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Sunday 31 March 2013
Deal of the Day ? 13.3? Dell Inspiron 13z Core i5 Ultra-thin laptop with 8GB RAM
Sunday’s LogicBUY Deal is the 13.3″ Dell?Inspiron 13z laptop for?$549.99. ?Features: Core i5-3317U 1.7GHz CPU 8GB RAM 500GB Hard Drive 720p LED-backlit LCD display, chiclet keyboard, multi-touch touchpad Skullcandy Speakers with WaveMaxx 4.0 Wireless-N and Bluetooth 4.0 Windows 8 (64-bit) $849.99 – $300 coupon code = $549.99 with free shipping. This deal expires April 2, [...]
APNewsBreak: Gas trade group seeks fracking probe
FILE - In this file photo of Jan. 17, 2013, Yoko Ono, left, and her son Sean Lennon visit a fracking site in Franklin Forks, Pa., during a bus tour of natural-gas drilling sites in northeastern Pennsylvania. Ono and Lennon have formed a group called ?Artists Against Fracking,? which has become the main celebrity driven anti-fracking organization. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
FILE - In this file photo of Jan. 17, 2013, Yoko Ono, left, and her son Sean Lennon visit a fracking site in Franklin Forks, Pa., during a bus tour of natural-gas drilling sites in northeastern Pennsylvania. Ono and Lennon have formed a group called ?Artists Against Fracking,? which has become the main celebrity driven anti-fracking organization. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) ? A formal complaint filed with New York's lobbying board asks it to investigate whether Artists Against Fracking, a group formed by Yoko Ono and son Sean Lennon, is violating the state's lobbying law.
The complaint obtained by The Associated Press was made by the Independent Oil & Gas Association to the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics.
The energy trade group based its request for an investigation on an AP report that found that Artists Against Fracking and its advocates didn't register as lobbyists. Registration requires several disclosures about spending and activities.
A spokesman for Artists Against Fracking says the group's activities are protected because they were made during a public comment period. He also says celebrities involved in the group are protected because they are longtime activists, not lobbyists.
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Access Hollywood section
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Source: http://www.today.com/id/7358550/ns/today-entertainment/
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Saturday 30 March 2013
Syrian rebels capture key town near Jordan border
BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed at least 38 people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 rebels were among the dead in the fighting in and around Dael. The town lies less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, where the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began two years ago.
The rebel gains have coincided with what regional officials and military experts say is a sharp increase in weapons shipments to opposition fighters by Arab governments in coordination with the U.S. in the hopes of readying a push into Assad's stronghold in the capital, Damascus.
Although rebels control wide areas in northern Syria that border Turkey, the Jordanian frontier is only about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Damascus, or a third of the distance to the Turkish border.
The battle for Dael came as authorities ordered an investigation into a mortar attack on Damascus University that killed at least 10 students on Thursday, state media said. The attack was the deadliest since a wave of mortar shells began hitting the capital last month, puncturing the sense of normalcy the regime has tried to cultivate in the city.
It was unclear who fired the mortar rounds. The government blamed "terrorists," its blanket term for those fighting Assad's regime. Anti-regime activists accused the regime of staging the attack to turn civilians ? many of whom in Damascus are already wary of the opposition fighters ? against the rebels.
"Rebels now control wide areas in the Daraa countryside,'" said Rami Abdul-Rahman who heads the Observatory. "Every area that goes out of government control is important."
Syrian activist Maher Jamous, who is from Dael but currently lives in the United Arab Emirates, said that despite the steady advances and the latest rebel victory in Dael, the regime still maintains a strong presence in the strategic province that leads to the capital.
Jamous said the capture of Dael increases the pressure on the regime.
The regime is known to have posted elite troops in Daraa province, which separates Damascus from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that the Jewish state captured in 1967 and annexed in 1981.
Jamous said Dael has a population of 40,000, making it one of the bigger towns in the primarily agricultural region, which is dotted with small family farms. He added that the town fell briefly into the opposition's hands in the early days of the uprising, but was quickly retaken by regime forces in May 2011.
Amateur videos posted online by activists, showed rebels in the streets of Dael and the bodies of dead soldiers lying on the ground. The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting on the events depicted.
In other areas, the Observatory said heavy clashes were taking place between regime forces and fighters renewing their attempts to storm a strategic military facility, known as the 17th Division base, north of the city of Raqqa that was captured by rebels earlier this month.
The division is considered one of the most important remaining regime strongholds in the northern province that borders Turkey, the Observatory said. It added that warplanes carried out several air raids in the area.
The Observatory said regime forces bombarded the Damascus suburb of Adra, while the government al Al-Ikhbariya TV said troops killed "many terrorists" in the area which is close to one of the main jails in the country.
The Aleppo Media Center and the Observatory reported clashes, shelling and attacks by helicopter gunships near the international airport of the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest and commercial center.
Syria's crisis began in March 2011 with protests demanding Assad's ouster. Following a harsh government crackdown, the uprising steadily grew more violent until it became a full-fledged civil war. The U.N. says more than 70,000 people have been killed since.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-rebels-capture-key-town-near-jordan-border-093516668.html
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Virtual reality, goggles and all, attempts return
This publicity image provided by Oculus VR shows a virtual reality headset. The virtual reality headset, the doodad that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference. After banking $2.4 million from crowd funding and drumming up hype over the past year, Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with a virtual reality headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s. (AP Photo/Oculus VR)
This publicity image provided by Oculus VR shows a virtual reality headset. The virtual reality headset, the doodad that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference. After banking $2.4 million from crowd funding and drumming up hype over the past year, Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with a virtual reality headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s. (AP Photo/Oculus VR)
This publicity image provided by Oculus VR shows a virtual reality headset. The virtual reality headset, the doodad that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference. After banking $2.4 million from crowd funding and drumming up hype over the past year, Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with a virtual reality headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s. (AP Photo/Oculus VR)
FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margo, Filet)
FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? It's back.
