Saturday, December 31, 2011

Nigeria calls state of emergency over sect attacks

(AP) ? Nigeria's president on Saturday declared a state of emergency in parts of Africa's most populous nation, after a recent slew of deadly attacks blamed on a radical Muslim sect killed dozens of people.

President Goodluck Jonathan declared the state of emergency in four states and ordered the closure of international borders near the affected areas.

They include parts of northeastern state of Yobe, and the central states of Plateau and Niger, all hit by the Christmas Day attacks that left at least 42 people dead, for which a radical sect known as Boko Haram claimed responsibility. Attackers targeted churches and one of the state offices of Nigeria's secret police.

The president also declared a state of emergency in parts of the northeastern state of Borno, a stronghold of the feared Islamic sect.

"What began as sectarian crises in the northeastern parts of the country has gradually evolved into terrorist activities in different parts of the country with attendant negative consequences on our national security," Jonathan said.

Earlier in the year, an Aug. 26 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria's capital Abuja killed 24 people and wounded 116 others. The sect claimed responsibility for that attack.

Jonathan also said Saturday that he has directed top security officials to set up a special counterterrorism unit to fight the growing threat posed by Boko Haram.

The Christmas attacks come a year after a series of Christmas Eve bombings in central city of Jos in the nation's "middle belt," where the country's largely Muslim north meets its largely Christian south. Last year's Christmas attacks claimed by the militants left at least 32 dead and 74 wounded.

"Terrorism is a war against all of us," Jonathan said as he spoke during an address on national television on Saturday. "I call on all Nigerians to join hands with government to fight these terrorists."

The sect, some of whose members are believed to have links to al-Qaida, wants to impose Islamic Shariah law across Nigeria.

The U.S. Embassy had warned U.S. citizens late Friday to exercise caution in Nigeria.

"Violent extremist attacks have continued in various locations, including the states of Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Plateau, and Yobe, resulting in numerous casualties," the warning read.

Boko Haram's widening terror attacks, though, are only further intensifying religious divisions in Nigeria. In this nation of more than 160 million people, thousands have died in recent years in communal fighting pitting machete-wielding neighbors against each other.

The sect came to national prominence in 2009, when its members rioted and burned police stations near its base of Maiduguri, a dusty northeastern city on the cusp of the Sahara Desert. Nigeria's military violently put down the attack, crushing the sect's mosque into shards as its leader was arrested and died in police custody. About 700 people died during the violence.

While initially targeting enemies via hit-and-run assassinations from the back of motorbikes after the 2009 riot, violence by Boko Haram now has a new sophistication and apparent planning that includes high-profile attacks with greater casualties. That has fueled speculation about the group's ties as it has splintered into at least three different factions, diplomats and security sources say. They say the more extreme wing of the sect maintains contact with terror groups in North Africa and Somalia.

Targeting the group has remained difficult, as sect members are scattered throughout northern Nigeria and nearby Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

___

Associated Press writer Yinka Ibukun contributed to this report from Lagos.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-31-AF-Nigeria-Violence/id-a2c34ca5e7de4135b11e8762f4e3cf09

coach outlet apostasy canon powershot elph 300 hs christmas lights canon eos rebel t3 christmas photo cards ar 15

Friday, December 30, 2011

Perry's Tough Year (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/181010200?client_source=feed&format=rss

yule log ham recipes adrian peterson darlene love free kindle books roasted potatoes turkey recipes

The New Les Miserables Will Feature Live Singing

les-miserables-slice

Confession: I have very little knowledge of Les Miserables as a book, a stage musical, or any prior movie iterations.? So I was surprised to see it on so many Most Anticipated of 2012 lists, including our own.? I am very interested in a big movie musical, but I just don?t have that personal connection.? I am now as excited as everyone else though since I found something to latch on to.? A source tells the Sun [via Cinema Blend]

?Unlike most film musicals, the cast will record their vocals live on camera rather than go into a studio first then mime on film to the pre-recorded vocal? First they have to learn the complex songs, then they?ll have to get it right on set in front of the other stars and crew.?

Terrific!? Something about pre-recorded vocals always bothers me, but I thought it a necessity to enjoy the other wonders of a musical.? But director Tom Hooper (The King?s Speech) says no, shortly after rejecting 3D.? I love this guy.? Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Eddie Redmayne are the stars to whom the burden falls.? Les Miserables opens on December 7, 2012.? Hit the jump for a synopsis.

This decision could limit the scope of the film, but I think the tradeoff is worth it.? Given the reverence for the stage musical, they obviously figured out a way to coordinate live singing that works for the story.

