সোমবার, ৩১ অক্টোবর, ২০১১

Official: 70 members of 'billion-dollar' drug gang arrested

Law enforcement authorities have arrested over 70 people in raids that dismantled a narcotics trafficking network suspected of smuggling nearly $2 billion worth of drugs through Arizona's western desert, officials said on Monday.

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The announcement in Phoenix caps a 17-month investigation culminating in a series of three "large-scale enforcement actions" tied to the probe, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Arizona Attorney General's Office and the Pinal County Sheriff's Department.

During last week's series of raids alone, authorities seized more than two tons of marijuana, 19 weapons and nearly $200,000 in cash.

Intelligence gathered as part of "Operation Pipeline Express" found the drug-smuggling ring was tied to Mexico's Sinaloan cartel and has been in existence for at least five years.

Authorities estimate the drug operation during that time smuggled more than 3.3 million pounds of marijuana, 20,000 pounds of cocaine and 10,000 pounds of heroin into the United States.

Illicit proceeds generated from those drugs were estimated at nearly $2 billion, authorities said.

Drugs were smuggled from Mexico into Arizona by car, plane, on foot, and through tunnels.

The cartel is headquartered in the northwestern state of Sinaloa on Mexico's Pacific coast, an area home to big marijuana and opium poppy plantations and considered the cradle of Mexican narcotics trafficking since the 1960s.

Slideshow: Narco culture permeates Mexico, leaks across border (on this page)

The cartel is believed to handle 65 percent of all drugs illegally transported to the United States, drug experts say.

Law enforcement officials are still looking for dozens of people in connection with the operation.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched his military campaign against the cartels after he took office in late 2006.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45100583/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

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Occupy Wall Street Protests: Dozens Arrested In Texas, Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Dozens of anti-Wall Street protesters were arrested Sunday in Texas, where they clashed with police over food tables, and in Oregon, where officers dragged them out of a park in an affluent neighborhood.

In New York and many other East Coast cities, it was a snowstorm that was making it difficult for demonstrators to stay camped out in public places.

The "Occupy" movement, which began six weeks ago in lower Manhattan to decry corporate influence in government and wealth inequality, has spread to cities large and small across the country and around the world. Demonstrators have spent weeks camped out in parks, wearing at the patience of city officials ? even those who have expressed some level of support for their cause.

In Portland, Ore., police have allowed protesters to sleep in two parks surrounded by office buildings despite policies outlawing camping, but Mayor Sam Adams warned demonstrators last week that he would not allow them to take over any more parks. Late Saturday, hundreds of protesters gathered in another park ? Jamison Square in the wealthy Pearl District ? and defied a midnight curfew.

About 30 people who had decided to risk arrest sat on the ground as other protesters walked around them and chanted "Whose Park? Our Park!" and "Make No Arrests."

When police moved in around 2 a.m., all but the sitting protesters backed off. An Associated Press photographer said most of those protesters went limp and were carried or dragged away by police. There was no violence during the arrests, which took about 90 minutes.

The protesters ? all appearing to be in their 20s and 30s with many wearing Halloween-style face paint ? were handcuffed and taken away in police vans. "We are the 99 percent," one arrestee continued to chant.

Police said the arrests were made on charges that included criminal trespassing, interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct.

Some protesters said they wanted to camp in the Pearl District because they view its residents as part of the wealthy demographic they're protesting. Commissioner Randy Leonard had urged them to reconsider, saying in a letter that it would be inappropriate to expand the demonstration into a neighborhood park.

"We ? the entire city council ? are your friends ... at present," Leonard wrote. "However, our friendship and support are now being unreasonably tested by the decision to occupy Jamison Square."

Police in Austin, Texas, made 39 arrests early Sunday as they moved to enforce a new rule banning food tables in the City Hall plaza where protesters have camped out. Some protesters surrounded the tables with arms linked.

Most were charged with criminal trespass, Police Chief Art Acevedo said. No injuries were reported.

Protesters had been advised of the food table ban on Friday, Assistant City Manager Michael McDonald told the Austin American-Statesman.

"We want to facilitate their activities," he said, "but we can't allow this to be a permanent campsite."

Some protesters found the ban arbitrary. "On a night where there are hundreds of drunks driving around town, they have all these resources here to take down three food tables," protester Dave Cortez told the newspaper.

Protesters in California, Georgia and Colorado also have been arrested over the last several days.

In Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's administration sent state troopers to haul away Occupy Nashville protesters Thursday and Friday for violating a park curfew, but none were jailed. A local official, Night Court Magistrate Tom Nelson, refused to sign off on the arrest warrants, saying state officials have no authority to set the curfew.

