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Congress returns to the Capitol in Washington to face a contentious fall agenda. |
Back Monday after a five-week break, many lawmakers stand as a major obstacle to President Barack Obama's promised strikes against Syria amid fears of U.S. involvement in an extended Mideast war and public fatigue after more than a decade of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obama insists the world must act. He blames Syrian President Bashar Assad for gassing his own people, killing 1,429 civilians, including 426 children. The Syrian government has denied responsibility for the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack outside Damascus, and blames rebels.
On Wednesday, the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the first showdown Senate vote is likely over a resolution authorizing the "limited and specified use" of U.S. armed forces against Syria for no more than 90 days and barring American ground troops from combat. A final vote in the 100-member chamber is expected at week's end.
"I think we're going to get 60 votes. It's a work in progress," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Friday.
Support for the president is stronger in the Senate than in the Republican-controlled House. There, Obama faces a difficult path to victory despite the backing of Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California for military strikes.
The Syria vote poses a dilemma for Obama's Democratic allies in Congress. Many strongly opposed the war in Iraq but are reluctant to undercut a president from their own party. The crucial player is Pelosi, a proven vote-getter.
"A lot of members have constituents who have not been persuaded and I think a part of that inability to be persuaded is that they're thinking about Iraq," Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said Friday after one of many classified briefings for lawmakers. "That's what I'm hearing in my district even from people who are extremely supportive of the president."
Senior administration officials will speak to lawmakers in advance of the president's speech to the nation Tuesday night.
A House vote is likely the week of Sept. 16.
Even before Syria, Congress faced a busy and difficult fall packed with battles.
Obama and his allies in the Democratic-run Senate face fights from House Republicans over bills to fund government agencies and raise the ceiling on federal borrowing to avert a market-rattling government default. Then there are efforts by conservatives to cut off money for Obama's health care law, with open enrollment for health insurance exchanges beginning Oct. 1.
After Syria, Congress's most immediate task is passing a temporary spending bill to prevent much of the government from shutting down on the Oct. 1 start of the new budget year.
The stopgap measure would buy time to work out funding government programs over the next 12 months, but even its passage is in doubt.
Republicans are considering whether to use the measure as a last-ditch assault on Obama's expansion of federally subsidized medical care and new requirement that millions of people without health insurance either buy it or pay penalties to the Internal Revenue Service.
GOP leaders are eager to avoid an impasse and government shutdown. They had signaled earlier that they prefer a straightforward temporary spending bill that would keep agencies running at current budget levels, reflecting the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts in place for the past six months.
A grass-roots campaign over Congress' August recess has increased pressure on the leaders to attach the health care provision, but a Boehner spokesman said no decision has been made.
Congressional Democrats and the White House are eager to reverse the cuts, and many defense hawk Republicans would like to as well. But there have been no fruitful negotiations between the White House and House GOP leaders.
Negotiations between White House officials and a small group of Senate Republicans collapsed last month over familiar disagreements over tax increases and cuts to popular federal benefit programs.
Without a deal, those automatic spending cuts could become entrenched through all of next year and possibly into the next several years.
A 2011 agreement called for a total budget of $1.058 trillion next year to operate federal agencies. The automatic spending cuts triggered by failing to follow up with further deficit cuts by curbing benefit increases, raising taxes or both would pare that figure by $91 billion, to $967 billion for the 2014 budget year.
A comparable spending figure for the soon-to-be-completed 2013 budget year is about $988 billion. The additional cuts looming next year come almost entirely from defense.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., says many Republicans on his committee want to reverse the defense cuts as a condition for voting for the resolution authorizing military strikes on Syria.
Avoiding a shutdown is just one step.
The administration says the government's ability to fully pay all its bills, including interest payments to bondholders and Social Security benefits, will run out some time in October unless Congress raises the $16.7 trillion cap on its borrowing authority.
That legislation could be even more vexing because Boehner and Tea Party Republicans see it as leverage to force further spending cuts or other GOP priorities into law.
Obama agreed in 2011 to Boehner's demand that spending cuts equal the size of the debt limit increase, but the president says he won't do it again. Republican leaders say such a "clean" debt limit increase Obama wants is a nonstarter.
An immigration overhaul could get lost in the shuffle.
The Senate in June passed a broad bill that would allow millions of immigrants now in the country illegally to stay, work and eventually acquire citizenship. House Republicans reject what they call a special path to citizenship in the Senate bill and favor a piecemeal approach that begins with better securing U.S. borders before excusing most people who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas from being deported.
Revelations this summer about the National Security Agency's spying prompted demands from some in Congress to rein in the programs; a series of hearings is scheduled. Leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees face pressure from lawmakers to make changes to NSA surveillance in the longstanding authorization bills.
Lawmakers also are pushing for major changes in how the military handles cases of sexual assault in their ranks. A significant number of lawmakers want to remove commanders from the process of deciding whether serious crimes, including sexual misconduct cases, go to trial.
The Pentagon and some senior lawmakers reject that idea. A showdown is expected later this year when the Senate debates a defense policy bill.
Congress also will have to finish a farm bill before the end of the year if lawmakers want to avert the threat of milk prices doubling for consumers. Most of current farm law expires at the end of September, but its effects won't be felt until the end of the year when dairy supports expire. Without the supports, milk prices are expected to rise.


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Common over-the-counter pain relievers, like ibuprofen, may raise your risk of having a heart attack. That's the finding in a new report in the respected medical journal The Lancet. The review boiled down hundreds of earlier studies that followed more than 350,000 patients. It found that people taking four 200 milligram ibuprofen pills three times a day for a year, a common dosage for arthritis patients, increased their risk of heart attack significantly.
Mayo Clinic cardiovascular specialist Stephen Kopecky, M.D., says it's something doctors have known about for years. Similar concerns lead to the banning of certain brand name Cox-2 inhibitor pain medications in 2004. However, Dr. Kopecky (ko PET skee) says the lack of lawsuits against generic drug manufacturers has allowed over-the-counter pain relievers to avoid the same scrutiny.
Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Kopecky are available in the downloads.
/// SOT #1 (Dr. Stephen Kopecky, Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular Diseases) "Some of the drugs that are over-the-counter now, like ibuprofen, actually have a higher risk of causing a heart attack in a patient that takes them than some of the brand name drugs that were taken off the market a few years ago." trt :11
The study estimated there would be three additional heart attacks in every 1,000 people because of use of the pain killers. The risk to heart health was also found with one of the most commonly prescribed pain killers worldwide, diclofenac (di Klo' fen ak). Dr. Kopecky (ko PET skee) says many of his patients, not at risk for stomach bleeding, are on a daily low-dose aspirin regimen to reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke.
/// SOT #2 Well, I certainly tell them, number one, keep taking your aspirin, don't stop you aspirin. Number two is, if you can take Tylenol, or acetaminophen is the generic name, take that. We know those won't harm your arteries or cause blood clots." trt :14
For muscle aches, Dr. Kopecky says tried and true ice or heat therapies are worth a try before turning to medication. And he suggests those with chronic neck or back pain ask their doctors for stretching and strengthening exercises, which can be surprisingly effective when used regularly.
Eau Claire, Wis. — Most people have heard of heart attacks occurring because of a blocked coronary artery. But the body has two types of[...]
A challenge from the beginning Promise Garell grew up with a congenital heart defect. She was born with transposition of the great arteries, where her[...]
ROCHESTER, Minn. — A recent Mayo Clinic study examining the effects of daylight saving time (DST) on heart health suggests that the impact is likely[...]

