Posted in: News, PC News, Playstation News, Video Games, Xbox News
Tags: Hitman, Io Interactive, Square Enix
Danish developer IO Interactive has established itself as the lead developer of the Hitman series ever since the first game debuted way back in 2000. They also worked on other projects such as Freedom Fighters, Kane and Lynch and Mini Ninjas, but making Hitman has always been what they were known for and they?re really good at it. Now though it seems that the franchise?s next installment might be in the hands of another studio, at least according to Karsten Lund, a longtime IO employee who is currently working at Square Enix Montreal.
In the middle of a Gamasutra piece written by him you find this:
?IO Interactive have been doing a very good job of putting the player front and center and have given us some of the most memorable moments in gaming; emergent stories of how players completed missions shared at the water cooler, this to me is the core DNA of a Hitman game. I know how hard that is to create; I was at Io for the last 11 years. Our challenge is obviously to retain that DNA, while establishing ownership in our team and of our game.?
He justifies this unexpected change with the fact that ?working with a completely new team around an established IP really gives us a unique perspective on what a Hitman game can be. We can revisit some of the ?holy cows? from other Hitman games, and ask ourselves why and what in a new way, while creating a new and unique Hitman experience.?
Which studio will be taking on the role of Hitman developer is unknown at this point. Personally I hope it?s Eidos Montreal.
Article from Gamersyndrome.com
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The co-author of a controversial study on diet soda's link to blood cancers says his results fall into a gray zone between a clear relationship and no relationship at all.
iStockphoto.com i
The co-author of a controversial study on diet soda's link to blood cancers says his results fall into a gray zone between a clear relationship and no relationship at all.
iStockphoto.com
As Allison Aubrey reported on The Salt, a brouhaha has erupted in Cambridge, Ma., over a study published yesterday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital found some correlation between aspartame, the most widely used artificial sweetener in diet soda, and an increased risk of leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other rare blood-related cancers. And early in the week, the public relations department at Brigham and Women's Hospital sent a press release to reporters exaggerating that correlation.
But just before the study was published Wednesday afternoon, the hospital admitted its own staff had been "premature in the promotion of this work." And it also called the study's data "weak."
Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and a co-author of the paper, told Aubrey today that the hospital's original press release was "scary." And when one senior media person asked him if the story should be on the evening news, he'd said no.
The hospital did admit it had overstated the significance of the findings. But Willett says it failed to distinguish between findings that were murky and ones that were truly weak.
Scientific findings often fall into a gray area ? between a clear relationship between diet soda consumption and cancers and no relationship at all. Willett calls them part of "the natural process of science." In this case, even the researchers say the possible link between soda consumption and cancer could be due to chance.
Findings in this gray area are hard for the media to communicate to a public seeking clarity because there's no clear take-home message. But, as the case of Brigham and Women's shows, institutions can succumb to hunger for publicity.
Despite the study's limitations, Willett and several other researchers not involved with the study say the findings were significant enough to warrant further research.
Brigham and Women's Hospital has declined to respond today to Willet's comments.
Stay tuned for more coverage of this story from Allison Aubrey on tomorrow's Morning Edition.
The DuPont Co. on the same day of a weak third-quarter earnings report, announced it will cut 1,500 jobs, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.
The chemical company (NYSE:DD) reported net income of $10 million for the quarter, down from $452 million for the same period a year ago, partially due to uncertainty in the solar panel market. Two years ago it added 75 workers to its Circleville plant to make protective film for solar panels.
Profit in the performance-chemicals unit declined on lower demand for the white pigment titanium dioxide, and electronics earnings fell on lower sales of photovoltaic materials, Bloomberg reported.
The restructuring will take place over the next 12 to 18 months and involve cuts to its Wilmington, Del. headquarters staff that supports the automotive and industrial paints unit, which is being sold to The Carlyle Group.
DuPont shares tanked 9.1 percent Tuesday, or $4.53, to close at $45.23, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Morning Call is compiled from news reports originated by other media organizations and Columbus Business First staff.
Evan Weese is web coordinator for Business First.
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ScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2012) ? Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, the University of South Florida and the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France have studied the patterns and timing of sunlight exposure and how each is related to two nonmelanoma skin cancers -- basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
This study, published in the open-access journal BioMed Central, is the first case-control study to simultaneously evaluate identical patterns and timing of sunlight exposure as they are related to basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas in the same U.S. population with high annual ultraviolet radiation exposure. Patterns of sunlight exposure are continuous or intermittent, and timing refers to exposure during childhood, adulthood or both. It included 703 Florida residents -- 218 with basal cell carcinoma, 169 with squamous cell carcinoma and 316 without skin cancer. The research goal was to identify potential differences or similarities in sunlight exposure responses for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.
"There are more than a million new cases of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas diagnosed in the United States each year," said senior study author Dana E. Rollison, Ph.D., associate member of the Cancer Epidemiology Program, and vice president and chief health information officer at Moffitt. "While mortality associated with nonmelanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, is low, patients may experience substantial morbidity and treatment costs are high."
