Hurricane Sandy: With 8.1 million in the dark, utility crews get busy

Hurricane Sandy inflicted most of its damage in heavily populated states including New York and New Jersey. The storm also caused three nuclear power plants to shut down.

By Mark Clayton,?Staff writer / October 30, 2012

A National Grid crew restores electric power to a neighborhood on October 29, in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Hurricane Sandy knocked out power along the east coast in eight states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and West Virginia ? some 7.4 million customers.

Alfredo Sosa/The Christian Science Monitor

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More than 8.1 million customers in 17 states were left in the dark in the wake of hurricane Sandy, which smashed ashore Monday night in New Jersey and immediately began dismantling chunks of the eastern power grid.

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In terms of its outage impact, hurricane Sandy was roughly on a par with hurricane Irene, which in August 2011 knocked out power to more than 9.3 million customers along the East Coast and in Puerto Rico ? about 6 million in 13 East Coast states.

But Sandy's impact was more concentrated than Irene's, doing the bulk of its damage in fewer but more heavily populated states. Most of the outages were in eight states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and West Virginia ? some 7.4 million customers.

"The magnitude of this event is really huge," says Mark Merritt, president of Witt Associates, a public-safety and crisis-management consulting firm in Washington. "From North Carolina to Maine, utilities are dealing with coastal power issues from flooding to snow impacts in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. A lot of these companies, public and private, are competing for limited resources, scrambling, so it's a challenge for everyone."

With crews coming from all over, even the West Coast, hurricane Sandy has become an "an all-hands-on-deck-type event," Mr. Merritt says. Still, there were signs that power restoration could be slow in some of the hardest-hit areas.

Restoration of power in New York, for one, is going to be exceedingly complex, with blown transformers, flooded underground utilities, and waterlogged subways. Repairs may go more slowly than many had hoped, despite the high level of preparation by utility companies.

Excessive flooding from the storm surge knocked out a number of substations in New Jersey?s Essex, Hudson, and Middlesex counties, according to the utility Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G). Those stations, which serve about 462,000 customers, will be out of service until the water recedes and equipment can be cleaned and dried, the utility reported.

Consolidated Edison, a big New York utility, said first reports indicated more than 200 wires down on Staten Island. The company cut service overnight to two sections of lower Manhattan and a chunk of Brooklyn to protect underground delivery systems from floodwaters. The electrical equipment there would then have to have all components cleaned of seawater, dried, and tested.

Meanwhile, three nuclear power plants in the northeastern United States had to shut down, and two units cut back their power output as a result of effects from hurricane Sandy, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported.

PSEG Nuclear manually shut down its Salem Unit 1 in southern New Jersey at 1:09 a.m. Monday when four of the station?s six circulating water pumps became unavailable due to weather impacts. Circulating water pumps use Delaware Bay water to condense steam on the nonnuclear side of the plant.

Entergy Nuclear also shut down its Indian Point Unit 3 reactor, 38 miles north of New York City, at 10:45 p.m. on Monday "due to external electrical grid issues," the company reported. About two hours earlier, at 9 p.m., Constellation Energy reported that its Nine Mile Unit 1 near Oswego, N.Y., experienced an automatic reactor shutdown whose cause was being investigated.

Two of six refineries were shut down as of Tuesday morning, with the four others operating at reduced capacity, the Energy Department reported.

At a news conference, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) spoke of homes knocked off foundations and amusement-park rides rammed into the sea. ?The level of devastation on the Jersey Shore is unthinkable,? he said.

Governor Christie, who has indicated a distinct disinterest in the presidential election, nevertheless praised President Obama on his response to, and preparation for, the storm.

"The president has been all over this, he deserves great credit.... He gave me his number at the White House, told me to call if I needed anything, and he absolutely means it,? he said. ?It's been very good working with the president, and his administration has been coordinating with us great."

According to some early estimates from economists, hurricane Sandy, with its massive flooding, is more akin to hurricane Katrina than hurricane Irene. Katrina was the nation?s most expensive natural disaster costing about $41 billion in property damage, according to one insurance company report.

Now the race begins to see how fast electricity can be restored to limit the overall economic damage. Utilities have been under pressure since major power outages from storms last year to do a better job this time. To that end, they have been prepositioned thousands of line crews from out of state. Now politicians and customers will be waiting ? and waiting ? to see how long it takes.

?We expected an unprecedented storm,? New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a press conference Tuesday morning. ?That?s what we got.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/U0rCOmjYftA/Hurricane-Sandy-With-8.1-million-in-the-dark-utility-crews-get-busy

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Regrettably, that reality has led to a lot of fly-by-evening search engine optimization businesses who are promising the moon and the stars for search engine ranking final results that they can not achievable?

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Online advertising firms that offer natural search engine optimization services make use of a mixture of verified, legal strategies that aid a net internet site rank high in the organic or ?organic? search engine listings that are generated by search engine spiders that ?crawl? a internet web site looking for keyword-rich content material and appropriately formatted pages.

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Of course, search engine optimization is only half the battle. All the targeted traffic in the world will not do you any good if some of it does not convert to sales.

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Net internet site owners are cautioned against attempting to execute organic search engine optimization techniques themselves, because all it will take is 1 or two modest errors to cause your web site to fall to the bottom of the listings. And that will cost you more income than you saved by performing search engine optimization yourself.

Source: http://biopractice.com/blog/?p=190

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 starts shipping in Canada

Samsung is now shipping out the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 across Canadian retailers and will be available to buy at most stores in the next two weeks. Last we heard, TELUS, WIND, and Mobilicity would be offering the phone, and since then Bell and Rogers have confirmed that they'll have it. In fact, Rogers and Bell are already taking orders online for $199 on a three-year contract. To celebrate the launch, Samsung has Psy of Gangnam Style fame performing in Toronto tonight.

You can get a deep-dive with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in our hands-on video, but here's a quick run-down.

