YC Alum/Construction Disruptor PlanGrid Nails $1.1M Seed Funding From Box, 500 Startups, And More

One more Y Combinator startup from the March 2012 class has bagged a seed round of funding. PlanGrid, which has created a groundbreaking app for the construction industry, has raised $1.1 million from a notable list of backers. They include?Suleman Ali, founder and CEO of TinyCo; Sam Altman, founder of Loopt; Paul Buchheit, the creator of Gmail; Matt Cutts, the head of Google?s Webspam team, and Ray Levitt, Director of Stanford University?s Construction Engineering department; 500 Startups; and Y Combinator itself. Plus, here's a twist: the funding marks the first investment in a startup (outside of acquisitions) by the cloud-services company Box, as part of its /bin Box Innovation Network initiative.

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Video: Syrian diplomat expelled after massacre

The United States and other nations expelled Syrian Charge d'Affaires Zuheir Jabbour. After 14 months of violence, the country is approaching an all-out civil war. NBC?s Richard Engel reports.

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Iraq's 4th energy auction gets muted interest

BAGHDAD (AP) ? Iraq's fourth postwar energy auction drew a cool response from foreign energy companies Wednesday, dealing a setback to the country's hopes to dig out from years of conflict and sanctions and develop its vast untapped hydrocarbon reserves.

On the first day of sales, four proposed oil and natural gas exploration deals found no bidders and a fifth was withdrawn after a British-led group refused to accept the Iraqi government's price. Only a Kuwaiti-led energy consortium made a successful bid.

The bidding will continue Thursday for other six blocks.

Seven of the 12 areas are believed to hold natural gas, and the rest both natural gas and oil. Boosting natural gas production is seen as key to ending a crippling electricity shortage and rebuilding the country, particularly the industrial sector.

In the current auction, conditions appeared less attractive for foreign firms than in three previous rounds held since 2009.

Only areas with undetermined hydrocarbon resources were on offer, while previously the rights to known large and medium oil and gas fields were being auctioned off. All along, Iraq has offered only service contracts in which companies are paid a flat fee, rather than deals in which they receive a share of the hydrocarbons found.

In the past, companies were willing to accept those terms because they were bidding for fields that were ready to produce or where hydrocarbons had been discovered, said Ruba Husari, an Iraqi oil analyst.

In the current round, companies were being asked to take a bigger gamble. "No one is going to take a risk and put money that he's not going to get back immediately for something that is not even definite they would find," Husari said.

More than a year in the making, the current licensing round was touted by Oil Minister Abdul-Karim Elaibi as a key step to boosting Iraq's energy sector. In his opening remarks Wednesday, Elaibi tried to lure bidders with a promise that his ministry will "spare no efforts to help and support the companies as partners to achieve the common interests."

But out of 39 companies registered for the auction, only six teamed up in two groups to submit bids.

The only successful bid was made by Kuwait Energy and its partners, Turkey's TPAO and the UAE's Dragon Oil. The group won the rights to explore a 900-square-kilometer (350-square-mile) area in oil-rich southern Basra province. It will be paid $6.24 for each barrel of oil equivalent it finds.

An unsuccessful bid was made for oil exploration in an 8,000-square-kilometer (3,100-square-mile) area in the southern Muthana and Najaf provinces. A consortium led by UK's Premier sought $9.85 for each barrel of oil equivalent, but the government offered to pay only $5 per barrel and withdrew the lot. The consortium also included Vietnam's PetroVietnam and Russia's Bashneft.

Four other blocks attracted no bidders.

Two of those lots, believed to contain natural gas, will be offered again on Thursday, said Abdul-Mahdi al-Ameedi, who heads the Oil Ministry's Licensing and Petroleum Contracts department. Interested companies couldn't make it to Baghdad, he said, but he did not name them.

The oil minister said that if Thursday's auction also attracts little interest, Iraqi companies would explore those lots, ruling out the possibility that contract terms would be revised.

In this sales round, the government also introduced a clause to ban companies from signing deals with regional authorities without the approval of the central government in Baghdad. Companies that violate the clause will lose their contracts, said Sabah al-Saidi, a senior Oil Ministry official.

The new clause came in response to Exxon Mobil's bold move last year to sign six deals with Iraq's northern self-ruled Kurdish region without Baghdad's approval. In return, Baghdad banned the Texas-based company from taking part in the current bidding, while maintaining a deal to develop the 8.6-billion-barrel West Qurna Phase One oil field in the south.

Top among the approved companies for this bidding round were the Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, UK's BP, Chevron and Occidental of the U.S., China's CNOOC and CNPC, Japan's Japex, Russia's Lukoil and others.

Since 2008, Iraq has awarded 15 oil and gas deals to international energy companies, the first major investments in the country's energy industry in more than three decades.

The goal was to boost daily production from about 3 million barrels now to 12 million barrels by 2017. But Iraq is mulling whether the target should be revised downward to fewer than 10 million barrels, considering a possible drop in demand on oil in the international market and infrastructure bottlenecks.

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PostHeaderIcon REFRESHING HOME DESIGN WITH NEW LOOKS

If you are planning to get a new and refreshing look for your house decoration than you should read this article for sure. This will help you in understanding new and latest techniques and ideas that can make your work easy and you will get new style for your home.

There are thousands of new home designs from which you can select according to your budget and your home. You can do minor touch ups in your house or you can also make huge changes or can also renovate it again. Total remodeling or interior designing can be easily done if you can make correct decision at right time.

If you have nice budget you can feel your house with nice decoration without thinking about expenses and you can freely make your home according to your taste. You can add outdoor rooms, nice big living rooms with expensive flooring giving it a glossy and shining appearance. You can add garden and swimming pool in your home with all facilities and you can put sliding doors so that you can close it whenever you want. You can choose matching tiles and wall colors according to your home design so that everything will suit and complement each other.

