IT-Sideways: Tech Blog Malaysia: The Busiest Week of Sep 2012 ...

1. Budget 2013

Full text from TheStar.

1.1) Symantec's Take (By Alex Ong (???), Country Director, Symantec Malaysia)

Expanding the Reach and Growth of Entrepreneurs and SMEs - the grant for women entrepreneur to promote their business online, the New Entrepreneur Foundation (NEF)?s assistance in providing training and guidance programmes for the young ICT entrepreneur and the Bumiputera Financing Fund for Bumiputera SMEs.

Symantec welcomes the allocation of RM30 million to drive the implementation of the recently unveiled SME Masterplan, which sets high targets for Malaysian SMEs. The allocation which involves the implementation of the 32 initiatives, including six High Impact Programmes, will certainly accelerate the growth of SMEs through innovation and productivity with strategic investments. This allocation goes hand-in-hand with the significant RM 1 billion SME Development Scheme under the management of the SME Bank. These are timely initiatives to grow Malaysian SMEs and ensure that they are anchored and will stay resilient even in challenging economic times.

In addition, Symantec commends the government?s initiative for Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PNS) to introduce the Business In Transformation programme to support efforts to modernize the operation of hawkers and small businesses to higher standards and competitiveness. Symantec believes that the guidance and advisory services in this programme which includes online business and mobile shops, together with the grant for women entrepreneur to promote their business online will greatly expand the reach of small businesses in Malaysia and spur them to go global through the Internet.

While the online business brings about great advantages such as low operating costs and increased market reach, the increasing cyber threats that businesses will face on the Internet should be taken seriously.

Symantec?s June 2012 Intelligence Report had shown that cybercriminals are indeed shifting their targets to smaller businesses as they tend to be more vulnerable due to a lack of resources.

Strengthening Human Development to Meet Industry Demand

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 is expected to drive the changes needed to transform Malaysia?s workforce by producing fresh and capable talent that can meet the challenges of a globalised and knowledge-based economy.

In line with that, Symantec also welcomes the allocation of RM440 million to the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) for training loans, the additional funding of RM366 million for upgrading and purchase of training equipment for Industrial Training Institutes and National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN), and the continuation of the 1Malaysia Training Scheme Programme until 2016.

No investment in Addressing Cybercrime

While the Government has introduced measures to reduce crime rate and has allocated a total of RM591 million for the year 2013 in four key areas, cybercrime has not been taken into consideration in the four key areas. With rising cybercrime globally at 81 percent increase in malicious cyber attacks in 2011, and the cost of consumer cybercrime at US$110 billion globally, this is a key area that needs to be looked into.

2.) PIKOM's NIM (National ICT Month) 2012 Conclusion

Industry leaders will be sharing insights and views on innovation and pertinent ICT related topics at a 2-day Leadership Summit 2012 which will be launched by the Honorable Deputy Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation. YB Datuk Haji Fadillah Bin Haji Yusof, on 27th September 2012 in Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur.

About 300 industry leaders from the ICT, finance, telecommunications and the Government sector are anticipated to be participating in the summit that is jointly organized by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and PIKOM, the National ICT Association of Malaysia. This year?s Leadership Summit carries the theme ?Innovation for Digital Opportunity - The Power of Mobile Social Commerce?.

The 2-day summit will feature several prominent speakers such as Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC) and Mr. Woon Tai Hai, PIKOM Chairman and Executive Director, KPMG Management and Risk Consulting Sdn Bhd. International speakers include Chris Whitney of HP and Jon Krause the Executive Partner of Gartner Executive Programs.

The launch of Strategic Review 2012 / 2013 - Left : En. Shaifubahrim Saleh, Pikom President, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO,MDeC, Dr Amiruddin Abdul Wahab, Undersecretary, DICT, MOSTI, YB Datuk Haji Fadilah Bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Minister of MOSTI, Woon Tai Hai, PIKOM Chairman.

During the two-day summit, the renowned speakers will share insightful trends and their experiences on the Power of Mobile Social Commerce. Our ?not to be missed? flagship strategic research report on the ICT industry in Malaysia, the ICT Strategic Review 2012 / 2013 will also be the main highlight during the summit, whereby all participants will receive a complimentary copy of this report. This PIKOM annual strategic publication features rich contents such as ?Disruptive Innovation the Way Forward for High Value Adding Economy?, ?Embracing the Consumerisation of IT to Enable Workplace Transformation?, ?Green IT, Smart Business? and others.

The topics that will be featured during the 2-day summit include ?Digital Malaysia ? Transforming the ICT Industry?, ?Broadband Is Changing the Way We Do Business?, ?Embracing Mobility and Social Media to Power Your Business?. Other more eye-catching but highly relevant hot topics will be, how to monetize the mobile apps and some creative ways to go e-commerce swiftly that is low-cost and hassle-free in Malaysia. We at PIKOM certainly look forward to another productive summit for 2012.

The NIM 2012 was started off early of the month which PIKOM World Cyber Games (WCG) 2012 was held for 3 days.

3.) Blue Coat Introduces Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance for Small Branch Offices

Blue Coat Systems, Inc., a market leader in Web security and WAN optimization, introduced its Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance for small branch offices.

The new Virtual Appliance extends the same depth of protection and control delivered by the Blue Coat? ProxySG? appliances to small branch office locations with limited space and IT resources. The new Virtual Appliance complements Blue Coat?s existing ProxySG appliances and Cloud Service, providing customers with the flexibility to choose the deployment model that best meets their unique security requirements on a location-by-location basis.