On Saturday night, protesters prepared for a third night of arrests but were greeted by only a single trooper on patrol who made no move against them. Safety Department spokeswoman Jennifer Donnals would not say whether the troopers plan to continue the arrests, saying only, "The curfew remains in effect and we urge the protesters to adhere to it."

New York's Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been similarly thwarted by local officials in Albany, where Occupy protesters have pitched tents in a city park across the street from the Capitol.

Cuomo reportedly asked Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings last weekend to begin enforcing the park's 11 p.m. curfew. Jennings declined; he told the New York Post, "My counsel said we'd be opening ourselves up to civil liability if we forced them out."

In Britain, clergymen and demonstrators held talks aimed at avoiding a violent confrontation over a protest camp outside London's iconic St. Paul's Cathedral.

Both the church and the local authority, the City of London Corporation, have launched legal action in the hope of clearing scores of tents from a pedestrianized square and footpath outside the cathedral, which is close to the London Stock Exchange. The protest forced the cathedral to close for the first time since German planes bombed the city during World War II, but it reopened Friday after a week.

Britain's High Court will decide whether to authorize authorities to forcibly clear the camp. Many expect the process to be lengthy and complex.

In lower Manhattan, police have not attempted to evict people who have been camped out in Zuccotti Park since Sept. 17, but they recently took away the demonstrators' generators and fuel, saying they were a safety hazard.

In a letter to the fire department, attorneys associated with the New York chapter of the National Lawyer Guild said the seizures were only a pretext for "freezing out" the activists.

A nor'easter buried parts of the Northeast in up to 2 feet of snow Saturday. There was far less snow than that in New York, but it quickly turned to a miserably cold and wet slush. At least a few protesters left.

Nick Thommen, a 6-foot-4 former Marine who served in Iraq and war-torn regions of Africa, gave fellow protesters lessons on how to endure the rough conditions.

"I'm fine here ? we trained for months in Norway," he said. But he said less experienced protesters could easily get hypothermia or frostbite.

"I went around waking people up and telling them they have to move ? do jumping jacks, or anything," he said.

Though far from the nor'easter, Des Moines, Iowa, also was getting uncomfortable for protesters, with overnight temperatures dipping into the low 30s. Protesters in Stewart Square have bundled up in coats, hats and gloves, and some have surrounded their tents in layers of cardboard, hay bales and trash bags filled with leaves.

"I'm equipped to be out here however cold it gets, whether it's 20 degrees above or 20 below," protester Bill Lewis said.

___

Associated Press writers Travis Loller in Nashville, Tenn., David B. Caruso and Verena Dobnik in New York, Michael J. Crumb in Des Moines, Iowa, and Terrence Petty in Portland, Ore., contributed to this report.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/30/occupy-wall-street-protests_n_1066388.html

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Shelling in Syria kills 3 after deadly day

Two Syrian regime women supporters hold a banner with a sarcastic caricature on it in Umayyad Square in downtown Damascus, Syria. Wednesday Oct. 26, 2011. Tens of thousands of Syrians packed a Damascus square Wednesday in a show of support for embattled President Bashar Assad, a few hours ahead of a visit by senior Arab officials probing ways to start a dialogue between the regime and the opposition. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

Two Syrian regime women supporters hold a banner with a sarcastic caricature on it in Umayyad Square in downtown Damascus, Syria. Wednesday Oct. 26, 2011. Tens of thousands of Syrians packed a Damascus square Wednesday in a show of support for embattled President Bashar Assad, a few hours ahead of a visit by senior Arab officials probing ways to start a dialogue between the regime and the opposition. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

Syrian regime supporters flash the V-victory sign as they hold up a portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a rally at Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria. Wednesday Oct. 26, 2011. Some thousands of Syrians packed the square Wednesday in a show of support for embattled President Bashar Assad, a few hours ahead of a visit by senior Arab officials probing ways to start a dialogue between the regime and the opposition. (AP Photo/ Bassem Tellawi)

A young girl looks on during the Pro-Syrian President Bashar Assad rally in Umayyad Square in downtown Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 26, 2011. Tens of thousands of Syrians packed a Damascus square Wednesday in a show of support for embattled President Bashar Assad, a few hours ahead of a visit by senior Arab officials probing ways to start a dialogue between the regime and the opposition. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

A Syrian regime supporter holds up a banner that reads in Arabic and English "No to foreign interference" during a rally in Umayyad Square in downtown Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 26, 2011. Tens of thousands of Syrians packed a Damascus square Wednesday in a show of support for embattled President Bashar Assad, a few hours ahead of a visit by senior Arab officials probing ways to start a dialogue between the regime and the opposition. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

(AP) ? Syrian troops shelled a restive district and conducted sweeping raids Saturday, killing at least three people one day after 40 were reported to have died in one of the deadliest crackdowns in months in the country's uprising, activists said.

