Thursday, 31 January 2013

IMF says Seychelles GDP to grow 3 pct in 2013

VICTORIA (Reuters) - Seychelles' economy is seen growing by an average 3 percent this year from an estimated 2.7 percent last year, helped by its tourism sector and ventures into new markets away from its main ones in Europe, while inflation is expected to slow, the International Monetary Fund said.

"Growth is forecast to average around 3 percent, as tourism continues to diversify into nontraditional markets, and inflation is expected to return to low single digits," the IMF said in its latest staff report on Seychelles, released late on Wednesday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imf-says-seychelles-gdp-grow-3-pct-2013-064735433--business.html

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FBI raids Florida office of doctor linked to New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez - @miamiherald

FBI agents late Tuesday night raided the West Palm Beach business of an eye doctor suspected of providing free trips and even underage Dominican Republic prostitutes to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. ? who has denied what he calls the ?fallacious allegations.?

Agents gathered at the medical-office complex of Dr. Salomon Melgen, a contributor to Menendez and other prominent politicians, to start hauling away potential evidence in several vans.

The investigation is believed to be focusing on Melgen?s finances and the allegations about Menendez?s trips and contact with prostitutes. A spokesman for Menendez could not be reached for comment, nor could Melgen.

Melgen has an outstanding IRS lien of $11.1 million for taxes owed from 2006 to 2009, according to records filed with the Palm Beach County recorder?s office. A previous IRS lien for $6.2 million was released in 2011.

Despite those financial problems, Melgen and his family have contributed at least $357,000 to candidates and committees since 1998, according to Florida and federal campaign records. Of that, the Melgens have contributed about 9 percent to Menendez?s federal campaigns.

Melgen also owns a private CL-600 Challenger plane through one of his West Palm Beach-based companies, and frequently flies between South Florida and Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, where he is from.

Menendez has flown on the plane at least once, his office has said, when he was chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 2009 to 2011, when the Melgens contributed about $60,400 to the group. A spokeswoman had previously said that Menendez and Melgen are longtime friends and said the senator did nothing improper.

Melgen was first linked to Menendez just before the November elections, when the conservative Daily Caller website interviewed two alleged prostitutes who said they had relations with the New Jersey Democrat at Melgen?s Dominican Republic mansion in Casa de Campo.

After the election, the news died down.

But then, days before Menendez was about to start leading the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as chairman, reporters started receiving a 58-page dossier of emails between a Miami FBI agent and a tipster who claimed that some of the prostitutes had been underage.

?I?m not going to respond to the fallacious allegations of your story,? Menendez told the Daily Caller on Monday when a reporter caught up with him on a train in Washington.

At the time, Menendez had just stepped into the national spotlight along with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and six other senators who are hammering out a highly watched immigration plan that is the talk of Washington.

Rubio is one of the few big-name Florida politicians who has not received campaign money from the Melgens, who have contributed to Sen. Bill Nelson and Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Joe Garcia, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, among others.

The FBI would not comment on the emails, and the agent, Regino Chavez, did not return calls or emails. But sources familiar with the investigation told The Miami Herald that the emails are real.

The emails from agent Chavez show that he tried to find out what happened. But the tipster, who went by the name ?Peter Williams,? refused to talk to him by telephone or meet him face to face.

Chavez contacted the tipster Aug.1, 2012, after the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington referred the case to the FBI. The tipster would not meet or speak by phone to CREW or to an investigative reporter, either.

?As far as the information you have provided, we have been unable to confirm most of it,? Chavez wrote on Sept. 12. ?We know that you are providing accurate information.?

But it is not clear what that specific information is because Chavez was unable to interview the alleged prostitutes. Over the months, Chavez tried to meet or speak with the tipster, but had no luck.

Then, on Nov. 1, the agent wrote the tipster again and drew attention to the Daily Caller interview with the alleged prostitutes.

?I think we are at the point where you and I need to communicate over the phone so that we can move faster,? he wrote.

No luck.

Amid the suspicious circumstances of the complaints, Democrats have tried to characterize the reports about Menendez and Melgen as a right-wing smear job.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid refused to comment on the possibility of an FBI investigation when he was asked Tuesday about the case.

Said Reid: ?Always consider the source. All anyone here has to look at is the source where this comes from.?

Tuesday night?s raid, however, shows that there is at least an investigation tied to Menendez?s longtime friend and ally.

Miami Herald Staff Writer Luisa Yanez contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/29/3207543_fbi-raids-west-palm-beach-office.html

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Hot Dog Marketing Online - ShoeMoney Internet Marketing Blog

A lot of people call me ?The Hotdogman.? I got my nickname from working in the food business, just like Shoemoney. Last week, all the buzz at Affiliate Summit West was about Shoemoney?s book, Nothing?s Changed But My Change, The Shoemoney Story. I picked one up at the Summit and read it on my flight home, it was a pretty good read and a great American Dream kind of tale. I met up with Jeremy on the exhibit hall floor and we had a chat. As it invariably does, the conversation swung around to hot dogs. Since I am The Hotdogman, I guess that?s a good thing; I have branded myself well in the internet marketing world.

As we were talking, Jeremy remarked that being a hot dog vendor and an internet marketer have a lot of similarities. We tossed that idea around for a minute or two, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought he was right. I was a hot dog truck owner and operator for 6 years and I started fiddling around with blogs, the internet, and affiliate marketing back in 2007 when a particularly harsh winter kept the truck closed for a few months.

That?s when I started The Hot Dog Truck, a blog about ?the life and times of a Hotdogman.? I started monetizing my site with Adsense (thanks in part to a certain blogger?s famous photo), did a lot of paid posting, and began experimenting with affiliate marketing. My wife thought I was wasting my time, but she changed her tune when I used my first few months blog earnings to take the family to Las Vegas to visit her folks! She?s been on board with my ?online thing? since. Six years later, the hot dog truck is gone, but the website remains. I also have a stable of 20 or so niche sites and I do freelance writing.

Hot Dogs and Marketing

My transition from hot dog man to The Hotdogman online was fairly easy, I have always been a decent writer and I was in sales since I was ten years old. Marketing online was understandable and doable for me. I decided to give the internet marketing thing a serious whirl when a series of bad luck left me essentially disabled for nearly a year; I got Lyme Disease, bad blood clots, and I broke my knee! The immobility this caused lent itself to spending my days at the computer. I sold my hot dog truck and dove right in to creating websites and marketing various products online.

My first ventures were geared toward what I know, most notably hot dogs. I sold hot dog related courses and products across a series of websites with success. When I was doing this, I?d think back to what made me successful in the hot dog business and applied what I could. The most notable similarity between online marketing and selling hot dogs is the autonomy for the entrepreneur. Both businesses can be one man (or one woman) ventures. As many people who read this know, there is nothing quite like working for yourself. You don?t have to answer to a boss, you do things your own way, and you reap all the financial rewards from your ventures.

