text:
STRANGEBUTTRUE- Yogi's bearing: Slowing hearts and feeling the warmth
Q. Is it possible to stop one's heart briefly simply by visualizing this happening? –A. Taylor
A. Amazing claims have been made about the powers of Indian yogis to do just this, though these have never been documented, report Hans and Michael Eysenck in Mind Watching: Why We Behave the Way We Do.
But a study of 400 yogis did show a handful capable of slowing their heart beat to half its normal rate, and one was able to make his forehead break out in a sweat without moving a muscle. Two others managed to slow their metabolism to less than half their normal waking rates, five times as great a drop as occurs in deep sleep!
The famous Russian mnemonist Shereshevski, by visualizing himself first as asleep and then vigorously active, could vary his heart rate by about 40 beats per minute (with 70 beats being a normal rate).
"Even more dramatically, Shereshevski could raise the skin temperature of his right hand by imagining that it was on a hot stove," the Eysencks write, "while at the same time lowering the temperature of his left hand by imagining that it was holding an ice cube."
Q. Are there any developmentally disabled nonhuman primates? For example, a gorilla with Down Syndrome?" –D. Fossey
A. Many such examples exist in the scientific literature, says Frans de Waal of the Yerkes Primate Center of Emory University and author of The Age of Empathy.
"I know cases of trisomy (three copies of a chromosome, instead of the normal two) of chromosome 22 in one chimpanzee and one orangutan," de Waal writes. "In both, the condition was associated with mental retardation superficially resembling Down Syndrome, which afflicts humans with trisomy 21."
Also a chimpanzee named Knuckles, still alive in Florida, has cerebral palsy, and Azalea, a young rhesus monkey that de Waal knew personally, had trisomy of chromosome 18. She was clumsy in her locomotion and acted in a socially inept manner; she sometimes threatened dominant individuals, which in the strict hierarchy of rhesus society is a big "no-no."
Interestingly, whereas other monkeys would get punished for such transgressions, Azalea was extremely well tolerated, as if the others knew there was something wrong with her and cut her some slack. The same consideration has been claimed for Knuckles, "a tolerance I attribute to the capacity for empathy in primates," says the researcher.
Q. When closely matched athletes compete, why does one win one day and another the next? Surely whoever is fastest or strongest will remain so, for a while at least. –M. Ali
A. Anyone belonging to a gym knows we all have "strong" and "weak" days, due to amount and quality of sleep, nutrition, etc., says Steve Gisselbrecht in New Scientist magazine. These factors can be regularized somewhat– but not viral infections and the like.
Nowadays, most distance competitions are timed to a thousandth of a second, which usually provides enough margin to declare a winner, says physiologist Mike Rennie of the University of Nottingham Medical School, U.K. In fact, the athlete's mental and physical states, such as diet, fit of shoes, distance from the starting gun, will to win, are likely to account for more than 0.1 percent difference at the elite level.
The athlete's form is another variable, encompassing helpfulness of coaching, injury or illness, overconfidence or nagging self-doubts, plus cumulative stress and even simple luck. Almost all of these can be graphed as curves that add up to victory or defeat, says Jon Richfield of Somerset West, South Africa, who adds, "Yet most setbacks are at least temporarily reversible."
Q. How do you spell relief? "O-b-e-c-a-l-p" just might do it, marketed as a treatment for children's mild complaints. But is it safe? –B. Spock
A. As safe as a sugar pill manufactured to FDA standards, which describes Obecalp, whether the name is read forward or– did you notice?– backward: placebo, according to Rebecca Coffey of Discover magazine.
Send Strange questions to brothers Bill and Rich at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Kash Runnerz - Paper Chase [Unsigned Hype]
"Shay Shay Gavana and Tony Fletcher Fire new Flow
off Da Mixtape "Vice Versa" Reppin' Tampa,Fl and
Atlanta,Ga. Facebook/kash runnerz(Tony Fletcher)
Myspace/TonyFLetcher813 Youtube/kash runnerz Google
Shay Shay Gavana
Perspective Films Hit us in Atlanta if You need a Video (813)236-4051"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Cause Marketing Coup
If you're a Target shopper and/or a Ben & Jerry's (B&J) fan you probably know about Volunteer Match's (VM) cause marketing coup.
