2012, explained.

Illustration by Mark Alan Stamaty.

If you are like me, you may have had the following deflating experience: After confidently selecting a pair of jeans in your size from the rack, you find yourself alone in a tiny dressing room, desperately in need of heavy machinery to get them onto your body, wondering why, oh, why clothing sizes don?t make sense.

Cheer up! You?re in excellent historical company; people have been moaning about sizes for the better part of a century. ?I don?t know who the mythical size 36 is who forms the basis of sizing,? complained one indignant retail executive in a 1927 New York Times article, ?but average, tall, short, thin and plump women come into a department store and the 36 size fits none of them.? A young Katharine Graham reported for the Washington Post on a similar subject in 1948: ?As most harassed mothers know,? Graham wrote, ?size 5 in a little girl?s dress can mean almost anything.? It?s enough to make you wonder: Was there ever a time when sizes were standardized?

The federal government did take a stab at it in the early 1940s. That was when the Depression-era Works Progress Administration commissioned a study of the American female body, an effort to instill a method to the sizing madness. At that point, the ready-made clothing industry was in its infancy. If your clothes are made-to-measure?as they were in an earlier era, particularly for wealthy women?there?s no need for a standard set of sizes. But as European couturiers were hobbled by World War II, an American fashion industry developed, with New York as its capital city. New York?s all-star cast of designers, among them Claire McCardell and ?Sophie of Saks,? specialized not in couture but in ready-to-wear. And as wealthy women began to purchase premade clothing, pressure mounted to ensure that it fit in a consistent way.

The ready-to-wear sizing system that existed prior to the ?40s was first developed for menswear. Scholars have found evidence of standardized men?s sizing as far back as the Revolutionary War. By the War of 1812, the Army was in the practice of holding stocks of ready-made uniforms sized according to a single measurement, of the chest?based on the assumption that you could deduce from it a proportional understanding of the rest of a man?s body. So, when manufacturers in the early 20^th century began to produce women?s clothing, they based women?s sizes exclusively on a single measurement: the bust.

The only problem? Bust measurements on their own are not particularly accurate indicators of a woman?s size or of the rest of her proportions. As we all know, some small women have very large breasts, and some large women have very small ones. This sizing conundrum was particularly irksome to the Mail Order Association of America, which was well aware by the late 1930s that women often returned clothing because of poor fit.

In an attempt to resolve this problem, the Works Progress Administration gave two statisticians, Ruth O?Brien and William Shelton, a grant to conduct a nationwide survey of women?s measurements. O?Brien and Shelton sent more than 100 trained operatives out into the field, where they measured almost 15,000 women, taking 59 distinct measurements of the female form. When the data came in, O?Brien and Shelton hoped to determine whether any proportional relationships existed among measurements that could be broadly applied to create a simple, standardized system of sizing.

Sadly, the data didn?t cooperate. The best system O?Brien and Shelton proposed was based primarily on height and weight. But the statisticians wisely recognized that women might balk if a sizing system forced them to confront?or tell a sales clerk?their own exact poundage. As an inferior alternative, they imagined a system based on a single measurement of the upper body and combined that with a height index (regulars, longs, and shorts), and a lower body girth index (regulars, stouts, and slims). ?The nomenclature adopted would probably have to be on some arbitrary basis, as is the present system of shoe sizes, rather than representing the numerical values of some anthropometrical measurement,? O?Brien and Shelton wrote, summing up what is perhaps the pair?s most lasting contribution to modern sizing: Even though a measurement can be extrapolated from a size, the actual numbers we use in women?s sizing are not, themselves, measurements.

?It was pretty impressive, what they did,? says sizing scholar Lynn Boorady, noting that they devised something like 27 different sizes. But, she says, ?It was an obscene number, and obviously not useful for anyone manufacturing.? It wasn?t until almost a decade later that the National Bureau of Standards* (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology) reanalyzed the O?Brien/Shelton data and came up with an official system?one that has served as the basis for all future systems. Women?s sizes were derived from bust size?with all other measurements based on the proportions of an hourglass figure?and represented by even numbers from 8 to 38. These basic sizes were combined with a T, R, or S, to indicate height, and a plus or minus, to represent lower body girth. The system was published as a commercial standard?a recommendation, legally required only for the pattern-making industry?in 1958. The industry was at first enthusiastic about these recommendations, and major mail order companies like Sears and Montgomery Ward started to adopt these government sizes. But enthusiasm eventually flagged. By 1970, the NBS downgraded its Commercial Standard to a Voluntary Product Standard, and by 1983, the government withdrew the standard entirely, damning future generations to inconsistent fits and many, many mail order returns.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=6c74edf52f6a7c45415f4d6f28dbafae

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Children with chronic conditions increasingly use available resources in children's hospitals

Dec. 24, 2012 ? Children with chronic conditions increasingly used more resources in a group of children's hospitals compared with patients without a chronic condition, according to a report that analyzed data from 28 U.S. children's hospitals between 2004 and 2009, and is being published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

To compare inpatient resource use trends for healthy children and children with chronic health conditions of varying degrees of medical complexity, Jay G. Berry, M.D., M.P.H., with Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues, analyzed data from 1,526,051 unique patients hospitalized from January 2004 through December 2009, who were assigned to one of five chronic condition groups.