Going into the hot dog business is a low investment proposition. Even a shiny new hot dog cart can be bought for less than three grand; if you buy used, that number goes lower. Compared to opening a brick and mortar restaurant, starting up a hot dog cart is short money. The same is true for starting out in internet marketing. I got started with eight bucks and a free host. As time went on, I invested in premium WordPress themes, an email program, more domains, private servers, and other tools, but other than that first eight bucks, I never paid for any of that stuff ?out-of-pocket.? Investments into my growing online ?empire? always came from profits. I don?t know any other legitimate business you can start for eight bucks!

The Hot Dog Cart Principle in Online Marketing

Starting in the hot dog business is a bit more complicated than buying a cart, setting up shop, and hanging out a sign. There are some regulations involved and you need the appropriate permits. You also need to sell. If nobody knows you?re there, you won?t sell any hot dogs; you need to market your business. That involves getting out to the businesses nearby and giving them an incentive to stop by and try your chow. Theoretically, once someone takes a bite of your delicious hot dogs, they?ll tell their friends and co-workers and you?ll be off and running.

The same goes for online marketing. Like any business, there are rules and regulations to follow, so you need to know them before you get started. You could have the best offer or product in the world, but nobody will buy it unless they know about it. Just setting up a website and hoping won?t get you any sales. You need to use proven methods for generating traffic, the online equivalent of letting people know about your offer. Just like offering a free hot dog to get people to try you out, you can offer incentives to take a look at your offer. Think about it, how many free e-books have you downloaded? (I like mine with mustard and relish).

Whether you?re selling hot dogs or an online product, you still need to provide value to your customer. A good hot dog man will have premium hot dogs, fresh rolls and condiments, and he?ll serve them up HOT for a fair price. A good online marketer will have a quality offer or product that gives the customer what they?re looking for, whether it?s a product to solve a problem, an entertaining book, or a deal on the latest gadget, there has to be value for the customer at the right price or else you?re spinning your wheels.

Both businesses are scalable, too. I know many successful hot dog vendors who have moved on to managing multiple carts and trucks and even opened full-on restaurants. The concept is fairly simple and easily duplicated, you just need to find the right people. Online marketing is the same. Once you have a system and a set of processes in place, you can expand and duplicate your business. Hiring the right people is key here too. Make sure you hire and work with people who have complimentary skill sets. I started with one website, now I have more than 20 and I have people I call on for certain tasks that I just am not good at.

Notice in that previous paragraph ?the right people? came up a number of times. Whether you?re selling hot dogs or pitching the latest hot info product, having good people to work for/with you is key. A crappy employee can bring down any small business pretty quick if left unchecked. Whether that employee is serving food that?s under cooked or servicing online customers with an inconsistent attitude, the bad apple can be a killer. Conversely, good people can boost your business. An enthusiastic, friendly vendor brings people back to your cart. A savvy employee who ?gets out there? and helps boost business, whether it?s with good follow through or promotion through their social media networks, can be a great asset to any business.

Not ready to leave the security of a paycheck to start a business? Start part-time! Hot Dog vending can be started as a part time venture. Just work weekend events or find opportunities to set up shop within your existing schedule. The same goes for an online business. You can start on your living room couch! Spend a few hours a day building your business; you?ll know when you can transition to full-time in either venture.

Fun is Good too

Online marketing and hot dog vending are fun businesses. I was always cutting it up with my customers at my hot dog truck and I made many new friends in the six years I was in the business. Hardly a week goes by that I don?t run into an old customer. I?ve even made some good business connections from my old hot dog contacts! Online marketing is fun too. While many relationships are forged online, the same principles apply. Treat people well, be nice, offer good products and service and you?ll make new friends. The one thing online marketing has going for it in the fun department over the hot dog business is industry events. Parties at online marketing conferences ROCK! Hot dog events I?ve attended have been small; while they were fun and informative, there were never open bars in fancy nightclubs with go-go girls!

It all boils down to one thing: good old American entrepreneurship. Despite the woes afflicting our nation right now, entrepreneurship is alive and well in the US of A. Many of the hot dog vendors I encounter on a regular basis are in the business due to corporate downsizing. They chose the hot dog biz for many of the same reasons I listed here. The same goes for online marketing. Many people are content to moan about the economy and wring their hands in despair. The folks who decide to do something about it, whether they start slinging hot dogs or selling stuff online REFUSE to let macro circumstances dictate their future. No matter what the economy looks like, people still need a good, cheap lunch and they?ll continue to by all sorts of products online. Entrepreneurs who decide to capitalize on opportunities will always find success if they go about it the right way.

The most important thing any entrepreneur can do is get started NOW! No business gets started by thinking about it. If you want to sell hot dogs, start scouting locations, research carts, and learn about your business. If you want to get going in the online marketing game, start learning the basics (I hear Shoemoney has a course or two about that). You can have a website up in an hour or two. I know many online entrepreneurs who built a website in one night and were doing business the very next day. Don?t fall into the ?paralysis by analysis? trap, if you want to start a business, START NOW!


Michelle recommends you check out these amazing posts:

  1. YouTube - problogger darren rowse interview at blogworld The Accidental Millionaires
  2. finger Why Do You Give A Crap About What People Think About You?
  3. par program 99designs From the Top Designers? Perspectives

Source: http://www.shoemoney.com/2013/01/30/hot-dog-marketing-online

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Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Video: Squawk Roadmap: Ford & Yahoo Beat Estimates

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50626402/

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Video: Giffords calls for gun control in Congress hearing



>> a moment to remember back clearly to the very moment we learned about the shootings at sandy hook elementary school in newtown , connecticut. to remember how shocked we all were and how sad and sorry a scene that was. well, this is still very much the post newtown era. so there was great emotion today at a hearing on guns on capitol hill . especially when a very well-known survivor of gun violence , gabby giffords , came forward to deliver her own remarks. and yet during the hearing, we learned of another shooting. this one in arizona. a workplace, one gunman, three shooting victims, one fatal. we begin tonight with this emotional issue. our report from nbc's kelly o'donnell on capitol hill .

>> reporter: good evening, brian. the passion so deep, this hearing room was packed, included many families and survivors, victims of other shootings. and it was a group of people asking congress to do something, and that is the cause that changed the life of former congresswoman, gabby giffords , and brought her back to washington today. her gift of speech is a distant memory, said husband mark kelly . yet gabby giffords ' halting words.

>> too many children.

>> reporter: here as a survivor of the tucson assassination attempt that left her partially blind and partially paralyzed.

>> you must act. be bold, be courageous.

>> reporter: giffords and kelly, both gun owners , want congress to expand background checks to gun shows and private sales to make it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to get weapons.

