More videos added to 37signals.com/speaks
We’ve updated our collection of 37signals presentations, keynotes, and interviews. Watch Ryan at Windy City Rails 2009, Jeremy at Ruby en Rails 2009, Jason at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Mark at the Erlang Factory Conference, and lots more.
In an expletive-ridden chat in the Feb. issue of Esquire Magazine, ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich rants about his upcoming trial on felony corruption charges and charges that he’s “blacker than Barack Obama.”
Referring to the president as “this guy,” Blagojevich says Obama was elected on a platform based simply on hope.
“This guy, he was catapulted in on hope and change, what we hope the guy is. What the fuck? Everything he’s saying’s on the teleprompter. I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived. I saw it all growing up,” Blagojevich scoffs in the story, which hits newsstands Jan. 19. “I saw it all growing up.”
The White House has refused to comment.
The twice-elected Democrat was impeached and removed from office last year after federal prosecutors arrested him on corruption charges that included trying to sell Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat. Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty.
In the meantime, Rod is busy getting ready for his big reality TV debut. The former politician and his neatly-combed coiff willl appear on the third season of NBC’s The Celebrity Apprentice in March.
Dominicus, La Romana, RD.- En un Ambiente festivo El Tracadero Beach Club & Restaurant Inauguró sus instalaciones y celebración de fin de año con el exquisito show musical Dolfi’s.
El Presidente del Tracadero Beach Club & Restaurant Sr. Gianni Petrongari se dirigió a los socios e invitados especiales, así como una numerosa representación de la comunidad italiana dándole las gracias por el apoyo recibido y resalto las condiciones excepcionales del Restaurant la cuales la cual consta con una amplia terraza frente al mar con un elegante estilo moderno colonial Ingles, además con una variada y exquisita cocina internacional y mediterránea dirigida por los Chefs Renato Cristofari y Lalla, donde a la vez podrán degustar una exclusiva carta de vinos italianos que acompañaran su rico paladar.
Estas Instalaciones alojan además el Club Náutico Parco Dell’ Est, el cual en un futuro cercano será unos de los mejores y más completo del país.
Para la ocasión se realizó una cena de gala acompañada por el exquisito grupo musical Dolfi’s integrado por los señores:
Rafaelito Díaz, Samuel de la Paz Pedrito Guzmán, Manuel Guzmán-Landolfi, (guitarra acústica, compositor y director artístico y musical) junto a Noé Francisco y Ángel Guerrero.
Quienes deleitaron a todos los invitados especiales y socios con interpretaciones como: My Children, My Loves, Andrea, Bombón de Azúcar, (composiciones de Guzmán-Landolfi) también como Oye como va de Santana, Tutti Frutti de Elvis Presley, No Satisfatión, How Can you mend a broken heart (bee gees). Entre otros.
El Dr. Manuel Guzmán-Landolfi entrego un reconocimiento al Presidente del Tracadero Beach Club & Restaurant Sr. Gianni Petrongari, como integrante honorífico del CONJUNTO MUSICAL Dolfi’s.
Santo Domingo.- Banco León anunció la apertura de su nueva sucursal en la ciudad de Puerto Plata, localizada en las instalaciones del Multicentro La Sirena de esa ciudad.
Con horario extendido de lunes a domingos, la firma continúa su creciendo y se fortalece en todo el país.
"Con gran alegría dejamos abierta esta sucursal en la novia del Atlántico para satisfacer las necesidades bancarias de nuestros apreciados clientes. La sucursal, que labora en horario extendido, viene a ampliar los puntos de contacto con los clientes de Puerto Plata y zonas aledañas a quienes garantizamos el nivel de atención que nos caracteriza y que se sustenta en dar siempre nuestro mejor servicio", expresó Karina Souffront, 2do. VP Regional de Negocios Personales.
La sucursal está abierta en horario extendido de 9:00 am a 7:00 pm de lunes a sábado y los domingos y días feriados de 9:00 am a 1:00 pm. Con esta apertura, Banco León aumenta a 73 el número de sucursales en todo el país, contando con 13 sucursales con horario extendido.
