At some point in their lives, almost everyone will be affected by heartburn. However, when heartburn becomes more frequent it can turn into acid reflux disease, which can become uncomfortable enough to get in the way of daily life and even cause damage to the lining of the esophagus if it is left unchecked. For some, keeping the painful symptoms at bay is as easy as developing an acid reflux diet that will eliminate heartburn triggers from the daily menu. The best acid reflux diet will provide relief assuming you know what your heartburn triggers are.
Some people will find that by eliminating the common culprits of heartburn from their food choices, they can create the most effective acid reflux diet. The average diet has many potential heartburn triggers which include fatty and fried foods and spicy dishes. Specific foods to eliminate from an acid reflux diet are tomatoes and tomato products, chocolate, garlic, citrus fruits and onions. Unfortunately, caffeine and alcohol and known to cause heartburn as well.
You should eat six smaller meals a day rather three large ones in your acid reflux diet. By not letting the stomach get too full, digestive acids have less of a likelihood of moving back up the digestive tract to cause heartburn symptoms. You should try not to eat a full meal before you go to bed or take a nap because lying down with a full stomach can cause heartburn.
For those who are having a tougher time pinpointing their heartburn triggers, it may help to keep a food journal before you determine the best acid reflux diet for you. For a week or two, try to keep a list of those foods that cause you to have heartburn. This process will allow you to eliminate those foods that give you heartburn so you will be able to remove them from your acid reflux diet. It may seem time consuming, but in doing so you have a chance at keeping the painful heatburn from occuring.
Another idea is to do a body detox. You should try to elimiante those food that contain toxins and chemicals when finding a solution to acid reflux.
Damage to the esophagus can occur if you leave frequent heartburn untreated for a long time. The good news for many is that by creating an acid reflux diet, you can avoid the trigger for your heartburn and keep your acid reflux under control.
If you're a football fan, then we don't have to tell you that college football kicks off this evening. But, perhaps, you have yet to find the perfect app for your smart phone or tablet to keep you informed during the fifteen solid hours of football this Saturday. ESPN hopes that its new ESPN College Football App will be the perfect companion on game day, and all year round for that matter, by delivering up to the minute news, stats and even video clips. The app ties in with your ESPN.com account for easy access to your favorite teams and of course will alert you to scores and other things, like potential upsets. It'll even give you quick access to the WatchESPN app so you can check out a game on your second screen. Add in the fact that this app is free, and we don't see any reason a football fan wouldn't head to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and download it right now.
In 2003, the Nevada Democrat publicly banned relatives from lobbying him or his staff after newspaper reports showed that Nevada industries and institutions routinely turned to Reid's sons or son-in-law for representation.
Now, questions surrounding family ties are flaring again in Nevada around the Senate majority leader. He and his oldest son, Rory, are both involved in an effort by a Chinese energy giant, ENN Energy Group, to build a $5 billion solar farm and panel manufacturing plant in the southern Nevada desert.
Reid has been one of the project's most prominent advocates, helping recruit the company during a 2011 trip to China and applying his political muscle on behalf of the project in Nevada. His son, a lawyer with a prominent Las Vegas firm that is representing ENN, helped it locate a 9,000-acre (3,600-hectare) desert site that it is buying well below appraised value from Clark County, where Rory Reid formerly chaired the county commission.
Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the non-partisan advocacy group Public Citizen, said the senator is dealing with "an iffy ethical landscape" because of the family connections and should recuse himself from the project. "Is this just happening because ... it benefits the Reid family, or did Harry Reid actually believe in this?" Holman said.
The senator has supported numerous clean energy projects in Nevada. Rory Reid cites energy as one of his specialty areas at the law firm.
The two Reids deny discussing the ENN project.
"I have never discussed the project with my father or his staff," said Rory Reid. Kristen Orthman, a spokeswoman for the senator, said he had not discussed the project with his son.
The Langfang, China-based ENN Energy Group hopes to build what would be the largest solar energy complex in America. The site chosen with Rory Reid's guidance is in tiny Laughlin, Nevada, a gambling town of 7,300 along the Colorado River, 90 miles south of Las Vegas.
County officials have said that they were so thrilled to recruit a company to the area, with the prospect of thousands of new local jobs, that they were eager to negotiate.
ENN is headed by Chinese energy tycoon Wang Yusuo, who made a fortune estimated by Forbes at $2.2 billion distributing natural gas in China. Wang escorted Reid and a delegation of nine other U.S. senators on a tour of the company's clean energy operations in Langfang, and Reid featured Wang as a speaker at his 4th annual National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas last year.
NEVADA'S LARGEST LAW FIRM
To advance the Nevada project, ENN retained the state's largest and most prestigious law firm - Lionel Sawyer & Collins, where Rory Reid works. It is headed by Richard Bryan, a former Nevada attorney general, governor and member of the U.S. Senate.
Rory Reid faced a one-year cooling off period from lobbying the Clark County commission after leaving his post in January 2011, and Bryan took the lead on ENN's negotiations with the county.
Since the one-year ban expired, Rory Reid has been ENN's primary representative before the county, according to Steve Sisolak, the board's vice chairman.
Rory Reid acknowledged representing ENN at both the county and state levels since January. He declined to discuss the project otherwise.
Two months after Harry Reid's China trip, Lionel Sawyer registered ENN Mohave Energy LLC as an American subsidiary of the Chinese company. The firm negotiated with the county to buy the land rather than lease it, as the county's staff had recommended.