>> my wife would not be sitting in this seat. she would not have been sitting here today, if we had stronger background checks .

>> reporter: but this first hearing on guns since the newtown massacre had another center of gravity . the national rifle association 's ceo, wayne lapierre .

>> should we have mandatory background checks at gun shows?

>> if you're a dealer, that's already the law.

>> reporter: of all the gun-related ideas on the table, democrats believe universal background checks has the

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50645616/

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93% Zero Dark Thirty

All Critics (215) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (201) | Rotten (14)

Chastain makes Maya as vivid as a bloodshot eye. Her porcelain skin, delicate features and feminine attire belie the steel within.

No doubt Zero Dark Thirty serves a function by airing America's dirty laundry about detainee and torture programs, but in its wake, there's a crying need for a compassionate Coming Home to counter its brutal Deer Hunter.

While "Zero Dark Thirty" may offer political and moral arguing points aplenty, as well as vicarious thrills,as a film it's simply too much of a passable thing.

From the very first scenes of Zero Dark Thirty, director Kathryn Bigelow demonstrates why she is such a formidable filmmaker, as adept with human emotion as with visceral, pulse-quickening action.

A timely and important reminder of the agonizing human price of zealotry.

Not only is Zero Dark Thirty one of the year's best movies, it's an inspiring one to share with your daughters. That is, if they're old enough to deal with explicit torture scenes.

The viewer needs to stay sharp to stay on top of the details of the labyrinthine search, but Bigelow tackles the complex story with the same muscular urgency and incisive intelligence that won her an Oscar for The Hurt Locker.

Exhilarating cinema that makes you want to forget all the questionable issues of representation that have come before it.

This is a fascinating film, and Chastain's wonderful performance has something in it of the tragic sense of life.

So overwhelming is the momentum that it proves possible to live with the intelligence that the protagonist is complicit in ground-level fascism.

Blistering writing, directing and acting hold us firmly in our seats as this procedural drama snakes its way to a riveting action finale

Terrifically good, propulsive film-making ...

Remarkable and engaging piece of filmmaking considering the outcome of the story is well known. A sign of the times we live in and the processes put in place to wrangle the people that choose to live outside the realm of civility

Not what you'd call crowd-pleasing, this is fascinating - if occasionally harrowing - in its realistic depiction of the intricacies of CIA operations.

Against all the odds, Kathryn Bigelow's powerful story of the hunt is a taut and searing action thriller that keeps you gripped.

A silly, at times despicable film that never remotely deserved an Oscar nomination. Compared with this, Team America: World Police was a think piece.

We get all imaginable views of the witchy pentacle that is covert US military politics.

It haunts and lingers long after the lights go up.

Bigelow has crafted a riveting, entirely convincing procedural that shows us the long, frustrating pursuit of bin Laden through the eyes of Jessica Chastain's dogged CIA agent.

For much of its three hour running time, Zero Dark Thirty moves like a police procedural: it is rigorous, pared-back and analytical.

We all know this story ends but Zero Dark Thirty's finale is still gripping and action-packed.

It's an effective thriller - uninterested in anyone other than the home team.

A step by step depiction of what went into the hunt for and discovery of Osama bin Laden. The characters are surface view only.

In Kathryn Bigelow's masterful thriller, the manhunt for Osama bin Laden is the ultimate no-win scenario: a battle neither side can afford to lose with a prize that may not be worth the fight.

A riveting, gut-churningly tense and eye-opening window into the brutal and bloody world of post-9/11 intelligence gathering ...

It's stylishly filmed and carried by a strong cast.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zero_dark_thirty/

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Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Daniel Radcliffe Survived 'Horns' Like A 'Boss'

'Harry Potter' star describes upcoming thriller as 'bizarre, but it's very exciting.'
By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Daniel Radcliffe
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700952/daniel-radcliffe-horns.jhtml

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The Simplest Makeover of All ? Paint - Aussie Blog

Home renovation

If you are preparing to sell, or have just bought a dated place in need of a makeover, painting is the simplest way to breathe new life into a room and even make it look bigger or smaller.

Handyman Magazine has kindly given us permission to share an excerpt of painting tips from its February issue.

Following the Trends

?It appears homeowners are getting bored with neutrals,? says interior designer and TV host Shaynna Blaze.

?The minimalist style has been prevalent for the last decade but now it?s about character and personality.?

During her 20 years in interior design Shaynna has redecorated many homes and says that while
a lot of people still play it safe with whites and neutrals, she believes a real connection to a space is forged when colour is introduced.

?Richness is the key word at the moment. Jewel hues with amazing depth are popular, particularly in sunburst colours such as tangerine orange and beautiful honeysuckle pink,? she says.

?At the same time peacock blues are also in demand, ranging from turquoise to emerald.?

A Simple Equation

Too many different colours can overwhelm so as a general rule the dominant colour should take
up 60% of the space, an intermediate colour another 30% and an accent colour the remaining 10%.

?I suggest taking the colour cues from an accessory,? says Shaynna.

?Also take into account the mood you wish to create. These two factors can make selecting the right palette pretty straightforward.?

Setting the Scene

Colour choice sets the ambience of the room so take time to consider the atmosphere you want to create.

White is seen as peaceful and feels airy but black is considered overwhelming and depressing.

Strong colours like red, yellow and violet are thought to raise energy and heighten emotions. The colours of nature, such as greens, blues and earthy neutrals, are perceived to be the most calming and restful.

Shaynna emphasises that a heavy-handed approach with strong colour is likely to backfire.

?It?s not about dramatic feature walls and challenging the senses, it?s about using beautiful colour in ways you?re comfortable with and can live with for at least five years until the next paint job is needed.?

Handyman

Handyman Magazine is available via subscription or from Bunnings outlets.

To subscribe to Handyman, call 1300 138 900 or go to handyman.net.au

Source: http://blog.aussie.com.au/simplest-makeover-paint/

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Monday, 28 January 2013

Singer Chris Brown to be questioned over alleged punch: police

(Reuters) - R&B singer Chris Brown will be questioned as part of an investigation into allegations that he punched a man during a fight over a parking space in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said on Monday.

Deputies responded to a call on Sunday about a fight involving six men on Santa Monica Boulevard, the department said. Witnesses said the Grammy-winning singer had assaulted a man during the brief altercation.

No arrests were made. The alleged victim was not named in a department statement that said Brown and his entourage had left the scene before deputies arrived.

Investigators plan to contact the singer about the incident at a later time, according to the department.

Brown, 23, is serving a five-year probation sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting fellow R&B star and former girlfriend Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy awards.

