Sunday, March 31, 2013

Two die in China from bird flu strain not previously seen in humans: Xinhua

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Two people in Shanghai, one of China's largest cities, died this month after contracting a strain of avian influenza that had never been passed to humans before, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

The two men, aged 87 and 27, became sick late February and died in early March. Another woman in nearby Anhui province also contracted the virus in early March and is in a critical condition, Xinhua said, quoting the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC).

The strain of the bird flu virus found in all three people was identified as H7N9, which had not been transmitted to humans before, the commission said.

The three cases were confirmed to be human infection of the H7N9 strain by experts from the NHFPC, based on clinical observation, laboratory tests and epidemiological surveys, Xinhua said.

All three cases showed symptoms of fever and coughs that later developed into pneumonia.

Calls to the NHFPC on Sunday were not answered.

It is unclear how the three victims were infected. The virus does not seem highly contagious because no health abnormalities were detected among 88 of the victims' close contacts, Xinhua quoted the commission as saying.

There are no known vaccines against the H7N9 virus.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Paul Tait)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/two-die-china-bird-flu-strain-not-previously-080037903.html

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1 injured after suicide bomber attacks Timbuktu

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) ? A military official says a suicide bomber has driven a car loaded with explosives to a checkpoint on the outskirts of Timbuktu, blowing himself up at the western gate of the city.

It was the second suicide attack on the town this month.

The official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said that at least one soldier was injured in the attack Saturday night at about 10 p.m., while the jihadist died in the detonation.

Resident Age Djitteye says he heard a loud explosion and gunfire.

For 10 months until this January, Timbuktu was ruled by al-Qaida's affiliate in Africa. The city was liberated by French forces on Jan. 28.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/1-injured-suicide-bomber-attacks-timbuktu-013935857.html

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Cink, Haas tied for lead in Houston Open

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) ? Seven players within four shots of the lead at the Houston Open have never won on the PGA Tour. Twelve of them still aren't in the Masters. One of them includes a journeyman who had to qualify Monday just to get a tee time at Redstone Golf Club.

In a tournament loaded with so many possibilities, one of the big surprises is a major champion.

Stewart Cink has not been heard from very much since that summer day at Turnberry in 2009 when he beat Tom Watson to win the British Open. His highest finish since then was third, and that was in the four-man field at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. In 81 starts since becoming a major champion, he has missed the cut 30 percent of the time. He has plunged to No. 272 in the world ranking.

Cink finished off another solid round Saturday by saving par form the bunker on the 18th hole for a 4-under 68, giving him a share of the lead with Bill Haas.

"Tomorrow is a great learning opportunity for me to get out there and be nervous and perform and try to stay in the moment and let it happen," Cink said. "I can't wait."

Indeed, there will be a sense of urgency in this tournament.

Haas, the co-leader after 36 holes at Bay Hill last week, made seven birdies over his last 13 holes for a 67 and joined Cink at 11-under 205.

Now comes the hard part, 20 players separated by four shots on a course where birdies are available, but the slightest miss can prove costly.

"Tomorrow you're going to have to play very well," Haas said. "You can't just hang on and hope everybody else will fall back."

Steve Wheatcroft, who only got into this tournament through a Monday qualifier, got off to a good start and fell back with an embarrassing finish. Wheatcroft was tied for the lead when he shanked a shot from the greenside bunker on the 18th, the ball coming out at a 45-degree angle, over the green and almost into the gallery. He made a 15-foot putt to salvage bogey for a 72.

Wheatcroft still was only one shot out of the lead, along with Ben Crane (67), D.A. Points (71) and Jason Kokrak (71).

"If you don't catch it perfectly, it runs across the green into the water," Wheatcroft said about his bunker shot. "I opened the club face just trying to hit a high soft one and obviously I missed most of the club face."

Nine players were only two shots behind, a group that included former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (65), former world No. 1 Lee Westwood (67), former PGA champion Keegan Bradley (67) two-time major champion Angel Cabrera (69) and Henrik Stenson (68), who is one round away from playing his way into the Masters through being top 50 in the world.

Phil Mickelson finished his round of 67 before the leaders teed off, and he closed with a wedge into 6 feet for birdie. He wound up five shots out of the lead, still within range of trying to add another win before heading to Augusta for the Masters.

"I feel like I've got a low round in me tomorrow," Mickelson said before leaving to meet with former president George H.W. Bush, who attended the tournament Saturday.

Rory McIlroy had a chance to join the mix. Swinging more freely, the world's No. 2 player was poised to reach 6 under for the tournament with a superb bunker shot to 5 feet for birdie on the 13th hole. He missed the putt, and then missed the 3-footer he had left and wound up with a bogey. McIlroy short-sided himself on the next hole for bogey, and dropped another shot on the 18th with a tee shot into the water. He had to settle for a 71 and was at 214, nine shots behind.

"It's the best I've hit it on the golf course this week," McIlroy said.

Wheatcroft and Kokrak are among seven players within four shots of the lead who have never won on the PGA Tour, and Wheatcroft still has high hopes of winning to get a two-year exemption in the big leagues. He would be the first Monday qualifier to win since Arjun Atwal in August 2010 at the Wyndham Championship.

He would be the ultimately long shot, especially after the tweet he posted upon learning McIlroy had signed up for the Texas Open next week. Wheatcroft wanted everyone to know he signed up for the Texas Open qualifier on Monday, though a top-10 would get him into the field at San Antonio. A win would allow him to play two majors and two World Golf Championships this year, and just about anywhere he wanted on tour for the next two years.

Cink is going after his seventh tour win, though he made it sound like he was trying for his first.