In December, Clark County commissioners voted unanimously to sell up to 9,000 acres of public land to the subsidiary at pennies on the dollar.
The deal spurred local controversy. Separate appraisals valued the land at $29.6 million and $38.6 million. The commission agreed to sell it to ENN for $4.5 million.
The county did build in certain conditions before the project could begin, including milestones for jobs creation and investment. ENN also must assure the county that it has a power company willing to commit to buying energy from the solar farm. But in the eight months since the commissioners approved the deal, no utility has signed a power purchase agreement.
However, Harry Reid stepped up again.
The Democrat recently used an online discussion related to his annual energy summit for an as-yet unsuccessful effort to pressure Nevada's largest power company, NV Energy, to sign up as ENN's first customer.
In the July 30 discussion, Reid said the project "would start tomorrow if NV Energy would purchase the power." The utility controls "95 percent of all of the electricity that is produced in Nevada and they should go along with this." Reid's online comments were first reported by the Las Vegas Review Journal.
The power company responded by saying it had exceeded its minimum renewable energy requirements both last year and this year, though it would consider buying power from ENN in the future. A spokesman for NV Energy declined to discuss the matter further.
Bryan, the head of the law firm, did not return repeated phone calls and emails.
An official with ENN in Langfang did not respond to emails.
In 2007, after a controversy over the number of lawmaker relatives engaged in lobbying, Congress passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, sharply restricting the lobbying activities of close relatives of members of Congress.
The law only applies to registered lobbyists and Rory Reid is not registered as a federal lobbyist in Washington or a state lobbyist in Nevada, according to records in both jurisdictions.
(Reporting By Marcus Stern; Editing by Marilyn W. Thompson, Martin Howell)
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay on Thursday said Gambia's execution of nine death row prisoners was an unfortunate setback for human rights as scores of Senegalese protested outside Gambia's embassy in Dakar.
Another 38 convicts face the firing squad in coming weeks after Gambian President Yahya Jammeh ordered the execution of the nine and pledged to carry out all the sentences by mid-September.
Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said she was appalled by the executions.
"The Gambia has, for almost three decades, been one of the increasing number of states that did not practice capital punishment -- until this sudden, grave, unfortunate change of course," she said in a statement.
In Senegal, President Macky Sall called on Prime Minister Abdoul Mbaye at a cabinet meeting to press African and international institutions to condemn the executions and implement sanctions.
Demonstrators implored the international community to intervene after the nine prisoners, including two Senegalese citizens, were executed for their crimes last Sunday in the tiny country which is wedged into Senegal.
The protesters chanted "Yahya assassin! Jammeh criminal!" and "Jammeh to the ICC (International Criminal Court)" as a handful of riot police kept watch.
"We want to alert the international community to say there are 38 people on death row and if nothing is done... these people will be executed and thrown into mass graves," said Alioune Tine of the Dakar-based African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights.
"As we speak no remains are in the hands of families."
Tine said Jammeh was a "modern day Idi Amin," referring to the former Ugandan dictator, adding: "We must absolutely end the regime of this dictator."
Jammeh, a former soldier, seized power in a bloodless coup in 1994.
Sheriff Bojang, a Gambian journalist exiled in Dakar like many of his colleagues who have fled persecution, is the first cousin of Lieutenant Lamin Jarjou -- one of three soldiers executed on Sunday.
He said his cousin was accused of involvement in a bloody counter-coup attempt in 1994, and another several years later.
"That is what they said. He was tried, obviously they were beaten, coerced into signing things. We believed there was never a fair trial," Bojang told AFP.
Like most prisoners in Gambia, Jarjou was convicted by judges known locally as "machinery judges", hired by Jammeh from Nigeria. "He has the right to fire and hire them anytime so they only do what he wants them to do," Bojang said.
In all the time Jarjou was in prison, the only person to see him was his brother, for 10 minutes, during a hospital stay, he added.
Amnesty has said many on death row were tried on "politically motivated charges and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment to force confessions".
Last year eight military top brass, including the former army and intelligence chiefs and the ex-deputy head of the police force, were sentenced to death for treason.
Jammeh, who claims he can cure AIDS, is often pilloried for rights abuses and the muzzling of journalists. He has in the past threatened to cut off the heads of homosexuals and heaps derision on any criticism from the West.
Often accused by observers of paranoia, seeing coup plots around every corner and regularly reshuffling his government and top military officials, Jammeh rules the tiny nation with an iron fist.
"We have information that he has become completely mad; it is that in fact, there is no explanation," said Diene Ndiaye of Amnesty Senegal.
Mahawa Cham, a former Gambian lawmaker (2001-2006) and member of Jammeh's party, has no doubt that the president will continue his plans to execute the remaining prisoners.
"I believe he will continue to carry out the executions. This is a man who doesn't have sympathy for a human being. He thinks he is always right," Cham said.
Senegal has another citizen on death row awaiting execution, and Jammeh's move has caused a diplomatic spat between the nations.
On Wednesday, Gambian Ambassador Mass Axi Gey was summoned by Mbaye to inform him of "the unacceptable" nature of the executions and urge Jammeh to spare the life of the remaining Senegalese prisoner.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Jeremy Guthrie pitched effectively into the eighth inning and Alex Gordon homered to lead the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 2-1 Thursday night for a three-game sweep.
