If there is one home improvement that can make a real difference to the look and feel of your home it is double glazing. It comes in a variety of designs and styles and not only looks good, but can also help cut your energy bills as well as improve the comfort of your home.
Read on for a guide to some of the benefits offered by double glazed windows:
Energy saving
Around a quarter of the energy that is generated in the home is lost through its windows and doors. If you want to make your home more comfortable and save on your energy bills it makes sense to replace your windows with something more efficient.
In fact, just upgrading single glazed windows to B-rated energy efficient double glazed windows could save the average homeowner around ?165 a year on fuel bills.
What?s more, fitting double glazing can actually make your home feel more comfortable as they can cut down on draughts and condensation build-up.
Security
One thing that is incredibly important for homeowners is their security, and double glazed windows will help provide additional protection from the outside. Because single glazed windows only have one pain of glass they are quite easy to break into. However, with double glazed units, not only do they come fitted with toughened glass making them harder to break, they also come with a number of excellent security measures. They have hinge bolts fitted as standard so whatever happens the hinge side of the window will be just as secure as the lock side. What?s more, the locks themselves are of the highest standard with anti-snap cylinders and guards to stop thieves. The windows themselves are internally beaded, so you can sleep in peace knowing that you have put these preventative measures in place.
Noise reduction
Everyone wants their home to be a sanctuary where they can shut out the outside world, so the last thing people want is noise coming into their house. However, because double glazed units have a gap of air between the two panes of glass not only does this make them more energy efficient, it can also help reduce the amount of noise entering your home. This means that when you return home, thanks to your new double glazed windows, you can shut out the outside world and spend time in a peaceful environment.
Maintenance free
Another great benefit of double glazed windows is the fact that they are virtually maintenance free. Unlike wooden window frames there is no need to treat them regularly or deal with things like rot. Instead, apart the odd clean now and again your windows will look good-as-new for years to come. This means that you won?t need to spend money replacing your windows every few years or spend cash trying to keep them looking good.
If you are looking for double glazing in Leeds then why not visit Yorkshire?s Premier double glazing company at one of Coral Window?s showrooms in Bradford, Otley, Wakefield or Huddersfield.
Many cancer survivors face health-related quality of life issuesPublic release date: 30-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marguerite Beck marbeck@wakehealth.edu 336-716-2415 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
More than 1 in 3 have post-treatment physical or mental problems, study finds
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Oct. 30, 2012 Beating cancer is just the first step.
More than one third of the 12.6 million cancer survivors in the United States have physical or mental problems that put their overall health in jeopardy, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Their study, published in the October issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, found that 25 percent of cancer survivors reported poor physical health and 10 percent reported poor mental health as compared to 10 percent and 6 percent, respectively, of adults without cancer.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Until now, we didn't have clear data on quality-of-life issues for the population of U.S. cancer survivors," said the study's lead author, Kathryn Weaver, Ph.D., assistant professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest Baptist. "This information should help doctors and researchers identify groups of survivors who may be at risk for long-term problems after cancer. In addition, it can help us know if some of the national efforts to improve life for cancer survivors are making a difference."
For the study, researchers analyzed data from a 2010 nationwide health survey conducted by the CDC that included data specific to cancer survivors collected by the CDC and the NCI. The scientists identified 1,822 cancer survivors and compared them with 24,804 adults with no history of cancer.
Survivors of breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma fared best, with health-related quality of life levels equivalent to or better than those of adults with no cancer history, according to the study.
In contrast, 40 percent of survivors of cervical, blood and colorectal cancers and survivors of cancers with a five-year survival rate of less than 25 percent (including cancers of the liver, lung and pancreas) were more likely to report physical problems that had a negative impact on their quality of life. In addition, survivors in the latter group were more likely to report mental health issues that affected their day-to-day lives.
The researchers estimated that about 3.3 million cancer survivors in the United States have poor physical health-related quality of life and almost 1.4 million have poor mental health-related quality of life.
"Recently, there has been a strong push for doctors to do a better job of communicating with cancer patients about what to expect as they finish treatment and transition to the survivor period," Weaver said. "Identifying what symptoms or problems cancer patients are facing after treatment fatigue, pain, depression, sleep and cognition problems and connecting them with the right resources or treatments is key to improving their long-term health."
###
Co-authors of the study are Laura P. Forsythe, Ph.D., Catherine M. Alfano, Ph.D., and Julia H. Rowland, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute; Bryce B. Reeve, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Juan L. Rodriguez, M.P.H., Susan A. Sabatino, M.D., and Nikki A. Hawkins, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The research was supported by the National Cancer Institute contract HHSN 261201100189P.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Many cancer survivors face health-related quality of life issuesPublic release date: 30-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marguerite Beck marbeck@wakehealth.edu 336-716-2415 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
More than 1 in 3 have post-treatment physical or mental problems, study finds
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Oct. 30, 2012 Beating cancer is just the first step.
More than one third of the 12.6 million cancer survivors in the United States have physical or mental problems that put their overall health in jeopardy, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Their study, published in the October issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, found that 25 percent of cancer survivors reported poor physical health and 10 percent reported poor mental health as compared to 10 percent and 6 percent, respectively, of adults without cancer.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Until now, we didn't have clear data on quality-of-life issues for the population of U.S. cancer survivors," said the study's lead author, Kathryn Weaver, Ph.D., assistant professor of social sciences and health policy at Wake Forest Baptist. "This information should help doctors and researchers identify groups of survivors who may be at risk for long-term problems after cancer. In addition, it can help us know if some of the national efforts to improve life for cancer survivors are making a difference."
For the study, researchers analyzed data from a 2010 nationwide health survey conducted by the CDC that included data specific to cancer survivors collected by the CDC and the NCI. The scientists identified 1,822 cancer survivors and compared them with 24,804 adults with no history of cancer.
