recycled silver wedding band set . scroll engraved once upon a time ring . recycled silver swirl wedding ring set by peacesofindigo by peacesofindigo

A set of rustic, lovely silver bands to symbolize your love for each other.

Rustic and lovely, this eco friendly silver encircles your finger and reminds you that your love story will have a happy ending~

This ring was inspired by all of the fairy tales that we read and love as children. It would be wonderful for a wedding, anniversary, promise ring or any other occasion that you'd like to mark with a special token.

I use recycled fine silver to form the band. I hand texture the outside with a nature inspired crawling vine. Each ring will say 'Once upon a time' on the inside. All of my writing is done by hand.

This band is not stamped wire, the shape is created by my hands. Each band is formed, polished and oxidized to bring out the texture and detail. This patina is natural, and not permanent and will wear away after time, leaving your band with a beautiful shiny finish.

The width of the women's ring is 4mm.
The width of the mens ring is 5mm.

*This listing is for TWO rings. Please specify your TWO ring sizes when ordering.*
Your custom rings will be created to order.

Your purchase will arrive gift wrapped.

**To see my current time frame on creating custom pieces and for answers to commonly asked questions, please read my policies here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/peacesofindigo/policy?ref=shopinfo_policies_leftnav

Original design by Dawanna Young.
Artisan handmade using pure recycled silver.
Crafted with intent, infused with love, made to last.

Peruse my other handmade jewelry designs:
http://www.peacesofindigo.etsy.com

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/106277295/recycled-silver-wedding-band-set-scroll

enquirer national inquirer knicks vs heat ash wednesday kate walsh cnn debate equatorial guinea

Destino--The Corvette-Powered Fisker Karma: Detroit Auto Show

Use your ? ?(arrow) keys to browse more stories

Older

Newer

VL-Automotive Destino

If you've always felt the 20 mpg Fisker Karma is a little bit too green, a new sport sedan based on the Fisker Karma might be just the car you're looking for.

The VL Automotive Destino is essentially Henrik Fisker's range-extended electric car, with all the expensive drivetrain components removed and replaced with Chevrolet's LS9 V-8 engine. That's the same supercharged unit you'll find in the Corvette ZR1 supercar.

If you think that sounds strange, then it gets better--one of the men behind the Destino is none other than "father of the Volt" and Via Motors figurehead, Bob Lutz.

Proving Lutz still has gasoline coursing through his veins, despite pushing for greener vehicles like the Volt and the Via electric trucks, the Destino is designed "to provide true motoring enthusiasts with an exquisite work of automotive art that performs at a world-class level.? Attention to detail is a paramount concern, as is reliability and ease of maintenance."

With Fisker's recent problems, including cooling issues leading to fires (the recall for which indirectly led to even greater damage...), perhaps there's method behind the apparent madness of swapping the range-extended Karma powertrain with a simpler, tried-and-tested engine like the LS9.

Fisker Karma: Range-extended electric car ultimate guide

Destinos will come with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Lutz says the car is "an American designed, engineered and manufactured four-door performance car that rivals such models as the Porche Panamera and Aston-Martin-Lagonda Rapide."

On the outside, the Destino differs little from the Karma on which it's based--though the front facia takes on a more subtle appearance, losing Fisker's distinctive mustache grille. Arguably, it's all the more attractive without it.

The Destino is a collaborative project between Lutz and industrialist Gilbert Villereal, and made its debut today at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. It will be built in Auburn Hills, Michigan--not far from where Lutz's former colleague at GM and now Fisker CEO, Tony Posawatz, is setting up a Fisker technology center.

We asked Fisker for a comment on the modified Karma, and this is what Senior Director of Global Communications and PR, Roger Ormisher, told us:

"Fisker believes that it speaks to the appeal of the Karma and its stunning, award-winning design that coachbuilders are wanting to take our cars and modify and customize them. We join many famous brands in automotive history that have been the subject of customization and modification."

He added that the project isn't a joint partnership nor a strategic alliance, though VL Automotive has ordered 20 Karmas, less their powertrains and lithium batteries, for conversion.

The Destino is scheduled for retail sales in the second half of 2013--and is available on a first come, first served basis.

Want to catch up with the latest news and launches? Head over to our Detroit Auto Show page.

+++++++++++

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1081660_destino--the-corvette-powered-fisker-karma-detroit-auto-show

dharun ravi george clooney arrested ravi leigh espn greg oden st patricks day

U.S. military suicides hit record in 2012, outpace combat deaths

A U.S. military honour guard carries a casket, January 12, 2013. REUTERS/Harrison McClary

Report an error

WASHINGTON? - The number of U.S. troops committing suicide set a record in 2012, exceeding the number of combat deaths, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The Pentagon said 349 active-duty troops killed themselves in 2012, up more than 15 percent from 2011 despite renewed efforts by the military to stem the suicide rate.

?This is an epidemic that cannot be ignored,? said Senator Patty Murray, who championed legislation last year to improve suicide prevention efforts and mental health care for troops and veterans.

?As our newest generation of servicemembers and veterans face unprecedented challenges, today?s news shows we must be doing more to ensure they are not slipping through the cracks.?

The Army, as the largest service, counted the biggest number of suicides, with 182 soldiers killing themselves in 2012, according to preliminary figures. The Navy had 60 suicides, the Air Force had 59 and the Marines had 48.

The figures were first reported by the Associated Press.

The Pentagon pointed to steps to bolster suicide prevention efforts, including expanding a suicide prevention hotline. Still, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta last year acknowledged that the suicides were the most frustrating issue he had faced since taking over the Pentagon in 2011.

?Despite the increased efforts, the increased attention, the trends continue to move in a troubling and tragic direction,? Panetta told at a joint Pentagon-Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention conference in June.

The suicide figures far surpassed the 237 U.S. troops killed in action last year in Afghanistan, as well as the 313 killed in support of the Afghan war more broadly ? a figure that includes deaths outside the country. It was the highest number of suicides since the United States went to war in Afghanistan in 2001.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that, roughly, a veteran commits suicide once every 80 minutes in America, a trend that may be worsening.

Last year, Reuters reached out to every state in the United States to inquire about suicides among veterans. Data collected from 32 states showed an increase in suicides between 2005 to 2010.

Source: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/01/14/us-military-suicides-hit-record-in-2012-outpace-combat-deaths

snl lindsay lohan valley fever project x the lorax lorax fisker karma super tuesday states

Greece: Shots fired at ruling party HQ

Greek Police forensic experts search for evidence after an unknown attacker fired an automatic rifle at the building on the capital's busy Syngrou Avenue, Athens, on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. A gunman fired a spray of bullets at the headquarters of the governing center-right New Democracy party near central Athens early Monday, with one hitting an office occasionally used by the prime minister, officials said. No one was hurt. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greek Police forensic experts search for evidence after an unknown attacker fired an automatic rifle at the building on the capital's busy Syngrou Avenue, Athens, on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. A gunman fired a spray of bullets at the headquarters of the governing center-right New Democracy party near central Athens early Monday, with one hitting an office occasionally used by the prime minister, officials said. No one was hurt. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

A Greek Police forensic expert searches for evidence after an unknown attacker fired an automatic rifle at the building on the capital's busy Syngrou Avenue, Athens, on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. A gunman fired a spray of bullets at the headquarters of the governing center-right New Democracy party near central Athens early Monday, with one hitting an office occasionally used by the prime minister, officials said. No one was hurt. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greek Police forensic experts walk outside the New Democracy party headquarters after an unknown attacker fired an automatic rifle at the building on the capital's busy Syngrou Avenue, Athens, on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. A gunman fired a spray of bullets at the headquarters of the governing center-right New Democracy party near central Athens early Monday, with one hitting an office occasionally used by the prime minister, officials said. No one was hurt. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greek Police forensic experts search for evidence after an unknown attacker fired an automatic rifle at the building on the capital's busy Syngrou Avenue, Athens, on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. A gunman fired a spray of bullets at the headquarters of the governing center-right New Democracy party near central Athens early Monday, with one hitting an office occasionally used by the prime minister, officials said. No one was hurt. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? A gunman fired a spray of bullets at the headquarters of Greece's governing center-right New Democracy party near central Athens early Monday, with one hitting an office occasionally used by the prime minister, officials said. No one was hurt.

