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Being a Parkinson’s disease sufferer, and previously having prostate cancer, Andrew Grove knows all to well the ins and outs of hospital life. That’s partly why the ex-CEO and chairman of Intel has pumped money into “translational medicine” research. More »










Health – Medical research – Conditions and Diseases – Parkinson’s disease – Cancer

It was a weekend all about corsages and frilly gowns for teen superstar Demi Lovato. The singer/actress took a brief break from her role as “The Future Mrs. Joe Jonas” and kept her promise to a childhood friend by accompanying him to his prom.

The singer/actress made a vow to Nolan Narddechia when they were in kindergarten to be his prom date, and even though she has found fame since they both grew up, Lovato kept her word and went with Narddechia to his prom in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday night.

Demi looked stunning in a long red dress, posing proudly with her pal on their way to the prom.

“A promise made in kindergarten finally coming true… Prom with Nolan! Everything about this weekend was amazing. I love my best friends… Texas, you will be missed,” Demi wrote in a caption beneath a picture posted to her Twitter.com page on Monday.

Mitsubishi have jumped aboard the smart grid brigade and are here with one of their own. Mitsubishi Electric will invest $76 million in a project like this. Two installations will mark Mitsubishi’s entry in smart grids, a residential-size building and a commercial facility. These will boast power generation with photovoltaic panels and energy storing facilities.

Smart meters and electronics using cutting edge technology will monitor the flow of energy. The residential installation will use a 200-kilowatt photovoltaic array and a home energy-management system with appliances connected in a network. Mitsubishi Electric will also experiment with a four-megawatt solar array mini power station juiced by the sun. Looks like Samsung and Panasonic have yet another peer to keep up with in smart grid technology.

[CNET]

India’s leading leather brand, Hidesign, has partnered with Infibeam.com to revamp its online presence in India. Through the new alliance, Infibeam.com’s technology platform will power http://hidesign.com offering a wide range of merchandise for men & women. As part of the agreement, Infibeam.com will also manage the eCommerce infrastructure, and search engine optimization for the site.

Speaking on the alliance, Mr. Vikas Kapur, International Director, Hidesign, who oversees Hidesign’s website and e-marketing initiatives said “Hidesign’s online website caters to a clientele that is diverse and distributed across the globe. We are delighted to launch a brand new website in association with our eCommerce partner Infibeam.com. Some of the highlights of the new website include an information rich shopping experience, search engine friendliness, and most important of all easy navigation & checkout.” He added, “The fresh look & feel is true to our identity as a global fashion brand. The new website also includes a unique section presenting the history and timeline of Hidesign through a nice visual sketch.”

On the launch of the new website, Mr. Ajay Chandra, VP Brand Stores, Infibeam.com, added, “Hidesign is one of the foremost Indian luxury brands renowned internationally. We are proud to announce our partnership with Hidesign to run their online website using Infibeam’s eCommerce technology. The awesome collection of leather products from Hidesign with high resolution images on the site are a treat for the fashion connoisseurs around the world.

The store selection includes workbags for the office, totes for the new age woman, travel bags and stylish wallets. The leather goods & accessories from Hidesign also come in various shades of colors such as red, bronze and bottle green in addition to the classic black. The online store will help customers choose from a wide range of our bags, wallets and accessories. Through the online store, customers will also be able buy or gift Hidesign gift vouchers which are redeemable at all Hidesign’s offline stores. Currently, the website caters only to Indian customers but will be opened up for international market in the next three months.

The incomparable quality of Hidesign products with the user friendly shopping experience on the website, makes the store, one of a kind. The online store is bound to augment the choices for leather goods shopping. Check out the Spring Summer 10 Collection on the site.

About Hidesign.com:
Hidesign is a leading leather goods manufacturer, founded by Dilip Kapur at Puducherry in 1978. Hidesign had its roots from a two-man workshop and is today, a company of 3,000 spread all over the world. In the past 30 years, it has remained focused on innovation, based on the heritage of craftsmanship. The brand currently operates over 50 stores in India and about 10 stores overseas.

About Infibeam.com:
Infibeam.com owns and operates an e-commerce retail portal www.infibeam.com as well as customized products portal www.picsquare.com. The company also provides e-commerce and interactive marketing services to brands, retailers and media companies in India and internationally.

The company’s technology services include e-commerce engine with a set of configurable features that enables Web store functionality, such as product presentation, merchandising, shopping cart, and checkout. It also offers Web store management tools to manage the Web stores administration, product and catalog content, and reporting; Web infrastructure and managed hosting; order management and processing; and reporting and analytics services.

