Amid roster questions, fans rally for PSU team

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) ? A pep band and more than 1,000 supporters turned out to cheer on Penn State players arriving for early morning workouts as fans try to rally around a program in flux following stiff NCAA sanctions tied to the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.

Most attendees wore jerseys and other blue and white attire Tuesday morning at the "Rise and Rally" event organized by two former players.

Signs posted in the windows of the Lasch football building ? the same place where Sandusky abused some of his victims ? included inspirations quotes from Winston Churchill, Thomas Paine and Vince Lombardi.

Penn State faces a four-year postseason ban and lost scholarships because of the scandal.

It could cost the program current players, too. Star tailback Silas Redd visited Southern California during the weekend.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/amid-roster-questions-fans-rally-psu-team-113233327--spt.html

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Arafat widow seeks French 'assassination' probe

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004 file photo, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat pauses during an emergency cabinet session, at his compound, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. The widow of Yasser Arafat on Tuesday July 31, 2012 formally asked for a French investigation into his death, bringing a complaint of assassination weeks after raising new suspicions that the former Palestinian leader was poisoned before his 2004 death in a French military hospital. Earlier this month, Palestinian authorities gave final approval for Arafat's body to be exhumed. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004 file photo, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat pauses during an emergency cabinet session, at his compound, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. The widow of Yasser Arafat on Tuesday July 31, 2012 formally asked for a French investigation into his death, bringing a complaint of assassination weeks after raising new suspicions that the former Palestinian leader was poisoned before his 2004 death in a French military hospital. Earlier this month, Palestinian authorities gave final approval for Arafat's body to be exhumed. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2002 file photo, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat talks to the media during a press conference at his headquarters, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. The widow of Yasser Arafat on Tuesday July 31, 2012 formally asked for a French investigation into his death, bringing a complaint of assassination weeks after raising new suspicions that the former Palestinian leader was poisoned before his 2004 death in a French military hospital. Earlier this month, Palestinian authorities gave final approval for Arafat's body to be exhumed. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen, File)

PARIS (AP) ? The widow of Yasser Arafat on Tuesday formally asked for a French investigation into his death, bringing a complaint of assassination weeks after raising new suspicions that the former Palestinian leader was poisoned before his 2004 death in a French military hospital.

Earlier this month, Palestinian authorities gave final approval for Arafat's body to be exhumed, though there are signs that officials are uninterested in an autopsy. Arafat's nephew, who as a close relative has veto rights over digging up the remains, said Tuesday there was no need for an exhumation.

In recent tests of Arafat's belongings requested by his widow, Suha, and the Arab satellite network Al-Jazeera, a Swiss lab detected elevated traces of polonium-210 ? a rare and highly lethal substance ? but said the findings were inconclusive and that Arafat's bones would have to be tested. Questions remain about the results of any additional tests after so long.

French doctors have said Arafat died of a massive stroke and had suffered from a blood condition.

A French judge will still have to decide whether to accept the complaint ? also brought on behalf of their daughter ? and open an investigation. According to a statement from the family's French lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, Tuesday's request was intended to "establish the truth in honor of their husband and father."

Arafat's nephew, Nasser al-Kidwa, on Tuesday joined Arafat's sister, Khadija, who lives in Gaza, in saying that the body should be left in peace.

Al-Kidwa has alleged repeatedly that Arafat was poisoned by Israel, though he has not provided anything to back up the claim. Israel has vehemently denied a role in Arafat's death, and his widow's complaint does not name any people or countries.

He said an international investigation should be launched. "If an international investigative committee asks for an autopsy, we are ready to do it, but why do it (the autopsy) now?" he said. "Is it to convince ourselves? We are convinced (that Israel killed Arafat) and we need the world to make a move."

___

Associated Press writer Mohammed Daraghmeh contributed to this report from Ramallah, West Bank.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-07-31-Arafat's%20Death/id-6d86e1876d3e4f64be419731bb2453f3

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South Africa: Banyana Ready to Take On Canada

Pretoria ? Banyana Banyana will be out to prove that they are not in London to make up the numbers when they lock horns with Canada in their second Olympic Group F match in Coventry on Saturday.

Kick-off is 3:45pm South African time. While nerves may have got the better of the South Africans in the first 30 minutes of their opening encounter in their 4-1 defeat to Sweden on Wednesday, skipper Amanda Dlamini's charges must now have settled into the Olympic mode, and need a win to keep alive their hopes of a place in the next round.

"We have seen a bit of Canada in action when we participated at the Cyprus Women's Cup in February this year and have an idea of what to expect.

"The nerves of the first match are now behind us and we hope to do our country proud when we face Canada on Saturday.

"It's a great experience for South Africa to play at this level of women's football, being the first time that our senior women's national team has qualified for the Olympics since our team was formed in 1993," said Dlamini.

The Canadians will be just as anxious to secure points, having gone down 2-1 to Japan in their opening Olympic Group F fixture.