Like Blue Coat?s ProxySG appliances and Cloud Service, the Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance is backed by the WebPulse? Collaborative Defense. WebPulse unites 75 million users in a common defense against Web-based threats and other malicious activities. By tracking more than 500 malnets (malware networks), WebPulse provides the industry?s only Negative Day Defense to block attacks before they launch.

The Blue Coat Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance also delivers the same unmatched policy controls used by enterprises on the ProxySG appliances. The robust policy framework allows businesses to set advanced policies based on more than 100 different parameters to protect their users, data and networks. Additionally, the Blue Coat Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance provides the most comprehensive set of Web, Mobile and Mobile Web Application Controls that give businesses control over the applications and operations running on their networks.

It will be part of the Blue Coat Unified Security solution - Unified Security solution is the only one in the industry that uses the same policy and protection framework across all deployment models, ensuring seamless threat protection and control for all users, regardless of location.

The Blue Coat Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance will be available in November.

4.) First Underwater Imagery in Google Maps

In its quest to build the most comprehensive, accurate and usable map of the world, Google added the very first underwater panoramic images to Google Maps. With these vibrant and stunning snapshots of the underwater world you can ?swim? among colorful coral reefs and get up close with its inhabitants. With this underwater imagery, you don?t have to be a scuba diver?or even know how to swim?to explore and experience six of the world?s most incredible underwater spots, including reefs in Australia, the Philippines, and Hawaii. Now, anyone can become the next digital Jacques Cousteau!

At the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO world heritage site, you can find a sea turtle swimming among a school of fish, follow a manta ray through the ocean and experience the reef at sunset. You can also find out much more about this reef via the World Wonders Project, a website that brings modern and ancient world heritage sites online.

At Apo Island, a volcanic island in the Philippines, you can swim through a marine reserve where you can see impressive hard coral structures. And halfway across the Pacific, in Hawaii, you can join snorkelers in Hanauma Bay and drift over the vast coral reef in the Molokini Crater.

The Catlin Seaview Survey, a major scientific study of the world?s reefs, used a specially designed underwater camera, the SVII, to capture this amazing imagery. We are partnering with The Catlin Seaview Survey to make this imagery available through the Street View feature of Google Maps. Together, we?re excited to make these underwater locations accessible to the millions of people that use already using Google Maps everyday.

Explore more imagery from around the world by visiting maps.google.com/streetview.

5.) Nexus 7 Tablet was launched in Malaysia - first in SEA

ASUS announced Google Nexus 7 in Malaysia, the first country to launch this Google's Nexus line of devices and the lead device for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Nexus 7 combines the premium hardware designed by ASUS with the latest version of Android and all of the entertaintment from Google Play.

"Nexus 7 is the world's first 7-inch quad-core tablet with Jelly Bean which delivers the best of the Google experience in a slim, portable package that fits perfectly in the hand." said George Su, Business Development Manager for ASUS.

The recommended retail price is RM 999 for 16 GB model.

Source: http://www.it-sideways.com/2012/09/the-busiest-week-of-sep-2012-budget.html

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Honolulu Community College, Kapi?olani Community College, Leeward Community Coll...

Honolulu Community College, Kapi?olani Community College, Leeward Community College and the University of Hawai?i?West O?ahu have been named to the 2013 Military Friendly Schools list by Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life.

The annual list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace America?s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

?It is a great honor to be recognized as a Military Friendly School,? said Honolulu Community College Chancellor Erika Lacro. ?Honolulu Community College has a long history of supporting our military service men and women. We offer courses at Hickam Air Force Base and Pearl Harbor Naval Station through our off-campus program with the hopes of helping military personnel and their spouses achieve their educational aspirations.?

Honolulu CC also hosts the Mobile Vet Center every second Wednesday of the month on campus. The program offers readjustment counseling for veterans returning from service, as well as information on benefits and support services for service members and their families.

Leeward Community College has hired a full-time veteran?s coordinator and has dramatically increased its military and veteran services over the last year. A ?First Friday? event, held on the first Friday of each month, brings together faculty, support staff, and military and veteran students for networking and support.

?It is an honor to be recognized for our efforts in serving military, military dependent and veteran students,? said Leeward Community College Chancellor Manny Cabral. ?Leeward is located within easy commuting distance to all major military bases on O?ahu. We have a long and proud tradition of meeting the need of our military community.?

Read the UH News story or watch the video below highlighting Leeward Community College?s military and veteran services.
2013 Military Friendly Schools

Now in its fourth year, the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide. Each year, schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an academic advisory board consisting of educators from schools across the country.

The 1,739 colleges, universities and trade schools on this year?s list are recognized for exhibiting leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. These schools have world-class programs and policies for student support on campus, academic accreditation, credit policies, flexibility, and other services to those who served.

The full list, interactive tools and search functionality to help military students find the best school to suit their unique needs and preferences are available on the Military Friendly Schools website.

http://www.hawaii.edu/news/2012/09/28/four-uh-campuses-honored-for-supporting-military-students/

Source: http://www.facebook.com/UHWestOahu/posts/400779479989076

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New owner wants community input for Summerville inn

SUMMERVILLE, SC (WCSC)- The man who bought the Woodlands Inn in Summerville wants the community's input about what to do with it.

Tom Limehouse recently bought the property from Salmander Hospitality.

He says he doesn't have any immediate plans for the property.

Limehouse says it could be used for a number of things like weddings, office space, condos or even luxury homes.