Back in June, B&J launched its Berry Voluntary and Brownie Chew Gooder flavors at Target (a long-time VM supporter), aiming to encourage local volunteering via VM's Scoop it Forward program. After registering for a volunteer activity and forwarding the opportunity to five friends, all six people received a coupon for a free pint of one of the new flavors, redeemable at Target.
Reinvigorated to Reach New Audiences
That's a five-start cause marketing partnership but focus on even the most engaging promotion flags after a while. VolunteerMatch was determined to use this opportunity to engage additional audiences to build awareness of volunteering.
They devised a brilliant, funny strategy to do so — challenging Stephen Colbert (who has his own B&J flavor, Americone) to an ice cream taste off.
And what better (potentially viral) way to launch the challenge than this video: "I challenge Stephen Colbert – man to man and spoon to spoon – to see who has the ice cream flavor that people prefer," joked Greg Baldwin, president of VolunteerMatch. "Anywhere. Anytime. Any tongue."
After trying each flavor, Baldwin invites tasters to vote for the flavor they prefer, which is a great way to further engage those who hear about the taste off.
But the creative team at VM didn't stop there. They generated major attention by storming the line of folks waiting to see the Colbert Report taping last week. VM distributed sample sizes of Berry Voluntary, proffered a written challenge to Colbert and the show's producers, and launched the video big-time!
With Great Immediate Results
The long-term results will be how increased awareness from the taste-off generates more VolunteerMatch volunteers. But that won't be clear for awhile.
What's immediately apparent is that the spectacularly original and marvelously engaging approach has gotten big time attention. The story launched on Monday and was immediately covered by Fast Company and the Huffington Post, among other channels. That means that VM has already reached new audiences.
Next step, getting Baldwin on the Colbert Report! I'll keep you posted on progress.
Powerful Inspiration — Use It to Spice Up Your Campaigns
There's lots of inspiration here. My challenge to you is this: How can you take a great existing marketing or fundraising campaign, spice it up and roll it out to engage new audiences (or re-engage those who might have seen it the first time round)?
P.S. Vote now to build your messaging skills by selecting the best in class in the 2010 Taggies — the third annual Nonprofit Tagline Award Competition. It's a fun project that will help nonprofits in all fields discover what works, and why.


text:
Photo courtesy of Harvard Athletic Communications.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sixteen Harvard varsity athletic teams have received Division I Academic Progress Rate Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA, it was announced Wednesday afternoon. The NCAA recognized more than 800 Division I sports teams from across the country for their exceptional work in the classroom as part of the NCAA's Academic Performance Program.
With 16 teams honored for their academic success, Harvard tied
for sixth in the nation, along with Lafayette, Holy Cross and
Princeton. The Ivy League had the most number of teams
honored for a conference with 135. These 16 Harvard teams
posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in
their respective sports.
The Crimson programs to receive the Public Recognition Awards are: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, football, men's lacrosse, men's skiing, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's indoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, men's outdoor track & field, women's outdoor track & field, men's volleyball and women's volleyball.
The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. High-performing teams receiving awards posted APR scores ranging from 976 to a perfect 1,000.


text:
|Version 53 (modified by 10 years ago) (diff),
Add comments to wiki pages
The AddCommentMacro allows for easy addition of comments to a page, in a standard format. Each comment is added in the following form:
==== Comment by <user> on <date> ==== <comment-body>
The comment body supports normal TracWiki WikiFormatting.
Comments are added after the first line that starts with
The AddCommentMacro supports previewing and adheres to the TracPermissions scheme, only allowing comments to be added if the user has write access to the page.
Since [21] the AddCommentMacro can fulfill the role of an append only Wiki page. By passing the argument appendonly to the macro, comments can be appended to the page even when the user does not have permission to modify the page. This is potentially unsafe, but can be useful.
Bugs/Feature Requests
Existing bugs and feature requests for AddCommentMacro are here.
If you have any issues, create a new ticket.
Easy Install instructions for installing latest versions of the macro:
Trac 0.10.x
$> easy_install http://trac-hacks.org/svn/macropostplugin/0.10 ... $> easy_install http://trac-hacks.org/svn/addcommentmacro/0.10 ... Done.