In addition, the company provides fulfillment services, customer care services, interactive marketing services, and online advertising and design services. Infibeam.com was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Source: Auto News India

Bret Michaels, who recently recovered from a life-threatening brain hemorrhage, tells his story at “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. The Poison front man stated, “It just exploded instantly— ran from my temple down to the back of my skull.” The singer/ reality star spent two weeks in the intensive care unit, yet he said that he insisted on wearing his signature bandanna throughout the suffering, even while he was confined to his hospital bed. “I said, If I’m going out, I want to go out rockin’.”

Michaels is also one of the top two finalists on “The Celebrity Apprentice”. He has come down near the finish line and is vying for the title and the $250,000 prize money for his charity together with Holly Robinson Peete. He is still in the midst of intense physical rehab. He announced last week that he will return to the stage at Hard Rock in Biloxi, Mississippi on May 28. Michaels also revealed his next TV project VH1 for the series “Life As I Know It”. The reality show debuts on May 31. Jeff Olde, executive vice president of original programming and production at the network said, “We’d like to celebrate Bret’s recovery with this sneak peak special featuring the next chapter in Bret’s story on VH1. It’s a never-before-seen look into Bret’s family life — the real center of his world from which he draws his unsinkable strength.”

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At the third edition of the European Maritime Day in Gijón ,Spain, scientists from the JRC’s Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) will present the latest research developments for improved capabilities in maritime surveillance, with particular emphasis on information derived from satellite-based observations.

The Vessel Detection System (VDS), developed by the JRC-IPSC, is just one successful example of how satellite-based systems can help monitoring compliance with EU regulations at sea. By integrating vessels positions from different sources and comparing them with vessels detected on the satellite image, the VDS can facilitate the work of coastal guards by better targeting inspection areas. Since 2009, EU legislation foresees the use of VDS in contexts where its cost-effectiveness can be proven. From detecting illegal fishing vessels to oil spills monitoring and enhanced border security, technologies and concepts developed by the JRC-IPSC support the European Commission towards an integrated European maritime policy.

See how one of the legendary drift cars 180SX built at Nissan Factory in Japan. The car shared the same chassis with the Nissan 200sx, 240sx which is S13 chassis. Watch as Ken Nomura visits Nissan to watch the build of several 180SX’s one of which will leave the factory with him. It is great to watch brand new 180sx was built and non corroded parts on an S13 Chassis.

Source: Cars, Fast Cars, Cool Cars, Sports Cars

Epic Games first made a name for itself as a PC developer. Nowadays, though, the developer has shifted its focus onto consoles. According to Epic president Mike Capps, piracy made them do it.

Two dogs belonging to stars John Travolta and Kelly Preston were run over and killed on the runway of Bangor International Airport in Maine after the family’s private jet landed there last Thursday.

A service vehicle at the airport struck and killed The Travoltas’ dogs as the pets were being walked, according to airport officials. The city issued the statement after The Bangor Daily News newspaper confirmed the accident through an e-mail from the city manager to the City Council.

The airport’s interim manager Bob Farrar and airport director Rebecca Hupp released the following statement concerning the incident.

“At approximately 1am on Thursday, May 13, 2010 an airplane carrying members of the John Travolta family landed at BIA. While there, two small dogs were taken for a walk by someone who is not a family member. An airport service pickup truck was approaching the airplane to service the airplane and did not see the dogs. Unfortunately, the dogs were struck and killed.”

How incredibly sad! Especially when you consider that its only been a year since The Travoltas lost their beloved son Jett.

Going to get a GPS system for your car but don’t know what is the best GPS system for cars? Here is the best top 10 GPS system together with the price range. It is no doubt nowadays there are many GPS enabled phones available everywhere from NOKIA to iPhone to Samsung. However, the GPS system for cars is still far from obsolete as the functionality is way better than what GPS enabled phone can provide.

What is the best GPS system for cars

GPS system for cars can clearly tell you how to go point B from point A in many ways with many features where this is not available in certain GPS phone. For example, the real-time traffic updates, better land mark information, more points of interest (POI), and also a bigger screen to read if compared to smartphones. See also world best car alarm systems.

There are many GPS manufacturers and it may make you feel undecided when choosing the best GPS system for your car. The top 10 famous manufacturers for GPS system are TomTom, Mio, Harman Kardon, TeleNav, Magellan, Garmin, Navigon, HP iPaq, Dash, and Motorola. You can start your survey from the brand.

How to choose the best GPS system for your car?

