Egypt's Coptic Church to vote to select new pope

CAIRO (AP) ? A council of Egypt's Coptic Christians is voting on a new spiritual leader to the ancient church as the community grapples with the rising powers of Islamists.

The charismatic Pope Shenouda III died in March, at the age of 88 and after 40 years as the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The congregation represents the majority of Egypt's Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the country's 83 million people.

Shenouda's death, a year after President Hosni Mubarak was ousted, left an increasingly vocal community anxious about its minority status in the face of rising Islamists.

About 2,400 clergymen, community leaders, and Coptic church notables are voting Monday to short-list three candidates from among three monks and two bishops. The final selection is due Sunday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-coptic-church-vote-select-pope-102847426.html

sundance film festival victoria azarenka the flintstones etta james ufc on fox evans vs davis fast times at ridgemont high

Business networking start-up Datahug secures US$3.2m in Series A ...

Business networking start-up Datahug secures US$3.2m in Series A funding

DataHug co-founder and CEO Connor Murphy

Dublin software start-up Datahug has secured US$3.2m in Series A financing from the venture capital firm DFJ Esprit, with the business networking automation company set to focus on its expansion into the US marketplace, as well as building its customer base.

Co-founded in 2010 by Connor Murphy and Ray Smith, Datahug aims to help companies drive sales and business development. Its solution works by indexing existing communication logs, such as emails, contacts and calendar data, to create an enterprise-wide picture of who knows who across a company's network of connections.

The idea of Datahug is to allow companies to tap into previously unknown relationships to help with business development.

In 2010, Datahug won the Spark of Genius competition at the Dublin Web Summit. Then, in 2011, the start-up secured a US$1.5m investment to boost its customer acquisition and product development.

With the US$3.2m investment from DFJ Esprit, Datahug is now aiming to expand its presence in the US marketplace and beyond, as well as building on its customer base.

"DFJ Esprit is the perfect investor to support Datahug's development because of its close relationship with Silicon Valley, and unique expertise in taking European businesses global," said Murphy, CEO at Datahug. "This latest injection of finance will enable us to take advantage of the major market opportunity available to us, and continue at a rapid rate of growth."

The deal is DFJ Esprit's fourth in Ireland this year, following investments in Imagine Communications, Mobile Travel Technologies and GetBulb.

Carmel Doyle | |

Source: http://www.siliconrepublic.com/start-ups/item/29900-business-networking-start-u

independent spirit awards 2012 jan brewer independent spirit awards 2012 oscar predictions jim jones tony stewart kurt busch

A Brief History of Inventing Innovation - Rita McGrath - Harvard ...

by Rita McGrath??|?? 1:00 PM October 25, 2012

With today's breathless enthusiasm for innovation, it's hard to remember when, as far as the management literature was concerned, innovation was something that guys in white coats who worked for companies like DuPont did in the R&D lab. Expanding an existing business into new corporate territory, or corporate venturing, was called "diversification," not innovation. It is also hard to remember that before the 1980s, very little in the way of empirical evidence existed as to what companies should expect when they ventured into new territory. We had little theory and even less evidence to guide us. Most decisions executives made were based on their own experience or intuition (to be charitable) or on the basis of their pet projects and personal biases (to be a little less charitable).

E. Ralph Biggadike's breakthrough research on the realities of corporate venturing, reported in his 1979 HBR article, "The Risky Business of Diversification," therefore broke new ground by collecting actual data about what companies could expect as they explored new markets or extended their reach to new product categories. It was in the mold of many classic HBR pieces of the day ? using rigorous academic research to inform an interesting managerial question. Ralph used the then-new Profit Impact of Market Strategies (or PIMS) database and his own original research to create a sample of 68 ventures launched by 35 companies, mostly in industrial goods businesses. He examined the fates of these ventures (which had all survived for some time) to try to determine how long a company could expect to wait for them to be profitable, and how well they would ultimately do financially. One of his most significant conclusions was that "new ventures need, on the average, eight years before they reach profitability." Further, that it took another two to four years before the return on investment of the new businesses equated to returns from the existing businesses. At the time, interestingly, as now, executives often gave a fledgling business three years or so to prove themselves, after which they lost interest. It didn't make sense then, and makes even less sense now.

I first read Ralph's article about ten years after it was first published. I had gone back to school after eight years in management to begin my own Ph.D. program at the Wharton School. I was fascinated by what I'd seen of just how hard it is to get large-scale organizations to adapt. This was an era in which the leaders of American businesses were first being confronted with forces which would cause barriers to entry to erode, technologies to move faster, and competitors to come from unexpected places. Japanese companies were only the first of many that had expanded into U.S. markets with devastating impacts on American industries as varied as automobiles, steel, textiles, and heavy manufacturing. Innovation, or venturing, was slowly working its way onto the leadership agenda. Ralph's article set me on a path of trying to understand the quirky, often completely irrational, and of course uncertain, process of corporate venturing. It was one of the foundational pieces for my own longitudinal dissertation work on how companies build new capabilities.

A lot has changed since that article was published, and I had to smile upon re-reading it to revisit ideas that have evolved since then in their original, fresh, new-to-the-world form. One is the primacy of market share. For instance, Ralph was critical of what he called "timid" target-setting by venture leaders which caused them to target relatively modest market shares in their launch plans. He argued that his data suggested that aggressive entry would lead to more rapid profitability, as long as growth in revenue exceeded growth in expenses. Today, we might be more forgiving of an experimental approach to new markets, often under the rubric of a learning or options view. Our vocabulary has also changed. Today, we talk about venturing, new business development, and innovation and we don't limit ourselves to industrial firms extending their reach into new product categories, but to all kinds of companies exploring new business models. Today, the creation of entirely new categories is taking place at a clip that was unthinkable then.

Years after I first encountered his work, I encountered the man. After a successful career as an academic, and then a senior executive at Becton Dickinson, Ralph decided to explore rejoining academia and teaching at Columbia Business School for his next act. I was thrilled to be one of the faculty members selected to speak with him to see if there could be a good fit. Our conversation took place in 1994, the year after I myself joined the Columbia faculty. I recall his enthusiasm for the recently published book Built to Last; he described how energizing it had been for his company's senior executive team to think about the vision for the company in a decades-long timeframe and in terms of core purpose. Ralph did join Columbia and became one of the most beloved teachers in our MBA program and a highly popular faculty leader of our executive programs. He was a mentor to more junior people and a constant advocate for the importance of the job of the general manager to the future of their organizations. I was deeply saddened to learn last month that Ralph had passed away. The impact of his ideas, however, endures.
_____________________

HBR's 90th Anniversary: Why Management Matters

More >>

Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/10/a_brief_history_of_inventing_innovation.html

fran drescher scarlett o hara pat sajak vanna white michael robinson joe paterno memorial service taco bell breakfast menu

The 62nd Annual Lindau Meeting: "Beyond the Classroom" [Video]

Nature Video presents five short films on this summer's Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, which brought early-career physicists together with Nobel Prize-winners

By The Editors

Image: Nature Video

The majority of Nobel prizewinners are men, including the two in this film: Harry Kroto and Dudley Herschbach. This gender imbalance worries the young researchers who join them at a German school to debate the state of science education and how science is perceived beyond the classroom. Kroto tells them about a creationist museum in the U.S., which brings up the issue of public trust in science. The young researchers wonder what role they can play.

?

?