The South Africans have had a solid build up phase to the Olympics since outplaying Zambia, Tunisia and Ethiopia in home and away matches to book their place along with Cameroon - as Africa's representatives at the London Olympics.

They also participated in the Cyprus Women's Cup as part of their preparations for their Olympic Games debut.

Banyana outplayed Zambia 6-2 on aggregate to book their place at the CAF African Women Championship 2012 which kicks off in Equatorial Guinea at the end of October.

Banyana's final group fixture will be against FIFA World Cup champions Japan on Tuesday, 31 July in Cardiff.

Copyright ? 2012 SAnews.gov.za. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections ? or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201207300979.html

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Discovering How High Self-Esteem Increases Productivity at Work ...

By Fay F Niewiadomski

The Laws of Nature always apply or do they?

Have you, or do you know anyone who has successfully managed to grow a Cedar tree from a Melon seed? My guess is that the answer is ?No!? The reason I am so sure of this, is that one of the Laws of Nature is: ?you reap what you sow!? Many of you are probably thinking: ?well duh, that?s pretty obvious, isn?t it?? My answer is that it can?t be that obvious because so many people are constantly trying to get something for nothing.

Employees in companies, managers in big businesses and we humans in general always want more and we want it for FREE if possible. We want more, more, and more again but we do not want to put in the effort it takes to truly create value.

I am not even sure that the concept of ?value creation? is widely understood. Too many people confuse activity and effort with value creation.

Value creation is not just showing up at 8:00 am and leaving at 5:00 pm. It really depends on what you do in between. For example, did you have breakfast, chat with your friends about what happened last night or over the weekend, spend hours on Facebook or browsing the web, take multiple cigarette and bathroom breaks, come late, stay at lunch for longer than you are supposed to and then shut down mind and body well before the end of the day? These activities are about subtracting value NOT adding value.

Research confirms that most employees are no more than 50% productive at work! What a waste of resources and what a waste of a life! You spend 35% of your life at work!!!

To increase your income, you must work all the time you are at work. All your activities must be high value activities and success and advancement will follow. Some examples of value adding activities are: finding creative solutions to problems, reducing the cost of some task, product or service, resolving conflict, creating a new product or service, closing a profitable sale, doing things faster and more accurately, etc.

A great daily exercise is to write 5 to 10 successes you have accomplished at the end of each day. It really helps you to understand what value creation means on a very personal level. Creation is about ADDITION, not about SUBTRACTION!

?You reap what you sow? does apply to every aspect of your life including your job.

Research has shown that most of the world?s problems can be traced down to one root cause: low self-esteem.

We, every human, hold opinions about, a picture of, ourselves as a person. This idea or image is the foundation of our self-esteem and definitely impacts how we feel about, and therefore, how much value we place on ourselves. However, our self-esteem is not set in stone, the way we feel can change.

Being positive, looking for the good, or at least looking for what can be learned from every experience is a very good starting point to increasing our self-esteem. Both being positive and being negative are habit (attitudes) formed during our life.

If we are negative, we are more likely to have lower self-esteem because we are more focused on the mistakes we have made and on our perceived weaknesses. On the other side, the higher our self-esteem, the more likely we are to see ourselves in a more positive light.

If we look at the statement that most problems can be traced back to low self-esteem, we can follow this to be a realistic root to the problem of poor performance, resistance to change and low productivity.

People with high levels of self-esteem are more likely to succeed in both their professional and personal arenas because they do add value. They are willing to pay the price ? in time, effort and personal investment ? to achieve success, to become better, smarter, stronger and more knowledgeable. The benefit to these individuals will include personal financial and career rewards, a reputation as a professional within their organizations and a high level of recognition as someone who is reliable.

However, the highest level of reward will be personal satisfaction in a job well-done.

Fay Niewiadomski founded ICTN (International Consulting & Training Network) in 1993. ICTN provides complete management services to its clients who are among the leading regional and multinational players. Furthermore, she has worked with CEOs, Board Members, Presidents and Ministers of Government and other Leaders to help them meet the challenges of change within their organizations through creative problem solving, management interventions and powerful communication strategies.

For additional information on how to improve performance and increase productivity through people, decrease cost and better ensure growth and sustainability, visit http://www.ictn.com.

Discover easy and proven techniques that will help you Guarantee Results by improving your leadership skills. CLICK this link http://www.ictn.com/english/free-articles.aspx?id=73 and receive your Free copy of Management Problems & Solutions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fay_F_Niewiadomski
http://EzineArticles.com/?Discovering-How-High-Self-Esteem-Increases-Productivity-at-Work&id=7186626

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Technorati Tags: Self Confidence, Self Esteem, self help, Self image

Tagged as: Self Confidence, Self Esteem, self help, Self image

Source: http://www.simple-self-improvementblog.com/discovering-how-high-self-esteem-increases-productivity-at-work/

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Djibouti inflation rate rises to 4.2 pct in June

DJIBOUTI (Reuters) - Consumer prices in Djibouti rose 0.6 percent in June from a month earlier, pushing the year-on-year rate to 4.2 percent from 4 percent in May, driven by higher food and transport prices, official data showed on Sunday.

