Wednesday, March 28, 2012

EA's Hilleman: Great Gaming Crash was a necessary act of ?creative ...

Tue, Mar 27, 2012 | 01:35 BST

EA chief creative director Richard Hilleman has said the great crash which nearly killed the console industry was just the shake up gaming needed.

Speaking to Gamasutra, Hilleman said the crash would be better called ?the Atari 2600 crash? because both computer games and arcades continued to perform well even as retailers dumped home console stock in terror.

?The 2600 crash, from my perspective, was a good example of creative destruction, and anybody who?s spent any time reading about Atari at that time recognizes that they needed some creative destruction; they clearly were not the right custodians of a great new business,? he said.

Hilleman said he believed the crash had two major effects, both of which are still felt today.

?When the business went away, it did a couple things. It scared the crap out of an entire generation of retailers. It changed the behavior of our retailers toward the way they took product, and the way that they took risk, and I think the consolidation at the top of the chart is an example of that expression and its long-term influence,? he explained.

?But the other thing that happened was it went away, and it left a hole and the hole got filled by computer games, and those computer games were really different in form,? he added.

?2600 games were, almost without exception ? maybe Star Raiders being the sole exception ? they were essentially 90 second arcade experiences. There was no changing of the form; there was no changing of the granularity, no changing of the expectations

?Computer games did all that innovation. And some of it was because they had writable, local media, some of it was because they were pirateable. But I think the decline and demise of the 2600 market was absolutely necessary, or actually we would?ve died as a fad.?

Console gaming would not climb out of the pit Atari had dug (and notoriously filled with copies of the utterly dire E.T.) until Nintendo bravely introduced the NES, paving the way for an almost mainstream acceptance of gaming on all platforms. Thanks for holding the torch in the interim, old school PC gamers.

Hilleman has been with EA from its earliest successes and has plenty of insight into the industry?s past and its future; the full article through the Gamasutra link above is a long but enlightening read.

Source: http://www.vg247.com/2012/03/27/eas-hilleman-great-gaming-crash-was-a-necessary-act-of-creative-destruction/

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Monday, March 26, 2012

Supreme Court takes up healthcare (Reuters)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/209252387?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Chavez travels to Cuba for radiation treatment

In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends a meeting with his cabinet ministers at Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday March 24, 2012. Chavez said he's returning to Cuba to begin radiation therapy on Sunday, one month after undergoing surgery that removed a cancerous tumor from the same spot in his pelvic region where another tumor was extracted eight months earlier. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office/Miguel Angel Angulo)

In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends a meeting with his cabinet ministers at Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday March 24, 2012. Chavez said he's returning to Cuba to begin radiation therapy on Sunday, one month after undergoing surgery that removed a cancerous tumor from the same spot in his pelvic region where another tumor was extracted eight months earlier. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office/Miguel Angel Angulo)

In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends a meeting with his cabinet ministers at Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday March 24, 2012. Chavez said he's returning to Cuba to begin radiation therapy on Sunday, one month after undergoing surgery that removed a cancerous tumor from the same spot in his pelvic region where another tumor was extracted eight months earlier. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office/Miguel Angel Angulo)

(AP) ? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez flew to Cuba late Saturday to begin radiation therapy one month after undergoing surgery that removed a cancerous tumor.

Chavez will be in Cuba at the same time as Pope Benedict XVI, who arrives on the communist-governed island on Monday after a visit to Mexico. But Chavez didn't refer to the pope's upcoming visit to Havana.

The 57-year-old president describes himself as a Christian. He has regularly clashed with Roman Catholic leaders in Venezuela, but during his illness has often publicly expressed faith in God that he will overcome cancer.

Chavez said the radiation treatments are to begin right away on Sunday. He has been recovering from a Feb. 26 surgery in Havana that he said removed a tumor from the same spot in his pelvic region where another tumor was extracted eight months earlier.

"I've decided, on the recommendation of my medical team and also my government political team, to begin ... radiation therapy treatment," Chavez said in a televised meeting with aides Saturday. He described it as a "complement to the surgery that I underwent."

"Yesterday, they took out the last stitches that were left from the operation. Everything's very good. I've been walking much better. ... Without any sort of complication, thanks to God," he said. "And now, a month after the operation, we're ready for radiation therapy, which will last about four, five weeks."

At Caracas' international airport Saturday night, Chavez held the hand of one of his daughters as he walked past soldiers standing at attention.

"I'll be back in a few days," he said. "You should know that radiation therapy is for various days, and after that a break, and after that other days and another break. So I'm going to be going and coming. It's possible that we may do some of the sessions here in Venezuela. We're evaluating it. What's most important, whether its there or here, is the effectiveness of the treatment."

Chavez has not identified the type of cancer nor the precise location where the tumors have been removed.

After he was diagnosed with cancer in Cuba last year, Chavez underwent an initial surgery in June that removed a tumor the size of a baseball.

He then had four rounds of chemotherapy and said tests showed no signs of any cancerous cells. But last month, he announced he was returning to Cuba for surgery to remove a lesion that proved to be malignant. He has described the most recent tumor as measuring about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches).

Chavez had said earlier this month that he would undergo radiation therapy but had not given details about when it would begin or where he would be treated.

Chavez is running for re-election in October and vows that his illness will not get in the way of that political goal.

His rival, opposition leader Henrique Capriles, has criticized Chavez's handling of his cancer, saying that the president should be releasing complete details about the illness.

Chavez defended his decision to return to Cuba rather than undergo radiation treatment at home.

"The opposition is criticizing me because I'm going to Cuba. ... Here we have excellent hospitals, excellent doctors. But well, it was there that they detected my cancer. It was there that they performed an emergency operation on me the first time (in June)," Chavez said at the airport.

He added that even while away, he plans to keep working and will have "full powers and conditions to keep governing the country."

He said he will be treated at the same medical center in Havana where his cancer was originally detected and where he has undergone three operations.

Last year, Chavez shaved his head during chemotherapy after his hair began falling out as a result of the treatments.

Now, as he starts radiation therapy, some of the potential side effects of the treatments include fatigue, abdominal cramping, nausea or vomiting, said Dr. Michael Pishvaian, an oncologist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center who is not involved in Chavez's treatment.

The radiation is usually administered for a short period on a daily basis, Pishvaian said. "I would imagine that he probably could go about his daily activities even being a president."