Trac 0.11.x
$> easy_install http://trac-hacks.org/svn/macropostplugin/0.11 ... $> easy_install http://trac-hacks.org/svn/addcommentmacro/0.11 ... Done.
Don't forget to add:
macropost.web_ui.macropostmodule = enabled addcomment.* = enabled
to the [components] section of trac.ini, or use the WebAdmin interface to enable both plug-ins
Download all versions as a [download:addcommentmacro zip file].
You need to install MacroPostPlugin first, or the 'preview' and 'submit' buttons won't work.
You can check out the source for AddCommentMacro from Subversion at http://trac-hacks.org/svn/addcommentmacro.
Change Log
Author: athomas
Maintainer: osimons
Contributors: eblot (ported Trac to trunk), osimons (0.11 version)


text:
Val Waters necesitaba un nuevo diseño de impreso o envases y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 80 diseños de 21 diseñadores freelance.
I'm a personal trainer in Los Angeles - my specialty is working with actors/actresses/models getting them ready for photo shoots, movie roles and red carpet events.
You can find my entire bio and client list here: http://www.valeriewaters.com/about
This contest is for my piece of fitness equipment which you can learn more about here: http://www.valslide.com
Fitness minded men & women, between the ages of 25-50
All levels of fitness
Clean, sexy design conveying these themes:
Weight Loss
Fast results
Tone muscle
The slogan/tag line is "Slide your way to a better body."
I'd like to see different examples on both black and white..
The backside will need space to have a UPC code
I'm leaning towards a square-ish design.. not full-on rectangle, but there is room to play here - so I'd like to see some of your ideas
Basically, I'd like it to be obvious that both men and women can use the product.
I've attached some pictures (PNG files) of the product in use.. ideally, the male model doing the pushup will be represented as well as one of the female pictures. Not sure which one, but I'd like to see your designs.
I have attached a bunch of mockups my in-house designer created as a starting point.. as well as images of the product being used.
The models have already been isolated from the backgrounds for easy integration into your designs..


text:
Capital One settles with CFPB to refund $140 million in fees to 2 million customers and pay $60 million in penalties.
After much speculation in the financial industry about the powers of the newest federal agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has come out ahead, announcing a settlement that requires Capital One Bank to refund about $140 million to 2 million customers and pay an additional $60 million in two penalties.
The bureau, working with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, determined the credit card company had used its call centers to market deceptive add-ons, or fee-based services, such as payment protection insurance-type plans to account holders as a way to improve their credit scores.
"Today's action puts $140 million back in the pockets of 2 million Capital One customers who were pressured or misled into buying credit card products they didn't understand, didn't want, or in some cases, couldn't even use," CFPB Director Richard Cordray said Wednesday, when the announcement was made. "We are putting companies on notice that these deceptive practices are against the law and will not be tolerated."
The company accepted the settlement. "We are accountable for the actions that vendors take on our behalf," said Ryan Schneider, president of Capital One's credit card business. "These marketing calls were inconsistent with the explicit instructions we provided to agents for how these products should be sold. We apologize to those customers who were impacted, and we are committed to making it right." The company halted marketing of the illegal services after being alerted in 2011.
Under the 2011 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, CFPB has the authority to issue consent orders and to take action against institutions engaging in unfair, deceptive or abusive practices.
On its website, CFPB advised customers that they need take no action to receive either credit in their account or a check, though they should be on the lookout for scammers claiming to help consumers obtain the refunds in order to steal their personal identification information.


text:
Hoo-ray for Pokéstar Studios, that screwy wowy wooy Pokéstar, where any office Clerk or young Mechanic can be a panic, hoo-ray for Po-ké-star STUDIOS!
Ash and co. finally arrive at the Virbank City port, but before he could challenge the Gym Leader, he, Iris and Cilan run into Luke and Zorua again (in a surprise way when Zorua impersonates Ash's personality). Apparently he's planning on entering the Pokéstar Studios Movie contest and wants Ash, Iris and Cilan to help making the greatest film about the Unova Defense Force against his rival film director Jules and his Krookodile. Will Luke's newest film be a smash hit? Yes. And why is Team Rocket after the mysterious Meloetta since it starts to follow Ash to the Virbank City Gym?
