Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Learn To Respond To Triggers With An Anger Class Online

When a person feels angry, it?s generally the result of a deeper emotion such as embarrassment, rejection, anxiety, or hurt. It is normal for something that someone has said or done to make you angry once in a while, but if you find that you are angry all the time, it?s time to make a change. This doesn?t mean you need to completely overhaul your entire life. Instead, you can take the time to learn better coping skills to help you manage your anger so when a trigger arises, you can rationally respond to it rather than react.

Simply willing yourself to stop getting so angry isn?t a long-term solution. Rather, there are a number of research-based tools that a person can learn to employ to gain control of his or her anger. It?s the same idea as improving your skills at a sport. You focus on the topic at hand; learn the proper techniques to succeed from a trained professional, and practice, practice, practice. It might take a while, but with serious desire and commitment, you will end up improving and succeeding.

One solution to overcoming your angry behavior is to take a cognitive therapy based anger control course to learn how to do accomplish this goal. Anger management classes can be highly beneficial for many reasons. First, they teach participants how to deal with stress by identifying what is causing it and addressing the emotion with specific stress reduction tips. Furthermore, individuals learn how to increase their empathy to better listen and communicate with others on a daily basis. Online anger programs also address negative thoughts you might have about yourself. Changing the way you interpret certain situations in a more positive light is an important component of anger control.

The most convenient, educational and flexible way to learn these skills is to take an anger management course online. With any Internet connected computer device such as a Smartphone, Tablet, PC or laptop, you can enroll and take a class at any time of the day or night. This format alleviates the stress of having to miss work, school or family time to drive miles away to make a traditional weekly in-person program.

Online anger management classes are available to take for self-improvement as well as court ordered requirements. It is suggested that participants get prior approval from the judge, probation officer or attorney, to take an online class to fulfill their specific court order. Once approved, the participant can login and out at his own pace. This gives the client the ability to finish the course in one day or over a weekend if a deadline is looming. Once the client finishes the course, a Certificate of Completion is sent out to the address specified. This documentation proves to the court system that the mandate was successfully fulfilled.

Learn how to overcome and respond to the daily life triggers that get are getting you so angry. An anger control course taken from your very own home can be a life-changing experience.

Source: https://www.angerclassonline.com/blog/post/Learn-To-Respond-To-Triggers-With-An-Anger-Class-Online.aspx

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NTU student-built innovations to help improve and save lives

NTU student-built innovations to help improve and save lives [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 20-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Lester Kok
lesterkok@ntu.edu.sg
Nanyang Technological University

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students have developed new and practical life-saving innovations inspired from everyday problems, including improving the safety of cyclists on the roads and keeping the dengue menace in check.

A near collision alarm system fitted with an ultrasonic sensor and LED lights, "BikeSense," will alert the cyclist via a beeping alarm, when a vehicle is too close for comfort. At the same time, the system will flash a red light at the rear of the bicycle, to catch the drivers' attention and to warn them to keep at a safe distance.

Another group of students have come up with an auto-close drain cover which will block mosquitoes from entering the drain to breed, while allowing a large amount of water to flow through during heavy downpours. Named "Block-It-Out", the idea arose from the rising epidemic of dengue fever which Singapore is now experiencing.

Other practical inventions include overcoming the problem of domestic helpers falling from high floors and preventing soldiers collapsing from heat strokes.

The "WiseWindow" is a window which can swivel, allowing you to clean both the inside and outside of the window at the same time without risk of leaning out of the window. The invention will not only save time, but more importantly it promotes safety and is elderly friendly.

A heat alarm mounted on a soldier's vest it expected to help prevent heat-related injuries such as heat strokes, which may led to death in serious cases. Named the "Health Emergency Alarm Thermometer System" (HEATS), the device will light up if the soldier's body temperature rises above the norm, which is an early indication of dehydration and heat injury.

These safety devices are some of the winners at the 15th Engineering, Innovation and Design (EID) Open House and competition held on Saturday, 18 May, at NTU, which saw 79 student teams taking part.

EID Chairman, Associate Professor Rajesh Piplani, said many of the students have been inspired to improve and save lives of people after reading the many reports in the media of accident-related deaths.

"Recently, there have been reports of fatalities involving cyclists and also accidents involving pickup trucks, people suffering from heat injuries during training and workplace falls, which students are made aware of and are encouraged to develop solutions for," said Prof Piplani.

"Creating innovative devices which overcomes real problems is an integral part of the education process at NTU, because we want to instil a sense of responsibility in our students, pushing them to think out of the box while having to employ engineering concepts and knowledge learnt in classes. The process of applying theoretical knowledge is not easily taught, so NTU's Engineering, Innovation and Design course gives them the chance to learn such skills through hands-on work."

The annual event showcases prototypes designed and built by Year Two students from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who have taken the EID course as part of their curriculum. EID requires students to identify a real life problem, devise a solution for it, and develop a prototype and a business plan to market the idea.

This year 580 students submitted projects in five categories: Lifestyle, Design & Innovation, Energy & Environment, Health & Assistive Technology, and Safety & Security. In each category, the top teams bag cash prizes of $1,200, $800, and $500 for the first, second, and third place respectively.

For the Safety & Security category, BikeSense and WiseWindow won first and second prize respectively. HEATS won second prize in the Health & Assistive Technology while Block-It-Out also won the second prize in the Energy and Environment Category.

Teams are judged by alumni engineers and industry players, based on potential market value, technological innovation, cost (development and material) and the 'X-factor'. ST Engineering is the event's sponsor.

###

Media contact:

Lester Kok
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications Office
Nanyang Technological University
Tel: 6790 6804

About Nanyang Technological University

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, and Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences. It has a new medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London.

NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).

A fast-growing university with an international outlook, NTU is putting its global stamp on Five Peaks of Excellence: Sustainable Earth, Future Healthcare, New Media, New Silk Road, and Innovation Asia.

Besides the main Yunnan Garden campus, NTU also has a satellite campus in Singapore's science and tech hub, one-north, and a third campus in Novena, Singapore's medical district.

For more information, visit http://www.ntu.edu.sg


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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.


