Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012)

Competition is tough among manufacturers of premium desktop replacement laptops, with plenty of players vying for the Windows PC market and a growing number moving to Apple products. But while everyone is busy doing their best Apple impression, not every laptop has the performance to back up a premium price tag. The Dell XPS 15 does, thanks to a quad-core Ivy Bridge processor, switchable Nvidia graphics, and a design that is highly refined, if not entirely original. If you're not yet ready to go the Mac route, this could be a solid backup plan.

Design
The Dell XPS 15 has a minimalist design, with a dark all-metal chassis with curves and smooth surfaces that echo the MacBook Pro's unique look. Dell has done its best to distinguish the XPS 15 with a two-tone design of dark metal on the lid and a stripe of bare silver aluminum around the edge, but with the Dell XPS 15 sitting on the laptop testing bench alongside the soon-to-be-reviewed Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Mid 2012) and the Editors' Choice Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Retina Display) , it's hard to ignore the similarities. In fact, "similarities" may not be strong enough a term?perhaps "uncanny resemblance," "clear inspiration," or "out-and-out clone" would be closer. Dell may not say it in any ads, but it's clear that this is Dell's answer to the MacBook Pro. In fairness, Dell isn't alone in this, as we've pointed out designs cribbed from Apple in other premium desktop replacements, such as the HP Envy 15 (2012) .

Believe it or not, we're not knocking Dell for pulling a page from the Jony Ive design book. In fact, Dell has put a great deal of time and attention into improving the XPS 15's look, and has largely succeeded. Where Apple uses bare aluminum, Dell adds soft touch paint on the palm rest and a silicone panel on the bottom, making the XPS 15 both more touchable and a bit more stable on some surfaces. Apple's unibody design has a hard edge around the palm rest, but Dell softens things with a minute bevel. The backlit chiclet keyboard adds some curvature to the key caps, making for a comfortable typing experience, and the clickpad is coated with the same soft touch paint as the palm rest. All in all, although the XPS 15 looks like an Apple product, it actually feels better.

The 15.6-inch widescreen display offers 1,920-by-1,080 resolution, the same seen on the HP Envy 15 and surpassing the more modest resolutions of the Samsung Series 7 (NP700Z5A-S03) and last year's Dell XPS 15z (Microsoft) , but it can't touch the groundbreaking 2,880-by-1,800 Retina display on the new MacBook Pro. (It's tough to compete with technology that Apple bought with its giant pile of money?but you'll also pay a $500 premium to get it.) The XPS 15 also has solid audio, with Waves MaxxAudio 4 and two integrated two-watt stereo speakers. The only thing you won't get is an integrated subwoofer like the one seen (or rather felt) in the HP Envy 15.

Features
In addition to a quality design, the Dell XPS 15 also offers a full selection of ports. Most are located on the left side of the laptop, with three USB 3.0 ports, a compact Ethernet port, and HDMI and Mini DisplayPort outputs (for monitors and HDTV). On the other side you'll find a card reader (SD/MMC), jacks for both headphones and headset (the latter also doubles as a microphone jack), and a slot-loading optical drive that reads Blu-ray discs and burns DVDs. Above the screen is a Skype-certified 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a dual-mic array provides clear sound while chatting.

Inside its magnesium chassis, the XPS 15 is equipped with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. If you don't want the hassle of connecting to a TV through the HDMI port, the XPS 15 also offers WiDi 2.0, although you'll need to also use an adapter, such as the Netgear Push2TV ?one normally costs $99, but Dell will bundle it with the XPS 15 for $79. The XPS 15 is available with both traditional hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs), but our review unit offered an excellent combined solution: a 750GB 7,200rpm hard drive and a 32GB flash memory cache, providing the requisite speed for Intel's RapidStart technology and snappy performance for less money than the cost of a full SSD. It's not as snappy as the 256GB of flash storage found in the MacBook Pro, but it has a considerably larger capacity.

On the hard drive you'll find several programs already installed, including Adobe Reader X, Microsoft Office 2010 Starter, Skype, Internet Explorer, Windows Live Essentials, Wave 4, and a 30-day trial of McAfee Security Center. Instead of the usual one-year warranty, Dell covers the XPS 15 with its Premium Protection plan, which also includes coverage for accidental damage, Lojack for Laptops, remote diagnosis and in-home service, and premium phone support.

Performance
Dell has updated the XPS 15 with an Intel third-generation Core i7-3612QM quad-core processor, paired with 8GB of RAM. The new processor provides a significant step up in capability, allowing the XPS 15 to surge ahead of systems equipped with second-generation processors. In Futuremark PCMark 7, the XPS 15 scored 4,003, as compared with the Samsung Series 7 (2,697) and the HP Envy 15 (2,218). It also led in CineBench R11.5, where the XPS 15 scored 5.64, ahead of both the Samsung (4.55) and the HP Envy 15 (2.67), although it fell behind the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Retina Display), which scored 6.18 when tested in Mac OS X. Speedy times in Handbrake (1 minute 23 seconds) and Photoshop CS5 (3:43) showed off the system's multimedia chops as well.

Thanks to an Nvidia GeForce GT 640M discrete graphics processor and 2GB of VRAM, the Dell XPS 15 also has some facility with gaming. It cranked through 3DMark06 with some of the best scores we've seen in this category, scoring 12,458. As for our real-world gaming tests, it tore through Crysis at 74 frames per second (fps) and Lost Planet 2 at 58fps?only gaming-specific laptops did better. By comparison, the Samsung Series 7 fell behind in both Crysis (49fps) and Lost Planet 2 (64fps). Unfortunately, until we test both MacBook Pros with Windows, we don't have benchmark numbers to compare. Given the similarity in hardware, however, they are likely close in performance.

The Dell XPS also benefits from Optimus automatic switching, which allows the graphics processing to shift seamlessly between the Nvidia graphics card and Intel's integrated HD Graphics 4000, making for better energy efficiency without sacrificing graphics quality. As a result, the XPS 15 lasted an impressive 7 hours 28 minutes on our MobileMark 2007 battery rundown test.

Among premium desktop replacement laptops, the Dell XPS 15 is an above-average contender, with top hardware and solid performance. Unfortunately?especially with such a strong physical resemblance to the MacBook Pro?it can't match Apple's Retina display, Thunderbolt connection, and top-tier operating system. As a result, the Editors' Choice Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Retina Display) stays on top, but the Dell XPS 15 takes a close second place with strong performance and a much more affordable price. If you're in the market for a premium laptop, the Dell XPS 15 is an easy choice among Windows PCs.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012) with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
??? Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-6814
??? Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012)
??? Samsung Series 9 15-inch (NP900X4C-A02US)
??? Acer Aspire S5-391-9880
??? DirAction NL3 Classmate PC
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/3wXPP9fO_9I/0,2817,2407839,00.asp

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Go New Zealand Business and Innovation! | SnapitHD

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Source: http://blog.snapithd.com/index.php/uncategorized/go-new-zealand-business-and-innovation

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De Soto Mayor Dave Anderson cites experience in Kansas House race

Dave Anderson, Republican

Age: 56

Occupation: Owner of a commercial construction company

Married: Yes

Children: Four children

Religious affiliation: Lutheran

Education: Bachelor?s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois and in mathematics from Western Illinois University.

