NASA's NuSTAR probe snaps first X-ray image of feeding black hole

It was Bret Easton Ellis who coined the phrase, "The better you look, the more you see," and it appears the folks down at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab agree. In what's considered a "first," the agency's latest space-scouring probe, the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, has turned on its X-ray vision to capture focused images of a black hole, dubbed Cygnus X-1, feeding on a nearby giant star. By tuning into these high-energy frequencies, scientists are getting a peak into a previously unseen side of the heavens at 100 times the sensitivity and 10 times the resolution of any preceding tech. The space agency plans to use the observatory's powerful sight to suss out other known areas of mass X-ray activity like 3C273, an active quasar located two billion light years away and even explore G21.5-0.9, the fallout from a supernova within the Milky Way galaxy. NuSTAR's first tour of galactic duty will span two year's time, during which it'll attempt to record imagery from "the most energetic objects in the universe, " as well as track the existence of black holes throughout the cosmos. Impressed? Yeah, us too.

Continue reading NASA's NuSTAR probe snaps first X-ray image of feeding black hole

NASA's NuSTAR probe snaps first X-ray image of feeding black hole originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/30/nasas-nustar-probe-snaps-first-x-ray-image-of-feeding-black-hol/

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bollywood_news: Katie Holmes' parents 'sad and happy' about daughter's divorce: Washington, June 30: Katie Holmes' parents have ... http://t.co/psPr61H1

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The Dangers of Fluoride in Drinking Water

For several years now, private social and environmental action groups have been cautioning against the common practice of adding fluoride to drinking water. Fluoridation was first established in the United States in the mid 1940s after initial studies indicated less prominence of tooth decay issues in children in areas where natural fluoride levels in ground water were relatively high. While the arguments for and against fluoridation continue, there is growing support that the process may do harm than good.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the addition of fluoride to drinking water helps prevent tooth decay and strengthens the enamel of teeth for children and adults. The long held belief among western authorities that fluoride in water is good for the general public has lead to fluoridation becoming a common practice in many city and other public water supplies around the globe. In recent years however, there is growing evidence that fluoridation may have some very serious health consequences, particularly for children.

In one study, conducted and published by the American Dental Association in 2010, fluoride was linked to an increased incidence of tooth decay in infants and children rather than a decrease. Namely, children exposed to fluoride consistently from birth to age four frequently develop dental fluorosis, a condition in which the children?s developing teeth fail to mineralize properly and rot from the inside out as a result. The same process can affect developing bones as well, causing them to lack the appropriate minerals for forming and growing properly.

In addition to these findings, several recent studies of Indian and Chinese children who drank well water and municipal water which contained high levels of fluoride have shown intellectual deficits as a potential side effect of fluoridation. Children in these studies did not perform as well in IQ and other intellectual and cognitive measurements tests as did children in areas where fluoridation is not employed.

While some argue further study is required to determine if total fluoride consumption poses a substantial health risk to children in the United States and other areas in which fluoridation is common practice, many believe the documentation available is enough to warrant changes in policies and personal practices in the home.

Those who believe further study is warranted before public policy changes are implemented point out that other factors, including environmental, dietary and genetic issues may play a role in the results of recent studies. Still other members of the general public believe the practice of fluoridation is simply not worth the potential risks, especially where the health and well being of their children are concerned. For this reason, many consumers decide to install home water filters and whole house water filtration systems capable of removing fluoride from their tap water.

Although there are many varieties of commercial water filters now available on the market, not all measure up the same when trying to remove fluoride from drinking water. The most effective filters for defluoridation are those that use reverse osmosis and ionization technologies, and multi-stage filtration is best for the health conscious parent who wishes to address other water contamination concerns as well.

You can remove the fluoride from your drinking water with a fluoride filter from PureWaterHQ: Authorized Dealer: CRYSTAL QUEST? Water Filters

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/healthandfitness/2012/06/30/the-dangers-of-fluoride-in-drinking-water/

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Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins

It turns out Foursquare's massive 5.0 revamp was just the start of the changes, as the location sharing app unveiled a new twist with the launch its Connected Apps platform. Available as a developer preview, it lets the makers of apps like Untappd, Instagram or The Weather Channel connect directly with the Foursquare app. Many apps were already connected via the API, and once users upgrade to the latest version on Android or iOS their checkins pull information from those apps into Foursquare itself. That means they get things like the weather forecast on their first check in of the day from The Weather Channel, see what songs their friends have shared at a particular location via Soundtracking or beer recommendations from Untappd. Developers can get all the info on how it works at the overview, the rest of us can see the list of enabled apps on the official blog post.

