Insert Coin: Skydog brings cloud-based networking to the home

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

It's safe to say that most people's idea of home networking involves the following steps: buy a wireless router, set it up with an SSID and a password, and then never ever think about it again as long as the WiFi keeps working. But if you're one of a dedicated few who want deeper IT admin-level control over your family's internet usage, then a new Kickstarter campaign from PowerCloud Systems just might be right up your alley. The product is called Skydog, and while you do get a slim and compact dual-band 802.11n five-port Gigabit router out of it, Skydog is really more about the cloud-based platform than the physical hardware. Customers are able to visually survey who and what device is on their home network, manage permissions based on that information, allocate bandwidth priority, troubleshoot network issues with ease and more.

PowerCloud Systems is no stranger to cloud-managed networking -- it's been providing just such a solution to enterprises such as hotels, schools, multi-dwelling units and retail chains ever since 2008 when it was spun out of Xerox PARC. In order to bring that level of sophistication to the home audience, however, the company needed consumer-facing software to simplify the process for the masses, and that's exactly what it has tried to do with Skydog. After the break, we offer a tour of the service and interview the people behind it to see just why they're seeking funding via Kickstarter.

Gallery: Skydog interface

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Source: Skydog (Kickstarter)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/09/skydog-cloud-networking/

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Facebook Home Review: Surrender Yourself Unto Zuck

Facebook Home isn't a Facebook Phone, nor is it really "a bunch of apps," or a new operating system. It's an admission: Facebook means a lot to me, and is an interesting view of my life—and I want to look at it all the time, everywhere I go. If that sounds like you, Home is where your heart should be. If not, your phone will become something you hate. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1G0C2ePjfAA/facebook-home-review-surrender-yourself-unto-zuck

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Monster Watts WiQiQi puts wireless charging in Samsung Galaxy phones without new cases

Samsung already has wireless charging options for phones like the Galaxy S4, but they require a separate cover that adds a slight amount of bulk. For Monster Watts, that's still too much. The company's upcoming WiQiQi charging receiver is thin enough to slip under the existing cases of both the S4 as well as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, giving them the same Qi-based wireless power as official kits without disrupting the design or wrecking compatibility with accessories. Kits for the two phones already on the market should be available as soon as the middle of this month, with discounted early pricing for a receiver-and-charger bundle starting at $45 (normally $78) for the GS3; a WiQiQi for the GS4 won't show until around early June at a regular $88 price, although it should also start at $45 for advance buyers. Monster Watts' wire-free solution isn't seamless, but it may be one of the more elegant in an era when wireless charging is only occasionally built-in.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: Monster Watts, Indiegogo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/10/monster-watts-wiqiqi-slips-wireless-charging-into-samsung-galaxy/

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Plumbing Work: Your Guide to New Plumbing Installation

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Hiring a plumber to sort out the water in your home can be surprisingly expensive ? so why not see what you can do yourself before getting a professional in?

Few home-owners in the UK are comfortable with the idea of changing pipes by themselves in their own households. The very idea sounds scary and complicated, and you might think that no matter how much you plan ahead and prepare for every outcome, things are bound to go wrong ? and you might even end up with a flooded property.

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Fortunately, however, things rarely end up going that bad. In fact, many DIY enthusiasts become more confident and more and more proficient by starting small (changing pipes, fixing leaks etc.) before undertaking fully-fledged installation projects; and by the time such a project comes round they are ready to construct a comprehensive plan and give it a go before hiring a professional. To help you with the different kinds of plumbing and appliance installation commonly found in UK homes, we?ve put together the following plumbing repair guide, which should help act as a vital resource in helping you to gather all the right tools and learn each and every plumbing process necessary, step-by-step!

If clunky pipe-work is regularly keeping you awake at night, then you might need to replace some of the rustier, older components for a more efficient and smooth-running water system. Wherever they are in your home ? between cavity walls, in the loft or basement, or under floorboards ? getting to these pipes can be tricky, and for the most promising results you should always make sure your work area is clear and clutter-free before getting started. Carry out a risk assessment if necessary, and get an extra pair of hands to help if you?re worried about making a mess (or to help in case of water overflow). Laying new pipes is also a regular part of most kinds of plumbing installation, including the range of DIY jobs listed below ? so make sure you have all the necessary equipment to hand if you plan on giving things a go yourself.