Survivors of breast cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma fared best, with health-related quality of life levels equivalent to or better than those of adults with no cancer history, according to the study.
In contrast, 40 percent of survivors of cervical, blood and colorectal cancers and survivors of cancers with a five-year survival rate of less than 25 percent (including cancers of the liver, lung and pancreas) were more likely to report physical problems that had a negative impact on their quality of life. In addition, survivors in the latter group were more likely to report mental health issues that affected their day-to-day lives.
The researchers estimated that about 3.3 million cancer survivors in the United States have poor physical health-related quality of life and almost 1.4 million have poor mental health-related quality of life.
"Recently, there has been a strong push for doctors to do a better job of communicating with cancer patients about what to expect as they finish treatment and transition to the survivor period," Weaver said. "Identifying what symptoms or problems cancer patients are facing after treatment fatigue, pain, depression, sleep and cognition problems and connecting them with the right resources or treatments is key to improving their long-term health."
###
Co-authors of the study are Laura P. Forsythe, Ph.D., Catherine M. Alfano, Ph.D., and Julia H. Rowland, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute; Bryce B. Reeve, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Juan L. Rodriguez, M.P.H., Susan A. Sabatino, M.D., and Nikki A. Hawkins, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The research was supported by the National Cancer Institute contract HHSN 261201100189P.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Affiliate marketing is, by the speedy standards of the online world, a venerable marketing strategy. There has been significant profits to be made in affiliate promotion for years. If you know where to look, you are going to find a wealth of information on affiliate promotion. From beginner to established affiliate marketer, the tips below will help you to hone and tweak your strategies for even greater success!
Be sure the products you are promoting are good ones. What you recommend also as an effect on how customers view your business. By promoting products that prove to be useful to your customers, they will trust your opinion more and are more likely to return. For the best results, only recommend excellent products that can be had for a fair price.
Make a special website just for your affiliates if you?re looking to boost your own sales. If you do your best to improve your affiliate program?s reputation, then you?ll find that more people sign up every day. If you do a good job with SEO on your website, you could attract affiliates that have never heard of your services or products.
Internet marketing often means you need some start-up capital. You should continue to invest in your marketing campaigns once they start to pay off. A little money invested in advertisements purchased on the big sites, like Google, Yahoo, or Facebook, will pay off handsomely.
Many vendors may attempt to scam you; they do this using their tracking system. If you use a tracking system with a proven reputation you can avoid most of these problems.
If you are open and honest about your use of web marketing programs, your customers will have a more positive attitude toward your business. Successful affiliate marketers understand that treating customers fairly and establishing a reputation for honesty are important considerations. If you can convince your audience that your affiliate links also have value, they are far more likely to check them out.
Set yourself small goals every single day to aid you in your web marketing strategy. Using Windows task manager shows you in the task bar what is left to do and can help you stay motivated.
Select affiliate programs that make a good fit with your website?s visitors. If you sell fancy clothes, don?t plaster affiliate links for crappy acrylic yarn all over your site. Keep in mind that your site visitors are there for a specific purpose. Use this fact to your advantage by placing ads that specifically target their needs and interests.
Companies that continually create new products are perfect partners for an affiliate promotion program. If the company is always releasing something new, you?ll have a better chance to attract repeat business. Stay away from gimmick and fad products.
Affiliate programs can be very different from one another. They differ in flexibility, products offered, and a number of other features.
Try having a contest or a prize for visitors on your site. Visitors who are interested in your contest will return to the site regularly and may also tell others to visit the website as well.
As an affiliate marketer, you represent your current and future businesses as a whole; which requires an honest attitude at all times. Be upfront about your relationship with an affiliate, instilling trust in your visitors. When visitors feel that you are dishonest about the relationship you have with your retailers, they may bypass your site, purchasing the product they desire directly from the merchant.
Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn profits right now. As you would find to be the case with any marketing strategy, doing research before you begin is key to your success.
A spec bump in the middle of a product cycle? All the cool cats do it these days, even if they risk alienating customers who just bought what they thought was this year's flagship device. HTC has actually played this game for a while, first with the Sensation XE, which acted as a mid-term replacement for the original Sensation and now, with the One X+ which treads all over the One X's toes. However, with this latest handset, the manufacturer has some justification: the One X+ comes with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, whereas the global One X maxed out at 32GB and the AT&T version was only 16GB. Since there's no microSD expansion on these phones, it's possible to argue that the One X+ is a sensible addition, which caters specifically to storage-hungry power users and audiophiles. (Note: We'll be reviewing the HSPA+ UK version of this handset here, and comparing it mainly to the HSPA+ One X. We'll test the US-destined LTE variant very soon.)
There are other improvements aside from the bigger storage option, of course. The NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor has had a speed bump to 1.7GHz -- perhaps in an effort to challenge the Galaxy S III's benchmarking might. There's a larger 2,100mAh battery to stay in step with that more power-hungry silicon; the front camera module has been replaced with a higher-res chip and better image processing; and, there's also some new audio circuitry to improve the speaker's sound quality. The One X+ also runs HTC's updated Sense 4+ skin, based on Jelly Bean, which will eventually arrive on older One-series phones as well. As for the rest of the spec sheet, all the good and not-so-good stuff from the One X has carried over -- the stunning 4.7-inch, 1,280 x 720 Super LCD2 display is still here, thank goodness, and so is the 8-megapixel f/2.0 rear camera. However, there's still only 1GB of RAM (LG and Samsung flagships boast double that). So, what's needed here is an upshot: if you haven't made the leap to a 2012 superphone just yet, how does the One X+ carry itself relative to its cheaper predecessor and the latest competition? Read on and we'll endeavor to find out.
