Would sliding back to pre-PSA era cancel progress in prostate cancer?

Monday, July 30, 2012

Eliminating the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer would be taking a big step backwards and would likely result in rising numbers of men with metastatic cancer at the time of diagnosis, predicted a University of Rochester Medical Center analysis published in the journal, Cancer.

The URMC study suggests that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and early detection may prevent up to 17,000 cases of metastatic prostate cancer a year. Data shows, in fact, that if age-specific pre-PSA era incidence rates were to occur in the present day, the number of men whose cancer had already spread at diagnosis would be three times greater.

"Our findings are very important in light of the recent controversy over PSA testing," said Edward M. Messing, M.D., study co-author, chair of Urology at URMC, and president of the Society of Urologic Oncology. "Yes, there are trade-offs associated with the PSA test and many factors influence the disease outcome. And yet our data are very clear: not doing the PSA test will result in many men presenting with far more advanced prostate cancer. And almost all men with metastasis at diagnosis will die from prostate cancer."

Prostate cancer usually occurs in older men, and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the male population. In 2012 an estimated 241,740 new cases will be diagnosed and 28,000 deaths will occur. Prognosis depends on whether the cancer has spread outside the prostate gland, and the degree to which the cancer cells are abnormal.

In 2011 the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommended against PSA screening in all men, prompting criticism from the medical community. The government panel reviewed scientific evidence and concluded that screening has little or no benefit, or that the harms of early detection outweigh the benefits. One major concern, for example, was that doctors are screening for, finding, and treating non-aggressive cancers that might have remained quiet, causing patients to needlessly suffer from serious treatment side effects such as incontinence or erectile dysfunction.

The U.S. Task Force recommendations against screening caused some confusion, and in response, a special panel of experts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology this month issued its own opinion. The ASCO panel decided that for men with a life expectancy of less than 10 years, general screening with the PSA test should be discouraged. For men with a longer life expectancy, though, it is recommended that physicians discuss with patients whether the PSA test is appropriate for them.

Messing's study looked back at the era prior to 1986, when no one was routinely screened for prostate cancer with a PSA test. To analyze the effect of screening on stage of disease at initial diagnosis, Messing and Emelian Scosyrev, Ph.D., assistant professor of Urology, reviewed data from 1983 to 2008 kept by the nation's largest cancer registry, Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Results or SEER. They compared SEER data from the pre-PSA era (1983 to '85) to the current era of widespread PSA use (2006 to 2008), and adjusted for age, race, and geographic variations in the United States population.

Approximately 8,000 cases of prostate cancer with metastases at initial presentation occurred in the U.S. in 2008. Using a mathematical model to estimate the number of metastatic cases that would be expected to occur in 2008 in the absence of PSA screening, Scosyrev and Messing predicted the number would be 25,000.

The authors emphasized the study was observational and has some limitations. In particular it is impossible to know if the PSA test and early detection is solely responsible for the fewer cases of metastasis at diagnosis in 2008.

The potential lead-time of screening also should be considered when interpreting the study findings, Scosyrev said. For some people an earlier stage of cancer at diagnosis may not always translate into better survival. This may happen, for example, in cases when the cancer had already metastasized at the time of screening, but the metastasis remained undetected.

In general, however, the study concluded that massive screening and PSA awareness efforts during the 1990s and early 2000s resulted in substantial shifts toward earlier-stage disease and fewer cases of metastases at diagnosis.

In the United States over the most recent 20 years, Messing said, prostate cancer death rates have been reduced by close to 40%. This occurred without substantial changes in how men were treated (via surgery and radiation therapy). Other models published in the scientific literature have suggested that more than 50% of this reduction is due to early detection.

###

University of Rochester Medical Center: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu

Thanks to University of Rochester Medical Center for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/122134/Would_sliding_back_to_pre_PSA_era_cancel_progress_in_prostate_cancer_

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German jobless rate up to 6.8 pct in July

BERLIN (AP) ? Unemployment in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, rose in July as a typical seasonal increase was reinforced by a gradual slowing in the labor market, official data showed Tuesday.

The unadjusted jobless rate climbed to 6.8 percent from 6.6 percent in June, the Federal Labor Agency said. The number of people registered as unemployed was up 67,000 compared with the previous month at 2.876 million, though it was 63,000 lower than in July last year.

Labor agency chief Frank-Juergen Weise blamed the increase largely on seasonal factors ? unemployment typically climbs during the summer break as school-leavers register jobless and temporary contracts expire ? but said there are also "indications of a weaker development" on the so-far impressively buoyant labor market. That echoed comments he made when unemployment dropped modestly in June.

In seasonally adjusted terms, the unemployment rate stood at 6.8 percent for the eighth straight month in July though the number of people without work increased by 7,000 ? the fourth consecutive month of small increases.

German unemployment remains low, in sharp contrast with rates of more than 20 percent in Spain and Greece. The country has enjoyed two years of strong economic growth ? fueling a healthy job market and meaning that many workers have enjoyed solid pay increases this year.

However, with concern mounting about Spain's financial troubles and new questions over debt-laden Greece's future in the eurozone, worries are growing that demand for German goods will be hit by declining economies across Europe and that Germany will have to inject more money into the 17-nation eurozone to keep it afloat.

ING economist Carsten Brzeski said it was a "warning signal" that the unadjusted jobless figure increased by the largest amount for July since 2004.

"All in all, the German labour market is clearly losing momentum," he said. "Given the high level of employment, there is no need to panic. However, indications are increasing that light-hearted times are coming to an end."

Data released Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office showed retail sales in Germany slipping by 0.1 in June compared with the previous month, a third consecutive small decline.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-31-Germany-Economy/id-3f02bef8a15f49eaa9021b1f6604e478

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Apple, Samsung lawyers spar in court over patents

Lawyers for Apple and Samsung debated the differences between copying and honest competition as opened arguments were held Tuesday in a huge patent trial involving the two tech giants.

Harold McElhinny, a lawyer for Apple in the blockbuster patent trial under way in San Jose, California, told the jury Samsung began copying the US firm as soon as the iPhone was publicly unveiled in January 2007.

"At the same time (Apple co-founder Steve) Jobs introduced the iPhone, he warned his competitors that he had filed for patent protection on more than 200 new inventions in the iPhone," McElhinny said in his opening argument.

"Samsung was faced with a choice. Samsung could come up with its own designs, it could beat Apple fairly in the marketplace. Or it could copy Apple... it's easier to copy than to innovate."