A government spokesman said the shooting was part of an effort to "terrorize" Greek society, which is struggling through its worst financial crisis in two generations amid a drastic fall in living standards and a record rise in unemployment.

Police cordoned off the area where unknown gunman shot at least nine automatic rifle rounds at the building on the capital's busy Syngrou Avenue, south of the city center.

No group claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn attack, which follows a renewed wave of low-scale politically motivated violence by small anarchist and far-left militants.

The belt-tightening, amid widespread disgust with an incompetent and often corrupt political establishment blamed for the country's woes, has boosted extremists both to the left and right of the political spectrum. A fringe ultra-right group accused of fostering violent attacks on dark-skinned immigrants is represented in Parliament and regularly polls as the country's third most popular party.

All political parties condemned Monday's attack.

"No act of terrorism is going to scare us," said Makis Voridis, a spokesman for New Democracy. "Our efforts to restore law and order ... will continue unobstructed."

His comments appeared to be a reference to recent police evacuations of anarchist squats in Athens, which triggered a series of firebomb attacks on journalists' homes, local branches of parties in Greece's governing coalition and cash machines.

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said a "symbolic" bullet went through the window of the office used occasionally by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and was found inside the room.

"There is a new worrying increase in efforts to terrorize our society," Kedikoglou said.

No party officials were in the building at the time. The official prime minister's office is at another building in central Athens, where he spends most of his time.

"Of course there could have been (victims). There could have been a cleaner in the prime minister's office or a security guard at the site," Kedikoglou said.

Police said the attacker was believed to have had at least one accomplice, while experts were examining a car found abandoned and burned near the scene. The anti-terrorism squad is heading the investigation.

New Democracy heads a three-party coalition government formed after elections in June and is leading Greece's painful economic recovery effort to cut its high public debt and budget deficit through deeply resented spending cuts and tax hikes.

The austerity measures were demanded by international creditors in exchange for the vital bailout loans that have shielded Greece from bankruptcy since May 2010.

For decades, Greece was plagued by deadly far-left political violence that targeted police, government officials, businessmen and financial institutions. But the toughest groups were eradicated in a crackdown just before the 2004 Athens Olympics, and over the past three years authorities have arrested more than two dozen people over attacks by militant anarchists that caused extensive damage but no loss of life.

After authorities cleared two squats in Athens last week, the homes of five prominent journalists were firebombed. The attacks were claimed by small anarchist groups that accused their targets of serving the establishment.

Over the weekend, arsonists targeted the home of the brother of government spokesman Kedikoglou. The unknown attackers broke down the door with a sledgehammer and threw in a firebomb that exploded without causing injury.

___

Nicholas Paphitis in Athens contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-14-Greece-Attack/id-74962069c34f4516b7763a0350d04d6c

matt cain adastra holocaust remembrance day chesapeake energy dick clark death yom hashoah yolo

Police car attacked in Libya's Benghazi, one wounded

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - At least one police officer was wounded when attackers threw a hand grenade at a patrol car in the east Libyan city of Benghazi on Monday in the latest in a series of assaults on security officials, the force said.

The city was the seat of the uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi more than a year ago, and the government has struggled to control rival armed factions there ever since.

The police car was parking near a crossroads close to the center of Libya's second biggest city when it came under attack from a passing car, a police source said.

"A hand grenade was thrown from that car close to the police car and at least one person was injured," the source said.

Italian officials said on Monday they were temporarily withdrawing foreign staff from their consulate in the city as they assessed the security situation after a gun attack on their consul.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Guido De Sanctis's armored car on Saturday. He was unhurt but the attack was a reminder of the September 11 attack on the U.S. mission there that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.

American officials say militants with ties to al Qaeda affiliates were most likely involved in that attack.

Benghazi, like much of Libya, is awash with weapons, and the city has also seen recent attacks on British, Red Cross and United Nations interests.

To keep a degree of order, Libya's government relies on numerous militias made up of thousands of Libyans who took up arms against Gaddafi. The groups provide what passes for official security but also pose a significant threat to it.

In November, the city's police chief was shot dead and there have been several attacks on police.

(Reporting by Ghaith Shennib and Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-car-attacked-libyas-benghazi-one-wounded-222345419.html

oscar noms capital gains tim thomas oral roberts les paul fred thompson fred thompson

Lance Armstrong awaits 'candid' Oprah interview

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Out for a Sunday morning jog in bright sunshine, Lance Armstrong hardly looked like a man about to finally confront the doping scandal that has shadowed his storied career like an angry storm cloud.

''I'm calm, I'm at ease and ready to speak candidly,'' Armstrong told The Associated Press, referring to his interview Monday with Oprah Winfrey.

In what's been billed as a ''no-holds barred'' session, the cyclist is expected to reverse course after a decade of denials and apologize for doping, as well as offer a limited confession about his role at the head of a long-running scheme to dominate the Tour de France with the aid of performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong was stripped of all seven tour titles last year in the wake of a voluminous U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that portrayed him as a ruthless competitor, willing to go to any lengths to win the prestigious race.

''The most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,'' is how USADA chief executive Travis Tygart labeled the doping regimen allegedly carried out by the U.S. Postal Service team that Armstrong once led.

Yet if any of that was weighing on Armstrong's mind, he didn't show it early in the day.

Wearing a red jersey and black shorts, sunglasses and a white baseball cap pulled down to his eyes, he was training by himself and about a mile from his home when he talked to the AP. Armstrong ran for about an hour as his team of lawyers and advisors began arriving one-by-one at his house.

Leaning into a reporter's car on the shoulder of a busy Austin road, he also seemed unfazed by the international news crews gathering at the gates of his home. He cracked a few jokes about all the attention the interview with Winfrey had already drawn, then added, ''But now I want to finish my run'' and took off down the road.

The interview, which will take place at his home and broadcast Thursday on the Oprah Winfrey Network, will be Armstrong first public response to the USADA report. A person with knowledge of the situation told the AP a day earlier that Armstrong will give a limited confession and apologize. He is not expected to provide a detailed account about his involvement, nor address in depth many of the specific allegations in the more than 1,000-page USADA report.

In a text to the AP on Saturday, Armstrong said: ''I told her (Winfrey) to go wherever she wants and I'll answer the questions directly, honestly and candidly. That's all I can say.''

A confession would be a stunning reversal after years of public statements, interviews and court battles from Austin to Europe that Armstrong waged while zealously protecting his reputation.

After a federal investigation of the cyclist was dropped without charges being brought last year, USADA stepped in with an investigation of its own. The agency deposed nearly a dozen former teammates and accused Armstrong of masterminding a complex and brazen drug program that included steroids, blood boosters and a range of other performance-enhancers.

Armstrong had remained defiant, tweeting a picture of himself on a couch at home with all seven of the yellow leader's jerseys on display in frames behind him. But the preponderance of evidence in the USADA report and pending legal challenges on several fronts apparently forced him to change tactics dramatically.

A federal whistle-blower lawsuit brought by former teammate Floyd Landis, who himself was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title, accuses Armstrong of defrauding the U.S. Postal Service. The Justice Department has yet to announce whether it will join the case.

The London-based Sunday Times is also suing Armstrong to recover about $500,000 it paid him to settle a libel lawsuit, and Dallas-based SCA Promotions has threatened to bring yet another lawsuit against Armstrong to recover more than $7.5 million an arbitration panel awarded him as a bonus for winning the Tour de France.

The lawsuit most likely to be influenced by a confession might be the Sunday Times case. Potential perjury charges stemming from his sworn testimony in the 2005 arbitration fight would not apply because of the statute of limitations. Armstrong was not deposed during a federal investigation that was closed last year without charges being brought.

