Orange County leaders this week will publicly discuss proposals to spend more than $60 million on tourism marketing and sports and arts venues ? proposals until now largely hashed out behind closed doors.
The projects all depend on tourist taxes that have rebounded since plummeting amid the Great Recession. In line for cash: a proposed new soccer stadium; upgrades to the Florida Citrus Bowl stadium; the nearly $500 million performing-arts center; and more advertising for the tourism and hotel industries.
Orange County commissioners are scheduled to review the package Tuesday, and a tourism advisory board will do likewise Friday. No final vote is expected, but the discussions could signal if official opposition exists for any part of the plan.
Here is a rundown of what's at stake in the latest push to tap tourist-tax revenues, which topped $175 million this past fiscal year.
Soccer
Owners of Orlando City Soccer Club will make a pitch to Orange commissioners for $20 million in tourist taxes. It's a vital part of the funding plan for a new stadium, and the team has not discussed any sort of backup plan if it doesn't get the money.
The minor-league team is vying for the stadium as part of its quest for a Major League Soccer franchise. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said last week the league will add four new teams by 2020; Orlando is thought to be a front-runner.
"MLS is waiting for us to say we have a funding plan for a stadium, and then they will give us a franchise," Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said. "It's as simple as that."
The stadium's first phase would cost $85 million. State legislators rejected a proposal earlier this year to funnel $30 million in sales taxes to the project. If they change their minds during their spring session next year, the stadium's final price tag could climb to $110 million.
Bowl games
Renovation of the Citrus Bowl, currently pegged at $191 million, is the only one of the community venues approved in 2007 that has not gotten underway.
Work is supposed to begin in January, but as the design is being made final, sports boosters are now asking county leaders for a bigger budget. Florida Citrus Sports has told county officials that an additional $12 million in tourist taxes, plus $4 million in private contributions FCS would raise itself, would add features that would make it easier to attract other events to the aging stadium.
The venue now hostsfootball's Capital One Bowl; the Russell Athletic Bowl; the Florida Classic between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman; and the MEAC/SWAC Challenge ? as well as the popular Monster Jam motor-sports event.
Dyer said if county commissioners can be convinced to put an additional $12 million toward the project, the stadium can be built in a way that would allow the addition ? when necessary ? of more luxury suites and other features needed to host big events, particularly a college-footballnational championship.
The arts
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has a crucial opportunity to get its second phase on track after the recession blew it off financial course.
Mayor Teresa Jacobs has pledged $25 million to help get it done, but when it's discussed this week, there could be some friction over where that money comes from.
Jacobs says the county should tap its tourist-tax reserves for the $25 million. But some hotel and theme-park leaders ? who jealously guard those reserves ? have suggested the city should find another creative way to finance it and let it be paid back with future tourist-tax collections.
Hotelier Harris Rosen wrote commissioners last week to urge them to "maintain these surplus TDT funds in reserves" for added convention-center improvements and for more tourism marketing.
Tourism
With arts and sports boosters making a grab for more cash, tourism leaders and hoteliers are looking for additional public funds as well.
The Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association is lobbying to lock in funding for $187 million in upgrades to the Orange County Convention Center, a plan backed by Jacobs.
There also is talk of more money for Visit Orlando, the public-private group that markets the area to vacationers and conventioneers. The group already is expected to receive $36.2 million in public funds this fiscal year. But there may be support on the County Commission for committing more for marketing, particularly a campaign that targets Brazil and other South American countries, and another that would work to bring sporting events.
It's not clear how much those groups are seeking, but Jacobs wants $10 million during the next five years.
Buddy Dyer's legacy
For Orlando, Mayor Buddy Dyer's yearslong quest for sports and arts venues is at stake. Funding for the Amway Center, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and Citrus Bowl upgrades was approved six years ago, but only the Amway Center has been completed. The first phase of the arts center is under construction, and renovation of the Citrus Bowl begins in January.
Dyer wants to see those venues completed, and he wants to bring another professional-sports franchise to Orlando with MLS.
mschlueb@tribune.com , 407-420-5417 and Twitter @MarkSchlueb. ddamron@tribune.com or 407-420-5311 and Twitter @dadamron.
Study reveals potential role of 'love hormone' oxytocin in brain functionPublic release date: 4-Aug-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Craig Andrews craig.andrews@nyumc.org 917-284-2566 NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine
Findings of NYU Langone researchers may have relevance in autism-spectrum disorder
In a loud, crowded restaurant, having the ability to focus on the people and conversation at your own table is critical. Nerve cells in the brain face similar challenges in separating wanted messages from background chatter. A key element in this process appears to be oxytocin, typically known as the love hormone for its role in promoting social and parental bonding.
In a study appearing online August 4 in Nature, NYU Langone Medical Center researchers decipher how oxytocin, acting as a neurohormone in the brain, not only reduces background noise, but more importantly, increases the strength of desired signals. These findings may be relevant to autism, which affects one in 88 children in the United States.
Oxytocin has a remarkable effect on the passage of information through the brain, says Richard W. Tsien, DPhil, the Druckenmiller Professor of Neuroscience and director of the Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. It not only quiets background activity, but also increases the accuracy of stimulated impulse firing. Our experiments show how the activity of brain circuits can be sharpened, and hint at how this re-tuning of brain circuits might go awry in conditions like autism.