The violence prompted strong criticism from the Arab League, which issued a statement expressing "disgust" at Friday's killings. An Arab League committee was set to meet Sunday in Qatar with a Syrian delegation over ways to solve the crisis stemming from the 7-month uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also appealed for "military operations against civilians to stop at once."

The Syrian opposition's two main activist groups, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordinating Committees, said shells slammed into the Baba Amr district of Homs on Saturday, killing at least three people. Raids and arrests also were reported around the eastern city of Deir el-Zour.

The popular revolt against Assad's regime has proved remarkably resilient over the past seven months, with protests erupting every week despite the near-certainty the government will respond with bullets and tear gas. The U.N. estimates the regime crackdown on the protests has killed 3,000 people since March.

Much of the bloodshed Friday happened after protests had ended and security forces armed with machine guns chased protesters and activists, according to opposition groups monitoring the demonstrations. Authorities disrupted telephone and Internet service, they said. At least 40 people were killed, according to the observatory and the LCC.

The Syrian government insists the unrest is being driven by terrorists and foreign extremists looking to stir up sectarian strife, and blames the foreign media for spreading lies. The state-run news agency said the condemnation from the Arab League was based on "media lies."

Damascus has largely sealed off the country from foreign journalists and prevented independent reporting, making it difficult to confirm events on the ground. Key sources of information are amateur videos posted online, witness accounts and details gathered by activist groups.

It is difficult to gauge the strength of the revolt in Syria, a country of 22 million people. The crackdown does not appear to have significantly reduced the number of protests, but neither does the regime appear to be in any imminent danger of collapse.

The result has been a monthslong stalemate.

Assad enjoys a measure of support in Syria. His main base at home includes Syrians who have benefited financially from the regime, minority groups who feel they will be targeted if the Sunni majority takes over, and others who see no clear and safe alternative to Assad.

Many Syrians and outside analysts consider sectarian warfare to be a real and frightening possibility. Syrians see their country as a fragile jigsaw puzzle of ethnic and religious groups including Sunnis, Shiites, Alawites, Christians, Kurds, Druse, Circassians, Armenians and more.

With no signs of movement toward the regime's collapse, many protesters are starting to see the limits of peaceful protests, particularly when compared to the armed uprising in Libya that drove Moammar Gadhafi from power ? albeit with NATO air support.

The mass demonstrations in Syria have shaken one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, but the opposition has made no major gains in recent months, it holds no territory and still has no clear leadership.

In recent weeks, there have been growing signs that once-peaceful Syrian protesters are increasingly taking up arms to fight the military crackdown. There also are signs that army defectors are turning on the regime, although their strength is difficult to measure without independent access to the country.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-29-ML-Syria/id-d2a2bae5c43840fdbde8b05ea9bb6513

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রবিবার, ৩০ অক্টোবর, ২০১১

Famed spotted owl dies at Oregon museum (Providence Journal)

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Kelly Clarkson: I'm Not a Lesbian!

Singer Kelly Clarkson is happy to admit that she's yet to be lucky in love, but that doesn't mean she's questioning her sexuality. During an interview with The View on Wednesday, the Grammy winner decided to make it perfectly clear that one rumor about her is just wrong.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/kelly-clarkson-im-not-lesbian/1-a-396937?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Akelly-clarkson-im-not-lesbian-396937

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Linda Wall: The anti-gay activist who molested an underage girl (The Week)

New York ? A conservative crusader seeking office in Virginia admits that she had sex with a middle-school girl who was her student in the 1970s

A race for an open seat in Virginia's House of Delegates was turned on its head this week when one of the three candidates, "conservative independent" Linda Wall, admitted that she had a sexual relationship with an underage girl 40 years ago. Wall, 61, who considers herself a "cured" lesbian, is an activist who lobbies the state legislature for an anti-gay group, the Family Foundation. Here, a guide to the suddenly not-so-sleepy local race:

Why did Wall admit to the relationship?
She originally acknowledged it in a sworn 2006 deposition submitted when Republican Paul Jost sued his rival in a state Senate race and Wall for defamation. In that deposition, Wall admitted to "sexual relations with a minor" when she was a junior high school gym teacher in the early 1970s. Wall says she resigned when a school official approached her about the relationship. Jost released this part of the deposition this week, he said, "because it shows Linda Wall is not fit to hold public office."

Is Wall dropping out of the race?
No. She says that after converting to Christianity decades ago, quitting drugs, and changing her sexual orientation, she is a "different person" today. "I've never tried to hide that I was in homosexuality," Wall tells the Associated Press. "If anybody Googles me, they would find that out there." Walls says she was just a "heavy pot smoker" who "made some bad choices."

But didn't Wall break the law?
She apparently admitted to statuary rape. And she could probably still be prosecuted, if the alleged victim comes forward,?says police Sgt. Michael Taber. "If it's a felony ? especially on a sexual offense ? there's not going to be an expiration on that."

