Thursday, May 31, 2012

Figuring Out the Source of Your Back Pain | Karmanos Crittenton

If you?re trying to find out the causes of back pain, this article will provide you with some answers. The fact is, however, that this is a symptom that has a great many causes, and sometimes it takes medical tests to be certain. Discovering, or recognizing, what is causing your back pain can help you find out how to handle it, but it may not always be enough information to cause it to stop altogether. Are you one of those people who sit for a long time without getting up to stretch? It may surprise you to learn that this can lead to backaches and back pain. Simply sitting, in whatever kind of chair or seat, is the culprit here. The chair can be comfortable, or uncomfortable, and that doesn?t seem to make a difference. The fact is, sitting down puts a lot more pressure on your back than standing or walking. Office workers, draftsmen, and writers ? who spend hours on the computer ? are all vulnerable to back pain. There is a trend in some businesses to change over to desks that let you stand up and work. Draftsmen, for example, often stand at their drawing boards instead of working seated. There?s also the fact that your health and well-being will be improved if you spend more time moving around and standing than if you are seated. This has been proven by research. You may not want to stand and work, or you don?t have an adjustable desk. If so, take frequent breaks and walk around. You back will enjoy the change if you just get up, walk around, stretch, and then go back to work. If you have ever had an injury to your back, this may be what is causing your pain. If you have ever had a fall or impact that damaged your spine, your back may be injured as a result of this incident. Most individuals that have a car wreck will injure their back even if the impact was slight. If you play football, you may be susceptible to spinal injuries too. Exercises that strengthen your back, when done in the right way, can actually help you prevent injuries. Certain exercises must be done carefully or else you may injure your spine while working out. The best way to exercise is to use the right amount of weight for your level and to work out with proper style. There are a lot of other diseases and illnesses that have back pain in their list of side effects. With diabetes, there is always the chance of pain in many parts of the body, and back pain is one common area for pain to be a problem. One reason for this is that diabetes affects the immune system and causes a variety of nerve disorders. This can result in pain in many parts of the body, and this often includes the back. If you have diabetes, it?s very important to control your blood glucose, and doing this can help avoid this type of neuropathy, or nerve pain. Getting rid of your excess weight will not only help you control your diabetes but, as mentioned above, can help alleviate back pain due to stress on your spine. Suffering from back pain is very distressing. In fact, it can make it extremely difficult to even rise out of bed each day. You will more easily be able to prevent back pain from returning if you have been able to find out the root cause of your pain. If your back pain is caused by health issues, it?s wise to get those problems taken care of first. If not, simply pay attention to your overall health and fitness, your diet, and any other issues in your life that may lead to back pain. learn more about healing back pain naturally or the similar topic of back pain therapy in india .

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Analysis: Investors may be stoking the volatility they fear

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Are there any side effects from smoking electronic cigarettes?

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Since its release 6 years ago, the electronic cigarette has been hailed as the miracle cure for tobacco smokers who want to quit the habit. It?s proved to be extremely effective and appears to work for those smokers who tried and failed to quit using nicotine patches and other nicotine replacement therapies. However, it?s worth noting at the outset that manufacturers of smokeless cigarettes have never claimed that these products would help smokers to quit: only those who had the desire and willpower would ever successfully beat the habit. Electronic cigarettes were only sold as ?safer smoking? devices.?

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They claim to be safer because they do not contain any of the toxic chemicals normally found in tobacco and they are also non-combustible. Smokeless cigarettes only contain nicotine, propylene glycol, water and a flavouring agent. However, because these products are unlicensed there have been calls for the product to be withdrawn from sale until extensive independent investigation about the safety of the product is undertaken. So just how safe are electronic cigarettes, and are there any known side effects if you smoke them?

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All of the ingredients in smokeless cigarettes, other than nicotine, are present in a variety of food and pharmaceutical products. In fact, propylene glycol has been used since the 1950s in asthma inhalers, as a compound that retains water. Smokeless cigarettes use the compound to help turn the water, nicotine, and flavouring into a vapour that you can inhale just like tobacco smoke. Nicotine is a natural product and is found in many of the foods we regularly consume. The Royal College of Surgeons has gone on record as saying that nicotine as a compound, although addictive, is no more harmful than caffeine when consumed in normal doses.

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A two year controlled study has also shown that nicotine alone does not have any deleterious effects on health. In the study, rats were subjected to an amount of nicotine equal to twice the amount found in the bloodstreams of heavy smokers. The research demonstrated that there was no evidence of increased mortality, the formation of tumors, or atherosclerosis during the trials. The only thing it did show was that the weight of the rats did decrease as a result of the exposure to nicotine.

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However, if too much nicotine is consumed by the body there can be side effects. That in itself is no different than many other products. Consuming too much nicotine can cause side effects like irregular heartbeats, diarrhoea, nausea, headache, dizziness, and fainting, though the severity of any side effects will depend on the user?s tolerance to nicotine. Medical advice is that ex-smokers, who switch to electronic cigarettes for their nicotine fix, should not use the product any more regularly than they would have done if they had continued to smoke tobacco.

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Advice To Help You Buy And Sell Commercial Properties Easily ...

Learn about Net Operating Income, or NOI, a metric in commercial real estate. To be a success, you need to be able to stay on the positive number side.

If you?d like to rent out the properties you purchase, it?s best to buy a simple building with solid construction. These will attract potential tenants quickly because they know that these properties are well-cared for. This type of property will also make maintenance much easier on both you and your tenant.