NTU student-built innovations to help improve and save lives [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 20-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Lester Kok
lesterkok@ntu.edu.sg
Nanyang Technological University

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students have developed new and practical life-saving innovations inspired from everyday problems, including improving the safety of cyclists on the roads and keeping the dengue menace in check.

A near collision alarm system fitted with an ultrasonic sensor and LED lights, "BikeSense," will alert the cyclist via a beeping alarm, when a vehicle is too close for comfort. At the same time, the system will flash a red light at the rear of the bicycle, to catch the drivers' attention and to warn them to keep at a safe distance.

Another group of students have come up with an auto-close drain cover which will block mosquitoes from entering the drain to breed, while allowing a large amount of water to flow through during heavy downpours. Named "Block-It-Out", the idea arose from the rising epidemic of dengue fever which Singapore is now experiencing.

Other practical inventions include overcoming the problem of domestic helpers falling from high floors and preventing soldiers collapsing from heat strokes.

The "WiseWindow" is a window which can swivel, allowing you to clean both the inside and outside of the window at the same time without risk of leaning out of the window. The invention will not only save time, but more importantly it promotes safety and is elderly friendly.

A heat alarm mounted on a soldier's vest it expected to help prevent heat-related injuries such as heat strokes, which may led to death in serious cases. Named the "Health Emergency Alarm Thermometer System" (HEATS), the device will light up if the soldier's body temperature rises above the norm, which is an early indication of dehydration and heat injury.

These safety devices are some of the winners at the 15th Engineering, Innovation and Design (EID) Open House and competition held on Saturday, 18 May, at NTU, which saw 79 student teams taking part.

EID Chairman, Associate Professor Rajesh Piplani, said many of the students have been inspired to improve and save lives of people after reading the many reports in the media of accident-related deaths.

"Recently, there have been reports of fatalities involving cyclists and also accidents involving pickup trucks, people suffering from heat injuries during training and workplace falls, which students are made aware of and are encouraged to develop solutions for," said Prof Piplani.

"Creating innovative devices which overcomes real problems is an integral part of the education process at NTU, because we want to instil a sense of responsibility in our students, pushing them to think out of the box while having to employ engineering concepts and knowledge learnt in classes. The process of applying theoretical knowledge is not easily taught, so NTU's Engineering, Innovation and Design course gives them the chance to learn such skills through hands-on work."

The annual event showcases prototypes designed and built by Year Two students from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who have taken the EID course as part of their curriculum. EID requires students to identify a real life problem, devise a solution for it, and develop a prototype and a business plan to market the idea.

This year 580 students submitted projects in five categories: Lifestyle, Design & Innovation, Energy & Environment, Health & Assistive Technology, and Safety & Security. In each category, the top teams bag cash prizes of $1,200, $800, and $500 for the first, second, and third place respectively.

For the Safety & Security category, BikeSense and WiseWindow won first and second prize respectively. HEATS won second prize in the Health & Assistive Technology while Block-It-Out also won the second prize in the Energy and Environment Category.

Teams are judged by alumni engineers and industry players, based on potential market value, technological innovation, cost (development and material) and the 'X-factor'. ST Engineering is the event's sponsor.

###

Media contact:

Lester Kok
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications Office
Nanyang Technological University
Tel: 6790 6804

About Nanyang Technological University

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, and Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences. It has a new medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London.

NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).

A fast-growing university with an international outlook, NTU is putting its global stamp on Five Peaks of Excellence: Sustainable Earth, Future Healthcare, New Media, New Silk Road, and Innovation Asia.

Besides the main Yunnan Garden campus, NTU also has a satellite campus in Singapore's science and tech hub, one-north, and a third campus in Novena, Singapore's medical district.

For more information, visit http://www.ntu.edu.sg


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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/2013-05/ntu-ns052013.php

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Angelina Jolie's op-ed prompts strong reactions

Angelina Jolie revealed today that she has spent the past several months fighting her risk of breast cancer by undergoing a double mastectomy. Responses have been varied.

By Karen Rowan,?Live Science / May 14, 2013

Angelina Jolie, seen here in 2011, wrote an op-ed in Tuesday's New York Times saying that in April she finished three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts as a preventive measure. She says she?s kept the process private but is writing about it now with hopes she can help other women.

Carlo Allegri / AP / File

Enlarge

Women all over the world are reacting to actress Angelina Jolie's revelation today (May 14) that she has undergone a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

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The emotions, as seen in the comments section of Jolie's op-ed in the New York Times, range from gratitude to Jolie for telling her story, to feeling "braver" about approaching a breast cancer diagnosis or treatment, to those who lament that the care that Jolie received may not be available to all women.

In Jolie's piece, she revealed that she has a "faulty" BRCA1 gene that put her at high risk for breast cancer, a disease that claimed her mother's life at age 56. She detailed the reasons for her decision to undergo a double mastectomy several months ago, as well as her feelings now that it's over.

Some commenters on the piece said they were thankful. "Thanks for your story. As a public figure, you may be able to influence someone to take preventative action," despite their fears, one commenter wrote. "Thank you, Angelina, for going public on this most private subject. I applaud your bravery," another said.

The gratitude that some women are expressing to Jolie likely stems from the level of intimacy with her that they now feel, said Dr. Tina Walch, a psychiatrist specializing in women's issues at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y.

"She's one of the sexiest women in the world, and now she's approachable, she's normalized. You can see her in your living room," Walch said.

While many women wouldn?t even share such details with acquaintances or co-workers, Jolie has shared her decision with the world. This makes some women feel thankful for her story because they feel they have gained a relationship with her, Walch said.

Some commenters talked about feeling safer. "Thank you for your bravery and strength, Angelina Jolie. You've made me feel less vulnerable as a woman," one wrote. Another said, "I am having a prophylactic bilateral double mastectomy with reconstruction on Wednesday morning ? I've been terrified for weeks ? After reading Ms. Jolie's story told with such grace, a little of the terror has diminished."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/xeP1UviB3vE/Angelina-Jolie-s-op-ed-prompts-strong-reactions

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Monday, May 20, 2013

Chooch's hammy a worry for Phils

The Phillies might, yet again, be without starting catcher Carlos Ruiz for an extended period of time.