The virtual reality headset, the gizmo that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of video game makers in San Francisco.
After drumming up hype over the past year and banking $2.4 million from crowdfunding, the Irvine, Calif.-based company Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with the Oculus Rift, its VR headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s that usually left users with headaches.
"Developers who start working on VR games now are going to be able to do cool things," said Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey. "This is the first time when the technology, software, community and rendering power is all really there."
While VR technology has successfully been employed in recent years for military and medical training purposes, it's been too expensive, clunky or just plain bad for most at-home gamers. Oculus VR's headset is armed with stereoscopic 3-D, low-latency head tracking and a 110-degree field of view, and the company expects it to cost just a few hundred bucks.
A line at the conference snaked around the expo floor with attendees waiting for a chance to plop the glasses on their head and play a few minutes of "Hawken," an upcoming first-person shooter that puts players inside levitating war machines.
Attendance was also at capacity for a Thursday talk called "Virtual Reality: The Holy Grail of Gaming" led by Luckey. When he asked the crowd who'd ordered development prototypes of the technology, dozens of hands shot into the air.
"There's been a lot of promise over several decades with the VR helmet idea, but I think a lot of us feel like Oculus and other devices like it are starting to get it right," said Simon Carless, executive vice president at UBM Tech Game Network, which organizes the Game Developers Conference. "We may have a competitive and interesting-to-use device, which you could strap to your head and have really immersive gaming as a result."
Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. are reportedly working on similar peripherals, as are other companies. Luckey contends that the innovations Nintendo Co. made with its Wii U, Sony is planning with its upcoming PlayStation 4, and Microsoft is likely tinkering with for its successor to the Xbox 360 don't seem like enough.
"We're seeing better graphics and social networks, but those aren't things that are going to fundamentally change the kind of experiences that gamers can have," said Luckey.
A growing list of high-profile game makers have sung the device's praises, including Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, "Minecraft" mastermind Markus Peterson, id Software's John Carmack, "Gears of War" chief Cliff Bleszinski and Valve boss Gabe Newell.
Valve is planning to release a VR version of its first-person shooter "Team Fortress 2" for the Rift, but Luckey is hoping that designers in attendance at this week's conference begin creating games especially for the doodad.
"The doors are already open," noted Luckey. "People are already telling us things they want to do with the Rift that they can't do with traditional games."
Luckey said prototype versions of the technology are being distributed to developers now, and he anticipates releasing a version for consumers by next year.
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .
___
Online:
http://www.oculusvr.com
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Facebook data shows picture of same-sex marriage support
Noticed a lot of profile pictures changing this week on Facebook? It was a nationwide trend, as users on the social network responded to the Human Rights Campaign's request for them to substitute a red-and-pink equal sign for their profile photos in support of same-sex marriage, with the nation's highest court hearing two cases on the issue.
Facebook knows, of course, whenever someone changes their profile picture, and there's a normal daily rhythm for American users. But Facebook's investigation showed a huge bump in picture changes just after the Human Rights Campaign began its effort.
"While millions of U.S. Facebook users update their profile photos on a given day, we found that significantly more users ? roughly 2.7 million (120 percent) more, updated their profile photo on Tuesday, March 26 compared to the previous Tuesday," notes Eytan Bakshy, a researcher on the Facebook Data Science Team, in the post.
Profile pic changes skyrocketed among younger users, especially those around the age of 30; teenagers and seniors didn't get quite as much into the spirit.
There were also some highly significant geographical trends, as illustrated by the map above. The darker the color of the country, the more people changed their profile picture. The most active county in the country was Washtenaw, in Michigan, home to Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan ? and the other most active counties also contained major colleges and universities.
As some commenting on the Facebook blog post have pointed out, there's no way to know whether all these profile picture updates were in support of gay marriage, since users could just as easily be changing their picture to indicate opposition to gay marriage (or just a new look). But the correlation with college towns and the deliberate and visible campaign by the Human Rights Campaign suggest that it was mostly supportive.
The rest of the data and a few more observations by the Facebook Data Science Team can be found at the blog post itself.
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.
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UPS pays $40 million to end online pharmacies probe
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Shipping company UPS has agreed to pay $40 million to end a federal criminal probe connected to its work for online pharmacies.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that the Atlanta-based company would also "take steps" to block illicit online drug dealers from using their delivery service.
The DOJ says the fine amount is the money UPS collected from suspect online pharmacies.
UPS won't be charged with any crimes. Its biggest rival, FedEx Corp., has also been a target of the federal investigation.
The investigation of the two companies stems from a global campaign to shutter illicit online pharmacies launched in 2005. Since then, dozens of arrests have been made and thousands of websites closed worldwide as investigators continue to broaden the probe beyond the operators.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ups-pays-40m-end-online-pharmacies-probe-173535406--finance.html
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Friday 29 March 2013
Google Introduces Same-Day Shopping to Compete With eBay and Amazon
Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/03/google-delivery/
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Cypriot banks reopen after 12 days -- but customers can only withdraw $383 each
After the banking system was shut down for nearly two weeks, Cyprus' banks finally reopened to long lines of people who faced limits as to how much they could withdraw. NBC's Michelle Caruso-Cabrera reports.
By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News
Banks on the tax haven of Cyprus opened Thursday for the first time in 12 days amid the island's continuing financial crisis, but the country's financial controls could remain in place for another month.
Strict limits on the amount of money that could be withdrawn have been imposed ? people will be able to withdraw 300 euros ($383) a day and no checks will be cashed ? amid fears of a run on the banks.
Account holders showed up hours before the banks were due to open to get in line.
Early indications were that there was no mass rush to withdraw cash, with just 13 people waiting outside one large Bank of Cyprus branch on the island as it opened at noon local time (6 a.m. ET). They were surrounded by a scrum of journalists.
?We need only from you cooperation, understanding and please patience,? the manager of the branch said before opening.