The lawyer said Samsung copied specific features, including a "bounce-back" feature in the scrolling process and a design with a black-on-black face.

"At the highest corporate levels, Samsung decided to copy every element of the iPhone," he said.

"This was not accidental. Samsung's copying was intentional."

He argued that Samsung made continual changes as Apple updated its products.

"Over 100 times Samsung made detailed changes to its phones and tablets so that the end result was identical to Apple products," the lawyer said.

Samsung lawyer Charles Verhoeven countered Apple's opening with his own version of cell phone history, citing several large-screen phones that pre-dated the iPhone.

The South Korean firm is no "copyist" or "Johnny-come-lately," said Verhoeven, but a major technology company that does its own innovation. He said internal Apple documents show that designers themselves were inspired by designs from competitors, including Sony.

The iPhone was an "inspiring" product to many -- but that there was nothing wrong with that, said Verhoeven. "Is that infringement? No, that's competition," he said.

The lawyer said more cell phones are being sold with certain features like big screens because that's what consumers want.

"The entire industry moved towards screens that are much larger. Nobody's going to want to watch a movie on a tiny little screen," he argued.

The comments came as jurors began hearing the biggest US patent trial in decades, with billions at stake for the tech giants.

Just ahead of the arguments, US District Judge Lucy Koh allowed one of the 10 jurors to be dismissed after the woman said she was confused about whether she was getting paid.

"The stress of this case is causing anxiety. She's having panic attacks," the judge said. "We understand this case would be a severe economic hardship on you."

Both sides agreed to the move which reduces the number of jurors hearing the case to nine, but does not impact the trial.

The case began Monday with a pool of 70 prospective jurors in the courtroom, who faced questions about whether they, their friends or family members work for Apple, Samsung, Google, or Motorola.

Google is not directly involved in the case but its Android operating system is used on Samsung devices and will figure prominently in the case. Google recently acquired Motorola Mobility, another maker of mobile devices.

Apple is seeking more than $2.5 billion in a case accusing the South Korean firm of infringing on designs and other patents from the iPhone and iPad maker.

This is one of several cases in courts around the world involving the two big electronics giants in the hottest part of the tech sector, tablet computers and smartphones.

While the results so far have been mixed in courts in Europe and Australia, Samsung is clearly on the defensive in the US case.

Koh, who will preside in the jury case, has issued two temporary injunctions against US sales of Samsung's 10-inch Galaxy tablet and the Galaxy Nexus smartphone developed with Google.

Samsung could face big risks: If Apple wins, it would automatically get a permanent injunction on sales of Samsung devices. And if Samsung makes only minor changes, Apple could ask for the Korean firm to be held in contempt.

The case has huge financial implications for both firms and the burgeoning industry for mobile devices.

A survey by research firm IDC showed Samsung shipped 50.2 million smartphones globally in the April-June period, while Apple sold 26 million iPhones. IDC said Samsung held 32.6 percent of the market to 16.9 percent for Apple.

Samsung is the leading maker of smartphones using Google's Android operating system, which has become the most popular platform despite complaints from Apple that it has infringed on its patents.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-samsung-set-blockbuster-us-patent-trial-043550641.html

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Deadly ebola outbreak in Ugandan capital

Uganda's president on Monday warned against shaking hands and other physical contact after the first death from the deadly Ebola virus in the capital Kampala.

"The Ministry of Health are tracing all the people who have had contact with the victims," Yoweri Museveni said in a state broadcast, adding that 14 people had died in total since Ebola broke out in western Uganda three weeks ago.

One person who contracted the virus in western Uganda died in Kampala's Mulago Hospital, Museveni said, calling on people not to shake hands to avoid the spread of the virus.

"Ebola spreads by contact when you contact each other physically... avoid shaking of hands, because that can cause contact through sweat, which can cause problems," Museveni said.

"Do not take on burying somebody who has died from symptoms that look like Ebola -- instead call health workers because they know how to do it... avoid promiscuity because this sickness can also go through sex," he added.

Seven doctors and 13 health workers at Mulago Hospital are in quarantine after "at least one or two cases" were taken there, with one later dying, he said.

The latest outbreak started in Uganda's western Kibale district, around 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Kampala, and around 50 kilometres from the border with Democratic Republic of Congo.

The fatal case in Kampala was a health worker who "had attended to the dead at Kagadi hospital" in Kibale, Health Minister Christine Ondoa told reporters.

She is believed to have travelled independently to Kampala -- possibly on public transport -- after her three-month old baby died, Ondoa added.

World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesman Tarik Jasarevic confirmed the death in Kampala, but noted that "so far no infections have occurred" there.

"I appeal to you to first of all report all cases which appear to be like Ebola, and these are high fever, vomiting, sometimes diarrhoea, and with bleeding," Museveni added.

"When you handle this case well you can eliminate Ebola quickly."

According to experts, despite being extremely virulent the disease is containable because it kills its victims faster than it can spread to new ones.

It has a fatality ratio of between 23 and 90 percent, according to the WHO.

Seven people suspected of having the virus have been isolated in Kigadi hospital, Ondoa said.

The nearest death to the capital previously had been in May 2011 in Bombo, 35 kilometres (21 miles) from Kampala, a city of some 1.5 million people.

The rare haemorrhagic disease, named after a small river in DR Congo, killed 37 people in western Uganda in 2007 and at least 170 in the north of the country in 2000.

However, Museveni said that the virus had not been immediately identified this time, resulting in a delay.

"The bleeding which normally accompanies Ebola did not take place initially among these patients," he said, adding that health workers at first did not therefore realise what the problem was.

"Because of that delay the sickness spread."

Health officials said that the source of the outbreak had yet to be confirmed but that the villages affected were located close to forests famous for several species of primates.

"The site where most of the cases occurred are close to Kibale forest where there are a lot of monkeys and birdlife," said WHO representative for Uganda, Joaquim Saweka, adding that "so far the WHO does not recommend any restriction of movement."

Local communities had initially also delayed reporting the outbreak because "evil spirits" had been blamed, said Ondoa.

Ebola is characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, often followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding, according to the WHO.

It spreads by direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of infected persons.

"I wish you good luck, and may God rest the souls of those who died in eternal peace," Museveni added.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uganda-bans-physical-contact-ebola-reaches-capital-112905767.html

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Mali's interim president says he "trusts" army

KSL's public inspection files, including the Children's Television Programming Reports and the DTV Quarterly Activity Station Report, are available for viewing during regular office hours at the KSL Broadcast House.

