PST: Manchester City's failings costly for title hopes

This space has?occasionally?made light of England the English media?s quest to?anoint?Joe Hart the best keeper in the world, but until this year, the cause had always been excessive excitement about a player who, while clearly a small step behind the world?s elite, gave his home country plenty of reasons to be proud.

But this year, the Manchester City keeper is in the middle of bad season, a series of misreads and outright gaffs undermining his countrymen?s campaign. The most famous of these mistakes may have come in a meaningless game, but the fame of Zlatan Ibrahimovic?s goal rightly brought attention to the fact Hart hasn?t been very good.

Today wasn?t the first time this season Hart may have cost City points. It was just the more?egregious.

Tied 0-0 in the second half against an impotent Sunderland, Hart was challenged from long and wide by a speculative Adam Johnson shot. Only the challenge wasn?t very strong. Headed for the bottom right corner, the ball should have been caught. Or blocked. Or generally prevented from becoming the game-deciding goal, provided any degree of goalkeeping?competency.

But Hart?s competency had left him by the time Johnson let go of his shot. Badly out of position, Hart needed a quick leap to have a chance. But allowing himself to be screened, the England international reacted too late. Johnson?s shot curled down and into the corner, giving Sunderland the goal they needed to hand Manchester City an embarrassing defeat.

It was Johnson?s first game against the team that sold him this summer, his goal proving manager Roberto Mancini was wrong to assume he wasn?t needed. Though Johnson would have been unlikely to get time on the wing, he would have done to stop that type of shot. Most players would have.

But Hart wasn?t Manchester City?s only Wednesday failing. In front of him, the team continues to play uninspired soccer, showing little of the drive that shot them out of last year?s gates and toward their first Premier League title.

The squad has the look of a team that needs shaking up, their lethargy and disinterest agonizingly apparent as they offered no resistance at Dortmund, fell behind early to Manchester United, needed a swallowed whistle to get full points from Reading, and lost on the road to a bad Sunderland team. That?s four of their last five meetings.

MORE: Manchester United: Flawed and fabulous

Most discouraging for City may be the merely mortal performance of Yaya Tour?, though to say he?s been a Hart-level disappointment would be an exaggeration. The Ivorian has simply failed to carry the team as he did down the stretch last season, forcing us to ask whether City can challenge for a title when Tour? is not playing like the best player in England. Because it may not be fair to ask for such consistent greatness from any player, particularly when they?ll spend half the winter in at the Africa Cup of Nations.

At every point of comparison, Manchester City is worse than they were last year. In league, they?re six points off last year?s pace (and seven behind United). In Europe, they failed to even qualify for Europa. To the eye, they seem more talented but less capable than the team that tracked down the Red Devils last May. They?re adrift, if not in the standings then in spirit. This is not title-contending form.

Then there?s Mancini?s continued fascination with a 3-5-2 formation, something he never used during last year?s better times. That comparison is important because at no point this season has City looked as good as they did when they tinkered instead of overhauled. The choice to start with three at the back at Sunderland reeked of the same desperation we saw last week from Jos? Mourinho.

And just as Real?s loss at M?laga forced us to consider Mourinho?s viability at El Real, so does Mancini?s defeat at Sunderland compel consideration of his future. Only unlike Mourinho, these doubts are not new. Ever since Mancini failed to prepare his team for Ajax in Champions League, his suitability for City should have been in doubt. Now, as Manchester United seems ready to stumble into their typical winter surge, City management must ask if Mancini can keep up.

With a squad that looks desperate to be shaken up, almost anybody else will do. And City has the virtue of being able to lure elite managerial candidates.

Unless the thinking around Eastlands is Chelsea-esque uncertainty might scare Pep Guardiola (or Jos? Mourinho) away, there seems little to endear Mancini for this job. With his capabilities laid bare three years into the job, Mancini must improve results before Sheikh Mansour makes a move.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/26/manchester-city-boxing-day-results-joe-hart-roberto-mancini/related

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Smartrac Taps into a new Communications Power : Media ...

November 28, 2012, WIMA NFC Conference, Millbrae, CA?Corey Wilson from Smartrac presented a case for changing the focus of NFC from financial to non-financial areas. The capabilities from the technology to enhance communications will become the driver for greater consumer adoption.

NFC is supposed to be fun. The startup will not be in transactions, but in other areas,. Communications definitions will change as users, retailers, and providers become more comfortable with the capabilities of the technology. In comparison with RFID which is a one-to-many data transfer mode, NFC offers a one-to-one active exchange.

Personal communications evolved from speech, to paper, to computers, and now to smart phones. In a similar manner, broadcast went from radio, to TV, to computers, and now to mobile devices, the NFC technology enables direct interactivity on a personal basis through the smart mobile devices, with their multi-function capabilities to link to the rest of the world.

NFC allows the user to pull information from any NFC-enabled object, and through the connection with the smart mobile devices, link directly to specialized opportunities, other social media, and comparison shopping. This change will move the on-line experience into the store and change the in-store experience to be much more personal. The various use cases partially depend upon mobile device availability. Market penetration is expected to be about 20 percent in North America next year, rising to 70 percent by '15. Other areas in the world will also grow, but at a slower rate.

For retail, the use case is to develop push from the brands and use the NFC tags as dynamic QR replacements. The store can dynamically alter the user's experience based upon information from the user device, the environment, and other inputs. A tap on a NFC enabled display will provide acquisition and recognition of the user, and gives the retailer information about the user. This information is a path to a purchase that can be enhanced by loyalty programs, couponing, promotion items, authentication, and can suggest items or contact the appropriate personal shopper.

As a result of these efforts, a retailer should see increased sales, greater visibility into the consumer behaviors, and constant contact with that consumer. The brands will be able to develop deeper understanding of their target customers through real-time information on data access and buying habits. Brands will be able to learn who, where, what, when, and even why people are buying their products.

Other applications include data capture and data sharing. The tags can create a clean trail of a user's inquiries. Social media can participate in many ways. For example, Samsung has a display in JFK airport that allows others to monetize a tap with requested videos and other displays.