Following radiation therapy, patients typically need two weeks to a month to recover from the effects of the treatment, Pishvaian said. "Then he should actually be pretty much back to normal, but will be on sort of high alert for watching to see if the cancer comes back again."

As Chavez was finishing his televised remarks, he said: "I'm leaving to continue this battle, the battle for life."

___

Associated Press writer Ian James in Caracas contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-03-24-LT-Venezuela-Chavez/id-3d35bce2ba1040c291da2c7a20646fed

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Christian Online Dating | Gaetano's Italian Restaurant ? Red Bank NJ

Christian Online Dating is an online Christian dating service for marriage minded Christian singles. Our Christian dating website was established in 1997. For over fifteen years we have successfully proven to be the best site for online dating. We have consistently earned high marks in lists of the top online dating sites because of our exceptional customer support and service we provide our members. We utilize the best dating sites technology including Christian chat and other fun ways to connect with Christian singles dating online.

We are passionate about helping Christian Online Dating create successful, long-lasting relationships and building a community of Christians bonding together in friendship and Christ. That is why we put so much effort into our matching system and personal customer service. If you want to be a part of our free Christian Online Dating reviews service and our vision, we hope that you will join us and help spread the word!

Christian DatingChristian Online Dating Review is online dating service designed exclusively for Christian singles. We have now teamed up with the Christian Singles Network.

Search thousands of Christian singles
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Christian Online Dating is an ideal destination for Christian men and women to find friends, dates, and even soul mates, all within the faith. In just minutes, you can create a profile and be ready to mingle with other members in your area. Our vast membership base and user-friendly interface make a source of Christian romance around the world. When creating your profile, consider what you want to get out of this online dating and chatting experience. Share your goals as well as interests, favorite Bible passages, and explore other profiles to see what you have in common with other Christian singles. Enjoy chatting or instant messaging about current events, movies, music, dating experiences, how you came to find Christ, and other

When reviewing a christian dating service, we consider a few components including functionality, outreach and adherence to Christian beliefs. We look for sites owned and operated by Christian owners and organizations and sites that offer a large network of single Christians for you to choose from. If you care enough about your faith to pursue a partner of the same faith, obviously you don?t want to be brought together by a deceitful company. We hope our website can help you to choose the Christian dating service that helps you find that perfect someone you?ve always dreamed about!

Christian Online Dating is now the way to find a partner who shares your faith and is interested in marriage. With our increasingly busy lives it?s sometimes difficult to find the time to socialize in the ?right? places to find a partner.

Using online services provides you with an opportunity to ?meet? and chat with people from a wide geographical area or in your county or state, without the formality of a date, but within a safe environment ? i.e. at your home, on the internet !

As a Devout Christian It can be hard to find a good place look for that special someone thats where Christian Online Dating ? Find Your match! Comes in and can help you find that soul mate!

Source: http://www.gaetanosredbank.com/20120319-christian-online-dating/

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asics ? Blog Archive ? jordan 11 Recreation and Sports Extreme ...

A power kite is an aerofoil shaped wing is uses the wind apt generate traction and lift Bridle lines are spliced apt the foil apt reserve its fashion whilst the kite is flying. The airflow generated according the wind produces hoist which makes the kite fly in the air There are additional flying lines are spliced apt the abolish of every bridle set assisting the flyer to drive the kite and dwindle the power it generates whether need be. Depending on the type of the kite,jordan 11, a foil might have between two apt five lines.
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Source: http://asics.manablog.jp/archives/12395

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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Friend describes Trayvon Martin's final phone call

By msnbc.com staff

A 17-year-old boy whose death has sparked national outrage fearfully?told a friend over the phone?moments before he was shot and killed that he was being followed, ABC?News reported Tuesday.

"He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man,"?the female friend of Trayvon Martin, who was shot to death on Feb. 26 in Twin Lakes, Fla., told ABC. "I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run, but he said he was not going to run."

Martin, who is black, was unarmed when a neighborhood watch captain spotted him walking home after buying candy and iced tea from a convenience store. Call logs from Martin's phone confirm he spoke with the 16-year-old friend interviewed by ABC News minutes before his death, the news station reported. She was not identified, and spoke through an attorney.

More than 435,000 people, many alerted by tweets from celebrities?such as?movie director Spike Lee and musician Wyclef Jean, signed a petition on Change.org, a social action website, calling for the arrest of Martin's shooter, George Zimmerman, who has claimed he acted in self-defense. On Monday, the Justice Department and FBI announced they opened an investigation into the shooting.

Grand jury called in Trayvon Martin case

Mom: Trayvon Martin was killed because of 'the color of his skin'?

Although Martin initially told his friend he wasn't going to run, he eventually did, she said, but the stranger managed to corner him.

"Trayvon said, 'What, are you following me for,' and the man said, 'What are you doing here.' Next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon because the head set just fell. I called him again and he didn't answer the phone."

After that, the line went dead, she said. According to ABC News, other than screams on 911 calls as Martin and Zimmerman scuffled, those were the last words Martin said.

Zimmerman called police 46 times
Zimmerman, meanwhile, called 911 dozens of times in the months that led to the fatal shooting, The Orlando Sentinel reported Monday evening. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office released six calls he had made, four of which called police to report "suspicious" persons -- all of whom were black -- in or near the Retreat at Twin Lakes enclave, the paper said.

The other calls were about a neighbor's open garage door and children playing in the street at dusk, reported The Sentinel. None of the newly released calls are related to Martin's shooting.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/20/10774247-trayvon-martins-final-phone-call-he-said-this-man-was-watching-him

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Monday, March 19, 2012

Effective tips for Internet marketing UK - Business - EzineMark

There are host of advertising and marketing options available.? Almost all of these promotional options are able to deliver very high quality results. But most of them come at a price almost unaffordable to be met up by smaller organizations. In this article we are providing some very effective Internet marketing UK tips that will help you to better promote your organization. These very simple but effective Intent Marketing UK tips are as follows:-

  • Make a list of goals that you want to achieve for your organization in next 5, 10 and 15 years. While targeting your customers always refer this list of goals to make yourself aware of what your main goals are. As the Internet marketing UK is a very vast field. So many a times? organizations get diverted and start doing things which were not there in their priority list.
  • Keeping your goal as the focal point gets all the services of your website designed and developed around it. Everything that you are putting in your website should tell the incoming Internet Marketing Services UK user about your priorities and goals. For example if you are getting your website designed and developed it's this goal which the website should portray. The same is also with the content that will be put in your website.
  • Always refer the websites of your most fierce competitors. If possible try to follow the footsteps of the market leader. This can be done by knowing what they have done and will be doing in future. Initially it's always preferred to follow the foot steps of someone who has already traced them. It's once you start doing right things you will no more need them.
  • Pay the maximum attention to keywords. In this highly fierce and competitive world, its very important that any website is appropriately promoted. For such kind of promotions using Search Engines based advertising and marketing options are the best available choice.?
  • Utilize other forms of promotional activities such as forums, blogs and videos to advertise and market your products and services. If possible always watch the recent happenings in the online world and if possible try to adopt them in your services.?