It is estimated that 25 percent of lifetime sunlight exposure occurs before age 18. Youth is a time of greater toxic sunlight exposure and also a time when the chances of receiving blistering sunburns are higher.
"Blistering sunburn is believed to result from high doses of intense ultraviolet radiation exposure in short increments of time and is considered to be a measure of intermittent exposure," said study co-author Michelle Iannacone, Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow at the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The researchers surveyed those with basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, as well as those with no history of skin cancer, to determine the effects of intermittent versus continuous sunlight exposure, as well as the timing of the exposure and age. They noted that although the relationship between both cancers and sunlight exposure is complex, researchers began to identify cumulative outdoor sunlight exposure as a risk factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer beginning in the 1950s.
Being exposed to ultraviolet radiation intermittently, perhaps while on summer vacation in high ultraviolet radiation regions, and continuous exposure through working at a job outside in the sunlight were patterns the researchers wanted to identify and correlate to basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.
Study subjects were surveyed on their recollections of their history of sun exposure.
Survey results reveal that a history of blistering sunburn was associated with both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Having a job in the sunlight was also associated with basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Measures of younger age at sunlight exposure "tended to be associated with squamous cell carcinoma, but not basal cell carcinoma, risk," researchers concluded.
"Sunlight exposure, regardless of the exposure pattern, is associated with both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas," Iannacone said. "Understanding how sunlight exposure response may differ by nonmelanoma skin cancer type is important for educating the public on safe sunlight behaviors. Applying sunscreen while on vacation may decrease basal cell carcinoma risk with intermittent sunlight exposure, but may not impact the risk of squamous cell carcinoma, which may be more strongly related to continuous sunlight exposure."
The study was funded by a grant from the state of Florida's James & Esther King Biomedical Research Program (06NIR-08).
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Moffitt Cancer Center, via Newswise.
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Journal Reference:
Michelle R Iannacone, Wei Wang, Heather G Stockwell, Kathleen O'Rourke, Anna R Giuliano, Vernon K Sondak, Jane L Messina, Richard G Roetzheim, Basil S Cherpelis, Neil A Fenske, Dana E Rollison. Patterns and timing of sunlight exposure and risk of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin -- a case--control study. BMC Cancer, 2012; 12 (1): 417 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-12-417
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Frederick, Maryland:?When?The Lube Center and The Auto Spa?employees were asked what cause they felt most passionately about in their annual charity survey, breast cancer topped the list. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Lube?Center, The Auto Spa, and The Auto Repair announce their?Think Pink?campaign, which will raise funds for breast cancer research.
?We all know someone who has been affected by cancer,? says Randall S. Simpson, President of WLR Automotive Group, which operates 16 locations throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania, including The Lube Centers, The Auto Spas and The Auto Repairs.???And that?s why our employees chose breast cancer as their charity of choice. Cancer has impacted all of us in a powerful way.
Fueled by a commitment to eradicate the disease, The Lube Center and Fredericktowne Auto Spa are sponsoring?WFRE?s?Bras for a Cause.??During the campaign, one dollar per bra, up to $2,000, will be donated to the Women?s Center at Frederick Memorial Hospital; bras can be delivered to the Frederick Lube Centers, Fredericktowne Auto Spa and Fredericktowne Auto Repair between October 8 and 25.
For the second year,?all Lube Center locations will kick their activism into high gear by donating five dollars to cancer research for every?Pink Oil Change?coupon redeemed by their Loyalty Club Members. CurrentlyThe Loyalty Club?has a membership base of 88,000 members.
For directions to The Lube Center, The Auto Spa and The Auto Repair nearest you, please visit?www.washluberepair.com.
Celebrating 25 years, WLR Automotive Group Inc., has been headquartered in Frederick, Maryland since 1987. The company operates 16 vehicle maintenance, repair, and car wash facilities throughout Maryland and Pennsylvania. Serving more than 300,000 customers each year, The Lube Centers, The Auto Spas, and The Auto Repairs are committed to the highest quality service and providing an exceptional experience for their customers. Visit?www.washluberepair.com?to learn more.
One of the hottest trades of the past few months has been the bonds of a country so shaken by economic and social turmoil that a neo-Nazi party is running third in the polls.
That's right: Hedge funds have been buying Greece.
Ever since Greece completed a debt restructuring in March that turned ?200 billion in bonds into about ?60 billion, distressed-debt investors?many at U.S. hedge funds?have been picking them over. Hedge-fund analysts have flooded Greek finance officials with requests for information. Prices have climbed.
Third Point LLC, based in New York, crowed about Greece in its investor letter earlier ...
Criticizing the Academy Awards is becoming a tradition as solidified as the Awards ceremony itself. The ink spilled over anticipation of who will come out swinging during Awards season is typically followed by an anticipated ? but, when well-argued, often necessary ? critique of the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony itself. Now that we?re neck-deep in Presidential election season, the time dedicated to polling, statistics, and manufactured drama all in the service of something ultimately unpredictable resonates alongside the earliest Fall predictions of the Winter?s Awards competitors: no matter the race, we can become hopelessly invested in every detail in the process of competition. As Matt Taibbi stated bluntly in an editorial on the Presidential race, this is not what democratic participation should look or feel like. Nor, for that matter, is immersing oneself in the Kool-Aid of Oscar anticipation what a genuine investment in cinema should look like.