(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/singer-chris-brown-questioned-over-alleged-punch-police-140912237.html

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Less invasive treatment may increase survival in early stage breast cancer

Less invasive treatment may increase survival in early stage breast cancer [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 28-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Rachel Harrison
rachel.harrison@duke.edu
919-419-5069
Duke University Medical Center

DURHAM, N.C. -- Patients with early stage breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy plus radiation have a better chance of survival compared with those who undergo mastectomy, according to Duke Medicine research.

The study, which appears online Jan. 28, 2013, in the journal CANCER, demonstrates the effectiveness of breast-conserving therapies such as lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are surgically removed.

"Our findings support the notion that less invasive treatment can provide superior survival to mastectomy in stage I or stage II breast cancer," said E. Shelley Hwang, M.D., MPH, chief of breast surgery at Duke Cancer Institute and the study's lead author.

Using 14 years of data from the California Cancer Registry, a source of long-term outcome data for cancer, the research team found improved survival to be associated with the less invasive treatment in all age groups, as well as those with both hormone-sensitive and hormone-resistant cancers. Women age 50 and older at diagnosis with hormone-sensitive tumors saw the largest benefit of choosing lumpectomy plus radiation: they were 13 percent less likely to die from breast cancer, and 19 percent less likely to die from any cause compared with those undergoing mastectomy.

Prior research has shown that lumpectomy with radiation is as effective as mastectomy in treating early stage breast cancer. As a result, the rate of women electing lumpectomy with radiation has climbed in the past few decades.

However, a recent trend has emerged with some early stage breast cancer patients, often younger women, opting for mastectomy. These women may perceive mastectomy to be more effective at eliminating early stage cancer and therefore reducing the anxiety accompanying long-term surveillance.

"Given the recent interest in mastectomy to treat early stage breast cancers, despite the research supporting lumpectomy, our study sought to further explore outcomes of breast-conserving treatments in the general population comparing outcomes between younger and older women," Hwang said.

The team analyzed data from 112,154 women diagnosed with stage I or stage II breast cancer between 1990 and 2004, including 61,771 who received lumpectomy and radiation and 50,383 who had mastectomy without radiation. They looked at age and other demographic factors, along with tumor type and size to decipher whether each treatment had better outcomes for certain groups of women. Patients were followed on average for 9.2 years.

The researchers evaluated whether illnesses other than breast cancer, such as heart and respiratory disease, may have influenced whether women chose lumpectomy or mastectomy. Within three years of diagnosis, breast cancer patients who underwent lumpectomy and radiation had higher survival rates than those who chose mastectomy when all other illnesses were evaluated. This suggests that women choosing lumpectomy may have been generally healthier.

Hwang and her colleagues were surprised to also find that early stage breast cancer patients treated with mastectomy had a significantly lower survival rate from breast cancer than women who underwent lumpectomy with radiation.

"We found that lumpectomy plus radiation was an effective alternative to mastectomy for early stage disease, regardless of age or tumor type," said Hwang. "Even patients we thought might benefit less from localized treatment, like younger patients with hormone-resistant disease, can remain confident in lumpectomy as an equivalent and possibly better treatment option."

###

In addition to Hwang, study authors include Daphne Y. Lichtensztajn, Scarlett Lin Gomez, and Christina A. Clarke of the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. Barbara Fowble of the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center also contributed to the research.

The study was supported by National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (HHSN261201000140C) awarded to the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. The collection of cancer incidence data used in this study was supported by the California Department of Health Services.



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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.


Less invasive treatment may increase survival in early stage breast cancer [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 28-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Rachel Harrison
rachel.harrison@duke.edu
919-419-5069
Duke University Medical Center

DURHAM, N.C. -- Patients with early stage breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy plus radiation have a better chance of survival compared with those who undergo mastectomy, according to Duke Medicine research.

The study, which appears online Jan. 28, 2013, in the journal CANCER, demonstrates the effectiveness of breast-conserving therapies such as lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are surgically removed.

"Our findings support the notion that less invasive treatment can provide superior survival to mastectomy in stage I or stage II breast cancer," said E. Shelley Hwang, M.D., MPH, chief of breast surgery at Duke Cancer Institute and the study's lead author.

Using 14 years of data from the California Cancer Registry, a source of long-term outcome data for cancer, the research team found improved survival to be associated with the less invasive treatment in all age groups, as well as those with both hormone-sensitive and hormone-resistant cancers. Women age 50 and older at diagnosis with hormone-sensitive tumors saw the largest benefit of choosing lumpectomy plus radiation: they were 13 percent less likely to die from breast cancer, and 19 percent less likely to die from any cause compared with those undergoing mastectomy.

Prior research has shown that lumpectomy with radiation is as effective as mastectomy in treating early stage breast cancer. As a result, the rate of women electing lumpectomy with radiation has climbed in the past few decades.

However, a recent trend has emerged with some early stage breast cancer patients, often younger women, opting for mastectomy. These women may perceive mastectomy to be more effective at eliminating early stage cancer and therefore reducing the anxiety accompanying long-term surveillance.

"Given the recent interest in mastectomy to treat early stage breast cancers, despite the research supporting lumpectomy, our study sought to further explore outcomes of breast-conserving treatments in the general population comparing outcomes between younger and older women," Hwang said.

The team analyzed data from 112,154 women diagnosed with stage I or stage II breast cancer between 1990 and 2004, including 61,771 who received lumpectomy and radiation and 50,383 who had mastectomy without radiation. They looked at age and other demographic factors, along with tumor type and size to decipher whether each treatment had better outcomes for certain groups of women. Patients were followed on average for 9.2 years.

The researchers evaluated whether illnesses other than breast cancer, such as heart and respiratory disease, may have influenced whether women chose lumpectomy or mastectomy. Within three years of diagnosis, breast cancer patients who underwent lumpectomy and radiation had higher survival rates than those who chose mastectomy when all other illnesses were evaluated. This suggests that women choosing lumpectomy may have been generally healthier.

Hwang and her colleagues were surprised to also find that early stage breast cancer patients treated with mastectomy had a significantly lower survival rate from breast cancer than women who underwent lumpectomy with radiation.

"We found that lumpectomy plus radiation was an effective alternative to mastectomy for early stage disease, regardless of age or tumor type," said Hwang. "Even patients we thought might benefit less from localized treatment, like younger patients with hormone-resistant disease, can remain confident in lumpectomy as an equivalent and possibly better treatment option."

###

In addition to Hwang, study authors include Daphne Y. Lichtensztajn, Scarlett Lin Gomez, and Christina A. Clarke of the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. Barbara Fowble of the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center also contributed to the research.

The study was supported by National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (HHSN261201000140C) awarded to the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. The collection of cancer incidence data used in this study was supported by the California Department of Health Services.



