Travel & Leisure Blog's: Plan Your Next Trip Out The Right Way

Lots of people fantasize about taking trips all over the world. While it's nice to daydream about all the wonderful places to explore, all the most memorable vacations begin with proper planning and knowledge. The following advice will help you get the absolute most out of your adventures to new places.

When traveling in another country, be sure to clean your hands and under your fingernails often. Try not to touch your face, especially your eyes and mouth ,to prevent any bacteria or germs from getting in. This is especially important if you're visiting a less developed country to avoid getting sick.

If you are traveling to a country where you do not know the local language, make sure to bring a translator. This is especially important when ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions, or trying to have a conversation with the locals. If you can, try to learn basic words before you leave on your trip.

When you enter your hotel room, check for bed bugs. Even though this is probably the last thing on your mind, it is an important factor. These pesky bugs can get into your luggage and attach themselves to your belongings, meaning you can end up bringing them home with you.

If you are traveling overseas take the time to make a photocopy of your passport before you leave on your trip, and give it to a family member or close friend to hold on to while you are away. So, if you for some reason lose your passport during your trip, they can scan and email you a copy so you can replace your documents easily.

If you are traveling and wear glasses, do not hesitate to bring a spare pair. Make sure it is a pair with a strong frame and preferably unbreakable lenses. In the event that you do not have a spare pair and time does not permit, get a copy of your prescription and order them at your destination when you arrive or if needed.

Avoid carrying bulky coats or feeling the chill of a window seat by dressing in layers that can be easily discarded or added back when flying. Airplane cabins are known for fluctuating temperatures both prior to takeoff and during the flight and most airlines no longer provide light blankets.

When you are traveling overseas, make sure that you have multiple copies of your passport in different locations. This will allow you to maintain the most security possible in the event that you were to lose your passport. Always have backup for important documentation when you are planning to travel.

Separate valuables and important documents while traveling in different bags or pockets. This way, if you lose your wallet or bag, you do not lose all of your valuables or identification. Consider anything difficult to replace or necessary when deciding where to pack items. For example, you may want to pack one credit card in your luggage and another in your wallet.

If you take prescription medications on a regular basis, be sure to carry plenty to cover the time you plan to be traveling, plus a little extra. Keep all of your prescription drugs in their original, clearly labeled containers to avoid problems with customs. Bring your doctor's orders with you and all information regarding the drug that you take. This should include information regarding generic equivalents of the drug.

Consider swapping souvenirs when you are traveling. Many people in other countries are interested in hats, shirts and a lot of other items that come from this country. If something catches your eye in a vendor's stall, see if they would like to make a trade with you. You will also have the opportunity to talk to local people and create interesting stories for your friends and family back home.

While you were traveling, have you worried about having a safe place to hide your emergency cash? Well a wonderful tip for women to hide their cash is by sewing in a little pocket inside of their bras. It takes little sewing knowledge to get a small piece of cloth, needle and thread and sew the pocket inside. You will feel better that it is there just in case you lose your wallet or purse.

If you are not interested in striking up a conversation with your seat mates, make sure you bring along big, noise-cancelling headphones. Most people will not try to strike up a conversation with someone who is obviously not interested in talking. These have the added bonus of blocking out the sounds of babies crying or people chatting while you relax.

If you plan to travel for more than a weekend, inform your bosses two weeks prior to leaving so that they can find someone to cover your responsibilities before hand. This way, you are not relying on someone who merely says they will cover for you and you have respectfully informed them the reasons of your absence.

Make sure to make the best of your road trip and enjoy it. Don't get so caught up in schedules, lists and how long you've been driving during the trip.

Pack your own pillow. If you have trouble sleeping away from home, try bringing your own pillow along. Some people find it difficult to sleep in a bed that isn't their own. Having a familiar pillow under your head can make a surprisingly huge difference. It could mean the difference between sleepless nights and being well rested for another day full of activities.

Now that you're equipped with all the tips in this article, you will have much less confusion while planning exciting trips. Fellow travelers will admire your resourcefulness as you demonstrate your awareness of any obstacles and then deftly conquer them.

When you decide to travel your expectation will be enjoyment. If you keep in mind the tips and advice in this article then you will have a chance at making the most out of your next trip. What matters is that you get as close as you can to what you were anticipating and feel totally fulfilled after you return.

Source: http://travel-leisure-blogs.blogspot.com/2013/03/plan-your-next-trip-out-right-way.html

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HIV antibodies that are worth the wait

Friday, March 29, 2013

An effective vaccine against HIV-1 remains elusive, but one promising strategy focuses on designer antibodies that have much broader potency than most normal, exquisitely specific antibodies. These broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) can handle the high mutation rate of HIV particles that makes normal, very specific antibodies useless within a short space of time. A study published by Cell Press on March 28th in the journal Cell reveals surprising mutations in these antibodies that are crucial for strong protection against HIV-1. The findings could guide efforts to design better HIV-1 vaccines.

"This study demonstrates a fundamental aspect of antibodies' function and development that was not fully appreciated before," says study author Ron Diskin of the Weizmann Institute of Science. "We show that it will be important to pay more attention to previously ignored regions of antibodies to design effective vaccines."

Scientists have recently found that some HIV-1-infected individuals produce bNAbs naturally several years after infection. Animal studies have shown that these antibodies are very effective at protecting against and controlling HIV-1 infection, but what makes them so effective was unknown. Antibodies are Y-shaped molecules, and most variation is found at the two tips of the Y, called the complementarity determining regions, where antibodies make direct contact with the virus. On the other hand, relatively few mutations have been found in framework regions (the bottom half of the Y), which maintain the structural integrity of the antibody. Until now, the role of framework region mutations had been unclear.

The study, led by Michel Nussenzweig of Rockefeller University and Pamela Bjorkman of the California Institute of Technology, has revealed that HIV-1-fighting bNAbs accumulate mutations in framework regions, in contrast to most antibodies. Surprisingly, these mutations strengthened the antibodies' antiviral activity while conserving key structural features. The researchers suggest that several years are required for infected individuals to produce these potent antibodies because it takes time for the right combination of various mutations to accumulate.

"Our study shows that the immune system has a variety of ways to make effective antibodies and that mutations in antibody framework regions, which are usually not changed when antibodies mutate to increase their efficacy, are required for anti-HIV antibodies," Bjorkman says. "This has clear implications for efforts to raise effective antibodies for the next generation of HIV vaccines."

###

Cell Press: http://www.cellpress.com

Thanks to Cell Press for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 10 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127512/HIV_antibodies_that_are_worth_the_wait

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Declaring a truce with our microbiological frenemies

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Managing bacteria and other microorganisms in the body, rather than just fighting them, may be lead to better health and a stronger immune system, according to a Penn State biologist.