If you have lots of space in your house, you can add comfort and elegance in it by adding some comfy and easy chairs and sofa in it or installing luxury times so that it is give a classy look to your interior as well as its exterior. Nothing but a fine touch can help you to make your home really beautiful.

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Is he Fantastic Mr. Fox or a dangerous city pest?

LONDON (Reuters) - Button and Tawny, two furry fox cubs abandoned by their mother, huddle in the corner of their cage at the Fox Project in the southern English town of Tunbridge Wells.

If all goes well the British charity that rescues injured and sick foxes from urban areas will eventually release the two cubs into the wild.

As a new television programme on urban foxes finishes on British TV, the debate over whether urban foxes are dangerous predatory pests or harmless woodland animals whose presence enhances urban life has heated up.

Fox Project Director Trevor Williams told Reuters the two cubs are part of a much-maligned population of creatures vilified in the UK media by reports of attacks on children and pets, raising fears that foxes are a growing urban danger.

Williams - who has been working to dispel myths about the red fox for more than 30 years - says splashy headlines in the British press warning that foxes attack babies and carry off kittens and other precious pets are overexaggerated nonsense.

"I wouldn't say that occasionally people don't get nipped by foxes," said Trevor Williams, director of the Fox Project. "But we've rescued 8,000 foxes in the time we've been going and I've never been attacked by one".

In June 2010, the British press reported that a fox allegedly attacked nine-month old twin girls Lola and Isabella Koupparis as they slept in their cots in east London.

Pest controller Bruce Lindsay-Smith told Reuters that problems with foxes are real and growing more serious.

"They are becoming more of a nuisance because of the greater numbers of them," he said.

But there is no scientific evidence of an upsurge in urban fox population. A new census conducted for TV show "Foxes Live: Wild in the City", which aired three episodes in early May, estimated the current urban fox population at 40,000.

If there aren't more of them, certainly pest controllers and plenty of urban residents feel the foxes have become bolder in recent years as they scavenge for food.

Digging in the garden, leaving faeces, raiding dustbins, and the vixen's shrill mating call at night are the fox's calling cards. Fears for the safety of children and pets in light of fox attack reports have divided public opinion.

"There's tons of them around here. They open up the bins a lot, but we're not bothered by them," south London resident Sheila Redfern told Reuters.

But Kay Taylor, a resident in the same area whose garden is frequently visited by a family of foxes, is not so keen.

"I hate them. They poo everywhere and they scream a lot at night," she said. "I used to like them when we first moved in. When they're cubs they're all cute. But it's been five years, and we're bored of them."

Foxes became common in British cities in the 1940s, as rapid urban development expanded into the countryside. They adapted well to residential areas with back gardens providing shelter, prey, unsecured dustbins and sometimes human handouts.

Some troubled homeowners call in pest controllers like Lindsay-Smith, who said he kills around 1,700 to 2,000 foxes a year.

Since trapping a fox and releasing it elsewhere is illegal, "the best thing to do is to humanely dispatch it by using firearms and shoot it in the head," Lindsay-Smith said.

He spends many nights patrolling golf courses and cricket grounds shooting foxes with his rifle, and claims to have never missed a shot.

John Bryant, a wildlife expert who runs the Humane Wildlife Deterrence Association, blames the pest control industry for maligning the image of urban foxes.

"No one's ever been killed by a fox, that's for sure," he said. "But pest controllers, they make money out of killing foxes, so they're going to exaggerate the dangers of foxes."

Bryant, who advocates humane deterrence of wildlife, calls the pest control industry a "disgrace", pointing out that Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) does not consider killing foxes a solution to problems.

"Territories made vacant by culling resident foxes are rapidly colonised by new individuals," wrote Jill Tytherleigh from Defra's Customer Contact Unit in an email.

Instead, Defra advocates using non-lethal methods to keep out unwanted foxes by employing fencing, chemical repellents, and removing sources of food and shelter.

While some homeowners try to keep foxes away from their children and gardens others are just as happy to feed foxes, seeing the beasts in the same sympathetic light as the amusing fox family in the 2009 Hollywood film "Fantastic Mr. Fox", starring George Clooney and based on the story by Roald Dahl.

Encounters between man and fox often prove more dangerous to the furry red canine than to the human. Sid, a young dog fox rescued by the Fox Project, was hit by a car and sustained a back injury and two fractured toes.

Others are not so lucky. Each year 100,000 foxes are killed by cars, the leading cause of death among urban foxes, according to The fox website (http://www.thefoxwebsite.org/).

Experts maintain that attacks by foxes are extremely rare. The risk of being injured by man's best friend is much higher, with Bryant saying that more than 6,000 people are hospitalised by dog attacks every year in the UK.

"I'm always very amused when people say we're being overrun by foxes in London," Williams said. "Because there's 5,000 foxes in London, there's 175,000 cats, and there's several million people. So who's overrunning who?"

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

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Dallas Commercial Real Estate And Dallas Property Management ...

The commercial real estate market can actually be a puzzling subject with all of the different opinions and details which is accessible - in particular when a good deal of it?s contradictory. If you are searching for all of the basics about commercial real estate, and some other ideas that you may very well not have been told about, this article is for you.

Outsourcing jobs outside of your country isn?t generally a superb concept. It?s correct that Americans can get Indian labor for pennies on the buck, but if your objective is long-term success, you ought to eat the added charge to obtain the added quality. You only require the most skilled individuals working for your business, and this suggests spending additional occasionally.

Think about getting in Dallas commercial real estate with a partner. You must be ready to trust this person and come to an agreement on a way to share the rewards. In the event you are only using a partner for financing, simply reimburse them. A partner will help you by sharing his excellent credit and will give time shopping for deals with you.