But the USADA report persuaded many of his sponsors to drop Armstrong - at the cost of tens of millions of dollars - and soon after, he left the board of the Livestrong cancer-fighting charity he founded in 1997. Armstrong is still said to be worth about $100 million.

Livestrong might be another reason Armstrong has decided to come forward with an apology and limited confession. The charity supports cancer patients and still faces an image problem because of its association with Armstrong. He may also be hoping a confession would allow him to return to competition in the elite triathlon or running events he participated in after his cycling career.

But World Anti-Doping Code rules state his lifetime ban cannot be reduced to less than eight years. WADA and U.S. Anti-Doping officials could agree to reduce the ban further depending on what new information Armstrong provides and his level of cooperation.

USADA officials said in a recent interview that the cyclist's cooperation could well initiate a ''pathway to redemption.''

---

AP Sports Columnist Jim Litke contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/top/SIG=12s7vk7tr/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/armstrong-awaits-candid-oprah-interview-182703998--spt.html

matt flynn denver news frozen planet creighton new smyrna beach st. joseph puerto rico primary

Calgary Roofing Contractors: Grand Sequoia Asphalt Shingles ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Home Improvement Ideas ... made by Kevin West | posted in: Affordable Home Improvements. Calgary Roofing Contractors replace an old Cedar Shake Roof System with GAF / ELK Grand Sequoia Shingles. Be Sociable ...

Source: http://www.cohocton.org/531-calgary-roofing-contractors-grand-sequoia-asphalt-shingles

marianas trench camille grammer camille grammer us supreme court breaking dawn part 2 trailer mississippi state chris carpenter

Influential Israel Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in hospital

JERUSALEM -- The influential spiritual leader of an Israeli ultra-orthodox political party was hospitalized in Jerusalem on Saturday after feeling unwell, a hospital official said.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, in his nineties, is conscious and in a stable condition, spokeswoman Etti Dvir said, adding that doctors had requested he remain hospitalized for several days for observation and further checks.

Dvir would not say what ailment the Rabbi suffered, citing patient-doctor confidentiality. "He is conscious, awake," Dvir said.

The enigmatic, Baghdad-born Yosef is the chief spiritual adviser of the Shas party, which represents Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern descent. But Yosef's influence reaches beyond the party, which holds 10 seats in the 120-seat Israeli parliament.

Comments from Yosef, with his trademark turban, gold-embroidered robes and dark glasses, often set the tone in political debate, and his endorsement or rejection carries a heavy clout.

For example, in 2008, Shas under his direction forced new elections by refusing to remain in the government after then, prime minister Ehud Olmert resigned.

Olmert's successor, Tzipi Livni, was unable to preserve a governing coalition because Yosef sought her word that she would not discuss the future of Jerusalem in future peace talks with Palestinians.

His undiplomatic and occasionally abrasive comments about Palestinians also cast a pall over previous rounds of negotiations aimed at carving out an independent Palestinian state.

Politicians from outside Yosef's party often lobby for his support on controversial decisions, including whether to target arch-foe Iran.

Despite often hawkish political stances that have offended holocaust survivors, gays and military officials, Yosef has signaled he would support Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank, a territory Palestinians seek for their future state, if it saves lives.

So far, it is unclear if his ailing health will affect Shas' fortunes in upcoming Israeli elections. The party was predicted to recoup its seats when Israelis vote later in January.

Yosef has been hospitalized with heart problems in the past.

Members of Yosef's Shas party were unavailable for comment because it is the Jewish Sabbath, when the devout refrain from non-lifesaving work.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/12/3179033/influential-israel-rabbi-ovadia.html

divine mercy chaplet albert pujols the shining mariano rivera mariano rivera jobs report tiger woods masters 2012

The Western Union and Walmart Adventure: Worker?s Refusal to Send Money

For quite some time, Western Union Money Transfer service has worked well for me as a writer and editor based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and working freelance for American publishers. So it was a bit upsetting when I needed some money from home via Western Union and my cousin, who was to send it via my American friend, was told at a Western Union office in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday that they wouldn?t send money to a non-Muslim in America. Shocking, to be honest!

The Western Union office worker asked my cousin to provide him with a Muslim name and he would carry out the transaction. Aside from the stupidity of the Western Union worker, apparent from his guessing-from-name practice of deciding about one?s religion, the open exhibit of discrimination and refusal to serve on the basis of religion of the intended recipient struck me as far more than disagreeable. It was outrageous. Surely it?s not the Western Union?s policy to discriminate on the basis of religion; but such a popular money transfer service needs to watch the kind of people they employ or offer a franchise. Needing the money urgently, and knowing it was Saturday, I asked my cousin to send it directly to me as there appeared no easy alternative in view but to take the bother and waste an hour in getting the money in person.

Next morning, I got my cousin?s message that the money was sent to me via Money Gram as Western Union service was off in Peshawar on Saturday. Using an online search, I found the nearest Walmart store?s address and went there along with a trusted American friend, who was kind enough to drive me there, to receive my money. It went well. To save time, I didn?t bother counting the cash; just grabbed it off the counter as he placed it there, signed the receipt from, and left the store, saying thanks for the good service. The day that Peshawar?s Western Union Service had almost ruined for me was saved by Money Gram and Walmart. But something more was to unfold soon.

I didn?t count the money I got from Walmart until about 24 hours later, when, at my place, I took the money out to put it in a separate folder. Upon counting, I found an extra hundred dollars in the money. To be sure, I counted again several times; and it was clear that the Walmart worker had made an error in counting, giving me an extra hundred bucks. I took the phone and called the respective Walmart store, telling the customer service about the error and that I will be paying them another visit in the evening to return the extra money.

I did expect a ?thank you? from Walmart but when my friend drove me there, the guy who had paid me said his thanks in a more rewarding way ? a small gift card with a very cute Santa on it. Instead of using it to buy myself a snack or some item of use, I decided to keep it as a souvenir of the little adventure starting with the worry that Western Union worker?s religious prejudice in Peshawar will keep me from getting my money in time, then progressing with an extra hundred in my pocket without me knowing it, and all the way to the cute Santa card. Literally, bliss in Santa?s guise!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BorderlessNewsAndViews/~3/BjjnAqBxBik/

stephon marbury the lion king suzanne collins cherry blossom festival nc state erika van pelt pat robertson

London?s New School for Creative Startups

01.9.2013

How can creative people form sustainable Startups? London?s new School for Creative Startups aims to answer that question for a whole new generation of young entrepreneurs.

I found that universities weren?t doing much in the way of teaching professional development to creatives and they were going out into the world without the training they needed to make a living from what they did,? said Medeia Cohan-Petrolino, Creative Director at the School for Creative Startups. ?When Doug Richard convinced me to join the School for Creative Startups I was really excited to develop something that would fill that huge gap in the market.?

Read the Full Story.

---

Share this with your friends.

?

Source: http://inside-startups.com/londons-new-school-for-creative-startups/

equatorial guinea marine helicopter crash chicago weather star jones wheres my refund photo of whitney houston in casket carrot top

Saudi king grants women seats on advisory council

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) ? Saudi Arabia's king granted women seats on the country's top advisory council for the first time on Friday, giving them a long-awaited toehold in the ultraconservative kingdom's male-dominated political system.

King Abdullah's decrees come against the backdrop of heavy restrictions on women, who are not allowed to travel, work, study abroad, marry, get divorced or gain admittance to a public hospital without permission from a male guardian. Recently, airport authorities were instructed to send text messages to the phones of male guardians ? husbands, fathers or brothers ? with information about the movements of their wives, daughters or sisters.

"The decision is good but women issues are still hanging," said Wajeha al-Hawidar, a prominent Saudi female activist. "For normal women, there are so many laws and measures that must be suspended or amended for women to be dealt with as grown-ups and adults, without a mandate from guardians."

But she said that having female members of the council could help to change the image of women in society.

"Men can finally respect women when they see them playing a (traditional) male role," she said.