Prince Fielder had three hits for the slumping Tigers, who remained three games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. The teams begin an important three-game series Friday night in Detroit.
Royals rookie Kelvin Herrera worked around a walk and a single in the ninth to earn his first career save, coaxing slugger Miguel Cabrera to ground into a game-ending double play.
Guthrie (3-3), who did not give up a hit to the White Sox until the eighth inning on Aug. 19 in his previous Kauffman Stadium start, held Detroit to one run on 10 hits - nine of them singles. He walked none and struck out three.
Guthrie has made eight starts for the Royals since they acquired him in a July 20 trade with Colorado for left-hander Jonathan Sanchez. He is 6-12 overall.
Gordon hit his 10th homer leading off the sixth and extended his hitting streak to eight games.
The Royals loaded the bases with none out in the fifth, but converted that into just one run. Mike Moustakas doubled to start the inning and Jeff Francoeur singled on the 10th pitch to snap an 0-for-19 streak. After Eric Hosmer walked to load the bases, Johnny Giavotella's groundout to shortstop Jhonny Peralta scored Moustakas.
Rick Porcello (9-10) lost his fourth straight start, giving up two runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. He struck out four and walked two.
The Tigers snapped a 17-inning scoreless drought with a run in the eighth when one-out singles by Fielder and Delmon Young chased Guthrie. After reliever Tim Collins struck out pinch-hitter Jeff Baker on three pitches, Peralta delivered a run-scoring single.
NOTES: CF Jarrod Dyson was held out of the Royals' lineup with a sore right shoulder. ... Tigers first base coach Tom Brookens missed his second straight game for personal reasons, but is expected to rejoin the club Friday in Detroit. ... Tigers RHP Doug Fister, who missed his previous start with a groin injury, will return Friday and start against the White Sox. Rookie LHP Drew Smyly, who has made 16 starts, moves to the bullpen with Fister back in the rotation. RHP Jake Peavy will start for Chicago. ... Rookie LHP Will Smith will start for the Royals in the series opener Friday against Minnesota. The Twins will counter with RHP Cole De Vries.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Sunny Health and Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling Bike are for those that want a rugged, durable and quiet indoor cycling bike. The cycling bike comes equipped with a heavy-duty crank, self-leveling pedals with toe straps and a heavy-duty steel frame. The tension of the Sunny Health and Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling Bike can be easily adjusted with the turn of a tension knob, as can be the handlebars and the seat, so that the cycling bike can be a fit for people of all shapes and sizes.
FEATURES
There is a chain drive mechanism to ensure quiet and smooth workouts
The resistance is fully adjustable
The flywheel is a durable 40 pounds
Both the seat and the handlebars are fully adjustable
Transport wheels are included, so moving from one room to another is made easy.
Heavy-duty steel frame, crank
Self-leveling pedals and toe straps are included.
Included is a water bottle holder.
Can accommodate a maximum user weight of 275 pounds
DIMENSIONS
The cycling bike is 48.5 inches long.
The width of the bike is 20 inches wide.
The height is 46.5 inches tall.
The weight of the bike is 108 pounds.
WARRANTEE
The frame of the Sunny Health and fitness has a warrantee of 1 year and the parts have a warrantee of 90 days.
PROS
This is a very good cycling bike for those people on a budget.
The Sunny Health and Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling Bike are equipped with a heavy duty-steel frame.
Due to the chain drive mechanism and flywheel, you will have a quiet and smooth workout.
Adjustable handle bars and seat to accommodate all shapes and sizes.
Ease of adjusting the tension by just a turn of the tension knob.
Well-made cycling bike with a heavy-duty steel frame
CONS
Some complained that there was a squealing noise that emanated from the flywheel as tension is applied.
There were some complaints that the Sunny Health and Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling Bike does not come equipped with a comfortable seat, and that this had to be remedied with the purchase of the Schwinn Pillow Top Cruiser Bicycle Seat.
Many cannot argue that the Sunny Health and Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling is not an excellent buy for the money. The Sunny Health and Fitness Pro Indoor Cycling Bike is a well-made cycling bike that is highly praised by their owners for the cycling bike being extremely durable and solid, and is quite easy to assemble normally not taking more than 30 minutes. For those on a budget this cycling bike is highly recommended.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) ? Continuing pension problems and government gridlock earned Illinois another reduction in its credit rating Wednesday.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it lowered Illinois' rating a notch because of "weak pension funding levels and lack of action on reform measures." The firm also said the financial outlook for Illinois is negative, in part because the state's temporary income tax is scheduled to expire in 2015.
Lower ratings can raise the interest rate Illinois must pay when borrowing money.
The downgrade, from A+ to A, leaves Illinois with the nation's second-lowest rating from S&P. California is rated A-, but it has earned a "positive outlook" from the firm.
Moody's rating service has also warned that it may lower Illinois' rating.
Gov. Pat Quinn said in a statement that the downgrade is no surprise but still serves as evidence that state leaders must fix public pension systems. Illinois' retirement systems have a huge gap between the money available and what they will eventually pay out in pensions. The roughly $85 billion shortfall is the largest in the country.
Quinn called legislators into special session earlier this month, but they couldn't agree on what to do, largely because of a dispute about whether to transfer some pension costs to school districts. The Chicago Democrat said he's asking legislative leaders to meet with him early next month to resume talks.
