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Sunday, July 28, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Montgomery County Community College builds community partnerships
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?Building partnerships? is a core tenet of Montgomery County Community College?s strategic plan, evidenced by our growing outreach to school districts, colleges and universities, local businesses, social service agencies and the community at large. These partnerships, at all levels, are critical to the prosperity of our community.
Our work with students doesn?t start when they walk onto our campuses. Rather, it begins as early as middle school through our relationships with area school districts. We?re working side-by-side with K-12 teachers and administrators to help students? reach their highest potential.
Montgomery County Community College?s collaboration with Spring-Ford Area School District is a model example of such a partnership. Since 2006, the college has offered its dual enrollment program to students at Spring-Ford Area High School. During the 2012-2013 academic year, 341 Spring-Ford students were enrolled in college-level courses with us. This number will continue to grow, as we are expanding our partnership to include courses at the College?s West Campus in Pottstown, with Spring-Ford providing transportation for its students.
The college has also actively partnered with Spring-Ford, and other school districts, on college readiness and success programs. We continue to see increases in college readiness over the past several years, in part because of our partnership to prepare students for college-level coursework and the exposure that Spring-Ford students get to college classes prior to high school graduation. In fact, the majority of 2012 Spring-Ford graduates who matriculated to Montgomery County Community College as freshmen entered fully college ready, particularly in reading and writing skills.
Finally, the college is very pleased that Spring-Ford is one of 13 area school districts that is partnering with us this fall for the Gateway to College program. Designed for 16- to 21-year-olds who have dropped out of high school or who are significantly behind in credits and are unlikely to graduate, Gateway to College enables qualifying students to complete their high school diploma requirements while simultaneously earning college credit toward an associate degree or certificate.
These examples illustrate just a few of the many ways Montgomery County Community College is working with our educational partners to build a pipeline that begins with high school graduation, continues through attainment of a college degree, and leads to meaningful employment in our region and beyond.
DR. KAREN A. STOUT
President
Montgomery County Community College
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Thursday, July 25, 2013
10 Beautifully Creepy Photos That Turn Centrifugal Force Into Art
According to physics professors, "centrifugal force" isn't actually a unique force at all ? it's just a different form of momentum. But centrifugal, uh, effect can lead to some pretty awesome visuals, as shown by photographer Peter Schafrick.
Source: http://gizmodo.com/10-beautifully-creepy-photos-that-turn-centrifugal-forc-841150758
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Student Loan Deal Passes In Senate
WASHINGTON ? Borrowing for tuition, housing and books would be less expensive for college students and their parents this fall but the costs could soon start climbing under a bill the Senate passed overwhelmingly Wednesday.
The bipartisan proposal would link interest rates on federal student loans to the financial markets, providing lower interest rates right away but higher ones later if the economy improves as expected. The measure was similar to one that already had passed the Republican-led House and leaders from both chambers said they predicted the differences to be resolved before students start signing loan documents for the fall term.
"This compromise is a major victory for our nation's students," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Undergraduates this fall would borrow at a 3.9 percent interest rate. Graduate students would have access to loans at 5.4 percent, and parents would borrow at 6.4 percent. The rates would be locked in for that year's loan, but each year's loan could be more expensive than the last. Rates would rise as the economy picks up and it becomes more expensive for the government to borrow money.
Liberal members of the Democratic caucus were vocal in their opposition over the potentially shifting rates included in the Senate measure, which passed with support from both parties, 81-18. The bill passed with support from 45 Republicans, 35 Democrats and Sen. Angus King, the independent from Maine who helped negotiate the deal.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, joined 16 Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, to oppose the legislation.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., did not cast a recorded vote.
"This permanent, market-based plan makes students' loans cheaper, simpler and more certain," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, the top Republican on the Senate education panel. "It ends the annual game of Congress playing politics with student loan interest rates at the expense of students planning their futures."
Rates on new subsidized Stafford loans doubled to 6.8 percent July 1 because Congress could not agree on a way to keep them at 3.4 percent. Without congressional action, rates would stay at 6.8 percent ? a reality most lawmakers called unacceptable, although deep differences emerged even among allies as to how to remedy it.
The compromise that came together during the last few weeks would be a good deal for all students through the 2015 academic year. After that, interest rates are expected to climb above where they were when students left campus in the spring, if congressional estimates prove correct.
"That's the same thing credit card companies said when they sold zero-interest rate credit cards. ... The bill comes due," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. "All students will end up paying far higher interest rates on their loans than they do now."
Warren was among the liberal Democrats who labeled the White House-backed proposal a bait-and-switch measure that would lure in new borrowers with low rates now but would cost future students. Throughout the morning and afternoon, they stood to oppose the compromise.
They failed to stop the measure, which seemed to face a clear pathway in the House, which has already passed similar legislation that links interest rates to the financial markets.
Republican Speaker John Boehner promised to "act expeditiously" and the Republican chairman of the House education panel, Rep. John Kline of Minnesota, predicted "the bill's swift passage."
The top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. George Miller of California, similarly asked Boehner to bring the bill "directly to the House floor for a vote and to pass it without delay."
And the president also encouraged quick action. "I urge the House to pass this bill so that I can sign it into law right away," Obama said in a statement.
The measure's supporters suggested the compromise is better than the status quo for students returning to campus for fall classes.
"Don't let anyone tell you that this is bad deal for students. This is not a bad deal for students. If we don't pass this, students will pay 6.8 percent on their loans. With this bill, they'll pay 3.86 percent. You tell me which is the better deal," said Sen. Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Harkin said the legislation is not what he would have written if he had the final say. But he also said that he recognized the need to restore the lower rates on students before they return to campus for classes.
"It's the best that we can do," Harkin said on the Senate floor.
He suggested a rewrite of the Higher Education Act this fall could include a comprehensive review of college costs and could revisit the loan rates for future classes.
The White House and its allies said the new loan structure would offer lower rates to 11 million borrowers right away and save the average undergraduate $1,500 in interest charges. Democratic leaders had anticipated defections from within their ranks but counted on Republican support to help them win passage.
Senate Republicans pushed the interest rates to be linked to the financial markets and backed the measure. The deal was negotiated by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and GOP Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, as well as Alexander, King and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
The compromise's similarity to what House Republicans passed this year was a sticking point for some liberals. There was no denying the new structure could cost future students if interest rates climb.
"I suspect they will. They're pretty low right now," said Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. "Who knows? We don't know."
As part of the compromise, Democrats won a protection for students by capping rates at a maximum 8.25 percent for undergraduates. Graduate students would not pay rates higher than 9.5 percent, and parents' rates would top out at 10.5 percent.
Using Congressional Budget Office estimates, rates would not reach those limits in the next 10 years.
