শুক্রবার, ৩০ নভেম্বর, ২০১২

Stronger every day: Brian Keefer of 'Extreme Makeover' is gaining ...

"It?s a personal choice to be in a good mood or a bad mood, and I choose to be in a good mood." - Brian Keefer

It?s been more than four years since Brian Keefer attempted a triple flip into a foam-filled pit at a Fairview Township gym and plunged head-first into the hard foundation underneath.

In that instant, he became a quadriplegic.

He thinks back to that day constantly, and to the life he led before. A life of athletics, constant motion, carefree days at the beach and few worries.

Thinking back is not depressing, though, he said. It?s motivating.

It?s what keeps him working out daily, pushing himself to strengthen his muscles and retrain the nerves damaged in his accident.

?I want to get back to how life was before,? he said this week after emerging from the HydroWorx therapy pool where exercise specialist Kelsey Harbold had been putting him through his paces. ?I try to be positive. It?s a personal choice to be in a good mood or a bad mood, and I choose to be in a good mood.?

A lot has happened to Keefer, 25, since that day in June 2008.

He went back to school, accompanied by his father, Steve, as his caregiver. He graduated from Lock Haven University in May with a degree in recreation management, an A- grade point average and a standing ovation when he went up on stage.

And most notably, he starred on national TV on the reality show ?Extreme Makeover Home Edition.? That was after 4,000 volunteers rebuilt his family home in Newberry Twp. in one week in June 2011 to help him become as independent as possible.

The house has high-tech innovations such as a voice-activated iPad that lets him turn on the television, dim the lights and perform other tasks without the help of his family.

The highlight of the house is the therapy room. It contains an electrical stimulation bicycle, an adapted treadmill and other items that help him continue what is called ?activity-based restorative therapies.?

Topping all the equipment for helping him improve is the pool installed by Middletown-based HydroWorx. Since Brian graduated in May, he has been working with Harbold in the pool three times a week, and the improvements seem remarkable.

When he started a few months ago, he could sit independently for only a few seconds on a platform in the pool before slumping over. This week, he sat for more than half an hour, even when jets of water pushed hard against his chest and the muscles in his shoulders bulged.

He could move his floating arms back and forth, touching them together in front. That is something he could not do even a few weeks ago.

Working in the pool takes away the weight of gravity, allowing him to move more freely, his dad said.

?The water multiplies the movement he has,? he said. ?It is teaching the nervous system to find different pathways to the lower body.?

Right after the accident, Brian was not able to lift his head. Recently he was able to sit, unsupported.

That was an incredible feeling, Brian said.

?It?s baby steps, but huge, huge progress,? Steve said.

Lately, it seems the baby steps are coming quicker, he said.

?Each hour of each day it gets better,? he said.

Brian operates his wheelchair with movements of his head. His next wheelchair should have a joystick that he can move with his hands as his movement and strength improve, said his mother, Dawn. He can now wave. Being able to move his arms and hands will help him feed himself and add another step to his independence.

Brian learned the physical therapy moves through the Kennedy Krieger Institute?s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury in Baltimore, where he goes every six months to be tested for nerve reactions and muscle strength and to receive intensive therapy. He is to visit again in December, if the insurance company agrees to pay, Dawn said.

Therapists from the center spent six weeks with the ?Extreme Makeover? crew members advising them on the type of equipment likely to help Brian.

The center was founded in 2005 by John McDonald, the doctor who helped the late actor Christopher Reeve regain some movement many years after his injury in a horse-riding accident.

It embraces a whole new way of treating spinal cord injuries.

The institute?s website says: ?For many years, experts held that most improvements from spinal cord injuries occurred in the first six months of recovery, and that improvement was impossible after two years. ... The experts were wrong.?

Daniel Becker, director of the pediatric spinal cord injury unit at Kennedy Krieger, said new patients often tell him their previous doctors have told them there is nohope after six months or a year.

?We learned more than 10 years ago that is absolutely not true,? he said.

Recovery from an injury never stops as long as patients continue with aggressive rehabilitation, he said. Brian is a perfect example.

When Becker started treating him in November 2008, Brian?s body was flaccid, he said. He called the changes in his function remarkable.

?We get the question all the time about how much better a patient can expect to get,? Becker said. ?Nobody can tell you what you won?t be able to do in the future.?

Brian ?is far from his full potential,? he said.

Activity-based restorative therapies encourage neural cells to regenerate and help patients avoid the complications of paralysis such as osteoporosis, skin breakdown, infection and cardiovascular decline, the institute?s website says.

?By activating the central nervous system, we can repair damaged nerves,? Becker said.

Years ago, Brian probably would have died shortly after his accident, said. Now, ?He is actually in very good health,? she said.

Becker said Brian has ?the perfect storm for recovery chances? because of his high degree of motivation, positive attitude, extremely dedicated family, the help of ?Extreme Makeover?s? therapy room and community support.

While the television crews are long gone, many of the contractors who helped build the house return whenever anything needs to be fixed, Dawn said. Local community groups still run fund-raisers to help buy equipment for Brian.

Neighborhood grocery stores are still filled with people wearing the green wrist bands a friend of Brian?s sold for a fundraiser after his accident.

The support of family, friends, school and the community also has been vital in Brian?s recovery, the Keefers said.

In January, Brian and his family will travel to Oklahoma, where he has a five-month internship as an assistant coach for the Paralympic volleyball team. After that, he?s not sure what he will do.

But he absolutely believes he will walk again one day.

Source: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/11/stronger_every_day_brian_keefe.html

marlins park marbury v. madison 2013 lincoln mkz burger king mary j blige google project glass google goggles one tree hill

GDP continues Q3 expansion

Real GDP increased at an annualized rate of 2.7 percent from Q2, according to the?Bureau of Economic Analysis.

By SoldAtTheTop,?Guest blogger / November 29, 2012

This graph tracks real gross domestic product since 1999, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. On a year-over-year basis, real GDP increased 2.67 percent in Q3.

SoldAtTheTop

Enlarge

Today, the?Bureau of Economic Analysis?(BEA) released their second?"estimate" of the Q3 2012 GDP report?showing that the economy continued to expand with real GDP increasing at an annualized rate of 2.7% from Q2 2012.?

Skip to next paragraph SoldAtTheTop

Writer, The PaperEconomy Blog

'SoldAtTheTop' is not a pessimist by nature but a true skeptic and realist who prefers solid and sustained evidence of fundamental economic recovery to 'Goldilocks,' 'Green Shoots,' 'Mustard Seeds,' and wholesale speculation.

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

On a year-over-year basis, real GDP increased 2.67% while the quarter-to-quarter non-annualized percent change was 0.66%.?

The latest quarterly results indicate that the most notable source of weakness in the economy came from declines to fixed non-residential investment in structures, equipment and software with the nonresidential investment component declining at an annualized rate of -2.2% from Q2.?

Residential investment, on the other hand, worked to buoy the overall fixed investment component growing at an annualized rate of 14.2% from Q2.?
Keep in mind that these results are likely very poorly estimated and are sure to be revised notably in following quarters and even years to come.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here.To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on paper-money.blogspot.com.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ZTNJvM3a4Xg/GDP-continues-Q3-expansion

meek sturgis sturgis whitney houston laid to rest daytona bike week amazing race maya angelou

Evidence That the GOP Doesn't Love John Kerry as Much as They're Saying They Do

As Republican senators suddenly break out the effusive praise for Democratic Senator John Kerry as the right choice over Susan Rice for Secretary of State, well, there's a whole lot of flip-flopping on the not-so-fast track to Foggy Bottom.?We should, of course, grant this praise as heartfelt and sincere ? not at all tied to blocking President Obama from getting his first pick or opening up a Massachusetts Senate seat for just-defeated Scott Brown ? and instead simply marvel at how far we've come in the last eight years. Many, many reporters and pundits have complained that Washington is broken, and that the Senate is dysfunctional.?But just take a look at the endorsements from Friday's?heartfelt story of GOP love for Kerry in The New York Times?? then look at what the same senators said back when he was running for president ? and the healing across party lines is there for the world to see. That or the blocking thing.