He says he's open to ideas.

Copyright 2012 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Source: http://dorchestercounty.live5news.com/news/news/70395-new-owner-wants-community-input-summerville-inn

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Crafts - About.com

As October and Halloween approach, you can make sure to never run out of Halloween crafts, activities, and motivation. You can get new Halloween projects delivered to your email box every day for 31 days!

In every daily email, you will discover 7 different Halloween crafts, activities, and other resources. You can discover crafts and activities to help you plan a Halloween party, ideas and patterns for home-made costumes, a spooky or not-so-spooky Halloween creature craft, creative pumpkin carving designs and other pumpkin projects, and much more.

RELATED:
- Sign Up for the 12 Days of Christmas Crafts E-Course
- Sign Up for the Alphabet Crafts E-Course
- Halloween Crafts and Activities for Families

(Photo ? 2012 Sherri Osborn licensed to About.com, Inc.)

Follow me on Twitter | Join me on Facebook

Source: http://familycrafts.about.com/b/2012/09/28/31-days-of-halloween-crafts-and-activities.htm

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Meizitang Solve Your Medical Complaints | FBF Article Directory

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Source: http://freebookfor.com/2012/09/28/meizitang-solve-your-medical-complaints/

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Gary Johnson 2012 app available in the Play Store

Let us not forget that there are more than two apps available this election year -- the Gary Johnson 2012 app is now available for download in the Google Play Store. Whether you already know former New Mexico Governor Johnson's platform or have never heard of him, the app has a lot of great information available. You can see his live event schedule, read his updates from social networks, share with your friends and get links to all of his campaign resources.

The app is free and available now, so hit up the Google Play Store link above and download it for yourself. A more politically informed voting base is always a good thing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/FL90-SrUDNA/story01.htm

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Woman Grows a New Ear on Her Arm, Has It Attached to Her Head (Warning: Graphic) [Science]

Yep, this happened. Doctors at Johns Hopkins have attached a new ear to a patient that was grown on her own forearm. It's a medical first, and a heartwarming-if-a-little-yucky story. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/gN8H6riHVMw/woman-grows-a-new-ear-on-her-arm-has-it-attached-to-her-head-warning-graphic

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No Star Left Behind: Fruitless Search for Supernova Survivor Hints at Unexpected Origins

What fuels a white dwarf's luminous nuclear detonation?

By John Matson

FALLOUT: The explosive remnant of the SN 1006 supernova can still be seen in a number of wavelengths, as demonstrated in this composite image of optical, x-ray and radio observations. Image: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Rutgers/G.Cassam-Chena?, J.Hughes et al.; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF/GBT/VLA/Dyer, Maddalena & Cornwell; Optical: Middlebury College/F.Winkler, NOAO/AURA/NSF/CTIO Schmidt & DSS

• 

  Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

  Read More??

A type Ia supernova is perhaps the ultimate combination of insult and injury?a star steals material from a companion star, reaches critical mass, becomes unstable, and then unleashes a nuclear blast powerful enough to decimate or destroy its already diminished victim.

The culprit in these cases is clear: type Ia supernovae arise from the cataclysmic explosions of small, dense stars known as white dwarfs. But the victim's identity is clouded, limiting the precision of cosmological distance estimates that rely on these luminous beacons as markers. Traditionally, scientists believed that with the victims were sunlike main-sequence stars or swollen giant stars. But recent studies have pointed to a major role for a lesser known mechanism?pairings of two white dwarfs in which one cannibalizes its orbital companion before exploding as a supernova.

Now a study in the September 27 issue of Nature bolsters the latter argument, concluding that only a small minority of type Ia supernovae stem from main-sequence or giant stars. (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.) Supernovae driven by double white dwarfs, then, could be the rule rather than the exception.

Across the universe, type Ia supernovae are abundant, but few have occurred in the Milky Way in recorded human history. Supernova 1006, so named for the year A.D. in which it was first seen on Earth, was one such rare occurrence. But its origins remain unclear. So Jonay Gonz?lez Hern?ndez, of the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands and the University of La Laguna in Spain, and his colleagues looked for remains of the companion star from which the ill-fated white dwarf siphoned material before exploding.

Supernova 1006 exploded 7,100 light-years from Earth, so any surviving relic of the blast should lie at about that distance. But the researchers found only a small handful of stars near the supernova site, and all of them were swollen red-giant stars. "Giant stars are not predicted to be companion stars of progenitors of type Ia supernovae, since the impact of the violent explosion would remove all the envelope of the giant star," leaving only a smaller white dwarf?esque star behind, Gonz?lez Hern?ndez explains.

The lack of a surviving companion seems to rule out any large star as a partner, because the core of such a star should have weathered the blast and should remain visible today. So the companion could well have been another white dwarf, which would have left no trace. In conjunction with other, mostly fruitless searches for supernova survivors, the researchers estimate that fewer than 20 percent of type Ia supernovae originate from the classically assumed scenario of a white dwarf sucking matter away from a normal (non?white dwarf) companion star.

Not all researchers agree. Astronomer Andrew Howell of the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network in Santa Barbara, Calif., notes that he and his colleagues recently found evidence for just such a "normal" companion for a type Ia supernova discovered in 2011 in a galaxy some 675 million light-years away. He calls the 20 percent claim in the new Nature paper "a vast overstatement," noting that a normal star somewhat smaller than the sun also would not leave any detectable traces of itself and would fit the bill for the companion to supernova 1006. In Howell's view, though, the 20 percent figure might apply to red-giant progenitors specifically.