The Congressional Budget Office also estimated the bill as written would reduce the deficit by $715 million over the next decade. During that same time, federal loans would be a $1.4 trillion program.
___
Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott
Also on HuffPost:
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/24/student-loan-deal_n_3647986.html
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Monday, July 22, 2013
Watch Newsmakers: Fall River Mayor Flanagan, Rep. Cicilline
July 21st, 2013 at 5:00 am by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site Tags: amazon.com, congress, david cicilline, democrats, fall river, food stamps, gay marriage, immigration, massachusetts, no labels, politics, u.s. house, will flanagan
Source: http://blogs.wpri.com/2013/07/21/watch-newsmakers-fall-river-mayor-flanagan-rep-cicilline/
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Friday, July 19, 2013
Firefly Online coming to Android and iOS in 2014
Here?s some good news for firefly fans. An official Firefly game is in the works and on its way to mobile platforms. There isn?t a lot of information on the game right now, aside from a 2014 release, but interestingly it doesn?t mention the inclusion or participation of Joss Whedon or the original cast.
Let?s hope we get both involved at some point. Firefly Online will be a multi-user, social online role-playing game for smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS. Players will play as a ship captain, hiring a crew and leading missions. They will also trade with and compete against other players.
Players will also be able to create their own ships. Sounds good so far. I hope they get the actors involved at least.
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/geeky-gadgets/~3/-IVGBYsYXLg/
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Thursday, July 18, 2013
South Korea's FTC finds Google not guilty of antitrust measures
Google has been acquitted of the anti-competitive allegations brought to it more than two years ago by South Korean search operators NHN and Daum Communications, the Yonhap News reported today. Back in April 2011, the two firms accused the Mountain View company of having an unfair advantage by making its own search engine the default on the Android operating system. After a couple of raids and a lengthy review process, the local Fair Trade Commission has finally decided that Google doesn't hurt NHN's or Daum's competitive chances at all. FTC officials said that both companies presently enjoy a healthy chunk of the domestic search engine market -- NHN's portal maintains a good 70 percent share, for example -- and that users could easily download NHN and Daum apps onto their phones as alternatives. Chalk this one up as at least one victory in the search giant's seemingly never-ending battle with authorities.
Filed under: Google
Source: Yonhap
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/c43p7Yjn4IM/
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Calif. calm amid increased policing at protests
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? California rallies were small and calm Tuesday night after Los Angeles police vowed to crack down with quick action against the sort of vandalism and violence the city saw a night earlier in street protests over the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of a black Florida teenager.
A group of about 100 people, at times appearing outnumbered by police, marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles between City Hall and police headquarters. They were flanked by officers on bicycles and on foot but did not challenge or provoke them.
Another rally at a park near LA's Crenshaw District, which saw most of the violence and vandalism Monday night, was equally subdued.
Police Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor Eric Garcetti, who took office barely two weeks ago, said peaceful protests were welcome but violence wouldn't be tolerated. Beck vowed that anyone committing violence would be arrested.
"Your actions ... will reduce the power of the message of this community, and that is wrong. That is a shameful act," he said.
Los Angeles and Oakland have been flashpoints for violent reactions to Saturday's acquittal of Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin.
In Los Angeles, 14 people were arrested Monday night after about 150 people split from a peaceful demonstration at a park, running through the streets, jumping on cars, trying to break store windows and punching bystanders. A Wal-Mart store was vandalized.
A reporter and photographer for TV stations KCBS and KCAL also were assaulted and transported to a hospital with minor injuries. A police officer was punched in the chest Sunday, and a 24-year-old man, Brandon Bell, was charged Tuesday with battery and resisting arrest.
Deputy Chief Bob Green, who heads the LAPD's South Bureau, said officers were pelted with rocks as they stood by monitoring the protest. He blamed the incidents on "knuckleheads" from outside the area who are trying to provoke a confrontation with police.
In San Francisco, a peaceful crowd that gathered in the evening at City Hall listened to speeches by NAACP leaders and sang "We Shall Overcome."
The streets of Oakland were largely empty of protesters a night after demonstrators left a gathering at City Hall before briefly blocking Interstate 880, trying to march onto Interstate 580, throwing fireworks and assaulting a restaurant waiter with a hammer.
Oakland police used flash-bang grenades and made nine arrests for crimes including assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism.
Los Angeles officials are sensitive to images of unrest in a city where the 1965 Watts Riots resulted in 34 deaths, and 1992 violence following the acquittal of four white officers in the beating of black motorist Rodney King left 55 people dead and thousands injured.
The LAPD has spent years building relationships in the black community, and is working with African-American leaders to head off more serious violence. More than 300 police officers responded to the Crenshaw demonstration. They were intentionally slow to directly engage protesters, to allow a peaceful end to the demonstration.
The department's response demonstrated the progress that's been made, said Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the south LA-based community activist group Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable.
"They didn't wade in with stun guns and billy clubs, shooting up the joint, which might have happened 20 years ago," Hutchinson said. "I think that's a sign they've learned a few things."
Los Angeles Police Commissioner John Mack, a former president of the Los Angeles Urban League, said the public needs to differentiate between the troublemakers and the peaceful demonstrators.
"It's important we don't get carried away and get so focused on the few, who in my opinion clearly were not a part of the organized group and had their own agenda," Mack said. "Quite frankly, I'm not so sure that all of them even cared about Trayvon Martin."
___
Associated Press writer Terry Collins contributed to this report. Tami Abdollah can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/latams
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/calif-calm-amid-increased-policing-protests-044040369.html
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Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Researchers Turn Off Down Syndrome Genes
Silencing extra chromosomes in cell cultures could lead to new treatments for the disorder
Individuals with Down's syndrome carry an extra copy of chromosome 21, which causes pervasive developmental delays. Image: SuperStock/Alamy
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The insertion of one gene can muzzle the extra copy of chromosome 21 that causes Down?s syndrome, according to a study published today in Nature. The method could help researchers to identify the cellular pathways behind the disorder's symptoms, and to design targeted treatments.
?It?s a strategy that can be applied in multiple ways, and I think can be useful right now,? says Jeanne Lawrence, a cell biologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, and the lead author of the study.
Lawrence and her team devised an approach to mimic the natural process that silences one of the two X chromosomes carried by all female mammals. Both chromosomes contain a gene called XIST (the X-inactivation gene), which, when activated, produces an RNA molecule that coats the surface of a chromosome like a blanket, blocking other genes from being expressed. In female mammals, one copy of the XIST gene is activated ? silencing the X chromosome on which it resides.
Lawrence?s team spliced the XIST gene into one of the three copies of chromosome 21 in cells from a person with Down?s syndrome. The team also inserted a genetic 'switch' that allowed them to turn on XIST by dosing the cells with the antibiotic doxycycline. Doing so dampened expression of individual genes along chromosome 21 that are thought to contribute to the pervasive developmental problems that comprise Down's syndrome.