? 2012 ksl.com | KSL Broadcasting Salt Lake City UT | Site hosted & managed by Deseret Digital Media - a Deseret Media Company??v02

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PerDM Drive Customer Engagement in Marketing | NHPW.COM

(1888PressRelease) Field Marketing Firm, PerDM encourage businesses to implement marketing practices that aim to stimulate or influence customers buying behaviour

PerDM report customer engagement through face-to-face interactions and presentations can boost sales by 39%. The outsourced field marketing firm surveyed 35 independent direct marketing firms throughout the UK of whom on average increased acquisitions for clients by more than 1/3 when direct marketing methods were employed and compared to the previous year?s sales. ?Consumer engagement in marketing can definitely increase productivity if implemented effectively. We certainly encourage businesses to use forms of direct marketing and face to face engagement as a supplement their traditional marketing methods? says Director of PerDM, Ian Attwood.

In August 2006, management consultants McKinsey & Co published a report which said that by 2010 traditional TV advertising will only be one-third as effective as it was in 1990. PerDM agree traditional marketing and advertising methods are becoming less effective than they once were. The adoption of new media marketing contributes to this along with customers requiring more detailed product information prior to making a purchase decision. ?We have found that interacting in person allows the customer to make an educated buying decision as they have had the opportunity to either see the product in person and/or ask questions about the product before making a purchase? adds Ian Attwood of PerDM.

PerDM outline engaging with customers can positively contribute to a brands reputation. Consumer engagement allows customers to voice their concerns, enabling the brand to react and if required change business practices. It can also allow a brand to hear first hand what their customer?s like about them and why, which is important information for company management to consider when conducting range reviews and making potential de-listing decisions.

Using customer engagement in marketing allows a business to create a strategy that highlights the strengths of a brand and matches the needs of consumers. PerDM are advocates of direct marketing which allow them to evaluate the target audience?s requirements and increase acquisitions by tailoring their marketing to a particular niche market where appropriate. This direct method allows a level of control which in traditional forms of marketing is not prevalent. PerDM encourage businesses to drive customer engagement in their marketing to ensure a higher sales conversion ratio.

http://www.pdmcontact.com/Welcome.aspx/Index

About PerDM:

PerDM was established in August 2005 in response to the UK markets need for a field sales organisation capable of delivering high quality results with consistency and reliability.

The company was formed by a group of former UK financial services executives and senior executives from the leading North American field sales agency and since 2005 we have continually recruited leading figures from the B2C and B2B business arena.

PerDM have expanded rapidly with offices across the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Brazil and North America ? a true Global field sales and marketing company.

http://www.pdmcontact.com/

Source: http://nhpw.com/perdm-drive-customer-engagement-in-marketing/

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EYES ON LONDON: Getting psyched and some slapstick

Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokourov celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's Road Cycling race at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. Rigoberto Uran of Colombia took silver, with Alexander Kristoff of Norway claiming bronze. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokourov celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's Road Cycling race at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. Rigoberto Uran of Colombia took silver, with Alexander Kristoff of Norway claiming bronze. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Great Britain's gymnast Daniel Purvis performs on the horizontal bar during the Artistic Gymnastic men's qualification at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Harinelina Rakotondramanana of Madagascar falls after failing to lift in the women's 48-kg weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Gymnast Cyril Tommasone from France performs on the rings during the Artistic Gymnastics men's qualification at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

USA's Michael Phelps competes in a heat of the men's 400-meter individual medley at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

LONDON (AP) ? Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:

___

PSYCHED AMERICAN

U.S. freestyle wrestler Jake Herbert is the team's resident jokester and could barely keep a straight face during a press conference on Saturday. But when asked how he flips the switch just before a match, he gave great insight into the mental approach of athletes competing in one of the world's roughest sports.

"You start to look at that guy across the mat and you start to think of what he's trying to take away from you (and think) 'He didn't work as hard as me. I know for a fact he wasn't up at 6 a.m., he wasn't hitting the bike until he puked. He wasn't hitting the weights as hard as me. He wasn't as dedicated as I am. He doesn't want it as much as I do.' And it starts that excitement. It starts getting my blood pressure going. It starts getting the hairs standing on the back of my neck."

Upon hearing Herbert's rant, teammate Sam Hazewinkel responded "I ready to go, man. Whew!"

Herbert and Hazewinkel will have to calm down though. The freestyle wrestling competition doesn't start until Aug. 10.

?Luke Meredith ? Twitter http://twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP

___

TWITTER MENTIONS

Twitter says there was a worldwide total of 9.66 million mentions of the Opening Ceremony from the start of proceedings until the end of its broadcast in the US.

? Rob Harris ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/RobHarris

___

SHE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

There is nothing more important than the Olympics, right? How about a wedding?

Croatian women's basketball player Marija Vrsaljko skipped last week's exhibition game against the United States to get married.

The Americans pounded Croatia by 54 points in the game.

Having the lanky center back in the lineup is making a difference in the opener. She has eight points early in the third quarter and Croatia trails by just four points.

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

HOW MUCH?!

Day One in the Olympic Park and already visitors are feeling it in their wallets.

"Twenty-five pounds for a T-shirt!" exclaimed Catherine Goley of Birmingham, who was browsing through a London 2012 souvenir shop ? and made a hasty exit after finding nothing in her price range.

She had tickets for Saturday night's swim competition, but others without tickets came to the park just to check it out, paying 10 pounds ($15) to get in and another 15 pounds ($22) to go up the Orbit observation deck.

Colleen Whalen, of Cincinnati, Ohio, said she would have paid to go up since that's the only way to see inside the main stadium and the Olympic flame, but tickets were sold out.

Whalen, who won a ticket to the swim finals, said she briefly considered buying a ticket for the opening ceremony, but balked at the price for the remaining seats.

"The only tickets left were 1800 or 2300 pounds and yes, that's definitely out of my price range." (In dollars, that's a cool $2,800 to $3,570).

- Nicole Winfield ? Twitter at http://twitter.com/nwinfield

___

PRIORITIES

Brazilian rower Kissya da Costa has put her modeling career on hold to pursue her dream of Olympic gold at the London Games.

The 30-year-old, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the women's single sculls on Saturday with a fourth-place finish in her heat, says she hasn't posed in front of the cameras for two years because of the demands of her sport.