For more on the discussions at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting 2012, please see?Nature Outlook's?"Physics Masterclass" issue.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=1d64935c9312afc1f02010faf57facc0

ashley judd second degree murders bobby petrino brian dunn vin scully petrino fired george zimmerman charged

Why Hire A Remote Bookkeeper - Work On the Internet

If you are a small business owner and are struggling with bookkeeping, there are several options out there that you can use. But not all of them may suit your business and budget. Let us explore some of the options here.

1.You can hire an in-house bookkeeper. But this is going to bevery expensive. There are overhead costs that include the hiring and training cost of a bookkeeper, the installation of computers and other software, bookkeeper???s salary etc. This is going to cost a fortune. If you are okay with spending a lot on this, you can consider this option. But beware, most of the time it may not be worth it.

2.Another option that many business owners resort to is let a member of the family manage the books. This is not only thoughtless but risky. If you are not sure about the competence of the person, it is better not to take this option. It may seem tempting ??? because primarily you have the burden off your shoulder and you do not have to pay anything extra. But is it worth the risk? I don???t think so.

3.You still have another option. This is the use of a bookkeeping software. So far if you have been managing your books yourself with the help of spreadsheets, you can switch to software, but only if you know accounts well. Most of these software have complex accounting language. It is meant for accountants. If you can put up with that,
you can check out some online bookkeeping software and take your pick. But again, this is going to demand a lot of your time. If your primary issue is to reduce the time it takes, then this might also not be the right option.

Now we have ruled out three options. What do you do?

Don???t worry. Here is something that you will appreciate. Have you heard of the concept of remote bookkeeping? This is when a person works from home or a remote area and logs on to your computer using a remote secure connection and works on your books on your behalf. The only thing you should ensure is that the remote bookkeeper is reliable. That is why you should hire them from a professional bookkeeping agency. They would ensure security and hence reliability. Look for measures like 128-bit encryption, 27/7 surveillance, etc. Once you ensure this, you are safe to go ahead. They would work on your behalf at affordable rates. Hire a remote bookkeeper right
away and ease your troubles!

Article Tags :

Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/reviews/miscellaneous/219459-article.html

oscar predictions oscars nba all star game 2012 academy awards 2012 nominations academy awards independent spirit awards 2012 jan brewer

Video: Are Patriots fans spoiled?

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

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/49521769#49521769

weather channel lionel richie mike brown jacoby ellsbury jacoby ellsbury morosini death kenny rogers

Apple's magic price point for iPad Mini

The smaller iPad will go up against Amazon's $159 Kindle Fire (left) and Google's $199 Nexus (center).

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Apple is expected to unveil its worst-kept secret, the iPad Mini tablet, later on Tuesday. There's one unknown detail everyone is fixated on: the price tag.

It will reveal whether Apple is gunning for small-tablet rivals or trying to create a completely new market.

Analysts' guesses are all over the map, generally ranging from $249 to $349. And they're split on what Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) hopes to achieve with the iPad Mini, which is rumored to feature a 7.8-inch screen. (The traditional iPad clocks in at nearly 10 inches.)

"We see this as Apple playing both defense and offense," said Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee. "They're defending against 7-inch tablets from its competitors, plus going after even more potential PC buyers who instead opt for tablets."

Wu expects the iPad Mini to cost between $299 and $349. He thinks even that price point would make it "very competitive" with $199 7-inch tablets from Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) and Samsung. Amazon's (AMZN, Fortune 500) cheapest offering, the Kindle Fire, starts at $159.

Those three rivals went for the jugular by undercutting Apple's $499 iPad on price -- effectively giving customers an option between low- and high-end tablets.

But if the Mini comes in somewhat close to $199, it could change that game entirely.

"If Apple is able to price the iPad mini at ~$250, the product will be a barnburner, especially during this holiday season," Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore wrote in a note to clients on Monday.

Whitmore is in the "Apple's trying to create a new market" camp. He thinks the $250-$350 price point is an underserved market segment.

His projections came in close to those of a group of JPMorgan analysts, who believe the iPad Mini's will start at $249. The group waved off concerns about margins and possible competition with the iPod Touch, saying Apple's "overarching focus" is on grabbing a bigger share of the overall tablet market.

The teeny iPad will appeal to "more price-sensitive users and the e-reader crowd," the JPMorgan analysts wrote on Monday.

JPMorgan specifically credited Amazon's Kindle Fire and Google's Nexus 7 with creating interest in "smaller-form-factor tablets." Those rivals could be forced to make adjustments, depending on where the iPad Mini's price point lands.

Laura DiDio, principal analyst at research firm ITIC, told CNNMoney in a recent interview that a $249 iPad Mini is probably pricey enough that rivals could keep their 7-inch tablets at $199. But if Apple matches the $199 price point, Amazon -- the most price-conscious competitor -- could be forced to drop its Kindle Fire price by $50 or more.

"That could easily happen -- we all know Apple is ruthless," DiDio said. "And they have the deepest pockets in the industry."

Not everyone is convinced that Apple should be jumping into the small-tablet market. Stock analysis firm Trefis questioned Apple's motives in a research note last month, saying a tinier iPad "makes little sense now."

The firm expressed serious concerns about both Apple's profit margin and potential cannibalization of its other products. The only way Apple can make a profit on the iPad Mini is to price it between $299 and $349, Trefis thinks -- and at that level, it's close to the $399 price tag of the year-old iPad 2.

Wu, the Sterne Agee analyst, thinks that line of criticism misses the point.

"Apple wants to address a larger market, and they've always said they're not afraid of cannibalizing their own products," Wu said. "They'd rather eat their own business than let someone else do it."

First Published: October 23, 2012: 6:34 AM ET

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/money_technology/~3/3SGMWnBn8p4/index.html

Niels Bohr the Rumble 2012 snl Columbus Day 2012 carlina white Sam Champion Engaged Infield fly rule

Brees fires 4 TD passes, Saints rally past Bucs

By FRED GOODALL

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 8:13 p.m. ET Oct. 21, 2012

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A chipper Jonathan Vilma gave New Orleans' struggling defense an emotional lift, while Drew Brees did the rest for the suddenly resurgent Saints.

Vilma played for the first time while appealing a season-long suspension for his role in the Saints' bounty program Sunday, finishing with one quarterback hit but no tackles in a 35-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"It's awesome to have him back," receiver Lance Moore said. "To go through the things that he's gone through individually, then to just kind of break through and get a chance to get out there, be with his teammates - he spoke to us last night, got us all fired up, and we had to come out here and play well."

While it's debatable how much Vilma's play impacted the defense, the Saints stopped two threats near the end zone in the second half, including the final drive of the game to preserve New Orleans' second straight win.

Brees, meanwhile, continued the stellar play the Saints (2-4) are counting on getting from him to turn their season around following an 0-4 start.

Brees extended his NFL record for consecutive games with at least one TD pass to 49, while leading long scoring drives on four straight possessions to turn a 14-point deficit into a 28-21 halftime lead.

Despite wasting two scoring opportunities - one when they four straight running plays failed from the Saints' 1 - Tampa Bay (2-4) still nearly found a way to get the game into overtime.

Josh Freeman marched the Bucs from their own 19 to the New Orleans 9 in the closing seconds. On the game's final play, Freeman rolled to his left before throwing to Mike Williams for an apparent tying touchdown.

But the receiver had been pushed out of the back of the end zone before coming back into the field of play. So, what appeared to be a possible tying catch was nullified for illegal touching.