Call your real estate agent to determine if you can bundle your commercial real estate policies to get a lower premium rate. You are going to be a bulk purchasing client for them, which will likely be a financial loss in the event you depart for an insurer who will give you a deal. They're most sure to wish to work with you so you may stick around as a customer.

You need to develop some form of action plan. You must set parameters, which are a priority in a commercial property bargains. You will want to decide just how much you are able to pay first. You also need yo understand what you should forecast to make on a deal. Learn the number of renters on board and how many pay the rent. Also, be aware of just how much space needs to be filled.

Remember that the best time for you to drive to a location and research it is on a Sunday morning. During this time there?s not going to be a fair deal of traffic, and it is also basically the most serene time of the week. Factor this into your evaluation strategies.

As was explained before in the post, commercial real estate can be profit-making and bring you a bundle of money. However, it is a dangerous weapon; you can just as effortlessly lose your investments. So as to make sure you succeed, make absolutely sure to follow these easy ideas in this write-up.

Whether you?re looking for Dallas office space a warehouse or exceptional Dallas property management stop by and talk with one of our top commercial real estate and property management execs

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2011 LEXUS IS350 car Insurance Information

2011 LEXUS IS 350

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Lexus is expanding choices in its popular IS sport sedan line for 2011, adding a 306-horsepower Lexus IS 350 all-wheel drive (AWD) model and offering a new F Sport Package for the IS 250/350 rear-wheel drive (RWD). Revised front and rear styling details sharpen all IS models for 2011. In addition, the IS sedans feature minor interior trim changes.

A new front grille and bumper distinguish the Lexus IS sport sedans for 2011, while at the rear, the models show a new taillamp cover and revised tailpipe design. New HID headlamps with LED daytime running lamps are standard on the Lexus IS 350 and available for the IS 250. Keeping with Lexus' attention to detail, the 2011 IS models feature new-design standard 17-inch and optional 18-inch wheels, along with revised exterior color choices.

The Lexus IS 350 AWD model joins the IS 250 AWD, which has accounted for 30 percent (nationally) of IS 250 sales since the model's introduction. Now, IS customers can have the traction and grip of all-wheel drive with the Lexus IS 350's higher performance capability.

The F Sport Package available for the 2011 IS 250/350 RWD takes inspiration from the IS F ultra-performance sedan, combining special suspension and steering tuning and 18-inch wheels with distinctive design touches. Giving the IS 250 and IS 350 F Sport Package model a sporty demeanor are a front lip spoiler and rear deck spoiler, plus the 18-inch alloy wheels with a dark super-chrome finish. There is also a matching dark-chrome front grille insert, and a new Ultrasonic Blue exterior color is available in conjunction with the F Sport Package.

Inside, special F Sport heated front seats feature a special microfiber insert and leather side bolsters to provide more grip for the driver and passenger during cornering. The package also adds F Sport badging to the steering wheel, shift knob and doorsill scuff plates.

Engine/Transmission/Drivetrain/Performance

The IS 250's 2.5-liter V6 engine delivers 204 horsepower at 6,400 RPM and 185 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,800 rpm. The Lexus IS 350's 3.5-liter V6 offers a more potent 306 horsepower at 6,400 RPM and 277 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. The IS 350 RWD model can accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. Both engines employ dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), which controls timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts.

Aside from its larger displacement, the 3.5-liter V6 also differs in that it augments the direct fuel injection with port fuel injectors. In light- and medium-load conditions, these additional injectors help produce a precise burn, optimizing power and efficiency. A dual exhaust system reduces backpressure at higher engine speeds.

An advanced six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters is standard on the Lexus IS 350 models and the IS 250 AWD. The IS 250 RWD comes standard with a crisp-shifting six-speed manual transmission, with the paddle-shift automatic offered as an option.

Chassis/Body/Suspension/Tires/Brakes

The Lexus IS models provide a sporty driving experience while also offering a supple, quiet ride. The double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension use high-strength steel and aluminum components to reduce unsprung weight. Sophisticated monotube shock-absorbers integrate multi-leaf linear control valves to optimize damping force, plus internal rebound springs for firmer body control without degrading ride comfort.

The all-wheel-drive system available for the IS 250 and IS 350 provides extra traction in diverse driving conditions. A planetary-gear center differential and a wet-type multi-disc clutch control front-to-rear power distribution. The system normally sends 70 percent of available power to the rear wheels to provide the performance advantages of a rear-drive car and will vary the torque-split ratio from 30:70 to 50:50 in response to driving conditions and driver input. The AWD system's electronic-control strategy takes inputs such as steering and throttle angle from driver activity combined with vehicle signals from wheel speed and yaw rate sensors.

Aiding the IS models' traction and stability is Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM). More advanced than other traction and stability systems, VDIM is designed to anticipate the onset of a vehicle skid or slide and help correct the situation with a combination of braking and throttle control. VDIM integration provides precise management for Electric Power Steering (EPS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), and engine torque (via the electronically controlled throttle). The driver can disengage VSC via the "TRAC off" switch, which can be useful in certain situations.

The Lexus IS 350's brake system is equipped with larger ventilated front and rear rotors and aluminum four-piston front calipers. Standard all-season performance tires are 225/45R17 in front and 245/45R17 for the rear (225/45R17 on IS 250 and IS 350 AWD). Eighteen-inch wheels are available.

Safety/Security Features

A reinforced passenger compartment helps protect the occupants with front- and rear-crush structures. Seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters are used for the front and outboard rear seats. In addition to the advanced dual-front airbags and front seat-mounted side airbags, the Lexus Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) for the IS includes side-curtain airbags that extend from A-pillar to C-pillar, and a knee airbag for both the driver and the front passenger. The front passenger airbag features two chambers, creating an indentation in the center impact area that helps to provide overall occupant protection.