RELATED: Diplomat-Turned-Candidate Huntsman Responds to 'Loyalty' Attacks

Maine Sen. Susan Collins

RELATED: Why the Susan Rice Haters Are Really So Upset with Her Talk-Show Talking Points

In 2012, the?Times?reports that Collins is thrilled at the idea of Kerry as America's top diplomat:

Mr. Kerry, [Collins] added, "would be an excellent appointment and would be easily confirmed by his colleagues."

On MSNBC's?Hardball?on?September?2, 2004, Collins had quite a dim view of Kerry's instincts on foreign policy. She said of Zell Miller's Republican National Convention speech:

I thought the part of the speech that was most effective was when he went through all of the weapon systems that?John Kerry?had voted against and talked about how important they had been to our troops. That part of the speech I thought was a devastating indictment of Senator?Kerry's?record on defense issues.


Ohio Sen. Rob Portman

RELATED: U.S. Knew About Al Qaeda Link in Benghazi Within 24 Hours

In 2012, Portman says Kerry's nomination would be a breeze:

Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, speaking of [UN Ambassador and potential State nominee Susan] Rice, said: "I think there are other good choices for secretary of state, better choices probably. I think Senator Kerry is one of them. He would have an easy time here."

On MSNBC's?Hardball?October?5, 2004, Portman found Kerry's foreign policy views quite troubling. He said of Dick Cheney's focus during the vice-presidential debate:

He'll look at?John Kerry's?20-year record in the Senate, which is out of the mainstream. And he did support a lot of tax increases and did he support a lot of cuts in intelligence and defense.

And he explained how hard it was to prep Cheney for the debates, because Kerry and running mate John Edwards were such flip-floppers:

It is interesting when I think back a few months ago, because, at that time, John Edwards was saying on the stump what?John Kerry?was saying, which is sort of wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. And then it was, we're going to win this thing. And then it was, in six months, we'll have half the troops out and then within four years. So you're not sure which position to be using, because you want to be authentic.


Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski

RELATED: Susan Rice Blames Bad Benghazi Intelligence for Her Misleading Version of Events

2012:

?I think he would do a great job,? gushed Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska. ?Anyone who has worked with Senator Kerry knows his good, hard work ethic and his expertise on foreign relations.?

Murkowski in 2004:

"It's so important not to have John Kerry in office."

?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/evidence-gop-doesnt-love-john-kerry-much-theyre-172735373.html

fiat 500 abarth madonna halftime m i a mia super bowl tom coughlin wes welker eli manning

Capital B: Conner & Jodie's Baby Shower


So I have three siblings- one brother and two sisters :) Needless to say, Conner was a lone ranger growing up! And now he and his wife are having their first baby BOY!! I was SO thrilled when we found out they were having a boy. First, because, well, Boys Rule ;) and second because our family name through my parents will be carried on :) While we were all home during Thanksgiving weekend, we threw a simple family baby shower for them- with the men included!
The simple gift table. I love making diapers cakes- it's been awhile and it was fun! I did this one more simply based on?THIS tutorial. I also made a diaper satchel for them and some fun burp clothes. I got the cutest wipes case from a friend in our ward at a craft fair recently and gave that to them too :)?
We played a quick baby animal matching game using THIS cute sheet. But everyone's favorite part of the whole thing I think was filling out and reading these "Wishes for Baby" cards that I printed HERE. We all got to put our advice in the prompts on these cute little sheets above. It included things like "I hope you ignore_________, "I hope you respect_______," "I hope you aren't afraid ________."

Conner and Jodie took turns reading them out loud.

This ended up being both funny and tender too.

My funny brother-in-law that went on his mission to Japan wrote,

"I hope you learn Japanese," and "I hope you don't forget your name!"

If I ever have a hand in future baby showers, I'll be using these again for sure! :)

Afterwards I tied them all together between some card stock

so they have a little booklet of all our advice :)

I couldn't help but snag a picture of my Grandpa and Grandma Waddoups-

wish they would've been looking, but I'll take it- they look happy :)

My mom made these adorable blankets! The colorful one is all out of minky-?Conner was thinking he might need to keep it for himself it was so soft!?

We are all looking forwards to welcoming a new little one into our family!

Source: http://ssbuffat.blogspot.com/2012/11/conner-jodies-baby-shower.html

smokey robinson smokey robinson pulmonary embolism packages camila alves albrecht durer dan marino

Don't Fall for a Debt Settlement Scam: Connie Solidad's Personal ...

Personal Finance Blogs - Saving Advice

"A fool and his money are soon parted. (Uno sciocco e il suo denaro son presto separati)" - Italian Proverb

November 29th, 2012 at 04:34 PM by Creditcardfree

I participated in a Pinecone Survey yesterday. Today I received my $3 payment in my PayPal account. Yes! Another snowflake to wrap up nearly a year of savings. The end of the month came fast. I checked out bank account today and was surprised that DH paycheck was pending in the account. Since the first is on Saturday, he gets paid the day before...and that is tomorrow already. That will mean I need to pay some bills soon...and some more principal on that truck loan, too! I've...

Read More... | 0 Comments ?

Browse thousands of more entries...

View all blogs / retired blogs

Most Talked About Entries


Most Active Blogs


Newest Blogs

Real People, Real Finances

Here you can blog about your personal finances among the supportive help of others. Writing about your money and money management is an effective way to help keep your personal finances in order and attain your money goals. Join our network of personal finance bloggers and share your thoughts, issues, goals and daily musings about your personal finances and money today.

ADVERTISEMENT

Copyright ? 2012 SavingAdvice.com. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://conniesolidad.savingadvice.com/2012/11/28/dont-fall-for-a-debt-settlement-scam_99186/

direct tv wimbledon ray allen Savages Home Run Derby 2012 San Diego fireworks steve nash

Uncover numerous attributes of Best mobile web design

Uncover numerous attributes of Best mobile web design
Running an online business? If yes, then in order to provide the finest customer experience, you certainly need to look into mobile trade as well. In today?s high tech savvy world, best mobile web design plays a vital role to determine the needs and preferences of commoners.
Generally, mobile web design involves the development of internet connected apps to view on tablet PC and smartphone. This is the new initiative to develop best practices and to make web apps accessible and reliable as well.
With the help of mobile technology, you can build your brand image which means that there will be an increased range of visitors on your site and surely you will be happy to see that planning is going in the right direction.
Prior to make a final decision; take a look at some important features of mobile web design which are here as under:
??? ?Evade duplicate content: In order to develop a different set of web pages for your mobile devices, make sure that the content is dissimilar as Google can punish you site for having number of pages and that too with the identical content. ?
??? ?Applications: Thinking of developing an app? If yes, then as per the requirements of your organization, you can purchase a program or there are sites available which are providing for free as well.
??? ?Make a mobile style sheet: To update the site, the finest way available for you to use a different CSS sheet as it will also help you to avoid replica.
??? ?Keep pictures to lowest: if you really want to provide a magnificent experience to your customers, then it would be recommended to keep the images to minimum as it will help you to achieve the desired results.
??? ?Check stats: Google analytics will let you know about the type of people visiting your site. Further on, you will be able to assess the requirement of resources.
Wish to know more? If yes, then internet is here to assist you with the valuable information and that you can access from any part of the world.
Readers! What are you thinking about? Do some research online and uncover the reliable online service provider that keeps you updated and help you in the accomplishment of desired goals.
Do not lose the opportunity to find an easiest way to meet all the expectations of consumers. Certainly, the results will not be too far away from you. Wish you all the best for your next business deal.