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These were some of the very effective Internet Marketing Company UK tips. Apart from these there are many other Internet marketing UK tips, but they are not as effective as these given tips.

For more information Please join us:

http://www.wildnettechnologies.co.uk/internet-marketing-uk/

Source: http://business.ezinemark.com/effective-tips-for-internet-marketing-uk-7d34c7a1b3fe.html

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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Scorto contributes to grow small business lending in Sub-Saharan ...


Bringing risk management in small business lending to innovation.

Cupertino, California ? (March 14, 2012) ? Scorto Corporation, a globally recognized provider of decision management and risk mitigation solutions and services is teaming up with financial institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa to enhance their risk management framework.

One of the recent banks to adapt the new technology is The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank), a leading Sub-Saharan provider of development capital since 1985. PTA Bank is relying on Scorto?s solutions to remove constraints to small business lending. This is being achieved by evaluating risk exposure and streamlining decision management lifecycle.

?Scorto in our view (as the Bank?s CRAS [Credit Risk Assessment System] team) offered the best CRAS platform in terms of a clear understanding of what we wanted, comprehensiveness of package in terms of scope & design and also appeared very user friendly, basically it offered best value-for-money solution?? ? says Kingsley? Muwowo, Head of Compliance & Risk Management at PTA Bank. ?So far we believe the above testimony has been vindicated by our experience working with the Scorto technical team on the ground. This is a team which knows what it is doing? It is certainly a professional, knowledgeable and experienced team??

Scorto is committed to substantially improve capital access for small business in Sub-Saharan Africa. Building technology-driven risk management framework among local financial institutions is one of the company?s top priorities.

About The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank)

PTA Bank provides financial resources to both public and private sector projects in financial services, manufacturing, agro?industry, service, mining, infrastructure and tourism. For more information about PTA Bank please visit http://www.ptabank.org/.

About Scorto Corp.

Scorto Corp. is a globally recognized provider of decision management and risk mitigation solutions and services. Scorto?s business intelligence tools allow accurate decisioning and improve operational efficiency. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in California with seven international representative offices. Scorto was included into FinTech 100 ranking of the top global technology providers to the financial services industry in 2011. For more information about Scorto?s products and services, visit http://www.scorto.com.

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PRESS CONTACTS: pr@scorto.com

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Source: http://www.allkenyanews.com/2012/03/scorto-contributes-to-grow-small-business-lending-in-sub-saharan-africa/

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Exercises to Shed Belly Fat | New Health and Fitness

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Belly fat has been confirmed to be the most risky kind of fat there is. Physicians are not certain why, but abdominal fat is related to numerous health risks.

Have you gotten somewhat thick about the middle? If so, right here are some fantastic exercises to shed belly fat and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Workout routines to Lose Belly Fat: Cardio

Cardio can make it easier to shed fat all over your physique ? which can be excellent, simply because to lose fat about your belly, you need to shed it everywhere. Our bodies are likely to accumulate fat in particular locations, based largely on genetics. Should you usually retailer it about your middle, decreasing your physique fat percentage can make you healthier and offer you the flat stomach you?ve generally wanted.

You?ll find no ?best? cardio workouts to lose belly fat. The very greatest cardio routine is 1 you?ll stick with for the long haul. Pick a number of distinctive activities that you appreciate performing, and try to participate in them a minimum of 5 hours a week.

If you?re into household improvement, do some lawn and garden perform. If you?re a parent, play along with your youngsters in the park or take them for lengthy walks down nature trails. If you have a dog, take it for walks or toss a ball or Frisbee for physical exercise. When you favor a much more social atmosphere, join a group exercise class at your local fitness center or recreation center.

Exercises to Shed Belly Fat: Core Strength

Finding a slim stomach requires more than endless sit-ups and crunches. Variations on these workout routines can allow you to whittle your waist faster. For example, instead of frequent crunches, the American Council on Physical exercise recommends vertical leg crunches. These are performed lying on your back together with your legs held at a 45 degree angle from the floor.

Core strength may also be created by carrying out leg lifts and crunches with the assist of an workout ball. Workout balls call for you to sustain your balance, which puts all your core muscles to function. For muscle symmetry, make sure you operate your back muscles as well.

Workout routines to Lose Belly Fat: Yoga

With regards to strain reduction and core strength developing, it really is hard to beat yoga in terms of efficiency. Yoga can reduce the production of anxiety hormones and strengthen your abdominal muscles, creating it a superb exercise to lose belly fat.

Whenever your physique is stressed out (due to mental or emotional strain, illness, injury, or the overuse of stimulants), it responds with an try at self-preservation. Your brain releases the hormone cortisone, which tells your body to start storing fat ? particularly about the waist. This response is often a throwback towards the days when our ancestors had to survive occasions of famine.

Yoga contains breathing and stretching workout routines that relieve muscle tension and decrease the production of cortisone. Yoga also places an emphasis on relaxed, flowing motions. It could be utilized to calm the mind, slow down the heart, and lower blood pressure.

Along with these rewards, many yoga poses are very effective for toning your midsection. Look for poses which can be performed within the supine position, or seated and standing poses that need you to extend your legs and keep balance.

Using a frequent routine of cardio, core strengthening, and yoga, you can shed inches from your waist and get pleasure from improved well being and relaxation.

Learn more about The Chest Coach System. Stop by Donald Farell?s site where you can find out all about how to burn cellulite.

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Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/03/13/exercises-to-shed-belly-fat/

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

David Wayne Fish ? The Health Consultant and Fitness Expert ...

Who is David Wayne Fish?