Here is a synopsis for the 1987 stage musical:

Jean Valjean, an ex-con, has transformed himself to become mayor and the owner of a factory. But when he is moved to help one of his former workers, Fantine, Valjean?s past is brought to light, and he is forced to abandon everything to run from Javert, the chief of police, dead set on bringing him to justice. Nine years later, Cosette, Fantine?s child, has been raised by Valjean and has fallen in love with Marius, a fighter in the French revolution (after whom another, named Eponine, also pines). With Javert on the hunt and a revolution tearing the city apart, in the end, everyone is forced to question what they?re willing to sacrifice in pursuit of love and justice. [Broadway Musical Home]

les-miserables-musical-poster-01

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924212/news/1924212/

occupy oakland occupy oakland yahoo.com/mail david nelson david nelson frank gore frank gore

Thursday, December 29, 2011

NYTimes offers discounts in mistaken email gaffe

(AP) ? In today's digital age, it's easy to send out an email by mistake ? even for a company that's in the business of communication.

The New York Times thought it was sending an email to a few hundred people who had recently canceled subscriptions, offering them a 50 percent discount for 16 weeks to lure them back.

Instead, the offer went to 8.6 million email addresses of people who had given them to the Times.

That was the first mistake. The second came when the Times tweeted that it didn't send the email. But the Times had.

Many people called in, and the newspaper initially honored the discount. The newspaper says it stopped giving out discounts to people who received the email in error by early afternoon.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-28-New%20York%20Times-Erroneous%20Email/id-a48168c24516424fa0212c2d5383b709

joe arpaio sam hurd arrested presidential debate roddy white roddy white howard stern howard stern

Lori Fradkin: Why I Didn't Get My Sister a Gift -- Yet (Huffington post)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/179296311?client_source=feed&format=rss

grand theft auto 5 kris jenner kris jenner livestand power ball kelly slater kelly slater

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Kim Jong Il's son strengthens power with new post

North Korea identified Kim Jong Il's son as head of a top ruling party body Monday, a post that gives him authority over political matters in addition to the military control attributed to him in recent days.

Kim Jong Un has rapidly gained prominence since the death of his father on Dec. 17, with the state media showering new titles on him almost daily.

On Saturday, state media referred to the younger Kim as "supreme leader" of North Korea's 1.2 million-strong armed forces and said the military's top leaders had pledged their loyalty to him. On Monday, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper described him as head of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party ? a post that appears to make him the top official in the ruling party.

Kim Jong Il, who ruled North Korea for 17 years, wielded power as head of three main state organs: the Workers' Party, the Korean People's Army and the National Defense Commission. His father, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung remains the nation's "eternal president" long after his 1994 death.

The Kim family has extended its control over the country of 24 million people to a third generation with Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and was revealed last year as his father's choice among three sons for successor.

He was named a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, but was expected to ascend to new military and political posts while being groomed to become the next leader.

Monday's reference to his new title was in commentary in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Workers' Party, urging soldiers to dedicate their lives "to protect the party's Central Committee headed by respected Comrade Kim Jong Un." The editorial called on the people to become "eternal revolutionary comrades" with Kim Jong Un, "the sun of the 21st century."

The language echoed slogans used years ago to rally support for Kim Jong Il, and made clear the son is quickly moving toward leadership of the Workers' Party, one of the country's highest positions, in addition to the military.

North Korea refers to Kim Il Sung as the "sun" of the nation and his birthday is celebrated as the "Day of the Sun," and state media have sought to emphasize Kim Jong Un's role in carrying out the Kim family legacy throughout his succession movement.

His titles are slight variations of those held by his father, but appear to carry the same weight. It was unclear whether the nation's constitution had been changed to reflect the transfer of leadership as when Kim Jong Il took power after his father's death.

A day earlier, state TV showed footage of Kim Jong Un's uncle and key patron, Jang Song Thaek, in a military uniform with a general's insignia. It was the first time that Jang, who was promoted last year to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party along with Kim Jong Un, was shown on state TV in military garb.

  1. The death of Kim Jong Il

    1. Report: Red skies, stormy seas marked Kim's death
    2. Circumstances of Kim Jong Il's death fabricated?
    3. Politics trump hunger in N.Korea
    4. Slideshow: The life of Kim Jong ll
    5. Source: Military coup in N. Korea 'unlikely'
    6. NYT: In Kim's death, an extensive intelligence failure
    7. Cartoons: The life and death of Kim Jong Il
    8. Analysis: Opportunities, dangers loom over N. Korea
    9. Even in death, details of Kim Jong Il's life elusive
    10. Kim Jong Il remembered as 'Team America' star

Mourning continued, meanwhile, despite frigid winter weather, in the final days before Kim Jong Il's funeral is set to take place Wednesday and a memorial Thursday.

People continued lining up Monday in central Kim Il Sung Square, where a massive portrait that usually features Kim Il Sung has been replaced by one of Kim Jong Il, to bow before his smiling image and to lay funereal flowers. Heated buses stood by to give mourners a respite from the cold, and hot tea and water were distributed from beverage kiosks.