The authors found that between 2004 and 2009, hospitals experienced a greater increase in the number of children hospitalized with vs. without a chronic condition (19.2 percent vs. 13.7 percent) and the greatest cumulative increase (32.5 percent) was attributable to children with a significant chronic condition affecting two or more body systems. These children accounted for 19.2 percent (n=63,203) of patients, 27.2 percent (n=111,685) of hospital discharges, 48.9 percent (n=1.1 million) of hospital days, and 53.2 percent (n=$9.2 billion) of hospital charges in 2009.

"Children's hospitals must ensure that their inpatient care systems and payment structures are equipped to meet the protean needs of this important population of children," the authors conclude.

Editorial: What Can Be Learned by Residents Caring for Children with Lifelong, Chronic, Complex Conditions?

In an accompanying editorial, Julia A. McMillan, M.D., with Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, writes, "if the data provided by Berry et al can be assumed to be representative of other large pediatric hospitals, there are important implications for pediatric resident education."

"The challenge for residency program directors is to ensure that the lessons learned caring for complex patients with lifelong chronic illness in the inpatient setting are not forgotten when residents see those patients during subspecialty clinic assignments or during their continuity clinic," they conclude.

Editorial: Implications of the Growing Use of Freestanding Children's Hospitals

In another accompanying editorial, Evan S. Fieldston, M.D., M.B.A., M.S., and Steven M. Altschuler, M.D., of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, write, "Freestanding children's hospitals play a unique role in caring for children, particularly those with special needs?Therefore, the implications for the future of pediatric health care and its reimbursement are profound"

"Challenges will continue to be present in how to match patient needs and preferences and how to properly align payment for them. Given limited resources, the obligation of pediatric health care providers to society is to do our best to promote the best outcomes at the right level of efficiency and cost," they conclude.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by JAMA and Archives Journals.

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

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Journal References:

1. Berry JG, Hall M, Hall DE, et al. Inpatient Growth and Resource Use in 28 Children's Hospitals: A Longitudinal, Multi-institutional Study. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.432
2. Julia A. McMillan. What Can Be Learned by Residents Caring for Children With Lifelong, Chronic, Complex Conditions?Caring for Children With Complex Conditions. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1001/2013.jamapediatrics.406
3. Evan S. Fieldston, Steven M. Altschuler. Implications of the Growing Use of Freestanding Children's HospitalsGrowing Use of Freestanding Children's Hospitals. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1001/2013.jamapediatrics.126

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/~3/87ENe5NwKQA/121226081056.htm

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Top 10 open law posts from 2012 | opensource.com

Looking back over the law channel posts of 2012, I was not surprised to see that software patents were a major concern. The high volume of significant patent lawsuits of competitors and rising levels of NPE (aka patent trolls or patent assertion entities) suits has been the subject of both open source community and mainstream media interest.

There were new ideas on patent reform, and an increasing recognition by the public at large that software patents can hinder innovation. We also saw interesting developments in the areas of internet privacy and freedom and copyright law. I'll go out on a limb and make a prediction: there will be more to think about and write about in these areas in 2013.?

Top 10 open*law posts in 2012

1. Closing the software patent loophole: Professor Lemley's new proposal, Jared Engstrom
2. Prometheus bound: An important precedent for the next software patent case, Rob Tiller
3. Oracle v. Google shows the folly of U.S. software patent law, Julie Samuels
4. What SOPA means for [fill in the blank], Ruth Suehle
5. What to do about the "patent troll" problem, Rob Tiller
6. Oracle v. Google and API copyrightability, Richard Fontana
7. Infographic: How patents hinder innovation, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
8. Apple, Samsung, and the white queen's gambit, Andy Updegrove
9. Pinterest and copyright: Why you should keep sharing--and keep pinning, Ruth Suehle
10. Should software patents be abolished?, Rob Tiller

Remembering the SOPA blackout

People and companies across the globe expressed their views about Internet censorship on January 18, 2012. Here's what that day looked like.

What do you think we'll see happen in 2013?

Source: http://opensource.com/law/12/12/software-patents-talk-2012

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Sir Paul Coleridge's gay marriage comments 'have damaged the ...

Calls by a High Court judge for the Government to abandon gay marriage plans have been criticised as troubling and inappropriate by lawyers and a former minister.

In an interview with The Times, Sir Paul Coleridge attacked the coalition?s plans for gay marriage, saying that ministers were wasting efforts on a minority issue which only affected ?0.1 per cent? of the population.

?So much energy and time has been put into this debate for 0.1 per cent of the population, when we have a crisis of family breakdown,? he said. ?It?s gratifying that marriage in any context is centre stage

Source: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article3640912.ece

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New Android device for the Holidays? Download these games first!