- The Mecha-Tyranitar from the upcoming Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 makes its appearance in the anime.
- It's been 40 episodes earlier since Ash and co. last saw Luke.
- Aside from Pikachu and Meowth, this episode marks the very first appearance of a Pokémon from a previous generation, in this case, Generation II.
- Who's That Pokémon?: Krookodile (US)
|This article has an incomplete plot/synopsis.
Reason: N/A
Please help the Pokémon Wiki by expanding it.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
-ba necesitaba un nuevo diseño de camiseta y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
5 ganadores han sido elegidos entre 126 diseños de 35 diseñadores freelance.
We are Apigee. We make free tools for developers building applications with APIs, or for companies that provide APIs, to make them better- for learning, analytics, protection, debugging and more. We have thousands of developers on our platform and we want to give them t-shirts as a small token of our love- T-Shirts made by APIGeeks, for APIgeeks.
These T-Shirts are for developers and geeks of all languages (Ruby, RoR, PHP, Java, ObjectiveC- we don't care. We love them all). APIGeeks are serious about their work, but they like to experiment and play with new things. They have a sense of humor but they like their designs clean. Jokes involving REST, SOAP and OAuth are always appreciated. They are innovators and cutting-edge, creative and playful.
The t-shirts will not be t-shirts you wear to the gym or to bed. They are AWESOME enough to wear on the street, to work and meetups. The image should be able to scale easily to all t-shirt sizes and work for all genders.
Color is up for debate but something darker- likely gray-scale- not white or black. Think slate, something neutral. Suggestions happily taken.
The main theme is "I <3 APIs". We'd like our logo on there too but not picky about where it goes- front or back, on the side, whatever. The logo should not be huge, but needs to be readable. "I <3 APIs" is the main message to get across.
Take a look at our website (http://www.apigee.com), our "I <3 APIs" stickers (http://apigee.com/blog_detail/i_hea…i_stickers) for basic treatment philosophy and attached logo for color scheme basics and "Brand feel".
We are looking for something bold but not obnoxious- something clean and slick, not cluttered, but still playful.
Be creative!!!


text:
Dreaming of living and working at the beach Look no further!
Sakonnet Veterinary Hospital has an exciting opportunity for an associate veterinarian to join our team. We are an established full-service, multi-doctor animal hospital focused on providing the highest quality veterinary care for dogs, cats, ferrets, and other pocket pets. Our spacious facility, soon to be renovated to truly meet the advancement of our patient care standards, already includes an in-house lab, five exam rooms, surgical, and dental suites. Our equipment includes surgical laser, cryotherapy, and brand new ultrasound unit. The friendly, experienced, and caring support staff are dedicated to our patients, clients, and community. Get to know us better here!
This is the perfect opportunity for an experienced doctor to work within a collaborative team, or an internship-trained candidate to be successful under the mentorship and guidance of our friendly team of doctors with a wide range of experience and areas of interest.
The coastal town of Tiverton, RI is a fantastic place to live and work. Located only 20 minutes from both Newportand Providence, there are plenty of amenities to explore year-round. We enjoy all that coastal life has to offer including nearby beautiful beaches, local fishing, outdoor activities, cozy shops, dining, and more. This quaint town setting offers something unique for everyone.
We are part of a family of practices with a long history and reputation that separates us from others – see what all the buzz is about! We support our veterinarians with superior salary, benefits (including health and dental, 401(k), CE allowance, vacation, dues, and liability coverage), outstanding practice teams, and a family friendly atmosphere.
Association of Avian Veterinarians
PO Box 9
Teaneck, NJ 07666
E: email@example.com
Please note: AAV does NOT provide medical information to the public on this site or via phone, email or social media sites. Please visit the find a vet directory to locate a veterinarian in your community.


text:
I would like to take this time to congratulate a friend of the blog, Russel. Russel operates "Wrigley Regular" which is also on the MLBlog Network. Russel does a great job posting about the Cubs and baseball in general.