For most home-owners, bath installation can sound like a complicated and tricky type of plumbing work which shouldn?t be attempted by anyone other than a professional. In fact, disconnecting an old bath tub from your water mains and replacing it with a brand new porcelain model can be completed by anyone (although you might need an extra pair of hands to heave things around!) As long as you are prepared for some heavy lifting and have all the proper tools (including a ledger board, putty knife and galvanised roofing nails) at your disposal, there?s no reason why you shouldn?t give it a go yourself!

All the new components of a toilet can usually be bought as part of a single-purchase package deal and don?t require too much internal plumbing work. You simply need to fit the new model to the main waste pipe and secure the new toilet to the wall and floor of the bathroom. For more detailed guidelines to installing a toilet, see the main step-by-step article here.

How to Fit a Radiator

Updating an old, rusty and inefficient radiator with a brand new model can be a great way to reduce wasted heat and save money on your utility bills ? plus it?s pretty easy to do by yourself too!

Installing Kitchen Sink Units

Whether you want an ordinary fit-in kitchen sink or a more complicated corner model for your home, fitting a new kitchen sink unit is surprisingly easy ? many home-owners can have the entire job completed in a single day! You will have to hook up the drainage pipes to your property?s main waste/disposal pipe, but otherwise it merely involves assembling new cabinets and/or merely securing the sink model in place!

Power Shower Installation

Power shower units often come in two different types: either a standard electric model or a mixed shower with an integrated booster pump. Although the latter unit is easier to install (and can even be fitted directly into the existing faucet or exposed pipe work) electric power showers are usually more reliable. Nevertheless laying internal pipes involves a lot of stripping back of cavity walls and lifting up of floorboards, and is usually best left to be dealt with by a qualified professional.

How to Install a Dishwasher

As we get well into the twenty-first century a new dishwasher is no longer considered much of a luxury by ordinary UK living standards; in fact, it?s become a staple of most kitchens, and is a great way to save time on washing up and reduce water wastage in your home! Installing a new model can be tricky, however, as (like washing machines) the units are extremely heavy and delicate, and require careful manoeuvring into the correct position.

Remember, these articles are designed merely to give you an idea of what to expect if you go ahead and carry out these jobs by yourself; they aren?t fool-proof and don?t account for all eventualities. If you?re worried about fitting new plumbing yourself or lack the confidence to tear up floorboards or replace old pipes, you should always contact a professional contractor to do the work instead. These plumbers ?whether local tradesman or part of national franchises ? are usually fully trained, and have all the necessary experience in their chosen fields ? so you won?t have to worry about a flooded property or poorly functioning appliance while the work takes place! For those who fancy giving it a go, however, these guides should help you to plan ahead and come up with a step-by-step programme before you pull out the DIY kit and get stuck in!

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Source: http://www.servicemagic.co.uk/resources/new-plumbing-work-and-installation/

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Italy's Bersani meets Berlusconi to seek end to impasse

By Steve Scherer

ROME (Reuters) - Italian center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani met his center-right rival Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday to discuss the election for the next president of the Republic, offering hope of a breakthrough in the deadlock left by elections in February.

"It was a good meeting but we're at the beginning," Enrico Letta, deputy leader of Bersani's Democratic Party (PD), told reporters in parliament.

He said the meeting had focused only on the issue of the next president, not on any possible deal to form a government, which has so far proved impossible for the deeply divided parties to secure more than 40 days after the election.

Letta said there would be further meetings in the next few days with Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) and other parties but said no names were discussed at Tuesday's meeting, intended to prepare the way for the start of the presidential election process on April 18.

The election of the next president, to succeed Giorgio Napolitano whose term ends on May 15, is the next big test for the parliament, which is split between the two traditional center-right and center-left blocs as well as the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.

It is unclear how far any accord over the presidential election will clear the way to a deal that would allow a government to take office but the tone struck following the meeting was much more cordial than it has been in recent days.

"It was useful to get clarity on the criteria we need first to agree on a range of names, then on a person who can unite the country," Letta said.

"In a moment of great division we feel a strong need to give a signal of unity to the country. That's why we want to try to find unity around a name we can both support," he said.

In a separate statement, PDL secretary Angelino Alfano said the next president would have to be acceptable to his party although he did not repeat Berlusconi's previous demands that the center-right should choose the head of state.

"The president must represent national unity and therefore cannot be, or even appear to be, hostile to a significant part of the Italian people," he said.

No clear favorite has emerged although several names have been floated including former prime ministers Romano Prodi and Giuliano Amato and former European Commissioner Emma Bonino.

"WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN"

The vote for the next president will be vital because with his mandate about to expire, Napolitano no longer has the power to dissolve parliament and call new elections and it will be up to his successor to find a way out of the deadlock.

Bersani, who won a majority in the lower house but fell short of the Senate majority which would have allowed him to govern, has so far refused Berlusconi's demands for a "grand coalition" between the two rival forces.

The other main force, the 5-Star Movement led by ex-comic Beppe Grillo, has refused any alliance with either of the big parties it blames for Italy's deep social and economic crisis.

In an interview with RAI state television, Bersani stuck to his rejection of Berlusconi's demands to form a coalition, saying the center-right leader had shown during the technocrat government of Mario Monti that he could not be trusted.

"When I meet him, I will say, 'We haven't forgotten. We know you even if you try to disguise yourself'," he said.

"We're trustworthy and we look for trustworthiness in others, if there are proposals, we'll see. Only they shouldn't come with proposals for a 'governissimo' because that's not possible. If they've got other ideas, we can talk about it."

Bersani has so far stuck to his hard line on Berlusconi despite increasing calls from senior figures in sections of his party for a dialogue with the center-right to avoid a potentially destabilizing return to the polls.

He wants to present a limited set of proposals to parliament and seek a wider accord among the parties for a broad series of institutional reforms, including changes to the widely criticized electoral law which led to the stalemate.

Berlusconi has demanded that the center-right be allowed to choose the next head of state as the price of its support to a government led by the center-left. He says the only alternative is new elections at the earliest date possible in June or July.

(Additional reporting by Roberto Landucci; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italys-bersani-meet-berlusconi-rules-grand-coalition-154522104.html

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Available Mechs and Golems

RolePlayGateway is proudly powered by obscene amounts of caffeine, duct tape, and support from people like you. It operates under a "don't like it, suggest an improvement" platform, and we gladly take suggestions for improvements or changes.

The custom-built "roleplay" system was designed and implemented by Eric Martindale as of July 2009. All attempts to replicate or otherwise emulate this system and its method of organizing roleplay are strictly prohibited without his express written and contractual permission; violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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China confident it can control bird flu outbreak

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is confident it can control an outbreak of a new strain of bird flu, a senior Chinese health official said on Sunday as the World Health Organization (WHO) said there had now been 21 human cases of the H7N9 flu with six deaths.

China has said it is mobilizing resources nationwide to combat the new strain, monitoring hundreds of close contacts of confirmed cases and culling tens of thousands of birds where traces of the virus were found.

"We are confident we can effectively control it (H7N9)," the head of China's National Health and Family Planning Commission Li Bin told Reuters on the sidelines of a World Health Organization-backed event in Beijing.

Li did not elaborate, but she is the most senior Chinese health official yet to publicly comment on the subject.

In an update from its headquarters in Geneva, the WHO said more than 530 close contacts of the 21 people now listed as confirmed cases are being closely monitored for any signs of similar disease.

"At this time there is no evidence of ongoing human-to-human transmission," it said.

The bird flu outbreak has caused global concern and some Chinese internet users and newspapers have questioned why it took so long for the government to announce the new cases, especially as two of the victims fell ill in February.

The government has said it needed time to correctly identify the virus.

The WHO's representative to China, Dr. Michael O'Leary, repeated that no evidence of transmission between humans has been found and praised China for its efforts to determine the source of the virus.

"I'm very impressed with the action of the laboratories in this regard," O'Leary said at a World Health Day event in the Chinese capital.

"China is demonstrating their ability to get on top of this problem quickly," he said.

In 2003, authorities initially tried to cover up an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which emerged in China and killed about 10 percent of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide.

Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been circulating for many years and can be transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human, but not generally from human to human.

(Reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing and Kate Kelland in London, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-confident-control-bird-flu-outbreak-084931042.html

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UFC suspends Matt Mitrione for transphobic comments regarding Fallon Fox

The UFC wasted little time laying down the law on Matt Mitrione, suspending the heavyweight indefinitely for transphobic comments regarding Fallon Fox he made during an interview with Ariel Helwani Monday on "The MMA Hour."

Fox was born a man and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2006 and has had two fights as a professional mixed martial artist, winning both.

Mitrione repeatedly referred to Fox as a he and called her as "a lying, sick, sociopathic disgusting freak."

"Because she's not a he. He's a he," he said. "He's chromosomally a man. He had a gender change, not a sex change. He's still a man. He was a man for 31 years. Thirty-one years. That's a couple years younger than I am. He's a man. Six years of taking performance de-hancing drugs, you think is going to change all that? That's ridiculous.