Ruiz was lifted from Sunday afternoon?s game against the Reds after straining his right hamstring while running the bases in the bottom of the second inning. Ruiz will presumably be placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, and Humberto Quintero will likely be called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Erik Kratz came on to catch for Ruiz on Sunday and will probably start for the Phillies going forward.

Ruiz, 34, was batting .235/.286/.275 with no homers and nine strikeouts in 56 plate apperances since returning April 28 from his 25-game amphetamine?suspension. Hamstring strains often require 2-4 weeks.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/19/carlos-ruiz-leaves-game-with-strained-right-hamstring/related/

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Emaze Raises $800K For The Presentation Sweet Spot Between PowerPoint And Prezi

emaze_logoMicrosoft PowerPoint facilitates presentation design with zero constraints. And startups like Prezi provide well-designed templates and other features to help you communicate what matters. Now an Israeli startup called?Emaze?is trying a different take by offering a much simpler templating system for presentations that are intended to make you be concise.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/4qNYNP6oB54/

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Obama Aide Chides GOP for 'Fishing' (WSJ)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/306873894?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Russia: Two Militants Planning Terror Attack Killed Near Moscow (Voice Of America)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/307062631?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Video Roundup: Science Friday Desktop Diaries

I don't have a desk, because there's no room in my apartment, but if I did it would probably be covered in so much crap that I wouldn't be able to use it anyway. And it makes me feel a little better to know that Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman doesn't have a desk either.

Read more...

    


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8UNSrrkem8k/video-roundup-science-friday-desktop-diaries-508705841

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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Nokia Lumia 928 (Verizon Wireless)


If at first you don't succeed? Well, that might be a little misleading. Nokia's Lumia 920?for AT&T has been modestly successful as far as Windows phones are concerned. But Nokia is trying again with the $99.99 Lumia 928 for Verizon Wireless. It's almost the exact same phone?as the 920, except it's been fitted with a new, lighter design, and improved low-light camera performance. The Lumia 920 was arguably the best Windows phone on the market, so there's no doubt the Lumia 928 now holds the title. It's a well-priced alternative to Android and Apple, but it's still not the best phone on Verizon.

Design and Call Quality
If the Lumia 920 is flat-out humongous, then the Lumia 928 is just really big. Whereas the 920 weighs in at a whopping 6.53 ounces, the 928 is somewhat more reasonable at 5.71 ounces. That's still a lot heavier than the 4.6-ounce Samsung Galaxy S 4?which is not only lighter, but has a much bigger screen than the Lumia 928. And it's nearly two full ounces heavier than Apple's 4-ounce iPhone 5, though that phone has a smaller screen. But there's no way around it?the Lumia 928 is a big phone. At 5.24 by 2.71 by 0.44 inches (HWD), you can still hold and operate it with just one hand, but there's a lot of excess bezel around the display at every angle.

Nokia has traded the matte polycarbonate of the Lumia 920 for a high-gloss finish. I miss the matte, which has a much more sumptuous, luxe feel. But I especially miss all of the fun colors, like red, blue, and yellow. The Lumia 928 is only available in black or white.

The rolled edges of the 920 have been replaced with much sharper angles?you can even stand the 928 up vertically if you choose to do so. The headphone jack is at the top left of the phone, while the micro USB jack is next to it in the center. On the right side you'll find Volume, Power, and Camera buttons. I would've preferred the buttons be broken up differently, as I kept pressing the Volume button when I meant to press Power. There's no memory card slot, and the 2,000mAh battery is sealed in. I got 9 hours and 32 minutes of talk time, which is very close to what we saw on the Lumia 920, which has the same battery. Also like the 920, the 928 has features wireless charging, but you need to purchase a separate (wired) charging pad in order to use it.

The Lumia 920's 4.5-inch IPS LCD has been replaced by a 4.5-inch OLED panel. It has the same 1,280-by-768-pixel resolution, and the same 334-pixels-per-inch screen density. The main difference is that OLED looks even richer, though I don't dig the PenTile pixel layout, which can cause text and images to appear fuzzy if you look closely. But the phone is much more readable outside than many of its competitors.

The Lumia 928 supports a ton of frequency bands, so you can connect to global HSPA+ and LTE networks if Verizon has roaming agreements with those carriers. The phone also has 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi on the 2.4GHz and faster 5GHz bands, along with Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, and NFC. Reception was decent and 4G LTE data speeds in Manhattan were on par with what we've been seeing lately.

This is a great phone if you like to talk. Incoming calls get very loud and sound clear, with a real richness and warmth. The same goes for calls made with the phone, which were easy to hear even when made from an area with lots of construction noise in the background. The speakerphone is borderline loud enough to hear outside, and calls sounded great over a Jawbone Era?Bluetooth headset. I had no trouble triggering Microsoft's voice command software, which works fine for making calls, but is no match for Apple's Siri.

Windows Phone 8 and Apps
The Lumia 928 uses the same 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 processor as the 920, not to mention the Lumia 822, the HTC 8X, and the Samsung Ativ Odyssey. In short, there isn't much variation among any of the Windows phones. That's mostly thanks to Microsoft, which runs a much tighter ship with Windows Phone than Google does with its open-source Android. That's good for quality assurance, but bad for innovation. Either way, benchmark scores on this phone were on par with other WP8 devices.

Windows Phone 8 is a quick, minimalist operating system built around a series of live tiles on your home screen. The tiles continuously pull information from social networks, the Internet, messages, and local content stored on your phone, which is both useful and fun. Of particular note is the People Hub,?which pulls together your contacts from different sources?like email, Facebook, and Twitter?and presents you with all of your social-networking updates in one place.?It's more flexible than Apple's iOS, but less than Google's Android. For a closer look at WP8, you can read our?full review.

The biggest difference among Windows phones lies in the included apps, which is where Nokia once had a leg up on the competition. When the Lumia 920 came out, most of Nokia's proprietary apps were exclusive to Nokia Phones. Now Nokia is serving up those apps for all WP8 phones in the Windows Phone store, though they come preloaded on the 928. Nokia is doing this in order to acquire more user-generated data for a better overall experience, though it claims the apps themselves work best on Lumia devices.