Source: http://www.articleshub.org/article/220198/Uncover-numerous-attributes-of-Best-mobile-web-design.html

eddie murphy Stephanie Bongiovi stanford football guy fieri Jill Kelley hope solo hope solo

3 Biggest New Gaming IPs of 2012 - Where Do They Go From Here ...

2012 was a rough year for those of us who like a little originality in our video games. Analysts claim that the changing of a generation means a smaller wave of new ideas, but it?s also the time for a few nice gems to fall through the cracks.

Anyone remember a nice little game called Okami? Ahhh..what a nice game. The Zelda inspired adventure quest was released during the same year as the Xbox 360, and still managed to find a solid fanbase even after the following generation had gotten underway.

Six years later, and here we are again. The Wii U has been launched. The eighth generation of games is upon us, and we have three fledgling series from the past year which, unlike Okami, have the potential to carry over into the new generation and become fully fledged franchises. The questions are ?Do their publishers want them to?? and ?Do we want them to??

Dishonored

Dishonored-600x300

The obvious one of the group. Dishonored is the poster child for late generation original IPs. Arkane Studios? marvelous first-person stealth assassination game is brimming with original mechanics and unique settings.

However, the true secret of the game?s success is that it doesn?t stray too far from most of our established conventions. First-person shooting, stealth, a hooded AND masked silent protagonist, dystopian cities on the rink of catastrophe. Dishonored is a huge success not only for its originality, but also in the brilliant reinterpretation of elements we often associate with video games.

It manages to walk that fine line between being inoffensive to the casual market , not scaring them off with bright graphics or radically different gameplay, while still providing enough new ideas for the hardcore crowd to drool over and get their dose of something special.

Will it happen?

Bethesda has expressed interest in following up Dishonored stating that it is ?exceeding expectations.? They?re a company that obviously wants to make a jump into being a publishing force in the industry, and they need strong franchises like Dishonored to do it.

This isn?t the last time we?ll see this stealth series.

Do we want it?

Now?s the tricky part. Games like Dishonored are really difficult to follow up on. When I play it, I think of the splash BioShock had made a few years ago. Here was a wonderful self-contained game which wrapped up a clever story that destroyed its brilliant settings with one quick stroke. No franchise seemed like it could ever be born from it, but we enjoyed it so much, we didn?t need it to.

Of course, the world reacted with ?WHY?? when BioShock 2 was announced and looked almost entirely like the same game. Despite a strong reception, many still dismiss it as an unrequested sequel.

Now we have Bioshock: Infinite, and gamers are reacting with ?YES!? It?s new, it?s fresh, it?s a brand new take on the mechanics laid down by the original. If Bethesda wants to keep Dishonored critically successful, I think they?d have to avoid the tempting lure of annual releases and really put a decent amount of time and effort into making it something fans want. Otherwise, I don?t think it could survive or compete with the big boys, and I don?t think I would want it to either.

I would rather Dishonored be a wonderful one-and-done video game than turn into a throw away franchise left to be revived somewhere down the line by some nostalgic lunatic developing through Kickstarter funding. Take your time, Arkane. Take your time.

Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping-Dogs-DLC

Sleeping Dogs?started out as a new IP that was picked up by Activision to become a sequel in the True Crime?line. Square Enix bought the scraps of True Crime: Hong Kong from Activision, and they quickly re-named the project to make it their own baby. It was a new IP once more. The result was a relatively popular success in a year where developers kind of grasped the idea that we are sick of open-city sandbox knock-offs, and all we want to play right now is Grand Theft Auto V.

As for Sleeping Dogs, the Hong Kong underworld storytelling and martial arts, similar to Batman?s fighting style, gave it a unique edge over anything that had really come before it. There is plenty of room to expand on a potential series, but how does Square Enix feel about that?

Will it happen?

Ehhh?I?m thinking no. Remember, Square Enix purchased a partially completed game. A sequel would have to have to be built entirely from the ground-up, and judging by Square Enix?s loss of profits over this past year and blaming it on an ?under-performing HD title,? I don?t see them following up Sleeping Dogs any time soon.

Besides, they have plenty of other series to pry from the minds at Eidos. Hitman, Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Legacy of Kain, and Just Cause all have a lot more name recognition and solid legacy.

Sleeping Dogs was nothing more than a hold-over game designed to keep us happy until the big boys came out, and very rarely do these hold-over games become big franchises for themselves anymore. Dead Space was the only one that comes to mind.

*Editor?s note from Joey: I disagree. I think we?ll see a new Sleeping Dogs?in the next four years.*

Do we want it?

As I said, the open-city sandbox is taking a break for now, but once Grand Theft Auto V gets released, you know all the copycats will come strolling along afterwards, looking to cash in on the hype surrounding the genre. That?s the only way I can see Square Enix ever making a new Sleeping Dogs. It?s kind of ironic because that?s what every Japanese RPG team has been doing to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest for the last 25 years.

And yes, there are plenty of other option besides Sleeping Dogs. The Hong Kong setting is nice for those who like their cinema, but Grand Theft Auto V is going to change how we view things. Not to mention we?ve already had a look at Watch Dogs and what the future of urban sand-boxing has in store for us next generation. Do we really need two similar games titled ?Dogs??

Dragon?s Dogma

dragonsdogma

Dragon?s Dogma was the sleeper hit of the summer, selling well over 1 million units worldwide and leading Capcom into one of their biggest financial seasons of all time.

The open world RPG leans much closer to the western approach to the genre, not unlike The Elder Scrolls, but it still retains a distinct Japanese feel thanks to its flashy combat and character design.

The director of Devil May Cry 2, 3, and 4 also developed this game, his first time working with an original IP. His influence on the game is obvious. It is hard, rock solid hard, and he also obviously has no idea how to make an open world game because it was rife with problems that left it as one of the most emotionally taxing titles in recent history.

Will it happen?

Absolutely. Capcom loves Dragon?s Dogma. Not only did it bring them in hundreds of millions of yen, but it was also developed in-house, a surprisingly rare thing for Capcom these days. The global homegrown success story has hopefully given Capcom the confidence they need to start making their own games again.

They not only love the product, but they loved the money it generated as well. I would suspect this could continue to be a strong summer franchise before the big games all come out. I wouldn?t expect them to push this into the holiday season, but then again, this is Capcom. They?ve never been one to wrap their heads around the idea of ?too much of a good thing.?

Do we want it?

Absolutely! Dragon?s Dogma has the foundation of a really solid action RPG series. Great combat, excellent character customization, interesting multiplayer ideas, a feasible fantasy world to build upon. This game looks like it should work on paper, but once you get your hands on it, it becomes obvious why this wasn?t such a bigger hit.

Capcom?s inexperience with open world RPGs began to raise it?s head with a wide variety of questionable decisions. No fast-travel? The cumbersome menus? The confusing quest boards? The overly large armor selection? Not to mention, the game needs a driving force to push it forward. Often times I would play it and not want to do anything but screw around because I didn?t care what came next or what ability my pawn or I could learn.

Director Hideaki Itsuno needs to play a lot of Skyrim between now and Dragon?s Dogma 2?s production to figure out what they did right and what they missed the mark on. Should he do that and turn the cumbersome journey into the amazing adventure it deserves to be, Capcom could become a leader in RPGs once again.