One of the most important things you should be aware of is emergency maintenance. Talk to the building?s landlord about the person who currently handles emergency repairs. Know the phone numbers, and be aware of their response time. Your landlord should be able to provide you a list of emergency contacts so that you can map out a safe and well organized emergency plan, in case an emergency happens during normal business hours.

Before purchasing commercial real estate, consider the area in which it is located. You may be liable for cleanup of a property that has been environmentally damaged from prior use. Are you aware of whether or not the property is located on a flood plain? Be sure to consider this issue very carefully. If you are thinking about purchasing a property, be sure to contact an environmental assessment agency to get important information.

Invest in real estate that has a large number of units. With more units, you will give yourself a better chance of realizing a significant profit from your property. Serious investors will not be interested by a building that has less than a dozen units.

It helps if you show people you know what you are talking about, so try writing a newsletter or have a website. You will then have a better chance of locating people who want to purchase your properties or lease space from you.

Take a look around properties you are interested in. Think about asking a contractor to assist you in evaluating each of the properties, since they will likely see things that you may miss. Use what you see in these tours to determine a fair opening offer. Evaluate counteroffers against the information you collected on your tours, and use that information to justify your own counteroffers.

At first, you may be required to spend a significant amount of time on a commercial investment. You will have to hunt for a good opportunity, and once you have bought property, you might have to do some repairs or remodel it. However, don?t give up just because this will take time. Your rewards will come later.

Think about long-term economic conditions before investing in real estate. Be prepared for large-scale inflation during the next couple of years. In years gone by, leases might have a clause to protect signers from rapid inflation. Unfortunately, in today?s market, this practice is very seldom used. This can make you defenseless against the consequences of inflation.

Find your financing before you do anything else. Loan products and commercial lenders are different than that of home loans. Depending on how you view the situation, they are often better. While a commercial loan will require larger down payments, banks will more readily allow you to borrow money from a business partner. You are also protected from personal liability if things go wrong.

People who invest in commercial real estate know the threat associated with fluctuating interest rates. Economic turbulence can both boost and fell interest rates with a disconcerting lack of warning, leaving investors prone to possibly serious hikes in their interest rates. Think about this when you are out shopping for a new property. Consider what your long-term options are.

As a new investor you should focus on one area of investment only. You want to only choose one property type to give your undivided attention to. It is preferred to excel in one type instead of being mediocre in many types.

Each property has a certain lifetime. You could make a big mistake by ignoring what you may eventually have to spend in order to keep up with the upkeep of the property. The building may need repairs or updates to its systems. Every building will eventually need to have some work done on it. Make certain you are prepared to deal with these issues long range.

It is important to be aware of all of the environmental issues and obligations related to your property. Hazardous waste on the property is a large area of concern. If you own the property, then you are responsible for remediating any problems. It does not matter whether you are the person who caused the problem; you must be the person who fixes it.

A variety of kinds of commercial property real estate brokers exist. Some brokers or agents only work with tenants, while others will serve both tenants and landlords. You may benefit significantly better from hiring the services of a broker working with tenants exclusively, as he has significantly more experience representing tenants successfully.

Before you move into your new space, it may need to be improved. These may be simply applying new paint or a change in furnishings. In many cases, the changes include moving walls to rearrange the floorplan. Be sure to negotiate who is responsible for these changes ahead of time so that you do not have to pay for the full cost.

As previously discussed, successfully purchasing and managing commercial properties takes knowledge, hard work and time. It also takes perseverance in the face of adversity. If you continue to develop your business sense, and use the tips you just learned, you will own a great commercial property in no time.

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Franchitti earns nearly $2.5 million for Indy win

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AP Exclusive: Calif. 9/11 fund raided for deficits

(AP) ? After the 2001 terrorist attacks, California lawmakers sought a way to channel the patriotic fervor and use it to help victims' families and law enforcement. Their answer: specialty memorial license plates emblazoned with the words, "We Will Never Forget."

Part of the money raised through the sale of the plates was to fund scholarships for the children of California residents who perished in the attacks, while the majority ? 85 percent ? was to help fund anti-terrorism efforts.

But an Associated Press review of the $15 million collected since lawmakers approved the "California Memorial Scholarship Program" shows only a small fraction of the money went to scholarships. While 40 percent has funded anti-terror training programs, $3 million was raided by Gov. Jerry Brown and his predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to plug the state's budget deficit.

Millions more have been spent on budget items with little relation to direct threats of terrorism, including livestock diseases and workplace safety.

Moreover, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has been advertising the plates as helping the children of Sept. 11 victims even though the state stopped funding the scholarship program seven years ago. The specialty plate fund continues to take in $1.5 million a year.

Californians who lost loved ones in the attacks take the raid on the license plate fund as an affront to the memory of those who died.

"I can't believe that they would do that," said Candice Hoglan, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and bought a plate to commemorate her nephew, Mark Bingham. "We're paying extra for the plate; we're making a point, and it means a lot to us."

Bingham was killed on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, and was one of the passengers who led the attempt to wrest control from the hijackers. His mother, Alice Hoagland, also was troubled by the program's apparent drift from its original purpose.

"I'm sorry that as we retreat in time from 9/11, we seem to be retreating in our resolve never to forget," she said in a telephone interview.

The plates, which cost an initial $50 plus a $40 annual renewal fee, feature an American flag partially obscured by clouds and the "never forget" slogan. Residents of California, where all four jetliners were bound when they were hijacked, have bought or renewed the plates more than 200,000 times since 2002.

Of the other states directly associated with the 2001 attacks, only Virginia has established a similar specialty plate program. Yet it did not set up a special fund for the proceeds of its "Fight Terrorism" plate.

