Riokoni

The trials and difficulties of friendship, love and family, can nakiami leave her past in the past? Can her and her newfound friends stay together through life's troubles? or will they be torn apart and forced to go their separate ways?

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Sports Ministry Clarifies 2010 World Cup Expenditure

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has clarified the expenditure breakdown of Ghana?s participation at the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup.

A statement signed by Michael Akwasi Sarpong and copied to the GNA Sports said 19 million dollars was allocated for Ghana?s participation which was accrued from government and private sector contributions.

This includes the Black Stars training tour in Europe, expenses on the teeming supporters who were sent to South Africa, payment of the team?s appearance fees and winning bonuses, up to the quarter final stage as well as the President?s special package to the team, among others.

The statement was reacting to media reportage that the Minister, Clement Humado had presented contradictory account while addressing Parliament on Tuesday.

?It is true that the Ministry presented two different statements of accounts to Parliament on the expenditure on the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The first statement of accounts was presented in November, 2010, by Akua Sena Dansua (MP), who was then the Minister of Youth and Sports whiles the second statement was by the current Minister of the Ministry, Clement Kofi Humado (MP) on June 19, 2012.?

It said ?the Accounts presented by Akua Sena Dansua (MP), was an interim accounts after she had been asked by Parliament a specific question as to how much money has been spent on the Ghana contingent to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In her response, Dansua indicated that the government had as at the time of her response released US$8,062,389.10 only to the Ministry out of which US$7,195,182.40 had been spent on Ghana?s contingent which comprised of only the players, technical and management teams to the tournament.

?This expenditure covers only expenses on the contingent up to the preliminary stage (group stage) of the 2010 World Cup, which includes per diem, appearance fees, winning bonuses, transport, among others.?

It reiterated that ?the statements of accounts presented by Clement Kofi Humado to Parliament is the final account based on a different question asked by Simon Osei-Mensa (MP) about the ?entire? expenditure breakdown of the US$19 million Government allocation and private sector contributions for Ghana?s participation in the 2010 FIFA World Cup competition in South Africa.?

The communiqu? said ?Humado?s response to this question therefore covers a wider range, of the total expenditure on Ghana?s participation in the tournament.

?It is therefore evident from the above that the two statements are not in any way contradictory nor are they factually inaccurate. The first statement is an interim account which was presented at the time the entire Account of the World Cup had not been completed, whereas the second statement presented by Humado encompassed the entire Ghana?s preparation, participation in the tournament.?

Ghana was eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the tourney which the Black Stars made their second successive appearance.

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Engadget Mobile Podcast 143 - 06.22.2012

Listen intently as Microsoft's deepest, darkest press announcements are unraveled and demystified before your very ears: Myriam and Brad, live and pre-recorded from a hotel room in San Francisco, confront the cipher of the great riddles of the mobile Beyond.

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Tycho - Coastal Brake (Ghostly International)

00:02:30 - Samsung Galaxy S III review shootout: AT&T vs. Sprint
00:39:45 - Hands-on with Microsoft Surface for Windows RT, Touch Cover and Type Cover (update: video!)
00:50:58 - Microsoft introduces Windows Phone 8 for fall release, incompatible with current devices
01:25:00 - BlackBerry 10 hands-on (video)

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Engadget Mobile Podcast 143 - 06.22.2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deal of the Day ? 14? Dell Inspiron 14z Core i3 Ultrabook

Friday’s LogicBUY Deal is the 14″ Dell Ultrabook with Core i3 models starting at $699.99, Core i5′s starting at $774.99, and Core i7 models starting at $974.99.? Base features:? 0.8″ thick and 2.1kg, integrated DVD burner optical drive, brushed aluminum finish, built-in Skullcandy stereo speakers, two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI v1.4a port, 3-in-1 card reader, [...]

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Gadgets that save you from yourself

Featured

4 hrs.

Sean Fallon , Nerd Approved

Are you your own worst enemy? If so, the following gadgets might be able to help you overcome some?relatively minor shortcomings. That is to say, if you're reading this while wearing a fake mustache while frantically trying to make your way to the border,? sorry???but you've probably got bigger problems to tackle.