I can't figure out what I love more: The smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, or the smell of new electronics that you open on Christmas. Just in case the fat man leaves a new Android device under your tree this holiday, I've compiled a list to jumpstart your mobile gaming. There are so many great games being released all the time in the Google Play store. So many in fact, that it took me a few hours just to narrow my choice down to these few games released in 2012! Just in case these don't tickle your fancy, I've provided some alternative options that are similar for each entry. Down the chimney we go!

This is easily one of my top games of 2012, but it also happens to be a massively entertaining and accessible game which is also free, making this the perfect place to start your mobile gaming career. It?s an auto-scrolling endless runner full of random fun. Proof? You play as a disgruntled evil lab employee who steals a machine gun propelled jetpack. That?s to say nothing of all the vehicles, costumes, and accessories you?ll see as you progress through the ranks. This game was developed by Halfbrick Studios, who also brought us the Fruit Ninja games. You can feel safe starting with pretty much any game from this studio.

Similar Games to Download: The psychedelic Whale Trail offers a similar if more colorful take on the genre, while Off the Leash gives us a similar experience from a top down perspective. Also, it has puppies!

Not so long ago, it felt like we were all drowning in an ocean of towers and creeps with all the tower defense games around. The genre isn?t the unstoppable force it once was, but there are still plenty of gems to enjoy. This little ditty from Com2Us is bright, colorful, and is very well balanced with a whole lot of variety to the missions and modes. Com2Us is one of those developers that has a representative for pretty much every genre. Though not all their games are top notch, this one is definitely worth your time.

Similar Games to Download: Sentinel 3: Homeworld and Fieldrunners make up two of the other best tower defense games on mobile, but if you?re really hardcore, check out the superb reverse tower defense game, Anomaly: Warzone Earth.

I know literally all of you have probably heard of or played Angry Birds by now, but I still think they deserve a mention on this list. Developer Rovio had a fantastic 2012, introducing gravity mechanics and a sci-fi aesthetic in Angry Birds Space, and then refining and mixing those elements with the glory of the original Star Wars trilogy. Star Wars-inspired locations, level designs, characters, and powers make a good game into a great one, and there?s no prequel stuff to be found anywhere! No Jar Jar Binks, no midi-chlorians. Feel free to check out Rovio?s other titles, Amazing Alex and Bad Piggies for more puzzle fun.

Similar Games to Download: If you?d like to continue your physics-based fun, Where?s My Water? from Disney and Cut the Rope from ZeptoLab are both completely fantastic, and each have totally adorable mascots!

Going back to the strategy side of gaming, Great Big War Game is the biggest and best turn based strategy title in the series from Rubicon Development. The previous games, Great Little War Game and GLWG: All Out War, are also excellent titles, but GBWB is the most polished and balanced. It involves the military antics of a character simply called The Generalissimo. The hexagon tiled battlefields of this world seem simple at first, but there is striking depth and complexity. With loads of unit types and maps with a functioning fog of war, this game is sure to keep your tactical side happy. Also, there is a free lite version to try.

Similar Games to Download: A more innovative and novel hex-tiled turn based strategy game is the very intelligent Greed Corp. However, I?ve got to recommend the far more casual yet delightfully sadistic Plague Inc.

Apple named this title from Ubisoft the 2012 game of the year, and I completely agree, but I was totally praising this game before it was cool! Based on the utterly brilliant Rayman: Origins (a platformer to rival even Mario), this auto-scrolling runner manages to keep all the creativity and bizarre charm of its predecessor, but with bite-sized levels and half of the controls removed! Seriously though, they stripped ?Origins? down to its core for this simple game, but it?s just as fun and the visuals are just as jaw-droppingly crisp and vibrant as ever. It?s a bit more challenging than other runners, but do not skip this one.

Similar Games to Download: This is one of a kind, but some other platformers to enjoy include the stylistic and unique Jazz: Trump?s Journey, or the adorable arts and crafts world of Paper Monsters.

My dear readers, we have finally arrived. The more hardcore among you have likely been wondering where all the gunplay and violence realistically rendered in 3D have been hiding in regards to this list. Look no further. Just released a couple weeks ago, Modern Combat 4 continues the Call of Duty-style mobile gaming saga. Modern Combat 3 dropped the ball with its Android port, with tons of bugs and glitches, but Modern Combat 4 is more polished, even if the single player campaign is a bit more repetitive. All the other games on this list are simple, so it might take some more practice and experience to get used to the complex touch controls offered here, but if you want more action packed, console-esque games on your device, this is an explosive place to start.