First steps
The experiment used induced pluripotent stem cells, which can develop into many different types of mature cells, so the researchers hope that one day they will be able to study the effects of Down?s syndrome in different organs and tissue types. That work could lead to treatments that address degenerative symptoms of Down?s syndrome, such as the tendency of people with the disorder to develop early dementia.
?The idea of shutting off a whole chromosome is extremely interesting? in Down?s syndrome research, says stem-cell researcher Nissim Benvenisty of Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He anticipates future studies that split altered cells into two batches ? one with the extra chromosome 21 turned on, and one with it off ? to compare how they function and respond to treatments.
Researchers have previously removed the extra chromosome in cells from people with Down?s syndrome using a different type of genetic modification. That technique relied on the fact that induced pluripotent stem cells that carry the third copy of chromosome 21 occasionally boot it out naturally ? but "it?s a pain in the neck?, says Mitchell Weiss, a stem-cell researcher at the Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. ?You can?t control it.?
However, Weiss says that the latest method has its own drawbacks: turning on XIST may not block all gene expression in the extra chromosome, and that could muddle experimental results.
Still, Weiss thinks that the approach could yield fresh treatments for Down's syndrome ? and prove useful for studying other chromosome disorders such as Patau syndrome, a developmental disorder caused by a third copy of chromosome 13.
This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on July 17, 2013.
Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/biology/~3/il5MDQfowZQ/article.cfm
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Is Your Home Boring? Try These Home Improvement Tips For ...
TIP! When it?s time to redo a roof, try getting tile that?s white or something that?s light colored. This lighter color deflects the sun?s rays rather than absorbing them, and this reduces heat in your attic.
Home improvement projects need to be tackled every few years to ensure that your home feel like new. You are capable of the jobs yourself. The advice in this article will read here can help you.
TIP! An over-the-range microwave may be the best solution if you need space in the kitchen. Installed in place of your stove?s range hood, these microwaves come in many different prices and feature configurations.
Small rooms are often gloomy, but they don?t have to be. You can invite the proper amount of light. A room can look larger when there is ample natural light. Your room will seem much more spacious quickly.
TIP! The next time you complete a project around the home, dedicate one specific space for debris and waste. Removal of debris can be expensive; however, with proper planning, your project can stay on budget.
Do your own if you can?t pay a professional designer. A magazine can inspire the look you want for your own home?s design. You may also find these resources provide instructions and guidance for some helpful home improvement information that saves you money.
TIP! When your home improvement plans call for major bathroom renovations, do yourself a favor and make plans to make your bathrooms handicap-accessible. It is not necessary to talk about it extensively, but you should get ready because it may save you a lot of time and effort.
Consider using radiant heat tiles. These tiles use heat with your electricity. You can easily install these things if you follow the instructions.This project that you can do yourself without any help.
A good place to start home renovations is in the kitchen. This mixture will not only remove grease but also prep the walls for repainting.
TIP! If you live near a busy street, think about getting some soundproof material installed into your walls. Sound proofing is very expensive and therefore not an economical choice for many home owners.
It is possible to inexpensively clean up the appearance of kitchen appliances. Is the style of your otherwise amazing refrigerator annoying you like stainless steel is where it is at? Appliance spray paint can be purchased for very little money and can change the color of colors at any home supply store. This can dramatically improve the appearance of your kitchen in no more than a day.
TIP! When thinking about replacing the cabinets in your home, look to wood cabinets. These can hold up to extensive use.
Consider insulating your residence during your next energy saving home improvement project. Use weather-stripping on doors and doors. Your heating and cooling systems will operate more affordable as you weatherize your home. This will help you a substantial amount on your bills.
It?s fairly easy to dress pillows in a teens room. This will spruce up your teen?s bedroom and give it a young teenager?s private space.
TIP! Try adding a pergola to your home if you think the exterior looks bland. This is popular and gives your home a natural look.
The caning in your chair will sag eventually.It?s actually quite easy to repair. Use a wet sponge and apply some water to the underside of your chair;s caning. Be sure that the water you use is warm. Allow the water to sit on the caning overnight. You can repeat this until you have fixed the caning.
TIP! If you currently have low ceilings, you may want to consider new window treatments that can give your room the illusion of greater space. Your ceilings will seem taller if you put your window treatments higher.
It doesn?t have to be an impossible feat to innovate your home. Although you can pay a contractor to complete a project that you want done, it is possible for you to do many projects yourself, even if your experience is limited. You can do your own projects if you consider these simple tips.
There?s so much more to learn, so never stop. This article has provided you with the necessary information, but you have to keep learning in this industry. Keep looking for more great information, and use it to your advantage.
Source: http://wheelchair-taxis.com/is-your-home-boring-try-these-home-improvement-tips-for-success/
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Tuesday, July 16, 2013
This Quadcopter Video of Niagara Is Way Better Than a Tightrope
It's crazy hot out there this week, but this gorgeous video shot from a remote-control helicopter hovering over Niagara Falls lets you (nearly) feel the cool, refreshing spray on your sweaty overheated face.
Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-quadcopter-video-of-niagara-is-way-better-than-a-t-802491102
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OBAMACARE VOTE SET House GOP Fights Against Obama's Mandate Delay
House Republicans will vote this week to delay the part of ObamaCare requiring Americans to buy health insurance by next year, arguing that President Obama recently delaying the part of the law requiring employers to offer health insurance is a corporate favor that slights struggling, average Americans.
In announcing the vote last week, House Speaker John Boehner said the Republican-controlled chamber also will vote to delay the so-called employer mandate because such decisions require congressional authority, then rattled off a list of reasons why delaying only the employer mandate is unfair.
?If you?re a software company making billions in profits, you?re exempt from ObamaCare next year,? he said Friday. ?But if you?re a 28-year-old struggling to pay-off your student loans, you?re not. ? Is it fair for the president to give American businesses an exemption from his health law?s mandates without giving the same break to the rest of America??Hell no.?
The full House vote could come as early as Wednesday and will be on bills that originated last week in the House Ways and Means Committee, a staff member told FoxNews.com on Sunday.
The bills attempt to delay the implementation of the individual and the employer mandate, which earlier this month Obama postponed until after the 2014 elections.
The employee mandate essentially requires businesses with less than 50 workers to provide insurance or face paying penalties.
Though political analysts argued the White House delayed the complicated and confusing mandate to in part take away a hammer from Republicans during the midterm elections, party members have instead stepped up their argument that the president?s signature health-care law is expensive and unworkable.
?The White House may believe it can unilaterally delay implementation of ObamaCare?s employer mandate, but only Congress can change the law,? said Arizona Republican Rep. Tim Griffin, who sponsored one of the two new House bills.