Russel recently took a trip to the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati and visited the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame before taking in the Cubs game. He has a tremendous recap of the place with tons of pictures and video.
Here is Russel's blog – Wrigley Regular
Here is a direct link to the Reds Hall of Fame post – Reds Hall of Fame Recap
Russel also got some big time press for his post as he was featured on Panel #1 on MLBlogs front page. In doing so, he also got Born on Third a small shout out as well (Highlighted below). Great job Russel, keep up the good work.
Please head over to Russel's blog, it's definitely worth the trip.
– George


text:
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text:
Ginger beer & tangerine glazed ham
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal451
- fat27g
- saturates10g
- carbs4g
- sugars4g
- fibre0g
- protein50g
- salt6.49g
- 3kg mild-cure gammon
- 1 onion, halved
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 3 tangerines, zest removed with a vegetable peeler
- 4 star anise
Star anisestar an-eese
Star anise is one of the central spices in Chinese cooking. It has a strong anise flavour, with…
- 2l ginger beer
Mainly grown in Jamaica, Africa, India, China and Australia, ginger is the root of the plant. It…
For the glaze
Put the gammon, onion, tangerine zest and star anise in a large pan. Pour over all but 100ml of the ginger beer and, if necessary, top up with water so the gammon is just covered. Bring to the boil, skim the surface to remove any fat, reduce to a simmer, then cover and cook for 3-3½ hrs or until the meat is tender. When the gammon is cooked, remove it from the pan. Reserve the cooking liquor and use to cook lentils (see 'Goes well with'). Cool, cover and chill at this stage if you want to prepare ahead – bring back to room temp before continuing.
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Carefully cut the skin off the gammon, making sure to leave a layer of fat, then lightly score the fat into diamond shapes. Place in a roasting tin lined with foil. Warm the honey, mustard and reserved 100ml ginger beer in a pan and boil until it thickens. Spoon over the fat, then stud a clove into the middle of each diamond. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the glaze has caramelised. If you did prepare ahead, add another 10 mins to the cooking time. Slice and eat warm or cold.
Recipe Tip
Soaking gammonNowadays, many gammons are mild-cure and don't need soaking before cooking – ask your butcher. If necessary, soak the gammon overnight in cold water to remove excess salt; drain.
Recipe Tip
Cooking timeThe cooking time in this recipe is based on a 3kg joint. For other sizes, allow 30 mins per 500g, plus an extra 20 mins.


text:
BEIRUT—Smoldering buildings, looted shops, smashed cars and a strong stench of death greeted UN observers who entered the nearly deserted Syrian town of Haffa on Thursday, a day after President Bashar Assad's forces overran it as part of a major offensive to recover rebel-controlled territories.
The monitors had been trying to get into the town for a week after fears were raised that a brutal assault by regime forces was under way. They found the main hospital burned, state buildings and an office of the ruling Baath party in ruins and a corpse lying in the street.
"A strong stench of dead bodies was in the air," said Sausan Ghosheh, spokeswoman for the UN observers. She said there was still fighting in some pockets of the mountainous town in the seaside province of Latakia.
READ MORE: Arab Awakening coverage
The number of casualties was unclear, Ghosheh said, and it appeared likely that, as in the past, bodies had been removed or buried before the UN mission got in.
The siege of Haffa, a Sunni-populated village, had become a focus of international concern because of fears the uprising against Assad is evolving into a sectarian civil war pitting his minority Alawite sect against the majority Sunnis and other groups. Recent mass killings in other Sunni-populated areas have fed those concerns.
The fighting, now mostly quelled in Haffa, was mirrored in other parts of Syria, where more than 40 civilians and opposition fighters were killed Thursday, according to activists, alongside more than a half-dozen Syrian forces.
From the day's early hours, Syrian troops bombarded rebel-held areas with tanks, mortars and helicopters in the central town of Rastan, the Damascus suburb of Douma, the central city of Homs and the northern towns of Anadan and Hreitan, near the Turkish border, the activists said.
They said the fighting included clashes in the town of Hamuriya, near Damascus, that killed at least nine men who were allegedly butchered with knives. A video circulated by activists showed a pile of lifeless men, including one who was clearly slashed through the neck.