Researchers have historically focused on microbes in the body as primarily pathogens that must be fought, said Eric Harvill, professor of microbiology and infectious disease. However, he said that recent evidence of the complex interaction of the body with microbes suggests a new interpretation of the relationship.

"Now we are beginning to understand that the immune system interacts with far more beneficial bacteria than pathogens," said Harvill. "We need to re-envision what the true immune system really is."

Harvill said that this reinterpretation leads to a more flexible approach to understanding how the immune system interacts with microbes. This approach should balance between defending against pathogens and enlisting the help of beneficial microbes.

While the role that some bacteria play in aiding digestion is better known, microbes assist in improving body functions, including strengthening the immune system and responding to injuries.

In some cases, attacking pathogens can harm the beneficial effects microbes have on immune system, according to Harvill. For example, patients on antibiotics have an increased risk of contracting yeast infections and MRSA.

"Viewing everything currently considered immunity, including both resistance and tolerance, as aspects of a complex microbiome management system that mediates interactions with the sea of microbes that surround us, many of which are beneficial, can provide a much more positive outlook and different valuable perspectives," Harvill said.

The system that includes bacteria and other microbes in the human body, or the microbiome, is much larger and more integrated into human health than most people suspect, according to Harvill.

"The human body has 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells," said Harvill.

Adding to the complexity is the adaptive capacity of the human immune system. The immune system can develop antibodies against certain pathogens, which it can reuse when threatened by future attacks from the same pathogen.

Harvill, who described his alternative viewpoint in the latest issue of mBio, said that some researchers have not yet accepted this broader approach to the immune system.

"Among immunologists or microbiologists this is an alien concept," said Harvill. "It's not part of how we have historically looked at the immune system, but it's a useful viewpoint."

Other researchers who study plant and nonhuman biology are already starting to embrace the concept. For example, plant biologists are beginning to recognize that viruses can help plants resist drought and heat.

"Within nonhuman immunology, this is not an alien concept because they have seen many examples of beneficial relationships between the host and its microbial commensals," Harvill said.

Harvill said adopting this new perspective could be the first step toward new medical treatments.

"This new viewpoint suggests new experiments and results will published," said Harvill. "And, hopefully, the concept becomes more and more mainstream as supporting evidence accumulates."

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences supported this work.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Penn State. The original article was written by Matthew Swayne.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. E. T. Harvill. Cultivating Our "Frienemies": Viewing Immunity as Microbiome Management. mBio, 2013; 4 (2): e00027-13 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00027-13

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/zVlE42gbOgI/130328125228.htm

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Personal Health: What Causes Hearing Loss

Noise, not age is the leading cause of hearing loss. Unless you take steps now to protect to your ears, sooner or later many of you ? and your children ? will have difficulty understanding even ordinary speech.

Tens of millions of Americans, including 12 percent to 15 percent of school-age children, already have permanent hearing loss caused by the everyday noise that we take for granted as a fact of life.

?The sad truth is that many of us are responsible for our own hearing loss,? writes Katherine Bouton in her new book, ?Shouting Won?t Help: Why I ? and 50 Million Other Americans ? Can?t Hear You.? The cause, she explains, is ?the noise we blithely subject ourselves to day after day.?

While there are myriad regulations to protect people who work in noisy environments, there are relatively few governing repeated exposure to noise outside the workplace: portable music devices, rock concerts, hair dryers, sirens, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, vacuum cleaners, car alarms and countless other sources.

We live in a noisy world, and every year it seems to get noisier. Ms. Bouton notes that the noise level inside Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kansas often exceeds that of a chain saw.

After poor service, noise is the second leading complaint about restaurants. Proprietors believe that people spend more on food and drink in bustling eateries, and many have created new venues or retrofitted old ones to maximize sound levels.

When I?m told about a new restaurant, my first question is, ?Is it noisy?? My friends and I will never return to one in which the racket makes it impossible to converse with tablemates. Perhaps the young diners the restaurateurs covet ?talk? by texting.

The ears are fragile instruments. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the eardrum to vibrate. The vibrations are transmitted to the cochlea, in the inner ear, where fluid carries them to neatly organized rows of hair cells. These in turn stimulate auditory nerve fibers, each attuned to a different frequency. These impulses travel via the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as, say, words, music or an approaching vehicle.

Damage to this delicate apparatus results from both volume and length of exposure to sound. Very loud noises, or chronic exposure to sound even when it is not particularly loud, can wreak havoc on hair cells, causing them to become disarranged and to degenerate.

We are born with a fixed number of hair cells; once they are dead, they cannot be replaced, and auditory sensitivity is permanently lost. Usually, sensitivity to high-frequency sounds is first to go, followed by an inability to hear the frequencies of speech.

Furthermore, the effects of noise exposure are cumulative, as Robert V. Harrison, an auditory specialist at the University of Toronto, noted recently in The International Journal of Pediatrics. Although we start out with a redundancy of hair cells, with repeated noisy insults, enough are destroyed to impair hearing. Thus, damage to hair cells incurred early in life, as has happened to many rock musicians and rock concert aficionados, can show up in midlife as difficulty understanding speech.

Sound volume is measured in decibels (dB), and the level at which noise can cause permanent hearing loss begins at about 85 dB, typical of a hair dryer, food processor or kitchen blender.

Dr. Michael D. Seidman, the director of otolaryngology at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital in Michigan, told me to use ear plugs when I dry my hair or mow my lawn with a gas-powered mower, and to cover my ears when an emergency vehicle passes with siren blasting. Ear protection is a must for people who shoot guns as well as those who ride motorcycles or use snow blowers, leaf blowers, hand or pneumatic drills or chain saws.

But even noisier than many of these is the maximum output of some portable music players, which can exceed occupational safety levels and produce sound levels in the ear on a par with that of a jet taking off. If you listen to music with earbuds or headphones at levels that block out normal discourse, you are in effect dealing lethal blows to the hair cells in your ears, Dr. Seidman said.

A national study in 2006 by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association found that among users of portable music devices, 35 percent of adults and up to 59 percent of teenagers reported listening at loud volumes.

Dr. Harrison urges purchasers of such ?personal entertainment devices? to read and heed the warnings and practical advice on package inserts. Too often people turn up the volume to overcome surrounding noise. A better plan is to set a maximum volume while in a quiet environment and never go above that.

In general, if other people can hear what you?re listening to, the volume is turned up too high. Many times I?ve had to change my seat on the subway or bus because the rider next to me was using a music player as if it were a boombox.

Some portable listening devices come with the ability to set a maximum volume, which may be worth the added cost to parents concerned about protecting their children?s ears.