While I?ve bloviated more than enough on the Oscars, it?s something different entirely when someone who ostensibly stands to benefit from the institution itself to criticize it, as potential Best Actor nominee Joaquin Phoenix did recently. Perhaps criticizing the Oscars is not the bravest thing a wealthy famous person can do (perhaps), but the exact form that it takes is certainly worthy of attention because such instances evidence certain power relations and possibilities in Hollywood.
Why do some Hollywood figures participate in this criticism, and others don?t?
Dudley Nichols
In 1936, screenwriter Dudley Nichols was the first nominee to boycott the Academy Awards (the year that he won Best Writing for The Informer). Nichols?s boycott was expressed in support of the ongoing WGA strike. Of course, a similar strike nearly shut down the ceremony in 2008 as a result of solidarity expressed for unionized writers across many levels of Hollywood. While Nichols, who went on to pen Stagecoach andco-write Bringing Up Baby, would hopefully be proud that at the display of empathy that non-writer Hollywood figures gave to writers, the Hollywood screenwriter evidently still has a hard time making their way just above the line well after Nichols?s deliberate absence.
Nichols?s protest was politically circumstantial, not a sustained criticism of the ceremony or institution. As of 1949, after the writers? demands were negotiated and Nichols acquired several more nominations, Nichols was in possession of his 1936 Academy Award.
George C. Scott
George C. Scott became notorious for being the first famous actor publicized as openly critical of the Oscars, calling the ceremony a ?two-hour meat parade? (he?d surely be delighted to know the contemporary meat parade is more than an hour and a half longer). Scott declined his Best Supporting Actor nomination for The Hustler, but really turned heads when he refused to attend the ceremony that brought his Best Actor win for Pattonin 1971 (when he made the famous ?meat parade? comment).
Scott was known for his discomfort with his own stardom as well as his sometimes-intimidating no-bullshit persona. Seemingly misplaced, Scott found success in an industry with bullshit as its stock-and-trade. Not only was Scott the archetype for the famous actor speaking out against the Oscar, but he also modeled the jokey, no-bullshit approach to criticism sometimes articulated by later stars.
Marlon Brando
Method actor Marlon Brando, who won an Oscar in 1955 for On the Waterfront, became politically involved with the American Indian Movement (AIM) during the many civil rights struggles of the early 1970s. Brando refused to attend the Awards ceremony in 1972, and sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather to read a fifteen-page letter in protest that Brando had written. However, she was instructed by the producers to limit her comments to a one-minute speech. Perhaps no absence of an Award recipient is as notorious as this one. The political intents of the protest (against the treatment of Native Americans by the film industry ? did I mention Dudley Nichols wrote Stagecoach?) unfortunately became overshadowed by Brando?s increasingly eccentric public persona.
I haven?t found any information as to whether this public display helped the AIM gain recognition and support. As much as this incident plays into Brando?s late career narrative of theatricality and peculiarity, Native Americans are still virtually absent in Hollywood both on and off-screen after decades of negative representation, and whoever booed Littlefeather here looked like a bunch of assholes. When you watch the actual speech, it?s nowhere near as strange as the industry folklore developed around it ? which has attempted to mute any substance of the protests ? has remembered it to be.
After the protest, AMPAS declared that no future proxies could accept Academy Awards, even with the permission of the winner. The following year, when Brando received a nomination for Best Actor for Last Tango in Paris, he was once again absent.
Woody Allen
Though the prolific, eternal Hollywood staple Woody Allen refuses to attend the Academy Awards, this clearly never prevents him from receiving a nomination every 2-5 years. Allen made one exception to his consistent absence at the 2002 ceremony (in which he wasn?t nominated, thanks to Curse of the Jade Scorpion), when he gave a speech urging filmmakers to continue filming in a post-9/11 New York City. When asked about this rare appearance, Allen stated, ?I didn?t have to present anything. I didn?t have to accept anything. I just had to talk about New York City.? Allen?s decision seems to be mostly personal, as he hasn?t leveled much overt criticism at the Academy Awards.
Jean-Luc Godard
In 2010, French New Wave pioneer and current schizophrenic-media collage artist Jean-Luc Godard ? whose films had heretofore never been recognized by the Academy in any shape or form ? was announced as the recipient of a lifetime achievement award by AMPAS. Journalists and AMPAS members tried furiously for days to contact him by phone to see if he?d show up and accept, and Godard teased as to whether or not he would attend (he stated that one of the primary reasons he may not attend is because he can?t smoke on planes).
Godard ultimately did not receive or accept the Award by an industry that he at one point both revered and reviled, but the process leading up to Godard?s declaration made for the director?s most enjoyable and madcap Hollywood critique since Pierrot le fou.
