Who's In Charge of Social Media Privacy in a Data-Driven Age ...

The growing consumer use of social media is changing the way companies conduct their own marketing, customer service and innovation. Social media is changing our understanding of the current value for business customers in particular, and very few have gone so far as creating a new definition of customer value.

Questions concerning the respect of privacy on the Internet regularly produce headlines in the news. The modern social network online has been widely criticized for making the personal information of its members? public by default. ?Many users were surprised by noting that their photos and other personal information are now accessible through the network. Users who do not want their profile viewable by everyone were forced to change their own settings to make it private again. Facebook is often central to this debate: the most recent example comes from its new subsidiary,?Instagram.

With the spread of Facebook, Twitter, mobile, and other technology-based modes of communication, experts are questioning the concept of privacy and the very definition of a ?friend.?v The uproar generated by the public disclosure of private messages on Facebook, or the recent theft of LinkedIn passwords triggered an alarm regarding the safety and privacy of these social networks.

The web is not a private space

The web is not a private space ? and even if it had been in the past, it no longer is the case. This is a public space. Web 2.0 has changed the perception of private space, now operating on open and democratic platforms where all users can access and contribute.

Facebook was designed primarily as a private network with the aim to enable communities to communicate with each other. But the fact is that the rise of social networks has become central for the commercial sector as their new communication medium. ?Do not forget: the business model of social networks is, above all, based on advertising. ?And for that, they need to identify fairly accurately each of their millions of users. This is done by collecting as much information on the profiles of the latter, while regularly updating their privacy policies, of course, to reflect a strange and terrifying balance with their business model.

Companies are mining the social web to build a commercial platform, based largely on the collective information you and millions of others provide.? Information posted publicly on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, forums and other sites, whether it?s your profile, photos, interests, hobbies, etc., is a reminder that we need to be aware of what we are posting on social networking sites and to whom we are connected.

More recently, Facebook announced new changes in the parameters of privacy. For the future implementation of additional services, the social network wants to share the personal data of its members with other partner sites. Facebook has not disclosed the list of sites in question, but indicates that this functionality can be blocked by users.

Facebook?s new entity, Instagram, recently?updated its privacy policy?as well, giving itself the right to use your photos in its ads. Not surprisingly, Instagram received huge backlash from users and they were forced to amend the policy.

?The Instagram issue is just the tip of the iceberg.? There is a rapidly growing industry of collecting and selling information on you.? The Internet is forever.? Consumers should be careful who they trust with their private information and the private information of their kids, friends, and friends kids,? says a member of the executive team at Wickr, the secure communication provider company.

?Do you trust the company to use your information in your best interested?? Do you trust the company to keep your information safe from all that want access to the goldmine?? How does the company make money? These are all important questions for intelligent consumers to ask.?Photos of family members, personal experiences, even health histories are not off limits once shared on these platforms,? the Wickr representative added.

It?s all about commercialization

Here is a classic example as how a company takes full advantage of your Facebook personal information for business use. At a conference organized by data warehouse company Teradata?earlier?this month, Nissen Co., LTD, a catalog company used to send 200 million food, clothing, and consumer good catalogs across Japan each year, said it is using Facebook?s user information to better market to its customers and increase sales.

The company analyzes its customers Facebook data based on their life stage and events (single, married, aging parent, birthdays) and then incorporate psychographics into its marketing.

?Consumers now post a huge amount of data about themselves, their activities, and their feelings,? said Shigeru Kakimaru of Nissen?s marketing team. ?We can learn the life background of our customers ? their lifestyle and psychology. We can then target our catalogs accordingly. And we can predict when someone needs a product based on what they say on social media.?

And the importance of social data is applicable to a number of industries, with its ability to provide information so much larger than any sample size we?ve ever been able to compile before Web 2.0. ?Financial services companies such as banks and lenders, also use data mining services from social sites for marketing; hotels, airlines use this service to build specific discount plans; politician use this to engage and influence people and the list will go on and on.

Who?s in Charge of Social Media Privacy?

The answer is people like you and me, who uses social media and often take these services for granted. If a user makes publically accessible their geotagged posts, it is relatively easy to identify their home address, workplace, local shopping center, hobbies and interests, along with places they frequent such as their favorite bars and restaurants.

In many social networks, the default option for posting content is to include location information. ?Hopefully by making users aware of the fact they can be tracked, it will encourage them to take another look at what they share, and with whom.

Our Wickr representative stresses the importance of reading privacy policies very closely, looking for statements of data collection, information sharing and any mention of the ?Under 13 boilerplate.? These terms legally allow the company to share and even sell your personal data.

In addition, you can determine whether you want to go public or private with your social media profiles, eliminate people and sites from your social networks that you don?t need or want to represent your interests; pay attention to your friends, invites, and connection requests; limit the sharing of personal and location information via social networks to people you consider your friends; and disable the geotagging of photos in applications like Facebook and Twitter.

We?re going to begin to see people ask themselves questions like, ?How much information do I want to share about myself? How much do I want to be connected to others?? and start to manage these outlets more effectively.

?There are solutions to these deep personal data grabs, and we recommend consumers don?t continue using apps and programs that are turning personal identities and data into company gains. The increase in consumer backlash and concern is driving the rapid adoption of encrypted messaging platforms, like Wickr, and causing consumers to take a deeper look at private communications, a universal human right very important to free society,? advised Wickr team.

It comes back to whether or not social networks are really changing our personality. The most proactive approach moving forward is to encourage a culture of self-responsibility and education, where they are aware that the more information they give up the less privacy they have.