Experience: Mayor of De Soto since April 2001. Served as board member for the Kansas City Area Development Council. Past chairman of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties Council of Mayors. Served eight years on the De Soto Planning Commission, the last two as chairman.

Quote: ?Now that we have committed to a tax plan that was passed last year, we?d better all roll up our sleeves and try to expand our existing businesses and also attract new businesses. That would raise the level, and all boats would rise.?

In a district without an incumbent, Dave Anderson says he has the edge when it comes to experience.

Anderson, the mayor of De Soto since 2001, is running for state office for the first time as he aims to represent the newly drawn 38th District in the Kansas House. He?ll face Willie Dove of Bonner Springs in the Republican primary on Aug. 7.

He said his time as mayor, as well as his experience owning a commercial construction company for about 30 years, gave him the edge over Dove.

?You don?t stay in business for 30 years if you make many mistakes,? Anderson said.

He is the only candidate for the seat who has governing experience, he said, and he said his record in De Soto, which he said is in ?the best financial shape it?s ever been,? shows that he can handle taxpayers? money responsibly.

?You tell me: If you gave me a dollar as a legislator, how will I treat that dollar?? Anderson said.

And his time as a business owner, he said, gave him an idea of what businesses are looking for. Economic development would be his greatest concern as a state legislator, he said.

?Now that we have committed to a tax plan that was passed last year, we?d better all roll up our sleeves and try to expand our existing businesses and also attract new businesses,? Anderson said. ?That would raise the level, and all boats would rise.?

He said he would propose a ?business roundtable? with companies based in his district to see how the state could help them add jobs or make capital investments.

?I?m sure that businesses have a lot of ideas for us,? Anderson said.

Anderson also said he?d like the Legislature to get to work on a school funding formula that will last. He?s heard for too long that the formula is ?broken,? he said.

?Let?s just do it. Let?s get schools in: What do we need to change here so that we don?t have to be talking about this year in and year out?? Anderson said.

He said he would favor more local control of schools.

?I think we get better government the closer we get to the local level,? Anderson said. ?Local school boards know better than the state board.?

In general, Anderson said he would keep his mind open to input. He suggested that might not be true of his opponent, Dove, who he said has ?toed the line? of conservative Republicans and said he would refuse to raise taxes.

?It?s all ?I won?t do anything,? basically,? Anderson said.

Anderson criticized the conflicts between moderate and conservative Republicans, saying he blamed both sides for a legislative session this year that failed to accomplish its task of redistricting, leaving it up to a panel of federal judges.

?I have proof that it doesn?t work: We?re the only state in the union that couldn?t draw a map,? Anderson said.

The 38th District, which was left without an incumbent inside its boundaries after this year?s redistricting, covers parts of Leavenworth and Johnson counties, including the cities of Basehor, De Soto and Linwood.

Click here to see Dave Anderson's responses to a candidate questionnaire.

Source: http://www2.basehorinfo.com/news/2012/jul/30/de-soto-mayor-dave-anderson-cites-experience-kansa/

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China tests more powerful rocket engine

Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

XI'AN, China, July 30 (UPI) -- China says it has successfully tested a new engine for a more powerful rocket that will pave the way for building a space station and even lunar exploration.

The engine, producing 120-tons of thrust burning liquid oxygen and kerosene, was tested Sunday in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, China Daily reported.

The test was to determine how the engine would respond to rotational speeds of nearly 20,000 rpm and temperatures of 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 3 minutes.

The engine is intended to power the Long March 5 carrier rocket -- set for a first launch in 2014 -- to lift a 25-ton payload into near-Earth orbit or put a 14-ton payload into a higher geostationary orbit, experts said.

Current Long March carrier rockets only have a 75-ton thrust, Tan Yonghua, head of Xi'an Aerospace Propulsion Institute, said.

The new engine's extra thrust will enable China to assemble a space station and also be used as part of a lunar exploration program, institute officials said.

Source: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/07/30/China-tests-more-powerful-rocket-engine/UPI-21701343684799/

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Tiny airborne pollutants lead double life

ScienceDaily (July 30, 2012) ? University of British Columbia and Harvard researchers have provided visual evidence that atmospheric particles--which are ubiquitous in the atmosphere, especially above densely populated areas--separate into distinct chemical compositions during their life cycle.

The observations could have important implications for modelling global climate change and predicting air quality conditions. The tiny particles, which form part of an airborne chemical mix above cities, play a role in pollution by providing a surface for chemical reactions and in climate by reflecting and absorbing solar radiation and by acting as seed surfaces for water condensation and cloud formation.

"We've confirmed experimentally that changes in relative humidity can separate the organic and inorganic material in individual atmospheric particles into distinct liquid phases, much like oil separates from water," says UBC professor Allan Bertram, Director of the collaborative research and training program on atmospheric aerosols at UBC and a principal investigator on the paper.

"Having two liquid phases rather than one can change the rates of chemical reactions on particles, may change the amount of light the particles reflect and absorb, and impact their ability to act as seeds for clouds."

The findings--which used air samples from Atlanta, Georgia, the Harvard Environmental Chamber, and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Chamber--are to published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences next week.

"I think of it as the beautiful phenomenon when I mixed food coloring, water and vegetable oil in a bottle when I was in grade school," says Harvard researcher Scot Martin, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

"More to the point, this phenomenon is really new thinking in the atmospheric sciences, and it completely changes the way we need to think through the reactive chemistry of atmospheric particles, a key component of urban air quality."

The air in most urban environments contains particles that are mixtures of organic molecules and chemicals like sulfates. When examined, samples from Atlanta revealed distinct liquid phases that were qualitatively similar to idealized particles generated in the laboratory. The liquid-liquid phase separation occurs naturally.

Particulate air pollution is a relatively new area of study, but one of growing concern to researchers, health officials and environmental groups. Increases in the concentration of aerosols are correlated with increased health issues, including cardiopulmonary disorders.

"We need to understand as much as possible about the chemical composition, physical properties and interactions of atmospheric particles if we're going to assess how they impact human health, regional weather patterns, and even global climate change," notes Bertram, with the Department of Chemistry.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of British Columbia, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Yuan You, Lindsay Renbaum-Wolff, Marc Carreras-Sospedra, Sarah J. Hanna, Naruki Hiranuma, Saeid Kamal, Mackenzie L. Smith, Xiaolu Zhang, Rodney J. Weber, John E. Shilling, Donald Dabdub, Scot T. Martin, and Allan K. Bertram. Images reveal that atmospheric particles can undergo liquid?liquid phase separations. PNAS, July 30, 2012 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1206414109

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120730155045.htm

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EYES ON LONDON: Records, a surprise and dark skies

United States' Dana Vollmer embraces United States' Claire Donahue after Vollmer's gold medal win in the he women's 100-meter butterfly swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Sunday, July 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa De Olza)

United States' Dana Vollmer embraces United States' Claire Donahue after Vollmer's gold medal win in the he women's 100-meter butterfly swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Sunday, July 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa De Olza)

South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh poses with his gold medal for the men's 100-meter breaststroke swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Sunday, July 29, 2012. Van der Burgh set a new world record with a time of 58.46.(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The sky turns black before a heavy rain shower as Germany's Hannes Aigner competes in the heats of the K-1 men's canoe slalom at Lee Valley Whitewater Center, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

USA's Lebron James looks up the court during the first half of a preliminary men's basketball game against France at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 27, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

First Lady Michelle Obama hugs USA's Kobe Bryant after Team USA defeated France in a preliminary men's basketball game at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

LONDON (AP) ? Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:

___

THE DAY'S ACTION

So, two more swimming world records were broken on Sunday and Spain's highly favored football team tumbled out of medal contention after losing to Honduras.