"I'll be nervous and I definitely will not be ignoring the fact that I'll feel a little bit nervous tomorrow," he said. "But that's just natural human behavior and I'm looking forward to it. To get back in the hunt is what you play golf for when you're out on the PGA Tour. It's a lot of fun and hard work, but I can't wait."

Cink can only hope he hasn't forgotten how to finish, though experience could play a big factor.

Oosthuizen was the 54-hole leader in the Houston Open last year. Bradley was relieved to finally see some putts go in the hole. Westwood has started slowly this year, but he feels his game is rounding into shape at Augusta.

"There isn't a lot of experience at the top of the leaderboard," Westwood said. "There are some tough shots out there. Few birdie chances if you're hitting it well."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cink-haas-tied-lead-houston-open-220331799--spt.html

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US pushes back against North Korean war rhetoric

North Korea?warned Seoul on Saturday that the Korean Peninsula had entered 'a state of war.' US officials?note that North Korea has a long history of bellicose rhetoric and threats, but they're taking additional defensive measures just in case.

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / March 30, 2013

North Korean army officers punch the air as they chant slogans during a rally at Kim Il Sung Square in downtown Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday. Tens of thousands of North Koreans turned out for the mass rally at the main square in Pyongyang in support of their leader Kim Jong Un's call to arms.

Jon Chol Jin/AP

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In the wake of North Korea?s latest war-like pronouncements, the United States is assuming a sober, tough-minded stance it hopes will avert further threats and provocative acts by Pyongyang.

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North Korea?warned Seoul on Saturday that the Korean Peninsula had entered ?a state of war? and it threatened to shut down a border factory complex involving both countries.

"We've seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from North Korea," said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden in a statement Saturday. "We take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our South Korean allies. But we would also note that North Korea has a long history of bellicose rhetoric and threats and today's announcement follows that familiar pattern.?

"As [Defense] Secretary [Chuck] Hagel said on Thursday, we remain fully prepared and capable of defending and protecting the United States and our allies," she added. "We continue to take additional measures against the North Korean threat, including our plan to increase the U.S. ground-based interceptors and early warning and tracking radar, and the signing of the [South Korea-US] counter-provocation plan."

Earlier, deputy White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Air Force One that Pyongyang was purely to blame for escalating tensions, Agence France-Presse reported.

"We are coordinating pretty closely with not just our allies, but also with?Russia?and?China which also have a significant stake in resolving this situation peacefully," Mr. Earnest said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/TiYA6Ai6Nc4/US-pushes-back-against-North-Korean-war-rhetoric

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'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' Expected To Destroy Box-Office

With the help of the Rock and Bruce Willis, the follow-up to 'Rise of the Cobra' is expected to take the #1 spot this weekend.
By Ryan J. Downey


Bruce Willis in "G.I. Joe: Retaliation"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704575/gi-joe-retaliation-box-office.jhtml

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Teachers indicted in cheating scandal

ATLANTA (AP) ? In another embarrassing blow to Atlanta public schools, nearly three dozen former educators, including the ex-superintendent, were indicted Friday in one of the nation's largest test cheating scandals.

Former Superintendent Beverly Hall faced charges including racketeering, false statements and theft because prosecutors said some of the bonuses she received were tied to falsified scores.

Hall retired just days before a state probe was released in 2011. She has long denied knowing about the cheating or ordering it.

During a news conference Friday, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard provided examples of two students who demonstrated "the plight of many children" in the Atlanta school system. He described a third-grader who failed a benchmark exam and received the worst score in her reading class in 2006. The girl was held back, yet when she took a separate assessment test not long after, she passed with flying colors.

Howard said the girl's mother, Justina Collins, knew something was awry, but was told by school officials that the child simply was a good test-taker. The girl is now in ninth grade, reading at a fifth-grade level.

"I have a 15-year-old now who is behind in achieving her goal of becoming what she wants to be when she graduates. It's been hard trying to help her catch up," Collins said.

The criminal investigation lasted 21 months and the allegations date back to 2005. In addition to Hall, 34 people were indicted: four high-level administrators, six principals; two assistant principals; six testing coordinators; 14 teachers; a school improvement specialist and a school secretary.

All of the people named in the indictment face conspiracy charges. Other charges in the 65-count indictment include false statements and writings, false swearing, theft and influencing witnesses.

The investigation involved at least 50 schools as well as hundreds of interviews with school administrators, staff, parents and students. The district has about 50,000 students.

Howard would not directly answer a question about whether Hall led the conspiracy.

"What we're saying is that without her, this conspiracy could not have taken place," he said. "It would not have taken place if her actions had not made that possible."

Hall faces up to 45 years in prison, Howard said.

Richard Deane, an attorney for Hall, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The tests were the key measure the state used to determine whether it met the federal No Child Left Behind law. Schools with good test scores get extra federal dollars to spend in the classroom or on teacher bonuses.

It wasn't immediately clear how much bonus money Hall received. Howard did not say and the amount wasn't mentioned in the indictment.

"Those results were caused by cheating. ... And the money that she received, we are alleging that money was ill-gotten," Howard said.

The previous state investigation in 2011 found cheating by nearly 180 educators in 44 Atlanta schools. Educators gave answers to students or changed answers on tests after they were turned in, investigators said. Teachers who tried to report it faced retaliation, creating a culture of "fear and intimidation" in the district.

State schools Superintendent John Barge said last year he believed the state's new accountability system would remove the pressure to cheat on standardized tests because it won't be the sole way the state determines student growth. The pressure was part of what some educators in Atlanta Public Schools blamed for their cheating.

Hall served as superintendent for more than a decade, which is rare for an urban schools chief. She was named Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators in 2009 and credited with raising student test scores and graduation rates, particularly among the district's poor and minority students. But the award quickly lost its luster as her district became mired in the scandal.

In a video message to schools staff before she retired, Hall warned that the state investigation launched by former Gov. Sonny Perdue would likely reveal "alarming" behavior.