Source: http://siliconangle.com/blog/2012/12/24/whos-in-charge-of-social-media-privacy-in-a-data-driven-age/

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South Africa: World watches Mandela's struggle

FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2012 file photo, a woman walks past a mural depicting portraits of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Soweto, South Africa. The chipped street mural depicts stations in the life of Mandela each matched by a portrait of the global icon as he advanced from robust youth to old age. Now this infirm giant of history faces a struggle with mortality, it's duration unknown but its outcome certain. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2012 file photo, a woman walks past a mural depicting portraits of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Soweto, South Africa. The chipped street mural depicts stations in the life of Mandela each matched by a portrait of the global icon as he advanced from robust youth to old age. Now this infirm giant of history faces a struggle with mortality, it's duration unknown but its outcome certain. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2012 file photo, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, meets with former South Africa President Nelson Mandela, 94, at his home in Qunu, South Africa. There may be no living figure so revered as Mandela around the world as a symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation, his legacy forged in the fight against apartheid, the system of white minority rule that imprisoned him for 27 years. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool-File)

Police enter the home of former president Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012. Mandela will probably spend Christmas Day in a hospital because his doctors want to be satisfied his health has improved satisfactorily before sending him home, a South African media outlet reported Sunday. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

FILE This May 16, 2011 file photo supplied by the South African Government Communications and Information Services, GCIS, shows former South African President Nelson Mandela and his wife Graca Machel after they cast an early ballot in upcoming local elections at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa. South Africa's president has visited former leader Nelson Mandela in a hospital, and the presidency says Mandela continues to respond to treatment. The office of President Jacob Zuma says he saw Mandela on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, in Pretoria, the capital, and assured the anti-apartheid icon that he has the support of all South Africans and the world. Mandela, who is 94, has been hospitalized since Dec. 8. He was diagnosed with a lung infection and also had gallstone surgery. (AP Photo/Elmond Jiyane-GCIS, File)

Unidentified man takes a photo of a giant statue of former South African President Nelson Mandela on Naval Hill, overlooking the city of Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012. The 94-year old anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is spending a twelfth day in a South African hospital after being diagnosed with a lung infection and undergoing gallstone surgery.(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? A chipped street mural in South Africa's Soweto township depicts stations in the life of Nelson Mandela, each matched by a portrait of the global icon as he advanced from robust youth to old age. Now this infirm giant of history faces a struggle with mortality, its duration unknown but its outcome certain.

There may be no living figure so revered around the world as a symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation, his legacy forged in the fight against apartheid, the system of white minority rule that imprisoned him for 27 years.

As an idea, Mandela is monumental. As a 94-year-old man, he is frail and vulnerable, in hospital since Dec. 8, shielded from outside scrutiny by protective relatives and the South African government and military.

"He's sick. What can we do? He's sick," said Beauty Sedunedi, a Soweto resident who described Mandela as a hero. "People are crying, 'Oh, he mustn't die, he mustn't...' If God says 'come,' he'll come."

The former president would probably agree with that down-to-earth sentiment, as a man who is said to have been uncomfortable with his iconic status. The narrative of what he endured and what he contributed in the name of all South Africans tends to eclipse any personal failings, or shortcomings as a president when he took office for a five-year term after the country's first democratic elections in 1994. The country today struggles with poverty and inequality, but Mandela is widely credited with helping to avert race-driven chaos as South Africa emerged from apartheid.

He was diagnosed with a lung infection and had a procedure to remove gallstones after being admitted to a Pretoria hospital, and the South African presidency said Monday that Mandela would spend Christmas Day there. The physical decline of Mandela, who boxed in his youth and exercised regularly in prison, could be anyone's story; an ordinary man would make this wistful journey alone, or within the cocoon of family intimacy.

In the case of a man-turned-myth, however, the media, the government and the nation are passengers on what has become an awkward ride, defined by tension between the right to medical privacy and the public's interest.

"They were very secretive about his health," Sebastian Moloi, another resident of the Johannesburg township of Soweto, said of the government's initial, sometimes contradictory pronouncements about Mandela's condition. "They shouldn't keep it away from the public."

Moloi spoke outside Regina Mundi, a Catholic church that was a center of protests and funeral services for activists during the apartheid years. He said Mandela was the "godfather" of South Africa, but objected to extreme discretion about Mandela's hospital stay, saying: "He gets enough privacy in his home."

Officials have reported that Mandela has steadily improved, but warn the situation is inherently uncertain because of his age. The media has urged the government to provide regular updates or briefings with doctors. Dire rumors have swirled on social media, angering Mac Maharaj, the presidency's spokesman.

"Why are there no voices raised in our society against the human depravity manifested in such rumors?" Eyewitness News, a South African media outlet, quoted Maharaj as saying. "It has become a matter of concern. Is it not time for all of us to look at ourselves in the mirror?"

In fact, Mandela's public image has been closely managed for a long time. He has not been seen on a major stage since South Africa hosted the World Cup football tournament in 2010, and his meetings have become increasingly rare.

In August, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Mandela at his home in the village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province. An Associated Press photographer who accompanied Clinton said the former leader appeared "fragile although also happy," and seemed pleased to see his visitor.

"After some deliberation, at the last moment, I was allowed inside to photograph them together. While I was in the room I never heard him say a word or hardly even move," photographer Jacquelyn Martin wrote in an email. She described how aides encouraged Mandela to smile for the camera and remarked fondly to him on what a beautiful smile he had. They called him "Madiba," which is Mandela's clan name, a term of affection.

"He scarcely moved and was a whisper of the legend," Martin wrote. She said Mandela was seated in a corner with a blanket over his legs and a newspaper in his lap. His wife, Graca Machel, was also there.

In 2009, British journalist David James Smith met the Nobel laureate while working on "Young Mandela," a book that sought, in part, to humanize the man by examining reports about his often conflicted family life.

In an email, Smith said he was required to sign a document promising he would not ask "direct questions," take photos or ask Mandela to endorse any products.

"He was sitting in his huge office behind a massive desk and seemed slightly shrivelled and sparrow-like in comparison with the sharp-suited giant of the 1950s I had come to know so well from my research," Smith wrote.