The nation's official news agency said the king issued two royal decrees granting women 30 seats on the Shura Council, which has 150 members plus a president. The council reviews laws and questions ministers, but does not have legislative powers. All members are appointed by the king and serve four-year terms.

Since 2006, women have been appointed only as advisers to the body.

The king has made incremental steps toward reform but appeared to be treading carefully to avoid angering powerful religious clerics, among them the country's grand mufti who most recently spoke out against the mixing of genders last week. In modern Saudi Arabia, which is the birthplace of Islam and the home of its holiest sites, the governing Al Saud family supports the clerics and the clerics support the family's rule.

According to the decrees, the female council members must be "committed to Islamic Shariah disciplines without any violations" and be "restrained by the religious veil." The veil in Saudi Arabia typically refers to a full face covering, also known as a niqab.

The decrees also specified the women will be entering the council building from special gates, will sit in reserved seats and pray in segregated areas.

Earlier, officials said male and female council members would be separated by a screen and would communicate on an internal network.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organization of parliaments, commended the move as "another step forward" for women's political rights in Saudi Arabia.

"Until the announcement last September by King Abdullah to give women the right to vote, stand for election in municipal elections and be appointed to the Shura Council, the Gulf country remained the only country in the world where women remained excluded from the political process," the IPU said in a statement.

Although the council does not have law-making powers, the IPU said the 20 percent quota given to women in the Shura Council makes Saudi Arabia the fourth highest in the Arab region in terms of women's political participation in parliament.

Rights advocates have demanded the kingdom give women more of a voice as many step up challenges to the country's religious establishment, which adheres to Wahhabism, one of the strictest interpretations of Shariah law in Islam. Several women defied a ban in the kingdom on driving last year.

Wahhabism, well known for its adherence to strict segregation of the sexes, insists on ideological purity and calls for punishments, such as beheadings and hand amputations, for specific crimes. Under the law, clerics sit as judges in courts and religious police prevent single or unrelated men and women from mixing.

In the kingdom, unrelated couples, for example, can be punished for being alone in the same car or having a cup of coffee in public. Many Saudis observe such segregation even at home, where they have separate living rooms for male and female guests.

In 2009, King Abdullah inaugurated the first university where male and female students share classes. He also granted women the right to run for office in the 2015 municipal elections, which is the only open election in the country. Women will not need a male guardian's approval to run or vote.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-king-grants-women-seats-advisory-council-125306884.html

ohio primary cell phone jammer g8 summit netanyahu aipac vanessa minnillo super tuesday

Obama to bestow Medal of Honor next month to former Army staff sergeant from North Dakota (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/276391857?client_source=feed&format=rss

rosie o donnell soda bread recipe vanderbilt evan mathis staff sgt. robert bales jason russell norfolk state

Singapore Property News This Week #85

Residential

EC market may see review

The Forestville EC project was stopped from selling its units after its launch, a sign that the authorities are reviewing or revising measures that will result in the developer having to make changes to the proposed development plan. It was launched for balloting without URA?s approval to sell. The developer, Hao Yuan Investment, claimed that there were no sales bookings but instead Express of Interests for potential buyers and that no cheques were collected. URA was said to be concerned over the proposed size of the penthouses in the development and has yet to give approval to proposed changes in the development plans before Forestville?s launch. The Forestville plan includes 29 penthouses ranging from 1,550 sq ft to 2,756 sq ft. Large ECs (2,000 to 2,500 sq ft) are often sold at lower psf prices which is problematic since large units are not suitable for ECs (given that the buyers usually have higher incomes) especially since it is a form of subsidised housing. Furthermore, a larger proportion of such large units could potentially push up the prices of normal units. Possible measures that the authorities may introduce include a cap on number of EC units exceeding 2,000 sq ft in size and an extended family income ceiling for ECs.

(Source: Business Times)

Private home prices rose 1.8% in Q4 2012

The 1.8% increase in URA?s overall private-home price index in Q4 is the highest since the 2% increase in Q2 2011, bringing the full-year increase to 2.8%. This was largely due to the increased prices of mass-market homes, which was in turn a result of the high resale prices of HDB flats. The OCR saw a 3.4% increase which could be due to the high prices for projects near MRT stations or the increase in prices of older completed projects. The RCR saw a 0.9% increase while the CCR saw a 0.8% increase. While the ABSD and the cap on loan tenures have helped to control the increase in prices, the low interest rates and liquidity have led to much investment demand. This, coupled with the increased land prices, will also result in an increase of private home prices. Nevertheless, the lacklustre economy and the increase in supply would help to control price increases, resulting in an overall increase of 2-3% at most. Sales volume is also expected to be no more than 20,000 units in 2013. An estimated total of 21,600 units were sold in the primary market last year, with another 12,566 units sold in the secondary market. There were also an estimated 2,269 sub-sale transactions in 2012. These figures (all excluding ECs) are expected to increase once all the caveats in Q4 are tallied.

(Source: Business Times)

HDB resale flat prices hit historical high in 2012

HDB?s latest flash estimates Resale Price Index (RPI) reflected a 2.5% increase to 202.9 in Q4 2012 from Q3 2012, a 6.6% increase from 2011?s figure. This is despite the record number of 27,084 BTO flats and 7,153 Sales of Balance flats launched in the 2012. This is attributed to the bias of the new flat programme towards first-timers, leading to demand for resale flats from non-first-timers and first timers in urgent need of housing (since it takes three years for completion). Meanwhile, HDB has announced its intention to launch at least 23,000 BTO flats, up from the earlier announcement of at least 20,000. 3,346 such units will be launched in January in Choa Chu Kang, Yishun, Hougang, Tampines, Kallang Whampoa and Ang Mo Kio. The high prices was attributed to the limited supply of resale flats caused by the extension of the Minimum Occupancy Period, the increase in the number of BTO flats and ECs allocated to second-timers and the requirement that private home owners sell their private residences if they purchase HDB flats. The high demand for resale flats as a result of buyers fearing further increases in COVs (median: $34,000 in Q4 2012) bringing forward their purchases is also another factor.

Looking ahead, resale prices are expected to increase by 4-8% in 2013 despite the increased supply of BTO flats since the effect will only be felt in H2 2013. Even then, prices are unlikely to fall unless there is a recession.

(Source: Business Times)

Hao Yuan Investment optimistic about reopening Forestville EC showroom

Hao Yuan Investment, the developer of the Forestville EC, claimed that the closure of its showroom until further notice was not due to URA?s instruction to not sell any units but was for ?general maintenance work?. However, it also stated that even when the showroom reopens, the units will only be available for viewing but not for purchase. URA had stopped Hao Yuan from selling the units as it was found to have launched the project without having gotten URA?s go-ahead on proposed changes in the development plans, in particular, the size of the penthouses, which ranges from 1,550 sq ft to 2,756 sq ft. While Hao Yuan had launched the project, sales were not booked but rather, non-binding Expression of Interests were signed instead. The developer also stated that agents were told not to collect cheques and to return any cheque collected.

(Source: Business Times)

Kismis Lodge back on the collective sale market

Kismis Lodge, a 64- unit walk-up-apartment development which sits on a 70,283 sq ft site located off Toh Tuck Road is back on the market with an indicative pricing of at least $90 million, compared to the earlier asking price of $90-95 million. Zoned for ?three-storey mixed landed housing?, the site can potentially yield 43 strata terraces which can fetch $3.5-4 million per unit, or other combinations of landed housing subject to approval. The site is expected to be fairly popular given the limited supply of landed residential site under the GLS. No development charge is payable for the site which tender closes on Jan 24 at 2.30pm.