• Network: 3G: HSPA+ 21Mbps (HSDPA 21Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps); 4G LTE: 100Mbps/ 50Mbps
• Processor: 1.6 GHz quad-core processor
• Display: 5.5” HD Super AMOLED (1,280 x 720)
• OS: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• Camera: Main(Rear): 8 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, BSI; Sub(Front): 1.9 Megapixel VT Camera, BSI; Best Photo, Best Faces, Low light shot
• GPS: A-GPS; Glonass
• Connectivity: Bluetooth® v 4.0 (Apt-X Codec support) LE; USB 2.0 Host; WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5 GHz), Wi-Fi HT40; Wi-Fi Direct; mHL; NFC
• Memory: 16/32/64GB User memory + 2GB (RAM); microSD (up to 64GB)
• Battery: Standard battery, Li-ion 3,100mAh

It's a monster of a device, and no doubt many Canadians are itching to get one of these. Who's buying? What are you digging most about the GNote 2? 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/04lqNJNUsCU/story01.htm

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Pot, gay marriage, suicide are ballot-item topics

FILE - This Sept. 18, 2012 file photos shows a caregiver picking out a marijuana bud for a patient at a marijuana dispensary in Denver. After all the economy-focused campaign talk, voters in some states will get a chance on Election Day to sound off on intriguing topics that the presidential rivals ignored, including marijuana legalization, death penalty repeal and assisted suicide.(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

FILE - This Sept. 18, 2012 file photos shows a caregiver picking out a marijuana bud for a patient at a marijuana dispensary in Denver. After all the economy-focused campaign talk, voters in some states will get a chance on Election Day to sound off on intriguing topics that the presidential rivals ignored, including marijuana legalization, death penalty repeal and assisted suicide.(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2012, file photo, gay marriage supporters gather at a rally outside of City Hall in Portland, Maine, in support of an upcoming ballot question that seeks to legalize same-sex marriage. After all the economy-focused campaign talk, voters in some states will get a chance on Election Day to sound off on intriguing topics that the presidential rivals ignored, including gay marriage, death-penalty repeal, marijuana legalization and assisted suicide. (AP Photo/Joel Page, File)

FILE - This June 15, 2012 file photo shows the Gaylord National convention center at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., the propose site for a potential casino near the nation's capital. After all the economy-focused campaign talk, voters in some states will get a chance on Election Day to sound off on intriguing topics that the presidential rivals ignored, including expanded gaming in Maryland, death-penalty repeal, marijuana legalization and assisted suicide.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? After all the economy-focused campaign talk, voters in some states will get a chance on Election Day to sound off on intriguing topics that the presidential rivals ignored, including death-penalty repeal, marijuana legalization and assisted suicide.

In all, there are 176 measures on the Nov. 6 ballots in 38 states, according to the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California.

Many are technical proposals by legislators related to state finances and regulations. Others, however, are dramatic and highly divisive measures that would ? if approved ? be historic milestones for U.S. social policy.

Any of three states ? Maine, Maryland and Washington ? could become the first to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, a potentially momentous development that could influence future Supreme Court deliberations on the issue. Thus far, all 32 states with referendums on gay marriage have rebuffed it, while the six states that have legalized it did so through legislation or court orders.

Washington is in another three-state group, with Oregon and Colorado, that could become the first to legalize recreational use of marijuana ? allowing adults to possess small amounts of pot under a regimen of state regulation and taxation. The Oregon proposal appears to be fizzling, but the Washington and Colorado measures have led in opinion polls and are backed by wealthy out-of-state donors.

A "yes" vote in any of the states could set up a showdown with the federal government, which continues to consider pot an illegal drug. The Justice Department has declined to elaborate on how it would react.

Two other states ? Arkansas and Massachusetts ? will be deciding whether to allow marijuana use for medical reasons, as 17 states have done previously. Arkansas would be the first southern state to join the group.

Another emotionally charged measure in Massachusetts would legalize physician-assisted suicide. Massachusetts would join Oregon and Washington in allowing terminally ill patients to obtain lethal doses of medication if doctors say they have six months or less to live.

The measure raises "the most profound questions that an individual can wrestle with," said the Rev. Tim Kutzmark, of Reading, Mass., a Unitarian Universalist minister who shifted from a foe of assisted suicide to a supporter after watching a close friend slowly die from Parkinson's disease in 2002.

As is often the case, California has numerous attention-getting measures, including one that would abolish the state's death penalty. If approved, the more than 720 inmates on California's death row would have their sentences converted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

While 17 states have ended capital punishment, most did so through legislative action. Only in Oregon, in 1964, did voters choose to repeal the death penalty, and they later reversed themselves to reinstate it.

Another contentious measure in California would require most genetically engineered processed foods and produce sold in supermarkets and other outlets to be labeled as such. These GMO foods also will be prohibited from carrying the term "natural" on their labels.

Consumer groups and the organic food industry support the measure as a way of giving shoppers more information about what they purchase and consume, while many retailers are opposed, saying grocery bills would increase. Food and chemical conglomerates, including Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co., have contributed nearly $41 million to defeat the measure ? close to 10 times what its supporters have raised.

California's epic budget problems also are on the ballot, in the form of rival tax-increase proposals.

Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30, aimed at averting $6 billion in budget cuts, mostly to education, would raise income taxes on people who make more than $250,000 a year for seven years and raise the state sales tax by a quarter cent for four years. Proposition 38, sponsored by wealthy civil rights attorney Molly Munger, would raise income taxes on nearly all earners and send the money directly to local school districts, bypassing the Legislature.

California labor unions are the target of another measure, aimed at depriving them of tens of millions of dollars they use to finance campaigns and political organizing.

Proposition 32 would prohibit corporations and unions from collecting money for state political activities from employees or members through paycheck deductions. It would hit unions hardest: Corporations don't typically deduct money from employee pay for state political activities, but unions do use the practice to fill their political coffers.

The battle over Proposition 32 follows conflicts in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere where Republican efforts to weaken organized labor have produced protests and political tumult.

In Michigan, labor unions are fighting back. On Nov. 6, voters there will be deciding on a first-of-its-kind ballot initiative that would put collective bargaining rights in the state constitution ? and out of lawmakers' reach.

If successful, the strategy could serve as a model for other states, encouraging unions to bypass hostile officeholders and take their case directly to voters.

"Labor is on the defensive," said Lawrence Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal research organization in Washington, D.C. "This could very well be a turning point if the people of Michigan affirm collective bargaining."

Other notable ballot measures:

? In Alabama, Montana, Florida and Wyoming, voters have an opportunity to weigh in on one key aspect of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in the form of Republican-backed measures stating that no individual or business can be compelled to participate in a health care system. The measures are viewed as largely symbolic; they would violate federal law and any attempt to enforce them would likely wind up in the courts.

? Maryland voters will decide whether to uphold or overturn a new state law allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public colleges if their parents have paid taxes and if the students have attended Maryland schools.

? Illegal immigrants are the target of a measure in Montana, placed on the ballot by lawmakers, that would require people who receive certain state services to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency.