The prices of food, drinks and tobacco rose 0.9 percent, while the cost of transport increased 0.2 percent. Housing, water, electricity gas and other fuel prices were up 1.7 percent, the Department of Statistics and Demographic Studies said in a statement.

The International Monetary Fund has projected that Djibouti's economy will expand 4.8 percent this year from 4.4 percent in 2011, driven by an acceleration of port activities, construction and services.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/djibouti-inflation-rate-rises-4-2-pct-june-091254233--business.html

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Facebook Shares Outstanding - Business Insider

There is a lot of confusion about one very important metric for Facebook--the number of shares of stock that are outstanding.

This number is critical, because it determines the value the market is placing on the company.

The equation is simple:

The share price X the number of shares outstanding = the market value.

(Yes, if you want to value the business, specifically, you can adjust for cash, debt, and off-balance assets, but the value of the equity is the share price times the shares outstanding).

In any event...

Many, many sources of market data are wrong about Facebook's valuation.

Yahoo Finance, for example, says that at today's closing price, $23.70, Facebook is valued at "$51 billion."

Google Finance says exactly the same thing.

And so do many other sources.

This is incorrect.

These sources appear to be using a share count for Facebook of just north of 2.1 billion. (2.1 billion X $23.70 = $50 billion)

Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts are all over the map. Some analysts are using share counts for Facebook that are under 2 billion. Others are using the same counts as Yahoo and Google: 2.1-2.2 billion. Still others are using the correct share count (per the company) of about 2.74 billion.

The disparity of share counts was making me crazy, so I double-checked with the company today. Facebook confirmed that the correct share count is about 2.74 billion. (This may change on Monday, when the company's latest SEC filing comes out, but the new count shouldn't be radically different).

This means that Facebook is currently valued at $65 billion.

Why is there so much confusion about this?

In part because Facebook hasn't issued a simple 10Q quarterly filing yet. This SEC filing lists the latest share count, which is usually where everyone gets it.

In part because Facebook has a complex capital structure, with different classes of stock and lots of stock and options packaged into Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that are given to employees.

And, in part, because the IPO prospectus put the pro-forma (post-IPO) share count at 2.2 billion.

I haven't determined yet exactly what accounts for the difference between this number and the 2.74 billion number Facebook confirmed today, but I believe the difference is the shares and options issued for Facebook's RSUs. I'll look into this next week.

(Not to get too wonky, but the "fully diluted" share count, which is the one you should use when you're trying to calculate the market value, earnings per share, and other measures, fluctuates with the stock price. The "fully diluted" calculation takes into account outstanding stock options, and the number of these that goes into the calculation changes based on the share price.)

The 2.74 billion, by the way, is the share count that everyone was using at the time of the IPO.

You may recall that Facebook priced its IPO at $38 a share--and that this equated to a value of $104 billion.

Well, if you do that math, you'll find that that the implied share count was... 2.74 billion.

And now, with the stock at $23.70, Facebook is worth $65 billion.

SEE ALSO: Well, Now That Everyone's Sobered Up, Let's Figure Out What Facebook Is Really Worth

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-shares-outstanding-2012-7

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August 1: Spider-Man Day, Girlfriends Day, National Minority Donors Awareness Day, U.S. Air Force Day

Spider-Man Day

Children of the 'Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man' era may be shocked to note that Spider-Man began as a comic book character back some 50 years ago. Since then Spider-Man has evolved and is recognized around the world for both his own crime-fighting prowess and as a member of The Avengers.

You can celebrate "Spider-Man Day" by going to the theatre to see the newest version: "The Amazing Spider-Man" starring Andrew Garfield. You can also check out a great interview with the movie's stars on Yahoo! Movies.

Girlfriends Day

Hey, guys: If you're looking for a great way to impress your gal, surprise her with a bouquet of flowers for "Girlfriends Day." Chances are she won't even realize it's a holiday. What better way to earn some extra brownie points you can cash in the next time you forget her birthday or your anniversary?

If you know your way around the kitchen, you can also cook up one of these special romantic dinners for two found on Yahoo! Shine:

5 Romantic (and Healthy) Dinners for Two

National Minority Donors Awareness Day

Most of us recognize and understand the importance of being an organ donor. But did you know that 51 percent of those waiting on the transplant list are minorities? What makes that statistic really scary is that only 23 percent of organ donors are minorities. You can celebrate "National Minority Donors Awareness Day" by becoming a donor yourself.

Organ donation facts:

* More than 114,000 people are currently waiting for an organ.

* 18 people from the transplant list die each day before receiving the lifesaving organ they need.

* One organ donor can save up to eight lives!