"I don't miss modeling," she told The Associated Press. "In Brazil, it doesn't earn you much money."

She now divides her time between rowing and studying nutrition at university, where she still has two years left in her degree.

___

US FEEL

From the Ludacris and Ice Cube blaring on the speakers to the cheerleaders and hype man who fills the breaks in the action, the presentation of basketball in London has a decidedly American feel.

An in-arena announcer tries to pump up the crowd, similar to many NBA arenas.

"Who here is supporting Croooo-aaaaatia?!?" he hollers.

"And who is supporting Americaaaaaa?!?"

The White Stripes, Queen and the Rolling Stones are also heard to appeal to the rock and roll set.

And for the basketball novices in the crowd, the announcer explains things like flagrant fouls and what happens when a team is in foul trouble.

?Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

SWEDISH STEEL

The bar used in the Olympic weightlifting competition is made of Swedish steel built to withstand 1.5 tons without snapping or losing its shape. That's four times more weight than the strongest competitors can lift.

The elasticity of the bar allows it to bend back into shape after each lift, says Erik Blomberg, CEO of Eleiko, the supplier of the weightlifting equipment used in London.

The plates consist of a steel hub coated with rubber. The firmness of the rubber is key, once the lifter lets go of the bar. "Not too soft so that it bounces out of control. And not too hard so that it damages the platform," says Bloomberg.

Karl Ritter ? Twitter http://twitter.com/karl_ritter

___

SYRIA'S BALANCING ACT

He's in a delicate position for sure.

The head of Syria's Olympic team at the London Games is choosing his words carefully to describe the ambitions of the country's athletes and the government, whose forces are bombarding his home city of Aleppo.

Maher Khayata said he was worried about his family, trapped in Aleppo during one of the most significant battles of the 17-month uprising in Syria. But he said the army is trying to "protect people and keep them safe."

Three Syrian athletes were competing on the first full day of competition in swimming, shooting and boxing Saturday. Back home, the army pounded Aleppo by helicopters to flush out rebels.

"There are two sides of the dispute," Khayata said. "One of them is fighting to seek power and the other side wants to keep the security of the country."

"I am a sportsman, not a politician. Everyone knows there are armed people and the army that is trying to protect people and keep them safe."

? Barbara Surk ? Twitter http://twitter.com/BarbaraSurkAP

___

SLAPSTICK MISHAP

And now for something completely different.

It was bound to happen in the land of Monty Python and Mr. Bean: We've just had our first slapstick comedy-related mishap of the London Games.

The beach volleyball venue at Horse Guards Parade has been playing the "Benny Hill" theme over the loudspeaker while the raking crew smooths out the sand during timeouts. That inspired a couple of fans to mimic the show ? in short, to start running around the concourse between the upper and lower sections, chasing and being chased by a pair of blondes in skirts.

The crowd loved it, and the P.A. announcer also egged them on, until one of the blokes ran smack-dab into an Olympic volunteer.

The crowd gasped.

The two quickly hugged it off and went back to their respective duties: She resumed directing fans to their seats and he headed for the beer concession.

The volunteer, who declined to give her name, said she was uninjured. The fan, who said to identify him and his mate as "The Murray Brothers," seemed more concerned about spilling some of his beer.

The Associated Press has learned exclusively that it was not his first of the day.

So, no crisis here. Until a giant cartoon foot comes out of the sky and stomps out the venue, that is.

? Jimmy Golen ? Twitter: http://twitter.com/jgolen.

___

QUEEN'S STUNTMAN

Gary Connery has completed more than 880 sky dives in his career as a stuntman ? but never dressed as a woman.

He donned a dress and silver wig as Queen Elizabeth II, while his colleague Mark Sutton doubled for James Bond actor Daniel Craig, as the pair leaped Friday night from a helicopter above Olympic Park as part of the big surprise in the four-hour opening ceremony.

"Love the dress, will see if I can keep it," Connery tweeted after landing on a narrow bridge beside the stadium, a stunt he and Sutton had been training for months to do.

Connery's no slouch as a stuntman. Earlier this year he jumped 2,400 feet (730 meters) from a helicopter and landed ? without using any parachute at all. Instead he used a carpet of 18,600 cardboard boxes to break his fall.

? Shawn Pogatchnik ? Twitter http://twitter.com/ShawnPogatchnik

___

IT WASN'T TO BE

The excitement near the road course finish line outside the palace fell flat as Great Britain and favorite Mark Cavendish failed to win a medal.

"I was there when he didn't win it!" shouted Richard Jones of London.

He'd been watching the race on television with his wife and another couple when they decided with an hour to go to hustle over to Buckingham Palace for the finish.

"We practically did a triathlon to get here," said Jane Carson of Chester. "And we didn't even get very close ? but neither did Cav."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

___

STAG DO

A rowing regatta isn't the usual place to start a bachelor party.

It worked out just fine for husband-to-be Martin Stanning, though, as he watched sister Heather romp to victory in the women's pair with partner Helen Glover at Dorney Lake? setting a Olympic best time in the process.

Martin was under orders in the "stag do" ? as it's called in Britain ? from his older brother Alistair, who was organizer-in-chief. His parents were there, too.

Glover and Stanning are big favorites to win the final of the women's pair on Wednesday after going through this season unbeaten. If they win gold, they'll become the first British women to do so.

?Steve Douglas ? Twitter http://twitter.com/sdouglas80

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-07-28-OLY-Eyes-on-London-Package/id-78be87f7bef143c9be9bdf2459fb769a

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'Breaking Bad' Creator Secretly Introduced Season Five's Villains Two Years Ago

'There is an Easter egg, in all seriousness, if you watch very closely,' Vince Gilligan told MTV News about the nefarious Madrigal Electromotive GmbH's first mention all the way back in season three.
By Josh Wigler

"Breaking Bad" cast
Photo: AMC

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1690718/breaking-bad-season-five-villain.jhtml

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Drought May Mean Fewer, Smaller Animals At Fairs

MILWAUKEE (AP) ? State and county fairs in the sweltering and drought-stricken Midwest may see some skinnier pigs and smaller squash this year.

The dozen pigs Greg Marzahl and his 15-year-old daughter are bringing to the Wisconsin State Fair are smaller than those he'd normally show. Marzahl, who had three grand champion pigs last year, said his pigs are around about 15 pounds smaller than the normal 275 pounds. The heat is affecting their virility and appetites, he said.