For the past decade, the California DMV has said on its website that the money will "fund scholarships for the children of Californians who died in the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and helps California's law enforcement fight threats of terrorism." It advertises the program with the slogan, "Be a patriot."

While the DMV description of the program was not "totally disingenuous," the department should probably remove references to the scholarship program, said Joe DeAnda, a spokesman for the state treasurer's office, which disburses the money.

"It's out of date and it's on DMV to update that," he said.

Late Friday, the department modified the description of the license plate on its website to remove the reference to the scholarship program in response to the investigation by the AP, which began in March. Spokeswoman Jan Mendoza said the reason promotional materials were not updated sooner was "unknown."

The DMV still lists the scholarship program on the online and hardcopy form drivers fill out to buy the license plates, but Mendoza said the department will change this next time the forms are printed.

The legislation establishing the plates had earmarked 15 percent of the revenue for scholarships. Yet only $21,381 has reached the children and spouses of the three dozen California residents killed during the terrorist attacks. The state treasurer's office closed the scholarship program in 2005, the sign-up deadline for potential recipients, and has $60,000 in reserve.

The total amount dedicated to scholarships was 1.5 percent of the $5.5 million raised through the sale of the plates through 2005.

The original legislation said the remainder of the money would go to "law enforcement, fire protection, and public health agencies" to be used "exclusively for purposes directly related to fighting terrorism."

But in 2008, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, borrowed $2 million to close a budget gap. Last year, Brown, a Democrat, borrowed another $1 million.

Neither loan has been repaid nor are their deadlines to ensure they will be. Elizabeth Ashford, a spokeswoman for Brown, said the loans have done no harm.

"We're trying to simultaneously balance the budget and fund important programs," she said. "If there was an indication that borrowing this money was going to negatively impact this program, we wouldn't borrow the money."

The rest of the money has gone to a wide array of budgets and programs.

The Legislature sent $3.7 million to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, according to the Department of Finance, to establish an online food monitoring database and implement a variety of worker safety programs, including hiring industrial hygienists to tend to worker health.

But it is difficult to say precisely where the money has gone. Late Friday, the agriculture department delivered documents it said were in response to a California Public Records Act request the AP filed eight weeks earlier.

The response contained itemized budget reports going back six years and listing payments for all types of government functions, ranging from salaries and benefits, to printing costs and communication equipment. Among the details: $18,163 for furniture in 2006 and $11,492 for auto inspection in 2009.

The response also included a legislative report on the threats the agriculture department is targeting with an online database the license plate program helps fund . A similar report from 2006, when the license plate money was first authorized, lists bioterrorism as a potential danger. But the 2011 report focuses on food safety and livestock concerns, including foot-and-mouth disease and meat and poultry monitoring.

Director of Animal Health and Food Safety Services Annette Whiteford said the department does not track license plate money separately from other funds.

She said it would be wasteful to reserve the money exclusively for anti-terrorism work. For example, the department uses some of the money to buy safety suits that would be essential during an anthrax attack but also are useful for routine food investigations.

"The things that I worry about in the animal food safety division are very high consequence events, but very infrequent. So I always try to leverage those resources," she said.

Another $2 million has gone to programs that aim to protect Californians from all manner of potential threats, not just those related to terrorism.

The California Emergency Management Agency used nearly $1 million in memorial license plate money for general operations, including administrative costs, buying and fueling cars, and hiring a person from 2007 to 2009 to coordinate five so-called "fusion centers," according to documents obtained through a Public Records Act request.

The other $1 million went directly to the fusion centers, which were founded after the 2001 attacks to focus on terrorist threats but have since switched to an "all crimes" approach that includes gang activity and natural disasters.

Herb Wesson, who wrote the license plate bill when he was speaker of the California Assembly, said he was saddened to hear how the money had been spent.

"I understand the financial climate they find themselves in, but they are not following the spirit and intent of the legislation," said Wesson, now president of the Los Angeles City Council. "The lion's share of the money was supposed to be given to local law enforcement so that they could beef up their anti-terrorism operations."

About 40 percent of the total raised to date, or $6 million, has gone to anti-terrorism training programs for firefighters and law enforcement officers. There is a slight discrepancy between the DMV's revenue figures and the Department of Finance's expenditure figures that neither agency could explain.

Patricia Anderson, who paid $98 for a personalized memorial plate reading "WE R 4US," said she signed up for the program primarily to show respect for victims of the 9/11 attacks. Anderson said she was disheartened but not surprised to learn that much of the money has gone to fill the state deficit or used for general purposes.

"That's California," said Anderson, who now lives near Austin, Texas. "It's kind of a given these days ? nothing is spent on what it's supposed to be."

Associated Press

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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Alabama Prison Sex Abuse: DOJ Looking Into Allegations Against Male Guards At Women's Prison

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Rape, sexual assault and harassment from male guards are a way of life for prisoners at an Alabama women's prison, according to inmates past and present, and the Justice Department is looking into the allegations.

Stephanie Hibbett spent a year locked up at the Julia Tutwiler Prison. She said in her time there, men had unrestricted access to the showers and bathrooms and would often make comments about female inmates' bodies, both to the women and among themselves.

She herself was a victim, she says. A guard kissed her and groped her breasts and buttocks while she was cleaning a trailer, she said. That sort of abuse was common, the 31-year-old said.

"A lot of it goes on in the middle of the night when no one thinks anyone is listening," she said. "I didn't sleep a lot. You'd see a woman get up and go into the bathroom and a guard go in after her and another one stand watch. Nobody would say anything. A lot were too scared."