President Obama holds up his jobs plans booklet while speaking at a campaign stop, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
President Obama holds up his jobs plans booklet while speaking at a campaign stop, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
President Barack Obama greets local patron during an unannounced visit to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. Obama, who traveled to Florida for a campaign event nearby, surprised local patrons when he drove up in the morning. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? President Barack Obama says voters saw again this week why male politicians shouldn't be making health care decisions for women.
Obama's comments were a reference to remarks by Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock. The Republican said pregnancies that result from rape are "something God intended."
The president didn't mention Mourdock by name. He said, as long as he is president, women will be able to make their own health care decisions.
It's the first time Obama has referenced Mourdock's comments at a campaign rally.
Obama's team is intensifying its criticism of Republican presidential rival Mitt Romney for refusing to withdraw support for Mourdock. Romney appears in a television advertisement on Mourdock's behalf.
Obama's Thursday morning rally in Tampa, Fla., kicked off the second day of his 40-hour battleground state blitz.
Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their angerPublic release date: 24-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Meghan Weber Meghan.Weber@childrens.harvard.edu 617-919-3110 Boston Children's Hospital
Children with anger issues show a drop in anger after playing 'RAGE Control'
Boston, Mass. , Oct. 24, 2012Children with serious anger problems can be helped by a simple video game that hones their ability to regulate their emotions, finds a pilot study at Boston Children's Hospital. Results were published online October 24 in the journal Adolescent Psychiatry.
Noticing that children with anger control problems are often uninterested in psychotherapy, but very eager to play video games, Jason Kahn, PhD, and Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich, MD, at Boston Children's Hospital developed "RAGE Control" to motivate children to practice emotional control skills that they can later use in challenging life situations.
The fast-paced game involves shooting at enemy spaceships while avoiding shooting at friendly ones. As children play, a monitor on one finger tracks their heart rate and displays it on the computer screen. When heart rate goes above a certain level, players lose their ability to shoot at the enemy spaceships. To improve their game, they must learn to keep calm.
"The connections between the brain's executive control centers and emotional centers are weak in people with severe anger problems," explains Gonzalez-Heydrich, chief of Psychopharmacology at Boston Children's and senior investigator on the study. "However, to succeed at RAGE Control, players have to learn to use these centers at the same time to score points."
The study, led by first author Peter Ducharme, MSW, a clinical social worker at Boston Children's, compared two groups of 9- to 17-year-old children admitted to the hospital's Psychiatry Inpatient Service who had high levels of anger. To qualify for the study, the children had to have a normal IQ and not need a medication change during the five-day study period.
One group, with 19 children, received standard treatments for anger including cognitive-behavioral therapy, presentation of relaxation techniques and social skills training for five consecutive business days. The second group, with 18 children, got these same treatments, but spent the last 15 minutes of their psychotherapy session playing RAGE Control.
After five sessions, the video gamers were significantly better at keeping their heart rate down. They showed clinically significant decreases in anger scores on the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-Child and Adolescent (STAXI-CA), and specifically on:
the intensity of anger at a particular time
the frequency of angry feelings over time
expression of anger towards others or objects.
The gamers also had a decrease in suppressed, internalized anger that reached marginal statistical significance. In contrast, the standard-treatment group showed no significant change from baseline on any of the above measures.
The video gamers gave their therapy experience high marks for helpfulness (5 to 6 on a scale of 7). "Kids reported feeling better control of their emotions when encountering day to day frustrations on the unit," says Ducharme. "While this was a pilot study, and we weren't able to follow the kids after they were discharged, we think the game will help them control their emotions in other environments."
More studies in progress
The investigators are now conducting a randomized, controlled clinical trial of RAGE Control in the outpatient clinic at Boston Children's that adds a cooperative component. The children team up with a parent for 10 game sessions at the clinic; if either the parent's or the child's heart rate goes up, neither of them can shoot, forcing them to help calm each other. (Click here for more information.)
The research team plans another clinical trial to test whether letting children take RAGE Control home, to play with parents and siblings, will increase its effect.
In addition, Kahn is spearheading a team effort to develop toys to enhance emotional regulation skills in children too young for RAGE Control. These toys include racing cars that stop if a child gets too excited and, for even younger children, a cooperative game where children try to help each other stack blocks (if heart rate goes up, the table becomes wobbly and the blocks topple).
###
The current study was supported by Boston Children's Hospital and a Milton Grant through Harvard University. Co-authors, all in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children's, were: Peter Ducharme, MSW; Elizabeth Wharff, PhD; Jason Kahn, PhD; Eliza Hutchinson, BA; Grace Logan, BA; Deborah Waber, PhD; Jennifer Holland, BA and Gary Gosselin, MD.
Boston Children's Hospital is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 1,100 scientists, including nine members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and nine members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children's today is a 395 bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families. Boston Children's also is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information about research and clinical innovation at Boston Children's, visit: http://vectorblog.org/.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Video game with biofeedback teaches children to curb their angerPublic release date: 24-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Meghan Weber Meghan.Weber@childrens.harvard.edu 617-919-3110 Boston Children's Hospital
Children with anger issues show a drop in anger after playing 'RAGE Control'
Boston, Mass. , Oct. 24, 2012Children with serious anger problems can be helped by a simple video game that hones their ability to regulate their emotions, finds a pilot study at Boston Children's Hospital. Results were published online October 24 in the journal Adolescent Psychiatry.
Noticing that children with anger control problems are often uninterested in psychotherapy, but very eager to play video games, Jason Kahn, PhD, and Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich, MD, at Boston Children's Hospital developed "RAGE Control" to motivate children to practice emotional control skills that they can later use in challenging life situations.
The fast-paced game involves shooting at enemy spaceships while avoiding shooting at friendly ones. As children play, a monitor on one finger tracks their heart rate and displays it on the computer screen. When heart rate goes above a certain level, players lose their ability to shoot at the enemy spaceships. To improve their game, they must learn to keep calm.