(Source: Business Times)

Commercial

Industrial property prices to grow at a more moderate pace

Despite the governmental measures such as halving the maximum industrial land tenure to 30 years, and introducing restrictions on subdivision in selected sites and requiring strata units to be at least 150 sq m, prices of industrial properties continued to rise rapidly, with the industrial property prices increasing by 26.7% from Q1 ?Q3, and rents increasing by 6% in the same period. The average capital values of ground and upper floor prime freehold conventional factory space increased by 15.7% and 19.5% to $699 psf and $636 psf respectively from Q1 to Q3 while the average capital values of prime freehold conventional warehouse space, ground and upper floor space grew by 8.4% and 10.1% respectively in Q1 to Q3.

While the shorter tenure of GLS sites is intended to make land more affordable for industrialist to build their custom facilities, the objective would not be achieved if the developer succeeded in bidding for the site and strata-subdivide the development to attract investors instead of building facilities more suited to industrial needs. This may eventually lead to a lack of supply of suitable premises which will cause rents to increase while the unsuitable premises are rented out for unauthorised uses or left vacant.

Sales volume rose 10% from 2,871 units last year to 3,160 units in 2012, as a result of increase in investment purchases from both foreign and local investors, as well as an increase in purchases by companies (10.5% increase in 2012).

Looking ahead, the increase in industrial property prices is expected to slow, as a result of factories relocating overseas, the 16 million sq ft supply of industrial space to be completed in 2013, though the market liquidity will continue to ensure demand. Industrial properties with attractive aspects such as good locations, facilities and longer tenures may see a price increase of 10-15% in 2013. Rents are also expect to increase by 3-5%.

(Source: Business Times)

Two-thirds of the 61 available National Stadium hospitality suites sold

The 55,000-seater $1.33 billion Singapore Sports Hub?s National Stadium which will open in April 2014 has sold two-thirds of the 61 released luxury hospitality suites. There are a total of 62 such suites, one of which has been set aside for VVIPs. The suites range from 25 to 89 sq m and can accommodate eight to 30 people each. There is a minimum commitment of three years for the suites, which annual fees are in the range of $72,000 to $272,000. Facilities and amenities include in-suite catering, a members-only carpark and priority event booking. New owners of these suites include ANZ Singapore and DBS Bank. Companies from the financial services, construction and insurance industries make up 40%, 15% and 10% of the owners of the sold suites so far.

(Source: Business Times)

Freehold Paya Lebar industrial white site on the collective sale market

20-unit Guang Ming Industrial Building which sits on the 19,789 sq ft freehold white site in Tai Seng Industrial Estate in Payar Lebar is asking for at least $58 million, or $837 psf ppr. It has a 3.5 maximum GPR and a 70,000 sq ft GFA, including 20,000 sq ft of retail and commercial space. It is likely to be popular since it is located near Tai Seng MRT station and the Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh and the East Coast residential areas. The tender closes on Feb 5.

(Source: Business Times)

Tuas industrial plots saw much interest in recent bidding

The 30-year leasehold 2.74-ha plot zoned for Business 2 development at Buroh Street attracted seven bids, with the top bid of $82.1 million or $111.35 psf ppr from Capital Development and ZACD Investments. This is within the expected five to nine bids of between $40 to $105 psf ppr. The two plots at Tuas South Street 6 are both 22.5 year leasehold 0.86-ha plots. Plot 30 attracted 14 bids with the highest of $6.6 million or $70.99 psf ppr from Koh Brothers Building & Civil Engineering Contractor while plot 32 attracted 18 bids with the top bid of $6.7 million or $70.75 psf ppr from SH Design & Build.

(Source: Business Times)

by Propwise.sg on January 9, 2013 ? 0 comments

Posted in Singapore Property News

Source: http://www.propwise.sg/singapore-property-news-this-week-85/

oklahoma city thunder rajon rondo sunoco titanic ii babe ruth new jersey nets nba playoff schedule

Texas School Tracking IDs Can Be Required Of Students, Judge Rules

SAN ANTONIO -- A Texas school district can transfer a student who is citing religious reasons for her refusal to wear an identification card that is part of an electronic tracking system, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.

The parents of 15-year-old Andrea Hernandez had requested a preliminary injunction that would have prevented the school district from transferring their daughter from her San Antonio high school while the lawsuit on whether she should be forced to wear the tracking badge went through federal court.

Last fall, the Northside Independent School District began experimenting with "locator" chips in student ID badges on two campuses, allowing administrators to track the whereabouts of 4,200 students with GPS-like precision.

Administrators say the chips make students safer and will help boost attendance records that are used to calculate badly needed state funding.

Hernandez's suit against Northside ? the fourth-largest school district in Texas ? argues that the ID rule violates her religious beliefs. Her family says the badge is a "mark of the beast" that goes against their religion.

But U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia on Tuesday denied a request to stop her from being transferred, saying the badge requirement "has an incidental effect, if any, on (Hernandez's) religious beliefs."

Garcia also wrote in his 25-page ruling that because Hernandez has worn a previous ID badge for several years, her refusal to wear the new badge "is clearly a secular choice, rather than a religious concern."

Garcia said that if Hernandez does not accept the school district's accommodation of wearing a badge without the tracking chip, the district can transfer her to another campus.

In a statement, the district said Hernandez, a sophomore, and her family have until Jan. 22, the start of the second semester, to decide if Hernandez will accept the compromise and thus be allowed to stay at the magnet school she is attending or be transferred to her home campus.

"Today's court ruling affirms (the district's) position that we did make reasonable accommodation to the student by offering to remove the RFID chip from the student's smart ID badge," according to the school district's statement.

John Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, a Virginia-based civil rights group that is representing Hernandez and her family in court, said his organization plans to appeal the judge's ruling.

Whitehead said he expects Hernandez and her family will not accept the school district's compromise of wearing a badge without the tracking chip.

Whitehead believes the judge was incorrect in saying that Hernandez's refusal to wear the badge is not grounded in her religious beliefs and that prior Supreme Court rulings have indicated that government officials can't be arbiters of religious beliefs.

"To them this is a very strong religious moral issue. ... I believe their religious beliefs are protected because they are sincere," he said.

Also on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/texas-school-tracking-ids_n_2439465.html

wisconsin recall election april 4 santa monica college wisconsin primary dallas fort worth airport texas tornados seattle seahawks new uniforms

Qualcomm Atheros announces StreamBoost technology to improve home networks, router performance

Tired of gadgets fighting for bandwidth around your humble abode? Well, the outfit behind the Killer Wireless-N technology that we took a gander at back at E3 is looking to oblige. Qualcomm Atheros has unveiled its StreamBoost router technology with the goal of making in-home streaming experiences all the more enjoyable. By allocating optimum bandwidth to each device and app on a network, StreamBoost shapes and prioritizes the traffic stream to insure that your Netflix viewing of Sons of Anarchy gets ample attention. This also insures that intense gaming sessions won't be interrupted by Hulu Plus or other apps jostling for a download thanks to a constantly updating bandwidth allocation. A user interface offers a hub for monitoring traffic and all of the devices / apps on a given network while a cloud-based service will increase router intelligence on the regular -- automatically sorting new devices as they're added. StreamBoost will be in action next week at CES, where Alienware and D-Link will be showing off the goods with routers built around Qualcomm's VIVE 802.11ac WiFi technology. Until then, the full announcement resides just past the break.

Continue reading Qualcomm Atheros announces StreamBoost technology to improve home networks, router performance

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/04/qualcomm-atheros-streamboost-router-technology/

sparkle sacagawea new hope baptist church associated press foster friess new orleans hornets ghost rider spirit of vengeance

Turn Your Daunting Project Backlog into a Fun and Actionable QR Code To-Do List

There's no way around it: using a to-do list is boring. Perhaps you enjoy making the list, but when you need to choose an item you're faced with a daunting page of text. If you want to forego the dull and standard structure, here's a system that'll bring a little fun and surprise to your task management.