South Koreans were among the mourners in Pyongyang. The widow of former President Kim Dae-jung, who held a landmark summit with Kim Jong Il in 2000, and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, whose late husband had ties to the North, each led delegations that drove across the heavily fortified border to Pyongyang.

They were greeted by North Korean officials during a stop at a factory park in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, according to footage from AP Television News in North Korea. North Korea sent delegations to Seoul when the women's husbands died.

Meanwhile, a South Korean activist was also in Pyongyang to pay respects to Kim Jong Il but without South Korean government permission, her colleagues said in a statement. For South Koreans, making unauthorized trips to North Korea is punishable by up to three years in prison, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

The Korean peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the three-year Korean war ended in a truce in 1953, not a peace treaty.

___

Associated Press writers Foster Klug, Hyung-jin Kim and Jiyoung Won in Seoul, South Korea, and AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee, contributed to this report. Follow AP's Korea coverage at twitter.com/newsjean and twitter.com/APKlug.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45788339/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

roasted pumpkin seeds roasted pumpkin seeds pumpkin seed recipe mark madoff disturbia ufc results nick diaz

Rapper Nelly Being Sued By American Express For $20,000

Rapper Nelly Being Sued By American Express For $20,000

Rapper Nelly is facing legal woes after failing to pay a large credit card bill. American Express claim the rapper hasn’t pay a bill of [...]

Rapper Nelly Being Sued By American Express For $20,000 Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2011/12/26/rapper-nelly-being-sued-by-american-express-for-20000/

deviled eggs pie crust pie crust stuffing recipe happy thanksgiving dwts cnn debate

eco_terror_feed: Brazil Slaps Chevron with New Oil Spill Fine: Brazil's Environment Institute orders Chevron to pay another fine ... http://t.co/YJCaY1um

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
Brazil Slaps Chevron with New Oil Spill Fine: Brazil's Environment Institute orders Chevron to pay another fine ... bit.ly/s6IIZi eco_terror_feed

yourgreed

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/eco_terror_feed/statuses/151083166109679616

good morning america new orleans jazz fest new orleans jazz fest dwight howard louis ck michelle duggar heisman

Indonesian Mayor Refuses to Reinstate Church License

December 26, 2011

The refusal of the mayor of Bogor, Indonesia, to obey a Supreme Court order to restore a church's permit casts doubt on the ability of the Indonesian government to enforce the rule of law, according to Compass Direct News. Muslim demonstrators and area police have continually obstructed the services of the Indonesian Christian Church congregation in Bogor, which has been holding services on roadsides or in members' homes since the local government sealed its building last year. Despite a Dec. 2010 Supreme Court ruling in favor of the congregation and a July 2011 recommendation by the National Ombudsman Institute to reinstate the church's license, Bogor mayor Diani Budiarto still refuses, and local police are even reporting that the church building is going to be torn down. Civil rights groups say Budiarto's approach sets a precedent that court decisions can be ignored, and plan to file suit against Bogor over his defiance.

Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/religion-today-blog/indonesian-mayor-refuses-reinstate-church-license.html

coriolanus coriolanus jon corzine rick perry v tech the three stooges top model all stars

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Xperia Active vs Galaxy Xcover

En Androidmobil som t?l stryk och vatten ?r perfekt f?r dig som tr?nar mycket eller som ?r duktig p? att klanta till det och d?nga mobilen i marken. H?r l?ter vi Sony Ericssons t?liga Androidmobil Xperia Active g? ett par ronder mot Samsungs t?liga Android Galaxy Xcover.

G? till k?llan

Source: http://xn--bsta-mobilen-gcb.se/xperia-active-vs-galaxy-xcover/

dramamine nba season iron bowl iron bowl bo jackson bo jackson ibogaine

Monday, December 26, 2011

Dropbox top iPhone productivity app in TUAW Best of 2011 voting

Merry Christmas! Although today is officially a holiday and we're all spending time with our families and friends, the voting elves at TUAW have been working hard to continue the coverage of our TUAW Best of 2011 awards.

Today's winner is an app and service that should be on everyone's iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and PC -- Dropbox. The Dropbox iPhone app (free) pulled in 38.6 percent of the votes form TUAW readers, topping Evernote (free), which came in second with 28.0 percent.

Dropbox provides 2 GB of synced cloud storage to everyone at no cost, 50 GB at $99.99 per year, or 100 GB at $199.99 annually. There are team account options as well.

Congratulations to the Dropbox team, and we look forward to more from this astoundingly good productivity app in the future.