The Justice Department investigation comes after legal aid group Equal Justice Initiative filed a complaint on May 22 asking it to look into allegations, based on interviews with more than 50 women incarcerated at the maximum-security prison. A spokesman for the Justice Department declined further comment.

Alabama Prisons Commissioner Kim Thomas told The Associated Press that the department isn't launching a separate investigation into the recent allegations because it already aggressively pursues any reports of sexual abuse. He said the Justice Department has not yet contacted the state about the claims.

"We've been very, very proactive in hunting down and investigating thoroughly any complaint we've received," Thomas said. "We've taken swift administrative action against any officers or employees who are found to have violated this. The first offense means dismissal."

Equal Justice executive director Bryan Stevenson said women are routinely punished for reporting sexual abuse or trying to speak up about it.

The group's report claims that women who say something are often placed in segregation where they are deprived of contact with the outside world and do not have access to recreation, programs or work assignments.

An examination of court records show at least six corrections employees have been convicted for sex crimes against inmates since 2003. Of those, five were guards and one a laundry room employee. The charges range from sodomy to harassment. Of the six convicted, only two were sentenced to real time in jail ? a guard received six months for impregnating an inmate, and the laundry room employee received five days for having sex with an inmate.

Some of the sexual encounters were consensual, some weren't and others were coerced, Hibbett said. Some guards would smuggle in contraband such as alcohol and marijuana in exchange for sexual favors. Other guards would use their authority and threaten to revoke privileges or time off sentences for good behavior if women didn't perform sex acts.

Consensual or not, sexual contact between inmates and corrections workers has been illegal in Alabama since 2004. It's a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Hibbett was inside Tutwiler between April 2010 and May 2011. She was first locked up in Jackson County Jail for possession of forging instruments, but was transferred after escaping work release to visit her son in a hospital after he attempted suicide.

"Jackson County (Jail) is a Hilton compared to Tutwiler," Hibbett said.

Tutwiler opened in 1942 in Wetumpka, with a capacity for 400 women. Now, according to the department of corrections, it can hold 950 in nine dormitories and has a death row. It was named after Julia S. Tutwiler, a noted Alabama educator and crusader for inmate education, classification, and improvement of prison conditions.

Thomas said the prison system is making an effort to recruit more female officers and employees to Tutwiler and didn't know whether it is typical to have so many men working in a women's prison. He didn't have a percentage of men vs. women guards but Equal Justice estimated it at 60 percent men.

The guard Hibbett identified as abusing her was fired with a recommendation that he not be re-hired for state employment, records show. His files state that he teased an unnamed inmate, slapped her buttocks and placed his hands on her hips.

A 2007 Justice Department report identified Tutwiler as the women's prison with the highest incidence of sexual assaults. It ranks 11th overall of all prisons in terms of sexual assaults.

Thomas said the Corrections Department has no part in how criminal sentences are issued, but doesn't advocate for leniency for officers found guilty of sex abuses.

Stevenson said corrections employees are being under-punished for their crimes.

"Forcible rape and sexual assault of inmates is an outrageous abuse of power," Stevenson said. "We know that they (the U.S. Department of Justice) have talked a lot about this issue, and we just want them to intervene."

Hibbett said she's talking with lawyers to perhaps sue the prison for the way she was treated. Ultimately Hibbett said she'd like to see an all-female guard staff to prevent the abuse.

"The way I feel is, you're already stripped away of all your rights. You're locked up, you're away from your family, your friends. You have no freedom and then you get in there and they degrade you and beat you," Hibbett said. "When I first got home I didn't sleep for two weeks because of nightmares of that place."

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Reynalda Hardans Auto Insurance Tips ? Kurisutsurifu

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Car insurance is a legal necessity in any state all over the world, and it can not matter whether you select cheap automobile insurance, a cover that serves for the family members you?ve included or one which includes injuries during storms and other natural circumstances. It?s vital that you abide by this condition lest you end up in jail or get other charges just like a ban from driving. You?ll get a number of coverage and your selection will depend with the needs and the premiums you intend to pay. The company will give you affordable rates which are pocket pleasant particularly with the undeniable fact that you?ve different has to take care of. The term -cheap- can mean a lot of things regrettably, a large amount of modern consumers associate other words like -junky-, -shoddy-, and -low quality- with this period. This is very regrettable since a large amount of inexpensive car insurance rates exist in today?s day and age that might be worth loads to car owners.

Auto insurance organizations will offer you discount if you?ve a good driving record. People who usually get involved with speed driving will be charged at a higher rate. If you have not experience a car crash for quite some time, your premium rate will be lower. If you?ve a bad driving record, you shouldn?t make an application for the car insurance immediately. You should wait and soon you have a good driving record before obtaining the car insurance.

The Internet has actually changed people?s lives. More and more people prefer going online and buy a product or avail of service. This really is also true with cheap car insurance quotes. Many individuals find the Internet a convenient tool in trying to find cheap auto insurance rates. But before you determine purchasing auto insurance, you have to know what the considerations are to consider for you to avail of inexpensive motor insurance rates. Since the best destination for a look for cheap motor insurance rates is online. Get as many motor insurance prices you may get from different auto insurance companies. Seeking car insurance rates is very quick and easy. All you want to do is to provide all of the required information and the car insurance quote will be produced. Do not forget to examine cheap car insurance which means you can get the best deal.