READ MORE: Syria claims to have retaken rebellious Haffa region after 8 days of clashes
"Slaughter, slaughter!" a person could be heard screaming in the background. Another video showed a man lying in a garden, his arm blown off. There was no way to independently confirm the content of the videos because reporters are not allowed to work freely in Syria.
For more than a week, Syrian troops have been sweeping through villages and towns in Syria's northern, central, southern and seaside provinces, attacking rebel-held areas and opposition strongholds in what appears to be the largest offensive since an internationally-brokered cease-fire went into effect two months ago. The regime and the opposition have both largely ignored the April 12 truce.
The UN observers' description of the smoldering ruins they found in Haffa suggested Syrian forces were using intense force to quell rebels. But it also indicated the rebels were determined to smash all symbols of the hated Assad regime, including state institutions.
"Most government institutions, including the post office, were set on fire from inside," Ghosheh said in a statement. "Archives were burnt, stores were looted and set on fire."
She said homes were broken into, while the ruling Baath party headquarters was shelled, "and appeared to be the scene of heavy fighting." The observers also found remnants of heavy weapons scattered through the town; it was not clear who they belonged to. "The town appeared deserted," she said.
On Tuesday, the unarmed UN monitors were blocked from entering Haffa by a crowd of angry civilians, apparently residents of nearby Alawite villages, who hurled rocks and sticks at the mission's vehicles. But the Syrian government urged the observers to return after it announced Wednesday that pro-Assad forces had "cleansed" Haffa of "armed terrorist groups" — the regime's term for rebel fighters.
The UN observers' visit to Haffa came hours after a suicide bomber detonated a van packed with explosives in a Damascus suburb, wounding 14 people and damaging one of Shiite Islam's holiest shrines, according to witnesses and Syria's state-run news agency.
It was not immediately clear whether the bomber intended to target the golden-domed Sayyida Zainab complex or a police station 15 meters away. Believed to house the remains of the granddaughter of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, the shrine attracts tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims from around the world.
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UN observers have reported a steep rise in violence and a dangerous shift in tactics by both sides in Syria in recent weeks. Car bombings and suicide bombings have become increasingly common as the 15-month uprising against Assad becomes militarized. Most have targeted security buildings and police buses, symbols of Assad's regime.
Rami Abdul-Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said it appeared the Syrian regime was trying to implement a kind of scorched earth policy in the central city of Homs, which government forces have been heavily shelling for the past week. He said the use of tanks and attack helicopters to smash residential buildings and city infrastructure indicated they wanted to destroy areas, not just chase out rebels.
In Rastan, a rebel-held town that was heavily bombed Thursday, two rights groups said the dead included Maj. Ahmad Bahbouh, an army defector who headed the town's opposition military council. Activists said helicopters pounded the town, which has been held by rebels for months.
They said troops also heavily bombed the Damascus suburb of Douma killing at least five people. Abdul-Rahman said Syrian forces seized control of the northern town of Hreitan, where they conducted house-to-house raids and set homes of anti-government activists on fire.
An amateur video from the nearby town of Anadan, showed two babies receiving treatment in a makeshift hospital. One baby, screaming in pain, had part of his left foot blown off and severe head injuries. A third baby was dead and covered with a blanket. Activists said the children were the victims of government shelling. There was no way to verify the claim.
Activists say some 14,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's accusation that Russia has "dramatically" escalated the crisis by sending attack helicopters to Syria lost some steam Thursday when the State Department acknowledged the helicopters were actually refurbished ones already owned by the Assad regime.
The claim had complicated the Obama administration's larger goals for Syria and U.S.-Russia relations before a key meeting of the nations' two leaders.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland insisted, however, that the nuance meant little, even as she refused to explain why the department didn't divulge the information earlier.
"Whether they are new or they are refurbished, the concern remains that they will be used for the exact same purpose that the current helicopters in Syria are being used, and that is to kill civilians," Nuland told reporters in Washington.
"When you look at the Soviet- and Russian-made helicopters that are in use in Syria today, every helicopter that is flying and working is attacking a new civilian location," she said. "So the concern is when you add three more freshly refurbished helicopters to the fight, that is three more that can be used to kill civilians."