Share

Source: http://www.tuaw.com/2011/12/25/dropbox-top-iphone-productivity-app-in-tuaw-best-of-2011-voting/

rock center nbpa itunes match itunes match walmart black friday 2011 walmart black friday 2011 packers vikings

You.Are.A.Robophobe (talking-points-memo)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/178511430?client_source=feed&format=rss

lsu football miguel cotto vs antonio margarito terminator salvation terminator salvation rockefeller center baylor art basel 2011

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Cesium found in milk powder made by Japan?s Meiji ????????????

Japan?s Meiji Holdings said on Dec. 6 that radioactive cesium was found in infant milk powder made by the food and dairy firm, in the latest food scare to grip the country nearly nine months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Worries over the safety of food supplies have shaken the public after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the worst nuclear accident in 25 years, spreading radiation over a large swathe of northern and eastern Japan.

Cases of excessive radiation in vegetables, tea, milk, seafood and water have stoked anxiety despite assurance from public officials that the levels detected are not dangerous.

Meiji said it is unsure exactly how the cesium got into the powdered milk, but it suspects radioactive substances emitted from the Fukushima accident may have been the source. A company spokesman told Reuters hot air used in the drying process may have contained cesium.

Tests by Meiji showed that up to 30.8 becquerels of cesium was found per kilogram of the powdered milk. That is below the government-set permissible limit, but the firm will nevertheless conduct a voluntary recall of the product, called ?Meiji Step.?

The limit set by Japan?s health ministry is 200 becquerels per kilogram for powdered milk, an official at the ministry?s department of food safety said.

(Reuters)

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

???????????????????????????????????????????????????

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

????????????????????????????????????????????????Meiji Step?????

TODAY?S WORDS ????

1. stoke v.

?? (ji1 qi3)

?: His composure had the effect of stoking her anger.

(?????????????)

2. voluntary adj.

??? (zhu3 dong4 de5)

?: It was voluntary on my part. I didn?t have to do it.

(?????????????)

3. recall v.

?? (zhao4 hui2)

?: The automaker recalled a lot of the unsafe cars.

(?????????????)


????????????????????????????????????

???????????

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535605/s/1b40ef82/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Clang0Carchives0C20A110C120C260C20A0A3521616/story01.htm

ndamukong suh aptera aptera facebook ipo facebook ipo national defense authorization act national defense authorization act

Sideload books on Kindle Fire, ICS on Nexus S thoughts [From the Forums]

From the Forums

Although Christmas is only a few days away now, the news hasn't really slowed down all that much. Seems as though everyone is pushing out an update or getting a new app out there in time for the holidays, so if you happened to miss out on anything from this week thus far, get caught up here on the blogs and in the Android Central forums.

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/YfRuw2gQPQw/story01.htm

halloween movies new york snow new york snow braxton miller braxton miller noreaster noreaster

Saturday, December 24, 2011

[OOC] The Mystery of Jerome

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?The Mystery of Jerome?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
I will be posting my character as soon as possible, however, don't expect much activity here until after Christmas! Some of us have places to go and people to see outside of our beloved Roleplay Gateway. ;)

If you have interest in this role play, drop me a line here or claim a character. This will be my first role play, but I promise I'll try my damndest to live up to any expectations you have.

User avatar
Pfauxmeh
Member for 0 years



Oh man oh man oh man, a wild west roleplay. Pfauxmeh, you have answered my prayers.

I would love to play the navigator. May I? It's going to be amazing. I will write up my character and submit him at once, for he has just sprung fully-formed into being.

A couple questions that may affect backstory or his particular details:
Where/when do we begin? Is she recruiting when we begin, or do we have our team and are ready to set out?
Could you give a specific year this takes place, or are we going with generic wild west movie era?

User avatar
Slorfae
Member for 0 years


DO WANT.

I have a lovely gunslinger that could be used as a protection character, if you'll have her. She's made for a more fantasy setting but its all too easy to take that away and make her into something realistic. I adore Wild West settings and this looks so promising.

User avatar
Prose
Member for 2 years


Well, it's been a while since I've been involved in a western that didn't flounder within the first tens of posts... Besides, I need a change of scenery, and this legitimately looks interesting, and the song hooked me.

That being said, I'm probably going to end up as one of the "Protection" fellows, if by protection you mean the Clint Eastwood style badass cowboys. Note, I may or may not being playing that type, just using it as an example. Also~ What is a "Helper" exactly?

User avatar
Talisman
Member for 2 years


Well, I submitted Jeremy Fuller for your approval. He may need a little convincing since he really doesn't take women seriously, but he'll be sorely tempted by the challenge, and you won't find a better navigator in Jerome.

Aaaaand... it's not till I typed that that I realized his name's pretty similar to the town. Oh well.

I am still interested to know the specific year we'll be playing in, 'cause it will affect whether or not he can quote Pirates of Penzance, or how famous Charles Darwin has become, or if he's been published at all. (Edit: Just looked it up, and Jerome wasn't even a town until 1883, and between then and 1903 it became "the wickedest town in the West"! Thank you, Wikipedia!)