American Dana Vollmer won the 100 butterfly in a world record and was followed by Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa, who set a world mark to win the 100-meter breaststroke.

The biggest surprise of the day came from France's 4x100-meter freestyle relay team, which upset the favored United States and Australia.

? Mike Corder ? Twitter http://twitter.com/mikecorder

___

FOREBODING SKIES

It's a personal battle against the elements that evokes the drama of the high seas. But this is an Olympics K1 canoe slalom event in a man-made environment in east London.

In a single frame, AP photographer Kirsty Wigglesworth has captured a man's bid for glory under foreboding skies.

Here's a link to the picture which is also in the attached photo gallery: http://bit.ly/PdHKKl

?James Collins ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jimcollinsAP

___

GATES HERE

AP's Steve Wade saw Bill Gates as he slipped into the table tennis venue to watch Ariel Hsing. "I'm wishing her good luck but she has a really great opponent," said Gates. "She's done very well to get this far."

He asked if Gates had ever won a point off Hsing. "Not legitimately. She beat me when she was 9, easily. She has been nice to me in social situations."

? Stephen Wade ? Twitter http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP

___

SEEN AT THE GYMNASTICS

Spotted: Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, leaving the gymnastics qualifier with a smile.

? Cassandra Vinograd ? Twitter http://twitter.com/cassvinograd

___

TWITTER TRASH TALK

Hope Solo's angry Twitter rants are U.S. coach Pia Sundhage's latest challenge.

The U.S. women's soccer team won 3-0 Saturday against Colombia, but Solo, the U.S. goalie, took exception on Twitter to comments by her former colleague Brandi Chastain, who is now a TV commentator.

"The game has changed from a decade ago," Solo tweeted.

Sundhage says she spoke with Solo and reminded her that the most important thing now is the team's next Olympic game against North Korea on Tuesday. But the coach says she's not going to bother stopping her star goalie from tweeting.

"It's all about the next game," Sundhage said.

? Joseph White ? Twitter http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

___

LOW EXPECTATIONS

British swimmer Rebecca Adlington was probably the most surprised by her bronze medal swim in the 400 meters final.

Her tweet from earlier Sunday: "Just sneaked into tonight's final in 8th place! Not expecting anything tonight, all I can do is my best :-) thank you for all the support."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

__

SOLDIERS FOR FREE

AP's Cassie Vinograd says some of those empty seats that have been a feature of the games so far are being filled by uniformed British soldiers at the women's gymnastics event. They've taken up about eight rows.

Still, many seats in the lower level remain unaccounted for.

? Cassandra Vinograd ? Twitter http://twitter.com/cassvinograd

___

EYEING THE ODDS

Determined to see a British sports book, I discovered William Hill in Euston. It's nothing like Las Vegas.

Think more like an empty OTB. One television showed the Olympics. The rest were airing dog racing.

But the variety was interesting. They've got bundled bets such as Usain Bolt winning the 100 and 200 meters and the U.S.A men and women's basketball teams both winning gold at 9-to-4. A soccer bet at 8-to-1 bundles the Brazilian men and the American women to win the gold.

The overwhelming favorite is David Rudisha of Kenya in the 800 meters at 1-to-12. The next closest is the American women's basketball team at 1-to-10.

For a big payoff, go for the "Olympic Football Yes/No." Pick all six correctly, including if all six substitutes will be used in the Britain vs. Cameroon women's soccer match, and it pays 33-to-1.

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

___

BRITS AND HOOPS

Football's the undisputed king of sports in Britain. But basketball is capturing the imagination here at the Olympics.

After being disappointed in the road race on Saturday, Britons flocked to the basketball arena for their team's hoops opener against Russia.

The upper level is jammed, the Union Jack is flying proudly and the crowd is roaring at every basket by Luol Deng or Joel Freeland.

?Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

GATES VISIT

Organizers are readying the table tennis venue for a visit by Bill Gates where he'll watch Ariel Hsing against the No. 2 seed, Li Xiaoxia of China on Sunday night.

In the past, Gates has played a few practice shots with Hsing and she refers to him as "Uncle Bill."

? Stephen Wade ? Twitter http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP

___

BEDS REMADE

They were at the center of the Olympics opening ceremony's tribute to Britain's cherished National Health Service.

Now the 320 beds that director Danny Boyle had in a dance sequence that showed British nurses tending to sick children will be used in real hospitals in Tunisia.

Organizers said the beds' elaborate lighting effects and wiring were being removed by volunteers before they were to be loaded into shipping containers and sent overseas.

The beds are being sent to the Hospital Habis Burguiba De Medenine and the Hospital de Taouine in Tunisia.

? David Stringer - Twitter http://twitter.com/david_stringer

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SEA OF FANS

There was a real sea of people out at the ExCel center Sunday where table tennis, judo and boxing topped the agenda. To get a sense, here's a picture: http://bit.ly//O9mGbW

? Fergus Bell ? Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb

___

YIKES FROM YI

So far Chinese basketball star Yi Jianlian has had difficulty finding playing time in the NBA.

That may change. After scoring 30 points and grabbing 12 rebounds Sunday in a loss to a Spanish team full of NBA players, Chinese coach Bob Donewald says he has no idea why his best player can't get minutes stateside.

"I don't know why he didn't play in Dallas but I think he's one of the best players in the world," Donewald says. "And he showed that tonight."

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

BROKEN JAW (AND DREAMS)

Ghana's flagbearer is out of the Olympics after failing to recover in time from a broken jaw sustained in a qualifying fight.

Maxwell Amponsah had surgery to reset his jaw following the fracture on May 5 but it hasn't fully healed, meaning he carried his country's flag at Friday's opening ceremony but won't get to compete.

Ghana's Olympic committee says "there are potential major complications if he re-fractures his jaw."

? Gerald Imray ? Twitter http://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP

___

LEBRON'S LEAP

Nothing like an Olympics to boost your social media profile, it seems.

LeBron James has acquired almost 600,000 new Facebook fans in the last week, with Kobe Bryant coming in second in terms of popularity with an extra 78,000.

But Kobe's still the top Olympian on the social media site in terms of overall numbers.

Facebook has released the following overall fan figures:

Kobe - 13.57 million

LeBron - 11.93 million

Roger Federer - 11.23 million

Maria Sharapova - 7.8 million

Usain Bolt - 7.07 million

? Ian Phillips ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/phillipsian

___

LONELY SEATS

The rows of empty seats at some Olympic venues have enraged sports fans in London who tried but failed to get Olympic tickets.