? A measure in Ohio would create a 12-person citizen commission to draw up legislative and congressional districts, taking that power away from legislators.

? Oklahoma voters will decide whether to abolish affirmative action programs in state government and education. That's a step already taken in Arizona, California, Michigan, Nebraska and Washington.

? Minnesotans will decide on an amendment that would require showing a photo ID in order to vote.

? A proposal in Missouri would raise the state cigarette tax to 90 cents per pack, up from a lowest-in-the-nation 17 cents per pack.

___

Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-10-30-Ballot%20Measures/id-9507ae61b81a4759aebd714b76356449

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Are Flexible Mobile Data Plans Finally Here? Andreessen Horowitz Leads $15.5M Round In ItsOn

Even as data usage has skyrocketed, U.S. carriers have remained stubbornly wedded to post-paid plans that offer users a surprisingly limited menu of pricing options. Yes, we're talking about those monthly subscriptions that easily reach above $100 a month -- even if you hardly touch voice calls or if you always come in far beneath your monthly data limit. But this may be about to change. Andreessen Horowitz just led a $15.5 million round in a company that's been in stealth working on this exact problem for the past four years.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xLBLZZBrsNw/

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Important Note to CodeRED Clients ? Emergency Communications ...

Photo courtesy: National Hurricane Center.

As you continue to use your CodeRED system to communicate emergency messages related to Hurricane Sandy, we suggest using the following key elements to ensure a clear, concise message:

1. Try to keep voice calls to 30 seconds ? Record 30 second or less messages for more connected calls, less network congestion and fewer busy signals. Call delivery throughput is dictated by the capacity of your local telephone company to transmit messages. And, most voicemails cut off at 45 to 60 seconds.

2. Message construction ? Make sure to identify yourself and your agency, date and time of the call, nature of the call, area affected, action to be taken (if any) and where your community may access more information if needed.

3. Use email/text/mobile apps/social media? Be sure to take advantage of all the communications tools in your CodeRED tool kit. Utilize the CodeRED system capability to launch notifications through text message, email, smart phone app and social media.

4. We?re here to help ? The ECN Client Support team continues to provide live support and is available for you 24/7. If you lose power or do not have access to launch a call, call us at 866-939-0911 for immediate assistance.

Source: http://emergencycommunicationsnetwork.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/important-note-to-codered-clients/

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Please book your 30 minute consultation by calling 705-949-1900. Please download and complete the Assessment form before your appointment.

PLEASE NOTE: The pharmacist can check your cholesterol and blood sugar levels with a simple blood test. If you are taking 3 or more chronic medications (including vitamins that were prescribed by your doctor) these tests are FREE otherwise there is a $25.00 charge for the tests.

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Letters from America: Export Financing as a Key Component of U.S. ...

This is Part V of our ongoing Letters from America to Asia Series, featuring opinions and observations on America?s trade relations with China and emerging Asia from Chris Devonshire-Ellis.

Oct. 29 ? In this week?s letter from America to China I have invited Gray Sasser, an attorney with the America law firm Frost Brown Todd, to discuss export financing programs available to American companies looking to export overseas. Frost Brown Todd is a partner firm of Dezan Shira & Associates, and is one of the largest law firms based in the Midwestern United States. The practice currently has over 475 attorneys working in nine offices throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia, and a thriving international desk, with much of their on-the-ground China, India and Asian work being handled in conjunction with our practice.

Gray has expertise of particular relevance to U.S. companies in the Mid-West looking to export to China, as he previously served as VP of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, was educated in part at Beijing University, and advises American enterprises on expanding their global footprint with particular emphasis on China. Gray?s article below deals with the fundamental issue of how American companies can obtain financing for export-driven programs, and the likely political environment following the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.

Over to Gray:

As America?s election looms, politicians up and down the ballot fill their talking points and television commercials with references to small businesses. With small and medium-sized business enterprises (SMEs) representing 99 percent of American companies, encouraging export growth for this important segment of the U.S. economy will remain a priority for whichever political party captures the White House.

Currently, only about 1 percent of SMEs export, and just 10 percent of this miniscule amount export to China. As previously noted by Chris in last week?s edition of the Letters from America series, China?s macroeconomic climate offers tantalizing opportunities for U.S. companies. Even though a review of applicable PRC government regulations remains an important first-step when developing a China-focused export plan, American SMEs considering China should also evaluate export financing programs offered by federal agencies such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) or the Small Business Administration (SBA).

The website www.export.gov offers a wealth of information regarding various export support programs and serves as a good starting point to begin navigating the various options, requirements and paperwork. It should also be noted that while other U.S. agencies such as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Department of Agriculture also offer export financing programs, the SBA and Ex-Im Bank programs generally are the most applicable to SMEs. These two agencies administer separate programs designed to assist exporters with accessing commercial capital by limiting a commercial bank?s exposure to foreign credit or country risk. While Ex-Im Bank is authorized to directly lend funds in certain limited instances, SMEs likely would take advantage of one of three main types of support:

1. Working capital loan guarantees
2. Export credit insurance
3. Medium and long-term loan guarantees

For exporters seeking working capital, both SBA and Ex-Im Bank work with commercial lenders to guarantee up to 90 percent (including both principal and interest) of financing provided to exporters. These guarantees reduce the cost of capital for SMEs as they replace 90 percent of the credit risk associated with such loans with a guarantee backed by the full-faith and credit of the United States. Furthermore, there are no minimum financing amounts for the working capital guarantee programs administered by either agency, although the SBA program has a US$5 million maximum and generally limits maturity to 12 months. Also, to qualify for the Ex-Im Bank program, a borrower must have at least 12-months? operating history, so many start-up SMEs begin with SBA and ?graduate? to Ex-Im Bank financing as they increase their operating history and eventually need access to larger sums with lengthier terms.

While the working capital programs typically require receivables or other evidence of existing or future export sales, SBA recently inaugurated its ?Export Express Program? to provide up to US$500,000 in guarantees which can finance a company?s first step towards China sales. Such funds could be used to finance existing orders, but also ?may be used for business purposes that will enhance a company?s export development?to fund participation in a foreign trade show?[or] translate product literature for use in foreign markets.? Companies availing themselves of this program must have at least 12-months? operating history, although such SMEs do not need any prior exporting experience.

