Foto’s Momo1435
For patients with mild depression, a couple popular antidepressants don’t work any better than placebos, according to a study in this week’s JAMA that mined data from previously published studies. Earlier analyses have come to similar conclusions.
The typical conclusion from studies like these is that antidepressants don’t work for mild to moderate depression. That’s fair by the rules of randomized trials; a drug has to work better than a placebo. But the data do suggest that patients with mild depression feel better when they take antidepressants — it’s just that they also feel better when they take placebos.
This graph (JAMA subscription required) from the study compares the benefit from a placebo with the benefit from an active drug, for patients ranging from mild to severe depression.
It suggests that both placebos and drugs help alleviate depression, and that the benefits of both placebos and drugs increase as the severity of the depression increases. As you move along the spectrum from mild to severe disease, the benefits of the active drug increase more than the benefits of the placebo. So for patients with severe depression, the active drug works significantly better than the placebo.
This study looked at two drugs — paroxetine (sold as Paxil by GlaxoSmithKline) and an older drug called imipramine. But a 2008 analysis published in PLoS looked at a wider range of antidepressants and reached similar conclusions.
A Glaxo spokeswoman told Bloomberg News that “the studies used for the analysis in the JAMA paper differ methodologically from studies used to support the approval of paroxetine for major depressive disorder, so it is difficult to make direct comparisons between the study results.” For more on the study, see coverage from Dow Jones Newswires and the New York Times.
Image: iStockphoto
OpenDoc was a multi-platform software componentry framework standard for compound documents, inspired by the Xerox Star system …
…The basic idea of OpenDoc was to create small, reusable components, responsible for a specific task, such as text editing, bitmap editing or browsing an FTP server. OpenDoc provided a framework in which these components could run together, and a document format for storing the data created by each component..
… OpenDoc was one of Apple’s earliest experiments with open standards and collaborative development methods with other companies…
… OpenDoc components were invariably large and slow. For instance, opening a simple text editor part would often require 2 megabytes of RAM or more, whereas the same editor written as a standalone application could be as small as 32 KB…
… each part saved its data within Bento (the former name of an OpenDoc compound document file format) in its own internal binary format…
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Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Misc. Auto Shows, India, Tata
Visit New Delhi and you’ll be overwhelmed by the number of motorized trikes hustling and bustling through the city proper. They’re practically the official vehicle of India because of their low cost, ease of maintenance and small size. But just as Tata is trying to revolutionize the world of budget motoring with the Nano, the Indian automaker wants to offer another form of urban transport to replace the much-loved trike. The Tata Magic Iris is it.
We don’t have exact dimensions, but as you can see in the pics, it’s small – the wheelbase isn’t much longer than a baseball bat and the wheels max out at 12 inches (10-inch hoops are standard). Nestled within the steel five-seater (two in front and three out back) is a 611cc, water-cooled diesel churning out a 11 horsepower, allowing the diminutive box to hit a maximum speed of 34 mph. While its specs aren’t about to set the world on fire, it’s considerably more versatile than the trike it aims to replace. Tata hasn’t announced pricing yet, but expect the Magic Iris to come in well below $2,000 when it hits Indian roads later this year.
Gallery: Tata Magic Iris
[Source: IndianAutosBlog | Live Images: Shrawan Raja]
Auto Expo 2010: Tata Magic Iris is ready to take on the trike originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Guardian polycarbonate waterproof case is all I need to get my Kindle on vacation to Goa. It won’t only protect it against cocktail spillage, but it will make it float on the tub or the sea.
And on top of that, it’s waterproof down to one meter, just in case I want to take it from the hammock to a snorkeling swim. Because that’s what I really want to do while I’m snorkeling or in the shower: Read The Old Man and the Sea.
My Kindle will also remain fully functional, thanks to the flexible material covering the keys. If I actually had a Kindle, that is. [M-Edge via Slashgear]
On Oct. 28, 2009, Federal Bureau of Investigation K-9 Freddy lost his life in the line of duty. Freddy will be returned home to Quantico, Virginia.
A memorial will be held at Quantico and Freddy’s name will be added to a memorial wall.
Freddy was a Belgian Malinois. Freddy was born on February 17, 2007 and entered on duty with the FBI on September 8, 2008. In the line of duty, Freddy gave his life for his team.
He will be missed by his FBI family.