"It's become increasingly clear that a segment of our staff chose to violate the trust that was placed in them," Hall said. "There is simply no excuse for unethical behavior and no room in this district for unethical conduct. I am confident that aggressive, swift action will be taken against anyone who believed so little in our students and in our system of support that they turned to dishonesty as the only option."

The cheating came to light after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that some scores were statistically improbable.

Most of the 178 educators named in the special investigators' report in 2011 resigned, retired, did not have their contracts renewed or appealed their dismissals and lost. Twenty-one educators have been reinstated and three await hearings to appeal their dismissals, said Atlanta Public Schools spokesman Stephen Alford.

Superintendent Erroll Davis said the district was focused on nurturing an ethical environment, providing quality education and supporting the employees who were not implicated.

"I know that our children will succeed when the adults around them work hard, work together, and do so with integrity," he said in a statement.

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission is responsible for licensing teachers and has been going through the complaints against teachers, said commission executive secretary Kelly Henson. Of the 159 cases the commission has reviewed, 44 resulted in license revocations, 100 got two-year suspensions and nine were suspended for less than two years, Henson said. No action was taken against six of the educators.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/3-dozen-indicted-atlanta-cheating-scandal-214241949.html

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

EU, IMF resisting Greek bank NBG's takeover of Eurobank: sources

By George Georgiopoulos

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's international lenders have asked Athens to halt National Bank's takeover of rival Eurobank, worried that the resulting lender would be too big for the state to deal with, two bankers close to the talks told Reuters on Saturday.

The lenders' concerns come as an unexpected twist in the takeover deal, which was launched in October and completed with a share swap. The two banks have already begun integrating operations after getting approval by authorities.

National Bank, Greece's biggest lender, took over 84.3 percent of Eurobank in February via a share swap as the banking industry consolidates to cope with the fallout from the country's debt crisis and a deep recession.

The European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund "troika" had raised issues over the size of the merged entity relative to Greece's gross domestic product (GDP) and the banking sector as a whole, the sources said.

The combined NBG-Eurobank group would have assets of 170 billion euros, almost the size of the country's 190 billion GDP and 36 percent of total deposits.

"Pretty much these are the arguments put forth by the troika," one of the bankers told Reuters, declining to be named.

NBG had offered 58 new shares for every 100 shares of Eurobank in the deal.

The lenders' concern comes as fellow euro zone member Cyprus reels under a banking crisis that has forced it to shut down its second largest bank, Cyprus Popular Bank , also known as Laiki, and make an unprecedented raid on deposits over 100,000 euros as part of an EU-IMF bailout.

The European Commission, the government and the banks had no comment on the NBG-Eurobank deal.

An NBG official said the bank had no plans to alter course.

"NBG is going ahead with the legal merger process to absorb Eurobank, which has been approved by Greek and European authorities. Our goal is to complete the process by June," an NBG official told Reuters, declining further comment.

Newspaper Kathimerini reported on Saturday that the troika's request that the merger be cancelled was a "red line" for the government since the tie-up is now on its final stretch. But, it said, officials were optimistic the concerns would be resolved.

Officials from the troika are due in Athens next week to resume a visit to inspect Greece's progress in meeting the terms of its latest bailout, on which it depends to avoid bankruptcy.

"The troika is arguing that the two banks must be recapitalized separately and remain separate legal entities," the paper said.

The two banks together need 15.6 billion euros in fresh capital to shore up their solvency ratios to levels required by the central bank after incurring losses from a sovereign debt writedown and impaired loans.

Troika officials argue that the combined entity would find it hard to raise a minimum 10 percent of the needed capital from the private sector to stay privately run, as required under the agreed recapitalization scheme, the sources and the paper said.

Such an outcome would bring the group under the full control of a state bank support fund, which would have a harder time finding a buyer for a bank of this size in the future.

"I don't see why the merged entity would be such a big monster that would be hard to sell. Bigger banks have been sold in Europe," one of the bankers said.

(Editing by Stephen Powell)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eu-imf-resisting-merger-greek-banks-nbg-eurobank-164018518--finance.html

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Home Improvement Tips Using Modern Furniture Hardware | Useful ...

Modern Furniture

While choosing furniture hardware for refurnishing your house, it is more that obvious that a person can get confused. Besides, remodeling a home is an expensive affair as well, especially if you are planning to integrate a new design or style into the interior of the abode. But however, to rescue you from all these spendings there are various ways to cut down on your home improvement expenditures. Though a new piece of furniture frames and headboards will be instrumental in giving your house a new look.

The Initial Step
Designing a well placed furniture plan is essential if you do not want to go wrong anywhere and want to meet your comfort as well as needs. You should also be clear about the style of the furniture that will best suit your room.

Replace Bulky Items And Save Space
This is the foremost step when remodeling your house. Replace bulky ancient furniture with streamlines modern furnishings that acquire less space are are easy to manage. Old furniture use up a lot of space and if your house is small then choose from a wide range multi purpose furniture. For example, use the Ottoman (storage + seat/foot rest) or Sofa bed that can perform the task of both sofa and bed. A modern style is more practical as they tend to be smaller and clean cut edges which do not hang out much and thus cuts down on the space they take up. Go for a bed that has storage compartments and brackets, so that there is more space for better use of wardrobe and drawer.

Plan Before Purchasing
There is no dearth in the furniture hardware industry for furniture supplies, so do not shop in a haste. If you have made up your mind to replace those big antique furnishings with latest sofa that has exquisite furniture legs, then be prepared to hover a little longer before you actually find the best piece. Keep in mind the measurement factor so that the furniture hardware compliments your room. Get a tape measure and start measuring the dimensions of the room so that you will know what size will best fit in it.