However a small crowd of people did press against the doors of a branch of Laiki Bank, which is being liquidated. CNBC sources estimate those with more than 100,000 euros (about $128,000) in accounts in Laiki Bank could lose 40 to 70 percent of their deposits.
During the banking shutdown, people could only withdraw 100 euros (about $127) a day from the country's two biggest banks, using ATMs.?Most who lined up for the opening Thursday were elderly people and those without ATM cards.?
Deposits above 100,000 euros with the Bank of Cyprus will be frozen and 40 percent of each account will be converted into bank stock. Accounts in both banks with balances under 100,000 euros will be fully protected.
A previous proposal to take less from all bank accounts?was vetoed by the Cypriot parliament.
Later Thursday, the Cypriot foreign minister?Ioannis Kasoulides said curbs on money movement would remain in place longer than originally planned, "probably over a period of about a month," according to Reuters.
The country is seeking to meet the terms of a bailout from the European Union of 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion) and, in order to raise enough funds to meet strict conditions imposed by the EU, it is preparing to take money from bank accounts.
CNBC's Michelle Caruso Cabrera reports on banks reopening in Cyprus and the limits they've imposed on depositors. The situation, she says, is calmer than expected.
Ahead of the banks? reopening, money was flown into the island and guards were seen delivering cash to banks in armored vehicles.
The banks were due to close at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET).
There was some relief on the island that the banks were finally opening again, but this was mixed with fear about what could happen.
'Slow death'
Yorgos Georgiou, who owns a dry cleaning business in Nicosia, told Reuters that "finally people's mood will be lifted and we can start to trust the system again."
But he added: "I'm worried about the poor kids working in the cashiers today, because people might vent their anger at them. You can't predict how people will react after so many days."
Kostas Nikolaou, a 60-year-old retiree, told Reuters that the uncertainty of the past two weeks had been "like a slow death."
"How can they tell you that you can't access your own money in the bank? It's our money, we are entitled to it,? he added.
The country?s president, Nicos Anastasiades, has described the bailout deal as ?painful? but essential.
However, Nobel laureate economist Christopher Pissarides said it was ?extremely unfair to the little guy.?
?For the first time in the euro zone, depositors are (being) asked to bail out failing banks," he said. "Now that used to be the case in the 1930s, especially United States (and) caused big bank runs. It has been decided since then that we shouldn?t allow that to happen again.?
As Cyprus celebrates its Independence Day, the ?government is defending the last-minute bailout deal it's negotiated with the European Union. This means shutting down the country's second biggest bank, with big savers facing ?losses. ?ITV's Emma Murphy reports.
Among other controls, the island's central bank will review all commercial transactions over 5,000 euros and scrutinize transactions over 200,000 euros on an individual basis, Reuters reported. People leaving Cyprus can take only 1,000 euros with them. An earlier draft of the decree had put the figure at 3,000.
Reuters summed up the situation facing the island:
With just 860,000 people, Cyprus has about 68 billion euros in its banks - a vastly outsized financial system that attracted deposits from foreigners as an offshore haven but foundered after investments in neighboring Greece went sour.
The European Union and International Monetary Fund concluded that Cyprus could not afford a rescue unless it imposed losses on depositors, seen as anathema in previous euro zone bailouts.?The bailout looks set to push Cyprus deeper into an economic slump, shrink the banking sector and cost thousands of jobs.
European leaders said the bailout deal averted a chaotic national bankruptcy that might have forced Cyprus out of the euro.
Many Cypriots say the deal was foisted upon them by Cyprus's partners in the 17-nation euro zone within the European Union, and some have taken to the streets to vent their frustration.
CNBC's Michelle Caruso-Cabrera and Katie Slaman, and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related:
Cypriots fear run on banks as branches prepare to reopen
Cypriots: Hope, but also fear they 'will be like slaves' to Russia
EU to Cypriots: Let us raid your savings or no bailout
This story was originally published on Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:52 AM EDT
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Thursday 28 March 2013
'We have cried enough'
President Barack Obama spoke at the White House with rows of grieving mothers behind him and publicly implored Congress to pass gun reform legislation 100 days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.
"If we are serious, we will do it," Obama said, Vice President Joe Biden at his side. "We have cried enough. We have known enough heartbreak. Now, it?s time to turn that heartbreak into something real."
As the mothers of the children killed by gun violence wiped away tears, the president went on to urge the passage of background checks for gun buyers, and for loopholes to be closed for buyers who turn around and sell guns to criminals. He said 90 percent of Americans support background checks, as well as 80 percent of gun owners and 80 percent of Republicans.
The president also implored Americans to talk to their representatives in Congress if their lawmakers oppose the measures. "None of these ideas should be controversial,? Obama said.
Perhaps the most controversial proposed gun reform legislation, an assault weapons ban, was absent from the president's remarks Thursday.
Senate Democrats working on gun reform legislation recently announced that they would drop an assault weapons ban from an overall package of reform measures and put it to a separate vote as an amendment. That action is designed to boost the chances a reform package will pass, as it's expected that the ban is too unpalatable for some members, especially Democrats in gun rights states and the multitude of Republican opponents.
On Wednesday, the White House cast a positive spin on that decision, suggesting that offering the ban up as an amendment still forces lawmakers to choose sides on the issue, even if it doesn't win passage.
"I can't stand here and guarantee that it?s going to pass," White House principal deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said at Wednesday's press briefing, "but it is a question that 100 senators are going to ask themselves when they wake up in the morning and look themselves in the mirror about whether or not they are going to?about which side they're going to be on when it comes to voting on a ban on military-style assault weapons." He added that the president will continue to advocate for the ban.
Democrats in Congress concede separating the ban from the overall package is the best way forward.
"We want to come out with the best, the boldest common denominator that we can get," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference on Wednesday when asked about the decision to separate out an assault weapons ban.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has stated plans to introduce a gun reform bill next month.