"The only thing standing between Illinois and comprehensive pension reform is politics," Quinn said. "We must put politics aside."
Trying to close the gap costs the state more money each year, leaving less for other government needs. Pension payments this year will make up 20 percent of state government's general spending, compared with 13 percent three years ago.
ScienceDaily (Aug. 29, 2012) ? Hurricane Isaac is continuing to drop heavy rainfall over Louisiana and Mississippi, and NASA's TRMM satellite identified that rainfall as the storm was making landfall.
On Aug. 29, 2012 at 1 p.m. EDT, Isaac was still a hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 75 mph (120 kmh). Isaac was located about 10 miles northwest (15 km) of Houma, Louisiana and moving slowly. It is moving to the northwest near 6 mph (9 km). Isaac continued bringing heavy rainfall to southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. The threat for dangerous coastal storm surge and inland flooding are expected to continue overnight.
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew over Hurricane Isaac twice on the night that Isaac made landfall in Louisiana and headed for New Orleans. TRMM is a joint mission managed by both NASA and JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency.
In the first of the two overflights, the TRMM radar saw two hot towers in the eyewall of Hurricane Isaac just hours before landfall. While hot towers were shooting up in the eyewall over the ocean, Isaac's inner rainband was already lashing Louisiana with heavy rain. Hot towers are common in intensifying tropical cyclones are are a sign that energy is being pumped into the hurricane from the ocean's surface. A "hot tower" is a tall cumulonimbus cloud that reaches at least to the top of the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere. It extends approximately nine miles (14.5 km) high in the tropics.
Two images were created by Owen Kelley, of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. The background of the first image showed TRMM infrared observations that give a sense of the height of the cloud cover the hides the heavy precipitation inside of of the hurricane. The blue-gray 3D volume contains the light precipitation inside the hurricane, using a 20 dBZ radar-reflectivity threshold.
In the image, an insert reveals details at the center of the hurricane. Two hot towers are indicated by the yellow and orange colors. They are locations where strong updrafts are lifting frozen precipitation above a 14.5 km (9.1 mile) threshold. Water that condenses in updrafts will soon freeze if updrafts lift it above the zero-degree isotherm near 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) altitude. The freezing releases another boost of latent heat, the fuel of hurricanes, following the initial release of latent heat when the water vapor condenses into liquid.
The TRMM radar happened to overfly Hurricane Isaac again just five hours later, shortly after the eyewall made landfall. Robbed of its oceanic source of energy, the eyewall hot towers are gone in this later overflight. Instead of reaching 14.5 km (9.1 mile) altitude, the eyewall merely reaches a 10 km (6.2 mile) altitude, which is indicated by the light green shading at the top of the blue-green volume of light precipitation.
Unfortunately for New Orleans and surrounding areas, TRMM sees that Hurricane Isaac's eyewall was remarkably well organized at that time, despite having made landfall. The insert shows a ring of very intense radar echos in red, echos that exceed 40 dBZ radar reflectivity. The northwest quadrant of his ring of heavy precipitation is almost on top of New Orleans at the time of observation.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. The original article was written by Owen Kelley, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
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Click the arrow on the audio player to?hear Katherine Hollander read this poem. You can also download?the recording or?subscribe?to?Slate's Poetry Podcast on iTunes.?
Now I have a scar down the middle, like the seam where a pressed tin toy, a bird or a dog, comes together. What intimacies, that the doctor has seen my clockwork. Has had his hands inside my softness. Who?s after me this time? Napoleon, Bismarck? Patroklos, the lovely doomed. I could lie here in the fragrance of naphtha.
During my worst sickness I was so lost and hungry that I went out of myself into the north hills and over the ice
and only a family of bears had pity on me. They had taken off their skins and hung them up in the hallway, and without them they looked just like men. Their children looked just like our children. For me they boiled meat,
though they ate it raw themselves. What courtesy. When they were sending me home they said, Don?t tell the other men about us; we have children and they deserve to grow up. They lifted the dark medal from over my heart. It?s better to breathe deeply than to be praised.
For Slate's poetry submission guidelines, click here. Click here?to visit Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project site.
Physical Therapist Home Health About us We are a leader in skilled home care and specialists in geriatric care. Our dedicated, compassionate staff is highly trained in the diagnosis and treatment of seniors. Advanced medical technology and compassionate care is now available for the care of your loved one from the comfort of home. The Physical Therapist is a qualified professional who assists the physician in evaluating level of function, helps develop the plan of treatment (revising as necessary), prepares clinical and progress notes, advises and consults with the family and other agency personnel, and participates in in-service programs. Duties of Physical Therapist Provides treatment as ordered by the attending physician to relieve pain, develop or restore function and maintain maximum performance, using physical means such as exercise, massage, heat, water, light and electricity. Assists the physician in evaluating the level of function, disability, injury, or disease process of individual patients by applying diagnostic and prognostic muscle, nerve, joint and functional ability tests. Interprets, plans, establishes, and exercises proper treatment program in accordance with the physician's referral, periodically reviewing the patient's program and response and making recommendations to the physician relative to the need of continuing or discontinuing the physical therapy treatment. Observes, records, and reports to the physician the patient's reaction to the therapy program or any changes in the patient's condition. Instructs, teaches, and supervises patients, their families, and other health team personnel regarding physical therapy procedures as related to the patient's therapy programs. Evaluates the home environment and makes appropriate recommendations. Documents each visit made to the patient and incorporates notes into the clinical record at last weekly. Treat and reassess patients seen by PTA at least every 30 days. Performs other ordered job-related duties as assigned.