Joaquin Phoenix
Past winner and nominee Joaquin Phoenix stated in response to speculation about his Oscar nomination, ?It?s a carrot, but it?s the worst-tasting carrot I?ve ever tasted in my whole life. I don?t want this carrot.? As judging by his recent career, the perpetually fascinating Phoenix (who, by the way, is indeed really, really good in The Master) clearly does not care too much if powers that be validate or approve his decisions, resulting thus far in one of the most interesting turns of an already variegated career.
The actor cited his experience as the subject of Awards buzz when he starred in Walk the Line as the source of his discomfort with the ceremony (could this have also inspired his years-long renunciation of Hollywood and staging of a breakdown?). Phoenix seems to be in full George C. Scott mode with a ?I-don?t-give-a-fuck? demeanor and colorful metaphors in tow, but what?s interesting is that Phoenix, like Scott, treats the ceremony as frivolous, while attempting no associated criticisms about potential negative ripple effects of the Awards-season-as-hype-machine on the craft of acting.
Final Thoughts
Probably the most immediately noticeable aspect of this list is that it?s composed entirely of white men and, with the exceptions of Nichols and Godard, movie stars. Though a lack of attendance did not bring evident repercussions on the likes of Brando or Woody Allen, I wonder if women and persons of color are reluctant to criticize the ceremony because quality Hollywood roles are difficult to find as is.
Secondly, with some exceptions, there seems to be a pattern of treating a frivolous ceremony with frivolity, and this is where Scott, Phoenix, and Godard are connected. Few criticisms are made outside the observation that the ceremony is silly, pompous, and unnecessary. Negative systemic effects about the quality of mainstream filmmaking or compromising the craft of acting aren?t mentioned, just a personal distaste.
Finally, even though the Academy Awards have been a television event for several decades (which probably contributes to some actors? sense of discomfiting self-aggrandizement), it?s unclear as to whether the speeches of the ceremony are a productive forum for activism, as the Nichols and Brando examples attest. In fact, the Awards have a more evident history of activism from people who actually went up to the podium.
Criticisms of the Academy Awards may be rare from potential recipients, but they?re also occasionally very rich (see: meat parade). However, the hardest thing for an industry to do is criticize itself from the inside. But that won?t stop me from wishing for a mass walkout led by Joaquin Phoenix holding a bag of carrots.
Leah of MTV's "Teen Mom 2" is expecting baby No. 3
Baby No. 3 is on the way! "Teen Mom 2" star Leah Calvert, 20, is expecting her first child with husband Jeremy Calvert, 23, this winter, the MTV star confirms exclusively to Us Weekly.?
Photos from Us: Adorable pics of 'Teen Mom 2' kids
"Jeremy and I are excited to be adding a new addition to our family," Calvert (whose maiden name is Messer) tells Us. "Being a teen mom was difficult, but I'm older and in a different place now -- married to Jeremy and excited for our family to grow."
Photos from Us: Look back at Leah and Corey's wedding?
The reality starlet filed for divorce from her first husband, Corey Simms -- the father of her two-year-old twins Ali and Aleeah -- in April 2011. She tied the knot with Calvert one year later in Catlettsburg, Ky., in April.?
Video from Us: 'Teen Mom's' most shocking moments?
"Ali and Aleeah can't wait to meet their new brother or sister," Calvert adds. "We feel incredibly blessed and look forward to this next chapter in our lives."?
The third season of "Teen Mom 2" is set to premiere Nov. 12 on MTV.?
The hidden threat posed by inconspicuous stripesPublic release date: 22-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Ann Koebler ann.koebler@springer.com 49-622-148-78414 Springer
Physicists investigate the cause of striped patterns formed by fine particles deposited on surfaces
Patterns fascinate. Particularly stripes. Found in nature in zebras, they are also found in the most unlikely places, such as powdered drugs' mixing vessel walls. In an article about to be published in EPJ E, Nirmal Thyagu and his colleagues from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA, propose a traffic model to predict the formation of different patterns, ranging from stripes to spots.
Thanks to simulations, Thyagu and colleagues showed the underlying stripe formation mechanism, which they propose stems from traffic-like jams, whereby particles move more slowly when surrounded by other particles. This numerical model revealed three distinct patterns of how "sticking" can occur. These include stripe formation, clearing of surfaces between stripes, sharpening lead edges of the stripes, and stripe-to-spot transitions. These results were subsequently confirmed through experiments.
What is more, the authors found, striped patterns invariably form, provided that the relative humidity is in a range between 40 and 60%, and the tumbler surface is sufficiently rough enough to give hold to an initial layer.
Striped patterns formed by particles limit micro-patterned circuit size in electronics, inhaled medicines' effectiveness and polymer manufacturing efficiency. These patterns also adversely affect pharmaceutical manufacturing, as stripes appear on the walls of mixing vessels used for the production of powdered drugs.