In addition to the president's talk, activities related to gun reform are taking place across the country Thursday, a day gun reform advocates have marked the "National Day to Demand Action" to end gun violence.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg?s anti-gun group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, released two television ads Thursday featuring family members of those killed in Newtown.
Court documents released Thursday revealed, among other things, that police investigating the Sandy Hook massacre seized Samurai swords, as well as a massive amount of ammunitions, and books on guns and mental health from the home of gunman Adam Lanza.
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New insights into the development of the heart
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Viewed from the outside, our body looks completely symmetrical. However, most internal organs ? including the heart ? are formed asymmetrically. The right side of the heart is responsible for pulmonary circulation; the left side supplies the rest of the body. This asymmetry allows the heart to do its job effectively. In a study on zebrafish embryos, the researchers Dr. Justus Veerkamp and PD Dr. Salim Seyfried from the Max Delbr?ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have now shown how the left and right sides of the heart develop differently.
A protein called Nodal plays an important role in the development of asymmetry. In an early stage of heart development, Nodal is formed on the left side and triggers a multi-step signaling cascade that enables the cardiac progenitor cells on this side to migrate faster. The researchers were able to observe the migration of the cardiac progenitor cells in the zebrafish embryos in vivo. Since the embryos are transparent it is possible to view each single cell using the microscope.
While analyzing the individual proteins involved in the asymmetric development of the heart, Dr. Veerkamp and Dr. Seyfried encountered a surprise: Previously, scientists had assumed that another signaling molecule, the protein Bmp, triggered cell migration on the left side of the heart and, as a consequence, must be very active there.
Current studies, however, show just the opposite: Bmp reduces the motility of the cells that form the heart. The protein Nodal regulates this process by activating the enzyme Has2. This in turn restricts Bmp activity on the left side. Thus, the cells of the left side of the heart migrate faster and ultimately form a functional, asymmetric heart.
However, when the researchers modulated the experiments so that individual proteins of the signaling cascade were expressed at elevated or decreased levels, the cardiac cells showed subtle differences in "random walk" cell motility rates. This resulted in the development of hearts that were completely symmetrical or whose sides were laterally inverted.
Many of these malformations of the heart in zebrafish embryos are also known in humans. Often asymmetric disorders not only affect the heart but also other organs such as the spleen. It may be missing or two spleens may be present. Depending on the severity of the malformations, the problems of the affected individuals vary in seriousness. It is also possible that the processes identified by the researchers are also involved in the development of diseases in which cell migration plays a role.
###
Their findings were published in the journal Developmental Cell (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2013.01.026)
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres: http://www.helmholtz.de/en/index.html
Thanks to Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127475/New_insights_into_the_development_of_the_heart
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Wednesday 27 March 2013
CyanogenMod founder leaves Samsung, praises the Galaxy S 4 on his way out
Less than two years after the CyanogenMod founder was scooped up by Samsung to improve Android's veneer, Steve Kondik has decided to depart for greener pastures. In a Google Plus posting, the software engineer shared his mostly positive impressions for Samsung's Galaxy S 4, casually mentioning that he'd departed the Korean behemoth's embrace. The one thing that came in for a bashing was TouchWiz's updated UI, that he says "feels like it has been sent back a few years in time to the Froyo days." Responding to a comment, Mr. Kondik said that nothing in particular had prompted his departure beyond a desire to "do something new," but given the man's pedigree, we can only assume it'll be somehow related to the little green droid that could.
[Image credit: Erica Joy]
Via: Android Police
Source: Steve Kondik (Google Plus)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/25/cyanogenmod-founder-kondik-leaves-samsung/
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Tuesday 26 March 2013
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Aus Hilfe_ProMan
Most Recent Grand Theft Auto Games
Violent video games promote, so as extended as men and women are ready to get them, people will be eager to make them, and as know-how retains receiving far better than the truth of online games and the violence included in them will keep obtaining much more real. Go to EA Sports' recreation house by hopping on your race car at its exhilarating mini racing sport or beating your buddies in a competitive sport of poker. Give it a shot and enable it rock you out! Major Video game Mini is one of the really effectively-identified Nintendo DSi game titles and it is a shooter that is actually difficult to set down for most men and women who make a decision to try out it out.
An individual who is a fantastic match developer can truly acquire their own game. With the functionality melting from working day to aid night time, you get the distinct perception of currently being in a hectic, rewarding city, not some thing that is merely created to support you get from A to B currently being a issue of comfort. You may well also will need an precise legal lawyer to handle the courtroom circumstance. With the GTA 5 launch date predicted in the initial quarter of 2013, a lot of video clip recreation lovers are anticipating this most up-to-date title from Rockstar Video games to strike the marketplace. On December twelve, 2011, Contemporary Warfare 3 officially de-throned the number a single motion picture of all time - Avatar, as the swiftest amusement media to achieve the $one billion mark.
Parental neglect is potentially the largest aspect in juvenile delinquency. If you have gotten oneself into financial debt with the casinos, no subject how far, it is achievable to get your money counter back to zero very rapidly. #2: Toyota Camry: Now in excess of 6 generations previous the Toyota Camry is a mid-dimensions auto assembled by Toyota. The controversy over the recreation resulted in it being subsequently pulled off the cabinets.
Generally referred to as go here by police departments, the act of stealing motor motor vehicles has quite a few motivations. Although it is very similar in composition to the past Grand Theft Auto sport, the San Andreas is more substantial than lifestyle in prospects. They need to turn out to be additional educated and go on that training so that regulation enforcement can get the needed assist to quit theft. I are unable to play that sport any more mainly because the reality of that reality is also genuine for me. Unfortunately even insurance plan is not often ample.