The IS 250 offers optional High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with LED daytime running lamps. Lexus IS 350 models feature standard HID headlamps with LED daytime running lamps and headlamp washers. The rear back-up camera, included with the optional navigation system, automatically projects an image of what its lens can detect behind the car onto the navigation screen when the transmission is in reverse gear. The exterior mirrors integrate turn signals.

The optional Intuitive Park Assist (IPA) system uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects close to the car's front and rear bumpers, helping to alert the driver and showing distance to objects in the multi-information display within the speedometer. When any IS model is also equipped with the optional navigation system, information on objects detected is shown in greater detail on that system's seven-inch touch screen display.

Luxury/Comfort/Convenience

The Lexus IS models include a standard leather-trimmed interior with 10-way power front seats; some competitive vehicles make a leather interior optional. The numerous standard amenities in the IS models also include dual-zone automatic climate control with rear-seat vents and a pollen filter (plus a smog filter on Lexus IS 350), power moonroof with one-touch open/close and seven open-position settings, manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, all power windows with automatic up/down feature and jam protection, HomeLink? and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The AWD models in addition feature standard heated seats. The SmartAccess keyless entry and push-button-start ignition allows the driver to keep the access fob in a pocket or purse.

The standard Lexus Premium Audio System features a six-disc, in-dash CD changer, 194 watts (max.) total power, 13 speakers, iPod?/USB connectivity, Bluetooth? hands free phone and music streaming and an integrated satellite radio receiver. The Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL) maintains consistent sound levels at varying vehicle speeds.

Luxury Options

An optional Luxury Plus Package includes wood trim, perforated leather seating trim and heated and ventilated front seats, plus three-position memory for seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, power tilt and telescopic steering column and auto-dimming outside mirrors.

Like all Lexus models, the IS offers its own version of the Mark Levinson? Premium Surround Sound Audio system, which is available in conjunction with the optional DVD touch-screen navigation system. This 14-speaker audio system features discrete 5.1 multi-channel playback with 7.1-channel speaker architecture. Its 10 amplifier channels provide 300 watts total output at 0.1 percent total harmonic distortion (THD). The Mark Levinson system plays conventional CDs and DVDs, plus MP3/WMA-formatted CDs. DVD movies can be viewed on the optional navigation system's color seven-inch touch screen when the parking brake is engaged.

The Lexus IS also offers a telematics system, Lexus Enform? with Safety Connect?, available by subscription. Complimentary one-year trial subscriptions are included on all purchases of new Lexus vehicles equipped with these features. Safety Connect is standard on all vehicles, while Lexus Enform with Safety Connect is on vehicles equipped with the optional Navigation system. The Lexus Enform and the Safety Connect response centers operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?every day of the year.

Lexus Enform vehicles are factory ready for subscriptions to a variety of innovative XM services including XM NavTraffic?, XM NavWeather? and XM Sports and Stocks services. XM services require separate XM subscriptions. The XM Sports and Stocks service is included with an XM radio subscription. All XM services offer complimentary 90-day trial subscriptions.

Exterior Design

The Lexus IS sedans show a strong family resemblance to the Lexus GS models while establishing their own distinctively sporty identity. A notably wide stance and long wheelbase, coupled with tightly drawn bodywork, give the IS an athletic, road-hungry yet sophisticated style. Carefully shaped body contours, a subtle ducktail-curved trunk lid and "air kick" tail lamps contribute to a low 0.28 coefficient of drag (Cd).

A highly rigid body structure is the starting point for controlling noise intrusion. Strategically placed noise-suppression materials, including special window and door seals, acoustic windshield glass and asphalt sheeting, take over from there.

Interior Design

The IS models' luxurious cabin features intelligently designed displays and controls that are easy to see and use. Bright, clear Optitron gauges and smartly integrated metallic trim, or available Bird's-eye Maple trim, contribute to an elegant yet sporty environment. Premium interior materials and meticulous attention to detail convey the Lexus identity.

The multi-information display located within the speedometer integrates a trip computer and an oil-maintenance reminder and system warnings, all grouped in one convenient location. When equipped with the available Intuitive Park Assist (IPA), the display can show a car icon with the location and distance of objects detected near the bumpers.

F Sport Performance Accessories

Lexus offers a selection of F Sport Performance Accessories for the IS models, including performance-enhancing parts such as 19-inch forged alloy wheels, brake upgrades, suspension systems, air intake, exhaust system and more. F Sport Performance Accessories by Lexus U.S.A. are engineered by Toyota Racing Development (TRD). When installed by an authorized dealer, the accessories are covered by warranty for 12 months or for the balance of the new car warranty, whichever is greater.

Auto Insurance Information Got 15 Minutes? Get a Car Insurance Quote. geico.com Maybe you've heard something about saving 15% or more on your car insurance policy. Maybe you've succumbed to the charms of an eloquent little gecko?. No matter how you found us, you're in the right place to get a fast, free, and accurate quote on GEICO car insurance. Get an online auto insurance quote anytime. If you like what you see, you can purchase immediately and start enjoying GEICO's top-notch coverage. Got questions? Contact us 24 hours a day at: 1-800-861-8380.

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NATO summit: The Taliban's view

The Taliban issued a statement ahead of today's NATO summit in Chicago, expressing frustration with the coalition's moves to 'prolong the occupation.'?

By Ben Arnoldy,?Staff Writer / May 20, 2012

Hours before the start of a major NATO summit in Chicago, the Taliban's main spokesman released a lengthy statement signaling the insurgency was open to a political solution to the conflict, but accused NATO of "wavering in their stance" on negotiations.