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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/dumc-lit012413.php

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Vine (for iPhone)


Microblogging, meet micro video sharing. Just as Twitter curtails anything of substance you'd like to say to a headline requiring a link to a blog or other webpage for any kind of depth, the free Vine app, recently acquired by Twitter, curtails your videos to a mere 6 seconds. That's not necessarily bad: Who wants to watch minute after minute of boring video? In a world where most people still think of Twitter as just short text snippets, can micro-videos make an impact?

Let's be clear: This isn't a case of "video finally comes to Twitter." You've already been able to embed a YouTube or Vimeo video in a Twitter post forever, so this isn't the first time anyone's been able two add video to tweets. Vine is more of an attempt to co-opt the craze for animated GIFs, most prominently evidenced on image-heavy mini-blogging site Tumblr. ?You could also think of it as the latest entry in the "Instagram for video" app genre.

Vine plays to today's brief attentions spans, which causes people at a play or a concert to reach for their smartphones the moment the curtain falls at intermission, rather than trying to digest the performance. Vine movies may be limited in length, but like animated GIFs, they loop infinitely, which actually does the opposite of increasing their impact. Let's see how it stacks up against other "Instagram but for video" apps, such as Lightt and Cinemagram.

Signup and Setup
As with so many new mobile apps, Apple's iPhone gets first dibs when it comes to Vine. I've contacted the company to ask when we might see apps for Android and Windows Phone, and will update this if and when I hear back. And as with so many hot new apps these days, Vine wants to interrupt you with notifications and wants access to your location, both requiring message box OKs at installation. I didn't need another source of notifications, but I though location might help for video posts.

As you'd expect with an app just acquired by Twitter, you can sign in with your Twitter account, or create a new Vine account using an email address. The typical social app would also let you sign up via Facebook, but that's not an option for obvious reasons. Conveniently, you don't need to actually provide your Twitter credentials, the app can take them from your iPhone's Settings. Despite Vine now being a part of Twitter, though, you're still prompted to agree to create a new Vine account, even if you sign up with your Twitter account.

Interface
After setup, my view was of an Instagram-like newsfeed of GIF-like videos from contacts I didn't know I had. Apparently, these were preselected Twitter employees. The well-designed and simple interface had but two buttons in the top corners above the feed?on the left Home, and on the right a movie camera. Pressing the home button offered three more options in addition to the home view I was already viewing: Explore, Activity, and Profile. These first two were encouraging, reminding me of the addictive similar pages of Flickr. More on these in a bit.

A banner ad across the top of the home screen encouraged me to get my own new Vine follows. I could find these by scanning my phone's local address book, Twitter (of course), or Facebook (surprise!). Though some reports claim that Facebook has blocked Vine from accessing it, and though I got to the Facebook permission button, an error appeared when I returned to the Vine app. Tit-for-tat for when Twitter blocked the Facebook-owned Instagram.

I could also simply search for Vine user names, or invite friends to the service using email or SMS. Each user, as with every self-respecting social network, has a profile page, and Vine's resembles Twitters, except it offers separate tabs for Posts and Likes. At top was the user's photo, a text area for inspirational self-description and a big Follow button.

The Explore page was a treat. Here I could view Editor's Picks, Popular Now, and All Posts (presumably by recency). Colorful Windows 8-like tiles in the bottom half of this page let me browse hashtags, such as #magic, #travel, and #sports. The first of these hints at the prominence of stop motion, and also feature a lot of disappearing toddlers. Even the Popular Now videos weren't especially compelling, but it's early days, and no doubt there'll be plenty awesome mini-vids in the offing.

There's no website where you can view all your own and contacts' Vine videolets, so you'll only be able to see them in the app or in your Twitter feed. The videos play on the Twitter website and in the Twitter iOS apps, and in each of those places you get a link to a bare-bones Vine-hosted Web page for the video at hand.

Shooting with Vine
When you hit that movie camera icon atop your home screen, you don't get the standard iPhone camera app in movie mode. Instead, you get a completely plain square image of what's in front of your iPhone's lens?that's right, there's no way to switch to the backward-facing camera to shoot your mug. Nor is there even a shutter button: You shoot video by holding your finger on the screen. You get a total of 6 seconds, and can lift and re-touch the screen to pause and restart shooting?which the service encourages. It's really well suited to stop motion shooting, or shooting those "magic" clips where something or someone disappears or suddenly appears.

Once you're through shooting, the Next button takes you to a page where you can add a caption for your tiny video compilation, choose a hash tag, and decide where to share it. Sharing target options are Vine, Twitter, and Facebook, and in this case, my test video did appear on my Facebook timeline, so there's no blocking in this direction.

You can also add a location at this point; the tool for this says "Powered by FourSquare" (of which I'm not a user), but it never worked for me in my testing. I'd think you'd be able to attach a location without having to be a member of yet another minor social network. And indeed a colleague was able to get location suggestions on her iPhone, though she wasn't a FourSquare member either.

The Final Products
My gut tells me that Vine is not going to unseat YouTube or Vimeo anytime soon, or even Facebook video sharing. The videos it produces are usually jerky and somewhat unpleasant to view, which effect is multiplied by their ceaseless repetition. Luckily, though, on Twitter the videos don't auto-repeat. The six-second limit doesn't really give them a chance to have anything but a superficial impact. A lot of times, the best viral YouTube videos are marked for having a visual punch line after a time of suspense. Not possible with Vine.

I actually found Vine less interesting than the innovative Lightt app, which also limits shooting time, though to 10 seconds. Lightt also combines all your short videos into an endless timeline that you can fast forward or reverse through. Nor does Vine offer the clever effects you can find in apps like Cinemagram or SocialCam. And unlike their verbal equivalent, the Tweet, there's no link to the full version.

Vine Needs Some Ripening
I'm all for innovative new ways to create and present video, and Twitter certainly needs to grow beyond being a place where you can get the occasional 140 characters from the oracle known as Justin Bieber. I'm just not convinced that Twitter's enforced verbal pithiness translates well to a video equivalent. Should you download the app and give it a shot? By all means, go for it! But as to paraphrase another tech writer, while a picture may be worth a thousand words, a Vine video somehow manages to fall short of that word count.

More iPhone App Reviews:
??? Vine (for iPhone)
??? YouSendIt (for iPhone)
??? EyeEm (for iPhone)
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?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/ZgykgYYT3Vk/0,2817,2414732,00.asp

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Sunday, 27 January 2013

Attention shoppers: Another credit card fee is here

1 day

It could soon cost you more to shop with a credit card at some stores. As of this Sunday, Jan. 27, merchants who accept credit cards issued by Visa and MasterCard will be allowed to add a service charge to the purchase price.

Visa and MasterCard had always prohibited merchants from doing this. They agreed to change the rules and allow the surcharge as part of the settlement of an antitrust suit brought by retailers.