So the actual percentage of type Ia supernovae produced by various stellar combinations may remain in dispute. But if anything seems clear from the recent studies on the origins of type Ia supernovae, it is that these blasts are hardly homogeneous in terms of their progenitor stars. Howell says that such variety won't compromise the idea of dark energy, the mysterious entity driving the accelerating expansion of the universe, which was first identified in studies that used the glow of distant type Ia supernovae to trace cosmic distance. The evidence for dark energy, he says, depends on the relative brightnesses of supernovae "and being able to calibrate them using the colors of the supernovae and the shapes of their lightcurves." Unraveling the progenitors of these cosmic beacons?and, in turn, their intrinsic brightness?would, however, help researchers improve the precision of their cosmological measurements.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=ea5c46bf8e10abe52a0f4e2b1d46927f

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Fashion shows travel continents and eras in Paris

A model wears a creation from British fashion designer Peter Copping for Nina Ricci ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013 collection, presented in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

A model wears a creation from British fashion designer Peter Copping for Nina Ricci ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013 collection, presented in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

EDS NOTE NUDITY - A model wears a creation from British fashion designer Peter Copping for Nina Ricci ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013 collection, presented in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

A model wears a creation from British fashion designer Peter Copping for Nina Ricci ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013 collection, presented in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

EDS NOTE NUDITY A model wears a creation from British fashion designer Peter Copping for Nina Ricci ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013 collection, presented in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

A model wears a creation for U.S fashion designer Rick Owens' ready to wear Spring-Summer 2013, presented in Paris, Thursday, Sept.27, 2012. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PARIS (AP) ? Paris fashion has no boundaries and no borders.

Thursday's cultural melting pot of spring-summer 2013 shows was proof enough.

Curious designers, thirsty for new inspiration, ventured across the globe to bring new ideas and exotic cultures back to the catwalk.

Manish Arora traveled to northwestern India's Rajasthan to bring Paris a vibrant infusion of traditional Indian dress and lavish regal jewelry.

Balmain's creative nomad Olivier Rousteing, meanwhile, replaced last season's muse ? the Russian Empire's Faberge Egg ? to travel to the artisanal wicker-weavers of Cuba to give his summer collection a unique panache with its hints of in-vogue black.

Barbara Bui, who also opened with black, joined the expedition with geometric American Indian prints and tribal-looking dresses and foulards.

Taking another tack, Nina Ricci, forever a romantic Parisian gamine, traveled decades back in time to produce a nostalgic show with a modern twist.

Friday's collections include Roland Mouret and Issey Miyake, as well as the debut ready-to-wear show for new Christian Dior designer Raf Simons.

BALMAIN

To welcome in next spring, some designers in Paris have said it with flowers. Balmain said it with wicker.

Never one to travel with the crowd, 27-year-old designer Olivier Rousteing used artisanal Cuban wicker-weaving as a vehicle for his signature graphic silhouettes.

Rousteing ? who on Thursday completed a full year at the helm of the iconic French fashion house ? possesses a roving eye for cultural artifacts. Strong shouldered, highly structured looks came with cropped tops, lashings of jewel and slices of torso at his Paris Fashion Week show.

Yet the high point was the wicker-embellished cropped jackets that growled like a fierce, feminine exoskeleton.

Rousteing's 3-D woven straw evoked a baroque mood, a feeling that was echoed by lavish diamond checkerboard patterns ? a replica of the polished marble flooring of the Versailles Palace.

No doubt Rousteing will pass his annual job review.

MANISH ARORA

India ? home to over a billion people and one of the most colorful cultures in the world ? is a limitless creative touchstone for designers. So it's surprising that Mumbai-born Manish Arora ? perhaps the subcontinent's most famous designer ? has not delved into its rich fashion encyclopedia before.

That is, until now.

Arora presented a spicy and bohemian homage to his homeland for spring-summer 2013 at Paris Fashion Week.

But why now?

"Luckily, this year I was very attracted toward jewelry: Is there a better place to draw inspiration?" said Arora, dressed in a flamboyant gold top.

Arora took us by the bejeweled hand down a goldmine of revamped traditional Indian dress. Angrakha dresses with orange patterns were set of boldly with a shiny chainmail pant, alongside geometric prints of tigers, panthers and antelope.

However, the show was really about the jewelry, as sublime ornamentation reined in some of the collection's more garish looks. At one point there were gasps as the Maharaja's daughter came down the catwalk: Resplendent in a standout gold face-band that circled the bottom of the eyes.

NINA RICCI

There's been nostalgia in the air at Nina Ricci of late.

This was certainly the case in Peter Copping's deceptively complex spring-summer 2013 show at Paris Fashion Week, which floated ethereally by and matched the vintage feeling of last season's show.

Perhaps the mood was set by the millions of falling cherry blossoms ? which mark the end of spring ? that opened the presentation.

Or perhaps it was the floaty chiffon tops, the gentle pleated skirts, the halter necks, the flowing fringing or the soft silhouettes that harked to bygone days of the 20's and 30's.

Although the show opened with black designs, it melted like winter into spring, shifting into dusty colors of silver gray, blush pink, red and pale lavender.

Touches like zippers kept it modern for an accomplished, commanding show ? the most feminine display so far this season in Paris.

But Copping needn't be feeling nostalgic himself ? this collection shows he has a bright future with the fashion house.

BARBARA BUI

"Black is back for summer," declared Barbara Bui, following her saleable, and typically feminine collection for spring-summer 2013.