Ben & Jerry's pint lock
While technically designed to prevent others from stealing your ice cream, the Ben & Jerry's pint lock or "Euphori-Lock" can serve as a dietary deterrent as well. You probably won't remember the combination, and that means trying to find where you wrote it down. Then you have to enter in the combination itself. Way too many steps???though I might not be above cracking the pint open like a coconut and going in face first like a starving castaway.? $6.64???Ben&Jerry's via That's Nerdalicious

Beer Tracker bottle opener
Every time you open a beer, the Beer Tracker bottle opener will record it digitally. Hopefully, the reality of how many beers you've had will prevent awkward moments?? such as?waking up to find you have 50 Facebook messages with comments like, "The video we made of you last night is blowing up YouTube!" $10???FredFlare

A bed that makes itself
We aren't at a point where machines can completely overcome your tendency to make a mess, but a bed that can make itself is a good place to start. The OHEA Smart Bed can do just that in 50 seconds using a system of mechanical arms, cords and rollers. Granted, you'll have to be a pretty calm sleeper in order for it to work because it won't be able to handle a tangle of sheets tossed about in the night. If that sounds doable, the OHEA Smart Bed is expected to go on sale soon.???OHEA

iPhone Tank Case
If you're the kind of person who can't make it through a year without dropping and damaging your iPhone, you might want to consider a rugged case. The Tank Case from Case-Mate offers military-grade protection thanks to a polycarbonate hard shell with silicone cushioned interior and a retractable screen shield. Sure, you might have trouble fitting it?in your pants pockets (or, possibly, your car), but it's worth it for the peace of mind right? $60???Case-Mate

Toxic Waste Cookie Jar
Whenever the lid is opened on the Toxic Waste Cookie Jar, it will alert others to your unsanctioned snacking with flashing lights and an alarm sound. Using the excuse "I only did it because the horrible cookies you made are toxic and I thought they would give me superpowers" won't help. $14.99???Perpetual Kid via That's Nerdalicious

The Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock
Do you have trouble getting up in the morning? Well, that won't be a problem with the Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock. It has a maximum volume of 113 decibels (a jackhammer is around 100). If that isn?t enough, it also includes a bed shaker that you can slip under your mattress. If your heart can survive the shock, you'll always be on time. $49.99???ThinkGeek

HeadsUp
If anything, the HeadsUp sensor system proves that there a very good chance that a product exists to help you overcome just about every minor shortcoming. We've all seen garage sensor gadgets that alert you when you are about to smash into the wall, but the HeadsUp system is designed specifically to protect the expensive stuff you strap to the roof of your car. For example, if you like to go biking, you could attach a couple of waterproof sensors to the bikes, and when you return home the sensors will trigger an in-car alarm and LED sign inside the garage. In other words, it prevents you from entering the garage and smashing up your expensive gear. It's an absolute must for forgetful, outdoorsy types who have trouble with spatial relationships. $169.99???HeadsUp

More craziness from Nerd Approved:

?

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Android Central 100: Galaxy S III sorta in the U.S., Google IO is upon us

Podcast MP3 URL: 

http://traffic.libsyn.com/androidcentral/acpc100.mp3

Thing 1: Galaxy S III in the U.S., sort of

• AT&T Samsung Galaxy S III review
• Sprint Galaxy S III review

Thing 2: Google IO coming up next week - our predictions!

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean outed in Google Play Store listing, 'coming soon' to Galaxy Nexus

Thing 3: Lots and lots of voicemails

• We love you all.

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Egypt army, Islamists in talks to resolve impasse

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's war of words between the ruling generals and Islamists who paraded their popular strength on the streets on Friday may be resolved by discreet negotiations going on between the two old enemies behind the scenes.

Senior figures on both sides told Reuters they had several meetings during a past week marked by confrontation over moves by the army before and after the presidential election which opponents said were aimed at entrenching military rule.

A further meeting, as early as Saturday, may be followed by an announcement of the election result - the Muslim Brotherhood claims it has won. A compromise may help pull protesters off the streets and usher in a new phase of the wary power-sharing that has marked Egypt's passage from revolution to democracy.

Such an outcome would probably be welcomed by the United States, the long-time sponsor of the army during decades of military rule under Hosni Mubarak, which has called on the army to honor a promise of civilian government but shares some of its fears about handing untrammeled power to the Islamists.

"We have met with them to discuss how to get out of this crisis after parliament was dissolved and the new president's powers curbed," Khairat al-Shater, who runs the Brotherhood's finances and strategic planning, told Reuters late on Thursday.

"But the generals feel they are the proprietors of power and have not yet reached a level of real compromise."