Source: http://www.technobuffalo.com/gaming/3-biggest-new-gaming-ips-of-2012-where-do-they-go-from-here/

california earthquake california earthquake tyson chandler tyson chandler stephen hill draft tracker the pirates band of misfits

AFP BLOG: International News: Civil Society, Chinese Style:The ...

Civil Society, Chinese Style:The Rise of the Nonprofit Sector in Post-Mao China - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: n July of 2012, hundreds of Chinese nonprofits shared a moment of celebration: China?s first-ever charity fair had taken place, in Shenzhen, a south China municipality that aspires to become a ?city of philanthropy? and a ?city of volunteers.? The charity fair had a strong government flavor: it was hosted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MOCA) and the local Shenzhen government. This event, along with President and General Secretary Hu Jintao?s call for stronger and more creative forms of social management (and the release of draft guidelines for the development of Chinese philanthropy?a five-year plan for 2011?2015?by MOCA in the previous year), sends a clear signal that the Chinese government is now ready to recognize the tremendous growth of the nonprofit and voluntary sector, and to value its contribution to Chinese society.

Source: http://afprc10.blogspot.com/2012/11/civil-society-chinese-stylethe-rise-of.html

Gabriel Aubry halle berry green bay packers notre dame notre dame football Johnny Manziel cyber monday deals

Wave Control Pro: Smartphone Wizardry Worthy of Obi-Wan

It's the holidays, and if your Android smartphone is feeling a bit neglected, I've got the perfect gift for it. Forget automating your life with remote-controlled garage door openers, motorized big-screen TV mounts, and electrically driven drapes -- that's all so last-century. Controlling your phone with a wave of your hand is where it's at this holiday, in my opinion.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/2622350a/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C767390Bhtml/story01.htm

alex o loughlin the godfather cape breton bowling green marysville tornados dr. seuss

'Dark core' may not be so dark after all

'Dark core' may not be so dark after all [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Andrea Gibson
gibsona@ohio.edu
740-597-2166
Ohio University

Scientists report new dark matter finding from merging galaxy cluster

ATHENS, Ohio (Nov. 29, 2012)Astronomers were puzzled earlier this year when NASA's Hubble Space Telescope spotted an overabundance of dark matter in the heart of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520. This observation was surprising because dark matter and galaxies should be anchored together, even during a collision between galaxy clusters.

Astronomers have abundant evidence that an as-yet-unidentified form of matter is responsible for 90 percent of the gravity within galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Because it is detected via its gravity and not its light, they call it "dark matter."

Now, a new observation of Abell 520 from another team of astronomers using a different Hubble camera finds that the core does not appear to be over-dense in dark matter after all. The study findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.

"The earlier result presented a mystery. In our observations we didn't see anything surprising in the core," said study leader Douglas Clowe, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Ohio University. "Our measurements are in complete agreement with how we would expect dark matter to behave."

Hubble observations announced earlier this year by astronomers using Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 suggested that a clump of dark matter was left behind during a clash between massive galaxies clusters in Abell 520, located 2.4 billion light-years away. The dark matter collected into a "dark core" that contained far fewer galaxies than would be expected if the dark and luminous matter were closely connected, which is generally found to be the case.

Because dark matter is not visible, its presence and distribution is found indirectly through its gravitational effects. The gravity from both dark and luminous matter warps space, bending and distorting light from galaxies and clusters behind it like a giant magnifying glass. Astronomers can use this effect, called gravitational lensing, to infer the presence of dark matter in massive galaxy clusters. Both teams used this technique to map the dark matter in the merging cluster.

Clowe's team used Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) to measure the amount of dark matter in the cluster. ACS observed the cluster in three colors, allowing the astronomers to distinguish foreground and background galaxies from the galaxies in the cluster. From this observation, the team made an extremely accurate map of the cluster's dark matter. "With the colors we got a more precise selection of galaxies," Clowe said.

The astronomers estimated the amount of dark matter in the cluster by measuring the amount of gravitational "shear" in the Hubble images. Shear is the warping and stretching of galaxies by the gravity of dark matter. More warping indicates the presence of more gravity than is inferred from the presence of luminous matter, therefore requiring the presence of dark matter to explain the observation. "The WFPC2 observation could have introduced anomalous shear and not a measure of the dark matter distribution," Clowe explained.

Using the new camera, Clowe's team measured less shear in the cluster's core than was previously found. In the study the ratio of dark matter to normal matter, in the form of stars and gas, is 2.5 to 1, which is what astronomers expected. The earlier WFPC2 observation, however, showed a 6-to-1 ratio of dark matter to normal matter, which challenged theories of how dark matter behaves.

"This result also shows that as you improve Hubble's capabilities with newer cameras, you can take a second look at an object," Clowe said.

His team is encouraging other scientists to study its data and conduct their own analysis on the cluster.

###

Clowe's co-authors on the paper are Maxim Markevitch of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.; Marusa Bradac of the University of California, Davis; Anthony H. Gonzalez and Sun Mi Chung of the University of Florida, Gainesville; Richard Massey of Durham University, Durham, England; and Dennis Zaritsky of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, Tucson, Ariz.

Contacts: Douglas Clowe, (740) 593-0063, clowe@ohio.edu; Director of Research Communications Andrea Gibson, (740) 597-2166, gibsona@ohio.edu.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


'Dark core' may not be so dark after all [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Andrea Gibson
gibsona@ohio.edu
740-597-2166
Ohio University

Scientists report new dark matter finding from merging galaxy cluster

ATHENS, Ohio (Nov. 29, 2012)Astronomers were puzzled earlier this year when NASA's Hubble Space Telescope spotted an overabundance of dark matter in the heart of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520. This observation was surprising because dark matter and galaxies should be anchored together, even during a collision between galaxy clusters.

Astronomers have abundant evidence that an as-yet-unidentified form of matter is responsible for 90 percent of the gravity within galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Because it is detected via its gravity and not its light, they call it "dark matter."

Now, a new observation of Abell 520 from another team of astronomers using a different Hubble camera finds that the core does not appear to be over-dense in dark matter after all. The study findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.

"The earlier result presented a mystery. In our observations we didn't see anything surprising in the core," said study leader Douglas Clowe, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Ohio University. "Our measurements are in complete agreement with how we would expect dark matter to behave."

Hubble observations announced earlier this year by astronomers using Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 suggested that a clump of dark matter was left behind during a clash between massive galaxies clusters in Abell 520, located 2.4 billion light-years away. The dark matter collected into a "dark core" that contained far fewer galaxies than would be expected if the dark and luminous matter were closely connected, which is generally found to be the case.

Because dark matter is not visible, its presence and distribution is found indirectly through its gravitational effects. The gravity from both dark and luminous matter warps space, bending and distorting light from galaxies and clusters behind it like a giant magnifying glass. Astronomers can use this effect, called gravitational lensing, to infer the presence of dark matter in massive galaxy clusters. Both teams used this technique to map the dark matter in the merging cluster.

Clowe's team used Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) to measure the amount of dark matter in the cluster. ACS observed the cluster in three colors, allowing the astronomers to distinguish foreground and background galaxies from the galaxies in the cluster. From this observation, the team made an extremely accurate map of the cluster's dark matter. "With the colors we got a more precise selection of galaxies," Clowe said.

The astronomers estimated the amount of dark matter in the cluster by measuring the amount of gravitational "shear" in the Hubble images. Shear is the warping and stretching of galaxies by the gravity of dark matter. More warping indicates the presence of more gravity than is inferred from the presence of luminous matter, therefore requiring the presence of dark matter to explain the observation. "The WFPC2 observation could have introduced anomalous shear and not a measure of the dark matter distribution," Clowe explained.