More specifically, the authors also showed that active pharmaceutical ingredients can preferentially stick to mixing vessels' walls, and can carry as much as twice the concentration of active ingredients. As a result, the bulk powder used for tablets is less concentrated than it should be, or can be too concentrated if the highly concentrated material falls back into the bulk. Research focusing on how the effect carries over when scaling up to pilot- and full-scale manufacturing is currently underway.
###
Reference:
N. N. Thyagu, A. Vasilenko, A. Voyiadjis, B. J. Glasser, T. Shinbrot (2012), Stuck in traffic: patterns of powder adhesion, European Physical Journal E 35:105, DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2012-12105-y
For more information, please visit www.epj.org
The full-text article is available to journalists on request.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The hidden threat posed by inconspicuous stripesPublic release date: 22-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Ann Koebler ann.koebler@springer.com 49-622-148-78414 Springer
Physicists investigate the cause of striped patterns formed by fine particles deposited on surfaces
Patterns fascinate. Particularly stripes. Found in nature in zebras, they are also found in the most unlikely places, such as powdered drugs' mixing vessel walls. In an article about to be published in EPJ E, Nirmal Thyagu and his colleagues from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA, propose a traffic model to predict the formation of different patterns, ranging from stripes to spots.
Thanks to simulations, Thyagu and colleagues showed the underlying stripe formation mechanism, which they propose stems from traffic-like jams, whereby particles move more slowly when surrounded by other particles. This numerical model revealed three distinct patterns of how "sticking" can occur. These include stripe formation, clearing of surfaces between stripes, sharpening lead edges of the stripes, and stripe-to-spot transitions. These results were subsequently confirmed through experiments.
What is more, the authors found, striped patterns invariably form, provided that the relative humidity is in a range between 40 and 60%, and the tumbler surface is sufficiently rough enough to give hold to an initial layer.
Striped patterns formed by particles limit micro-patterned circuit size in electronics, inhaled medicines' effectiveness and polymer manufacturing efficiency. These patterns also adversely affect pharmaceutical manufacturing, as stripes appear on the walls of mixing vessels used for the production of powdered drugs.
More specifically, the authors also showed that active pharmaceutical ingredients can preferentially stick to mixing vessels' walls, and can carry as much as twice the concentration of active ingredients. As a result, the bulk powder used for tablets is less concentrated than it should be, or can be too concentrated if the highly concentrated material falls back into the bulk. Research focusing on how the effect carries over when scaling up to pilot- and full-scale manufacturing is currently underway.
###
Reference:
N. N. Thyagu, A. Vasilenko, A. Voyiadjis, B. J. Glasser, T. Shinbrot (2012), Stuck in traffic: patterns of powder adhesion, European Physical Journal E 35:105, DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2012-12105-y
For more information, please visit www.epj.org
The full-text article is available to journalists on request.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The Mayor of New York City has offered $500,000 (?312,000) from his personal fortune towards the push for marriage equality in Maine, Minnesota and Washington.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a political spending push last week. He said he planned to spend more than $10 million (?625,000), on promoting moderate candidates, and supporting equal marriage, the Associated Press?reported.
He pledged $325,000 (?203,000), to groups pushing to uphold equal marriage law in the state of Washington, and to legalise it in Maine.
A further $125,000 (?78,000), was pledged, by Mr Bloomberg, towards efforts to oppose a?constitutional?amendment to strengthen the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, in the state of Minnesota.
Earlier this month, the billionaire businessman-turned-politician pledged $250,000 (?155,430) to the campaign that is fighting to keep equal marriage in the US state of Maryland.
Back in July, Mr Bloomberg announced?that more than 8,000 gay couples had married since the law came into action ? one tenth of all marriages in the city in the year previous, and said that legalising equal marriage in the state had boosted the economy by $259 million (?161 million).
A year prior to that, he officiated the wedding ceremony of John Feinblatt, his chief policy advisor, and Jonathan Mintz, the city?s commissioner for consumer affairs, who had been together for 14 years.
A long-time advocator of equal marriage, Mr Bloomberg was part of a?group of seventy mayors who joined together in January, with a view to increasing the pressure on President Barack Obama and to achieve full support of equal marriage rights?nationwide.
LONDON (AP) -A football hooligan has been jailed for 16 weeks for attacking former England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland during a pitch invasion in a second-tier League Championship match.
Aaron Cawley, a 21-year-old from Cheltenham, pleaded guilty to charges of assault and entering the field of play when he appeared Monday at Sheffield Magistrates' Court.
Kirkland needed medical treatment after being shoved in the face and to the ground amid violent scenes during his Sheffield Wednesday side's match against Leeds at Hillsborough, which was broadcast live on British television on Friday
The Football Association has launched an investigation into the crowd trouble at the game, which also saw bottles being thrown onto the pitch and offensive chanting from both sets of fans.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Massive day for San Jose soccer
??PST: It didn't?end perfectly as the Earthquakes tied the Galaxy 2-2, but in the big picture that singular result in one little ol? game doesn?t mean a thing.
Present times provide a more competitive environment for business people. Venturing on modern advertising schemes that make use of the World Wide Web make companies thrive and get marketers ahead of the game. A new tactic they can take into account is Pay Per Click, or PPC. PPC Marketing is a fast way of making your business known.
