Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Helping Survivors of Tropical Storm Sendong


Photo of damage from Typhoon Sendong captured by an UMCOR volunteer yesterday.  Photo: UMCOR Philippines

A Student Volunteer's Reflection from the Philippines


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

I am not from Cagayan de Oro nor do I live near that city, but I still cannot help being affected emotionally by what happened to our sisters and brothers in Cagayan De Oro City and Iligan City. Watching the news really breaks my heart and I am grieving for these people.

It happened during the weekend while everyone was busy preparing for the coming holidays. Students were excited, it being the last day of classes. Parents were probably busy planning what gifts they would buy for their children. Families were busy planning for their Christmas break. Even offices and schools were busy planning for their Christmas parties. No one, not a soul, was prepared for a calamity that would surpass the death toll of Typhoon Ondoy two years ago.

The first image that I saw of the aftermath of the typhoon was when I logged into my Facebook account and a photo of a car on top of a gate caught my attention. Then streams of photos were shown online: of young children, young men, and old people meeting their cruel end because of the unexpected flash flood. A photo of a young father hugging his children until the hour of death really tugged at my heart.

Then came the day when I travelled to Cagayan de Oro, helping survivors of the calamity. My personal experience is nothing compared to the suffering the Kagayanons and people from some parts of Iligan suffered, including the loss of water--even in hotels. I became more aware of the impact of the typhoon when I joined the United Methodist Committee on Relief as a volunteer at Cagayan. Twenty-three barangays [villages] were reportedly affected by the typhoon due to the overflowing Cagayan River putting Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City in a state of disaster. Nine families in Barangay Lambaguhon died because of the overflowing and fusing of two rivers. Indeed, the stories of death are simply terrifying and beyond comprehension, the devastation so shocking, and the grief so deep--especially in a time when we were supposed to have festivities. It is truly ironic.

But just as Noah’s rainbow from the Bible story, we have also seen rainbows after tropical storm Sendong. They come in the form of the immediate response of individuals, companies, advocacy groups, civic organizations, government institutions, churches, and more that have responded in many different ways. Help was not isolated from Mindanao, but came from the entire nation, from people of different walks of life.

How gratifying it is to know that we, as a nation, are ready to help our affected sisters and brothers instantly. Many organizations and offices have even donated their budgets for their Christmas parties to help the survivors, for they believe that the true meaning of Christmas is giving love to our sisters and brethren!

It is my fervent hope that we as Filipinos will continue to stand together and be united in helping each other, especially in times of calamities.

As of this moment, the survivors still need our help. They need water, food, clothing, and shelter. They need our support, so let us continue praying for them and responding to their needs. You can help by donating through UMCOR Philippines: UMCOR Advance #240235.


By Clinton Dy, an UMCOR Volunteer from PCU Soccer Team Varsity at Philippine Christian University.

  
Earlier this year, volunteers for UMCOR Philippines wade through Typhoon Negat flood waters to deliver relief supplies to affected families. Photo: UMCOR Philippines
  






Killer diseases are on the rise in Plymouth, says new report | This is Plymouth

Killer diseases are on the rise in Plymouth, says new report | This is Plymouth

In Plymouth there are low levels of whooping cough, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B and Rubella, with less than five cases of each during 2010. Prof Lapthorne said this is a direct result of effective immunisation programmes, isolation and treatment of cases and the identification and treatment of contacts.

Possible Hepatitis A Exposures At Goldsboro Restaurant | Eyewitness News 9

Possible Hepatitis A Exposures At Goldsboro Restaurant | Eyewitness News 9

Hepatitis A is a liver disease that is spread by eating and drinking items that have been contaminated or come in contact with an infected person.

Philippines flood toll tops 1 000 | News24

Philippines flood toll tops 1 000 | News24

Assistant Health Secretary Eric Tayag warned the crowded conditions could lead to outbreaks of leptospirosis, diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and dysentery, with children and pregnant women the most vulnerable.

Brote de Hepatitis en La colonia Ruben Jaramillo de Uruapan - YouTube

08 de Diciembre de 2011 Brote de Hepatitis en La colonia Ruben Jaramillo de Uruapan - YouTube
Brote de Hepatitis en La colonia Ruben Jaramillo de Uruapan">Brote de Hepatitis en La colonia Ruben Jaramillo de Uruapan
Ver la Video

Winter vomiting bug spreads through UK hospitals like wildfire

TODAYonline | World | Winter vomiting bug spreads through UK hospitals like wildfire

Norovirus is extremely contagious and is easily passed through person-to-person contact, unwashed hands, touching surfaces and through virus particles carried in the air."

Chase Farm shuts ward after suspected norovirus outbreak (From Enfield Independent)

Chase Farm shuts ward after suspected norovirus outbreak (From Enfield Independent)

He added that anyone with the illness should avoid visiting friends and family in hospital until they are symptom-free for at least two days...

Norovirus outbreak at Warwick Hospital | Leamington Observer

Norovirus outbreak at Warwick Hospital | Leamington Observer

The virus spreads rapidly as a result of contact between people. Anyone who has been in contact with, or has had diarrhoea and vomiting within the last 48 hours, will be infectious and should stay away from the hospital, stay at home, and drink plenty of fluids.

Snooki Hit With $7 Million Lawsuit

The holiday season just got a little more stressful for Snooki! She’s been hit with a $7 million lawsuit in a legal battle with a licensing company.

Snooki partnered with SRG Ventures to create a line of “Snooki” merchandise, but then Snooki sued to end her contract in October, alleging SRG did not do enough for her in terms of what she was getting paid and creating partnerships.

This lawsuit is SRG’s response. They allege that Snooki “sabotaged” deals by negotiating behind their backs and “dragging her heels” on the deals they did bring her. Snooki’s rep said:

“Ms. Polizzi disputes SRG’s version of the facts and looks forward to her day in court.”

Think there will be a ‘Jersey Shore’-style brawl in the courtroom? What a mess.

source: imnotobsessed.com

Greenhill Managing Directors Die In Plane Crash

The wreckage of the cockpit of a small private plane that crashed is lifted by a loader onto a flatbed truck along the side of the highway in Morristown, New Jersey, December 20, 2011.  REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine

Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:15am EST

(Reuters) - A senior Greenhill & Co Inc (GHL.N) investment banker, an avid pilot who worked on some of his firm's biggest deals, was one of five people killed when his private plane crashed on a busy New Jersey highway on Tuesday.

Jeffrey Buckalew, 45, head of Greenhill's North American Advisory, was believed to have been traveling with his wife, Corinne, and their two children, Jackson and Meriwether, the boutique investment bank said in a statement.

Rakesh Chawla, 36, a Greenhill financial services sector banker, was also killed, the firm said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The single-engine Socata plane took off from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport and was headed for DeKalb Peachtree Airport near Atlanta, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said.