The thought of someone being able to read your mind is frightening. And according to some new research presented at the 21st USENIX Security Symposium, brain hacking might be more realistic than we would assume. More »
Pest Control Portland Or - Carpenter Ant Extermination Tips by Bob Hamillton Send Feedback to Bob Hamillton Request Reprint |
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When trying to control a carpenter ant situation, it is nearly impossible to use prevention techniques. This is because there are way too many different causes that can produce a potential carpenter ant problem. But, there are certain steps that one can take in order to practice good prevention that will help exterminate any carpenter and problem that you might find. These steps would include:
1. Remove all sweet food sources left out in the open. Carter and sloth sweets. They are also quite fond of chewing on the protein that can be found in any type of fat or meat left lying around in the open. Always use sealed containers to store unused food items making sure to follow proper refrigeration techniques as well. 2. Get yourself as well as your children or grandchildren in the habit of tossing candy wrappers in a garbage bin and not left lying around on an end table, coffee-table or worse yet, tossed behind a piece of furniture or in the corner on the floor. 3. Do not leave any used glasses, cups, bowls or plates sitting on the kitchen table overnight. These act like homing beacons to copper and it's tracking them easily. Again, discipline yourself to immediately remove these receptacles and wash them thoroughly so there is no leftover food crumbs for these ants to feed upon. 4. Additionally, get in the habit of removing your kitchen garbage bag to the outside garbage container as another means for fighting off Carpenter ants. 5. Whenever washing your kitchen appliances and counter areas make sure to use a combination of water and bleach. This not only helps reduce any leftover residue but will also take away the homing beacon smell that attracts carpenter ants easily. 6. Endeavored always keep their homes floors swept clean as well as wipe down with a bleach water solution. 7. Tree branches touching the house are great source for Carpenter ants to travel. Keep these trimmed away from your roofing, siding, trying or gutter work. 8. Make sure that all wiring conduits and pipes that flow from outside the house in or thoroughly sealed preventing insects from gaining entry. 9. Make sure to repair any foundation cracks since insects, especially Carpenter ants, will find these quickly and use them to enter your home. 10. Consider a periodic pest-control spraining around the foundations of the house as well as the windows and doors where these proper answer more than likely to try to enter.
Following these tips will help reduce your Carpenter ant infestation problems.
Looking for a Pest Control / Exterminating Service in Portland and surrounding areas? Columbia Pest Control, Inc. at www.columbiapestcontrol.com provides environmentally safe pest control Portland Or services.
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Orion First Financial, LLC confirmed today that it has contracted with PacTrust Bank to begin servicing equipment lease and loan contracts. Servicing of the PacTrust accounts became effective August 1, 2012.
PacTrust Bank?s (formerly Pacific Trust Bank) expansion into the small ticket equipment finance space meant that teaming with an expert servicer of these accounts was on the horizon?enter Orion First Financial. PacTrust expects its small ticket portfolio volume to grow to eight digits by years end.
?PacTrust Bank is excited to partner with Orion First Financial for servicing of our growing equipment leasing business. We are confident that the strong knowledge, skills and abilities of Orion?s staff are a great fit to partner with PacTrust in delivering Service, Choice, Value and Trust to our customers,? said David Normandin, Senior Vice President of PacTrust Bank.
Orion First Financial, located in Gig Harbor, WA, is an independent servicer for the equipment finance industry. ?We are proud of our role in supporting small business lending and our reputation for service quality. We are very pleased to see that reputation growing among banks,? said Shannon Green, President of Orion First Financial.
Orion First Financial is a highly regarded independent servicer for the equipment finance industry. Orion differentiates itself from other lease servicing companies through its experience and expertise in small business credit, using proven management processes to minimize portfolio delinquencies and reduce losses for maximum profitability.
About Orion First Financial, LLC
Orion First Financial is an industry recognized leader in the small ticket equipment finance business and specializes in providing underwriting, loan and lease servicing, special assets services and strategic advisory to the equipment finance industry. Orion serves Leasing Companies, Equipment Vendors/Manufacturers, Banks and Financial Institutions. Orion?s skilled team, efficient technology and best practices generate exceptional performance improvements that translate into better profits, less stress and enriched customer relationships. More information about Orion First Financial can be found at www.orionfirst.com.
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? Israeli authorities refused entry on Sunday to about 100 pro-Palestinian activists, including three Americans, attempting to cross overland to the West Bank from Jordan, according to their leader.
French organizer Olivia Zemor of the "Welcome to Palestine" campaign said Israeli authorities asked no questions and stamped "entry denied" into the passports without an explanation.
Israel's Defense Ministry denounced the protesters as "provocateurs and known troublemakers."
Earlier, Zemor told reporters in the Jordanian capital, Amman, that the group aimed to deliver one ton of school supplies to Palestinian children in refugee camps in Bethlehem.
In a statement late Sunday, the Israeli Defense Ministry called the effort a "failed publicity stunt." It said Israel exercised its right to deny them entry.
"There are no restrictions whatsoever on bringing in school supplies," the statement said. "If these activists sincerely wanted to bring in school supplies, they had countless options to do so. There are no shortages of school supplies in the West Bank."