And now the seats are putting their side of the story across ? through Twitter, naturally.

An account, (at)Olympic seat, emerged on Sunday evening.

"I feel so empty," read one post, accompanied by an avatar of empty seats.

"It was my lifelong ambition to be an Olympic seat," read another tweet. "To provide rest and comfort for cheering sports fans. I feel like such a failure."

? Rob Harris ? Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris

___

BELLE OF THE BAR

The Americans dominated the afternoon qualifying for women's gymnastics, but Britain's athletes got the loudest cheers.

An ovation greeted Britain's Beth Tweddle, who earned a 16.133 on the uneven bars for the top score of the session.

"I was nervous," she admitted later. "It was nerve-wracking to do the bars last."

Tweddle, at 27, is the oldest member of the team and Britain's most decorated gymnast. She's never won an Olympic medal, however.

Her performance Sunday helped Britain make the team finals, four years after they missed the last slot at the Beijing Games.

"We know we're not going to be able to touch USA, Russia, China," Tweddle said. "We are the level below them. Four years ago, we wouldn't be looking at that, so we are getting better."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

___

IT'S OKAY, ROOMIE

Jordyn Wieber has released a statement of support for close friend Aly Raisman, who bumped her out of the all-around gymnastics finals.

Wieber, the reigning world champion, had to watch Raisman's performance knowing a strong showing would keep her out of the individual competition. She left the arena sobbing after missing the cut.

"It was hard because of course I wanted that spot. But I also wanted Aly to do her best for the team," she said.

The two are roommates here at the London Games. Wieber will be relegated to cheerleader now as Gabby Douglas and Raisman compete for the all-around title.

"It has always been a dream of mine to compete in the all-around final of the Olympics," she said. "I'm proud of Aly and Gabby and happy that they reached the all-around and I was able to help the team get to the Finals. It was always going to be close between the three of us doing all-around and in the end it is what it is."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/jennafryerscore)stringer

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-07-29-OLY-Eyes-on-London-Package/id-c13be52181da4de39a68b75845f79abb

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Colorado State University Professor Edward Hoover to Receive the Merial-AAVMC Excellence in Research Award ( Las Vegas Business Press )

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Injuries In Wrongful Dying Claims | ClickOpp

The phrase wrongful death relates to negligent actions and also a wrongful death claim is commonly a lawsuit which may be brought by ones own family or beneficiaries plus its a cause of death resulting from negligence. When a innocent person is killed caused by someone else?s poor mistake or distraction, a wrongful passing away attorney is needed to find results. In Miami, a wrongful loss of life claim is ruled by certain procedures called statutes. Conrad Murray additionally, the companies with which it will be wrongful death attorney affiliated. They are likely to be also covered through natural materials, such as egyptian cotton or wool, which wasn? There are generally no laws it is in place for federal statutes related to wrongful death.

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If the particular liable person isn?t ready to guidance or take duty for extending that monetary support towards the survivors then they are able to approach and take legal services from the wrongful loss attorneys. This also corresponds to all healthcare gurus like nurses, dentists and now and again, the hospital alone. You possibly can know who can claim for the dead person person. Since you will find too many individuals to participate in individual suits resistant to the company, law firms may start a class steps lawsuit. If you fail to prove it, you simply are not able to file the suit. Other relatives will also be able to take a wrongful death action if and when they can prove that you had a sufficiently close relationship when using the deceased and/or were based upon the deceased to get financial support.

Wrongful passing cases are aimed at showing liability. Even individual children can retrieve a wrongful fatality settlement, however cases which includes these are common should the death was attributed to nursing home carelessness or medical malpractice. If you make sure to go about combating the legal tasks alone, you are going to get a hard time proving that this death was one other party?s fault and a straight harder time gaining compensation. Just about every citizen has basic rights with the framework of legal issues that entitle them and/or their own families to justice, in addition towards financial compensation.

In the nation wrongful death claims needs to have a ?preponderance of evidence? rather than criminal conviction which will requires ?clear plus convincing? evidence or perhaps evidence ?beyond a practical doubt. ? Because in the this aspect involving wrongful death boasts, it is generally easier for you to definitely be held liable from a civil court with the death of somebody than if additionally, they are tried at a criminal court to your same exact idea. As per the law, doctors and other health-related professionals should deliver care to people maintaining the presented standard of Florida wrongful death attorney professional medical malpractice. If you will be a resident associated with Colorado, then this law of limitations mean you can file a wrongful loss of life case within 2 yrs from the date belonging to the victim?s death. Some aspects include (1) the best way dependent the plaintiff was in the decedent; (2) the type of the relationship aided by the decedent; (3) the particular anticipated lifespan from the decedent, (4) your anticipated earnings together with other benefits of this decedent, and (5) that presence of just about any comparative fault. Having any well trained doctor fully briefed fastens up the actual investigation process.

The damage recovered for many of the above are known as compensatory damages. The exposure date laws say that statute of restriction only starts belonging to the day the felony was discovered. There are a lot of Wrongful death Texas wrongful death attorney law firms in Florida who can assist you out. It can be considered a death because of the carelessness or negligence of each individual, group, or even a corporation of some variety. Continue to, no matter what the true reason for it is, this is undoubtedly an act connected with wrongful behavior that will left ruin with its wake.

Source: http://clickopps.net/injuries-in-wrongful-dying-claims/

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PFT: Hasselbeck, Locker alternating reps at camp

With defensive coordinator Gregg Williams suspended indefinitely and no other person holding the title even on an interim basis and with the Rams putting on the pads Sunday for the first time in the Jeff Fisher era, an important question remains.

Who?s running the defense?

The coaching staff has three men who have held the ?defensive coordinator? title at the NFL level:? Fisher, assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, and secondary coach Chuck Cecil.

But the defense being installed is the Gregg Williams defense.? So who?s in best position to actually implement it?

It?s possibly linebackers coach Blake Williams.? As in the son of Gregg Williams.

Linebacker James Laurinaitis recently explained that, to date, it?s been a committee approach when it comes to coaching the defense.? But the only coach Laurinaitis mentioned by name was Blake Williams.

?A different [day] in practice it?ll be a different guy calling the plays,? Laurinaitis told 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland, via SportsRadioInterviews.com.? ?We have Blake Williams, Gregg Williams? son, and he kind of grew up in this defense.? It?s safe to say that on some of the modifications of Gregg Williams? defense over the years has been because of Blake and his intelligence.?

And here?s where a cynic would wonder, as some in league circles have, whether Blake Williams will be serving as a surrogate for Gregg Williams in 2012.? Yeah, Gregg Williams is suspended and he can?t talk to anyone from the team.? But he surely can talk to his own son ? and unless the league office will be monitoring those communications, Gregg Williams can share thoughts with his son regarding how his son is doing his job.

In theory, father and son also can get together from time to time.? Dinner, for example, once or twice a week.? Absent supervision from 345 Park Avenue, what?s to keep them from working to put together a game plan for the upcoming game?

We?re not saying it will happen.? And we take no position on whether it would be justified by the league?s arguable overreaction to the Saints? pay-for-performance system.