Similar Games to Download: Gameloft?s sci-fi FPS N.O.V.A. 3 and its predecessors are also excellent. Meanwhile, games like Shadowgun from Madfinger and Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies from Glu Mobile can help round out that trigger finger itch.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/games/articles/13066-new-android-device-for-the-holidays-download-these-games-first

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Syria minister leaves Beirut for fear of arrest

In this image made from video broadcast on Al Arabiya TV late Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, Syrian Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal makes remarks saying he is joining "the people's revolution." The general who heads Syria's military police has defected and joined the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime, one of the highest walkouts by a serving security chief during the country's 21-month uprising, a pan Arab TV station has reported.(AP Photo/Al Arabiya via AP video)TV OUT NO SALES

In this image made from video broadcast on Al Arabiya TV late Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, Syrian Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal makes remarks saying he is joining "the people's revolution." The general who heads Syria's military police has defected and joined the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime, one of the highest walkouts by a serving security chief during the country's 21-month uprising, a pan Arab TV station has reported.(AP Photo/Al Arabiya via AP video)TV OUT NO SALES

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syria's wounded interior minister rushed home from a Beirut hospital on Wednesday for fear he would be arrested after some Lebanese called to put him on trial for his role in a 1986 crackdown by Syrian troops in Lebanon.

In another blow to President Bashar Assad, his commander of military police defected.

The defector, Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, is one of the most senior members of Assad's inner circle to join the opposition during the 21-month-old uprising against authoritarian rule. He appeared in a video aired on Al-Arabiya TV late Tuesday saying the army has been turned into a gang to kill and destroy.

Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar, wounded in a bombing of his ministry in Damascus, left a Beirut hospital before his treatment was finished and flew home to Damascus on a private jet, officials at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport said.

Al-Shaar was wounded on Dec. 12 when a suicide bomber exploded his vehicle outside the Interior Ministry, killing five and wounding many. He was brought to the hospital in neighboring Lebanon a week ago.

A top Lebanese security official told The Associated Press that al-Shaar was rushed out of Lebanon after authorities there received information that international arrest warrants could be issued against him because of his role in the crackdown against protesters in Syria.

Over the past week, some Lebanese officials and individuals have called for al-Shaar's arrest for his role in a 1986 crackdown in the northern city of Tripoli.

In the 1980s, al-Shaar was a top intelligence official in northern Lebanon when Syrian troops stormed Tripoli and crushed the Islamic Unification Movement ? a Sunni Muslim group that then supported former Palestine Liberation Organization chief Yasser Arafat. Hundreds of people were killed in the battles and since then, many in northern Lebanon have referred to al-Shaar as "the butcher of Tripoli."

The Lebanese security official said Lebanese citizens had also begun taking steps to sue al-Shaar for his role during Syria's military domination of Lebanon for decades. Lebanese are deeply divided over the Syria crisis.

Al-Shaar and other Syrian officials are also on a list of people subjected to European Union sanctions for violence against anti-regime protesters in Syria.

"Lebanese officials contacted Syrian authorities and that sped up his departure," said the security official, adding that a Lebanese medical team is expected to go to Damascus to continue al-Shaar's treatment there. "If such arrest warrants are issued, Lebanese judicial authorities will have to arrest him and this could be an embarrassment for the country," he said.

The airport and security officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The Syrian government denied at first that al-Shaar was wounded. Then it emerged that he was brought to the Beirut hospital last week for treatment. It was the second time the minister was wounded in the civil war. He was also injured when a bomb went off on July 18 during a high-level crisis meeting in Damascus, killing four top security officials.

Lebanon and Syria have a long and bitter history.

Syrian forces moved into Lebanon in 1976 as peacekeepers after the country was swept into a civil war between Christian and Muslim militias. For nearly 30 years that followed, Lebanon lived under Syrian military and political domination.

That grip began to slip in 2005, when former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in Beirut. Syria was widely accused of involvement ? something it has always denied ? and Damascus was forced to withdraw its troops. Even so, Damascus has since maintained considerable power and influence in Lebanon.

Shortly after he arrived in Beirut for treatment last week, anti-Syrian politicians, including legislators Jamal Jarrah and Mohammed Kabbara, called for al-Shaar's arrest. Another call came this week, when Lebanese lawyer Tarek Shandab filed a complaint to the country's prosecution accusing al-Shaar of "genocide and ethnic cleansing" in Tripoli.

In another setback for the regime, the defection of the military police chief came as military pressure builds on the regime, with government bases falling to rebel assault near the capital Damascus and elsewhere across the country.

The defector al-Shallal appeared in a video aired on Al-Arabiya TV late Tuesday saying he is joining "the people's revolution."

Dozens of generals have defected since Syria's crisis began in March 2011. In July, Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass was the first member of Assad's inner circle to break ranks and join the opposition.

Al-Shallal is one of the most senior and held a top post at the time that he left. He said in the video that the "army has derailed from its basic mission of protecting the people and it has become a gang for killing and destruction." He accused the military of "destroying cities and villages and committing massacres against our innocent people who came out to demand freedom."

Thousands of Syrian soldiers have defected over the past 21 months and many of them are now fighting against government forces. Many have cited attacks on civilians as the reason they switched sides. Anti-regime activists estimate more than 40,000 have died in the past 21 months.

In violence on Wednesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government shelling in the northeastern province of Raqqa killed at least 20 people, including eight children, three women and nine others. An agricultural area near the village of Qahtaniyeh was hit by the shelling.