Children and adults with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle with recognizing the emotions of others and are easily distracted by extraneous features of their environment. Previous studies have shown that children with autism have lower levels of oxytocin, and mutations in the oxytocin receptor gene predispose people to autism. Recent brain recordings from people with ASD show impairments in the transmission of even simple sensory signals.
The current study built upon 30-year old results from researchers in Geneva, who showed that oxytocin acted in the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in memory and cognition. The hormone stimulated nerve cells called inhibitory interneurons to release a chemical called GABA. This substance dampens the activity of the adjoining excitatory nerve cells, known as pyramidal cells.
From the previous findings, we predicted that oxytocin would dampen brain circuits in all ways, quieting both background noise and wanted signals, Dr. Tsien explains. Instead, we found that oxytocin increased the reliability of stimulated impulses good for brain function, but quite unexpected.
To resolve this paradox, Dr. Tsien and his Stanford graduate student Scott Owen collaborated with Gord Fishell, PhD, the Julius Raynes Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Langone Medical Center, and NYU graduate student Sebnem Tuncdemir. They identified the particular type of inhibitory interneurons responsible for the effects of oxytocin: fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons.
The mystery of how oxytocin drives these fast-spiking inhibitory cells to fire, yet also increases signaling to pyramidal neurons, was solved through studies with rodent models. The researchers found that continually activating the fast-spiking inhibitory neurons good for lowering background noise also causes their GABA-releasing synapses to fatigue. Accordingly, when a stimulus arrives, the tired synapses release less GABA and excitation of the pyramidal neuron is not dampened as much, so that excitation drives the pyramidal neurons firing more reliably.
The stronger signal and muffled background noise arise from the same fundamental action of oxytocin and give two benefits for the price of one, Dr. Fishell explains. Its too early to say how the lack of oxytocin signaling is involved in the wide diversity of autism-spectrum disorders, and the jury is still out about its possible therapeutic effects. But it is encouraging to find that a naturally occurring neurohormone can enhance brain circuits by dialing up wanted signals while quieting background noise.
###
Funding for this work was provided by the Burnett Family Fund, the Mosbacher Fund, the Mathers Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health (MH071739), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS024067), and the Simons Foundation.
About NYU Langone Medical Center:
NYU Langone Medical Centera world-class, patient-centered, integrated, academic medical centeris one of the nations premier destinations for excellence in patient care, biomedical research, and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a dedicated inpatient orthopaedic hospital; Hassenfeld Pediatric Center, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of childrens health services; Rusk Rehabilitation, the #1 rehab program in New York since U.S. News & World Report began its hospital rankings in 1989; and a growing ambulatory care network with locations throughout Manhattan, the outer boroughs, and the tri-state area, bringing services directly to where its patients live and work. An integral part of NYU Langone, NYU School of Medicine has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history and enrich the lives of countless people since 1841. NYU Langone's tri-fold mission to serve, teach, and discover is achieved 365 days a year. For more information, go to http://www.NYULMC.org.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Study reveals potential role of 'love hormone' oxytocin in brain functionPublic release date: 4-Aug-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Craig Andrews craig.andrews@nyumc.org 917-284-2566 NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine
Findings of NYU Langone researchers may have relevance in autism-spectrum disorder
In a loud, crowded restaurant, having the ability to focus on the people and conversation at your own table is critical. Nerve cells in the brain face similar challenges in separating wanted messages from background chatter. A key element in this process appears to be oxytocin, typically known as the love hormone for its role in promoting social and parental bonding.
In a study appearing online August 4 in Nature, NYU Langone Medical Center researchers decipher how oxytocin, acting as a neurohormone in the brain, not only reduces background noise, but more importantly, increases the strength of desired signals. These findings may be relevant to autism, which affects one in 88 children in the United States.
Oxytocin has a remarkable effect on the passage of information through the brain, says Richard W. Tsien, DPhil, the Druckenmiller Professor of Neuroscience and director of the Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. It not only quiets background activity, but also increases the accuracy of stimulated impulse firing. Our experiments show how the activity of brain circuits can be sharpened, and hint at how this re-tuning of brain circuits might go awry in conditions like autism.
Children and adults with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle with recognizing the emotions of others and are easily distracted by extraneous features of their environment. Previous studies have shown that children with autism have lower levels of oxytocin, and mutations in the oxytocin receptor gene predispose people to autism. Recent brain recordings from people with ASD show impairments in the transmission of even simple sensory signals.
The current study built upon 30-year old results from researchers in Geneva, who showed that oxytocin acted in the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in memory and cognition. The hormone stimulated nerve cells called inhibitory interneurons to release a chemical called GABA. This substance dampens the activity of the adjoining excitatory nerve cells, known as pyramidal cells.
From the previous findings, we predicted that oxytocin would dampen brain circuits in all ways, quieting both background noise and wanted signals, Dr. Tsien explains. Instead, we found that oxytocin increased the reliability of stimulated impulses good for brain function, but quite unexpected.
To resolve this paradox, Dr. Tsien and his Stanford graduate student Scott Owen collaborated with Gord Fishell, PhD, the Julius Raynes Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Langone Medical Center, and NYU graduate student Sebnem Tuncdemir. They identified the particular type of inhibitory interneurons responsible for the effects of oxytocin: fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons.