Consider the Design
This is also an important factor before purchasing the furniture hardware for your home. Modern furniture differs in the designs as per the taste of their designer. Some of the furniture that have modern tags might have a vintage look. So be clear about the design that will suit your home the most.

Cut Cost By Window Shopping
This is a must before you actually purchase the most coveted furniture piece. Make sure you do a window shopping of all the furniture outlets to have a feel of all the modern furniture available in the furniture hardware industry. Compare the prices of the same stuffs to make this activity cost effective. Also you can wait for the furniture shops and department stores in your area to go on sale or to put huge discounts on their furnishings before you start buying one for your very own.

Source: http://www.ecmi2012.org/home-improvement-tips-using-modern-furniture-hardware.html

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Nat Geo announces military shows 'Battleground Afghanistan' and 'EyeWitness War'

By Tim Molloy

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - National Geographic Channel announced the two new war docuseries, "Battleground Afganistan" and "EyeWitness War," following in the bootprints of its successful war series "Inside Combat Rescue."

"Battleground Afghanistan" follows the men of the Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, as they attempt to locate, disrupt and destroy the Taliban.

"EyeWitness War" follows the men and women of the Army, Navy, Drug Enforcement Administration, Coast Guard and other forces as they deal with battles, drug trafficking and explosives.

"EyeWitness War and Battleground Afghanistan highlight the dangerous missions and perils of war through the eyes of our brave American service members as the fighting is happening," said Michael Cascio, Nat Geo executive vice president of programming. "The series are both compelling and frightfully honest. Together with 'Inside Combat Rescue,' I am proud that our network is telling the stories of these heroes, and using their own words."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nat-geo-announces-military-shows-battleground-afghanistan-eyewitness-234528836.html

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Lauren's Latest ? Pregnancy Update {weeks 34 & 35}

Screen Shot 2013-03-26 at 9.42.21 PM So, can you believe I?m only a few weeks away from getting this alien out of me? The way he moves/pushes my organs around, you?d think he?s an alien. Forreals.

Anyways, not a whole lot to report on this bebe. He?s growing, this I know. Allegedly, he?s 5+ pounds which explains why I feel huge and have a heavy feeling ?down yonder? if you know what I mean ;) He?s still up in my lungs, so I know he hasn?t dropped yet. When he does, that?s gonna be interesting slash painful.

My belly measurements are right on for delivering April 29th. That day is coming up QUICK! I almost can?t believe it?but I can. Time flies when you?re renovating your kitchen writing an ecookbook growing a child!

Some noteworthy things happening:

-I have had a really bad cough for the last 8 days or so. I want to slit my throat that?s how bad it is. Cough drops don?t help. Honey doesn?t help. Robitussin doesn?t help. Vicks Vapo Rub on my chest and feet doesn?t help. I really don?t have any options left. Just suck it up and deal. UGH.

-I?ve self diagnosed myself with?symphysis pubic dysfunction?basically, I get these shooting pains in my inner thighs when I switch from lying on one side to the other side at night. The worst is when I?m getting up from bed in the morning. This combined with my coughing makes me a real treat to wake up to. Right Gordon?! Haha. Apparently, this is a totally normal and common thing for ladies to have during pregnancy. It?ll go away after the baby comes out. Yippee!

-My husband is taking 2 weeks off for his Paternity leave after the baby comes. I?m so excited :) Some people I talk to don?t particularly care if their husbands are home or not but I am not one of those people! If my husband could get paid to stay home, we?d totally do that! We love spending time together. After I had Brooke, he was still working AND going to school, so I was pretty much left on my own. I?m so glad he?ll have this time with us!

-My Mom is coming for 2 1/2 weeks in May to cook me lots of yummy meals, clean my house, help with the new baby and play with Brooke! We are so excited. My Dad is coming for one of those weeks too :) I love my family!

-I?m trying my hardest to get the baby?s room finished but it?s tricky when I start involving other people?.like my husband {meaning?he needs to knock down a wall to expand the closet before it can officially be finished. I?m hoping this little dude will be right on time so we can actually have a month to finish everything we need to!

-Did I mention all my kitchen stuff gets here a week before I?m due? AND, it?s all getting installed in the last 5 days up until my due date? YEAH. Talk about serious deadlines!! LOL! At least my husband will be on paternity leave to help out as needed :) Either way, I?m getting a new kitchen and new baby by the end of April!

-Overall I?ve gained 25 pounds thus far. It?s all in my belly and thighs. Still much less than my first pregnancy, so I?m hoping this weight will come off easily! I fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans 3 weeks after giving birth to my daughter. Maybe I?ll get lucky and things will go just as smoothly?!

Screen Shot 2013-03-28 at 10.42.53 AM And now for some questions:

-What can I do to get rid of this cough? I cannot think of anything else!

-How many of you think I?ll go into labor before I can get my kitchen done? Watch I?m a week late! LOL! OR, maybe I?ll have this little guy right on my due date just like my first pregnancy! Time will only tell!

-What are the best nursing bras? And do you all go so far to get nursing tanks and stuff too? I didn?t have any the first time around and everything worked out just swimmingly.

-How far in advance did you pack your hospital bag? I might wait a week or two and then get one together.

Source: http://www.laurenslatest.com/pregnancy-update-weeks-34-35/

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OUYA ships early backer consoles, staggers delivery over the weeks ahead

OUYA console by itself

OUYA is true to its word: the company has confirmed to us that it's shipping the first units of its namesake game console to the many, many people who crowdfunded at a tier high enough to set aside a production system. If you've received a tracking notice, you should expect to have the cuboid at your door in five to ten days, depending on just which corner of the world you live in. Don't be surprised if your inbox remains empty for now, however. OUYA notes that it's spreading delivery over the "coming weeks," which by necessity will leave a few of us twiddling our (currently gamepad-free) thumbs.