He also said the companion bill by Indiana Republican Rep. Todd Young that delays the individual mandate, also until 2015, protects average Americans from ObamaCare?s ?job-crushing provisions,? as the president delaying the employer mandate did for businesses and labor unions.
The House has voted more than 35 times since 2011 to repeal ObamaCare in part or in full. However, even if the new measures pass, they also will likely die in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
?ObamaCare has been wonderful for America,? Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told NBC?s ?Meet the Press? on Sunday. ?Insurance can't rip off people anymore. (House Republicans) should just get real and understand this is a law that's important. And they need to work with us to improve it.??
His remarks follow White House Press Secretary Jay Carney suggesting Thursday that House Republicans are not concerned about delays and really just want to undo the law.
?This is a political effort to undermine a law that was passed by Congress, a law that was upheld by the Supreme Court, a law that bequeaths significant benefits to millions and millions of Americans.? And this is about an attempt to sabotage the Affordable Care Act,? he said.?
Still, House Republicans are not alone. They have support from Wyoming?s two Republican senators.
Sen. John Barrasso is calling for a permanent delay of ObamaCare. And Sen. Mike Enzi said Saturday the employer mandate delay will likely force even more Americans to either enroll in government-backed insurance exchanges or pay a penalty.
?This will likely increase the overall cost of this bill to the taxpayer, making it even more unaffordable,? he said.
The Congressional Budget Office has said the employer mandate would have generated $10 billion in revenue in 2014, which will be lost. Congressional Republicans last week asked the non-partisan office for a new analysis to see if a delay will make ObamaCare more expensive.
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New Treatments Show Promise Against Drug ... - Health.com
MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) ? Two new promising treatments for gonorrhea may help fight the growth of drug-resistant strains of the sexually transmitted bacteria, according to a new U.S. government study.
The two antibiotic regimens use existing drugs in new combinations ? injectable gentamicin with azithromycin pills, or gemifloxacin pills with azithromycin pills.
Gonorrhea is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, with more than 800,000 new infections estimated to occur each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Untreated, it can lead to problems with the prostate and testicles for men, and infertility in women. This is why its increasing antibiotic-resistance is a serious concern.
The U.S. government study included more than 400 men and women, aged 15 to 60, with untreated gonorrhea infection. The injectable gentamicin/oral azithromycin combination was 100 percent effective in curing genital gonorrhea infections, while the gemifloxacin/azithromycin pill combination was 99.5 percent effective. Both combinations cured 100 percent of infections of the throat and rectum, the researchers noted.
However, many patients in both arms of the study reported unpleasant side effects, including nausea, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort/pain or vomiting.
The study, scheduled for presentation this week at a meeting of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research in Vienna, Austria, was conducted by the CDC and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
?These trial results are an exciting step in the right direction in the fight against drug-resistant gonorrhea,? Dr. Gail Bolan, director of CDC?s division of STD prevention, said in an agency news release. ?But patients need more oral options with fewer side effects. It is imperative that researchers and pharmaceutical companies prioritize research to continue to identify new, effective, better-tolerated drugs and drug combinations.?
Additional measures to stay ahead of resistant gonorrhea are critical, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of NIH?s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in the news release. ?For example, a point-of-care drug susceptibility test would help providers know ? at the time of diagnosis ? which treatment regimen will be most effective,? he said.
?Progress toward a vaccine is urgently needed,? Fauci added.
These findings do not change current gonorrhea treatment guidelines. The CDC recommends only one first-line treatment regimen: injectable ceftriaxone, in combination with one of two other antibiotics in pill form, either azithromycin or doxycycline. This therapy is highly effective in treating gonorrhea and causes limited side effects.
Ceftriaxone is in the same class of antibiotics as cefixime, a pill that has lost effectiveness against the sexually transmitted disease. Earlier this year, Canadian researchers reported on a study of nearly 300 people infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae that found a treatment failure rate of nearly 7 percent in people treated with cefixime. Last August the CDC advised doctors to stop using cefixime to treat gonorrhea, and instead use injections of ceftriaxone.
However, doctors may consider using the treatments assessed in this new study as alternative options when ceftriaxone can?t be used, such as in the case of a severe allergy, the CDC said. The agency says it will consider the study?s findings for inclusion in future treatment guidelines.
To help prevent gonorrhea, people who are sexually active should use condoms consistently and correctly, and limit the number of sex partners, the CDC states.
The data and conclusions of research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about gonorrhea.
Source: http://news.health.com/2013/07/15/new-treatments-show-promise-against-drug-resistant-gonorrhea/
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Monday, July 15, 2013
Penn State, Central Florida to meet in Ireland in '14
Penn State and Central Florida will open the 2014 season by playing each other in Dublin, Ireland.
It will be the first time the Nittany Lions and Golden Knights have played a game outside of the U.S.
Next year's season opener is Aug. 30 at 1:30 p.m. local time at Croke Park Stadium. It launches the Croke Park Classic.
"Our players and coaches are so excited to go to Ireland and play a college football game in such a historic and outstanding venue," Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said in a statement. "I have great respect for (Central Florida) coach (George) O'Leary and his team and playing UCF in Ireland will be a fantastic experience for all the players, coaches and fans."
Croke Park Stadium holds 69,000. It has not hosted an American football game since in 1996 when Navy took on Notre Dame.
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Walk to help renovate new Randolph church building
Spring of Water Christian Assembly will hold a five-mile fundraising walk to help raise funds to renovate its new building at 374 North Main St., Randolph, Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9-11 a.m., followed by a cookout. Registration will be held at 8 a.m.
The church has been part of the Randolph community for more than 11 years, and is committed to helping improve life for all the residents of Randolph and surrounding communities. In order to better accommodate our ministry and youth programs, it purchased the building.
For a pledge form or to make a donation, call the church at 781-986-8600.
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Mike Woodson confident in his ability to coach any player, including Metta World Peace
Knicks head coach Mike Woodson is with the team in Las Vegas for Summer League, and with reports of mutual interest between New York and Metta World Peace now that he?s cleared amnesty waivers, Woodson was asked if he thought he might have a knack for coaching players with, shall we say, a more unique outlook on things.
Woodson was especially successful with a similarly quirky player in J.R. Smith, who had a monster year for the Knicks last season that resulted in him taking home Sixth Man of the Year honors. Woodson said it?s all about getting a player to know their place on the team in order for them to be successful.
?I know his name has been circling out there,? Woodson said of the World Peace-to-the-Knicks talk. ?I can coach anybody. I?ve coached guys from 18, 19, 20 year old young men and built the team in Atlanta, and that?s tough for a first-time coach. So I experienced that. I don?t think there?s a player I can?t coach if he?s going to be willing to be coached. I think it?s just a matter of pushing the right buttons and getting guys to understand their roles.?