The term 'Grand Car Theft' caught my awareness as it is searched more than four million occasions for every thirty day period globally. They do nothing at all to quit the qualified thief who is aware how to bypass these systems. When you get bored from all the virtual sightseeing, you can constantly head to the themed video game areas delight in the mini-video games in saved for you. "Grand Theft Automobile: Vice Metropolis was at first launched to the Playstation 2 in 2002 and follows mobster Tommy Vercetti as he would make the transfer from Liberty Town to Vice City, which is centered on Miami, Florida. Criticized by a lot of all over the entire world for its violent material and potential to commit nearly any crime, GTA: San Andreas includes quite a few appealing strategies not observed by the normal player.
Nor does it mean tha you need to have to get a new recreation console or up grade your PC's components just to engage in all the game titles. If that occurs, all bets are off and if it truly is a significant non-videogaming participant guiding it, you can count on to see EA truly having the gloves off, and this battle getting truly messy. Was this a excellent match for their kids? Just not too long ago I was working with Google's Cost-free Adword Device looking for key phrases bordering vehicle theft.
Nonetheless numerous international locations exhibit a declining trend in motor car or truck thefts. Even searches for 'auto' and 'car theft protection' get a paltry few hundred lookups for each thirty day period globally. The incident caused intercontinental uproar as violent films and online video video games were mainly deemed the culprits for raucous teenager behaviour. They ought to also have crafting capabilities since they will be the kinds making the story strains in addition coming up with the dialogue.
Source: http://proman-help.isys-informatik.ch/index.php/Benutzer%3ARadtkeSoloman164
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Reversing blood and freshening it up
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Public release date: 25-Mar-2013[ | E-mail |
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Martin.Wahlestedt@med.lu.se
46-462-220-313
Lund University
The blood of young and old people differs. In an article published recently in the scientific journal Blood, a research group at Lund University in Sweden explain how they have succeeded in rejuvenating the blood of mice by reversing, or re-programming, the stem cells that produce blood.
Stem cells form the origin of all the cells in the body and can divide an unlimited number of times. When stem cells divide, one cell remains a stem cell and the other matures into the type of cell needed by the body, for example a blood cell.*
"Our ageing process is a consequence of changes in our stem cells over time", explained Martin Wahlestedt, a doctoral student in stem cell biology at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University, and principal author of the article.
"Some of the changes are irreversible, for example damage to the stem cells' DNA, and some could be gradual changes, known as epigenetic changes, that are not necessarily irreversible, even if they are maintained through multiple cell divisions. When the stem cells are re-programmed, as we have done, the epigenetic changes are cancelled."**
The discovery that forms the basis for the research group's method was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine last year.
The composition of blood is one example of how it ages; blood from a young person contains a certain mix of B- and T-lymphocytes and myeloid cells.***
"In older people, the number of B- and T-lymphocytes falls, while the number of myeloid cells increases", said Martin Wahlestedt.
When an elderly person is affected by leukaemia, the cancer often has its origin in the myeloid cells, of which the elderly have more. Being able to 're-start' the blood, as Martin and his colleagues have done in their studies on mice, therefore presents interesting possibilities for future treatment.
"There is a lot of focus on how stem cells could be used in different treatments, but all that they are routinely used for in clinical work today is bone marrow transplants for diseases where the blood and immune systems have to be regenerated", said Martin Wahlestedt, continuing:
"A critical factor that gives an indication of whether the procedure is going to work or not is the age of the bone marrow donor. By reversing the development of the stem cells in the bone marrow, it may be possible to avoid negative age-related changes."
Even if the composition of the blood in old and young mice is remarkably like that in young and elderly people, Martin Wahlestedt stressed that the science is still only at the stage of basic research, far from a functioning treatment. The research group is pleased with the results, because they indicate that it may not primarily be damage to DNA that causes blood to age, but rather the reversible epigenetic changes.
###
Publication
'An epigenetic component of hematopoietic stem cell aging amenable to reprogramming into a young state' Blood. 2013 Mar 8. Wahlestedt M, Norddahl GL, Sten G, Ugale A, Micha Frisk MA, Mattsson R, Deierborg T, Sigvardsson M, Bryder D.
Link to Blood: http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/early/2013/03/08/blood-2012-11-469080.abstract?sid=43720289-eae7-402a-9ff6-c926fffb5337
For more information, please contact: Martin Wahlestedt, doctoral student, tel: +46 46 222 03 13, Martin.Wahlestedt[at] med [dot] lu [dot] se; or David Bryder, Associate Professor and research group leader, David.Bryder@med.lu.se.
*About stem cells:
There are different types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, which can be extracted from an embryo at an early stage, have the capacity to develop into all types of cell. Stem cells are also found in adults, where they have more limited development potential, but can divide in principle an unlimited number of times. For example, blood cell-forming stem cells in bone marrow create all types of blood cell and stem cells in the brain create many different types of brain cell.
**About epigenetics:
Epigenetics is a term that has historically been used to describe the aspects of genetics that cannot be explained by the composition of an individual's DNA alone. For tissue and organs to form, a number of different types of cell must be developed. This happens through the activation and de-activation of different genes. When a cell formed in this manner then divides again, the gene expression can be maintained in the daughter cells. This is referred to as 'epigenetic inheritance'. The epigenetic mechanisms, or which genes are activated or de-activated, can be affected by factors such as age, chemicals, drugs and diet.
*** About the composition of blood:
B- and T-lymphocytes and myeloid cells are all white blood cells. Lymphocytes, as the name suggests, are particularly common in the lymphatic system. T-lymphocytes patrol the body and recognise a specific bacteria or virus. B-lymphocytes 'remember' old infections and can quickly be activated again if required. This memory capacity is the mechanism behind immunity. The myeloid cells belong to the blood system's 'big eaters' they neutralise damaged tissue, dead cells, and to a certain extent also bacteria.
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Public release date: 25-Mar-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Martin Wahlestedt
Martin.Wahlestedt@med.lu.se
46-462-220-313
Lund University
The blood of young and old people differs. In an article published recently in the scientific journal Blood, a research group at Lund University in Sweden explain how they have succeeded in rejuvenating the blood of mice by reversing, or re-programming, the stem cells that produce blood.