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"The Islamic Emirate has left all military and political doors open,"?read the statement, written in English and attributed to spokesman?Zabihullah Mujahid. "[H]owever the invaders are utilizing a one step forward, two steps backwards tactic. They are conjuring artificial excuses to prolong the occupation of Afghanistan, are wavering in their stance and do not seem to have a clear strategy for a political solution."

Until NATO stops wavering, the statement continues, the Taliban considers the coalition's calls for talks to be "meaningless."

It was the Taliban who suspended negotiations in March following the burning of the Quran on a US base and a shooting spree by a US soldier.?But the United States and NATO have continued to talk of seeking a negotiated settlement to the 11-year conflict.

Most recently, President Obama backed negotiating on a visit earlier this month to Afghanistan. However, he also outlined a new strategic pact with the US-backed government in Kabul that would let some American soldiers stay in Afghanistan past 2014 until 2024.?

Obama's two-pronged message of peace talks but prolonged troop presence unsettled what appeared to be a Taliban strategy of running out the clock?on the US withdrawal target of 2014. The Taliban's statement today suggests the insurgency is irked by the move to "prolong the occupation."

Whether Mr. Obama's gambit pushes the Taliban to publicly return to negotiations remains to be seen. While today's statement signaled openness again to negotiations, it also expressed doubts about NATO's sincerity in wanting to leave.?

"The foreigners should forgo prolonging and complicating the Afghan issue for their colonialist objectives," the statement reads.

It goes on to remind NATO that, despite the 2024 extension, there are domestic pressures to wrap up the war soon. The statement cites a recent?CBS News/New York Times poll in which 69 percent of respondents?said the US shouldn't be involved in Afghanistan. Indeed, Monitor polling on the new US-Afghanistan strategic pact found nearly two-thirds of?Americans reject the broad outlines of the deal.?

The Taliban statement also reiterated the group's stance that they were not involved in the 9/11 attacks and will not allow Afghan soil to be used to launch attacks on other countries.?

"The Islamic Emirate once again declares that it holds no agenda of harming anyone nor will it let anyone harm other countries from the soil of Afghanistan hence there is no reason for the occupying countries including America to continue the occupation of Afghanistan under the pretext of safeguarding its own security," the statement reads.?

NATO helped overthrow the Taliban government in 2001 after the regime failed to hand over Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the days following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.?

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Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studios Announces Opening of Franchise in Cape Town, South Africa

????LONGMEADOW, MA, May 26, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studios (FADS), headquartered in Longmeadow, Massachusetts (USA) announced this week the opening of their Cape Town, South Africa dance studio.

CEO and President Jack Rothweiler called the opening "an exciting chapter for both the company and Cape Towners." As the second most populous city in South Africa, Cape Town is an indelible symbol of the beauty and promise of post-apartheid South Africa. Its logo -- an outline of the majestic Table Mountain superimposed over a rainbow -- suggests its historic mix of races and cultures. A popular tourist attraction, located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town is a health-oriented city which takes social dancing seriously

New franchisee Chris Sauer, along with wife, Gail, both South African natives, will run the daily operations of the studio. Gail has over 15 years experience teaching social and Latin American style dancing having previously worked at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Sandton, while Chris has administrative experience working there as well. As the newest franchisees in the FADS organization, the Sauer's already knew about U.S.-based company's philosophy, teaching methods, and naturally -- its iconic namesake.

The studio offers instruction in smooth and rhythm styles which are the basis of classic dances such as Tango, Cha-Cha-Cha, Waltz, Foxtrot and Swing.

For more information on location, hours and lessons visit: http://www.fadstygervalley.co.za or call + 011-27-218-3-78667.

Co-founded by the legendary Fred Astaire,our studios set the standard of excellence in dance instruction. From Ballroom to Latin to Swing to Salsa, we offer all styles of dance lessons for all ages and abilities in a fun atmosphere.

Contact: Corporate Office Address
Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Inc.
10 Bliss Rd
Longmeadow, MA 01106
P 413-567-3200
F 413-565-2298
http://www.fredastaire.com

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• fred astaire, fred astaire franchised dance studios, cape town, south africa, ballroom dance, salsa, waltz, tango, rumba, foxtrot, dance lessons, grand opening

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Stocks slide amid concerns about Europe

By msnbc.com news services

Stocks slid Friday as traders, wary of the risks posed by Europe's debt crisis, closed out positions ahead of the long holiday weekend.

Spain's deteriorating finances and a possible Greek exit from the euro weighed on investor sentiment, overshadowing an upbeat report on U.S. consumer confidence.

The euro plumbed a fresh 22-month low against the U.S. dollar after the president of Catalonia, Spain's wealthiest region, said it is running out of options for refinancing more than 13 billion euros in debt that comes due this year.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment rose to 79.3 from 76.4 in April, topping forecasts for 77.8 and an initial May reading of the same.

"Unfortunately, consumer confidence is still extremely vulnerable to a reversal, as occurred in the past two years," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement.

Facebook's shares fell again, one week since its ballyhooed debut last Friday.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Tips On Taking Paid Online Surveys | Online Success Articles

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Paid online surveys business has been around for a long time and many people have tried and failed to make money with it. Although many people have pursued this discipline unsuccessfully, that does not necessarily mean that money cannot be made with it. In fact, there are plenty of people who make quite a bit of money with paid surveys. Here are a few tips to help maximize the amount of money that can be made through surveys.

Get Form Software

When it comes to completing online surveys, a lot of forms will have to be filled out. Typically, the marketing companies that offer these survey opportunities require people to provide personal information like their name, address, age, income level and other things. When it comes to making money with paid surveys, speed is everything. If the survey participants cannot get through the forms and survey quickly, they will not be able to make much money. By using some kind of form completion software, a participant can get things done a lot quicker. Using this type of software makes it possible to have the answers to common questions filled in automatically. It can also help keep track of login information and passwords for all the various survey sites that are used.