Woodson likes what World Peace is able to bring to a team, but reminded that it?s a little early in the process to be putting him in a Knicks uniform just yet.
?I like his skill set a lot,? Woodson said. ?I think a lot of teams have liked his skill set over the years. He does a little bit of everything, but again, it?s a moot point until he?s available if that may be the case.?
Woodson would seem just fine with adding World Peace, or any player that could help his team for that matter ? just as long as they share the same vision in achieving the ultimate goal that he does.
?If anybody comes to this team, they?ve got to understand it?s all about team, man,? he said. ?It?s not about individuals here. It?s not about me as a coach, it?s about the New York franchise trying to win an NBA title. If you understand that, we?ve got a chance.?
**********
Some additional Knicks notes from Woodson?s few minutes with the media:
- Woodson knows how good Carmelo Anthony was when playing the power forward position last season, but he?s at least willing to entertain the possibility of playing newly-acquired big man Andrea Bargnani alongside him in the lineup.
?They could [start together],? he said. ?We?ll evaluate everything. It?ll really be a little bit different this year because I know we?ve been great with Melo at the four, but Bargnani ? he brings a different dimension to our team, I think.
?I?ve got to get him up to speed defensively, but just like Melo?s a nightmare for people at the four, [Bargnani is] a nightmare for players at the four and five,? Woodson said. ?I?ve just got to get him in and get him acclimated to what we?re doing, and get him comfortable ? that?s the key with him. I?ve got to get him back to feeling good about himself. I think he?s an excellent ballplayer.?
- Kenyon Martin played valuable minutes for the Knicks last season, and is currently an unrestricted free agent. But that doesn?t mean that New York has ruled out bringing him back for next season.
?Kenyon is still majorly in our picture,? Woodson said. ?I like everything about what Kenyon did for our ball club last season, so we?re still in that evaluation stage, as well.?
- Woodson said he has been impressed with the play of both Toure Murry and Jeremy Tyler with the Knicks? Summer League squad, and wants to try to bring them both to training camp before next season.
Mike Woodson confident in his ability to coach any player, including Metta World Peace | ProBasketballTalk
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Google Nexus 7 price cuts roll ahead of new Nexus 7 2
July 13, 2013, 6:14am ? Amid rumors that the Google Nexus 7 is getting a new model this quarter, third-party retailers online have cut the price of the 16GB Nexus 7 tablet computer, from the original or official price tag of $199 to $149 to $189. For the 32GB model, prices are down to $170 to $200 from $249.
Retailers on eBay and Amazon also started nudging down prices, we saw one retailer on eBay selling the Nexus 7 for $150 and offering shipping to other countries. Selling the Nexus 7 on other countries is a hit because the Google Play Store?s coverage is limited to America and other major markets only.
According to reports, Google and ASUS will launch the new Nexus 7 this quarter, and it will run the latest version of Android Jelly Bean mobile operating system. And unlike last year?s model, the new Nexus 7 will reportedly offer a back-facing camera, a more efficient processors from Qualcomm and a new display technology with more pixels per square inch.
Additional reports posted on the web also suggest that the release date of the new Nexus 7 is scheduled this month.
?
Article by Carlo Raphael Diokno, posted under Google section.
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Source: http://www.popherald.com/2013-7-13/google-nexus-7-price-cut.php
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Sunday, July 14, 2013
7/13/2013 TONIGHT! 9:30pm ET SHOW AND TELL on the Adafruit Industries Google+ page!
The weekly ? SHOW AND TELL is on the Adafruit Industries Google+ page! at 9:30pm ET We will be asking all the folks in the +Limor Fried (ladyada) show-and-tell circle to re-add themselves to the +Adafruit show-and-tell circle shortly.
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NBA Las Vegas Summer League roundup: Cory Joseph's game-winner lifts Spurs
Cory Joseph lifted the Spurs over the Bobcats on Friday night.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder wrapping up the title in the Orlando Summer League, the NBA now shifts its attention to Las Vegas, where a new crop of young players will attempt to establish a name for themselves. Friday night's slate included three games and a number of first-round picks seeing their first action in an NBA uniform.
Unfortunately, Friday night's action did not include surprise No. 1 overall draft pick Anthony Bennett, even as his Cavaliers were taking the floor against the Lakers. Bennett remains sidelined by a shoulder injury.
Clippers find touch from behind the arc
The Atlanta Hawks faced the Los Angeles Clippers in the first game of the night, and it didn't take long to show Lob City has added some range this offseason. The Clippers hit nine three-points, with a pair coming from first-round pick Reggie Bullock, to cruise past the Hawks, 90-83.
Bullock, the No. 25 pick in the 2013 draft, finished the night with a team-high 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Samardo Samuels added 15 points and nine bounds on 7-of-11 shooting for the Clippers, while DaJuan Summers also helped the winning cause by contributing 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
Most of the pre-game attention focused on Hawks rookie point guard Dennis Schr?der. This was the first look many Americans have had at the German floor general, who was selected No. 17 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. While Schr?der flashed signs of the court vision that makes him such an intriguing prospect, he struggled shooting the ball, finishing the night with six points and seven assists on 2-of-7 shooting.
Lucas Nogueira, the other Atlanta first-round pick making his debut, added 10 points and eight rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting in the loss.
Zeller, Felix star in Cavaliers win
Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers shot under 40 percent in their Summer League opener, but the Cavs hit enough shots to secure a victory, 70-62.
Cleveland was led by second-year second Tyler Zeller, who contributed 15 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting in the win. Second-round rookie forward Carrick Felix, the No. 33 overall selection in the draft, also had a nice debut, posting 14 points and six rebounds. The more troubling concern for the Cavs might be the struggles of Dion Waiters. The No. 4 pick in the 2012 draft finished the night 1-of-11 from the field for three points.
The Lakers shot just 21-of-66 from the field and 6-of-21 from three-point range. No Los Angeles starter reached double figures in scoring, but the bench did provide a couple noteworthy efforts. Guard Michael Snaer finished 4-of-9 from the field for 12 points, and forward Marcus Landry added a team-high 14 points.
Spurs top Bobcats on Joseph's game-winner
San Antonio guard Cory Joseph hit a game-winning jump shot with four seconds remaining to give the Spurs a 69-68 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
Joseph led the way for the Spurs, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists as San Antonio's starting point guard. Rookie Deshaun Thomas, the No. 58 pick in the 2013 draft, finished with 18 points and four rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting. Nando de Colo chipped in 12 points for San Antonio.
Forward Jeffery Taylor led the Bobcats with 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 12 points and four rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting. Rookie Code Zeller, the No. 4 pick in the 2013 draft, added eight points and four rebounds in his debut. Bismack Biyombo contributed three points and 11 rebounds.