David Wayne Fish is a well-known and immensely respected Health consultant and Fitness expert. He has built career as a fitness expert and has largely been responsible for the success of his faith organization called Fish. As a health consultant he has been able to guide and motivate his client to make life changing modifications in their day to day life. The motto of his consultancy which has the reputation of being one of the best in the field is to help people lead a healthy life. The present generation of professionals is over worked and under lot of stress. Managing stress can the best remedy to all the other associated problems. Once the root cause of stress and strain is addressed one can look forward to leading a healthy life. David W. Fish has made a mark in designing and developing fitness programs to match the individual need and aspiration of each client. Apart from fitness instructions and programs Fish is also responsible for developing medical products which are the best available in the market. The company has made its mark in the field of medical equipment which continues to grow with each passing day.

The team of David Wayne Fish

The success of any team depends on the leadership and the team which is being lead. The goal if set are difficult to achieve then only the leader can inspire his team to have faith in themselves and march ahead. Such is the ideology behind the success of faith the organization set up by David W. Fish. His experience in the medical field can helped him immensely to curve out a niche in the field of Health consultancy. The long list of celebrity clients will endorse the same. Many of his clients have experienced complete change in their attitude and approach towards life once they have attended sessions and participated in various workshops conducted by his organization. This might not have been possible without hard work and complete dedication of the founder and his team of professionals. The emotional aspect of an individual is always given much importance while planning out any regime for them.

He has incorporated numerous methods which make attaining a near impossible fitness level achievable. The success of the organization can be traced in real life accounts of the individuals who have moving stories to narrate.

Source: http://www.jasonjarmacz.com/david-wayne-fish-the-health-consultant-and-fitness-expert/

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Flood insurance Protects your Valuables | North Carolina Insurance ...

While floods can cause major destruction, the damage caused by floods is not covered by standard Homeowners insurance. That?s why Lifestore Insurance and Travelers offers flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. A flood insurance policy provides the specialized coverage you need to help protect your home, condo or business from rising waters.

Flood policies can provide coverage for:

  • Flood damage to your home?s structure as well as items like your furnace and water heater
  • Flood damage to your furniture, rugs, appliances, and clothing (with limitations for basement areas)
  • Expenses you incur to protect your home against imminent flood damage by sandbagging or other measures
  • Clean-up costs for covered items after a flood, including debris removal

Affordable options

Flood insurance may not be as expensive as you might think, and the benefits of coverage can vastly outweigh the costs of repairs and replacements. Properties located in low to moderate risk zones, may be eligible for a Preferred Risk Policy (PRP), a low cost option that will allow property owners and businesses to protect themselves against the devastating effects of flooding.

There when you need us

If your home, condo or personal property is damaged due to flooding, rest assured that Lifestore Insurance and Travelers has the people, resources, and services to resolve your claim quickly and professionally. A flood insurance policy typically has a 30 day waiting period before the policy can become effective. Therefore it is important to plan ahead. Simply call our Flood Claim Hotline at 1.800.252.4633?day or night.

Real life flood stories

See how flood insurance has helped customers recover their losses.?Watch video.

How much can flood damage cost you?

Use this interactive flood damage cost calculator to estimate common?flood-related expenses.

Assess your flood risk

Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States.?Are you at risk?

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Source: http://www.northcarolinainsuranceblog.com/wordpress/?p=258

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Sunday, March 11, 2012

Teachers seek education for Darfur girls | Learn By Song : Early ...

If you have a child of preschooling age, you will be delighted to learn that you can teach your child the letters of alphabet quite easily. It is not a difficult thing to do, it is an easy thing to do. However it does take some time.

Like any normal child of this age, your child will not grasp everything immediately, Rome wasn't built in day! But that is not to say that it will take foerever. Actually, your preschool child can learn the entire alphabet in a span of less than 2 months.

Teachers seek education for Darfur girls

Read all about early children education right here

Side note:
Have a child of preschool age?, you will be glad to know that you can teach your preschool child the letters of alphabet quite easily. It is not a difficult thing to do, it is an easy thing to do. But it does take some time.

As is the case with children of this age, your child will not learn everything immediately, Rome wasn't built in day! However that is not to say that it will take till the cows come home. Actually, your preschool child can learn the entire alphabet in less than two months.

There are some helpful resources that will guide you in your child's education right here. Do take the time to look around here.


Can't find what you want here? Search Amazon now:

Teachers, along with international aid groups, are working on increasing education for girls in Darfur, Sudan. Amani Abdul Baker, once a student, sits at home to do daily house chores as her father was forced to take her out of school due to lack of funds. Amani is like many Darfur women of her generation as many of them can?t afford to attend school. In Nyala, the capital of the South Darfur, education is seen as something Amani?s family can?t provide her with due to limited financial resources. However, she is positive and hopes that this will change, and other girls might be able to attend school in future. ?When I?m staying at home and I see other girls go to school it makes me sad,? she said. ?In this village, there are more girls at home than at school,? she added. In Sudan?s Darfur region resources are limited, with a shortage of desks, chairs, books and stationery, which make education tough. The girls who can attend school consider themselves the lucky ones, especially those who could have stayed home to help with household tasks. More than fifty percent of the South Darfur girls will never receive education or even be admitted to a classroom due to either poverty or the widespread early marriage. Habiba Ahmed, a fifteen-year-old, is one of the few girls in this region who was fortunate to receive education. She hopes one day to become a nurse. Habiba and her classmates feel secure, with support of their teachers along with the United Nation Children?s Fund ?

http://www.youtube.com/v/dmv-4wJZ-jQ?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata

Source: Teachers seek education for Darfur girls

Read all about early children education right here

Autoblogging

If you have a child of preschooling age, you will be delighted to learn that you can teach your kid the letters of alphabet in easy steps. It is not a hard thing to do, it is an easy thing to do. Of course it does take some time.

Like all children of this age, your child will not learn everything immediately, Rome wasn't built in day! However that is not to say that it will take till the cows come home. Actually, your preschool child can learn the entire alphabet in 2 months or less.

There are some really useful articles that will guide you in your child's education right here. Do take the time to look around here.

Source: http://www.learnbysong.com/teachers-seek-education-for-darfur-girls

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Invasion of the Risk Managers: Altering the Complexion of Security

120228 Risk management panel 01.jpg

The modern-day philosopher Thomas Kuhn theorized that scientific revolutions are only brought about by practitioners who are not already trained to think a certain way - or to use Kuhn's terminology, in keeping with a given paradigm. When people train themselves to believe something, they expect their observations to match their beliefs, and thus may fail to observe something truly revolutionary. And it is observation that is the "step one" of science.