So, what is the best GPS system for cars? Choose the GPS system base on your needs. You can compare the function of each GPS system you come across such as:

The screen size, some are wide-screen and some are standard screen. It depends on how big the screen size you prefer.

Bluetooth connection. The Bluetooth connection is one of the latest technologies where some GPS system does not have this feature. It allows you to connect with your mobile phone while driving.

Real-time traffic display. This features is for people who always travel during peak hours, it is very useful especially during working hours.

Power option. Some GPS work from batteries and some work from the power plug. Go for something rechargeable so that you don’t have to spend more for batteries.

Price. Yes price does matter.

Other features. GPS tracking, voice directions, updatable maps, user friendly are all the consideration.

Best Top 10 GPS system for cars

Here is the best top 10 GPS system Editor’s picks. The device was ranked base on the price range.

3 Best GPS system for $250 and below

#1 Garmin nuvi 205, List Price $189.99 – 3.5-inch display screen, Trip log display, MSN Direct, Photo navigation
#2 Garmin nuvi 200, List Price $199.99 – 3.5-inch display screen, JPEG picture viewer, World travel clock, Pre-loaded maps for 48 states
#3 TomTom ONE 130, List Price $149.99 – 3.5-inch display screen, Text-to-speech, Help Me! Safety feature, Map Share, 6.7 pounds

3 Best GPS system for $250 to $300

#1 TomTom GO 920T, List Price $349.95 – 4.3-inch display screen, Enhanced Positioning Technology (EPT), Voice commands, FM transmitter, Bluetooth, Map Share
#2 Mio DigiWalker C520, List Price $299.99 – 4.3-inch display screen, MP3 and WMA player, Bluetooh, Video player
#3 TomTom GO 930, List Price $399.95 – 4.3-inch display screen, IQ Routes, Speed Limit Warning, Map Share, Map Corrections, Custom Voices

3 Best GPS system for $500 and above

#1 Garmin nuvi 880, List Price $799.99 – 4.3-inch display screen, Voice-activated navigation, Dynamic MSN Direct content, Multi-segment routing, MP3 player, Photo navigation, Custom POI, Real-time traffic, Audible audiobook player
#2 TomTom GO 300, List Price $536.00 – 3.5-inch display screen, Multi-destination routing, Bluetooh, Easy-to-use
#3 Harman Kardon Guide + Play 810, List Price $500.00 – More than 12 million POI, Bluetooh, JPEG picture viewer, FM transmitter, Wireless remote

In conclusion, knowing what kind of features you exactly need when you driving will lead you to find out what is the best GPS system for cars.

Source: Cars, Fast Cars, Cool Cars, Sports Cars

Pennsylvania Democrats got dire news in the last few days from their own internal polls about Senator Arlen Specter’s re-election hopes.

Private Democratic polls suggest Specter, who quit the GOP to run as a Democrat, could lose by as much as 8 percentage points in Tuesday’s primary, to two-term Congressman Joe Sestak, who was recruited by party officials to run against Specter, when Specter was still the Republican incumbent.

Specter is now counting on the state’s Democratic machine to keep his political future alive. Governor Ed Rendell has promised his organization will get out the vote and Democrats in Washington have been shoveling money Specter’s way.

But statewide turnout is expected to be low, 35 percent at best. Rain is in the forecast.

Turnout models for Philadelphia and Allegheny county, where Specter must win big, are abysmal. Philadelphia has the Keystone state’s highest concentration of Democrats…but as few as 110 thousand or 15 percent are expected to turn out Tuesday.

Sestak ran a strong race and raged against his own party for preferring a former Republican to himself, a lifelong Democrat and retired navy admiral. He surged to a tie, then the lead, with an attack ad that included Specter saying on tape that switching parties would enable him to get re-elected.

Specter is a feisty and resourceful politician, it ain’t over till it’s over, and his organization is superior to Sestak’s. It will make the difference one way or the other.

This race has always been mostly about Specter. Yes, there is a pronounced anti-incumbent, anti-Washington, anti-establishment undercurrent but Specter makes it different. He has served longer than any other Pennsylvania senator. He infuriated Republicans for years for what he now admits was being a RINO (Republican in name only). He ran for president in 1996 against his own majority leader, Bob Dole.  Specter has been a lightning rod of controversy for years, and now he’s a party switcher.

Sestak’s ads and rhetoric helped, the anti-incumbent mood contributed, but in the end this race is, and always was about Arlen Specter and whether this was his last stand.

On Monday, with Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) promising a final vote on financial regulatory reform in the next few days, rather than weeks, thousands descended on K Street in Washington, D.C., to lobby the lobbyists.