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Topic Overview
What is phenylketonuria (PKU)?
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare genetic disorder in which the body cannot break down an amino acid called phenylalanine (say "fehn-uhl-AL-uh-neen"), which is a part of protein. This substance is found in breast milk, many types of baby formula, and most foods, especially those with a lot of protein, such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. If PKU is not treated, phenylalanine can build up in the blood and lead to intellectual disability and problems with the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
The good news is that early treatment can prevent all or most problems. Babies born with PKU need to start treatment with special formula soon after birth.
PKU is more common in whites and Native Americans than in blacks, Hispanics, and Asians.
What causes PKU?
PKU is passed down through families. For a baby to have the disease, he or she must get (inherit) the PKU gene from both parents. The father and mother may not have PKU or even know that PKU runs in their families. If a baby gets the gene from only one parent, he or she is a carrier of the PKU gene but does not have the disease.
If you have a child with PKU and are thinking about having another baby, you may want to get genetic counseling . If you have a family history of PKU, talk with your doctor about genetic testing if you want to find out whether you carry the gene.
What are the symptoms?
If PKU is not found and treated soon after birth, symptoms usually start to appear within a few months after birth. (It takes time for the phenylalanine to build up in the baby's body.)
Early symptoms of PKU in a baby may include:
- A musty odor to the skin, hair, and urine.
- Skin problems.
- Being sensitive to light.
Without early treatment, the child may have growth problems, developmental delays , seizures , and severe intellectual disability .
How is PKU diagnosed?
Screening is recommended for all newborns within a few days after birth. footnote 1 If the PKU screening test shows that your baby has a phenylalanine problem, the doctor will do further testing to check whether your baby has PKU.
Finding and starting treatment for PKU early usually can prevent brain damage and other long-term problems.
What treatment do children with PKU need?
The main treatment for PKU is a lifelong reduced-protein diet. Problems are less likely to occur if your baby starts a PKU diet by age 3 weeks. Your baby's doctor can help you choose a formula that doesn't contain phenylalanine. You may be able to feed your baby some breast milk, but talk to your baby's doctor first. As your child gets older, a registered dietitian can help you choose the right foods and recipes.
The medicine sapropterin (Kuvan) may help lower phenylalanine levels in some children who have PKU. More studies are needed to find out the health effects from long-term use. With or without the medicine, your child still needs to follow a PKU diet.
Your child will need regular blood tests. He or she may get tested as often as once or more a week for the first year and then once or twice a month throughout childhood.
It's normal to feel a wide range of emotions when your child has an illness like PKU. You may want to join a support group. Your doctor can also help.
What treatment do adults with PKU need?
People who have PKU need to follow a reduced-protein diet throughout their lives. For a few people, treatment with sapropterin (Kuvan) may help when used with a PKU diet. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of this medicine.
You'll need regular blood tests to check your phenylalanine level. If the level builds up, it can affect your IQ and your ability to learn, think, and understand.
Any woman with PKU who is planning to have a baby needs to be very careful to control her phenylalanine levels. Babies born to mothers who have high levels of phenylalanine are at risk for having a very small head, intellectual disability, growth problems, and heart problems. Having regular blood tests and following the PKU diet before and during pregnancy can help protect the baby.
Related Information
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2008). Screening for phenylketonuria (PKU). Available online: http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspsspku.htm.
Other Works Consulted
- Aminoff M (2009). Neurologic disorders. In RK Creasy et al., eds., Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine, 6th ed., pp. 1089–1112. Philadelphia: Saunders.
- Committee on Genetics, American Academy of Pediatrics (2008). Maternal phenylketonuria. Pediatrics, 122(2): 445–449.
- Durkin MS, et al. (2008). Childhood cognitive disability. In RB Wallace et al., eds., Wallace/Maxcy-Rosenau-Last Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 15th ed., pp. 1173–1183. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Feillet F, et al. (2010). Challenges and pitfalls in the management of phenylketonuria. Pediatrics, 126(2): 333–341.
- Kaye CI (2006, reaffirmed 2011). Newborn screening fact sheets. Pediatrics, 118(3): e934–e963.
- Poustie VJ, Wildgoose J (2010). Dietary interventions for phenylketonuria. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1).
- Sapropterin (Kuvan) for phenylketonuria (2008). Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, 50(1287): 43–44.
- Schwahn BC (2011). Hyperphenylalaninemias. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22nd ed., pp. 561–563. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Somaraju UR, Merrin M (2012). Sapropterin dihydrochloride for phenylketonuria. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (12).
- Thomas J, pet al. (2014). Inborn errors of metabolism. In WW Hay Jr et al., eds., Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Pediatrics, 22nd ed., pp. 1106–1133. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Current as of: May 27, 2020
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: John Pope, MD, MPH - Pediatrics
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
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Current as of: May 27, 2020
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: John Pope, MD, MPH - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine


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Mozilla issued a statement last week raising concerns over some technical restrictions that Microsoft is imposing on Windows RT, the ARM variant of the upcoming Windows 8 operating system. Windows RT will not provide third-party software with access to the conventional native platform APIs in its classic desktop mode. This means rival browsers won't be able to support the environment.
As we wrote in our coverage of the dispute last week, Mozilla warned Microsoft that the restrictions could carry antitrust implications. The statement, which was written by Mozilla General Counsel Harvey Anderson, pointed out that denying native third-party applications access to the classic desktop would conflict with Microsoft's Windows Principles. It could fall afoul of the company's commitments in Europe and the United States.
According to a new report from InfoWorld, Microsoft has declined to comment on whether its 2009 deal with EU regulators will require Windows 8 to carry a browser ballot like the one that currently ships with Windows in Europe. The browser ballot, which is displayed after the first boot, prompts the user to select from a list of available browsers. The order of the list is randomized in order to prevent favoring any individual browser vendor.
The browser ballot was endorsed by Opera, Mozilla, and Google. Data published by the browser vendors in 2010 indicated that the ballot was improving adoption of third-party browsers in Europe. Opera, which originally instigated the EU's browser investigation, saw its downloads triple in several European countries in the immediate aftermath of the ballot's launch.
Microsoft's deal with EU regulators specifically mandates inclusion of the ballot in subsequent versions of Windows. It is set to expire in 2014, which means that it is theoretically still applicable to Windows 8. It's not clear yet whether Microsoft will be able to reconcile its browser ballot obligations with the technical restrictions in Windows RT.


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text: In the law of corporations, a merger is effected when one or more corporations becomes a part of, or merges, with another corporation so that one ceases to exist and the other continues to exist. In a merger, the company that continues to exist retains its name and identity and acquires the assets, liabilities, franchises, and powers of the corporation that ceases to exist. Attorneys who practice in mergers and acquisitions (sometimes called M & A) represent corporations and other business entities in strategizing, negotiating, and carrying out transactions in which two or more companies or corporations combine into a single new entity, a merger, or where one business purchases and absorbs the assets of another, an acquisition.