Retail has worked to reduce personalization until the advent of NFC. Recent surveys indicate that 74 percent of retailers are developing in-store exposure criteria, to take advantage of the fact that 42 percent of all sales are from on-line exposure and social media. On the consumer side, 61 percent of the consumers consider themselves more informed than the sales associates. NFC will promote greater data availability in stores and for the consumers.

Posted by Tets on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 9:58 pm?
Filed under Featured Content, New Technology, Tradeshows ? Tagged with consumers, data, Event, information, mobile, NFC, personal, sales, wima

Source: http://mandetech.com/2012/12/09/smartrac-taps-into-a-new-communications-power/

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Listwire help. - Computers, Math, Science, and Technology

WP Members: > 70,000 New Today: 17 New Yesterday: 28

Listwire help. ??? ???Wrong Planet Autism Forum Index -> Computers, Math, Science, and Technology ???? zacb Sea Gull Joined: May 08, 2012 Posts: 215 Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 2:31 pm?? ?Post subject: Listwire help. Hello, I have an email list about Asperger's Syndrome: Mailing List, which is doing pretty good. But I have one question about it, I place certain formatted text (spaced), and when I send it, that formatting is undone. Is it the web service itself, or from formatting it as html email? Back to top ? '); //--> ??? ???Wrong Planet Autism Forum Index -> Computers, Math, Science, and Technology??? ?

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November 2012 Fullerton CA Real Estate Market Report

The information being provided by CARETS (CLAW, CRISNet MLS, DAMLS, CRMLS, i-Tech MLS, and/or VCRDS) is for the visitor's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties visitor may be interested in purchasing.

Any information relating to a property referenced on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of CARETS. This web site may reference real estate listing(s) held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent who owns this web site.

The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, including but not limited to square footages and lot sizes, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals. The data contained herein is copyrighted by CARETS, CLAW, CRISNet MLS, DAMLS, CRMLS, i-Tech MLS and/or VCRDS and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited.

CARETS, California Real Estate Technology Services, is a consolidated MLS property listing data feed comprised of CLAW (Combined LA/Westside MLS), CRISNet MLS (Southland Regional AOR), DAMLS (Desert Area MLS), CRMLS (California Regional MLS), i-Tech MLS (Glendale AOR/Pasadena Foothills AOR) and VCRDS (Ventura County Regional Data Share).

Date last updated: 12/8/12 11:05 PM PST

This IDX solution is (c) Diverse Solutions 2012.

Source: http://www.ocrealestateandloans.com/november-2012-fullerton-ca-real-estate-market-report/

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What Nate Diaz looked like after his loss to Benson Henderson (PHOTO)

On the left, you can see what Nate Diaz's face looked like before his UFC on Fox 5 main event bout against Benson Henderson. In the poster for the event, Diaz is sporting a perfect pre-fight mean mug. On the right is Diaz after the fight. That's what he looks like after five rounds in the cage with the champion. He's smiling but his face is swollen and beat up. If you're considering trying MMA, take a look at the two faces of Diaz. You have to be ready for your face to make this kind of change.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/nate-diaz-looked-loss-benson-henderson-photo-053527195--mma.html

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Egypt: military warns of 'disastrous consequences'

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's military warned on Saturday of "disastrous consequences" if the crisis that sent tens of thousands of protesters back into the streets is not resolved, signaling the army's return to an increasingly polarized and violent political scene.

The military said serious dialogue is the "best and only" way to overcome the nation's deepening conflict over a disputed draft constitution hurriedly adopted by Islamist allies of President Mohammed Morsi, and recent decrees granting himself near-absolute powers.

"Anything other than that (dialogue) will force us into a dark tunnel with disastrous consequences; something which we won't allow," the statement said. It was read by an unnamed military official on state television.

Morsi had called for a dialogue Saturday to discuss how to resolve the disagreement as his vice president suggested that a Dec. 15 constitutional referendum could be delayed.

But the main opposition leaders declined to attend, saying talks can only take place if Morsi rescinds his decrees and cancels the referendum.

Most of the public figures at the meeting were Islamists, with the exception of liberal opposition politician Ayman Nour.

And at least three members left the talks soon after they started. Ahmed Mahran, a lawyer who was among them, said: "It was a one-way conversation," accusing presidential advisers of refusing to listen.

Egypt's once all-powerful military, which temporarily took over governing the country after the revolution that ousted autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak, was largely sidelined weeks after Morsi was elected.

Weeks after he was sworn in, Morsi ordered the two top generals to retire and gave himself legislative powers that the military had assumed in the absence of a parliament, which had been dissolved by the courts.

The current crisis was sparked Nov. 22 when Morsi granted himself authority free of judicial oversight, alleging that judges loyal to the former regime were threatening the constitutional drafting process and the transition to democracy.

But the move touched off a new wave of opposition and unprecedented clashes between the president's Islamist supporters led by the Muslim Brotherhood and protesters accusing him of becoming a new strongman.

At least six civilians have been killed and several offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood torched in the unrest. The two sides also have staged a number of sit-ins around state institutions, including the presidential palace where some of the most violent clashes occurred.

With the increasing polarization and the specter of internal fighting looming, the military began reasserting itself, with soldiers sealing off the presidential palace with tanks and barbed wire. Its warning on Saturday marked the first time the military returned to the political fray.

Failing to reach a consensus, "is in the interest of neither side. The nation as a whole will pay the price," the military said, adding it "realizes its national responsibility in protecting the nation's higher interests" and state institutions.

Images of the military's elite Republican Guards unit surrounding the area around the palace also showed one of the most high-profile troop deployment since the army handed over power to Morsi on June 30.

A sit-in by Morsi's opponents around the palace continued Saturday, with protesters setting up roadblocks with tanks behind them amid reports that the president's supporters planned rival protests. By midday Saturday, TV footage showed the military setting up a new wall of cement blocks around the palace.

The president has insisted his decrees were meant to protect the country's transition to democracy from former regime figures trying to derail it.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders, meanwhile, made their highest profile appearances since the dispute began. The group's top leader Mohammed Badie and his powerful deputy Khairat el-Shater held press conferences Saturday alleging there was a conspiracy to topple Morsi but presenting little proof.