The French-Vietnamese designer opened the show true to her word, with a series of sexy-looking black nappa ensembles.

Bui, known to have an eye on her youthful clientele, ticked the on-trend box with her gentle masculine tailored-jackets, which led the eye down provocatively to skintight pants or inches of leg.

Singing the spirit of spring's first bloom, Bui then let float by a diaphanous series of sheer organza blouses.

Fluttering layers and contrasting pockets endowed the cornflower blue and flesh colored looks an interesting textural play.

Unfortunately, the message of harmony got lost by the end ? diluted by a confusing series of geometric American Indian patterns with conflicting silhouettes.

____

Thomas Adamson can be followed at http:/ /Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-09-27-France-Fashion-Day%203%20Wrap/id-cf6671f9526540aeb59e625df6f421f3

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Gunman kills businessman, 3 others at Minn. office

This undated photo provided by Chad Blumenfield shows his father-in-law Reuven Rahamim, owner of Accent Signage Systems, a sign-making business in Minneapolis that was the site of a workplace shooting Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A police spokesman says the gunman killed four people, including Rahamim, and injured four more before turning the gun on himself. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Chad Blumenfield)

This undated photo provided by Chad Blumenfield shows his father-in-law Reuven Rahamim, owner of Accent Signage Systems, a sign-making business in Minneapolis that was the site of a workplace shooting Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. A police spokesman says the gunman killed four people, including Rahamim, and injured four more before turning the gun on himself. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Chad Blumenfield)

Officers with the Minnesota State Patrol man the Penn Avenue bridge over Bassett's Creek near the scene of a shooting at a business in the 2300 block of Chestnut Avenue West in Minneapolis, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. The shooter who opened fire inside a Minneapolis sign company was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday and was among "several" people killed in the incident, the city's deputy police chief said. (AP Photo/The St. Paul Pioneer Press, John Autey)

An unidentified woman is consoled at the scene of a shooting that left at least two dead and four others wounded at Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Richard Tsong-Taatarii) MANDATORY CREDIT; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT; MAGS OUT; TWIN CITIES TV OUT

An officer walks through the area as police investigate a shooting at Accent Signage Systems on the north side of Minneapolis Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. Police say left at least two people were killed and four others wounded. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Renee Jones Schneider) MANDATORY CREDIT; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT; MAGS OUT; TWIN CITIES TV OUT

An officer secures the area as police investigate a shooting that left at least two dead and four others wounded at Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Richard Tsong-Taatarii) MANDATORY CREDIT; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS OUT; MAGS OUT; TWIN CITIES TV OUT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ? A man burst into a sign-making business in Minneapolis, fatally shooting the owner and three others in the office before turning the gun on himself, family and officials said Friday.

Police have not revealed the name or apparent motive of the shooter who injured at least four others in the Thursday afternoon attack, and say a search of the suspect's home turned up nothing.

Reuven Rahamim, 61, was shot to death in "a senseless act of violence" at Accent Signage Systems Inc. in Bryn Mawr, a mainly residential neighborhood on the northwest side of the city, son-in-law Chad Blumenfield said in a statement.

"Other members of the Accent family tragically lost their lives as well, and we mourn their loss," Blumenfield said. He provided no details.

UPS driver Keith Basinski was among those killed, the mail service said in a statement Friday. UPS Northern Plains District President Jill Schubert did not say why Basinski was at the Accent offices. She said the company was "profoundly shocked and saddened" at his death.

Authorities have not revealed the names of the others killed.

A police summary describes a chaotic scene with multiple 911 calls from the business and one caller saying someone had been shot. When police arrived, they found four people already dead. Dozens of police squad cars and SWAT officers swarmed the area. The first officers on the scene evacuated workers from the business and closed off several blocks.

Of the wounded, John Souter's condition was upgraded from critical to serious as of Friday morning and Eric Rivers remained in critical condition, according to Christine Hill, a spokeswoman for the Hennepin County Medical Center where they were being treated. She had no information on the condition of a third man earlier listed in critical condition.

A fourth person injured has been treated and released, Hill said Friday.

Late Thursday, police searched a house in south Minneapolis where the suspected shooter had lived but found "nothing that we know of," police spokesman Sgt. Stephen McCarty told the Associated Press. He confirmed the address of the suspect's home but declined to confirm a newspaper report that named the gunman.

There was no evidence of life at that house early Friday except a light in the basement and a boarded-up window with pieces of broken glass nearby. No one responded to a knock on the door.

Thomas Pitheon, a neighbor who lives across the alley, said he came home just after dark Thursday and found "about a dozen" SWAT team members around the house. Pitheon said he had only exchanged pleasantries with the homeowner whom he described as "an average guy" in his 40s.

Rahamim started Accent Signage Systems, Inc. in the basement of his Minneapolis home in the early 1980s, according to the business publication Finance & Commerce. Rahamim said he chose that name because he wanted it to be the first sign company listed in the Yellow Pages.

The small interior signage company specializes in American with Disabilities Act-compliant signs after developing a patented method to create Braille signs for the blind. U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce Francisco Sanchez praised the company for its innovation during a visit to the facility in August, the paper reported.

Rahamim was born and raised in Israel and served as a soldier in the Israeli army before coming to the U.S., Blumenfield said.

"He loved his work and dedicated much of his energy to developing new and greener products," he said by email. "He loved cooking and having people over at his home. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren and especially loved to take his grandson for bike rides."

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton expressed his condolences.