text:
The publishing business is still trying to absorb the news that the Justice Department is suing Apple and publishers for price fixing in the e-book market. Three publishers - Simon and Shuster, Harper Collins and Hachette - decided to settle the suit. But Apple, along with the companies Macmillan and Penguin, plan to fight the allegations. Here's NPR's Lynn Neary.
LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: The case goes back to Apple's introduction of the iPad. Until then, Amazon had dominated the e-book market with its Kindle, and it was willing to lose money on e-books with a price point of 9.99 in order to sell more of its reading devices.
The publishers were unhappy with that price so they and Apple agreed on a new way of doing business, the agency model, which allowed publishers to set the price of e-books and gave Apple a 30 percent commission on each sale. Attorney General Eric Holder called that a conspiracy.
ERIC HOLDER: Now, as a result of this alleged conspiracy, we believe that consumers paid millions of dollars more for some of the most popular titles.
NEARY: Acting Assistant Attorney General Sharis Pozen said the Justice Department believes this anti-trust action will make the e-book market more competitive.
SHARIS POZEN: This enforcement action is about, as I said, opening the playing field so it's open and fair and that competition can flourish at the retail level. We want that competition to take whatever form it's going to take.
NEARY: But Orrin Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, which represents independent book stores, questions that assertion.
ORRIN TEICHER: Since the agency pricing model for e-books was put in place, there has become a far more competitive e-book market. Our members, other retailers, are now competing in the sale of e-books, which we were largely unable to do before that.
NEARY: Joseph Bauer, professor of law at Notre Dame, says the legal questions involved are complex. Amazon may have dominated the e-book market, says Bauer, but that is not always unlawful.
JOSEPH BAUER: On the other hand, agreements to set prices among competitors is always unlawful.
NEARY: Apple and the publishers might argue that they were the victims of ruinous competition from Amazon, says Bauer. That's an argument that goes back to the end of the 19th century.
BAUER: Where you had six sellers of cast iron pipe, and they said, gosh, the competition is far too vigorous, our prices are being driven down, we need to get together and agree among ourselves to get the prices back up, and the Supreme Court of the United States rejected that and it's rejected it, you know, for the past century.
NEARY: Bauer believes Apple, Macmillan, and Penguin will ultimately settle with Justice. So does James McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester Research. McQuivey says it's likely that both Apple and Amazon will be fine in the end, but the publishers will still be left with the daunting challenge of adjusting to a whole new way of business, digitally.
JAMES MCQUIVEY: There's a whole series of things that publishers have to learn how to do, and the sooner they get to that task, the better off they'll be. But no, not everyone's going to make it. And they certainly won't make it in the same configuration that they came into this digital transition.
NEARY: The publishing companies named in the suit declined to be interviewed, but John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan, released a letter saying his company decided to fight the suit because the Justice Department demands were too onerous and would have allowed Amazon to recover what he called its monopoly position.
Sargent also said the decision to enter the agency model agreement with Apple was the loneliest decision he ever made.
Lynn Neary, NPR News, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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NEW YORK (AP) -- Sometime between Stephen Jackson's sideline stumble and J.R. Smith's soaring slam, the San Antonio Spurs realized this wasn't their night.
Too much fatigue and way too much Knicks defense.
Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points, Smith kept up his surge with 20 and New York snapped San Antonio's seven-game winning streak with a 100-83 victory Thursday night.
Steve Novak added 15 points and Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 14 rebounds to help the Knicks bounce back from consecutive losses by dominating the final period against the Spurs, who appeared to run out of gas in their second game in two nights.
"They shot the hell out of it and I could see it wasn't going to happen," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
"Just too low on fuel and their defense was too good. Bad combination, and then they made shots, which makes it even worse"
Tim Duncan and Tony Parker each had just 11 points for the Spurs, who lost Jackson to an unusual injury, then lost what had been the NBA's longest winning streak.
Jackson played just three minutes off the bench before spraining his right ankle when he took a shot then fell back into a waitress working the sideline in front of Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Smith, who had scored 25 points in his last four games as a reserve, highlighted his outing with an acrobatic dunk in the fourth quarter that brought fans to their feet. The lobbed pass came from reserve point guard Pablo Prigioni, who had one of his most complete games since coming to the NBA at age 35, finishing with six points and nine assists.
That meant the Knicks needed just an ordinary game from Anthony, who finished with about half of the season high-tying 45 he scored in a loss against Portland on Tuesday.
"That's their scheme, to try to take me out of the game," Anthony said. "Just a matter of us making shots when we swing the ball, and Novak made shots, J.R. kept his streak alive of playing good basketball, Pablo came in and led our team from the point guard position. Everybody contributed in their own way."
The Knicks put away what had been a close game for three quarters, scoring the first 10 points of the fourth to take a 17-point lead. The Spurs, playing for the fourth time in five nights, went with reserves from there and never put much of a dent in it.
San Antonio, which averaged 111.7 points on 53.4 percent shooting during its winning streak and rang up 117 points on Wednesday in Milwaukee, shot just 36 percent in its lowest-scoring game this season. Gary Neal led the Spurs with 12 points.
"It wasn't the first time, it's not going to be the last one,"Spurs reserve Manu Ginobili said of the tired performance. "But of course we've got to give them credit because they forced us to not find anything easy, they made us really work."
Popovich praised the Knicks' defense before the game, though it had slipped during their stretch of three losses in four games. Looking for a fix, coach Mike Woodson gave Marcus Camby a start at forward in hopes of ending the Knicks' slow starts, and they allowed just 19 points in the first quarter.
"Our defense was slacking the last 10 games or so. Our defense kind of went the other way," Woodson said. "We put a nice feel-good tape together to show our players how we started the season, that we were No. 1 in defense and on offense. There was some major slippage."
Amare Stoudemire had 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting in his second game of the season after knee surgery. He seemed more aggressive than in his debut Tuesday but is clearly without his typical explosiveness, having a number of shots blocked when he tried to power his way inside.
Leading 67-60 after three, the Knicks made it 77-60 on Novak's 3-pointer with 10:24 remaining in the game. New York poured it on from there, the lead growing to 20 when Smith caught a lob from Prigioni around his waist while in the air and slammed it home as the players on the Knicks bench jumped up in celebration.
"J.R. does some amazing things. He's a freak of nature," Chandler said.
Novak followed with another 3-pointer on the next possession to make it 95-72.
Jackson entered the game just 13 seconds in, but his night was over late in the period after his bizarre injury. Jackson launched a 3-pointer from the corner with 3:23 left, stepping backward out of bounds after the miss and falling onto the waitress. He limped back onto the court as the Knicks played with a 5-on-4 advantage that led to Anthony's 3-pointer. The Spurs then took a timeout and Jackson limped off toward the locker rooms. It was unclear if the waitress was serving Bloomberg, who was seen eating a box of popcorn shortly after.
Jackson was unavailable for comment.
Woodson said before the game he thought the Spurs were the best team in basketball right now, though Popovich dismissed that as gamesmanship he learned from Larry Brown. San Antonio sure didn't look its best while losing for the first time since a 112-106 setback at Denver on Dec. 18 and getting held well below its NBA-best 105.9 points per game.
Notes: The Spurs hadn't played here since January 2011, so this was their first time back in Madison Square Garden since renovations began. Popovich jokingly yelled at Parker for not knowing how to get from the locker room to the court before the game. ... Ginobili, Prigioni's teammate with Argentina's national team, was held to eight points on 2-of-10 shooting.
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You can change your password on the Settings page. To change your password type your new password over your old one, re-type it in the confirm box and then click Save. Please be aware you will not be able to see your password after it has been saved.


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There are plenty of languages spoken around the world. Every country has its own official language. Compare Italian vs Welsh speaking countries, so that you will have total count of countries that speak Italian or Welsh language.
You will also get to know the continents where Italian and Welsh speaking countries lie. Based on the number of people that speak these languages, the position of Italian language is 27 and position of Welsh language is not available. Find all the information about these languages on Italian and Welsh.
Comparison of Italian vs Welsh language history gives us differences between origin of Italian and Welsh language. History of Italian language states that this language originated in 960 BC whereas history of Welsh language states that this language originated in 9th Century. Family of the language also forms a part of history of that language. More on language families of these languages can be found out on Italian and Welsh Language History.
People around the world use different languages to interact with each other. Even if we cannot communicate fluently in any language, it will always be beneficial to know about some of the common greetings or phrases from that language. This is where Italian and Welsh greetings helps you to understand basic phrases in Italian and Welsh language. Italian word for "Hello" is ciao or Welsh word for "Thank You" is Diolch. Find more of such common Italian Greetings and Welsh Greetings. These greetings will help you to be more confident when conversing with natives that speak these languages.
The Italian vs Welsh difficulty level basically depends on the number of Italian Alphabets and Welsh Alphabets. Also the number of vowels and consonants in the language plays an important role in deciding the difficulty level of that language. The important points to be considered when we compare Italian and Welsh are the origin, speaking countries, language family, different greetings, speaking population of these languages. Want to know in Italian and Welsh, which language is harder to learn? Time required to learn Italian is 24 weeks while to learn Welsh time required is 30 weeks.