An amateur video showed the bodies of a dozen people including children lying in a row inside a room. Some of them had blood on their clothes, while weeping could be heard in the background.

The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting on the events depicted.

Also Wednesday, activists said rebels were attacking the Wadi Deif military base in the northern province of Idlib. The base, which is near the strategic town of Maaret al-Numan, has been under siege for weeks.

In October, rebels captured Maaret al-Numan, a town on the highway that links the capital Damascus with Aleppo, Syria's largest city and a major battleground in the civil war since July.

The attack on Wadi Deif comes a day after rebels captured the town of Harem near the Turkish border. The rebels have captured wide areas and military posts in northern Syria over the past weeks.

In Lebanon, airport officials in Beirut said Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad and Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous flew early Wednesday to Moscow.

Their visit to Moscow comes two days after Assad met in Damascus with Lakhdar Brahimi, the international envoy to Syria. Brahimi, who is scheduled to go to Moscow as well, gave no indication of progress toward a negotiated solution for the civil war.

Brahimi is still in Syria and met Tuesday with representatives of the opposition National Coordination Body, state-run news agency SANA said. The head of the group, Hassan Abdul-Azim, said Brahimi briefed them on his efforts to reach an "international consensus, especially between Russia and the United Stated to reach a solution."

NCB spokesman Rajaa al-Naser said his group said there must be an end to violence and formation of a "transitional government with full prerogatives."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-26-Syria/id-84c478a8332d49b18c24614a0958004f

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Is a messy desk holding you back? ? Business Management Daily ...

If you?re having a hard time staying focused, the mess on your desk could be partly to blame, writes Mike Michalowicz at American Express OPEN Forum. However, you can get more productive by making a few simple adjustments to your habits and workspace, he writes.

• Cut the clutter. Nothing is more distracting than a pile of papers on your desk. Create a to-do list and put the papers away until you need them.
• Don?t watch the clock. Staring at the time can add unnecessary stress, so put your clock someplace where you can?t see it.
• Hide your desk toys. Desk toys are a ready-made distraction. Put them out of reach so you aren?t tempted to fiddle with them.
• Stretch your legs. Get up and do some physical activity at regular intervals. Sitting for too long can make it hard to concentrate.

? Adapted from ?Is Your Desk Destroying Your Productivity?? Mike Michalowicz, OPEN Forum.

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Benghazi review finds systematic security faults

WASHINGTON (AP) ? An independent panel charged with investigating the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Libya that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans has concluded that systematic management and leadership failures at the State Department led to "grossly" inadequate security at the mission in Benghazi.

"Systematic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the State Department resulted in a Special Mission security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place," the panel said.

The report singled out the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Bureau of Near East Affairs for criticism, saying there appeared to be a lack of cooperation and confusion over protection at the mission in Benghazi, a city in Eastern Libya that was relatively lawless after the revolution that toppled Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

Despite those failures, the Accountability Review Board determined that no individual officials ignored or violated their duties and recommended no disciplinary action now. But it also said poor performance by senior managers should be grounds for disciplinary recommendations in the future.

The report appeared to break little new ground about the timeline of the Benghazi attack during which Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens, information specialist Sean Smith and former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods ? who were contractors working for the CIA ? were killed. Stevens' slaying was the first of a U.S. ambassador since 1988.

But it confirmed that contrary to initial accounts, there was no protest outside the consulate and said responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the terrorists who attacked the mission.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, administration officials linked the attack to the spreading protests over an American-made, anti-Islamic film that had begun in Cairo earlier that day. Those comments came after evidence already pointed to a distinct militant attack. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice appeared on numerous TV talk shows the Sunday after the attack and used the administration talking points linking it to the film. An ensuing brouhaha in the heat of the presidential campaign eventually led her to withdraw her name from consideration to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state in President Barack Obama's second term.

The review board determined that there had been no immediate, specific tactical warning of a potential attack on the 11th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. However, the report said there had been several worrisome incidents in the run-up to the attack that should have set off warning bells.

While criticizing State Department management in Washington along with the local militia force and contract guards that the mission depended on for protection, the report said U.S. personnel on the ground in Benghazi "performed with courage and readiness to risk their lives to protect their colleagues in a near-impossible situation."

It said the response by Diplomatic Security agents on the scene and CIA operatives at a nearby compound that later came under attack itself had been "timely and appropriate" but absolved the military from any blame. "There was simply not enough time for armed U.S. military assets to have made a difference."

The State Department sent a classified version of the report to lawmakers on Tuesday and shortly thereafter released an unclassified version. The report made 29 recommendations to improve embassy security, particularly at high threat posts. In an accompanying letter to Congress, Clinton thanked the board for its "clear-eyed, serious look at serious systemic challenges" and said she accepted all the recommendations.

Some of those challenges were revealed in earlier congressional hearings when several State Department officials discussed competing demands for security and cost prohibitions.

Clinton said the department had already begun to implement some of the recommendations. They include increasing by several hundred the number of Marine guards stationed at diplomatic missions throughout the world, relying less on local security forces for protection at embassies, consulates and other offices, and increasing hiring and deployment of highly trained Diplomatic Security agents at at-risk posts.