"He apologized for not getting up to greet me. 'My knees will not allow it.' I struggled to get a conversation going for a few minutes until I told him I had been to Qunu and met his 'brother' Sitsheketshe, who had been brought up with Mandela as his brother after his own parents had died."

Smith recounted: "'Ah, Sitsheketshe!' he boomed. 'Do you know the story of how he came to live with my family?' I did but said I didn't and off he went ... He seemed mortal and ordinary and that I think is one of the reasons why, though not a saint, he is a very great human being."

Sitsheketshe Morris Mandela, Nelson's cousin, died this year at the age of 80.

History offers rough parallels for Mandela and the movement to safeguard his legacy as he approaches the end of his life. Men of his stature ? American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and Indian independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi ? were assassinated while actively engaged in their callings. Tragedy elevated their reputations.

The Soweto mural marks Mandela's birth in 1918; the Rivonia trial that led to his conviction for sabotage in 1964; the 1990 release from prison; the 1993 awarding of the Nobel peace prize to Mandela and the last white ruler, F.W. de Klerk; Mandela's 1994 election as South Africa's first black president; and his 90th birthday in 2008.

Truly, a momentous life. Yet Mandela, whose image adorns South African banknotes and statues and whose name was bestowed on buildings and squares, found ambiguity in it. In a passage described as part of an unpublished sequel to his autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom," he wrote:

"One issue that deeply worried me in prison was the false image that I unwittingly projected to the outside world; of being regarded as a saint. I never was one, even on the basis of an earthly definition of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying."

Reflecting on his 2009 meeting, Smith said in an interview that Mandela still retained his spark of charisma, "the glint of mischief that he had that people were so charmed by, presidents and paupers."

But he added: "You can imagine that must be almost gone now."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-24-South%20Africa-Mandela/id-1dcc06c6c4b24b8290a741adb218c621

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Source: http://pophealthfitness384.blogspot.com/2012/12/nursing-emt-deluxe.html

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Armed guards, locked doors: Schools seek security

A long-dormant national conversation about guns has reignited: some are calling for an assault weapons ban while other feel guns themselves aren't the root of the problem. So far the shootings have sparked several gun buy-back programs and even an anti-gun video organized by big-city mayors ? but the NRA says it's the entertainment industry that is partly to blame. NBC's John Yang reports.

By Elizabeth Chuck and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News

The National Rifle Association?s call to put armed guards in every public school in America has further intensified the debate over how to protect our nation?s children in class, with some districts saying they?re preparing to take just that action and other educators cautioning that doing so sends the wrong message about education.

And short of giving teachers and officers their own guns, administrators across the country are desperate to find a way to keep their pupils safe. Locked vestibules with buzzers, emergency preparedness drills, stronger glass and surveillance cameras are among measures being considered after the massacre last week at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Even before the?NRA?s Wayne LaPierre said Friday that armed police should be placed in schools, guards with guns were posted at all 14 schools in Butler, Pa.

This Sunday on Meet the Press: NRA Chief Wayne LaPierre

The district of 7,500 pupils about 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh had already gone to court to get a judge's approval to have at least one armed retired state trooper in every school. They were in place as classes resumed Monday after the mass shootings Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn.

"We plan to have that on a daily basis from now on," Superintendent Michael Strutt told NBC station WPXI of Pittsburgh. By the time the next school year begins, every guard in the school system will be armed, he said.

---

The sense of urgency is undeniable, with a few districts willing to fight fire with fire, as in Butler. Schools in Marlboro, N.J., for example, will have armed officers in place by January, Mayor John Hornik told NBC News on Friday.

After a week of calls for tighter gun restrictions, the National Rifle Association called for putting more armed security officers in the nation's schools and expressed concerns about violence portrayed in video games, movies and music. NBC's Pete Williams reports.

State Sen. Joe Scarnati, a Republican representing northern Pennsylvania, said there was only one important question: "What do we do to protect our kids?"

"If it requires to put armed individuals in our schools to protect our kids, then we need to do that," Scarnati told NBC station WJAC of Johnstown.

But that idea doesn't sit well with other educators, like Tony Scott, superintendent of schools in Bellaire, Ohio, where a local firearms association said it would provide free shooting training to teachers after the Connecticut shootings.

"I just don't believe our teachers signed up for this," Scott told NBC station WTOV of Steubenville, Ohio. "I know I didn't sign up for it."

Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center, a joint project of the U.S. Education and Justice departments, said there's no centralized database tabulating how many school systems have an official armed presence on campus, but he estimated it at 25 percent. He called the NRA proposal "unfeasible."

"We have to ask ourselves what kind of climate we want to create in our schools. Do we want our school campus to look like the Old West with people having sidearms attached to their hip, or do we want education to happen in a positive way?" Stephens told NBC News. "That's the hard part of this."

Michael Smerconish, author Steve Siebold and David Corn of Mother Jones debate the NRA's idea that more guns and armed teachers would curb gun violence.

Some administrators are looking elsewhere for solutions.?After years of unlocked front doors and casual conversations about someday increasing security in the small school district of New Hartford, Conn., Superintendent Philip O'Reilly isn't wasting another minute.

Fearing a repeat of the tragedy in nearby Newtown, O'Reilly is planning to modify the district's school buildings so they each have a small, locked vestibule between the main entrance and the building's interior, which will hold visitors for screening.

O'Reilly wouldn't give the cost of these new entryways, but he said the money must be found.

Watch US News videos on NBCNews.com

"Cost is no longer the priority. Keeping kids safe is the priority," he said.

In some cases, parents are leading the charge.

"I've had superintendents and headmasters who have been fighting for a year or two trying to do this, and the parents have been fighting them hand and fist because they didn't understand, and now the parents are coming to the school officials saying, 'Why aren't you?'" said Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, a nonprofit group based in Georgia that helps schools improve their crisis preparedness.

Michael Dorn of Safe Havens International relays tips on how schools and parents can keep kids safe.