The surcharge is supposed to equal the actual cost of processing the credit card transaction, which is typically 1.5 to 3 percent. Under the agreement, the fee is capped at 4 percent. The surcharge can vary based on the type of card. For example, it could be higher for a rewards card or premier card.

Merchants still cannot add a surcharge to debit card transactions.

The big question is: Will any stores do this? Should you worry about paying a credit card surcharge?

?We have discussed the settlement with many, many merchants, and not a single merchant we have spoken to plans to surcharge,? Craig Sherman, spokesman for the National Retail Federation (NRF), said in a statement. The NRF was not involved in the class action lawsuit.

NBC News contacted some of the country?s largest retailers. Wal-Mart,?Target, Sears and Home Depot said they have no plans to add a credit card surcharge.

Credit card surcharges are banned by law in 10 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma and Texas.

Visa and MasterCard have rules that require retailers to handle credit cards the same way in all of their stores across the country. That means a chain with stores in any of the 10 states where a surcharge is banned would not be able to have a surcharge at any of its stores.

The National Retail Federation points out that under terms of the settlement, a merchant who adds a surcharge to purchases on a Visa or MasterCard would have to do the same with American Express cards. But AMEX prohibits surcharge fees. So a merchant who accepts American Express as well as Visa/MasterCard would not be able to surcharge any of those cards.

?The bottom line is that very few retailers would be able to surcharge under the settlement, and that the vast majority don?t want to surcharge even if they could,? the NRF?s Sherman said.

Ed Mierzwinski, Director of Consumer Programs at U.S. PIRG agrees.

?In the brick-and-mortar world, no one who does any sort of volume business is going to want to surcharge because it will drive their customer crazy and slow down transactions,? Mierzwinski said.

In fact, most consumer advocates believe that except for some small retailers, a credit card surcharge is a non-issue in the short-term.

But Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org, worries that over time surcharges will gain traction.

?It?s predictable what?s going to happen,? he said. ?We?re at the top of the hill and we?re going to start going down that slippery slope.?

Dworsky points out that stores factor in the cost of processing credit cards when they price their merchandise. Charging for that again, he said, would be double-dipping, unless stores rolled back their prices ? which no one expects them to do.

?We shouldn?t have gotten to the point, but unfortunately because of the court settlement we have,? Dworsky told me. ?There?s no one standing up for consumers and saying that this is really bad.?

Dworsky points to Australia, where surcharging credit card use began in 2003. At first, few merchants charged the fee.? His research shows that approximately one-third of the sellers there ? including some hotels, supermarkets, department stores and utilities ? now charge extra to use a credit card.?

What about disclosures??
The advocacy group Consumer Action has published a booklet on credit card checkout fees. It warns shoppers to be on the lookout for these fees and advises them to express their dissatisfaction.?Customers shouldn?t stand for it,? said Ruth Susswein Consumer Action?s deputy director of national priorities. ?Our advice is to tell them you don?t like the fee and this makes you want to take your business elsewhere.?

The new rules from Visa and MasterCard require retailers who apply a credit card surcharge to post a notice at the store?s entrance. The exact percentage of the surcharge does not need to be disclosed until the point of sale. The customer receipt must list the amount of the surcharge.

Online stores with a surcharge will not be required to have a notice on the home page. They only need to alert shoppers about this when they reach the page where credit cards are first mentioned. In most cases, that means the final step of checkout when the purchase is being completed.

Not the end of this story?
The settlement that allows merchants to impose a surcharge is only preliminary. The court has yet to issue its final ruling in this case. That?s expected later this year.?

Once that happens, various retailers and business groups plan to challenge the settlement. That could drag into late 2014.

For now, the possibility that the settlement could be modified will probably keep most businesses of any size from instituting credit card fees.

?We?re not convinced this is going to be an issue,? Consumer Action?s Susswein told me. ?They may never do it, but as individual consumers we need to be aware.?

Herb Weisbaum is The ConsumerMan. Follow him on Facebook and Twitteror visit The ConsumerMan website.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/attention-shoppers-another-credit-card-fee-here-1C8086499

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US may give $32M to train African troops in Mali

SEVARE, Mali (AP) ? The Obama administration is seeking an additional $32 million to train African troops to fight Islamic extremists in Mali.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Friday the request had been made to Congress.

The United States is not providing any direct aid to the Malian government because the democratically elected president was overthrown in a coup last year.

However, it has been providing aid to the French-led mission, transporting French troops and equipment to Mali.

France has some 2,400 forces in the West African nation but says it wants African nations to take the lead in fighting the extremists who rule northern Mali.

The French-led operation began on Jan. 11 after the militants surged southward from their strongholds and took the town of Konna, later recaptured by government forces.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-may-32m-train-african-troops-mali-085310169.html

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Easier To Recover Back You Are Any Kind Of Data Through Data ...

If you have ever used point of sale software applications in your restaurant, by now you already know how vital a tool it is, especially when it comes to streamlining the major operations of your hotel business. Many of these POS software providers like? http://www.possoftwaresystems.net/ have deep insights into the many difficulties you might encounter when running your restaurant, and it?s no wonder they are working day and night to come up with a solution that can ease them. This explains the new trends and designs for this software particularly suited for restaurants. The latest software is flexible and user-friendly as well, unlike their ancient counterparts. The recent software is upgradable and offers many options to the restaurant manager.

Point of sale software can act as organizational tool in your restaurants. Apart from just assisting you to process payments, it has the capacity of acting as a major organizational gadget for your retail business. If your business is properly organized, it means that it will run more effectively, serve more customers, which will translate into more cash. Some of the key things, which the software can help you to achieve, include tracking of order. The days when people used to write orders on a piece of paper and quickly disappear into kitchens are over. These systems take the order and precisely prints it out for the kitchen staff.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Free Point of Sale Software

Point of sale software is essential in any retail stores for better product management and customer service. Many business owners are making the use of free system to minimize additional expenses. The point of sale software replaces cash registers effectively. It is also readily available online. Other advantages of using a free system include its user friendliness and accessibility of software with no cost at all. You can quickly view and study the various features present in the system. Among all advantages, there are also drawbacks from the software.

Many companies offer free point of sale software. However, these free offers still cost you a fee. Basic modules are given free of charge but additional trainings can be costly. When you purchase the software, proper training is provided to avoid errors in configuring the software. Meanwhile, some programs cannot be accessed fully. Free point of sale software is usually non-specific. Moreover, each system is designed specifically for a certain purpose. For instance, a system for a hotel business may be not suitable for grocery store business. Most importantly, free software does not give you specific technical instructions. If you are not technically advanced, you may have a hard time dealing with complex technical troubleshooting. In addition, availing free software will not provide you the latest version at http://www.possoftwaresystems.net/free-download/.
Many business owners rate the ?point of sale? as the most important part of their store. The point of sale is where the customer sales take place. This includes grocery stores, salons and retail areas. The location must be prime. Grocery business owners set theirs up strategically, across the store. That way, the customers have more incentive to look down various aisles and be encouraged to buy more groceries. There are magazines, candy, and other products to buy while someone waits in line, which increases impulse sales.

