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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Triathlon: Racequest Travel Offers 2013 Ironman Florida Race Slots, VIP & Travel Packages

2-Time Ironman Florida Champion Jessica Jacobs to guide RaceQuest Athletes

POTOMAC FALLS, VirginiaRaceQuest, a travel and event management company focused exclusively on the training and race travel needs of endurance sports athletes, is offering race entries, VIP packages, and a race week travel support package for 2013 IRONMAN Florida in Panama City Beach.

Athletes and their guests who purchase a slot and choose to lodge with RaceQuest for the event will receive a host of race week amenities, race day transport, bike mechanic support and concierge services based at Grand Panama Resort.

For IRONMAN Florida, RaceQuest is offering race slots with complimentary race-specific coaching for $1,495 (U.S.) per person. Additionally, a limited number of VIP Packages are available for $1,995. Details and purchase may be secured by visiting the RaceQuest website, Race-Quest.com.

Professional Triathletes Enhance Race Week Experience
Two-time IRONMAN Florida Champion, Jessica Jacobs, will be staying with RaceQuest and providing athletes with specific race course strategy, advice, and Q&A sessions throughout the week.

RaceQuest Travel shares my desire to really engage with athletes, to support their individual needs. Its a small-group setting by design. For any athlete, this approach really sets you up for success, said Jacobs, now in her seventh season as a professional.

Taking the Headache out of Multisport Travel Our athletes can be assured that they can explore new places for racing and training, and it will be a seamless experience. We are committed to taking care of our athletes and guests in a friendly, first- class manner. We handle the details so they wont have to, added RaceQuest Co-Founder Scott Coey. Coey is a world-class age-group triathlete who has competed in countless ultra-marathons and triathlons including the IRONMAN World Championship and the prestigious Norseman long- distance triathlon.

In addition to IRONMAN Florida, RaceQuest Travel also offers 5-Night Race Week Experiences for IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and a 10-Night package for the 2013 IRONMAN World Championships in Kailua- Kona, Hawaii.

About RaceQuest

RaceQuest was founded by triathletes Krista Baker-Scheyer, Scott Coey, and Kelli Eldridge with the purpose of providing exceptional training and race travel experiences tailored to the endurance sports athlete. With singular focus and passion, the RaceQuest travel team combines years of experience traveling, racing and supporting professional and age-group triathletes around the globe to deliver world-class travel services.

Source: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2013/rw_news_20130723_Race-Quest.html

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China says 7% is bottom line for economic growth amid slowdown ...

Premier Li Keqiang?s government sees 7% growth as the bottom line for tolerance of an economic slowdown, Chinese news organizations reported, signaling the nation will act to support expansion if needed.

Paul Krugman: China?s economy has hit its Great Wall

All economic data are best viewed as a peculiarly boring genre of science fiction, but Chinese data are even more fictional than most. Add a secretive government, a controlled press and the sheer size of the country, and it?s harder to figure out what?s really happening in China than it is in any other major economy.

Yet the signs are now unmistakable: China is in big trouble. We?re not talking about some minor setback along the way, but something more fundamental. The country?s whole way of doing business, the economic system that has driven three decades of incredible growth, has reached its limits. Read more.

Expansion below 7% won?t be accepted because China needs to achieve a moderately prosperous society by 2020, according to a commentary published July 21 by the official Xinhua News Agency and credited to reporter Wang Yuewei. Li said at a recent meeting with economists that 7% is the ?bottom line? and the nation can?t allow growth below that, the Beijing News reported today.

Chinese stocks rose the most since July 11 on optimism that the government will limit the depth of a slowdown after gross domestic product rose 7.5% in the second quarter from a year earlier, the same pace as an official 2013 target. Li previously said the government shouldn?t let growth and employment fall below lower limits that he didn?t specify.

?The comments confirmed that the government?s acceptable range for growth this year is between 7% and 7.5%,? said Chang Jian, a Hong Kong-based economist at Barclays Plc who formerly worked for the World Bank. ?As economic growth is slowing to below 7.5%, the government policy?s focus is gradually shifting to stabilizing growth.?

The Shanghai Composite Index gained 2%, with rail-related stocks surging on speculation that the government will ramp up construction.

Lower Limit

Other parts of the reports may add to confusion on the government?s tolerance for a slowdown. The Xinhua commentary said 7.5% is the ?lower limit? for growth this year while the Beijing News reported Li said the ?lower limit? for China?s GDP expansion is 7.5%. The articles didn?t elaborate on the difference between a ?lower limit? and a ?bottom line.?

Investors are focused on the possibility of additional support measures after exports fell last month by the most since the global financial crisis.

Analysts at Mizuho Securities Asia Ltd. and Bank of America Corp. focused on a purported transcript of Li?s comments, circulating on the internet. The State Council Information Office didn?t respond to a faxed question from Bloomberg News about the authenticity of the account.

?Important Information?

Lu Ting, head of Greater China economics at Bank of America in Hong Kong, said the transcript was ?important information,? with Li indicating that the ?floor? for growth this year was 7.5%, while 7% was the lower limit for the period through 2020. Lu said that the government may roll out a ?small scale fiscal expansion? including spending on railways, social housing and environmental and information-technology infrastructure.