At a given volume level, earbuds deliver higher noise levels than over-the-ear headphones. If earbuds are used, Dr. Harrison suggests selecting ones that fit loosely and never inserting them tightly into the ear canal. Alternatively, when you are alone and not at risk of missing important environmental cues, like an approaching vehicle, consider using noise-canceling over-the-ear headphones that block out background noise and enable you to listen at a lower volume.

Even toys meant for young children can generate ear-damaging levels of noise. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association lists as potential hazards cap guns, talking dolls, vehicles with horns and sirens, walkie-talkies, rubber squeaky toys, musical instruments and toys with cranks. According to the association, some toy sirens and squeaky rubber toys can emit sounds of 90 dB, as loud as a lawn mower.

It suggests that parents with normal hearing test new toys before giving them to a child. ?If the toy sounds loud, don?t buy it,? is the recommendation. For noisy toys already bought, consider removing the batteries or taping over the speaker.

Additional protective information can be found online. Check out It?s a Noisy Planet; Keep It Hear; Listen to Your Buds; Hear-It Youth; and Dangerous Decibels.

Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/what-causes-hearing-loss/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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5 Manly Recipes For Food With Alcohol | of Iron & Oak

There?s something about pairing the perfect drink with your meal that just intensifies the whole experience. There?s no denying that. But what happens if you skip the middleman and just cook food with alcohol?

We here at of Iron & Oak are always trying to push the boundaries of our readers, introducing them to new skills and exposing them to new and exciting things that will enhance their overall manly stature.

We know some of you guys haven?t cooked anything more than Hungry-Man TV dinners and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. We also know that some of you men out there are tried and true gourmet chefs in your own right, and for that, you get a gold star. Because, after all, providing delicious foods for others sort of goes hand-in-hand with the age-old testament of being manly. No??

We?ve already covered basic grilling skills, which can be applied here, but we want to dive deeper into the culinary arts. We want to expose our readers to even more manly recipes by cooking food with alcohol. Bourbon steak. Beer can chicken. Whiskey-flavored pork chops.

You see, cooking in itself is a bit of a science. Add a bit of alcohol to the equation and you?ve got yourself a full-blown, deliciously badass experiment. Here are five manly recipes for food with alcohol fit for a king. Give them a try, gourmet chef or not, and let us know how your meals turned out. Hell, let us know what your ladies even think of them. And if you have any manly recipes of your own, feel free to share.

BOURBON STEAK

Steak is probably one of the easiest and manliest foods to cook. There?s nothing like taking a nice, hearty slab of beef, throwing it on a grill and grilling it to your exact specifications.

But what makes a great steak? Often times, it?s the marinade.

Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 1
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients:
-?????? ? cup of soy sauce
-?????? ? cup of bourbon
-?????? 1 clove of garlic, pressed or minced
-?????? ? teaspoon of grated ginger
-?????? ? cup of water
-?????? 1 steak (roughly ?? thick)

Directions:

1. Combine everything in a shallow dish.
2. Tenderize the steak by beating the hell out of it, and marinate it for at least two hours.
3. Grill the steak over a charcoal fire.

Source: Bourbon Steak on food.com.

BEER BRATS

We live for summer barbecues, guys, and these are essential. You?ll have your run-of-the-mill hot dogs and hamburgers, obviously, but spice it up with some delicious brats!

You?ll be drinking and eating anyway; just mix the two together.

Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 10
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
-?????? 4 cans of beer (Any kind. Experiment with different flavors.)
-?????? 1 large onion, diced
-?????? 10 bratwurst
-?????? 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
-?????? 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
-?????? 1 teaspoon of salt
-?????? ? teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium to high heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate. Remember this from our grilling article.
2. Combine the beer and onions in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Toss the brats in the beer, making sure they are completely submerged. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 10-12 minutes. Then remove the brats from the beer mixture and continue to cook the onions with the heat set to low.
3. Cook the brats on the preheated grill, turning once every 5-10 minutes.
4. Serve with the onions as a topping as a side.

Source: Beer Brats on allrecipes.com.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

This one?s a bit tricky, but definitely worth a try. Steam the inside of your chicken with spiced beer. It?ll be filled with juices delectable enough to make your mouth water.

Plus, doesn?t it look kind of fun?

Difficulty: Medium
Serves: 10
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:
-?????? ? cup of dark brown sugar
-?????? ? cup of kosher salt
-?????? ? cup paprika
-?????? 4 tablespoons of fresh ground pepper
-?????? 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
-?????? 2 cups of cherry or hickory wood chips (available in the charcoal aisle)
-?????? 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
-?????? 2 three to four pound whole chickens
-?????? 2 cans of beer (Again. Any kind. Experiment with different flavors.)

Directions:
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect medium grilling. Soak the cherry wood chips in a bowl of water for at least 60 minutes. Put the soaked wood chips over the coals once the chicken is ready to be cooked.
2. Combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper and cayenne into a dry?rub.
3. Clean out the chicken?s cavities and wash the chickens with cold water. Pat them dry with a paper towel and rub them each with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Rub the dry rub spice mixture inside and outside of the chickens. Make sure to cover the entire bird, including the creases between the wings. Save roughly two teaspoons for the next part.
4. Take each can of beer and pour out (or drink) half of the can. Using a can opener, poke two extra holes in the top of the beer cans. Slowly pour one teaspoon of extra dry rub into each of the cans, being careful as they may foam up and out of the can.
5. Place the beer cans in the chicken?s cavities and use their legs to make a tripod. The beer and spices will steam up into the chicken, keeping it moist.
6. Make sure to use indirect grilling. In other words, don?t put the chicken directly over the coals or flames. They will burn. If they start to get too dark, loosely cover the top of the chickens with a piece of aluminum foil.
7. Chickens should be ready in an hour and half or when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 F. Delicious juices will be running off the bottom of the chickens.
8. Don?t open the grill too often. Try opening the grill once after every hour and then every fifteen minutes afterwards. Don?t let too much heat escape.

Source: Beer Can Chicken on mantestedrecipes.com.

ONE-PAN WHISKEY-FLAVORED PORK CHOPS

Here?s a meal fit for a king. Just looking at these whiskey-flavored pork chops makes my mouth water. Add a side of mashed potatoes and you?re in heaven.

Make these for your ladyfriend. See how impressed she is.