User avatar
Slorfae
Member for 0 years


I am totally debating making a badass lady preacher protectionist, merely just to piss Jeremy right the hell off.

Like, seriously. It's been forever since I've tried to preacher angle (Paladins on the other hand...) and the lady bit is because.. Well, I've found myself using a lot of lady characters lately... I have no idea why...

User avatar
Talisman
Member for 2 years


Ahahaha, your potential badass lady preacher would cause many potential harrumphs from Jeremy, and more than one potential scientific lecture on the improbability of intelligent design. Potentially.

User avatar
Slorfae
Member for 0 years


Yeah, I can totally see it now! Right in the middle of the potential lecture, Preacher lady would potentially shove a gun into Jeremy's face, recite a badass bible verse followed by a potentially epic quip (Preferably one about the "intelligent design" of lecturing an armed woman), and pull the trigger and reveal that that chamber was empty. Potentially.

Well, there sure is a lot of potential here if I say so myself.

That being said, if I do go for the badass preacher trope, I will have a reasonable backstory and some characterization thrown in the mix. Being rough like that for only the sake of mere badassry isn't isn't cool, need's some reasons as to why. I'm seeing her being a bandit, something bad happens, finds God, and has trouble adjusting to a pious life. Yes, yes, I can work with this.

If Pfauxmeh can work with two female protectors... I am still unsure about her being female... Eh, I'll sleep on it, see how other characters turn out.

User avatar
Talisman
Member for 2 years



Return to Out of Character

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: Abraxas, Adig01, ?SIR Society, ajemokid, Alucard the Fallen, Amigamaru, Animality Opera, Annaky*, Ashes, awesomeskaterdude, azoicennead*, AzricanRepublic*, BekaL101, Bigot, BilgeWater*, black-as-night_oni, blondegamer, bluebirdsgirl, Bootsie, Cerberus1616*, Cheshire_Cat, Chulance*, claw*, Curiose*, daniel951, dig17*, Draruto, Eleera Cain*, emotionless, Felicity, FunnyGuy*, Gamer_Templar*, Gigabot [Bot], Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Iggi*, It's_Gen, jackrules158*, Jo_Tunn*, kingjpc*, Kirinak*, Laura-Dora, littlebirddogmint, Majestic-12 [Bot], Mat_z6, Midnight's Work*, MilkHoney*, MSNbot Media, Murmur, nancyboy*, nltniko, NorthernSoul*, Nulix, OdiOdi, Ottoman*, PixieCP*, Princess Awinita, Prose*, Queenforaday, RainWish, Regret*, Rem?us*, Ropeburn*, Roxxy, Ryand-Smith, R?tshreck*, SerenityMist, Shan?, Silent Rain, Slorfae*, Solo Wing Pixy, Sora112112, Steppin' Razor*, Stilts, Talisman, The Angry Penguin*, Tiko*, ViceVersus*, victim130*, wednesdaysun, Wikingr*, Wing06Twilight*, Wudgeous, xXChocobeanXx, ? ????????? ?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/dvTZe5DMl1o/viewtopic.php

pasco county rooney mara solstice x factor results x factor results the hobbit movie trailer december 21 2012

Neuroscientists demonstrate crucial advances in 'brain reading'

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

At UCLA's Laboratory of Integrative Neuroimaging Technology, researchers use functional MRI brain scans to observe brain signal changes that take place during mental activity. They then employ computerized machine learning (ML) methods to study these patterns and identify the cognitive state ? or sometimes the thought process ? of human subjects. The technique is called "brain reading" or "brain decoding."

In a new study, the UCLA research team describes several crucial advances in this field, using fMRI and machine learning methods to perform "brain reading" on smokers experiencing nicotine cravings.

The research, presented last week at the Neural Information Processing Systems' Machine Learning and Interpretation in Neuroimaging workshop in Spain, was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is interested in using these method to help people control drug cravings.

In this study on addiction and cravings, the team classified data taken from cigarette smokers who were scanned while watching videos meant to induce nicotine cravings. The aim was to understand in detail which regions of the brain and which neural networks are responsible for resisting nicotine addiction specifically, and cravings in general, said Dr. Ariana Anderson, a postdoctoral fellow in the Integrative Neuroimaging Technology lab and the study's lead author.

"We are interested in exploring the relationships between structure and function in the human brain, particularly as related to higher-level cognition, such as mental imagery," Anderson said. "The lab is engaged in the active exploration of modern data-analysis approaches, such as machine learning, with special attention to methods that reveal systems-level neural organization."

For the study, smokers sometimes watched videos meant to induce cravings, sometimes watched "neutral" videos and at sometimes watched no video at all. They were instructed to attempt to fight nicotine cravings when they arose.