The point is that, with no one identified as the interim defensive coordinator and with the son of the defensive coordinator on the coaching staff, the Rams (if everyone is discreet) can still find a way to get the benefit of Gregg Williams? insights, ideas, and strategies.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/29/hasselbeck-locker-alternating-reps-at-titans-camp/related/

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Kate Macgregor glad to have elders to lean on ... - BBC World News

Kate Macgregor is thankful to the British sailing team?s elder statesmen as she prepares to make her Olympic debut. Excited: Kate Macgregor of Great Britain (Picture: Getty Images) The 21-year-old is the youngest member of Team GB?s sailing squad and is competing in the match racing class, a new discipline for the Olympics, alongside sister Lucy and Annie Lush. Star class duo Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson, and Finn sailor Ben Ainslie also start their campaigns. Three-time Olympic gold medallist Ainslie, 35, is aiming to top the podium for a fourth successive Games ? the first race on the Nothe Course is at noon, followed by a 1.30pm test at Weymouth Bay West. Macgregor admits she winds Ainslie up about their age gap but added: ?There is a lot of experience I can get from him. The atmosphere in Portland House [GB?s Dorset base] is amazing. Everyone is so helpful. Quite frankly we don?t know what to expect apart from hearing about what they have experienced before.? The match racing girls are considered second favourites for gold

A Short Lesson on True Estate | Preschoolers home schooling

Jul 28

Posted by DehoffFaherty on Saturday Jul 28, 2012 Under Uncategorized

Exactly where did the notion that males ought to acquire homes for females come from? Many people say that this really is depending on our natural instinct. Like any other animal, parents need to safeguard their young for the continuation from the species. Anyway, asked that query because I wanted to know why business relating to real estate is all of a sudden producing becoming common. Just before you had the acquiring and promoting of properties. Now, with the widespread use of the Internet, we have actual estate trading which can be fundamentally I purchase yours you buy mine kind of arrangement.
The term genuine estate is utilised to refer to any property, that is permanently attached to land for example buildings and homes. Most people refer to it as true house but there are scenarios wherein the term actual estate is used for the land along with the building with each other even though genuine house refers to the ownership rights of the land itself. However, the word genuine is utilised to categorize these properties as things as opposed to folks. Records show that the concept of genuine estate could be traced as far back as 1666.
With the concept of private home becoming a lot more widespread, real estate has become a significant location of business within the Usa. The truth is, economists claim that the purpose for the recent economic slump is because of the lower revenue generated by this market. In order for the US to have back on track, Americans need to view land and buildings as an investment.
There are lots of varieties of real estate: residential, commercial or industrial property. Probably the most typical transactions involve the getting and selling of residential properties including apartments, condominiums and a duplex. Often households who wish to move to a various state finds it hard to find dwellings on their own so they typically do a map search in the region they?re moving to so as to locate any houses which are either for sale or for rent. This way, they get to choose the properties they want without having obtaining to travel however, thereby saving time, work and cash. In some situations, individuals speak to a genuine estate agent who can then give them a tour from the region in order that they get to determine the homes and to possibly bargain for the price tag in the house.
In US and Canada, obtaining property is easy due to the existence with the a number of listing program or MLS a data base wherein genuine estate brokers can share details in regards to the properties their customers are organizing to sell, or in some cases, planning to get. A lot of people who need to acquire a home typically have no concept where to begin so they contact a genuine estate broker. Whenever you do so, the broker searches the MLS to locate specifics regarding the home. At present, you can find about 800 various MLS in the US with new competitors like Google Base, Craigslist and Cribfinder getting into the public domain.

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Source: http://www.toyspreschool.org/uncategorized/a-short-lesson-on-true-estate/

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Study finds novel therapy that may prevent damage to the retina in diabetic eye diseases

Public release date: 27-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Barbara Sefton
bwsefton@umich.edu
734-763-6967
University of Michigan Health System

Targeting a key protein blocks two important pathways related to blood vessel leakage in diabetic retinopathy

Researchers at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center have identified a compound that could interrupt the chain of events that cause damage to the retina in diabetic retinopathy. The finding is significant because it could lead to a novel therapy that targets two mechanisms at the root of the disease: inflammation and the weakening of the blood barrier that protects the retina.

To date, treatments for diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness among working-age Americans, have been aimed largely at one of those mechanisms.

In diabetic retinopathy, damage to the retina results, in part, from the activity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a protein that weakens the protective blood-retinal barrier. Recent drugs targeting VEGF have exhibited good response for nearly half of the patients with diabetic retinopathy. But researchers believe that there is also an inflammatory component that may contribute to the disease process.

The study, published in the Biochemical Journal, June 2012 [epub ahead of print] identifies a specific protein common to both pathways as an important target in regulating the disease process in which blood vessels become leaky, and provides a drug that may be developed into a therapeutic intervention for patients in which anti-VEGF treatment alone is not sufficient.

"In diabetic retinopathy and a host of other retinal diseases, increases in VEGF and inflammatory factors some of the same factors that contribute to the response to an infection cause blood vessels in the eye to leak which, in turn, results in a buildup of fluid in the neural tissue of the retina," says David A. Antonetti, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, who has also been awarded a Jules and Doris Stein Professorship from Research to Prevent Blindness. "This insidious form of modified inflammation can eventually lead to blindness."

The compound targets atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), required for VEGF to make blood vessels leak. Moreover, Antonetti's laboratory has demonstrated that the compound is effective at blocking damage from tumor necrosis factor also elevated in diabetic retinopathy that comprises part of the inflammation. Benefits of this compound could extend to therapies for uveitis, or changes to the brain blood vessels in the presence of brain tumors or stroke.

"This is a great leap forward," says Antonetti. "We've identified an important target in regulating blood vessel leakage in the eye and we have a therapy that works in animal models. Our research is in the early stages of development. We still have a long way to go to demonstrate effectiveness of this compound in humans to create a new therapy but the results are very promising."

###

Novel Atypical PKC Inhibitors Prevent Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Induced Blood-Retinal Barrier Dysfunction, 22 June 2012 [epub ahead of print]

Funding sources: National Institutes of Health; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; The Jules and Doris Stein Professorship from Research to Prevent Blindness; Fight for Sight Research Foundation

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 27-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Barbara Sefton
bwsefton@umich.edu
734-763-6967
University of Michigan Health System

Targeting a key protein blocks two important pathways related to blood vessel leakage in diabetic retinopathy

Researchers at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center have identified a compound that could interrupt the chain of events that cause damage to the retina in diabetic retinopathy. The finding is significant because it could lead to a novel therapy that targets two mechanisms at the root of the disease: inflammation and the weakening of the blood barrier that protects the retina.

To date, treatments for diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness among working-age Americans, have been aimed largely at one of those mechanisms.

In diabetic retinopathy, damage to the retina results, in part, from the activity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a protein that weakens the protective blood-retinal barrier. Recent drugs targeting VEGF have exhibited good response for nearly half of the patients with diabetic retinopathy. But researchers believe that there is also an inflammatory component that may contribute to the disease process.