Using the new camera, Clowe's team measured less shear in the cluster's core than was previously found. In the study the ratio of dark matter to normal matter, in the form of stars and gas, is 2.5 to 1, which is what astronomers expected. The earlier WFPC2 observation, however, showed a 6-to-1 ratio of dark matter to normal matter, which challenged theories of how dark matter behaves.

"This result also shows that as you improve Hubble's capabilities with newer cameras, you can take a second look at an object," Clowe said.

His team is encouraging other scientists to study its data and conduct their own analysis on the cluster.

###

Clowe's co-authors on the paper are Maxim Markevitch of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.; Marusa Bradac of the University of California, Davis; Anthony H. Gonzalez and Sun Mi Chung of the University of Florida, Gainesville; Richard Massey of Durham University, Durham, England; and Dennis Zaritsky of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, Tucson, Ariz.

Contacts: Douglas Clowe, (740) 593-0063, clowe@ohio.edu; Director of Research Communications Andrea Gibson, (740) 597-2166, gibsona@ohio.edu.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/ou-cm112912.php

lisa lampanelli lisa lampanelli bronx zoo memphis grizzlies celebrity apprentice grizzlies bronx zoo crash

The high-risk history of Scaffold Matches

All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. ? 2012 WWE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This website is based in the United States. By submitting personal information to this website you consent to your information being maintained in the U.S., subject to applicable U.S. laws. U.S. law may be different than the law of your home country. WrestleMania XXIX (NY/NJ) logo TM & ? 2012 WWE. All Rights Reserved. The Empire State Building design is a registered trademark and used with permission by ESBC.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/classics/classic-lists/history-scaffold-matches

Sasha McHale Boy Meets World chicago bears elizabeth taylor casey anthony chris brown cam newton

Research sheds new light on virus associated with developmental delays and deafness

Research sheds new light on virus associated with developmental delays and deafness

Thursday, November 29, 2012

A new study published online in PLOS ONE reveals that primitive human stem cells are resistant to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), one of the leading prenatal causes of congenital intellectual disability, deafness and deformities worldwide. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that as stem cells and other primitive cells mature into neurons, they become more susceptible to HCMV, which could allow them to find effective treatments for the virus and to prevent its potentially devastating consequences.

"Previous studies have focused on other species and other cell types, but those studies did not evaluate what the cytomegalovirus does to human brain cells," said Vishwajit Nimgaonkar, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and senior author of the report. "This study is the first of its kind, and the first to discover that primitive stem cells are actually resistant to HCMV."

Access to cultured human neurons, necessary to understand the pathogenic effects of HCMV, has been limited by difficulties in growing the brain cells in the laboratory. Yet through human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, researchers were able to overcome this hurdle.

The study authors derived live iPS cells by reprogramming cells called fibroblasts obtained from human skin biopsies. The iPS cells were then induced to mature through several stages into neurons, the primary cells in the brain. The researchers were able to evaluate the patterns of damage caused by HCMV on all these cells.

The research findings suggest:

  • Human iPS cells do not permit a full viral replication cycle, suggesting for the first time that these cells can resist CMV infection
  • CMV infection distorts iPS cell differentiation into neurons, and that may be a mechanism by which infected babies develop impairments of brain maturation and intellectual ability
  • iPS-derived mature neurons are more susceptible to CMV infection and once infected show effects including defective function that have been shown in other animal studies and in other human tissues, and the neurons die a few days after infection lab studies, possibly reflecting the impact of CMV on the human brain

"The findings were quite surprising, but this is only the first in a series of studies on HCMV," added Nimgaonkar. "There is a lot of interest in what we can do to treat the infection, and current work is already underway to screen for new drugs that could be used to fight these viruses."

Between 50 and 80 percent of people in the U.S. have been infected by HCMV by the time they reach 40. Infections are rarely serious, but the virus does not leave the body. CMV is also the most common congenital infection in the U.S., and occurs when a mother contracts CMV during pregnancy and passes the virus to her unborn child. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of every 150 children is born with CMV infection and one in five of them develops permanent problems, such as intellectual disability, vision and hearing loss, and seizures.

Pitt researchers are collaborating with the Drug Discovery Institute to further understand the cellular system and determine which agents are most effective against HCMV and similar viruses, and which treatments would be safe for human use.

###

University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences: http://www.upmc.com/Pages/default.aspx

Thanks to University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences for this article.

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

This press release has been viewed 39 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125580/Research_sheds_new_light_on_virus_associated_with_developmental_delays_and_deafness

katy perry and russell brand katy perry divorce brock lesnar retires new years wake forest wake forest old dominion

WWC :: A slip of destiny

?If you love something, set it free; If it comes back, it?s yours, if it doesn?t, it never was?? ? Richard Bach

A twenty-seven year old woman walked down the hallway of Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, carrying two fair sized black looking suitcases, and a small rectangular, sepia colored purse. Her unzipped, pink goose-feathered parka made her all of hundred pounds slender frame, look bulky. Her waist length, dark brown hair was windblown and partially obstructing the view in front of her gray-blue eyes, making it difficult to walk in her heeled ankle boots. She was however thankful to herself for wearing a pair of plain black dress pants with her white silk blouse instead of her black pencil skirt. Since it was well in to December, in fact it almost Christmas, and the temperature at night drops quite a bit, a skirt would not have been a wise choice, she didn?t care if it would have made her look more professional.

?Thank you.?

Crystal Everett said to the gentleman who helped bring her suitcase and overnight bag up to the room. With the sweetest smile she could muster she said goodnight and closed the door behind her. Setting her over-packed luggage bags, makeup and hair kit into a closet-like space beside the door, Crystal slipped off her boots as she shrugged out of her parka. Making her way to the hotel room?s queen size bed, she thought about her day. It had been another long and exhausting day of styling the hair. Models of both genders were the only people she worked with, touching up makeup, fixing their hair? And then preparing to do it all over again tomorrow?

?Ugh!? Crystal threw herself on to the soft comforter of the bed. ?Another two weeks of this and I can go home.? She mumbled.

Crystal was a student from Marvel Beauty School, but when a man hosting a fundraiser through the use of a fashion show saw Crystal?s portfolio he begged for her to come to England to work with the models that were hired. The fundraiser's host refused to take no for an answer, and now here she is, in Canterbury, and it?s only day one of her prepaid, expense free trip.

Crystal wanted to scream, but she was raised better than that. ?No sense in disturbing the guests who are having a good time.? She mumbled to no one but herself. ?Screw the shower, I?m too tired.?

Groggily she pulled herself up onto the bed and gingerly moved into a sitting position on the bed. Slowly she began braiding her hair and when that was done she slipped off the hair-tie from around her wrist and looped it around the bottom of the braid a few times. After that she crawled up to the one-to-many pillows on the bed and fell against them, leaving her body to be propped up in somewhat of a leaning position. She rolled slightly on to her side, so she could take in the night sky outside of her window. Letting out a sigh she closed her eyes, falling into deep sleep, and dreaming of a man she used to know.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

?Aaron!?

?Crystal? I?m sorry but it?s better this way??

HEADSHOT

?Damn you!? Crystal screamed into the Xbox 360 headset mic. She watched as her red Spartan collapsed on the television screen. ?I?m going to find you, and I?m going to shove this energy sword up your ass!?

She could hear Aaron laughing evilly through her headset. ?Love, by all means, come and find me.?

Crystal smirked as her Spartan re-spawned right next to an energy sword. ?Well, dear , you do know I can find you. I know where you live.?

?I didn?t forget love, but how pray-tell will you find an energy sword in real life to shove up my ass??

Even though she couldn?t see him, as he lived miles away from her home in Canada, she knew he was grinning.