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WASHINGTON — The U.S. foiled a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange because of the sweeping surveillance programs at the heart of a debate over national security and personal privacy, officials said Tuesday at a rare open hearing on intelligence led by lawmakers sympathetic to the spying.
The House Intelligence Committee hearing provided a venue for officials to defend the once-secret programs and did little probing of claims that the collection of people's phone records and Internet usage has disrupted dozens of terrorist plots. Few details were volunteered.
Army Gen. Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency, said the two recently disclosed programs — one that gathers U.S. phone records and another that is designed to track the use of U.S.-based Internet servers by foreigners with possible links to terrorism — are critical. But details about them were not closely held within the secretive agency. Alexander said after the hearing that most of the documents accessed by Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former systems analyst on contract to the NSA, were on a web forum available to many NSA employees. Others were on a site that required a special credential to access. Alexander said investigators are studying how Snowden did that.
He told lawmakers Snowden's leaks have caused "irreversible and significant damage to this nation" and undermined the U.S. relationship with allies.
When Deputy FBI Director Sean Joyce was asked what is next for Snowden, he said, simply, "justice." Snowden fled to Hong Kong and is hiding.
In the days after the leaks, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers cited one attack that he said was thwarted by the programs. In the comments of other intelligence officials, that number grew to two, then 10, then dozens. On Tuesday, Alexander said more than 50 attacks were averted because of the surveillance. These included plots against the New York subway system and a Danish newspaper office that had published cartoon depictions of Muhammad.
In a new example, Joyce said the NSA was able to identify an extremist in Yemen who was in touch with Khalid Ouazzani in Kansas City, Mo., enabling authorities to identify co-conspirators and thwart a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange.
Ouazzani pleaded guilty in May 2010 in federal court in Missouri to charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization, bank fraud and money laundering. Ouazzani was not charged with the alleged plot against the stock exchange. Joyce said the arrest was made possible by the Internet surveillance program disclosed by Snowden.
Joyce also said a terrorist financier in San Diego was identified and arrested in October 2007 because of a phone record provided by the NSA.
The individual was making phone calls to a known designated terrorist group overseas, Joyce said. He confirmed under questioning that the calls were to Somalia.
Alexander said the Internet program had helped stop 90 percent of the 50-plus plots he cited. He said just over 10 of the plots thwarted had a connection inside the U.S. and most were helped by the review of phone records. Still, little was offered to substantiate claims that the programs have been successful in stopping acts of terrorism that would not have been caught with narrower surveillance. In the New York subway bombing case, President Barack Obama conceded the would-be bomber might have been caught with less sweeping surveillance.
Officials have long had the authority to monitor email accounts linked to terrorists but, before the law changed, needed to get a warrant by showing that the target was a suspected member of a terrorist group. In the disclosed Internet program named PRISM, the government collects vast amounts of online data and email, sometimes sweeping up information on ordinary American citizens. Officials now can collect phone and Internet information broadly but need a warrant to examine specific cases where they believe terrorism is involved.
Alexander said he would provide the lawmakers more details on the 50-plus plots Wednesday but the details would be classified.
Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the panel's top Democrat, said the programs were vital to the intelligence community and assailed Snowden's actions as criminal.
"It is at times like these where our enemies within become almost as damaging as our enemies on the outside," Rogers said.
Ruppersberger said the "brazen disclosures" put the United States and its allies at risk.
Committee members were incredulous about the scope of the information that Snowden was able to access and then disclose.
Alexander said Snowden had worked for 12 months in an information technology position at the NSA office in Hawaii under another contract preceding his three-month contract with Booz Allen.
"Egregious, egregious leaks," Joyce said.
But after the hearing, Alexander said almost all of the documents Snowden leaked were on an internal online library.
"They are on web forums that are publicly available in the NSA," he said.
The general counsel for the intelligence community said the NSA cannot target phone conversations between callers inside the U.S. — even if one of those callers was targeted for surveillance when outside the country.
The director of national intelligence's legal chief, Robert S. Litt, said that if the NSA finds it has accidentally gathered a phone call by a target who had traveled into the U.S. without the agency's knowledge, it has to "purge" that from system. The same goes for an accidental collection of any conversation because of an error.
Litt said those incidents are then reported to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which "pushes back" and asks how it happened, and what the NSA is doing to fix the problem so it doesn't happen again.
Deputy NSA Director Chris Inglis said a limited number of officials at the agency could authorize dissemination of information to the FBI related to a U.S. citizen, and only after determining it was necessary to understand a counterterrorism issue. Information related to an American who is found not to be relevant to a counterterrorism investigation must be destroyed, he added.
Alexander said 10 people were involved in that process, including himself and Inglis.
The hearing came the morning after President Barack Obama vigorously defended the surveillance programs in a lengthy interview, calling them transparent — even though they are authorized in secret.
Obama said he has named representatives to a privacy and civil liberties oversight board first established in 2004 to help in the debate over just how far government data gathering should be allowed to go. The discussion is complicated by the secrecy surrounding the surveillance court, with hearings held at undisclosed locations and with only government lawyers present. The orders that result are all highly classified.
Snowden on Monday accused members of Congress and administration officials of exaggerating their claims about the success of the data gathering programs, including pointing to the arrest of the would-be New York subway bomber, Najibullah Zazi, in 2009.
In an online interview with The Guardian in which he posted answers to questions, he said Zazi could have been caught with narrower, targeted surveillance programs — a point Obama conceded in his interview without mentioning Snowden.
"We might have caught him some other way," Obama said. "We might have disrupted it because a New York cop saw he was suspicious. Maybe he turned out to be incompetent and the bomb didn't go off. But, at the margins, we are increasing our chances of preventing a catastrophe like that through these programs."


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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- The military's small, top-secret version of the space shuttle rocketed into orbit Tuesday for a repeat mystery mission, two years after making the first flight of its kind.
The Air Force launched the unmanned spacecraft Tuesday hidden on top of an Atlas V rocket.
It's the second flight for this original X-37B spaceplane. It circled the planet for seven months in 2010. A second X-37B spacecraft spent more than a year in orbit.
These high-tech mystery machines — 29 feet long — are about one-quarter the size of NASA's old space shuttles and can land automatically on a runway. The two previous touchdowns occurred in Southern California; this one might end on NASA's three-mile-long runway once reserved for the space agency's shuttles.
The military isn't saying much if anything about this new secret mission. In fact, launch commentary ended 17 minutes into the flight.
But one scientific observer, Harvard University's Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, speculates the spaceplane is carrying sensors designed for spying and likely is serving as a testbed for future satellites.
While acknowledging he does not know what the spaceplane is carrying, McDowell said on-board sensors could be capable of imaging or intercepting transmissions of electronic emissions from terrorist training sites in Afghanistan or other hot spots.
The beauty of a reusable spaceplane is that it can be launched on short notice based on need, McDowell said.
What's important about this flight is that it is the first reflight.
"That is pretty cool," McDowell said, "reusing your spacecraft after a runway landing. That's something that has only really been done with the shuttle."
The two previous secret flights were in 200-plus-mile-high orbits, circling at roughly 40-degree angles to the equator. That means the craft flew over the swatch between 40 degrees or so north latitude and 40 degrees or so south latitude.
That puts Russia's far north out of the spaceplane's observing realm, McDowell noted. "It might be studying Middle Eastern latitudes or it might just be being used for sensor tests over the United States," he said.
McDowell speculates that this newest flight will follow suit.