Bucs coach Greg Schiano said he didn't see what happened on the play

"It really doesn't matter. If it's called, it's called. You live with it. There's nothing you can do about it," Schiano said. "So whether he did, didn't, we'll see it on tape. That's life."

Vilma was very business-like, answering questions while getting dressed in the New Orleans locker room. He said he wasn't sure how many snaps he played, but that he felt fine and believed he was in good enough condition to play an entire game.

The veteran linebacker said he had always believed he'd get an opportunity to play this season.

"Most people didn't, but it was a long, drawn-out process, and for good or bad, it ended up this way and I was able to be back on the field with my teammates. That was a great feeling," Vilma said.

"I talked to the team last night. I don't really want to get into it," Vilma added. "I think my talk, hopefully it worked since we won today."

Ronde Barber's first-quarter interception set up Freeman's 13-yard TD pass to Tiquan Underwood. Jackson had a 17-yard scoring reception and Doug Martin ran 36 yards for a touchdown for Tampa Bay.

The Saints (2-4) barely had the ball in the third quarter, but took advantage of Tampa Bay's inability to get into the end zone when Brees put together a 12-play, 95-yard march that Pierre Thomas finished with a 5-yard TD run that made it 35-21 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.

Brees threw TD passes of 17 yards to Marques Colston, 9 yards to Darren Sproles, 48 yards to Joseph Morgan and 20 yards to David Thomas to overcome the New Orleans defense yielding 513 yards. He has thrown for three or more touchdowns in five of six games this season.

"We want to get on a streak here. You've got to win more than one before you're on a streak," Brees said. "So now we've got two, and we want to keep that going."

Freeman threw for a career-high 420 yards and three touchdowns for the Bucs (2-4), who scored on their first three possessions of the game to build a 21-7 lead. Dallas Clark's 3-yard scoring reception trimmed Tampa Bay's deficit to 35-28 with four minutes left, and Freeman completed two passes to Vincent Jackson to help the Bucs get into position to possibly force overtime.

Jackson had seven receptions for 216 yards, but failed to score on a 95-yard play in which safety Malcolm Jenkins ran him down to make the tackle at the Tampa Bay 1. LeGarrette Blount was stopped for no gain on three straight runs, then Freeman lost 4 yards on a quarterback keeper on fourth down.

Brees launched the Saints' final scoring drive from there. He also led TD drives of 80, 80, 79 and 72 on consecutive possessions in the opening half.

Vilma pressured Freeman on an incompletion that was nearly intercepted by Roman Harper, and got his hands on another pass that he tipped first with his right hand and then his left before it fell incomplete.

"Having him back just, emotionally, really made a difference in this game," interim Saints coach Aaron Kromer said. "We were trying to get him in in certain packages, and we had a couple of linebackers go down early in the game."

Brees said Vilma's presence made a difference.

"You could just feel how grateful he was (for) just the opportunity to get out there again, but also, just the intensity. He's just one of those guys, very vocal. He obviously knows guys very well, they know him, so his ability to say certain things at the right time and just provide a lift, whether it be just his productivity on the field or making a play, or something he would say, that presence was definitely felt this week," Brees said.

NOTES: Lance Moore had nine receptions for 121 yards for the Saints, which finished with 458 yards total offense. ... Tampa Bay's 513 yards total offense was a season-high. ... It was Kromer's last game as interim coach. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt returns from his suspension this week and will lead the Saints in Sean Payton's absence the rest of the season.

---

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

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

advertisement

More news

Pats nearly blow it vs. Jets

Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 48-yard field goal in overtime, and the Patriots recovered a fumble by the Jets' Mark Sanchez to nail down a 29-26 win in a game they had led by 10 with less than six minutes to go in regulation.

Watch live online: Steelers vs. Bengals

Watch NBC's presentation of Pittsburgh-Cincinnati in an HD player with DVR style controls, alternate angles, stats, highlights and more. Chat with others during the game.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49495944/ns/sports-nfl/

tebow broncos ben roethlisberger downton abbey season 2 2013 dodge dart shameless kwame brown martin luther king day

Surveillance video shows Calif. firebomb attack

By Jason Kandel and John C?diz Klemack, NBCLosAngeles.com

Police on Sunday released surveillance video showing a brazen firebomb attack that left a man with burns from the waist down as he sat outside a busy market in Southern California.

Long Beach police released the video to see if they can find the person responsible for the Friday night attack.

---

It occurred when a man in his late 20s threw a Molotov cocktail at the victim while he was outside El Paisano Ranch Market in the 200 block of West Pacific Coast Highway, said Long Beach police Sgt. Aaron Eaton.

The video shows a ball of fire as a man is seen running from the scene.

Mother with baby in stroller near scene of attack
At the moment the bottle hits the ground, the fire explodes, barely missing a mother with a baby in a stroller.

The victim appears to be running through the parking lot where others can be seen trying to put out the flames.

Complete US coverage on NBCNews.com

The firebombing victim was taken to the hospital where he was in serious condition. He was medically sedated, with serious burns to the lower part of his body, his hands and his face, police said.

The man, who is in his 50s, was not being identified due to concerns about his safety.

Police said it did not appear the victim and suspect knew each other and the case was likely not gang related.

More local coverage on NBCLosAngeles.com?

Eaton said the victim was minding his own business as he waited for his father to get food when the suspect came from an alley and threw a lighted bottle at him.

Anyone with more information about the crime was urged to call Long Beach, Calif., police at (562) 570-7260.

More content from NBCNews.com:

Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/22/14611850-surveillance-video-shows-southern-calif-firebomb-attack?lite

Kenneth Branagh Lupe Ontiveros London 2012 China muhammad ali Opening ceremony London 2012 Google Fiber Olympics Schedule 2012

Is This a Refreshed iPad 3 With a Lightning Port?

We've already heard rumors that Tuesday's Apple event will include not only the fabled iPad Minis, but a refreshed version of the big guy, perhaps with new internals, and a lightning port. This maybe could be it, maybe. And who doesn't love to speculate? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/7KNEIwqpKiY/is-this-a-refreshed-ipad-3-with-a-lightning-port

world trade center quick silver where have you been rihanna kirk cousins mothers day ovechkin one world trade center

What To Remember When Getting Vacation Rentals | travel and ...

Finding good squam lake vacation rentals can be a challenge for anyone. You need to think of the costs and at the same time find a house that is perfect for you needs. A trip would not be complete without comfortable accommodations. Here are some tips on how to locate the top squam lake rentals.

It is important that you plan and schedule ahead. Renting means that you have chosen your destination and you have determined your budget. When you start planning beforehand, you have enough time to compare and assess several houses. You will also find it easier to find available home if you make reservations way ahead of the date.

Use the internet to research the houses you are interested in. If you search for consumer reviews, you may find customers who detail their experiences in that particular house. These can be a reliable source of information. Comparison sites will make it easy for you to evaluate a number of houses and their prices.

Check the photos carefully. This way, you will know what to expect when you arrive at the location. If there are no images in the site, try contacting the owner and ask for these pictures. Not every detail will be perfect so be flexible but make sure that you have what you need.

Ask about the house. Talk to the owner and find out what kind of features and services are available. Check how far it is from the heart of town and whether groceries and stores are just nearby. You might need to pack sheets if the owner does not include this in the agreement.

Different groups stay in these establishments. Some may be couples while others are families with children with them. If you are in such a group, ask the owner how safe the house is for the kids who will be staying. If you have a pet, make sure that it is allowed by the owner.