Stem cells form the origin of all the cells in the body and can divide an unlimited number of times. When stem cells divide, one cell remains a stem cell and the other matures into the type of cell needed by the body, for example a blood cell.*
"Our ageing process is a consequence of changes in our stem cells over time", explained Martin Wahlestedt, a doctoral student in stem cell biology at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University, and principal author of the article.
"Some of the changes are irreversible, for example damage to the stem cells' DNA, and some could be gradual changes, known as epigenetic changes, that are not necessarily irreversible, even if they are maintained through multiple cell divisions. When the stem cells are re-programmed, as we have done, the epigenetic changes are cancelled."**
The discovery that forms the basis for the research group's method was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine last year.
The composition of blood is one example of how it ages; blood from a young person contains a certain mix of B- and T-lymphocytes and myeloid cells.***
"In older people, the number of B- and T-lymphocytes falls, while the number of myeloid cells increases", said Martin Wahlestedt.
When an elderly person is affected by leukaemia, the cancer often has its origin in the myeloid cells, of which the elderly have more. Being able to 're-start' the blood, as Martin and his colleagues have done in their studies on mice, therefore presents interesting possibilities for future treatment.
"There is a lot of focus on how stem cells could be used in different treatments, but all that they are routinely used for in clinical work today is bone marrow transplants for diseases where the blood and immune systems have to be regenerated", said Martin Wahlestedt, continuing:
"A critical factor that gives an indication of whether the procedure is going to work or not is the age of the bone marrow donor. By reversing the development of the stem cells in the bone marrow, it may be possible to avoid negative age-related changes."
Even if the composition of the blood in old and young mice is remarkably like that in young and elderly people, Martin Wahlestedt stressed that the science is still only at the stage of basic research, far from a functioning treatment. The research group is pleased with the results, because they indicate that it may not primarily be damage to DNA that causes blood to age, but rather the reversible epigenetic changes.
###
Publication
'An epigenetic component of hematopoietic stem cell aging amenable to reprogramming into a young state' Blood. 2013 Mar 8. Wahlestedt M, Norddahl GL, Sten G, Ugale A, Micha Frisk MA, Mattsson R, Deierborg T, Sigvardsson M, Bryder D.
Link to Blood: http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/early/2013/03/08/blood-2012-11-469080.abstract?sid=43720289-eae7-402a-9ff6-c926fffb5337
For more information, please contact: Martin Wahlestedt, doctoral student, tel: +46 46 222 03 13, Martin.Wahlestedt[at] med [dot] lu [dot] se; or David Bryder, Associate Professor and research group leader, David.Bryder@med.lu.se.
*About stem cells:
There are different types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, which can be extracted from an embryo at an early stage, have the capacity to develop into all types of cell. Stem cells are also found in adults, where they have more limited development potential, but can divide in principle an unlimited number of times. For example, blood cell-forming stem cells in bone marrow create all types of blood cell and stem cells in the brain create many different types of brain cell.
**About epigenetics:
Epigenetics is a term that has historically been used to describe the aspects of genetics that cannot be explained by the composition of an individual's DNA alone. For tissue and organs to form, a number of different types of cell must be developed. This happens through the activation and de-activation of different genes. When a cell formed in this manner then divides again, the gene expression can be maintained in the daughter cells. This is referred to as 'epigenetic inheritance'. The epigenetic mechanisms, or which genes are activated or de-activated, can be affected by factors such as age, chemicals, drugs and diet.
*** About the composition of blood:
B- and T-lymphocytes and myeloid cells are all white blood cells. Lymphocytes, as the name suggests, are particularly common in the lymphatic system. T-lymphocytes patrol the body and recognise a specific bacteria or virus. B-lymphocytes 'remember' old infections and can quickly be activated again if required. This memory capacity is the mechanism behind immunity. The myeloid cells belong to the blood system's 'big eaters' they neutralise damaged tissue, dead cells, and to a certain extent also bacteria.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/lu-rba032513.php
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Monday 25 March 2013
Leading Physician Engagement: Spanning Boundaries ...
March 25, 2013
The average age of physicians in this country is 55. In college and medical school, we weren't doing a lot of team problem-solving and teamwork. Today, medicine is very team-oriented. Medical schools are using team approaches and group problem solving in their curricula. However, many of our more experienced physicians find learning to work in multidisciplinary teams is a challenge. Managing patient populations, in addition to individual patients, will also prove challenging. Finally, there's a new expectation that care doesn't end at the doors of the physician's office, hospital room or surgical suite; care needs to be coordinated, and physicians are responsible for making sure care coordination occurs across the continuum of care.
All three elements ? direction, alignment and commitment ? need to be present for physicians' boundary spanning to be successful. Certain signs can alert leaders to an imbalance:
Mercy's Journey Toward Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Population Health
Don't Fear Clinical Integration: One Reason Community Hospitals May Have an Edge
Physicians have typically been trained to be independent decision-makers focusing on individual patients and episodes of care. The future healthcare environment, however, will require multidisciplinary teams, population health management and care coordination with all members of the team working at the top of their training. To adapt to this new environment, physicians often need to span boundaries and move out of their comfort zone. Health system leaders can engage physicians in spanning boundaries by setting a direction, aligning goals and attaining commitment. Leaders also need to communicate with physicians with messages that are consistent with the stages of change.
Boundary spanning: Challenging learned behaviorsThe average age of physicians in this country is 55. In college and medical school, we weren't doing a lot of team problem-solving and teamwork. Today, medicine is very team-oriented. Medical schools are using team approaches and group problem solving in their curricula. However, many of our more experienced physicians find learning to work in multidisciplinary teams is a challenge. Managing patient populations, in addition to individual patients, will also prove challenging. Finally, there's a new expectation that care doesn't end at the doors of the physician's office, hospital room or surgical suite; care needs to be coordinated, and physicians are responsible for making sure care coordination occurs across the continuum of care.