"That is a lying, sick, sociopathic, disgusting freak," Mitrione said. "And I mean that. Because you lied on your license to beat up women. That's disgusting. You should be embarrassed yourself. And the fact that Florida licensed him because California licensed him or whoever the hell did it, it's an embarrassment to us as fighters, as a sport, and we all should protest that. The woman that's fighting him, props to you. I hope you beat his ass, and I hope he gets blackballed and never fights again, because that's disgusting and I'm appalled by that."

The UFC, which announced a fighter code of conduct in January, moved swiftly to suspend Mitrione and denounce his comments.

"The UFC was appalled by the transphobic comments made by heavyweight Matt Mitrione today in an interview on 'The MMA Hour.' The organization finds Mr. Mitrione?s comments offensive and wholly unacceptable and - as a direct result of this significant breach of the UFC?s code of conduct ? Mr. Mitrione?s UFC contract has been suspended and the incident is being investigated. The UFC is a friend and ally of the LGBT community, and expects and requires all 450 of its athletes to treat others with dignity and respect."

The exact length of Mitrione's suspension has yet to be released.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-suspends-matt-mitrione-transphobic-comments-regarding-fallon-230051067--mma.html

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A Budget IPhone Is A Bad Idea | Technology | Minyanville's Wall Street

When Dell?s (NASDAQ:DELL) market share stalled in 2005, retribution came quickly.? The company?s stock price began a long decline that year, despite rising revenues and income.? The message was clear:? Investors wanted growth, not profits.? In 2006, Dell cut prices, but the resulting fall in margins ? a bid for achieving that growth ? only drove the stock further underwater.? Michael Dell returned to the helm, and under his leadership the company closed factories, commoditized its PCs, and made every attempt to cut prices.? However, despite doing everything ?right,? and caving to critics on every point, Dell?s troubles had only begun.? Revenue peaked in ?08, market share dropped off a cliff in ?09, and today a much-diminished company is in talks to go private.

It?s a cautionary tale for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), whose position today is uncomfortably similar to Dell?s eight years ago. The company is larger and more profitable than ever, just coming off the best quarter in its history, while the stock is down 35% since September 2012 on worries over market share.? Google?s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android is now the dominant player in smartphones, and the iPad, which still accounts for about half of tablets sold, is finding itself under increasing pressure.? Tim Cook denied in February that the company was working on a budget version of the iPhone, but the rumors refuse to die, and analysts continue to expect that Apple will introduce a lower-cost handset. Wall Street appears to be subtly (or not so subtly) suggesting that Apple follow Dell?s ill-fated strategy, and cut prices.

But would this address the company?s problems?? What, after all, is wrong with Apple?? I offered my take several months ago, arguing that the marriage between Apple?s IOS operating system and its handheld devices ? the iPad and iPhone ? essentially guarantees a minority share for the company?s products.? The Android ecosystem offers a wider range of hardware and more flexibility in price points, and by addressing a larger market it attracts more attention from software developers.? Eventually, Droid will benefit from the same software-driven momentum that made Microsoft?s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows so unstoppable in personal computers.? In the tech world, hardware makers come and go, but platforms are forever.? Apple is, and always has been, a hardware company.

A budget iPhone won?t change this.? Cheap devices have never been Apple?s strength, and the company?s minimalist approach to its product catalogue ? selling fewer devices, that don?t compete with each other ? is the result of a lesson learned in the '90s, when a confused lineup was one of several issues that nearly brought Apple to bankruptcy.? On his return in 1997, Steve Jobs said that the era of ?competition between Apple and Microsoft is over,? and he refocused the company towards the innovative premium products it has proven to be so good at.? Few today would question that decision.

It would be a mistake for Apple to chase Google, and an even bigger mistake for investors to believe that the company can compete with Android on market share.? The remarkable thing isn?t that Apple is losing ground, but that for a few years it was able ? with a single, high-end product ? to dominate the industry so completely.? A lower-cost iPhone would sacrifice margins for a questionable growth, and it would dilute the one asset that truly makes Apple different: the loyalty of its customers.?

Several different surveys show that iPhone users are largely content with Apple, and less likely than Droid users to make a switch.? There are two factors at work here.? First, leaving the iPhone means abandoning iOS, and changing operating systems can be a difficult and expensive process.? This tends to limit any bleeding of current customers, which explains why, in all the years of competition between Macs and PCs, the battle lines remained relatively constant.