Israel, which controls the Allenby Bridge land crossing, has previously blocked similar protests at its airport near Tel Aviv and seaports near the Gaza Strip.
Zemor said the activists want Israel to grant freedom of movement to the Palestinians and their visitors. Some also demand the lifting of an Israeli blockade on Gaza. She said the group, ranging in age from 10 to 80, was peaceful and unarmed.
She said a few of the protesters tried crossing the bridge but were ordered back to Jordan. She said buses ferrying the protesters were escorted in the direction of the Jordanian capital, Amman, by Jordanian anti-riot police and other security personnel.
The group said it hopes to visit a Palestinian refugee camp near Amman.
As I was reading a few online pieces on Apple?s victory over Samsung in one of the multiple patent battles confronting them (btw, you can check out this interesting interview with Richard Posner, as well as this piece on how jury deliberations took place) I came accross an article that blames not the proliferation of?trivial?patents?but??suit-and-tie lawyers? for stiffling creativity and innovation.
Leaving aside the easy attack on lawyers, the ?suit-and-tie??expression has always intrigued me: I?ve heard it many times, but I?seldom hear it applied to other ?suit-and-tie? professionals. I did a quick search on?it and quickly came up with some material for a post on lawyers and suits; it later expanded to more suit related stuff.?Here it goes:
Patent suits
Before continuing with the suit talk, a quick remark on the proliferation of patent suits and on the accusation about lawyers? destructing creativity. I agree that some degree of oddness may be inevitable when competition and the battle for innovation moves from the markets to the courts.?And even though in some (many) cases such a move may also be inevitable (which not only is natural, but also convenient because otherwise most of us would be unemployed), the level of litigation that is taking place in relation to the smartphone industry is simply nuts. Posner has a point (there?s definately something wrong with the system?that feeds ?trolls? or that?forces a?company is forced to buy another just to acquire its patents to avoid future suits). Given the enormous cash reserves that these companies have ($110 billion in the case of Apple), legal fees and expenses derived from multiple and expensive parallell lawsuts are not a major concern, much less when these suits?often pay-off (it?s hard to speak of sham litigation in this setting)?and even?have the potential to significantly alter the market. Patent lawyers are benefitting from this, but is?it their fault? Nope, what happens is that companies are rationally exploiting the opportunities that an arguably ill-designed legal regime offers them. And speaking about system design, I admit that I also have issues with the fact that the outcome of cases like this one depends on the decision that?9 jurors take over highly technical matters.
[I said above that patent lawyers are doing well. Want to know the estimated legal fees of Morrison&Foerster, Wilmer (both representing Apple) and Quinn Emanuel?(Samsung) ?for this case? You do, uh? ?Check here then?(for the lazy ones: the range goes from $10 million?to several hundred million?dollars per party...).
Lawyers' suits
Now back to the other suits (I bet Apple and Samsung's lawyers will be buying some pretty expensive ones in preparation for the appeal).?My saturday-morning Google search?on "suit-and-tie lawyers" [btw, Google is?searching for an in-house?competition lawyer] made me realize how candent this issue is. The suit has traditionally been lawyers? uniform (I?m sure you?ve heard about ?power suits?; see here)?but it is a fact that lawyers are ?dressing down? these days (although some say the contrary). I, for one, typically feel like a living?old-school reminiscence when I meet friends working for US firms and I?m the sole one wearing a tie (at my firm we?ve so far?only managed to?make inroads into casual Fridays and casual August?).
There are many pieces that?pose the question of whether we should start dressing differently (see, e.g.?here). The proliferation of such?questions have spurred vehement reactions from those who claim that ?Enough is enough, lawyers should?look?like?lawyers!??. Does this look like a trivial issue to you? In some places it apparently isn?t. Just a few days ago, a lawyer from Pakistan wrote a piece in the Herald Tribune advocating for the abandonment of western-suits?with the argument that??if we are able to achieve that (at least with our lawyers? uniform) then we can be at the threshold of reconstructing a new, more culturally connected and logically sound society. This change can lead to a domino effect that results in the recapturing of other areas of society and public discourse that are being dominated by the colonial mindset?.? No less!
Btw, if you want to know which is the world?s smartest law firm, click here.
I?m generally in favor of wearing suits for meetings, but I?m not so sure about the usefulness of doing it during those many?days?that we spend isolated in our offices (I sometimes have the feeling that I dress only?for my next-door neighbor Napoleon; I think he likes?my fashionable style, though?).?I admit?suit wearing is sometimes convenient, but other times it?s a pain (I was already an?intern at?Garrigues during my two last years of law school, and every day after class I had to run to my student?s residence to suit up for work -how many hours did I lose doing that??-; a more recent example, I came back from holidays last week and I had to spend?x hours??quite some time in an attemp to?iron a suit for a meeting the following day (that really took time!)
Suits
In our post about legal movies and TV series we forgot to mention the much acclaimed Suits.?I watched the pilot last night (what better to disconnet from?a working weekend than to watch a series about a law firm, right?) and I can confirm that it?s pretty good.