(Next page: Camera and Conclusions)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/3M87NdYfsFI/0,2817,2418988,00.asp

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Weeklong traffic mess possible after CT derailment

A derailed Metro-North rail car is hoisted back on to the tracks in Bridgeport. Conn. on Sunday, May 19, 2013. Crews will spend days rebuilding 2,000 feet of track, overhead wires and signals following the collision between two trains Friday evening that injured 72 people, Metro-North President Howard Permut said Sunday. (AP Photo/The Connecticut Post,Brian A. Pounds ) MANDATORY CREDIT

A derailed Metro-North rail car is hoisted back on to the tracks in Bridgeport. Conn. on Sunday, May 19, 2013. Crews will spend days rebuilding 2,000 feet of track, overhead wires and signals following the collision between two trains Friday evening that injured 72 people, Metro-North President Howard Permut said Sunday. (AP Photo/The Connecticut Post,Brian A. Pounds ) MANDATORY CREDIT

Metro-North employees work at the site of Friday's train derailment in Bridgeport. Conn. on Sunday, May 19, 2013. Crews will spend days rebuilding 2,000 feet of track, overhead wires and signals following the collision between two trains Friday evening that injured 72 people, Metro-North President Howard Permut said Sunday. (AP Photo/The Connecticut Post,Brian A. Pounds ) MANDATORY CREDIT

Map locates Bridgeport, Conn

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) ? Traffic in southwest Connecticut could be a mess for as much as a week until service is restored to the commuter rail line affected by a derailment that injured scores of passengers, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy warned Sunday.

Malloy used dire language to describe traffic troubles for the work week ahead in an area that even in normal times is a pain for motorists. And the governor warned that the weather will not cooperate as rainy weather forecast will make driving a bit more treacherous.

Malloy even urged commuters to stay out of the state if possible.

"Tomorrow's commute will be extremely challenging," he said at a brief news conference in Hartford. "Residents should plan for a week's worth of disruptions."

If all 30,000 affected commuters took to the highways to get to work, "we would literally have a parking lot," the governor said. If a substantial number of affected consumers hit the roads, traffic will be "greatly slowed," he said.

The state will dispatch more state troopers and tow trucks to respond to car accidents that could come with crowded roads and slipper conditions, he said.

"If you are going to New York and you get to New York or you're transporting yourself to New York you may decide that perhaps you should stay there for the duration of this disturbance," Malloy said.

Crews will spend days rebuilding 2,000 feet of track, overhead wires and signals following the collision between two trains Friday evening that injured 72 people. Nine remained hospitalized, with one critically.

"This amounts to the wholesale reconstruction of a two-track electrified railroad," he said.

Several days of around-the-clock work will be required, including inspections and testing of the newly rebuilt system, Metro-North President Howard Permut said. The damaged rail cars were removed from the tracks on Sunday, the first step toward making the repairs.

Starting with the Monday morning rush-hour, a shuttle train will operate about every 20 minutes between New Haven and Bridgeport and two shuttle buses will run between Bridgeport and Stamford stations, state transportation officials said.

For morning and evening peak commutes, limited train service will operate between Grand Central Terminal and Westport.

State officials said travel times will be significantly longer than normal and trains will be crowded. Commuters are advised to use the Harlem line in New York.

Amtrak service between New York and New Haven was also suspended and there was no estimate on service restoration. Limited service was available between New Haven and Boston.

Jim Cameron, chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council, said he's asked officials in numerous towns to suspend parking rules to accommodate what could be tens of thousands of motorists driving to unaffected train stations. Twelve stations are affected by the shutdown.

But Cameron said he doubts many commuters will use three modes of transportation to get to work: driving their cars to catch a bus to get to a train station for the final leg.

He suggested that local and regional officials post highway signs directing motorists to available parking so motorists "don't get off the highway and drive in circles looking for where to dump their cars."

About 700 people were on board the trains Friday evening when one heading east from New York City's Grand Central Terminal to New Haven derailed just outside Bridgeport. It was hit by a train heading west from New Haven.

Dan Solomon, a trauma surgeon who lives in Westport and was headed to work at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, was on the train that derailed. He said he treated several injured passengers, including a woman with severely broken ankles.

He said he was in a front car that was not as badly affected as cars in the rear of the train.

"I hardly lost my iced tea," Solomon said in an interview.

Solomon said walls were torn off both trains and he quickly checked injured passengers to separate the most badly injured from others.

"When the EMS arrived, I was covered in everyone's blood," he said.

Investigators are looking at a broken section of rail to see if it is connected to the derailment and collision. Officials said it wasn't clear if the rail was broken in the crash or earlier.

NTSB investigators arrived Saturday and are expected to be on site for seven to 10 days. They will look at the brakes and performance of the trains, the condition of the tracks, crew performance and train signal information, among other things.

The MTA operates the Metro-North Railroad, the second-largest commuter railroad in the nation. The Metro-North main lines - the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven - run northward from New York City's Grand Central Terminal into suburban New York and Connecticut.

The last significant train collision involving Metro-North occurred in 1988 when a train engineer was killed in Mount Vernon, N.Y., when one train empty of passengers rear-ended another, railroad officials said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-05-19-Trains%20Collide-Conn/id-e9ebac2b5a7b44acb0324b37bf4d5542

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Viking Launches New Ocean Cruise Line | All News Wire

Viking Launches New Ocean Cruise Line

First New Ship Will Set Sail on Destination-Focused Itineraries in 2015; Maiden Voyages Now Available for Booking

Viking Cruises has announced the launch of its ocean product line, Viking Ocean Cruises, marking the introduction of the travel industry?s first new cruise line in nearly a decade. Developed from the ground up to return the focus of cruising to the destination, Viking Ocean Cruises will begin sailing in May 2015 with its first vessel?Viking Star?embarking on maiden voyages in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. ?Viking Cruises has aggressive expansion plans in both the ocean and river cruise categories, with a second ocean ship on order for delivery in 2016 and conditional orders and options for four more additional ocean vessels. The ocean ship order follows the company?s continued rapid fleet expansion in the river cruise sector, with 10 new river ships recently christened in March of this year and 12 new river ships planned to launch in 2014.