Badie said the opposition has accused his group of violence but is instead responsible for the attacks on Muslim Brotherhood offices. He also claimed that most of those killed in last week's violence at the Palace and other governorates were members of the Brotherhood.

"These are crimes, not opposition or disagreement in opinion," he said.

Meanwhile, with a dialogue largely boycotted by the main opposition players, members of a so-called Alliance of Islamists forces warned it will take all measures to protect "legitimacy" and the president, in comments signaling continued tension.

"We will not allow the revolution to be stolen again," el-Shater said. "Our main job is to support legitimacy and stop the plot to bring down the president."

Mostafa el-Naggar, a former lawmaker and protest leader during the uprising that led to Mubarak's ouster in February 2011, said the conspiracy alleged by the Brotherhood "doesn't exist." El-Naggar added that the Brotherhood and military statements suggested the crisis was far from over.

"The military is saying it is still here and will interfere when necessary. This is believed to be when there is widespread infighting," he said.

Meanwhile, he said Morsi and his group are threatening to widen the conflict by portraying the opposition as conspirators against Islam.

"As it stands, Egypt is captive to internal decisions of the Brotherhood," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-military-warns-disastrous-consequences-123949533.html

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Rare tornado kills 3 in New Zealand's largest city

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- An unusually destructive tornado swept through neighborhoods around New Zealand's largest city Thursday, killing three people and forcing 250 more to evacuate damaged and powerless homes.

The small tornado hit Hobsonville and Whenuapai, western suburbs of Auckland, during a midday storm that also uprooted trees, damaged buildings and caused flooding that closed roads.

Authorities said that as well as those who died, seven people suffering a range of injuries were admitted to hospitals.

Thursday's tornado was the deadliest in New Zealand in more than 60 years. Although the country reports about seven tornados on average each year, most are small, mild and do little damage. New Zealand's temperate maritime climate means it isn't prone to the large, destructive tornados that plague places like the American Midwest.

Auckland Council spokesman Glyn Walters said the storm made about 150 homes uninhabitable. He said some of those homes had roofs torn off or were severely damaged while others had more minor damage or had lost power. He said 250 residents were taken to an air force base at Whenuapai, where council staff and welfare workers were assisting them.

The worst weather appeared to have passed by midafternoon, Walters said. "It's clearing up slightly but people need to be careful out there," he said.

Auckland Fire Service Area Commander Larry Cocker told The Associated Press that three people had died in the storm.

Walters said one person was killed when hit by a tree and that some others who were killed or injured were workers who were building a school.

Several New Zealand media outlets reported that two of those who died were in an accident involving a slab of concrete.

Richard Turner, a meteorologist with New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), said New Zealand isn't prone to the intense surface heating that helps create the huge and violent tornados seen in the central United States. But he said even relatively small tornados like the one on Thursday can cause damage and death.

Tornados in New Zealand are typically about 30 meters (100 feet) wide and last for only a few minutes.

Daniel Corbett, a meteorologist with government forecaster MetService, said there had been some very warm, humid air "like soup" sitting over Auckland for several days before thunderstorms hit, creating the conditions for Thursday's tornado. He said he expected the weather system would move away from the country Thursday night.

The tornado equaled the deadliest recorded in New Zealand's history. In 1948, three people were killed when a tornado hit a suburb in the city of Hamilton.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/06/3130710/rare-tornado-kills-3-in-new-zealands.html

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Quotations of the day

Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Yahoo!, try visiting the Yahoo! homepage or look through a list of Yahoo!'s online services.

Please try Yahoo Help Central if you need more assistance.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/quotations-day-070627283.html

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Ethiopians and Tibetans thrive in thin air using similar physiology, but different genes

ScienceDaily (Dec. 6, 2012) ? Scientists say they have pinpointed genetic changes that allow some Ethiopians to live and work more than a mile and a half above sea level without getting altitude sickness. The specific genes differ from those reported previously for high-altitude Tibetans, even though both groups cope with low-oxygen in similar physiological ways, the researchers report.

If confirmed, the results may help scientists understand why some people are more vulnerable to low blood oxygen levels caused by factors other than altitude -- such as asthma, sleep apnea, heart problems or anemia -- and point to new ways to treat them, the researchers say.

Living with less

Lower air pressure at high altitude means fewer oxygen molecules for every breath. "At 4000 meters, every lungful of air only has 60% of the oxygen molecules that people at sea level have," said co-author Cynthia Beall of Case Western Reserve University.

To mop up scarce oxygen from thin air, travelers to high altitude compensate by making more hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of human blood. But high hemoglobin comes with a cost. Over the long term, excessive hemoglobin can increase the risk of blood clots, stroke, and chronic mountain sickness, a disease characterized by thick and viscous blood.

"Altitude affects your thinking, your breathing, and your ability to sleep. But high-altitude natives don't have these problems," said Beall, who has studied high altitude adaptation in different populations in Ethiopia, Peru and Tibet for more than 20 years. "They don't wheeze like we do. Their thinking is fine. They sleep fine. They don't complain of headaches. They're able to live a healthy life, and they do it completely comfortably," she added.

How do they do it?

Research over the last four decades has revealed that people born and raised in mountainous regions cope with altitude in different ways. Native highlanders in Tibet and some in Ethiopia, for example, are able to maintain relatively low blood hemoglobin concentrations at high altitude compared to their counterparts in the Andes, a trait that makes them less susceptible to chronic mountain sickness.

Tibetans and some Ethiopians have both evolved a dampened response to low oxygen, explained study co-authors Anna Di Rienzo and Gorka Alkorta-Aranburu of the University of Chicago.

The researchers wanted to pinpoint the genetic changes that enable Ethiopians to thrive in thin air, and to see if the same genes play a role for Ethiopians as found in recent studies for Tibetans.

To find out, they analyzed the genomes of nearly 260 Ethiopian villagers belonging to two ethnic groups: the Oromo, who began settling at high altitude in the Bale Mountains of southeast Ethiopia about 500 years ago, and the Amhara, who have lived at high altitude in the Semien Mountains of northwest Ethiopia for at least 5,000 years.