Sobre Banco León
Banco León cuenta con 73 sucursales y acceso a más de 1,500 cajeros automáticos en todo el país. Su cultura corporativa responde a una visión de respeto y confianza sobre la base de liderazgo, conocimiento y experiencia; dinamismo, protección y apertura ante las necesidades e intereses de sus clientes.
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford, Electric
It’s taken far too long, but an all-new Ford Focus has arrived and we’ve just seen it in the metal here at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Complete with a new platform, new engine, some shapely sheetmetal and a host of tech, this new Focus that we’ll finally be sharing with Europe and the rest of the world promises to set a new bar for the small car C-segment.
The Focus will initially be available in the U.S. in both four- and five-door hatchback body styles, with a three-door hatch and coupe likely in the works as well. A new 2.0-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine producing 155 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque will be the only engine at launch, but buyers will have a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and Ford’s new six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Ford also confirmed during its press conference this morning that a Focus Electric is due to arrive in 2012, with a hybrid version arriving the next year – both of which will be built in Michigan.
For all the details, hit up our deep dive of the next generation Ford Focus after checking out our first live shots from the Detroit Auto Show in the gallery below. Hit the jump to watch video of the 2011 Ford Focus live reveal.
Gallery: Detroit 2010: Next-Gen Ford Focus
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Follow our coverage of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show live all day on Twitter at http://twitter.com/therealautoblog
Continue reading Detroit 2010: Next-gen Ford Focus a C-segment savior [w/video]
Detroit 2010: Next-gen Ford Focus a C-segment savior [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Las palabras de bienvenida estuvieron a cargo de la Directora General Sra. Danny Sánchez quien agradeció el respaldo de los socios, así como a los clientes el apoyo brindado y reafirmó el compromiso de brindar un servicio con lo último de la tecnología moderna y lo legendarios secretos de belleza naturales como el famoso baño "Cleopatra" a base de leche de vaca y aceites esenciales, así como la purificación corporal a base de miel y vino tinto excelente para la circulación del cuerpo humano.
De inmediato cedió las palabras a la Señora Nayadee P. Domínguez, Directora Administrativa de la empresa, quien resaltó que Dynamic Beauty Spa& Salón está enfocado en un servicio integral con un trato humano, dinámico y capacitado en las aéreas técnicas y naturales. Señalo que contamos con las prestigiosas líneas de productos 100% naturales entre los cuales están: Smith, L’Oreal, May Stard, Excel, Casmara Cosmety y Armesso.
Además recalcó que contamos con un salón moderno que ofrece desde al lavado de cabeza, corte de temporada tanto para damas como caballeros aplicación de tintes, tratamientos anti-caída, depilación manicura y pedicura entre otros. En cuanto al Spa cuenta con los más modernos equipos para los cuidados preventivos, de regeneración y intensivos para lucir un cuerpo y rostro vanguardista y sano. Así como tratamientos naturales, corporales y reducción a base de extractos de frutas y aceites esenciales.
La bendición religiosa del nuevo local estuvo a cargo del Padre Nelson Rafael Clark Vásquez Rector de la Iglesia La Altagracia
Luego se ofreció un Brindis con bebidas Nacionales e Internacionales acompañados de finos canapés de la Pastelería Francesa Chantilly.
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Chevrolet, GM, Electric
The 2010 Detroit Auto Show kicked off this morning with a positive little speech by United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. Speaking about the coming electrification of the automobile, he said that “this is what the American people want.” When asked how much money the government would pay over the next decade for a plug-in vehicle infrastructure, all he would say is that the costs would be shared between industry and government.
LaHood also praised the assistance that Obama gave to the domestic automakers, especially General Motors and Chrysler, calling it a lifeline that was very much needed. When LaHood visited Detroit last October, he spend half-days with each of the Big Three, and came away from GM with the impression that the
Chevrolet “Volt is obviously the kind of green car Americans are looking for.” So says the guy who works for the government that owns 60 percent of the company that will sell the Volt.
The new CAFE standards were a major achievement for the Obama Administration, especially since they came so early in the administration. LaHood said he doesn’t expect any push back from the automakers on higher standards in the future, since they were present with Obama when he made the announcement and worked together on the details. That initial agreement also began what LaHood called a “special relationship” between the government and the auto industry, one that he promised would be “long lasting.”