In addition to working capital financing, Ex-Im Bank also provides export insurance to insure against the risk of buyer non-payment and/or political risk. Because such policies can be assigned to lenders, this insurance offers another tool to finance foreign receivables. Also, rather than demanding cash in advance from foreign buyers before shipping the goods, these insurance products allow sellers to offer competitive credit terms directly to foreign purchasers. Short-term policies provide up to 360 days insurance on payments for capital goods (and 180 days for other exports), and medium-term policies can generally be extended up to five years. Multi-buyer policies that cover more than purchasers are also available.

Finally, Ex-Im Bank offers both medium and long-term loan guarantees, and these products which guarantee up to 85 percent of the principal and interest on loans to finance foreign sales are the most well-known product offered by the bank. For an SME undertaking its first trans-Pacific transaction, these guarantees may not be applicable, but they play a critical role in international finance. The comparative use of their respective government export credit agencies also remains a simmering policy concern often raised by U.S. officials with their Chinese counterparts.

The ongoing Sino-U.S. discussions on the proper role of export credit agencies will likely be confined to the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue and have little impact on American SMEs seeking access to the Chinese market. However, Ex-Im Bank?s ?content? policies may impose meaningful restrictions on some SMEs.

Because Ex-Im Bank?s mission is to promote the employment of U.S. workers by supporting the sale of U.S. goods overseas, goods eligible for export support must contain certain minimum U.S. content. For short-term insurance and working capital products, the exported products must contain at least 50 percent U.S content, which according to the bank?s Short-Term Content Policy, can include ?all direct and indirect costs, including but not limited to labor, materials, research and administrative costs, exclusive of profit.? For medium and long-term financing, the determination of U.S. content is subject to a tighter definition. SMEs can avoid (or at least postpone) this content analysis by utilizing SBA programs which do not contain similar restrictions.

With discussions of a ?fiscal cliff? on one side of the Pacific and a ?fifth-generation? of leadership on the other shore, many U.S. businesses are waiting for November?s dust to settle. Given the lip-service both presidential candidates are giving to small business, it is hard to imagine the demise of U.S. export support programs regardless of the outcome on Election Day. Fortunately, Congress reauthorized Ex-Im Bank for another three years in May, removing at least this cornerstone of U.S. export policy from any post-election morass. Instead of simply waiting for the final unveiling of the Standing Committee or the last returns to trickle in from Ohio, a thorough analysis of the export promotion programs offered by Ex-Im Bank and SBA will likely prove time well-spent while waiting for November?s political winds to blow themselves out.

Back to Chris:

Gray?s article stresses that several programs are available to fit a wide variety of American corporate needs. This is especially true at the SME and mid-market level, where such support programs are, in fact, readily accessible to American businesses. As we noted last week, the trend for American exports to China is on the up as China?s middle class (now some 250 million people) is set to expand to 600 million consumers within the next decade. Many of the regional law and tax firms Dezan Shira & Associates partner with throughout the United States are familiar with the programs provided by the Ex-Im Bank and their affiliates, and work extensively with their local American clients to assist with preparations and financial strategies for taking advantage of the programs on offer. For the Mid-West, Frost Brown Todd provide an excellent service, and please contact Dezan Shira & Associates directly should you require introductions to relevant law or tax practices elsewhere in the United States.

We thank Gray for his comments and insights in this week?s article.

Chris Devonshire-Ellis is the founding partner and principal of Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm was established in 1992 and assists foreign companies with legal, tax and operational issues in China and Asia, and has 17 offices across the region, including 12 in China. Chris is now based in North America and assists American manufacturers with their export plans and how to develop their strategy throughout Asia. The firm also partners with U.S.-based law and tax practices to assist them in developing their international practice as concerns client development into China and Asia. If you would like to discuss any of these issues, please contact Chris at usa@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com.

Dezan Shira & Associates runs an American partner firm program which provides American law and tax firms with access to our China and Asian infrastructure and to our in-house American expatriate lawyers and tax experts. We are also available to discuss assistance with the development of an international desk for U.S.-based firms within their own practice, and with the development of services that may be sold by their firm to local clients who wish to start exporting overseas. We are in the process of building a national American network of partner firms to jointly develop and profit from the evolution of American corporations developing export markets and business strategies overseas. To learn more about and become part of our U.S. Partner Firm program, please contact Jessica Tou at jessica.tou@dezshira.com.

Related Reading

An Introduction to Doing Business in China
Asia Briefing, in cooperation with its parent firm Dezan Shira & Associates, has just released this 40-page report introducing everything that a foreign investor should be familiar with when establishing and operating a business in China.

The Complete ?Letters to China from America? Series
A complete list of past articles from our ongoing ?Letters from America to Asia Series? featuring opinions and observations on America?s trade relations with China and emerging Asia.

Delaware and Nevada Holding Companies for Chinese Foreign-Invested Enterprises

Co-Investing in China with Chinese Partners

Double Taxation Agreements for China Investment

Source: http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2012/10/29/letters-from-america-export-financing-as-a-key-component-of-u-s-trade-strategy-with-china.html

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Hurricane Sandy: Hotel Stay In Connecticut Offers Welcome Distraction From Storm Damage

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- The city is silent and dark. Power has been out for hours. Parts of town have become an obstacle course of downed trees and flooded roads, with bright-red flares warning drivers to stay away.

But despite the chaos just outside the sliding doors, the Holiday Inn-Bridgeport's lobby feels more like a tourist destination than a de facto shelter for those fleeing floodwaters and the prospect of long-term power outages.

Families played Uno and solitaire under lights powered by generators. Golden retrievers and Australian shepherds roamed among upholstered leather chairs. The bar was set to stay open until 1 a.m.

"If we had to do this again next year, no problem," joked Ed Magi of Fairfield, Conn., nursing a Coors Light after working all day to make sure equipment at his office, which is in an evacuation zone, would be protected from the storm. "Getting here was like pulling teeth. But hanging out here in our little den, I'm fine."

After securing homes and gathering valuables, many of those who gathered Monday evening in the hotel were looking for an escape, a break from worrying about the historic storm surges predicted for Long Island Sound. All throughout the night, conditions in southern Connecticut worsened: along bays and rivers, water levels rose quickly, making low-lying roadways impassable. Downed trees temporarily blocked parts of Interstate 95 through the state, as emergency crews combed the roadway to clear debris in punishing winds.

Walter McBride and his family evacuated from their Milford, Conn., home, which sits right across the road from the beach. Yet inside the hotel lobby, McBride seemed confident that his family would return Tuesday to a damage-free home.

"We don't believe it's going to affect our house," McBride said to those gathered around.

"Is that wishful thinking?" Joy Eller, who was sitting nearby, said with a smile.