These three challenges within healthcare transformation demonstrate the need for health system leaders to guide physicians in boundary spanning and engage them in new areas.
Establishing direction, alignment and commitment
To lead physicians in boundary spanning, Catholic Health Partners and Mercy work with the Center for Creative Leadership to train leaders, including physician leaders, in a three-step process. The first step is establishing a direction ? achieving a shared understanding of goals and strategy around a team approach, population health management and care coordination. It's critical that physician leaders are engaged in setting the direction and are able to clearly articulate the vision and shared goals.
The second step is aligning people: Individuals and teams need to be clear on their roles and the roles of others. It's important to "connect the dots" and move ahead in a coordinated, focused manner. However, removing traditional healthcare silos, sharing resources and establishing new teams that lead to changes in existing roles and processes can be perceived as threats to individual security. Leaders can gain alignment by starting with changes that address shared needs and feel safer for the physicians and others involved with the change. To be successful at improving healthcare value, we must take people out of their comfort zones but we do not want to throw them totally off balance. Sometimes a safer area is a recognized, unmet need. Addressing a shared, unmet need may be less threatening as an initial step.
Once direction is established and alignment is being promoted, the stage is set for building commitment with physicians by suggesting roles in the boundary spanning process. An environment of trust, transparency and mutual respect fans the sparks of passion into steps of commitment.
Warning signs: Evidence of imbalanceAll three elements ? direction, alignment and commitment ? need to be present for physicians' boundary spanning to be successful. Certain signs can alert leaders to an imbalance:
??? ?Overwhelmed. Physicians who feel they're being pulled in different directions or who take an attitude that "this too shall pass" signal a lack of direction.
??? ?"Us vs. them." Language of "us vs. them" and "me vs. he/she," including accusations of others not doing their part, are signs of a lack of alignment.
??? ?Just talking. If people don't "walk the talk" or they get only easy tasks accomplished, there is likely a lack of commitment.
To avoid an imbalance of direction, alignment and commitment, leaders need to communicate to physicians based on the stage of change they're in.
Communication and stages of change
The stages of change may seem similar to the stages of grief. When confronted with a boundary spanning change, people often react initially with denial and believe that the change will not occur or will fail. In this stage, communication should focus on awareness ? explaining in broad terms what the change is and its relevance to physicians. For example, if a hospital is introducing mandatory clinical documentation and order entry in an electronic health record to physicians, leaders should explain the concept of adopting EHRs and the high-level advantages.
The next stage is resistance, in which people are not completely against the change, but feel as if they have lost some sense of control, which may lead to negative engagement. Communication in this phase should include specific details about the change to help physicians better understand it. In the EHR example, leaders could describe the process and benefits of e-prescribing, rapid note completion, easier access to clinical information and other specific EHR components.
After resistance, physicians begin to explore the change. They may begin to recognize a benefit of one component of the change, such as e-prescribing freeing up time previously spent writing prescriptions. The transition between resistance and exploration is critical, and represents a transition from failure to success. Communication should encourage commitment from physicians to begin to engage them with specific tasks in the change. In the EHR example, physicians could be asked to participate in development of order sets and redesigning workflows. ?
The last stage, realization, occurs when physicians understand the benefits of the change as a whole and begin to articulate the benefits to peers. They truly engage in the change. In this stage, communication should include feedback to physicians, updates on progress and encouragement to keep physicians engaged.
Progressing through the stages of change
It is important to remember that like the stages of grief, physicians advance through the stages of change at different speeds. In addition, progression through the stages is commonly accompanied by some periods of regression. Physicians may begin to explore the change and then fall back into denial temporarily before progressing again. This internal questioning and challenging is necessary to ultimately reach a strong, enduring commitment.
Leading physician engagement means leading boundary spanning and learning to communicate through the stages of change. By moving physicians and other clinicians out of their comfort zone and helping them understand the change, health system leaders can engage physicians in healthcare transformation and position the organization for success.
Kenneth Bertka, MD, is a family physician and vice president of physician clinical integration at Toledo, Ohio-based Mercy, part of Catholic Health Partners.
Robert Heizelman, MD, is a family physician and health information technology medical director of Mercy Medical Partners at Mercy.
More Articles by Dr. Kenneth Bertka:
How Does the Rise of Computers in Exam Rooms Impact Patient Care?Mercy's Journey Toward Patient-Centered Medical Homes, Population Health
Don't Fear Clinical Integration: One Reason Community Hospitals May Have an Edge
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WSJ: Apple takes WiFiSlam indoor-GPS mapping startup under its wing for $20M
Watch out, Google Maps for Android, it looks like Apple's iOS Maps may soon be entering the building -- when it comes to indoor GPS tracking anyway. The Wall Street Journal's Digits blog is reporting that Apple has confirmed it purchased WiFiSlam, a startup that specializes in WiFi-assisted indoor-GPS functionality for phone apps. Interestingly, Digits notes that the company was founded by a few ex-Googlers a couple of years back and that one of its investors has included a Google employee. Further, a quick Google search confirms that any WiFiSlam-related apps that may have been on Google Play are all but dead links now.
The word on the street is that Apple handed over $20 million to claim the company, although it wouldn't confirm any numbers -- or a specific reason for the purchase -- with the blog. While there's no actual telling whether this means we'll see indoor mapping on iOS maps at any point, it's hard not to imagine it now that Apple's made the purchase. We're seeking comment from Apple on our end, and will be sure to let you know what we hear back. For now, check out an old demo of WiFiSlam in action after the break.
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Wireless, Mobile, Apple, Google
Source: Wall Street Journal (Digits blog)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/23/apple-wifislam-indoor-gps-maps/
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SEC approves Nasdaq's Facebook IPO payment plan
NEW YORK (AP) ? The Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday that it has approved a plan by the Nasdaq stock exchange to pay $62 million in reimbursements to investment firms that lost money because of technical problems during Facebook's initial public offering last year.