"I deplore this senseless violence," Dayton said. "There is no place for it anywhere in Minnesota."

___

Associated Press writers Patrick Condon, Doug Glass and Jeff Baenen in Minneapolis, Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee, and Barbara Rodriguez in Chicago contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-09-28-Minneapolis%20Shooting/id-6379c0bb4c064ecdbc591fa3f4fab979

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C$ hits 2-week low as euro zone efforts flounder

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar hit a two-week low against the U.S. currency on Wednesday, tracking weaker global stock and commodity markets, as worries over Spain's commitment to reform added to persistent unease over the global economic outlook.

World shares fell and the euro slipped to a two-week low amid a second day of violent anti-austerity protests in Madrid and talk of secession by Spain's wealthy Catalonia region. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who had been reluctant to ask for help, vowed that he is committed to fiscal and structural reforms.

A general strike in Greece and signs of discord among top euro zone officials over new policies to tackle the crisis added to investor concerns, taking the gloss off recent moves by the European Central Bank to calm markets by buying bonds.

"What's going on under the surface, or at least had really defined the market earlier in the day, is that all the progress that we'd made in the last couple of weeks with respect to Europe had basically run a little ahead of itself," said David Tulk, chief Canada macro strategist at TD Securities.

"We're in this waiting period right now for Spain to get its act together ... The bears are a little bit louder than the bulls today."

Concern over the euro zone's ability to tackle its financial crisis has sparked a sharp rise in volatility on equity markets, leading to the worst day since June for the S&P 500 index on Tuesday and subsequent falls across Asia.

"There's no one thing in particular the market's focusing on. We've just had this constant drip-feed of what's been taken as negative news," said Adam Cole, global head of FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets in London.

"None of them is really new, nothing that we didn't already know, but the fact that it's just been relentless all day, really, has given us this negative tone for risk generally and that's weighing on the Canadian dollar."

The Canadian dollar finished Wednesday's North American session at C$0.9852 versus the U.S. dollar, or $1.0150, down from Tuesday's close at C$0.9806, or $1.0198.

The Canadian dollar, which touched a 13-month high a week and a half ago, also underperformed against other major currencies.

Tulk said the currency's retreat was likely not over.

"We probably have a little bit further to run as you wait for more of these headlines to come out -- and our sense is that there's a little bit more bad news, or at least a sense of impatience on the part of the market," he said.

While Tulk says trading around the C$0.98 level was not unreasonable in the near term, TD does project the Canadian dollar to return to parity by the end of the year.

Canadian government bond prices were higher across the curve. The two-year bond rose 6 Canadian cents to yield 1.091 percent, while the benchmark 10-year bond gained 60 Canadian cents, yielding 1.749 percent.

(Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/c-hits-2-week-low-euro-zone-efforts-205621576--finance.html

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Air Duct Leaks Dallas | Sealing Air Ducts | Repair | Highland Park ...

Air Ducts are used to distribute heating and air in houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems. In the average Dallas home, about 20% of air is lost due to air duct leaks. The result is higher energy bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, regardless of the temperature.

Signs that you might have an air duct leak:

• You have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel comfortable
• You have rooms that are difficult to heat or cool
• You have high summer and winter utility bills
• Your ducts are located in the attic
• You find tangled or pinched tube in your system

There are many benefits to a sealed air duct system. Your heating and cooling systems will run more efficiently and therefore provide lower utility costs.

At Eastin Air, we seal air leaks, improve the performance of your system, help keep your utility bills down and provide a full Home Energy Audit.

Sealing your Air Ducts will make your home more comfortable. The temperature will be easier to regulate in your home with your air conditioner and heater.

Sealing leaks can also improve your indoor air quality. Fumes from outdoor chemicals, insulation particles and dust can enter your duct system. Sealed Air Ducts can prevent the pollutants from entering your indoor air.

During use other household items like dryers, dish washers and water heaters can release carbon monoxide into the air. If you air ducts have a leak, that gas enters your air duct system and then your house. Sealing your air ducts will prevent this from happening.

Repaired Air Ducts help your home run more efficiently and save you money on heating and cooling costs.

Eastin Air serves Dallas and the surrounding areas, specializing in Highland Park and University Park homes. Call us today to schedule an appointment or to find out about our FREE Home Energy Audits.

Source: http://www.eastinair.com/air-duct-leaks

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Mouse holds secret to regrowing skin

A mouse that escapes predators by shedding patches of its skin may shed light on regeneration and could lead to research that one day helps people heal from wounds and disease, scientists say.

Humans and other mammals are generally very limited when it comes to regeneration, but one mammal, the African spiny mouse, can heal wounds much faster than lab mice can, which drew the attention of Ashley Seifert, a regeneration biologist at the University of Florida at Gainesville.

"Mammals have no problem regenerating blood cells or epidermis, or regrowing hair that is plucked out," Seifert said, "but following injury, like the severing of a finger, mammals generally just seal off the wound site and produce scar tissue.

"Compare that to salamanders, who can regenerate entire pieces of tissue on the sides of their bodies, not to mention arms, legs and their brain," Seifert told LiveScience.

Furthermore, in mammals, "in general, the ability to regenerate also declines with age," Seifert said. "Newborn humans can actually regenerate a very small piece of the fingertip, but this ability is lost during childhood development."