So it was with the face of Thomas Kuhn looming largely overhead that a panel of two security architects, a noted Gartner researcher, and two risk management professionals met at the RSA Conference in San Francisco last week. Two worlds collided here, and this was one of the focal points. One side represented the existing paradigm. The revolutionaries came in suits with calculators and adjustment formulas. And Gartner's Bob Blakley literally wore a Satan suit just to make sure the fire and brimstone kept flowing.

The Balancing Act

"We teach people that risk is about science, about numbers, and about metrics. And the reality is, that only works for half of our risk. The other half of our risk is the things that we can't predict how frequently they're going to happen." This from Andy Ellis, the Chief Security Officer of Akamai. No, he's not a risk management professional by nature. He's learned the language because, as he explained, he had to. He's been converted to the extent, he says, that he has constructed a business continuity plan for Akamai in case of a zombie apocalypse.

120228 Risk management panel 02.jpg

"We do that because it's an easy way to cover a whole lot of different threat scenarios. But I cannot make a prediction of what the likelihood is of that event happening. And an awful lot of the risk that we face, you can't calculate the likelihood, we're not part of a large population that we can do actuarial studies on. So risk management becomes more of an art than a science, and we have to discern which risk is art and which is science, and not apply the principles of one to the other."

The traditional data center security paradigm is based around responding to threats as they occur or after they have been detected. An evolved version adds a layer of prevention, though in recent years, this layer has taken on the flavor of a handful of household maintenance tips from your afternoon local TV news. Risk management (applied properly) should be the application of principles in planning and procurement so that the impact of threats that may occur is kept within tolerable levels.

That is, when it's applied properly. And here is where Bob Blakley enters the picture. "Risk management is not bad," he told attendees. "It's evil, and it's actually the enemy of security.

"You go through this exercise every year," said the devil incarnate. "You bring a bunch of security people into the room, and their job normally is to defend against threats." The exercise proceeds, he explained, with these security people generating a list of threats. That list is then presented to upper managers so that they may use the principles that they consider risk management "to decide which controls they are not going to implement. In hindsight, it's really diabolical. We get the security people to cut their own budget to participate in the exercise that builds the list of what are guaranteed to be 365-day vulnerabilities - the list of things we know are currently broken, and we're not going to fix until we get the budget to request for next year."

An Ounce of Prevention, As Compared to a Ton

One questioner in the audience admitted that his business employs risk managers, but says they understand some of both the art and the science, as Ellis explained it, more than they understand how to defend against threats. Confirming Blakley's pessimistic picture, he explained how risk managers in his business calculate how much loss of business or capital it would incur as the result of a threat event, balance the more nominal losses against minimal expenses for protections and remedies, and in the act leave behind the more serious threats that they can't afford to throw money at. Inevitably, these risk managers have the wrong executive sign off on their finalized list of expenditures, asking that executive to decide whether to a) fix the problems, or b) accept the risk. If a five-year-old running out in the middle of traffic were to run into one of these risk managers, he said, given the same type of assessment and asked to make the same decision, it's impossible to imagine him being convinced by a table of probabilities to stay safe behind the curb.

Andy Ellis took that analogy one step further. Asking parents in the audience to confirm this observation, he said when a five-year-old runs out into the street, it's parental instinct to run toward him and grab his arm. Hopefully this is followed by a stern explanation of the risk of running into traffic. If every time the child darted or walked or nudged his way toward the street, the parent gently nudged the child back without a word spoken, Ellis said, "you're making a risk decision on their behalf. You're not educating them.

"Realistically, people have a constant level of risk tolerance," he went on. "They will tolerate a certain amount of risk, and if you take some away, they'll go find more risk. NASCAR drivers are a great example of this. They keep doing things to make the cars safer, and they drive more and more dangerously and recklessly because they now think they're invulnerable. So what we find is, there are fewer accidents, but the ones that happen are really big and really bad. The same things happen on our streets."

Many executives make the mistake of believing that when the calculated reward or benefit for a project exceeds the calculated risk, then the difference between the two becomes an acceptable level of extra risk that can be tolerated for the next project. Ellis suggested that a risk decision should be met with a binary yes or no, not a calculation of probability. Security engineers should utilize those probabilities in their internal assessments, but in their end, apply their philosophies clearly and coherently. "At the end of the day, the business decision maker - the person who gets to choose to take risks, who is not INFOSEC - is making that decision," he notes.

Next page: What are "acceptable levels?"

Source: http://www.readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2012/03/invasion-of-the-risk-managers.php

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

A Simple Guide to Cheap Travel Insurance - Brant Andrews84's blog

Travelling is a form of leisure for many people. It gives them a chance to relax and enjoy different experiences and places of other countries. When you have finally chosen your desired travel location and date, it is important to secure travel insurance right after. It is a safety net just in case something bad happens before or during your trip. Travel agents might offer you insurance; however, there is an alternative.

When it comes to insurance, it is advised that you purchase one after booking your trip; it has a best time to buy it. Many insurance companies have an ?advantage period? which usually lasts from 10 to 30 days, depending on the policy. During the advantage period, insurers have special offers and options such as covering the financial default of a travel supplier or giving exclusion waivers to pre-existing conditions. These offers, however, are usually not available for economy or basic insurance plans. Cheap travel insurance can still give you your basic insurance needs, fit for your budget.

Where can I find cheap travel insurance?

Many consumers now are looking at web-based insurance providers. Looking for cheap insurance for your trips is now easier and convenient, thanks to the internet. With a mass of new web-based providers, competition is a bit high, making travel assurance plans cheaper or affordable. Compare insurance policies online and ask for free quotes so you can have the best options.

When you have found a possible insurance provider with all the information you need to know about them, do not forget to read the terms and conditions of their policies, too. You might have an issue in the future while travelling that is actually not covered by your insurance plan. Ask them if you have any concerns or questions to make sure they can provide you with what you need in an insurance plan.

Why is it a whole lot cheaper?

It is not only the competition that gives online searchers cheaper insurance prices but also the slashed out travel agent. People looking for travel assurance often find themselves amazed at how much cheaper online providers offer their services compared to travel agents who sell insurance. Travel agents typically receive 40% to 50% commission on insurance policies. Online providers who do not sell their products through travel agents have savings, enabling them to give more to their customers.