Security experts recommend that school districts start with a security assessment. Because changing entryways or installing security cameras can be expensive, these experts said school systems need to figure out exactly what their biggest shortcomings are before plowing ahead.

"The number one request [schools have been asking for since Newtown] is to conduct a security assessment. We look at everything, from your written practices to the physical security devices and emergency plans," said Paul Timm, president of Illinois-based, school security consulting firm RETA Security.

He said his recommendations usually fall in two main areas.

"There are two categories that protect people better than anything else: access control, which includes a locked vestibule, running a closed campus, visitor management procedures; and communications.

Do we have public address systems, do we have telephones that are outfitted with emergency dialing instructions, do we have two-way radios?" Timm said. "Those two areas, more than cameras, more than metal detectors, more than burglar alarm systems, protect people."

Locked vestibules can literally stop an intruder in his or her tracks. As administrators have become more concerned about security, many schools have restricted access to just one main entry point in the hope of doing that, Timm said.

Another solution for safety-proofing schools: bullet-resistant glass. Timm recently helped a school in Hastings, Minn., replace all the tempered glass in the building with laminated glass after a student brought a gun to school, and the total cost was about $3,500.

But such a low dollar figure for security fixes is rare.

"A large percentage of our schools are not designed well for any of these things. Sometimes, something simple can be $5 million," Dorn said.

Federal funds for school safety ? the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) project ? were eliminated in March 2011. Now the money must come from local taxpayers.

"There's not much in the budget for security at all. I want to say that before Columbine, not many schools had a line item for security in their budget," Timm said.

One security measure that doesn't come with a hefty price tag is running drills with teachers, students and administrators for various scenarios.

"It prepares us to make life-and-death situations more quickly," Dorn said. "They have an opportunity do something like lock a door, move kids out of a classroom, and [if] for various reasons don't take that action, our casualty rate doubles or triples. The human brain works faster than my laptop to make those life-and-death decisions, but only if you've had the exposure to prepare you."

Andrew Mach of NBC News contributed to this report.

The manufacturer of a children's backpack designed to stop bullets says sales have skyrocketed in the wake of the Newtown massacre. But are some parents overreacting? KPRC's Courtney Zavala reports.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/20/16042916-armed-guards-locked-entryways-cameras-schools-seek-security-after-sandy-hook?lite

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Senators: Hagel would face tough confirmation

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Two senators predicted Sunday that former Sen. Chuck Hagel would face a difficult confirmation if nominated by President Barack Obama to be defense secretary.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent who's retiring and wouldn't have a vote, cited Hagel's less-than-hawkish positions on Iran. Lieberman told CNN's "State of the Union" that it would be "a very tough confirmation process," and "there are reasonable questions to ask and that Chuck Hagel will have to answer."

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said it would be "a challenging nomination."

"I don't think he's going to get many Republican votes," Graham said.

Hagel, 66, is considered the leading candidate to replace Leon Panetta at the Pentagon, although a number of GOP senators have expressed reservations about a nomination. Their concerns largely center on Hagel's past comments about Israel and Iran. Outside groups have suggested that based on Hagel's remarks, he isn't sufficiently supportive of Israel, an important ally in the Middle East.

Opponents point to his votes against sanctions on Iran and letters that Hagel signed, along with ones he declined to add his name to, many of those favored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the powerful pro-Israel lobby. In August 2006, Hagel refused to sign a letter pressing the European Union to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization, one of 12 senators who balked. In 2007, he sent a letter to Bush urging talks with Iran.

Hagel, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, has favored diplomacy over military action with Iran, and criticized talk of a strike by either the United States or Israel against Iran.

Lieberman said sanctions are the only way to change Tehran's behavior "short of war." Lieberman said that Hagel had "some very outlying votes" against economic penalties on Iran over its nuclear program.

Georgia Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson said on ABC's "This Week" that he'll "reserve any judgment until after the hearings we have on confirmation if in fact he is nominated." Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., was non-committal about Hagel, saying she'll see "what happens with these hearings."

Hagel once made reference to the "Jewish lobby" in the United States, a comment that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called "inappropriate."

"There's no such thing as a Jewish lobby," McCain said. "There's an Armenian lobby, there's not a Jewish lobby. There's an Israeli lobby. It's called AIPAC, very influential."

At least two other candidates remain under serious consideration ? former Pentagon policy chief Michele Flournoy and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senators-hagel-face-tough-confirmation-162405211--politics.html

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Study: Mistletoe Effective Against Colon Cancer ? CBS DC

Mistletoe farmers prepare for the Christmas rush. (Credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

SOUTH AUSTRALIA, Australia (CBSDC) ? Researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia have found another purpose for mistletoe ? apart from helping potential suitors steal kisses around the holidays.

Mistletoe could also be used to help the effectiveness of chemotherapy, or could even act as an alternative to chemotherapy for treatment of colon cancer, according to Newswise.

The American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. noted on its official website that colorectal cancers are preventable ? as many as 45 percent of?occurrences?could be curbed with dietary and habit modifications.

Despite that fact, the news of a potential new cure could all the same come as a relief to many at-risk American patients of both genders, as according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, colon cancer is the second leading type of cancer that affects men and women in the United States.

Mistletoe?s potential alternate use was reportedly discovered by student Zahra Lotfollahi, who?completed a research project comparing three different types of mistletoe extract to chemotherapy on colon cancer cells. She additionally compared the impact of mistletoe extract and chemotherapy on healthy cells, the news website learned.

Lotfollahi found that one type of mistletoe extract known as Fraxini?was not only highly effective in combating colon cancer cells, but was also gentler on healthy cells than chemotherapy.

?Of the three extracts tested, and compared with chemotherapy,?Fraxini?was the only one that showed a reduced impact on healthy intestinal cells,? she was quoted as saying.??This is an important result because we know that chemotherapy is effective as killing healthy cells as well as cancer cells.?