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text: Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. The media couldn't resist the tale of Stubbs the Cat celebrating his 15th year as honorary mayor of Talkeetna, that's the Alaska town that bills itself as the model for the quirky community in TV's "Northern Exposure." Many of us reported that Stubbs was elected as a write-in when the human candidates fell short. Not true. The tiny town has no real mayor, so there was no election, which actually means that Stubbs the cat is probably mayor for life. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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- Description
- Shipping & Handling
- Frequently Asked Questions
Royal Blue Kindergarten Graduation Gown
• Royal Shiny Tricot Fabric
• Sleek, non see-through shiny finish
• Reinforced stitching throughout the gown
• Strong center pleats on the front of the gown
• Comfortable darted yoke
• Sturdy zipper construction with a color matching royal zipper
• Each Shiny Royal Blue Kindergarten Graduation Gown is individually packaged in its own bag
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All Orders for "Stock Products" will ship out within 1-4 Business Days. We offer Rush Processing (1 business day) option which expedite your order handling and overall delivery time. Please contact us as soon possible so we can arrange the shipping. Additional fees may apply.
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If any item(s) become out of stock after an order is placed, one of our customer service representatives will contact you via telephone or email and inform of available options in an effort to remedy any issues. We will ask whether you would like to proceed with your order or make changes to your order. Product substitutions are available upon request. Out of stock items will typically be placed on Back Order and extended processing times may apply.
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The Estimated Delivery Date provided at checkout is an estimate only and does not guarantee delivery by a specific date or time. As this is an estimate only GradKids.com cannot refund shipping charges for shipments arriving past the estimated delivery date. We are not responsible for the delivery delay if the customer have chosen the wrong shipping method. We will do our best to make sure you receive your order on time. We advise you to give us a call if you need your order before a specific date and we will try to meet the date.
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To obtain a shipping rates please add your products to checkout to see shipping rates to your destination. We will ship to some foreign locations. Such locations generally include Canada, Europe, South America, Japan and a few other locations. You can check if your country is available by simulating placing an order on our website. We can also place the order over the phone if you do not find your country. However because such shipments often involve the peculiarities of the various tariffs trade and import/export laws around the globe we may not be able to ship some orders overseas due to the cost of researching the laws for that location. Also if possible it is always easier for us to ship to a US-based shipping address and you will always save on shipping costs if you can arrange for a US-based address to receive the shipment. At this time due to advice from our bank concerning trends in fraud we reserve all rights to deny or proceed with orders shipping internationally. * GradKids IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DUTY VAT TAX OR ANY OTHER FEES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPORTING OUR PRODUCTS. We cannot look up the final cost to you as your home country may (and often does) charge a fee at the destination. We also cannot accept a rejection of that fee after the shipment leaves our factory and we cannot offer a return for a refund. Your home country will demand that GradKids pay the fee before receiving the returned item and GradKids cannot pay that fee. If you order from overseas you must either pay any import fees and duties your home country charges or else abandon the item or receive no refund.
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Our gowns are all made of 100% polyester. Purely made polyester, like our products, is extremely strong, extremely durable and has excellent properties such as being hydrophobic in nature that leads to quick-drying and stain resistance.
What Type Of Gowns Do You Offer?
We have variety of gowns to offer. Our in-stock gowns standard are shiny, matte, and environmental (recycled matte black fabric). We can also provide more prestigious gowns such as for Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate graduates, which we have several variations of each level.
How Do I Know What Color To Choose?
Please contact your graduation coordinator at your educational institution, as we currently do not have access to school colors.
What If My School Orders With A Different Company?
We welcome anyone to order with us! Although, we cannot give assurance or be held responsible for our gowns' colors matching another company's gowns. We provide unique shades of gowns are not the same with another vendor's products.
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Find the right size for your gown. See the instructions below.
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Roasted Butternut Squash Chowder with Parmesan Crisps |
- One 1 1/2-pound butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 leeks, white parts only, coarsely diced (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 Spanish onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 4 celery ribs, finely diced
- 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
- 1 parsnip, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Parmesan Croutons, for serving (recipe below)
- Sixteen 1/2-inch-slices of baguette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
You may recall that I did say that this week here at More Than Burnt Toast it would be Event Week. It just means that I have happily participated in several events around the blogosphere. This time around I am participating in my favourite vegetarian event No Croutons Required from my good friends Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes who blogs from Scotland and Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen from Ontario, Canada.
You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.