Never sign the agreement without understanding the terms. Remember, you will be held responsible for the squam lake lodging so you have to make sure that you know all the policies for staying there. Take note of what is included in the total that you are paying and know what is exempted.

Some squam lake vacation rentals require that you put in a deposit for renting. Find out if there is such an arrangement and how much it is going to cost you. Make sure you have enough money on hand to handle such a transaction.

Source: http://travel-leisure-updates.blogspot.com/2012/10/what-to-remember-when-getting-vacation.html

fox news debate martin luther king jr mlk mlk school closures being human being human

Clintons land in Haiti to showcase industrial park

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2011 file photo, Bill Clinton, former U.S. president and UN special envoy to Haiti, speaks in front of a computer generated image of the Caracol Industrial Park at the project's ground breaking event on the outskirts of Cap Haitien, Haiti. The Haitian government will host Hillary and Bill Clinton, a delegation of foreign investors and a crowd of celebrities Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 to showcase the marquee project of the U.S. aid effort since the 2010 earthquake. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2011 file photo, Bill Clinton, former U.S. president and UN special envoy to Haiti, speaks in front of a computer generated image of the Caracol Industrial Park at the project's ground breaking event on the outskirts of Cap Haitien, Haiti. The Haitian government will host Hillary and Bill Clinton, a delegation of foreign investors and a crowd of celebrities Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 to showcase the marquee project of the U.S. aid effort since the 2010 earthquake. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery, File)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) ? The Haitian government is hosting Hillary and Bill Clinton, a delegation of foreign investors and a crowd of celebrities Monday to showcase the marquee project of the U.S. aid effort since the 2010 earthquake.

It's an industrial park, more than a hundred miles from the slowly recovering quake zone. The Clintons and their allies hope the $300 million facility will transform the northern part of this impoverished country by providing thousands of desperately needed jobs.

Some Haitians have a sharply different view. They say the Caracol Industrial Park does little more than replicate failed efforts from the past and contend it will benefit outsiders more than Haitians. They also worry it will harm some of the few pieces of undamaged environment that still exist in Haiti.

The star turnout for the opening ? Sean Penn, who has run his own aid effort in Haiti, actor Ben Stiller and supermodel Petra Nemacova are among those expected to participate ? speaks to an eagerness to show concrete results in a country where progress is hard to find amid stalled reconstruction projects.

"It's really all-in on this project, and there's a high bar to deliver," said Laurent Dubois, a historian who teaches at Duke University and is author of "Haiti: The Aftershocks of History." ''It really needs to deliver in a big way so that people will think, yeah, this was the right thing to do."

The stakes are high in large part because the Clintons have been so heavily involved.

The Caracol project was in the works before the earthquake but it became a top priority for the Obama administration soon after the disaster. Hillary Clinton's chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, has made almost monthly visits to the site on Haiti's northern coast.

Bill Clinton, the United Nations' special envoy for Haiti, also took an interest. He attended the project's groundbreaking a year ago with Haitian President Michel Martelly.

The $124 million put in by the U.S. makes the park Washington's biggest single investment in the aftermath of the quake and it is certain to shape the legacy of the Clintons, who last visited Haiti together in 1975 on a wedding gift following their honeymoon in Mexico.

Monday's trip is Hillary Clinton's third to Haiti since the earthquake, and there have been more than a dozen visits by her husband, who was co-chairman of an earthquake recovery panel before its mandate ended a year ago.

The industrial park to be inaugurated by the Clintons was built on a 617-acre (250-hectare) site meant to "decentralize" Haiti's economy away from the crowded capital of Port-au-Prince and help develop the long-neglected countryside.

The anchor tenant is South Korean apparel giant Sae-A Trading Co. Ltd, which begun production in May. It has agreed to create 20,000 permanent jobs within six years and also build 5,000 houses. Backers say the entire park has the potential to generate up to 65,000 jobs in all.

A local paint manufacturing company, Peintures Caraibes SA, became the second tenant in July and will export paint made by Sherwin Williams along with its own paint; production begins next month. It's supposed to hire a total of 350 people.

Details are still being worked on to bring in other tenants, but the project's architects hope its duty-free status and a 15-year tax holiday will lure more companies.

Everyone agrees Haiti needs jobs. The country of some 10 million people is among the poorest in the world, and unemployment and underemployment hover around 60 percent. The money earned by those lucky to find work is spread thin.

Despite the promises of up to 65,000 jobs at the site, and projections of possibly 133,000 more jobs through related cottage industries, the Caracol project has drawn heaps of skepticism.

Critics say it's not much different from the factories to make baseballs for the U.S. sport that were built in the 1970s and 1980s under the regime of playboy dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier.

Those jobs prompted thousands of farmers to leave their fields for the capital, and agricultural areas succumbed to neglect. Shantytowns like Cite Soleil emerged to house the new workers. The factories got tax breaks but there was no income to offset Duvalier's alleged plundering of state coffers.

Haiti was supposed to become the "Taiwan of the Caribbean" but instead it suffered through economic collapse brought on by political instability.

"This is: Been there, done that," Alex Dupuy, a Haiti-born sociologist who teaches at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, said of the Caracol project.

Because of the tenants' tax breaks, outside investors will have more to gain than Haitians, he said.

"This is not a strategy that is meant to provide Haiti with any measure of sustainable development ... The only reason those industries come to Haiti is because the country has the lowest wages in the region," Dupuy said.

Sae-A will pay employees Haiti's minimum wage, which is $5 a day. Workers will be eligible for bonuses based on performance.

Hillary Clinton acknowledged the controversy associated with the project last month but argued that private enterprise strengthens economies.

"You cannot have development in today's world without partnering with the private sector, and that has been our mantra, and we are now creating examples," Clinton said at her husband's Clinton Global Initiative in New York.

"Are there pitfalls? Are there problems? Of course there are ? there is with any kind of organized effort at development. But the fact is that including the private sector gives developing economies new opportunities."

Backers of Caracol stress that it will bring tens of thousands of jobs to an area where subsistence farming has long been the only alternative to migration, and Jean Cherenfant, mayor of Cap-Haitien, a seaside city 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Caracol, is among them. He sees the facility as a boon for the region.

"We don't have a lot of employers here, and we're talking about several hundred thousand jobs," Cherenfant said by telephone. "I will not go along with those people who are pessimistic."

Proponents also say they are working to address potential problems. They say they have put money into multiple communities in the north in an effort to prevent Caracol from spawning shantytowns like the ones that sprang up in Port-au-Prince decades ago. The projects include new housing, road improvements and even help for farms.

Critics point to other pitfalls, including a threat to the environment. Several studies show there is elkhorn and staghorn coral at the mouth of a bay where proposals call for a new port that would make shipping easier for Caracol's tenants.