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Source: OUYA

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/ouya-ships-early-backer-consoles-and-staggers-delivery/

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CA-BUSINESS Summary

Golds, banks pull TSX lower on weak data, Cyprus; RIM gains

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Thursday, led by declines in gold shares that followed the bullion price lower and in financial stocks, as weak U.S. economic data and worries about spillover effects of the Cyprus crisis deepened investor gloom. A rise in BlackBerry after the smartphone maker reported a surprise quarterly profit offset some of the losses.

Lazaridis to keep BlackBerry stake, focus on new venture

TORONTO (Reuters) - BlackBerry co-founder Mike Lazaridis said on Thursday he has no plans to sell his stake in the smartphone maker even as he steps down from the board to focus on a new quantum computing investment fund. BlackBerry, formerly Research In Motion, announced the former co-CEO's departure from the board on Thursday as it reported its first quarterly earnings since launching its make-or-break new BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

Hockey helps Canada's economy grow again in January

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's economy bounced back from a year-end slump in January thanks to factories, mines and the return of professional ice hockey, but growth still looks too weak to match the central bank's upbeat outlook and interest rates are unlikely to budge until 2014. Gross domestic product expanded by 0.2 percent in the month, Statistics Canada said on Thursday, following the weakest two quarters since the 2008-09 recession and a 0.2 percent contraction in December.

BofA markets chief was bank's highest paid executive in '12

(Reuters) - Bank of America Corp's co-chief operating officer, Tom Montag, was once again the bank's highest paid executive in 2012, making $14.5 million in a year in which the bank showed signs of healing. Montag's compensation, which included a $5.46 million bonus and $8.19 million in stock, increased 21 percent to eclipse the $12 million awarded to Chief Executive Brian Moynihan, according to a filing the bank made on Thursday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Exclusive: Cerberus seeks to bankroll investor landlords

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management wants to provide financing to small investment firms that are buying foreclosed homes as part of a long-term bullish bet on the housing recovery, according to four sources familiar with the situation. Cerberus is targeting investment firms that are looking to buy a small number of homes in niche housing markets in the U.S. and rent them out, the sources said. These investors cannot tap the much larger financing deals being put together by banks such as Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse , and Goldman Sachs Group for institutional buyers of foreclosed homes.

Cyprus bank controls to last a month, minister says

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus conceded on Thursday that tight capital controls would remain in force longer than expected as the island's banks reopened for the first time after the government was forced to accept a tough EU rescue package to avoid bankruptcy. Cypriots lined up calmly to withdraw limited amounts of cash, but there was no sign of a run on deposits, as had been feared.

EBay targets $110 billion of marketplace volume in 2015

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - EBay Inc aims to handle $110 billion of sales volume on its marketplace in 2015 by expanding globally, getting more local inventory online and using mobile technology to engage more with shoppers, executives said on Thursday. The new forecast, made by Devin Wenig, president of eBay's Marketplaces business in North America, compares with Gross Merchandise Volume, or GMV, of $75 billion in 2012.

Boeing CEO confident that 787 battery fix will work

(Reuters) - Boeing Co has high confidence the proposed fix for the lithium-ion batteries on its grounded 787 passenger jet will work, Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney said on Thursday. The grounding has been a "frustrating experience," McNerney told a U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation summit. (For event video, click: http://link.reuters.com/juf96t )

Total to book $1.65 billion first-quarter loss on Canada project exit

PARIS (Reuters) - Total will book a $1.65 billion first-quarter loss on its withdrawal from a long-delayed oil sands project in Canada, it said on Thursday, a day after partner Suncor pulled the plug on the plant citing lower potential returns. French oil major Total said it has sold its 49 percent stake in the Voyageur Upgrader project in northern Alberta to Canada's largest oil company Suncor Energy , which holds the remaining 51 percent, for $500 million.

Bank of Canada searches far and wide for Carney's successor

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The search for a new Bank of Canada chief to replace Mark Carney has pitted internal front-runner Tiff Macklem against a range of external candidates as officials look outside the bank for people who may have more hands-on business experience. Most central bank watchers believe Macklem, currently second-in-command at the bank, has outstanding credentials and deserves to take over when his boss leaves.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-business-summary-004845905--finance.html

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Ouya in action at GDC 2013

What's a backer launch without a party?

Android Central at GDC

Ouya had their big backer launch bash at GDC 2013, giving everybody a shot to try out the $99 Android-powered gaming console. There has been a lot of excitement leading up to this launch, not only because it stands to be yet another Kickstarter success story, but also because it's paving the way for a whole new product category of Android devices. 

read more



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Uk3tQRqrUz0/story01.htm

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Monosaturated fats reduce metabolic syndrome risk

Monosaturated fats reduce metabolic syndrome risk [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Sara LaJeunesse
SDL13@psu.edu
814-863-4325
Penn State

Canola oil and high-oleic canola oils can lower abdominal fat when used in place of other selected oil blends, according to a team of American and Canadian researchers. The researchers also found that consuming certain vegetable oils may be a simple way of reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, which affects about one in three U.S. adults and one in five Canadian adults.

"The monounsaturated fats in these vegetable oils appear to reduce abdominal fat, which in turn may decrease metabolic syndrome risk factors," said Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Penn State.

In the randomized, controlled trial, 121 participants at risk for metabolic syndrome received a daily smoothie containing 40 grams (1.42 ounces) of one of five oils as part of a weight maintenance, heart-healthy, 2000-calorie per day diet. Members of the group had five risk factors characterized by increased belly fat, low "good" hdl cholesterol and above average blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The researchers repeated this process for the remaining four oils.