She noted that the mistletoe chemical could come with its own set of negative side effects, including ulcers in the mouth and hair loss.

Professor Gordon Howarth, who teaches at the University of Adelaide and supervised Lotfollahi?s research, said that more work needs to be done to find out the true potential of Fraxini.

He told Newswise, ?This is just the first important step in what we hope will lead to further research, and eventually clinical trials, of mistletoe extract in Australia.?

Source: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/22/study-mistletoe-effective-against-colon-cancer/

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Internet Explorer Says the Mayans Were Right Because IE10 Is Actually Good Now

In another excellent ad for Internet Explorer 10, IE pokes fun of itself saying that the sign of apocalypse is here because Internet Explorer 10 is actually good now. This follows up their hilarious video ad which showed Internet trolls saying IE10 sucked... less. What a hot streak of hilarious self deprecating humor! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/_eMX0YFxd_w/internet-explorer-says-the-mayans-were-right-because-ie10-is-actually-good-now

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Advantages of Bi-Folding Patio Doors | Home Improvement - Darrel ...

Bi-folding patio doors look good, make your garden more accessible and bring more of the outside to the inside.

Patio doors have developed recently from fully glazed but basic sliding doors to the modern bi-folding patio doors. Originally bi-folding doors were considered a luxury product, but lately advances in technology have made them more accessible. Though still a bit more expensive than basic sliding doors, the benefits of bi-folding patio doors far outweigh the initial cost.

So what are the benefits of Bi- folding doors?

Open living ? They can fold right back to allow outside/inside living. Bi-folding patio doors fold right back making the best of your space. This allows for a sense of freedom, and on a sunny day you can open up your home opening access to a whole other space.

Ease of installation ? if you are installing a new patio door in your garden, but can?t access the back of the property, bi-folding patio doors can be carried through the house to the site of installation. Other patio doors do not have the same folding capability.

Home Improvement ? with many homeowners deciding to stay put in the current economic climate, many people are choosing to improve their current properties. By installing bi-folding doors one can make your home more accessible to the garden, which could radically change the way you use it.

Be Flexible ? One might also use bi-folding doors inside the home. As they can openinto or out of a room, or fold to the left or the right, they will cause little disturbance to your home without disrupting natural light either.

Easy to use ? bifold doors use a free-glide system which is almost frictionless due to the advanced needle roller bearings. This makes them hard wearing and easy to use.

Different designs ? There are numerous design options to choose from. Select from a wide range of colours, including a metallic or even wooden effect. Your bi-folding patio doors will be able to blend into your home and become a real feature.

Safety features ? Installing bi-folding patio doors to allow your children more access to the garden? Most bi-folding patio doors come with finger-safe gaskets to protect from trapped fingers!

Security ? Bi-folding patio doors can feature multi-point locking systems, internally beaded frames, high-security hinges and anti-drill key cylinders. All of these features will help keep your home safe and protected.

Source: http://nevisislandhouse.com/advantages-of-bi-folding-patio-doors/

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Source: http://stanley341.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/advantages-of-bi-folding-patio-doors-home-improvement.html

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The Business Potential of the Internet of Things Data

Chris Murphy, editor of Information Week, this week asked IT pros to think more about the Internet of Things and how it can be put to work for businesses.

The Internet of Things is the idea that we can connect non-computer things ? like your washing machine or your pool pump ? to a wireless network and thus collect data via Internet protocols. It?s not so hard, really. In the same way a sensor can trigger a light to come on, it can trigger, say, an SMS text message to your phone.

Murphy shares the story of a man who owns a light business. He saw an obvious use for monitoring electrical problems, but he realized there were broader applications when he was showing some guys a device that could trigger a message when a photocell came on.

They instantly realized this could help with a major business problem: Monitoring swimming pool pumps.

You don?t have to be GE to see the potential, Murphy points out:

?Is this the Internet of Things described by GE, with turbines, auto-driving cars, big data with statistical analysis and predictive maintenance? No. But monitoring a VFD with a device that alarms through SMS and an iPad app seems pretty functional, innovative and valuable to these guys.?

Frankly, I can?t understand why this isn?t already huge, and I really think if more women were in technology, we?d already have a mature Internet of Things. I can think of a ton of uses for this technology, including these situations:

The washer/dryer cycle ends (this feature is actually already available on Samsung but why we can?t retro-fit all washers and dryers with the simpler function of letting us know the washer or dryer isn?t moving anymore?). I hate ironing only slightly less than I hate that musty smell clothes get when they set too long.

The toilet paper roll is empty. I?ve got kids: They never replace a roll, which is no big deal unless that was your last roll in the bathroom. I?d rather receive an alert and check before it?s an issue, thank you.

The milk is two cups away from being empty. My milk sits on a milk drawer. You can?t tell me we can?t put a weight sensor on that thing.

I could keep going, but you get the idea. I?d also like to see RFID technology deployed on refrigerators and pantries so my kitchen can monitor staple grocery items ? but I suspect that?s a long way off.

But we could have sensors working for us without an Internet of Things. What?s equally promising is what happens when that data is aggregated. In the case of our pool friends, perhaps there are trends they haven?t noticed yet ? such as one pool filter always has the same type of problem or tends to break at certain times.

It?s impossible for me to guess whether that would be meaningful, but it?s not hard to imagine that, say, data showing a pump always breaks after Saturdays, when the pool is open to children?s birthday parties, might mean the pool needs a ?no small toys? rule or some type of new filter cover.

We?ve already heard how Hadoop is used to handle the Big Data sets from smart grids, but there?s a whole world out there, waiting to get smarter.

So, I?m with Murphy: In 2013, learn more about this technology and talk to employees who aren?t IT?s typical end users. The maintenance team, repair people, the janitor, really anyone who is working on the front line with ?things,? might be able to enlighten you about the potential.

But don?t stop there: Take that information to your business leaders and find out how they might use the data you can gather to learn more about business operations and perhaps find new areas of cost savings or revenue.