Foursquare Connected App platform lets other apps interact with check ins originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 04:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Horoscopes 06-28-12 | Arts & Entertainment | South Philly Review

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): The chance to handle a new level of responsibility arrives. Others are watching to see how you handle these duties. Lucky number: 368.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): A sudden realization about a past issue serves as motivation to adopt a healthy habit. Responses to situations are outdated and don?t serve you. Someone who has been there will offer support if asked. Lucky number: 630.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): You may have to finalize travel plans and get on the road. Advancing a relationship depends on you making a stronger commitment. Lucky number: 762.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): Popularity will seem to come out of the blue. Don?t question this desirable development. Approaching an influential person with suggestions for working together could lead to a new path. Lucky number: 613.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21): An agreement regarding living space will favor you by taking a firm stand. Don?t waste energy trying to convince someone of your position. Lucky number: 296.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21): Seductive powers are heightened today. Trying them out on someone who is normally considered out of your league could be quite successful. Expressing confidence will reveal what a catch you are. Lucky number: 347.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): A change in scenery and company does wonders. New sensual experiences along the journey may freshen outlook. Lucky number: 053.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18): Tension could escalate at home if you don?t keep cool. Don?t get pulled into the chaos. Fulfill responsibilities quickly and diligently. Lucky number: 968.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20): Alienation will give way to a sense of belonging. The disclosure of a secret suddenly makes everything look more promising. You will find out that you are not alone when someone divulges a similar conviction. Lucky number: 428.

ARIES (March 21 to April 20): Look to home for a novel way to make extra cash. Consider a yard sale or beginning a home business, but you also may think of something unique. Lucky number: 189.

TAURUS (April 21 to May 20): This is a good day for making intentions known. If this person needs prompting, spelling out desires will force your amorous interest to divulge if you two are going in the same direction. Lucky number: 824.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): A conversation could suddenly turn into a passionate encounter. Romantic possibilities are everywhere, but you are likely to visit a new haunt. Lucky number: 573.

To inquire about a personal reading, call Mystic Terry at 215-467-5162.

Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.

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TheDude said...
Mandy Moore is pretty smokin. I wish I was cool enough to date her. Does anybody know how I can get her number?

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Source: http://www.southphillyreview.com/arts-and-entertainment/Horoscopes-062812-160608495.html

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Sony's Sound Forge audio editing software: Coming soon to a Mac near you?

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Real Estate Alliance: Land prices increase

In the Indo today, it states Land prices increased nationally by 25pc in the first six months this year to an average of ?10,200 per acre, but much larger price increases were seen in Munster and Connacht.Nationally, 3,900 acres changed hands with a combined value of ?41m so far this year. This compares with total sales nationwide of ?162.9m in 2011 when 19,870 acres were sold in 443 land transactions. The national average price per acre was ?8,200 last year. REA is seeing a huge increase in demand for Land.

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Cheaper Cell Phones With Better Signal Quality: World's Most ...

A team of UCLA researchers has created the most powerful high-performance nanoscale microwave oscillators in the world, a development that could lead to cheaper, more energy-efficient mobile communication devices that deliver much better signal quality.

Today?s cell phones, WiFi-enabled tablets and other electronic gadgets all use microwave oscillators, tiny devices that generate the electrical signals used in communications. In a cell phone, for example, the transmitter and receiver circuits contain oscillators that produce radio-frequency signals, which are then converted by the phone?s antenna into incoming and outgoing electromagnetic waves.

Current oscillators are silicon-based and use the charge of an electron to create microwaves. The UCLA-developed oscillators, however, utilize the spin of an electron, as in the case of magnetism, and carry several orders-of-magnitude advantages over the oscillators commonly in use today.

UCLA?s electron spin-based oscillators grew out of research at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This research focused on STT-RAM, or spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive random access memory, which has great potential over other types of memory in terms of both speed and power efficiency.

?We realized that the layered nanoscale structures that make STT-RAM such a great candidate for memory could also be developed for microwave oscillators for communications,? said principal investigator and research co-author Kang L. Wang, UCLA Engineering?s Raytheon Professor of Electrical Engineering and director of the Western Institute of Nanoelectronics (WIN).

The structures, called spin-transfer nano-oscillators, or STNOs, are composed of two distinct magnetic layers. One layer has a fixed magnetic polar direction, while the other layer?s magnetic direction can be manipulated to gyrate by passing an electric current through it. This allows the structure to produce very precise oscillating microwaves.

?Previously, there had been no demonstration of a spin-transfer oscillator with sufficiently high output power and simultaneously good signal quality, which are the two main metrics of an oscillator ? hence preventing practical applications,? said co-author Pedram Khalili, project manager for the UCLA-DARPA research programs in STT-RAM and non-volatile logic. ?We have realized both these requirements in a single structure.?