Don?t Waste Time on Bad Opportunities

There are literally hundreds of different sites online that offer compensation in exchange for taking a survey. Some of them offer much better rewards than others. As a general rule, it is usually a good idea to narrow down the list of companies to work with. Find the companies that offer the best rewards and stick with them. Some companies make users jump through multiple hoops before they can collect on their rewards. They may only offer points that can be redeemed on merchandise instead of offering access to cash. If the merchandise is attractive, there is nothing necessarily wrong with this approach. However, some marketing companies offer merchandise that nobody really wants.

Keep Records

When a company wants someone to participate in a survey, they will send out an email invitation. In most cases, it is in the best interests of the participant to hang onto this email invitation for record-keeping purposes. This way, if the survey company doesn?t pay up on the amount that is owed, the participant can prove that he participated in the survey. This will help make sure that the surveys pay as much as they should.

Check Email Often

In order to maximize the number of chances to take surveys, participants need to check their email frequently. If a person wants to participate in a survey, he has to sign up through an email invitation that is sent out from the survey company. If the participant does not respond to the invitation fast enough, he can miss out on the opportunity to get involved. Typically, the survey company will only take up to a certain number of participants before the survey is closed to others. This means that the individual needs to check his email account regularly in order to maximize survey opportunities. It is also a good idea to set up a dedicated email account for paid survey taking purposes. This way, participants can easily scan through the available offers instead of having to sift through other emails as well.

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May 24, 2012: Creating an impressive and long lasting brand awareness plays a major role in increasing the popularity graph of business. In order to achieve success, every business entity looks for effective and well planned business strategies and the promotional items according to their business and business promotional goals. Keeping the same concern in mind, http://www.promotionalgiftsstore.co.uk, an online wing of The Redbows Ltd., has come up with a latest collection of business gifts and promotional items at affordable price tags.

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Court: Gore-Tex heiress can't adopt ex-husband

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John Shore: They're Here, They're Queer, They've Plenty to Fear: LGBT Students Form Secret Club at Conservative Christian University

If you imagine American Christianity as a 1950s city in the Midwest, Biola University would be its Central High. Gigantic (145 academic programs; 95 acres; more than 1 million square feet of building space in 40 major buildings) and long-established (founded in 1908), Biola is one of the big dogs of Christian colleges. And as big dogs go, it is definitely one of the more conservative ones. On the Biola website, under "Our Vision," it says, "Biola University's vision is to be an exemplary Christian university, characterized as a community of grace that promotes and inspires personal life transformation in Christ which illuminates the world with His light and truth." Located in Los Angeles, Biola is, in short, the sort of place where, back in the day, the Church Lady would have been head cheerleader.

So you can imagine my surprise when, while working in a Starbucks on the afternoon of May 9, I received this email:

Hi John!

I'm a student at Biola University, which is one of the country's most prestigious evangelical universities, and arguably one of the most close-minded when it comes to LGBTQ issues. I am a huge fan of your work.

At Biola, if a student is openly in a same-sex relationship, they're almost certain to be expelled -- and God only knows how the school would handle those who are transgender.

I am the co-founder of Biola's secret LGBTQ-Straight Alliance. And we just staged a mini-uprising at Biola to announce our new website, Biola Queer Underground.

This morning we had a group of students from other universities come on to our campus and pass out business cards with our website information on it. We also had our friends put up posters that read Biola Is Queer, and we placed QR codes for our website on popsicle sticks which were then placed all over campus.

My favorite part was a sign we made that had a picture of Ellen and Portia, and Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, with a Biola, Why U No Like?? meme underneath.

Anyway, we would really appreciate anything you might do by way of letting the world know we're out here (ha, ha). Of course, none of my personal information could be disclosed; I'm trying to remain anonymous as possible, since we're all facing possible expulsion by doing this.

What?! A group of gay underground student activists -- at Biola?! That's like being a snickerdoodle in the inside pocket of Cookie Monster's sports coat!

I asked my new underground gay activist student friend if I could call him/her/[I'll never tell]. After receiving the number to call, I immediately stepped outside: the walls, after all, have ears (plus, they block signal reception).

"So you're really forming this club?" I asked the person on the other end of the phone. "At Biola?"

"That's what we're doing," came the voice of a kind and intelligent young adult. "We have to. This whole school is so oppressive. What we're doing is so needed here."

"This is beyond amazing. Aren't you afraid you're going to get caught? And expelled?"

"Oh, we'll definitely get expelled if the school finds out we're doing this. That's for sure. I'll send you an article from our campus newspaper in which Chris Grace, Biola's vice president of Student Development and university planning, is quoted as saying that any student who 'explicitly challenging or violating' the school's policies on homosexuality will be expelled." The student did send me that article; Mr. Grace did say exactly that.

"Do your parents know you're doing this?"

"Not at all. Definitely not." The extra emphasis made sense. It costs some $40,000 a year to attend Biola. I can't imagine too many of the students' parents being thrilled at their child being expelled from the school for being unrepentantly gay.

"How did you even start this club?" I asked.

"Well, I'm [gay/lesbian/transgender/guess you'll have to guess, Mr. Grace] and knew a few other students who were the same. So one day I was talking with a friend, and we came to realize how badly a club like Queer Underground was needed at Biola. So we decided to start that club ourselves. We held our first meeting this past winter. From there the club grew very quickly, and we've been holding weekly meetings ever since."

"How did you find people to join Biola Queer Underground?" I asked. I imagined her/him standing in the shadows of the student union building, wearing dark glasses, a fedora, and a belted trench coat with the collar turned up, whispering to students passing by, "Pssst. Gay? Wanna be in a club?"