Difficulty: Medium
Serves: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:
-?????? 2/3 cup of fat-free sour cream
-?????? ? cup of water
-?????? 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
-?????? ? teaspoon of salt
-?????? ? teaspoon of dried rubbed sage
-?????? ? teaspoon of black pepper
-?????? 4 six ounce bone-in center-cut pork chops, trimmed
-?????? ? teaspoon of salt
-?????? 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
-?????? 1 teaspoon of olive oil
-?????? ? cup of chopped onion
-?????? 1 eight ounce package of pre-sliced mushrooms
-?????? ? cup of whiskey

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine the sour cream, water, flour, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add the sage to the same mix by rubbing it between your fingers to release the oils.
3. Sprinkle pork with ? teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once it?s hot, saut? the pork for five minutes on each side, or until golden, and remove it from the pan.
5. Add onions and mushrooms to the same pan and saut? for three minutes. Carefully add whiskey to the pan and cook for one minute or until the sauce becomes less liquefied.
6. Return pork to the pan and spoon mushrooms, onions and sauce over the pork.
7. Cover the pan and bake the chops in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour.

Source: One-Pan Whiskey-Flavored Pork Chops on myrecipes.com.

BEEF AND DARK BEER CHILI

Perfect for cool autumn nights, this beef and dark beer chili may be a bit hard to put together, but the end result is truly amazing.

Throw it on your hot dogs or engorge solo. Delicious.

Difficulty: Hard
Serves: 10-12
Prep: 47 minutes
Cook: N/A

Ingredients:
-?????? 1 ? tablespoons of ground cumin
-?????? 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
-?????? 5 pounds of ground chuck (cut of beef extending from neck to ribs, includes shoulderblade)
-?????? 2 tablespoons of canola oil
-?????? 2 ? pounds of chopped onions
-?????? 1 ? pounds of red bell peppers, seeded, cut into ? inch pieces
-?????? 1 ? pounds of yellow bell peppers, seeded, cut into ? inch pieces
-?????? 2 large jalapeno chiles with seeds, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
-?????? 7 tablespoons of chili powder
-?????? 2 teaspoons of minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
-?????? 2 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
-?????? 2 15 ounce cans of kidney beans, drained
-?????? 1 12 ounce bottle of dark beer, you know? some sort of stout
-?????? Sour cream
-?????? Chopped green onions
-?????? Grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Toast cumin and coriander in a skillet over medium heat for about four minutes until dark and beginning to smoke. Let it cool.
2. Saute chuck (beef) in a heavy large pot for about eight minutes over medium-high heat until it?s no longer pink. Break it up with a spoon.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers and jalepenos. Saute vegetables for about fifteen minutes until they begin to soften. Add this mixture to the pot with the meat and mix in the aforementioned toasted spices as well as chili powder and chipotle chiles.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, beans and beer, and bring the chili to a boil, stirring occasionally.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve with sour cream, green onions and cheese.

Source: Beef and Dark Beer Chili on epicurious.com.

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Like this article? Why not like us as well? Find of Iron & Oak on?Facebook?and?Twitter! And, as always, feel free to express your comments, concerns or funny stories in the comments below. Look good. Live well. Of Iron & Oak.

Source: http://ofironandoak.com/2013/03/5-manly-recipes-for-food-with-alcohol/

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'The Voice': How Did Usher And Shakira Do?

New coaches do anything to get their faves, including Usher dangling Justin Bieber access in front of the singing hopefuls.
By Natasha Chandel

Usher on "The Voice"
Photo: NBC

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704336/usher-shakira-the-voice-premiere.jhtml

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How Many Times Do You Wear Clothes Before Washing Them?

Washing your clothes too often can wear them out quickly, but washing them rarely just gets you dirty clothes. We're wondering how many times you wear your clothes before washing.

Weblog SavvySugar has a little cheat sheet showing how often you should wash clothes (according to them, of course), but we all know it isn't that simple?heck, even three of us Lifehacker editors couldn't agree on how often to wash pants on our podcast last week. So we're taking it to you: How often do you wash shirts? Pants? Blazers? Share your laundry rules with us below, and why!

How Many Wears Before You Need to Wash | SavvySugar via Wise Bread

Photo by Harika Reddy.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/3DKrCbcCwEQ/how-many-times-do-you-wear-clothes-before-washing-them

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Analysis: Obama's climate agenda may face setbacks in federal court (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/294229334?client_source=feed&format=rss

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WSJ: Apple takes WiFiSlam indoor-GPS mapping startup under its wing for $20M

Watch out, Google Maps for Android, it looks like Apple's iOS Maps may soon be entering the building -- when it comes to indoor GPS tracking anyway. The Wall Street Journal's Digits blog is reporting that Apple has confirmed it purchased WiFiSlam, a startup that specializes in WiFi-assisted indoor-GPS functionality for phone apps. Interestingly, Digits notes that the company was founded by a few ex-Googlers a couple of years back and that one of its investors has included a Google employee. Further, a quick Google search confirms that any WiFiSlam-related apps that may have been on Google Play are all but dead links now. The word on the street is that Apple handed over $20 million to claim the company, although it wouldn't confirm any numbers -- or a specific reason for the purchase -- with the blog. While there's no actual telling whether this means we'll see indoor mapping on iOS maps at any point, it's hard not to imagine it now that Apple's made the purchase. We're seeking comment from Apple on our end, and will be sure to let you know what we hear back. For now, check out an old demo of WiFiSlam in action after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Wireless, Mobile, Apple, Google

Comments

Source: Wall Street Journal (Digits blog)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/apple-wifislam-indoor-gps-maps/

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Dell board considers 2 new buyout offers

ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) ? Dell plans to negotiate with Blackstone Group and investor Carl Icahn over new acquisition bids for the computer maker that rival an offer of more than $24 billion from investors led by founder Michael Dell.

Dell Inc. says a special committee of board members has determined the bids from buyout specialist Blackstone and Icahn could be superior to a proposal from Dell and Silver Lake Partners to buy the Round Rock, Texas, company for $13.65 per share.

The company says Michael Dell is willing to work with third parties on alternate acquisition proposals.

Blackstone is proposing to buy the company for $14.25 per share. Icahn wants to buy up to 58 percent of Dell's shares for $15 each.

Icahn and other investors have criticized Michael Dell's bid as too low.

Associated Press

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No. 2 Ohio State beats Iowa State 78-75 on late 3

Iowa State forward Georges Niang (31) and guard Korie Lucious, top, struggle with Ohio State guard Aaron Craft for a loose ball in the first half of a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday March 24, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Iowa State forward Georges Niang (31) and guard Korie Lucious, top, struggle with Ohio State guard Aaron Craft for a loose ball in the first half of a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday March 24, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Ohio State head coach Thad Matta, right, hugs guard Aaron Craft (4) after they defeated Iowa State 78-75 in a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. Craft hit the game-winning three-point basket. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Ohio State guard Aaron Craft (4) shoots the game-winning basket against Iowa State in a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. Ohio State won 7-75. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Iowa State forward Georges Niang (31) walks off the court after losing to Ohio State 78-75 in a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Skip Peterson)

Iowa State forward Georges Niang squats on the floor as Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas (1) and Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (32) celebrate in the closing second of Ohio State's 78-75 win in a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday March 24, 2013, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) ? Aaron Craft dribbled in place at the top of the arc, watching to see if any of his Ohio State teammates were getting open near the basket for a game-winning shot.