Major General Mamdouh Shaheen, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) which took sovereign power from Mubarak, confirmed the recent meetings and repeated the army's commitment to a democratic transition.

But he echoed a strong statement issued by SCAF on Friday as the Islamists packed Cairo's Tahrir Square. It rejected the Brotherhood's call for the cancellation of a June 17 decree that gave extra powers to the military council after the election of a civilian president and said it was necessary for the interim.

"The constitutional decree is the exclusive authority of the military council," Shaheen told Reuters, also late on Thursday.

That decree followed the dissolution of a parliament elected in January with an Islamist majority. The army says its move was dictated by judges who found that some voting rules had been unconstitutional. By decree, SCAF took over legislative power until a new constitution is in force, effectively limiting the new president's ability to rule without military approval.

RESULT STILL UNCLEAR

Officials on both sides, and among those engaged in running the presidential election, insisted the result of the run-off vote itself was not being bargained over. A delay in giving the result, between the Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsy and former general Ahmed Shafik, was due to a large volume of appeals and allegations of irregularities, as the electoral commission says.

However, much of the negotiation in recent meetings between military and Brotherhood leaders seems based on an assumption of Morsy winning. While that is not certain to happen, sources in the military and the electoral commission have consistently told Reuters since the weekend vote that Morsy is ahead in the count.

A senior state official involved in overseeing the national vote tally - though not in the electoral commission - said that the delay in announcing the election result, while genuinely the result of large numbers of appeals by the candidates, had bought valuable time as the military and Brotherhood negotiated.

"There has definitely been the process involved in tallying the official vote before announcing results," he told Reuters on Friday. "But there is also the politicking behind the scenes, with each side weighing up the strength of the other.

"The Brotherhood can draw millions of disciplined supporters onto the streets and the army has a mandate to ensure order."

Compromise is not easy between arguably Egypt's two most powerful institutions, who share a long, violent history that is written into the life stories of those at the negotiating table.

But in the 16 months since the generals pushed aside their old commander Mubarak to appease the demonstrators, a level of cooperation has developed - one that has dismayed many of those who want neither entrenched military nor religious rule.

The cooperation frayed in recent months, as the Brotherhood stepped up its ambitions, fielding more candidates to take a bigger share of parliament than it had planned, then reversing a decision not to seek the presidency. Shater himself was the favored candidate, before he was disqualified by a court.

The apparent frequency of contact this week, even as the public rhetoric between the two sides has sharpened, may suggest that cooperation may continue in the months to come.

MUTUAL SUSPICION

Each side fears the other having total control, not only in formal government institutions but through informal ties in, for example, the judiciary, major businesses and indeed inside the military itself, where some officers are sympathetic to the Islamists. The Brotherhood sees a "deep state" left intact after Mubarak. The army fears an Iranian-style clerical takeover.

Much of the discussion between them has been over how far the SCAF builds in to the developing constitutional arrangements new limits on the powers of various arms of the state.

The generals, mistrustful of the Islamist group's long-term plans, say they cannot relinquish power before Egypt has a new constitution, over which they intend to have a considerable say before it goes to a vote, to guarantee their interests.

Shaheen, one of those most involved in drafting interim laws, said he wanted to "ensure a balanced political process".

The United States has also stressed that, while it wants a free election, it also wants to ensure that it is not the last election before some form of theocracy takes over nor won by a group which might abuse human rights by majority will.

Privately, another member of the military council, said he and his colleagues were worried about "inexperienced civilians in command who could steer the state in the wrong direction".

That is an attitude which frustrated Shater: "They meet with us and others; they say what they want to say; they listen a little. But at the end of the day they do what they want."

CONSTITUTION

Effectively, SCAF has shown it will not tolerate Islamists controlling both parliament and the presidency, and with those institutions, the constitutional drafting process.

"The army would be in trouble if an Islamist bloc gained traction in the country," the senior state official involved in the election said. "Any bloc is a threat to its prerogatives.

"There is a specific role the Brotherhood must play in the coming period - and they must not go beyond it."

Having, dispensed with the legislature, the military council has shorn the post of head of state, last occupied by Mubarak, of many of its trappings, not least its own budgetary control - now run by a general appointed by SCAF head Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi - and its once independent military unit, the Republican Guard, whose disbandment was announced on Friday.