"Telling people that we exist is definitely the tricky part. We have to be so careful. But the truth is, once we started the club, I could just... we could... I mean, not to sound all charismatic about it, but we could just feel when we were dealing with a student who would benefit from it. But even then, we're very careful. We have this whole system set up, where we essentially, and very delicately, vet a person through talking to and connecting with their friends and associates. It's a subtle process. But it works. By the time we actually extend someone an invitation to join us, we know that's the right thing to do. And so far it's been great. It's surprised even us how many people have joined the group."

"And no leaks so far?"

"No leaks so far. But after the event we did this morning, we're all feeling the pressure. The whole security and safety thing at Biola has always been really pronounced: There are always security guards all over campus. Which is great. But that whole apparatus really kicked into gear after we had spread our stuff all over campus this morning. Within 10 minutes, everything we put out had disappeared. All of it, gone. Now everyone in security is looking for us."

"That's pretty scary."

"It is. But we blend. If there's one thing gay Christians know how to do, it's blend."

"What would you like for me to tell people?" I asked.

"Just tell them we're here. That's all we want, is for people to know that we exist. Even though our group is large, we can't help but feel awfully isolated, having to be so secretive, always knowing that at any moment our whole world might be turned upside down and shaken hard, just because of who we are. So it would be a huge comfort for us to know that out there in the world people know of us, and support us in what we're doing. From deep underground we are calling for love and acceptance. It'd be nice to know that our voice broke through the surface, and that someone out there actually heard us."

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Follow John Shore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/johnshore

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Neuron-nourishing cells appear to retaliate in Alzheimer's

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

When brain cells start oozing too much of the amyloid protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, the astrocytes that normally nourish and protect them deliver a suicide package instead, researchers report.

Amyloid is excreted by all neurons, but rates increase with aging and dramatically accelerate in Alzheimer's. Astrocytes, which deliver blood, oxygen and nutrients to neurons in addition to hauling off some of their garbage, get activated and inflamed by excessive amyloid.

Now researchers have shown another way astrocytes respond is by packaging the lipid ceramide with the protein PAR-4, which independently can do damage but together are a more "deadly duo," said Dr. Erhard Bieberich, biochemist at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University.

"If the neuron makes something toxic and dumps it at your door, what would you do?" said Bieberich, corresponding author of the study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. "You would probably do something to defend yourself."

The researchers hypothesize that this lipid-coated package ultimately kills them both, which could help explain the brain-cell death and shrinkage that occurs in Alzheimer's. "If the astrocytes die, the neurons die," Bieberich said, noting studies suggest that excess amyloid alone does not kill brain cells. "There must be a secondary process toxifying the amyloid; otherwise the neuron would self-intoxicate before it made a big plaque," he said. "The neuron would die first."

One of many avenues for future pursuit include whether a ceramide antibody could be a viable Alzheimer's treatment. In the researchers' studies of brain cells of humans with Alzheimer's as well as an animal model of the disease, antibodies to ceramide and Par-4 prevented astrocytes' amyloid-induced death.

Ceramide and Par-4 get packaged in lipid-coated vesicles called exosomes; all cells secrete thousands of these vesicles but scientists are only beginning to understand their normal function. When exosomes become deadly, they are called apoxosomes.

Ceramide and Par-4 are typically not in a vesicle, rather in two distinct parts of a cell. Ceramide appears to take the lead in bringing the two together when confronted with amyloid. Bieberich and colleagues at the University of Georgia reported in 2003 that the deadly duo helps eliminate duplicate brain cells that occur early in brain development when their survival could result in a malformed brain. They suspected then that the duo might also have a role in Alzheimer's.

Risk factors for Alzheimer's include aging, family history and genetics, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Increasing evidence suggests that Alzheimer's also shares many of the same risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and inactivity.

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Georgia Health Sciences University: http://www.georgiahealth.edu

Thanks to Georgia Health Sciences University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 77 time(s).

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What is a Computer Support Specialist?

We hear the term ?tech support? every day at work, but does anyone truly know what a computer support specialist does? The technical definition for this position is to provide technical assistance to your organization?s computer system users. However, what does technical assistance really entail?

Job Duties / Tasks

The daily job duties for a computer support specialist can vary, but here are a few that are fairly consistent among all organizations and industries. 1)?Install and perform minor repairs to hardware, software, and peripheral equipment, following design or installation specifications. 2)?Oversee the daily performance of computer systems. 3)?Set up equipment for employee use, performing or ensuring proper installation of cable, operating systems, and appropriate software. 4)?Confer with staff, users, and management to establish requirements for new systems or modifications. 5) Inspect equipment and read order sheets to prepare for delivery to users. 6) Develop training materials and procedures, and/or train users in the proper use of hardware and software. 7) Answer users? inquiries regarding computer software and hardware operation to resolve problems.

Skills Needed

Depending on your specific position, again the skills needed for a computer support specialist can vary. Here are a few that are essential for any position. 1) Critical Thinking?? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to technological problems. 2) Troubleshooting?? Determining causes of operating system errors and deciding how to correct them. 3) Repairing?? Repairing machines or systems using the needed Hitachi power tools. 4) Equipment Maintenance?? Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.?????? 5) Installation?? Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet the specifications for the organization. 6) Teaching Strategies?? Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when teaching other employees new things about the system. 7) Instructing?? properly instructing other employees how to use the software, application, or system.
.

Knowledge Needed

In order to be a computer support specialist, it does greatly help to have knowledge and experience with a few aspects. 1) Computers and Electronics?? Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. 2) Engineering and Technology?? Knowledge of the practical application of engineering behind the technology you are working with. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of computer and other technological components. 3) Customer and Personal Service?? Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

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Top 3 Ways to Succeed with Product Creation | Job Resource Center

Creating your own product can actually help you take your online business to the next level. So what we want to do is talk about several tips for product creation.