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South Sudan gained independence just six months ago, but the country is already plagued by ethnic violence at home and ongoing tensions with its previous rulers in Sudan.
Potential humanitarian crises are brewing in both Sudans, and U.S. diplomats are sounding frustrated that the two are not talking to each other enough.
U.S. officials still don't really have a handle on the violence that exploded this month in a remote part of South Sudan. But U.S. envoy Princeton Lyman says the deadly cattle-raiding and ethnic clashes that have forced tens of thousands to flee shows that the new government's reach is still weak.
"There are real fragile points in this society and years of neglect of their basic needs," Lyman says. "The government is going to have to move very, very fast to get a handle on it and not let ethnic politics get in the way."
Humanitarian groups are desperately trying to reach people in South Sudan's troubled Jonglei state. Noah Gottschalk of Oxfam America says the violence threatens the new nation's plans to develop its agricultural sector.
"When you see this type of displacement happening in this short period of time, where you see the challenges cattle keepers are facing ... it's really worrying," he says. "If [agriculture] is what the government of South Sudan pins its hopes on, this will need to be addressed."
U.S. Sending Military Advisers
The White House announced recently that it is sending five military advisers to help United Nations peacekeepers, who warned of the latest violence but mainly stayed on the sidelines.
The Obama administration also cleared a legal hurdle to provide military assistance. Lyman says the goal is to help a former liberation movement that fought for independence become a real army with civilian oversight.
"Right now we are looking at help for establishing a stronger Ministry of Defense, command-and-control capability, human-rights monitoring and better overall organization," he says. "We have no plans under way for lethal assistance to South Sudan."
One of Lyman's former aides, Cameron Hudson, says the U.S. needs to show more tough love with South Sudan. Hudson is now with the Committee on Conscience at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and he's worried about what former rebels now in government might do during this volatile time.
"Politically their instincts, I think, are in the right place, but when faced with really overwhelming violence, tribal violence and intercommunal violence around them, there are tendencies and temptations on the ground that make doing the right thing difficult on a day-to-day basis," he says. "So the United States and other allied countries, I think, have a real opportunity and responsibility to keep Sudan on track."
There is frustration, but there is frustration that both countries have failed to establish the kind of relationships, or even any of the basic institutions for dealing with their bilateral problems. There's almost no high-level communications between the two.
The U.S. is also worried about the relationship between the two Sudans. The north accuses the south of arming rebels. Lyman can't rule that out, though the south denies it is meddling.
"There is frustration, but there is frustration that both countries have failed to establish the kind of relationships, or even any of the basic institutions for dealing with their bilateral problems," Lyman says. "There's almost no high-level communications between the two."
Humanitarian Concerns
Now there are fears of famine in those areas where Sudan has been cracking down on rebel movements.
"We've gone to the government, we've gone to countries around the world to say, 'Look, this is a catastrophe, but a preventable one,' " Lyman says. He says that the U.S. has urged other countries to tell Sudan's government that it must allow in the United Nations.
The U.N. Security Council, though, has been deadlocked on the issue, says Hudson, the former State Department official.
"What China and Russia see is a proxy war," says Hudson. "So they are reticent to take really strong action like the U.S. government would like to see because they think there isn't just one side involved here. Both sides are at fault."
And there is another brewing conflict between the two Sudans that the U.S. is trying to manage. They are fighting over their shared oil wealth, and U.S. officials warn that if this isn't resolved soon, both countries could face a serious financial crisis.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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You can get in touch for additional details on the many dental care solutions we'll supply. One of our specialists would be happy to talk about every part with you in greater detail.
Numerous issues, both genetic and external, can have an impact on the look of your smile. We will have a choice of aesthetic techniques to take care of dental problems and strengthen how your smile looks. Cosmetic dentistry is an area of dental care aimed at enhancing the appearance of smiles. As we are expert cosmetic consultants, we'll create a smile makeover program designed to enhance your appearance and identity. With the help of a qualified dentist, you could have a brand new and improved smile which still appears healthy and unique. We'll supply a wide array of dentistry treatment plans to accommodate the varied demands of every patient.
Full teeth implants can be applied when a patient has lost all or most of their teeth due to disease or injury. This is often done to make eating more comfortable, and to give patients and bright new smile. An experienced practitioner will ask how you want your smile to look and suggest the most effective treatment plans to achieve this for you. The sort of care is totally determined by what the individual requires, however, we offer a wide selection of services. Gum re-shaping can be done to modify the look of the gum tissue, leaving individuals with a better smile. Some other treatments such as full tooth implants, whitening and new crowns can also be provided for each patient.
New full tooth implants are generally accessible to patients who have missing teeth so as to boost the appearance and function. Full implants replicate real teeth as they come with a complete synthetic root design and crown, however, traditional prosthetics substitute only the crowns of lost teeth. The strong, structure helps make full implants feel, fit in, and work just like healthy teeth.
You'll be ready to eat any food you choose, the same as if you had got a complete set of genuine teeth. Have a look at the costs for the services we can offer http://www.teeth-implants.co.uk/implants/costs/ Because of this unique practical benefit, complete teeth implants are more than a cosmetic choice. Specialist whitening procedures can be provided for patients who have staining or discolouration on theirs. With regard to cracked teeth, artificial veneers can certainly be fitted to protect the existing ones or create a new shape to the smile. When a tooth becomes overcrowded in the mouth or are skew with gaps, orthodontic braces will be able to change the structure and alignment creating a better facial appearance. For those who have suffered a facial trauma, you could have a broken jaw bone or maybe misplaced teeth from this. A lost tooth may be replaced by using full implants, and our professionals may also confer with doctors in case you will need a jaw realignment.
The cosmetic dentistry price is calculated on a case to case agreement. A simple process could be offered for many individuals, while others might require regular procedures to achieve the expected outcome. While we keep cosmetic treatment prices fair, there is not a price tag on the personal benefits of a great smile. The experienced practitioner will look at the price with yourself at evaluation as well as provide you with payment plan choices that can make cosmetic dental improvements budget friendly in your case. We understand that not everyone is blessed with a perfect smile and we are able to offer an excellent service to anyone and everyone. You can find out more on our offers by contacting our team via the provided enquiry box and we will respond as soon as possible. There are a range of options available to you regarding your teeth and our team will help you find out which is perfect for you.
Single Tooth Implant - https://www.teeth-implants.co.uk/implants/single-tooth/
Dental Implant Procedure - https://www.teeth-implants.co.uk/implants/procedure/
Dental Implants Cost - https://www.teeth-implants.co.uk/implants/costs/
Dental Implant Specialists - https://www.teeth-implants.co.uk/implants/dental/
Get in contact with our team today if you would like to speak about complete teeth implants or one of the alternative services we are able to carry out, such as dentures http://www.teeth-implants.co.uk/restoration/dentures/ We will consider just what you will need and arrange for you to meet with a specialist as soon as we can.


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Emergency CALL 0405 554 247
carpet repairs
Carpet Repair Claremont Meadows
When you buy carpets for your home, you focus on purchasing good quality products that will be resilient and last for a long time. You also make it a point to maintain these features well and vacuum them regularly. However, over time, dirt, debris and regular wear and tear take their toll and you may find that your carpet is deteriorating in some way or the other.
While many homeowners try DIY carpet repairs, this isn't something that we at Spot On Carpet Cleaning recommend. We know from experience that carpet deterioration can be very difficult to manage. Trying to fix it yourself can only cause even more damage to your expensive carpet.
In some cases, attempting to get this fixed later from a professional can prove to be expensive and sometimes impossible as well. The best way to ensure that your carpet stays in a good condition and that you don't have to spend excessive amounts of money on getting it fixed, is to hire our carpet repairs Claremont Meadows services.
Common Problems In Carpeting
The recommendation is that you call us as soon as you notice even the slightest signs of deterioration or damage in the carpet. We have been operating in this industry for numerous years and have what it takes to provide our clients with customized solutions. In most instances there are some common problems that people face with their carpets such as:
- Loose carpeting
- Lumping
- Bumps
- Rips and tears
- Loose fibres
- Iron burns
- Cigarette burns
- Threadbare sections
Depending on the type of damage and the extent of it, our experts will provide customised carpet repairs Claremont Meadows solutions. In some cases, we might recommend carpet stretching which helps get rid of the lumps and bumps. This job requires a significant amount of expertise and needs to be handled right, making it important to hire experts like us for the job. Stretching involves making small cuts in the carpet at specific sections. The wrong cuts can result in permanent damage to the expensive installations.
In addition to carpet stretching, we may also be use techniques such as patching, stitching, lifting, trimming etc. If there is excessive wear in your carpet, patching it might be the only solution. There are times when the carpeting near doorways and wall edges comes loose. In these situations, we may have to lift, trim and stretch the carpet in order to readjust it to fit the space. In case of visible signs of threads being pulled, our team may simply trim the carpet or even seal it to prevent it from fraying. If there is a distinct split in the carpet, we may have to place a patch at that specific point.
We handle this job in a very meticulous manner in order to ensure that the integrity and appearance of your carpet isn't impacted in any way. We carry out the work only after assessing the condition of the carpet and determining what the best plan of action would be.
We at Spot On Carpet Cleaning are the experts that provide custom carpet cleaning Claremont Meadows services to both residential and commercial clients. Our expertise in this space has earned us a large number of new and returning clients. For any more information, feel free to contact us either via this Online Form or this number- 0405 554 247.
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Remedy 'Would Love to See' Alan Wake on PC, Microsoft Making the Call
With the long-promised PC edition of its "psychological action thriller" Alan Wake now "up in the air," developer Remedy has issued a formal statement to several sites, including BrightFalls and Digital Spy, that puts the fate of a PC release in Microsoft's hands:
It is accurate that we are currently working exclusively on the Xbox360 version of Alan Wake. PC plans are currently open, and therefore it's safe to say that at least a simultaneous launch with the Xbox version will not happen at this late stage. Remedy has a deep heritage in PC gaming and would love to see a PC version available to its PC followers, ultimately however this decision lies with our publisher.
Initially announced for PC and "next generation consoles" in 2005, Alan Wake was confirmed for Xbox 360 and PC when Microsoft signed on to publish in 2006, with the Xbox 360 edition now slated for "spring 2010." The now-uncertain fate of the PC release has caused quite a stir, especially considering the Max Payne creator's past positioning of Alan Wake as a flagship title for PC technology from Microsoft and Intel.