Source: http://www.itbusinessedge.com/blogs/integration/the-business-potential-of-the-internet-of-things-data.html

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Online piracy - Legal Blogs - FindLaw UK

A proxy website launched by minor political party, the Pirate Party UK, has been closed down, after lawyers representing the British Phonographic Industry threatened it with legal action.

Earlier in 2012 the UK High Court ruled that the website The Pirate Bay must be closed down in the UK and asked the leading internet service providers to block access to the site.

The Pirate Bay offers users the opportunity to illegally access copyright material for free, without the permission of the copyright owner.

Internet piracy is now on the agenda for policy makers in the UK after years of lobbying by the music and film industries.

Two years ago the Digital Economy Act 2010 received Royal Assent. The Act creates a new system to regulate, and prosecute, those who use the internet to breach copyright protection of original works.

Under the terms of the Act, rights holders will be able to notify Internet Service Providers of users who have breached their copyright, by gathering their information from peer-to-peer file-sharing sites.

The industry regulator Ofcom is currently drafting a regulatory code, which will set out the process for using legal action against copyright infringers. The Act will eventually permit the Secretary of State to detail 'technical measures' that Internet Service Providers can use to restrict access to the internet for those committing offence.

The news that the Pirate Party has been forced to stop their proxy website will come as a boost to the British Phonographic Industry. Geoff Taylor is their Chief Executive.

"We believe [The Pirate Party] should respect the law, and the basic right of creative people to be paid for their work," he said in a statement.

"There are many fantastic digital music services that make it simple to get music legally online. This outcome will help ensure that this new digital sector in the UK can grow, continue to innovate for music fans, and create more UK jobs," he added.

Source:

Pirate Bay proxy gets shut down after music industry legal threat (BBC News)

Source: http://blogs.findlaw.co.uk/solicitor/2012/12/online-piracy-pirate-bay-proxy-site-is-finally-shut-down-after-threat-of-legal-action-1.html

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Useful Tips To help with Auto Insurance Claims | Nutrition is a very ...

Car insurance is large element of being a responsible car proprietor. However, auto insurance policies are printed in one of the most confusing terminology probable. This article can aid you to better determine what those terms indicate. By comprehending the relation to the auto insurance community, you will certainly be a much more well informed customer.

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When buying vehicle insurance, get rates from numerous service providers. It might delight you the amount of insurance premiums can differ from a insurance company to the next. You ought to get annually rates to find out which you keep the best insurance and rates. When you compare rates, be sure the level of insurance plan provided is identical.

Your insurance coverage premium will likely be depending on the emblem of car, SUV, pickup truck, ATV, vessel or motorcycle you purchase or rent. The mileage, make, version and 12 months of your car will determine simply how much your insurance policy costs will likely be. Know that your monthly bill will reflect the option you will make when selecting a vehicle. When your aim is to maintain your car insurance fees low, decide on anything secure and dependable that is certainly marketed at the simple cost.

When buying automobile insurance, make sure to include residence damage culpability. This includes any problems your automobile could possibly have made throughout an auto accident. There are actually only 3 suggests which do not need you to have this coverage. Such as home problems liability insurance with your policy will assure you don?t shell out large sums from your personal budget if the most awful takes place.

Having ample insurance policy can protect an individual if they have a crash. The insurance coverage may have the person pay out a particular quantity which is currently made the decision, referred to as a insurance deductible, nearly anything over the deductible is protected by the insurance company conserving one particular cash.

The right insurance coverage could save somebody a good price of income should they end up in any sort of accident. The company provides the client pay out a predetermined quantity, termed as a deductible, as well as expenses over that volume are covered by the insurance providers.

Most of the large insurance companies will give you significant special discounts when everyone in the home is covered with insurance together. Guaranteeing all automobiles within the identical roof structure can produce financial savings of around 100s, otherwise many, of bucks in regular monthly costs a year.

While you are asking for estimates for vehicle insurance, assessing charges of once-a-year monthly premiums is just a small part of your entire evaluation. Quite, you must browse the get print out, which means you know specifically what your insurance coverage entails.

Often folks are not aware that does not all insurance coverages provide sufficient protection for uninsured car owners. This may truly improve the cost you have to pay, so think twice. This particular type will shield you just in case an insured drivers strikes you.

Try and spend your car insurance coverage by using an once-a-year foundation rather than month-to-month. Your insurance provider might be adding an additional 3 to 5 dollars for your bill. Spending each year can save you 60 dollars a year. It may also become a trouble along with your entire other monthly bills. The much less monthly payments you have to worry about, the higher.

Car insurance must safeguard you, your passengers, and the other motorist, or motorists if you have any sort of accident. Picking the right insurance and protection choices will assist get the support you want. This information will help you answer questions in regards to the correct insurance policy.

Source: http://az88cocktails.com/useful-tips-to-help-with-auto-insurance-claims/

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WWE's Daniel Bryan Lets A Kid With Cancer Tap Him Out, Because ...

There are only three types of pro wrestling news on the Internet:

1. Show recaps where people pretend they could do a better job than the professionals (got those covered)
2. Backstage gossip that is 5% true at best
3. Updates about wrestlers dying or going to jail

Believe it or not there is occasionally good wrestling news, and I?m happy to share an example of that with you now ? WWE tag team champion Daniel Bryan responded to a request from 7-year-old kid with brain cancer to visit him in the hospital and let him tap D-Bry out to his own submission hold. It?s one of the best things I?ve seen in a long time, both because of how heartening it is to know my favorite wrestler in the world is an awesome guy beyond the camera and because this kid has fantastic taste and didn?t just ask for John Cena.

It all started with a YouTube video of 7-year-old Connor Michalek making a plea to meet his all-time favorite WWE wrestler, Daniel Bryan.

The Shaler Township boy was diagnosed with cancer of the brain and spine when he was just 3-years-old. He?s had multiple surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy.