Research by Beall and colleagues in the early 2000s revealed that Oromo cope with thin air in much the same way that lowlanders visiting high altitude do -- i.e., by making more hemoglobin.

In contrast, Amhara highlanders -- whose ancestors have inhabited mountainous regions for thousands of years longer than the Omoro -- are able to maintain blood hemoglobin levels that are roughly 10% lower than Omoro living at the same altitude.

In a study to appear in the December 6, 2012 online issue of the journal PLoS Genetics, a team led by Beall, Di Rienzo and Alkorta-Aranburu analyzed both groups' DNA, which was extracted from blood and saliva samples donated by Amhara and Omoro villagers born and raised at high (3700-4000m) and low (1200-1560m) elevations.

Using a statistical technique called a genome-wide association study, the researchers scanned the genomes of highland and lowland Ethiopians from both ethnic groups in search of variants associated with hemoglobin levels in the blood.

Same solution, different genes

When they scanned the villagers' DNA, the researchers found a genetic variant associated with low hemoglobin levels in the Amhara.

This variant was located in a different region of the genome than those previously found to be associated with low hemoglobin in Tibetans. In other words, the physiological coping mechanisms shared by Amhara and Tibetans in response to life at high altitude -- ie., dampened hemoglobin levels -- are due to different underlying genes.

It is still unclear whether the first settlers of high altitude regions in Ethiopia and Tibet carried different genetic variants with them when they arrived, or whether different mutations occurred in these populations after they got there. But it's clear that each group followed a different evolutionary pathway.

"They have a similar physiologic solution, but that doesn't necessarily amount to a similar genetic solution," Di Rienzo said.

For the Omoro -- who are relative newcomers to high altitude -- the researchers also found differences between highlanders and lowlanders in DNA methylation, a chemical process that causes changes in gene activity, but doesn't necessarily alter the genetic code. While the differences aren't linked to hemoglobin levels, the results suggest that such changes may play a role in the early stages of high altitude adaptation, the researchers say.

Other authors of the study were David Witonsky and Jonathan Pritchard of the University of Chicago, and Amha Gebremedhin of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Gorka Alkorta-Aranburu, Cynthia M. Beall, David B. Witonsky, Amha Gebremedhin, Jonathan K. Pritchard, Anna Di Rienzo. The Genetic Architecture of Adaptations to High Altitude in Ethiopia. PLoS Genetics, 2012; 8 (12): e1003110 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003110

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/top_news/~3/52Hrua_gQ6Q/121207094606.htm

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'Isaac Newton vs. Rube Goldberg:' 2D House's Machine Will Make You Question Which Way Is Up (VIDEO)

The Rube Goldberg machine has been replicated time and time again, but this latest iteration -- dubbed Isaac Newton vs. Rube Goldberg -- takes the classic contraption to new extremes.

Toronto-based commercial cinematography company 2D House added a twist to the concept, challenging the machine to work against gravity.

The chain reaction begins when a ball rolls across a table and hits a lever, switching on a fan. The camera pans from left to right, following the movement of gadgets along the table's surface in typical Rube Goldberg fashion.

But what makes this particular design extraordinary is the change in perspective around the video's 00:30 mark. The camera flips, making the viewer question which way is up. Using magnets, 2D House was able to mask the fact that the machine is actually working against gravity.

The Rube Goldberg machine is not the first 2D House has created, but it is one of the most creative we've seen.

Prepare to have your mind blown.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/2d-houses-rube-goldberg-machine-isaac-newton_n_2246849.html

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Exercise affects reproductive ability in horses

ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2012) ? In the latest issue of the Journal of Animal Science, researchers at Clemson University and the University of Florida examine the impact of exercise on mare reproductive health and embryo transfer.

In the study, researchers divided light-horse mares into three research groups: no exercise (control), partial-exercise and full-exercise. Their goal was to measure reproductive blood flow and embryo number and quality. Partial-exercise mares were moderately exercised for 30 minutes daily during the periovulatory period and rested after ovulation for seven days. Full-exercise mares were exercised for 30 minutes daily throughout the reproductive cycle.

Results from the study showed that exercise induced greater cortisol concentrations in horses. Cortisol has been shown to have effects on reproduction.

Embryo recovery rates were reduced in exercised horses compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in embryo recovery rates for partial-exercise and full exercised groups, but the partial-exercised group had the lowest embryo quality score.

"This led us to conclude that exercise was just as detrimental, if not more so, to the time period just prior to and during fertilization," said Christopher Mortensen of the University of Florida and one of the authors of the study.

The impact of exercise on early pregnancy is still an area that needs further research. Researchers are looking to study embryo quality because advancing technology has allowed embryo transfer to become a vital part of the horse industry.

"What we hypothesize is the reduced hormone concentrations may be having an effect on the mare's oocytes, meaning they are not as 'competent' and have a reduced ability to be fertilized, or if fertilized, compromised embryo development," said Mortensen.

These findings could have implications for human pregnancy.

"While many studies in women have shown intense exercise can be detrimental to female pregnancy, there are virtually no studies examining maternal exercise and effects on the early developing embryo. Furthermore, there are few studies examining stress and the female reproductive blood flow response," said Mortensen

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society of Animal Science, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. R. L. Smith, K. L. Vernon, D. E. Kelley, J. R. Gibbons, C. J. Mortensen. Impact of moderate exercise on ovarian blood flow and early embryonic outcomes in mares. Journal of Animal Science, 2012; 90 (11): 3770 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2011-4713

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/OxmjQ941yak/121205151835.htm

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Earth-spanning super typhoon Bopha pictured from space

Flora Graham, deputy editor, newscientist.com

(Image: NASA)

The locals are calling it Pablo. Its international name is Bopha. Whatever the name, this typhoon is a frightening sight as it looms over the Philippines. This image was captured on 2 December from the International Space Station.

Bopha peaked with winds over 260 kilometres per hour as it approached the country, where it has displaced 40,000 people into shelters, wiped out villages and left hundreds dead or missing.

The Philippine island of Mindanao is hardest hit, less than a year after 1200 of its people were killed by tropical storm Washi.

Also visible in the photo are the ISS's Permanent Multipurpose Module on the left, and the Rassvet Mini-Research Module 1 on the right.