Anyone who wishes to send a card to Freddy’s team members, please send them to the address below and they will be forwarded to the team:
Freddy’s Team
c/o FBI
477 Michigan Avenue, 26th Floor
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Anyone wishing to donate money to a K-9 Law Enforcement Memorial in the memory of Freddy:
FBI Agents Association
Attn: K9 Fund-Freddy
PO Box 12650
Arlington, VA 22219
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I’m sure we all remember the famous commercial that features a senior citizen who fell down and shouting out that she has “fallen and can’t get up!” We all laughed, snickered and mimicked that commercial but how many times does that happen in real life? Too many. I have had first hand experience with a family member who this happened too and its not funny. Wellcore System is a Mobile Personal Emergency Response System product for seniors that utilizes motion detection and advanced pattern recognition to determine if in fact a loved one has fallen. The Wellcore system came to fruition because the people behind this device where concerned and wanted to keep in touch with loved ones and monitor their activity if they got hurt. The Wellcore system is so much more than just a monitoring system. Seniors can carry around with them a Wellcore Personal Activity Monitor and as long as they have a cellphone that is compatible with the system – loved ones can be notified if they fall or have something happen to them when they are out. You can monitor them online and a GPS map similar to google maps will pinpoint exactly where they have fallen in their apartment, home, or street. If you just want to say ‘Hi’ you can send a quick message to the Wellcore base unit and they will receive the message upon return. The Wellcore System offers automatic fall detection, online monitoring, and text-to-speech messaging and they have recently signed a distribution partnership with firstSTREET. The Wellcore System is probably one of the more advanced wellness electronic products for seniors I have seen thus far in a few years. The Wellcore System will be available for pre-orders and will retail for $199 and the monthly monitoring service will cost $49.95.
The Wellcore product provides seniors and caregivers with a superior solution for wellness and safety offering the following benefits:
* Detects falls automatically and sends help in an emergency. Wellcore distinguishes falls from other types of motion with unprecedented accuracy—all without having to press a button. When a fall is automatically detected, a Wellcore specialist contacts the wearer to assess the level of urgency. If an emergency is determined or there is no response, Wellcore sends emergency services and alerts designated caregivers and family. The button can also be pressed at any time to initiate the same immediate response.
* Asks to be worn when forgotten. When forgotten, Wellcore sends friendly reminders through the base unit, asking to be worn, and a notification appears on the online dashboard. If the sensor is left unworn for an extended period of time, an email message is sent to a designated caregiver or family member.
* Monitors activity and provides an online dashboard for at-a-glance reassurance. Accessible 24/7, a password-protected dashboard tracks motion and learns daily patterns over time, highlighting significant changes when they occur. The dashboard also displays notifications and alerts concerning everyday activity and safety.
* Delivers messages to stay connected. Text messages created on the online dashboard are converted to voice and played on the base unit, similar to voice messages on an answering machine.
* Protects on the go-not just at home for a safe, active lifestyle. When paired with a Wellcore-compatible cell phone, Wellcore allows 24/7 protection anywhere within the cell phone’s coverage range. When a fall is detected, the cell phone summons emergency responders to the exact location of the fall using the cell phone’s GPS, and caregivers are alerted.
* Innovative design. Made of brushed aluminum, the Wellcore device and base unit feature contemporary design from one of the world’s most renowned industrial designers, Dr. Hartmut Esslinger, founder frog design. Unlike other Personal Emergency Response devices, the Wellcore solution is stylish as well as waterproof.
While there are rumors of a “technological monster (qjnet/nintendo-ds/digital-foundry-nintendo-nvidia-deal-is-true-psp2-is-a-technological-monster.html)” in the form of the PSP2, Nintendo has a monster of handheld of its own in the works. They’re not about to let a possible PSP2 dominate the
This is hardly a new issue, but an LA Times review of three new netbooks once again brings up Microsoft’s odd limitations on netbooks, in which the company will only sell its operating system to be put on underpowered netbooks, with the belief that this will somehow “protect” its other markets. Those sorts of claims tend to have a way of backfiring — and I’m a bit surprised that we haven’t seen more alternatively-powered netbooks. Yes, there are a bunch of Linux netbooks on the market (and the original netbooks were Linux-based) but Microsoft machines have since taken over the market. It’s encouraging to see companies like Lenovo now pushing much more powerful netbooks using a Linux-based OS, but I’m still trying to figure out Microsoft’s reasoning. If the fear is that it will somehow cannibalize Microsoft’s market for more powerful OSes on more powerful machines, it’s difficult to see how ceding the market to others will help.
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| Published: | January 6, 2010 |
| Author: | Jim Heskett |
Entrepreneurship, as we study it, is defined by my colleague Howard Stevenson as “the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources you currently control.” In short, managers manage assets, entrepreneurs manage opportunity. And instead of taking risk, they manage it. Further, opportunity arises out of a change in something called “context,” namely the competitive environment, whether it is due to legal, social, regulatory, or other kinds of change. For example, the rise of hackers changed the “context” in which information was communicated, providing an opportunity for entrepreneurs to create an Internet security industry. Let’s apply this thinking to the recently reinitiated global conversation about climate change. If one subscribes to precepts of entrepreneurial management, there should be a pot of gold at the end of a climate change agreement rainbow, regardless of how one feels about global warming or its causes.