?Oh I?ll find one, don?t you worry. If I have to I?ll make the damn thing myself!? She yelled triumphantly as she came up behind Aaron's blue Spartan and swung the energy sword repeatedly until his Spartan was dead. ?I?ll take your sniper rifle now, jackass.?

?No! How the hell-?

Crystal laughed maniacally. ?Never underestimate a woman, love.?

This game of cat and mouse through the Halo game continued, with a personal wager between the two. The wager being whoever had more kills at when the match ended, would get to ask for one thing from the loser. The winner ? Crystal, what she asked of Aaron, ?Marry me?.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crystal started to wake from her dream of a not so happy-ending memory. But something was different from when she had fallen asleep after finally making it to the hotel late at night. Aside from feeling like she hadn?t really slept, there was someone next to her; they were tucking some loose hair behind her ear. Through somewhat opened eyes, she saw her own hand resting on a man?s not to overly muscular chest, and she could feel the heat coming off of his body. The realization that there was a strange man in room hit her like ton of bricks. Sitting up sharply Crystal threw herself back and away from him, curling up near the corner of the bed.

Crystal drew her knees tight against her, and pulled the top of her blouse closed with her hands. ?I don?t know who you are? But if you don?t get out right now, I?ll scream.? She whispered, refusing to look at the man.

The stranger laughed, it sounded so familiar? ?Well love, I locked the door behind me when I came in, since it is quite obvious I?m sure that you did not.?

Crystal knew this honeyed, English accented voice. It belonged to-

?Aaron?? She breathed, finally looking at the man who was now sitting upright.

?Yes love??

All Crystal could do was stare back at him, dumbfounded. She took in his messy multilayer dark hair, his sculpted face, his sky blue eyes, broad shoulders, his thin yet muscular torso and arms?

?But how?? She inched away from him, unsure if she is still just dreaming. ?Why are you he-?

Her hand fell upon thin air, Crystal felt herself falling backwards off the large bed. Shutting her eyes tightly, she prepared for an impact with the floor that never happened, at least not with her body.

There was a thud, and the sound of air being knocked out of someone. Slowly Crystal opened her eyes, only to find Aaron underneath her on the floor, his arms wrapped around her protectively.

?Are, you? Okay?? He asked between breaths.

?I-I?m all right...? She tilts her face up to see Aaron's, she could feel his tight ab muscles against the palms of her hands, which were pinned between their bodies. ?Are? Are you okay??

Aaron gave a chuckle. ?Love as long as you remain uninjured, I will always be okay.?

Tentatively Crystal pushed herself up, allowing Aaron to push himself in to a sitting position while Crystal now sat basically straddling his lap.

?And to answer your question that ended with us falling off the bed? I happen to recall an e-mail from a little bird telling me when she would arrive in Canterbury. As well as which hotel she was staying in, along with her room number.? With an evil grin he added, ?And what should I find when I knock on the door and receive no response? Well of course I turn the doorknob, only to find the door unlocked, and lo? and behold! There is a sleeping beauty on the bed snoring loudly!?

?I do not snore!? Crystal shouted at him while leaning forward till they were nose-to-nose. ?I?ll admit to talking in my sleep, mister, but I do not snore.? She quickly added, poking his shoulder with her index finger.

Aaron's facial expression changed to that of a mischievous child right and in an instant had Crystal on the floor, lying on her back. He then took her wrists and pinned them to the floor above her head. She could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment as the bottom of her blouse began to slide up over her toned stomach.

?A-Aaron! What in bloody hell are you doing?? She hissed.

Aaron leaned his body over hers; she could feel his breath against her as his face brushed hers.

?You look so beautiful with those rosy cheeks of yours.? He whispered in her ear while sliding his hands over her arms.

Flustered and feeling her face going an even deeper shade of red, Crystal attempted to buck him off of her. Again in just the blink of an eye, his hands were suddenly there on her shoulders, pushing them into the plush carpet.

?Crystal?? His voice was so sensual, the way he said her name almost pleadingly, so much so that Crystal stopped struggling. She lay there motionless with him on top of her, she was somewhere between a state of shock and surprise. She could feel the smile as his lips brushed past her cheek bone. With a quick kiss on her cheek, he pushes himself up, stood up and walked over to the room?s desk area to put on some tea.

Crystal lay there blinking for a few seconds, stunned and left wondering what had just happened, before she too got up angrily. ?What the hell was that??

?A greeting.? He said finishing with starting the tea maker.

Crystal stammered, unable to comprehend his so called greeting. ?Bullshit!?

?Actually, kissing one on the cheek is common in-.? He started saying while going to retrieve his shirt from the nightstand.

?That?s not what I meant!? She interrupted while picking up a small pillow up and whipped it across the bed at him.

Catching the pillow he gave her a quizzical look. ?What do you mean then??

?You know damn well what I mean Aaron! Don?t play dumb, you can?t fool me and you know it.? Looking at her watch she frowns. ?Six in the damn morning.? She has to be at the studio till nine.

?So do you have a day off during the two weeks you are here? Or do they plan on forcing you to work yourself to death the entire time?? Aaron asked, pulling her away from thinking about how tired she was.

With a sigh Crystal headed into the bathroom, Aaron followed her; she had an idea of where this conversation was going. ?Everyone has the day off tomorrow.?

?When will you be done today?? He asked leaning against the bathroom?s door frame as Crystal went to the sink.

?Around seven in the evening today thank god.? She answers while picking up her toothbrush. As she picks up the toothpaste she looks at his reflection in the mirror. ?Are you gonna watch me brush my teeth and while I take a shower??

?Sure, unless you wish for me to join you.? He said with a wink.

Crystal rolled her eyes and squirted some toothpaste onto her toothbrush. ?You going to help me get dressed to then I bet.?

This seemed to catch his attention, as he straightened up and stepped into the bathroom. ?To be honest I?d rather take your-?

?Out!? Crystal yelled, turning around she shoved him out of the bathroom, with toothpaste in hand. Then she slammed the door closed in his face.

She shook her head, she could not believe that even after almost a year he hadn?t changed one bit. He was still the same amusing, flirty, aggravating and overly handsome self. Sighing she pushed her thoughts and memories of Aaron aside. She finished up brushing her teeth and then took a quick fifteen minute shower. Finished with her shower, Crystal pulled on the complimentary cotton robe and grabbed a towel to dry her hair. Stepping from the bathroom to grab some clothes, she saw Aaron sitting in one of the plush chairs by the room?s window, with a cup of tea, and decided to simply ignore him.

?When you?re dressed, I?ll take you out for breakfast.? He said nonchalantly.

Glancing over at him, she frowns and pulls her suitcase to the bed, then grabbing the other small pillow, proceeds by throwing it at his knee. ?Is that why you?re still here??

?Well I figured you would just grab something you can eat quickly.? He stated while kicking the pillow aside. ?For example, a cup of coffee and a sandwich.?

Opening her suitcase, she glared over at him. ?What?s wrong with that??

?You need to eat more.? He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Pulling out a black turtleneck, clean dress pants and white undergarments Crystal stormed back to the bathroom to get dressed. ?I eat enough! Not always the healthiest of meals, but I do eat!?

Finished putting on her clothes, she start brushing her hair when Aaron comes around the corner and enters the bathroom. Coming up behind her he puts his hands on her waist, stretching his fingers across her stomach. ?I can practically wrap my hands around your waist.?

Crystal reaches behind her and hits him with the back of her brush. ?You cannot!?

Pushing him away she finishes pulling out the knots in her hair and pulls it back into a ponytail. ?Not like this is any of your business, but I?m thirty-three, twenty-seven and thirty-five.? She indicated to her three sizes. ?So you?re so full of shit, your eyes should be brown.?