The mystery of how oxytocin drives these fast-spiking inhibitory cells to fire, yet also increases signaling to pyramidal neurons, was solved through studies with rodent models. The researchers found that continually activating the fast-spiking inhibitory neurons good for lowering background noise also causes their GABA-releasing synapses to fatigue. Accordingly, when a stimulus arrives, the tired synapses release less GABA and excitation of the pyramidal neuron is not dampened as much, so that excitation drives the pyramidal neurons firing more reliably.
The stronger signal and muffled background noise arise from the same fundamental action of oxytocin and give two benefits for the price of one, Dr. Fishell explains. Its too early to say how the lack of oxytocin signaling is involved in the wide diversity of autism-spectrum disorders, and the jury is still out about its possible therapeutic effects. But it is encouraging to find that a naturally occurring neurohormone can enhance brain circuits by dialing up wanted signals while quieting background noise.
###
Funding for this work was provided by the Burnett Family Fund, the Mosbacher Fund, the Mathers Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health (MH071739), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS024067), and the Simons Foundation.
About NYU Langone Medical Center:
NYU Langone Medical Centera world-class, patient-centered, integrated, academic medical centeris one of the nations premier destinations for excellence in patient care, biomedical research, and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a dedicated inpatient orthopaedic hospital; Hassenfeld Pediatric Center, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of childrens health services; Rusk Rehabilitation, the #1 rehab program in New York since U.S. News & World Report began its hospital rankings in 1989; and a growing ambulatory care network with locations throughout Manhattan, the outer boroughs, and the tri-state area, bringing services directly to where its patients live and work. An integral part of NYU Langone, NYU School of Medicine has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history and enrich the lives of countless people since 1841. NYU Langone's tri-fold mission to serve, teach, and discover is achieved 365 days a year. For more information, go to http://www.NYULMC.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 2, 2013) -- A group that got its start in Army Entertainment is the driving force behind the American Military Spouses Choir, an "America's Got Talent" quarterfinalist scheduled to perform Aug. 6 at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
The show will be televised live at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
The American Military Spouses Choir competing on "America's Got Talent" consists of 37 spouses of active-duty military personnel, including 10 Army wives whose husbands range in rank from sergeant to major general. All told, there are 50 military spouses in the choir, ranging in age from 19 to 54, whose husbands range in rank from corporal to two-star general.
The group is the brainchild of Victor Hurtado, an Army Entertainment veteran who has performed in and directed programs such as the U.S. Army Soldier Show, Operation Rising Star, Military Idol and Stars of Tomorrow, among others, for nearly three decades. Hurtado also founded CAMMO, a non-profit Center for American Military Music Opportunities, which supports the military wives choir.
The group was assembled for a May 6 performance at the 2012 Kennedy Center Spring Gala: An Evening with David Foster & Friends in Washington, where they sang "The Promise That We Make," an original song co-written by Charlie Midnight, who penned "Living in America" for James Brown, and Bernie Herms, who arranged the Natalie Grant version of "Joy to the World."
"They were supposed to do a one-night performance at the Kennedy Center," Hurtado deadpanned. "And, oh, by the way, I put them together over the Internet while directing the last two weeks of Soldier Show last year."
Several clips of Foster introducing the American Military Spouses Choir are available on YouTube, as is footage of them singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" on "America's Got Talent."
The lead vocalist for that number, Melissa Gomez, won Army Entertainment's 2010 Operation Rising Star, a military singing contest about to embark on its ninth season.
"Melissa has risen to the top from the very beginning," Hurtado said. "Her training that she got over the years with Army Entertainment was extremely evident."
The military wives climbed their first mountain, which obviously was not high enough, May 10 in Chicago, and advanced to the second round in Las Vegas, where they were told July 16 to pack their bags for a trip to New York City.
"Their performance was strong enough to put them through," said Hurtado, who explained that 60 acts advanced to the "America's Got Talent" quarterfinals in New York, where 12 will perform each week for five weeks. "There were a few that were put through without having to perform again [in Las Vegas]. It's going to keep going because these ladies ain't playin'."
Vicki Golding, Army Entertainment's 2006 Military Idol champion, is the choirmaster for the American Military Spouses Choir.
"She is the reason why we're able to do what we do," Hurtado said. "I send her the arrangements, she writes out the parts, and then Joey [Beebe] checks our work. She has become a real viable music director/choirmaster."
Beebe, another former Soldier Show performer, currently serves as music director of Army Entertainment's marquee program. He also works with Soldiers and military family members competing in Operation Rising Star.
"Joey Beebe is the music director for CAMMO, so that makes him the music director for all the artists that fall under CAMMO," Hurtado said. "When the ladies first met -- they actually met the night before the gig at the Kennedy Center. They had never met before. And Joey has had that choir since that night. He taught them the song. He made it sound amazing. And they performed the next day at the Kennedy Center.
"David Foster said it was some of the best vocal choral work, dynamically, musically, pitch-wise, everything, that he had ever experienced in his life. And he told Joey that himself. Joey just stood there and listened. I've never seen Joey at a loss for words like that before."
Ron Henry, another former Army Entertainment performer and original member of the 4TROOPS recording group, also helps the American Military Spouses Choir.