Is anyone defending Wall?
They sure are. "The reaction to this woman's mistake has been despicable," says Jim Brogan at?The Post Courier. It was wrong to have had sex with a 12- to 14-year-old girl, but Wall was a confused 21-year-old at the time, and in the 40 years since it happened she's "become a Christian, obviously repented heavily, and is no longer a lesbian." There's no need to slam her as "a child predator who needs psychiatric help." Umm, hold on there,?says Jeanne Sager at?The Stir.?"You know what most people call someone who has sex with a kid??Child molester. Teachers who do that sort of thing today go to jail for years," and so should Wall. Instead, "she still expects people to vote for her?" Really, "it's amazing how stupid some politicians think voters are."

Sources: AP,?Daily Mail,?Daily Progress?(2),?Huffington Post, Lez Get Real, Post Chronicle, The Stir,?WDBJ?Roanoke

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20111028/cm_theweek/220885

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শনিবার, ২৯ অক্টোবর, ২০১১

'Ask Beth' author Elizabeth Winship dies in Minn. (Providence Journal)

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Surviving Iraq to Get Gunned Down in Oakland (Balloon Juice)

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Communications ? Amtrak's Strengths and Weaknesses

When it comes to communications, Amtrak? is sufficient in some areas yet lacking in others. With the current state of communications technology, patrons expect information to come as instantly and directly as possibly ? i.e., a delay alert being sent as a text message. With this in mind, Amtrak?s various Twitter accounts can be useful tools. For one, there is Amtrak?s official Twitter, @Amtrak. When visiting this page, it is obvious that the manager of the account, Will, replies directly to riders, responding to their questions and concerns. He also re-tweets from other Amtrak accounts such as @AmtrakNEC (the Northeast Corridor service), @Amtrak_CA (California), @AmtrakVermonter, or @Amtrak_Cascades. These accounts for specific Amtrak services give timely updates, such as ?Service?Philadelphia, PA (PHL)?to?Harrisburg, PA (HAR)?restored after weather-related problems. Residual delays expected.? tweeted by @AmtrakNEC on October 14th. With a smartphone, alerts like these can be sent as a text message instantly after they are tweeted. There are also accounts such as @AmtrakVacations which advertise deals, specials, packages, etc. on Amtrak travel for leisure and fun. As useful as this may seem, there should be a universal system to alert travelers about delays and cancellations via text message, not necessarily requiring Twitter or a smartphone. As a frequent flyer between Northern and Southern California, I like the convenience of Southwest Airlines sending me a text if there is a delay or cancellation, especially during the holidays or bad weather. It is a simple system ? when booking your flight on their website, you give them your cell number if you wish to receive these alerts. There is no reason why Amtrak cannot work to do the same. While Amtrak has a very diverse, informative set of Twitter accounts, its alert system should be more universal (not separated into different Twitter accounts) and accessible (not broadcast only via Twitter).

Another pertinent Amtrak communications issue is wi-fi availability on their trains. It is available on some ? for example, in an effort to gain ridership, the highly popular Acela Express trains now offer it for free. But before Amtrak works towards having wi-fi available on all of their trains, they should at least notify passengers whether it will be available on a particular train before having to book it. Once again, comparing to the airline industry ? many airlines do this and it is very convenient. Riders could better decide which train to book if this is an important consideration. Another improvement Amtrak and its riders could benefit from is the development of a smartphone app allowing people to book, cancel, or change trips anywhere from their mobile phones. Many airlines ? Amtrak?s main competitors ? already have these. To summarize where Amtrak currently stands in communications technology, if they want to keep or increase ridership and compete with the airline industry, they need more smartphone implementation, better passenger notifications on alerts and wi-fi availability, and ultimately more trains with wi-fi access.

By Elana Lathrop

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Source: http://www.railroad.net/communications-amtrak%E2%80%99s-strengths-and-weaknesses.html

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শুক্রবার, ২৮ অক্টোবর, ২০১১

Stores limit supplies as Thai flood crisis deepens (Reuters)

BANGKOK (Reuters) ? Some shops in the Thai capital began imposing emergency rationing on Wednesday as anxious residents stockpiled food and other necessities, with Bangkok under threat of inundation for weeks to come.

As panic mounts, shoppers at a central Bangkok hypermarket run by Big C Supercenter Pcl were being restricted to one packet of rice and one tray of eggs. Toilet paper was also being rationed.

Bottled water had run out at the hypermarket, except for expensive brands, compounding fears that residents would have access to adequate supplies during the crisis.

In some areas, people are already complaining about a deterioration in the quality of normally drinkable tap water.

The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority said floodwater had got into raw canal water used for its supply. Chemicals were being used to purify it.