Aaron starts laughing and leans down, kissing her cheek again. ?I love you.?

Pushing him out of her way she huffs. ?Liar.?

Crystal goes out and closes her suitcase and moves all her luggage out of the way of the hotel room's doorway, not bothering to pick up the pillows. Instead as she is picking up her purse and kits for work, Aaron goes to pick up the two pillows and tosses them onto the bed.

Unlocking the door, she looks over her shoulder at him. ?You are taking me for breakfast or what?? Pulling open the door she continues speaking to him, ?Otherwise I?m grabbing a coffee and a sandwich and be done with this.?

With a chuckle and a shake of his head, Aaron pulls out a set of keys from his pants pocket. ?I?m coming love and I?ll drive, since I?m planning on taking you on date after work.?

He grabs his jacket from a hanger by the door and looks over at Crystal.

?What?? She asks him.

Aaron sighs and pulls on his jacket before grabbing hers and hangs it over his arm. ?When we get to the car you are putting on your jacket.?

Crystal rolls her eyes. ?Yes sir, Mister Grey sir.? She says sarcastically, quoting Ana from Fifty Shades of Grey books.

Aaron smacks her behind and grins when Crystal lets out a yelp. ?Keep it up and I will go all Christian Grey on you.?

With a growl and a cold stare back at him, Crystal stepped out into the hotel hallway and kicked herself mentally for sending an e-mail to Aaron Walker.

After their first dinner date, Aaron took Crystal to see a show at the Gulbenkian theatre, and afterward Aaron decided that he would be spending the night in the hotel room with her. Over the next week, Aaron joined Crystal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With how much time he was spending with her, Crystal begun to wonder what this man, who was seven years younger than her, did for a living. Was he in college or university or perhaps he had a job? But these were fleeting thoughts of hers; Crystal was simply enjoying her time with Aaron? Even when he annoyed her to no end with how persnickety he was. Whenever Aaron could steal Crystal for more than a meal he would take her sight-seeing through Canterbury. They spent a few hours looking at animals at Howletts, the aspinall wild animal park on one day and took an early morning stroll through the Westgate Gardens on another. Aaron even took her to visit the Saint Augustine's Abbey ruins.

In Crystal's mind, everything with Aaron was magical; every moment was something new and exciting. Here they were getting close like they had once been, even though they lived hundreds of miles away from one another. Maybe, just maybe she hoped, Aaron had changed his mind.

It was Christmas Eve and the host of the fundraiser Crystal was working for, decided to throw a Christmas party for everyone who was involved. Everyone was allowed to bring a date, so of course Crystal mentioned this to Aaron over dinner one night, and while he seemed nervous about the idea, he said he would accompany her anyways.

It was when the Christmas party was in full swing with music, dancing and drinking, that the unexpected happened. Someone started a fight, leading from yelling to fists flying and finally to full blown bar brawl. One strapping young male was thrown on to a table, breaking it, another grabbed a bottle from the open bar and smashed it over another man's head. As soon as Aaron realized the fighting had escalated her grabbed Crystal's hand and dragged her behind the bar.

?Stay here, and do not move from this corner.?

?The hell I?m just going to sit here cowering! I can handle this Aaron, I?ll get them to calm the fuck down!? She shouted, trying to be heard over all the yelling and screaming.

?No!? Aaron screamed at her. Putting his hands on her shoulder he looked Crystal straight in the eyes. ?If you got hurt, I? I don?t know what I?d do? So please, stay here.?

Crystal slumped her shoulders and nodded. ?Okay Aaron? I?ll stay right here, where it?s safe.?

Aaron smiled, though Crystal could see it was full of worry, kissed her on the cheek and jumped over the bar counter. The world around Crystal was earth shattering loud, even shutting her eyes tightly and covering her ears with her hands couldn?t drown out all the noises. Suddenly a silence fell, startling Crystal in to peering over the counter to see what had happened. There was no one in the room, she could see broken glass scattered everywhere and broken tables all around. Crystal thought it even looked like there were spots of blood on hardwood floor. It wasn?t until Aaron stood in front of her, shouting her name, that she realized something was wrong.

?Crystal!? Aaron said running to her slumped body lying in the corner. ?Crystal! Oh my god? Crystal no? Wake up, please wake up.?

Aaron gently touched her face with his hand, her face was very pale and she wasn?t moving. There were scratches on Crystal?s faces from bottles falling off or breaking on the shelf above her, but what concerned him more was the fact that she wasn?t breathing. Pulling off his shirt and wrapped it loosely around one hand. Aaron then began to sweep broken bottles and glass away so he could lay Crystal out on her back to perform CPR.

Aaron didn't know when the paramedics arrived, but when they found him performing CPR on Crystal they quickly jumped in to action. They bombarded Aaron with questions as they got Crystal up on a stretcher and got her in to the ambulance; do you know this woman? How well do you know this woman? Is she one any medications for anything? Does she have any health concerns or allergies? Does she live here?

Aaron answered them as best as his thoughts of worst case scenarios ran through his mind; Yes, I love her. I know her well; we?ve known each other for almost two years. She is on medication, for epilepsy. She has an allergy to almonds. No she is from Canada.

Aaron would never have left by Crystal's side if he knew that this would have happened. He didn?t want to leave her side when the hospital staff took her in to a room where he was authorized to be in. He had been so afraid of his love her that he always kept her at a distance, and now Aaron sees what this has brought him. The woman he loves lay barely hanging on, and though he thanked God the paramedics were able to get her heart beating again, to get her take one breath, then another, and another. He was now cursing God for failing to protect her when Aaron could not.

It was hours before anyone came to the waiting room to update Aaron on Crystal?s condition. His heart sank when the doctor told him that Crystal had suffered a head trauma, most likely from when a bottle fell on her. The doctor said they would know more when the MRI results came back, but until then they could only speculate that she had a seizure due to the head trauma, causing her to have respiratory failure, which now left her in a coma. The doctor couldn't say when or if Crystal would ever wake up, and asked Aaron if he knew how to contact her family.

Aaron could feel his heart breaking as he tried to digest all of what the doctor was telling him, and not knowing how to reach her family, he left it to the doctor to call them.

Aaron made his way to the room where Crystal lay on a hospital bed, hooked up to various machines that were keeping her alive. He sat down beside her, took her hand, and cried.

A few days passed, and the results from the MRI were not good. She had suffered a Grand Mal seizure, and the trauma from most likely having bottles partially or full of alcohol falling on her head, plus the respiratory failure, left her brain in a state of shock. Should she wake up, there was a good chance she would suffer some minor confusion and at worst, she would have severe memory loss.

But Aaron didn?t care, he visited her every day. Bringing fresh flowers when the previous ones wilted, he would tell her about his day, and even read and sing to her. Before he left every evening he would whisper in her ear, 'I love you Crystal, and when you wake up, I?m going to marry you'.

But Crystal would never wake up. She tried to tell Aaron this over and over again every time he visited her. But he couldn?t see her, and she couldn?t touch him. She would scream and cry, continuously trying to reach out to him, to get him to notice her standing right there in front of him. She didn?t want to give up on getting Aaron to see her spirit, but it was useless, he was too focused on her physical form that he would never see Crystal as she is now.