The study, published in the Biochemical Journal, June 2012 [epub ahead of print] identifies a specific protein common to both pathways as an important target in regulating the disease process in which blood vessels become leaky, and provides a drug that may be developed into a therapeutic intervention for patients in which anti-VEGF treatment alone is not sufficient.

"In diabetic retinopathy and a host of other retinal diseases, increases in VEGF and inflammatory factors some of the same factors that contribute to the response to an infection cause blood vessels in the eye to leak which, in turn, results in a buildup of fluid in the neural tissue of the retina," says David A. Antonetti, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, who has also been awarded a Jules and Doris Stein Professorship from Research to Prevent Blindness. "This insidious form of modified inflammation can eventually lead to blindness."

The compound targets atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), required for VEGF to make blood vessels leak. Moreover, Antonetti's laboratory has demonstrated that the compound is effective at blocking damage from tumor necrosis factor also elevated in diabetic retinopathy that comprises part of the inflammation. Benefits of this compound could extend to therapies for uveitis, or changes to the brain blood vessels in the presence of brain tumors or stroke.

"This is a great leap forward," says Antonetti. "We've identified an important target in regulating blood vessel leakage in the eye and we have a therapy that works in animal models. Our research is in the early stages of development. We still have a long way to go to demonstrate effectiveness of this compound in humans to create a new therapy but the results are very promising."

###

Novel Atypical PKC Inhibitors Prevent Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Induced Blood-Retinal Barrier Dysfunction, 22 June 2012 [epub ahead of print]

Funding sources: National Institutes of Health; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; The Jules and Doris Stein Professorship from Research to Prevent Blindness; Fight for Sight Research Foundation

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-07/uomh-sfn072712.php

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Fred Willard Jokes About His Arrest For Lewd Conduct (VIDEO)

Fred Willard Jokes About His Arrest For Lewd Conduct (VIDEO)

Fred Willard, the 72-year-old actor arrested for lewd behavior at the Tiki Theater in Hollywood, is laughing off the embarrassing situation. The funnyman who is [...]

Fred Willard Jokes About His Arrest For Lewd Conduct (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/07/fred-willard-jokes-about-his-arrest-for-lewd-conduct-video/

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Health Care's New Rules: If You Don't Buy Insurance, Will You ...

By Joseph Antos and Michael R. Strain

Now that the Supreme Court has decided that ObamaCare?s mandate to buy health insurance is a tax, will the IRS be able to collect it?

Generally speaking, if you owe the IRS, it will get the money from you?with the possible exception of the ObamaCare tax. Though ObamaCare?s individual mandate imposes a tax on people who do not purchase government-approved health insurance, the law explicitly neuters the IRS?s ability to collect the tax.

Bizarre? Yes. And it matters. If policymakers expect uninsured young people to buy health insurance when it is even more expensive than it is today, the threat of serious consequences for not doing so must be real. Yes, the threat that the IRS might come after you if you do not do what you are told looks real at first glance. But Democratic politicians, fearing public backlash for making the mandate too intrusive, pulled its teeth.

First, the tax (nee penalty) is too small to matter to the people who are its target. In 2014, the tax will be the larger of $95 or 1 percent of taxable income for an individual. By 2016 it rises to $695 or 2.5 percent of income. Young people would not want to pay a dollar if they could avoid it, but avoiding the tax means signing up for insurance that many do not think they need. That insurance is not free. Even with subsidies, they will pay at least 3 percent of their incomes for premiums and up to 6 percent of the cost of the insurance in deductibles and copayments. That adds up to a lot more than 95 bucks.

Second, the law counts on most of the scofflaws turning themselves in. If you do not have insurance and think you owe the tax, then you will be asked to check a box to that effect on your tax return. If you choose to ignore the mandate, you might also choose not to check the box. But even those who do confess that they do not have insurance may not be liable for the new tax. Illegal aliens, Native Americans, prisoners, those who are without insurance for less than 3 months, those who do not have to file an income tax return, anyone who faces a hardship or cannot find affordable coverage, and others are all exempt.

Third, the law requires the IRS to sift through 140 million income tax returns to track down the few scofflaws who are actually liable. This requires collecting information from both the insurance companies and the individual filers in an expensive feat of bureaucratic detective work. What are the specifics? The details of any plan other than taking your word for it have not been worked out yet, but the likely scenario finds insurance companies sending documentation to the IRS and to the taxpayer, which the taxpayer would then include with his return. That means even more bureaucracy and regulatory burden than the healthcare industry and the IRS currently have. And more bureaucracy and regulation mean greater expense, both to insurers (who will pass those costs to consumers in higher premiums) and to the government.

Taking all parts of ObamaCare together, the IRS is expected to spend $881 million from 2010 through 2013 on thousands of new workers and upgrades to computer systems?amazing, since the bulk of ObamaCare does not even go into effect until later years.

Finally, even if the IRS has determined that you owe the new tax, it has very limited ability to force you to pay it. Basically, the IRS has two options: To ask you for the money and to reduce the size of your tax refund. But the IRS cannot reduce your refund unless you overpay. Since taxpayers have great control over their withholding, a savvy taxpayer who does not want to buy insurance could easily work the system to ensure that the IRS could not hold back his refund to enforce the mandate tax. And half of American households do not owe any income tax to begin with, so good luck getting the money from them. In addition, with electronic filing, the IRS may have already sent you the full refund before they?ve figured out that you owe the ObamaCare tax. All in all, it could take years for the IRS to collect its money.

This contrasts sharply with the way the IRS collects other taxes. To put it simply, the IRS gets the money it is owed because it has broad powers to enforce compliance. After all, there?s a reason we?re all scared of the IRS.

To enforce tax compliance, the government can bring a lawsuit against you, but that option is generally reserved for the most serious tax evaders?not individuals who owe a $695 penalty. In contrast, the ObamaCare law says that anyone who does not have health insurance and fails to pay the tax cannot be criminally prosecuted or criminally penalized. There goes the government?s strongest weapon.

What happens most of the time is very simple: If you refuse to pay your taxes, then the government takes your stuff. The government can take all the assets you currently have and assets you expect to receive in the future. For example, the money you have in your checking and savings accounts, your car, your boat, your retirement account, any rental income, and wages that have not been paid to you can be taken by the IRS in order to collect the money you owe. The IRS?s power is so strong that it holds third parties liable if they choose not to surrender property that the IRS demands. So your bank has to comply with the IRS.

Not so if the tax you refuse to pay is the ObamaCare tax. Under ObamaCare, the IRS cannot seize any of your property to enforce the mandate penalty. The IRS cannot go after the money in your bank accounts, and it can?t sell your car. It can?t send you to jail, and it can?t touch your stuff.

Congress has enacted a law that cannot be enforced. Congress purposely limited the enforcement powers of the IRS to avoid the public outcry that a strong mandate to buy government-approved insurance would evoke. The mandate may be constitutional, but as Chief Justice Roberts pointed out, a constitutional law is not automatically good policy.

The government?s inability to enforce the individual mandate is just one of many problems with ObamaCare. Mandate or not, laws should be enforceable, and they should be reasonable. This law has to go. The American public should turn the tables on the government and enforce a mandate of its own: Create and execute reasonable health policy.