Shares in Thai beverage firm Haad Thip Pcl surged more than 6 percent on Wednesday on expectations the company would benefit from the huge demand for drinking water.

The floods in the north, northeast and center of Thailand have killed at least 373 people since mid-July and disrupted the lives of nearly 2.5 million, with more than 113,000 in shelters and 720,000 people seeking medical attention.

Authorities have called a holiday from Thursday until Monday to allow people to get out of Bangkok as a record high tide approaches in the Gulf of Thailand, although financial markets will remain open.

With the high tide approaching, Seri Supharatid, director of Rangsit University's Center on Climate Change and Disaster, said the city's fate rested with dikes along the river.

"In the worst-case scenario, if all the dikes break, all parts of Bangkok would be more or less flooded," Seri said.

The rising tide could complicate efforts to drive water from the swelling Chao Phraya river out to the sea, putting central Bangkok under more pressure. Heavy rain could also deepen the crisis and thunderstorms were forecast for Wednesday.

Authorities are scrambling to pump water around the east and west of Bangkok into the sea.

TOURISM HIT

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra warned parts of the city could face inundation for up to a month.

"After assessing the situation, we expect floodwater to remain in Bangkok for around two weeks to one month before going into the sea," Yingluck told reporters on Wednesday.

"The situation shouldn't be as serious as in other provinces. We shouldn't face water as high as two or three meters staying for two or three months as we've seen in other provinces."

She had said in a televised address late on Tuesday that central Bangkok could be swamped by up to 1.5 meters (nearly five feet) of water in some places if barriers broke.

The authorities would guard important places such as the royal palace and power stations, she said.

TV footage on Wednesday showed people wading knee-high alongside the river by the Grand Palace, one of the main tourist attractions in Bangkok.

Tourism Minister Chumphol Silpa-archa said tourist arrivals could be 500,000 to 1 million below the government's target of 19 million this year because of the floods.

Don Muang airport, used by budget airlines for domestic flights and by private planes, had to close on Tuesday due to flooding that was making access to the area difficult.

By Wednesday, floodwater had reached the runway, Thai media said. Don Muang plans to reopen on November 1.

The government has its flood crisis center at the airport and has decided to stay put for now.

Shares in Thai Airways International Pcl slid 2 percent and Airports of Thailand Pcl dropped 1.3 percent on Wednesday due to the Don Muang closure and the possible reduction of Thai Air flights from the main Suvarnabhumi airport, which remained open.

As water levels climbed in Bangkok, some people were being evacuated for a second time, with 4,000 sheltering in Don Muang moving to the province of Chon Buri. Evacuees at a university in Pathum Thani province also had to move on as floodwater engulfed the campus.

Seven industrial estates in Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani provinces bordering Bangkok have been closed, causing billions of dollars of damage, disrupting international supply chains for industry and putting about 650,000 people temporarily out of work.

The cabinet has approved a $325 billion baht ($10.6 billion) package to help firms and individuals recover.

(Writing by Alan Raybould and Martin Petty)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111026/wl_nm/us_thailand_floods

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College names Reische as VP of Communications | Scarlet & Black

October 28th, 2011 | By Chris Lee | Section: News


There?s going to be yet another new face on campus this year and this time it?s the new Vice President of Communications. Jim Reische, who formerly worked with the University of Michigan?s Office of University Development and more recently as a campaign strategist, will be beginning his Grinnell career on December 5th.

?There was one position before that covered both communications and development and alumni relations,? said President Raynard Kington, explaining the rationale for the new position. ?Many schools ? separate those two functions, so we separated them. ? We thought there was a lot of work to be done.?

Reische will be taking over from Angela Voos, Special Assistant to the President, who has served as the acting Vice President of Communications for a few months . The S&B was unable to reach Reische for a quote.

According to Kington, Reische will have his work cut out for him, both over the long and short term.

?It?s ? everything from internal communications: the big constituents internally are faculty, staff, and students, and also external communications ? the sort of national media relations ? reaching out to alumni and potential donors, ? So it?s a pretty broad portfolio,? Kington said.

An item near the top of the to-do list is engaging alumni. Grinnell?s newly created alumni portal, The Loggia, is in need of an overhaul, according to Kington.

?There?s a strong message that I?m getting that alumni feel that we don?t do a good job communicating with them,? Kington said. ?Many feel very frustrated ? with The Loggia, which is the way you get in.?

Also on the list is Grinnell?s web presence, another medium where the College has thus far only seen lackluster results.

?We just finished an ? external audit ? and not surprisingly, it came out pretty negative. We don?t have a great website for prospective students, or for anyone. ? Jim will have responsibility for how we?ll change our website,? Kington said.

Fortunately, these changes are already in motion. Although Reische has some plans of his own, the College has not been idle in the months before his arrival.