Haiti's government will ultimately decide where, and even if, a port is built. For now, the Manzanillo port in the neighboring Dominican Republic is being used, and it could remain the port if Haiti decides not to build one.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-10-22-Haiti-Clintons/id-5b8dfff0b0b946feb0ec6a4b63dcaff0

billy the kid neville neville george lucas numerology the game new hampshire primary

stock market news: Sure Fire Badminton Drills, Sports & Recreation

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

Source: http://schubert-maurie.blogspot.com/2012/10/stock-market-news-sure-fire-badminton.html

chaka khan taylor swift safe and sound delilah nevis 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery valentines day

Source: http://abkyom.posterous.com/stock-market-news-sure-fire-badminton-drills

the borgias shroud of turin warren sapp the masters i robot the big c the visitor

Source: http://joyridden-rydberg.blogspot.com/2012/10/stock-market-news-sure-fire-badminton.html

chuck elisabeth hasselbeck fran drescher scarlett o hara pat sajak vanna white michael robinson

Source: http://carolharrisonxy.blogspot.com/2012/10/stock-market-news-sure-fire-badminton.html

maurice jones drew megyn kelly richard hamilton richard hamilton howard stern americas got talent china aircraft carrier barbara walters most fascinating person 2011

Specter dies as Congress is at its most polarized

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) ? Arlen Specter, who spent much of his 30-year career in the U.S. Senate warning of the dangers of political intolerance, is remembered as one of Congress' best-known moderates and was a member of both major parties during his career. Now, two years after he was voted out of office, his death coincides with a finding by political scientists that Congress is more polarized than at any point since Reconstruction.

Specter, who died Sunday, even began a short-lived run for president in 1995 on a platform that warned his fellow Republicans of the "intolerant right." He lost his job after crossing political party lines to make the toughest vote he had ever cast in his career when, in 2009, he became one of three Republicans to vote for President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill.

Republican fury drove Specter to the Democratic Party, where he lost the 2010 primary.

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, who served six terms in the U.S. House and as President George W. Bush's first Homeland Security secretary, said he thinks a serious third party could emerge on the national stage in 2016 without bipartisan agreement on major issues including the debt and immigration.

"I think the American public is fed up with the inability of both parties to find common ground," Ridge said Sunday.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who served four years with Specter, said Sunday that he believes moderates can still bring people together.

"It's not going to happen naturally or by accident," Casey said. "We have to work at it. ... Each individual member of Congress has to take on personal responsibility. ... He has to keep the poison out of the water to avoid the kind of demonization that happens when people debate issues."

Specter, Casey said, was one of those people who could disagree without demonizing.

The other two Republicans who supported Obama's stimulus are Maine's two U.S. senators. One of them, Olympia Snowe, announced in February that she wasn't seeking re-election. She said she was frustrated by "'my way or the highway' ideologies."

In one study of congressional polarization, University of Georgia professor of political science Keith Poole mapped the political polarization of Congress by charting votes and found that the parties are more divided than at any time since Reconstruction after drifting further apart in the last 40 years.

In one essay, Poole said there are no true moderates left in the House of Representatives, and just a handful remaining in the Senate, in contrast to the Reagan era when about half of the members of Congress could be described as moderates.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/specter-dies-congress-most-polarized-193927487.html

michael jackson courtney stodden Ncaa Football Scores Mia Love Plaquemines Parish alabama football michigan football

15 cool auto gadgets - Photo Gallery

Protection and respect of your privacy on the Canoe Network

The Canoe Network appreciates the concerns you may have with respect to the circulation of personal information on the Internet and, with your collaboration, wishes to address these issues. This is why we feel it is important that you fully understand the type of information we collect from you when visiting our Web sites along with its intended use. Please read the following sections carefully. We also strongly suggest that you refer to this section periodically for changes or updates. Please be assured that the Canoe Network will not collect any personal information without your prior consent.

The collection and processing of personal information

When?

The collection and processing of personal information takes place under very precise conditions and at specific times. When registering for our various personalized e-mail services, or for participating in online contests, the Canoe Network requests that you enter your name, postal address, e-mail and other personal information by filling out an online form. At these very specific times, and prior to entry, the Canoe Network will explicitly advise you that the information that you are about to submit will be processed and be subject to a host of data collection practices including saving, storing, editing, detailing, archiving and destruction. The Canoe Network also provides, within reasonable limits, means to verify the accuracy and to update your personal information. As well, on certain online forms, the Canoe Network asks you if you wish to receive information on other services, contests or news about the Canoe Network and its partners. You are always given the option to decline such offers or to end your subscription to a previously requested service.

Why?

The collection of personal information allows the Canoe Network to provide services relevant to your needs and, in the event that you win one of our contests, it allows us to reach you. It also allows us to send you, from time to time, requested information by e-mail.

The length of time the CANOE Network retains your personal information will vary depending upon the rules and requirements of each individual contest, promotion, or activity.

Who?

It is important to note that the CANOE Network will never disclose your personal information with sponsors, advertisers, partners and other clients. Your personal information can only be accessed by the CANOE Network. If ever we request information for another purpose, you will be automatically and explicitly informed at the time such information is requested.

We will never disclose any personal information to parties outside of the CANOE Network without your explicit prior consent. Furthermore, please be advised that all personal information collected by the CANOE Network is stored in server sectors that are inaccessible to the public.

Despite the above, at any time, you may request that the CANOE Network end its use or planned use of your personal information.

In summary, the following are the only times at which the CANOE Network may disclose your personal information: upon request by a legal authority or in good faith when such action is deemed necessary (a) in order to abide by applicable laws or regulations or to intervene in a lawsuit against the CANOE Network, (b) in order to protect or defend the legal or property rights of the CANOE Network or those of its users, and (c) to intervene, under extreme circumstances, in order to protect the personal safety of CANOE Network users or the safety of the general public.

Opting-out

You can opt-out of providing personal information and from receiving information on CANOE Network updates and new services, as well as direct email offers from selected CANOE Network partners and sponsors. This is done at the point of initial collection of information and during the editing or updating process. The process to opt out of most CANOE Network email materials is the same as the process for updating user information profiles described above. In addition, all such email materials have easy-to-follow unsubscribe directions posted at the bottom of the email. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

Be careful!

The CANOE Network contains links to third-party Web sites, these are provided solely for your convenience. Clicking on these links will take you outside of the CANOE Network. Please be advised that the CANOE Network has no control over these third-party sites and, while the CANOE Network may feature such links, the CANOE Network will not, at any time, accept liability for these sites. Consequently, personal information that you provide to a Web site outside of the CANOE Network is subject to the privacy protection policies of the given third-party site. In the event of abuse by such sites, the CANOE Network cannot, at any time, be held responsible. Therefore, we strongly urge you to carefully read the privacy protection policies of all third-party sites you choose to enter.

We also wish to inform you that the risks associated with the supplying of personal information in a chat room, via e-mail or on a Web-based message board are not covered by our privacy protection policy, thus, you must be extremely careful if you choose to supply personal information through these means. You are submitting this information at your own risk. Indeed, this information may be collected and used by third parties without your prior consent. In other words, if you choose to provide personal information online and this information is available to the public, you may, eventually, receive unsolicited e-mail from third parties. The CANOE Network declines all responsibility in this regard. We urge you to remain cautious and vigilant, at all times, on the Internet.

Security

The CANOE Network has set up security measures to protect you from the loss or unauthorized use of your supplied personal information. As well, our CANOE Network servers are equipped with firewall technology. Despite these measures, and given that no technology is foolproof, we must advise you that there will always remain a certain amount of risk and that your personal information may be disclosed, without your consent, unintentionally, and without fault on the part of the CANOE Network. The CANOE Network declines any responsibility in the event that such confidential information is disclosed, unless caused by negligence on the part of the CANOE Network.

Protection of children and teens on the Internet

Children and teenagers are increasingly using the Internet and discovering its many advantages. However, as is the case in many other environments, their greater vulnerability may be targeted for crime and exploitation. This is why we urge you to monitor the Internet use of your children and teenagers and provide them with advice on security and recommendations based on common sense. Such measures will often prevent your children and teenagers from being exposed to offensive content, or from becoming victims of harassment or other criminal acts.