U.S. Air Force Day

The United States Air Force was established on August 1, 1947 by President Harry S. Truman. That date was intentionally chosen to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Aeronautical Division in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army. Since its inception, the USAF has worked tirelessly to protect our freedoms, both at home and abroad.

You can celebrate by personally thanking all the men and women of the Air Force in your life and letting them know how much you appreciate their service. And then, perhaps, settle in for a special evening with Maverick and Goose by watching "Top Gun." You can also watch exciting clips of their antics on Yahoo! Movies.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/august-1-spider-man-day-girlfriends-day-national-192000349.html

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Mountain Biking Is A Great Recreation and Sport | Arty Apt

Mountain biking is a recreational activity wherein riders ride bicycles off-road on rough terrains. The bicycles used for these sport is specifically manufactured to suit these kind of terrains which are generally rough and patchy. Such bikes are popularly identified as mtn bikes. These mtn bikes are especifically suitable for these kinds of environments. These forms of bikes look very similar to any other bike, but they are fitted with distinctive features to increase and improve the ride, comfort and most importantly performance on such terrains.

Terrain biking are of different categories such as cross country, dirt jumping and trails to name a few. The most preferred forms of mtn biking is the recreational and trail riding categories. One can perform mountain biking anywhere like on country back rds, off-road trails, zigzag roads through forests, on hills or mntains, areas and on procedures. considering mountain biking involves travelling on your own and most of the time being away from the civilization, the rider needs to be self-reliant in the game. The rider is essential to carry a backpack and be equipped with essential items like water, equipment essential for repairs, a first aid kit, and some emergency food packets in case of need arising from any unfortunate incident like accidents. mountain biking through clubs or in teams is very common on long treks. This sports activity has acquired in popularity after the year 1990 and is recognized as a form of recreational activity.

Some of the equipments one needs for mountain biking are, a good bike uniquely made for performance on terrains which are rough. They have sure special features like dual suspension, broader tires, and flat and raised have to have for consolationable riding posture giving good control for the rider. These make of bikes come fitted with disc brakes and gears to assist in climbing hills which are steep and travel through bumpy surfaces. Due to these special capabilities such bikes are heavier as compared to the regular tour bicycles. A rider also needs to carry selected accessories like helmets, gloves, first aid kit, GPS device, pumps to fill flat tires, a good shoe, equipment for the bike etc.

mongrel country is the most preferred form of off-road biking all over the world. This involves travelling from one point to another involving some climbs and descents on different forms of terrains. Trails involve jumping the bikes over obstacles without the rider?s foot touching the land. It is generally performed off-road and calls for good balance from the rider. just about every sport has its risks and mntain biking also involves some risks. Without the use of any protective gears a rider can be susceptible to Minor as well as some severe injuries to head or spine especifically in downhill biking. With a protective gear one can avoid such severe accidents.

Australia has some excellent terrain biking tours which are eco certified, these tours come with instructions for each kind of biking practical experience be it the rainforest tours or the coastal tours on bikes. They cater to all kinds of rider amateur as well as skilled. practical experience the adventures involved in mountain biking like any other game and also enjoy nature at its best. Such form of biking is a great stress buster.

Mountain Bikes will reveal a few potent strategies to Go Mountain Cycling. Here is how to conquer the hardships caused by Giant Bikes, today.

This entry was posted in art and tagged Mountain Bikes. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

Source: http://artyapt.com/blog/mountain-biking-is-a-great-recreation-and-sport-2/

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3 Tips For Crafting A Social Media Plan For Real Estate | Leading ...

Are you wondering why most social media marketing plans for Realtors? fail? The answer is simple: Commitment. Simply put, often, agents get impatient, don?t see results and quit. Sometimes they simply end up biting off more than they can chew and abandon the program as well. More often than not though, they have not spent the time to craft a marketing plan for their social media efforts. When you don?t have a structured plan, you have an impossible task ahead of you.

We get it. Social media is hard, requires CONSISTENCY and dedication. That said though, it?s not impossible. Here are three quick tips to consider, when drafting and implementing a social media marketing plan:

1) Stay committed:
This past weekend we made a viral video, poking fun at the public?s misconecptions of the Real Estate Industry, titled ?Being A Realtor? IS EASY! ? Anyone Can Be A Real Estate Agent?. Just as being a Realtor? is tough work, and requires dedication, perseverance and character to succeed, social media requires it?s own unique set of traits for success. Namely:

? Dedication

? Consistency

? Engagement

Without those three things, your campaign will fail. You need to look at your social media efforts as another way you spend time in your life building your Real Estate Practice. If you approach it as methodically, and as seriously as you do marketing and selling your client?s listings, you will succeed.

2) Let your content make you an expert:
FACT: People in the social universe DO NOT care if you are a ?Top 1% Realtor?, ?A Resident Expert Of An Area?, or even an ?Expert Negotiator That Can Get Them Top Dollar For Their Home?. That?s all a sales pitch. Leave the sales pitch at the door (mostly). In a perfect world, you want to share with people industry insights, your opinion on what top analysts are reporting in the media, local market conditions that affect your target audience. In other words, show them your vast, professional knowledge.