"The connections between the brain's executive control centers and emotional centers are weak in people with severe anger problems," explains Gonzalez-Heydrich, chief of Psychopharmacology at Boston Children's and senior investigator on the study. "However, to succeed at RAGE Control, players have to learn to use these centers at the same time to score points."
The study, led by first author Peter Ducharme, MSW, a clinical social worker at Boston Children's, compared two groups of 9- to 17-year-old children admitted to the hospital's Psychiatry Inpatient Service who had high levels of anger. To qualify for the study, the children had to have a normal IQ and not need a medication change during the five-day study period.
One group, with 19 children, received standard treatments for anger including cognitive-behavioral therapy, presentation of relaxation techniques and social skills training for five consecutive business days. The second group, with 18 children, got these same treatments, but spent the last 15 minutes of their psychotherapy session playing RAGE Control.
After five sessions, the video gamers were significantly better at keeping their heart rate down. They showed clinically significant decreases in anger scores on the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-Child and Adolescent (STAXI-CA), and specifically on:
the intensity of anger at a particular time
the frequency of angry feelings over time
expression of anger towards others or objects.
The gamers also had a decrease in suppressed, internalized anger that reached marginal statistical significance. In contrast, the standard-treatment group showed no significant change from baseline on any of the above measures.
The video gamers gave their therapy experience high marks for helpfulness (5 to 6 on a scale of 7). "Kids reported feeling better control of their emotions when encountering day to day frustrations on the unit," says Ducharme. "While this was a pilot study, and we weren't able to follow the kids after they were discharged, we think the game will help them control their emotions in other environments."
More studies in progress
The investigators are now conducting a randomized, controlled clinical trial of RAGE Control in the outpatient clinic at Boston Children's that adds a cooperative component. The children team up with a parent for 10 game sessions at the clinic; if either the parent's or the child's heart rate goes up, neither of them can shoot, forcing them to help calm each other. (Click here for more information.)
The research team plans another clinical trial to test whether letting children take RAGE Control home, to play with parents and siblings, will increase its effect.
In addition, Kahn is spearheading a team effort to develop toys to enhance emotional regulation skills in children too young for RAGE Control. These toys include racing cars that stop if a child gets too excited and, for even younger children, a cooperative game where children try to help each other stack blocks (if heart rate goes up, the table becomes wobbly and the blocks topple).
###
The current study was supported by Boston Children's Hospital and a Milton Grant through Harvard University. Co-authors, all in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children's, were: Peter Ducharme, MSW; Elizabeth Wharff, PhD; Jason Kahn, PhD; Eliza Hutchinson, BA; Grace Logan, BA; Deborah Waber, PhD; Jennifer Holland, BA and Gary Gosselin, MD.
Boston Children's Hospital is home to the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries have benefited both children and adults since 1869. More than 1,100 scientists, including nine members of the National Academy of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and nine members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children's research community. Founded as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children's today is a 395 bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families. Boston Children's also is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For more information about research and clinical innovation at Boston Children's, visit: http://vectorblog.org/.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Florida voters receive letters saying their citizenship is being challenged, along with their eligibility to vote. WBBH's Dave Elias reports.
By Michael IsikoffNBC News
The FBI and U.S. Postal Service inspectors are investigating bogus official-looking letters sent to voters in at least 28 Florida counties questioning their citizenship and their eligibility to vote, ?NBC News has learned.
David Couvertier, a spokesman for the FBI in Tampa, said his office opened up an investigation into the possible attempt at voter intimidation on Wednesday after receiving reports that eligible voters throughout the state have received the letters.?
"We're taking it as a serious situation," he said. "We're looking at everything from civil rights violations to election fraud -- to everything in between."
Chris Cate, a spokesman for the Florida Secretary of State's Office, told NBC News, "We believe these? letters appear to meet the standard of voter intimidation." Between 50 and 100 such letters have been reported to state officials so far, "and those are only the ones we know about. We're encouraging people to come forward."
The fake letters, which first started showing up last Friday, have been sent under the names of real Florida county election supervisors -- with some correct contact information -- informing the voters that the supervisors have received "information" about their citizenship status, "bringing into doubt your eligibility as a registered voter."
The letters also say the voter must fill out a Voter Eligibility Form in the next 15 days -- and failure to do so will result "in the removal of your name from the voter registration rolls and you will no longer be eligible to vote."
"A non-registered voter who casts a vote in the state of Florida may be subject to arrest, imprisonment, and/or other criminal sanctions," the letters state.
Robert Wallis / Panos Pictures
In the key battleground state of Florida, divergent opinions separate voters with just over two weeks until the election.
Some of the letters have been received by "longtime, staunch voters who have been exercising their right to vote" for years, Couvertier said. While those people are likely to vote anyway, "Our concern is someone who might not be secure and then questions whether they should vote."
It's not clear who sent the letters, which were machine postmarked in Seattle. Couvertier said the FBI in Tampa is working with its Seattle office to track down the perpetrator.
Cate said a "significant majority have gone to Republican voters, but not exclusively. We've got Democrats who received the letters, we've got independents. We're telling everybody to be on the lookout."
Michael Isikoff is NBC News national investigative correspondent.
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Detroit Pistons forward Jonas Jerebko (33), of Sweden, tries to defend against a shot by Charlotte Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas (12) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Auburn Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) ? For much of last season, the most interesting reason to watch the Detroit Pistons may have been to see which musical act was playing at halftime.
Then, after a 4-20 start, coach Lawrence Frank?s group began to click a bit. Detroit was a .500 team the rest of the way, beating teams such as Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers and offering a bit of hope for the future.
?I love the direction we?re heading,? Frank said. ?This at times is going to be a tugboat. It may not be a speedboat in terms of progress. ... It?s not going to be a quick-fix approach.?