Follow our coverage of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show live all day on Twitter at http://twitter.com/therealautoblog
Detroit 2010: LaHood says Volt “obviously the kind of green car Americans are looking for” originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Santo Domingo, RD.-En un ambiente de exquisita distinción y con la presencia de inversionistas, empresarios y propietarios de apartamentos, se celebró la ceremonia de inauguración de la Torre Atiemar, en el exclusivo sector de La Esperilla.
El presidente de este ambicioso proyecto, ya convertido en toda una realidad, Don Arturo Del Tiempo, se encargó de recibir a los invitados a la recepción, junto a los demás ejecutivos y promotores inmobiliarios de la edificación.
Al pronunciar las palabras centrales del acto de apertura, el señor Del Tiempo expresó la infinita satisfacción de ya ver terminado este proyecto, que además de representar una impronta de elegancia y vanguardia en la zona urbana de Santo Domingo, es sin lugar a dudas, un lugar perfecto y confortable para residir.
La Torre Atiemar está ubicada en un balcón natural, ofreciendo vistas panorámicas del mar Caribe y de la Capital, ya que está enclavada en la calle Pedro Henríquez Ureña, justo al frente del Conservatorio Nacional de Música. Realmente se trata de una zona sin desperdicios, y es que el sector La Esperilla se caracteriza precisamente por ser un área céntrica y de gran calidad ambiental, además, la existencia de numerosas embajadas y nuevas torres residenciales lo hacen una zona residencial de gran exclusividad.
Al describir la Torre Atiemar, el señor Del Tiempo expresó que se trata de un condominio cerrado de 6840 metros cuadrados con salida y/o entrada a la calle Pedro Henríquez Ureña y a la avenida México, con portones eléctricos con control en ambos accesos hacia la torre y hacia las áreas comunes. Cada apartamento cuenta con cuatro parqueos de 15 metros cuadrados, con lockers independientes, y un área de choferes que también incluye baños.
Diferentes ambientes caracterizan los jardines de esta exclusiva torre, que cuenta además con una piscina para adultos de 18 metros de largo con jacuzzi independiente, un solarium; un gazebo con capacidad de más de 500 personas; una piscina para niños, área de juegos, columpios, y un gazebo independiente para fiestas infantiles. El área de deportes cuenta con una cancha de tenis, otra de squash, pista de jogging y un gimnasio equipado con la última tecnología, y que incluye vestuarios, sauna y spa.
En cuanto a los apartamentos se refiere, cuentan con un área de 450 metros cuadrados, con aire acondicionado central, regulable e independiente en cada estancia. Disponen de ascensores de doble puerta, con entrada directa al lobby privado del apartamento o al hall común de cada nivel.
Los apartamentos incluyen una amplia sala y un estudio- biblioteca conectado a la misma; baño para visitantes; una master suite y dos suites, cada una equipada con baños independientes con revestimientos de mármol, bañeras de hidromasajes y jacuzzi, walk-in closets forrados, con tramos y gavetas.
Además, poseen cocinas europeas de importación, área de lavado y secado con ventilación natural, grifería de diseño y ebanistería de maderas preciosas.
Concluidas las palabras formales, los invitados tuvieron la oportunidad de realizar un recorrido por las principales áreas del moderno edificio, así como de observar las bondades y características de las piezas departamentales preparadas previamente como muestra inmobiliaria para los invitados.
Finalmente, los asistentes a la actividad disfrutaron de exquisitos canapés en una amplia variedad de fríos, salados y dulces, al tiempo en que brindaban con copas de vinos y champagne por el éxito de esta nueva edificación que viene a engalanar la capital dominicana.
The Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge #7 today endorsed Joseph Berrios for Cook County Assessor in next month’s Democratic Primary.
With this endorsement, the Fraternal Order of Police joins more than 75 organizations and elected officials who are supporting Berrios in his run for assessor.
“The Fraternal Order of Police is proud to endorse Joe Berrios for Cook County Assessor. His public service record has been dedicated to protecting the working men and women of Chicago,” FOP President Mark Donahue said today.
“We believe that as assessor Joe will continue to fight property tax hikes and be a strong advocate for taxpayers.”
FOP Chicago Lodge #7 represents the city’s more than 13,000 officers.