The results were presented at the American Heart Association's EPI/NPAM 2013 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

Results showed that those who consumed canola or high-oleic canola oils on a daily basis for four weeks lowered their belly fat by 1.6 percent compared to those who consumed a flax/safflower oil blend. Abdominal fat was unchanged by the other two oils, which included a corn/safflower oil blend and high-oleic canola oil enriched with an algal source of the omega-3 DHA. Both the flax/safflower and corn/safflower oil blends were low in monounsaturated fat.

According to the American Heart Association, many of the factors that contribute to metabolic syndrome can be addressed by a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss, which can significantly reduce health risks of this condition.

"It is evident that further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms that account for belly fat loss on a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids," said Kris-Etherton. "Our study indicates that simple dietary changes, such as using vegetable oils high in monounsaturated fatty acids, may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and therefore heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes."

###

Other authors on the paper include Peter Jones and Shuaihua Pu of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg; Sheila West, Xiaoran Liu, Jennifer Fleming and Cindy McCrea of Penn State; Benit Lamarche and Patrick Couture of Laval University in Quebec; and David Jenkins of the University of Toronto. The government of Canada, the Canola Council of Canada and Dow Agrosciences funded this research.


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

?


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


Monosaturated fats reduce metabolic syndrome risk [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Sara LaJeunesse
SDL13@psu.edu
814-863-4325
Penn State

Canola oil and high-oleic canola oils can lower abdominal fat when used in place of other selected oil blends, according to a team of American and Canadian researchers. The researchers also found that consuming certain vegetable oils may be a simple way of reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, which affects about one in three U.S. adults and one in five Canadian adults.

"The monounsaturated fats in these vegetable oils appear to reduce abdominal fat, which in turn may decrease metabolic syndrome risk factors," said Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Penn State.

In the randomized, controlled trial, 121 participants at risk for metabolic syndrome received a daily smoothie containing 40 grams (1.42 ounces) of one of five oils as part of a weight maintenance, heart-healthy, 2000-calorie per day diet. Members of the group had five risk factors characterized by increased belly fat, low "good" hdl cholesterol and above average blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The researchers repeated this process for the remaining four oils.

The results were presented at the American Heart Association's EPI/NPAM 2013 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

Results showed that those who consumed canola or high-oleic canola oils on a daily basis for four weeks lowered their belly fat by 1.6 percent compared to those who consumed a flax/safflower oil blend. Abdominal fat was unchanged by the other two oils, which included a corn/safflower oil blend and high-oleic canola oil enriched with an algal source of the omega-3 DHA. Both the flax/safflower and corn/safflower oil blends were low in monounsaturated fat.

According to the American Heart Association, many of the factors that contribute to metabolic syndrome can be addressed by a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss, which can significantly reduce health risks of this condition.

"It is evident that further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms that account for belly fat loss on a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids," said Kris-Etherton. "Our study indicates that simple dietary changes, such as using vegetable oils high in monounsaturated fatty acids, may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and therefore heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes."

###

Other authors on the paper include Peter Jones and Shuaihua Pu of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg; Sheila West, Xiaoran Liu, Jennifer Fleming and Cindy McCrea of Penn State; Benit Lamarche and Patrick Couture of Laval University in Quebec; and David Jenkins of the University of Toronto. The government of Canada, the Canola Council of Canada and Dow Agrosciences funded this research.


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

?


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/ps-mfr032913.php

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Virtual reality, goggles and all, attempts return

FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margo, Filet)

FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margo, Filet)

FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? It's back.

The virtual reality headset, the gizmo that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of video game makers in San Francisco.

After drumming up hype over the past year and banking $2.4 million from crowdfunding, the Irvine, Calif.-based company Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with the Oculus Rift, its VR headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s that usually left users with headaches.

"Developers who start working on VR games now are going to be able to do cool things," said Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey. "This is the first time when the technology, software, community and rendering power is all really there."

While VR technology has successfully been employed in recent years for military and medical training purposes, it's been too expensive, clunky or just plain bad for most at-home gamers. Oculus VR's headset is armed with stereoscopic 3-D, low-latency head tracking and a 110-degree field of view, and the company expects it to cost just a few hundred bucks.

A line at the conference snaked around the expo floor with attendees waiting for a chance to plop the glasses on their head and play a few minutes of "Hawken," an upcoming first-person shooter that puts players inside levitating war machines.

Attendance was also at capacity for a Thursday talk called "Virtual Reality: The Holy Grail of Gaming" led by Luckey. When he asked the crowd who'd ordered development prototypes of the technology, dozens of hands shot into the air.

"There's been a lot of promise over several decades with the VR helmet idea, but I think a lot of us feel like Oculus and other devices like it are starting to get it right," said Simon Carless, executive vice president at UBM Tech Game Network, which organizes the Game Developers Conference. "We may have a competitive and interesting-to-use device, which you could strap to your head and have really immersive gaming as a result."

Sony and Microsoft are reportedly working on similar peripherals, as are other companies. Luckey contends that the innovations Nintendo made with its Wii U, Sony is planning with its upcoming PlayStation 4 and Microsoft is likely tinkering with for its successor to the Xbox 360 don't seem like enough.

"We're seeing better graphics and social networks, but those aren't things that are going to fundamentally change the kind of experiences that gamers can have," said Luckey.

A growing list of high-profile game makers have sung the device's praises, including Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, "Minecraft" mastermind Markus Peterson, id Software's John Carmack, "Gears of War" chief Cliff Bleszinski and Valve boss Gabe Newell.

Valve is planning to release a VR version of its first-person shooter "Team Fortress 2" for the Rift, but Luckey is hoping that designers in attendance at this week's conference begin creating games especially for the doodad.

"The doors are already open," noted Luckey. "People are already telling us things they want to do with the Rift that they can't do with traditional games."

