NPD: PC sales got no boost from Windows 8

Microsoft Corp. retail store employees and guests mingle at a pop-up Microsoft Store during Microsoft's annual meeting of shareholders, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, in Bellevue, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Microsoft Corp. retail store employees and guests mingle at a pop-up Microsoft Store during Microsoft's annual meeting of shareholders, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, in Bellevue, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A research firm says sales of personal computers in the U.S. didn't get any boost from the launch of Windows 8, confounding the hopes of Microsoft and PC makers.

NPD Group, which tracks U.S. retail sales, says that in the month since Windows 8 launched on Oct. 26, sales of Windows PCs and tablets fell 21 percent compared with a year earlier.

NPD says there's no sign that Windows 8 made things worse for PC makers. Rather, the weak sales are a continuation of a trend seen throughout this year, as consumers appear more interested in spending the electronics dollars on smartphones and tablets than on upgrading their computers.

Microsoft and PC makers had been hoping for a boost from Windows 8, though they tempered expectations as the launch neared.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-11-29-Microsoft-Windows%208/id-77c6f9a6b0634788ab7b1834077fd552

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Emirates cancels Damascus flights, Internet goes dark

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels battled forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad just outside Damascus on Thursday, restricting access to its international airport, and the Dubai-based Emirates airline and EgyptAir stopped flights to the Syrian capital.

The Internet and some telephone lines went down across Syria. Rebels and the government traded blame for the blackout, the worst communications outage in 20 months of conflict.

Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad have been making gains around Syria by overunning military bases and have been ramping up attacks on Damascus, his seat of power.

A rebel fighter who identified himself as Abu Omar, a member of the Jund Allah brigade, told Reuters that insurgents fired mortars at the airport's runways and were blocking the road linking it with the capital.

Speaking from the scene of the fighting, he said insurgents were not inside the airport but were able to block access to and from it.

A spokesman for rebels' Military Council in Damascus, Musaab Abu Qitada, said an artillery round was fired at a military site inside the airport and that fighting was now less than a kilometer (mile) away from the complex.

"We want to liberate the airport because of reports we see and our own information we have that shows civilian airplanes are being flown in here with weapons for the regime. It is our right to stop this," he told Reuters on Skype from Damascus.

Two Austrian soldiers in a U.N. peacekeeping force deployed to monitor the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights were wounded when their convoy came under fire near Damascus airport, Austria's defense ministry said. Syria state television said the soldiers were wounded by gunfire when rebels attacked an army position near the airport road.

The Information Ministry later said the highway to the airport was safe after security forces cleared it of "terrorists". Rebels said fighting in the area was continuing. The ministry said the airport was operating regularly, but there were no flights scheduled to land in the evening.

The accounts of fighting could not be immediately verified because of tight restrictions on media access to Syria.

But many airlines had already halted flights. Emirates suspended daily service to Damascus "until further notice". EgyptAir also said it was suspending all flights to Damascus because of "the deterioration of the security situation" there.

An EgyptAir flight that left at 1:30 p.m. (1130 GMT) landed in Damascus on schedule but the pilot was instructed to take off straight back to Egypt, airport sources in Cairo said.

INTERNET, PHONE LINES DWN

Residents said the Internet in Damascus crashed in the early afternoon and mobile and land telephone lines were functioning only intermittently.

A blog post on Renesys, a U.S. company which tracks Internet traffic worldwide, said that at 12:26 pm (1026 GMT), the entire country's Internet connectivity shut down completely.

The government has been accused of cutting communications in previous assaults on rebel-held areas in Syria. Syria's minister of information said "terrorists" were responsible for the Internet shutdown, while the telecommunications minister blamed what he said was a fault in the main communicatins network.

The past two weeks have seen rebels seizing a series of army bases across Syria, exposing Assad's loss of control in northern and eastern regions despite the devastating air power that he has used to bombard opposition strongholds, killing dozens of civilians as well. More than 40,000 people have been killed since the uprising began, according to opposition groups.

Rebels and activists said the fighting along the road to Damascus airport, southeast of the capital, was heavier in that area than at any other time in the conflict.

"PREPARING FOR MAJOR BATTLE"

Nabeel al-Ameer, from the rebel Military Council, said a large number of army reinforcements had arrived along the road after three days of scattered clashes ending with rebels seizing side streets to the north of it.

He said he hoped the proximity of the rebels to the airport would dissuade authorities from using it to import military equipment, but the priority now was to block the road.

There are several military airports around Damascus that remain under government control.

A Syrian security source told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the army had started a "cleansing operation" in the capital to confront rebel advances.