To-do lists with a bunch of little tasks you have to get done during the day are fine when you make them actionable. When it comes to side projects and loftier goals, however, it isn't always easy to decide what to tackle first even if you know where to start. Do you write a post for your blog, go for a run, learn to cook something new, work on a DIY project, or any of the many other things you've been meaning to do forever? Making decisions adds stress, especially when you've got a tough one and not choosing leads to getting nothing (or very little) done. Furthermore, it can get a little boring when you're just making your way through a list. It helps to add a little surprise to your work so it doesn't feel too much like a mundane routine. Just like a change of environment can help avoid burnout and aid creativity, embracing something new and unknown can help keep your tasks exciting. For those reasons, truly randomizing your tasks and turning them into a little bit of a game can help you get things done. In this post, we'll look at how you can take a smartphone, a printer, and a QR code generator to do just that.

What You'll Need

• A QR code generator, like this one.
• A smartphone with a QR code-reading app (Android / iOS), or something else that can read QR codes
• A printer (and paper), so you can print out the QR codes
• A box or a few manilla folders
• An old-fashioned to-do list, or at least some projects you want to accomplish stored safely in your head

Once you've got all this stuff together, you'll be able to turn your tasks into QR codes, sort them in a variety of ways, draw upon them randomly when you have time to complete a task, and scan them to discover what that task is. When you're done with a task, just recycle the QR code to (figuratively) check it off your list.

Step One: Encode Your Tasks

Computers can make random choices but humans can't, so in order to randomize your to-do list we need to hide each task sufficiently. Since QR codes look like noise to us, they're a great way to encode our tasks and the relevant details into a simple squared format. Just visit QRStuff.com, or the free QR code generator of your choice, and start inputting the items on your to-do list. This process should be pretty straightforward, but here are some dos and don'ts to be aware of.

Do:

• Be specific about your task and make sure its actionable (e.g. instead of "Exercise!" put "Exercise: Run two miles and do 100 pushups").
• Keep your tasks concise. Part of the point of this method is to avoid large amounts of text.
• Use black for the color of your QR code. Only use other colors if you want to be able to identify task types (e.g. black means work, purple means exercise, green means fun, etc.).
• Save all your QR codes in the same format.

Don't:

• Vary the size of your QR codes. It's important that you can't tell which one is which.
• Use URLs for your QR codes. Plain text works best unless you have a task that requires a URL for some reason.
• Label your saved QR codes by name?keep them anonymous. If you want to sort them into separate categories without color-coded them, however, save them into appropriately-categorized folders (e.g. exercise, projects, DIY, etc.). Alternatively, you may want to sort them by the amount of time they'll take (e.g. 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.).

When you're done creating a QR code, you can save it by simply clicking the save button on the QRStuff site. This will download a PNG. Save all the PNGs you generate in a folder on your computer and move onto the next step once you've finished.

Step Two: Print Out Your QR-Encoded Tasks

With all your QR codes generated, you can now print them out. You could print them out on a full sheet of paper, but that's kind of wasteful. Matte 4x6 photo paper works well because it's large enough and sturdier without causing unwanted reflections, and you can pick up a pack of 120 sheets for under $10. Alternatively you can just use whatever you've got, print out many codes on one sheet, and cut them up. This is the cheapest option but is more prone to error and takes a bit more of your time. Whatever you choose will work fine so long as you can't tell the difference between the codes.

Step Three: Sort Your Codes

With all your QR-encoded tasks printed and ready to go, you just need to organize them the way you want. The easiest method, of course, is to dump them all in a box and choose them at random. If all your tasks are the same, you're good to go. Whenever you have time to work just pick a task out of the box.

If you have a lot of different things you want to do, however, sorting your tasks is important. One option, as mentioned earlier, is changing the color of your QR codes so you can look at them and tell what they are (e.g. black means work, purple means exercise, green means fun, etc.). This way you can sort visually without worrying about messing things up. Alternatively, you can sort tasks into manilla folders that are categorized by time or topic, then draw from the one that suits how much time you have or what you want to do.

After completing a task, you can save the QR codes if you want a record of what you've done or you can just recycle them. Holding onto the codes provides a visual representation of your accomplishments, so you may feel more productive by keeping them around, and certain tasks (e.g. exercise) can be reused.

All in all, this method of getting things done is pretty straightforward and provides you with a fun way to complete your tasks. It's not right for every to-do list, but when you have a backlog of projects or regular tasks you want to complete it can make the process of getting things done a more exciting prospect.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/SMW96Zfx-NI/turn-your-daunting-project-backlog-into-a-fun-and-actionable-qr-code-to+do-list

dixville notch Remember Remember The 5th Of November African painted dogs What Time Do Polls Open Krysten Ritter barack obama lakers

Dr. Chapman Q&A Transcript: Best Brain Health Fitness Tip? ?Never ...

Here?s the lightly edited tran?script of the Jan?u?ary 4th online Q&A ses?sion with Dr. San?dra Chap?man, Direc?tor of the Cen?ter for Brain?Health at UT-Dallas and author of the new book Make Your Brain Smarter?(Free Press; Jan?u?ary 2013). Enjoy!

1:59

AlvaroF: You can start writ?ing ques?tions so we have a few to choose from as we start in a cou?ple of min?utes. Thank?you!

2:03
AlvaroF: Just one sec?ond and we?ll be ready. Already get?ting great questions!

2:05
AlvaroF: Let me first thank Dr. San?dra Chap?man for being with us today. She was one of the best speak?ers at our 2012 Sum?mit, and since then we wanted to share her research and think?ing with all Sharp?Brains readers.

2:05
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Hello! Look?ing for?ward to thought?ful ques?tions and discussion.

2:05
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Thank you, Alvaro. It was truly a plea?sure to con?nect with you and be a part of the suc?cess?ful 2012 Summit.

2:06
AlvaroF: Dr. Chap?man, let me kick?start the con?ver?sa?tion with a cou?ple ques?tions, before we intro?duce all oth?ers. 1) What dri?ves your great work at UT-Dallas?, 2) what would you like read?ers to get from the book you just released, Make Your Brain Smarter?

2:09
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: I?m dri?ven by knowl?edge that our brain is the last, newest and most impor?tant fron?tier to advance health glob?ally. My goal with Make Your Brain Smarter was to empower indi?vid?u?als to put their brain health in up front and cen?ter focus every sin?gle day. We are each pow?ered by our brain; it is ours alone to con?di?tion and care for and now we are begin?ning to learn how to do so. Spe?cific tips to max?i?mize your cog?ni?tive poten?tial are within the book and the web?site for the book ? makeyourbrainsmarter.com.

2:09
Com?ment From Julian
I am a 78 year?s old retired pub?lic accoun?tant and a ser?ial entre?pre?neur. My last ven?ture (num?ber 5) is the trans?la?tion of a book about brain fit?ness from Eng?lish to Span?ish. The lat?ter is my native lan?guage. The tar?get pop?u?la?tion of the trans?la?tion is the neo?phyte reader. Con?se?quently, not only I have to trans?late but explain com?plex terms and ideas into sim?ple phrases. ? Am I cor?rect in assum?ing that the men?tal activ?ity involved in trans?lat?ing is a frontally medi?ated cog?ni?tive com?plex think?ing process? ? Is the fact that I have to trans?late and explain com?plex terms and ideas a fac?tor in ame?lio?rat?ing the ten?dency of the brain to become less active as we increase our pro?fi?ciency in a par?tic?u?lar activ?ity? ? How could I access SMART?

2:11
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: What an under?tak?ing! Absolutely. To be able to trans?late requires deeper level pro?cess?ing because you have to trans?form lan?guage to new words and new ideas which draws heav?ily on com?plex frontal net?works. The only caveat is that the topic must be of inter?est to you to ignite your pas?sion and moti?va?tion and not be a dreaded chore.

2:11
Com?ment From Dee ONeill
Hi Dr. Chap?man, a?plea?sure to have vis?ited the cen?ter and look for?ward to the oppor?tu?nity to work together. Won?der?ing what your long term vision for the cen?ter and future offer?ings might be? thank you Alvaro for hav?ing this won?der?ful event avail?able for?us?

2:12
Com?ment From Bar?bara Robin?son
Mov?ing for?ward what do you see as core com?po?nents for the advance?ment in brain health?