The SNTO was tested to show a record-high output power of close to 1 micro-watt, with a record narrow signal linewidth of 25 megahertz. Output power refers to the strength of the signal, and 1 micro-watt is the desired level for STNOs to be practical for applications. Also, a narrow signal linewidth corresponds to a higher quality signal at a given frequency. This means less noise and interference, for a cleaner voice and video signal. It also means more users can be accommodated onto a given frequency band.

In addition, the new nanoscale system is about 10,000-times smaller than the silicon-based oscillators used today. The nano-oscillators can easily be incorporated into existing integrated circuits (computer chips), as they are compatible with current design and manufacturing standards in the computer and electronic device industries. And the oscillators can be used in both analog (voice) and digital (data) communications, which means smart phones could take full advantage of them.

?For the past decade, we have been working to realize a new paradigm in nanoelectronics and nanoarchitectures,? said Wang, who is also a member of the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA. ?This has led to tremendous progress in memory research. And along those same lines, we believe these new STNOs are excellent candidates to succeed today?s oscillators.?

Reprinted from: University of California ? Los Angeles

Tags: Electrical Engineering, Energy Efficiency, Magnetic, Nanotechnology, Spintronics

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Google Play hits 600,000 apps, 20 billion total installs

Google during its I/O keynote hit a symbolic milestone: it now has 600,000 apps in the Google Play Store. As well, the store is clearly hitting a brisk pace in adoption, with 1.5 billion downloads every month and 20 billion since Android began. That stacks up fairly well to Apple's own claims, although not universally: it's just short of the App Store's 650,000 apps, but Apple can still point to 30 billion total downloads. Google also hasn't said how many apps are explicitly tablet-friendly versus 225,000 iPad-oriented apps. Either way, Google can say that it has largely erased the app quantity deficit, and that's no mean feat.

Google Play hits 600,000 apps, 20 billion total installs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recipe Wednesday: Crock Pot Meals! | where to get Kefir

It?s here again: Recipe Wednesday! ?Who is ready to promote their blog & recipe writing?genius!?

But first, how about we show off one of the amazing recipes submitted last week in our Recipes Featuring Tomatoes round up?

How about Whit?s Spicy Penne Rosa Pasta with Shrimp?
My mouth is watering over here!!

Here?s a bit of what Whit has to say about the delicious pasta herself:

Certainly hotter than some of our other dishes but not unbearable to me (if you want it hotter, coat the shrimp in two teaspoons cayenne before you cook them).? I think adding in the goat cheese helped to tone it down a bit.? Did you know if your mouth is on fire from something hot you should drink milk?? True story.? At least that was my reasoning behind adding in goat cheese.? I think it worked.

Another true story?? That spicy foods are good for you!? Eating hot things has serious health benefits so if you?re not on the picante train, you should be.

Check out Whit?s original post for more of these health benefits and to get this awesome recipe yourself!

?

And now for this week?s recipe link-up:?Today we?re putting out the call for your favorite slow cooker recipes! ? I know it?s much too hot to be using the oven at my apartment during the summer, leaving me searching for the ease of crock pot meals when the temps start rising. ?So today, a little bit selfishly, I ask you for your help in building an awesome summer meal plan by way of my favorite ?set it and walk away? appliance ? What are you FAVORITE crock pot recipes? ?Please limit yourself to 2 recipes per member, and make sure to include the name of your recipe.

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A Wonderfully Weird Interview with @Sweden's Sonja Abrahamsson [Video]

Earlier this month, representing her country from the @sweden Twitter account, Sonja Abrahamsson grabbed her 15 minutes by the balls and gave them an impressive tug. Irreverent, frank, and wildly popular, the 27-year-old mother of two doubled the account's followers with her controversial statements. Now that she's off Twitter duty, Sonja was nice enough to sit down to answer a few questions. More »

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Wednesday Is National HIV Testing Day

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NameChanger (for Mac)

The proliferation of digital cameras has resulted in many people, both amateur and professional, snapping more photos than ever before and dumping them onto their computers for touch ups or uploading to Facebook, Flickr, or other image repositories. Unfortunately, those photos are labeled with cryptic names like IMG_9078 or DSC_0091 which don't describe the content. MMR Software's NameChanger, a free Mac app, remedies that problem by letting you quickly rename batches of photos.

Makes Renaming Simple
NameChanger is incredibly simple to use. After launching the app, you simply drag photos into the NameChanger window, or use the "Add" button to load images. Twin text boxes at the top of the app act as a find/replace feature; you input the file name that you'd like to change in the first field (for example, "IMG"), and the new file name in the second field ("Birthday Photos," for instance). All the files featuring the first name automatically change to the second name. That's it!