Travel agents are not only there to sell insurance products. They are also there to inform customers everything they need to know about an insurance plan. In dealing with online providers, you need to make informed decisions regarding travel assurance policies. It is best to read the limitations, benefits, terms, and conditions of your desired plan. Reading the fine print is utmost important so as to not come across any problem when making a claim.

Picking travel insurance plans for yourself should suit your needs. Purchase your insurance as soon as you book your trip to avoid future adverse situations such as an unexpected death in the family, leading you to the cancelation of your trip or flight. At least when you have insurance, you can get a refund of every single dollar you spent.

Source: http://www.1directory.net/travel-and-leisure/a-simple-guide-to-cheap-travel-insurance-12751.html

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Source: http://andrews84.typepad.com/blog/2012/03/a-simple-guide-to-cheap-travel-insurance.html

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The ukulele's future is now with 'Futulele' iPhone, iPad app (video)

Nothing quite says "check me out" to the ladies like riffing on a frickin' pink ukulele -- until now. For folks rocking both an iPhone and an iPad, Touch DJ app maker Amidio Inc., is releasing its latest magnum opus, the "Futulele." Ah, be still, your beating heart. This dual-device ukulele synthesizer connects the aforementioned iOS devices via Bluetooth, creating a virtual four-string strummer on which to throw down a soulful rendition of "Tiny Bubbles." Users get their groove on by touching the iPhone to select up to 12 chords per song and using the iPad to strum; chord sets also can be changed on the fly. Amidio says the app should drop sometime in April, and will be optimized for the iPad 3, to boot. Sure, a regular ukulele might be cheaper, but who are you to argue with the future? Speaking of the future, check it out in all its cheerful glory with the Futulele video posted after the break, as well as some not-so-futuristic PR.

Continue reading The ukulele's future is now with 'Futulele' iPhone, iPad app (video)

The ukulele's future is now with 'Futulele' iPhone, iPad app (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday, March 4, 2012

Extend or end it? GOP voters torn over best route

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during during a campaign rally at the New Life Assembly of God, Thursday, March 1, 2012, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during during a campaign rally at the New Life Assembly of God, Thursday, March 1, 2012, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Bella Mow, 4, sits on her father Michael's shoulders and had her picture taken by Savannah Stewart, 9, as they wait for the arrival of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Thursday, March 1, 2012 In Idaho Falls, Idaho. (AP Photo/The Idaho Post-Register, Robert Bower)

FILE - In this Feb. 29, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. With no end in sight, the Republican presidential nomination fight may end up mirroring the epic 2008 battle between Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton that stretched into June. But Length may be the only true parallel to draw between the two races. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 29, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks in Gainesville, Ga. With no end in sight, the Republican presidential nomination fight may end up mirroring the epic 2008 battle between Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton that stretched into June. But Length may be the only true parallel to draw between the two races. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

(AP) ? To hear some weary rank-and-file Republicans tell it, the increasingly bitter fight for the party's presidential nomination can't end quickly enough.

"It's going to get pretty nasty, the longer it goes, with the mudslinging," says Marilyn Duley, of Hamilton, Ohio. "I'll just be glad when it's over."

Other GOP loyalists argue that patience is virtue as they seek the strongest Republican to challenge President Barack Obama.

"It's going to go on long enough until we get the right candidate," insists Elizabeth Hunter of Tacoma, Wash. ? adding that "the race isn't over until it's over."

As Obama prepares for the general election unchallenged, there's no end in sight to the volatile Republican primary battle being waged by Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and, to a lesser degree, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul.

Interviews with voters across the country find that the segment of the GOP electorate that hasn't yet weighed in on the race is torn between wanting the race to end and wanting to have a say in choosing the eventual nominee. There's also debate over whether the rigorous fight is doing more harm than good to a party going through an identity crisis ? one splintered between the GOP's establishment and its more conservative factions.

Come Saturday, voting will have been under way for two months in a primary season that could well stretch into June. Romney, the front-runner, has been unable to seal the nomination as easily as many party elders had thought he would when the year began. He's failed to allay the concerns of conservatives who make up the base of the party, and both Santorum and Gingrich have capitalized on that discontent to fuel rises in the campaign at various points.

The four candidates have pummeled one another in debates, commercials and campaign appearances, exposing everyone's vulnerabilities. None is close to amassing the 1,144 delegates to the national convention required to secure the GOP nomination.

And none is budging from the race ? at least for now. That has some GOP leaders voicing concern their eventual nominee will head into the fall campaign broke and battered.

Walker Williams, who cast an early ballot for Gingrich in Georgia, shares the worries that the tone of the race could hurt the ultimate Republican victor.

"The Republicans are killing each other and they should be turning on the president and his policies," Williams said. "They're trying to find fault with each other and they should stop that. They should continue to talk about what the president is doing or not doing."

But Bill Cathey, a lifelong Republican in Oklahoma City, said he thinks the right's hostility toward Obama will heal any wounds inflicted in his party's nomination contest.

"It's like wrestling matches. You have to wrestle a few to win the championship," he said. "If our guys are so weak that they can't get through this little patty-cake fight here, well Obama's machine will come at them hammer and tong."

The race could continue well into midyear for several reasons.

Republicans invited a drawn-out battle by switching party rules for winning convention delegates. Most states now are awarding delegates proportionally, meaning all four candidates can argue they're winning even if they're not.

At the same time, the emergence of "super" political action committees that are running ads on behalf of candidates they support has meant that even if a campaign's money dries up, a candidate can continue to compete.

Saturday's Washington caucuses and the 10 contests on Tuesday might provide more clarity to the contest. Poor showings could doom one or more of the candidates, particularly Gingrich. The former House speaker raised his stakes by essentially sitting out February's contests to focus on Super Tuesday states. Still, Gingrich ? along with Santorum and Paul ? have suggested they'll compete all the way to the convention, a notion that doesn't concern some.

"The party is so concerned that we beat Barack Obama, the process doesn't matter," said North Dakota state Rep. Wes Belter, a farmer who attended Romney's town hall in Fargo on Thursday. He also dismissed the fissures in the party, saying, "Once the candidate is nominated we will stand behind him."

Indeed, voters in this week's primaries in Arizona and Michigan were largely on board to support the eventual GOP nominee. But there are signs that the broader Republican Party and the public in general have grown weary of the contest.

The latest AP-GfK poll showed that just 40 percent of Republicans had a "great deal" of interest in following the campaigns, down 8 points from December and about on par with the level last summer when the campaign was in a far sleepier phase, while satisfaction with the field of candidates is static.