The causes of the accident are under investigation. Before the crash, the plane made contact with an air traffic controller asking for permission to seek higher altitude, which was granted, Peters said. Following this, the transmission became garbled and the plane fell off the radar, he added.

Buckalew, who joined Greenhill in 1996 from Salomon Brothers, was an experienced pilot with a passion for flying, Greenhill said.

Buckalew had advised on many of Greenhill's largest deals, including Delta Air Lines' (DAL.N) $3.1 billion acquisition of Northwest Airlines and Roche's (ROG.VX) purchase of Genentech Inc for $46.8 billion.

Greenhill shares ended trading almost flat at $35.30, underperforming the Dow Jones U.S. Financial Services Index .DJUSFI, which rose 3.8 percent on Tuesday.

"Jeff was one of the first employees of Greenhill. He and Rakesh were extraordinary professionals who were highly respected by colleagues and clients alike," Greenhill Chairman Robert Greenhill and Chief Executive Scott Bok said in a joint statement. "They will be sorely missed and our sympathies go out to their families and friends."

Chawla had joined the firm in 2003 from private equity firm Blackstone Group (BX.N).

New Jersey State police Trooper Christopher Kay said five people were confirmed dead, but could not comment on their identities as the investigation was continuing.

Debris was sprayed across Interstate 287 near Morristown, New Jersey, as the plane hit the southbound lane on Tuesday morning and then travelled across into the northbound lane. Traffic was restored later in the day, Kay said.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis in New York, additional reporting by Paritosh Bansal in New York and Jessica Hall in Philadelphia; Editing by John Wallace, Richard Chang, Gary Hill)

source reuters

Menorah

Chanukah Down Under…and Westfield Bondi Junction hosts the first Menorah lighting in the world.

In Melbourne…

Premier Ted Baillieu (left) and the Melbourne Menorah

Rabbis and the Politicians celebrated at the Chabad of Melbourne CBD’s yearly Chanukah Cocktail Party in State Parliament, hosted this year together with Chabad of Carlisle Jewish Russian Centre.
500 people turned up to watch the first candle of Chanukah being lit
Rabbi Dr. Shimon Cowen represented the Shliach of Chabad of Melbourne CBD’s Rabbi Chaim Herzog who is currently overseas,
and chaired the evening called the “Festival Of Light”
Rabbi Yisroel Sufrin spoke about celebrating the spirit of our religion freely in a country like Australia saying that the Menorah has 8 branches and that Australian Jewry can give back to the Australian people with the warmth of brightness for their light.

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu said that House of Democracy is also a House of Miracles – and that is is “bi-partisan in our support of Jewish people”.

He said that he had been given a driedel and described each of the letters on it and that he keeps it on his desk.
The Premier said that the Jewish community has made a wonderful contribution to Australian life.
Leader of the Opposition Daniel Andrews said that multiculturism is making us a better fairer community.

David Southwick MLA Member for Caulfield said that Chabad of Melbourne in the City has made people more aware of each other from within and without.
He added that there is still work to be done on Antisemitism. Chanukah is a time of celebration and reflection hopefullybecause the holiday seasons are at the same time this year this will lead to peaceful coexistance with one another.

The Menorah Lighting was done with Rabbi Yisroel Sufrin lighting the candle and making the bracha and Premier Baillieu
assisting him.

Rabbi and Cantor Phillip Heilbrunn gave the audience his powerful and beautiful rendition of Chanukah Songs.

Rabbi Pinchus Feldman and Waverley Mayor John Wakefield flanked by two Chabad Greeks

In Sydney, in what is probably a world’s first, the Council of Waverley erected their own Menorah at Bondi Junction.

Rabbi Eli Feldman told J-Wire: “All the Public Giant Menorahs in this country and around the world are sponsored by Chabad and the various Governments “allow” them to be put up.

However, for the first time in Australian History, and perhaps the world, A government body, the Waverley Council, actually paid for and erected a Public Menorah in Oxford St mall, OF THEIR OWN ACCORD!

They then coordinated with us to come and launch it.

The Central Synagogue's Chazon Cantor Shimon Farkas light the Menorah

Children around the Menorah in Westfield, Bondi Junction

Rabbi Levi Wolff of Sydney’s The Central Synagogue believes the Menorah lit at Westfield’s Bondi Junction Shopping Centre was the first public menorah lit in the world. He thanked the Lowy family who c-founded the global Westfield empire for their help in bringing Chanukah to malls arounf the world.

Rabbi Wolff said in a message to the Lowy family: “Because of our time zone, I believe we were the first public Menorah lighting in he world! ( New Zealand didn’t have a public lighting tonight) At 6:34pm Sydney time, Westfield Bondi Junction ushered in the Chanukah lights of the world!

It was truly an evening where hundreds and hundreds of young and old felt so proud to be Jewish. One elderly man walked over to me at the evenings conclusion and with tears in his eyes said (in heavy accent) “in my life I had never dreamed, that I can bring my grandkids to a public place and celebrate my Judaism!” ( I shed a tear listening to him).

Thanks for helping change how Jews feel in todays world! ( as for our gentile friends, they stood there with much respect, the girl who looked after the planning of this event from WBJ was a Pakistani young woman, she was great and I told her how spacial it must be for The Jewish holiday to be organized by a fellow Pakistani! She laughed!)

The bottom line is as I said this past shabbes in shule, Gentiles respect Jews who respect them selves!”source

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Here’s something many people have been waiting for so here you are. Doesn’t really need an introduction but this trailer packs a lot into 2½ minutes.

Sugar cookie recipe

The best Sugar cookie recipe!!!

I have found the best sugar cookie recipe ever!! So simple and so tasty! I have been using the same recipe for year. I could not find one that compares. Well guess....what...this one took it's place!!!

I have not frosted these guys yet, the ones I frosted are not so pretty! They taste out of this world..believe me you will want to bake these ASAP!!!
SUGAR COOKIES
1 cup butter softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. baking soda
5 1/2 cups of flour
Mix together, roll out and cut... Cookies should be 1/4 to 1/3 in thick
This is a basic frosting. It is delicious
Bake cookies at 375* for 7-8 minutes. THEY WILL NOT LOOK DONE..this is how you get a big fluffy soft sugar cookie!!!! Your going to loVE these!!!
BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk
Mix together and frost cooled cookies.
I have found a trick. If you heat the frosting up in the microwave until warm it will harden super fast on the cookies . This makes it easier to store, so they don't stick together.
Enjoy!!! source flour child

Kiasu Parents Forum Singapore

I’ve always thought that tuition is solely for the children of kiasu parents, coming from the perspective of a mother with 3 very young children going into primary school. But it was only once one of my sons got in to Primary One that I realized tuition is actually a necessary evil.