Carrying the hypothesis one step further, to the extent that climate change agreements change the rules governing national policies and actions (the “context”), they should represent opportunity. In fact, the more stringent the rules, the greater the entrepreneurial opportunity, a lesson from which U.S. automakers could have benefitted years ago. This should be the case at least up to the point at which shorter term costs become greater than industry or society can bear. Anything up to that point would be a net advantage, at least to some industries or nations.
Who would benefit most from stringent guidelines? Presumably, countries that spend the biggest proportion of their gross domestic product on new ideas, those whose stream of patents is greatest, and those in which the atmosphere for entrepreneurs is most favorable (in terms of venture capital financing, a socially positive attitude toward entrepreneurship and the failure that it often entails, and a market for new ideas). If that’s the case, countries that should be at the forefront in advocating more stringent rules regarding global warming should be countries like the U.S., China, and Israel. India, on the other hand, is not well positioned to take advantage of the opportunity, as pointed out recently by Vikas Bajaj.
The problem is that one can’t be sure whether or not climate change agreements are enforceable. But should that matter as long as people believe in the need for action? That is, in this case, does belief in the need to create the rainbow help insure that the pot of gold is in fact there and is attainable? The question for entrepreneurs, of course, is whether the level of uncertainty argues against starting the journey toward that pot of gold.
How strongly should venture capitalists around the world get behind climate change agreements? Should governments with highly-favorable environments for entrepreneurship, such as the U.S. and China, push even more strongly for stringent rules or guidelines? Should they go so far as to provide venture capital funding (through some form of sovereign fund) to those economies that are short of it? Is a climate change agreement a pot of gold or only the rainbow? Does it matter? What do you think?
To read more:
Vikas Bajaj, “In India, a Developing Case of Innovation Envy,” The New York Times, December 9, 2009, pp. B1 and B7.
Howard Stevenson, “The Heart of Entrepreneurship,” Harvard Business Review, March-April, 1985, pp. 85-94. 
Since all of the geeks around the world are focused on the 2010 CES show going on right now in Las Vegas, General Motors decided to catch some attention from the smartphone market with a new app that will allow Chevrolet Volt owners to connect and control their vehicle functions and OnStar features remotely.
Using either a Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm, Volt owners with the new app can: display charge status, access the “Charge Now feature or schedule future charging times, display the percentage of battery charge and range level, send text or email notifications for charge reminders, display the mpg, remotely start the Volt to pre-condition the interior temperature of the vehicle and see the mpg, EV miles and miles driven from their last trip.
The OnStart Mobile Application will be available for Volt owners when it goes on sale later this year. Pricing for the Volt has yet to be announced.
Click here for more news on the Chevrolet Volt.
Click through for a video promo and the press release.
2011 Chevrolet Volt:
2011 Chevrolet Volt:
Press Release:
Chevrolet and OnStar Give Volt Owners 24/7 Connection and Control via Wireless Smartphone Application
– Chevrolet Volt First Electric Vehicle to Demonstrate Wireless Smartphone Application
– Volt showcases technology beyond the battery with OnStar Mobile Application
– OnStar created a mobile application for Volt that provides drivers custom services and added control
– Charging Volt is easy, convenient and efficient with OnStar Mobile Application technology
LAS VEGAS – Chevrolet and OnStar unveiled the auto industry’s first working smartphone application that will allow Chevrolet Volt owners 24/7 connection and control of vehicle functions and OnStar features remotely.
OnStar’s Mobile Application allows drivers to communicate with their Volt from Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm smartphones. It uses a real-time data connection to perform tasks from setting the charge time to unlocking the doors.
The Chevrolet Volt OnStar smartphone application is designed to enhance the overall Volt ownership experience with interaction and control never offered before on any electric vehicle. The application:
– displays charge status – plugged in or not, and voltage (120V or 240V)
– provides flexibility to “Charge Now” or schedule charge timing
– displays percentage of battery charge level, electric and total ranges
– allows owner to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest
– sends text or email notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
– displays miles per gallon, electric only miles, and odometer readings
– shows miles per gallon, EV miles and miles driven for last trip and lifetime
– remotely start the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature
“The Chevrolet Volt ushers in a new era of automotive technology and calls for a new level of connectivity and control,” said Walt Dorfstatter, president, OnStar. “Nearly 6 million vehicles on the road today use OnStar to stay connected, and our new smartphone app will make that even easier for Volt drivers.”