"That's a deep-seated belief," McBride replied, also smiling.

Power in the hotel had been shut off since 7 p.m., which helped foster the gathering in the lobby, where evacuees traded jokes and stories.

Nearly everyone in the hotel had streamed in from towns across the state. Many had stayed at the same hotel last year, after Connecticut's widespread power outages following Hurricane Irene caused people to flee their homes.

Kevin Meath of Monroe, Conn., brought his children, his mother and his toy poodle, Peaches. His family had stayed at the same Holiday Inn for seven days in a row last year. The second he heard warnings about Sandy last week, he booked three nights again.

"One day without power, and that was enough to be prepared for this year," he said.

He's worried about downed trees and damage to his home, eager to return Tuesday to survey any damage. But on Monday night, the Holiday Inn lobby was all he was thinking about.

"It's mother nature, you can't do anything about that," he said. "So we make the best of it. Laugh, have some fun, and hey, you're with people you love."

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/hurricane-sandy-hotel-stay-connecticut_n_2042545.html

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BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE | Comic Book and Movie Reviews

Can any good come out of a lie? Not a malicious lie mind you. Oh no. Nothing like that. But rather a lie in which 'Person A' tries to protect 'Person B' because they care for them so much. You know, just like something depicted in this film Directed by Raja Gosnell; and Starring: Martin Lawrence, Paul Giamatti, Nia Long, Anthony Anderson, and Terrence Howard. It was made in 2000, and lasts for 98 minutes.

Big Momma's House

THE STORY:

FBI agent, Malcolm Turner (Martin Lawrence), has a very unusual problem on his hands. No. Don't worry. He knows that his partner, John Maxwell (Paul Giamatti), is loosing his hair. Instead, Malcolm's dilemma is because he has been instructed to survey the house belonging to and old fat black woman called 'Big Momma' (Ella Mitchell), only to end up turning into her and then falling in love with her long lost niece, Sherry Pierce (Nia Long).

Alright, I know that does sound very-very strange. However, the thing is, Sherry's ex-partner, Lester Vescro (Terrence Howard), recently broke out of prison and is looking for Sherry, because she has some stolen money belonging to him, that he does not know she has in her possession. Moreover, when 'Big Momma' is called away on matters of the heart,?out of the blue,?Sherry suddenly turns up, prompting Malcolm to quickly take Momma's place with some additional cosmetic dabbling.

OK, so do you get the bigger picture now, dear reader? Yes! Thank God. Just like Sherry and her son, Trent (Jascha Washington), when they go to church with Momma / Malcolm, and carry on a 'normal family'.

You know the type of thing I'm sure. They go shopping together. They deliver babies together. They play basketball together. They go to judo together. And they get ogled by Momma's boyfriend together too.

Though, some of the things they don't do together, is when Malcolm checks in with John from time to time, and hears the news that Lester and Momma are on their way home.

Ouch! That's most probably why what next transpires kick's off when the security guard called Terry (Anthony Anderson) grabs some nuts. As paths collide - beware of the bride - lies are shied - and a priests can not help but turn the tied.

Amen.

THE REVIEW:
It is a little known fact that the screenwriter of 'Big Momma's House', Darryl Quarles, first came up with the idea behind this flick, because this was the name that the neighborhood kids gave his own very mother. However, a small part of me does wonder what would have happened if they called his Mum something like 'Batman verses Mary Poppins' (click here?for review)? Or what about 'A platform to showcase the cartoon-like talents of Martin Laurence'?

Well? Could it work I suppose. And it did -- in part. But before I give you my 411 on this crime comedy caper, please check out these filmic facts first. (1) In 1999 Martin Lawrence slipped into a coma after collapsing from heat exhaustion while jogging. (2) Ella Mitchell was an un-credited singer in the film 'Lord Shango'. (3) Terrence Howard saw his father stab a man in self-defense when he was three years old. He served eleven months for manslaughter. (4) Paul Giamatti's father was once the president of Yale University. (5) Nia Long is a fully registered Girl Scout. (6) Jascha Washington's first role was in the television series 'Brooklyn South'. (7) Martin was arrested at Burbank Airport in 1996 for carrying a loaded gun in his suitcase. (8) In 2000 Nia was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the World by 'People Magazine'. (9) Paul has both Italian and Irish blood running through his veins. (10) Terrance has a degree in Chemical Engineering. And (11) Ella was interviewed by David Frost in the seventies.

OK, so now I have all of that out of my system, let me just say 'Big Momma's House' is a movie which in some way is exactly like the pretext it's trying to convey -- it has too much padding on. You see, what I mean by this, is just like the prosthetic Martin Lawrence's character wears in this film, this film itself is cosmetic in substance and bulky in tone.

Conceptually speaking of course -- plot wise -- most of this movie is basically ?filler? so Martin can clown around and play ?Big Momma? whenever he can. And although I do enjoy watching him performing all of his shtick here and there, within the context of this particular crime caper, it does seem overtly contrived and forced into the proceedings.

Please note, I don?t want to sound like 'Mister Pompous Prick' were Martin?s performance is concerned. Oh no. Because he is just superb in that ?Eddie Murphy? type way of his. All I am trying to say is that within the confines of this story, his cartoonish antics is too?extravagant?and blatant. Also, his performance does take away from some of the supporting players by default-- as Paul, Nia, and Terrance?s roles do feel somewhat overpowered by Martins central figure.

However, in the same breath, individually these three 'supporting cast members' do manage to stake their claim in a number of different ways. Paul uses his nervous demeanor. Nia uses her good looks. And Terrance is just one frightening b*stard. Heck, the only other actors who manage to match Martin with his OTT antics, are the other OTT characters! Such as ?Momma's boyfriend? and Anthony for example.

Overall, ?Big Momma?s House? is a so-so film to watch. It's funny in places. The story is simple to follow. And in someway it is a mixture of 'Ms Doubtfire', 'The Nutty Professor', and 'Stake Out 2'. Plus in addition to this, it is a film that will take your mind away to cartoon-land for 90-minutes or so, allowing you to sit back, relax, and think about what I have just said, and then say to yourself ?Well Lord have mercy, dat dam fool is right!?.

Source: http://www.comicbookandmoviereviews.com/2012/10/big-mommas-house.html

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Are you building your lists in advance?

I'd suggest that in industrial and scientific marketing, there's quite a lot you can reveal before a product's launch day without damaging any commercial activity whatsoever.