There?s still work to be done in this rebuilding project, but new owner Tom Gores has overseen an effort to improve the entertainment experience at home games. Now, he?s hoping the Pistons ? behind young big man Greg Monroe and guard Brandon Knight ? are ready to make a push for the playoffs.
The Pistons were probably hurt more than most teams by the lockout before last season. Frank had just been hired as coach, and there wasn?t much time for him and the players to work together before Detroit was playing ? and losing ? quite a few games early on.
But the organization was doing its best to reach out to fans, scheduling a number of halftime shows that would include performers such as Vanilla Ice, Gladys Knight and Bell Biv DeVoe. By the end of the season, it became almost the norm for some familiar name to show up and entertain at Pistons games.
Meanwhile, Detroit won seven of nine games during one February stretch. The Pistons finished 25-41 ? an indication that the worst may be behind them.
In the offseason, Detroit continued to build, drafting Andre Drummond in the first round to help the interior defense. The Pistons also traded Ben Gordon and a future first-round draft choice to the Charlotte Bobcats for swingman Corey Maggette, shedding about $15 million in salary.
So Detroit has its share of new faces, but at least this season the Pistons have more time to adjust.
?With this team, (if we were) starting in December ? you think 4-20 was bad last year, I think we would have been down that same path with the young guys that we have,? forward Tayshaun Prince said. ?We?ve got a lot to learn.? Continued...
Monroe enters his third season looking like a potential star. He averaged 15.4 points per game in 2011-12 and is already a smart, polished offensive player. Knight settled into the point guard role last season.
?The position he plays, by far is the toughest position in basketball,? Frank said. ?As a point guard, there?s so many things you have on your plate.?
Rodney Stuckey can provide scoring punch from the backcourt, and Prince is the last remaining on-court link to Detroit?s championship team of 2004. It?s not clear how much Maggette will play, but his ability to draw fouls could help give the Pistons another dimension offensively.
?We?ve got to make the playoffs,? Gores told reporters at the end of last season.
To do that, Detroit will have to make up a significant amount of ground. Even with their improved play toward the end, the Pistons finished 10 games behind the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference last season.
?I?ve never, ever made a prediction, even with teams that went as far as the finals,? Frank said. ?To me, it?s all about the process. It?s about literally, every single day, making sure we?re adding a brick to that foundation, and then the results will take care of themselves.?
Bobby Brown was arrested on suspicion of DUI Oct. 24 in Los Angeles.
By Reuters
Rhythm and blues star Bobby Brown, ex-husband of the late Whitney Houston, was arrested in Los Angeles and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, Los Angeles police said on Wednesday.
Brown was stopped by police at the intersection of Corbin Avenue and Ventura Boulevard, north of Topanga Canyon in Los Angeles, LAPD officer Rosario Herrera said.
Herrera could not immediately provide additional details of the arrest, which was Brown's second this year for drunken driving.
In March, Brown was arrested on the same charge, pleaded no contest in April, and went to a treatment center for alcohol abuse over the summer.
In June, Brown married his manager, Alicia Etheridge, in Hawaii, four months after the Houston's death in a Los Angeles hotel room.
ScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2012) ? Give a hand to some computer engineering students at The University of Alabama in Huntsville for designing a tool that could revolutionize new ways of using electronic devices with just one hand.
It's called a Gauntlet Keyboard, a glove device that functions as a wireless keyboard. Instead of tapping keys on a keyboard, the user simply touches their thumb to points on their fingers assigned a letter or other keyboard function.
Conductive thread carries the commands to a matchbox-sized Printed Circuit Board (PCB) affixed to the back of the glove.
The PCB transmits it via Bluetooth, whether it's a computer, a mobile phone, music synthesizer, video game or military device. Think of the Gauntlet as a touch screen that works by tapping your fingers to your thumb on a gloved hand.
Four senior engineering students at UAH made the glove their senior design project for a computer engineering class led by Dr. B. Earl Wells.
The students -- Jiake Liu, Stephen Dond, Douglas Kirby and Chris Heath -- are now seeking a patent to market the product. The project recently won a $20,000 prize from the Best Buy Innovator Fund among hundreds of entries.
"It's basically a keyboard on your hand," explained Lui, the principal innovator. "You, by tapping your thumb on each segment of your fingers, type to the screen basically. And you can do a swiping gesture that would erase it."
Gauntlet is an acronym for Generally Accessible Universal Nomadic Tactile Low-power Electronic Typist. That's a lengthy description of what essentially is a glove with a beehive of conductive threads running throughout the fingers and palm.
Liu said the inspiration came from his interest in science fiction movies and experience with touch-screen technologies.
Once he and his project partners came up with the idea, they did some scientific research on the most frequently used characters on a keyboard. Common keystrokes got the easiest finger-thumb alignments like the fingertips. Less common ones required more hand contortions to make the contacts.
"Doug (Kirby) did some research and found the most commonly used letters in the English alphabet," said Dond. "We all sat around and asked a few people and tried to figure these easiest places to touch your finger with your thumb and we put the most commonly used letters there. We tried to make it as efficient and easy to use as possible."
Until users memorize the new "key" positions, the characters are sewn into the finger and palm positions of the glove. Liu said the group has been in contact with a patent lawyer and a specialty glove designer about going commercial with the Gauntlet.
The students were assisted in their initial work by Huntsville electronics firm ADTRAN after entering it in the company's senior design showcase. The company assisted largely with the micro soldering of the PCB parts.
The young designers are excited about the possibilities for the Gauntlet. "There are several applications we can think of right now," Liu said. "The easy one would be as a keyboard for the consumer market. Also, the medical field for people limited to one hand from a disability. We can also think of military uses, as an entertainment device or used as a musical instrument for digital synthesizing."