Nothing there.

The point guard had a clear look at the clock as it raced toward zero atop the backboard. He realized what he had to do ? take a little Ohio State tournament history into his hands.

Craft held the ball until he had no other choice, then swished a 3-pointer with a half-second left Sunday for a 78-75 victory over Iowa State, sending the Buckeyes to a school-record fourth straight trip to the round of 16.

No. 2 Ohio State had managed to escape as the lone high seed left in the NCAA tournament's most-busted bracket.

"The moment's a lot bigger than me," said Craft, who had allowed Iowa State to catch up with missed free throws and an errant jumper. "It just happened to be in my hands at the end."

Ohio State (28-7) needed Craft's fearless shot ? over 6-foot-7 defender Georges Niang ? to avoid yet another upset in the oh-so-wild West Regional. Four of the top five seeds fell fast and hard in the first weekend.

The Buckeyes' 10th straight win sent them to Los Angeles for a game on Thursday against sixth-seeded Arizona.

"With all that's gone on in college basketball, anything's possible," Craft said. "You can see it with what's gone on in our bracket right now."

Tenth-seeded Iowa State (23-12) overcame a late 13-point deficit by hitting 3s ? the Cyclones' specialty ? but wound up beaten by one, a tough way to have their upset bid end.

"We played our hearts out," said Will Clyburn, who scored 17 points. "It was a tough game and he made a tough shot. He made a great play."

Craft's missed free throws helped Iowa State catch up. He missed the front end of a pair of one-and-one chances and was off on a jumper from just inside the arc with 29.2 seconds left and the score tied.

The Cyclones knocked the ball out of bounds while trying for the rebound, setting up the final chance. Coach Thad Matta called a timeout and went over the options.

"I told 'em, 'Hey, let's get the last shot; let's play for the win here,'" Matta said.

When the Cyclones switched coverages to take away leading scorer Deshaun Thomas and put their tall freshman on Craft, the point guard decided to take it himself.

Not a bad outcome, Iowa State thought.

"He had a tough shot," said Korie Lucious, who led Iowa State with 19 points. "He hadn't hit a 3 all game."

The officials reviewed the play to confirm that Craft's foot was behind the arc when he shot. Lucious didn't come close on a long heave as the final half-second ran off.

Lucious stood on the court after the buzzer sounded, stung by the final half-second. Coach Fred Hoiberg was unable to make an opening comment during the postgame news conference, the pain etched all over his face.

Thomas led Ohio State with 22 points, and Craft had 18. LaQuinton Ross scored 10 straight for the Buckeyes as they built that second-half lead.

The Buckeyes escaped Dayton ? the scene of a couple of recent NCAA tournament disappointments ? as the lone high seed left in the West.

No. 3 New Mexico, No. 4 Kansas State and No. 5 Wisconsin were knocked out right away, losing their openers. No. 1 Gonzaga joined them Saturday night, shocked by ninth-seeded Wichita State 76-70.

The Buckeyes had opened the tournament in Dayton twice previously under Matta and lost despite thousands of fans providing a home-court feeling.

Perhaps it was fitting that this one was decided by a 3.

The Cyclones lead the nation in 3-pointers, with nearly 44 percent of their attempts coming from behind the arc. Defense has been Ohio State's foundation during its late winning streak, which included the Big Ten tournament title.

With Craft anchoring Ohio State's perimeter defense, the Cyclones had trouble getting open shots and missed eight of their first 12 from behind the arc. They finished 12 of 25 on 3-pointers.

The Cyclones also lost one of their best perimeter defenders and their second-best 3-point shooter late in the first half. Guard Chris Babb got treatment on his left leg in the final minute of the half and went to the locker room early. Babb sat on the bench for the rest of the game.

The Buckeyes pushed the lead to six points at the start of the second half, but Melvin Ejim's putback cut it to 52-51. He and Craft bumped into each other and traded words heading into a timeout with 11:43 left.

Neither side was budging.

Coming out of the timeout, the Buckeyes put together their best run of the game. Ross hit a pair of 3s, a layup off a steal and two free throws for a 65-53 lead with 8:18 to go.

The Cyclones turned to the 3 ? both versions ? to pull even. Lucious' three-point play tied it 69-all with 3:53 left, completing a 13-0 run. Craft missed the front end of a pair of one-and-one chances during that spurt.

Craft tried not to think about his previous misses as he watched the white numbers on the clock tick down and squared up to decide the game.

"If I miss, we still have overtime," he said. "So it's not as big of a pressure situation."

___

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

Associated Press

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Before You Make A Major Purchase, Think of Five Reasons Why You Shouldn't

It's easy to fall in love with an item when you're out shopping and find a way to justify purchasing it, especially during tax refund season. But before making a rash purchase, try to think of at least five reasons reasons why you don't need to buy it.

Trent at The Simple Dollar perfectly describes that moment when we decide we need to buy something frivolous.

I'll pick up an item and, on some level, decide almost instantly I'm going to buy it. My conscious mind then starts filling in reasons for that purchase, and before I know it, I'm in the parking lot holding a bag in my hand.

It's that moment where you're standing there giving yourself reasons to buy it that you really need to focus on, because that's the moment where you can turn the tables on frivolous purchases.

Trent suggests thinking of five good reasons not to take make the purchase. Could you find the item for a lower price elsewhere, or will it be cheaper in a few months? Could you make do without it? Are there any good DIY options available to accomplish the same thing? If your justifications can still overcome the five potential cons that you come up with, then you'll be less likely to regret the decision later.

Stop Justifying Your Spending Yes's | The Simple Dollar

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France's Sarkozy officially being investigated

PARIS (AP) ? A judge on Thursday filed preliminary charges against former President Nicolas Sarkozy in a campaign finance case, formally placing him under investigation over allegations that he illegally took donations from France's richest woman on way to his 2007 election victory.

The preliminary charges were issued against Sarkozy, 58, after he went through hours of questioning in a Bordeaux courthouse, according to the prosecutor's office. The ex-president is accused of "abuse of someone in an impaired state" in the case involving L'Oreal cosmetics fortune heiress Liliane Bettencourt, who is now 90.

Under French law, preliminary charges mean the investigating magistrate has reason to believe wrongdoing was committed, but allows more time to investigate. The charges may later be dropped or could lead to a trial.