"He's in line to work with the ladies when one of us is not there," Hurtado said. "Vicki, Joey, Ron and I have all groomed so well that we can all sing, fill in for 4TROOPS, or conduct a choir. To have that sort of stable, that we are all interchangeable like that, is pretty satisfying for someone who had Sgt. Henry coming to Alaska with me, and Spc. Beebe coming to be the first assistant director, or Vicki Golding, who won Military Idol and sings so beautifully and is such a skilled music director. Who knew, right?"
And then there are the ladies getting it done on stage for their troops.
"I have been a military spouse for 34 years and this choir experience validates what I have learned about all military spouses," said Karen Gravlin Bartell of Fort Eustis, Va. "They are strong, loyal, resourceful, supportive, kind-hearted, honest and, of course, talented. "America's Got Talent" and Radio City Music Hall are giving us the chance to show that to America."
"I love being part of a choir that sings in tribute to our military," said Michelle Gable of Fort Meade, Md. "I sing to say 'thank you.' I sing to say 'I love you.' I sing so that those who are silent will be remembered."
"Being in the choir is a dream come true for me," said Gomez, an Army veteran and spouse with the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. "I feel I am part of something so special that is afforded to me because I am a military spouse. Being in New York is still surreal! Performing at Radio City Music Hall solidifies our status as true artists in the music industry and our cause is one worthy of recognition."
"First and foremost, I am in total awe, total shock of where we are now: New York City!" said Yari Dominguez of Fort Rucker, Ala. "And we'll be performing at Radio City Music Hall, where the big dogs perform - where legends have paved that path for others' dreams. It's a true honor to be singing with such an amazing group of ladies, knowing we all represent and stand for the same reason. It's a blessing - a once in a lifetime experience."
"This experience for me is more than just a competition," said Crystal Wood of Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. "This choir has given me a sisterhood and a support system that I have never had. The love and support we have received from not only military families, but also from the public, is incredible. So many times as a military family, we are isolated and struggle alone. Since being on the show, so many families have said that we have inspired them, when in fact their support has inspired us. We are representing not only military families but also anyone who has been separated from their loved ones or experienced difficult situations. We are a beacon of hope for so many, that no matter how difficult the journey may be, you can always find a glimmer of light and the end of even the darkest tunnel. Performing at Radio City Music Hall is affirmation that as a society we all should support each other and we can overcome even our darkest moments."
"What it means to me to be in this choir is that I'm not alone," said Stephanie Holberg of Fort Leavenworth, Kan. "It's a blast being in New York City, beyond a dream to perform at Radio City Music Hall, and a huge honor to give military spouses a voice. In a world where you hear so much negative news, this is such an amazing forum to share our stories and share something positive and patriotic like military spouses singing for their husbands and choir."
The remaining Army wives in the choir: Brandy Albert and Rachael Smith, both of Fort Belvoir, Va., Deidra Lee Stubbs of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and Sonjia Perry of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, dropped by to visit during one of the American Military Spouses Choir rehearsals and his wife, Deanie, personally thanked the ladies.
More than 35,000 auditioned last autumn for this season of "America's Got Talent," which will culminate in September.
It might be a bit much to say that one of the new features packed into Android's 4.3 upgrade is controversial, but it's definitely one worth knowing a little bit more about. As those who have taken a spin around the Android 4.3 ROM have noticed, Google has made a change to devices' Wi-Fi settings in Android 4.3.
"To improve location accuracy and for other purposes, Google and other apps may scan for nearby networks, even when Wi-Fi is off," describes Google.
Android Police's Ron Amadeo notes that the move is actually probably designed to save one's battery life instead of wasting it, given that the only other way for one's smartphone to discern one's location is to kick on the battery-draining GPS. However, he also calls out Google's interesting use of language in its disclaimer ? specifically, the "other purposes" bit.
"Those 'other purposes' probably (that means this is the speculation part) involves shipping that Wi-Fi location data back to Google, which is how the Wi-Fi location service currently functions. The only way to use Wi-Fi hotspots for location data is to build a map of SSID (hotspot name) locations. You do that by running around with a GPS and Wi-Fi chip and virtually stick Wi-Fi pins on a map," Amadeo writes.
To check and see whether your phone has this feature enabled by default (a number do not), you'll have to navigate through to the very bowels of your Android operating system's settings ? Google doesn't exactly make this feature all that easy to flick on and off. Here's how:
Fire up the Settings app and tap your finger on the Wireless and Networks option. Tap on the Wi-Fi option, and then tap on the Menu button on your phone's lower-right-hand corner (the triple-dots icon). When the submenu pops up, tap your finger on the Advanced option. From there, you'll want to make sure to check the "Scanning always available" option if you want to participate in the new Android 4.3 feature. Otherwise, if it's checked, you need merely to uncheck it to ensure that "Wi-Fi off" really means "Wi-Fi off."
It's important to reiterate that numerous reports have come in from Nexus 4, Nexus 7, and Galaxy Nexus owners ? to name a few ? who all indicate that this feature remains off by default when they've updated their devices to Android 4.3. Which is to say, it's more important that you know about this potentially useful setting than to freak out about it, but it's also worth checking this, and many of Android's other "Advanced" wireless configuration options, when you've upgraded your mobile OS!