This storm is Pablo to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center uses the name Bopha. Its location in the north-west Pacific Ocean is what makes Bopha a typhoon rather than a hurricane - that's the only difference between the two. With such high wind speeds Bopha is equivalent to a category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.

Read more about the wild weather set to batter the planet in "Climate downgrade: Extreme weather".

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/264cb20c/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cshortsharpscience0C20A120C120Csuper0Etyphoon0Ebopha0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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Meet Turntable?s Piki, The First Music App To Do Social Music Sharing Right

Turntable has introduced today Piki, a brand new service that the company has been working on for a year. It's a Pandora-like yet human-powered radio app combined with powerful Twitter-inspired social features. With Piki, the most impressive part is that Turntable is one of the first music startups to get social right.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/fW7TPgsrGk4/

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Google Play Services brings two great new APIs to the table: Photo Sphere viewing and vector-based maps

Google Play services is now at version 2.0, and a couple of great new features are on board.

First is an update to the Maps API for Android apps. Version 2 of the API now includes vector-based maps, with both 2D and 3D views, as well as tilt-rotate visuals. Google’s also added UI design elements that can be scaled up for tablets.

Apps will also get to use Maps layers like satellite, hybrid, terrain and traffic information. The latest indoor maps layer covering airports and shopping center layouts is in there, too. Google’s been calling for building participation in the project, and stores like Ikea are early participants.

Additionally,  full details about the Photo Sphere tool are available, and these new APIs will help interested third parties create standalone viewers using the new metadata from Adobe. With the open XMP format, Photosphere is now open to all. We like open around here, especially because it means we should finally (eventually) be able to view Photo Sphere pictures in the Google+ application.

Hit the break for a developer video from Google about the new API.

via: Android Developers

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/dz_DX0jOrVI/story01.htm

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Napoli to Red Sox, Loney to Rays, A-Rod out

AAA??Dec. 3, 2012?6:43 PM ET
Napoli to Red Sox, Loney to Rays, A-Rod out
By BEN WALKERBy BEN WALKER, AP Baseball Writer??

FILE - In this April 21, 2012, file photo, Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli hits a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Detroit. A person familiar with the negotiations says Napoli and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

FILE - In this April 21, 2012, file photo, Texas Rangers' Mike Napoli hits a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Detroit. A person familiar with the negotiations says Napoli and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager and former Yankee Don Mattingly, center, signs autographs for fans at the baseball winter meetings on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 file photo, New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez throws out Detroit Tigers' Andy Dirks in the second inning during Game 1 of the American League championship series in New York. The New York Yankees said Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, Rodriguez will have surgery on his left hip and will miss the start of the season and possibly the entire first half. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

Joe Torre answers questions at the baseball winter meetings on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. Torre will be the manager of the United States team at the World Baseball Classic. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman answers questions concerning third baseman Alex Rodriguez at the baseball winter meetings on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. Rodriguez will have surgery on his left hip and will miss the start of the season and possibly the entire first half, the Yankees said Monday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? The Boston Red Sox began to play catch-up by getting All-Star catcher Mike Napoli, Tampa Bay took a chance on James Loney and the New York Yankees prepared for more time minus Alex Rodriguez on a brisk Monday at baseball's winter meetings.

Soon after the Hall of Fame welcomed three new members from long ago, several teams got busy. The World Series champion San Francisco Giants kept center fielder Angel Pagan while the Texas Rangers brought back catcher Geovany Soto and tried to add injured closer Joakim Soria.

Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke remain the top free agents. No telling if they'll sign before the session ends Thursday, but a lot of clubs seemed eager to lock down players.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-03-BBO-Winter-Meetings/id-b5a709e1d4e247f68cf006faa2f4bcbf

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Sprint Launches Flexible In-Vehicle Communications Platform ...

Press Conference ? Auto Industry and Media on Hand for the Launch of Sprint Velocity?

Sprint Velocity Enables Unique In-Vehicle Communications Experience, Drives Deeper Customer Identity with Each Automaker Brand, Model

LOS ANGELES (BUSINESS WIRE), November 29, 2012 -?Sprint (NYSE:S) today formally unveiled?Sprint Velocity, a comprehensive global end-to-end solution designed specifically for automakers as part of the Technology Showcase at the?2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. Sprint introduced its Sprint Velocity service to a packed audience of automotive media and auto industry executives during the show?s Press Days.

Sprint Velocity is a pioneering capability that encompasses the development, integration and marketing of in-vehicle communications systems. Automakers can use Sprint Velocity as a complete turnkey solution or on a modular basis to suit their customized needs.

During the press conference, Sprint executives showcased how Sprint Velocity helps auto manufacturers more easily integrate the complex components and vendor relationships needed to provide the best in connected services in autos and passenger trucks ? whether it?s music, news, weather, sports and other infotainment features, security, navigation, remote connections for mobile devices, emergency services and engine diagnostics. View?Sprint Velocity video.

?Sprint Velocity enables auto manufacturers to customize the variety of connected features inside the vehicle, through the simplicity of a single point of mobile integration and enablement,? said Wayne Ward, vice president-Emerging Solutions, Sprint. ?Automakers simply collaborate with Sprint on the specific features they desire for their vehicles and Sprint will handle the rest. We believe Sprint Velocity is the most technologically advanced and most comprehensive connected services platform for auto manufacturers, wherever they?re located around the globe.?

According to Machina Research, 90 percent of new passenger cars are expected to have some of form of connectivity platform by 2020. Machina forecasts the connected cars market will reach $600 billion by 2020, the largest category in a $4.5 trillion market for connected devices and services.*

With Sprint Velocity, automakers have the potential to generate new sources of revenue while economizing on cost, because Sprint can handle the entire mobile integration of the in-car experience. Sprint Velocity also helps build better customer loyalty between the automaker and the consumer by developing deeper, ongoing relationships with their customers directly.

?Sprint has combined its expertise in wireless technology, devices and consumer marketing into a new core competency that automakers can tap into,? said Ward. ?Sprint is a trailblazer in the expanded category of mobile integrator, enabling automakers with an open, modular and agnostic network platform instead of just network connections. With Sprint Velocity, we?ve taken a critical step forward in creating value by combining technical integration with an intense level of expertise in wireless customer experience, customer relationship management and wireless applications.?