Sarkozy potentially could join his predecessor and former mentor, former President Jacques Chirac, who was convicted after office. In a political financing scandal of his own, Chirac in late 2011 became the only former French leader since World War II-era Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain to be charged or convicted of a crime.

The charges were unlikely to have any immediate political impact. The conservative Sarkozy said his political career was over and assumed a low profile after losing his re-election bid to Socialist Francois Hollande in May. While some polls suggest Sarkozy is the mainstream right's favored candidate in the next presidential race, it's not until 2017.

Still, Sarkozy's travails were likely to take the media spotlight off political scandal that hit Hollande's government this week, with the resignation of Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac over allegations that he squirreled away cash abroad to avoid paying French taxes.

The investigation in Bordeaux that has caught up Sarkozy centers on the finances of Bettencourt, who was once the focus of a long-running family feud over her fortune. Bettencourt, who was reported to suffer from Alzheimer's disease, has since been placed under legal protection.

Sarkozy lost his legal immunity from prosecution when he failed to win re-election. In November, he was given the status of a so-called "assisting witness," with the possibility of facing charges later on allegations of abusing someone in an impaired state, swindling and abuse of confidence.

After Thursday's questioning, a three-judge panel opted only to retain the first of those counts related to activity in February 2007 and throughout that year, according to the prosecutor's office. It emphasized that the former president is still presumed innocent of any wrongdoing.

Investigating judge Jean-Michel Gentil was looking into conflicting accounts about how many times Sarkozy ? a darling of the mainstream political right ? visited the home of Bettencourt in the run-up to his winning 2007 campaign for president, according to one lawyer.

Earlier in the probe, Bettencourt's ex-accountant told police she gave 150,000 euros ($192,000) to the manager of Bettencourt's fortune that was to be passed on to Sarkozy's campaign treasurer.

"If Mr. Gentil placed Mr. Sarkozy under investigation this evening it's because he had a reason to do so," said Antoine Gillot, a lawyer for Bettencourt's former butler, who was also questioned Thursday along with Sarkozy, on French TV i-Tele. "It was a semi surprise ... it means the judge has a certain number of facts."

Sarkozy's lawyer and spokeswoman didn't return calls, e-mails or text messages from The Associated Press seeking comment about the decision Thursday. But Thierry Mariani, a lawmaker and ally in Sarkozy's conservative party, suggested the charges were politically motivated and part of an effort to discredit Sarkozy just as polls suggest he is still widely liked and show big disappointment in Hollande ? whose popularity has tanked just 10 months into his five-year term.

Since his defeat, Sarkozy has largely drifted out of the public eye, at times turning up in places like the lucrative international speaker circuit. Compared to the height of his political career, Sarkozy has seemed to shun the cameras. He reportedly entered the courthouse Thursday unseen by journalists, and didn't comment on his way out.

Thursday's decision contrasted with the air of triumphalism expressed by Sarkozy's allies in November after he was named as an assisted witness ? somewhere between a simple witness and a formal suspect. His defense lawyer, Thierry Herzog, at the time called that decision a "victory" and said the case against Sarkozy "no longer exists."

___

Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/frances-sarkozy-officially-being-investigated-231212363.html

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A Slightly Improved iPhone May Not Mute Apple's Critics

Although the iPhone 5 is less than a year old, speculation is already rampant about the next version of Apple's iconic handset. That guessing game was fueled Thursday by a report that suggested the next iPhone won't break any new ground in features or design.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/29dedf83/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C7760A30Bhtml/story01.htm

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High-tech search for snake in SAfrica capital

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? The Pretoria Zoo says it's turning to technology with infra-red cameras to search for a two-meter-long (6.5-foot-long) black mamba snake that escaped from its enclosure a week ago.

Marketing manager Craig Allenby of the zoo in South Africa's capital said Thursday the missing snake probably is in the roof of a service building behind its terrarium. That has not stopped fearful callers to radio talk shows discussing the nearly always fatal results of a bite from one of the world's fastest and most venomous snakes.

Zookeepers realized last week that the mamba's enclosure was empty. They have been unable to search the roof area where they suspect it is preparing to hibernate.

The cameras to be used detect infra-red radiation emitted by bodies and objects, even cold-blooded reptiles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/high-tech-search-snake-safrica-capital-161444049.html

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Like Pope Francis, new archbishop of Canterbury seen as advocate for the poor

The new archbishop of Canterbury was formally enthroned Thursday, providing the Church of England and millions of members of the worldwide Anglican communion with a leader who ? much like the new pope ? has emerged as a strong advocate of social justice.

In spite of his roots as a student at Britain?s most elite boys school and a background as a high-flying executive before becoming a cleric who rose through the Church of England?s ranks, Justin Welby's willingness to criticize banking practices and government cuts has cheered many on the left ? and caused some discomfort on the right.

Coming just days after the inaugural mass of Pope Francis, Rev. Welby?s formal elevation also means that the world?s two most visible leadership roles in Christianity are now occupied by men who have been portrayed as outspoken advocates for social justice and the poor.

RECOMMENDED: Are you smarter than an atheist? A religious quiz

While it remains to be seen what impact their arrival will have on global economic policy and management beyond the realm of the symbolic, observers have pointed out that the conversational style of both men marks a departure from predecessors who, while also critical of the impact of the free market, tended towards academic language which often failed to penetrate popular consciousness.

In Britain, the emergence of Welby and the pope was being tentatively welcomed by Christians with left-wing views on economic issues, including activists.

?I don?t want to say that it marks a massive change but I am encouraged by what Francis and Justin Welby have been saying,? says Symon Hill of Christianity Uncut, an informal network of Christians campaigning against the British government?s cuts agenda that has also been involved with the Occupy movement.

?One of the tests will be how specific Francis and Justin Welby will they be. For example, will Justin Welby criticize the UK government?s cuts agenda? And not just specific cuts but the whole austerity agenda, which is hurting the poor the most.?

The specter of Britain?s bitter austerity-era political divisions loomed on the peripheries of Welby's installation as dozens of protestors opposed to government cuts gathered outside the 900-year-old Canterbury cathedral ahead of the event. Those wielding placards made it clear, however, that their target was the prime minister, David Cameron, rather than the incoming archbishop, who has spoken out against elements of the government's economic and social policy.

Earlier this month, Welby voiced his opposition to government plans to limit raises in state-paid benefits to 1 percent per year until 2016. He backed an open letter from dozens of bishops who warned that the policy would have a disproportionate impact on children.

While some commentators on the right have been irked by such interventions, however, others have stressed the new archbishop?s declaration that he recognized major reforms of Britain?s welfare system were being undertaken ?with the best possible motives."

?It is not me saying the government is evil (I am much less cynical than many about politicians of all sides), but that I don?t agree on this particular bit of a programme which in general is incredibly brave,? he wrote on his blog on Mar. 11, referring to planned caps on various social security payments.