I generally suggest that agents focus their marketing plans on 85-90% education and then the remaining 10-15% on self promotion. At the end of the day, if a homeowner feels you are knowledgeable and professional, you really don?t have to ?sell them? on doing business with you. They are going to select you because of the professional you are.

3) Social Media Requires Social Engagement
You know that social media is actually ?social? media, right? If you do, pat yourself on the back. If you don?t, don?t feel bad. I can?t tell you how many people come into our office to have us take on their social media efforts and have no idea that they (or someone in my office) is actually going to have to monitor their social media properties and actually ?converse? with those that share posts, ask questions, etc.

The only way a busy Realtor? can execute this step successfully is to schedule your social media interaction. You don?t have to spend all day strapped to an internet enabled device, waiting, just in case someone responds to your social media posts. All you have to do is block off a ?social media meeting? in your calendar, every day, and be dedicated enough to keep that meeting, log into your social media control panel, and converse with those in your social media universe.

Once a day. Nothing more, nothing less. You?d be surprised how many people don?t do this. As a result, their social media efforts never reach critical mass.

These are just a few examples of ways you can arm yourself to guarantee Social Media success. There of course are many tips and tricks, and even strategies that can help you start with no presence and get up to ?social media baller? status, in no time at all. If you are interested in learning more about these, have some ideas you?d like to bounce off of someone, or even just have some basic questions that you?d like an unbiased opinion on, contact me anytime, and I?d be more than happy to speak with you and help you in any way I can.

Chris Leo is a Silicon Valley, CA entrepreneur, complete workaholic, top notch marketer, type ?A? personality, shameless self-promoter and never ending ?connector?.

Even though he is seemingly always working, when he does take breaks, the ?work hard, play hard? motto takes on a whole new meaning. His life is controlled chaos and he loves it.

Chris on Google+

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Source: http://leadingagent.net/blog/?p=669

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Judge allows Demolition of flawed Las Vegas Hotel | Legal Shield ...

The defect plagued MGM Harmon hotel in Las Vegas will be destroyed because of massive construction problems.

No related posts.

This entry was posted in Lawyer Blogs, Legal Advice from Lawyers and tagged Construction Defects by John J. Sheehan. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://safeguardfreedom.com/blog/?p=6957

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Brendan O'Driscoll - Canadian Military History

Brendan O?Driscoll is a fifth-year honours history student at Wilfrid Laurier University. His areas of interest broadly include Modern European and Russian history, political philosophy, and War and Society. ?In his capacity as a research assistant at LCMSDS he is manager of the air photos digitization projects which oversees the preservation and use of 120,000 plus aerial photographs.

oxdr8820@mylaurier.ca

Source: http://www.canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/brendan-odriscoll/

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Protest over Calif. police shooting turns violent

(Reuters) - Police in the Southern California city of Anaheim arrested 24 people overnight after protesters smashed store windows and started fires in anger over the police shooting of an apparently unarmed man.

It was the second major clash between police and protesters since Saturday when an officer shot dead a man police said was a gang member in Anaheim, which is home to Disneyland.

"I'm here to say that vandalism, arson and other forms of violent protest will simply not be tolerated in our city," Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait told reporters on Wednesday. "We don't expect last night's situation to be repeated, but if it should, the police response will be the same: swift and appropriate."

Some of the 600 protesters threw chairs through the windows of a Starbucks, according to a Reuters witness. Damage was reported at more than 20 businesses, the City Hall and a police station, Police Chief John Welter said.

Twenty adults and four juveniles were arrested on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Anaheim Police Sergeant Mike Bustamante said.

Officers toting shotguns stood guard in front of the stores after the violence.

One person was taken to the hospital after being hit in the head by a pepper ball fired by police and two reporters were injured by rocks hurled by protesters, said Anaheim police spokesman Sergeant Bob Dunn.

The protests were sparked by the shooting death of Manuel Diaz, who police say was a gang member.

Two officers tried to approach Diaz and two other men in an alley. The men fled but an officer caught up with Diaz and shot him, police said. Diaz was found not to have been carrying a gun, Dunn said.

Police fired pepper pellets at angry residents near the scene of the shooting on Saturday.

The Diaz family filed a wrongful-death claim against the city on Tuesday, said Diana Lopez, an attorney for the family. She said they are seeking $50 million from the city and accuse police of violating Diaz's civil rights in the shooting.

In another incident late on Sunday, Anaheim officers tried to stop a car and killed a man who they said fled and opened fire on them during a foot chase.

Police have released few additional details about the two shootings, which are being investigated by the local district attorney's office.

The Anaheim City Council voted on Tuesday to ask federal authorities to investigate the shootings. The U.S. Attorney's Office with the FBI will lead that probe, and the California Attorney General's Office will review the findings, said Ruth Ruiz, a spokeswoman for the city.