While the Brotherhood has said it rejects the new decree and the dissolution of parliament, it has also offered a negotiating position: since the court's problem with the parliamentary election concerned only a third of the seats, then those members should be barred, while the rest of the legislature still meets.

"This would at least solve 75 percent of the problems we find with the decree, which gives the military council a veto over everything," Shater said.

But the military council, which says it cannot overturn the decision of the court, has resisted that. The state official dismissed the Brotherhood's proposal for parliament as a "maneuver", and reflected an unrealistic attitude to the negotiations, in which the army would keep the upper hand.

On the military council itself, one member said: "You have to remember that Egyptian political forces are at the early stages of democracy," he said.

"Many mistakes were made and there is much to be learned."

(Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

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Rats Laugh, But Not Like Humans

Image: Jonathan Bartlett

In this groundbreaking adventure into the worlds of psychopaths, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that there is a fine line between a brilliant...

Read More??

Adapted from Why Is the Penis Shaped Like That? ? And Other Reflections on Being Human, by Jesse Bering, by arrangement with Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC (North America), Transworld Ltd (UK), Jorge Zahara Editora Ltda (Brazil). Copyright ? 2012 by Jesse Bering.

Once, while in a drowsy, altitude-induced delirium 35,000?feet somewhere over iceland, I groped mindlessly for the cozy blue blanket poking out beneath my seat, only to realize?to my unutterable horror?that I was in fact tugging soundly on a wriggling, sock-covered big toe. Now, with a temperament such as mine, life tends to be one awkward conversation after the next, so when I turned around, smiling, to apologize to the owner of this toe, my gaze was met by a very large man whose grunt suggested that he was having some difficulty in finding the humor in this incident.

Unpleasant, sure, but I now call this event serendipitous. As I rested my head back against that sanitation-paper-covered airline pillow, my midflight mind lit away to a much happier memory, one involving another big toe, yet this one belonging to a noticeably more good-humored animal than the one sitting behind me. This other toe?which felt every bit as much as its overstuffed human equivalent did, I should add?was attached to a 450-pound western lowland gorilla, with calcified gums, named King. When I was 20 and he was 27, I spent much of the summer of 1996 with my toothless friend King, listening to Frank Sinatra and the Three Tenors, playing chase from one side of his exhibit to the other, and tickling his toes. He'd lean back in his night house, stick out one huge ashen-gray foot through the bars of his cage and leave it dangling there in anticipation, erupting in shoulder-heaving guttural laughter as I'd grab hold of one of his toes and gently give it a palpable squeeze. He almost couldn't control himself when, one day, I leaned down to act as though I were going to bite on that plump digit. If you've never seen a gorilla in a fit of laughter, I'd recommend searching out such a sight before you pass from this world. It's something that would stir up cognitive dissonance in even the heartiest of creationists.

Do animals other than humans have a sense of humor? Perhaps in some ways, yes. But in other ways there are likely uniquely human properties to such emotions. Aside from anecdotes, we know very little about nonhuman primate laughter and humor, but some of the most significant findings to emerge in comparative science over the past decade have involved the unexpected discovery that rats?particularly juvenile rats?laugh. That's right: rats laugh. At least, that's the unflinching argument being made by researcher Jaak Panksepp, who published a remarkable, and rather heated, position paper on the subject in Behavioural Brain Research.

In particular, Panksepp's work has focused on ?the possibility that our most commonly used animal subjects, laboratory rodents, may have social-joy type experiences during their playful activities and that an important communicative-affective component of that process, which invigorates social engagement, is a primordial form of laughter.? Now, before you go imagining some chortling along the lines of one rakish Stuart Little (or was he a mouse?), real rat laughter doesn't tend to sound very much like the human variety, which normally involves pulsating sound bursts starting with a vocalized inhalation and consisting of a series of short distinct saccades separated by almost equal time intervals. The stereotypical sound of human laughter is an aspirated h, followed by a vowel, usually a, and largely because of our larynx is rich in harmonics. In contrast, rat laughter comes in the form of high-frequency 50-kilohertz ultrasonic calls, or ?chirps,? that are distinct from other vocal emissions in rats. Here's how Panksepp describes his discovery of the phenomenon:

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'Idol's' Jessica Sanchez to likely join 'Glee'

Jordan Strauss / AP

"American Idol" finalist Jessica Sanchez may be starring in Fox's "Glee."