Given the general limits of mammals when it comes to regeneration, Seifert was fascinated by tales of the African spiny mouse. While vigorous movement could peel off up to 60 percent of the skin off the backs of these rodents, they could quickly heal these wounds and regrow spiny hairs that covered the lost skin. [ 10 Amazing Animal Abilities ]

Seifert clarified these rodents do not regrow all their lost skin. "They use contraction to constrict the wound site so they don't actually have to regenerate much tissue at all," he explained. "It is the central portion of this wound, the remaining 5 percent, that they regenerate."

To learn more about how these rodents accomplish such regeneration, Seifert and his colleagues investigated live specimens of two species of African spiny mouse (Acomys kempi and Acomys percivali) captured over the course of three years from rocky outcroppings in central Kenya.

Analysis of spiny mouse skin revealed it was 20 times weaker than the skin of lab mice, requiring 77 times less energy to tear. This breakaway skin likely helps spiny mice escape the clutches of predators such as snakes, owls and eagles, Seifert said.

When the researchers cut small wounds in the skin of these rodents, new layers of tissue that would later go on to become skin grew quickly over the injured areas, covering wounds 0.2 inches (4 millimeters) across after three days, compared with the five to seven days it took lab mice to do the same. Damaged ears with holes punched in them even regenerated hair follicles and cartilage without scarring.

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   3. Mouse holds secret to regrowing skin
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"The fact that these mice can regenerate such large ear holes ? 4 millimeters ? is surprising to me," Seifert said.

Healing wounds in spiny mice apparently deposit collagen fibers that form scars far more slowly and in lower abundances than in lab mice. Wounded ears also grew masses of cells similar to blastemas, transient structures used by animals such as salamander to rebuild missing tissues. "It is thought that one of the main constraints on regenerating appendages in humans ? or other mammals, for that fact ?is the failure to form a blastema," Seifert said.

These findings suggest that mammals might retain a higher capacity for regeneration than is believed. Seifert now wants to figure out what molecular mechanisms these spiny mice use to instruct blastema-like structures to form.

The scientists detail their findings in the Thursday issue of the journal Nature.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49186761/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Is Lack of Communication a Red Flag? | World of Psychology

Over time I?ve learned to confront the infamous ?red flags? when it comes to the dating world.

There may have been a tiny voice inside my head that said ?this doesn?t seem right,? but because I didn?t truly want to believe that was the case, I?d push it aside and move on. Well, one of the more pet-peevish warning signs that always left me clueless was when the other person (in my situations it was a guy, but I don?t want to target the whole male species here) could not express how he felt.

It?s also unfortunate when the silence goes beyond just articulating feelings, and he simply can?t communicate? at all. Your messages and texts go ignored, and you?re left wondering how you didn?t foresee this issue to begin with.

We all know communication in relationships is important, but in the early stages, is a tight-lipped manner a red flag signaling you to run the other way?

I?d say yes, considering a block in communication is fatal in serious, long-term relationships. ?The degree of block can vary with the severity or repeating of the communication stop,? Daniel Evans writes in his article, ?The Importance of Communication in Relationships.? ?A block in the relationship exists or will grow when communication is just flat out avoided.?

Evans grew up with the notion of not wanting to upset others; however, that only propelled him to avoid communicating on touchy topics altogether. ?In adult relationships, this behavior only avoided the hard issues that people have to work through for the relationship to be healthy and grow.?

Along with avoidance, diversion is another troublesome communication tactic. If the other person?s questions and curiosities are not addressed, the relationship will no longer be able to move forward.

Anna Solo, a freelance photojournalist, asserts that a lack of communication in any stage of a relationship should be constituted as a red flag. ?People often wait to expose their flaws until after they?ve gotten comfortable with someone, so if that quality pops up right at the start, I feel like it can only go downhill from there,? she says. ?There?s a difference between being shy and being a bad communicator, and if someone can?t communicate well or can?t push themselves to from the beginning, what other foundation can there be for a good relationship? There?s no way to cultivate a healthy relationship if you can?t discuss things.?

Ashley Knox, who has a master?s degree in social work, wasn?t as quick to throw in the towel. She believes that communicating effectively may take time. ?You have to learn about the other person?s communication style and how it works with your own or how it conflicts with your own,? she notes. ?As a couple, all of that needs to be discussed. If communication cannot be improved, then there is no relationship to begin with. Being a couple means being a team and working on things together and growing together. Not every couple that gets together is going to have the same communication pattern. Everyone is raised differently and deals with problems differently.?

Freelance writer Shaheen Darr previously wrote about red flags in relationships. Darr believes that a lack of communication definitely needs to be taken care of before moving on. ?A partner who is withdrawn and not willing to show any love, either through communication or in a physical sense, will leave the other partner feeling unfulfilled and insecure.? Insecurity in itself definitely is not beneficial to relationships either.

Whatever the circumstances causing insufficient communication, when you start to feel that uncomfortable inkling that the dynamic is off, it probably doesn?t hurt to follow your intuition.

????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 26 Sep 2012
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Suval, L. (2012). Is Lack of Communication a Red Flag?. Psych Central. Retrieved on September 27, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/09/26/is-lack-of-communication-a-red-flag/

?

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/09/26/is-lack-of-communication-a-red-flag/

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No comments - New England Home Magazine Design Blog

By Paula M. Bodah

Part of the fun of interior design, besides the enjoyment that comes from spending your days surrounded by beautiful materials and creating spaces that make people happy, is facing and surmounting challenges?rooms that are too big, too small or oddly shaped; spaces shrouded in darkness; walls that go on and on with no visual relief. Finding ways to turn less-than-perfect rooms into places that envelope their occupants in comfort and style is always satisfying for Jamie Nicolas, owner of the Reading, Massachusetts?based, Jamie Florence Designs. Jamie, one of the designers featured in our September/October issue?s special section on kitchens and baths, shares before-and-after shots of some of her favorite recent projects.