It's a very simple tool that does the job without any extra steps or limitations. Google Picasa, for example, lets you rename groups of photos, but it does so on a folder by folder basis. NameChanger, on the other hand, changes all file names at once.?

NameChanger includes a few options to help you tailor the renaming experience. You can choose to hide file extensions (so that you don't accidentally ruin the file by changing it), ignore the case type, and view the images in a handy photo viewer. You can also reorder images in the photo viewer, which renumbers the files so that they keep the new order when you exit the app.

The Name to Know
If you fancy yourself a shutterbug of any level, NameChanger will come in handy. NameChanger's functionality may be duplicated in other apps such as Picasa or Photoshop, but if you want to effortlessly rename a batch of photos, and don't want to send a dime, this is a compelling solution.

More Utilities Reviews:
??? NameChanger (for Mac)
??? Curb (for Mac)
??? Bump 3.3 (for Android)
??? In Configuration We Trust
??? HP ePrint
?? more

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Denver officer shot, killed near park concert

DENVER (AP) ? A Denver police officer trying to break up a confrontation was shot and killed at a city park where families had gathered for a free weekly jazz concert before gunfire erupted and sent hundreds running.

The officer, who was shot in the head Sunday, was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. Police were searching for a suspect in what Jackson described as an isolated incident.

At least three shots were fired shortly after the jazz band playing on a lake-side pavilion stage finished, sending waves of people running through park grounds where some concert goers who were initially unaware of the shooting remained seated on picnic blankets and lawn chairs.

More than 1,000 people were at the City Park Jazz concert, the fourth of 10 shows scheduled for this summer in the annual series that draws families and people of all backgrounds to one of the city's more popular summer events. The mayor said late Sunday that the concerts should continue.

"We will not surrender what we consider special in this city to anyone," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said.

Nakira Doss, a jazz singer herself, said she hopes the series continues. The 28-year-old mother was at the show Sunday and sitting near the stage with her children, ages 4, 5 and 7, when she heard at least two shots. As people ran past, she said told her children to "get on the ground" and then she laid herself over them.

"I'm trying to show them music, but at what cost," she said, nodding toward her own children.

City Park is one Denver's most famous and sprawls across several hundred acres east of downtown. It holds the Denver Zoo, Museum of Nature and Science, as well as ponds, trails and recreational fields.

After shots rang out, scores of people ran from the northwest side of the pond and stage area, confusing crowds on the south side of the pond who were still lingering over conversation and picnics in lawn chairs and blankets. Someone announced from a loudspeaker on stage that the park was closed and told park goers to leave from the south side.

Nakira Doss, 28, was sitting near the stage when she heard at least two shots. She said she covered her three children, ages 7, 5 and 4, as other concertgoers ran past.

Samuel Bell, 19, of Denver, said he was in the parking lot looking for a space for his scooter, which police later cordoned off with yellow tape. He said he heard several shots.

"We just arrived at the park. It was crowded, it was looking fun," Bell said. "And then 'pa- pa-pa-pa' outta nowhere.

"We just ducked," Bell said. "We pulled off in enough time to get away. It was crazy."

He said he saw police officers administering CPR. He estimated he was about 10 to 20 feet away from where the officer was shot.

___

Associated Press Writers Rema Rahman and Thomas Peipert contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Supreme Court Year in Review

Of course the court?s majority did not want to hear argument on whether in Montana, or anywhere else, independent expenditures can give rise to an appearance of corruption, because the court?s conclusion in Citizens United on this point is almost surely wrong. For the majority?s point of view, the less said about that, the better.

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PST: Pirlo looks strong in Italy's win

Man of the Match: The week off must have done him good, because Andrea Pirlo looked anything but a old, tiring playmaker. The 33-year-old midfielder gave his best performance of the tournament, and although none of this efforts bore fruit, it wasn?t for a lack of quality. His diagonal passes from deep midfield defined Italy?s play in their attacking phase, while long passes from his own half frequently made England?s high defensive line look misguided.