The Rev. Angus Ritchie, an Anglican priest who runs a social justice charity, Contextual Theology Centre, says that there is continuity in the approaches of both the new archbishop and pope, whose predecessors were also both ?critical of the way that the laissez-faire market harms the poor."

?There is a way of looking at this debate that often categorizes people as either being liberal or conservative, left or right, while in fact in both communions it cuts across both lines and it's really about an understanding of the human being in relationship with others,? adds Rev. Ritchie, who is also is a philosophy research associate at Oxford University.

?What Christians have to say about ... the effect of excessive individualism, consumerism, and the impact of pornography would be perceived and portrayed in the media often as right wing. But in economic issues it is the same logic, which is that as individuals we find ourselves not only being on our own but in a communion with our neighbor.?

In at least one debate, however, Welby is clearly ensconced in the politically conservative camp. On Thursday the new archbishop used a BBC interview to underline his opposition to same-sex marriage.

"The Church of England holds very firmly, and continues to hold to the view, that marriage is a lifelong union of one man to one woman," said Welby. However, he was also careful to speak out against homophobia and added that some gay couples have loving and monogamous relationships of "stunning quality."

RECOMMENDED: Are you smarter than an atheist? A religious quiz

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-archbishop-canterbury-seen-advocate-poor-184924602.html

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Divides on Iraq and Immigration, Energy Drink Loopholes, and Women's Hoops

Behind the?New York Times?pay wall, you only get?10 free clicks?a month. For those worried about hitting their limit, we're taking a look through the paper each morning to find the stories that can make your clicks count.

RELATED: Disaster in Syria, Obama's Defining Moment on Guns, and Tamales

Top Stories:?A man convicted of the 1990?murder of a rabbi?who "is almost certainly not guilty" may walk free by Thursday.?

RELATED: Bill Clinton, Joe Frazier, and Joaquin Phoenix

World:?Sectarian conflicts in Iraq undermine stability as "Anbar Province...has emerged as the fulcrum of a rising Sunni resistance against Iraq?s Shiite-controlled central government and the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad across the border."?

RELATED: Michelle Obama's Hugs, Cigars, and the Brooklyn Nets

U.S.:?Republicans are watching their opposition?to legalizing illegal-immigrant status crumble following the election last year.?

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New York:?New York City politicians campaigning?face?the challenge of not packing on the pounds.?

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Business:?Monster Energy is now going to be marketed as a beverage, not as a dietary supplement, meaning Monster Beverage "will no longer be required to tell federal regulators about reports potentially linking its products to deaths and injuries."?

Sports:?Baylor's Brittney Griner,?if not the greatest college player?in women's basketball, which some think she is, is "the most uniquely influential."?

Opinion:?John A. Nagl on the Iraq War and "three flickers of light that offer some hope that the enormous price was not paid entirely in vain."

Movies:?Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott on the films of the New Directors/New Films showcase.?

Dining & Wine:?Julia Moskin conducts a ham taste-test.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/divides-iraq-immigration-energy-drink-loopholes-womens-hoops-132124595.html

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What makes SKorea cyberattacks so hard to trace?

South Korean computer researchers check the shutdown hardwares of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) at Evidence Acquisition Lab of Cyber Terror Response Center at National Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A Chinese Internet address was the source of a cyberattack on one company hit in a massive network shutdown that affected 32,000 computers at six banks and media companies in South Korea, initial findings indicated Thursday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korean computer researchers check the shutdown hardwares of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) at Evidence Acquisition Lab of Cyber Terror Response Center at National Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A Chinese Internet address was the source of a cyberattack on one company hit in a massive network shutdown that affected 32,000 computers at six banks and media companies in South Korea, initial findings indicated Thursday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Two South Korean computer researchers look at the computer monitors as they check the shutdown computer servers of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) at Cyber Terror Response Center at National Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 21, 2013. A Chinese Internet address was the source of a cyberattack on one company hit in a massive network shutdown that affected 32,000 computers at six banks and media companies in South Korea, initial findings indicated Thursday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The attacks that knocked South Korean banks and media outlets offline this week appear to be the latest examples of international "cyberwar." But among the many ways that digital warfare differs from conventional combat: There's often no good way of knowing who's behind an attack.

South Korean authorities said Thursday that the attack, which shut down scores of cash machines and hampered business, had been traced to an "Internet Protocol" address in China. But that doesn't mean the attack was launched from there. The general assumption in South Korea is that the attack originated in North Korea.

"IP" addresses are, roughly speaking, the phone numbers of the Internet. Each connected computer has a number that identifies it uniquely on the network, so the Chinese IP address implies that a computer in China was involved in the attack.

However, that computer could have been controlled from elsewhere, either because someone bought access to it, or because it's been infected with malicious software. To determine the location from which it's being controlled, investigators would need access to that computer, or to the records of the company hosting the computer. That's unlikely to be forthcoming from a Chinese company.

"China is obviously a popular place to hide things," said Dan Holden, director of security research at Arbor Networks' Security Engineering & Response Team. Chinese authorities are difficult to work with and there's a language barrier, he said.

In addition, China is believed to be conducting its own campaign of cyber-espionage, which means that attacks launched from there are often simply attributed to the Chinese government, even if it isn't responsible for the aggression, Holden said.

"If you are any nation state or even any attacker right now, why wouldn't you hide in China right now?" Holden asked rhetorically.

Apart from tracing the path an attack takes through the Internet, there's another way to figure out who's behind it: analysis of the software involved. Malicious software, or "malware," can provide clues to its creator. Some of those are obvious, like comments inserted into the written code. However, such comments can be easily faked to lead investigators astray. More subtle analysis can be fruitful, according to Christopher Novak, managing principal of the global investigative response team at Verizon Communications Inc.

"In many cases, the malware that you see on the computer is very similar to a cold or an illness that a person gets ... The strain of the cold that I have and the strain of the cold that you have may be slightly different, but when we look at the DNA and makeup and see they're 99.9 percent the same, there's a pretty good chance one of us transmitted it to the other," Novak said. "When we analyze malware codes, we see the elements that are copied and reused, certain programming styles."

Such analysis can yield important clues, but rarely rock-solid attribution. The U.S. Department of Defense has said that a cyberattack can merit a violent response, but first you have to know who to target.

"Digital attribution is extremely difficult and if you want to do it, it takes some serious effort," Holden said.

Associated Press

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Fore! Super Stickman Golf 2 is here

Super Stickman Golf 2 combines a fun golf theme with challenging aspects of side-scrolling puzzle games, and the end result is a great game that's hard to put down. As a worthy follow-up to the original game, not only do you get a chance to play through dozens of great courses, but there are also many ways to customize your gameplay and character.