The data from fMRI scans taken of the study participants was then analyzed. Traditional machine learning methods were augmented by Markov processes, which use past history to predict future states. By measuring the brain networks active over time during the scans, the resulting machine learning algorithms were able to anticipate changes in subjects' underlying neurocognitive structure, predicting with a high degree of accuracy (90 percent for some of the models tested) what they were watching and, as far as cravings were concerned, how they were reacting to what they viewed.

"We detected whether people were watching and resisting cravings, indulging in them, or watching videos that were unrelated to smoking or cravings," said Anderson, who completed her Ph.D. in statistics at UCLA. "Essentially, we were predicting and detecting what kind of videos people were watching and whether they were resisting their cravings."

In essence, the algorithm was able to complete or "predict" the subjects' mental states and thought processes in much the same way that Internet search engines or texting programs on cell phones anticipate and complete a sentence or request before the user is finished typing. And this machine learning method based on Markov processes demonstrated a large improvement in accuracy over traditional approaches, the researchers said.

Machine learning methods, in general, create a "decision layer" ? essentially a boundary separating the different classes one needs to distinguish. For example, values on one side of the boundary might indicate that a subject believes various test statements and, on the other, that a subject disbelieves these statements. Researchers have found they can detect these believe?disbelieve differences with high accuracy, in effect creating a lie detector. An innovation described in the new study is a means of making these boundaries interpretable by neuroscientists, rather than an often obscure boundary created by more traditional methods, like support vector machine learning.

"In our study, these boundaries are designed to reflect the contributed activity of a variety of brain sub-systems or networks whose functions are identifiable ? for example, a visual network, an emotional-regulation network or a conflict-monitoring network," said study co-author Mark S. Cohen, a professor of neurology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA's Staglin Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and a researcher at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA.

"By projecting our problem of isolating specific networks associated with cravings into the domain of neurology, the technique does more than classify brain states ? it actually helps us to better understand the way the brain resists cravings," added Cohen, who also directs UCLA's Neuroengineering Training Program.

Remarkably, by placing this problem into neurological terms, the decoding process becomes significantly more reliable and accurate, the researchers said. This is especially significant, they said, because it is unusual to use prior outcomes and states in order to inform the machine learning algorithms, and it is particularly challenging in the brain because so much is unknown about how the brain works.

Machine learning typically involves two steps: a "training phase" in which the computer evaluates a set of known outcomes ? say, a bunch of trials in which a subject indicated belief or disbelief ? and a second, "prediction" phase in which the computer builds a boundary based on that knowledge.

In future research, the neuroscientists said, they will be using these machine learning methods in a biofeedback context, showing subjects real-time brain readouts to let them know when they are experiencing cravings and how intense those cravings are, in the hopes of training them to control and suppress those cravings.

But since this clearly changes the process and cognitive state for the subject, the researchers said, they may face special challenges in trying to decode a "moving target" and in separating the "training" phase from the "prediction" phase.

###

University of California - Los Angeles: http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu

Thanks to University of California - Los Angeles for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 9 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116234/Neuroscientists_demonstrate_crucial_advances_in__brain_reading_

kevin durant miranda lambert kim kardashian divorce generators generators lesean mccoy while you were sleeping

Head of Customs and Border Protection resigns (CNN)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/178107922?client_source=feed&format=rss

wedding crashers next iron chef next iron chef meryl streep aquamarine iraq war iraq war

Friday, December 23, 2011

U.S. economy hopes give European stocks respite (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Signs of renewed momentum in the giant U.S. economy boosted European stocks and supported the euro on Friday, but any gains in holiday-thinned markets are likely to prove short-lived with concerns about the euro zone debt crisis undiminished.

"There's no doubt that events in the euro area in the first quarter of next year... have the potential to have a profound impact across the globe," said Chris Scicluna, an economist at Daiwa Capital Markets.

The single currency edged up 0.1 percent to $1.3065, holding above a recent 11-month low of $1.2945, although it remains down around 2.1 percent on the year.

"The dollar is still seen as a funding currency when risk appetite improves and people will sell dollars on the back of that," said Chris Walker, currency strategist at UBS.

"But we still see uncertainties in the euro zone outweighing and look for a move towards $1.25 in the next few months," he added.

The United States reported the lowest level of weekly jobless claims since April 2008 on Thursday, as well as a rise in the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index.

"This improved set of data we've had through Q4 in the U.S. is at least something to be encouraged about," said Daiwa's Scicluna.

MSCI's world equity index gained around 0.3 percent since the data was published (.MIWD00000PUS), but remains on track for a fall of about 12 percent in 2011.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index gained around 0.5 percent.

ECB FUNDS SOOTHE

The European Central Bank's mid-week provision of 490 billion euros of cheap longer-term cash to over 500 of the region's banks - the largest ever amount of liquidity pumped into the financial system - is expected to support debt markets.