To find motor insurance, you need to look at the insurance internet sites on the net. Many websites permit you to get estimates by filling in a questionnaire form. Most of the time, you?ll get immediate cheap car insurance quotes result. Occasionally, you will receive pre-approved offers about cheap motor insurance rates. The companies that blast these emails usually do not have agent and sell straight to the clients. Companies that use agents will demand a little bit higher priced that those that do not use agents. They often permit the customers to get instant quote. In addition, additionally they provide good customer support. If you need to get cheap price, you should utilize the car insurance search engine to compare the rates between different car insurers. With no agent as middleman, the insurance company can reduce the cost and provide the car insurance at a cheaper price. The not enough agents to service your account may cause you to be neglected when you contact the customer service.


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Home Website Builder 2.0 Review - Business Ideas And Product ...

May 28th, 2012 by admin@business-tips | Filed under affiliate marketing, businees, Business Product Reviews, home business ideas, internet marketing, online business deas.

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Monday, May 28, 2012

Greinke?s rough outing in Arizona recalls an even worse 1 7 years ago ? Washington Post

Greinke's rough outing in Arizona recalls an even worse 1 7 years agoWashington PostPHOENIX ? Zack Greinke had a bad game in Arizona on Saturday night ? but not his worst. After lasting just 2 1/3 innings in the Milwaukee Brewers' 8-5 loss to the Diamondbacks, Greinke was asked how this one compared with that June 10, 2005, ?Greinke has bad night, not his worst, in ArizonaThe Associated PressZack Greinke: Zack Greinke gives up seven runs to ArizonaRotoworld.comall 2 news articles ?

Read More:
Greinke?s rough outing in Arizona recalls an even worse 1 7 years ago ? Washington Post

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Ark. finishes 23rd in NCAA women's golf tourney

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) ? Emily Tubert shot an eight-over 296 to lead Arkansas to a 23rd place finish in the 2012 NCAA women's golf championship in Franklin, Tenn.

The Razorbacks shot rounds of 303-301-209 and 301 to end up 62 strokes over on Friday.

Alabama won its first women's golf title, holding off two-time champ Southern California by a stroke. Oklahoma's Chirapat Jao-Javanil won the individual title by four strokes, closing with a 2-under 70 to finish at 6-under 282.

Tubert shot 73-74-77- and 72 over the four-day event, and tied for 33rd place. Emma Lavy finished with a 303 after rounds of 75-77-78 and 73 and finished tied for 71st.

Arkansas made its fifth NCAA Championship appearance and its second in a row.

The Razorbacks finished a program-best tied for fifth last year.

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Japan Earthquake May, 20, 2012

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Software Development Engineers (SDE) in Test at Microsoft (Redmond, WA; Mountain View, CA)

Job Description

We are hiring brilliant software developers, highly technical SDETs (Test Engineers), and creative and talented PMs. We want people with new ideas. We want people with a passion for entertainment, and, I don't just mean you hold an OScar party every year. We want people that love to be social and love to connect (or Kinect!).

If you write code when you're bored, if you love to break things, or if you constantly think of ways to make things better, you just might be a fit.

Skills & Requirements

To be successful in this role, you must be able to balance many complex and competing technical priorities, as well as design and implement manual and automated tests of for drivers and hardware. If you have the vision and passion to take bring Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business to the next level and the will and skill to make it happen, these jobs are for you!

? Software industry experience with end-to-end product testing
? Test team leadership background preferred
? Device/driver automation experience strongly preferred
? Demonstrated feature test ownership throughout the complete product lifecycle
? Experience with debugging
? Fluent in C#/C/C++
? Strong design, coding and debugging skills
? Strong technical, leadership, written and verbal communication, and team collaboration skills
? BA/BS in Computer Science or equivalent industry experience

About Microsoft

Our Interactive Entertainment Business is revolutionizing entertainment. IEB has a rich set of entertainment products like Xbox, Xbox Live, Zune Marketplace, and more with a highly active and engaged customer base. Our newest innovation, Kinect, has sold over 10 million units since its launch in November of 2010. The set of services making up the Xbox Live cloud is optimized around social, casual and hardcore gaming, and modern entertainment experiences. We're fun. We're social. We're interactive.

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Ex-Indiana coach and player, Watson dead at 88

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) -- Former Indiana coach and player Lou Watson has died at the age of 88.

Scott Funeral Home in Jeffersonville, where Watson will be buried, said he died Thursday in Fairfax, Va.

Watson played for the Hoosiers from 1947-50, becoming its leading scorer at the time, and was first-team All-Big Ten in 1950. He was Indiana's head coach from 1966-71, guiding the Hoosiers to a Big Ten co-championship in 1967, and finishing with a 62-60 record. He became a special assistant to the athletic director in 1971, when Indiana hired Bob Knight as coach.

Watson retired in 1987.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Saturday, May 26, 2012

Internet Arena and SEO Services Companies

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Hilal Technology is a web development and Search Engine Optimization company in Montreal, Quebec. We provide elegant solutions mainly in Pay per Click Services, Content and Public Relations Services, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, and Link Building. Hilal Technology services are always of the highest quality, and consistently offered at exceptional prices. We consider ourselves your long-term technology partner and it is our mission to provide our customers with the very best in all that we do!

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Classic 1937 steam engine soon to run carbon-free

4 hrs.

A steam train built in 1937 is getting a makeover that will turn it into a ?higher-speed? locomotive that runs on biocoal, a coal-like fuel made with woody plant material.

When finished, the train will be able chug along existing tracks at speeds up to 130 miles per hour without contributing to the greenhouse gas pollution blamed for global warming.

?Computer simulations already show that the locomotive is about as powerful as two modern passenger diesel locomotives,? Davidson Ward, president of the Coalition for Sustainable Rail, told me Thursday.

?But it will burn carbon neutral fuel.?