By Kristin Dos Santos, E! Online

Runner-up, schmunner-up! Phillip Phillips may have won a mouthful of ticker tape (and the grand prize) on "American Idol," but it's the singer he bested, Jessica Sanchez, who appears to be sticking around on Fox.

Sources confirm Jessica is currently in negotiations to join "Glee" for the fourth season. So who will she play?

More from E! Online: Emmy?contenders -?Pick your favorite actress in a comedy

Sources tell me the "Glee" masterminds are specifically creating a role for Jessica, and she would join the series halfway through season four (after the "Idols Live" summer tour wraps). She is set to appear in multiple episodes, as first reported by TVLine.

The deal is not finalized yet, but negotiations are happening.

Assuming it all goes through, Jessica joins previously announced guest stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Hudson for the fourth season, which will include graduated seniors Rachel (Lea Michele), Kurt (Chris Colfer), Finn (Cory Monteith), Santana (Naya Rivera), Brittany (Heather Morris) and more.

At only 16 years old, Jessica would be "Glee's" youngest cast member. Perhaps she'll play a McKinley High freshman and New Directions' new leading lady?

Do you think Sanchez will be a welcome addition to the cast? Share your ideas on our Facebook page.

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Teens help with home improvements | Window Replacement Usa

HAMPTON RAODS, Va. (WAVY) ? nearly 200 high school and college students from across the country are spending a week of their summer breaks in Norfolk, not to spend time on the beach, but to help people in need in Hampton Roads with simple home improvement projects.

The group is part of World Changers, a Christian faith-based organization providing people in need with tasks such as window repair.

?They?re painting the house, first they?re scraping [the lead paint].?

For more than 20 years, World Changers provided volunteers with new experiences.

?I?ve never scarped paint off a house before,? said SOMEONE. ?I?ve done a lot of painting but not scraping, so this is new.?

18-year-old Megan Blanchard is the veteran of the crew, now participating in her fourth year.

?We really liked the missions aspect of it, and being able to serve these people and showing them the love of Jesus in a tangible way,? Blanchard said.

The young adults pay a fee to volunteer their time and travel around the country.

?They pay about $250 a person to come and sleep on the floor in a church without air conditioning,? said Sally Jeffers, an organizer for World Changers.

A woman who received help from World Changers didn?t want to go on camera, but she let crew supervisor John Stokes know how she felt.

?She was happy,? Stokes said. ?Excited not only for the work to be done, but excited that someone?s out there caring and willing to do something like this for her.? ?

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Lady Gaga's MRI Checks Out Fine

Mother Monster takes to Twitter to let her dad know she is doing fine after a concert head injury.
By Jocelyn Vena

<P>A little more than a week after <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml">Lady Gaga</a> suffered a <a href="/news/articles/1687007/lady-gaga-concussion-concert-madonna.jhtml">concussion</a> and some <a href="/news/articles/1687141/lady-gaga-on-stage-concussion-photo.jhtml">bruises</a> from an onstage collision with a metal set piece on her <i>Born This Way</i> Ball, the singer got some good news: She's doing just fine.</P><P>"Went for an MRI," she <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/215379987283443712" target="_blank">tweeted</a> on Wednesday (June 20). "No harm from the concussion but it appears my brain is just water and a large floating jellyfish." She then shared just <i>who</i> she got the check-up for, adding a little note to her dad. "@germanottajoe i had them check my noodle," she wrote. "that was your father's day present Il mio babbo!! I thought they were taking me to the zoo. TRICKS."</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="Lady Gaga Will Bring a 'Personal' Touch To 'Born This Way' Tour" id="vid:717952" width="415" height="255"></div><p></P><P>The injury took place on June 10 while the Mother Monster was in New Zealand when a dancer accidentally hit her with a set piece mid-song. She walked off during "Judas" only to return to the stage after a short break to perform 16 more songs. "I want to apologize," she later told the crowd. "I did hit my head and I think I may have a concussion. But don't you worry, I will finish this show."</P><P>Gaga will play several shows in Sydney, including a gig on Wednesday night. She'll play Australia through the remainder of this month before hitting up Europe in July. She has dates slated right through December abroad. She has yet to announce North American dates for her elaborate <i>Born This Way</i> Ball, with a gothic castle serving as the tour's main visual.</P><P>In addition to touring through the rest of 2012, Gaga will also release <a href="/news/articles/1687383/lady-gaga-fame-perfume.jhtml">her first fragrance, Fame</a>, in September, which also happens to be the month she will announce the title of her next album, the <a href="/news/articles/1686922/lady-gaga-new-album-title.jhtml">follow-up to 2011's <i>Born This Way</i></a>.</P><P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1617615"><img src="http://www.mtv.com/news/photos/s/spotted/banner/spotted.jpg"></a></p>

Related Artists

• Lady Gaga

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Oil edges higher above $83, market eyes Iran talks

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Does Pain Management Really Work?