In making use of search engines, there are occasions that after we enter keywords, ?sponsored links? show up at the very top or sides of the results page. The links lead to a business advertiser?s site that promotes goods and services more than supplying the general information we are searching for. Furthermore, there are times when we get disturbed from our reading when ads abruptly pop out of the display screen. Yes, they could get irritating, but they sure work well in gaining your attention. PPC work in these manners. Internet sites or search engines charge advertisers according to the number of clicks that lead to their webpage. This brings the website traffic sought after by contemporary marketing which involves internet optimisation. The kind of ads that will appear are based on what keywords people apply.
Strategic bidding is required in this online promotion trend. Market spaces for pay per click are acquired through auction. It is up to companies on how much they are ready to bid for every click on the advertisement. Bidding the greatest amount means having a greater chance of ranking first or on top of the sponsored results for more visibility. Due to the fact that search engines are the most used sites by folks in the web, this tactic builds traffic quickly and within hours of closing the deal. Products being promoted acquire the wanted buzz they need. It is also easy for businessmen to change their ads or modify campaign contents because of instant results and speed. Pay Per Click is perfect for short-term campaigns based on issues, seasons, or current developments. The versatility allows advertisers to make changes from time to time considering the regular changes in market conditions.
Owning a business always has a goal to make prospective customers experience the goods and services you are offering. Our planet becomes smaller and more accessible with the World Wide Web. Global access allows anybody from another country to learn about your products at home. Experts in Pay Per Click search advertising could drastically increase your sales by raising the amount of individual visits to your site.
How do you find the right flooring when you have so much to choose from? And where do you go, and who to select for the job? Selecting the flooring is probably the easy part as you have many samples and types and materials to choose from, but how do you decide what is best, and at the best price? Your style and your budget will quickly separate the chaff from the wheat and determine what you can afford.
Determining the right flooring for the best price
? Think about the room or area where you'll be installing the flooring. What does it look like, how much is it used, and what kind of traffic flow does it have? Maintenance and performance concerns should also be factored in. Is the room cold? Does it need carpeting or under-floor heating?
?? Set a price range and evaluate the design and performance features of each option. Factor in the installation costs if you're not planning to do this yourself. This is in addition to the square-foot cost of the new flooring itself.
?? If you're not doing this yourself, hire a reputable contractor. Ask for references, and speak to people who've used him before. If he can't produce references, be warned. He is probably a fly-by-night laborer, and you won't see him again.
? If he is a reputable contractor, don't pay money up front. You will pay him at the end of the job, when the work has been done to your satisfaction.
? Explore other options. Modern, styling products like laminate and resilient vinyl flooring offer durable, affordable and easy-to-maintain surfaces that will hold up through years of wear. Flooring should blend in with the style of your home whether it's Victorian, country, traditional, contemporary, or eclectic. Take into account the size of the room. For instance, tiny tiles will be too busy in a large room, while a large-scale design will overwhelm a smaller space. The latest advances in resilient and laminate flooring offer fashionable colors and textures combined with durability, comfort, function, easy maintenance and affordability.
?? When choosing flooring, determine how it will stand up to factors like direct sunlight, water spills, furniture scrapes, tracked-in dirt, cleaning detergents, and foot traffic. Bear in mind that natural materials such as hardwood or ceramic tiles are more fragile than many other options. For instance, it makes sense to install laminate flooring in high-traffic areas even though you love hardwood.
? Keep in mind the work involved when installing different types of flooring; tile floors and hardwood being the most difficult to install and probably requiring a professional installer.
? Resilient laminate flooring can be easily installed. Because of its layered construction, these types of flooring will not expand or contract, but lie flat and stay flat by floating in place, eliminating the need for glue or nails - unlike traditional flooring. Flooring systems that don't require glue also help the environment.
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The supplemental nutrients to removal of beriberi (athlete?s foot )
Vitamin B complex: to promote cell regeneration, prevent beriberi renewable.
Vitamin C: is quite important for immune function, improve blood circulation and the wounds had healed, and the absorption of vitamin B can help.
Zinc: the ability to inhibit fungal and stimulate the immune system.
Facial skin care in winter How to skin care of facial in winter ? You can try the following scenario.
1, Cleaning work in each season are the most important work. In the case of the dry climate, the best choice for both mild...
What is the principle for L-carnitine weight loss ? Laevo Rotatory Meat Alkali weight loss principles is to promote the decomposition of fat.
L-carnitine is now the first choice for many women weight loss products, then the L-carnitine in the end wh...
DIY skin whitening and remove freckle mask DIY skin?whitening mask effect is good, and healthy green, absolutely trustworthy, and will be very rewarding. Following are several skin whitening and remove freckle mask practice?
1, Aloe vera sk...
What fruits and vegetables to eat more for prostatitis patients ? Diet tips for prostatitis patients Diet tips for prostatitis patients. Recommended several the treatment of prostatitis useful fruits and vegetables.