The union giants SEIU and AFL-CIO as well as community organizing umbrella group National People’s Action held a “Showdown on K Street,” bringing around two thousand workers and organizers to protest against big Wall Street banks, the lobbyists they have hired to attempt to water down the Senate bill and continued economic strife more generally. Indeed, the event ended up more of an expression of sustained populist anger at the sour economy and banks’ $1.4 million-a-day lobbying effort than a protest against specific practices or provisions in the bill.

It started on Sunday when more than a hundred activists protested on the front lawns of two executives: Bank of America’s Gregory Baer, the company’s counsel for regulatory policy, and Peter Scher, J.P. Morgan Chase’s executive for government relations. At Baer’s home, NPA noted that Bank of America — after requiring a $45 billion taxpayer bailout — has spent $16 million lobbying against Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-Conn.) regulatory reform bill.

Adolfo Abreu, an organizer for NPA who came down for the events from his home in the Bronx, noted that Baer came home while organizers were occupying his front doorstep, with one woman describing how Bank of America continued to attempt to collect payment from her on a phone call 30 minutes after she learned of the death of her son. Abreu said that Baer “started yelling at us, like, ‘Get out of here!’”

“These banks are way too involved in the economy, and they have been way too involved in protesting this bill,” Abreu said. “We are focusing on people, not people with privilege. We need these rights.”

At 11 a.m. on Monday morning, dozens held a vocal protest outside of the downtown offices of the Podesta Group, the powerful Democratic lobbying shop headed by Tony Podesta, who worked in the Clinton administration and has earned the left’s ire for lobbying against Democratic priorities. Protesters shouted, “Tony Podesta is hurting America!”

And at noon, the protest started in full, with approximately 2,000 gathering in McPherson Square. They held bright hand-painted signs and shut down traffic, as they did when protesting on Wall Street itself last week. Joel Hershey, a middle-school science teacher in Syracuse, N.Y., took to the microphone to fire the crowd up. He said he had taught for four years, and three weeks ago heard that he “would not be going back to school” — one victim of municipal layoffs due to budget cutting. He noted that his wife and he are “just two of the 300,000 teachers that could lose their jobs in the next year….devastating news for America’s children.”

The crowd then marched to and occupied the busy intersection at 14th and K Streets — “lobbyist central,” as one SEIU volunteer put it. The protesters, soaked by pouring rain at that point, had set up a 20-foot-tall paper-and-wood pulling the marionette strings of Congress and passed around whistles and drums.

Al Marshall of Oakland, Calif., took to the loudspeaker as the protesters engaged in a “sit in.” (The actual sitting part did not happen, with the pavement soaked.) With tears rolling down his cheeks, the construction inspector explained that he had purchased a “fixer-upper” but that he and his wife had struggled to make payments to Wells Fargo after she lost her job. The bank reclaimed the home as a foreclosure after “laughing” at him when he asked for a loan modification. “There shouldn’t be a homeless person anywhere in America,” Marshall said.

Ed Whalen, a member of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association Local 100 in Baltimore, affiliated with the AFL-CIO said he was there to protest such “financial anarchy.”

“The downturn has affected everybody, but it has proportionately affected the construction industry and my line of work because every part of the business relies on financing,” Whalen said. “There’s no getting around it. I’m at a loss for words to described what’s wrong here.”

Later on, the protest split up with smaller groups visiting the Hill and even interrupting goings-on at local bank branches. SEIU protesters, for instance, flooded a Bank of America branch on Capitol Hill, shouting “Bank of America — Bad for America!”

Another group of 100 protesters — many part of the Alliance to Develop Power, a Massachusetts group — showed up unannounced at the Russell Senate Office Building offices of Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.). The protesters complained that Brown had campaigned against the Troubled Asset Relief Program and contended that he now “does big banks’ bidding in the Senate.” The protesters brought a “big tent” into the cramped space (and then asked staffers “Who’s in your big tent!”) and eventually convinced office members to arrange a meeting between the senator and protesters.

Google is looking to buy yet another company, this time in the voice- and video-communication sector. The company has made an offer to acquire the Norwegian Global IP Solutions (GIPS) for $68.2 million in cash. GIPS provides technologies and solutions for voice and video communication over IP (Internet Protocol). Google has an interes… (read more)

The longest snake in the entire world is called the python.  

There is a type of the python called the reticulated or regal python, which could be as long as thirty feet.  Its length is its major weapon that the snake uses to hunt its prey.  