Millions of people suffer from chronic pain. The most common types of pain are arthritis, lower back, bone/joint pain, muscle pain and fibromyalgia or chronic widespread pain affecting various parts of the body. Treating chronic pain is often difficult, even with surgery. Many non-surgical options are also available to manage pain. The question that most patients ask is ?does pain management really work?? It does ? provided specialists administer the treatment.

Getting Specialized Pain Relief Treatment

The evaluation and management of pain is now a highly specialized field. Many factors are responsible for causing pain and therefore a multidisciplinary approach is required to treat it. Such specialized chronic pain management involves an integrated and coordinated intervention from different disciplines with a common goal.

Available at multi-specialty healthcare centers, pain management treatment usually includes pain management specialists, physical therapists, neurologists, chiropractors, orthopedic specialists, nurses, and other associate staff. This approach includes:

• A thorough evaluation which involves obtaining a history of the pain and a physical and comprehensive examination
• Diagnostic testing ? MRI, x-ray, medical lab tests, and other diagnostic reports
• Formulation of a treatment plan
• Coordinated team treatment

Treatment can be provided on an out-patient basis, with the patient needing to come to the center for a specified number of hours a week.

Effective Non-surgical Treatments for Relief from Back Pain

Many factors could cause back pain ? muscle or ligament strain, injury, poor posture, accidents, sedentary lifestyle, aging and weight gain. Multi-specialty pain management centers formulate very effective, individualized treatment plans to help their patients restore their functional abilities. A comprehensive back pain treatment program could include:

• Prolotherapy ? a non-surgical treatment in which a dextrose solution is injected into the ligament or tendon at the point it connects to the bone. This enhances the blood supply and flow of nutrients to the affected area and encourages tissue healing and repair.
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) ? a special device passes low voltage electrical energy to stop pain impulses and stimulate blood circulation
• Massage ? this serves to relax stress points, increase blood circulation and speed up healing
• Heat and cold applications ? both heat and cold can reduce sensitivity to pain; if there is bleeding or swelling, ice is preferred
• Epidural steroid injections ? cortisone injections bring down inflammation
• Oral medication - analgesics, NSAIDs, narcotic medications, and muscle relaxants offer relief from severe pain
• Chiropractic care ? this involves hands-on manipulation to improve mobility and reduce muscular spasm
• Physical therapy: physical therapy exercises and massage increase strength and mobility

Getting treatment from an established pain management center is the best way to deal with chronic pain.

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Electrician Houston - Save Money This Summer By Having Your ...

by Alex Sanders
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Electrician Houston More Details about Electrician Houston here.

Ceiling fans are one of life's little luxuries that get taken for granted. In today's struggle economy people are looking to save and cut down their bills anyway that they can. One way to help with the cooling cost of a home is to install ceiling fans in the bedrooms, or pretty much any room that's large and will have people in it. What people do not realize is that when your air unit comes on, the air just gets pushed out in a general area. If you do not have anything that will help to circulate the air, you will be left with areas of the home or room that are a lot hotter than others. Plus you air conditioner now has to work harder to compensate the fact that nothing is circulating the air evenly. I will always suggest getting these fan fixtures installed during the building process of the house so that it keeps the cost down. But even if you are looking to upgrade an already existing home, a simple call to your electricians and they will schedule a time to talk to you about the best fan options. A ceiling fan doesn't actually cool a room, but it does make you feel cooler because of the slight wind chill on your skin. That means you can raise the thermostat and feel just as comfortable. Switching out an existing overhead light fixture for a ceiling fan is a fairly simple project that a handy DIYer can do in a couple of hours. With any ceiling fan, the goal is to move more air--measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM)--with less effort, or fewer revolutions per minute. For example, a fan that's 36 to 42 inches in diameter might have a top speed of 300 rpm; a 52-inch fan moves the same amount of air at 220 rpm. Ceiling fans are now required to feature a reverse motor and airflow switch, allowing you to operate the fan year-round. The control is usually found on the fan's housing. Refer to your owner's manual to locate this switch. Remember to adjust your thermostat when using your ceiling fan! The benefit is additional energy and dollar savings. In the summer, the blades should rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. This direction creates a downdraft, making you feel cooler. In the winter, the blades should rotate in a clockwise direction. This direction creates an updraft that forces the warm air near the ceiling down into the room. The air at the ceiling of a room is 15 degrees warmer than that on the floor. Getting this warmer air down to floor level creates comfort at a lower thermostat setting. To avoid wind chill with winter warming, operate the fan on low speed. Whether you need an Electrician Houston or you are mister handy man himself, installing ceiling fans would be one of the best moves you can make that will help reduce the energy bill. You also can help make the look of the room or areas a lot better and more inviting. There is nothing better than a home improvement that is affordable and practical. Logo Electrical Services are award winning Electrician Houston.