(Reporting by Joseph O'Leary and Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Anthony Boadle)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/violent-protest-hits-anaheim-052701175.html

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ANATHEMA Weather Systems music review by Amilisom

After the first couple listens of this album, it appears to be a positive, mainstream, ambient, alternative rock album that lacks progressive elements.

Don't be deceived.

Although this doesn't sound like the kind of album that has dense material that takes many listen-throughs to hear, it really does grow on the listener. For a while I felt like only giving it three stars. But after re-listening to it a few more times I came to find that it doesn't have a dominant positive sound, and a whole lot of the lyrics and instrumentation are artistic and sometimes melancholy. For example, "Untouchable, Part 1" and "The Gathering of the Clouds" have unique acoustic guitar harmonies. "The Gathering of the Clouds" also has creative voice overlapping as different singers sing different lines at the same time. Many of the songs have powerful dynamics and crescendo to powerful heights.

I can really see myself returning to this album in the future.

Amilisom | 4/5 | 2012-7-25

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Source: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=794778

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Police: Cal Ripken's mom abducted, now safe

FILE - This Oct. 6, 2001 file photo shows Cal Ripken escorting his mother, Vi, from the field, after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Cal's final game, at Oriole Park in Baltimore. Police say Cal Ripken Jr.'s mother is safe after an armed man abducted her from her home northeast of Baltimore. Aberdeen police say 74-year-old Vi Ripken was kidnapped between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 24, 2012, by a man who forced her into her car. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

FILE - This Oct. 6, 2001 file photo shows Cal Ripken escorting his mother, Vi, from the field, after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Cal's final game, at Oriole Park in Baltimore. Police say Cal Ripken Jr.'s mother is safe after an armed man abducted her from her home northeast of Baltimore. Aberdeen police say 74-year-old Vi Ripken was kidnapped between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 24, 2012, by a man who forced her into her car. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

FILE - This June 18, 2002 file photo shows Cal Ripken Jr., right, owner of the Aberdeen IronBirds, and his brother, Bill, walking off the field with their mother, Vi, after she threw out the ceremomial first pitch prior to the team's season-opening debut at the new Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Md. Police say Cal Ripken Jr.'s mother is safe after an armed man abducted her from her home northeast of Baltimore. Aberdeen police say 74-year-old Vi Ripken was kidnapped between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 24, 2012, by a man who forced her into her car. (AP Photo/Roberto Borea, File)

ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) ? Cal Ripken Jr.'s 74-year-old mother was found with her hands bound and blindfolded in the back seat of her car Wednesday after being kidnapped at gunpoint at her home outside Baltimore a day earlier, police and friends said.

Investigators do not know the kidnapper's motive and there was no ransom demand for Vi Ripken's release, Aberdeen Police Chief Henry Trabert said at a news conference.

The gunman forced Ripken into her silver Lincoln Continental between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday, police said. She was found unharmed but shaken about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday near her home in Aberdeen, about 30 miles northeast of Baltimore, where her son's Ripken Baseball complex is located.

When asked if police believe the kidnapper knew who he was abducting, Trabert did not answer, saying police don't know the motive or if the suspect any ties to the Ripken family.

"This case is still brand new," Trabert said.

Next-door neighbor Gus Kowalewski said he spoke with Vi Ripken later Wednesday morning. The 72-year-old retired autoworker said Ripken told him the gunman tied her hands and put a blindfold on her, but said he wouldn't hurt her.

"He lit cigarettes for her, they stopped for food," Kowalewski said. "He said, 'I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to take you back,' and that's what he did."

Kowalewski said Ripken told him the gunman originally planned to put tape over her eyes.

"But he didn't do that because she said 'please don't do that 'cause I'm claustrophobic,'" he said.

Instead, the gunman put some type of mask or blinders on her, and she could see somewhat out the sides, he said.

Investigators determined that Ripken was missing Tuesday night after talking to another police department.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-07-25-Ripken-Mother/id-3d2e49c11bdb4e11a3fa64a953f6c5d4

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Ahead of the Bell: Zynga to report 2Q results

NEW YORK (AP) ? Online game maker Zynga Inc. will face a "moment of truth" when it reports second-quarter results after the market closes Wednesday, according to Cowen & Co.

Zynga's stock has taken a beating in recent months over worries over the declining number active users. Anything but good news will likely pressure the stock further.

But Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter thinks Zynga's revenue will be better Wall Street expectats because it has been better at making money from its games, including "CityVille."

Zynga makes most of its money by charging for virtual items, such as poker chips or farm crops, in its games. Pachter believes that the number of users does not directly correlate to how much revenue Zynga can churn. That's because most people don't pay anything, and "the majority of gamers who discontinue playing Zynga titles are likely to be non-payers, with payers spending more as they make a greater investment of time in each game."

Analyst Doug Creutz, of Cowen, said that performance during this quarter will be a strong test of that thesis. The company's earnings call, he said, "will go a long way towards settling one of the key bull/bear debates on the stock: how important are daily active user measurements in projecting the company's financial performance."