NBC Sports: Italy beats England in shootout in quarterfinal

Packaged for takeaway:

• Remember all the doom and gloom I conjured before the match? For half the match, they looked utterly idiotic, the teams giving us the tournament?s best game. The second half of the match (the last hour) was pretty terrible. We got our dramatic ending, but boy did we have to sit through a lot of England passivity before we got it.
• Formation paralysis: 3-5-2? 4-3-1-2? 4-4-2? 1-2-3-2-1-1-1? Italy?s formation was the talking point coming into the match. Would they start four at the back? And would Mario Balotelli?return to the starting XI? Yes to both of those questions.
  • Balotelli returned to the lineup after being benched for Ireland while
  • Leonardo Bonucci and Ricardo Montolivo got starts for the injured Giorgio Chiellini and the reportedly hobbled Thiago Motta.
• England started strong. That ponderous team that seemed reluctant to attack through group stage? They didn?t show up until later. At the onset, England attacked decisively, their best chance coming when Glen Johnson ran through the middle of the box and onto a James Milner cross. It should have been a goal, but Johnson overran the pass, let the ball get caught in his feet, and ended up pushing a shot at Gianluigi Buffon.
• It was the second goal scare of the match. In the third minute, out of nowhere, Montolivo spun a ball from 25-yards into Joe Hart?s right post.
• After ?being on the back foot for 15 minutes, Italy starting coming into the match. They took another 10 minutes to assert themselves, but over the first half?s final 20 minutes, they were the better side.
• By then, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, who had been so diligently monitoring Andrea Pirlo at the beginning, were giving the Italian regista more room. Part of that may have been Italian adjustments. Throughout the tournament, Pirlo had been the main provider for Antonio Cassano, who?d been the team?s driving force in the final third. In the first half, Italy had better success playing directly to Cassano and then, after the defense collapsed, playing back to Pirlo, who could then target Italian attackers.
• Once that was established, the game opened up for Italy, who had a much more direct presence about them when the halftime whistle blew. Going into the locker rooms, Italy had held 60 percent of the match?s possession.
• No changes in the second half meant Italy could pick up where they left off. Soon, Pirlo was picking up the ball deep, playing as he would against a team that had no intention of stopping him. This led to a number of long balls played over the top for Balotelli, the striker?s speed constantly beating England?s curiously high line.
• Over the half?s first eight minutes, Italy missed three great chances. Daniele de Rossi was delivered a sitter on the second ball in from a corner. Balotelli couldn?t covert a ball blocked in front of goal by Hart, while Montolivo was a step too slow getting to the rebound of Balotelli?s shot.
• Hodgson had to make the first move, though judging by the timing, there was no ?had to? about it, in his mind. At the hour mark, Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott came on for Danny Welbeck and James Milner, substitutions that seemed planned prior to kickoff. Both players had done good work, particularly Milner, who gave his best performance of the tournament. If that substitution was pre-ordained, Hodgson should have reconsidered.
• Carroll nearly paid off within six minutes, backing Andrea Barzagli down to the edge of the six before knocking down a ball for Ashley Young. It was England?s best chance since the fifth minute, but Young scuffed it wide.
• Still, England had a slightly better presence in the match after the changes, perhaps spurring Cesare Prandelli?s first changes. Antonio Cassano, playing 18 minutes more than his customary hour, gave way for Alessandro Diamanti. One minute later, Antonio Nocerino came on for De Rossi.
• It wasn?t long until Italy regained control of the match, dominating possession as England started playing like a team that was either conserving their energy or coming to grips with their status as second best. Were they playing for extra time? Penalties? Hodgson?s subs had fail to restore England?s drive.
• Just before full time, Claudio Marchisio chipped a ball over the defense for Nocerino, whose fine first touch set up a volley from 13 yards. Glen Johnson (also putting in his best match of the tournament) tracked the run and got a foot to the shot.
• England?s entire defense played well, as did Joe Hart. The high line was a problem, but that was the coach?s tactic.?Steven Gerrard?and?Scott Parker were strong in midfield, but up top, Rooney gave another performance covered in rust. England would have probably been better without him.
• England had a final chance before full time, a Rooney overhead kick sent into the stands, but after 90 minutes, the match had started to become what we?d expected: Lots of Italy possession; England not really caring; few good chances. Where England?s speed, six, strength and athleticism had given Italy problems in the first half, they neglected to use those qualities in the second. Instead, they sat deep, waited, hoping for something to happen, just as they?d done against France and Ukraine.
• Thirty extra minutes were useless. Italy controlled extra time, generating a slew of half chances and a Nocerino goal that was called off for offside. England provided the periodic scare. It wasn?t much different than we saw over the last 30 minutes of regulation. Italy were clearly the better side but lacked the know how in the final third to take it.
• Bemoan penalty kicks if you want, but they?re better than a coin flip. At least they test a few soccer skills. They were also the only way this match was going to end. Without them, these teams would still be playing, and after two hours of seeing England siphon off their own will, this one needed to end.
• The kicks:
  • Italy went first and chose Mario Balotelli. Hesitating before hitting it, Balotelli nuzzled it into the lower left corner. 1-0, Italy.
  • Steven Gerrard went first for England and hit it in the same spot. 1-1.
  • Ricardo Montolivo was next and, trying for the same spot, pulled it wide, leaving it 1-1.
  • Wayne Rooney went high and into the middle of goal, he put the Three Lions up 2-1.
  • Andrea Pirlo was third for Italy, putting a beautifully ?cheeky chip? into the middle of goal as Joe Hart dove left. 2-2.
  • Ashley Young was next and had a chance to restore England?s lead, but his high shot into the middle of goal nailed the crossbar. 2-2.
  • Antonio Nocerino showed Hart right and went left, putting Italy up 3-2.
  • Ashley Cole, a constant in his teams? shootouts, was fourth for England. He went right and saw his shot swallowed up by Buffon, giving Italy a chance to close it out with their fourth kick.
  • Alessandro Diamanti, who flamed out at West Ham two years ago, got the chance to put Italy into the semifinals. Again Hart went right, and again the shot went left. Italy won the shootout, 4-2.
• England fans will lament their country?s poor luck in penalty shootouts, but it?s difficult to have too much sympathy for a team that put no effort into winning the match. Except for the game?s first 15 minutes, Italy were clearly the better side, finishing with 64 percent possession and almost all of the dangerous moments. They played like semifinalists. England didn?t.
• More numbers: Total shots: 35-9, Italy; Totals on target: 20-4, Italy. They?re Barcelona-esque numbers, even if the performance?s style wasn?t very Bar?a at all. England let them dominate.
• And after two hours, it seems like a very English performance. Solid at the back with a certain strength and athleticism throughout their team, England had little else. They lacked the tactical nous to break the Italians.
• And for Italy, it was a very Italian performance. This week, Buffon mentioned Italy has always kept matches close. This was no different, though not for lack of trying. Italy was the better team throughout, and although they go into the semifinals having only beaten Ireland, they are still in the final four.
• Next up is Germany, a team that has the tactical nous to complement their speed and technical quality. The Azzurri will be decided underdogs, but starting to embody the spirit of champions? past, anything seems possible.