1, Carrots. Carotene changes into vitamin A in the body, improve the body's resist...
Laver to improve the role of memory loss Laver contains up to 29 ~ 35% of protein and iodine, vitamins and inorganic salts, taste delicious addition to food but also for the treatment of goiter and lower cholesterol, is an important economic...
Show you how to skin whitening ? skin whitening tips Following teach some of the commonly used method of skin whitening:
1, If not required, try to avoid in the summer 10 am - 2 pm to go out, because of the day, sunlight this period the strongest, mo...
Computer workers beauty tips 1. Eat more vitamin content of vegetables:
Eat more carrots, bean sprouts, tomatoes, rape, cabbage, lean meat, animal liver, rich in vitamins A, C, and protein foods, strengthen the body against ele...
Nutritional value and efficacy of Black Rice 1, Black rice contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and other nutrients, nutrient-rich;
2, Black rice with free radical ...
Preschool children?s had better not drink tea 1. Because tea contains theophylline and other substances, the central nervous system is very easy to generate excitement.
The infant's body is in the developmental stage, the body nervous system for...
Skin Amazing Remedies ? Tips To Look After Your Lightening Skin Whether you choose to use bleaches, lotions, soaps or pills, your skin needs to be well nurtured before, during and after the skin lightening treatments. You don't want to damage your skin instead of ...
Tags: removal of athlete's foot, removal of beriberi, supplemental nutrients to removal of beriberi This entry was posted on Friday, October 19th, 2012 and is filed under Health Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
??Despite never throwing a pitch that topped 86 mph, San Francisco's Barry Zito shut down the Cardinals for 7 2/3 innings Friday night, keeping the Giants alive in the National League Championship Series, 5-0.
CNBC's Rick Santelli runs down the latest numbers on unemployment, and discussing what it indicates about the economy and its impact on the markets, with CNBC's Steve Liesman, and Jim Iuorio, TJM Institutional Services.
By NBC News staff and wire reports
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits leapt to the highest level in four months in the latest week, erasing the large drop reported last week and then some.
The Labor Department reported?Thursday that initial claims, a notoriously volatile data point that is subject to large?swings due to technical factors,?rose a seasonally-adjusted 46,000 to 388,000. The four-week moving average, which smooths out?wrinkles in the data, rose 750 to 365,500.?Both data points remain below 400,000, suggesting that the labor market is healing, although at a snail's pace.
"Improvement in the labor market will continue to be fitful and slow," said Joseph Trevisani, a market strategist at Worldwide Markets in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Last week, California reported a large drop in applications, pushing down the overall figure to the lowest since February 2008. This week, it reported a significant increase as it processed applications delayed from the previous week.
A department spokesman says the seasonally adjusted numbers "are being distorted ... by an issue of timing."
The government adjusts its readings for claims to take into account regular seasonal swings. Claims usually increase at the beginning of a quarter, but one state appears to be following a different pattern than normal in reporting its claims, which led to the wild fluctuations over the last couple of weeks, a department official said.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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This undated photo provided by Google shows the Chromebook. Google is dangling a low-priced laptop computer in front of consumers as rivals Microsoft and Apple prepare to release their latest gadgets. The lightweight computer unveiled Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012 will sell for $249 and is being made in a partnership with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which also makes smartphones and tablet computers that run on Google's Android software. (AP Photo/Google)
This undated photo provided by Google shows the Chromebook. Google is dangling a low-priced laptop computer in front of consumers as rivals Microsoft and Apple prepare to release their latest gadgets. The lightweight computer unveiled Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012 will sell for $249 and is being made in a partnership with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which also makes smartphones and tablet computers that run on Google's Android software. (AP Photo/Google)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Google is dangling a low-priced laptop computer in front of consumers as rivals Microsoft and Apple prepare to release their latest gadgets.
The lightweight computer unveiled Thursday will sell for $249 and is being made in a partnership with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which also makes smartphones and tablet computers that run on Google's Android software.
The laptop will run on an operating system revolving around Google's Chrome Web browser.
Like other so-called Chromebooks, this laptop doesn't have a hard drive. It functions like a terminal dependent on an Internet connection to get to information and applications stored in large data centers run by Google Inc. or other technology providers.
It's the least expensive Chromebook that Google has released in the two years that it has been working on the product line. Google and Samsung released a slightly more sophisticated Chromebook priced at $449 in the late spring.
The lower-priced model will go on sale early next week in more than 500 Best Buy stores in the U.S., as well as on various websites. Google hopes to begin accepting online orders at its Play store by this weekend.
Google Inc. appears to be trying to beat Microsoft and Apple to the punch with the discount Chromebook.
Microsoft Corp. is poised to release Windows 8, a dramatic makeover of its famous operating system, on Oct. 26. The long-awaited makeover is designed to run on touch-based tablets, as well as laptop and desktop computers. A variety of manufacturers will be selling a hodgepodge of Windows 8-powered personal computers and tablets. The prices of most of those machines, including a tablet made by Microsoft, will range from $500 to $1,000.