Word of Conner?s desire to meet the WWE star spread like wildfire on social media and local radio stations. And on Tuesday, Conner?s wish to meet Bryan and put him in his signature ?no lock? position came true. (via Pittsburgh CBS Local)

Picture and video of that are below, because tears.

As niche and weird as it is, it?s nice to remember that pro wrestling can be a truly universal thing, and makes a lot of people happy. Best possible wishes to Conner (or ?Stone Crusher,? as he likes to be called). I want to see a D-Bry/Stone Crusher rematch 15 years from now.

Source: http://withleather.uproxx.com/2012/12/wwe-daniel-bryan-visits-kid-with-cancer-no-lock-video

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Brake on nerve cell activity after seizures discovered; Gene expression initiates protective electrical response

Dec. 19, 2012 ? Given that epilepsy impacts more than 2 million Americans, there is a pressing need for new therapies to prevent this disabling neurological disorder. New findings from the neuroscience laboratory of Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D., at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, published Dec. 20 in the journal Neuron, may provide hope.

"A large fraction of epilepsy sufferers cannot take drugs for their disorder or the existing drugs do not manage it," said Dr. Shapiro, professor of physiology in the School of Medicine. "As a result, many opt for surgery to remove the hippocampus, a part of the brain where memories are stored but also where seizures are often localized. The heart-wrenching choice is between their memories and the epilepsy."

Genes go into action

A major finding of the study is that selected genes get switched on during and after a seizure, sending swarms of signals to reduce uncontrolled firing of nerve cells. A medication that amplifies this response after a person's initial seizure could thus prevent recurrent seizures and the onset of devastating epilepsy.

Uncontrolled electrical activity by specialized electricity-producing proteins in the brain called "ion channels" triggers epileptic seizures. One in 10 people have a lifetime risk of suffering a seizure, which can occur for a variety of reasons including traumatic brain injury, stroke or drug overdoses.

A powerful brake

Although not all seizures lead to epilepsy, some trigger changes in the brain that heighten the risk of the disorder. Dr. Shapiro's research sheds light on why most isolated seizures do not lead to full-blown epilepsy, whereas others do. An ion channel called the "M-channel" acts as a powerful "brake" on hyper-excitability in the brain. Another organizational protein, called AKAP79, acting much like an air-traffic controller, calls in more M channels as part of neuroprotective response machinery.

Pharmacological therapy to enhance M-channel gene expression or AKAP79 function "could jump-start this neuroprotective mechanism to prevent a seizure from turning into epilepsy," Dr. Shapiro said. "Administering it right after a traumatic brain injury could be very effective."

It was not known that electrical activity could regulate M-channel genes, Dr. Shapiro said. Nor was it known that the AKAP79 organizer protein, which coordinates many aspects of M-channel function, could turn on their genes in a person's DNA. By increasing M-channel expression in the brain, uncontrolled electrical firing of nerve cells in the brain is sharply controlled.

Mouse experiments

The Shapiro lab team records electrical currents and performs imaging in living nerve cells to measure M-channel activity. This study included inducing seizures in healthy mice. After a seizure, gene expression of M-channels in the hippocampus increased more than 10-fold within 24 hours, Dr. Shapiro said. This protective effect was completely absent in mice lacking the mouse version of the AKAP79 gene.

"Because excessive firing of nerve cells is also involved in chronic pains, such as migraines, mood disorders and hypertension, increasing M-channel signals to reduce nerve-cell firing could also likely be effective in treating those conditions," Dr. Shapiro said.

This is only the second research paper from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio to be published by Neuron since 1996.

This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, NS065138 and NS043394, to Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D., principal investigator.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Jie Zhang, Mark?S. Shapiro. Activity-Dependent Transcriptional Regulation of M-Type (Kv7) K⁺ Channels by AKAP79/150-Mediated NFAT Actions. Neuron, 2012; 76 (6): 1133 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.10.019

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/oD4-614ZI7w/121219133340.htm

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PFT: Rodgers says Smith needs to leave SF

AP

Seven years ago, quarterbacks Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers both were vying to be the top pick in the draft.? Rodgers particularly wanted to be taken by the team that held the first overall selection, since he grew up a fan of the 49ers.

But the Niners opted for Smith, sparking a slide that carried Rodgers into the 20s.

Since then, things have worked out pretty well, to say the least, for Rodgers.? Despite sitting on the bench behind Brett Favre for three years in Green Bay, Rodgers has become one of the best quarterbacks in the game, winning the Super Bowl MVP award in 2010 and the league MVP trophy in 2011.

Smith was on his way to finally emerging as an elite quarterback, until a concussion opened the door for Colin Kaepernick to supplant Smith.? And while Kaepernick?s play has for the most part justified the move, Rodgers thinks Smith got a raw deal.

?He comes in, he?s [got a] 70 percent completion [percentage], he?s [got a] 100-plus quarterback rating,? Rodgers recently told NFL Network, via Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle.? ?Last year, he?s like barely over one percent interception percentage.? He?s a great quarterback, he just needs to go somewhere he gets appreciated for the skills he has and hopefully he gets a chance next year.?

It?s likely that Smith will be leaving, unless Kaepernick comes apart in the postseason.? But the question is whether Smith?s better-late-than-never performances are a product of the tutelage of coach Jim Harbaugh.? If so, it may be hard to duplicate that elsewhere.Meanwhile, with the 49ers and Packers possibly destined for a playoff rematch, Rodgers? words likely will be used to get Kaepernick appropriately riled up in order to show Rodgers that the better quarterback has emerged with the job.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/19/rodgers-says-smth-needs-to-be-where-hes-appreciated/related/

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Vampires, Angels, Demons, elves and fey. What do they have in common? More than you think!

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Faces of Public Health: James Rimmer, PHD - Robert Wood ...