Dr. Emil Jovanov, associate dean for Graduate Education and Research in the UAH College of Engineering, commended the students for their innovation. "It is a perfect example of how you take an original idea, find your niche and complete the whole idea."
Jovanov said the project would be pitched to the Alabama Launch Pad, a competition to help fund and launch business plans.
The young innovators are well on their way to success with their UAH education. Liu is co-founder and chief executive officer of Kabob, a smart phone application that provides users with digital versions of restaurant menus. Heath and Dond landed engineering jobs at Teledyne Brown, while Kirby got hired as a software engineer for Aegis Technologies.
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AAA??Oct. 22, 2012?3:05 PM ET E.T. immortalized in wax around the world AP
This Oct. 19, 2012 photo made available on Oct. 22, shows a wax figure of ET from the 1982 Steven Spielberg film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," being carried in the basket of a bmx bicycle by Madame Tussaud's employee Amy, in central London, marking the Blu-ray edition release of the film. Tussauds will launch an ET wax figure in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney and Hollywood on Oct. 22. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
This Oct. 19, 2012 photo made available on Oct. 22, shows a wax figure of ET from the 1982 Steven Spielberg film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," being carried in the basket of a bmx bicycle by Madame Tussaud's employee Amy, in central London, marking the Blu-ray edition release of the film. Tussauds will launch an ET wax figure in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney and Hollywood on Oct. 22. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
This Oct. 19, 2012 photo made available on Oct. 22, shows a wax figure of ET from the 1982 Steven Spielberg film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," being carried in the basket of a bmx bicycle by Madame Tussaud's employee Amy, in central London, marking the Blu-ray edition release of the film. Tussauds will launch an ET wax figure in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney and Hollywood on Oct. 22. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
This Oct. 19, 2012 photo made available on Oct. 22, shows a wax figure of ET from the 1982 Steven Spielberg film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," being carried in the basket of a bmx bicycle by Madame Tussaud's employee Amy, in central London, marking the Blu-ray edition release of the film. Tussauds will launch an ET wax figure in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney and Hollywood on Oct. 22. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? E.T. the extra-terrestrial is making appearances around the world.
Madame Tussauds is unveiling wax likenesses of the otherworldly star of Steven Spielberg's 1982 film "E.T. ? the Extra-Terrestrial" at six of its international locations Monday.
The wax figures were crafted at Merlin Studios in London and will be on view at Madame Tussauds museums in Los Angeles, Sydney, Tokyo, London, Berlin and Amsterdam.
The exhibit features the iconic scene from the film where a blanket-wrapped E.T. rides in the makeshift basket of little Elliot's BMX bicycle.
"E.T. ? the Extra-Terrestrial" recently marked a 30th anniversary.
Windows Phone 7, Microsoft's big return to the smartphone stage after Windows Mobile's gradual decline and demise, turns two today, according to a tweet by Joel Belfiore, Microsoft's head of Windows Phone product definition and design. So I thought it would be fitting to take a look back at Windows Phone 7's life up until now, and what the mobile OS has or hasn't done for Microsoft so far.
It?s an exciting trend among nonprofit start-ups: blending charitable giving with for-profit business models. Hybrid nonprofits are shaking up the philanthropic sector with innovative approaches to revenue strategy. It?s part fundraising, part commercial enterprise.
If you?re starting a nonprofit, a hybrid business model may be just what?s needed to secure sustainable revenue and set yourselves apart from competing organizations. To learn by example, click below. The following article outlines a new hybridized nonprofit?a bar called Cause?that gives back by selling beer. Cheers!
New ?PhilanthroPub? Invites Guests to Eat, Drink, and Do Good [Chronicle of Philanthropy]
22 October 2012Last updated at 07:52By Matt BardoReporter, BBC Nature
Bottlenose dolphins using sponges to protect their noses while foraging is a technique that the animals discovered in the 19th century, a study has found.
Scientists analysed data on the dolphins of Shark Bay, Australia, to model the appearance and transmission of the skill over generations.
The study found that "sponging" could have begun with a single "innovation event" between 120 and 180 years ago.
It suggested that mothers passed on the skill by teaching their offspring.
The analysis is published in the journal Animal Behaviour, and used previous field studies to investigate how sponging was established and maintained.
"It has been thought that behaviours which are exclusively learnt from one parent are not very stable. With our model we could now show that sponging can be a stable behaviour," said Dr Anna Kopps, a biologist at the University of New South Wales.
The study created a new technique to calculate the likelihood that the offspring of a "sponger" would learn the ability and pass the skill on.
By modelling the emergence of "sponger" dolphins in a computer simulation, the team could see different scenarios in which the skill could have spread among the dolphin population over the years.
They then compared the results of these simulations with field data on the genetic relationship between the spongers, to estimate the role of mothers teaching their offspring in transmitting the skill.
They found that if the likelihood of a sponger's offspring learning the ability was less than certain, the dolphins that did pick up the technique needed to gain a survival advantage from the skill, in order for the ability to pass on to the next generation.
The model also allowed them to attempt to calculate the date that the behaviour was likely to have originated.
"The results suggested that sponging was innovated at least 120 to 180 years ago - it is only a best estimate," said Dr Kopps.
"Unfortunately, the model did not give us a maximum time span," she said.
The dolphins wear the sponges on their rostrum when foraging on the sea floor, apparently to protect themselves from sharp rocks or shells.
The famous dolphin society of Shark Bay has been a focal point for scientists studying dolphin society for decades.
"Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia, show a wide array of behaviours. For example, 13 different foraging types have been described," said Dr Kopps.
"Sponging is the best-studied... because it is unusual in that it includes the use of a marine sponge as a tool and it is transmitted from mother to offspring," she said.
Attempts to calculate the date of "innovation events" have also been made with chimpanzees.