Shen Jianguang, chief Asia economist at Mizuho in Hong Kong, said 7.5% is the lower limit this year and 7% is the boundary starting next year. The government is already trying to support expansion with spending on railways, city infrastructure and environmental protection, Shen said.

Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said in a press briefing in Washington on July 11 that growth as low as 6.5% may be tolerable in the future. While the government in March set a 2013 growth goal of 7.5%, Lou said he?s confident 7% can be achieved this year.

Xinhua later amended its English-language report on Lou to say there?s no doubt that China can achieve this year?s growth target of 7.5%.

With assistance from Li Liu in Beijing

www.bloomberg.com

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/07/23/china-says-7-is-bottom-line-for-economic-growth-amid-slowdown/

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Drug Addiction Information App Review ? Android Resources

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Saturday, July 20, 2013

Emmy Nominees: Kerry Washington of ?Scandal?

Kerry Washington works in Washington both in fact and fiction.

As a member of President Obama?s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, she helps to make recommendations about arts education in America and to promote cultural diplomacy programs like Film Forward. As Olivia Pope, the protagonist of the soapy ABC thriller ?Scandal,? she fixes the problems of the powerful and has the occasional affair with the president.

On Thursday she became the first African-American actress to be nominated for best actress in a drama since 1995, when Cicely Tyson was nominated (and lost) for ?Sweet Justice.? Ms. Washington called from Los Angeles to discuss ?Scandal? and the nomination. These are excerpts from the conversation.

How would you define ?Scandal?? Is it a political thriller? A soap? All of the above?

All of the above. There?s something very heightened about it. The work of my fellow actors is so real and honest ? I don?t know if I?d say a soap opera but I would say there is something operatic about it.

The Emmy Awards

More coverage of the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, including reports, reviews, interviews with nominees and more.

Between your show and things like ?House of Cards? and ?Veep,? we seem to be having a D.C. moment on television.

What?s great about it is the shows are so different, tonally. Some of us were at the White House Correspondents dinner and it was so much fun, because some of the folks from ?Veep? and ?House of Cards? were there. It was fun to be able to talk to people inside the Beltway about how excited they are about these shows.

You work in Washington as part of the President?s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. What did you know about political fixers before you took this role?

Not much, which I think is a good sign because it means I haven?t been involved in any scandals. [Laughs.] There were ideas I had about the wardrobe. I knew that I wanted her to stand apart from the D.C. aesthetic. The ideas about power and stuff ? there?s enough of that in Hollywood.

What surprised you about that world?

One of the things I learned when I was researching Judy Smith, who the character is based on, is crisis management is such a high-stakes world. People walk into her office every single day on the worst day of their lives, and say, ?Fix it.? You and I may have one of those worst days. But she is constantly managing people?s worst days of their lives. So there is a kind of heightened energy to this kind of work. At the end of last season I actually said to my doctor, ?I have no adrenaline left in my system because I?ve been operating with these everything-is-life-or-death stakes for nine months. I need a nap and some adrenal gland support.?

You are the first black leading actress nominee since 1995, did you know that?

I have heard that this morning. [Laughs].

Is it a source of particular pride for you?

Well I?m honored to share this history with some of the actresses I admire most, people like Debbie Allen, Alfre Woodard, Cicely Tyson and Regina Taylor. To be in that community of actresses is tremendous to me, personally. I?m really excited that a show that is as inclusive and diverse as our show, with regard to not just race, but ethnicity and sexual orientation and age and gender, is able to succeed in the United States and now abroad as well. I?m proud to be part of a show like that.

Source: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/emmy-nominees-kerry-washington-of-scandal/

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Friday, July 19, 2013

Is 'Big Bang' primed to unseat 'Modern Family'?

Maria Elena Fernandez TODAY

20 hours ago

As "Modern Family" basks in its fourth consecutive Emmy nomination for outstanding comedy series, the question hanging over the ABC hit is whether it can join the elite club of sitcoms that have taken home more than three wins.

Cliff Lipson / CBS

Johnny Galecki, left, Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons on "Big Bang Theory."

So far, only "Frasier," which won five times, and "All in the Family" and "Cheers,'' which both won four times, have been able to pull that off. With three wins behind it, "Modern Family" will not only battle voter lethargy but also the stiffest competition it's ever faced.

Gunning for "Modern Family" are "The Big Bang Theory," which grew its audience in its sixth season and has become the most-watched comedy in the world; the dearly departed "30 Rock"; "Veep," HBO's critical babe that had a formidable second season; FX's "Louie," starring stand-up comedian Louie C.K. as a version of himself; and HBO's bold and fresh "Girls."

"Cool factor is a big issue," said Tom O'Neil, Emmy pundit and founder of the awards site GoldDerby.com. "What?s hip and cool right now? A lot of shows are hip and cool. In the past three years, it was obvious that 'Modern Family' was going to win and that it didn?t have any serious competition. But it's different this year. The show's up against general fatigue over its juggernaut and there are serious competitors all of a sudden."