It’s something that you can’t do without if you want to ensure your child does well in school. In the current education system, teachers can’t give individual attention to their students in the classrooms, so parents need to make up for that at home.

Kiasu Parents Forum

Kiasu Parents Forum

For a child whose parent has joined the school as a parent volunteer not later than 1 Jul 2010 and has given at least 40 hours of voluntary service to the school by 30 Jun 2011, you can see full detail on the official website of Kaisu Parents. Hence the need for tuition.

Additionally a lot of emphasis is placed on academic assessments starting from Primary One. A child only does well in this when he/she is drilled in doing assessment papers. So it’s necessary to send your kids to the experts so you’ll know that you’re on the right path.

The crux of the problem is that, as a parent, we also struggle with the fact that we want to give our kids time to play. First time parents especially won’t be privy to what sort of knowledge is really needed for this. We congratulate to all these schools on achieving this coveted status. Basically we want our children to be holistic individuals.source

Crescent Girls School of Singapore Wins Gold Award

Singapore’s Crescent Girls School was one of only six institutions in Asia to receive Regional Intel Teach School Awards at a ceremony held in Jakarta on Monday, December 5, 2011. This awards programme, according to Intel executives, is meant to give due recognition to schools in Asia “that have demonstrated excellence in technology integration, creativity and innovation,” and that have set up and maintained environments “where the use of ICT and innovative practices has resulted in creative and practical outcomes that have had an observable impact on the students and community.”

There were two categories of awards–one for institutions in mature markets, the other for those in emerging markets–and three classes of awards: Gold, which came with a US$5,000 technology grant; Silver, a US$3,000 technology grant; and, Bronze, US$2,000. The following is the complete lineup of winners, as chosen by a panel comprising UNESCO staff, educators, and experts on the use of technology in education, after an exhaustive evaluation process involving telephone and face-to-face interviews.

1) Crescent Girls School, Singapore—Gold Award of Excellence (Mature Market).

2) Daegu Wolam Elementary School, South Korea—Silver Award of Excellence (Mature Market).

3) Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, Vietnam—Gold Award of Excellence (Emerging Market)

4) Caraga Regional Science High School, Philippines—Silver Award of Excellence (Emerging Market).

5) Roots School System, Pakistan—Bronze Award of Excellence (Emerging Market).

6) Kolej Tun Datu Tuanku Haji Bujang, Malaysia—Bronze Award of Excellence (Emerging Market).

Senate OKs 2-month extension of payroll tax cut

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate passed a $1 trillion-plus year-end budget bill for President Barack Obama's signature as part of a congressional endgame also featuring action on a two-month extension of a cut in the Social Security payroll tax and jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed.
The bipartisan measure passed 67-32, wrapping together the day-to-day budgets for 10 Cabinet departments and military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House passed the bill Friday.
It provides details to a budget pact reached last summer, holding the Pentagon to the smallest increase in recent memory while imposing modest cuts on most domestic agencies.
The Senate also passed legislation Saturday that would extend a Social Security payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for just two months, setting the stage for the next fight until February.

While a partial victory for President Obama's year-end jobs agenda, the measure (which awaits House approval next week) contains a provision demanded by Republicans to pressure the White House into approving construction of a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline that promises thousands of jobs.

Democratic and Republican leaders opted for the short-term extension after failing to agree on big enough spending cuts to pay for a full-year renewal of the payroll tax cut. The 2 percentage point tax cut affects 160 million taxpayers. The weekly jobless payments average about $300 for millions of people who have been out of work for six months or more.

The measure was approved by an 89-10 vote during a Saturday session.

Keystone pipeline still sticking point in tax talks
GOP attaches pipeline to payroll tax bill

In a statement, White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer indicated Obama would sign the two-month extension measure, saying it had met his test of "preventing a tax increase on 160 million hardworking Americans" and avoiding damage to the economy recovery.

The statement made no mention of the pipeline.

The legislation, would require the president to grant a permit for the pipeline, but allows Mr. Obama to decide not to do so if he determines that the pipeline is "not in the national interest." One senior administration official said the president would almost certainly refuse to grant a permit. The official was not authorized to speak publicly.

The developments came a few hours after the White House publicly backed away from President Obama's threat to veto any bill that linked the payroll tax cut extension with a Republican demand for a speedy decision on the 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline proposed from Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries.

Mr. Obama said on Dec. 7 that "any effort to try to tie Keystone to the payroll tax cut I will reject. So everybody should be on notice."

President Obama recently announced he was postponing a decision until after the 2012 elections on the much-studied proposal. Environmentalists oppose the project, but several unions support it, and the legislation puts the president in the uncomfortable position of having to choose between customary political allies.

Republican senators put the price of the two-month package at between $30 billion and $40 billion said the cost would be covered by raising fees on new mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The fees, drawn from a Treasury Department housing finance market reform plan, would add several thousand dollars to the 30-year cost of home loans guaranteed by mortgage giants Fannie Mae Freddie and Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration.

A worker making a $100,000 salary would reap a tax cut of about $330 through the short-term payroll tax extension.

A version of the fee that circulated overnight would effectively raise the interest rate on a mortgage by one-tenth of one percentage point, but the still-undetermined final version — awaiting analysis from the Congressional Budget Office — was expected to be lower.

The measure also provides a 60-day reprieve from a scheduled 27 percent cut in the fees paid to doctors who treat Medicare patients.

Officials said that in private talks, the two sides had hoped to reach agreement on the full one-year extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits that President Obama had made the centerpiece of the jobs program he submitted to Congress last fall.

Those efforts failed when the two sides could not agree on enough offsetting cuts to blunt the measure's impact on the debt.

The State Department, in an analysis released this summer, said the pipeline project would create up to 6,000 jobs during construction, while developer TransCanada put the total at 20,000 in direct employment.

The pipeline would carry oil from western Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

The spending bill would lock in cuts that conservative Republicans won from the White House and Democrats earlier in the year.source cbsnews

Plane Crash on New Jersey 5 killed

(CNN) -- A small plane headed from New Jersey to suburban Atlanta crashed onto an interstate shortly after takeoff Tuesday, killing five people, authorities said.

Two men, one woman, two children and a dog aboard the plane died in the crash in Morristown, New Jersey, just after 10 a.m. ET, said Robert Gretz, a senior air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board.

The plane, a six-seater Socata TBM700, was headed from Teterboro, New Jersey, to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in suburban Atlanta when it crashed onto Interstate 287 about 14 minutes into the flight, Gretz said.

The plane was at about 17,500 feet when "there was some discussion between the pilot and the controller of locations of icing conditions," he said.

He told reporters Monday night the conversation seemed "routine" and was "not a distress call."

Gretz said he did not know whether the conversation concerned a cloud that might contain ice; actual icing on the airplane; or whether the pilot was inquiring where ice might be or reporting it. "I've heard this thirdhand. ... That's something I need to listen to the tapes to know," he said.