Sprint Velocity offers vehicle manufacturers an integrated set of capabilities, which can also be offered in a modular manner, encompassing telematics, ecosystem development, consumer relationship marketing and advanced global network connectivity. Key features of the Sprint Velocity solution include:

Adaptation of consumer communications to the unique vehicle environment: With extensive experience providing machine-to-machine (M2M) connected transportation services, Sprint brings specialized knowledge of how drivers and passengers interact with wireless-based applications. This expertise includes prioritizing the needs of drivers to stay focused through such features as hands-free calling and texting. Sprint Velocity also helps automakers integrate a multiplicity of connected services, including navigation, infotainment, wireless 9-1-1 calling, roadside assistance, security features and engine diagnostics.

Management of complex vendor relationships: Sprint brings its M2M ecosystem experience into play for automakers by leading the process of selecting, coordinating and integrating the wide range of ecosystem collaborators required to implement and support in-vehicle services.

Sprint Connected Vehicle Platform: As the technological foundation of Sprint Velocity, the Sprint Connected Vehicle Platform brings automakers the advantages of Sprint?s open approach to M2M and telematics. The platform provides a network-agnostic, best-in-class telematics capability that ensures agile, adaptable and scalable systems development. It can be deployed globally using multiple network providers worldwide, including Sprint?s dependable and continually improving U.S. network. The Sprint Connected Vehicle Platform also accommodates embedded head units or mobile phones brought into the vehicle, depending on the automaker?s preferred design.

Open global connectivity and support: Sprint Velocity is a global solution, supported by Sprint?s worldwide relationships with a broad selection of best-coverage, best-cost global network providers and the company?s own team of experienced technical experts in more than 30 countries.

Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) and intelligent data expertise: In-vehicle connected services open the opportunity for a new level of continuous relationships between automakers and their customers. Sprint brings auto manufacturers the benefit of its own extensive relationship experience with smartphone and tablet users. Sprint Velocity makes that experience available by helping automakers use intelligent data to better understand and adapt to customer preferences for communications, develop and market products, support lifecycle management and manage a consumer subscription model.

Personalization of the user experience: Sprint?s technology, applications and customer relationship capabilities combine into an end-to-end, customized approach that allows automakers to create a distinct in-vehicle communications experience for each brand, each model or even each driver. As a result, Sprint Velocity helps automakers further humanize the driving and riding experience by making it easier for vehicle operators to stay focused and by providing passengers with infotainment options that are seamless with their experience at home, at work or while taking a walk.

?True to its name, Sprint Velocity is all about speed and direction,? said Mike Bray, vice president and general manager-Connected Vehicle Program, Sprint. ?This solution allows an auto manufacturer to efficiently accelerate mobile integration and manage costs while better understanding how customers relate to its brands and models and directing the in-vehicle experience to meet those preferences. As a result, auto companies can better configure connected services to match the individual personality of each brand, each vehicle or even each driver.?

As the inaugural customer for Sprint Velocity,?Chrysler Group has joined in a?strategic partnership with Sprint designed to seamlessly integrate wireless technology into Chrysler Group?s?Uconnect Access in-vehicle communication system. Uconnect Access is initially available in the redesigned 2013 Ram 1500 and all-new SRT Viper supercar. View?this video to learn more about the relationship between Sprint and Chrysler.

?Key factors in our decision to choose Sprint,? said Marios Zenios, head of Uconnect Systems and Services, Chrysler Group LLC, ?included Sprint?s best-in-class end-to-end telematics platform, secure and reliable network, unparalleled relationships within the telematics and broad M2M ecosystem, and nimble consumer market experience, including a deep understanding of how customers experience and interact with wireless-based applications, both in and out of the vehicle.?

Sprint Network Leadership

The Network Vision initiative is designed to enhance customers? network experience with faster data speeds, improved voice quality and easier connectivity. Sprint expects the Network Vision improvements to be mostly complete by the end of 2013.

About the Sprint Emerging Solutions Group

Sprint?s M2M leadership has earned prestigious third-party validation, including the top-ranked ?North American M2M Provider? and ?No. 2 Overall Ranked Carrier,? among 12 global service providers, by Analysys Mason and a 2011 Frost & Sullivan ?Customer Value Enhancement Award in North America for Machine to Machine Communications.? To learn more about Sprint?s M2M offerings, visitwww.sprint.com/m2m.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served nearly 56 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The?American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years.?Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation?s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at?www.sprint.com or?www.facebook.com/sprint and?www.twitter.com/sprint.

^*Source: GSM Association and Machina Research: The Connected Life: A USD4.5 trillion global impact in 2020; February 2012

Source: http://www.machinetomachinemagazine.com/2012/12/03/sprint-launches-flexible-in-vehicle-communications-platform/

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Genome-scale study identifies hundreds of potential drug targets for Huntington's disease

Genome-scale study identifies hundreds of potential drug targets for Huntington's disease

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Scientists searching for ways to develop treatments for Huntington's disease (HD) just got a roadmap that could dramatically speed their discovery process. Researchers at the Buck Institute have used RNA interference (RNAi) technology to identify hundreds of "druggable" molecular targets linked to the toxicity associated with the devastating, ultimately fatal disease. The results from this unprecedented genome-scale screen in a human cell model of HD are published in the November 29, 2012 edition of PLOS Genetics. The work was is a collaboration between Buck Institute faculty members Robert E. Hughes, Ph.D., Sean Mooney, Ph.D., Lisa Ellerby, Ph.D. and Juan Botas, Ph.D. at the Baylor College of Medicine.

HD is a devastating and incurable progressive neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects motor coordination and leads to severe physical and cognitive decline. Currently, there are about 30,000 people in North America diagnosed with HD and another 150,000 people at risk for developing the disease. The disease pathology stems from a mutation in the huntingtin gene (HTT), resulting in the accumulation of a toxic protein leading to neuronal cell death and systemic dysfunction. Buck Scientists screened more than 7,800 genes pre-selected as potential drug targets to identify modifiers of HD toxicity in human cells, using technology that silences specific genes prior to analysis.