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M. Berryman (2009) Set Research information for teachers: The Te Kotahitanga effective teaching profile. New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER)
Through interviews with Māori students, their teachers, and whānau, the authors learned about the characteristics of teachers that made a difference. They have drawn these together into the Effective Teaching Profile. Set Research Information for Teachers. Set 2009: no. 2 pp 27-33. New Zealand Council for Educational Research.


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HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Brad Keselowski got some help on the last day of practice for NASCAR's Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Pole sitter Joey Logano was involved in a three-car accident during the first of two practice sessions Saturday, switched to a backup car and will start from the rear of the field Sunday.
That will move Keselowski, who had qualified third, to the front when the green flag drops Sunday. Marcos Ambrose will start on the outside.
And if Keselowski leads the first lap, he will extend his points lead from 20 to 21 in the 400-mile race. He needs to finish 15th or better to clinch the title, which would be the first for longtime NASCAR team owner Roger Penske.
"I certainly wasn't expecting to be on the front row," Keselowski said. "It's different from what we're used to, but it's different in a good way. ... If I can take the lead without wrecking myself, then that's what I'm going to do."
Keselowski seemed a little tighter than usual Saturday, quite possibly starting to feel the pressure as he goes for his first championship.
Fellow title contender Jimmie Johnson, who will start 10th in the finale, has done all he can to make Keselowski feel uncomfortable.
"Ready to race for sure," Johnson said. "Very pleased with how our car finished up. It's really nothing for me to lose sleep about tonight. It's an easy night for me. ... Easy from my standpoint because I've got nothing to lose. We'll see what they do on the other side."
Johnson also thoughts about how he would like see the first lap unfold.
"I hope (Keselowski) tries really, really, really hard to lead that first lap," Johnson said. "I know Ambrose next to him is going to try hard, too. That could be good for me."
Keselowski knows Johnson is messing with him and is a little envious of his position.
"I don't ignore it, but if we could change places, I bet he would in a heartbeat," Keselowski said.
Keselowski was faster than Johnson in practice Saturday. Keselowski turned the faster lap and edged Johnson with a better 10-lap average.
"I think we're a top-five car right now," Johnson said. "Winning? We'll work on that tonight and put some final touches on it. But I knew coming into this weekend I was going to have a big hill to climb with the (No. 2) car and the points lead that they have. They've done their part; they've been very competitive all weekend long.
"We'll just have to see how that race goes tomorrow."
At least one competitor believes Keselowski's No. 2 Dodge has a decided advantage over Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet.
"Those guys are executing really well, and from what I've seen so far this weekend, I just don't think the 48 has the speed to run with those guys anyway," Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin said. "So I think that they're going to have to rely on something catastrophic happening to the 2."
The championship contenders avoided both wrecks in practice.
Hamlin and Greg Biffle were running side by side, with Logano right behind them on the outside, when they made connect and started spinning. Logano got caught up in the mess.
"I was the innocent bystander once again and drove into it," Logano said. "It's unfortunate."


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ProShot, CameraPro or the native Windows Phone 8 camera. Which is better?
We've taken a look at two Windows Phone 8 camera apps, ProShot and CameraPro, that give you a decent amount of control over your Windows Phone 8 camera. ProShot has a little friendlier user interface but CameraPro has a few more features.
While both these apps can be appealing to those who are looking for more control over their Windows Phone, do they make a difference where the rubber meets the road? Is the image quality with these two apps better than what the native camera app can produce?
We loaded up CameraPro and ProShot on to the Nokia Lumia 920 to see how image quality shook out.
First we take a look at indoor photos. Photos were taken from a tripod using indoor photo lamps at 75% power for consistent lighting. All three images were taken with the settings on Auto, at 7.99MP and 4:3 aspect ratio. All the photos yielded different shutter speeds but the same ISO of 100. The CameraPro image used a shutter speed of 1/170, the ProShot 1/250 and the native camera app used 1/200.
Indoor Photo Sample: ProShot, CameraPro, Lumia 920 (from left to right)
Image quality on all three was nice. Looking at the cropped portion of the test image I would have to give the sharpness edge to ProShot by a hair with the native app on the Lumia 920 coming in a close second and CameraPro being the softer of the images.
Cropped Indoor Samples from left to right: ProShot, CameraPro, Lumia 920
Outdoor shots, also taken from a tripod for consistency, yielded similar results. Again, each camera app was set to auto and choose ISO 100 but different shutter speeds.The ProShot image was taken at a shutter speed of 1/1/2300th, the CameraPro at 1/1250th and the Lumia 920 at 1/3200th.
Outdoor Photo Samples from left to right: ProShot, CameraPro, Lumia 920
The overall outdoor sample taken from all three was of decent quality. The CameraPro image was a tad overexposed but based on the crops, the sharper of the three. Having stared at these images for way too long it's hard to tell but I'm leaning towards giving the Lumia 920 better color tones.
Outdoor Samples Cropped from left to right: ProShot, CamerPro, Lumia 920
It was a little surprising to see CameraPro be the softer option indoors and the sharper option outdoors. Not sure if it's the glare of the lights softening the image. CameraPro did use the slower shutter speed and that may have produced a softening glare. But then you have to ask why ProShot and the native app turned softer outdoors. The saving grace in all of this is that the softness, exposure, and color balance on all these sample photos is not detrimental and can be easily adjusted for.
We did take a the camera out at night. I'm not sure if it's possible but it looks like CameraPro and ProShot both tap into the Lumia 920's low light algorithms. The scene was lit by two building lights and an adjacent street light. All three images were taken with a tripod for consistency and all three apps were set on auto. For the third time, all three choose the same ISO, 640, but different shutter speeds. ProShot used a shutter speed of 1/7th, CameraPro used 1/5th and the native camera app on the Lumia 920 used 1/6th.
Night Samples from left to right: ProShot, CameraPro, Lumia 920
The full images look very comparable with the ProShot having slightly better exposure. All three captured nice low light images and based on the crops, sharpness appears to be similar to what the indoor shots produced. The ProShot appears to have a touch more sharpness than the Lumia 920 with the CameraPro being the softer of the three.
Night Samples Cropped from left to right: ProShot, CameraPro, Lumia 920
Just one quick note on these sample images is that the only editing done was to resize the images for publication. If you are interested, the full sized, individual images can be downloaded here (just under 25MB).
Moving beyond image quality, the native Windows Phone camera app does a nice job but the settings are out of site. On the Lumia 920 we wouldn't mind seeing a settings bank similar to what we see on the Lumia 900 but it'll do.
Both CameraPro and ProShot provide a nice alternative to the native camera app for those who want more controls. Which is best? I see it as a coin toss. CameraPro has more features and controls while ProShot has the better user interface. Judging on image quality, all three captured nice images but the exposure and sharpness processing (at least indoors and at night) of the ProShot seems to have a slight edge. However, if you're not into tweaking camera settings and prefer the camera do the heavy lifting the native app on your Windows Phone, be it on the Lumia 920 or HTC 8x, will do a very nice job of things as well.
While CameraPro lacks a trial version, ProShot does have a trial version that will let you explore the settings but won't let you save photos. You can find CameraPro here at the Windows Phone Store for $2.49. You can find ProShot here at the Windows Phone Store for $1.99.
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George is the Reviews Editor at Windows Central, concentrating on Windows 10 PC and Mobile apps. He's been a supporter of the platform since the days of Windows CE and uses his current Windows 10 Mobile phone daily to keep up with life and enjoy a game during down time.