“I am honored to have the backing of these fine men and women,” said Berrios.
“I look forward to representing them as Cook County Assessor, making taxpayers my number one priority.”
Other groups who have endorsed Berrios are: Advocate Society, AFSME, Association of Polish-American Attorneys, Chicago Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, Cook County Democratic Party, Hispanic American Labor Council, Journeymen Plasterers’ Protective and Benevolent Society of Chicago, Local No. 5, Local Union 597 Chicago Pipe Fitters, Operating Engineers Local 150 and United Hellenic Voters of America.
Elected officials who have endorsed Berrios include: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White; State Senators John Cullerton, James DeLeo, Ricky Hendon, Martin Sandoval and Louis Viverito; State Representatives Edward Acevedo, Maria Berrios, Daniel Burke, Marlow Colvin, John D’Amico, Anthony DeLuca, Mary Flowers, Esther Golar, Greg Harris, Joseph Lyons and Kevin McCarthy;
Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart; Cook County Board Commissioners Jerry Butler and Deborah Sims; Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioners Frank Avila, Gloria Alitto Majewski, Kathleen Therese Meany and Mariyana Spyropoulos;
Chicago Aldermen Thomas Allen, James Balcer, Walter Burnett Jr., George Cardenas, Vi Daley, Sharon Dixon, Brian Doherty, Pat Dowell, Toni Foulkes, Margaret Laurino, Patrick LeVar, Lona Lane, Freddrenna Lyle, Richard Mell, Frank Olivo, Toni Preckwinkle, John Pope, Bernard Stone, JoAnn Thompson and Michael Zalewski;
And Cook County Committeemen Maggie Crotty, Wilbert Crowley, Patricia Cullerton, Charles Hernandez, Jesse Juarez, Steven Landek, Lou Lang, Michael Looney, Robert Lovero, Robert Martwick, Terry Matthews, Brian McPartlin, Antonio Munoz, Mary O’Connor, Barrett Pedersen, Bill Powers, Robert Rita, Tom Sharpe, Samuel Simone, Edward Smollen, Rocco Terranova and Frank Zuccarelli.
The Democratic Primary is scheduled for Feb. 2 and the General Election set for Nov. 2.
Berrios has been a commissioner on the Board of Review since 1988. Prior to being elected five times to that post, he served three terms as an Illinois state representative.
He is chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party and Committeeman of the 31st Ward.
Berrios was the first Hispanic elected chairman of the party, a commissioner to the Board of Review and to the Illinois General Assembly.
Sure, Valentine’s Day is still just over a month away, but getting a few things squared away now in preparation is never a bad idea! If you plan to dress up your pet to show off your fondness for the day of love, check out these cute little collars and scrunchies that are perfect for parading around with your adored pet!
~ The cute little heart scrunchy collar above is available on Amazon for about $7 (plus shipping, of course). The sheer ribbon collar has delicate little red and pink hearts on the tips and the elasticized band fits most dogs. Though I know Honey wouldn’t stand for it, I think Chip might tolerate it!
~ If you want more of an understated look, check out the pretty “Heart of Gold” collar, also from Amazon. The red cotton collar has shiny little embossed gold hearts and is available in sizes from small to extra large.
~ FelineFido.com has a huge selection of cute Valentine’s Day collars for cats, with everything from the standard hearts to cupcakes, and even some basic red and pink stripes that can be worn year-round.
[image: amazon]
Post from: Blisstree
Zeets called me for some advice.
Zeets: So Michelle* [ed: no real names used] cancelled for Friday and said something came up, but she’d be OK with getting together on Sunday. Another girl playing hard to get. Any sage advice Senor Piglingston?
Me: You’ve been on one date and you’re already scheduling a weekend night? And she’s younger than you. And cute. She’s got prospects. You’re not going to get anywhere playing Don Juan whispering sweet nothings and amping up the romantic vibe. She’s only got a toe in the water. My advice… Like a fighter jet in a dive, pull back! Don’t try to impress her with your unstoppable silverback pursuit. You’ve gotta play the game my friend. With the especially valuable girls (young, pretty) it’s not enough to refrain from being beta; you must also fill the void with alpha. Breach the touch zone early, then stop touching her for a while. Be unpredictable in your unspoken, and spoken, intentions. Tease her more about “having to wine and dine you first” and how you like to take it slow because you’ve been burned before by girls who wound up having boring personalities. Put her on defense. Your goal is to have her working to impress you, not the other way around.