ProSoccerTalk is doing its best to keep you up to date on what?s going on in Poland and Ukraine.?Check out the site?s Euro 2012 page?and look at the site?s previews, predictions, and coverage of all the events defining UEFA?s championship.

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Plastic Surgeons Help Improve, Restore, and Enhance ? Beauty ...

If you want to makeover any area of your body or you want to improve an area that you are not satisfied with, visit a reputable plastic surgery, dermatology, and spa clinic to find out about the services they offer. There, you can find physician assistants, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, laser specialists, RNs, massage therapists, and medical aestheticians that are trained in state of the art anti-aging therapies. The purpose of this clinic is to use professionals that are trained in a particular specialty that encourages total skin rejuvenation in addition to an enhancement of the body, hair and face.

A reputable plastic surgery, dermatology, and spa clinic is an excellent resource for finding professionals who are committed to providing uncompromised safety and quality with the cosmetic surgery procedures they provide. This clinic will have a focus on promoting education, and making sure that each patient is provided with a customized treatment plan so they can receive services that are geared just for them.

Many people believe that plastic surgeons only provide treatment for the face, body, and breast; however, they may also offer a minimally invasive hair transplant system. This hair restorative procedure uses a board certified team that will restore large areas in only one session. This procedure is also beneficial for minimal imperceptible scarring and helping a patient avoid large visible incisions. This hair restorative procedure gives a patient a fast recovery period, minimal downtime, and reduces the need for additional treatments that the patient might have needed with another type of hair transplant procedure where plastic surgeons take hair follicles (strip grafting) from the rear of the head and then replant them in areas that are balding. This traditional procedure can lead to a scar, which can be noticeable with individuals with short hair. With an innovative hair restorative procedure provided at a premier plastic surgery, dermatology, and spa clinic, the hair follicles are harvested individually, which eliminates the need for strip grafting.

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China astronauts mark first manual space docking

SHANGHAI | Sun Jun 24, 2012 1:30am EDT

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China completed its first-ever manual docking between a manned spacecraft and an orbiting lab module on Sunday, putting it a step closer in an ambitious campaign to build a space station.

The Shenzhou 9 and its three-person crew, including the country's first woman in Space Liu Yang, separated about 400 meters from the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) 1 module for about two minutes before re-connecting under the manual control of the astronauts, with state television covering the event live.

Rendezvous and docking exercises between the two vessels are an important hurdle in China's efforts to acquire the technological and logistical skills to run a full space lab that can house astronauts for long periods.