More from SB Nation:
? Flannery: KG leaves Boston as mysteriously as he arrived
? Remembering MWP's Lakers tenure
? Players to watch at the Vegas Summer League
? "Whispers" about AK47's decision to take less money
? Ziller: Cavs can't lose with Andrew Bynum deal
Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/13/4519428/nba-las-vegas-summer-league-roundup-cory-joseph-spurs
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NASA urged to seek live Martians with 2020 rover
Genome sequencers and other devices that could reveal whether anything is alive on Mars right now should be ready to launch with
Earlier this week NASA announced its science goals for the next US rover headed for the Red Planet, known for now as Mars 2020. Essentially a duplicate of the Curiosity rover now on Mars, this robot has been tasked with searching for evidence of past life and collecting rock samples for eventual return to Earth. Sample-return has been at the top of the Mars community's wish list for decades. The caching component of Mars 2020 represents a revival of a well-studied plan to bring Martian rocks back to Earth for detailed study.
But others think the rover's approach to life detection is overly cautious. The Mars 2020 will primarily search for signs that something lived on Mars in ancient times, even though the technology exists to hunt for alien microbes presently living on or just beneath the surface.
"It is the same old depressing story of NASA vetoing any proposal to do biological experiments on Mars," says Paul Davies of Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe. "I personally think this is absurd."
Martian genes
One potential life-seeking experiment is the Search for Extraterrestrial Genomes (SETG) project, based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Previous experiments for detecting existing life on Mars, such as the one on the 1976 Viking missions, focused on finding organic carbon, which is necessary for life as we know it but can also be produced by non-biological processes. Viking scientists initially reported such hints of life on Mars, but the results were ultimately deemed inconclusive.
"We went and looked for life on Mars with Viking, and since then we've been in the mode of looking for past life," says Chris Carr of the SETG project. "That's made sense. We didn't want to repeat Viking, where we couldn't make sense of the results."
Finding DNA or RNA would be a much less ambiguous signal of life, past or present. A gene sequencer could even figure out whether that life is related to Earth life, or if it had a unique origin. Doing DNA analysis on Mars rather than waiting for the Mars 2020 samples to come home also means you can be confident that the samples have not degraded in transit.
"Sample-return is an important mission and we should do it, but I don't think we should wait until we have all parts of that mission to look for extant life on Mars," says Carr. His team is developing a robust sequencer small enough to fit on a rover, and they are already field-testing prototypes. "I think we could produce something in time for the Mars 2020 mission," he says.
Encourage life
An even simpler experiment would create habitable hot spots on Mars. Dirk Schulze-Makuch of Washington State University and colleagues argue that if microbes are currently present on Mars, they may be lying dormant to survive the planet's extreme dryness and cold. If you could warm them up, protect them from radiation and give them a refreshing drink, they might bloom.
Their project, outlined in a paper published this week in the journal Astrobiology, is called Detection of Mars Extant life in the near-Subsurface (DOMES). A rover would scratch out a trench to expose the Martian subsurface and put down a clear plastic cup containing water and organic compounds, inverted like a tiny biodome. Similar schemes have encouraged lichen and moss to flourish in the otherwise sparsely populated sands of the Namib Desert.
Gil Levin of ASU, who led Viking's life-detection efforts, still hopes to see that experiment vindicated. "NASA says the greatest question confronting us is, are we alone?" says Levin. "Thirty-seven years ago, they got at least an ambiguous response. What do you do with an ambiguous response? You settle it. You don't run away from it."
Together with Davies and Ariel Anbar, also of ASU, Levin is currently developing a capsule that would carry multiple small, dart-like instruments, which could shoot away from a rover or lander, plunge down into the soil and repeat the Viking experiment several times with different controls. "That would not only verify that we had detected life previously or disprove it, but would also begin an investigation of what kind of life that is," he says.
Mars rocks
NASA is throwing open the door for proposed instruments to fly on Mars 2020, so while these experiments may go beyond the rover's stated goal, they can still compete for a spot. And if they are not selected for this launch, the sample-return effort may give them another shot.
The most likely strategy for returning samples stored on the 2020 rover will involve two more spacecraft heading to Mars, says Charles Whetsel of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Another rover will need to pick up the cache and loft it into orbit, and an orbiter or flyby mission will have to pick it up. Both of those missions would offer opportunities for new science experiments that could search for extant life, either carried on the pickup rover or dropped by the orbiter.
In the meantime, Whetsel defends the decision to hold off on searching for existing life right now. "It's probably easier to prove there was once life on Mars than to prove it survived and it exists today," he says. "It would definitely be front-page news if we determined there is currently life on Mars. I think it's equally front-page to say there was once life on Mars."
Journal reference: Astrobiology, DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.0995
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Xbox One can be business tool too claims Microsoft
Microsoft is pitching the upcoming Xbox One as a jack of all trades device, suggesting the eagerly awaited games console will also be a viable business tool for many.
Having already strayed somewhat from its core gaming routes, introducing a variety of TV enabled and on-demand multimedia and streaming services, Microsoft has now claimed the Xbox One will be an ?enticing business expense? for small business owners.
Not just a way to procrastinate and pass quite hours with a controller in hand, Microsoft has suggested that the Xbox One?s ability to make use of services such as Skype, SkyDrive and all manner of Internet Explorer apps will see it become part of business owners? future collection of must-have tools.
?What is being positioned as an excellent entertainment device can be just as enticing for you and your small business,? Marques Lyons, Microsoft Xbox MVP and the Director of Consumer Camp said in a recent blog post.
He added: ?In fact, it's entirely justifiable to make the Xbox One a business expense. The Xbox One, priced at $499, is an affordable option for small business owners, as there are many features built into the console that could help it rival even the most modest of video conferencing and networking platforms.?
With the likes of Office 365 to be available through the Xbox One from the launch of the PS4 rival, Lyons has suggested that the platform?s app collection could well grow to incorporate all manner of business tools and services, not just entertainment and gaming based features.
He stated: ?The app story of Xbox One has yet to be written, therefore it is entirely possible to find apps down the road that could be of benefit for you and your business.
?With the processing power, snap mode, and connection to a large screen, that the Xbox One has, this device is capable of going from the 'break room' to the 'board room'.?
The Xbox One was formally unveiled as a direct replacement to the ageing Xbox 360 in the lead up to this year?s E3 2013 expo. With an Xbox One release date set for this November and an Xbox One price at ?429, Microsoft?s next-gen console will hit retailers within a matter of weeks of the PS4 but cost ?80 more than its leading rival.
Read More: Xbox One pre-orders
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TRV/~3/GxaWK_xC4AM/xbox-one-can-be-business-tool-too-claims-microsoft
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Friday, July 12, 2013
Phil Spencer, Aaron Greenberg staying with Xbox team following Microsoft reorg
Gaming executives Phil Spencer and Aaron Greenberg are staying with the Xbox team following the departure of Don Mattrick to Zynga and a major reorganization that saw Julie Larson-Green take over all-things Xbox this week.