?It is our view that in the race to build bigger ships, many cruise lines have lost sight of the destinations to which they sail,? said Torstein Hagen , Chairman of Viking Cruises. ?With our new ocean cruises, we are applying the same principles behind our award-winning river cruises to our itinerary and ship design; privileged-access excursions; and onboard experiences to make destinations the true focus.?

Leveraging extensive feedback and input from Viking River Cruises passengers, Viking Ocean Cruises was developed with experienced travelers in mind. Itineraries are curated for maximum time in port, often with late evenings or overnights, so guests can experience local nightlife or evening performances. Ports include both cosmopolitan cities and ?collector ports,? and appeal to those with an interest in history, art and culture. In addition, all-inclusive pricing provides unparalleled value?with every cruise fare including a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Passengers also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; wi-fi; self-service laundry and 24-hour room service?a value of more than $2,400 per couple for an average cruise.

Viking Star

Classified by Cruise Critic as a ?small ship,? the new 928-passenger all-veranda Viking Star is engineered at a scale that allows direct access into most ports, so guests have easy and efficient embarkation and debarkation. The ship?s understated elegance and modern Scandinavian design is crafted for maximum guest comfort. Highlighted features include:

  • All Veranda Staterooms: Guests can choose from five stateroom categories, starting from a 270 sq. ft. veranda stateroom, all with private verandas, king-size beds, large showers, and LCD TVs.
  • Explorer Suites: Viking Star?s 14 Explorer Suites are two-room suites ranging from 757 to 1,448 sq. ft. and offer sweeping views from wrap-around private verandas as well as the most amenities and privileges of any category onboard.
  • Two Pool Choices: In addition to the Main Pool with a retractable dome permitting any-season swimming, Viking Star features one of the only infinity pools at sea, allowing passengers to swim surrounded by their destination in a glass-backed pool cantilevered off the stern.
  • The Spa: In keeping with Viking?s Nordic heritage, The Spa onboard Viking Star is designed with the holistic wellness philosophy of Scandinavia in mind?from the centuries-old tradition of the sauna to a ?snow grotto? where snowflakes gently descend from the ceiling through chilled air.
  • Explorers? Lounge and Wintergarden: Spaces designed to facilitate mingling and storytelling, the two-deck Explorers? Lounge at the bow of the ship is the perfect spot for taking in scenery through double-height windows over a glass of aquavit or pint of local craft beer; and the Wintergarden is a serene environment in which to relax and enjoy afternoon tea service complete with a curated tea selection.
  • Dining Choices: Viking Star offers multiple restaurant locations and food choices?from The Restaurant and the World Cafe, serving a variety of global cuisines and regional specialties?to intimate dining experiences at The Chef?s Table, Italian Grill and The Kitchen Table, all serving meals prepared with fresh, local ingredients. Furthermore, with multiple choices for outdoor seating during meals, Viking Star offers more al fresco dining than any other ship.
  • Enriching Entertainment: Connecting passengers to their destinations through authentic experiences is central to Viking Cruises, and Viking Star?s onboard venues include a dramatic three-deck atrium where passengers can enjoy musicians playing regional and classical music; the Star Theater, home of enrichment lectures from scholars and experts; an onboard cooking school where guests can learn local specialties; and the Viking Piano Lounge, where guests can relax, mingle, and exchange stories after a day of exploring.
  • Sustainable Features: Designed with the environment in mind, Viking Star features energy-efficient hybrid engines, a hydro-dynamically optimized streamlined hull and bow for maximum fuel efficiency, onboard solar panels, and equipment that minimizes exhaust pollution and meets the strictest environmental regulations.

The ship has been designed by experienced nautical architects and engineers, including an interior design team of London-based SMC Design, and Los Angeles-based Rottet Studios. The first of two ocean ships on order, Viking Star will be built by Italy?s Fincantieri shipyard.

2015 Maiden Voyage Itineraries

  • Viking Homelands (15 days; Stockholm ? St. Petersburg ? Copenhagen ? Bergen) ? This itinerary features a blend of northern continental European cities, imperial Russia and the legendary homeland of the Vikings. The journey includes overnights in Bergen, Stockholm and St. Petersburg, plus calls in Helsinki, Tallinn, Gdansk, Berlin (Warnemunde), Copenhagen, Aalborg, Stavanger, and Flam. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $4,999 per person with discounted airfares from $895 per person.
  • Passage Through Western Europe (15 days; Bergen ? London ? Paris ? Barcelona) ? The nimble proportions of Viking Star give guests access to the heart of the Continent as well as coastal cities on this cross-region itinerary that journeys from the Viking waters of Bergen to London on the Thames, down the Atlantic Coast of France and Portugal, and to the Mediterranean. Ports include Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, and Cartagena with overnights in Bergen, London, Paris (Rouen) and Barcelona. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $4,499 per person with discounted airfares from $795 per person.
  • Mediterranean Odyssey (13 days; Barcelona ? Rome ? Dubrovnik ? Venice) ? Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Greece?this cruise has it all. Visit Toulon, France; Monte Carlo; Tuscany (Livorno), Rome and Naples in Italy; Corfu (Kerkira) Greece; Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia; plus overnights in Barcelona and Venice. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $3,999 per person with discounted airfares from $595 per person.
  • Empires of the Mediterranean (10 days; Venice ? Athens ? Ephesus ? Istanbul) ? From ancient ruins to medieval cities, this Mediterranean journey starts in Venice and journeys to Pula and Dubrovnik in Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Santorini, Athens (Piraeus), and Ephesus (Kusadasi), plus an overnight in Istanbul. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $2,999 per person with discounted airfares from $695 per person.

Combination cruises of the above are also available, ranging from 22 to 50 days, and starting at $6,799 per person for introductory pricing with air specials from $695 per person.

Booking Details

From now through July 31, 2013, Viking is offering an introductory Early Booking Discount in the U.S. market for the 2015 maiden season with 2-for-1 pricing on cruise departures and savings of $2,000 per couple on international air. The 2015 maiden season is initially being offered only in the U.S.; Viking will begin marketing the new ocean cruises in the UK, Australia and New Zealand later this year.