Zeets: Excellent advice, a healthy reminder! Hold on, someone just texted me. [Zeets checks his text message while I wait on the line] Whoa, Samantha texted me. She wants me to come all the way out to Virginia to meet her and a couple of friends for drinks. More advice Pigmaster Prince!
Me: Isn’t she the sexually repressed woman who might be a virgin? The woman you haven’t banged yet? Let’s break this down. It’s 1 degree outside. It’s late. If you drive all the way out there you wil be doing so for a woman whose sweet nectar you have not yet tasted, and whose nectar may not be forthcoming at all. And to top it off, meeting her with friends so she can feel safe and snuggly in her chastity. Safe from your predations.
Zeets: Oh, I wasn’t planning to go. She’s nuts if she thinks I jump like that.
Me: You know what? Call her bluff. Send her a text right now, while I’m on the phone. Tell her in plain, unaffected language that you are not going to drive out there, and that she should come to your place tonight for drinks before it gets too late.
Zeets: [Tapping out his text] Sent! Odds of her coming here are low. This doesn’t solve my horniness. I’ll need to acquire more prospects.
Me: True. But there is beauty in the short term solution as well. Send a booty call text to your ex right now.
Zeets: Julie? Haha. A bold move! A booty call? That sounds so cheesy. Does that actually work? I haven’t seen her in months. I can’t imagine any woman responding well to a booty call.
Me: This is because you have the imagination of a man. You are incapable of imagining the wicked wiles that will work on women. Recall, you dumped her. This makes the booty call operational. Had she been the dumper, your booty call would be the plaintive wail of a lonely man on the corner. But since you were the dumper, rest assured she has thought of you in her dreams ever since. Send the text. Do it. Now. No punctuation. No excuses. No explanation. Type “Booty call” and nothing else. Trust me, she still has your alpha male number in her phone. Girls keep alpha numbers of asshole lovers long after their expiration.
Zeets: [Typing his text while I wait on the phone. He is giggling like a schoolgirl.] I can’t believe I’m doing this! I feel like I’m starring in a rap video. I wonder if she’ll reply?
Me: I give it 70-30 she does.
Zeets: Hold on… haha! She replied! Just like that. Five seconds! She wrote back “You’re funny.”
Me: That’s a yes.
Zeets: You think so?
Me: Absolutely. In chicksperanto “that’s funny” translates as “I’m seriously thinking about doing this with you, as long as you don’t say anything to fuck up the rationalization hamster currently running in overdrive in my brain.” If she didn’t want to do it, she wouldn’t have replied so quickly, if at all.
Zeets: What should I say to that?
Me: Write back “Yeah, I’m a comedian. Come over tonight, drinks are stirred.”
Zeets: Good… OK, done.
Me: She may not come over tonight, but you’ve planted the seed for future booty calls. Water and watch it grow.
Zeets: She texted again, hold on… She said she wants to hear my voice on the phone. Wow, it’s working.
Me: Godspeed.
Zeets: You truly are the Dark Lord.
Posted in Dating, Game, Girls 
Media consulting firm, Frank N. Magid Associates, has released the results of their survey, and they found that only 15% of gamers buy DLC for their games. Heck, 43% of them aren’t even aware of what DLC
The first generation of electronic readers had little more than black-and-white text. The second generation had black-and-white text, simple graphics and Web connectivity.
Glimpses of the third generation are on display this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show, where manufacturers are previewing e-readers with color screens, interactive graphics and magazine-style layouts.
Santo Domingo, RD.-Esta se inscribe en la red de las 175 Boutiques que cuenta actualmente Nespresso repartidas en más de 50 países. La Boutique Nespresso está localizada en la Calle Agustín Lara #22, en Piantini, una de las áreas residenciales y comerciales más elegantes de la ciudad de Santo Domingo.