Gretz said he was not aware of any icing conditions on the ground at Teterboro that would have required the plane to be deiced.

However, he stressed that the investigation is in its infancy and it is too soon to speculate what might have caused the crash. "It's too early to tell whether it was something mechanical or something the pilot did -- we just don't know," he said.

Preliminary information is that the five were headed to Atlanta for a combination business-leisure trip, Gretz said.

Authorities did not release the names of those who died, pending positive identification by the medical examiner and notification of relatives.

But New York investment banking firm Greenhill & Co. reported that those on board were two of the firm's managing directors, Jeffrey Buckalew, 45, and Rakesh Chawla, 36; Buckalew's wife, Corinne, and their two children, Jackson and Meriwether. Ages for the children were not given.

"The plane belonged to Mr. Buckalew, an experienced pilot whose passion was flying," the company said in a statement. "The firm is in deep mourning over the tragic and untimely death of two of its esteemed colleagues and members of Jeff's family."

No one on the ground was injured, although a pickup truck narrowly missed the plane, Gretz said. The debris field from the crash was spread over about a half-mile, with part of a wing and the plane's tail found in a tree in a residential area, he said. Witnesses reported the plane was in an "uncontrolled spin" before it crashed.

A Federal Aviation Administration radar facility in New York lost radio contact with the plane, and also lost it on radar, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said. The crash site was about 30 miles southeast of the Teterboro airport, Peters said.

Gretz said Monday evening he was not sure how long after the conversation regarding icing that the plane dropped off radar, saying investigators will be determining that.

The plane struck the southbound lanes of I-287, continued through a wooded median and came to rest on the northbound lanes, New Jersey State Police Lt. Stephen Jones said.

Most of the interstate was shut down after the crash, Jones said. One northbound lane and two southbound lanes were open as of Tuesday afternoon, but officials were "still trying to recover both the pieces of the plane and the remains of the victims."

Gretz said Monday night the wreckage recovery was halted about 6 p.m. because of darkness and would resume after Tuesday's morning rush hour, at 9:30 a.m.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation said motorists had two of three travel lanes in each direction available for Monday evening's rush hour.

CNN's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report.

Rooney Mara: The girl who chased the ‘Dragon’

‘I’m freaking a lot of people out,” says Rooney Mara. The actress seen on screen with shaved black hair, bleached eyebrows and nipple, lip, nose and brow piercings is considering how she became “the face” of the holiday movie season.

At age 26, the star of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is a new kind of movie heroine.

Lisbeth Salander is an abuse victim who turns the tables on her abuser. She sticks her goth face into a decades-old mystery. Her investigating is done zipping around on a motorcycle, hacking into computers and with an emotional gaze.

Told on the phone that there’s Oscar talk, Mara laughs. “I don’t know if this is necessarily an Oscar movie,” she says. “It’s just not on my radar.”

What would be her Oscar look … just in case?

Mara cautions, “Well, my hair is still very short. It takes a long time to grow. I haven’t dyed it back to my real color yet, so it’s still black.

“I like the Lisbeth look. It’s great to be a little different, but I don’t even see it as different anymore. I look in the mirror and it’s just me.”

Many people will be staring into that face this week. Based on the first of the best-selling “millennium trilogy” crime novels by the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson, “Dragon Tattoo” (which opens Tuesday) is one of the most anticipated films of the holiday season.

It revolves around Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who hires the mysterious young hacker to help solve the case of a teen who went missing decades ago on a secluded island where her rich family lives.

Noomi Rapace, a Swedish actress now appearing in the “Sherlock Holmes” sequel (see sidebar below), played Lisbeth in the three European adaptations. Mara was one of a slew of actresses considered for the American version — and most of the others had much bigger names. Scarlett Johanson was rejected. There were reports that “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson even chopped off her hair to be considered.

“When I had my first audition with the casting director, I thought I had a chance, but not a very good chance, of becoming Lisbeth,” Mara says. “After the first audition, I heard from David Fincher through the casting director and I was told I had a good chance at getting this role.”

Of course, she had worked with Fincher before in “The Social Network,” as the date who dumps Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and proves to be a catalyst for his starting Facebook.

“Honestly, I thought I had a good chance at it because I had a good feeling after that first screen test,” Mara says. “I also had an inkling that David was really behind me. That feeling got stronger as the weeks rolled on.

“I knew he was really fighting for me.”

Mara also had to keep her hopes in check. “So badly,” she says of how much she wanted the role. “Just so badly.

“Of course, I read all three books. It got to the point where I couldn’t imagine not playing the part. I knew I had to do it. I even watched the Swedish film a few months before I did my first audition, although I didn’t go back and watch it again. I wanted this to be my own.”

Once the role was hers, the next step was to play with her look. “The first step was cutting off quite a bit of hair,” Mara says. “Then I did get a few of the piercings. Quite a few. I’ll leave it at that.

“We did the haircut and the brows plus the piercings in one day. I spent another weekend with [makeup artist] Pat McGrath doing all of the makeup tests, and then we had various wardrobe fittings for the clothes.”

What did she think when the look was put together? “It was exhilarating. Not scary. There was a moment when I looked in the mirror and I saw the character I wanted to play on screen.”

There were other ways she had to transform herself.

Lisbeth’s trademark mode of transport is zipping around on her motorcycle in the snow and ice. “I had never been on a motorcycle before,” Mara admits. “It was very scary and I wasn’t looking forward to it too much. So, I spent two hours a day, five days a week just learning how to do it. I did have a stunt girl who did a lot of the riding.”

The emotional aspects of playing Lisbeth were far tougher. The character, who may suffer from Asperger’s syndrome, is violently raped by her government-appointed guardian.

“It was very hard, but like anything else you just do it,” she says of the rape scene. “It was a physically exhausting day and also emotionally exhausting.

“I was prepared for it and I knew I was going to have to do it.”

She turns the tables and sexually attacks her male assailant.

“I haven’t really heard that women like the retribution part of a rape victim attacking the man who raped her. I don’t know if that was our intention,” she says. “From early screenings, I know it’s very hard for people to watch her get back at him. Of course, there is some sort of satisfaction, but you know it’s not the satisfaction you want to have in life.

“Her attacking him isn’t something you should want. But it happens.”

To get into Lisbeth’s mindset, Mara spent time at a school for kids on the spectrum that have Asperger’s and autism. “It was helpful to talk to kids her age and see what it all really meant.”

She says working with Fincher was the other piece of the puzzle.

“I can’t imagine having gone through the experience with anyone else,” she says. “I can’t imagine making this movie with any other people. It would have been a nightmare.

“I never felt exploited. I always trusted Fincher and felt safe. It was a collaboration.”

As for Fincher’s penchant for many takes, she says, “he knows the story he’s telling and he’s not willing to compromise.”