Hang around after the break and see what Super Stickman Golf 2 is all about.

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Obama vows unwavering support for Israel

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tour the Iron Dome Battery defense system, at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tour the Iron Dome Battery defense system, at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

US President Barack Obama reviews an honor guard upon his arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. President Barack Obama is declaring common cause with Israel, highlighting the bonds between the United States and its Mideast ally. He says he has made Israel the first stop of the first trip of his second term to restate his commitment to Israel's security. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

President Barack Obama is greeted by Israeli President Shimon Perez, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

US President Barack Obama, left, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after Netanyahu's speech during a welcoming ceremony upon Obama's arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. President Barack Obama is declaring common cause with Israel, highlighting the bonds between the United States and its Mideast ally. He says he has made Israel the first stop of the first trip of his second term to restate his commitment to Israel's security. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Palestinians rip an American flag during a protest against the visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama in Gaza City, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Obama arrived Wednesday in Israel for his first visit to the country, and only his second to the Middle East, outside of a quick jaunt to Iraq, since taking office. He will also be making his first trips as president to the Palestinian Authority and Jordan this week. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Vowing eternal support for America's top Mideast ally, U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday assured Israel of his personal commitment to its security and delivered a blunt warning to its foes that the United States has the Jewish state's back.

Arriving in Israel on his first trip to the country as president, Obama told the Israeli people at an extravagant welcoming ceremony that "peace must come to the Holy Land" and that goal would not be achieved at Israel's expense. U.S. backing for Israel will be a constant as the Middle East roils with revolution and Iran continues work on its nuclear program, he said.

"The United States is proud to stand with you as your strongest ally and your greatest friend," Obama said, accepting profuse thanks from Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the tarmac at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport.

"Across this region the winds of change bring both promise and peril," he said, calling his visit "an opportunity to reaffirm the unbreakable bonds between our nations, to restate America's unwavering commitment to Israel's security, and to speak directly to the people of Israel and to your neighbors."

Seeking to alter a perception among many Israelis that his government has been less supportive of Israel than previous U.S. administrations, Obama declared the U.S.-Israeli alliance "eternal."

"It is forever," he said to applause as Israeli and U.S. flags fluttered in a steady breeze under clear, sunny skies.

Even before leaving the airport for Jerusalem, Obama offered a vivid display of the U.S. commitment to Israeli security by visiting a missile battery that is part of Israel's Iron Dome defense from militant rocket attacks. The United States has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in developing the system with Israel.

Obama and Netanyahu toured the battery, brought to the airport for the occasion. They met and chatted with soldiers who operate the system that Israel credits with intercepting hundreds of rockets during a round of fighting against Gaza militants last November.

"Let me say as clearly as I can: The United States of America stands with the State of Israel because it is in our fundamental national security interest to stand with Israel," Obama said.

"We stand together because peace must come to the Holy Land," he added. "For even as we are clear-eyed about the difficulty, we will never lose sight of the vision of an Israel at peace with its neighbors."

Speaking first at the ceremonial welcome, the nearly 90-year-old Peres offered Obama heartfelt thanks for American defense of Israel.

"A world without America's leadership, without her moral voice, would be a darker world," he said, his voice quivering with emotion. "A world without your friendship would invite aggression against Israel."

Netanyahu, who sparred frequently with Obama over the course of the U.S. president's first term, was equally lavish in his praise.

"Thank you for standing by Israel at this time of historic change in the Middle East," he said. "Thank you for unequivocally affirming Israel's sovereign right to defend itself by itself against any threat."

Although preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is a top priority of both Israel and the United States, Netanyahu and Obama have differed in the past on precisely how to achieve both ends.

Israel repeatedly has threatened to take military action should Iran appear to be on the verge of obtaining a bomb. The U.S. has pushed for more time to allow diplomacy and economic penalties to run their course, though Obama insists military action is an option.

Obama, who joked that he was "getting away from Congress" by visiting Israel, will meet privately Wednesday with both Peres and Netanyahu before visiting several cultural and religious sites aimed at showing his understanding of the deep and ancient connections between the Jewish people and the land that is now Israel.

He will also meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank and travel to Jordan before returning home on Saturday.

But on an itinerary filled more with symbolism than substance, Obama's main focus is on an Israel that is increasingly wary of developments in Syria and Iran. Adding yet another dimension to the trip, Obama landed amid new questions about the Syrian regime's possible use of chemical weapons.

Obama has declared the use, deployment or transfer of the weapons would be a "red line" for possible military intervention by the U.S. in the Syrian conflict. Ahead of Obama's visit, authorities in Israel said they believed that chemical weapons may have been recently used in Syria, although U.S. officials have said they had no evidence to support the Syrian regime's claims that rebels were responsible for a chemical attack.

Even though U.S. officials have set expectations low and previewed no major policy pronouncements, a clear measure of the success of Obama's Israel trip will be how much he is able to reverse negative perceptions.

The centerpiece of the visit will be a speech to Israeli university students on Thursday, during which Obama will again renew U.S. security pledges to Israel as it seeks to counter threats from Iran, protect its people from any spillover in the Syrian civil war and maintain its shaky peace accord with an Egypt that is now controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Obama will make an almost perfunctory visit to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, where he will meet the embattled Abbas and assure him that an independent Palestinian state remains a U.S. foreign policy and national security priority.

As Israelis warmly greeted Obama, Palestinians held several small protests in the West Bank and Gaza. Demonstrators in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip burned posters of Obama and U.S. flags, accusing the U.S. of being biased toward Israel.

In the West Bank, about 200 activists erected about a dozen tents in an area just outside of Jerusalem to draw attention to Israel's policy of building settlements. The tents were pitched in E1, a strategically located area where Israel has said it plans on building thousands of homes. The U.S. has harshly criticized the plan.

Israeli forces have swiftly dismantled similar encampments built by Palestinians in the past. Abdullah Abu Rahmeh, one of the activists, said Israeli forces surrounded the tent camp but had not moved in.

Despite not coming with any new plan to get the stalled peace process back on track, Obama plans to make clear that his administration intends to keep trying to get talks re-launched.

Obama will close out his Mideast trip with a 24-hour stop in Jordan, an important U.S. ally, where his focus will be on the violence in Syria. More than 450,000 Syrians have fled to Jordan, crowding refugee camps and overwhelming aid organizations.

In his talks with Jordan's King Abdullah, Obama also will try to shore up the country's fledgling attempts to liberalize its government and stave off an Arab Spring-style movement similar to the ones that have taken down leaders elsewhere in the region.

___

Associated Press writers Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank, and Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-20-Obama/id-b25e58697d554968a5a6f26cf1bea680

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