As any publicist in the entertainment industry knows, a good teaser campaign will get a product off to a flying start. One of the best types offers people the chance to be "the first to know" about something, and that can be a compelling offer. Nobody likes to be out of the loop. So if you've got something in the pipeline, have you considered promoting it well in advance of the launch day?

Of course, the existence of some products has to be kept under wraps. Even so, you can "tease" the market with clues, as many consumer tech companies do so well. But I'd suggest that in industrial and scientific marketing, there's quite a lot you can reveal without damaging any commercial activity whatsoever. The idea should be to build up a list of prospects, so that you have a really hot list to target once it's launch day. And ? crucially ? beyond that date.

If you take the traditional route of not revealing any existence of the product until it's launched, here's what happens. Many prospects who you don't know will read about your new product once it's revealed to the world, and come to the website to take a look. That's great. For most of them, it won't be something they want right away. So although they may have found it interesting, they leave, and you've lost them forever (or until you next connect with them randomly). The chances of getting them to sign up for any future information from you are minimal.

Now let's look at what happens if you set up a teaser web page before the event. The same prospects wander along, and they're confronted with a "sign up to be the first to get details" link. Many will do so; it can be hard to resist sometimes. Now you have them. On launch day, you'll be in touch with the full details of the new product, of course. As we know, it turns out to be something which they didn't need right away. But you've now got permission to keep reminding them about the product, and this time, when they do need it, you'll have been in touch recently enough to be in their thoughts.

Your biggest hurdle will probably be the paranoia of the sales manager who thinks that this'll mean the opposition will find out what you're up to, and somehow this will result in ?well, what, actually?

Over 2,000 marketing managers receive these articles by Chris every day, via email.
Join the circulation for free, here...

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Source: http://www.bmon.co.uk/2012/10/are-you-building-your-lists-in-advance/

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LG Nexus 4 outed on video by carrier in Sweden

 

And here we have another video of the LG Nexus 4, which might or might not be announced today. Looks like this one comes from Three in Sweden. As it so happens, we've got a Swede on staff (more than one, now that we think about it).

The video talks up the beautiful, thin design of the "Nexus 4 by LG." It mentions the power button on the right-hand side, and the volume and micro SIM on the left. (Nothing we couldn't tell by watching, of course.) "Here is the familiar pure Android interface," it continues. Folders, main menu. Fast web browsers, high-resolution screen.

Also mentioned is the status bar, with "easily accessible settings." And, indeed, there are quick settings, though different than we might have expected.

Update: And the video's been pulled, as we figured it would.

Thanks, Dennis!

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/uOZ5yfFM6rY/story01.htm

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Healthy Eating: Obsessing over eating - HealthyLife magazine ...

Too Pure

When healthy eating becomes a deadly fixation

By Laurie Lynn Fischer/HealthyLife

It may seem paradoxical, but the desire to eat healthy can kill you. So says Colorado physician Steven Bratman, author of Health Food Junkies. He coined the phrase ?orthorexia nervosa,? pairing the Greek prefix for ?correct? with the same suffix as the eating disorder anorexia nervosa.

(Photo: ? iStockphoto.com/Pixsooz)

?It?s being so obsessed with eating healthy food that it begins to harm you in other ways,? says Dr. Bratman (orthorexia.com). ?I get one story a week about people dying from orthorexia.?

Orthorexia isn?t a medical diagnosis. Usually, it merely affects quality of life, says Bratman.

?Intense diets in many ways are more disruptive than a drug,? Bratman says. ?Drugs have side effects. A diet that socially isolates you is a fantastic psychological side effect. Somehow you?re ignoring the fact you?re paying a huge price for what you?re doing. The illusion of control is a big part of it.?

One Westerlo mother imposed a severe diet upon her son to try and help his ADD and food sensitivities. ?He wasn?t allowed to eat gluten, cow milk products, corn, soy, egg whites, peanuts or mustard,? says the mother, who requested anonymity. ?It set him apart at home, school, restaurants, family gatherings and parties. He felt left out and went overboard whenever he cheated. My husband didn?t buy into it and fed him forbidden foods. This caused arguments. The diet did more harm than good.?

The same brain chemicals that regulate appetite also influence emotion, mood and the propensity for depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, explains physician Sharon Alger-Mayer, a clinical nutritionist with Albany Medical Center.

?Individuals with a genetic tendency to be anxious or obsessive compulsive ? if they start to control their food, they?re much more at risk for having the eating restrictions start to snowball than people who don?t have that genetic makeup,? she says.

Orthorexia can have serious health consequences, she says. ?I?ve seen people with extremely rigid eating patterns,? she says. ?They can be iron deficient or low in zinc and other nutrients from animal proteins. They may have hair loss or lose their menstrual cycle. They don?t meet the full criteria of anorexia nervosa. They don?t see themselves as being too heavy. They may not start wanting to be thin. They have a goal of being more fit and healthy. They want to be very careful about the foodstuffs that they put in their body. If the level of restriction drops below a safe range, it gets out of control and, in fact, dangerous. It starts to take on a life of its own. It becomes so rigid and so compulsive, they can?t break out of the cycle.?

(Photo: ? iStockphoto.com/Julija Sapic)

Orthorexia and anorexia have the same motivation ? controlling what goes in your mouth ? says Clinical Social Worker Terri Gerber of Niskayuna, who is certified in the treatment of eating disorders. ?Healthy eating is great, but if you are a perfectionist, be careful!? she says. ?Remember, everything in moderation!?

Gerber describes one patient ? a high school senior ? who was unconcerned about weight or body image, but was a strict vegan. She lost weight, her periods stopped, and she grew very ill.

?This person regained her weight but remained very rigid and narrow with what she ate,? Gerber says.? ?She went to camp and had to bring her own food.? Everybody else ate what was there. When she went to look for colleges, she was looking for one with a cafeteria that would serve vegan selections.?

Treatment for orthorexics and anorexics is similar, Gerber says. ?It means restoring their weight and, if female, their menstrual cycle,? she says. ?They must learn to talk back to the distorted thinking that is part of an eating disorder or they risk relapse. They must also learn healthy coping and thinking skills for all the times in life that we, as human beings, can?t be in control. They have to learn how to deal in a healthy way with fear and inadequacy, which are normal feelings that are part of the human experience.?

It?s right to want to eat healthy, just don?t get carried away, agrees Bratman, who used to be a health food fanatic himself.