Ask her when she became Lisbeth and she says, “I don’t think there was a single moment where I finally said, ‘I am this girl.’ You’re never quite sure if you’re doing it right. The second we finished shooting, I wished we could start all over again.

“I never think I got it right.”

Patricia Rooney Mara, 26, grew up in Bedford, N.Y., as one of four children born to New York Giants executive Timothy Christopher Mara and Kathleen McNulty. She’s the granddaughter of Art Rooney Sr., the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers football franchise. Her grandfather was Giants founder Tim Mara. Her sister is actress Kate Mara.

“I don’t know when I decided to act,” she says. “I grew up going to different plays. And I always loved watching old movies with my mom.

“I guess that’s where it sprang from for me. I don’t know if I ever decided that acting was something I wanted to try. It’s not like it’s something I ever really decided.”

She graduated in 2010 from NYU, where she studied psychology and international relations, but went a different route. The acting bug bit hard when she was at NYU and cast in a few student films. She also did a spot with her sister Kate in “Urban Legends: Bloody Mary” (2005).

She began her career starring in videos and doing guest spots on TV shows including “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Early movie roles include “Youth in Revolt” (2009) and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (2010),

She will star for director Terrence Malick in the upcoming “Lawless,” co-starring Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale.

In her spare time, she started a foundation called Faces of Kibera, a charity that donates food and medical care for orphans in the Kibera slum off Nairobi, Kenya, where more than a million people dwell.

Mara says she’s not ready for superstardom.

“I don’t know if anyone is ever ready for it,” she says. “I guess I won’t know until it happens. It hasn’t happened yet. Once in awhile I get, ‘Are you that girl?’ But it’s nothing crazy.”

She hasn’t seen the final cut of the movie — yet. “It’s always hard to watch yourself,” she says. “I guess you have your experience making the movie. And the final movie is never like the experience.”

If you see a slightly goth girl sitting next to you in the theater, it might just be Mara.

“Once the movie is out and everyone has seen it, I’ll go,” she promises.

Big Picture News Inc.source

New Nasdaq 500 Tracking ETF Puts Less Into AAPL, MSFT, ORCL, Etc.

By Murray Coleman

ETF provider Global X is expanding its lineup of niche commodities and emerging markets funds to launch two new portfolios that slice and dice the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index up a little more.

While the popular PowerShares QQQ (QQQ) focuses on the Nasdaq 100, the new Global X Nasdaq 500 (QQQV) expands on that theme by tracking the broader parent index. The result is that leading names in the QQQs such as Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT) and Oracle (ORCL) get a little less of the overall pie.

Meanwhile, so do sector weights:

QQQ: Technology (67.01%), Consumer Discretionary (15.90%), Health Care (11.05%), Consumer Staples (2.32%), Industrials (2.30%), Telecom (1.10%) and Materials (0.31%).
QQQV: Technology (60.46%), Consumer Discretionary (16.66%), Health Care (13.22%), Industrials (4.22%), Consumer Staples (2.35%), Telecommunications (1.35%), Materials (1.04%) and Energy (0.67%).

As you can see, while both remain tech-heavy funds, QQQV spreads those bets around a little more. The new fund comes with a bigger price tag as well — 0.48% vs. 0.20% for the QQQs.

Consider also that QQQV carries nearly 45% of its weighting in its top 10 names, which are identical to the established QQQ’s 10 biggest stocks. By comparison, QQQ’s top 10 get some 55% of total assets.

Global X also launched today a separate ETF that tracks smaller Nasdaq stocks. The Global X 400 Mid Cap ETF (QQQM) represents a departure from focusing on large caps, which should help separate it a little more from the crowd. It also has an expense ratio of 0.48% per year. QQQM faces established mid-cap ETFs from Vanguard and iShares that track MSCI and S&P benchmarks, respectively, and offer relatively high levels of liquidity at a fraction of the cost.source

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Innocent Mistake? Or Was Nursing Home's Delay In Notifying Health Department Of Norovirus Outbreak Intentional? : Nursing Homes Abuse Blog : Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog : Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog | Lawyer & Attorney : Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers | Bed Sores, Senior Neglect, Elder Abuse, Sexual Abuse: Chicago, Illinois

Innocent Mistake? Or Was Nursing Home's Delay In Notifying Health Department Of Norovirus Outbreak Intentional? : Nursing Homes Abuse Blog : Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog : Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog | Lawyer & Attorney : Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers | Bed Sores, Senior Neglect, Elder Abuse, Sexual Abuse: Chicago, Illinois

Norovirus (also referred to as Norwalk Virus) is a gastrointestinal illness that can be easily spread though in-person-contact. Most people infected with norovirus usually recover on their own after letting the illness take it course. However, norovirus can be particularly troublesome for elderly patients with weakened immune systems which put the person at risk for further complications.

ceeram Launches Genotyping Service and Genotyping Kits

ceeram Launches Genotyping Service and Genotyping Kits

Establishing the relationships between bacterial isolates is mandatory to reliably identify the source and trace the spread of a specific pathogenic strain.

Ceeram has developed powerful discriminating tools to attribute a molecular identity card to bacterial pathogens. The genotyping procedure is based on the MLVA technology, a PCR typing method that relies on the polymorphism of tandem repeat regions.
This method provides an unambiguous DNA fingerprint, a numeric code sharable on web databases, of a typed isolate, based on its DNA sequence. As part of a quality monitoring control program, this genotyping method provides decision making tools for disease management, outbreak control and bacterial surveillance. The presented automated MLVA method is faster, more accurate, and more cost-effective than other existing genotyping solutions.

ceeramTools typing kits are easy-to-use and convenient to compare genetic patterns for monitoring bacterial epidemiology. MLVA typing kits and services are available for the following harmful pathogens:
We can set up a discriminating MLVA protocol for each of your bacteria of interest.

Contact us on contact@ceeram.com

Hertfordshire Local News & Hertfordshire Events News | News From Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Waltham & Royston | Norovirus outbreak at Lister Hospital

Hertfordshire Local News & Hertfordshire Events News | News From Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Waltham & Royston | Norovirus outbreak at Lister Hospital

Our first priority, therefore, is always to our patients. In order to prevent them becoming infected with this virus, which can be caught very easily, we’re asking people who have had this illness themselves not to visit friends and relatives in hospital unless at least three days have elapsed since their last symptoms.

105.7 Niagara's EZ Rock :: Norovirus Outbreak at NHS Welland Site :: Local News Courtesy of 610 CKTB

105.7 Niagara's EZ Rock :: Norovirus Outbreak at NHS Welland Site :: Local News Courtesy of 610 CKTB

Norovirus begins suddenly and can last anywhere between 24 and 48 hours.