He thinks that Web-based social gaming ? Zynga's bread and butter ? has passed its peak as people move on to mobile games. This, he added, could be a challenge for Zynga because it is so dependent on Facebook as its main source of revenue.

Analysts, on average are expecting earnings of 5 cents per share on revenue of $342.8 million, according to a poll by FactSet.

Shares edged lower in afterhours trading Tuesday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-07-25-US-Zynga-Ahead-of-the-Bell/id-51e87673d5d54851ba33ef1baf84fc7c

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Technology Business Management Council Board Member to ...

by admin on Monday, July 23rd, 2012 | Comments Off

CHICAGO, IL? ? The Technology Business Management Council , a nonprofit business entity dedicated to helping CIOs run IT like a business, today announced that Tom Murphy, former CIO of AmerisourceBergen ?
Technology ? Yahoo! News Search Results

Conan O?Brien | Legally Prohibited Tour | Orpheum Theatre

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Source: http://thenewsroom.info/images-and-videos/technology-business-management-council-board-member-to-keynote-it-financial-management-week-3/

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Spain denies bailout needed

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spanish-economy-shrinks-faster-084709075.html

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Investing In Tax Liens Can Be A Lucrative Venture When Done ...

Tax lien investing has become a very popular type of investment for many individuals, and this can be an extremely profitable venture in most cases if the investment is carefully decided and then handled properly. A tax lien certificate is usually given by the government entity that the taxes are owed to, and this lien is normally placed against real estate and certain other kinds of real property. When successful this type of investment may give returns that vary from 10% up to 20% or higher.

Tax liens are usually presented at auction, and the winning bidder gets the tax lien certificate. If the owner of the real estate pays off the lien then the investor can see an incredible profit and return in many cases. If the tax lien is not paid off then the investor may become the owner of the real estate free and clear, and with a payment that is normally much lower than the real market price of the property.

There are some dangers involved in tax lien investing, but these risks can often be mitigated. One of the greatest risks is that a trader may end up owning property when the desired aim was a financial profit instead. This can be lessened by only investing in tax liens against property that would be acceptable to own. That way if the lien is not paid off and the property is transferred the investor still has a positive end result.

The high number of homes across the USA with unpaid property taxes has caused the number of tax lien certificates sold off and the quantity of investors for these certificates to increase drastically. Prime property is usually snapped up quick when there is a tax lien, and each situation may give various potential returns.

Always view the real estate personally before bidding, to ensure that the property fulfills the standards and aims of the trader. If this advice is followed then the investment results will generally be a lot more effective. Pick the tax liens that are invested in very carefully and the chance for substantial outcomes will increase.

Careful investigation is critical with http://taxlieninvestingsite.com.

Got 5 minutes? Try to check your Illinois auto insurance rates using our simple quote engine. You will get instant rates from multiple insurers.

Source: http://illinoissr22online.com/finance/investing-in-tax-liens-can-be-a-lucrative-venture-when-done-right/

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TomTom sales continue to fall

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? TomTom NV, Europe's largest maker of navigation devices, reported a return to profit in the second quarter after not taking any new restructuring charges ? but a recently announced deal selling maps to Apple Inc. didn't help results.

Net profit was ?8.89 million ($10.8 million), compared with a loss of ?489 million in the same period a year ago, when it wrote down the estimated value of its main business, selling personal navigation devices to consumers. Without the charge, the company would have made around ?11 million in the second quarter of 2011.

All sales fell 17 percent to ?262 million; sales to consumers fell 26 percent to ?155 million.

TomTom has net debt of ?191 million, down from ?192 million at the end of the first quarter of 2012.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-24-Netherlands-Earns-TomTom/id-a9a6c1a3416b45b0915d7d330abe4d62

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Benefits of HIV drugs rise -- but less than previously believed, Penn study shows

Public release date: 22-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Holly Auer
holly.auer@uphs.upenn.edu
215-200-2313
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

HIV patients whose infections are tightly controlled increased by 60 percent over past decade

PHILADELPHIA The percentage of HIV patients taking antiretroviral drugs who experienced the full benefit of the drugs jumped from 45 percent of 72 percent during the past decade, a figure that is lower than previous estimates. The findings, considered important for HIV prevention efforts, since patients whose virus is in tight control are less likely to transmit the infection to others, are published this week in JAMA by a team of researchers led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The issue's publication coincides with AIDS 2012, the annual international AIDS conference, being held in the United States for the first in over 20 years this week in Washington, D.C.

The researchers analyzed 32,483 HIV-infected patients cared for in 12 clinics across the United States between 2001 and 2010. patients in the U.S. During that time, the percentage of patients taking antiretroviral drugs who exhibited sustained viral suppression having no detectable HIV virus in the blood every time the virus is measured -- increased from 45 percent to 72 percent. The authors point to new drugs and fixed dose combination tablets as factors in improving the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral drug regimens, as well as decreased side effects that make patients more likely to adhere to their treatment. Better access to care during this time period may also be a contributor to the improved viral suppression rates observed in the study.