Members of local Libyan militias provided some security around the consulate, but in the attack it became unclear whose side they were on.

The report also called on Congress to fully fund the State Department's security initiative, noting that budget constraints in the past had led some management officials to emphasize savings over security despite numerous requests from the Benghazi mission and embassy in Tripoli for enhanced protection.

"For many years the State Department has been engaged in a struggle to obtain the resources necessary to carry out its work with varying degrees of success," it said. This has led to efficiencies but also "had the effect of conditioning a few State Department managers to favor restricting the use of resources as a general orientation."

It said the number of Diplomatic Security staff in Benghazi before and on the day of the attack "was inadequate despite repeated requests ... for additional staffing."

"The solution requires a more serious and sustained commitment from Congress to support State Department needs, which, in total, constitute a small percentage of the full national budget and that spent for national security," it said. "Congress must do its part to meet this challenge and provide necessary resources."

Congress has denied some funding requests from the State Department for more security.

In her letter to lawmakers, Clinton urged Congress to support the department's security requests, noting that "all of us ... have a responsibility to provide the men and women serving this country with the best possible security and support."

Retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering and a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, led the independent review, studying thousands of pages of cables and other documents, hours of video and intelligence and interviewing more than 100 people, including survivors. They will testify before the House and Senate foreign affairs committees behind closed doors on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the State Department's two deputy secretaries, William Burns and Thomas Nides, will testify in open sessions before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Clinton was to have appeared at Thursday's hearing but canceled after fainting and sustaining a concussion last week while recovering from a stomach virus that dehydrated her. Clinton is under doctors' orders to rest.

The Benghazi attack has highlighted the larger question of how U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers can do their jobs in unstable environments, as al-Qaida spreads across Africa, without also expanding their security. Diplomats have said that overreacting to the attack could produce what some are calling a "Benghazi effect" that would wall them off from the people they are supposed to be engaging.

In her letter to lawmakers, Clinton said, "We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security" but she stressed that "our diplomats cannot work in bunkers."

"We must accept a level of risk to protect this country we love and to advance our interests and values around the world," she said.

___

AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.

___

Online:

The report: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/202446.pdf

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/benghazi-review-finds-systematic-security-faults-022048643.html

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German state of Schleswig-Holstein orders Facebook to allow pseudonyms

While some countries are insisting that web users hand over their real names, a German state has ordered Facebook to start letting people use fake handles online "immediately." The office of the Data Protection Commissioner in the state of Schleswig-Holstein said that Facebook's real name policy violates the German Telemedia Act and promised to fine the company $26,000 if it fails to allow pseudonyms within two weeks. The decree doesn't hold water in other German regions, but Schleswig-Holstein's commissioner said that colleagues elsewhere agree with the order, and that his state is being used a pilot to test the law. Facebook said it'll fight the order "vigorously," calling it "a waste of German taxpayer's money," and added that its policy already complies with European laws. We'll have to see whether this turns into yet another privacy tiff with the nation, or if it's just a lot of sturm & drang in a teapot.

Filed under: Internet, Facebook

Comments

Via: BBC

Source: Schleswig Holstein

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/18/german-state-orders-facebook-to-allow-pseudonyms/

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Resistance to cocaine addiction may be passed down from father to son

Dec. 16, 2012 ? Research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reveals that sons of male rats exposed to cocaine are resistant to the rewarding effects of the drug, suggesting that cocaine-induced changes in physiology are passed down from father to son. The findings are published in the latest edition of Nature Neuroscience.

"We know that genetic factors contribute significantly to the risk of cocaine abuse, but the potential role of epigenetic influences -- how the expression of certain genes related to addiction is controlled -- is still relatively unknown," said senior author R. Christopher Pierce, PhD, associate professor of Neuroscience in Psychiatry at Penn. "This study is the first to show that the chemical effects of cocaine use can be passed down to future generations to cause a resistance to addictive behavior, indicating that paternal exposure to toxins such as cocaine can have profound effects on gene expression and behavior in their offspring."

In the current study, the team used an animal model to study inherited effects of cocaine abuse. Male rats self-administered cocaine for 60 days, while controls were administered saline. The male rats were mated with females that had never been exposed to the drug. To eliminate any influence that the males' behavior would have on the pregnant females, they were separated directly after they mated.

The rats' offspring were monitored to see whether they would begin to self-administer cocaine when it was offered to them. The researchers discovered that male offspring of rats exposed to the drug, but not the female offspring, acquired cocaine self-administration more slowly and had decreased levels of cocaine intake relative to controls. Moreover, control animals were willing to work significantly harder for a single cocaine dose than the offspring of cocaine-addicted rats, suggesting that the rewarding effect of cocaine was decreased.

In collaboration with Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili, MS, PhD, from MGH, the researchers subsequently examined the animals' brains and found that male offspring of the cocaine-addicted rats had increased levels of a protein in the prefrontal cortex called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is known to blunt the behavioral effects of cocaine.