The Nasdaq had said in June that it would pay $40 million but later increased the amount to $62 million.
Facebook went public May 18 amid great fanfare, but computer glitches at the Nasdaq delayed the start of trading and threw the debut into chaos. Technical problems kept many investors from buying shares that morning, selling them later in the day or even from knowing whether their orders went through. Some said they were left holding shares they didn't want.
Facebook's stock originally priced at $38 and closed that first day at $38.23 after going as high as $45. The lackluster close disappointed investors who had hoped for a first-day pop. Nasdaq has said that it was embarrassed by the glitches, but that they didn't contribute to the underwhelming returns.
Shares of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Facebook Inc. fell 39 cents to $25.34 in Monday morning trading. The stock has not hit its IPO price since the first day of trading.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sec-approves-nasdaqs-facebook-ipo-payment-plan-133619547--finance.html
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Myriad Social TV brings social networking to your cable box (hands-on video)
The marriage of social networking and television is nothing new, but Myriad recently launched Social TV, a white label solution which allows TV service providers to roll out their own custom social networking platform on your cable box. It complements services like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ by offering a more contextual way for viewers to interact with their friends while watching TV. Social TV provides an integrated HTML5 experience that's consistent across both television and companion devices (phones and tablets). Viewers can chose between receiving alerts on their TVs, mobile devices or both and can create show- or series-specific virtual communities that automatically expire when the program ends. The system is even mindful of time zones and time-shifts messages to prevent spoilers. More after the break.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/d4_lTsp1xtI/
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Strange as it sounds, Heat want to get better
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade reacts after a play during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons Friday, March 22, 2013 in Miami. (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, David Santiago)
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade reacts after a play during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons Friday, March 22, 2013 in Miami. (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, David Santiago)
A Miami Heat fan displays a sign about the MiamI Heat's winning streak during the second half of a NBA basketball game in Miami, Friday, March 22, 2013 against the Detroit Pistons. The Heat won 103-89. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
Miami Heat's coach Erik Spoelstra signals his team during the second half of a NBA basketball game in Miami, Friday, March 22, 2013 against the Detroit Pistons. The Heat won 103-89. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
MIAMI (AP) ? The Miami Heat have won 25 straight games, turned what was a super-close Eastern Conference race into a runaway and seem to be finding different ways to prevail on a nightly basis.
And no, they are not particularly thrilled with themselves right now.
From the Heat perspective, it's almost like they are simultaneously slumping and streaking after facing double-digit deficits in three consecutive games, yet finding ways to win them all, much like each of the 22 games that preceded this week.
"I'm taking the world view, that we have room to improve," forward Shane Battier said. "By no stretch of the imagination are we playing our best basketball right now. We're winning ball games, but we have a lot of room for improvement. We have not started well the last couple games and our defensive focus has not been there. It's been there in the second half and when we need it, but we need to do it more consistently."
Even as they move closer to the NBA-record winning streak of 33 straight established by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72, the bigger concern in the Heat locker room is that they are nowhere near a playoff gear with just 14 games remaining before the postseason arrives. They've trailed after five of their past six opening quarters, been losing at halftime in three straight outings and have been outshot in three of their last six contests.
The next opportunity to fix some of those issues comes Sunday at home against Charlotte (16-52) ? a team that has won two straight, yet is a mere 38 games behind the Heat (54-14) in the East standings.
"It's on the radar, no question about it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We need to put together complete games. That's three games in a row where we haven't gotten off to that energetic start that we're looking for. We'll have an opportunity to get back to it on Sunday. No excuses. We're not making excuses for ourselves, the schedule or anything. Just more consistency."
The latest close call wasn't exactly all that close. Miami trailed Detroit by 11 points on Friday night, before clamping down in the second half and pulling away for a 103-89 win, with LeBron James finishing with 29 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.
"We never expect anything to be easy," James said.
But the 17-point deficit at Boston (and a separate 13-point hole in the fourth quarter) that was followed by the 27-point lead Cleveland held over the Heat in a most bizarre game on Wednesday may be perceived as some warning signs, and the Heat freely acknowledge they have to be addressed.
At the same time, though, to say the reigning NBA champions are nervous about where they are right now would be a gross exaggeration.
"Everybody wants us to win by 30 every night," guard Dwyane Wade said. "Sorry, guys. It's not possible."
Wade said he has seen mentions on his Twitter timeline lately from fans who aren't exactly pleased with the close calls, with one mention saying that the Heat are causing heart attacks.
He doesn't see the in-game lulls as causes of angst. He sees them as fun.
"I think it's great for the game," Wade said. "Keep people entertaining, keep people watching, keep people in the stadium for most of the game. ... For us, it doesn't matter if we're up or down. We play games within games. We go on runs at different times. We have a lot of confidence. We don't do it on purpose, but we have a lot of confidence in our team and we can go on runs very fast."
That's been proven.
Erasing the 13-point Boston lead in the final 8 minutes on Monday, a 45-12 run over a 12-minute stretch in Cleveland on Wednesday, a 19-8 start in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to pull away from the Pistons for good on Friday, those are just the latest examples of what Wade says is the Heat calling card.
In Spoelstra's eyes, it's helping the playoff-readiness process.
"Teams are coming at us. That's a good thing," Spoelstra said. "We can't sleepwalk into a game. We have to bring it, we have to play well at both ends, we have to dig, we have to earn wins and we're playing against our opponents' best games. That only helps. That sharpens you. The more you get tested in this league, the better you get, as long as you handle it the right way."
If the Heat beat Charlotte, the win streak goes to 26. And then yet another road test ? the latest big challenge in a month where the Heat play a schedule loaded with 18 games and almost no practices ? awaits, with games every other night starting Monday at Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and San Antonio.
"I enjoy going on the road and hearing fans say, 'You guys suck,'" Wade said. "Really? We're not too bad. When the playoffs start, we're going to have to buckle down and it becomes a new season. But right now, in this season, man, we're enjoying it."
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