The Shenzhou 9 had already conducted an automated docking with Tiangong 1, on June 18, a day after it blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Compared with an automated docking, manual docking is more challenging in terms of orbit control, said Xie Jianfeng, a space scientist with the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, told China's official Xinhua news agency on Saturday.

(Reporting by Gabriel Wildau; Editing by Ed Lane)

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Factbox: India's stalled economic reforms

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Greek PM cannot attend EU summit due to surgery

FILE - Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras takes part in a swearing in ceremony officiated by Greece's Orthodox Archbishop Ieronimos at the Presidential palace in Athens, in this Thursday, June 21, 2012 file photo. Samaras underwent surgery for a detached retina Saturday June 23, 2012. Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said Sunday that the doctor treating him had forbidden him from flying. So he will not be well enough to travel to a critical European Union summit in Brussels . (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)

FILE - Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras takes part in a swearing in ceremony officiated by Greece's Orthodox Archbishop Ieronimos at the Presidential palace in Athens, in this Thursday, June 21, 2012 file photo. Samaras underwent surgery for a detached retina Saturday June 23, 2012. Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said Sunday that the doctor treating him had forbidden him from flying. So he will not be well enough to travel to a critical European Union summit in Brussels . (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? Greece's new prime minister will not be well enough to travel to a critical EU summit in Brussels after undergoing an eye operation, the government said Sunday.

Antonis Samaras, 61, underwent surgery for a detached retina for nearly four hours Saturday, just three days after being sworn in at the head of a three-party coalition government formed after two inconclusive general elections.

The doctor treating the prime minister, Panagiotis Theodosiadis, has ruled out him being able to travel to Brussels for the June 28-29 European Union summit, government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said.

"Before the surgery, (Samaras) said, 'You do your job, and I do mine, which is to go to the EU summit,'" Theodosiadis said of Samaras. 'I was hoping (Saturday) that he would announce he would not go because it was a very delicate operation. ... He needs to lie at a certain angle for a certain period each day, for at least a week. He can do meetings, but he certainly can't walk," Theodosiadis said, adding that his patient would leave the hospital Monday.

Samaras has appointed new Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos to head the Greek delegation at the meeting, Kedikoglou said.

The summit could prove a key test of Greek leaders' pledges to renegotiate some terms of the country's international bailout.

Reports that the so-called troika of Greece's lenders ? the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund ? will postpone the visit of its delegation, originally planned for Monday, were not confirmed by Samaras' office. European Commission spokesman Amadeu Altafaj Tardio said that troika staff "will be moving to Athens starting (Monday)."

The debt inspectors are due to review the country's fiscal situation and resume talks that had been put on hold during the country's nearly two-month political deadlock.

Greece's incoming finance minister, Vassilis Rapanos, was also hospitalized Friday after suffering a collapse. A hospital spokeswoman said he was expected to be discharged either late Monday or Tuesday after further tests. But because his swearing in had to be postponed due to his ill-health, outgoing Finance Minister Giorgos Zanias still holds the title and will attend the summit.

Zanias, who was a key negotiator for Greece's bailout deal before being named to the post, will be accompanied by Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis and Alternative Finance Minister Christos Staikouras.

Zanias himself had suffered chest pains and high blood pressure and was hospitalized in October at an EU summit, where he had accompanied then-Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos. The doctors had said he had suffered an anxiety attack. Four days later, an adviser to then-Prime Minister George Papandreou suffered a heart attack during negotiations on Greece's second bailout deal.

Greece has been dependent since May 2010 on funds from two international rescue loan deals with other European Union countries and the International Monetary Fund, in return for which it imposed a series of deep spending cuts and tax hikes.

Anti-bailout parties made massive gains in Greece's May 6 and June 17 elections, with Greeks furious at the drop in living standards by measures that have left the country struggling through a fifth year of recession and sent unemployment spiraling to above 22 percent.

Samaras' conservative New Democracy party came first in both elections, but without enough votes to govern alone. Coalition talks collapsed after 10 days in May, leading to the second ballot.

New Democracy is now in a power-sharing government with longtime socialist PASOK rivals and the small Democratic Left.

The new government on Saturday issued a policy statement outlining what it aims to change in its bailout conditions, saying it would seek to repeal some taxes, halt layoffs and extend by two years the mid-2014 deadline for tough austerity measures.

"The general aim is no more cuts to salaries and pensions, no more taxes," the statement said, adding the government would not carry out any public sector layoffs.

Whether the government can deliver on its pledges will depend on how they are viewed by Greece's international creditors. Germany, the largest single contributor to the bailout, has repeatedly said Athens must stick to its austerity targets.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble repeated this view Sunday, in an interview to newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

"It must now be the most important task of Prime Minister Samaras' new government to swiftly and immediately implement the agreed program without hesitation or asking, yet again, what the others could do in addition for Greece," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted as saying. "The ball is in Greece's field; it is in their hands to achieve that Europe's citizens can regain trust. But this will only be achieved through concrete measures and actions."