?Eating healthy food is obviously not a problem,? he says. ?That?s absurd. My idea of healthy diet ? don?t buy a whole lot of processed foods. Eating fruits and vegetables, along with other stuff, is a good idea. Be reasonable and don?t worry about it too much. You shouldn?t be fat. You should exercise. You shouldn?t be spending much of your life thinking about it, or you?re postponing living. You?re not in the moment. You?re not involved with real things like loving people or being creative.?

David Guzman, program director for Method Fitness in Manhattan, eats conscientiously except for one weekly cheat day. He advises clients to do the same.

?Some of them can become very obsessive about eating healthy,? he says. ?It?s OK to be a health food nut, as long as you give yourself a reward once in a while. If you don?t build in that release valve, you can drive yourself crazy.?

Sources: Steven Bratman and Kasi Howard

ORTHOREXIA CHECKLIST

Are you orthorexic? See if these apply to you.

1. Are you avoiding social situations for dietary reasons?

2. Do you have extreme weight loss or other physical symptoms?

3. Do you fear foods you perceive to be unhealthy?

4. Is food quality more important to you than flavor?

5. Do you think about food for hours every day?

6. Does virtuous eating enhance your self-esteem?

7. Has your quality of life declined as your food quality increased?

8. Does eating properly make you feel like you?re in control?

9. Have you given up foods you used to like in order to eat healthy?

10. Do you feel guilty when you depart from your regimen?

11. Do you feel superior to those who don?t follow your diet?

12. Do you eat alone?

Sources: L.M. Donini, D. Marsili, M.P. Graziani, M. Imbriale and C?Cannella.

For one woman?s take on obsession, see our My Word essay here.

Source: http://blog.timesunion.com/healthylifemagazine/healthy-eating-obsessing-over-eating/2776/

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Post-Retirement Activity and Adventure Holidays in Europe

Shannen Doherty

After retirement, the whole world is your oyster when it comes to holidaying with the family. Active types needn?t think that post-retirement family breaks need be all about golf and gentle strolls; Europe offers plenty of scope for more adventurous pursuits.

Take an active post-retirement break with the Family!

For those with grown-up families, it can seem a long time since those days of spending summer holidays on the beach with the kids or, for active families, racing around on mountain bikes and water skis. But family adventure holidays needn?t be a thing of the past. In fact, once you?ve retired, it may be time to start planning another active family break, this time with the grand kids in tow.

After Retirement Fun on the Beach or the Slopes?
Europe is a continent that?s landscape is as diverse as its inhabitants. From the snowy mountain peaks of the Swiss Alps to the pristine waters of the Mediterranean, the continent offers plenty for retirees and those families that like their breaks to come with a hefty dose of adrenaline. Family adventure holidays in Europe may be about sun, sea and surfing, but what about hiking up rugged mountains or bungee jumping from sheer drops above rushing rivers. For an after retirement break that is slightly calmer, activity and adventure holidays can include horse riding, bike riding, hiking and swimming; all active pursuits that come with a little less fear factor.

Active Family Fun ? at Any Age
Retirement age is no longer seen as the time to hang up one?s travel maps and settle for a cosy life of TV and slippers. Far from it. With more of us living longer, healthier lives than ever before, many retirees are full of youthful vigour and looking for their next oversees adventure. For many people, retirement provides an opportunity to travel in a way that is just not possible while holding down a job and the post-retirement years can be an excellent time to strengthen family ties while taking active breaks together.

Make the Most of Your Retirement
Active holidays are not the sole preserve of the under 25s and there is a huge range of active pursuits out there that will be as appealing to sporty teens as to their sprightly grandparents. If the idea of a break with the family has the grandchildren in a sulk, try mentioning the fact that they could be taking a ski break in Austria, Switzerland or France, bungee jumping in Italy or mountain climbing in Greece and see if the idea still gets the thumbs down. For those whose children and grandchildren are fans of the great outdoors, there is sure to be somewhere in Europe to appeal.

Budget-Friendly Family Breaks
The continuing worldwide financial downturn means that cost is an issue for most families and the good news is that an after retirement family adventure holiday needn?t cost a fortune. Eastern Europe continues to be an extremely budget-friendly place to visit and activities such as kayaking in Croatia are hugely popular with families who want to enjoy fresh air, adventure and beautiful scenery without spending a huge amount of money. Bulgaria is another beautiful and as yet non-touristy destination that lends itself well to family adventure holidays and there are some very affordable guest houses to be found in this part of the world.

Post-Retirement Holidays with Grown-up Children
Perhaps the last time you took a holiday with your children they were sulky teenagers, if so, a post-retirement activity break with grownup kids can be a great way to spend a holiday together that doesn?t involve constant whining about the food, the weather, or the lack of hip things to do. Once the kids are grown up, taking an active break can be a really good way to spend quality family time together, especially if your grown up offspring are not yet bringing along any children or babies of their own!

With a little planning, your post-retirement time can be put to good use on any number of adventures such as safari trips, ski breaks, boating holidays? or something a little more relaxing such as a cycling tour of Holland. Taking some time out away from the family home can be a wonderful way to catch up on what is going on in each other?s lives, while getting stuck into some rewarding activities and seeing some beautiful sights at the same time. If all goes well, your new found post-retirement freedom could mean that the family activity and adventure holidays become an annual, or even bi-annual, event.

AUTHOR BIO

Shannen Doherty writes regularly about travel and adventure tourism for a range of travel websites and blogs and simply loves family adventure holidays in Europe.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment below or subscribe to the feed to have future articles delivered to your e-mail and get the latest Amelia Island News, business, tourist activities and videos every morning! You can also choose to follow SearchAmelia on Twitter to get your daily updates!

Source: http://www.searchamelia.com/post-retirement-activity-and-adventure-holidays-in-europe

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African Giant Pouched Rats as Invasive Species: Ecological, Agricultural and Public Health Threats

Early today, I Skyped in and gave a quick presentation to University of Louisville BIO 263 Environmental Biolog students.? My friend and colleague Dr. Tommy Parker is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Urban Wildlife Research Lab. The course focuses on the relationships between humans and the environment. Topics include ecology, population biology, modifications to the environment, resource use, land use planning, pollution, and energy. The goal is to better understand the biological principles of environmental effects on living organisms with emphasis on the ecological relationships of man, resource exploitation, pollution, environmental degradation, and the social problems that human use (and misuse) of the environment create.

I gave them a little introduction to African Giant Pouched Rats, sometimes call Gambian Pouched rats, Cricetomys gambianus.? My rats, as cute and interesting and I think they are, are an exotic animal, not native to the United States. And they have made the news more than one time for their presence in the Grassy Keys of Florida. Local Fish and Wildlife and Conservation authorities are worried about this rodent, especially if it ever reaches the mainland.? This species has the potential to become an invasive species and wreak havoc on our natural ecology, agriculture and public health.