The loans are expected to ease the impact of a wave of capital outflows of U.S. money market funds from European banks that has gummed up the interbank market, and should also support bank shares.

Outgoing ECB executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi also suggested in comments in the Financial Times on Friday that the ECB could give in and adopt "quantitative easing" to boost the euro zone economy if deflation risks emerge across the 17-country region.

His comments are the strongest indication yet that the central bank could expand its policy tools to prevent a possibly disastrous economic slump in continental Europe, although Bini Smaghi himself steps down at the end of December.

Meanwhile, fellow ECB Executive Board member Juergen Stark, who also steps down at the end of the month, was quoted as saying that Europe should not use the International Monetary Fund to get around the ban on central banks financing governments and that current plans might breach that principle.

"Practically, I don't see any countries other than euro zone states that want access to the money. It is an attempt to circumvent the ban on direct monetary financing in Europe," Stark told German daily Die Welt in an interview.

Yields on Italian 10-year bonds were 4 basis points higher at 6.97 percent, back within a whisker of the 7 percent mark seen as unsustainably high over the long-term, with the Spanish equivalent little changed at 5.42 percent.

Unsurprisingly, in 2011 Italian bonds (.QW4AP) have been one of the worst performers, posting losses of 5.65 percent overall with longer-dated paper losing almost 11 percent (.QW4U).

The rosier picture painted by the U.S. data is also supporting commodities, with copper, which is sensitive to expectations of industrial demand, rising 1.0 percent to $7,615 a tonne, on course for its first weekly gain in three weeks.

(Additional reporting by Neal Armstrong)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111223/bs_nm/us_markets_global

martha marcy may marlene lacuna lacuna paranormal activity 3 trailer paranormal activity 3 trailer oomph oomph

Lawyer says he made up story of Berlusconi payoff (AP)

ROME ? A British lawyer testified Thursday that he had invented accusations that Silvio Berlusconi paid him $600,000 to lie on the stand to protect the former Italian premier's business interests.

David Mills' testimony Thursday at Berlusconi's corruption trial in Milan undercuts prosecutors' case against the politician, and Berlusconi said afterward he was "relieved" and considered the case now closed.

Prosecutors allege Berlusconi paid Mills to give false testimony in two 1990s trials to shield Berlusconi and his Fininvest holding company from charges relating to the purchase of U.S. film rights.

Berlusconi has long denied the charges and accused prosecutors of pursuing politically-motivated cases against him.

Mills says he "invented" the story of the payoff to hide from British tax authorities a $600,000 payment from an Italian client, according to the LaPresse and ANSA news agencies. "It's all fiction," he said, speaking via videoconference from Britain with Berlusconi in the courtroom.

"I want to underline the complete innocence of Mr. Berlusconi, who has absolutely nothing to do with this $600,000," ANSA quoted him as saying. "I'm sorry for all the problems that were caused, and I hope that the truth comes out at the end of this process."

Mills said that in inventing the story "I adopted the strategy of least resistance, saying what I imagined (prosecutors) wanted me to say," according to the ANSA account.

Mills was convicted in 2009 on bribery charges; the conviction was overturned last year by Italy's highest court after the statute of limitations expired.

The next hearing in the case is set for Jan. 16.

The corruption trial is one of three Berlusconi is currently facing in Milan; the others include charges Berlusconi paid a 17-year-old to have sex with him and then tried to cover it up. Both he and the young woman deny the charges.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_re_eu/eu_italy_berlusconi_trial

aptera aptera facebook ipo facebook ipo national defense authorization act national defense authorization act clemson

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Mourning in North Korea, worries in South

North Koreans poured into the streets on Monday to mourn the death of leader Kim Jong-il and state media hailed his untested son as the "Great Successor" of the reclusive state whose atomic weapons ambitions are a major threat to the region.

  1. The death of Kim Jong Il

    1. Updated 54 minutes ago 12/20/2011 12:10:49 AM +00:00 Mourning in North Korea, worries in South
    2. Updated 51 minutes ago 12/20/2011 12:13:32 AM +00:00 Analysis: Opportunities, dangers loom over N. Korea
    3. Slideshow: The life of Kim Jong ll
    4. Even in death, details of Kim Jong Il's life elusive
    5. Updated 53 minutes ago 12/20/2011 12:11:44 AM +00:00 Kim Jong Il's youngest son dubbed 'great successor'
    6. Kim Jong Il remembered as 'Team America' star
    7. Officials: US may delay re-engagement with N. Korea
    8. Cartoons: The life and death of Kim Jong Il
    9. China remembers troublesome neighbor's leader

Earlier, a tearful North Korean television announcer, dressed in black and her voice quavering, said the 69-year old ruler died on Saturday of "physical and mental over-work" on a train on his way to give field guidance ? advice dispensed by the "Dear Leader" on trips to factories, farms and the military.