"We've had a hard time getting them to eat enough to get that condition on them," said Marzahl, who has about 35 show pigs and a few lambs on his 160-acre farm in Oxford.

The Wisconsin fair opens its 11-day run Thursday in the Milwaukee suburb of West Allis. State fairs also are set to begin in the next two weeks in Indiana, Iowa and Illinois, which also have been hit hard this summer by unusual heat and drought.

Marzahl still plans to bring his pigs to the fair, expecting his competition will have smaller animals too.

That's been the case at some county fairs that already have been held in the state.

David Laatsch, an agriculture agent with the University of Wisconsin Extension, said he's judge several poultry contests for county fairs this summer and has seen fewer exhibitors and smaller animals. The heat also causes narrower and fewer feathers on poultry, he said.

Laatsch thought some potential exhibitors might have decided to leave their dairy cows home because they were already stressed. Heat disrupts cows' reproductive cycles, and their milk production goes down, he said.

Liana Glavin, secretary of the Adams County Fair Board, has three teenage daughters involved in 4-H. They will bring some of their 12 cows to the county fair this year but leave a mother and her calf behind because of the stress of the heat.

Other exhibitors aren't even coming, she said, although she didn't immediately have figures.

Glavin said the pasture on her farm in Arkdale is completely dried up, when normally the cows can eat until October. Prices for feed have skyrocketed, and Glavin said she doesn't know how much longer she can afford to keep her farm if the prices stay high and the drought continues.

"It's scary but at the same time it's sad," she said. "My kids bought their cows for a 4-H project. We've had the cows for seven years. When you only have 12 of them you are more attached to them."

Astrid Newenhouse, an agriculture scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, judged vegetables and flowers for ages 8 to 18 at this year's Dane County fair, which ended July 22. She said entries were down by about two-thirds.

"I have never seen the drought like that before, this severe before," said Newenhouse, who has judged for 23 years.

The fair had just one gladiola. Typically, it has about two dozen. She said lilies were smaller and not as colorful and all of the vegetables were smaller.

Most years when she asks children to describe their projects, they usually say what they liked best about the plant.

This year, "the first thing they mentioned was how much they watered them," Newenhouse said.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/29/drought-animals-fairs_n_1716647.html

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Chick-fil-A VP of public relations dies of heart attack

Chick-fil-A's Vice President of Public Relations Don Perry died "suddenly" Friday morning, the company confirmed. Perry was based in the Atlanta area and worked in Chick-fil-A's corporate communications department.

Perry's death comes amid controversy this week over comments that Chick-fil-A's CEO Dan Cathy made against gay marriage. Cathy told the Baptist Press that he was "guilty as charged" for supporting "the biblical definition of the family unit."

In response to the backlash, conservative commentator Mike Huckabee organized a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day , calling on people who support the company's Christian values to eat at Chick-fil-A next Wednesday.

"Let's affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1," Huckabee wrote on the Facebook page created for the event.

So far nearly 300,000 people have signed on to attend the event.

Read more about that controversy here.

Here is the full statement from Chick-fil-A on Perry's death:

"We are saddened to report the news to you that our dear friend Don Perry, vice president of public relations, passed away suddenly this morning.

Don was a member of our Chick-fil-A family for nearly 29 years. For many of you in the media, he was the spokesperson for Chick-fil-A. He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Get more pure politics at ABC News.com/Politics and a lighter take on the news at OTUSNews.com

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chick-fil-vice-president-public-relations-dies-heart-192201763--abc-news-politics.html

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HOW RACING REALLY STACKS UP ON DRUG TESTING

American horse racing is increasingly admonished in the mainstream media over legal and illicit drugs. The impression conveyed to the public during the recent Triple Crown season?was that the sport is permissive.

But how does horse racing really stack up against the foremost U. S. professional sports leagues on the twin elements of drug policy?testing and meting out of sanctions for transgressions?

Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have adopted ?reasonable cause? testing policies, whereby a player can be checked at any time if someone in authority infers he may be using a forbidden drug. The National Football League?s collective bargaining agreement limits to four the number of times a player can be tested annually and permits game-day testing of performance-enhancing drugs but not recreational drugs. The National Hockey League states ?Every player will be subject to two ?no-notice? tests every year??

When benchmarked against the forgoing drug-testing practices, horse racing?s standards and procedures are very rigorous. The Association of Racing Commissioners International accurately states: ?Horse racing?s anti-doping program tests for more substances at deeper levels than any other professional sport??and the organization provides data to back up its claim. In addition, some game-day medications that are allowed in the professional sports leagues are verboten in horse racing.

While the American racing industry is a cut above other sports on drug testing, it is arguably worse when it comes to enforcing uniform and timely penalties for drug positives, especially for flagrant offenders. The punitive facet of drug policy is inhibited by multiple racing jurisdictions and often-protracted appeals processes that enable habitual offenders to continue to sully the sport?s image.

Professional sports leagues have quantified the consequences for drug-policy offences that are generally harsher than in horse racing. Measures have become more severe in recent years due to scandals over alleged and proven substance abuse by some superstars.

To illustrate, In MLB, a player?s fourth conviction for the use of a prohibited substance has a minimum two-year suspension and a third positive result for steroids carries a lifetime ban. However, such sentences typically have loopholes. For instance, the NHL allows a banned player to appeal a supposedly permanent exile once two years? time has passed.

Horse racing is held to a high standard on drugs for two entirely different and valid reasons: bettors are entitled to fairly decided outcomes and the welfare of equine athletes depends on the care provided by their handlers.

Drug-related news items that damage racing?s standing with the public and lessen its commercial appeal arise largely from the sport?s apparent leniency towards serial violators of regulations and the prolonged infighting over the race-day use of furosemide. Significant progress on these fronts would greatly diminish the notoriety that detractors seize upon to condemn the sport.

Copyright ? 2012 Horse Racing Business

Originally published in the Blood-Horse. Used with permission.

Source: http://www.horseracingbusiness.com/how-racing-really-stacks-up-on-drug-testing-8894.htm

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Trioh! The Flashlight You Can See When The Power Goes Out

Philadelphia, Pa. is home to quite a few historic landmarks, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed by American's founders. In August, it'll welcome another: The world's first pizza history museum. The brainchild ? Continue??

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trioh-flashlight-see-power-goes-144317363.html

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The Blaze Picks Top 7 From the Hammacher Schlemmer's Most ...