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What are current pay rates for California hospitals? Patient ratios in an ICU in Indiana? Politics in a Florida hospital? These are just some of the current topics being discussed. Travel nurses are hired by travel agencies for their ability to hit the ground running. Travel Nursing is the forum for all things travel nursing.
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Daniel Tiger Sister Shirt
Daniel Tiger Sister Shirt
A precious Daniel Tiger sister shirt to match the birthday boy/girl!
All shirts are 100% cotton. I use a professional heat press to transfer the image, NOT a home iron. All shirts are embellished with a bow. I will personalize it with your child's name and age for no addition cost. The puffy sleeve tee is available in sizes 2T-10. I have the same brand shirts in a tank top style as well as long sleeved. Sizes below 2T are Carter's brand onesies. (12month and 18month puffy sleeve tees may be available upon request.) Please see the size charts below and choose your options in the drop down menus.
*All products from Twistin Twirlin Tutus are 100% hand made and come from a pet-free, smoke-free home.
*Please note heat pressed shirts may become distressed through wash/wear. Always wash them inside out on a delicate cycle using mild detergent and no bleach.


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R. Bishop & M. Berryman (2010) Te Kotahitanga: Culturally responsive professional development for teachers.. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group
Online preview. This paper focuses on the professional learning opportunities developed for classroom teachers within the Te Kotahitanga project to support the development of more effective classroom relationships and interactions with Māori students. This has resulted in Māori students attending school more regularly, engaging as learners and achieving to levels where they begin to realise their true potential. Paper prepared for Teacher Development: An International Journal of Teachers Professional Development, 14(2), 173-187.


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Kidney Cancer
Most cancers are named after the part of the body where the cancer first begins, and kidney cancer is no exception. Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys--two large, bean-shaped organs--one located to the left, and the other to the right of the backbone. Renal is the Latin word for kidney, and kidney cancer may also be referred to as renal cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 81,800 people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with kidney and renal pelvic cancers in 2023. The most common type is called renal cell cancer. The information contained on this page refers to renal cell cancer.
What are the risk factors for renal cell cancer?
The exact cause of renal cell cancer is unknown. However, there are certain risk factors that are linked to it. These risk factors, according to the ACS, are as follows:
Smoking. Smoking increases the risk of kidney cancer. The risk seems related to the amount you smoke.
Asbestos. Studies show a link between exposure to asbestos and kidney cancer.
Cadmium. There may be a link between cadmium exposure and kidney cancer. Cadmium may increase the cancer-causing effect of smoking.
Family history. Family history of kidney cancer increases a person's risk.
Gender. Men are twice as likely to develop renal cell cancer than women.
Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. This is a disease caused by a gene mutation that increases the chances of renal cell cancer.
Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome. Patients who have this disease are more likely to develop renal cell cancer.
Other hereditary syndromes. Patients with hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma, hereditary leiomyoma-renal cell carcinoma, and hereditary renal oncocytoma are more likely to develop kidney cancer.
Obesity. Obesity increases a person's risk of kidney cancer.
Advanced kidney disease. Patients with advanced kidney disease who have been on dialysis for a long time may develop renal cell cancer.
High blood pressure. Patients who have high blood pressure have a higher risk for kidney cancer.
Diuretics (water pills). Drugs that eliminate excess body fluid may raise the risk of kidney cancer, although this is not clear.
Race. African-Americans have a slightly higher risk of kidney cancer.
What are the symptoms of renal cell cancer?
The following are the most common symptoms of renal cell cancer. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
Blood in the urine
Rapid, unexplained weight loss
Low back pain (not caused by an injury)
Loss of appetite
Swelling of ankles and legs
Mass or lump on the side or lower back
Recurrent fever (not caused by a cold or the flu)
High blood pressure (less frequently)
Anemia (less frequently)
Unrelieved pain in the side
The symptoms of renal cell cancer may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.
How is kidney cancer (renal cell cancer) diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for kidney cancer may include the following:
Blood and urine laboratory tests
Intravenous pyelogram (IVP). A series of X-rays of the kidney, ureters, and bladder with the injection of a contrast dye into the vein to detect tumors, abnormalities, kidney stones, or any obstructions, and to assess renal blood flow.
Renal angiography (also called arteriography). A series of X-rays with the injection of a contrast dye into a catheter, which is placed into the blood vessels of the kidney, to detect any signs of blockage or abnormalities affecting the blood supply to the kidneys.
Other imaging tests (to show the difference between diseased and healthy tissues), including the following:
Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan). A noninvasive type of X-ray procedure that takes horizontal, or axial, images of the brain or other internal organs to detect any abnormalities that may not show up on an ordinary X-ray.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A noninvasive procedure that uses radio waves and strong magnets to produce very detailed two-dimensional views of an internal organ or structure, especially the brain and spinal cord.
Ultrasound (also called sonography). A diagnostic imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues, and organs. Ultrasounds are used to view internal organs as they function, and to assess blood flow through various vessels.
Chest X-ray. A diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs on film.
Bone scan. A nuclear imaging method to evaluate any degenerative and/or arthritic changes in the joints to detect bone diseases and tumors to determine the cause of bone pain or inflammation.
Based on results of other tests and procedures, a biopsy may be needed. A biopsy is a procedure in which a sample of the tumor is removed and sent to the laboratory for examination by a pathologist.
How is kidney cancer treated?
Specific treatment for kidney cancer will be determined by your doctor based on:
Your age, overall health, and medical history
Extent of the disease
Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
Expectations for the course of the disease
Your opinion or preference
Treatment may include:
Surgery. Surgery to remove the kidney is called a nephrectomy and it is the most common treatment for kidney cancer. The following are different types of nephrectomy procedures:
Radical nephrectomy. The whole kidney is removed along with the adrenal gland, tissue around the kidney, and, sometimes, lymph nodes in the area.
Simple nephrectomy. Only the kidney is removed.
Partial nephrectomy. Only the part of the kidney that contains the tumor is removed.
The remaining kidney is generally able to perform the work of both kidneys.
Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells, and is also sometimes used to relieve pain when kidney cancer has spread to the bone.
Targeted therapy. Targeted therapy uses drugs that attack specific parts of cancer cells. These drugs work differently from standard chemotherapy drugs, and often have less severe side effects. They are commonly the first line of treatment for advanced kidney cancer. Examples include sunitinib (Sutent), sorafenib (Nexavar), temsirolimus (Torisel), everolimus (Afinitor), bevacizumab (Avastin) and pazopanib (Votrient).
Biological therapy (also called immunotherapy). Biological therapy is a treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer.
Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, kidney cancer is often resistant to chemotherapy drugs.
Arterial embolization. Arterial embolization is a procedure in which small pieces of a special gelatin sponge, or other material, are injected through a catheter to clog the main renal blood vessel. This procedure shrinks the tumor by depriving it of the oxygen-carrying blood and other substances it needs to grow. It may also be used before an operation to make surgery easier, or to provide relief from pain when removal of the tumor is not possible.
If you or a family member has been diagnosed with kidney cancer, you may want to consider getting a second opinion. In fact, some insurance companies require a second opinion for such diagnoses. According to the ACS, it's rare that the time it will take to get a second opinion will have a negative impact on your treatment. The peace of mind a second opinion provides may be well worth the effort.
Treatments, Tests and Therapies
Kidney Cancer and Chordoma: Craig's Story
When Craig Scholl was diagnosed with cancer, he and his wife made a trip to The Johns Hopkins Hospital. There, specialists in urology, oncology, neurosurgery and other areas collaborated on a multidisciplinary approach that helped Craig regain his health.