Norovirus outbreak at Welland hospital | Bullet News Niagara | Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold, St Catharines, Fort Erie, Thorold

Norovirus outbreak at Welland hospital | Bullet News Niagara | Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold, St Catharines, Fort Erie, Thorold

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause gastrointestinal illness. Symptoms are upset stomach, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, low grade fever, chills and a sore throat. The illness usually begins suddenly and the person may feel very sick. Symptoms last for 24 to 48 hours in a healthy individual, but it can take longer for some people.

Hospitals’ appeal on vomiting bug risk (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Hospitals’ appeal on vomiting bug risk (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

A spokesman for Airedale Hospital near Steeton said no wards were currently affected by norovirus.

Forty hospital trusts and 800 patients fall victim to sickness bug in just one week | Mail Online

Forty hospital trusts and 800 patients fall victim to sickness bug in just one week | Mail Online

As the virus is so contagious it spreads very quickly in hospitals and entire wards can be affected.

Minister warns City to check food safety - Social Issues - VietNam News

Minister warns City to check food safety - Social Issues - VietNam News

Most businesses in these places served their workers ready-made meals that were not of good quality or even hot, leading to mass food poisoning, he said.

Nasdaq Issues Warning On 'Stale' Stock Quotes

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- The Nasdaq Stock Market experienced issues processing some quotes around the closing of trading Wednesday afternoon, according to a trader notice.

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NDAQ) said traders may have been looking at "stale" price quotes for some Nasdaq-listed securities in a 13-minute window bracketing the close of trading and ending around 4:12 p.m. EDT.

Nasdaq said issues processing market data prompted the stale quotes, which affected securities whose ticker symbols began with the letters S through Z.

U.S. stocks plunged on Wednesday on fears surrounding further contagion among European banks and the Federal Reserve's gloomy economic outlook. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 519.83 points, adding to several days of extreme volatility.

The New York Stock Exchange put into effect its so-called "Rule 48" before Wednesday's open, the second time this week. The procedure aims to smooth the opening of trading on a session that is likely to get volatile.

Copyright © 2011 Dow Jones Newswires

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US stock futures rise as optimism grows on economy

U.S. stock futures are rising on improving U.S. economic indicators and the approval in Italy of an austerity plan intended to get the country's finances under control.

Dow Jones industrial futures are up 0.4 percent at 11,870. The broader S&P 500 futures are up 0.6 percent at 1,219. Nasdaq composite futures are up 0.5 percent at 2,235.

Investor sentiment rose after the U.S. government reported on Thursday that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week. Positive manufacturing reports also helped.

U.S. investors will be looking at a government report on consumer prices that is expected to show inflation was mild in November.

In Italy, the lower house of parliament approved a $39 billion austerity package.source

Dow futures show slight gains

U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Wednesday morning, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner saying that he was confident that European leaders will find a way out of the region's debt crisis. However, reports suggest that the German government is considerably less hopeful.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average were up 27 points or 0.2 per cent with a little more than an hour before markets open, suggesting that stocks will rise at the start of trading. Futures for the broader S&P 500 were up 2 points or 0.2 per cent.

Both indexes ended Tuesday with modest gains, with little clear enthusiasm from investors ahead of a two-day summit of European leaders, scheduled to begin on Thursday. It is hoped that that meeting will bring European countries on board with Germany and France's decision earlier in the week to move toward greater fiscal union, including making budget targets legally binding.

However, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the German government is doubtful that agreement among various nations will be reached, according to an unnamed government official.

Overseas, markets were mixed. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.7 per cent in overnight trading. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.1 per cent and Germany's DAX index was flat in early afternoon trading.

Amid the focus on the political response to Europe's sovereign debt crisis, there is little U.S. economic news for investors to chew on.

U.S. retailer JC Penney said that it was buying a 16.6 per cent stake in Martha Stewart Living for $38.5-million. Meanwhile, Dollarama Inc. reported that its third-quarter earnings rose 33 per cent over last year, to $41.8-million or 55 cents a share.source

Lee Radziwill:Beauty Icon

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis will forever be remembered for bringing a sense of style to the White House, but her younger sister, Lee Radziwill, may have done her one better. The impeccably dressed former princess has become street style blogger fodder at the well-preserved age of 78. Known for her patrician looks and upper-crust taste, Radziwill has swanned through society's upper echelons for the better part of the last half-century. Lately she's become a regular sighting at the shows in New York and Paris, where she's been snapped rocking Giambattista Valli tiger print and big, big sunglasses better than women decades her junior.

Radziwill's sometimes rivalrous relationship with her sister, her sumptuous houses, and her tabloid-ready romances have long fascinated. But it's her enviable wardrobe and not-a-hair-out-of-place coiffeur that have served as inspiration to designers from Yves Saint Laurent to Marc Jacobs. Michael Kors once dedicated an entire collection to "the Lee Radziwill look." With Balmacaan coats and stovepipe velvet slacks, Kors conjured "what Lee would wear to walk her dogs in the sixties." Add furs, cashmere, and kitten heels, mix with simple jewelry and minimal makeup, and you've got the Radziwill recipe for era-spanning chic.

Toxic Molds in Homes

Molds in Your Home Can Cause Health Problems and Structural Damage

The home buying and selling community is abuzz with talk about insurance and liability issues involving stachybotrys chartarum, also known as black mold or toxic mold. Some homeowners have even burned down their homes, and everything in them, because they felt it was the only way to eradicate toxic mold from their surroundings.

Juries have awarded huge sums of money to homeowners who initiated lawsuits against their insurance companies, with most awards given to people whose insurer did not pay for moisture-related repairs in time to prevent severe mold problems. Awards have also gone against home builders when juries felt that shoddy worksmanship contributed to the mold.

Most homeowner policies now include a clause that excludes or limits payments for mold-related issues. While mold is a problem, in most instances its growth can be prevented or stopped before it causes excessive damage.

What is Mold?

Molds are fungi that reproduce by releasing tiny spores into the air. Spores that land on moist objects may begin to grow. There are thousands of different types of mold and we encounter many of them every day, in our homes and outdoors.

What is Toxic Mold?

Toxic mold is a type of mold that produces hazardous byproducts, called mycotoxins. While individuals with asthma and other respiratory problems may have reactions to many types of mold, it's thought that mycotoxins are more likely to trigger health problems in even healthy individuals. These toxins are believed to be linked to memory loss and to severe lung problems in infants and the elderly.

Floating particles of mold are invisible to the naked eye, so it's impossible to see where they might have landed until they begin to grow. Loose mold particles that accumulate on items within a house are easily inhaled and can be a constant irritation to the people and pets who live there.

The toxic mold we hear most about is Stachybotrys chartarum, a slimy, greenish-black mold that grows on moisture-laden materials that contain cellulose, such as wood, paper, drywall, and other similar products. It does not grow on tile or cement.