Apple Inc. says it plans to show off a new product Tuesday. The event is widely expected to be the coming-out party for a slightly smaller version of its hot-selling iPad.
The mini iPad is expected to feature a 7.85-inch screen compared to the nearly 10-inch screen of the pioneering iPad. Industry analysts expect Apple to price a smaller iPad in the $249 to $299 range in an effort to siphon sales away from other scaled-down tablets, such as Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire.
Now, Google has a laptop vying for a piece of the same market.
"This is a big step in the journey for us," said Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president of Chrome and apps. "I think it's generally an exciting time in the computing industry."
Like tablets, the discount Chromebook will rely on a computer chip design known as ARM, instead of Intel Corp. microprocessors. The ARM architecture is more energy efficient, extending the duration of batteries between charges.
With an 11.6-inch screen, the new Chromebooks also will have a larger display than tablets selling in the same price range.
The laptops will be set up to automatically use all of Google's services, including its search engine, Gmail and YouTube video site. Because the laptop lacks a hard drive, Google also is offering 100 gigabytes of free storage on computers kept in its eight data centers. Those remote computers provide the backbone for Google's online storage service, Drive.
Despite the low price, the new Chromebook will face a tough time winning over consumers because it isn't set up like a traditional PC with a hard drive, said Gartner Inc. analyst Carolina Milanesi.
"A lot of people are going to see it and think, 'Once I have it, what exactly do I do with it?'" Milanesi predicted.
Google, which is based in Mountain View, Calif., will try to educate and woo prospective buyers by setting up Chromebook kiosks in Best Buy stores where staff will be on hand to field questions. The company also will promote the new Chromebook in television ads.
The attempt to grab a few early headlines Thursday backfired, though, when Google prematurely released its third-quarter earnings while the company was providing a preview of the low-priced Chromebook to a group of reporters. Once the earnings slipped out, some reporters bolted from the laptop presentation to focus on numbers that disappointed investors.
CHICAGO?? As Chicago struggles to quell gang violence that has contributed to a jump in homicides, a top elected official wants to tax the sale of every bullet and firearm ? an effort even she acknowledges could spark a legal challenge.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will submit a budget proposal Thursday that calls for a tax of a nickel for each bullet and $25 for each firearm sold in the nation's second-largest county, which encompasses Chicago.
Preckwinkle's office estimates the tax will generate about $1 million a year, money that would be used for various county services including medical care for gunshot victims. Law enforcement officials would not have to pay the tax, but the office said it would apply to 40 federally licensed gun dealers in the county.
Video: Chicago police chief: Tighter guns laws needed (on this page)
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Through last week, the city reported 409 homicides this year compared to 324 during the same period in 2011. Although the violence still doesn't approach the nearly 900 homicides a year Chicago averaged in the 1990s, officials say gang violence was largely to blame for a rash of shootings earlier this year.
Woman loses second grandchild in 6 months to Chicago gun violence
Preckwinkle insists the ordinance is far more about addressing gun violence than raising money for a county that faces a deficit of more than $100 million next year.
"We think that's an appropriate thing to do, especially in the light of the gun violence we struggle to deal with in our criminal justice system and our public health system," she told a local newspaper editorial board this week, according to a transcript of the meeting provided by her office. "The legal gun shops in suburban Cook County are a conduit for crimes in Chicago. There's no way around it."
Preckwinkle declined to speak with The Associated Press ahead of the announcement Thursday, but her spokeswoman Kristen Mack confirmed the details of the plan.
Mack said the office has found no other jurisdiction in the nation that has imposed a tax on bullets, even though several have considered it. Legislation on such a tax was previously introduced by state lawmakers in Springfield, but it was never been voted on, she said.
Richard Pearson, the executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, scoffs at such talk, saying the tax wouldn't do anything to address gang violence but would harm local businesses and law-abiding citizens.
6 dead, at least a dozen wounded in less than 24 hours in Chicago
"If she wants to get to the people causing all the problems she ought to put a tax on street gangs," he said. "All this is going to do is drive business out of Cook County, into other counties, Indiana and Wisconsin."
One suburban gun shop owner agreed, saying that his customers, many of whom are hunters and police officers, will simply go elsewhere.
"Who's going to come to Tinley Park to buy ammunition," said Fred Lutger, the owner of Freddie Bear Sport in that suburban Chicago community.
Chicago Searches For Ways to End Gun Violence
And, said Lutger of that money going toward treating gunshot victims, "Why should be paying for gang bangers shooting each other? You're taxing law-abiding citizens for what criminals are doing."
Gun rights advocates spent years challenging in court Chicago's handgun ban, which was ultimately overturned in 2010 by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Lutger said a lawsuit was certain. Pearson said he and others started talking about a legal challenge as soon as they heard Preckwinkle was considering the tax.
Even Preckwinkle seemed resigned to a legal challenge in her comments to the newspaper board.
"You can't make decisions based on the basis of whether or not somebody's going to sue you or then you'll never do anything," she said.
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Public release date: 22-Oct-2012
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