Have you ever heard or been to the Hammacher Schlemmer website? It?s a product site with the slogan ?offering the best, the only, and unexpected for 164 years.? Boy, do they ever.

The site is full of plenty of affordable and useful items, but it?s its lust-worthy but?exorbitantly?expensive toys that make it fun to poke around. Specifically, in its ?unexpected? section, which one might imagine as like a pricier version of the ?beyond? section at Bed Bath and Beyond, a few dozen toys that you?ve probably never even conceived of are there for the taking. That is, if you?re willing to pay the price.

There are a slew of items to choose from, but here are seven of our favorites.

• The Aquapod Suite: For $91,000, the world?s only aquapod could be yours. Described as a ?flying saucer? design that rests on the water with five feet submerged, the suite has AC, a?desalination unit, mini-bar, king-size bed and more. It even has an ?inflatable terrace? so you can fit all your friends for sunning. If you?re worried about how you?ll get this vessel around from one island to another, it can be towed by a boat.

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

• The Flying Hovercraft: A?130-hp twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled gasoline engine is perfect for those wanting to ?hop over water- or land-based obstacles? on their travels. Going up to 70, miles per hour, the hovercraft has a 160-mile range and can support a pilot and passengers up to 600 total pounds. It costs $191,000.

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

• The Genuine PT Boat: Own a functioning slice of WWII history ? with all weapons present but deactivated ? with one of only 12 patrol torpedo boats left in the world. Special limitations apply with this $1 million purchase.

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

• The Oenophile?s Personal Winery: You may never need to purchase another box of wine again. This $6,000 machine ?vinifies? up to four cases of vino at a time. You won?t even need a vineyard to make this happen. According to the posting, Napa Valley grapes will be crushed, frozen and sent to you.

(Photo: Hammacher and Schlemmer)

• The?Barbecue Dining Boat: BBQ in the round ? and on the water (literally) ? with this floating contraption that seats 10 adults. Making the perfect use of space, it stores all your sides and extra supplies under the seats. Given that you?re right on the water, the fact that the grill is charcoal heated shouldn?t be a problem. It will also only set you back $50,000.

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

• The Electric Skates: Are you ready to pony up $699.95 for this Christmas list topper? Kids won?t even have to lift up their feet with these babies that go up to eight miles per hour. The ideal use for the skates, as said by Hammacher?Schlemmer, is ?travel across a school campus, to a local cafe, or while roaming a neighborhood festival.?

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

• The 20 Foot Animatronic Triceratops: Who wouldn?t want to bring?Jurassic?Park into their very own backyard? Believe it or not, this animatronic creature has facial recognition technology that tracks subject?s movements to signal it to perform certain actions, such as sway its head or stomp its feat. The Triceratops not only looks realistic but has vocals of what the beast may have sounded like.

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

If you liked this list, check out The Blaze?s top 10 picks of most expensive, outrageous and nerdy grill tools here.

(H/T: Daily Mail)

Source: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/check-out-these-7-outrageous-toys-youll-probably-never-buy-but-still-want/

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Sprint's iPhone gamble isn't paying off as 2012 Q2 figures reveal $629 million operating loss

Sprint's second quarter figures have arrived, showing that the company's billion-dollar gamble on the iPhone isn't working right now. While it sold 1.5 million Apple-branded handsets in the three month period (40 percent to new and postpaid customers), it recorded an operating loss of $629 million and a colossal net loss of $1.4 billion -- compared to an operating loss of $255 million and a net loss of $863 million in the first quarter. Operating revenues of $8.8 billion improved on those in the first quarter by a single percent -- mostly due to higher service fees from its wireless offerings. It's also grown its cash reserves, up from $128 million last quarter to $267 million today, and can point to 442,000 postpaid and 141,000 new prepaid subscribers pushing the company's customer base up to 56 million nationwide -- mentioning that 60 percent of former Nextel users chose to remain with Sprint during the enforced change.

The figures reveal that Sprint's eating around $782 million due to the shutdown of the Nextel platform and a further $184 million to end leases on antenna sites for the moribund network. It's also having to take a hit of $204 million due to its investment into infrastructure partner Clearwire. It's affirmed its $1 billion lending facility, contingent upon purchasing gear from Ericsson to help build its LTE network, which it aims to have installed in 12,000 sites by the end of the year. Of course, that purchase was prompted by the collapse of Philip Falcone's doomed LightSquared project, which caused Big Yellow to lose $66 million in cash and its childhood innocence when it comes to trusting other people.

Update: Dan Hesse has added that his company has taken all 9,600 IDEN sites off air, well ahead of its planned deadline. Big Yellow also mentioned that have no plans to adopt a shared data plan to follow AT&T and Verizon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Internet

Sprint's iPhone gamble isn't paying off as 2012 Q2 figures reveal $629 million operating loss originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ZgKnOdxHwgI/

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How to Sell Company Cars | Noobpreneur.com

When you operate a business, there are many unplanned expenses that you will incur along the way. Occasionally, you may need to creatively figure out ways to increase your cash flow to cover these expenses. If you happen to own company cars which you and your employees depend on for transportation, you know how important these vehicles are for the success of your business.

Did you know that these same cars could be of additional value when you are in need of cash? There are several different ways that you can turn your company car into cash. Here are a few options to consider.

Sell to a Third Party

One option that you have at your disposal is to simply sell the company car to a third party. With this option, you list the car you want to sell on websites such as AutoTrader and Craig?s List, or perhaps in a local publication?s classified ad section.

Once you find a buyer, you negotiate a sales price and collect payment from the buyer. This is one of the simplest options, but also one of the most time consuming, as it may be a challenge to find a buyer for your specific car.

Apply for a Title Loan

If you happen to live in one of the 16 states where it is a legal business transaction, such as Texas, getting a Texas title loan may be another option for you to consider. With this type of short-term loan, you work with a title lender to borrow against the value of your car. Basically, you take the title of your paid-off company car to a professional lender, and they loan you money equal to a percentage of the car?s value.

This is probably the fastest way for you to create cash flow. With just a driver?s license and proper documentation, title lenders can give you up to $5,000 for your company vehicle, often in an hour or less of your time. Another benefit to this type of loan, is that you keep your company car while you make payments to the lender.

Applying for title loans is a great option to consider when you don?t want to give up your company car, but do need additional money to grow your business.