Both executives confirmed the news on Twitter.
Spencer said, "Still head of Microsoft Studios and happy with the new org and announce of Julie." Meanwhile, Greenberg tweeted, "Wanted to share I am staying w/team & Xbox, will be Chief of Staff for Devices & Studios reporting now to Julie Larson-Green."
Mattrick left his post as president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB) last week for a job as CEO of Zynga, where he is up to earn more than $40 million.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer yesterday confirmed the long-rumored company-wide reorganization. The executive described a "One Microsoft" that will enable the company to operate at "greater speed, efficiency, and capability in a fast changing world."
Larson-Green, a 19-year Microsoft veteran, will head up Microsoft's new Devices and Studios Engineering Group, where she will look after every Microsoft hardware endeavor--including Xbox.
The Xbox One launches in November for $500.
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Regent Seven Seas Cruises Orders New Luxury Cruise Ship
Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced today that it has entered into a definitive contract with Italy?s Fincantieri shipyard to build the most luxurious cruise ship in the era of modern cruising with delivery scheduled in summer 2016.
Accommodating just 738 guests, the new ship will be named Seven Seas Explorer and will be the luxury line?s third all-suite, all-balcony ship. At 54,000 gross-registered tons, Seven Seas Explorer will be the largest vessel in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet. The contract price for the vessel is approximately US$450 million, making Seven Seas Explorer the most expensive luxury liner ever built. Financing for the project is being arranged by Cr?dit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank with support from SACE, Italy?s export credit facility.
?This new ship order represents an exciting time of growth for our company as we build the next generation of cruise ships for the world?s most inclusive luxury cruise line,? said Frank J. Del Rio, Prestige Cruise Holdings Chairman and CEO. ?Seven Seas Explorer will be the most luxurious cruise ship ever built, boasting one of the highest space ratios and staff-to-guest ratios ever seen in the modern era of cruising enabling us to deliver the highly personalized service and extraordinary experience that is the hallmark of the Regent brand.?
According to Del Rio, ?The moment you step aboard, you?ll know you?ve arrived somewhere special. The ship?s upscale yet timeless design, extreme use of exotic stones and polished woods, designer furniture, rich fabrics and sophisticated lighting combined with what promises to be a museum-quality, eclectic art collection will clearly position Seven Seas Explorer as the new standard in luxury cruising.?
Seven Seas Explorer will feature spacious and sophisticated designer suites, ultra-elegant public areas, a wide-range of gourmet dining options, a world-class spa and many other amenities all created with the personality, warmth and soul of classic and timeless design. ?At Regent, we believe more is best,? Del Rio quipped.
World-renowned architectural and interior design firms Tillberg Design AB, RTKL Associates and ICrave are designing the vessel, which will feature 369 suites ranging from 300 square feet to 1,500 square feet, six open-seating gourmet restaurants, Regent?s signature nine-deck atrium, the two-story Explorer Theater, three boutiques and an expansive Canyon Ranch SpaClub?.
The specifications for the ship call for a hull 732 feet long, with a beam of 102 feet and a draft of 23 feet. The ship will be powered by diesel-electric engines with a service speed of 20 knots. Seven Seas Explorer will be a ?green ship? employing the most advanced environmental systems and state-of-the-art technology.
With the Seven Seas Explorer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises? overall fleet capacity will grow nearly 40 percent, making the brand the world?s largest luxury cruise line.
?This new ship order is part of our disciplined growth strategy to expand our footprint in the luxury market,? said Kunal S. Kamlani, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. ?Since we purchased the Regent Seven Seas Cruises brand in 2008, the ships have sailed full with industry-leading yields. We strongly believe that now is the right time to expand our fleet as our loyal guests have asked for a greater array of itineraries and our travel partners have proven that there is pent-up demand for a new Regent ship.?
Commenting on the announcement, Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono said: "I am extremely pleased with this new order, which is all the more important because it establishes our global leadership in this sector and strengthens our presence in the luxury segment with the addition of another prestigious brand to our client list, also thanks to the fundamental synergy created by the country through agencies designated to promote Fincantieri exports."
Further details about the ship will be announced in the coming months.
Seven Seas Explorer will join a fleet of three award-winning luxury vessels that appear continuously on annual ?world?s best? and ?top? awards lists by noted media including Travel & Leisure, Cond? Nast Traveler, Luxury Travel Advisor plus many more.
Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager carry guests in luxury to ports in Australia, Europe, Asia, South America, Alaska, New England, Canada, Africa, India, South Pacific and the Caribbean. Public areas are resplendent with rich fabrics, textures and furnishings. Guests can choose to dine in several open-seating gourmet restaurants, including Prime 7, a contemporary American steakhouse and Sette Mari at La Veranda, the line?s Italian dining experience. Amenities include elegant bars, a show lounge, casino, library, Internet center, card room, outdoor pool and the Canyon Ranch SpaClub?.
For more information, visit RSSC.com
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Athletes on Twitter: How they battle the trolls, their own bad judgment
It didn't take Alex Rodriguez long to learn the perils of social media.
Shortly after the New York Yankees infielder launched his Twitter account in late June, a fan welcomed him by writing: "@ARod got a Twitter? Will his account stop working in #October?"
It went downhill from there. Nine tweets into his Twitter career, Rodriguez posted an injury update that prompted Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to advise A-Rod to zip his Twitter lips.
Rodriguez is hardly the only athlete to struggle with the minefield of social media. Things got so bad for struggling Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez that he beat a tweet retreat, deactivating his account after an onslaught of fan abuse.
In the Bay Area, players know the feeling. Some have quit. ("It was a pretty devastating experience for me," the Giants' Barry Zito acknowledged last October.) And others such as the 49ers' Kyle Williams have soldiered on through death threats.
Williams, the Warriors' Stephen Curry, the Sharks' Logan Couture and the Raiders' Chris Kluwe were among the prolific local tweeters contacted for this story, and their warning is clear: The digital frontier is no place for the faint of heart.
What lures them in is a chance to engage directly with their fans. What drives them away, or sometimes makes them snap, are the so-called Twitter trolls -- those who heckle, stalk or otherwise annoy in 140 characters or less, sometimes ruthlessly.
Williams
got multiple death threats after his misplays helped seal the 49ers' fate in the January 2012 NFC title game. Still, he never considered closing his account."I looked at it the way other people would look at it: 'OK, he's running from it,' " Williams said. "I think if I were to do that, it would have been kind of childish. You take what's coming to you, and you move on."