Despite this increase, the number of patients with tightly controlled HIV infection was significantly less than the 77 percent to 87 percent figures reported in prior studies, which were based on one-time only measures of HIV virus in the blood, rather than considering every time the virus was measured. According to the study's lead investigator, Baligh Yehia, MD, MSHP, MPP, a fellow in the division of Infectious Diseases at Penn Medicine and HIV specialist, "if the HIV virus is not fully suppressed, individuals are at risk of transmitting HIV to others in the community." Yehia says that while significant advances in HIV therapy have occurred over the past decade, consistent adherence to medicines and outpatient care remains a major hurdle for many people living with HIV. The findings come on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration's approval this month of the first drug to prevent HIV infection. Similar to people living with HIV, healthy individuals without HIV infection who chose to take this preventative medication need to have strict drug adherence and frequent HIV testing in order to achieve benefit.

Overall, sustained viral suppression was lower for black patients and injection drug users, while older patients and those with private insurance were the most likely to have sustained viral suppression. "Our analysis showed that HIV care providers need to closely monitor younger patients, African-Americans, injection drug users, and individuals without health insurance to ensure that they have access to HIV drugs and adhere to therapy, since those patients appeared to be least likely to have their infection in tight control," said the study's senior author Kelly Gebo, MD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University.

"There is no denying the progress we have made over the past decade," says Yehia, "but, more resources and new technology are needed to ensure that more patients have access to HIV therapy and obtain the full benefits of these drugs."

###

Funding for the study came from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (290-01-0012), and the National Institutes of Health (K24 AI073957, K24 DA 00432, R01DA11602, and R01 AA 16893).

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $479.3 million awarded in the 2011 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top 10 hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2011, Penn Medicine provided $854 million to benefit our community.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Public release date: 22-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Holly Auer
holly.auer@uphs.upenn.edu
215-200-2313
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

HIV patients whose infections are tightly controlled increased by 60 percent over past decade

PHILADELPHIA The percentage of HIV patients taking antiretroviral drugs who experienced the full benefit of the drugs jumped from 45 percent of 72 percent during the past decade, a figure that is lower than previous estimates. The findings, considered important for HIV prevention efforts, since patients whose virus is in tight control are less likely to transmit the infection to others, are published this week in JAMA by a team of researchers led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The issue's publication coincides with AIDS 2012, the annual international AIDS conference, being held in the United States for the first in over 20 years this week in Washington, D.C.

The researchers analyzed 32,483 HIV-infected patients cared for in 12 clinics across the United States between 2001 and 2010. patients in the U.S. During that time, the percentage of patients taking antiretroviral drugs who exhibited sustained viral suppression having no detectable HIV virus in the blood every time the virus is measured -- increased from 45 percent to 72 percent. The authors point to new drugs and fixed dose combination tablets as factors in improving the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral drug regimens, as well as decreased side effects that make patients more likely to adhere to their treatment. Better access to care during this time period may also be a contributor to the improved viral suppression rates observed in the study.

Despite this increase, the number of patients with tightly controlled HIV infection was significantly less than the 77 percent to 87 percent figures reported in prior studies, which were based on one-time only measures of HIV virus in the blood, rather than considering every time the virus was measured. According to the study's lead investigator, Baligh Yehia, MD, MSHP, MPP, a fellow in the division of Infectious Diseases at Penn Medicine and HIV specialist, "if the HIV virus is not fully suppressed, individuals are at risk of transmitting HIV to others in the community." Yehia says that while significant advances in HIV therapy have occurred over the past decade, consistent adherence to medicines and outpatient care remains a major hurdle for many people living with HIV. The findings come on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration's approval this month of the first drug to prevent HIV infection. Similar to people living with HIV, healthy individuals without HIV infection who chose to take this preventative medication need to have strict drug adherence and frequent HIV testing in order to achieve benefit.

Overall, sustained viral suppression was lower for black patients and injection drug users, while older patients and those with private insurance were the most likely to have sustained viral suppression. "Our analysis showed that HIV care providers need to closely monitor younger patients, African-Americans, injection drug users, and individuals without health insurance to ensure that they have access to HIV drugs and adhere to therapy, since those patients appeared to be least likely to have their infection in tight control," said the study's senior author Kelly Gebo, MD, MPH, an associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University.

"There is no denying the progress we have made over the past decade," says Yehia, "but, more resources and new technology are needed to ensure that more patients have access to HIV therapy and obtain the full benefits of these drugs."

###

Funding for the study came from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (290-01-0012), and the National Institutes of Health (K24 AI073957, K24 DA 00432, R01DA11602, and R01 AA 16893).

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $479.3 million awarded in the 2011 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top 10 hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2011, Penn Medicine provided $854 million to benefit our community.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-07/uops-boh071912.php

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