The excavation of stone nutcracking tools allowed scientists to date chimpanzee tool use back 3,400 years, suggesting it had been transmitted for over 200 generations, but Dr Kopps said that on the whole it has proven difficult to date these innovations.
"If the behaviour involves tool use, artefacts may be found," explained Dr Kopps.
"However, the aquatic habitat makes that very unlikely."
She hopes that the method in her study could now be applied to a wide range of species.
"It would be interesting to use the model we built but based on life history data of other species than dolphins, great apes for example."
"It is possible that dolphin life history characteristics make learning from a single parent more likely and stable than in other species."
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LOTTERY EXPO 2012Co-Hosted by PGRI and the Florida Lottery ?October 22 to 25, 2012, Miami, Florida LOTTERY REGISTER:Click Here:No charge to attend. VENDOR REGISTER: Vendor - Click Here HOTEL: TRUMP MIAMI 18001 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160Registration will open Monday October 22 at 2pm outside the Ocean Ballroom.? Call with questions or to register 425-449-3000
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LOTTERY EXPO 2012 explodes on the scene. Registrations now exceed 250 people and more are signing up every day. They are coming to hear world-class speakers who are also industry leaders tackle some of the industry's trickiest issues, including:
-- Private Manager Agreement versus traditional government operator model: Pros and Cons. What exactly can a Private Manager (PM) do that the government lottery operator can't do? Will the trend towards PM cause legislators to ask that question and give their government operators more flexibility to act more entrepreneurially, to apply a more reasoned risk-assessment model that supports change and innovation? How will the introduction of this new management model change the industry for everyone? Or will it?
Players Clubs and Loyalty Programs are a fabulous step in the right direction. But what's next? How can lotteries increase player registration in Clubs and Loyalty Programs? And how can lotteries leverage that registered player relationship into increased sales?
Can commercial partners who compete with each other also "play well together"? As new ideas and innovations come from a wider variety of commercial partners, the need for those commercial partners to work together for the benefit of their customers increases. Lotteries need their commercial partners to work together to enable integration of new games, host new transaction-processing for non-traditional games and POS's, and otherwise get creative to facilitate innovation and assimilate new products and services.
Engaging retailer support for multi-channel distribution. The multi-channel approach is both necessary and inevitable. The opposition of NACS (association of convenience stores) continues to be a big obstacle in the U.S. But there ARE solutions and as an industry we need to power through this most perplexing of challenges.
How and why is the internet so much more than a "channel for distribution"? Visionary leaders are using the internet as a communications hub, a medium that revolutionizes the relationship between lottery operator and consumer. The internet is not just a POS or channel of distribution. It is the platform that enables lottery to migrate to a comprehensive CRM (Customer Relationship Management) approach to the business that turns an anonymous player base into a socially connected community of engaged customers.
Schedule: Monday, October 22: 5:00: Opening Night Reception Tues, Oct. 23: U.S. focused conference sessions Weds, Oct. 24: Joint U.S. and Latin America Sessions Thurs, Oct. 25: Focus on Latin America Three Receptions and luncheons provide lots of time to visit with colleagues.Abraham Lincoln
The gaming, gambling, and lottery industry is being reshaped as we speak. Changes in technology, regulations, and consumer tastes are creating tremendous opportunity just as they are obsoleting so much of what has worked in the past. Team Lottery is in the position to take action and shape its destiny - which is a very good thing because it may well be that the only way to predict the future is to be the ones who create it. Lottery Expo will be a very special program, including world-class speakers from all around the world, an imaginative new approach to eliciting fresh insights and provocative discussion, a special track for Latin American Lotteries to complement the traditional focus on North American lotteries, three receptions, three luncheons, three breakfasts (i.e. lots of time to meet with colleagues and discuss the topics of the day), and most of all a mission to make a real difference in the government gaming. Simultaneous translations for Latin American, Caribbean, and Mexican attendees. This will be a uniquely great conference experience - Please come! One of our conference themes is: How can a government lottery integrate the entrepreneurial zeal of a tech start-up when it must comply with a confounding array of government constraints? I asked our commercial sponsors for help in finding a truly world-class expert outside of the lottery industry who could help us understand these issues from a fresh, but on-point perspective.
We are very pleased and honored to announce the Keynote Speaker for the afternoon session at Lottery Expo (Wednesday, October 24). And we want to thank GTECH Corp. for sponsoring this special guest speaker. Dr. Daniel Diermeier is uniquely qualified to help us break down the complexity, to create alignment between our many missions and translate that into the sense of purpose and competitive posture that will indeed serve our "stakeholders". Dr. Diermeier has agreed to apply his extensive research and knowledge to our unique industry-specific challenges. Dr. Daniel Diermeier is the IBM Professor of Regulation and Competitive Practice of Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University Professor of Political Science at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/diermeier/personal/ Daniel Diermeier is also the co-founder of the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO) and the Chairman of the Northwestern Global Health Foundation. He currently serves as director of the Ford Motor Company Center for Global Citizenship. The Center's mission is to address ? through research and teaching ? the challenges faced by corporations that have become the main agents of global, social and political change. He is also the academic director of the CEO Perspective Program (Kellogg?s most senior executive education program), a joint venture between the Kellogg School of Management, and the Corporate Leadership Center. Professor Daniel Diermeier?s work focuses on political institutions, reputation management, political and regulatory risk, crisis management, and integrated strategy. He is author of Reputation Rules: Strategies for Managing Your Company?s Most Valuable Asset. He has been an advisor to some of the world?s leading companies and organizations too numerous to list. In 2001 he was named Kellogg Professor of the Year and in 2007 was the recipient of the prestigious Faculty Pioneer Award from the Aspen Institute, named the ?Oscar of Business Schools? by the Financial Times. In December 2004 he was appointed to the Management Board of the FBI. He has also served as a senior strategic advisor to PricewaterhouseCoopers, and is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago.