Image: "Modern Family" wins at 2012 Emmys

Kevin Winter / Getty Images file

The Modern Family" cast and crew accept their 2012 Emmy for outstanding comedy series.

"Modern Family" did manage to dominate the supporting actor nominations for the fourth time (the cast chose not to submit for lead actor categories). Although two-time winner Eric Stonestreet did not crack the category, many of his castmates did: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, and Sophia Vergara all scored nominations.

But that doesn't mean the show will take home the big prize, O'Neil said. What show could topple the first series to capture America's "new" families? "Big Bang," which earned its third consecutive nomination could pull that off, he said. Two of "Big Bang's" actors were recognized as well: Jim Parsons, who has twice won best actor and has been nominated two other times; and Mayim Bialik who earned her second consecutive nomination in a supporting role.

"There are a lot of really good shows out there and a lot of really good actors--to be a part of a show recognized in this way is truly a tremendous honor," Parsons said in a statement Thursday. "I'm so proud and grateful to be a part of "Big Bang," and the chance to celebrate in this way with the whole team is a really special experience, especially six years into our run--you really never know with these awards things, so it's very important to enjoy it while it's happening."

Another strong contender against "Modern Family" is "Louie," the first basic cable comedy to be nominated. Like "Seinfeld," it wasn't recognized in its first two years but this year received a series nod and a nomination for creator and lead actor, Louie C.K.

And don't count "Veep" out either, O'Neil said. Another factor against "Modern Family" is that it's not snooty enough, he pointed out. "Veep" would be the one to most benefit from Emmy voters' elite tastes, he said, because "it's 'The 'West Wing' on a laugh track."

"The thing you can always count on at the Emmys is snob appeal," he said. "It?s no coincidence that the show that has won more Emmys than any other TV show in history ? "Frasier" ? is about two snobbish brothers arguing over opera and vintage wine. 'Modern Family' is going to have serious trouble getting the last laugh in best comedy this year."

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/can-big-bang-theory-unseat-modern-family-tvs-best-comedy-6C10658385

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Monday, July 8, 2013

First test-tube baby born after new, cheaper genome screening

By Ben Hirschler

LONDON (Reuters) - The first test-tube baby to come from an embryo screened for genetic defects using a new, low-cost technique that could improve in-vitro fertilization success rates was born last month and is a healthy boy.

The birth in June was announced on Monday as part of a study that scientists said validated the concept of next-generation genome screening, although more clinical tests are needed before the system is used widely.

The new technique uses modern low-cost DNA sequencing to spot both whole chromosome abnormalities and specific gene defects before an embryo is implanted in the womb.

Only around 30 percent of embryos selected during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) - when eggs are fertilized with sperm in a lab dish - actually implant successfully, and chromosomal defects are a major factor in failures.

Other genetic screening methods have been developed over the past decade but the new system should be substantially cheaper, researchers believe.

"We can do this at a cost which is about a half to two-thirds of what current chromosome screening costs are," said Dagan Wells of the University of Oxford.

"If further randomized trials confirm this, we could reach a point where there is a very strong economic argument that this should be offered very widely - perhaps to the majority of IVF patients."

Screening of embryos in IVF is currently reserved for older women, who are at increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities, and those with recurrent miscarriages.

Wells will present his research, which also includes results of laboratory tests on cells with known genetic defects, at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual meeting in London.

A second woman who underwent the screening process is due to give birth shortly.

Stuart Lavery, director of IVF at Hammersmith Hospital in London, who was not involved in the work, said the rapid analysis of vast amounts of DNA using the new genome sequencing technique was "amazing science".

"It gives us a very, very powerful tool for examining pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and gives us increased confidence when looking at multiple genetic abnormalities in a human embryo," he told reporters.

But Lavery added there needed to be a randomized clinical trial program to confirm the efficacy of the approach - something Wells and his team plan to begin later this year.

One in six couples worldwide experience some form of infertility problem at least once in their lifetime, according to ESHRE.

(Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-test-tube-baby-born-cheaper-genome-screening-231250965.html

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Report: Jimmy Haslam, NFL have indictment contingency strategy

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has consulted with the NFL?as his family?s Pilot Flying J?trucking company deals with a fuel rebate controversy, Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland reported Sunday night.

Of particular note: Grossi quoted an unnamed league source who said that the NFL and Haslam ?even have a plan in place in the event there is an indictment (of Haslam) to maintain ownership of the Browns during the legal process.? When asked about this, Haslam declined comment to Grossi, saying: ?I don?t want to answer any legal questions.?

Haslam told Grossi that he does not intend to sell the Browns.

?We plan on owning the Browns for a long time,? Haslam said, per ESPN Cleveland.

That said, there will still be uncertainty surrounding Haslam?s ownership of the Browns until there?s some closure in the rebate mess. Pilot Flying J faces numerous lawsuits, and the company?s finances have been a topic of conversation of late.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/07/report-jimmy-haslam-nfl-have-indictment-contingency-strategy/

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