The source, who is from Assad's elite 4th Armored Division, said one of the aims of the operation was to seal off the suburbs - where rebels are dominant - from the city centre.

Assad is fighting an insurgency that grew out of peaceful demonstrations for democratic reform but has escalated, after a military crackdown on protesters, into a bloody civil war.

Syrian warplanes on Thursday bombed Kafr Souseh, Douma and Daraya, neighborhoods that fringe the centre of the city where rebels have managed to hide out and ambush army units.

Activists said the areas were taking one of the heaviest poundings they had seen in months.

A senior European Union official said that Assad - whose family has held power in Syria for 42 years - might be preparing for a military showdown around Damascus by isolating the city with a network of checkpoints.

"The rebels are gaining ground but it is still rather slow. We are not witnessing the last days yet," the official said on condition of anonymity.

"On the outskirts of Damascus, there are mortars and more attacks. The regime is thinking of protecting itself ... with checkpoints in the next few days ... (It) seems the regime is preparing for major battle on Damascus."

WARY BIG POWERS

Most foreign powers have condemned Assad but stopped short of arming rebel fighters as they fear heavy weapons could make their way into the hands of radical Islamist units, who have grown increasingly prominent in the insurgency.

Rebels decry their supporters for not providing them with surface-to-air missiles that they say they need to counter the air force. But recent looting of anti-aircraft missiles from army bases, as well a slow stream of such weapons believed to be coming from Gulf Arab adversaries of Assad, has allowed them to shoot down some helicopters and jets.

"So far, there is no evidence that any of the surface-to-air missiles used to date have come from outside Syria," said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director at Human Rights Watch.

"The limited number of surface-to-air missiles that have shown up all appear to have come from Syrian military stock captured by the armed opposition."

He said the number of these missiles in rebel hands was probably over 20 but could rise significantly if rebels continue to capture military bsaes.

The relatively small number of anti-aircraft missiles looted so far means that many rebel-controlled areas of the country remain vulnerable to air strikes. The Observatory said 15 citizens, including children and women, were killed during a bombing in Aleppo's Ansari district on Thursday.

Activist video footage showed the bodies of at least four children, wrapped in red blankets and apparently wearing pyjamas. Another video showed the immediate aftermath of the attack, with the bodies of children in the street and covered in cement dust. Half of one young boy's head was missing.

(Additional reporting by Dominic Evans and Erika Solomon in Beirut; Yasmine Saleh and Edmund Blair in Cairo, Praveen Menon in Dubai, Georgina Prodhan in Vienna, Tarmo Virki in helsinki and Justyna Pawlak in Brussels; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/damascus-clashes-cut-off-airport-emirates-suspends-flights-141313857.html

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Homes for sale in Monteclare Condominiums, Des Plaines, Illinois

The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity program of Midwest Real Estate Data LLC. Real Estate listings held by brokerage firms other than MRED Smart-Frame IDX Demo are marked with the MRED Broker Reciprocity logo or the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo (the MRED logo) and detailed information about them includes the names of the listing brokers. Some properties which appear for sale on this website may subsequently have sold and may no longer be available. Information Deemed Reliable but Not Guaranteed. The information being provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

? 2012 Midwest Real Estate Data LLC. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.trulia.com/blog/marcoamidei/2012/11/homes_for_sale_in_monteclare_condominiums_des_plaines_illinois

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The Three Stages of Author Marketing | Writers In The Storm Blog

We welcome back contributing guest, Susan Spann, with Part 3 of her Author Business Plans series.? If you missed? Part 1 or Part 2, they?re just a click away.

by Susan Spann

Today we continue our trek through Author Business Plans with a look at Part 3: Marketing.

The business plan section on Marketing Strategies has three sub-sections: pre-release, release phase, and post-release. Creating a specific plan for each phase helps keep the author ? and the marketing efforts ? on target and on track.

Pre-release Marketing focuses on platform building and making connections. Advertising the book plays a role, but so does managing social media, writing, and connecting with readers, authors, and industry professionals.

Remember: the connections need to be real. You can?t just shout your name and book title into the Internet and expect a horde of readers to appear. (And if they do, they?re probably waving pitchforks, not pocketbooks.)

You need to become an information provider, offering useful, interesting content that people want to read. How do you do that? Think outside the box!

Become an expert in your field and share your expertise in person and online. You can talk about writing, or research, or something totally off-the-wall. (seahorses, anyone?) If you?ve written a book, you have valuable knowledge to share.

Divide the pre-release marketing section of your business plan into three different areas: platform, connections, and book promotion. Brainstorm ways to work on each. Don?t limit yourself to strategies you currently use. Before the book releases is the time to try new things!