A spokesperson at the Unification Ministry confirmed Kim's death to NBC News. His funeral will be held on Dec. 28.

Story: North Korean leader Kim Jong Il dead at 69

Security concerns over the state, which in 2010 shelled civilians on a South Korean island and is accused of sinking one of its warships earlier that year, were heightened after Seoul said the North had test-fired a short range missile prior to the announcement of Kim's death.

PhotoBlog: Recent images of Kim?Jong Il

It was the first known launch since June and in a bid to calm tensions, South Korea's defense ministry said it might abandon plans to light Christmas trees on the border, something the North has warned could provoke retaliation.

A U.S. official in Washington appeared to play down the missile test's significance, saying it did not seem linked to Kim's death. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the U.S. military had so far not raised alert levels for some 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea.

President Barack Obama agreed by phone with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to closely monitor developments.

Clinton: Hope for improved relations
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday the United States hoped for improved ties with the people of North Korea and was in touch with its partners in the six-party nuclear talks.

"We both share a common interest in a peaceful and stable transition in North Korea," Clinton said in an appearance in Washington with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba.

"We reiterate our hope for improved relations with the people of North Korea and remain deeply concerned about their well-being," she said.

Video: Even in death, details of Kim Jong Il's life elusive

Kim Jong Un, Kim's youngest son, was named by North Korea's official news agency KCNA as the "great successor" to his father, which lauded him as "the outstanding leader of our party, army and people."

A KCNA dispatch said North Koreans from all walks of life were in utter despair but were finding comfort in the "absolute surety that the leadership of Comrade Kim Jong-un will lead and succeed the great task of revolutionary enterprise."

But there was uncertainty about how much support the third generation of the North's ruling dynasty has among the ruling elite, especially in the military, and concern he might need a military show of strength to help establish his credentials.

"Kim Jong-un is a pale reflection of his father and grandfather. He has not had the decades of grooming and securing of a power base that Jong-il enjoyed before assuming control from his father," said Bruce Klingner, an Asia policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Slideshow: Daily life in North Korea (on this page)

'Writhing in pain'
Video from Chinese state television showed residents of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, weeping while KCNA reported people were "writhing in pain" from the loss.

Large crowds gathered at a massive memorial of Kim Il-sung in central Pyongyang. Kim will be laid to rest next to his father, KCNA said.

On the streets of the North Korean capital, people wailed in grief, some kneeling on the ground or bowing repeatedly. Children and adults laid flowers at key memorials.

A tearful Kim Yong Ho said Kim Jong Il had made people's lives happier. "That is what he was doing when he died: working, traveling on a train," he said.

News of the death of the man whose push to build a nuclear arsenal left the North heavily sanctioned and internationally isolated, triggered immediate nervousness in the region, with South Korea stepping up its military alert.

In Seoul, residents worried about instability in the North. A parliamentary official, Lee Kyu-yun, said he was thinking of stocking up food in case of soaring military tensions.

Lee Byung-joon, 27, feared South Korea might have to fight a war against the North if high-ranking officials challenge the inexperienced Kim Jong Un.

"I definitely think the chance of war breaking out between the South and the North is higher now than before," Lee said.

  1. The death of Kim Jong Il

    1. Updated 54 minutes ago 12/20/2011 12:10:49 AM +00:00 Mourning in North Korea, worries in South
    2. Updated 51 minutes ago 12/20/2011 12:13:32 AM +00:00 Analysis: Opportunities, dangers loom over N. Korea
    3. Slideshow: The life of Kim Jong ll
    4. Even in death, details of Kim Jong Il's life elusive
    5. Updated 53 minutes ago 12/20/2011 12:11:44 AM +00:00 Kim Jong Il's youngest son dubbed 'great successor'
    6. Kim Jong Il remembered as 'Team America' star
    7. Officials: US may delay re-engagement with N. Korea
    8. Cartoons: The life and death of Kim Jong Il
    9. China remembers troublesome neighbor's leader

China, the North's neighbor and only powerful ally, said it was confident the North would remain united and that the two countries would maintain their relationship.

"We were distressed to learn of the unfortunate passing of (Kim) ... and we express our grief about this and extend our condolences to the people of North Korea," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.

"We are confident the North Korean people will be able to turn their anguish into strength and unify as one," he said.

There was less regret from some Western leaders, with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper saying Kim had "violated the basic rights of the North Korean people for nearly two decades." Both he and British Foreign Secretary William Hague said they hoped North Korea's fortunes might now improve.

Reuters, The Associated Press, NBC News' Julie Yoo and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45726637/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

houston astros matt barnes sexiest man alive 2011 ruben studdard ruben studdard black friday sales 2011 black friday sales 2011