Chinese Taipei overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter with a furious rally to beat the Philippines 84-79 on Saturday night to remain unbeaten in the Asia Basketball Championship at the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines.Lu Cheng-Ju led Chinese Taipei with 22 points and hit six three-pointers to lead their comeback in the final quarter by outscoring the Filipinos, 29-11, in the ...
Over 200000 bid farewell to Hung
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Over 200,000 people last night packed Ketagalan Blvd. in front of the Presidential Office to "bid farewell" to Army Corporal Hung Chung-chiu (???) and demand truth and justice regarding Hung's untimely death, according to Citizen 1985, organizer of the ...
Tens of thousands gather in Taiwan in continuing protest over soldiers death
Fox News - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
Tens of thousands of Taiwanese have gathered in downtown Taipei to protest the death of a 24-year old soldier confined to a brig as punishment for bringing an unauthorized cell phone onto his base. Saturday's protest was the biggest so far in the continuing campaign to register discontent over the death of Hung Chung-chiu on July 3. Hung died after several days of being forced to perform a ...
One dead and two missing in separate accidents at sea
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
The swimmer, a 25-year-old man, was swept out to sea by strong currents at Kenting's popular Nanwan Beach at about 4 p.m. A jet-skier went to his rescue, but it was clearly too late, police said, adding that the man was pronounced dead later in a local hospital. At about 5 p.m., eight other people were also swept out to sea at Nanwan, but they were rescued, police added. Weathermen said ...
13 new ferret-badger rabies cases COA
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Thirteen ferret-badgers were confirmed to be infected with rabies yesterday, breaking the record for highest number of confirmed rabies cases within a day, according to the Council of Agriculture ...
Tainted NZ dairy items not imported food body
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Health authorities said Saturday there is no indication that tainted dairy products from New Zealand have been imported into Taiwan, and the New Zealand government has confirmed Taiwan is not in the list of countries that the products have ...
CDC expands human rabies vaccine program
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Anyone in Taiwan who was bitten by a Formosan ferret-badger in the period May 2012 to July 31 this year is now eligible to be vaccinated against rabies in an inoculation program launched by The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), its director-general Chang Feng-yee said ...
Cost concerns raised of situation without No. 4 nuke plant
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Several local industrialists voiced concerns Saturday over a steep rise in costs in case the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant cannot start operations in view of a vote blocked in the legislature over the fate of the controversial ...
Taiwanese athlete Huang pockets roller skating gold at World Games
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Taiwanese athlete Huang Yu-ting clinched a gold medal in the women's 1,000-meter roller skating sprint Saturday at the 2013 World Games in ...
Govt must up communication over service trade pact VP Wu
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Vice President Wu Den-yih yesterday said the government must do its best to convince the people that the cross-strait service trade pact is aimed at helping them do business in ...
Firms lag in branding have potential strategist
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Taiwanese companies are lagging behind their counterparts in Japan, South Korea and even Singapore in terms of brand building, but they have a great potential to catch up in this regard, according to a visiting brand ...
MStar Q2 net profit up almost 20 percent
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--MStar Semiconductor Inc., one of Taiwan's leading integrated circuit designers, said Saturday that its net profit for the second quarter rose almost 20 percent from a quarter earlier on solid global demand for TV ...
HTC chair dismisses acquisition speculation
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
"HTC is a Taiwanese brand. We should treasure this brand and its management philosophy," said Wang, dismissing foreign investment firms' speculation that continued losses might force the vendor to seek a merger with others. Speaking to reporters during the firm's sports meet day in Taipei, Wang said HTC has been giving conservative guidance to its outlook because it is an ...
10 devoted vocational instructors praised by Ministry of Education
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Ten vocational school instructors were commended by the Ministry of Education (MOE) recently for their dedication in promoting vocational ...
Trade agreement helps growth ANZ
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--The service trade agreement that Taiwan recently signed with China will help stabilize the island's economic growth, according to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ...
Executive Yuan to handle protester appeals MOJ
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said Saturday that the Executive Yuan will handle the appeals made by an activist group over the death of an Army ...
Ma to attend Corporal Hungs funeral this morning
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- President Ma Ying-jeou said yesterday that he will attend today's funeral service of Army Corporal Hung Chung-chiu (???), who died of severe heatstroke on July 4 after being ordered to do strenuous exercises in a brig in sweltering ...
Local intl experts to give medical tourism insights
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Experts from local and foreign medical tourism entities will share their experiences at a forum in Taipei next week, the organizers said ...
Global notebook shipment growth remains flat in Q2
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--Global notebook shipments registered almost flat growth for the second quarter of the year, with disappointing shipments of leading brands' new models, a local research institute said ...
Over 50 percent of visitor arrivals from China data
The China Post - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
TAIPEI--China, including Hong Kong and Macao, accounted for over 50 percent of visitor arrivals to Taiwan in the first half of the year, according to Ministry of the Interior (MOI) statistics released ...
Chinese Taipei foils Gilas Pilipinas bid to win game for ?abused? OFWs
Inquirer Sports - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
DUNKIN? DOUTHIT Marcus Douthit of the Philippines dunks against Chinese Taipei?s Wen-Ting Tseng and Shih-Chieh Chen in their game at the 27th FIBA-Asia preliminaries at the Mall of Asia Arena, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013. The Taiwanese dealt the Filipinos their first loss, 79-84, and stay undefeated in Group A. NUKI SABIO/PBA IMAGE MANILA, Philippines--Chot Reyes struck an emotional ...