OnStar’s real-time data connection also helps drivers maximize the environmental benefits of owning a Volt, even when not in the vehicle. The application’s intuitive Charge Status feature simplifies setting the charge time. Rather than using battery power, the application allows owners to start the Volt remotely to pre-condition the interior temperature using power from the grid. This preserves the battery charge for driving without gasoline.
When a charge command is activated, the Volt owner will receive a confirmation message on the application alerting the owner that a command has been successfully sent to the vehicle. If in view of the Volt, a green LED charge light on the dash will indicate the charge state.
Traditional OnStar features such as door lock, unlock and remote horn and lights – which have typically been accessible only through a call into the OnStar call center – will now be available via the application.
OnStar Mobile was developed from the ground-up by engineers in the OnStar EV Lab. In addition to this work, the team is leveraging OnStar’s connectivity to the vehicle to gather real-time data about development models of the Volt as they are tested. OnStar engineers then share this real-time data with the Volt engineering team to speed the development process and help ensure quality at the start of production.
Demonstration applications for the Motorola Droid and Blackberry Storm will be available at OnStarMobileDemo.com beginning 10 p.m., EST, January 5. The demonstration application for the Apple iPhone will be available on the iTunes store on January 6.
Volt’s OnStar mobile application will also be available on a mobile browser for other internet-capable phones. Volt drivers can also view and manage vehicle systems and commands from the vehicle, the internet or through a monthly OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics e-mail.
Volt owners can opt-in to receive a monthly OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics e-mail report with diagnostics on the unique characteristics of an electric vehicle with extended range, as well as the maintenance information current OnStar subscribers receive. OnStar will also provide the connection for the Volt owner website, which will allow many of the same capabilities as the mobile application along with more in depth information on the vehicle’s history.
The OnStar subscription for the Chevrolet Volt will also include the safety, security and peace of mind services currently available to OnStar’s subscribers including Automatic Crash Response, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Hands-Free Calling and Stolen Vehicle Assistance.
The Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to about 300 miles before refueling or stopping to recharge the battery.
OnStar Mobile Application will be available for Volt owners at launch. Production for the Volt is scheduled to begin in late 2010. Pricing has not been announced
– By: Kap Shah
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Sarkozy Says Strong Euro Dents Competitiveness
Wall Street Journal "If one produces in the euro zone and sells in dollars, with the euro rising and the dollar falling, how is it possible to offset the competitiveness gap? … and more » |
Tareq and Michaele Salahi weren’t the only uninvited guests that showed up at the White House State Dinner in November.
On Monday, the Secret Service announced that a third crasher made it through security. His name was withheld by officials, but The Washington Post quoted a congressional source who identified the man as Carlos Allen, a 39-year-old DC party promoter who runs an event space in the Washington suburb of Mount Pleasant, Md.
“He’s not a gate crasher,” Allen’s attorney, Scott Bolden, said in an interview Tuesday with FOX 5. “He’s an entrepreneur. He received an invite. He believed that invite was official. I’ve never been invited to the White House but it looked pretty official to me….”
I have cooked cabbage in many different ways. I’ve chopped, shredded, steamed, boiled, and stir-fried it, but strangely, I have never roasted it. Not until last night, that is — and now I’m wondering why I waited so long! This is going head-to-head with braised Brussels sprouts as the most delicious thing I’ve eaten yet this year.
Q: I don’t have a picture, but I am OBSESSED with Giada De Laurentiis’ pepper mill on her show. It’ s a simple wood cylinder. It looks like a modern Dansk style and would fit perfectly on this wall (photo below).
Could you PLEASE ask your brilliant readers to help identify her peppermill.
Sent by Shannon
While yesterday’s large app drop didn’t bring anything new to the App Catalog, it did bring a whole slew of updates as we power forward to Palm’s CES presentation on Thursday, otherwise known as tomorrow (!). But a bunch of updates is nothing to sneeze at. Something to remember is now that the app limit has been fixed, applications can be of much larger sizes without worrying about taking up all available space. What that means for the end user is applications with richer graphics and sounds. We’ve got the list of that stuff all after the break.
Nordic Windpower's two-bladed N1000 turbine.
Nordic Windpower, a Berkeley, Calif., developer of low cost two-blade turbines, has raised $38 million in a third round of funding led by Khosla Ventures. Other investors included New Enterprise Associates, Novus Energy Partners and Impax Asset Management, an existing investor.
Other participants included I2BF Management and Pulsar Energy Capital. The company has closed three funding rounds since 2007, raising capital from Goldman Sachs International and NBT AS, among others.
The company plans to use the cash to scale the manufacturing and distribution of its one megawatt, N1000 wind turbines.
In July Nordic secured a $16 million Department of Energy loan guarantee, which it plans to use to expand a wind turbine assembly factory in Pocatello, Idaho.