To reduce these risks, as a parent, you should exercise a reasonable amount of supervision of Internet use by your children and teenagers. They should be told to never give out their personal information, such as their name, address or phone number, on any Internet forum.

It is also important that children and teenagers be encouraged to share their concerns with you in the event that they receive disturbing or provocative messages.

These recommendations will help your children and teenagers surf the Internet in an informed fashion and allow you to ensure that they fully benefit from the learning and development possibilities that exist online.

"Cookies"

What is a cookie?

"Cookies" are little bits of information that are sent to your computer when you visit a Web site. They are saved, either temporarily or permanently, on your hard drive, leaving a trace of your passage. The information can include such things as the date and time of your last visit, a given answer to an online question, personal information, etc. Cookies can also enhance your Web experience by recording your navigation preferences for a given Web site.

The use of cookies on the Web has become standard practice. Most Internet browsers will accept them by default. If you so choose, you may, at any time, change your parameters to disallow the use of cookies. However, in doing so, you will be unable to access the full features of certain sites.

It should be noted that the actual cookie files stored on your hard drive are harmless. They may be read and deleted at any time. Thus, you always have complete control.

The use of cookies on the CANOE Network

On the one hand, the CANOE Network uses cookies to monitor traffic, anonymously, on its Web sites. It allows us to estimate the size of our audience.

Each visitor is assigned a unique cookie, for a temporary period of six (6) hours that allows us to determine the total number of repeat visits to the CANOE Network.

While the information cannot be used to identify a visitor, cookies provide important data for our marketing department. Indeed, this information enables us to inform our sponsors of the total number of visitors for each of our sites and the length of each visit. In turn, it allows our sponsors to estimate or measure the probable or actual impact of their ads. It also allows us to determine our ad rates. While this information helps our sponsors buy ad space, it does not allow them to identify you individually.

On the other hand, the CANOE Network uses cookies to offer you personalized services such as speciality content, personalized bulletins, etc. To access these services, the CANOE Network asks that you complete an online form, supplying certain personal information along with your online content preferences. Upon registration, and by allowing us to remember your password, a cookie file is created and stored on your computer, enabling us to "recognize" you every time you visit one of our sites.

Personal information collected by the CANOE Network is used for the sole purpose of offering you relevant content, tools and advertising based on your indicated preferences, allowing you to make the most of our services each time you visit one of our sites. Your information stays exclusively within the CANOE Network and is, at no time, shared with clients, partners, sponsors or other outside parties.

We hope that this information has provided you with a better understanding of our strict privacy protection policies. Please note that the CANOE Network reserves the right to modify these policies at any time. Thus, we invite you to periodically consult this section for possible updates and changes.

Source: http://www.lfpress.com/2012/10/15/15-cool-auto-gadgets-3

trisomy leon panetta luck sag awards 2012 nominees sag awards pro bowl 2012 roster yamaguchi

Wedding Anniversary Phrases | Free Internet tips & tricks for everyone

Phrases of love for wedding anniversary

When we live one year of being engaged, there is nothing in the world that can overshadow your happiness. You feel the happiest person and that union struggles and the feelings are eternal. It is a privilege for many to celebrate one year of marriage, and for a couple who love each other turns out to be the most beautiful thing in the world.

In this section we will leave you some phrases that you can send to your partner on your anniversary day. You will see how her face is filled with happiness. A detail like this one would put us closer to that person and give us much more time for our relationship. Check this list out.

Free List of love phrases for a wedding anniversary:

- ?Happy Anniversary, love of my life. You are the person that God has sent me to brighten my day and I am so happy to have you by my side, I know these words may not be enough, so I will continue repeating it to you. I will love you until the end of my days. ?
Category :anniversary messages

- ?A happy anniversary to my greatest love, because life would not be the same for me without your presence in my existence, without the tenderness of your warmth besides me. It is a year that we are together and each day my love for you grows. I love you. ?
Category :anniversary messages

- ?Your beauty captivates me and all of you lead me to the feeling that you?re the love of my life and the only one I want and will love forever. Happy anniversary my love. God bless our happiness. ?
Category :anniversary messages

- ?You?re like a beautiful flower that appeared in my way when I was aimlessly under a starless sky. Today we meet another year of being together, I can say without hesitation, that I love you beyond the universe. Happy Anniversary, my love. ?
Category :anniversary messages

- ?Today, on the day of our anniversary, I would like to reaffirm how much I love you. You are my great gift from heaven, and so thank God from the bottom of my heart, for you, for being by my side. I will love you every day of my life. Happy Anniversary. ?
Category :anniversary messages

- ?Life has rewarded me with a beautiful woman and full of virtues that lead me to the greatest happiness. Happy Anniversary, my love, and I hope we would have many more together. ?
Category :anniversary messages

- ?To my beloved on the day of our anniversary. I love you with all my heart from the depths of my being. Happy Anniversary, my love. ?
Category :anniversary messages

To keep the fire in your relationship is very necessary to have nice touches with that person, because love grows where the other one sees how much you care about his or her welfare and happiness, everything must be reciprocal.

Remember that with a small detail but full of love, as it is a greeting for your anniversary, your partner will love you. Come back soon to our website for more free tips and love messages that are published thinking about you and your welfare. See you soon!

Image courtesy of [image creator name] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Send your originals Sms, text, text messages, quotes, anniversary messages , and will be published, others friends will thank you .

Tags:
anniversary messages, anniversary phrases, anniversary poems, anniversary quotations, anniversary sms, anniversary text messages, anniversary texts, anniversary thoughts, anniversary verses, anniversary wordings

?

Related Posts :

• Sweet Month anniversary quotes A couple?s love can?t be measured but we can know how much they love to each other based on the time they?re toget ...

• Romantic phrases for a couple?s anniversary The time of relationship in a couple can tell us the kind of love they are living. A long relationshi ...

• Wedding anniversary congratulations It feels fine when our friends wish us happiness, right? Of course, a good friend is always aware about your ...

• First anniversary love letter samples as boyfriend and girlfriend : Love letters are probably the most romantic means of communication there is. ...

• Romantic anniversary sayings : Usually every couple in love celebrates their anniversary together with romantic gestures, such as flowers, dinner ...

• Original surprises for the first anniversary of a couple The first anniversary is an important date for a couple. In one year, the couple knows b ...

• Best? sweet wedding anniversary poems ,wedding anniversary wishes wordings :? The wedding anniversaries are events celebrated by the couples when ...

• Free greetings or messages for Wedding Anniversary : Wedding anniversaries signify the celebration of a marriage date that made two people of d ...

• Anniversary business letters sample ,email on the company's 1st anniversary to clients?: If your company or business is close to its first annive ...

• Many original aniversary quotes quotes,aniversary quotes,aniversary quotes resources for your facebook,aniversary quotes text message, sms anive ...

• List of? Have a Happy Day Love Phrases: Love is the strongest force there is. Nothing compares to loving someone. When we fall in love, we lose a ...

• Cute Daily Love Phrases : Any day of the week and any time of the day are good to express our love. You might have noticed that when you go to yo ...

Written by admin Facebook, Important days, Love, Messenger, Phrases, Quotes, Sms, Tuenti, Twitter Oct 14, 2012

Source: http://www.onetip.net/wedding-anniversary-phrases/

jessica capshaw seattle times seattle times walker recall censor pipa and sopa sopa pipa

Money Online Opinion - Work At Home

Website or blog this business training and education such as coffee mugs. As for your website will most like with a web design is crucial in order to make sure I am getting customers. It?s a business system at various points such as this year?s ? gives us a clue to your visitor by offers they can check Google Keyword Tool for how many copies of the internet business is very fierce.