Viking Star Technical Details

Length overall: 745.4 ft. (227.2m); beam 94.5 ft. (28.8 m); draft 20.7 ft. (6.3 m); air draft 131.2 ft. (40.0 m); gross tonnage (GRT) 47,800 t; deadweight 3,640 t; service speed 20.0 kn; number of decks 14; classification: Lloyds Register.

The Viking Cruises brand now encompasses both river and ocean cruises. Viking Ocean Cruises focuses on destination-centric cruising in the small ship category and is priced for genuine value. Debuting its maiden season in 2015, the sophisticated state-of-the-art Viking Star will sail itineraries in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. Viking River Cruises, the world?s leading river cruise line, offers scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, Ukraine, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. The company was named No. 1 River Cruise Line in Travel + Leisure?s 2012 ?World?s Best? Awards and has been honored multiple times as the top river cruise line on Conde Nast Traveler?s ?Gold List.? It has also been recognized as the World?s Leading River Cruise Operator at the World Travel Awards and by the editors of Cruise Critic as ?Best River Cruise Line,? with the entire Viking Longships fleet being named ?Best New River Ships of 2012? in the website?s Editors? Picks Awards. The travel trade has recognized Viking River Cruises as ?Best River Cruise Line? by Travel Weekly, ?Best River Cruise Line? by Recommend and Travel Agent magazines, Best Cruise Line for Luxury River Cruises at the Luxury Travel Advisor Awards of Excellence and as ?Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising? and ?Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support? by TravelAge West. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 35 vessels (in 2013), and provides unique, deluxe vacations to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history.

Source: http://www.allnewswire.com/viking-launches-new-ocean-cruise-line/

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Saturday, May 18, 2013

Amazing videos in the face of tornadoes

A series of 16 violent tornadoes ransacked north Texas this week, killing six people and flattening entire neighborhoods. Seven people who were reported missing early Friday morning have now been accounted for, but the storms aren't over yet.

Severe thunderstorms are expected late Friday in Alabama and Mississippi, and the Plains and the Midwest face threats of even more tornadoes this weekend, according the Weather Channel.

Some residents and daredevil storm chasers captured amazing footage as twisters plowed through Texas. We've rounded up some of the best videos.

A resident in Granbury, Texas took this video Wednesday as a tornado pounded the area just on the other side of Lake Granbury.

Tornado chaser Jason Cooley shot this footage Wednesday of a tornado that slammed into cities near Dallas. "We gotta go," says one woman in the video as the twister approaches. Later in the video, a man says, "We were just in a tornado."

One Texas resident captured a hail storm as it pounded DeCordova, Texas just before a major tornado hit Granbury, Texas on Wednesday.

Amy Castaneda created this Vine showing the size of the hail that pummeled Grandbury, Texas on Wednesday. The large hail damaged homes and injured residents. (Click image to view the Vine)

These images capture the destruction in the wake of the multiple tornadoes that tore through Texas.

Click here to follow Torrey on Twitter.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/residents-capture-amazing-videos-face-tornadoes-005322352.html

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Sea turtle comeback in a corner of the Caribbean

GRANDE RIVIERE, Trinidad (AP) ? Giant leatherback turtles, some weighing half as much as a small car, drag themselves out of the ocean and up the sloping shore on the northeastern coast of Trinidad while villagers await wearing dimmed headlamps in the dark. Their black carapaces glistening, the turtles inch along the moonlit beach, using their powerful front flippers to move their bulky frames onto the sand.

In years past, poachers from Grande Riviere and nearby towns would ransack the turtles' buried eggs and hack the critically threatened reptiles to death with machetes to sell their meat in the market. Now, the turtles are the focus of a thriving tourist trade, with people so devoted to them that they shoo birds away when the turtles first start out as tiny hatchlings scurrying to sea.

The number of leatherbacks on this tropical beach has rebounded in spectacular fashion, with some 500 females nesting each night during the peak season in May and June, along the 800-meter-long (875-yard) beach. Researchers now consider the beach at Grand Riviere, alongside a river that flows into the Atlantic, the most densely nested site for leatherbacks in the world.?

"It's sometimes hard remembering that leatherbacks are actually endangered," said tour guide Nicholas Alexander as he watched more emerge from the surf.

With instincts honed over 100 million years, these mighty leatherbacks have migrated from cold North Atlantic waters in Canada and northern Europe to nest. The air-breathing reptiles can dive to ocean depths of more than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) and remain underwater for an hour. They are bigger, stronger, and tolerate colder temperatures than any other marine turtle.

On a recent night, the protected beach was so busy that female leatherback turtles bumped into each other as they trudged up the sloping beach. Occasionally grunting from the effort, the big reptiles swept away powdery sand with their front flippers and then painstakingly dug holes with their rear flippers, laying dozens of white eggs before heading back to the ocean. These same females will be back in about 10 days to deposit more eggs.

The resurgence of leatherbacks in Trinidad is touted by many as a major achievement, with more than half of all adult leatherbacks on the planet having been lost since 1980, mostly in the Eastern Pacific and Asia.

When local conservation efforts started here in the early 1990s, locals say a maximum of 30 turtles emerged from the surf overnight during the peak of the six-month nesting season. Now, at Grande Riviere and in the eastern community of Matura, where another major leatherback colony has grown, locals say more than 700 of the turtles appear overnight at the very height of the season, in May and June.

Flourishing turtle tourism is providing good livelihoods for people in formerly dead-end farming towns, with the Trinidad-based group Turtle Village Trust saying it brings in some $8.2 million annually. The inflow of visitors, both domestic and foreign, to Trinidad's northeast coast jumped from 6,500 in 2000 to over 60,000 in 2012. Officials with the U.S.-based Sea Turtle Conservancy say Trinidad is now likely the world's leading tourist destination for people to see leatherbacks.

Hopes are high that tourism boom can help the creatures survive a slew of pressures. In a 2009 global study on the economics of marine turtle tourism, researchers from the environmental group World Wildlife Fund found turtle tourism earned nearly three times as much money as the sale of turtle meat, leather and eggs.