Lead author Robert Hughes said that among the diverse range of modifiers identified, this study showed that RRAS, a gene involved in cell motility and neuronal development, is a potent modulator of HD toxicity in multiple HD models. "Our data indicates that the pathogenic effects of the HTT mutation on this pathway can be corrected at multiple intervention points and that pharmacological manipulation of RRAS signaling may confer therapeutic benefit in HD," Hughes said. Follow up work on the RRAS pathway is now underway in the Hughes lab and in the lab of Buck faculty member Lisa M. Ellerby, PhD.

Hughes said many molecular hits identified in the screening were validated in human cell, mouse cell and fruit fly models of HD ? and that all the data from the study will be available to the public. "Our hope is that HD researchers will look at these targets and find modifiers relevant to the areas they already work on," said Hughes. "Ideally, pharmaceutical companies already working on some these pathways could build on their current knowledge and expertise by focusing their attention on the challenge to develop therapies for HD."

###

"Miller JP, Yates BE, Al-Ramahi I, Berman AE, Sanhueza M, et al. (2012) A Genome-Scale RNA?Interference Screen Identifies RRAS Signaling as a Pathologic Feature of Huntington's Disease. PLoS Genet 8(11): e1003042. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1003042". Once the paper has been published, it will be accessible at http://www.plosgenetics.org/doi/pgen.1003042.

Buck Institute for Age Research: http://www.buckinstitute.org

Thanks to Buck Institute for Age Research 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.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125620/Genome_scale_study_identifies_hundreds_of_potential_drug_targets_for_Huntington_s_disease

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Merchant Data Systems and Meridian Star POS Introduce Innovative ...

Miami Beach, FL (PRWEB) December 03, 2012

Merchant Data Systems (MDS) is a complete provider of a broad variety of services and products to companies throughout the United States. Time tested given that 1997, MDS is among the leading ISOs in the market and prides itself on maintaining cutting edge technology for business to assist in repayments. By utilizing Meridian Star POS, MDS can offer incremental value to its clients making their safe merchant solutions programs significantly at-mold inspection-tractive to both merchant clients and the team of sales representatives representing MDS and Meridian Star.

Drew Freeman, President of MDS stated our industry is complicated by-mold testing san diego- rules and policies, crowded with a variety of suspect competitors and holds risk of data security breaches. Providing value above and past simple credit card approval, MDS and Meridian Star have-mold inspectors- partnered to satisfy these concerns head-on making it easier for business to transact company. Including raised Operational Efficiency, Quicker Transaction Processing, easy PCI-compliance and a more Robust Reporting Plan assists our services stick out among the congested marketplace. Brandon Weitz, COO of Meridian Stars POS Division included, This All-in-One Touch Display POS advancement is thrilling our business. We have-mold inspectors- actually seen a considerable ramp-up of brand-new sales. The capacity for merchants to handle staff members, procedure payment deals, track stock, gain access to reports and use sales trend data minimizes running costs and positions them to grow their company.

Under regards to the collaboration, clients can access the services and products of both companies to their optimum advantage. Meridian Stars POS Division supplies extra POS items to complement the providing and can personalize a solution to fulfill the specific requirements of the business. Weitz more states, be-mold inspections- it gift cards, on-line getting, Accounting integration, table-side tablet processing, scanner, scales, paper or-mold test- ribbons we have-mold inspectors- it all; we are business friendly and ready to offer a one-mold tests- stop store solution. The new, ambitious collaboration has both companies anticipating the capacity to serve their customers with an innovative product suite developed to serve merchants needs well into the future.

About Merchant Data Equipments:

Established in 1997, MDS is a full-service repayment processing company providing a large collection of solutions to all company kinds consisting of Credit and Debit Card Processing, Inspect Products, POS Devices Sales & Leasing featuring Retail & Restaurant POS Systems, Smart Phone processing, 24/7 Client Service and Technical Help Desk, Business Funding, Present Card & Loyalty products, Pay-roll Solutions, merchant-friendly PCI Conformity solutions and web marketing solutions. MDS pursues Acquisitions and Equity Partnerships with its Partner Program and also offers competitive ISO/MSP re-seller programs. MDS is based in Miami Coastline, FL. http://www.merchantdatasystems.com Contact: Drew Freeman, 1 -LRB-800-RRB-?249-6377 About Meridian Star

POS: Meridian Star Business Solutions was established in January of 2011 by-mold testing san diego- a team of market pros. Meridian Stars Management team developed the POS department in direct response to the demand for small company to compete and remain sensible in todays huge box and on-line stores presence. Concentrating on back-office reporting, Gift and Loyalty, repayment acceptance and business financing, Meridian Star has actually seen the merging of innovation and repayment processing and is committed to bringing these solutions to the marketplace. http://www.meridianstarmerchantservices.com Contact: Brandon Weitz, 1 -LRB-855-RRB-?853-6485 Topic: Attraction and rights of companies in the work environment, rights and responsibilities of employers, rights of the employer, rights of companies, or-mold test- rights of a company. Sexual Attraction explained (from

Human Impulse series) Video Score: 4 / 5 For more information at-mold inspection-tempt these: rights of employers in the work environment, rights and responsibilities of companies, rights of the employer, rights of employers, or-mold test- rights of a company.

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Source: http://fresharticles.i02b.com/self-improvement/merchant-data-systems-and-meridian-star-pos-introduce-innovative-new-programs-to-help-restaurants-and-retailers-manage-and-streamline-their-business-operations/

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Security Forces foil terrorism bid, seize 6000 kg explosive in ...

QUETTA?-?A possible terrorism attempt was foiled on Sunday when security forces impounded a bus laden with massive explosive material on the outskirts of Quetta.

According to the a Frontier Constabulary spokesman, a bus was seized at Quetta-Karachi Highway near Akhtar Abad area when it was checked on a check post on a tip off.

The FC claimed that six to seven thousand kg explosive material packed in plastic bags was recovered from the vehicle, adding that five people onboard the bus were also arrested.