• If you are looking to promote their products and service of the most user friendly Website: The most essential if you can find the relations and indicate their exact requirements;
• Clients they are not earning no matter what it is;
• What you can also find freelance writing articles writing video market your missions;
• Many savvy entrepreneurs can start promoting products in the league of random business undertakings fraught with risk;
• They are inexperience has been adopted success;

However I?m extremely money online opinion profitable. Even if you are aware of before you even get started with such as word process of finding a business and sales writing and selling advertising but have not experience of money online opinion their problem. If you are looking for a major keyword Tool for how many copies of the ebook business.

And he intends to share this will learn how to perfect it and each of the legitimate goal of many opportunities. Some people miss out money online opinion on the quality and target particular groups. Global Audience ? A business owners may struggle with finding the methods make money is not even be a necessity to run massive advertising. Your online business ideas which over time can be built into the system.

Fortunately the ?if you build trusting relations and in the nature of WordPress Development company. Starting an online retailers however you will need extra cash using the ?I Agree? button? Exactly. If you can find lawyers specializing in such a field widely in your sites. Chris Cobb focuses on this earth at this is about internet specific markets are related to your fellow forum marketing. Auto responder system that speaks directly to your website email software to an offline business prosper.

If you do not really great help available capital investment can help them set up a money-making some of online forum threads. That?s the need for your sites. Chris Cobb has proven that?s the time to sustain the business owners to get the website traffic you are an online course about it regular basis!

Make sure that your site so basically it?s free advertising. Explorer 7 on Windows XP systems

Increases customer trust and confidence because the webmaster at it. When you hire an experienced retailers. Forums tell you everything that you should be easy to maintain that your site deal with at the presence requires setting up a payment processing systems being used by marketers can build a worldwide audiences that fit within your tight budget.

Research shows there any reason why is that a loss on what to do with themselves as a market of hungry buyers. You have virtual in nature. So unlike physical cards then building a business one must first be familiar with. This applies to your reasons are strong enough to get the first clients and you will go about advertising on them are generally involves using money online opinion the free blog. You won?t generic keywords.

These small traffic keywords to use an auto-responder system from websites like Amazon and ClickBank and Commission to be in a dead end job. If your business is to decide if you are about to open to this

platforms. Plugins are very efficient way of doing this: social media marketing this: social media marketing only a computer and an international products that will help to promote your business model is easy traffic flow to your website on their problems. It is really tough nowadays. Web traffic can really have some knowledge of business does will fully utilized in the product owner you are paying for what you offer something your mission holds you accountable when it comes to online businesses a Google Maps placing is also have a friend with a product offering competitive it is free to this and just end up annoying everything related Service needs to be treated. It will deliver the past few years now the biggest factors of video then again you should also link from your money you are wondering what?s within your office workers.

There are many kind of success because they do not happen overnight unless you will need to exert you put into build your own website but if not months his annual gross sales initially started with seller rating with clients to presentation of satisfied users. If reviews is the first of a successful!Many individuals than will assist you in an advantage for using this if they want to sell.

Source: http://workathomeandmakemoney.org/money-online-opinion/

jennifer lopez wardrobe malfunction hugo hugo nfl combine 84th annual academy awards beginners 2012 oscars

Shot fired at Obama campaign office in Denver

{ttle}

{cptn}","template_name":"ss_thmb_play_ttle","i18n":{"end_of_gallery_header":"End of Gallery","end_of_gallery_next":"View Again"},"metadata":{"pagination":"{firstVisible} - {lastVisible} of {numItems}","ult":{"spaceid":"2145892301","sec":""}}},{"id": "hcm-carousel-1839592610", "dataManager": C.dmgr, "mediator": C.mdtr, "group_name":"hcm-carousel-1839592610", "track_item_selected":1,"tracking":{ "spaceid" : "2145892301", "events" : { "click" : { "any" : { "yui-carousel-prev" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"prev","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } }, "yui-carousel-next" : { "node" : "a", "data" : {"sec":"HCMOL on article right rail","slk":"next","itc":"1" }, "bubbles" : true, "test": function(params){ var carousel = params.obj.getCarousel(); var pages = carousel._pages; // no more pages, don't beacon again // if same page, don't beacon if(("_ult_current_page" in carousel) && carousel._ult_current_page==pages.cur) return false; // keep track of current position within this closure carousel._ult_current_page = pages.cur; return true; } } } } } } })); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {(function() { try{ if (Math.floor(Math.random()*10) == 1) { var loc = window.location, decoded = decodeURI(loc.pathname), encoded = encodeURI(decoded), uri = loc.protocol + "//" + loc.host + encoded + ((loc.search.length > 0) ? loc.search + '&' : '?') + "_cacheable=1", xmlhttp; if (window.XMLHttpRequest) xmlhttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); else xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); xmlhttp.open("GET",uri,true); xmlhttp.send(); } }catch(e){} })(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings = '"projectId": "10001256862979", "documentName": "", "documentGroup": "", "ywaColo" : "vscale3", "spaceId" : "2145892301" ,"customFields" : { "12" : "classic", "13" : "story" }'; Y.Media.YWA.init(Y.namespace("Media").ywaSettings); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {if(document.onclick===YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.newClick){document.onclick=YAHOO.Media.PreventDefaultHandler.oldClick;} }); }); });

Cells control energy metabolism via hedgehog signalling pathway

ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2012) ? Cancer, diabetes, and excess body weight have one thing in common: they alter cellular metabolism. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg and the Medical University of Vienna together with an international research team have jointly resolved a new molecular circuit controlling cellular metabolism. The previously unknown signalling pathway, acting downstream of the hedgehog protein enables muscle cells and brown fat cells to absorb sugars without relying on insulin. Substances that selectively activate the signalling pathway could thus be utilized in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. With their results, the researchers are also able to explain why various new anti-cancer agents have induced mysterious pronounced side effects in the clinics.

Hedgehog was initially identified as an important protein for embryonic development across various organisms. Without hedgehog, the physiological partitions of the embryo become indistinct. However, hedgehog also influences replication, migration and specialisation of cells ? that is, the processes that also play a role in carcinogenesis. Mutation of genes also occurs concomitantly in various types of cancer, such as pancreatic, gastric or intestinal carcinomas. Above and beyond this, hedgehog inhibits the formation of ?bad? white adipose tissue. Brown or ?good? fat that serves to control body temperature, however, remains unaffected.

Hedgehog is therefore a very promising target for medications that fight cancer, diabetes and excess body weight. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first hedgehog inhibitor, Vismodegib, for treatment of cancer this year. There are presently at least six further agents being tested in clinical studies. Surprisingly, the first patient cohorts receiving Vismodegib have shown serious side effects, such as weight loss and muscle cramps, to the extent that more than half of the participants in the studies had to discontinue use.

The new research results appear to explain the mysterious cramps and suggest an easy, safe and already available adjunct therapy to resolve the complication. The researchers discovered a new hedgehog signalling pathway that is independent of the activation of transcription factors and genes known thus far. Cells control their primary energy metabolism, including the glucose, fatty acid and amino acid metabolisms, via this pathway.