While Trinidad supports some 80 percent of total leatherback nesting in the Caribbean, with a population of some 15,000 females laying eggs every two years, the turtles are also flourishing in other spots around the region.

In northern Guyana, leatherbacks have become the most abundant marine turtle species instead of the rarest one as it was in recent decades. In neighboring Suriname, the creatures' numbers have jumped tenfold, according to a 2007 assessment by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Earlier this year, Puerto Rico protected a swath of beach along the island's northeast coast that hosts over 400 nesting leatherbacks per year. In 2012, Florida wildlife officials surveyed some 250 miles of beaches and counted some 515 leatherback nests.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Pacific leatherback population has collapsed to some 1,700 females, according to Aimee Leslie, marine turtle manager with the World Wildlife Fund.

The number of Atlantic leatherback has likely grown due to a variety of factors such as nesting beach protections, modifications of fishing gear in some places and increased public awareness, according to Jeanette Wyneken, a sea turtle expert at Florida Atlantic University. Leatherbacks may have also encountered growing stocks of the food they depend upon, mostly jellyfish and gelatinous sea creatures called salps.

Len Peters, a founding member of the Grande Riviere Nature Tour Guide Association, which patrols and manages the Trinidadian village's nesting beach, said local conservation hasn't come easy. When he started out as a 23-year-old volunteer in the early 1990s, protecting turtles was rough, sometimes intimidating work. His group would physically drag people off the beach if they were bothering leatherbacks.

"That kind of approach wasn't really helping. People were becoming very aggressive toward us, called us the turtle police," Peters said. "Now, the villagers here feel proud knowing that people come from all over the world to see the turtles. On a whole, the community has really embraced the opportunities these turtles have brought to them."

But for local fishermen, the six-month turtle nesting season from March through August is a hardship to endure.

Ervan James, a veteran fishermen from Grande Riviere, recognizes turtle tourism has been a boon for his village, but he and other fishermen are calling for the government to compensate them for not casting wide gill nets during the turtles' nesting season. Perhaps anticipating being paid not to fish, the number of fishing boats at Grande Riviere has expanded from three a few years ago to about 20 now.

Since sea turtles must surface at regular intervals to breathe, they drown when entangled in nets. Roughly 3,000 leatherbacks are snared off Trinidad's nesting beaches each season, with about 1,000 of them drowning after getting caught in the net for an hour or getting their flippers hacked off by frustrated fishermen trying to untangle their damaged nets.

"This needs very urgent attention because too many turtles have been losing their lives in nets. For a night, five or six turtles could end up in one of these nets, you understand?" James said, pulling up some of a nylon gill net piled on the beach.

Conservationists have showed fishermen modified equipment, even distributing fish finder instruments, to help balance turtle protection with profitable fishing. But local fishermen continue to use gill nets instead of trolling with hook and line, insisting they work best during the time of year that leatherbacks swim offshore.

A looming and potentially greater threat is climate change. According to one modeling analysis, beach nesting sites for sea turtles in the Caribbean will come under significant danger due to beach erosion associated with sea level rise.

A warmer climate may also create too many females since turtle gender is determined by ambient temperatures in the sand where eggs are incubating. Cooler temperatures favor males, while warmer temperatures result in females.

"However, many turtle beaches already seem biased toward the increased production of females so it's anyone's guess whether the climate change scenarios will really change sex ratios," said Scott Eckert, who has researched the turtles in Trinidad since 1992 as science director for the U.S.-based Wider Sea Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network.

Even without such threats, the dangers are many. Experts have even long estimated that just 1 in 1,000 eggs will result in an adult turtle.

"These leatherbacks are the world's last living dinosaurs," said Alexander, the Grand Riviere tour guide, as three young apprentices learned to tag a nesting turtle's flipper on the town's beach. "We have to protect them for the next generation."

___

David McFadden on Twitter: http://twitter/com/dmcfadd

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sea-turtle-comeback-corner-caribbean-145258910.html

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Denmark's Hoyer wins presidency of badminton body

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) ? Former Olympics champion Poul-Erik Hoyer has pledged to improve the image of badminton after winning the presidency of the sport's world governing body.

The Dane polled 145 votes Saturday to beat Justian Suhandinata of Indonesia by 25 votes, becoming the first European to lead the Badminton World Federation since 1993.

Hoyer won the singles gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He succeeds Kang Young Joong of South Korean, who stepped down after eight years in charge.

Hoyer says eradicating "match-fixing or match-throwing" and ensuring badminton is in the top 10 of Olympic sports are among his top priorities.

The sport was disgraced at last year's London Olympics when eight Asian female players were disqualified for trying to lose matches to gain more favorable draws.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/denmarks-hoyer-wins-presidency-badminton-body-084256896.html

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The CW inks three-year deal to broadcast Clear Channel's iHeartRadio Music Festival

By Jehtro Nededog

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The CW has extended its partnership with Clear Channel Media to broadcast its iHeartRadio Music Festival, as well as associated events, release parties and concert specials for three years.

"The CW is synonymous with what's now and what's next, and that includes music," said The CW president Mark Pedowitz in a statement.

"We have always been known for using the hottest, most of-the-moment music, both on our shows and in our marketing campaigns. Partnering with Clear Channel to present the biggest concert events of the year for our viewers is a natural fit for us and also gives us more original event programming throughout the year," he continued.

The pact makes The CW the official television broadcaster for the two-day festival, as well as its holiday Jingle Ball concert, the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party, album release parties and other concert specials.

"This is an ideal opportunity to take the original content that we create at Clear Channel to new platforms and audiences," said Clear Channel president John Sykes. "We chose The CW as our partner, because we share the same powerful connection to a highly influential young demographic."

The first broadcast of the agreement starts with the iHeartRadio Ultimate Pool Party airing Monday, July 15.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cw-inks-three-deal-broadcast-clear-channels-iheartradio-234749351.html

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BlackBerry software chief on updates and BB10 for healthcare and financial services

BlackBerry software chief on BB10 software updates and a focus on healthcare and financial services

During BlackBerry Live this week we got to speak with Vivek Bhardwaj, BlackBerry's Head of Software, about the future of BB10. In light of the the platform's first major software update rolling out to its devices, we asked about the plans for future releases. Bhardwaj told us that the plan is for them to come at a regular cadence of one major code update per year, with other, incremental updates for specific devices sprinkled in as needed. A particular focus is to do so while delivering devs fully realized hardware and to avoid fragmentation in the code base -- making it easier to create BB10 apps.