2:12
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: The nine spe?cific strate?gies of SMART are out?lined in the book, Make Your Brain Smarter, with spe?cific exam?ples for each gen?er?a?tion across the lifespan.

2:13
AlvaroF: Sandi, I com?bined the ques?tions by Dee and Bar?bara, as they are sim?i?lar. Let me add mine to them: what of those 9 strate?gies is often overlooked?

2:15
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Hi Dee! Our goal is once the dis?cov?er?ies are sci?en?tif?i?cally val?i?dated at the Cen?ter for Brain?Health and in the field of brain sci?ence to be made widely avail?able to as many peo?ple as pos?si?ble as quickly as pos?si?ble ? across the lifes?pan, whether indi?vid?u?als are healthy or with brain injury or brain disease.

2:17
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Unfor?tu?nately, most of the strate?gies out?lined are over?looked because peo?ple are over?work?ing and overus?ing their brain and tak?ing infor?ma?tion in and regur?gi?tat?ing it with?out syn?the?siz?ing new ideas. The last three strate?gies out?lined for inno?va?tion are at an all time low in young indi?vid?u?als and older individuals.

2:17
Com?ment From Lau?rie
Does the risk of Alzheimers greatly, mod?er?ately, or not effect the increase for a teenage ath?lete who has incurred one major concussion?

2:17
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Our brain was wired to be inspired, but we are burn?ing it out and exhaust?ing?it.

2:20
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Hi Lau?rie, we do not know the answer to that yet, but we are involved in the longest run?ning lon?gi?tu?di?nal study fol?low?ing pedi?atric brain injury. We do know that later emerg?ing deficits can occur in teens, but we do not know the extent to which they are linked to Alzheimer?s dis?ease devel?oped later in life. We do know that if we rebound the brain after injury at any age, the brain will have the great?est chance of build?ing cog?ni?tive reserves.

2:21
AlvaroF: I under?stand you?re pub?lish?ing a very rel?e?vant JAMA study next week, correct?

2:21
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: We are show?ing tremen?dous gains in cog?ni?tive func?tion after brain injury whether the injury was suf?fered one year ago, two years ago or 10 years?ago.

2:21
Com?ment From Nikhil Sri?ra?man
Thank you for host?ing this Alvaro and Dr. Chap?man! Build?ing on the ques?tion of entre?pre?neuri?al?ism and your work at the Cen?ter for Brain?Health, Dr. Chap?man, what oppor?tu?ni?ties do you see for bring?ing some of the ground break?ing research from labs and health cen?ters into the homes of early adopters seek?ing to opti?mize their cog?ni?tive capa?bil?i?ties through reg?u?lar prac?tices and rit?u?als? For exam?ple, do you see a greater adop?tion and need for com?mer?cially avail?able devices that enable mind?ful?ness train?ing through neurofeedback?

2:22
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Yes, we have been work?ing with ath?letes and the arti?cle will pub?lish 3 pm on Mon?day Jan?u?ary 7 in JAMA Neu?rol?ogy. The study was led by Dr. John Hart, our med?ical sci?ence direc?tor at the Center.

2:24
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: My work focus on strate?gies that can be read?ily adopted into your every?day think?ing to build brain capac?ity, not where you have to take 30 min?utes or one hour a day to prac?tice. We are show?ing that the nine strate?gies out?lined in Make Your Brain Smarter are improv?ing brain func?tion at all lev?els of orga?ni?za?tion from increas?ing brain blood flow, to func?tional con?nec?tiv?ity, to increas?ing white mat?ter con?nec?tions in young and old and in injury and in health.

2:25
Com?ment From John Demand
Do you think it is pos?si?ble through brain train?ing to make humans react and process infor?ma?tion faster? I train police offi?cers and am attempt?ing to do just?that.

2:25
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: One of the key strate?gies is the brain?power of none ? which empha?sizes how deeper level think?ing comes when you calm your mind, which is a key ele?ment of mind?ful?ness training.

2:27
AlvaroF: Sandi, did you see John?s question?

2:27
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Faster is not always bet?ter; we want to train indi?vid?u?als to know when to make deci?sions faster and when to make them slower. When indi?vid?u?als are able to quickly sum up a sit?u?a?tion, they can respond more quickly, if they know the best actions to take. That?s what my brain train?ing pro?gram teaches. We?re work?ing with the spe?cial oper?a?tions com?mu?nity, includ?ing Navy SEALS, and one of the ben?e?fits of train?ing that they have voiced is the abil?ity to make quicker deci?sions. We?d love to be able to work with police officers!

2:28
Com?ment From John Demand
We encour?age breath?ing tech?niques for exam?ple when respond?ing to a call to calm the body and brain. Would that the type of strat?egy be what you are recommending?

2:30
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Your heartrate and brain-rate can be linked. Know?ing how to calm the brain down, despite a rapidly chang?ing sit?u?a?tion, is key to mak?ing the most timely and appro?pri?ate actions. If you can train them to slow the brain down using the brain?power of none, it will rein?force a slower heartrate.

2:30
Com?ment From John Demand
I would be very inter?ested in work?ing with you to improve my train?ing. My web?site is: www.observationondemand.com It would be great to col?lab?o?rate on this essen?tial training.

2:30
Com?ment From Jane Wash?burn
How do you know how much is too?much?

2:31
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Great! I will look at your website.

2:32
Com?ment From Wendy
Hi. I have a 10 year old daugh?ter that had a stroke in utero. She has visual pro?cess?ing issues and has been doing cog?ni?tive train?ing with the Arrow?smith pro?gram. Have you seen suc?cess with cog?ni?tive train?ing in peo?ple with stroke?

2:32
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Jane, are you ask?ing how much is too much information?

2:33
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Wendy: YES! That is actu?ally where my work in brain health began 30 years ago, from young kids to adults. Most peo?ple that do brain train?ing after stroke or injury focus on lower level cog?ni?tive skills; I?ve found tak?ing a top-down, more com?plex cog?ni?tive train?ing repairs the brain faster and more extensively.

2:34
Com?ment From mary ras?mussen
Is there any?thing new for migraine treat?ment or pre?ven?tion, espe?cially for a very old?lady?

2:36
Com?ment From Wendy
Is your web?site and/or book the best place to find your results from cog?ni?tive train?ing for pedi?a?triac post-stroke?

2:36
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Yes, some of the mil?i?tary ser?vice mem?bers we?ve worked with have severe migraines and they have said learn?ing how to quiet their mind and stop infor?ma?tion influx has been very mean?ing?ful in reduc?ing fre?quency and sever?ity of migraines. Be sure to read chap?ter 4 in Make Your Brain Smarter to learn about the brain?pow?ers of none, one and two. Check out centerforbrainhealth.org for a story from AOL fea?tur?ing Josh Lewis, a for?mer marine who strug?gled with migraines when he returned to civil?ian?life.

2:38
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Chap?ter 11 in the book dis?cusses regain?ing cog?ni?tive func?tion after brain injury and many arti?cles included are ref?er?enced in the book as well as on centerforbrainhealth.org.

2:39
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Peo?ple always think that it takes a long time to rewire the brain, but my team and I are doc?u?ment?ing brain changes after just hours of train?ing over one?month.

2:40
AlvaroF: Let me ask my own ques?tion. Do you think health?care sys?tems and providers should be doing a bet?ter job at monitoring/ protecting/ enhanc?ing the brain and cog?ni?tion, or do you see that pri?mar?ily as individual?s job? (I am wor?ried where we may be if 5 years if health?care doesn?t take this seri?ously, pro?vid?ing valu?able help to con?sumers and patients)

2:40
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: For me, one of the sad truths is that we start los?ing cog?ni?tive capac?ity start?ing in our early 40s by our own actions or lack of action. That does not have to be the case! Our brain is uniquely designed to be the most adapt?able and mod?i?fi?able organ in our entire body.