?Some of that?s already occurred ? I think he will be spending a lot of time learning our culture ? both our strengths and our weaknesses,? Kingtonsaid. ?He?s going to have communication with our constituencies ? to get a sense of what people think are the big problems ? in terms of communications, and how we can do a better job.?

Revamping Grinnell?s public presence will be a lot of work, but Kington maintains that the new Vice President will be more than up to the task.

?He?s really looking forward to coming in and rolling up his sleeves,? Kington said. ?He?s a really creative guy, smart ? he actually started out in the academic world ? I think he planned to go off ? as a professor, and for lots of reasons, it sounds like he decided he liked this side of things better.?

?He both understands that the college is a great institution, but also one that could do a better job in how we talk about this institution and communicate ? what we stand for, and how we express that.?

Reische was selected for the position after a long national search. President Kington recounts interviewing twelve candidates from around the country, deciding on Reische after a number of meetings and visits to the college.

For everyday students, these changes will have a real impact.

?Over time, you?ll see a real effort to ? do a better job,? Kington said . ?You?ll see more experimentation. We?ve never really done well with social media ? and he?s very tuned to social media, and you?ll probably see more of that. It?s the whole nine yards. Facebook, Twitter ? how we interact with various groups of people on our web page [and] two publications for alumni

Source: http://www.thesandb.com/news/college-names-reische-as-vp-of-communications.html

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The 20 Best & Worst Halloween Candies

One of the most highly debated topics in America, well, maybe after politics, is which Halloween candy outshines the rest and which ones are bottom of the barrel; it is a topic where everyone has an opinion. There is the typical, but adored big-name chocolate bars, such as Snickers and Kit-Kat, and the seasonal suger-laden treat like candy corn and pumpkin mallomars; let's not forget the unusual and often forgotten treats that surface this time of year, such as Smarties and Good & Plenty.

This year HuffPost Food is settling the score, and proclaiming what we believe -- or rather know -- to be the 20 best and worst Halloween candies. If you stock up on the best goodies, you can sleep easy on this ghoulish night knowing that your house will be spared any toilet-papering or rotten eggs. If you chose to ignore this candy advice, you might want to sleep with one eye open.

What is your favorite Halloween candy? Let us know in the comments below.

Trick or treat!

The perk in getting a Kit Kat on Halloween, is that with the abundance of candy around, you don't have to "break of a piece" and share your chocolate covered wafer.

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Best: Kit Kat

The perk in getting a Kit Kat on Halloween, is that with the abundance of candy around, you don't have to "break of a piece" and share your chocolate covered wafer.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/best-and-worst-halloween-candy_n_1028427.html

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The Engadget Show - 026: A visit from Intel, a trip to New York Comic Con, haunted houses and costume contests

Hope you weren't planning on falling asleep tonight. We've got a very spooky episode of The Engadget Show coming at you this week. We get a behind the scenes tour of the technology that goes into running Manhattan's Nightmare haunted house. And we swing by New York Comic Con, to discuss the state of digital comics and shoot the breeze with geek legends Mark Hamill and Stan Lee.

We also announce the winners of our Frankengadget contest and give away the clothes from Tim's back to the winner of our in-studio costume contest, courtesy of Halloweencostumes.com -- oh, did we mention that Tim and Brian and dressed as Darth Vader and a storm trooper this whole episode? Because they are.

Intel's staff futurist Brian David Johnson stops by to talk about the near future of the chipmaker and the role science fiction plays in his daily work. We pay tribute to Steve Jobs with the help of some eager Apple fans. And we take a look at the iPhone 4S, Amazon Kindle and the ASUS Zenbook UX31.

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Special guests: Brian David Johnson
Producer: Guy Streit
Director: Alexander Vietmeier
Executive Producers: Joshua Fruhlinger, Brian Heater and Michael Rubens

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 026 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 026 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 026 (Small)

Subscribe to the Show:

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The Engadget Show - 026: A visit from Intel, a trip to New York Comic Con, haunted houses and costume contests originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/BIF081MD-nE/

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Subtext Raises $3 Million From Google Ventures & More To Make eBook Reading Social

Screen shot 2011-10-25 at 12.25.10 AMFans of marginalia: Take note. Subtext is a startup that is attempting to bring those incisive notes (or sophomoric jokes) you used to leave in the margins of textbooks or your favorite fiction online -- and make them interactive. Subtext is bringing a new social eBook reading experience to the iPad. If you've ever paid the extra cost for a fuller music listening experience, a behind-the-scenes look at the band, a DVD, etc., then you can probably get a sense of what Subtext is trying to do with reading. Except that the startup wants to offer an enhanced reading experience that, while adding neat additions and sidenotes, doesn't distract from the reading experience.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/l7FnQgn6OuU/

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The Unforgiven: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus Says Florida Must Pay the Price for Moving Primary (ABC News)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/153014107?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Video: Will the GOP embrace the flat tax?