First it coils around the victim animal tightly so as to cease its breathing and later on swallows it in one single gulp.  Although the python possesses enough strength to swallow an ox, it does not go for the big animals and in lieu chooses smaller animals, which it could have no trouble swallowing.  

If soon after having its meal, some factor contributes towards disturbing the python, its digestive system could not handle that tension and ergo chunders out the animal it had just swallowed in a whole single piece.  It is not poisonous and the list of its victims does not contain man.  

Mostly pythons reside in trees.  Some of them also like to lie in the water where it is cool and pleasant.  Region wise, pythons are found in the tropics and sometimes also on the outskirts of the Malay region.

Mientras Gemballa entra en liquidación, otro preparador compatriota, Hamann, sigue en funcionamiento y ahora publica todos los detalles de las modificaciones que podrán hacer los propietarios de esta curiosa versión del BMW Serie 5. En esta ocasión, los cambios no son solamente estéticos sino que afectan igualmente a la mecánica.

Los nuevos componentes del exterior se centran entre otras cosas en mejorar la aerodinámica del vehículo. El paquete se compone de unos spoilers frontal y trasero que se montan sobre los de fábrica, unos faldones deportivos y un pequeño alerón trasero. Asimismo, la suspensión neumática se ha rebajado para ofrecer un aspecto más deportivo, y las salidas de escape de acero inoxidable garantizan un sonido atronador sea cual sea la versión que los equipe.

El conjunto de modificaciones externas se completan con unas enormes llantas EVO de 22 pulgadas y de aleación ligera de aluminio diseñadas específicamente por Hamann para los modelos de gran tamaño de BMW. En cuanto al habitáculo, el preparador alemán ha incorporado nuevos pedales con acabado de aluminio y las alfombrillas de color negro tienen una inscripción plateada en la que pone “Hamann”. Además, los clientes pueden escoger entre diferentes tapicerías elaboradas por el fabricante de modificaciones.

Por último, la variante diésel del Serie 5 Gran Turismo, el 530d, ha recibido algunos cambios que permiten aumentar su rendimiento. La potencia pasa de ser 245 CV a 275, y el par motor máximo sube de 540 Nm a 620 disponibles a 1.750 revoluciones por minuto. Todo ello gracias a una reprogramación de la electrónica del bloque. Hamann no ha anunciado todavía el precio que cuesta elevar un Serie 5 GT a este nivel.

Fuente | Hamann

The picture basically says it all.

From the Deepwater Horizon Response Flickr:

GULF of MEXICO – Gas from the damaged Deepwater Horizon wellhead is burned by the drillship Discoverer Enterprise May 16, 2010, in a process known as flaring. Gas and oil from the wellhead are being brought to the surface via a tube that was placed inside the damaged pipe. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley.

Pictures of the oil slick from outer space >

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To the meat lovers, this may either be a good or a bad news for you. Eating processed meat – such as hotdogs, salami, luncheon meats or sausages – increases the likelihood of heart disease whereas red meat does not seem to be as harmful. A research group in Harvard University found that people who about 50g of processed meat everyday also raised the risk of diabetes; however, those who ate unprocessed meat such as beef, pork or lamb had no risks even if they ate twice the amount  of those who ate processed meat. This was also despite the fact that both, processed and unprocessed meat, have a similar fat content.

The research showed that the difference may lie in the salt and preservatives added to processed meat. Salt increases blood pressure in some people and is also a risk factor for heart disease. In a study conducted on animals it was seen that nitrate preservatives, can further contribute to atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance which can lead to heart problems and diabetes. Processed meats contain about four times more sodium and 50 percent more nitrate preservatives.

Dariush Mozzafarian, assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health and co-author of the study, said that the study also found that the consequence of eating processed meats is dramatic: a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease and almost a 20 percent higher risk of diabetes.

Victoria Taylor, a senior heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said “If you like red meat, this can still be included as part of a balanced heart-healthy diet. Go for lean cuts and aim to cook from scratch using healthier cooking methods like grilling or baking. If you need to add flavor, then try using fresh and dried herbs, spices and chillies instead of salt.” Renata Micha of the Harvard School of Public Health, leader of the study, said “Based on our findings, eating one serving per week or less would be associated with relatively small risk.”

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Sony’s PlayStation 2 is the best-selling video game console to date. By the end of the year, however, that title could be handed over to the Nintendo DS.

It’s the Dutch bunny Miffy’s 55th birthday, and to celebrate, Green House has knocked together the cutest little MP3 player ever. More »










Arts – MP3 – Shopping – Broadcasting – United States