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U.S. Plans Significant Military Presence in Kuwait

Fire fighters and Kuwaiti officials at the site of the fire in Rhayya, 120 Km North of Kuwait City on Tuesday, April 17, 2012. Hundreds of Kuwaiti firemen on Tuesday fought to contain a massive fire in a dump for used tires, with some members of parliament calling the blaze an environmental catastrophe.

By DONNA CASSATA, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The United States is planning a significant military presence of 13,500 troops in Kuwait to give it the flexibility to respond to sudden conflicts in the region as Iraq adjusts to the withdrawal of American combat forces and the world nervously eyes Iran, according to a congressional report.

The study by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee examined the U.S. relationship with the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council ? Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman ? against a fast-moving backdrop. In just the last two days, Saudi Arabia's ruler named Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul-Aziz as the country's new crown prince after last week's death of Prince Nayef, and Kuwait's government suspended parliament meetings for a month over an internal political feud.

[Read: Kuwait Halts Parliament for Month Over Turmoil.]

The latest developments inject even more uncertainty as the Middle East deals with the demands of the Arab Spring, the end to U.S. combat operations in Iraq at the end of 2011, fears of Iran's nuclear program and the counterterrorism campaign.

"Home to more than half of the world's oil reserves and over a third of its natural gas, the stability of the Persian Gulf is critical to the global economy," the report said. "However, the region faces a myriad of political and security challenges, from the Iranian nuclear program to the threat of terrorism to the political crisis in Bahrain."

The report, obtained by The Associated Press in advance of Tuesday's release, provided precise numbers on U.S. forces in Kuwait, a presence that Pentagon officials have only acknowledged on condition of anonymity. Currently, there are about 15,000 U.S. forces in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Buehring, giving the United States staging hubs, training ranges and locations to provide logistical support. The report said the number of troops is likely to drop to 13,500.

Several members of Congress, most notably Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., had pressed for a residual U.S. force to remain in Iraq, but the failure of the two countries to agree on whether American troops should be granted legal immunity scuttled that idea. Instead, officials talked of positioning a strong U.S. force just across the border in Kuwait. The strategy preserves "lily pad" basing that allows the military to move quickly from one location to the next.

As it recalibrates its national security strategy, the United States is drawing down forces in Europe while focusing on other regions, such as the Middle East and Asia. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said he envisions about 40,000 troops stationed in the Middle East region after the withdrawal from Iraq. By comparison, a cut of two Army combat brigades and the withdrawal of two other smaller units will leave about 68,000 troops in Europe.

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, some half a million U.S. forces were in the Middle East region. The United States maintained about 5,000 troops in Kuwait from the end of the Gulf War to March 2003, when U.S. and coalition forces invaded Iraq to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein. The U.S.-led invasion was in response to reports, later discredited, that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., who asked his staff to conduct the study, said in a statement: "This is a period of historic, but turbulent change in the Middle East. We need to be clear-eyed about what these interests are and how best to promote them. This report provides a thoughtful set of recommendations designed to do exactly that."

The 37-page report raises questions about how the United States can leverage its financial aid to force change in the Middle East. Late last year, two Democrats ? Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts ? opposed the U.S. sale of spare parts and equipment to Bahrain, arguing that the ruling Sunni monarchy was violating human rights and using excessive force to crack down on protests. The State Department went ahead earlier this year with the sale of some military equipment, saying it was for Bahrain's external defense and support for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which is based in the country.