President vows to better protect human rights in military
Taiwan News Online - Saturday 3rd August, 2013
Ma Ying-jeou has taken note of the appeals of the activist group Citizen 1985 for reforms and transparency of military justice system, Presidential Office spokeswoman Garfie Li said Saturday. President Ma is also determined to promote reforms to better protect human rights in the military, Li said. Citizen 1985 led a mass protest near the Presidential Office in downtown Taipei Saturday, which ...
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- If you have an outstanding or delinquent debt, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have accounts in collection. For many, debt collection is a dirty term, but you shouldn't fear every call. Collection experts say there are some myths you need to know about.
Bruce Klinger, with Fidelis Asset Management is in the business of collecting debt, he knows he's not usually the most popular guy in the room. "I have done it for 23 years. I have gotten used to that negativity towards it. I can tell a lot about a person from their reaction towards hearing I am involved in debt collections," he says.
Klinger says debt collection calls happen to more people than you think. It can be an overwhelming process, but he says paying is the right thing to do and is healthy for the country's credit based economy.
He's convinced most people want to repay their debt and sometimes just need a little reminder. He warns though, make sure to get confirmation in writing and confirm the debt is yours.
"There are scams out there. No doubt about it and that is what you want to protect yourself as a consumer on. This is where you need to be asking the right questions to the person you are speaking with," he explains.
If you're on the debt collection list, there are few myths experts want to dispel.
Myth #1: Avoiding the Debt Collector makes the debt go away.
"It will make it worse because then you are looking at possibly a negative rating on your credit score. You could be looking at lawsuit against you," Klinger explained.
Myth #2: Consumers don't have rights. Klinger says the Debt Collection Agency is one of the most regulated industries in the U.S. and consumers are protected by state and federal laws.
Myth #3: All debt collectors are bad.
"There are the bad apples out there and that is why you have organizations like ACA and VCA to do their best to educate and to bring forth the different types of laws and regulations," he said.
Myth #4: This is prime season for Debt Collectors.
"I have seen economies up and down and one thing about the collection industry, is that it has always been steady." Klinger said.
The next time your phone rings, answer with confidence and when it comes to your debts, remember it's money you owe, just know your rights when you repay.
We've all heard the saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, one Madison girl is literally doing just that. Heather Fleck, 13, is raising money for the American Cancer Society, and she's doing it with a lemonade stand.
Set up along the Capitol Bike path on the east side, Fleck isn't letting people ride by Saturday afternoon without a cup of her lemonade. But instead of pocketing the change, she's donating it to the Making Strides walk this fall, which benefits breast cancer research.
"I actually have certain family members that are struggling with cancer and a lot of the times, it just feels good to me when I help other people out," Fleck said.
"This is really cool. This doesn't happen very often that someone takes the initiative, like she did, to call us," said Laura Strickland with the American Cancer Society. "She created a website this year, has walked around the neighborhood, has put posters out, and decorated the bike path. So what she's doing is pretty remarkable. So we're very thankful for her efforts."
This isn't Heather's first time helping others out. For the past seven summers, she's used her lemonade recipe and her friendliness to raise money for a number of charities; from the Make a Wish Foundation to tsunami relief.
Throughout the years, she's learned despite the bad things in life, like loved ones getting sick or natural disasters, there's plenty of good out there as well.
"Everybody's really nice," Fleck said. "And a lot of people have smiles on their faces and some of the older people are like, 'bless your heart.' It just makes me feel so good that everybody is like, 'you're doing such a good thing for other people.' And it just puts a smile on my face."
Fleck raised $112, all going to the Making Strides cancer walk. The walk will be held on October 5 at Vilas Park.
San Diego?s embattled mayor, facing sexual harassment allegations from a string of women, was dealt a setback on Friday when a liberal Democrat and a Republican businessman joined forces in a campaign to force a recall election.
Bob Filner, the 70-year-old Democratic mayor of California?s second-largest city, has faced mounting pressure to resign over a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him last month by his former press secretary, who accused him of telling her she would work better without panties.
This cretin would have been shamed out of office weeks ago were he Republican but, as the co-founder (with Botox Hag Pelosi) of the California Progressive Caucus, he is without shame.
Side note: aren?t Filner, Weiner and Spitzers three of the creepiest looking dudes you have ever seen? Horror movies can?t make up faces that awful.
Stephen Kruiser is a professional comedian and writer who has also been a conservative political activist for over two decades. A co-founder of the first Los Angeles Tea Party, Kruiser often speaks to grassroots groups around America and has had the great honor of traveling around the world entertaining U.S. troops.
Home ? NFL ? News ? NFL Hall of Fame Game: Tony Romo Doesn?t Think He Will Play Sunday
Sunday marks the official start of NFL games for the 2013 season with the first preseason game of August in Canton as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Miami Dolphins in the annual Week One preseason Hall of Fame Game.
Jul 23, 2013; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) hands off to running back Lance Dunbar (25) during training camp drills at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has been the subject of most of the lead up into the game as after getting offseason surgery on his back and reporting to camp overweight, Romo?s status for Sunday has been up in the air for much of the last two weeks. As everyone wondered out loud whether or not Romo would come out to play the first series or two for Dallas, Romo remained quiet about the situation as did the Cowboys staff.