Even if the mold in your home is not toxic mold, it can still be a problem, because any mold growing on organic materials will in time destroy them--and too much mold of any type smells bad and degrades air quality.

Mold thrives in damp, humid conditions:

  • Bathrooms with poor ventilation. Install an exhaust fan if possible.
  • Leaky water pipes. Repair them immediately.
  • Roof leaks. Repair them right away.
  • Flood aftermath. Repair as soon as possible. See: EPA's Flood Info
  • Clothes dryers and exhaust fans that vent under the house or back into the room. Vent them to the outside.

Flood Damage

Houses that have been flooded are at serious risk for molds, especially in areas when are high humidity and temperatures provide the mold with the perfect place to reproduce before cleanup begins. The houses flooded by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina--some still sitting in water--are the perfect example of homes that will likely suffer extreme damage from mold.

Help Discourage Mold Growth:

  • Install a dehumidifier in chronically moist rooms.
  • Don't carpet rooms that stay damp.
  • Insulate pipes and other cold surfaces to discourage condensation.
  • Install storm windows to eliminate condensation on glass.
  • Cover crawlspace dirt with plastic and ensure that the area is well ventilated.

Cleaning Mold

Make sure the room is well ventilated before you begin. If the mold covers a small surface area it isn't too hard to clean it with detergent and water. Allow the space to dry, then apply a solution of 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water to help kill the remaining spores. Never combine bleach and ammonia because the mixture produces a toxic gas. There are products available that are designed specifically for mold. The Centers for Disease Control offers many tips for mold cleanup. Remember that the mold will very likely return unless you elminate the underlying problems that caused it.

Professional Mold Removal

If your mold problem is severe you will likely need the help of a mold remediation company, someone who specializes in mold removal.

Before You Buy a Home

In the past, air quality testing was ordered primarily to detect radon gas, but mold spore tests are becoming more common. Your home inspector might not perform mold tests, but can probably help you find someone who does. In my area mold testing costs between $300-$500 dollars.

If mold is in the air, find out where it's coming from. Mold should be removed and repairs should be made to ensure it won't come back. Talk to your real estate agent or to an attorney to determine if a special contingency should be inserted in the contract that will allow you to back out of the deal if toxic mold or other molds are detected and cannot be thoroughly eliminated. Many standard forms used by real estate agents include the option of a mold contingency.

TOXIC MOLD IN THE NEWS

TOXIC MOLD LITIGATION


November 14, 2003 BREAKING NEWS!!
"County settles toxic mold lawsuit with judge" A Tulare County Superior Court judge filed a toxic mold lawsuit against Tulare County and County Counsel Bales-Lange charging the county counsel was directly responsible for the seriousness of her illness, including hair loss, dizziness, episodic vertigo, acute pain in her abdomen, respiratory distress, ringing in the ears, facial swelling, and severe rashes.

In 1999, a patch of mold was found by county employees on a pipe above the ceiling of the court chambers that were discovered to be toxic mold, or stachybotrys. The judge has dropped the toxic mold lawsuit after the county agreed to pay her $40,000.


November 13, 2003 BREAKING NEWS!!
"Extensive toxic mold problems to be addressed within UNC system" The UNC system is planning on asking the state Legislature for nearly $30 million to fix toxic mold problems at two public universities. NC Central University would get $25.4 million and UNC Pembroke would get $3.5 million. The massive toxic mold problem at NCCU has had to shutter two residence halls and it has infested around a dozen other buildings on campus.

The board has plans to discuss how the toxic mold problem got so bad. So far, no talks of toxic mold lawsuits have arisen, however the members of the board made it clear that the money for the toxic mold needs to be treated as an urgent issue by classifying it as an emergency.


November 6, 2003 BREAKING NEWS!!
"Toxic mold continues to pose dangerous health risks" The number of toxic mold cases is rising dramatically, mostly due to the growing knowledge of the dangers of toxic mold. Still, toxic mold is still vastly unknown about by the medical community and the general population. According to the Environmental Assessment Association, toxic mold concern is mounting as the medical field is better understanding the effects and ailments that toxic mold can cause.

The dangers of toxic mold are that they can cause serious health ailments but are hard to detect. A microbiologist can only determine differences between just mold and toxic mold. Common symptoms of toxic mold exposure include memory loss, allergies, and breathing difficulties. People with existing respiratory illness, asthma, and infants should be especially careful because of the fever and mold infections that can be suffered within their lungs due to toxic mold exposure.

The CDC has stated there is an unknown species of fungi in existence, though estimates have ranged from tens of thousands to 300,000 or more. There are some toxic molds that are so dangerous that once inside human tissue could grow in masses in your lungs or kidneys and other that can grow along walls of arteries, veins, and heart valves. Toxic mold can be difficult to treat in some instances.


November 4, 2003 BREAKING NEWS!!
"Toxic mold dangers still unknown" Identical twins living in California continued to suffer for years from respiratory infections, mystery pains, and concentration problems. It was not until the sisters asked the gas man to check for carbon monoxide that they realized there were large amounts of mold hanging off the floorboards. According to the energy technician, his throat and eyes began to itch and burn instantly, a reaction to the toxic mold.

Even after telling doctors and the landlord about the toxic mold, the women were still unable to get an adequate response because of the lack of information about the dangers of toxic mold. The landlord refused to pay to remove the toxic mold, and doctors were skeptical of their symptoms and did not know how to treat their adverse reactions to the toxic mold. In response to the lack of information, the sisters were responsible for going to their local city council and helping to get the Toxic Mold Protection Law passed in California.


June 12, 2003
"Toxic mold finding dogs" People are willing to shell out $12,500 for specially trained dog that can sniff out fungal problems like toxic mold. The newest introduction to finding toxic mold are dog graduates of the Florida Canine Academy, with 1,000 hours of training to be able to sniff out toxic mold and other funguses. Toxic mold lawsuits have continued to prove problematic across the nation.

Dogs are thought to be the answer to detecting toxic mold because the olfactory systems are able to process parts of mold per million opposed to humans who process notice parts per thousand. Toxic mold lawsuits greatly increased following the case two years ago that ordered Farmers Insurance Group to pay $32 million to a family that had become ill after being exposed to the toxic mold.


June 10, 2003
"Louisiana toxic mold countersuit filed" The owners of a now almost empty New Orleans office tower have filed a countersuit because of the 700 state workers that vacated the premises. State offices left the Plaza Tower in 2002 after making a number of complaints regarding the conditions of the building, including toxic mold. A class action lawsuit was filed against the building’s owners back in 2001 because of toxic mold, water leaks, and falling asbestos ceiling tiles.