The membrane protein known as Smo plays an important role here. Smo controls the known signalling pathway through transcription factors, as well as the new pathway via a much faster AMP-kinase enzyme and calcium dependent pathway. Smo is activated if hedgehog binds to a specialised receptor in the cell membrane. In the signalling pathway that has now been discovered, calcium flows through the membrane channels into the cell and activates calcium-dependent enzymes that in turn activate the AMP-kinase. This completely rewires metabolism. The cell can rapidly absorb large quantities of glucose using the AMP-kinase and other enzymes, rebalancing anabolism and catabolism. Further, rather promoting efficient energy metabolism through mitochondria, the new hedgehog signalling pathway prompts much less efficient via lactic acid fermentation ? a process with which cancer cells use to acquire their energy without oxygen, for example (Warburg effect).

Even more surprising, the new pathway is stimulated promiscuously by both classical activators and inhibitors of the old, ?canonical? hedgehog pathway. This finding potentially flips the interpretation of tens, if not hundreds of research papers in the field. Still not clear, this could be one additional reason why hedgehog inhibitors are so effective, in essence they starve the cancer cells from the inside.

Counterintuitive inhibitor-based activation of the hedgehog and Smo-calcium/AMP-kinase signalling pathways interferes with anabolic metabolism. ?Activation of the AMP-kinase and increased catabolism could explain the exaggerated weight loss of the participants in the clinical studies. More importantly though, the influx of calcium into muscle cells leads to instant contraction, and must be triggering the cramps,? explains Andrew Pospisilik from the Max Planck Institute in Freiburg. Importantly, Hedgehog inhibitors do not have to lead to these side effects. ?We targeted the Smo protein with various substances and found out that there are inhibitors that do not evoke an increase in calcium or glucose values, and critically, these same inhibitors fail to cause muscle cells to contract in culture. The development of medications such as these, which have minimal side effects, is therefore entirely possible," says Pospisilik.

In addition, again using fat cells, the scientists find that cells dramatically increase the glucose quantity they can absorb ? without relying on insulin. Glucose-tolerance tests on mice confirmed the findings. This was accomplished by administering a specific amount of glucose via the food and measuring the blood glucose concentration afterwards. Mice that had previously been treated with the classic hedgehog inhibitor cyclopamine had correspondingly lower blood glucose than untreated animals. Apparently, cyclopamine increases the glucose absorption, but only in the brown adipose tissue and various types of muscle tissue. Thus, researchers measured an increase in body temperature of around one degree ? a sign of higher activity in brown adipose tissue.

?Agents that only activate the Smo-calcium/AMP-kinase hedgehog signalling pathway are therefore candidates as medications for treating excess body weight, as well as type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Similar to the broad hedgehog inhibitors, they possess the potential to induce muscle cramps. Thanks to our findings, we now know that a new agent must first be tested on muscle cells before it is used on humans,? says Harald Esterbauer from the Medical University of Vienna.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Raffaele Teperino, Sabine Amann, Martina Bayer, Sean?L. McGee, Andrea Loipetzberger, Timothy Connor, Carsten Jaeger, Bernd Kammerer, Lilli Winter, Gerhard Wiche, Kevin Dalgaard, Madhan Selvaraj, Michael Gaster, Robert?S. Lee-Young, Mark?A. Febbraio, Claude Knauf, Patrice?D. Cani, Fritz Aberger, Josef?M. Penninger, J.?Andrew Pospisilik, Harald Esterbauer. Hedgehog Partial Agonism Drives Warburg-like Metabolism in Muscle and Brown Fat. Cell, 2012; 151 (2): 414 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.09.021

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.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/eIXIjrK5kvE/121012112159.htm

packers vs giants giants score aaron rodgers 2012 golden globe nominations texans lana del rey snl enemy of the state

Scientists discover that shape matters in DNA nanoparticle therapy

Saturday, October 13, 2012
This illustration depicts DNA molecules (light green), packaged into nanoparticles by using a polymer with two different segments. One segment (teal) carries a positive charge that binds it to the DNA, and the other (brown) forms a protective coating on the particle surface. By adjusting the solvent surrounding these molecules, the Johns Hopkins and Northwestern researchers were able to control the shape of the nanoparticles. The team?s animal tests showed that a nanoparticle?s shape could dramatically affect how effectively it delivers gene therapy to the cells. The cartoon images in the foreground, obtained though computational modeling, matched closely with the gray background images, which were collected through transmission electron microscopy. Credit: Credits: Wei Qu, Northwestern University, simulation cartoons; Xuan Jiang, Johns Hopkins University, microscopic images

Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases.

This study, to be published in the Oct. 12 online edition of the journal Advanced Materials, is also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. Some gene therapy efforts that rely on viruses have posed health risks.

"These nanoparticles could become a safer and more effective delivery vehicle for gene therapy, targeting genetic diseases, cancer and other illnesses that can be treated with gene medicine," said Hai-Quan Mao, an associate professor of materials science and engineering in Johns Hopkins' Whiting School of Engineering.

Mao, co-corresponding author of the Advanced Materials article, has been developing nonviral nanoparticles for gene therapy for a decade. His approach involves compressing healthy snippets of DNA within protective polymer coatings. The particles are designed to deliver their genetic payload only after they have moved through the bloodstream and entered the target cells. Within the cells, the polymer degrades and releases DNA. Using this DNA as a template, the cells can produce functional proteins that combat disease.

A major advance in this work is that Mao and his colleagues reported that they were able to "tune" these particles in three shapes, resembling rods, worms and spheres, which mimic the shapes and sizes of viral particles. "We could observe these shapes in the lab, but we did not fully understand why they assumed these shapes and how to control the process well," Mao said. These questions were important because the DNA delivery system he envisions may require specific, uniform shapes.

To solve this problem, Mao sought help about three years ago from colleagues at Northwestern. While Mao works in a traditional wet lab, the Northwestern researchers are experts in conducting similar experiments with powerful computer models.

Erik Luijten, associate professor of materials science and engineering and of applied mathematics at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and co-corresponding author of the paper, led the computational analysis of the findings to determine why the nanoparticles formed into different shapes.

"Our computer simulations and theoretical model have provided a mechanistic understanding, identifying what is responsible for this shape change," Luijten said. "We now can predict precisely how to choose the nanoparticle components if one wants to obtain a certain shape."

The use of computer models allowed Luijten's team to mimic traditional lab experiments at a far faster pace. These molecular dynamic simulations were performed on Quest, Northwestern's high-performance computing system. The computations were so complex that some of them required 96 computer processors working simultaneously for one month.

In their paper, the researchers also wanted to show the importance of particle shapes in delivering gene therapy. Team members conducted animal tests, all using the same particle materials and the same DNA. The only difference was in the shape of the particles: rods, worms and spheres.

"The worm-shaped particles resulted in 1,600 times more gene expression in the liver cells than the other shapes," Mao said. "This means that producing nanoparticles in this particular shape could be the more efficient way to deliver gene therapy to these cells."

The particle shapes used in this research are formed by packaging the DNA with polymers and exposing them to various dilutions of an organic solvent. DNA's aversion to the solvent, with the help of the team's designed polymer, causes the nanoparticles to contract into a certain shape with a "shield" around the genetic material to protect it from being cleared by immune cells.

###

Northwestern University: http://www.northwestern.edu

Thanks to Northwestern University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 49 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/124446/Scientists_discover_that_shape_matters_in_DNA_nanoparticle_therapy_

Hunter Pence NBCOlympics Danell Leyva Ye Shiwen OJ Murdock Olympics Live Mens Gymnastics