Second, Apple?s holistic approach generally results in a smoother experience; its operating system is simpler to use and less vulnerable to malware. This comfortable environment is not without its limitations, but by and large, people are satisfied with it.

Given that the company?s customer base is unlikely to exit en masse, the lack of a budget iPhone constitutes an enormous advantage; it guarantees that each of these customers pays a premium price.? A low-cost device might win over some Android users, and stave off competition from Samsung (KRX:005930), but it will also cannibalize Apple?s existing customers, who won?t have to switch platforms to take advantage of it.? While a cheaper handset may grab share in the developing world, it would mean devaluing the iPhone?s core markets ? US and Europe ? in an attempt to grab new ones.

Apple should continue to do what it has always done: sell high-quality products.? The company may no longer be the darling of Wall Street, but its position is more secure than investors seem to think; it may lose share, but it?s unlikely to lose customers.? So long as Apple can pump out $30 billion/year in cash, its stock will provide a compelling value.? Growth, on the other hand, will have to come from innovation in new markets, and not from chasing old ones.

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Source: http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/technology/articles/A-Budget-iPhone-Is-a-Bad/4/8/2013/id/49113

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US meat industry renames cuts; pork chops are now ribeyes

P.J. Huffstutter , Reuters ? ? ? 19 hrs.

BBQ fans, brace yourselves: "Pork butt" will soon be a thing of the past.

In an effort to boost sales just ahead of the U.S. grilling season, and make shopping at the meat counter a bit easier, the pork and beef industries are retooling more than 350 names of meat cuts to give them more sizzle and consumer appeal.

The revised nomenclature emerged after two years of consumer research, which found that the labels on packages of fresh cuts of pork and beef are confusing to shoppers, said Patrick Fleming, director of retail marketing for trade group National Pork Board.

A stroll down the meat aisle had become baffling for shoppers looking for a steak. When they would see packages of "butler steak" or "beef shoulder top blade steak, boneless, flat iron" - they would walk away with an empty cart, said Trevor Amen, director of market intelligence for the Beef Checkoff Program.

So recently, the National Pork Board and the Beef Checkoff Program, with the blessing of officials with USDA, got the nod to update the Uniform Retail Meat Identification Standards, or URMIS. Though the URMIS system is voluntary, a majority of U.S. food retailers use it.

So pork and beef industry officials say they hope the new names will show up in stores nationwide by this summer's grilling season.

If it does, the lowly "pork chop" will be gone. Instead, grocery retailers could be stocking stacks of "porterhouse chops," "ribeye chops" and "New York chops." The pork butt - which actually comes from shoulder meat - will be called a Boston roast.

"One of our biggest challenges has been the general belief among consumers that a pork chop is a pork chop," said Fleming. "But not all pork chops are equal, and not all pork chops are priced equally."

So much for pork being known as the other white meat--a label the pork industry used for years to lure consumers away from chicken.

In the beef aisle, a boneless shoulder top blade steak will become a flatiron steak, a beef under blade boneless steak will become a Denver Steak. Not all names in the meat counter will change - ground beef will still be ground beef

The new retail names will also come with new labels for retail packages, which will tell consumers what part of the animal's body the cut comes from, as well as include suggested cooking instructions.

This marketing move comes at a challenging time for the nation's livestock sector, which has wrestled with historic high grain prices and devastating droughts.

Overseas demand for U.S. meat has cooled as both Russia and China have concerns about possible traces of the feed additive ractopamine, which is used to make meat leaner. That has protein clogging the nation's supply chain and the supply pork and beef in commercial freezers hit a record high for the month of February, according to Agriculture Department data.

Also domestic sales have been slow as the relatively cool spring has quashed consumer interest in breaking out the backyard grill.

While fresh beef and pork cuts have official names that are approved by USDA, compliance with using those naming conventions is voluntary for the industry, said Sam Jones-Ellard, spokesman for USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.

"There won't be any changes to our naming conventions, but we're supportive of this," Jones-Ellard said. "Anything that simplifies the names of cuts of meat is a good thing for consumers."