Rimmer: While NCPAD was created years ago, the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center, where we?re building new systems and products to promote health and well-being among people disabilities, was new last year. What?s so different about this center is we?ve got a core of engineers and rehabilitation scientists and exercise scientists working at the intersection of the problems that people with disabilities experience when trying to become physically active. And so the amalgamation or the synergy between rehab engineers, exercise scientists and engineers in general is to build a platform?a research platform and a development platform?to develop new products that are universally designed for people with disabilities, in addition to creating innovative projects that will allow people to exercise together. We?re calling that a virtual exercise unit that will allow people from different parts of the country to actually exercise together on a platform in front of a screen in their home where they?re actually talking to each other and interacting in a natural environment.

People with disabilities have a tremendous lack of connectivity to communities because of the issues of transportation. So the major barriers?if you?re in a wheelchair or you have a cognitive disability?you can?t get to places unless either A) the transportation is available and accessible, or B) you have someone take you there. So we?re trying build, through information communication technologies, almost like a Twitter system, where people will sign up. They can volunteer to be drivers to help people with disabilities get to different locations, different fitness centers.

But the other big problem is when they do get to a fitness center, if they do have the opportunity, when you look at the contour of an exercise facility, the structure of it, in most cases, for people who use wheelchairs I would say less than 15 percent to 20 percent of the facility is accessible. They?ve got issues with lockers and locker rooms and there?s no privacy. If you have a personal assistant of the opposite sex, you can?t change in the same locker room. Equipment is generally inaccessible. If you can?t transfer onto weight training equipment, how do you use it? So you get to use very small amounts of equipment. Exercise adherence is hard for everybody, and it?s even more difficult if you?ve got less opportunity and fewer options.

NPH: What are you hoping will happen as a result of the center?s taking initiative on the issues?

Rimmer: I think this is the first opportunity where people with disabilities can carry the flag and be at the front of the line. So if we raise the floor for everyone, I think older populations are really going to benefit from this as well. Older populations do have disabilities and as they get older they have more and more of those disabilities, both cognitive and physical and even sensory. So we?re going to carry the flag on this one in the disabled community, and by that what I mean is get fitness centers to a higher level of consciousness about how there?s a trans-generational market out there that needs their services?not only services from a standpoint of making a locker room accessible, but to take a different approach in order to recruit people who are older and people with disabilities.

Right now, the percentage of people who have a disability or are seniors who are members of a fitness center is probably less than 5 percent, and that?s just unacceptable because these are people who need it more than those who don?t have these extensive limitations. Without disabilities, they can go out and run, they can ride a bike on the weekends with their buddies, they can deal with inclement weather, they can get places, and yet?ironically?the people who use them the most are the people who need them the least.

NPH: Tell us a bit more about the project for people with disabilities to exercise in their homes?

Rimmer: There are many reasons this is so important, but one reason is that we have about 730,000 people every year in this country who have a stroke. Many of those are significant. Most go through this very minimal amount of rehabilitation. They?re going to give you three or four days, you?ll get a chance to walk through parallel bars, you?ll lift a couple of weights, and then you?ll go home. That is way less than a person with a newly acquired disability needs to get back to health, and the way to begin that is really in the home. Telling someone ?here?s a $600 membership, go to a gym that only has 5 percent to 20 percent of the equipment accessible? is not going to work. But if you get them to exercise at home, you continue that rehab through some kind of virtual exercise where they can actually co-locate, get on their computer, and continue on their rehabilitation with a piece of exercise equipment that?s creating cardiovascular work, maybe some strengthening, maybe some range of motion. Then they can interact via a system such as Skype, but instead of just interacting in a sedentary nature, they could actually be choosing to walk along the Boulder Creek Path or Yellowstone National Park.? If we can get those images?which is what we?re doing in this one study?interfaced with having access to this machine, the video gets sort of transported into the machine and then the person is only able to navigate those virtual environments by mobilizing the machine. And we?d we able to link people so that they could exercise together and rehabilitate together across the country.

NPH: What kind of funding are you getting for this?

Rimmer: We?re getting funding from the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research. It?s a $4.75 million grant over five years.

NPH: How do you disseminate the information?

Rimmer: We?re trying to build what we call inclusive health coalitions, and we?re just starting the process now. This is a three-year grant where we?re partnering with Easter Seals to work with their affiliates to begin to develop a culture of health among the disability organizations in that community. Take any community and you?ll typically find multiple disability organizations providing services to people with disabilities. And then there are organizations that are providing services to people who are aging, and we think if we can get these groups to work together and then tie in the facilities we could now start to develop a coalition within the community to focus on health promotion for people with disabilities. It would start from the top. A doctor would have something available on his website. A patient comes in with a disability, they?re depressed or they don?t have any access to health promotion and activities. He presses a button on his computer and sends it to one of our study coordinators who coaches them on the phone and gets them involved in some sort of activity. I?m hoping a year from now we?ll have a prototype of the product. We?re building an actual device that interfaces with the computer or the television.

NPH: What sort of fitness facility for people with disabilities do you have at the university?

Rimmer: It is the benchmark and the gold standard. Everything at this Lakeshore Foundation Health and Fitness Facility is accessible?from the wide benches for changing, to private family changing areas, to all the knobs in the showers being low enough for a wheelchair user to take a shower. All exercise equipment is accessible. You can swing away the seat, and a wheelchair user can get in there. We have a staff with a high level of knowledge on training for people with disabilities.

We?ve got to get older people and people with disabilities out into fitness centers. They?re wonderful places and there?s a lot of downtime in them. You know, if you go to a fitness center, from 6 a.m. to about 8 a.m. they?re packed. After 8 a.m., everybody?s at work. And then they get real busy from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then everybody goes back to work. And then they get real busy after work. But what about those 7 or 8 hours during the day when there?s a lot of downtime? We should be bringing people with disabilities and older people into the center then.

Source: http://www.rwjf.org/en/blogs/new-public-health/2012/12/faces_of_public_heal.html

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