Nespresso llegó al país en el año 2001 y es reconocida en el mundo como la marca líder de Café Premium. Con esta apertura en Santo Domingo, la Compañía introduce su concepto de trilogía que más de 2.5 millones de personas disfrutan en el mundo. La inigualable Trilogía Nespresso es una combinación sin precedentes de tres pilares de excelencia:
Grands Crus de Café: 16 variedades de café en cápsulas, procedentes de los mejores granos del mundo (1-2% de la producción mundial de café), especialmente tostados. Se presentan como una gama completa de mezclas de café espresso y lungo en cápsulas herméticamente selladas para garantizar una frescura perfecta
Máquinas: una gama completa de elegantes y funcionales máquinas de café, que cuentan con un sistema patentado de extracción y una unidad de preparación que permite la interacción de todos los factores necesarios para producir de forma consistente una taza de café de la más alta calidad.
Servicio de Atención al Cliente: un servicio exclusivo y personalizado inigualable disponible a través del Club Nespresso.
De forma interconectada, estos pilares proporcionan Las Experiencias Nespresso del Café Perfecto, momentos de verdadero placer y pura indulgencia diseñados para deleitar continuamente a los amantes del café donde, cuándo y cómo quieran.
Nespresso ofrece una gama completa de servicios relacionados con el café tantos para las necesidades de la vida hogareña, como en el segmento de negocio de restaurantes, bares, hoteles y oficinas.
“Oui.” That’s what Stéphane Richard—Orange’s Chief Executive Officer Delegate—answered to French journalist Jean Pierre Elkabbach on radio Europe 1, when asked about the imminent launch of the Apple tablet. And mentioned built-in web cam we heard about.[Updated]
Jean Pierre Elkabbach: According to Le Point, your partner Apple will launch a Tablet…
Stéphane Richard: Yes.
Jean Pierre Elkabbach: …with a webcam…
Stéphane Richard: Yes.
Jean Pierre Elkabbach: …would Orange users benefit from this?
Stéphane Richard: Sure! They are going to benefit from the web cam, certainly we will be able to, in effect, transmit images in real time. We are going to modernize, in essence, the video phone that we knew a few years ago… the size of the resolution, and the quality of the resolution will be better, and it will be available to all in France.
Jump to 6:15 to listen to it (in French):
Update: In an official statement, Orange has said that Stephane Richard’s words were “taken out of context” and that he didn’t acknowledge the existence of the Apple tablet.
However, the translation above is exactly what he said, with all the context. There’s no other mention to the Apple tablet before or after the above. So no, his words weren’t taken out of context, and they are presented as is.
Back in 2007, Orange CEO Didier Lombard spilt the beans on their iPhone partnership with Apple ahead of the official announcement, prompting the rage of Steve Jobs and an “official” denial by the Orange PR machine.
[Nowhereelse and moconews]
En el acto inaugural se dieron cita integrantes de la Comunidad de San José de los Llanos y Nuevo Cayacoa, representantes de ONG’s, medios de comunicación, autoridades gubernamentales de San Pedro de Macorís, representantes de la iglesia católica dominicana, ejecutivos de Grupo VICINI y de CAEI.
La consagración de la iglesia estuvo a cargo del Obispo de la Diócesis de San Pedro de Macorís, Monseñor Francisco Ozoria Acosta y el cura párroco de San José de los Llanos, Padre Víctor Rodríguez ofició la ceremonia de inauguración, donde la comunidad presentó ofrendas simbólicas a manera de petición y agradecimiento, y se invitó a toda la comunidad católica de la zona a participar activamente en las celebraciones religiosas de la nueva iglesia.
El proyecto Nuevo Cayacoa fue construido por Grupo Vicini con una inversión de RD$160 millones y está integrado además por un complejo habitacional, un centro educativo, instalaciones deportivas, un centro comercial y dotado de los servicios de electricidad, agua potable, drenaje, calles, aceras, contenes y areas verdes.
-Country star Kenny Chesney purchases $9.2 million Tennessee mansion…..
–Mad Men’s Emmy-winning costume designer is writing a style book….
-FX has purchased the television rights to the box office blockbuster Avatar….
–American Idol alum Katharine McPhee to guest star on Community….
-Reese Witherspoon is counting on the kindness of friends to get her through her recent split from actor Jake Gyllenhaal….
-Stuart Townsend has dropped out of the Thor movie…..