Selling to a Business

In addition to selling to private parties, you may also be able to sell your company cars to other companies that are in the business of buying and selling cars. Some dealers and auction companies specialize in purchasing used company vehicles in which to sell for their own profit.

When you choose these types of auto buying services, they typically do not pay full market value for the cars, but they take the hassle out of finding a private buyer.

Selling Your Cars at Auction

Yet another option you may want to consider is selling your car at an auto auction. With the help of an auctioneer, your company vehicles are sold to the highest bidders. The auctioneer starts the bidding at a minimum price and then take bids on the car. Depending on the market, the auction format can generate a fair price for your car, and the excitement of the auction may even drive the bid higher than you expected.

On the other hand, if the type of car you are selling is not in high demand, you may not be able to get anywhere near the full market value of your company cars. It is a bit of a gamble that you take when you choose an auction forum.

Whether you choose to sell or borrow against your vehicles, there are many different ways to generate the cash you need for your business using your cars as collateral. Consider what?s most important for your company, including time, effort and monetary return on your chosen option.

Remember, it?s often best to consider the big financial picture when it comes to any business decision.

About the Author: Karla M. Somers is a writer and small business owner who is always looking for ways to increase cash flow. She is a contributing writer for the lending professionals at TitleMasters, a company that specializes in helping businesses and individuals in Texas and Georgia discover affordable financial solutions.

Source: http://www.noobpreneur.com/2012/07/27/converting-your-company-car-into-cash/

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janek cartwright: News and Society Blog-Economics: Capitalism ...

Over the past weekend I've been reading a very famous popular book by Peter Drucker "Post-Capitalist Society," which he had produced in 1993. Dr. Drucker is obviously a fan of capitalism, but he also approaches it from a free-market and academic displacement simultaneously. As much as I am bothered by his comments on "post capitalism" and want very much to disagree with his conclusions in this work, he does bring up a number of good points. Okay so let's talk about this for second shall we?

Dr. Drucker tells us of a time period when capitalism attained its capital "C" as it was not just an economic term, but also a socio-economic term. It was indeed a noun as well is a verb. Currently, I would say that we have a severe challenge in Washington DC with negative connotations which go along with the word capitalism, and it is by far a travesty considering all we are and all that we have built. There are many in Washington DC now, generally left-leaning socialist, or Democrats who refuse to capitalize the word capitalism in our nation's capital.

It's as if they do not feel the word is honorable any longer, and purposely go out of their way to show their discontent. In many regards one could say that it proves that the United States has lost her way, and is following the European Union, South America, and other faltered socialist economies into the abyss. Remember, those folks in Washington DC do dictate quite a bit of policy, and create the rules and regulations on business. Indeed, they also make laws that include the social welfare of our society, which makes it even more alarming.

The word capitalism has been capitalized for well over 100 years. To degrade the word, or call it evil in the midst of class warfare with the intention of dividing the people of this great nation does a disservice to our nation's history, and our forward progression. I often find it interesting that those who are socialist leaning call themselves progressives, when socialism is indeed regressive in every regard. It hasn't actually worked anywhere it's ever been tried.

In this work Peter Drucker insists that in the future we will have a knowledge-based economy, where knowledge is more important skill, and yet, I tend to disagree with at least half of his comments because it is those that "do" and their causation which is bringing forth increased productivity by doing, not those who sit around thinking and analyzing what was done the prior. One can sit around and talk about how things should be in a perfect utopian world, but it will surely take a capitalist, or an entrepreneurial capitalist who will make it happen.

Further, to allow socialist intellectual thinkers - self-proclaimed in my opinion because I believe that to be an oxymoron - to dictate policy and destroy our money system in trade for this futuristic economy based on knowledge alone is laughable. We already have found that knowledge is readily accessible, and relatively free. Unless all the knowledge of the world is collected in one place and walled off from society where only a few people possess the knowledge therefore can control the economy, then all the knowledge will be owned by all the people.

In this regard, all it does is level the playing field and make knowledge absolutely worthless, rather merely a baseline, which actually isn't so bad. If everyone has access to the same knowledge, then how can we build an economic structure upon it? Many have stated that the United States needs knowledge workers, and we need to be the creators, innovators, and designers of tomorrow's future. In other words, we will design and create everything, and it will be manufactured in places with abundant labor.

That will not happen, because if knowledge is available everywhere, whether it is stolen by intellectual property theft, or specifically taught to other nations for reasons of liberty and freedom, it will still be universally known, and therefore there will be no advantage to the United States or the Western world. In other words, it is quite possible that a knowledge-based economy cannot exist with free and fair trade, or with knowledge being distributed on the Internet worldwide as it is today.

Further, other nations do not need abundant labor to produce and manufacture anything, because the next generation of robots will be doing all the work. In fact, we will soon learn that we have far too many people on the planet who are not actually needed for anything, other than to consume, but are of no value in a knowledge-based economy because their skill is no longer needed, and their knowledge is already known - while robots can do the rest.

A utopian civilization or global economy based on knowledge, will not work - it's not that it can't work, it's that we'd have to destroy everything to make it work and create a new class-system with similar if not even more problems in the process, without knowing the end results therefore;

Peter Drucker is wrong!

It's nice that Dr. Drucker has produced this book, and it was interesting from an intellectual standpoint in reading, although it was written in 1993, not claiming to be a prediction the future, but rather a warning of what was, and what was to come. Apparently, he got it wrong. That's okay, it's still worth reading, and I would recommend it to anyone in that regard. They say knowledge is power, but if everyone has the same knowledge, then everyone has the power, and therefore there is no power at all.

This is much that can to the parent who tells their Son he is so very special, and then the parent tells the neighbor kid he is special, and then their son asks; "I thought you said I was special?" And the parent says; "you are special, and he is special, because everyone is special." Then her son makes a statement of intellectual revelation; "if everyone is special, then nobody is."

Likewise, if everyone has the same knowledge, then knowledge has no value. Interestingly enough, humans are putting all of their knowledge online, and making it available to the world. Even those who have specialized knowledge will find others with the same knowledge putting it online, even if they keep their own knowledge to themselves. Therefore their secret knowledge or skills that they possess are no longer secret at all, nor are they worth anything.