At least one section of the meat department will stay the same: A spokesman for the National Chicken Council said Wednesday that no such plans are in place to change the names of chicken cuts. A chicken breast, the official said, will remain a breast.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a569a7c/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cus0Emeat0Eindustry0Erenames0Ecuts0Epork0Echops0Eare0Enow0Eribeyes0E1C9213219/story01.htm

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China kills market birds as flu found in pigeons

Workers in protective clothing chat during a culling operation as authorities detected the new bird flu strain in pigeons being sold for meat at a wholesale market in Shanghai on Friday April 5, 2013. China announced a sixth death from a new bird flu strain Friday, while authorities carried out the slaughter of all poultry at a Shanghai market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT

Workers in protective clothing chat during a culling operation as authorities detected the new bird flu strain in pigeons being sold for meat at a wholesale market in Shanghai on Friday April 5, 2013. China announced a sixth death from a new bird flu strain Friday, while authorities carried out the slaughter of all poultry at a Shanghai market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT

A Chinese policeman wears a mask as he guards an access to a wholesale market where authorities are culling poultry after the new bird flu strain was detected there in pigeons being sold for meat in Shanghai on Friday April 5, 2013. China announced a sixth death from a new bird flu strain Friday, while authorities carried out the slaughter of all poultry at a Shanghai market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT

Workers in protective clothing move bags out from a wholesale market during a culling operation as authorities detected a new bird flu strain in pigeons being sold for meat at the market in Shanghai, China, Friday April 5, 2013. China announced a sixth death from a new bird flu strain Friday, while authorities carried out the slaughter of all poultry at a Shanghai market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT

A vender waits for the customers at a poultry market in Shanghai, China on Friday, April 5, 2013. China announced Friday a sixth death from a new bird flu strain while authorities carried out the slaughter of all poultry at a Shanghai market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A worker catches a live chicken at a poultry market in Shanghai, China on Friday, April 5, 2013. China announced a sixth death from the new bird flu H7N9 strain Friday, while authorities in Shanghai halted the sale of live fowl and slaughtered all poultry at a market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat. The first cases were announced Sunday. (AP Photo)

BEIJING (AP) ? China announced a sixth death from a new bird flu strain Friday, while authorities in Shanghai halted the sale of live fowl and slaughtered all poultry at a market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat.

The mass bird killing is the first so far as the Chinese government responds to the H7N9 strain of bird flu, which has sickened 16 people, many critically, along the eastern seaboard in its first known infections of people. The first cases were announced Sunday, while two more were reported Friday, both retirees who were seriously ill.

Health officials believe people are contracting the virus through direct contact with infected fowl and say there has been no evidence so far that the virus is spreading easily between people. However, scientists are watching closely to see if the flu poses a substantial risk to public health or could potentially spark a global pandemic.

The Agriculture Ministry confirmed late Thursday that the H7N9 virus had been detected in live pigeons on sale at a produce market in Shanghai. The killing of birds at the Huhuai market in Shanghai started Thursday night after the city's agricultural committee ordered it in a notice also posted on its website.

State media on Friday ran pictures of animal health officials in protective overalls and masks working through the night at the market, taking notes as they stood over piles of poultry carcasses in plastic bags. The area was guarded by police and cordoned off with plastic tape.

Experts urged Chinese health authorities to keep testing healthy birds, saying the H7N9 virus can infect birds without causing them to become ill, making it harder to detect than the H5N1 bird flu virus that is more familiar to Asian countries. H5N1 set off warnings when it began ravaging poultry across Asia in 2003 and has since killed 360 people worldwide, mostly after close contact with infected birds.

"In the past usually you would see chickens dying before any infections occurred in humans, but this time we've seen that many species of poultry actually have no apparent problems, so that makes it difficult because you lose this natural warning sign," said David Hui, an infectious diseases expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The city of Shanghai also announced a suspension of the sale of live poultry starting Saturday, city spokesman Xu Wei said at a news conference.

Pigeon is a common type of poultry in Chinese cuisine and the birds are sold live in markets around the country. Chinese also raise pigeons as pets, but those tend to be a different type.

Hui said the pigeons were probably infected by wild or migratory birds, whose droppings can carry viruses. He said they were likely not the only species of poultry to be carrying the virus.

While health officials caution that there are no indications the virus can be transmitted from one person to another, scientists who have studied its genetic sequence said this week that the virus may have recently mutated into a form that spreads more easily to other animals, potentially posing a bigger threat to humans.

The latest death from the virus confirmed by the government Friday was a 64-year-old farmer in the eastern city of Huzhou. Authorities said Thursday the virus also killed a 48-year-old man who transported poultry for a living and a 52-year-old woman, both in Shanghai. Several among the infected are believed to have had direct contact with fowl.