The owners of an 1899 house craved a luxurious master bath. Unfortunately, the only full bath in the house was this small, dormered bathroom, complete with an old claw-foot tub that had seen better days and no shower whatsoever. Jamie installed a Kohler whirlpool tub and shower, surrounding it with a deck of Calcutta marble for the posh look and feel the homeowners wanted. In the space that held the old, tiny sink, the designer erected a full wall clad in marble and tucked the new toilet behind it for privacy. That freed up the wall where the old toilet sat, making room for a forty-eight-inch vanity, topped with more Calcutta marble. The fresh, new bathroom makes the most of its limited space and gives the owners the sense of luxury they were looking for.

The bathroom before. Photos courtesy of Jamie Florence Designs

The bathroom after.

?This space was, for lack of a better term, nondescript,? Jamie says. ?It was just too plain, the colors weren?t working, it wasn?t visually interesting and it was this enormous space that needed some architectural detail.?

Among the challenges was the lack of space above the window. Jamie added a crown wrap molding that puts the window into a bit of a niche and gives it more drama. Adding wainscoting ramped up the room?s visual interest.

It was also a long room, which Jamie saw as an advantage. ?People are moving away from formal dining rooms. This room, being so large, could be a bit more casual, with a sitting area as well as a dining area.? New furniture, including the seventy-two-inch round dining table, new light fixtures and a palette of plums, golds, greens and deep reds turned the room into an intimate, cozy space for family time or for entertaining.

The dining area before.

The dining area after.

A family room suffered from many of the same problems as the dining room above. ?It was just lacking?everything,? Jamie says. ?The red wasn?t the right red, the carpet needed to be replaced. The room is in the darkest area of the house and needed more and better lighting.?

The transformation began by pulling up the carpet and installing the hand-scraped teak floor. A handsome custom built-in that runs the length of the room turns the space into an entertainment center that includes a Sub-Zero under-counter beverage center. ?The built-in?s marble counter has tons of movement, with beautiful greens, blues and golden tones running through it.? Jamie says. Rather than try to fight the room?s lack of natural light, the designer says, ?I created a design that caters to that fact?a darker, more cozy space.?

The family room before.

The family room after.

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Source: http://blog.nehomemag.com/2012/09/designer-snapshot-transformations/

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Cancer Patient Dyrk 'Strong' Burcie Inspires Firefighter Photo Project ...

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

(TheBlaze/AP) ? A 4-year-old Dallas boy whose battle with cancer inspired his father?s firefighting crew and firefighters across the country to post supportive photos on his Facebook page has passed away.

Dameon Burcie, who is a lieutenant in the Dallas Fire Department, said his son Dyrk died peacefully on Monday at the family home in Dallas.

Dyrk was ?one of the happiest kids you could ever find,? Dameon Burcie said.

Dyrk Burcie was 3 when his parents noticed a mass on his abdomen while he was taking a bath. Doctors diagnosed him with pediatric liver cancer and later found the cancer had spread to both of his lungs.

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

Dyrk underwent nine rounds of chemotherapy and a liver transplant. ?The last few weeks, he had some discomfort with all of his surgeries and chemotherapy,? his father said.

In April, Burcie posted on Facebook that the family had decided to stop intensive treatment and make the most of the time Dyrk had left. Family friend and fellow Dallas firefighter Ronnie Roe talked to other firefighters about sending Dyrk photos of them posing with signs emblazoned with the boy?s name.

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

The Dallas firefighters? photo project caught on with crews at other fire departments, who also posted images on a Facebook page devoted to Dyrk.

In one photo, firefighters from Longview, in East Texas, spelled Dyrk?s name in hay before dousing it in oil and liquid detergent and setting it on fire. A firefighter snapped a photo of the boy?s name in flames from up on a nearly 100-foot-tall ladder.

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

In College Station, about 90 miles northwest of Houston, firefighters posed in front of two trucks with their cabs tilted forward. Two logos from the ?Transformers? action figures ? Dyrk?s favorite ? were digitally added.

(Photo: Facebook/Dyrk Burcie)

Fire crews from throughout the country posted photos of support for Dyrk, as did many non-firefighters, including other children his age, youth sports teams, beauty queens and active-duty soldiers.

One man said he was so inspired by Dyrk?s story that he posted this mural on his garage to raise awareness:

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

And even the Omni Hotel in Dallas lit up in the boy?s honor:

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

?It was absolutely incredible,? Burcie said of the response. ?Dyrk would ask almost every day if he could see the pictures that had been posted that day.?

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

The Amish turned out in support:

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

As did far-away beauty contestants:

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

The boy?s funeral is scheduled for Friday at First Baptist Church of Midlothian. He will be buried at Mount Zion Cemetery near Midlothian, 30 miles southwest of Dallas.

(Photo: Facebook/Fundraiser for Dyrk Burcie)

?Our thoughts and prayers are with the Burcie family,? Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said in an email. ?Dyrk?s resilience, and smile, has taught us all a lesson in how to approach every day of our lives; and for that he will forever be in our hearts.?

?

Related:

Source: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/you-wont-believe-what-firefighters-across-the-country-did-for-a-4-year-old-with-cancer/

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NKorea parliament holding closely watched session

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