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign rally with vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012 in Commerce, Mich. November?s presidential election offers Americans one of the starkest choices in years. On this, at least, President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney can agree.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign rally with vice presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012 in Commerce, Mich. November?s presidential election offers Americans one of the starkest choices in years. On this, at least, President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney can agree.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event at Canyon Springs High School, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012, in North Las Vegas, Nev. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Republican Presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, his wife Ann and Vice Presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan arrive on a tour bus at their campaign rally at the Long Family farm in Commerce, Mich. on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Detroit Free Press, Kimberly P. Mitchell) DETROIT NEWS OUT; NO SALES; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT; MAGS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT
A supporter of Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tries to get his attention as he shakes hands during a campaign rally on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012 in Commerce, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Ann Romney appear during a campaign event at the Long Family Orchard Farm and Cider Mill in Commerce Township, Mich., Friday, Aug. 24, 2012, (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan look to shrug off the latest in a series of unwanted distractions when they face Ohio voters as the Republican presidential ticket for the first time.
The two men are appearing at a Columbus-area rally Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after Romney raised the discredited rumor that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States. The comment, and his efforts to explain it, overshadowed Romney's economic message as he campaigned near his Michigan birthplace on Friday.
The Ohio rally is expected to be Romney's final public appearance of the weekend ahead of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., where the former Massachusetts governor will formally accept the presidential nomination.
While GOP officials suggest they have momentum on their side heading into the crucial period, Romney and his party have faced tough questions in recent weeks on Medicare and abortion.
Now his joking reference to the president's birth certificate links him to the so-called birther movement and a wing of his party ? a combined 25 percent in an April Pew Research Center poll ? that says it either isn't sure or doesn't believe Obama was born in the United States.
Earlier in the week, Romney caused another stir by declaring that big business was "doing fine" in the current struggling economy in part because companies get advantages from offshore tax havens.
Still, polls suggest that the presidential contest is essentially a tossup as Obama struggles under the weight of the nation's weak economy.
The president's re-election campaign has pushed voter attention away from the economy in recent weeks, particularly after Romney's selection of his running mate, Ryan, the architect of a controversial budget plan that would transform Medicare into a voucher-like system for future retirees.
Democrats have also seized on Missouri Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin's recent suggestion that women's bodies can prevent pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape."
The congressman announced Friday that he would not leave his Senate contest despite overwhelming pressure from Romney and top Republican officials.
Romney made his birth certificate remark at a large outdoor rally in Michigan, where he grew up and where his father, George, served as governor. He told supporters that he and his wife, Ann, had been born at nearby hospitals.
"No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that we were born and raised," Romney said.
The crowd of more than 7,000 responded with hearty laughter.
Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt swiftly denounced the remark, saying Romney "embraced the most strident voices in his party instead of standing up to them."
Romney was asked about his remark in a CBS interview later in the day.
"No, no, not a swipe," Romney said. "I've said throughout the campaign and before, there's no question about where he was born. He was born in the U.S. This was fun about us and coming home. And humor, you know ? we've got to have a little humor in a campaign."
The authenticity of Obama's birth certificate has been questioned by some Republican critics who insist Obama is not a "natural-born citizen" as required by the Constitution. Obama released a long-form version of his birth certificate last year as proof that he was born in Hawaii in 1961.
But conservative questions have lingered. And Romney has declined to condemn such questions, particularly from prominent donor Donald Trump.
The Obama campaign released a web video Friday night featuring Romney's remark and declaring that, "America doesn't need a birther-in-chief." Democrats intend to keep the pressure on as the Republican convention gets under way.
Obama was spending the weekend at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, as Republicans began gathering in Tampa for their convention. But Democrats were planning to counter Romney's message throughout the week.
Reaching out to young voters, a key component of his 2008 election, Obama was making stops in the college towns of Ames, Iowa, Fort Collins, Colo., and Charlottesville, Va., on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Vice President Joe Biden canceled plans to give a speech in Tampa on Monday, a short distance from the convention site, to help ensure emergency officials can focus on Tropical Storm Isaac. But he is expected to travel on Tuesday to Orlando and St. Augustine, Fla.
Shortly after Ryan gives his convention address on Wednesday night, first lady Michelle Obama is set to appear on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman," offering a counter to the Republican message. The high-profile events are paired with a number of smaller gatherings around the country by Democrats aiming to attract female voters and a bus tour with party activists in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Obama campaign deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said the president's team was "not going to cede four days of this campaign just because of a party convention."
Sony HDR-CX760V High Definition Handycam Camcorder + Extra Spare Battery + LEXSpeed 32GB SDHC Memory Card + LED-36 Compact Video Light + Action Stabilizing ForeGrip Handle + 3pc Filter Kit + Wide Angle & Telephoto Lens Set + Sunpak Heavy Duty Mon-Tripod + Deluxe Camera Bag plus bonus Sunpak Solar Flashlight & Charger by Sony Date first available at Amazon.com: June 5, 2012 Buy new: $1,498.00 (Visit the Hot New Releases in Camcorders list for authoritative information on this product?s current rank.)
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Contact: Anita Srikameswaran SrikamAV@upmc.edu 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 26, 2012 Treatment with an agent that blocks the oxidation of an important component of the mitochondrial membrane prevented the secondary damage of severe traumatic brain injury and preserved function that would otherwise have been impaired, according to a research team from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health and Department of Chemistry in a report published online today in Nature Neuroscience.
Annually, an estimated 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to traffic accidents, falls, assaults and sports participation, said the study's senior author Hlya Bay?r, M.D., associate professor, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She added that 52,000 of those injured die, and 85,000 are left with significant disability.