May 30, 2003
"Toxic mold affects health even in small amounts" Toxic mold has continued to be a controversial subject, especially over the last couple years. Toxic mold lawsuits have argued what extent toxic mold damage can result in. The hundreds of pending toxic mold lawsuits claim that the mold has resulted in serious health problems, and a Florida study has concluded that people’s immune system changed with regular exposure to toxic mold even at low levels. The study involved just 1% of the wall to be covered with toxic mold, which was one square foot of a 100 square foot wall.


May 23, 2003
"Nevada county toxic mold cover-up" Reports of toxic mold problems arising all over the nation has been responsible for the hundred of toxic mold lawsuits currently underway. The Clark County Housing Authority failed to replace water-damaged drywall and simply boarded over it when contamination first appeared. The county admitted that it had issued “inappropriate repairs when we first exposed the contamination last year.”

The residents of the toxic mold contaminated building gave $10,000 as a temporary relief for the family to move into a new home and declared the investigation incomplete. Despite this, the county failed to further investigate the toxic mold contamination. In addition, the county never cleaned up the property for the residents that were forced to move due to the toxic mold.

Brittany Murphy's mom blames toxic mold for death

Brittany Murphy's mother has claimed that toxic mold found in the Hollywood star's swanky home had killed her daughter and her son-in-law, and now she wants somebody to pay.

The 'Sin City' actress had died from pneumonia in 2009 and five months later, her husband also passed away from the same disease.

Sharon Murphy had initially claimed that the people who built the house were to be blamed for the mold that caused their condition-but according to a new lawsuit, Sharon has alleged that she was duped by her lawyers into giving up her rights to sue the builders for wrongful death.

Sharon claimed that her lawyers had convinced her to accept a settlement offer for the construction defects back in January ... but they had failed to explain that she would never be able to go after the builders for their alleged role in Brittany's death.

Now, Sharon has hired Michael Marzban to sue her former lawyers for legal malpractice-and wants them to pay her what she could have won in a wrongful death suit ... and other damages.source

Norovirus outbreak at hospital - News - Bourne Local

Norovirus outbreak at hospital - News - Bourne Local

"If you have had norovirus you will still be infectious for 48 hours afterwards, which is why it is vital you do not visit the hospital during this time."

Cryptosporidium infection in a veal calf cohort in France: molecular characterization of species in a longitudinal study

Cryptosporidium infection in a veal calf cohort in France: molecular characterization of species in a longitudinal study

Cryptosporidium infection in a veal calf cohort in France:

molecular characterization of species in a longitudinal study



Jerome Follet, Karine Guyot, Helene Leruste, Anne Follet-Dumoulin, Ourida Hammouma-Ghelboun, Gabriela Certad, Eduardo Dei-Cas and Patrice Halama


Read the complete article

Monday, December 19, 2011

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at San Francisco 49ers (10-3)

It's just about gametime in San Francisco, and while some legends of the NFL (Jerry Rice and John Taylor for example) handle their pregame ceremonies, two great teams prepare for what looks to be a great battle of attrition in just a few minutes.

You know how the saying goes...it's a battle of attrition...you know how we like those.

So does Ben Roethlisberger. He's out on the field warming up.

Beaner emailed me from the road, he likes (loves?) the Steelers in this one. I'm inclined to agree. I just feel something about this. I'm prepared to eat those words, but I think both of these offenses are going to graze on a lot of backfield grass tonight. Two great defenses doing battle, but if this comes down to playmakers, it's tough to bet against Pittsburgh.

One of San Francisco's "playmakers," former Browns WR Braylon Edwards will not play tonight. Neither will All-World LB Patrick Willis.

Talk it cheap, this one's about to get real. I've got Renegade cranked, and I'm ready to remind my neighbors the Steelers are in prime time. Log in, chat it up and let's revel in the fact inside sources are calling at least a third of the stadium is black and gold.source

The Dark Knight RisesTrailer

The teaser trailer for Christopher Nolan's sequel to Batman movie The Dark Knight is unveiled marking one year to go.

The Dark Knight Rises will conclude filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

The trailer reveals little about the film's plot line:

- Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) says "the batman must come back" from his death bed

- In one scene Tom Hardy's chilling Bane confronts Batman

- Liam Neeson's Ra's al Ghul character is doing the voiceover. It's rumoured that his League of Shadows organisation will feature in the third film

- The Gotham City skyline is crumbling

The film stars Oscar-winner Christian Bale in the dual role of Bruce Wayne and Batman, as well as Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake.

Michael Caine will return in the role of Alfred and Morgan Freeman reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

We are also told that the film was shot in three continents and include Pittsburgh, New York and Los Angeles, as well as sites in India, England and Scotland.

The Dark Knight Rises is out on 20 July 2012

Mixed reactions on Twitter:

"I bought a ticket to see the #darkknightrises trailer and it came with a free #harrypotter ticket"

"#DarkKnightRises trailer not terribly satisfying but even if they'd just shown Christian Bale and played ominous music, I'd be cheering"

"#DarkKnightRises looks to be an epic conclusion"

"With Harry Potter done, it's time to wait for the next great series to end"

"Anybody catch Bats backing off of Bane in the 2 secs they showed during the teaser?"

"The trailer for #DarkKnightRises is unbelievable! #ChristopherNolan has renewed the Dark Knight to his proper place in cinema"

Antonio Brown Saves Ben Roethlisberger Owners

Ben Roethlisberger was having a pretty average night on Thursday (Dec. 8) until Antonio Brown broke a short pass for a 79-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter. Up to that point, Roethlisberger had just 201 yards and 1 touchdown to go along with 1 interception. After that touchdown pass though, Roethlisberger got bumped up to 280 yards and 2 touchdowns on the night. That last play might have saved a number of fantasy football owners counting on him to come up big in league playoffs during Week 14.

The Cleveland Browns really turned this into a great game, even if the offense could never quite get it going. Running back Peyton Hillis was disappointing yet again, confirming that he has been one of the biggest busts in fantasy football this year. It's also going to get people talking about that darn Madden curse all over again after he got placed on the cover this season. Those fantasy owners hoping Colt McCoy could put together a decent night were also let down by his 209 yards and 2 interceptions. He didn't get into the end zone either, compounding the frustrations.

The big winners in this game were fantasy owners who had Antonio Brown starting, because he turned in 151 yards and a touchdown on 5 catches. Mike Wallace finished with just 4 catches for 57 yards and no touchdowns, making the fantasy owners that decided to bench him this week look like geniuses. For those that started the Pittsburgh Steelers defense it was also a good night, as they gave up just 3 points and posted 2 interceptions and 3 sacks on McCoy.

For Roethlisberger , he finished with a very respectable 18.2 points on Thursday night, despite missing some snaps due to an injured ankle. That he was able to come back and post more statistics on his injured ankle in that second half is definitely going to generate even more respect for his toughness. Fantasy football owners also had to breathe a sigh of relief when he stepped back on the field, because when it comes to the fantasy football league playoffs, every single point a player can muster has value.