If we destroy our capitalist society, devalue our money, claim to be entering an era of post-capitalism, and then show up at the door with the theory that; knowledge is power - then indeed we will be both broke and powerless. That doesn't sound like a very good plan to me. How about you? Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Economic Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

Source: http://newsandsocietyblog-economics.blogspot.com/2012/07/capitalism-should-always-be-capitalized.html

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Source: http://janek-cartwright.blogspot.com/2012/07/news-and-society-blog-economics.html

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USDA says drought will push up food prices in 2013

CNBC's Jane Wells reports on the Midwest drought's impact on food prices.

By STEVE KARNOWSKI, Associated Press

?MINNEAPOLIS --?The record drought gripping half the country will help push food prices up by 3 percent to 4 percent next year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.?

Milk, eggs, beef, poultry and pork prices will all be affected by the drought, which has pushed up prices for feed. Beef prices are expected to see the biggest jump at 4 percent to 5 percent. Dairy product prices are forecast to climb 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent; poultry and egg prices are projected to rise 3 percent to 4 percent; and pork prices are expected to rise 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent in 2013, the agency said.

"In 2013 as a result of this drought we are looking at above-normal food price inflation. ... Consumers are certainly going to feel it," USDA economist Richard Volpe said.

Normal grocery price inflation is about 2.8 percent, he added, so even at the low end of the projected range people will see their grocery expenses rise more than usual next year. The USDA kept its projected food price increase for 2012 steady at 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent.

The figures are the agency's first food price projections to factor in the drought, though farmers and others have been warning that prices will rise. The drought has sent corn, soybean and other commodity prices soaring in recent weeks as fields dry out and crops wither across much of the country's midsection.

Volpe said the drought is not expected to affect prices for fruits and vegetables. Most of those crops are irrigated. The USDA is projecting an overall 2 percent to 3 percent increase for all fruits and vegetables next year, the same as it expects this year.

USDA economists were aware of the drought a month ago when they did their last projections but didn't know how bad it would get, Volpe said.

"This drought was a surprise for everybody," Volpe said. "The USDA was forecasting a record year for the corn crop until this drought materialized. Now we're not going to get that."

Poultry prices will be the first to rise because of the drought because chickens and turkeys need only a few months to grow to market size, he said. Beef and pork take longer, and the agency actually revised its beef price projection for 2012 downward because producers are sending more cattle to the market at the moment as they reduce their herds in response to the drought, he said.

Meat and poultry prices are the most affected because feed prices represent the biggest part of their cost of production. Processed food prices are less affected by changes in commodity prices because ingredients typically make up just a fraction of their production costs.?

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? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://economywatch.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/07/25/12953075-usda-says-drought-will-push-up-food-prices-in-2013?lite

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Spokane, Idaho nontheists come 'Out of the ... - Secular News Daily

Right click on photos to enlarge.?

Seven myth-dispelling billboards featuring Spokane-area nonbelievers and families are appearing this week for a month-long campaign, as part of an ?Out of the Closet? project by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and its Spokane chapter, the Inland Northwest Freethought Society.

The billboards feature the friendly faces of local atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers along with their personal freethought ?testimonials.?

Joshua and Chandra Alto, a family in Spokane, are featured with their children, incuding a baby, and the slogan: ?Atheist family: Good without a god.?

?

Participants include nearby Idaho FFRF members who are active with the Spokane chapter, such as Harlan and Kay Hayes of Coeur d?Alene, who self identify as ?great grandparents . . . nontheists.? The couple chose as their slogan: ?Evidence and science trump myth ? reason wins.?

?Truth is real; God is imaginary,? states Sharon Mease, from Spirit Lake, Idaho, who is retired and identifies as an atheist.

David Roeder, president of the chapter, appears with his statement, ?On bended knee? Not for me.? Roeder calls himself an ?inquisitive atheist.?

Stacey and Amanda Schafer of Spokane, a married couple who are atheists, share a board reading: ?Our morality comes from reality.?

Former minister Ray Ideus, now an atheist living in Nine Mile Falls, says on his billboard: ?Now preaching reason, not religion.?

?Freedom from religion lives,? proclaims Spokane salesman Frank Bender?s billboard.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a state/church watchdog based in Madison, Wis., is the nation?s largest association of atheists and agnostics with more than 18,500 members, including about 1,000 members in Washington. Spokane is FFRF?s seventh stop in its campaign to introduce its members and ?friendly neighborhood atheists? to their neighbors. FFRF debuted the ?Out of the Closet? campaign in Madison, Wis., in 2010, and has since it visited Columbus, Tulsa, Raleigh, Phoenix and Nashville (one billboard) with the unique campaign.

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?The nonreligious are at least a quarter, 25% of the Washington adult population ? claiming conservatively 1.2 million state citizens, yet there are many Americans who have never knowingly met an atheist or unbeliever, much less someone who is proud to advertise their nonbelief,? said Dan Barker, FFRF co-president. Barker, author of Godless, was formerly an evangelical minister who ?just lost faith in faith.? He works with Ron Ideus on the new Clergy Project, a support group for clergy who have lost faith and are trying to leave the ministry.

?We are your neighbor, your classmate, your colleague, the person who opens the door for you at the grocery store, the parent you meet at the playground,? he said.

?Our members are FFRF?s greatest asset, our best advertisement for freethought,? adds Annie Laurie Gaylor, who co-directs FFRF. ?It?s time to welcome atheists and agnostics into the American mainstream. Freethinkers are respectable and have much to offer our nation.?

FFRF warmly thanks the Inland Northwest Freethought Society chapter, director David Roeder for all the legwork, and participating individuals and families.

Because FFRF can?t put all of its members on a billboard, FFRF offers an interactive web application allowing any nonbeliever to place a ?virtual billboard? at FFRF?s website.?

If you are interested in helping to subsidize a billboard or coordinate a campaign in your area, please contact Annie Laurie Gaylor.?

Related articles:

1. Phoenix and Tucson nontheists come ?Out of the Closet? in FFRF billboard blitz
2. Raleigh nontheists come ?Out of the Closet? in myth-dispelling FFRF billboard campaign
3. Local nontheists come ?Out of the Closet? in Columbus campaign
4. Local nontheists come ?Out of the Closet? in Columbus campaign
5. Tulsa nontheists come ?Out of the Closet? in FFRF campaign

Freedom From Religion Foundation , based in Madison, Wis., is a national association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics) that has been working since 1978 to keep church and state separate. Visit them at FFRF.org!

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Source: http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/07/spokane-idaho-nontheists-come-out-of-the-closet-in-billboard-blitz/

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