New Year?s eve, two thousand and fourteen is the day Crystal?s physical body suffered the fatal blow from a stroke. And even though her ashes and grave lie on Canadian soil, her spirit stays wherever Aaron is, Crystal refuses to leave the side of the man who she loves, as he loves her.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/TL6pv3eTriw/viewtopic.php

the scream stephen colbert new madrid fault rihanna and chris brown affirmative action helicon zac efron and taylor swift

Huawei Honor 2 passes through the FCC with North America-capable 3G, not much else

Huawei Honor 2 passes through the FCC with North American 3G, not much else

Huawei upped its ante in the smartphone games with the Honor 2 just weeks ago, but with few mentions of where the phone maker might place its bets outside of its native China. An FCC filing has at least raised the slim chance that Huawei might look to North America. The newly-tested device doles out HSPA+ support on the 850MHz, 1,700MHz and 1,900MHz bands, letting it work with the 3G of just about any American or Canadian GSM carrier. Without any LTE to speak of, though, the Honor 2 variant is more likely to appear on a smaller network that doesn't yet have access to the faster data, such as T-Mobile or Wind -- if it shows up at all, that is. As FCC approvals only occasionally spoil a launch, we'll mostly be waiting to see if Huawei or carriers step forward before anticipating the mid-tier phone on this side of the Pacific.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: FCC


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Cz-UmkM_RXM/

2012 senior bowl chuck series finale welcome back kotter 2001 a space odyssey barefoot bandit polar bear plunge lovelace

বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৯ নভেম্বর, ২০১২

Video: Record-holder DJs for six decades, without pay

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

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50011979/

coachella 2012 line up lsu crimson tide crimson tide 2013 ford fusion bcs jay z glory

Lidia's Favorite Recipes Cookbook Giveaway!

I have always been a fan of Lidia Bastianich. Her recipes are easy to make Italian food that are good enough to serve to company. I have watched Lidia cook on her show and she really knows how to feed her family. I have been to some of her restaurants in New York City and all I can say is ?Wow?!

When I received her new book, Lidia?s Favorite Recipes, I didn?t know what to cook first. This wonderful collection of 100 recipes are Lidia?s ?go to recipes? adored by her family and friends. Some of Lidia?s favorite recipes have also become my favorite recipes.

Last week, I made? Straw and Hay, which is a colorful pasta dish with crispy peas, prosciutto and creamy sauce. As elegant as it sounds, it only took 30 minutes to make. It was the perfect weeknight meal and I will be making it again and again.

The holidays are coming and I can?t wait to try some of the appetizers. From Fried Mozzarella Skewers to Lobster Salad with Fresh Tomatoes, there is just one good recipe after another. These recipes are for the beginning cook to the most experienced home chef.

Besides all the great recipes in the cookbook, there is also a website where you can get cooking tips, recipes and videos. If you love Italian food, you will need to visit Lidia?s Italy.

Now for the great news. You can win this gorgeous cookbook.

All you have to do is leave a comment. For additional entries:

Leave a separate comment for each entry telling me you follow, pinned, etc. There are 6? possible entries per person!

Please leave your comments by Tuesday, December 4th at 11:59pm EST.? Make sure there is a link to a blog or you leave your email address. A winner will be randomly picked and announced on Wednesday, December 5th.? Sorry, but you can only enter if you have a US mailing address. Good luck everyone!

Straw and Hay

Author:?

Recipe type:?pasta

Cuisine:?Italian

Prep time:?

Cook time:?

Total time:?

Serves:?6

?

  • Salt for the pasta pot
  • 4 scallions
  • 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup shelled peas, blanched or frozen baby peas
  • 6 to 8 slices imported prosciutto, cut crosswise into ? inch ribbons
  • ? cup low sodium chicken broth or stock
  • ? cup heavy cream
  • 1 pound fresh fettuccine pasta or ? pound dry egg fettuccine and ? pound dry spinach fettuccine
  • ? cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
  2. Trim the roots of the scallions and cut them in half length-wise, then into 3 inch pieces in thin strips.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add scallions and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and cook for 3 minutes. Add prosciutto and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until it changes color. Pour in the chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce sauce to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add the heavy cream and continue to simmer until lightly thickened.
  4. Stir the pasta into the salted water and cook until al dente. Fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a skimmer and add directly to sauce. Cook on high heat until sauce is creamy.
  5. Remove from the heat and toss with cheese. Serve in warm bowls.

3.1.09

?

*****For full disclosure, I was given a copy of this cookbook to review and one to give away to a reader. As usual, all opinions are my own.

.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Source: http://www.jerseygirlcooks.com/2012/11/lidias-favorite-recipes-cookbook-giveaway.html

the masters i robot the big c the visitor king of kings ostara andy kaufman

The Year of Motherhood: Serving Our City Together

This post was written by contributor Jamie Ivey.

In the eleven months of my year of motherhood challenge, I never imagined that this one would give me the most trouble. ?I would have looked ahead to November and thought ? EASY. ?I love our city. ?I love to serve. ?This will be a no brainer.

Instead it was super hard. ?I?m not sure if it was the time of year that made it hard. ?Are we too busy now? ?Oh that?s a lame excuse to not serve. ?Or is it my kids ages? ?Are they too young to get it? ?Yeah, even lamer. ?Kids only know what you teach them. ?Did I just not see the value in this?

None of my excuses seem to matter. ?I learned a lot about myself and my kids by looking back on this month. ?I learned that:

#1 Your kids only know how to serve if you teach them. ?When I take a meal to someone after they have had a baby I usually don?t bring my kids. ?It?s just easier that way, y?all know what I mean! ?But, unfortunately they never see me buy my favorite food for someone else instead of our family.

One thing that we?ve started this year is we have money jars and each of the kids has a spend and a give jar. ?They kick and scream each time we have them put money in the give jar, but I know that in a few weeks when we get out the Compassion International catalog and all pick out a goat for a family they will LOVE it!

#2 Kids are resilient. ?My kids threw a screaming fit when my mom and I took them shopping to buy presents for other kids for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. ?I told them they couldn?t get anything for themselves and you would have though I told them they had to eat broccoli for a month. ?They were SO distraught. ?And I was SO frustrated with them! ?BUT by the end of the shopping trip they were really putting all their heart and soul into picking out gifts for little boys around the world. ?I went from frustrated mom to very proud mom during that one shopping trip.

#3 Serving takes planning.??My mom came up one weekend to visit and we took our kids to fill up her shoeboxes. ?After that I planned on our family serving with a local business here that serves food to homeless people, and of course I kept forgetting to call and then before you know it, it?s Thanksgiving. ?Yes, we served by filling up shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, but our family didn?t serve together in the way I imagined. ?Serving takes planning, it doesn?t just happen.

?My goal for December is to actually do the Jesse Tree with my kids. ?Last year I had big plans to do this, and never did and that is actually what inspired the whole?Year of Motherhood challenge.??I?m happy to announce that we?ve already started because I have an amazing church that sends home a planner each week on what to read and even the paper to color. ?They know moms need a little help sometimes!

Bigger than me doing the Jesse Tree with my kids though is how I want to actually enjoy this month. ?I want my kids to love Jesus more after this month.??I want to love Jesus more after this month?. ?My hope and prayer for all of us in December is that we relish the time with our famiies. ?Cherish the small things and let?s show our kids that?Christmas is about Jesus and Jesus only.

Join this discussion. ?How do you help your kids keep Christmas about Jesus? ?Click?HERE?to share all your great ideas with all of us!

?

About Jamie
Jamie lives in Austin with her husband, Aaron, who is the worship pastor at The Austin Stone Community Church, and their four kids. She?s passionate about loving her husband, following Jesus, talking about adoption, and trying to be the best mom she can be to the four cutest kids in the world. She loves family nights, reading a good book, and could eat Mexican food three times a day. You can find her blogging at DreamingBigDreams.net, or on twitter @jamie_ivey.

Source: http://inspiredtoaction.com/2012/11/the-year-of-motherhood-serving-our-city-together/

lotto numbers susan powell megamillions winners university of louisville louisville ky final four lotto winners