There's a still distant possibility that the race could be unsettled when California awards its 172 delegates in early June, a prospect that both excites and worries die-hard Republicans there like Leland McCorkle.

McCorkle, chairman of the Glenn County GOP in northern California, said he's glad the party is taking a hard look at its options though he worries about the focus straying from Obama.

"It's called vetting, but how far do we go with the vetting?" McCorkle wondered.

___

Associated Press writers Dan Sewell in West Chester, Ohio; Ken Thomas in Cummings, Ga.; Kasie Hunt in Fargo, N.D., and AP Deputy Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-03-02-GOP%20Voters-Prolonged%20Race/id-f0a588a3f2fb4b3c96ba4a62b2ae7392

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World News - Afghan clerics demand trial of Quran burners at US base

By msnbc.com staff and news services

KABUL - Senior Afghan clerics said on Friday a U.S. apology for the burning of copies of the Muslim holy book at a NATO base last month would never be accepted, and demanded a trial and punishment for those who committed the "evil act."

"Those who committed this crime must be publicly tried and punished," members of a senior council of clerics said after meeting President Hamid Karzai, according to a statement issued by his office.


"The council strongly condemns this crime and inhumane, savage act by American troops by desecrating holy books of the Quran."

Report: 5 soldiers involved in Quran burning

Despite an apology from President Barack Obama, the desecration of the Quran at the U.S. Bagram airbase, which is being used by both U.S. and foreign forces under the NATO banner, ignited a wave of anti-Western fury across the country. Muslims consider the Koran the literal word of God and treat each book with deep reverence.

Two Americans have been killed following days of protesting over the recent burning of the Quran at a NATO military base. NBC's Atia Abawi reports.

At least 30 people were killed in the protests.

The Quran burnings hurt U.S. efforts to win more trust from Afghans, an essential part of efforts to weaken the Taliban and force the militant group to negotiate an end to the war now in its eleventh year.

Prof. Fawaz Gerges of the London School of Economics explains whether the Quran-burning incident and subsequent Taliban attacks on NATO could alter U.S. plans in Afghanistan.

A string of attacks on NATO troops by Afghan security forces followed the Quran burnings, including the high-profile killing of two U.S. officers in the heavily guarded Interior Ministry.

The killing of two U.S. officers, allegedly by a police intelligence officer, in the heart of the heavily guarded Interior Ministry raised particular concern and cast fresh doubt over the effectiveness of Afghan security forces.

Santorum: No apology needed for Quran burning

If their capabilities do not improve before foreign combat troops head home at the end of 2014, the country could face prolonged instability.

An Afghan government commission investigating abuse accusations at the largest U.S. jail in Afghanistan, which is at the Bagram site, has said inmates had reported being tortured and being held without evidence.

Control over Afghans captured by U.S. forces is a major stumbling block in negotiations between Kabul and Washington on a strategic partnership agreement. NATO's night-time raids on Afghan homes, which Karzai objects to, are another point of contention.
Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

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Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/02/10561243-afghan-clerics-demand-trial-of-quran-burners-at-us-base

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Saturday, March 3, 2012

US troops tread carefully amid Korea tensions

In this photo taken Feb. 15, 2012, U.S. soldiers practice martial arts at Camp Bonifas near the Observation Post Ouellette in the DMZ. The United States regularly flies U-2 spy planes out of a base near the border that North Korea views as provocative. U.S. and South Korean soldiers frequently conduct patrols along the DMZ, often at night, that bring them into potentially dangerous proximity to their North Korean counterparts. (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge)

In this photo taken Feb. 15, 2012, U.S. soldiers practice martial arts at Camp Bonifas near the Observation Post Ouellette in the DMZ. The United States regularly flies U-2 spy planes out of a base near the border that North Korea views as provocative. U.S. and South Korean soldiers frequently conduct patrols along the DMZ, often at night, that bring them into potentially dangerous proximity to their North Korean counterparts. (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge)

In this photo taken Feb. 14, 2012, Lt. Col. Edward Taylor, right, stands behind a wall of sandbags overlooking the North Korean landscape and a bank of trees along the the most fortified border in the world at Observation Post Ouellette in the DMZ. "We are in daily contact, sometimes within arm's reach," Taylor told The Associated Press back in his base camp, named after Capt. Arthur Bonifas, one of the two Americans killed in a 1976 clash known as the 1976 Ax Murder Incident. "If something happens, it could happen in minutes." (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge)

In this photo taken Feb. 14, 2012, CPL Diego Muniz, left, 21, of Los Fresnos, TX., and CPL Michael Fridgen, 22, of Big Lake, MN., prepare for a night patrol at Observation Post Ouellette in the DMZ. The United States regularly flies U-2 spy planes out of a base near the border that North Korea views as provocative. U.S. and South Korean soldiers frequently conduct patrols along the DMZ, often at night, that bring them into potentially dangerous proximity to their North Korean counterparts. (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge)

In this photo taken Feb. 14, 2012, Sgt. Maj. Eric Kloss, center, looks on as soldiers prepare for a night watch at Observation Post Ouellette in the DMZ. The United States regularly flies U-2 spy planes out of a base near the border that North Korea views as provocative. U.S. and South Korean soldiers frequently conduct patrols along the DMZ, often at night, that bring them into potentially dangerous proximity to their North Korean counterparts. (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge)

(AP) ? Lt. Col. Edward Taylor stands behind a wall of sandbags overlooking the North Korean landscape and a bank of trees along the most fortified border in the world. The trees obstruct the view, he explains. They need to come down.

But this is the DMZ.

The last time anyone tried cutting trees here was 36 years ago, and it set off a melee with the North Koreans. Two U.S. soldiers were hacked to death with their own axes, touching off Operation Paul Bunyan, a full-scale mobilization of fighter jets, B-52 bombers and an aircraft carrier strike group that brought the two sides dangerously close to conflict.

The axes and clubs are still on display in a North Korean museum near the border as evidence of how the U.S. ? Pyongyang claims ? used the tree-cutting as a pretext to incite mayhem.

But to this day, the U.S. Army believes the 1976 Ax Murder Incident ? North Korea calls it the Panmunjom Incident ? was a premeditated attempt to boost the hard-line reputation of Kim Jong Il, who was then being groomed to eventually succeed his father as North Korea's leader.