Joseph Antos is the Wilson H. Taylor Scholar in Healthcare and Retirement Policy at the American Enterprise Institute, where Michael R. Strain is a research fellow. This post first appeared at The American.

Source: http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/07/27/health-cares-new-rules-if-you-dont-buy-insurance-will-you-really-pay-the-tax/

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Malaysian giant MOL enters Australia's online gaming space with ...

The real-action, online gaming is the fastest-growing segment of the market. In fact, by 2014, online games will itself be a billion-dollar market, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers? projection.

So, it?s not a huge surprise to see some M&A action in this space as companies jostle for market share.

Recently, Ocash, the Australian startup, acquired OnlineGamez Australia, a distributor of online game credits in Australia and New Zealand. This week,?Malaysian Internet payments giant MOL Global announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Ocash itself.

?This is a significant step for MOL to continue to build and strengthen its business strategy across the Asia Pacific region,? said Craig White, president of MOL Global.

White said the partnership would ?provide more business opportunities for our region?s game developers and publishers as they will be able to extend their reach via MOL to consumers outside the Asian region.?

MOL is one of the largest online payment providers in the world. It has more than 600,000 physical and online payment channels, besides partnerships with over 150 online game publishers and social networks worldwide including Facebook, Zynga and Electronic Arts.

Ocash founder Budi Handoko has been named the chief executive of MOL Australia, and will power the company?s growth Down Under.

?We identify ourselves in line with the vision of MOL and the synergy between both organisations will allow our businesses to reach new heights,? said Handoko, an online game specialist. ?At the same time, our growing player community will be able to gain new secured channels to purchase various popular digital products such as Facebook Credits, as well as be introduced to MOL?s huge portal of international and Asian games.?

Ocash has specialised in processing payments for online games credits in the Australia and New Zealand markets. Its flagship product ? ocash points ? is a virtual credit utilised by online game enthusiasts to purchase popular game credits from various game publishers.

PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts consumer spending on games in Australia will increase to $1,584 million in 2014, mainly on the strength of growth in online games and wireless games. Estimated compound annual growth in consumer spending for online games (13.6%) and wireless games (13%) for 2010-2014 is significantly higher than that for consoles and handheld devices (5.8%).

Begins 16 April 2012

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Source: http://anthillonline.com/online-gaming-gets-a-boost-ocash-beckons-mol-to-australia/

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London Eater ? London food blog and restaurant reviews and ...

For my birthday this year, I was looking to drink something a little special and so BBR became an obvious choice for it carries a list of classy old world wine labels, but with modest mark-ups. Prices on the wines track closely to the market conditions, generally with 20 to 30% margin over retail and do present tremendous value compared to ?finer? establishments. Let?s see there the now luxury brand right bank star, Cheval Blanc, the 1996 for ?500; Conseillante, a consistent Pomerol estate (Merlot!) , from a generally positive vintage, 1990 for ?526; ?98 La Mouline, the most feminine of the trio of ?Lalas? from Northern Rhone producer Guigal for ?432. There?s even a Unico by Vega Sicilia, what is regarded as Spain?s version of a first growth, the 1999 for ?317.

1985 Ch Haut Brion, Graves. ?392.

It was an easy decision to pick this claret. It?s got a quarter century of bottle age, and a glut of cellartracker reviews indicating that it is in a really nice place at the moment. In another restaurant, a first growth Bordeaux would easily command a four digit price, so ?392 + 12.5% is a ?relative bargain?. It was also surprisingly close to cost price (330/btl in bond) so it seemed er, sensible to take a punt. So to secure it (by the time you read this, the wine list might have been reviewed), I had paid for the wine upfront sometime in April, 12 weeks ahead of this meal.

Of all the Bordelais, I am most familiar with wines from the Graves region. While the mighty Pauillacs boast fruit and power, I believe the most intriguing clarets are from this region. The name is a direct reference to the soil character and it is the gravel and clay which are said to give rise to the trademark aromas of smoke and cigars, or broadly speaking the sense of place these wines are so famous for.

I?ve sampled small sips of ?78 Haut Brion (fucking wow), ?66 La Mission (fading in 2012 it seems), the lauded 09 Smith Haut Laffite (TANNINS) but my favourites are the fleshy Chevalier reds (I haven?t tried their whites) which are decent expressions of the region and relatively affordable at ?50 a pop. I have a case of the 09s cellared which I plan to break out when I retire.

I think there is no better way to experience the best of Graves than a good bottle from the Chieftain of Pessac that is Haut Brion (ok maybe its sister estate La Mission Haut Brion). It?s very noble stuff. The Domaine would probably tell you how it has been famously revered through its long history, it even found its way to King Charles II?s dinner table. In those days, it defined a new breed of claret while today it is reputed as the oldest and the only First Growth outside of the Medoc, per the dated left bank 1855 classifications.

Considering its age, the bottle was in a healthy state, at mid-neck fill levels. Though it was slightly worrying to see a perfectly legible label, suggesting a mostly dry shelf-life, which may make for dry corks, but that?s just speculating by inspection. The sommelier popped and poured a small sample in my glass and decanted the rest. He left maybe about a shot?s worth in the bottle, as there was quite a bit of expected sediment. The cork looked pristine, stained to about halfway up, indicating the wine had crucially taken in some air in its long life.

Even before swirling, savoury secondary aromas of tar, ash, cigar, leather and maybe smoked ham were present. It instantly reminded me of the ?78. So all fears subsided ? the bottle had been carefully stored through its lifetime.

As the wine breathed, the fruit started to unfurl, plums or maybe even figs ? a flash of its youth. Through the night, the wine became less shy, more perfumed and more floral. It was a tremendous pleasure to smell the wine and I spent more time doing that than drinking. Obviously I don?t drink trophy wines regularly ? if at all ? so there might be more aromas which I couldn?t detect. However it definitely felt like a step change to anything I?d drank in recent memory.

On the palate, it was simply the smoothest wine I?d ever tasted. This really was liquid silk, as abused as the term may be. It felt polished and precise. This mature claret seemed almost Rhone-like in weight with all the tannins now fallen away. Spicy, maybe soya sauce, but with black fruit in the background and some sweetness too ?somewhere in the mix.

The wine changed perceptibly in the glass as we drank it over four hours. It was fruitier to start and grew to a spicier and more savoury monster toward the end. All the while however, it maintained a poise, an ultra-smooth, lithe mouth feel and drank beautifully till the very last drop. I remembered the long sizzling finish and counted 15, maybe 30 seconds, lingering fruitiness?

?wow. So this is First growth quality.

We were still conscious that this was just fermented grape juice, but it was surprising how harmonious the wine was. There weren?t any rough edges, it was so smooth, so balanced and such a delight to drink.

Was it worth ?440? Is any liquid ? at least 80% water ? kept in a glass bottle for a long time worth that kind of money? It probably retailed closer to ?44 when it was bottled in ?88. So maybe not, but I suppose what you pay for is the promise of intangibles involving emotion and pleasure. Though we did entertain the idea of trying to quantifying this ?greatness? and subjectively, it felt like this wine could justifiable be worth ?300+. ?200 would be good value (in relative terms) , but if it were available for say ?100, we would probably buy a case of it.