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Radiohead drum technician killed in stage collapse

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Dr. Peggy Drexler: What's so funny about being gay?

We've come a long way from The Odd Couple, the 1965 Broadway hit about two mismatched male roommates and whose premise now feels centuries old -- and not because of the rotary phones and the early Eisenhower d?cor. Back then, the unspoken possibility of men living together in stereotypical sex roles -- only without the sex -- was funny. It wouldn't have worked if there'd been the slightest suggestion of something more.

We now have that depiction -- or, at least, less subtle intimation -- of "more" to laugh at in a wide variety of current pop culture offerings, including shows like Glee, Modern Family, and Happy Endings, and theater productions like The Book of Mormon, all of which include gay characters dealing with very universal issues of love and sex. The hilarious new film adaptation of Rock of Ages features a love story between two of the male leads who confess their feelings for one another to the tune of a REO Speedwagon song. And this fall, Glee creator Ryan Murphy furthers the dialogue with a new NBC sitcom called The New Normal, about two gay men, their baby, and their adorably pushy "baby mama."

We know by now how very key a role mainstream entertainment plays in creating a greater acceptance of gay rights, specifically to marry. Back in May, when Vice President Joe Biden argued in favor of same-sex marriage, he cited Will & Grace as a show that "did more to educate the American public" about gay people than anything else. Indeed, much of the general public's "education" about the lives of gay Americans has come at the hands of television comedy. But by making gay characters something to laugh at, does it also risk making gay humor the only form of gay we can take?

When it comes to sex -- gay or straight -- laughter is often the best medicine. In large part that's because, if you think about it, sex often is laughable. But one challenge we've had in achieving the full acceptance of people who are gay is that the very nature of what we're "accepting" forces us to think about -- and talk about -- someone else's sexual activity. As a family psychologist and gender expert, I've worked with many gay couples and individuals. One mother of a lesbian I knew told me that what disturbed her most about her daughter's sexual orientation was the thought of her having sex with another woman. But what parent wants to imagine a child of whatever inclination having sex? Conversely, what child wants to imagine his or her parent doing the same? So when we do, or when we're forced to, talk about or think about sex, it's often for laughs. That's okay.

Still, it's a good idea to watch out for the type of humor we're using, and whether we're using it more to talk about gay sex than straight sex. The television network TLC recently pulled an episode of its popular Cake Boss reality series, before it aired, once it was revealed (to considerable public uproar) that the show planned to depict a transgender woman as the punch line to a prank setup. That decision came in time. But what if others don't? And what of the messages we're sending about gay love when we make a big deal out of same sex relationships on TV? On most networks, it's still considered somewhat provocative to show two men kissing -- less so, for some reason, for two women. But either way, episodes that feature same sex kissing often come with parental warnings, even when programs that feature the same level of passion between a man and a woman do not.

This discrimination in what we're comfortable seeing -- or imagining -- has real costs. What if Mike McQueary had walked into that locker room and seen Jerry Sandusky raping a 10-year-old little girl? Would he have gone home and waited until the next day to report the incident to Coach Joe Paterno -- and not until many days later university officials? Or would he have intervened right then and there? I think we know the answer.

The most fallacious argument against gay marriage is that it's somehow going to jeopardize the straight kind, something that seeing gay couples on TV -- in humorous situations or otherwise -- can help battle. In the course of my research, I've spent a lot of time with lesbian couples and their children, exposure that has made me face my own assumptions, prejudices, and fears about sex that differs from what I know as a straight mother in a long-term marriage. I have seen the utter normality of two-mom families. Indeed, when President Obama announced his support for same sex marriage days after North Carolina voted to ban it, he argued that concern for children is a reason to support, rather than oppose, gay marriage.

The positives coming out of this explosion in gay comedy is that we're heading in the direction of equal opportunity ridicule for all sex. Consider a classic Comedy Central segment in which Ed Helms "reported" that, "gay sex among men has doubled in 10 years... At that rate, in 50 years, 150% of Americans will be gay. That's three out of every two people." That's funnier than The Odd Couple's Felix washing a glass the minute it's put down. Thankfully, gone are the days when no one could take a joke about what might happen in a bed shared by two men or two women. These days, we know gay sex is just as funny, and sometimes tragic, as the other kind.

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Follow Dr. Peggy Drexler on Twitter: www.twitter.com/drpeggydrexler

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Reports: Swedish zoo worker killed in wolf attack

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