The biocoal is based on a so-called torrefaction process pioneered at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. To make it, woody material ? in this case trees ? are heated in the absence of oxygen. The resulting flaky matter is then rammed together under high pressure to create coal-like bricks.

Biocoal has the same energy density as regular coal, but is cleaner burning, and since trees (the fuel source) sequester carbon as they grow, the system is considered carbon neutral, according to Ward.

The heat used to process the fuel comes from biogas, which makes the process 94 to 96 percent thermally efficient, he said.

?So you actually do have something that is as close to carbon neutral as possible,? he noted.

The biocoal will be used to power a 1937 steam locomotive that is being upgraded with a more efficient fire box, boiler and other parts ? though using the same design principles as a traditional steam locomotive.

?It is kind of like the windmill,? Ward said. ?Windmills are very old inventions, but you can modernize it and make it more efficient and apply it today.?

With sufficient funding, the team expects their made-over train to light up the rails sometime in the next two to six years.?

The train will be classified as "higher-speed," which means it can travel on the same rail network as Amtrak and freight trains.?

Rails for high-speed trains, which go 150 to 220 miles per hour, require more specialized tracks.

Today, most higher-speed passenger trains are diesel-electric locomotives, which generate their peak horsepower at low speeds ? about 25 miles per hour. Steam locomotives, by contrast, get their peak horsepower at higher speeds ? about 40 miles per hour.

"Initial computer simulations suggest that the CSR's modern steam engine will significantly out-accelerate a modern diesel-electric locomotive to 110 mph," according to the coalition's website.?

In addition to trains, the steam engine technology can be used to create ?self-contained energy generation units? that could be shipped to the developing world, including the torrifier.

And since these units are based on age-old steam engine technology, they won?t require high-tech skills to perform routine maintenance or fix broken parts.?

The train itself, which Ward?s organization acquired from a museum in Kansas, is considered a proof-principle project. If all goes according to plan, they might build a new steam locomotive from scratch, which will have some modern looks.

For example, ?no cowcatcher,? Ward said. ?You don?t need a cowcatcher today unless you are a 'Back to the Future' fan.?

??Via Clean Technica?

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

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Dragon arrives at space station in historic 1st

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) ? The privately bankrolled Dragon capsule made a historic arrival at the International Space Station on Friday, captured by astronauts wielding a giant robot arm.

SpaceX is the first private company to attempt such a feat: the first commercial cargo delivery into the cosmos.

"Just awesome," said SpaceX's billionaire maestro, Elon Musk, of PayPal fame.

U.S. astronaut Donald Pettit used the space station's 58-foot robot arm to snare the gleaming white Dragon after a few hours of extra checks and maneuvers. The two vessels came together while sailing above Australia.

"Looks like we've got us a dragon by the tail," Pettit announced from 250 miles up once he locked onto Dragon's docking mechanism.

"You've made a lot of folks happy down here over in Hawthorne and right here in Houston," radioed NASA's Mission Control. "Great job guys."

NASA controllers clapped as their counterparts at SpaceX's control center in Hawthorne, Calif. ? including Musk ? lifted their arms in triumph and jumped out of their seats to exchange high fives. The two control rooms worked together, as equal partners, to pull off the feat.

Although cargo hauls have become routine, Friday's linkup was significant in that an individual company pulled it off. That chore was previously reserved for a small, elite group of government agencies.

Not only that, the SpaceX Dragon is designed to safely return items, a huge benefit that disappeared with NASA's space shuttles. The vessel is the first U.S. craft to visit the station since the final shuttle flight last summer.

The unmanned capsule is carrying 1,000 pounds of supplies on this unprecedented test flight.

Two hours after the capture, the crew attached the Dragon to the space station as the congratulations poured in. They'll start unpacking the capsule on Saturday.

"Now that a U.S. company has proven its ability to resupply the space station, it opens a new frontier for commercial opportunities in space ? and new job creation opportunities right here in the U.S.," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement.

After this test flight, SpaceX ? officially known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp. ? has a contract to make a dozen delivery runs. It is one of several companies vying for NASA's cargo business and a chance to launch Americans from U.S. soil.

SpaceX launched the capsule from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday with its Falcon 9 rocket. On Thursday, the Dragon capsule came within 1? miles of the space station in a practice fly-by. It returned to the neighborhood early Friday so Pettit, along with Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers could capture it with the station's robot arm.

First, the capsule went through a series of stop-and-go demonstrations to prove it was under good operating control.

NASA ordered extra checks of the Dragon's imaging systems as the capsule drew ever closer to the space station, putting the entire operation slightly behind schedule. At one point, SpaceX controllers ordered a retreat because of a problem with on-board tracking sensors.

Given that the Dragon is a brand new type of vehicle and this is a test flight, the space agency insisted on proceeding cautiously. A collision by vehicles traveling at orbital speed ? 17,500 mph ? could prove disastrous for the space station.

President Barack Obama is pushing commercial ventures in orbit so NASA can concentrate on grander destinations like asteroids and Mars. Obama's chief scientific advisor, John Holdren, called Friday's linkup "an achievement of historic scientific and technological."

"It's essential we maintain such competition and fully support this burgeoning and capable industry to get U.S. astronauts back on American launch vehicles as soon as possible," he said in a statement.

Without the shuttle, NASA astronauts must go through Russia, an expensive and embarrassing situation for the U.S. after a half-century of orbital self-sufficiency. Once companies master supply runs, they hope to tackle astronaut ferry runs.

Musk, who founded SpaceX a decade ago and helped create PayPal, said he can have astronauts riding his Dragon capsules to orbit in three or four years.