In April 2003, there was a human monkeypox outbreak in the the midwest US (Hutson et al. 2007). Pouched rats were co-housed with prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicinus, at an exotic pet store. A few dozen people were ill, most notably a few young children.? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local health officials got things under control, but as a result, rodents from African and especially African Pouched Rats, were no longer allowed in the US.? Getting special permission to bring these animals to the United States and do my research is time-intensive. It also means, I have to be very, very careful about how I handle these animals.

These animals could cause a trifecta of devastation to Oklahoma and the United States: agricultural, ecological, and zoonotic.? And all of it could be traced back to me (and my university). I don?t want to become famous for something like this.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=eff0793b26ee78c6b55965b9a55096d1

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Drop in testosterone tied to prostate cancer recurrence | Science ...

BOSTON, MA (October 28, 2012)?Men whose testosterone drops following radiation therapy for prostate cancer are more likely to experience a change in PSA levels that signals their cancer has returned, according to new research from Fox Chase Cancer Center. The findings will be presented on October 29 at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's 54th Annual Meeting.

Specifically, men whose testosterone fell following various forms of radiation therapy were more likely to experience an increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA)?often the first indication the cancer has recurred.

"The men who had a decrease in testosterone also appear to be the men more likely to see an increase in PSA after treatment," says study author Jeffrey Martin, MD, resident physician in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase.

In theory, doctors may one day be able to use testosterone levels to guide treatment decisions, says Martin. "For men with a decrease in testosterone, doctors might intervene earlier with other medications, or follow their PSA more closely than they would otherwise, to spot recurrences at an earlier time."

Martin and his colleagues decided to conduct the study because there is limited information regarding testosterone levels after radiation treatment and what it means for prognosis. To investigate whether a decrease in testosterone has any clinical effects, Martin and his colleagues reviewed medical records from nearly 260 men who received radiation therapy for prostate cancer between 2002 and 2008. The men were treated with either brachytherapy, in which doctors insert radioactive seeds in the prostate, or intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), in which an external beam of radiation is directed at the prostate.

The researchers found that testosterone levels tended to decrease following both forms of radiation therapy. And men who experienced a post-radiation drop in testosterone? particularly a significant drop?were more likely to see their PSA levels rise during the follow-up period.

Still, an increase in PSA?known as biochemical failure?was relatively rare, the authors found. "Only 4% of patients with low-risk prostate cancer had biochemical failure at five years," says Martin.

Even though researchers have seen testosterone decrease following another form of radiation, these latest findings are still somewhat surprising, says Martin, because testosterone is believed to drive prostate cancer. In fact, some patients with advanced forms are prescribed hormone therapy that attempts to knock down testosterone.

"Seeing that a drop in testosterone is tied to recurrence is kind of a surprising result," says Martin. "We don't necessarily know what this means yet. I think the relationship between testosterone levels following radiation therapy and prognosis needs more study, and until then it's premature to say this is something patients should ask their doctors about."

This was a small study that needs to be validated in a larger group of men before doctors begin basing their predictions of recurrence on patients' testosterone levels, he cautions. "I think the link between testosterone and PSA needs more study, in a larger set of patients."

Source: http://www.sciencecodex.com/drop_in_testosterone_tied_to_prostate_cancer_recurrence-101032

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Survivors criticize Myanmar gov't over clashes

SITTWE, Myanmar (AP) ? Survivors of ethnic clashes in western Myanmar lashed out at the government Monday for failing to prevent violence between Muslims and Buddhists that has displaced more than 28,000 people over the last week.

The crisis, which first began in June, has raised international concern and posed one of the biggest challenges yet to Myanmar's reformist President Thein Sein, who inherited power from a xenophobic military junta last year.

The latest violence between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims began Oct. 21 and has left at least 84 people dead and 129 injured, according to the government. Human rights groups believe the true toll could be far higher.

"The authorities are not solving the problem and soldiers are not defending us," said Kyaw Myint, a Muslim man who took refuge at Thechaung camp outside Sittwe. He fled his home in nearby Pauktaw when it was torched Wednesday.

"I feel as though I am in hell," he said. "We have no one to take care of us, no place to go, and now no job to earn a living."

A 37-year-old Rakhine trader named Maung Than Naing, reached by phone in the village of Kyauktaw, also expressed anger over the government's handling of the violence.

"We are helpless because the government is not dealing with the root of the problem," he said. "We no longer want to live with the Muslims."

Maung Than Naing, who also lost his home in an arson attack, blamed the Rohingya for breaking the calm.

"These poor Muslim people who live hand to mouth burned their own homes so that they enjoy the U.N. aid where they are given shelter and free food," he said.

A tense calm has held across the region since Saturday, Rakhine state spokesman Myo Thant said.

Security had been stepped up in the state, with additional police and soldiers deployed, but he declined to give details.

The priority now is to ensure those who lost homes have adequate shelter and food, Myo Thant said.

The long-brewing conflict is rooted in a dispute over the Muslim residents' origin. Although many Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations, they are widely denigrated as intruders who came from neighboring Bangladesh to steal scarce land.

The Rohingya also face official discrimination, a policy encouraged by Myanmar's previous military regimes to enlist popular support among other groups. A 1982 law formally excluded them as one of the country's 135 ethnicities, meaning most are denied basic civil rights and are deprived of citizenship.

Human rights groups say racism also plays a role: Many Rohingya, who speak a Bengali dialect and resemble Muslim Bangladeshis, have darker skin and are heavily discriminated against.

Bangladesh, though, also denies them citizenship. The U.N. estimates their population in Myanmar at 800,000.

Tensions have simmered in western Myanmar since clashes first broke out in June after a Rakhine woman was allegedly raped and murdered by three Muslim men.

The June violence displaced 75,000 people ? also mostly Muslims.

U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar Ashok Nigam said on Monday that the number of displaced was likely to rise because some people who fled affected areas along the coast by boat last week have yet to be counted.

An estimated 27,300 of the 28,000 newly displaced are Muslims, Nigam said, adding that the U.N. figure was based on statistics from local authorities.

The new numbers bring the total number of displaced in Rakhine state since June to at least 103,000.

___

Aye Aye Win reported from Yangon, Myanmar.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/survivors-criticize-myanmar-govt-over-clashes-110324167.html

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