3 cups of coffee a day keeps skin cancer away?

Drinking copious amounts of coffee may reduce the risk of the most common type of skin cancer, a new study finds. Women in the study who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45022785#45022785

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Video: Volatility Boosts TD Ameritrade

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45036318#45036318

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Karl Rove: The Herman Cain Boomlet Is Over - Business Insider

Karl Rove Herman Cain Fox BusinessGOP strategist and former Bush advisor Karl Rove laid out all the reasons why he believes Herman Cain's presidential campaign is finished.

In an interview with Fox Business, Rove listed several of Cain's recent gaffes ? and policy positions that are out of line with many GOP voters ? to show why the Cain boomlet won't continue.

"I think it has created an image of him as not being up to this task," he said. "That?s really deadly."

Despite the missteps, Cain's fundraising topped his third quarter numbers in just three weeks ? with the campaign raising over $3 million since October 1.

Watch the video below via POLITICO:

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/karl-rove-herman-cain-boomlet-is-over-2011-10

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iPod turn 10

Happy 10th birthday, iPod!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/S4sTJFiOM3g/

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Millennial: iPad Impressions Grew 456 Percent Over Past Year; iOS Up 60 Percent

ConnectDeviceMobile ad network Millennial Media, is releasing its quarterly report which gives a view into how each OS, device and manufacturer is performing on one of the largest remaining independent ad networks in the world. In Q3, Android continued to dominate the mobile ad network, and led the Connected Device and Smartphone OS Mix on Millennial with 56% of the impressions. iOS was the second largest Connected Device and Smartphone OS in Q3 with 23 percent of impressions. iOS remained the leader as the top Connected Device OS. iOS impressions grew 60% year-over-year in Q3. In particular, iPad impressions grew 456%, and iPod Touch impressions grew 30% year-over-year. The iPhone accounted for 54% of the iOS impressions Millennial's platform, while iPod Touch and iPad combined to make up the other 46%.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/sw6I2HeOhsw/

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Must Watch: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Launch Trailer

mw3So I don't seem biased, because I really don't care, here's the Call of Duty: Modern War 3 trailer. You know, the other first person shooter launching this fall, which has been mostly overshadowed by another. The trailer calls MW3 the most anticipated game in history but that's certainly up for debate. However, Battlefield 3 couldn't have stolen all of Call of Duty's fans. It is the best-selling franchise in Xbox 360 history, proving Xbox 360 gamers love highly scripted shooters. Jokes! (no, not really) Anyway, hopefully you were good this year because between Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3, gamers are going to have a good Christmas.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/T7gfLnVT7fQ/

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CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new tobacco cessation research

CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new tobacco cessation research [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 24-Oct-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Sue Roberts
sroberts@chestnet.org
847-498-8334
American College of Chest Physicians

Smoking a Single Cigarette May Have Immediate Effect on Young Adults
(#1120190, Wednesday, October 26, 3:00 PM Eastern)

It is well known that smoking leads to a reduction in levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), which is a marker for airway inflammation. However, there is limited knowledge about smoking-induced changes in the production and exchange of nitric oxide (NO) in young adults. In a study of eight women and eight men with a mean age of 23 years and a smoking history of less than eight pack-years, Greek researchers found that after smoking a single cigarette, the airway tissue concentration of NO increased by 26%, and the FeNO levels decreased by 15.6%. This reduction can lead to a limited flux of NO in the airways of young adults, significantly impairing health. This research demonstrates the negative impact of smoking even one cigarette, especially in young people.

Computer Model Predicts Smoking Cessation Success by Treatment Type
(#1113245, Wednesday, October 26, 5:30 PM Eastern)

Researchers from the Clemson University in South Carolina and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill developed a computer-aided model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various smoking cessation treatments. Based on their simulation model, patients who received nicotine replacement therapy had an 87% tendency to relapse at 1 year and have a 93% chance at 30 years. Of those who received other therapies, such as bupropion and varenicline, 78% were still smoking at 1 year and 89% remained smokers at 30 years. Of those who quit unassisted, 95% tended to return to prior behaviors at 1 year and 98% at 30 years. The average cost per quality-adjusted life year saved was greater at 30 years for all three treatment groups compared with those who quit unassisted. Smoking cessation treatments increase the probability of patients quitting smoking. The long-term health benefits to patients and the reduced economic burden to society outweigh intervention costs.