The space station has been relying on Russian, Japanese and European cargo ships for supplies ever since the shuttles retired. None of those, however, can bring anything of value back; they're simply loaded with trash and burn up in the atmosphere.

By contrast, the Dragon is designed to safely re-enter the atmosphere, parachuting into the ocean like the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules did back in the 1960s. Assuming all goes well Friday, the space station's six-man crew will release the Dragon next Thursday after filling it with science experiments and equipment.

Going into Tuesday's launch of this Dragon, NASA had contributed $381 million to SpaceX in seed money. The company has invested more than $1 billion in this commercial effort over the past 10 years.

___

Online:

SpaceX: http://www.spacex.com

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/c3po/home/

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Torts expects best from Rangers in must-win game

NEW YORK (AP) ? Whether the New York Rangers truly believed they could overcome a 3-2 playoff series deficit earlier this year doesn't matter now.

The Rangers did it against the pesky eighth-seeded Ottawa Senators in the first round, giving them confidence they can pull it off again against the formidable New Jersey Devils and reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 18 years.

The historical calendar is in line with the dates of New York's 3-2 comeback over the Devils the last time these division and area rivals met in the Eastern Conference finals in 1994. None of the names are the same for the Rangers, and only New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur ? and assistant coach Larry Robinson ? still have the same jobs as way back when.

So the top-seeded Rangers' point of reference as they head into Game 6 in New Jersey on Friday night isn't the history book but rather their shared experience of rallying past Ottawa.

If they extend their season, they will be back at home on Sunday for a winner-take-all game.

"You can draw off that experience, just the feelings going into the game," Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said. "Just stay even keeled about it. We've got to go into an opposing building and win one game and get it back to the Garden.

"They're going to be a desperate team, too, to close it out on their home ice. We need to find that next level, that extra desperation. Obviously, it's a huge game, but we don't need to say that."

New York has embraced desperation much more than prosperity this postseason. The Rangers have won two in a row in a series only once and have never enjoyed a two-game lead in any of their three matchups. However, they are 3-0 when facing elimination ? including Game 7 victories over Ottawa and Washington.

"We've been through these situations a lot this year, including in the playoffs," Rangers coach John Tortorella said Thursday after practice. "I'm very comfortable as far as our mindset. Today was a good day for us. As we approach our game, I'm very comfortable in where we're going to go."

That was not as easy to see Wednesday night in New York's 5-3 home loss to the Devils in Game 5. The Rangers fell behind 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game, but managed to tie it in the opening minute of the third period.

However, a goal with less than five minutes remaining by Devils fourth-line forward Ryan Carter finished the Rangers for good. The loss was New York's first in these playoffs in which it scored at least three goals.

"It's a good group," Tortorella said. "It's a group that stays with it. There's not a lot of panic there. They just go about their business, and we're a pretty good hockey team."

They were the best in the East over the 82-game regular season, and they tied for the second-most points in the entire NHL. All that will be an afterthought if the Rangers fail to get to a finals matchup with the upstart Western-champion Los Angeles Kings.

If confidence can be conveyed in words, then the Rangers seem loaded with it as their season hangs in the balance.

Tortorella said goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will rebound from a subpar performance in Game 5 and "play his best game tomorrow night." He echoed that sentiment for top-line forward Brad Richards, who also struggled on Wednesday.

"It's tough when you go into a game like this. You want to win so bad, sometimes it's more pressure than you need," Lundqvist said. "When you're out there, you try to focus on the things you always focus on. The challenge every time you play an important game is to find a good balance mentally, but I'm trying to approach it the same way."

Tortorella is a master motivator, whether it be with words of encouragement or a dose of tough love that often results in benchings within games. No one is immune from that, as leading scorer Marian Gaborik found out in the Rangers' Game 2 loss.

The coach also has been less contentious with reporters recently, making postgame news conferences calmer even as the stakes have risen during the East finals.

Tortorella is no stranger to digging out of 3-2 holes. He coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the championship in 2004, erasing such a deficit in the finals against the Calgary Flames.

"I don't have to motivate the team," Tortorella said. "I think our team is motivated. I don't look at it as overcoming a 3-2 deficit. We need to win a hockey game. We're preparing to try to win one hockey game, and we'll see after that.

"We prepare as we always do. There's no magic. There are no special speakers coming in. There is none of that."

Richards scored two goals in that Game 6 win for Tampa Bay, and Ruslan Fedotenko ? now his teammate again with the Rangers ? found the net twice in Game 7 to lock up the Cup for the Lightning.

That experience would seem to be invaluable, but maybe not.

"That was a really long time ago, and I had a concussion at that time so I can't remember really anything," Fedotenko said with a wry smile. "I remember winning, but that is basically it."

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Friday, May 25, 2012

Use B2B Ecommerce Software To Stay Competitive

Are your front-end and back-end functions well integrated? Imagine two people trying to carry a rolled up carpet out of the room, but neither of them pays attention to what the other one is doing. As a result, they end up knocking off one another or walking off in a totally different direction, dropping the carpet. You don't want this to happen to your business operations, do you?

If you want to stay competitive in your industry, you need to make sure that you utilize the latest IT infrastructure that will not only keep your small business at par with other businesses but will also give you an edge over your competition.

With your front end and back end properly integrated, you can ensure improved productivity and business efficiency. In addition, B2B EcommerceSoftware helps small businesses in a variety of ways:

  1. Administrative: With built in reports for orders, inventory and products; it is easier to track the product performance and best selling products in the product catalogue.