With Kim's own son, Kim Jong Un, now cutting his teeth, Taylor knows his pruning plans could be all that is needed to set off America's next big war. He commands the U.S. border battalion tasked with monitoring the Demilitarized Zone and providing security.

Though often overshadowed by more pressing conflicts elsewhere ? Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now the stare-down with Iran ? the potential for bloody hostilities on the Korean Peninsula is as real as ever. An agreement announced this week trading U.S. food aid for North Korean nuclear concessions opens a path to broader talks, but challenging obstacles remain.

If war does break out again, the 28,000 U.S. troops in Korea defending a 60-year-old truce arrangement will be right in the thick of it.

"We are in daily contact, sometimes within arm's reach," Taylor told The Associated Press back in his base camp, named after Capt. Arthur Bonifas, one of the two Americans killed in the 1976 clash. "If something happens, it could happen in minutes."

Maybe, he says, the trees can wait.

___

It's easy to get complacent about Korea. The deadly game of cat-and-mouse on the peninsula hasn't changed much since the 1976 incident, or for that matter since the 1953 armistice to the Korea conflict.

Crises come and go with numbing frequency.

North Korea pushed the fragile truce to its limits two years ago, when Washington and Seoul say it torpedoed and sank a South Korean warship and later launched a limited but fatal artillery strike on a disputed border island. Pyongyang denies sinking the ship and says the artillery firing was provoked by the South Korean military, which was conducting a live-fire drill nearby.

Washington and Seoul play games of their own.

The United States regularly flies U-2 spy planes out of a base near the border that North Korea views as provocative. U.S. and South Korean soldiers frequently conduct patrols along the DMZ, often at night, that bring them into potentially dangerous proximity to their North Korean counterparts.

The three countries' militaries are at their most active right around this time of year.

Each year North Korea's 1.2 million troops, most of them based south of Pyongyang, mobilize for their December-to-April training, which is followed by a lull in the spring and summer as they return to the fields to help plant and harvest. After a brief respite following Kim Jong Il's death in mid-December, the winter training cycle is just reaching its peak.

This is also when the U.S. and South Korea hold their biggest war games. Some 200,000 South Korean and 13,000 U.S. troops are taking part in the annual Foal Eagle maneuvers that began this week and run through April.

North Korean media have slammed the exercises as an "unpardonable infringement on our sovereignty." On Friday the Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army expressed outrage over the drills and threatened to wage a "merciless sacred war."

This year's Foal Eagle is the first since Kim Jong Un assumed power, so Pyongyang's reaction is being closely watched for signs of how the world's youngest commander in chief, believed to be in his late 20s, will lead.

Several U.S. commanders interviewed by the AP said there have been no significant incidents. But they added, that doesn't mean there won't be.

"We don't know what is going to happen in the next month or two months," said Lt. Col. David Rayman, commander of the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the border. "We are always exercising. We're training to the worst-case scenario."

He said his squadron trains in chem gear and gas masks. "We don't do that in the states. We're not doing that in Afghanistan. It's a different war."

___

All sides have good reason to avoid another full-on fight. The 1950-53 war killed at least 4 million people, including civilians and troops from the two Koreas, China, the United States and other United Nations combatants. South Korea's response to the incidents in 2010 was conspicuously measured, and the tensions gradually eased.

Diplomatic efforts to calm the situation continue. This week North Korea, which is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for four to eight atomic bombs, agreed to freeze most nuclear activities in exchange for food aid from the United States.

But what if cool heads don't prevail?

Scenarios for how a war with North Korea could unfold range from frightening, if it stays conventional, to catastrophic, if it goes nuclear.

Bruce Bennett, a northeast Asia strategy expert and senior analyst for the RAND Corp. who has advised the U.S., Japanese and South Korean militaries, said any number of triggers could touch that fight off.

Bennett says the battle would unfold rapidly:

?North Korea launches artillery on South Korea's forward defensive lines and its capital, Seoul, to create panic and a flood of refugees who would clog roads and impede the movement of military units.

The attacks could be laced with Sarin nerve gas and blister agents ? North Korea reportedly has 2,500-5,000 tons stockpiled ? as commandos infiltrate the South via aircraft, submarines, ships and tunnels under the DMZ.

?South Korea and the U.S. hit back with massive artillery fire, combat aircraft, ballistic missile and special forces strikes. U.S. Marines begin deploying from Japan.

? It could then go nuclear. China would join the fray.

The casualties would be staggering.

"The biggest unique thing is that if anything happens here it's going to be what we would term a major combat operation ? it's not irregular warfare, it's not counterinsurgency," Rayman said. "The big deal is that if something happens here, it's going to be a big fight."

___

The stakes are easy to overlook in Panmunjom, up the road from the base camp of Taylor's border battalion. One of the unit's most visible missions is protecting ? and showing around ? more than 100,000 tourists and VIPs who flood the DMZ there each year.

Along with their military duties, soldiers actually act as tour guides for visitors who pour in by the busload, snap souvenir photos of the sky-blue barracks of Panmunjom's iconic "Conference Row" and absentmindedly sip bottled water as they are lectured on Korea War history. At times, North and South Korean briefers can be seen leading their groups just meters away from each other, on either side of the line.

"People just see us as tour guides with guns," Cpl. Jon West, of Tallahassee, Florida, said as he and about a dozen other soldiers ate dinner at "Sanctuary Club," the Camp Bonifas mess. "It's really not that. You're ready all the time."

But U.S. troops in Korea ? who go by the motto "Fight Tonight" ? are gradually pulling back from the DMZ.

Strapped by more than a decade of expensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military is downsizing and preparing for fundamental readjustments under a soon-to-be-slashed budget. Last month, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that will mean a leaner, more agile posture around the world.

South Korea is feeling the changes already. Most of the U.S. forces here are to be repositioned to consolidated bases south of Seoul by 2016. In three years, South Korea will assume operational command ? meaning it will be in charge if a conflict erupts.

In the DMZ, the South Korean army already makes up 90 percent of the 750 soldiers deployed to the Joint Security Area. For them and the 70 or so U.S. soldiers who remain under Taylor's command, life is calm, but uneasy.

"I got here three days before Kim Jong Il died," said Pfc. Jessica Reyes, 23, of San Dimas, California. "I didn't know what to expect. Even on practice drills, you wonder if maybe this time will be it. It still gets you every time."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-03-02-AS-SKorea-Staring-Down-Pyongyang/id-8198046379f4488db200886c6f7b68e8

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