2:41
AlvaroF: Every?one: please sub?mit more ques?tions and com?ments! When you do so, please make sure not to ask for indi?vid?ual med?ical advice, but for gen?eral thoughts on gen?eral prob?lems based on her research and?book

2:42
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Alvaro: I agree. Health?care is always far behind lead?ing edge sci?ence. We?re liv?ing longer with?out increas?ing our brain capac?ity and it is going to be at a great cost to the indi?vid?ual and soci?ety. That?s why I coined the term ?brain?omics? to account for the high eco?nomic cost of lost brain?power and the immense eco?nomic ben?e?fit of max?i?mized brain function.

2:43
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: We have not even begun to test the lim?its of how far we can stretch our brain per?for?mance. The major?ity of us are per?form?ing in the lower range of our per?sonal ?brain zone.?

2:43
AlvaroF: Agreed. What is your best guess? Will con?sumers be bet?ter served by out?sourc?ing this to their health providers or do they need to take their own proac?tive?care?

2:45
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Every?one is their own worst enemy; we absolutely need to be respon?si?ble for our own brain health as it is a daily respon?si?bil?ity that is ours to man?age that no health?care sys?tem can enforce. That is why I wrote Make Your Brain Smarter to give indi?vid?u?als a brain fit?ness plan that is action ori?ented across the lifes?pan. You are never too young or too old to adopt healthy brain habits. That being said, it would be nice to reward indi?vid?u?als and physi?cians for pro?mot?ing brain health fitness.

2:46
Com?ment From Wendy
What types of assess?ments / imag?ing do you use to deter?mine where there is cog?ni?tive injury or decline?

2:46
Com?ment From John Demand
Do you see an over depen?dance on tech?nol?ogy, com?put?ers, cell phones, gps as detri?men?tal or dumb?ing peo?ple?down?

2:48
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Wendy: I encour?age indi?vid?u?als to get brain health bench?marks so we can mea?sure, main?tain and mit?i?gate decline as soon as detected. Chap?ter 3 in Make Your Brain Smarter dis?cusses the impor?tance of a bench?mark. At present, scans are used more for research to show change than on an indi?vid?ual basis, but that is chang?ing rapidly.

2:49
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: John: when peo?ple ask me if tech?nol?ogy is good or bad for your brain, I say YES. Nobody would go back to less tech?nol?ogy, but we need to learn how to man?age it rather than it becom?ing our biggest addic?tion that robs us of deeper level thinking.

2:49
Com?ment From Nikhil Sri?ra?man
Dr. Chap?man, you?ve done a great deal of work with ath?letes that have expe?ri?ence brain injury, for exam?ple due to con?cus?sion on the sports field. What oppor?tu?ni?ties do you see specif?i?cally for healthy ath?letes that sim?ply want to max?i?mize their men?tal game (e.g. men?tal tough?ness). Is there a large over?lap between the activ?i?ties that apply to both of these groups? Any that would apply specif?i?cally for the lat?ter? For exam?ple, it?s been said that sev?eral Cana?dian Gold Medal?ists at the Van?cou?ver Olympics ben?e?fited from mind?ful?ness training.

2:52
AlvaroF: Every?one: time for your last questions!

2:52
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Most of my works is with healthy peo?ple ? ath?letes, war?riors, cor?po?rate exec?u?tives, teens. Max?i?miz?ing the abil?ity to zoom out to the big pic?ture and zoom in to focus allows indi?vid?u?als to sharpen their men?tal edge and build cog?ni?tive resilience. Chap?ter 5 in Make Your Brain Smarter out?lines the strate?gies spe?cific to this very question!

2:52
Com?ment From Steve Zanon
Hi San?dra, Thanks for the Q&A oppor?tu?nity. I?m inter?ested in get?ting your thoughts on the biggest hur?dles asso?ci?ated with get?ting the great research around brain health into broader pub?lic use, either via influ?enc?ing gov?ern?ment pol?icy and/or devel?op?ing com?mer?cial ven?tures ? You men?tion eco?nomic ben?e?fits. How can gov?ern?ments and com?mer?cial com?pa?nies bet?ter under?stand the eco?nomic ben?e?fits so they are more enthu?si?as?tic to act upon it ? Wel?come any ideas you might have on?this.

2:55
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Steve: that is some?thing we have to con?stantly be think?ing of as sci?en?tists. I?ve been instru?men?tal in writ?ing the first state plan on brain health fit?ness for the state of Texas because I believe whole?heart?edly, that every year we wait to make peo?ple aware of what they them?selves can do to trans?form their brain health, we are slip?ping back?wards. Nobody wants to go back?wards in terms of their cog?ni?tive func?tion. We have to get our brain span more closely aligned with our lifes?pan ? right now it is not even half. With?out brain health, you do not have health.

2:56
Com?ment From Jane Wash?burn
What kinds of brain activ?i?ties have you found less help?ful or dam?ag?ing to a stressed brain and what activ?i?ties are most helpful?

2:56
Com?ment From Deane
Do you think using a brain train?ing pro?gram is bet?ter than hon?ing life skills such as learn?ing a lan?guage, play?ing an instru?ment, or cre?at?ing?art?

2:56
Com?ment From Wendy
Do you have a twit?ter feed where we can fol?low the work you are?doing?

2:57
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Jane: Try?ing to take in more and more infor?ma?tion and mul?ti?task?ing is dam?ag?ing to a stressed brain. For the brain, less is?more!

2:58
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Deane: it is not good to do ran?dom things and be a jack-of-all-trades. You want to develop exper?tise to build brain?power. Unless you are pas?sion?ate about a new lan?guage or instru?ment, it is a brain drain more than a brain gain. Our brain only has so much energy; think?ing con?sumes energy, so you have to decide what you want to spend your brain energy towards that is going to make a dif?fer?ence if your?life.

2:59
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Wendy: yes, you can fol?low my work on Twit?ter at @brainhealth or on Face?book at facebook.com/centerforbrainhealth

2:59
AlvaroF: Sandi, may I ask what you do per?son?ally to ?Make Your Brain Smarter??

And what role, if any, did writ?ing such a great book?play?

3:03
AlvaroF: We are wrap?ping up with Dr. Chapman?s last answer. Thank you every?one for par?tic?i?pat?ing! You can learn more about her new book Make Your Brain Smarter.

3:03
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Great ques?tion, Alvaro! Per?son?ally, I drive peo?ple crazy by never let?ting sta?tus quo be an option; I?m con?stantly chang?ing and ramp?ing up what I do and push?ing my brain to think smarter, not harder. Con?dens?ing 30 years of research into a book across the lifes?pan, was reward?ing and inspir?ing to see how many peo?ple had low expec?ta?tions for their brain per?for?mance. When the veil was lifted, like for a recent Navy SEAL I worked with, he was no longer lim?ited in poten?tial and defined by an old label of ?not?smart.?

3:04
AlvaroF: ?never let?ting sta?tus quo be an option?

great advice

3:04
Com?ment From Julian
Dr. Chap?man I am look?ing for?ward to read your book. Maybe one day I will be able to trans?late it. Thank you Dr. Chap?man and thank you Alvaro. Great presentation.

3:05
AlvaroF: Sandi and every?one: thank you for a great Q&A ses?sion! I hope the book becomes a bestseller!

3:05
AlvaroF: We cer?tainly need it

3:05
Dr. San?dra Bond Chap?man: Thank you for this tremen?dous oppor?tu?nity. Alvaro, thank you for your deep think?ing, lead?er?ship and for inspir?ing?us!

3:05
Com?ment From Wendy
Thank you for your?time!!

3:05
Com?ment From Deane
Thank you! Con?sider me part of the brain health move?ment?. I?ll be rec?om?mend?ing your book on my website

Source: http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2013/01/04/dr-chapman-qa-transcript-best-brain-health-fitness-tip-never-let-status-quo-be-an-option/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dr-chapman-qa-transcript-best-brain-health-fitness-tip-never-let-status-quo-be-an-option

george zimmerman sheree whitfield weather dallas pat summitt real housewives of atlanta colton bo ryan