The Sunday tabloid published a survey on Greece that it had commissioned with Italy's Corriere della Sera, Spain's ABC and France's Le Journal Du Dimanche.

In it, 78 percent of the Germans polled, 65 percent of the French and about a half of the Italians said Greece should leave the eurozone if it fails to pay its debt.

____

Juergen Baetz in Berlin and Don Melvin in Brussels contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Cedar Rapids City Leaders Hold Leaders in Washington D.C.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Trips to Washington, D.C., have helped before as City Hall has clawed for federal funds for flood recovery and flood protection, says Mayor Ron Corbett.

So Corbett and four other city officials returned to the nation?s capital again this week for two central purposes ? to drive home how costly it will be to the City Hall budget if the city does not prevail in two appeals to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and to lobby to keep federal money flowing so that the Army Corps of Engineers can complete its $12.5-million pre-construction engineering and design work on the Corps? proposed flood-protection system for the east side of Cedar Rapids.

?We?ve had very successful, very productive meetings, but time will tell,? Corbett said of the two days of meetings. The meetings included ones with Iowa?s senators, Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, and their staffs as well a meeting at The White House with Obama administration staff and FEMA staff.

A most immediate priority, the mayor said, is for the city to convince FEMA to pay the full $21-million cost that the city already has paid to demolish and remove debris from the flood-damaged former Sinclair packing plant site and another $16 million already paid or obligated to repair a flood-damaged incinerator at the city?s Water Pollution Control plant.

The city says FEMA?s front-line staff in Iowa approved the two pieces of disaster spending only to have FEMA?s regional office subsequently change the decisions and lessen FEMA?s backing for the recovery projects.

Joe O?Hern, the city?s director of flood recovery and reimbursement, has said the city and FEMA are $7 million to $10 million apart on the Sinclair payment issue with the disagreement centered on how much FEMA is willing to pay to remove Sinclair debris and bury it in a landfill. FEMA wants to pay $65 a ton on work for which the city has paid $117 a ton. The city decided to put the material in a local landfill, though one contractor proposed hauling it to a private Illinois landfill for about half the cost.

O?Hern has said, too, that FEMA has proposed paying just $8 million for repairs to the city?s Water Pollution Control incinerator, repairs that the city has said could cost twice as much as the $16 million the city has already spent or obligated in local dollars for the project. At one point, FEMA also said it would provide an additional $30 million to build a replacement incinerator once the existing one is fixed.

?These issues represent a lot of exposure for the city,? Corbett said. ?So we went out there to tell our story, advocating why they should rule in our favor.?

Corbett said a City Hall visit to Washington last fall to appeal another FEMA decision paid off. In April, FEMA officials agreed to pay $13.8 million for flood damage to the city?s hydroelectric plant at the base of the 5-in-1 bridge. The plant had been disabled at the time of the flood, but in the end, FEMA agreed that the city had been moving in the direction of repairing the facility at the time of the flood and so qualified for disaster assistance. Just this week, the Cedar Rapids City Council decided to use the money for an alternate project ? a new city parking ramp near the new federal courthouse ? while it mothballs the hydroelectric plant, as allowed in FEMA rules.

Corbett said another earlier visit to the nation?s capital led to a reinterpretation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development of what should and should not be subtracted from buyout checks to property owners as a duplication of benefits.

?We think these trips have paid off for the community, and we hope this trip will pay off in the future,? the mayor said. ?We have this financial exposure, we?ve spent this money and coming to a successful resolution is important.?

Corbett said Grassley and Harkin both reported that Congress will not authorize a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) this year, but they added that Congress may in 2013. WRDA legislation provides funds for flood-protection systems.

Corbett said the city?s more short-term flood-protection objective is to secure additional funding so the Army Corps of Engineers can complete its current pre-construction work for the city?s east-side flood protection. The city must pay 25 percent of the $12.5-million cost of the pre-construction work, work that already would have run out of money if the city had not fronted its entire share of the total.

City Council members Justin Shields and Ann Poe, City Manager Jeff Pomeranz and O?Hern accompanied Corbett to Washington, D.C.

The mayor said the group also met with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., on FEMA and Corps issues. Kerry and Shields, a longtime Cedar Rapids labor leader, know each other well. In fact, Kerry came to Cedar Rapids to campaign in Shields? first run for City Council in 2005. Kerry was the Democratic nominee for president in 2004.

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