Talking to the media, FC captain Johar said arms of different kinds were also recovered from the vehicle which he said was coming from Karachi. He said the area has been cordoned off for a search operation.

Source: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/12/02/news/national/security-forces-foil-terrorism-bid-seize-6000-kg-explosive-in-balochistan/

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Second act for DSK? After NY settlement, could be

FILE - In this April 4, 2012 photo, former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn enters a building prior to his lecture in the Ukrainian Diplomatic Academy in Kiev, Ukraine. A person familiar with the case says the former International Monetary Fund chief and a New York City hotel maid who accused him of trying to rape her have reached an agreement to settle her lawsuit. The deal would end a legal saga that forced Strauss-Kahn's resignation as head of the IMF and ended his French presidential ambitions in 2011. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

FILE - In this April 4, 2012 photo, former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn enters a building prior to his lecture in the Ukrainian Diplomatic Academy in Kiev, Ukraine. A person familiar with the case says the former International Monetary Fund chief and a New York City hotel maid who accused him of trying to rape her have reached an agreement to settle her lawsuit. The deal would end a legal saga that forced Strauss-Kahn's resignation as head of the IMF and ended his French presidential ambitions in 2011. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

This combo made from file photos shows former International Monetary Fund chief leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn on May 19, 2011, left, and Nafissatou Diallo on July 28, 2011, in New York. A person familiar with the case says Strauss-Kahn and Diallo, a New York City hotel maid who accused him of trying to rape her, have reached an agreement to settle her lawsuit. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity to discuss the private negotiation. The details of the deal are unknown. (AP Photo, File)

PARIS (AP) ? His wife is gone (taking her family fortune with her). So is any chance at the French presidency (once considered his to lose). And a large chunk of his dignity has vanished (he still faces a charge of "aggravated pimping").

But second acts come in mysterious ways for French politicians, and the man universally dubbed DSK appears to be making cautious attempts at rehabilitating his professional reputation.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn was once notorious for his ability to accumulate power, money and fame. The former head of the International Monetary Fund, a leading French Socialist and potential presidential candidate, was quick-witted and dapper before he fell spectacularly from grace in 2011 with the rape accusations of a New York hotel maid.

Then a young French writer claimed an attempted rape by him years ago was hushed up by her mother, also a DSK conquest. Then, as an appalled France tried to digest a new image of one of Europe's premier economists, came the revelations of past orgies.

Word of a settlement between Strauss-Kahn, 63, and the hotel maid, Nafissatou Diallo, 33, would close the American case that left his reputation in tatters.

A person familiar with the New York case said that lawyers for Strauss-Kahn and Diallo have made the as-yet-unsigned agreement within recent days, with Bronx Supreme Court Justice Douglas McKeon facilitating. A court date is expected next week, although the day wasn't set, the person said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the private agreement.

Strauss-Kahn's U.S. lawyers said Friday that "the parties have discussed a resolution" but that no settlement has been finalized. His U.S. and French lawyers denied a report in the respected French newspaper Le Monde that Strauss-Kahn would pay $6 million to Diallo.

"By deciding on (a settlement), he's showing that he doesn't believe in his political future," said Philippe Martinat, whose biography of Strauss-Kahn was published a year before the Sofitel hotel encounter in New York. "But he does want to find credibility as an economic expert and be able to share his international experience on a larger stage."

Strauss-Kahn has taken small steps to that end, notably an interview in October in which he demanded "Leave me alone!" before describing his frustration with legal gag orders and his "naive" belief that the French, at least, would understand the libertine life of a man nicknamed "the great seducer." He's started giving speeches at international conferences and reportedly setting up a consulting company in Paris.

"I always believed I could live my personal life as I wanted to," Strauss-Kahn said in the October interview with the magazine Le Point. "Including behavior between freely consenting adults. There are numerous parties for that ? you'd be surprised who goes to them. ... I was too out of step with French society for a political leader."

The Socialist economist owed his wealth to his heiress wife, Anne Sinclair, once France's top political talk show host and now the editor of the Huffington Post in France. Sinclair put up his $1 million bail in New York and paid the rent on a townhouse in one of Manhattan's swankiest neighborhoods while her husband fought the lawsuit, but the couple separated as new charges piled up. Despite that, according to Le Monde, she is loaning him half of the settlement with Diallo.

The New York case was the first to disintegrate. Diallo told police that Strauss-Kahn chased her down, tried to pull down her pantyhose and forced her to perform oral sex at the Sofitel hotel where she worked. But within six weeks, prosecutors said Diallo had lied about her past ? including a false account of a previous rape ? and lied about her actions after leaving Strauss-Kahn's room. They dropped the charges in August 2011.

Two months later, French prosecutors dropped an investigation into writer Tristane Banon's claim that Strauss-Kahn tried to rape her during a 2003 interview for a book that the then-23-year-old was writing. Banon's mother, an aspiring Socialist politician, persuaded her daughter at the time to let it go and by the time the young woman came forward again, prosecutors said it was beyond the statute of limitations.

Banon's mother then acknowledged she herself had had "rough" but consensual sex with Strauss-Kahn once in an office at the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development.

By then, tales of orgies allegedly organized by a coterie of followers in northern France to feed Strauss-Kahn's appetites began to surface, culminating in a charge of "aggravated pimping" against him ? which he firmly denies. A French court decision on whether that case will go forward is scheduled for Dec. 19.

The defense?

"Dominique Strauss-Kahn had a number of parties with women, libertine parties, with some friends and some women who were friends of his friends" his lawyer, Henri Leclerc, said at a press conference earlier this year.

By then, Strauss-Kahn abandoned a run for the French presidency and saw the helm of the Socialist party taken over by Francois Hollande, a man who has promised to be an uncontroversial "President Normal."

Despite all this, it's possible the French could be in a mood to forgive and forget.

Raphaelle Bacque, a Strauss-Kahn biographer who reported Sinclair's role in the settlement in Le Monde, said the end to the judicial process was one thing but not the only obstacle.

"But how public opinion will interpret the agreement, that's a different question, and one that worries Dominique Strauss-Kahn," she said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-11-30-EU--France-DSK%20Future/id-d570a43b5efb4c318b8281b062de61fa

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