Over the years, point of sale has gone from something ordinary to an art form, as people try to maximize profits by choosing where to conduct sales. Business leaders say that an important aspect is how natural the point of sale system seems. Instead of forcing more merchandise and suggestions on the customer, it is done with the layout itself. Or the point of sale can be subtle, such as a waitress ringing up a person?s bill in a restaurant in the blink of an eye, to seem impressive.

Businesses have said that they?ve saved thousands or even millions by choosing a strategic, well set up point of sale. Where should it be? What should it have? They are fiercely looking at their competitors, as the fight for the most optimal point of sale areas has advanced with time and technology.

What You Need With Your Point Of Sale Software

Point of sale software monitors transactions, keeps records, and executes precise instructions. Digital point of software is by far the most advanced, with the capability to multi-task and do the work of dozens of employees. However, choosing the right one is often a matter of choosing the right extra equipment. To understand this, here are the essential pieces you must have.

A mainstream computer is among the best to get, since the more established ones have begun making themselves compatible with customer software. Apple is popular, but the king of point of sale computers is Windows PC. Accordingly, name brand receipt printers such as HP will complement your point of sale software nicely. The same is true with the main printer, which with Windows can be Star or Epson.

Point of sale software also requires a cash drawer. While the new buyer may snag the first cash drawer they see?what the real difference is?cash drawer problems are some of the most common problems in point of sale transactions within grocery stores. This gives you a chance while you?re buying one to make sure of the register?s job performance. Another sticky situation can be the effectiveness of the scanner. Datalogic, Microscan, and Metrologic are among the finest brands to look into. With some careful planning, you can get the perfect support system for your point of sale software.

Source: http://iphone4walls.net/easier-to-recover-back-you-are-any-kind-of-data-through-data-recovery-services/

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Saturday, 26 January 2013

'Dallas' returns with J.R. Ewing's final schemes

This Oct. 2012 photo released by TNT shows actor Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing in a scene from "Dallas." Hagman, who died of cancer at 81 the day after Thanksgiving, was diagnosed in 1992 with cirrhosis of the liver from a life of heavy drinking and, three years later, when a malignant tumor was discovered on his liver, successfully underwent a transplant. The series returns for a new season on Monday at 9 p.m. EST on TNT. (AP Photo/TNT, Skip Bolen)

This Oct. 2012 photo released by TNT shows actor Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing in a scene from "Dallas." Hagman, who died of cancer at 81 the day after Thanksgiving, was diagnosed in 1992 with cirrhosis of the liver from a life of heavy drinking and, three years later, when a malignant tumor was discovered on his liver, successfully underwent a transplant. The series returns for a new season on Monday at 9 p.m. EST on TNT. (AP Photo/TNT, Skip Bolen)

(AP) ? J.R. Ewing wouldn't hesitate to cheat his fellow man. He also famously cheated death.

In the second-season finale of "Dallas" back in 1980, he was shot by an unknown assailant in his office and left for dead. But he recovered nicely, and the cliffhanger question that gripped the nation (Who shot J.R.?) was answered that November in an episode seen by 80 million viewers.

This time, J.R. won't get off so easy. During the second season of TNT's rebooted "Dallas," J.R. cashes in his chips and goes to his reward ... wherever that may be.

Meanwhile, viewers, however braced they are for J.R.'s demise, will have to reckon with the loss of arguably TV's greatest villain, and bid farewell to the actor who portrayed him so indelibly and also cheated death for years. Larry Hagman, who died of cancer at 81 the day after Thanksgiving, was diagnosed in 1992 with cirrhosis of the liver from a life of heavy drinking and, three years later, when a malignant tumor was discovered on his liver, successfully underwent a transplant.

This double loss would be a burden for any show to bear. "Dallas," returning at 9 p.m. EST Monday, comes fully loaded.

"I think viewers want closure," said Linda Gray, who plays J.R.'s long-suffering ex-wife, Sue Ellen. "They want to mourn Larry Hagman and J.R. Ewing. They want to know they can grieve the fact he won't be around."

But all that comes later. With its two-hour season premiere, "Dallas" carries on in familiar fashion, with the expected two-timing, squabbles, a kidnapping revealed, a stolen identity and assorted other mischief.

And never fear: J.R., though visibly frail, continues his reign as a scheming oilman and rascally Ewing patriarch.

"I came over to deliver some muffins to the pretty little secretaries," he announces on making an unannounced visit to Ewing Energies headquarters before he laments, "Who could have guessed so many would turn out to be MEN? Where's the sport in THAT?"

In another scene, J.R. shares sly counsel with his son, John Ross, on double-crossing other members of the family: "Love, hate, jealousy: Mix 'em up and they make a mean martini. And when we take over Ewing Energies, you'll slake your thirst ? with a twist!"

The new "Dallas," which debuted last June, is stocked with a troupe of young regulars (including Josh Henderson, who plays John Ross), as well as veterans of the original CBS series, notably Gray and Patrick Duffy as J.R.'s ever-upright brother, Bobby. J.R. will appear in a minimum of five or as many as seven of the season's episodes before he meets his fate.

After that, can "Dallas" survive the dual deaths of its central character and legendary star?

"Larry being gone doesn't eliminate the influence of the character of J.R.," Duffy pointed out. Who knows what land mines J.R. will have left behind? "We can find business deals he did or schemes he started that now are coming home to roost, and they can turn up for years to come."

"Whatever will happen on the show, we will be talking about J.R. Ewing and he will have done things that have a ripple effect," Gray agreed. "He will always be there."

"There's a lot of driving forces on the show ? not just J.R.," added "Dallas" executive producer Cynthia Cidre, who, interviewed by phone a couple of weeks ago, was parked outside a posh Dallas social club where the wake for J.R. was about to be filmed.

She said this season she tried to use Hagman sparingly.

"He was the most delightful man and a total professional," she said, "but he wasn't well and we didn't want to overtax him."

Now, with his passing, "we want to give J.R., and Larry, the proper send-off."

But she insisted there had been no contingency plan for how to plot J.R.'s demise in the event Hagman died in mid-season.

"We didn't have a Plan B, on purpose," said Cidre. "We just knew that we had Larry, so let's use him, let's enjoy him, and if something happens, we'll scramble and fix it. I had great faith in the writers' room. We knew the day might come and what we would do then: Figure it out."

That day came in late November when she got a call from Duffy. "He told me, 'Larry's in the hospital and it isn't good. He's saying goodbye.' In 24 hours we had fixed one of the scripts. We had two more scripts that had to be adjusted, and then this episode we're shooting now, the Goodbye Episode."