Nevertheless, the 1985 is certainly in a nice place today, I felt we drank a great bottle of a great wine providing for a truly memorable experience and this was absolutely worth it.

And now to the food..

Six Colchester Grade ?A? Rock Oysters, ?13.25.

We started with healthy looking rock oysters from Colchester. Creamy, crisp but not as thrilling as the Dorset rocks which our fishmonger sell at our farmers market at Queen?s Park.

Venison Tartare Imperial, with 15g Sturgeon Caviar, ?29.75

I wasn?t expecting the caviar to be anything more than just an extravagant splurge, but the deep saltiness, sticky texture did appear to enrich the tartare. A little excessive but it was an enjoyable one-off.

Crab Salad with Chilli Avocado Mayo, ?11.50

Generously loaded with freshly picked crab, needed a lot of lemon juice but generally pleasing.

Crispy, Pressed and Roaster Belly of Suckling Pork, with Truffle Gravy, ?21.25

This was hugely enjoyable, the crackling was just smashing, the pork was delicious. The black pudding was a little sweet, lighted scented with truffle gravy. Yummy, but probably more so in winter.

Veal FIllet Holstein, with Quail Egg, Anchovies, Bacon and Truffle Gravy, ?21.75
with Lobster Mash, ?6.75.

I?ve had this dish on a couple of separate occasions and have always been impressed. It?s just so dependable, so classic. Served pink, also with lashings of truffle gravy, it was comforting, a joy to eat and it complimented the wine well enough.

Although the lobster mash was certainly the best thing we ate. It was like mash soaked in a lobster bisque. Flavours of fluidised shell, and with generous claw meat mixed in. It was a course unto itself. To me, it seemed exactly what you?d expect lobster mash to taste like. It?s miles ahead of the Goodman version.

Chocolate Glory, MK II. ?9.75.

With chocolate jivara mousse, brownie, meringue and passionfruit orange jelly in a golden shell that disintegrates as hot chocolate sauce is poured over it.

So we paid ?440 for wine, ?139 for the food plus service, totaling ?579. In the end, it was a memorable meal. This old-fashioned-ish brasserie with an eccentric approach to hospitality was a success for a private celebration. Nothing but love for the plush leather-seated booths.

Details

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Anglo-Russian All Day Diner ?50pp
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Fed has few options as global growth slows

By John W. Schoen, Senior Producer

For the first time in decades, the U.S. Federal Reserve is looking like a toothless tiger.

As it becomes clearer that the multiple gears of the worldwide economy are slowing in unison, pressure is mounting on the world's largest central bank to spur growth.?But with the cost of borrowing money already at historic lows, it?s far from clear whether further measures aimed at making money cheaper will help.

"They have a hammer and they're looking for a nail," Alan De Rose, managing director of government trading and finance at Oppenheimer, told Reuters.

The Fed's policy-setting committee meets next week amid reports that it may be close to taking fresh action to stimulate the flagging economy.

With businesses worried about taking on new risk and households struggling to make ends meet, fresh data this week point to an ongoing economic slowdown in the U.S.

The Commerce Department?s initial estimate of second quarter gross domestic product, due Friday, is expected to show the growth rate slowed to 1.2 percent from 1.9 percent in the first three months of the year. The slowdown follows a series of monthly reports pointing to a weakening job market and a stubbornly high unemployment rate.

American businesses continue to feel the impact of a deepening recession in Europe. Surveys of Europe's private sector this week showed?the contraction that began in the eurozone's weaker economies has now spread to Germany and France. Across the 17 countries that use the euro, manufacturing output has tanked. Consumers are gloomier than they've been since 2009.

As the European meltdown weighs on the overall U.S. economy, states that rely heavily on exports are most at risk from the deepening crisis overseas.

When the global credit markets collapsed in the fall of 2008, central banks around the world quickly exhausted the primary tool they?ve reliably used to fight financial fires for decades: slashing the interest rates on money lent directly to banks. Despite those efforts, the world economy slid into a nasty recession.

Since then, the Fed has employed a set of new tools, including the purchase of some $2 trillion in bonds to lower rates on other forms of credit, among them?home mortgages. For a time, those moves seemed to revive growth: gross domestic product and hiring picked up last year, and the housing market appeared to have stabilized.

Despite a flurry of?press reports of possible new moves, the Fed is not expected to make any fresh announcements before its next two-day policy meeting next week. Even then, most of the measures under consideration have already been tried.

Buying more bonds could help prop up the financial markets, but would do little to spur borrowing and lending.?With interest rates at or near record lows, extending the promise to provide ultra-low rates beyond 2014, by itself, isn?t likely to encourage businesses and consumers to take on more risk.

So, with global economy slowing, the Fed is reaching deeper into its toolbox.

With borrowers on the sidelines, Fed policy makers are considering measures to try to prod bankers to push more money into the system. One such move would be to reward banks that make more loans, an idea borrowed from a recent program launched by the Bank of England. Bernanke hinted to reporters in June that the Fed was considering the plan.

Another measure aimed at prodding bankers to move more money out of their vaults and back into the economy would involve cutting the interest rate the Fed pays financial institutions to park their cash reserves with the central bank, which now stands at 0.25 percent.

But no matter how many creative new moves they try, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has conceded that the impact of these policies will be limited. As he warned lawmakers last week, the central bank faces major obstacles to its mission of promoting strong growth and steady prices that are beyond its control.

"The recovery in the United States continues to be held back by a number of other headwinds, including still-tight borrowing conditions for some businesses and households, and the restraining effects of fiscal policy and fiscal uncertainty," Bernanke told a Senate panel.

Translation: Companies and consumers are still having a hard time qualifying for loans. And unless Congress and the White House head off the looming $600 billion ?fiscal cliff? of massive tax increases and spending cuts, there is little the central bank can do to stave off another recession.

The Fed isn?t alone in its?predicament.

With the world now locked in what appears to be a coordinated slowdown, central banks around the world have been flooding the system with money to prod businesses and consumers to borrow and spend.

But the global economy continues to lose momentum. The slowdown is most pronounced in Europe, where a deepening debt crisis is weighing on business and consumer confidence and hammering the banking system.

Like their American counterparts, European central bankers are struggling to push money into the economy.? But deep government spending cuts in Greece and Spain have left many households without a paycheck to spend.?And in the midst of a debt-induced a financial storm, business and consumers across the continent are in no mood to borrow. A closely watched European Central Bank survey Wednesday showed that demand for credit remains weak in the eurozone.

In China, the last major economy showing strong growth, that forward momentum is also slowing. Though still booming compared to developed economies, Chinese officials are trying to steer their emerging economy on a course that maintains robust growth but avoids a ruinous run-up in prices.

After adopting measures last year to cool an emerging price bubble, Beijing is now moving to boost growth again. But those measures are expected to be too limited to help revive the rest of the global economy. ?

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Discussing the state of the U.S. markets, and whether more Fed action is necessary, with CNBC contributors Joe Lavorgna and Ron Insana, and CNBC's Steve Liesman.

Source: http://economywatch.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/25/12950349-fed-has-few-options-as-global-growth-slows?lite

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