"We were quite surprised that the male offspring of sires that used cocaine didn't like cocaine as much," said Pierce. "While we identified one change in the brain that appears to underlie this cocaine resistance effect, there are undoubtedly other physiological changes as well and we are currently performing more broad experiments to identify them. We also are eager to perform similar studies with more widely used drugs of abuse such as nicotine and alcohol."

The findings suggest that cocaine use causes epigenetic changes in sperm, thereby reprogramming the information transmitted between generations. The researchers don't know exactly why only the male offspring received the cocaine-resistant trait from their fathers, but speculate that sex hormones such as testosterone, estrogen and/or progesterone may play a role.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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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/top_news/~3/F5rQOftteu0/121216132513.htm

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It's Called Love...: Baby showers and the family Nativity

After much planning and thought, me and Amy decided to have her baby shower on Saturday the 15th - the last day my mom would be here visiting. We assumed that Amy would have the baby early (Everyone else in our family has) and even if she lasted all the way to her due date, she would be induced and be able to make it to the baby shower with her new little one in tow. All planned and perfect, except that things don't always go as planned.... Amy had an emergency C-section because her body wasn't progressing in labor and she has to stay in the hospital for a couple of extra days, which happened to overlap her baby shower.

Even though the guest of honor wasn't there we still had the shower and let everyone know who came where the new mom was and that they could go and visit her if they wanted to. Some stayed anyway and enjoyed the refreshments. Others dropped their present and ran when they found she wasn't there - I guess they didn't want to hang out with complete strangers :) Can't say I blame them.?

Here's what her shower looked like:

We had a hot chocolate bar with 3 kinds of cocoa: mint truffle, creamy hot chocolate, and cherry chocolate.

Once the baby shower ended and all the guests went home our family enjoyed a yummy lunch of pizza and salad, and we headed up to the hospital to do our annual Christmas Nativity with baby Grace playing the part of Baby Jesus

The hospital didn't like us all there - can't say I blame them. We had a lot of people on the floor with a whole bunch of newborns and it's RSV season.

Claire got some new fun things for Christmas from some close friends - she was excited!

Source: http://davisdownload.blogspot.com/2012/12/baby-showers-and-family-nativity.html

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Worldwide Wow: Internet Promotion Ideas To Try Today | Jim ...

Mistakes Are Costing You! Learn To Stop?Making ALL 189 Of Them!

Struggling With WordPress? 100+ Step-By-Step Videos Now Available!

Posted by Administrator on Dec 17, 2012 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

If you have a product to sell, you do not want to put it in the internet ocean without proper preparation. It might sink, not swim. You could for instance sell a product you crafted yourself. You have to get the opinion of trusted sources and know all of the details. The tips below will give you just such directions on how to organize your business for success.

Be sure to include photographs and other graphics that highlight the good qualities and uses of your product or service. People will be very appreciative if they can get an in-depth look at items before they order them. Consider adding an option which allows customers to upload pictures of your products. Showcasing ?before and after? photos can also be an effective marketing technique.

Create a unique image that will encourage your potential customers to choose your website rather than another. For example, you could create an informative e-book or downloadable worksheets to be used during the course of customers? business. If you give your visitors something they can only get from you, they are much more likely to stick around.

TIP! Write articles about your business and send them to magazines for publishing. Do not forget to put in information about both your business and website.

Make sure you utilize social media. Set up a fan page on Facebook so that your customers can leave feedback, get news, and connect with each other. This can dramatically increase your online visibility. Also, make sure that you establish a Twitter name to facilitate communication.

Think about how pertinent your service or product really is. If your product is sub-par, no amount of Online marketing will change that. Choosing a good product in the first place will help you make profits more easily.

You need to analyze your website with a critical eye. Is your site user friendly? Is the material that you present legible? Can they order product easily and quickly? It is a waste of time and effort to strive to bring new visitors to your site if your website is uninteresting or the layout is confusing. Potential customers can be turned off by these types of sites, and this can result in lost sales.

TIP! Empowering your customers to feel that they make a difference to your business helps them feel invested and valued as a customer. This is so important with a market filled with spam.

Read some psychological studies about web pages and marketing on the net. Aspects of your website, like the colors used and the overall layout, can have major effects on how consumers react to your brand. If you fully understand the implications of these connections, you can apply that knowledge to drive profits.

Consider building real social aspects into your business website. Your site will see lots of returning traffic when people come back to converse with other site visitors and customers. This also keeps your website front and center in peoples? minds. Offer people an easy way to advertise your site on theirs.

A solid Website marketing campaign will procure more buzz for your business and lead to additional opportunities for Web marketing. If you can make a cycle that includes customers and a search they often use, they can locate your business and purchase your products.

TIP! It is important to know what audience you want to reach and what sort of content will make them want to visit your site. Once you know who you are targeting, it should be easy for you to find the content that will entice them to visit your site over and over again.