    As a result, you can take real time decisions and maximize benefits from powerful B2B ecommerce resources on the Internet.
  2. Back End Systems:Online business software works as an internet gateway for your vendor management, orders, shipping and logistic systems. By extending your back end systems to the web, you are able to avail online marketing, sales and payment functionalities that improve your customer experience multifold.

  3. Integrated Web Solution: Using B2B ecommerce software offers you more flexibility at reduced operational cost. You can access your back end and front end from anywhere you want without investing thousands of dollars in a full scale ERP system. You are able to utilize in store through retail POS softwarealong with online channels.

  4. No Technical Knowledge Required: Often extensive ERP systems require in-depth knowledge and training before you can even start using them for your business operations. Using online B2B software is very easy and intuitive so you don't have to invest a lot of time and energy in learning a completely new system.

  5. No System Management, No Worries: One of the biggest drawbacks of using stand-alone ERP systems is that you'd need to take back up of your system from time to time, otherwise you risk losing your business information. Thanks to regular maintenance, online e-business software is absolutely safe and you'd never have to worry about taking back up. You can be sure that all business information is safe and available in real time.

Using online B2B software also gives your small business a professional image and help in raising your sales. You can easily manage your back end systems and make positive business decisions that can prove profitable for your ecommerce business.

The best part is ? most of the online business software solutions are integrated business management suites that are specially designed to be interoperable with popular third party products like QuickBooks and MS Office, making it very easy for small businesses to retain existing business solution investments as well as to integrate online business softwarewithout any hassles.

So, what are you waiting for? Get competitive. Get integrated business software solutions for your business today!

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

NFL passes new pad rules for players

A sample of the new thigh pads the NFL made mandatory equipment for the 2013 season are displayed following a news conference at an owners meeting Tuesday, May 22, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A sample of the new thigh pads the NFL made mandatory equipment for the 2013 season are displayed following a news conference at an owners meeting Tuesday, May 22, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones leaves an NFL football owners meeting, Tuesday, May 22, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A sample of the new thigh pads the NFL made mandatory equipment for the 2013 football season sit on a chair following a news conference at an owners meeting, Tuesday, May 22, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft leaves an NFL owners meeting Tuesday, May 22, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

(AP) ? The NFL made thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for the 2013 season, something the players' union was not pleased with.

Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, chairman of the competition committee, said Tuesday at an owners meeting that because this is a playing rule, the league can apply it unilaterally.

"We have a vote of the membership and can implement," McKay said. "Some of us felt we were remiss that we took it out of the rule book ? high school and college makes it mandatory ? and in our mind that is how it should be and will be in 2013.

"We have some work to do with the union."

McKay said the league will meet with NFL Players Association representatives on the issue, something they have discussed in the past.

But the NFLPA argued that the move should be negotiated.

"Any change in working conditions is a collectively bargained issue," the union said in a statement. "While the NFL is focused on one element of health and safety today, the NFLPA believes that health and safety requires a comprehensive approach and commitment. We are engaged in and monitor many different issues, such as players' access to medical records, prescription usage and the situation with professional football's first responders, NFL referees.

"We always look forward to meeting with the NFL to discuss any and all matters related to player health and safety."

The pads rule would not go into effect on the field until next year so equipment manufacturers can work on safety and comfort.

Commissioner Roger Goodell couldn't see any negatives to adding the thigh and knee pads.

"We have raised the issue of mandatory pads for at least three years now," he said. "I believe the technology has improved, the pads are far better than a decade ago, they allow better performance and are more protective. Every other level of football uses the pads."

Former All-Pro safety Troy Vincent, now an NFL vice president, explained why there could be pushback from the players.

"It's psychological. Less pads you are faster, skinnier, that's just the way I was introduced to the (pro) game," he said. "It's a culture shift. They will adjust."

Goodell pointed out something a Nike executive told him recently: NBA players are wearing more pads from the hips down than NFL players.

"There is something wrong with that," Goodell said.

Should a player not have the pads on when he enters a game, he will be sent off the field by a game official.

"It's the same as if he ran on without a helmet," McKay said. "It is a safety rule."

Goodell said he expects evidence in the Saints bounties case would be made public after all the player appeals and grievances have been heard. Release of any documents also could be delayed by Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma's defamation lawsuit against Goodell after the commissioner suspended Vilma for the entire 2012 season.

The owners also voted to move the trading deadline from after Week 6 to after Week 8, and to allow one "marquee" player placed on injured reserve to return to practice after the sixth week of the schedule and to the lineup after the eighth week. That player must be on the 53-man roster after the final preseason cut.

Terrell Suggs, the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, could fall into that category. Suggs recently underwent surgery for a torn Achilles tendon. If the Ravens believe Suggs can make it back in midseason, as the linebacker has predicted, they could use the IR special designation for him.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft likes the adjustment because he knows firsthand how devastating an injury to a star player can be.

"It's good because I think it keeps the excitement in the game," Kraft said. "I know when we lost Tom Brady there was a feeling he could have come back at the end of the year. It would have been great for the fans, and I think every team has someone in that category."

Goodell said the league is closer to a decision on what to do with the Pro Bowl, which he called "not a competitive game" last January. He wants more discussions with the players about how to improve the quality of the game, but dropping it entirely still is possible.

"The issue is we recognize it is an all-star game, but we also believe fans expect more from an NFL game," he said. "If we believe we can achieve that, we want to give them every opportunity to do that."

Only New Orleans, site of next year's Super Bowl, and Honolulu are being considered if the Pro Bowl is held.

The league approved the Buffalo Bills playing one regular-season game every year from 2013-17 in Toronto, extending that international series. Expansion of the international series in London could come as early as next year, Goodell added.

___

AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed to this story.

Associated Press

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