Now Romo has came out and said that he doesn?t think he is going to participate in what is an extra preseason game for the Dolphins and Cowboys.
Via Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News, that?s what Romo said Friday when asked about the preseason opener on Sunday. ?Coach Jason Garrett still declined to confirm that Romo won?t play, although Garrett?s initial comments on the topic from more than a week ago provided a pretty strong clue that Romo won?t make the usual one-series cameo appearance at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.
One one hand, it?s no big deal for Romo to miss anywhere from three to 10 snaps. ?On the other hand, if he can?t suit up for anywhere from three to 10 snaps it is obvious that he is having issues from offseason surgery to remove a benign cyst from his back.
It is an extra game, but if Romo?s status isn?t better for Friday?s preseason game against Oakland it might be time to worry in Dallas considering that Jerry Jones just gave Romo a huge pile of money this spring. They will want their investment back to full health ASAP.
Topics: Dallas Cowboys, Hall Of Fame Game, News, Tony Romo
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David Plummer of the United States swims the first leg in a Men's 4x100m individual medley relay heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
David Plummer of the United States swims the first leg in a Men's 4x100m individual medley relay heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
China's Ye Shiwen , left, and Britain's Hannah Miley, and, swims in a Women's 400m individual medley heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Germany's Britta Steffen reacts before swimming in a Women's 4x100m individual medley relay heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Nicolas Fink of the United States swims the 2nd leg in a Men's 4x100m individual medley relay heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
United States's Elizabeth Beisel swims in a Women's 400m individual medley heat at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? The United States safely made it through both preliminaries of the 400-meter medley relay Sunday morning, giving Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte a chance to pick up one more gold medal at the world championships.
The Americans were top qualifier in both the men's and women's events using their second-string swimmers. David Plummer, Nic Fink, Eugene Godsoe and Jimmy Feigen topped the men's preliminaries in 3 minutes, 32.72 seconds. Elizabeth Pelton, Breeja Larson, Claire Donahue and Shannon Vreeland set the pace on the women's side at 3:58.66.
The Americans' main goal was not to get disqualified, which happened to both the French and Italian teams in the women's prelims.
"You don't want to risk things," said Shannon Vreeland, who was especially careful not to leave too early on the final leg. "You just want to make sure you get a lane (for the final)."
The U.S. will switch up the teams in the evening, giving Franklin a chance to claim her record sixth medal. She is currently tied with Tracy Caulkins and Libby Trickett for most victories by a woman at a world meet.
In the other prelims on the final day of the championships in Barcelona, Hungary's Katinka Hosszu posted the fastest time in the women's 400 individual medley, with Olympic gold medalist Ye Shiwen of China tying for the third spot. Chase Kalisz of the U.S. led the way in the men's 400 IM, while teammate Tyler Clary also advanced to the final in third.
Shiwen is coming off a disappointing performance in the 200 IM, where she failed to earn a medal.
The 18-year-old Franklin certainly has nothing to complain about. She'll swim the opening backstroke leg in the final of the medley relay, looking to join Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Kristin Otto as the only swimmers to claim at least six victories in either an Olympics or a world meet.
Lochte has three golds and a silver at this championship, despite a lackluster year of training that was interrupted by his reality TV show. He'll swim the butterfly leg of the final, giving him a good chance to improve a career haul that already includes 15 golds, four silvers and four bronzes at world championships.
The only drama on the men's side was who would swim the freestyle leg in the morning, and who would get that spot in the evening. Feigen edged out Nathan Adrian in the 100 free but the coaches decided on the Olympic gold medalist for the final.
Feigen had no complaints.
"Nathan has certainly proven himself to be very dependable in these situations," Feigen said. "I'm not really disappointed, to be honest. I think they made the right choice. I trust what the coaches did. I trust Nathan. I'm hoping he'll get us a gold medal tonight."
Shiwen was worried coming into the second of the events she won at the Olympics. The 17-year-old finished fourth in the 200 IM and acknowledged she wasn't in the best condition for the championships.
"It was a smoother swim this time," she said through a translator. "I have to put up more of a fight and make sure I do it right. There isn't enough time to correct my techniques."
The 19-year-old Kalisz is an up-and-comer on the U.S. team. He trains at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club ? Phelps' home base ? and is looking to make his mark in an event that his former training partner and Lochte have long dominated.
Phelps is retired ? for now ? and Lochte is taking at least a year off from the grueling 400 IM, looking to add events that will be easier on his body as he approaches his 30s.
Kalisz posted the top time of 4:11.87, followed by Japan's Daiya Seto (4:12.96) and Clary (4:13.55).
Clary also has big plans for the 400 IM. He took a silver behind Lochte at the 2011 worlds in Shanghai, then didn't even get to swim the event at the Olympics when Phelps entered and earned the second spot on the team behind Lochte.
"The only thing you can do is focus on yourself," Clary said. "Looking back at how I've been swimming that race the last couple of years, I've probably been swimming it wrong. I tend to take it out too hard. There's no such thing as taking a race out too fast, but obviously taking a race out too hard is a bad thing. I focused on keeping everything smooth and easy."