Guidelines issued Wednesday by the national health agency identify butchers, breeders and sellers of poultry, and those in the meat processing industry as at higher risk.

Experts identified the first cases on Sunday. Some of the 16 confirmed cases fell ill several weeks ago but only now are being classified as having H7N9. The official Xinhua News Agency said six cases have been confirmed in Shanghai, six in Jiangsu, three in Zhejiang and one in Anhui.

___

Associated Press researcher Fu Ting contributed to this report from Shanghai.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-05-China-Bird%20Flu/id-aeaa9e2b5fed42f1812d573415793791

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Scientists race to gauge pandemic risk of new bird flu

By Kate Kelland

LONDON | Wed Apr 3, 2013 10:05am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Genetic sequence data on a deadly strain of bird flu previously unknown in people show the virus has already acquired some mutations that might make it more likely to cause a human pandemic, scientists say.

But there is no evidence so far that the H7N9 flu - now known to have infected nine people in China, killing three - is spreading from person to person, and there is still a chance it might peter out and never fully mutate into a human form of flu.

Just days after authorities in China announced they had identified cases of H7N9, flu experts in laboratories across the world are picking through the DNA sequence data of samples isolated from the patients to assess its pandemic potential.

One of the world's top flu experts, Ab Osterhaus, who is based at the Erasmus Medical Center in The Netherlands, says the sequences show some genetic mutations that should put authorities on alert and entail increased surveillance in animals and humans.

"The virus has to a certain extent already adapted to mammalian species and to humans, so from that point of view it's worrisome," he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"Really we should keep a very close eye on this."

China's National Health and Family Planning Commission confirmed on Sunday that three people had been infected with the new H7N9 flu, with two deaths of men in Shanghai aged 87 and 27 who fell sick in late February. Chinese authorities have in the past two days confirmed another six cases, including another fatal one.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the cases of H7N9 are "of concern" because they are the first in humans.

"That makes it a unique event, which the World Health Organization is taking seriously," the Geneva-based United Nations health agency said on Wednesday.

Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been circulating for many years and can be transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human, but not from human to human.

So far, this lack of human-to-human transmission also appears to be a feature of the H7N9 strain.

Flu viruses are classified based on two types of protein found on their surface, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which are abbreviated to H and N.

Although it is very early days, scientists says initial analysis also suggests H7N9 does not appear to make birds particularly ill - in other words it is what is known as a low pathogenic avian influenza, of LPAI.

Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily mean it will be mild in humans, says Wendy Barclay, a flu virology expert at Britain's Imperial College London.

FINDING THE SOURCE

"We can't be complacent. We have to be cautious," she said, stressing that other H5 and H7 flu subtypes have been able to mutate from LPAI to the more dangerous highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as they circulate in various hosts, particularly in chickens.

Its mildness in birds could also mean H7N9 is a "silent spreader" - harder to detect than highly pathogenic flu strains such as H5N1 that can wipe out entire flocks of wild birds or domestic poultry and are therefore far more visible.

"It's a sort of double-edged sword, because if and when it becomes highly pathogenic and all the chickens start dying, that's very bad for the poultry farmers, but it means we can see much more easily where the virus is," Barclay said.

"At the moment, we can't see where this virus is coming from. We don't know yet what animal source is feeding this."

Finding that source, and tracking the genetic mutations to see if, how and when this new strain might gain the ability to spark a human pandemic are now the priorities for researchers in China and around the world, Barclay and Osterhaus said.

The WHO praised the Chinese government, saying it was responding to the situation with various important measures such as enhanced surveillance, detailed case management and treatment, tracing contacts of all those known to have been infected so far, and training healthcare professionals.

Experts said the fact that H7N9 had been identified and swiftly reported, and that genetic sequence data was already available for researchers around the world to analyze, was a sign of how things have changed.

In 2003, China initially tried to cover up an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which emerged in China and killed about a tenth of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide.

Ian Jones, a professor of virology at Britain's University of Reading, said the heightened awareness of flu and of the possibility that unusual respiratory diseases may turn out to be new strains of flu means more cases get referred to hospitals.

"It's quite possible these cases ... are being detected because flu is way up there" on disease priority lists, he said.

(Editing by Ben Hirschler and Will Waterman)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/4Nqmso9K9a8/story01.htm

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How To Stop Your Marriage From Falling Apart | World of Psychology

This guest article from YourTango was written by?Harville Hendrix & Helen LaKelly Hunt.