Note the vocabulary that people use when discussing your brand online, and utilize that vocabulary in your future online marketing campaigns. This will help you communicate with your customer in their own language. Using the sort of language that your target audience already employs will increase the impact of your marketing missives.

You want to entice your audience as much as you can, so they can know more information about the product and be more apt to buy. Customers like to feel that they are making an informed decision before purchasing your product. This shows that you are not focused on a sale but want to inform them about your product, and then they can decide to purchase it or not.

TIP! Even small, internet based businesses can benefit from a slogan and a good logo. Slogans and logos are important in helping to build your brand by giving customers a way to remember you.

Customers always appreciate a freebie, so offer rewards for ordering by a certain date or time. You could offer discounted shipping or a free gift for ordering by a certain date. You may want to offer free shipping to the first hundred people purchasing a new product. This is just one of the many great ways you can find to entice visitors into becoming customers.

When experimenting with the text you will use for your website, try out different emphasis tools. Draw focus to words or phrases that you want to highlight by using bold text, underlining the phrases or italicizing the words. Use of these fonts can help convey messages to your readers, as well as help organize the appearance of your article.

While reading these tips, the wheels should be turning in your brain to help you organize your thoughts into sound business principles. Take the tips and techniques discussed in this article and put them into practice. From there, you can forecast a realistic income and bask in your success.

TIP! If you want to buy a great domain name for your website, it will cost you. It is likely that you will not be able to find a perfect match between your domain name and your business.

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Source: http://leucabiz.com/blog/worldwide-wow-internet-promotion-ideas-to-try-today/

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School shooter was 'very nervous around people'

Investigators and former classmates of Connecticut school shooter Adam Lanza say he was bright, but extremely shy and remote. NBC's Pete Williams reports.

By NBC News staff and wire services

Updated at 8 p.m. ET: A picture of Adam Lanza slowly emerged Saturday, as acquaintances said his behavior included pressing up against walls to avoid others and clutching his briefcase. Investigators, meanwhile, said they hoped that "very good evidence" found at his home would shed light on what pushed him to kill 26 children and teachers as well as his mother.

Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance said Saturday that investigators had found "very good evidence ... that our investigators will be able to use in painting the complete picture, the 'how' and, more importantly, the 'why this occurred.'"

But he would not elaborate and the mystery deepened as education officials in Newtown, Conn., said they had found no link between Lanza's mother and the school, contrary to news reports that said she was a teacher there.

---

Investigators said they believe Lanza, 20, attended Sandy Hook Elementary many years ago, but they had no explanation for why he went there on Friday.

Lanza shot and killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, at the home they shared, then drove to the school in her car, forced his way inside and opened fire in two classrooms, authorities said. Within minutes, he killed 20 children, six adults and himself.

Authorities said Lanza had no criminal history; it was not clear whether he had a job.?

His father, who learned about the shooting from a reporter at the Stamford Advocate, said in a statement that he was in a "state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can." Lanza said he has cooperated with law enforcement and will continue to do so.

Meanwhile, acquaintances described the former honor student as smart but odd and remote.

"We would hang out, and he was a good kid," Joshua Milas told The Associated Press. He said he had not seen Lanza in a few years. "He was probably one of the smartest kids I know. He was probably a genius."

"(His mother) pushed him really hard to be smarter and work harder in school," Tim Arnone told Reuters. He first met Lanza at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"He was very different and very shy and didn't make an effort to interact with anybody" in his 10th-grade English class at Newtown High School, Olivia DeVivo told the AP. DeVivo, now a student at the University of Connecticut, said Lanza always came to school toting a briefcase and wearing his shirt buttoned all the way up.

"Now looking back, it's kind of like 'OK, he had all these signs,' but you can't say every shy person would do something like this," she said.

Richard Novia ? who until 2008 was the school district's head of security and adviser to the school's technology club, of which Lanza was a member ? described Lanza to the AP as "a loner."

"You had yourself a very scared young boy, who was very nervous around people," he added.

Novia said Lanza had extreme difficulties relating to fellow students and teachers, as well as a strange bodily condition: "If that boy would've burned himself, he would not have known it or felt it physically."

Lanza would also go through crises that would require his mother to come to school to deal with them. Such episodes might involve "total withdrawal from whatever he was supposed to be doing, be it a class, be it sitting and reading a book," Novia told the AP.

When people approached Lanza in the hallways, he would press himself against the wall or walk in a different direction, clutching his black briefcase "like an 8-year-old who refuses to give up his teddy bear," said Novia, who now lives in Tennessee.

Even so, Novia said his primary concern about Lanza was that he might become a target for teasing or abuse by his fellow students, not that he might become a threat himself.

"Somewhere along in the last four years there were significant changes that led to what has happened Friday morning," Novia said. "I could never have foreseen him doing that."

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Authorities say the man behind one of the worst mass shootings in US history was a 20-year-old whose mother worked at the school and whose brother has told them he had a history of mental problems. NBC's Pete Williams reports.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/15/15933406-connecticut-school-shooter-was-very-nervous-around-people?lite

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