While he wouldn't dish details about features coming to BB10 in those updates, Bhardwaj did explain that he's working on making BB10 a platform particularly suited for use not only in cars, but also in the healthcare and financial services industries. That focus is a part of the mobile computing ethos espoused by CEO Thorsten Heins meant to have BB10 devices be users' personal, portable computing terminal that is simply plugged into a screen -- whether it's a desktop monitor, a car or somewhere else -- that delivers a uniform experience. When asked whether those screens would include TVs, Bhardwaj didn't rule it out, but he did say that home experiences weren't a priority because it's a crowded space and BB10 "is all about getting things done." As a result, the number one focus is building out a compelling automotive platform, with healthcare and financial services coming in a close second. So, folks thinking BB10 was BlackBerry betting on consumers instead of the enterprise, think again. The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same -- at least when the folks in Waterloo are involved.

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South Florida Insurance Fraud: Feds Charge 92 Over $20 Million In Claims

The vehicle collisions looked like typical South Florida accidents with motorists and passengers reporting they needed treatment from chiropractors and massage therapists.

But investigators said the crashes were carefully staged by willing participants who were trained how to defraud the insurance system to make money for themselves and a highly organized group of medical professionals, clinic owners and recruiters.

Investigators announced charges Thursday against 33 people they said were involved in staging accidents for insurance fraud -- the latest hit in a three-year investigation that identified about $20 million in fraudulently obtained payouts from insurers.

"If you get upset about your car insurance premiums going up, this crime is one of the reasons why," said William J. Maddalena, the assistant special agent in charge of FBI Miami. "Every time an insurance payout is made for a staged accident in Florida, we all feel the pain in the pocketbook."

Operation Sledgehammer, a state and federal investigation, has led to charges being filed against a total of 92 defendants from Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Those already convicted have been ordered to pay more than $5 million in restitution to insurance companies so far, prosecutors said.

The operation got its code name when undercover investigators saw suspects using a sledgehammer to make vehicles look like they'd been in an accident.

The fraud involved a "massive," complicated, highly organized scheme that investigators said included everyone from clinic owners and medical staff who provided fraudulent diagnoses and prescribed fake treatment, to office workers who billed for the services, and recruiters who found accident "victims" and trained them to stage collisions on the streets and highways of South Florida.

The criminal charges filed this week targeted 33 people from West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Weston, Parkland, Davie, Hollywood, Boynton Beach, Greenacres, Doral, Miami and Hialeah with a slew of charges including mail fraud and money-laundering conspiracies, structuring financial transactions and participating in staged-accident fraud.

The scheme dated from about October 2006 to December 2012 and the defendants staged accidents and submitted false insurance claims through 21 chiropractic clinics in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties that they controlled, authorities said.

Of the 33 charged, 26 have been arrested or agreed to surrender, federal and state law enforcement officials said at a Thursday afternoon news conference in the U.S. Attorney's Office in West Palm Beach.

The ringleaders recruited chiropractors Lazaro Rodriguez, 58, of Doral, and Kenneth Karow, 53, of Boynton Beach, and others to serve as the named owners of some of the clinics, investigators said.

Five of the defendants, including alleged ringleaders Vladimir Lopez, 38, and Lazaro Vigoa Mauri, 45, both formerly of West Palm Beach, have fled to Cuba and they and the other defendants who have not yet been caught are considered fugitives, authorities said.

Maddalena said the investigation was kicked off by a tip from a member of the public and urged anyone with information to call their local police department.

The participants in the fraud were trained by recruiters on how to make the accidents look realistic, how to file police reports and insurance claims, how to fake injuries and where to go for treatment, Maddalena said. The ringleaders made sure that insurance checks were deposited into accounts they controlled so they could pay the participants, he said.

Of the 92 people charged to date in the fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office filed federal charges against 56 of them and the Palm Beach State Attorney's Office filed state charges against 36 of them.

Lawrence Schechtman, 45, a chiropractor from Parkland, Olinda Rodriguez, 39, a massage therapist from West Palm Beach, and Iris Roca, 41, a massage therapist from Davie, were charged separately with participating in staged accident fraud schemes and are expected to surrender in the next few days.

pmcmahon@tribune.com, 954-356-4533 or Twitter @SentinelPaula ___

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Facebook Says Likes Must Have Free-Speech Protection

In a court room in Virginia, Facebook's lawyers are busy arguing that the social network's "Like" feature needs to be recognised with free-speech protection under the US Constitution.

The Big Blue is hoping it can reverse a lower court ruling, which arose from a lawsuit which suggested a Facebook ?Like? isn?t First Amendment speech. Bloomberg explains the background to that case:

The case involves Danny Carter, a former Hampton jailer, who claims he was fired after he posted a picture of his boss?s opponent in the sheriff?s race on his Facebook page, along with a link to the contender?s website. The post, made almost four years ago because Carter clicked the ?Like? button on the ?Jim Adams for Hampton Sheriff? Facebook page, was the subject of arguments today over how to view one-click, online endorsements of a person, idea or product.

There are two opposing stances over how much protection a Facebook like deserves. Back in April 2012, District Judge Raymond Jackson ruled that ?liking? something on Facebook didn?t amount to ?a substantive statement? that warranted constitutional protection.

But in this new hearing, Circuit Judge Stephanie Thacker has noted that ?Carter clicked the Like because he liked something... How is that any different than perhaps putting a sign in the yard saying ?I Like Ike??? If you were wondering, yard signs were ruled protected speech by the US Supreme Court in 1994.

Of course, the arguments far from over?and it's not clear that the judgement in the current case, Bland v. Roberts, will be the end of things. But in the meantime, it might just pay to be careful about what you choose to Like. [Bloomberg]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/facebook-likes-must-have-free-speech-protection-508133613

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