-Once of Tiger’s whores is being wooed by a Mistresses Club…
-Some moviegoers see racist themes in this season’s box office smash, Avatar…..
–Newflash: Exes Deryck Whibley and Avril Lavigne hate each other…..
-MTV/VH1 VJ Lala Vazquez goes topless for gay marriage…..
Have you ever had a migraine? Do you know someone who has? Chances are, whether it is you or someone you know, the first thing you want to do if you have a migraine is to get out of the light and into a dark room.
Light, any type of light, is a migraineurs enemy once the pain has begun. With all the research that is going in to trying to find causes and cures for migraines, one angle has been to look at how light affects migraines as opposed to “regular” headaches, no matter how severe the headaches are.
Researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have published study findings in the advance online issue of Nature Neuroscience that indicate they have identified a new visual pathway that underlies sensitivity to light during migraine in both blind people and in those with normal eyesight.
By studying both groups, those with sight and those without, the researchers were able to determine that photophobia (avoiding light because of the pain it causes) somehow is affected by the optic nerve.
Blindness may be caused by many problems and it also varies on the type of blindness. For example, there are people with no vision who can detect light and, therefore, have somewhat of a day/night cycle that their body is accustomed to. Others who are blind have no perception of light whatsoever, meaning they have no idea if there is any sun or light around them at any time.
By examining people who fall into either group of blindness, the researchers found that patients who were blind with no sense of light but who were experiencing a migraine were unaffected when they were exposed to light. However, those who were blind but who could perceive light did experience intensified pain when exposed to light.
The researchers then took these findings into the labs where they looked at animal eyes and the path between the eyes and the brain, through the optic nerve.
The researchers discovered a group of neurons that become electrically active during migraine.
“When small electrodes were inserted into these ‘migraine neurons,’ we discovered that light was triggering a flow of electrical signals that was converging on these very cells,” says [Rami] Burstein [PhD, Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine at BIDMC and Harvard Medical School]. “This increased their activity within seconds.”
And even when the light was removed, he notes, these neurons remained activated. “This helps explain why patients say that their headache intensifies within seconds after exposure to light, and improves 20 to 30 minutes after being in the dark.”
The take-away message for this is that sunglasses, even at night, may be helpful for people who are experiencing a migraine. Even the more subtle lighting can intensify the migraine pain.
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Image: PhotoXpress.com
Post from: Blisstree
Amazon’s Kindle device sparked quite some controversy last year over its text-to-speech capabilities. The Authors Guild was up in arms over the feature, identifying it as a threat to audio book sales, and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) had some things to say about the Kindle, too.
In June 2009, NFB and ACB jointly filed a discrimination lawsuit against Arizona State University (ASU) to prevent the university from deploying Amazon’s Kindle DX as a means of distributing electronic textbooks to its students because the device cannot be used by blind students. Sounds arbitrary, I know, but more on that later.
ASU was one of six institutions of higher education to deploy the Kindle DX as part of a pilot project to assess the role of electronic textbooks and reading devices in the classroom.
The main contentions in the lawsuit filed by NFB and ACB – which also targeted the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) – was that while the Kindle DX has a text-to-speech feature, the menus to select a book or purchase a book are not blind-friendly, making it impossible to select textbooks for download.
The blindness organizations alleged that this was in violation of federal law. ABOR and ASU denied and continue to deny any violations of the law. Either way, the parties this morning announced that they have reached a settlement agreement.
The agreement was reached in light of several factors, according to the press release: ASU’s commitment to providing access to all programs and facilities for students with disabilities, the fact that the pilot program will end in the Spring of 2010 and the university’s agreement that should ASU deploy e-book readers in future classes over the next two years, it will strive to use devices that are accessible to the blind.
Interestingly, the settlement agreement also stipulates that Amazon “and others” are making improvements to and progress in the accessibility of e-book readers. It’s unclear which what these improvements are and when they will be into effect.
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CA today announced that it has acquired privately-held Oblicore, a provider of Service Level Management (SLM) software for enterprises and service providers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although Israeli business news outlet Globes had picked up rumors about the pending acquisition late last year and pegged the purchase price at $25 million.
If correct, this isn’t a great outcome for the company’s investors, who injected at least the same amount of capital into the company since its inception in 2000.
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