Giants first baseman Brandon Belt still embraces Twitter, but he learned the hard way that it's nearly impossible for an athlete to stay out of the 140-character cross hairs. Belt made what he thought was an innocuous reply to a question about the Dodgers' free agent spending at the Giants Fan Fest in February when he said, "You can't buy chemistry."
The tweet venom from Dodger Nation was so vicious ("@bbelt9 should learn to shut your mouth sometime" ... "Hey @Bbelt9 can ya teach me how to Melky? #STEROIDS #CANTBUYCHEMISTRY #DODGERS") that Belt avoided Twitter for weeks.
"Man," he wrote at one point, "these guys are angry."
HOW NOT TO HANDLE IT
If even cautious tweeters can make a wrong turn, imagine what happens to the reckless and unrepentant. Brandon Jacobs essentially tweeted his way out of a job with the 49ers last season by griping about his playing time and posting photos of himself from his better days with the New York Giants on Instagram. The 49ers suspended him for the final three regular-season games and then released him before the playoffs.
Jacobs' path was so destructive that it's now taught in seminars. Lee Gordon, who provides lessons to young athletes on successful social media strategies, puts up slides of Jacobs' tweets as a way of scaring kids straight.
"We've kind of used that as our inaugural: 'This can happen to you' lesson regarding Instagram," said Gordon, the director of corporate communications for 180 Media. "Here's a guy that had the opportunity to go back to the Super Bowl again. Now, who knows where he's going to go? Because when you Google his name, that's what comes up."
Tennis star Roger Federer was determined not to be that guy. He waited to join Twitter only after spending time studying how other athletes handled it.
"At the end of the day, it's got to be something I need to feel comfortable with," Federer told reporters at the French Open.
The very first response he received was an R-rated question about his personal life that prompted a story on deadspin.com. Welcome to Twitter, Mr. Federer.
"You're always going to have that on the Internet ... because it's the Internet," reasoned Kluwe, the Raiders punter. "If you're putting yourself out there, people are going to say things that they would never say to your face."
Kluwe said his life as an online gamer, where smack talk is de riguer, prepared him for the anonymous assaults he sometimes endures on Twitter. And it's a good thing, too, because his political stances opened a door for tormentors that go beyond the usual, "You stink."
Kluwe, who has little patience for filters, wrote a profanity-laden rant in favor of same-sex marriage in 2012. His literary style? The punter once told The New York Times that it "comes from the storied history of World of Warcraft forum boards. And in that context, the letter was actually really tame. I toned it down quite a few notches."
Strange as it sounds, however, Kluwe urges his NFL brethren to be careful with Twitter. The punter said he reminds teammates that they're representing the organization with each tweet. He said he urges them to think about each post "three times, and then maybe just one more time to be sure."
Another tip?
"Avoid the hot-button issues," Kluwe said. "Obviously, I didn't do such a great job of that last year."
HOW TO HANDLE IT
Because backlash is inevitable, the key for the 21st century athlete is learning how to handle hecklers -- to turn the other tweet. Most athletes have developed that skill, anyway, having learned to tune out voices from the crowd during competition.
"I try to let it roll off my back," Couture said. "There's no sense in giving them what they want."
"There are going to be some folks who are disrespectful and say crazy things, but I don't pay attention to it," said Warriors coach Mark Jackson, one of the most active pro coaches on Twitter. "There's a beautiful thing called 'to block' or 'to delete.' "
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, during a visit to San Francisco in May, said he likes Twitter because it actually reduces his friction with fans.
"So many people are interested in what I'm doing and why," the six-time NBA MVP said. "When I'm on Twitter, I'm able to communicate with them. And I don't feel as harassed by people when I answer questions."
And when people come with nastiness rather than honest questions, it's all about turning the other cheek. So says Gordon, whose social media classes have included former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, as well as recent 49ers draft picks Marcus Lattimore, Tank Carradine and Nick Moody.
"Never, ever directly respond to nasty tweets," Gordon said. "You can't win and won't win a social media battle. Fans are quick to pop off all the time, but engaging with them only empowers them."
The 49ers' Williams has even managed to charm his tormentors. The receiver/return man said he's been able to defuse the situation with something as lighthearted as, "C'mon, we're all friends here."
"I'm not afraid to interact and say something back," he said. "There's not any malice behind it. It's playful. It's joking around."
And there are some athletes, the Raiders' Kluwe included, who seem to enjoy the digital repartee. Count former A's pitcher Brandon McCarthy among those whose sharp wit allows them to engage freely in Twitter sparring.
When one fan posted a less-than-romantic overture to his wife, McCarthy responded with: "If only you could lure her into that dungeon you apparently live in."
As McCarthy's former teammate Josh Reddick points out, the out-in-the-open nature of Twitter is actually a safer social media option for most pro athletes.
"Guys like us kind of stay off Facebook," he said.
TAMING YOUR AUDIENCE
Curry, the high-scoring Warriors guard, was disillusioned by Twitter at first. Sidelined by injuries for most of the 2011-12 season, Curry was kicked while he was down by angry fans.
"I'd go out with an ankle injury and all of a sudden I'd get a hundred tweets saying, 'My fantasy team is done. You screwed my whole draft!' " Curry recalled with a laugh.
Curry snapped at a few tormentors before shifting strategies. Now he endears himself to his nearly 600,000 Twitter followers by offering them prizes, hosting online chats and posting behind-the-scenes photos to show off his family.
Last January, Curry asked fans to send him their trickiest H-O-R-S-E shot. The winner was from Philadelphia, so when the Warriors played the 76ers, Curry stopped by the kid's house and tried the shot himself. (And, yes, he made it.)
"If you know anything about Steph, you know he's not going to succumb to the trolls," said Bill Voth, the co-founder of SpiracleMedia, which helps manage Curry's massive social media profile. "We've never had to sit down and say, 'OK, Steph. Don't do this.'
"He understands that if you wouldn't say it on camera, you shouldn't say it on social media. But for some reason, with a lot of players, there's a disconnect."
Social media training is increasingly common among sports teams. Giants spokesman Jim Moorehead said young players get it as part of their orientation camp within months of being drafted. Then, every year at spring training, social media training is part the annual sessions that remind all players about what it means to follow "The Giants Way."
There have short-lived Twitter existences (Zito and former Giants closer Brian Wilson to name two), but the team hasn't had much controversy. The biggest misstep came when Pablo Sandoval blew the cover on Buster Posey's season-ending broken ankle, making the announcement before team officials were prepared to do so. (See: Rodriguez, Alex.)
But many athletes say there's no need for extensive training. It can consist of one easy sentence:
Don't say anything stupid.
"If you take Twitter too seriously -- on the fan side or on the athlete side -- it can become something that is too much a part of your life,'' Williams said. "I've never been one to take it seriously. It's fun. It's an app on my phone."
Follow Daniel Brown on Twitter at twitter.com/mercbrownie.
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