Click here for complete Lottery Expo info, including registration materials, hotel reservation info, and conference updates: Click Here www.PublicGaming.orgExposici?n de Loter?a 201222, 23, 24, 25 de Octubre Hotel Trump Miami Invitaci?n a presentar o participar en la Exposici?n de Loter?a PGRI en Miami. Se proveer?n traducciones simult?neas al ingl?s y espa?ol. Para m?sinformaci?n: www.PublicGaming.org
Radcliffe Haughton, 45, is suspected of targeting a Milwaukee-area mall on Sunday morning where his estranged wife is believed to have worked as a hair stylist. He was found dead hours later. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
By M. Alex Johnson, NBC News
New in this version: Gunman found dead; previous incident at salon that resulted in restraining order
Updated at 7:50 p.m. ET: A man who was ordered last week to turn over all his weapons in a domestic dispute opened fire Sunday at his estranged wife's workplace near Milwaukee, killing three women and injuring four other people, authorities said. He then apparently shot himself to death, police said.
Bill Dedman and Tricia Culligan of NBC News and Charles Benson, Todd Hicks, Susan Kim and Jermont Terry of WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee contributed to this report. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
The suspect was identified as Radcliffe Franklin Haughton, 45, of Brown Deer, Wis., said Brookfield Police Chief Daniel Tushaus, who said Haughton was found dead in the building, a 9,000-square-foot, two-story salon and day spa across the street from a busy mall.?
Police told reporters they were expecting an armed encounter with Haughton, who would ultimately found in a locked area in the salon.
Haughton's body wasn't found for several hours because investigators' canvass of the building was slowed by the presence of what appeared to be an improvised explosive device left at the scene, police said.
Police said the shootings began at 11:09 a.m. (12:09 p.m. ET) at the Azana Day Spa, across Moorland Road from Brookfield Square mall in Brookfield, about 10 miles west of Milwaukee. The mall was closed as SWAT team members scoured the area for the suspect.
Court records show that Haughton's wife filed for a restraining order on Oct. 8. Police said Sunday that was because of an incident that had taken place at the salon.?
Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee, where the victims were taken for treatment, said all of the survivors were females with gunshot wounds. Two were undergoing treatment in the emergency room for non-life-threatening conditions, and the two others underwent surgery. Their conditions weren't reported.
The hospital said it?had resumed normal operations after having been locked down while Haughton was still believed to be at large.
Milwaukee County court records show that a?temporary restraining order was issued Thursday against Haughton. A hearing was held that day, and Haughton was ordered to deliver his firearms to the sheriff and to have no contact for four years with the complainant or the residence. The complainant isn't identified in the court record, and the court records don't indicate whether he surrendered any firearms.?
Other records indicate that Haughton was also charged with disorderly conduct in January 2011, a charge that was dismissed in June 2011 when a witness failed to appear in court. He had been ordered to stay away from his wife, Zina Daniel Haughton, and the family home.?
Brown Deer Police Chief Steven Rinzel confirmed the information in the court documents.
Zina Haughton has a state license as a cosmetology manager. Two workers at the salon said Zina Haughton was estranged from her husband.
Brookfield, Wis., Police Chief Daniel Tushaus says Radcliffe Haughton was found dead after shooting at least seven people at a day spa.
Records suggest that Haughton had endured several years of financial problems, with a civil judgment for $19,000 in 2006 and a state tax lien for $5,000 in 2009. His home has been listed as for sale by owner. His former job, from 2003 to 2007, is listed in public records as general manager of a former Land Rover dealership in the Glendale area of Milwaukee County.
Auto advertisements and business records list a man named Radcliffe Haughton as sales manager at an auto dealership in Milwaukee. Calls to the dealership weren't returned.
Watch live coverage on Today's TMJ4
Suspect's father aghast Haughton's father, also named Radcliffe, was shocked and dismayed upon learning that his son was the suspect.
"Oh, my God," the elder Haughton told WTMJ in a telephone interview from his home in Florida. "The Haughton family apologizes, and we are sorry."
"This is not a reflection of the Haughton family," he said, adding: "One member of the Haughton family has done something terrible. This is not the Haughtons' way. This is not the way we live. This is not how I raised my son up."
Haughton told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he spoke to his son just last week, telling him he could stay with him in Florida if he needed to.
"I told him, 'Whatever you do, don't do anything stupid,'" the elder Haughton said.
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People run screaming from spa At the scene of the shootings, an eyewitness, Jenny Remshak, told WTMJ that she was parked nearby when she saw a woman "crawling out of the building, and she rolled over to the cops, and they picked her up and took her right away in the ambulance."
A few minutes later, "about 10 people come running out of the building, screaming," Remshak said.
"Everybody was just grabbing their hearts and covering their mouths and watching in fear," she said.
It was the second mass shooting in the Milwaukee area in just 2? months. A gunman opened fire at a Sikh temple near Milwaukee on Aug. 5, killing six people and wounding at least three others, before being shot to death.
Three people were killed and a fourth was injured last week when a gunman stormed a hair salon in Casselberry, Fla. The gunman then killed himself.
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Public release date: 30-Oct-2012
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Windows Phone 7, Microsoft's big return to the smartphone stage after Windows Mobile's gradual decline and demise, turns two today, according to a tweet by Joel Belfiore, Microsoft's head of Windows Phone product definition and design. So I thought it would be fitting to take a look back at Windows Phone 7's life up until now, and what the mobile OS has or hasn't done for Microsoft so far.
It?s an exciting trend among nonprofit start-ups: blending charitable giving with for-profit business models. Hybrid nonprofits are shaking up the philanthropic sector with innovative approaches to revenue strategy. It?s part fundraising, part commercial enterprise.
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