Luckey said prototype versions of the technology are being distributed to developers now, and he anticipates releasing a version for consumers by next year.

___

Online:

http://www.oculusvr.com

___

Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-03-29-Games-Virtual%20Reality-Oculus/id-a74d4edea71b4a3abda0ca6c1d7055fe

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Friday, March 29, 2013

The Nutrition Twins: Four Simple Tricks to Get Motivated to Exercise ...

  • Staying motivated can be the hardest part about getting or staying in shape.
  • The Nutrition Twins offer four simple tricks to use to get in gear.
  • Splashing cold water on your face can be a workout wake-up call.
  • Use peppermint oil to get a burst of inspiration and energy.
  • Keep a hot picture of yourself nearby for inspiration.

Your plan is to exercise. The problem? You lack the motivation to get started.

We?ve all been there. We have the best intentions to get healthy. Yet as much as we want to do it, when the time comes to pull the trigger, we?re too tired, too lazy, or just simply can?t get motivated to get started. The truth is that if you can get started, chances are you?re going to get a decent workout in. Even if you can muster up a little bit of umph, you?ll burn calories and feel much better about yourself after the fact.

Here are four easy ways to get your rear in gear to get started. If one doesn?t work for you, try another. All of these have worked for us and have worked for many of our clients.

1. Splash cold water on your face.? It sounds simple, but often when we lack motivation, we?re feeling tired or lazy. There?s nothing like a good ole? cold kick (or splash) in the face to get us going.? The key is to do this with intent to get motivated.? As you splash your face, tell yourself that this is your exercise wake-up call.

2. Go for a stroll outside.? Outdoor air is a natural refresher.? If it?s cold outside, there?s nothing that invigorates you like a burst of cool, crisp air. If it?s warm outside, moving around (even if it?s slow) is still beneficial because it gets your blood flowing throughout your body and helps you feel energized. Even if you do this for only 5 minutes, chances are you?ll be motivated to take the plunge and continue on in your exercise routine.? Worst case scenario?? You burn a few extra calories on your stroll.

3. Take a whiff of peppermint oil.? Peppermint oil is a natural stimulant that can help alleviate jet lag and boost your energy levels.? It also has mood boosting properties and can decrease stress or irritability?and we?re all more likely to be motivated to exercise when we feel better!? You can put a few drops on your temples so you continue to breathe in the stimulating scent and feel refreshed throughout your workout.? You may be surprised by the natural high you get and how invigorated you?ll feel.

4. Keep a hot picture of yourself nearby for inspiration and a list of 5 things you did to get that way.? You may have heard that you should keep a picture of yourself from a time when you looked your best in a bathing suit (or in some other outfit that shows how fit you were) on your refrigerator. ?Many people find that this encourages healthy eating, but in order to use it to help you get motivated to exercise, we recommend keeping the picture with a list of five things you did to get in shape to look that way.? Use the list below as an example, and keep a similar one nearby your photo:

These are the things I did when I looked this way:

  • I did 40 minutes of cardio exercise every day.
  • Once a week I did intervals when I jogged.
  • I lifted weights three days a week.
  • I did yoga on the weekends.
  • I only had one dessert a day.

Now that you have these simple tricks, it?s time to put them in action! Do you have your own tips? Let us know what you do to stay motivated?

Source: http://www.drvita.com/blog/the-nutrition-twins-four-simple-tricks-to-get-motivated-to-exercise/

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HTC One official flip case review

HTC One flip case.

HTC's stylish flip case also doubles as a kickstand

With the HTC One starting to become available in more countries, it's time to start taking a look at HTC's official accessories. The first is a protective case that doubles as a stand when the phone's in landscape orientation, which just might make it an ideal accessory for heavy multimedia users and anyone flying with an HTC One.

Check past the break for a quick video tour, more words, and an extensive photo gallery.

read more



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/SOrvM6thj2M/story01.htm

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Nuclear-capable stealth bombers sent to South Korea amid Kim Jong Un's threats

Two B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, drop inert munitions during a "long-duration, round-trip" training missing from Missouri.

By Jason Cumming and Matthew DeLuca, NBC News

Two American B-2 Spirit stealth bombers practiced an attack on the Korean Peninsula Thursday as part of a military exercise that has sparked angry threats from North Korea.

The U.S. military said the planes involved in the firing drill left Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on a "long-duration, round-trip training mission."

Inert munitions were dropped on a range facility on the Jikdo islands off the western coast of South Korea before the jets returned to the continental U.S. in a single continuous flight.

B-2 Spirit bombers are capable of carrying either conventional or nuclear weapons.

In a statement, the United States Forces Korea?said the mission "demonstrates the United States? ability to conduct long-range, precision strikes quickly and at will."

Dubbed "Foal Eagle," the training exercise involves about?200,000 South Korean troops and 10,000 U.S. forces and is due to continue until the end of April.

Sin Young-Keun / Yonhap via Reuters

A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber (left) flies over Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Thursday.

The Korean Central News Agency, the official state news agency, did not immediately have a response to the stealth bomber mission on Thursday. Previously, KCNA hit out at flights made by U.S. B-52 bombers.

The mission comes at a time of raised tensions between North Korea, its neighbors and the U.S.

A propaganda video posted on the country?s Uriminzokkiri website in February showed New York City under attack from North Korean rockets ? a scenario thought to be far outside the reach of the poverty-stricken nation.

The video, which was set to a version of the song "We Are the World," was widely lampooned in the U.S.

Another video posted in March showed an image of the U.S. Capitol building being hit by an explosion.

The U.S. military announced on March 15 that it was bolstering missile defenses in response to threats from the North, including a threat to conduct a "preemptive nuclear strike."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on March 20 that he would order military forces to attack American military installations in the Pacific and South Korea?if its "enemies ? make even the slightest move,? according to KCNA.