Hosszu pushed the pace in her heat, going to the freestyle leg with a big lead and under world-record pace. But the Hungarian star pulled back noticeably on the final 100, cruising to the wall in 4:32.72.
Spain's Mireia Belmonte was next at 4:34.64, with Shiwen and Hungary's Zsuzsanna Jakabos touching together in 4:34.93. Elizabeth Beisel and Madeline Dirado of the U.S. also advanced to the evening final in sixth and seventh, respectively.
Hosszu cruised to a dominant win in the 200 IM and looks like the clear favorite in the 400.
But she isn't counting out Shiwen in the final.
"She's a great swimmer," Hosszu said.
The United States leads the medal table at the pool with 12 golds, six silvers and six bronzes. The team is likely to come up short of its performance at the last worlds ? 16 golds, five silvers, eight bronzes ? but is pleased with the showing in light of Phelps retiring and another big star, breaststroker Rebecca Soni, taking the year off.
___
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963
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Step into a town called Weathersby, where the people are just a little....Mad
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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Collision of Worlds?. Anything posted here will also show up there.
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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
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Just submitted a character to you there Twiz. I went for the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland as the town's therapist. Hopefully she is interesting enough! Can't wait to see the others. :)
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Fifty-five years ago Monday, President Eisenhower signed the Space Act, authorizing the creation of NASA. Since then, the space agency has grown from its Sputnik-shaded beginnings to studying the full scope of the heavens. What will the next 55 years bring?
By Liz Fuller-Wright,?Correspondent / July 31, 2013
Information from three telescopes was combined to create this image of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a small satellite galaxy of the Milky Way located about 160,000 light years from Earth. X-rays from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) show hot regions created by these winds and shocks, while infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (red) outline where the dust and cooler gas are found. The optical light from the 2.2-m Max-Planck-ESO telescope (yellow) in Chile shows where ultraviolet radiation from hot, young stars is causing gas in the nebula to glow.
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics/Reuters
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Fifty-six years ago, civilian pilots and military rocket scientists had little in common. And then, on October 7, 1957,?came Sputnik.
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Within a year, NASA began operations as a hastily-cobbled-together mix of of civilian aeronautics and military intercontinental ballistic missile research. Now, it's a federal agency examining the entire sweep of the sky.
From its hasty beginnings, NASA has flown 157 missions???86 still ongoing ??visiting almost every large heavenly body between the Sun and Pluto, monitoring the Earth from space, peering into the heart of our galaxy's central black hole, and looking out to distant stars and galaxies. NASA has sent 301 astronauts into space, and is currently training another nine?who will soon fly.
We have a permanent human presence in orbit and 12 men have left footprints on the Moon. NASA's satellites have orbited Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, the asteroid Vesta, Jupiter, and Saturn; flown by Uranus and Neptune; and another is en route to Pluto. NASA's telescopes are listening to every corner of the universe and looking at billions of stars; they have found hundreds of planets orbiting other stars, plus countless pulsars, black holes, supernovae, and more. NASA and its sister organizations around the world are examining the secrets of the universe, from tiny grains of space dust to dark matter to unthinkably enormous galaxies.
"The 20th?century was quite an amazing time for advances in science and technology, particularly in spaceflight," says Bill Barry, NASA's chief historian. Just 55 years before NASA's creation, in 1903, the Wright brothers flew the first airplane in Kitty Hawk, N.C. And now, 55 years later, we've visited the moon, "reconnoitered the solar system ? and revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos and our place in it," he says.
"Apollo, getting to the moon, developing industries and building infrastructure, exploring our solar system, the Earth, and the larger universe ? that's a pretty good list of accomplishments for 55 years," says Dr. Barry. "It's a pretty good investment for the chunk of money we spent in the '60s plus the maintenance-level investment we've made since then."
The price of exploration
Space spending in 1957 had amounted to around $35 million ($282 million in 2013 dollars), but Sputnik fears loosened federal purse strings. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration officially began its mission October 1, 1958, after President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on July 29. ?In its first year, NASA's budget was about 10 times the 1957 space budget, and it grew rapidly.
Live Cricket Scores: South Africa vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 | RSA v SL
Date: August 2, 2013 Venue: R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Start Time: 19:00 IST
South Africa head into their Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their defeat in the one-day international series. In terms of the bigger picture, though, South Africa coach Russell Domingo knows he and his players will need to closely analyse what has happened over those five one-day encounters as part of the planning for future series in the format, and the 2015 ICC World Cup.
Reflecting on the ODI series, Domingo said: 'If you look at the history between South Africa and Sri Lanka, particularly in Sri Lanka, some more experienced sides have come here from South Africa and have been turned over, so we knew it was going to be a tough series.
Seemingly unwilling to be outdone by Google Glass, Microsoft has applied for a patent for glasses-based AR technology that may be implemented into future game development, Engadget reports.
The application describes sending verbal invitations for multiplayer games via a "head-mounted display device." It also mentions facial recognition, eye-tracking, depth-of-field, and user-specific information display technologies.
Concept art for glasses-based AR was shown in June in a previously leaked document concerning the Xbox One. Microsoft also filed a patent last November for a head-mounted display that augments scenarios like live sporting events. Considering the IllumiRoom project and the Xbox One's mandatory Kinect, developers interested in Microsoft's hardware might have a few more tools to work with than just a standard controller.
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