One tried and true approach is to ask those on your list, if you have one, or previous customers. While this might seem like a simple approach, and it is, yet not too online marketers do it. If you don?t have a site to ask your visitors, you can frequent forums or even hire a company to do a poll for you. You can ask whatever you want, but you do want to ask the right questions that will reveal product ideas. Another approach involves emailing your list, if you have one, and you can just pose your questions, however you should probably entice them with something. But if it?s done in-house, then always make some kind of offer to them in exchange. Remember they are helping you, so be generous in return and that will not be forgotten. Once you?re done with this survey, you?ll get back a nice number of topics from them, which you can use to choose one topic and create a product around it. But this isn?t an approach you can use with your list too frequently, and that?s why the professional outsourcing companies can be useful.

People will always want things and that includes solutions to problems. There isn?t a field where you won?t find people not having problems. In addition to all the old problems, you can find newer being created as things like technology change and evolve. You can take advantage of this and create a product that solves a particular problem, so that it caters to a specific niche. Go out there and login to message boards/forums, interact with other members and see what problems they are having. Another thing you?ll find is that often times the solution to a problem is not perfect. You have to do strong research to actually identify the problem area in an industry and then create a product to cater it. Don?t stress about it, though, just keep moving forward.

A physical product has many advantages over digital delivery, even though the latter is very popular. There are huge numbers of people who prefer physical products for various reasons. Also, there is definite percived value increase when you?re dealing with physical products. Long ago internet marketers realized this and began to offer physical only delivery and jacked up their prices. DVDs are hugely popular right now, especially with video, and that?s a trend that is very strong at the moment. It?s really not hard to do this, and it takes a little more setup time, but the profits in this model make it very worthwhile.

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Reversible doping: Hydrogen flips switch on vanadium oxide

Monday, May 21, 2012

If you are not a condensed matter physicist, vanadium oxide (VO2) may be the coolest material you've never heard of. It's a metal. It's an insulator. It's a window coating and an optical switch. And thanks to a new study by physicists at Rice University, scientists have a new way to reversibly alter VO2's electronic properties by treating it with one of the simplest substances -- hydrogen.

So what is VO2? It's an oxidized form of the metal vanadium, an ingredient in hardened steel. When oxygen reacts with vanadium to form VO2, the atoms form crystals that look like long rectangular boxes. The vanadium atoms line up along the four edges of the box in regularly spaced rows. A single crystal of VO2 can have many of these boxes lined up side by side, and the crystals conduct electricity like wire as long as they are kept warm.

"The weird thing about this material is that if you cool it, when you get to 67 degrees Celsius, it goes through a phase transition that is both electronic and structural," said Rice's Douglas Natelson, lead co-author of the study in this week's Nature Nanotechnology. "Structurally, the vanadium atoms pair up and each pair is slightly canted, so you no longer have these long chains. When the phase changes, and these pairings take place, the material changes from being a electrical conductor to an electrical insulator."

While other materials exhibit a similar electronic about-face, VO2 is unique in that the change occurs at a relatively modest temperature -- around 153 degrees Fahrenheit -- and sometimes at incredible speed -- less than a trillionth of second. In recent years, scientists have put these quirky properties to work. In 2004, a group in London used VO2 to design a temperature-sensitive window coating that could absorb sunlight on cold days and turn reflective on hot days. And electronics researchers are also working to create optical switches from VO2.

"As an experimental physicist, VO2 is intriguing because the detailed physics of the material are still not well understood, and theoretical models alone cannot give us the answers," said Natelson, professor of physics and astronomy and of electrical and computer engineering at Rice. "Experiments are key to understanding this."

In 2010, Natelson and postdoctoral research associate Jiang Wei began to systematically study the phase changes in VO2. Wei and graduate student Heng Ji began by using a process called vapor deposition to grow VO2 wires that were about 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. One set of experiments on wires that had been baked in the presence of hydrogen gas returned particularly odd readings. Wei, Ji and Natelson determined that the hydrogen was apparently modifying the VO2 nanowires, but only those in contact with metal electrodes.

"The gold electrodes we were using to supply current to the experiment were acting as a catalyst that split the hydrogen gas molecules into atomic hydrogen, which could then diffuse into channels in the VO2," Natelson said. "It appears that the hydrogen is taken up into the VO2 crystals, and this changes their electronic properties. If a little hydrogen is added, the phase transition happens at a slightly lower temperature, and the insulating phase becomes more conductive. If enough hydrogen is added, the transition to the insulating phase disappears altogether."

To gain insight into just how the hydrogen is able to alter the transition, the experimenters consulted with theoretical physicist Andriy Nevidomskyy, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Rice. Nevidomskyy's calculations showed that the hydrogen changes the amount of charge in the VO2 material and also forces the crystal to expand slightly. Both of these effects favor the metallic state.

This is not the first time physicists have lowered the transition temperature of VO2 by adding other materials -- a technique known as "doping." But Natelson said Rice's hydrogen doping is unique in that it is completely reversible: To remove the hydrogen, the material simply has to be baked in an oven at moderate temperature.

"On the applied side, there may be a number of applications for this, like ultrasensitive hydrogen sensors," Natelson said. "But the more immediate payoff will likely be in helping us to better understand the physics involved in the VO2 phase transition. If we can find out exactly how much hydrogen is required to shut down the transition, then we will have a knob that we can turn to systematically raise or lower the temperature in future experiments."

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A copy of the Nature Nanomaterials paper is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/Nnano.2012.70

Rice University: http://media.rice.edu

Thanks to Rice University for this article.

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