Cold Turkey Smoking Cessation Advice Reflects Poor Success Rate
(#1112654, Wednesday, October 26, 5:30 PM Eastern)

Clinicians frequently recommend patients stop smoking but do not always provide them with appropriate tools to ensure their success. Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston conducted a survey of 777 current and ex-smokers, asking questions about patient demographics, smoking status, smoking cessation attempts, physician recommendations regarding approaches, and methods used to stop smoking, as well as cessation treatments. Among current smokers, 66% were advised by a physician to stop smoking. A cold turkey approach was advised 19% of the time, while nicotine replacement therapy was advised 52% of the time, and medications were advised 40% of the time. Of those who received a recommendation to quit cold turkey, the success rate was less than 10% a year. Greater efforts may be required by clinicians to ensure patients receive appropriate evidence-based therapy for smoking cessation.

Fewer Hospitals Offering Smoking Cessation Programs
(#1119865, Tuesday, October 25, 3:00 PM Eastern)

The number of hospital-based smoking cessation programs available to the public has decreased. In 2011, researchers from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey found a 50% decline in hospitals offering smoking cessation programs to the public compared with results of a prior survey conducted in 2000. Of the 28 hospitals contacted in 2000, researchers were able to reach 20 in 2011. Of those, only seven had smoking cessation programs available; only three of those programs were in-hospital. The others offered only toll-free quit line phone numbers. Overall, 35% of hospitals demonstrated easy access to their public smoking cessation programs. The hospitals in this sample are doing worse in terms of offering smoking cessation to their surrounding populations.

###


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

?


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


CHEST 2011: Embargoed studies highlight new tobacco cessation research [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 24-Oct-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Sue Roberts
sroberts@chestnet.org
847-498-8334
American College of Chest Physicians

Smoking a Single Cigarette May Have Immediate Effect on Young Adults
(#1120190, Wednesday, October 26, 3:00 PM Eastern)

It is well known that smoking leads to a reduction in levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), which is a marker for airway inflammation. However, there is limited knowledge about smoking-induced changes in the production and exchange of nitric oxide (NO) in young adults. In a study of eight women and eight men with a mean age of 23 years and a smoking history of less than eight pack-years, Greek researchers found that after smoking a single cigarette, the airway tissue concentration of NO increased by 26%, and the FeNO levels decreased by 15.6%. This reduction can lead to a limited flux of NO in the airways of young adults, significantly impairing health. This research demonstrates the negative impact of smoking even one cigarette, especially in young people.

Computer Model Predicts Smoking Cessation Success by Treatment Type
(#1113245, Wednesday, October 26, 5:30 PM Eastern)

Researchers from the Clemson University in South Carolina and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill developed a computer-aided model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various smoking cessation treatments. Based on their simulation model, patients who received nicotine replacement therapy had an 87% tendency to relapse at 1 year and have a 93% chance at 30 years. Of those who received other therapies, such as bupropion and varenicline, 78% were still smoking at 1 year and 89% remained smokers at 30 years. Of those who quit unassisted, 95% tended to return to prior behaviors at 1 year and 98% at 30 years. The average cost per quality-adjusted life year saved was greater at 30 years for all three treatment groups compared with those who quit unassisted. Smoking cessation treatments increase the probability of patients quitting smoking. The long-term health benefits to patients and the reduced economic burden to society outweigh intervention costs.

Cold Turkey Smoking Cessation Advice Reflects Poor Success Rate
(#1112654, Wednesday, October 26, 5:30 PM Eastern)

Clinicians frequently recommend patients stop smoking but do not always provide them with appropriate tools to ensure their success. Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston conducted a survey of 777 current and ex-smokers, asking questions about patient demographics, smoking status, smoking cessation attempts, physician recommendations regarding approaches, and methods used to stop smoking, as well as cessation treatments. Among current smokers, 66% were advised by a physician to stop smoking. A cold turkey approach was advised 19% of the time, while nicotine replacement therapy was advised 52% of the time, and medications were advised 40% of the time. Of those who received a recommendation to quit cold turkey, the success rate was less than 10% a year. Greater efforts may be required by clinicians to ensure patients receive appropriate evidence-based therapy for smoking cessation.

Fewer Hospitals Offering Smoking Cessation Programs
(#1119865, Tuesday, October 25, 3:00 PM Eastern)

The number of hospital-based smoking cessation programs available to the public has decreased. In 2011, researchers from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey found a 50% decline in hospitals offering smoking cessation programs to the public compared with results of a prior survey conducted in 2000. Of the 28 hospitals contacted in 2000, researchers were able to reach 20 in 2011. Of those, only seven had smoking cessation programs available; only three of those programs were in-hospital. The others offered only toll-free quit line phone numbers. Overall, 35% of hospitals demonstrated easy access to their public smoking cessation programs. The hospitals in this sample are doing worse in terms of offering smoking cessation to their surrounding populations.

###


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

?


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-10/acoc-c2e_6101411.php

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