?When the drills turn into a battle, the enemies will be made to drink a bitter cup, unable to raise their heads, in the face of retaliatory blows of the strong revolutionary Paektusan army, he [Kim] said,? the same KCNA article stated in language characteristic of the state?s military-first government.

Tensions rose on the Korean Peninsula in December when the North launched a rocket test, and then again in February with the test of a nuclear bomb. The United Nations Security Council moved to impose further sanctions on the already isolated nation by a unanimous vote early in March.

On Wednesday,?North Korea said it was cutting the last channel of communications with the South because war could break out at "any moment."

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related:

North Korea puts rocket units on 'highest alert,' issues new threats to US

Kim Jong Un threatens attack on US bases in Pacific

Full North Korea coverage from NBC News

?

This story was originally published on

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653387/s/2a1647e3/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C280C174980A630Enuclear0Ecapable0Estealth0Ebombers0Esent0Eto0Esouth0Ekorea0Eamid0Ekim0Ejong0Euns0Ethreats0Dlite/story01.htm

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Google Play Movies & TV adds in-content 'Info Card' search

Google Play Movies & TV

Google has just updated its Play Movies & TV app to include what it calls "Info Card" search, giving you information about the movie you're watching when you pause. Similar to what Amazon offers on its Kindle Fire tablets, Info Cards give you contextual information about the movie when you pause it, listing the actors in the scene, related movies and the soundtrack playing at the time. The cards are of course in the new "Google Now" card style, overlaid on the movie along the right side and look like what you'd get if you performed a Google search on the actor from a device.

Info Cards are available for only certain movies -- and certainly a limited selection -- that have an Info Cards "badge" on them, so be on the lookout next time you're renting or buying something from Google Play. Also included in this update is Play Movies & TV content for India, which is again a huge deal.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/7ePsdbpjsBY/story01.htm

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The best news for BlackBerry: Its success may not hinge on the American market

By Brian Homewood March 28 (Reuters) - Swiss champions FC Basel, renowned for their youth development programme, face a constant battle to stop teenage players moving to English, Spanish and Italian clubs. President Bernhard Heusler told Reuters in an interview that parents often do not listen to the club when warned against taking their sons elsewhere. "We get enormous pressure from outside, including English clubs," said Heusler before adding Basel were powerless to stop their youngsters leaving before the age of 16. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/best-news-blackberry-success-may-not-hinge-american-190915145.html

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Memories of near death experiences: More real than reality?

Mar. 27, 2013 ? University of Li?ge researchers have demonstrated that the physiological mechanisms triggered during NDE lead to a more vivid perception not only of imagined events in the history of an individual but also of real events which have taken place in their lives! These surprising results - obtained using an original method which now requires further investigation - are published in PLOS ONE.

Seeing a bright light, going through a tunnel, having the feeling of ending up in another 'reality' or leaving one's own body are very well known features of the complex phenomena known as 'Near-Death Experiences ' (NDE), which people who are close to death can experience in particular. Products of the mind? Psychological defence mechanisms? Hallucinations? These phenomena have been widely documented in the media and have generated numerous beliefs and theories of every kind. From a scientific point of view, these experiences are all the more difficult to understand in that they come into being in chaotic conditions, which make studying them in real time almost impossible. The University of Li?ge's researchers have thus tried a different approach.

Working together, researchers at the Coma Science Group (Directed by Steven Laureys) and the University of Li?ge's Cognitive Psychology Research (Professor Serge Br?dart and Hedwige Dehon), have looked into the memories of NDE with the hypothesis that if the memories of NDE were pure products of the imagination, their phenomenological characteristics (e.g., sensorial, self referential, emotional, etc. details) should be closer to those of imagined memories. Conversely, if the NDE are experienced in a way similar to that of reality, their characteristics would be closer to the memories of real events.

The researchers compared the responses provided by three groups of patients, each of which had survived (in a different manner) a coma, and a group of healthy volunteers. They studied the memories of NDE and the memories of real events and imagined events with the help of a questionnaire which evaluated the phenomenological characteristics of the memories. The results were surprising. From the perspective being studied, not only were the NDEs not similar to the memories of imagined events, but the phenomenological characteristics inherent to the memories of real events (e.g. memories of sensorial details) are even more numerous in the memories of NDE than in the memories of real events.

The brain, in conditions conducive to such phenomena occurring, is prey to chaos. Physiological and pharmacological mechanisms are completely disturbed, exacerbated or, conversely, diminished. Certain studies have put forward a physiological explanation for certain components of NDE, such as Out-of-Body Experiences, which could be explained by dysfunctions of the temporo-parietal lobe. In this context the study published in PLOS ONE suggests that these same mechanisms could also could also 'create' a perception - which would thus be processed by the individual as coming from the exterior - of reality. In a kind of way their brain is lying to them, like in a hallucination. These events being particularly surprising and especially important from an emotional and personal perspective, the conditions are ripe for the memory of this event being extremely detailed, precise and durable.

Numerous studies have looked into the physiological mechanisms of NDE, the production of these phenomena by the brain, but, taken separately, these two theories are incapable of explaining these experiences in their entirety. The study published in PLOS ONE does not claim to offer a unique explanation for NDE, but it contributes to study pathways which take into account psychological phenomena as factors associated with, and not contradictory to, physiological phenomena.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Li?ge, via AlphaGalileo.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Marie Thonnard, Vanessa Charland-Verville, Serge Br?dart, Hedwige Dehon, Didier Ledoux, Steven Laureys, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse. Characteristics of Near-Death Experiences Memories as Compared to Real and Imagined Events Memories. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (3): e57620 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057620

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/nU6TwYi_i1I/130327190359.htm

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