"We don't yet have a specific therapy for TBI, but can provide only supportive care to try to ease symptoms," Dr. Bay?r said. "Our study drug shows promise as a neuroprotective agent that might help address this important public health problem."
For the study, the research team conducted a global assessment of all the phospholipids in rat brain cells. This revealed that damage from TBI was nonrandom and mostly involved cardiolipin, a phospholipid that is found in the membranes that form mitochondria, the cell's powerhouse. They noted that in the healthy animal, only 10 of the 190 cardiolipin species were modified by oxygen, but after a brain injury, the number of oxidized species rose many-fold.
The researchers then developed an agent, called XJB-5-131, which can cross the blood-brain barrier and prevent the oxidation of cardiolipin. Using an established research model of severe TBI, the agent or a placebo was injected into the bloodstream of rats five minutes and again 24 hours after head injury.
In the weeks that followed, treated animals performed akin to normal on tests of balance, agility and motor coordination, learning, and object recognition, while placebo-treated animals showed significant impairment. The results indicate that blocking cardiolipin oxidation by XJB-5-131 protected the brain from cell death.
"The primary head injury might not be that serious," Dr. Bay?r noted. "But that initial injury can set into motion secondary cellular and molecular events that cause more damage to the brain and that ultimately determine the outcome for the patient."
She added that a targeted oxidation-blocker might also be beneficial in the treatment of other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and stroke.
###
Co-authors of the paper include lead author Jing Ji, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh's departments of Critical Care Medicine and Environmental and Occupational Health, the Center for Free Radical and Anti-oxidant Health, and the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research; Patrick M. Kochanek, M.D., of the Department of Critical Care Medicine and the Safar Center; Peter Wipf, Ph.D., of the Department of Chemistry; Valerian E. Kagan, Ph.D., of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and the Center for Free Radical and Anti-oxidant Health; Anthony E. Kline, Ph.D., of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, as well as other Pitt researchers from the departments of Pediatrics and Neurological Surgery and of the Center for Neuroscience; as well as Noxygen Science Transfer and Diagnostics GmbH, Elzach, Germany.
The study was funded by National Institutes of Health grants NS061817, NS060005, NS076511, HL070755, ES020693, and U19AIO68021, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the U.S. Army.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1997. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu.
http://www.upmc.com/media
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Contact: Anita Srikameswaran SrikamAV@upmc.edu 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 26, 2012 Treatment with an agent that blocks the oxidation of an important component of the mitochondrial membrane prevented the secondary damage of severe traumatic brain injury and preserved function that would otherwise have been impaired, according to a research team from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health and Department of Chemistry in a report published online today in Nature Neuroscience.
Annually, an estimated 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to traffic accidents, falls, assaults and sports participation, said the study's senior author Hlya Bay?r, M.D., associate professor, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She added that 52,000 of those injured die, and 85,000 are left with significant disability.
"We don't yet have a specific therapy for TBI, but can provide only supportive care to try to ease symptoms," Dr. Bay?r said. "Our study drug shows promise as a neuroprotective agent that might help address this important public health problem."
For the study, the research team conducted a global assessment of all the phospholipids in rat brain cells. This revealed that damage from TBI was nonrandom and mostly involved cardiolipin, a phospholipid that is found in the membranes that form mitochondria, the cell's powerhouse. They noted that in the healthy animal, only 10 of the 190 cardiolipin species were modified by oxygen, but after a brain injury, the number of oxidized species rose many-fold.
The researchers then developed an agent, called XJB-5-131, which can cross the blood-brain barrier and prevent the oxidation of cardiolipin. Using an established research model of severe TBI, the agent or a placebo was injected into the bloodstream of rats five minutes and again 24 hours after head injury.
In the weeks that followed, treated animals performed akin to normal on tests of balance, agility and motor coordination, learning, and object recognition, while placebo-treated animals showed significant impairment. The results indicate that blocking cardiolipin oxidation by XJB-5-131 protected the brain from cell death.
"The primary head injury might not be that serious," Dr. Bay?r noted. "But that initial injury can set into motion secondary cellular and molecular events that cause more damage to the brain and that ultimately determine the outcome for the patient."
She added that a targeted oxidation-blocker might also be beneficial in the treatment of other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and stroke.
###
Co-authors of the paper include lead author Jing Ji, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh's departments of Critical Care Medicine and Environmental and Occupational Health, the Center for Free Radical and Anti-oxidant Health, and the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research; Patrick M. Kochanek, M.D., of the Department of Critical Care Medicine and the Safar Center; Peter Wipf, Ph.D., of the Department of Chemistry; Valerian E. Kagan, Ph.D., of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and the Center for Free Radical and Anti-oxidant Health; Anthony E. Kline, Ph.D., of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, as well as other Pitt researchers from the departments of Pediatrics and Neurological Surgery and of the Center for Neuroscience; as well as Noxygen Science Transfer and Diagnostics GmbH, Elzach, Germany.
The study was funded by National Institutes of Health grants NS061817, NS060005, NS076511, HL070755, ES020693, and U19AIO68021, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the U.S. Army.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1997. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu.
http://www.upmc.com/media
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Ratisbonne, Austria, 1916.
??
? 
?Check here then?(for the lazy ones: the range goes from $10 million?to several hundred million?dollars per party...).
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Public release date: 26-Aug-2012
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