Falling in love can be amazing! The excitement of meeting someone new brings out the best in all of us; the journey ahead feels like an open road full of possibility.

But then something happens: Either the relationship starts to feel stale, or perhaps money issues, kids, or trying to figure out a comfortable work-life balance comes into play. Whatever the cause, the initial spark dims or goes out altogether, and the future of your relationship becomes a long and winding road, full of pit stops and flat tires.

Well, don?t worry because this happens to everyone. All it means is that it?s time for a tune-up.

You see, we spend a lot of time and energy finding our perfect mates. By the time we say ?I do,? we assume (and fervently hope) that the work is over. The idea of having to spend time working on your marriage may seem strange or even depressing, but it?s worth it! Even if it feels like your whole marriage needs an overhaul, deepening your relationship doesn?t have to be a grueling process. With the right tools, the suffering can end.

One of the best ways to help your marriage is to ensure you?re thinking about it the right way. After working with thousands of couples ? and on our own marriage ? we?ve distilled some essential truths that help couples keep their relationships fresh as they navigate the life-long experience of growing real love:

1. Conflict is growth trying to happen.

Most people believe that if you?re having problems in your marriage, you?re with the wrong person. So, when conflict gets heated and gnarly, they wonder if it?s time to bail ? and it?s not! Rather, if you?re willing to work with the conflict, there is something wonderful and amazing waiting for you right around the corner. The key is learning how to work with conflict creatively ? in ways that help both you and your partner grow. Plus, just changing your perspective so that you view conflict as an opportunity, an indicator that it?s time to grow, can help ease the troubles you ?re having.

2. It?s not him; it?s you.

Ninety percent of the upset you feel with your partner comes from your past. It?s true! So, stop blaming your partner. We know that it?s hard to do ? especially when you feel miserable and it seems as though the source of your misery is, well, that annoying person you?re married to. But here?s the thing: We fall head over heels in love with someone who is similar to our parents, which is a mysterious design that holds the potential for deep, abiding connection ? once you get past all the squabbling. So, the next time you feel your blood boiling, remind yourself: This feeling has more to do with my past than my partner!

3. A laugh a day keeps the divorce lawyer away.

Sometimes we?re so busy working on our relationships that we actually forget to enjoy them. And what?s the point of doing all of that work if you?re not having fun with your partner? Using humor and joy is critical to a couple?s happiness together. Now, this doesn?t mean you get to dust off your passive-aggressive tendencies and use ?humor? to zing your partner with little digs or critiques. What it means is that you have our permission to go out and have fun. So, create fun times together by mixing things up a little. Try dance lessons, improv, a cooking class.

When we decided to bring the fun back into our relationship, we cooked a whole meal together wearing Groucho Marx glasses. Of course we felt silly ? and that was the whole point!

4. Want to spice up your relationship? Ditch all negativity!

Why are we so inclined to focus on what?s bad instead of what?s good? Every relationship (including ours, once upon a time) contains at least some negativity, and the amount of negativity in a relationship is directly proportional to the amount of trouble it?s in. Negativity includes any/all words, tone of voice, facial expressions and/or behavior your partner says feels negative to him/her. And yes, rolling your eyes counts.

You see, negativity is like rat poison; nothing can grow in it! So, if you want your relationship to grow, you?ve got to get rid of all negativity. Yes, all of it. We finally did, and in fact, our zero tolerance policy is the single most effective strategy we?ve used to create real love.

These truths can help you become better partners for each other, and to create a marriage full of real, lasting love and a blissful connection.

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Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. are bestselling authors and creators of Imago Relationship Therapy, which is practiced by over 2,000 therapists around the world. Partners in life and work, their newest book Making Marriage Simple distills what they have learned into ten essential and provocative truths about marriage.

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More marriage advice from YourTango:

Contributed by YourTango.com, an online magazine dedicated to love, life and relationships. From dating to marriage, parenting to empty-nest, relationship challenges to relationship success, YourTango is at the center of the conversations that are closest to our over 7 million readers' hearts. With daily contributions from our Experts, we have a little something for everyone looking to create healthier lives. We're excited to offer our contributions to the PsychCentral community, and invite you to visit us on YourTango.com.

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????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 2 Apr 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Experts, Y. (2013). Relationship Tune-Up: How to Stop Your Marriage from Falling Apart. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 4, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/03/relationship-tune-up-how-to-stop-your-marriage-from-falling-apart/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/04/03/relationship-tune-up-how-to-stop-your-marriage-from-falling-apart/

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