Roughly 85 percent of the season's story line remains intact, she said, supplemented by the death of J.R. and the mystery surrounding it: Who Killed J.R.?

"The mystery has all the machinations of a great J.R. business deal, as opposed to a whodunit," said Duffy. "Cynthia constructed a really interesting plot, of which I know Bobby's portion" ? including whodunit ? "but I don't know other stuff."

"We all know, up to a point," Gray said. "But they've got secret pages that we've not seen."

"I hope that we have come up with something really wonderful and enticing," said Cidre, "and by the time you're done watching episode 208, which I call the Funeral Episode, I hope you're saying, 'Omigod, I didn't see that coming, and I can't wait to watch the rest of the season.'"

The mystery, she said, will continue through episode 15, "with a giant, delightful, delicious climax in the season finale."

To get there, shooting continues until April on the Dallas set, where, even two months after Hagman's passing, "I'm lonely because my best friend isn't there to play with," Duffy said. "I was with him from 1978 until his final hours in the hospital. But I have no regrets. Every day I think of him and smile."

"I keep expecting him to walk in the door," Gray said. "He's so missed. But his presence is everywhere!"

___

Online:

http://www.tntdrama.com

___

Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-25-TV-Dallas/id-9d2fa9f44da440068ffde1a893eb0e3b

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Wis. sheriff urges residents to get gun training

A sheriff who released a radio ad urging Milwaukee-area residents to learn to handle firearms so they can defend themselves while waiting for police said Friday that law enforcement cutbacks have changed the way police can respond to crime.

In the 30-second commercial, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. says personal safety is no longer a spectator sport.

"I need you in the game," he says.

"With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option," he adds. "You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back. ... Consider taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there."

The ad has generated sharp criticism from other area officials and anti-violence advocates. The president of the Milwaukee Deputy Sheriffs' Association, Roy Felber, said it sounds like a call to vigilantism.

"That doesn't sound too smart," Felber said. "People have the right to defend themselves, but they don't have the right to take the law into their own hands."

Under Wisconsin's "castle doctrine," someone who uses deadly force against an unlawful intruder to their home, business or vehicle is presumed to have acted reasonably. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Justice said that as of this week, there are about 155,000 concealed carry permits in Wisconsin.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Clarke said he just wants people to know what their options are. While self-defense isn't for everyone, some people see personal safety as their own responsibility, he said, and they should be trained properly.

"I'm not telling you to 'Hey, pick up a gun and blast away.' ... People need to know what they are doing if they chose that method ? to defend themselves," he said.

But he also said he wanted to call on residents to be law enforcement "partners." He said he could either whine about budget cuts that forced him to lay off 48 deputies last year or he could get creative.

"People are responsible to play a role in their own safety, with the help of law enforcement," Clarke said. "I'm here to do my part, but we have fewer and fewer resources. We're not omnipresent, and we have to stop giving people that impression."

"After sitting down and thinking about this, I'm thinking 'Hey, I've got an untapped reserve over here, and it's the public,'" Clarke said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's office released a statement criticizing the ad: "Apparently Sheriff David Clarke is auditioning for the next Dirty Harry movie."

Barrett was beaten up several years ago by someone with a tire iron, and Clarke said he thought that would make the mayor "a lot more sensitive to people being able to defend themselves in such instances. A firearm and a plan of defense would have come in handy for him that day."

Jeri Bonavia, executive director of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, said Clarke took a dangerous position with his ad. She pointed to the case of George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida who fatally shot an unarmed 17-year-old following an altercation. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming self-defense under Florida's "stand your ground" law.

"I feel like this is such an irresponsible thing for our chief public safety officer of a county to do," Bonavia said. "I think he owes this community an apology. And if he really believes that he's not capable of providing for our public safety he should get a different job."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wis-sheriff-urges-residents-gun-training-011512568.html

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Rise Above The Competition With These Internet Marketing ...

Internet marketing is probably the single best way to reach the largest amount of people. Most people use the Internet each and every day. Future generations won?t even know what yellow pages are. And the Internet makes it very easy to advertise without seeming like you?re advertising.

Here are some tips on internet marketing. Your landing page should have a clear sales message. Your landing page should focus on selling your goods or services. Once your viewer arrives on your landing page, they should immediately know exactly what you are selling. Shoppers want instant gratification, so if they can?t find what they want they will look somewhere else.

If your website looks and works well it will give you a better online experience. Take time to ensure that your website is error-free to ensure that your visitors are not stuck with a poor experience. You need to be proactive at this so you don?t discourage customers from returning again.

Make a plan for your site and stick to the plan. Take the time to learn what sort of articles will be most effective and which are the best directories to submit them to. Also, pinpoint the types of directories that you are willing to write for. In order to make the most of your efforts, keep the directory?s guidelines firmly in mind when you write.

Do your homework before jumping into a new Internet marketing campaign. Find an adviser who you trust and seek their assistance. If you are unable to find a free mentor, you may be able to find a consultant to guide you through internet marketing for a fee. Stick to a system you pick for a period of time. While progress may be limited in the beginning, perseverance will show results in the end.

Internet marketing is all about solving problems. Start your business by knowing everyday, just what questions you are answering. When you demonstrate the ability to aid others, clients are far more likely to become permanent customers who spread the word to their network of contacts.

Study your competitors and choose the best of their sales and advertising tactics to enhance your own. If you could see yourself purchasing something from them, then you can guarantee that they are doing the right thing. Look for ways that you can use their ideas into your own unique strategy.

You might not know it, but you are already equipped with all the resources you need in order to be successful in internet marketing. There is no need for expensive software or fancy equipment. Just use yourself. It just takes hard work and clear thinking with regards to your approach on marketing.

You should find out about advertising if you want to create business online. The money is worth it over time as advertising the business will represent a large part of the quantity of business you attain. This can help you generate more traffic than any other tactic you might employ.

Use AJAX and Flash sparingly. These sorts of add-on programs will not help your business get noticed. Flash can and should be used sparingly, and make it functional with navigational links and keywords.

Think about how pertinent your service or product really is. All the internet marketing in the world will not save an inferior product. Choosing a good product in the first place will help you make profits more easily.

Offering an instructional course at no cost is an excellent way to attract potential customers to your business website. Pairing the course or seminar with a product you sell can be a great marketing tool that will encourage customers to make a purchase. Using a contest offering free prizes is a also a great marketing tool.

Internet marketing can also facilitate companies in directing their advertising at specific population segments. This allows for most effective use of an advertising budget. In addition to the savings, Internet marketing will help improve the effectiveness of your advertising dollars. The internet is a great place for any business to invest their marketing dollars.

Be sure to visit our friends at SIVA Marketing.

Source: http://internetmarketingforcash.com/?p=2052

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