Subscribe to newsletters like Shelf Awareness or Author Marketing Experts. Read Publisher?s Marketplace. Pay attention to links and blogs by successful authors talking about their experiences ? what works (and what doesn?t work).

Overwhelmed? Break it into manageable steps: brainstorm three ways to make connections or increase your platform and give them a try.

A few ideas:

- Blogging. Guest posts are a great way to ease into blogging, too.

- Teaching and Public Speaking. Libraries and civic organizations love to host engaging speakers for evening presentations. (If you?re not comfortable in front of a group, a public speaking class is a helpful investment.)

- Effective Use of Social Media.Find people with interests similar to your own. Join the conversation, and remember to encourage others as well as talking about yourself.

Don?t forget: traditional authors can learn from Indie authors, and vice versa.

Release Phase Marketing starts when your book becomes available for pre-order and continues through the first few weeks after release. This is the phase when most sales are made ? and having a plan can make a big difference.

The release phase marketing plan should include both in-person and online appearances. If possible, you?ll want to schedule 2-3 appearances per week during the 2-3 weeks before your book releases, one appearance per day on release week (a ?blog tour? is a great way to handle this) and 2-3 per week for the two weeks after release. If you work, or can?t manage that many, just do what you can. Quality is more important than quantity.

Your platform and relationship work in the months before release will create friendships and contacts that become opportunities in release phase. The key is giving value in advance.?If you form genuine connections ? not just fakery aimed at promoting yourself ? you?ll find that you have the contacts you need to help promote your work around release.

Keep three things in mind when drafting the release phase marketing plan:

1. Provide Value With Your Promotion. The new paradigm is less about ?BUY MY BOOK? and more about dialogue. Seek opportunities that allow you to offer readers value beyond your name and book title. People don?t like to be ?sold? ? but they like to buy, and they buy the things they consider valuable or interesting.

2. Make a Schedule You Can Stick To. Take note of how much time you can spend on appearances, blogging, and social media. Don?t over-commit. Get a calendar and record your obligations ? and if an emergency arises, COMMUNICATE with the people hosting your appearances!

3. Get the Most Bang for Your Buck. If your schedule permits only a limited number of appearances, giveaways, etc., use your resources as efficiently as possible ? and remember that human capital is an important resource too.

A few weeks after release, the initial buzz and sales decline and the book shifts from ?new release? to ?available title.? This is the Post-Release Marketing Phase.

Some books stay ?hot? longer than others, and there?s no way to tell exactly when a title will shift into Post-Release. A lot depends on whether the book achieves critical mass through word of mouth, effective publicity, and the ?X factor? no one fully understands.

For the author, Post-Release Marketing involves a four-step plan:

Step 1: Don?t get depressed! Books, readers, and sales have cycles. The post-release sales drop-off isn?t your fault.It happens to everyone sooner or later.

Step 2: Continue writing, blogging, and social media. Revert to the pattern you established in pre-release: platform building, interacting and forging genuine connections. Continue developing and sharing your expertise. Don?t forget to mention your book when appropriate ? but don?t just shout your title into the wind.

Step 3: If you advertise, do so judiciously. Pay attention to returns on investment. Once the initial marketing push ends, many authors don?t find it cost-effective to advertise the book as widely as before. Make decisions based on the way your efforts translate to sales.

Step 4: WRITE ANOTHER BOOK! Never, ever, stop writing. Moving forward helps you worry less about what?s behind. The best post-release marketing for your last book is your next book.

Having a plan helps authors in more ways than merely scheduling. It keeps you on track, reduces stress, and lets your genuine joy in your work shine through.

Homework time! Between now and next month, brainstorm three ways to build your platform and forge connections with authors and readers ? and give at least one of them a try!

Thanks for joining me here today at Writers in the Storm. Have questions about marketing or business plans? Do you have a special marketing tip to share? Please let me know in the comments ? I love it when you join the conversation!

Susan Spann is a publishing attorney and author who practices in Sacramento, California. CLAWS OF THE CAT, the debut novel in her SHINOBI?mystery series featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori, will be published by Thomas Dunne Books in Spring 2013. Susan blogs about writing, publishing law and seahorses at http://www.SusanSpann.com

Source: http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/3-prongs-of-author-marketing/

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New mechanism for cancer progression discovered

ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2012) ? The protein Ras plays an important role in cellular growth control. Researchers have focused on the protein because mutations in its gene are found in more than 30 percent of all cancers, making it the most prevalent human oncogene.

University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Harvard researchers have discovered an alternative mechanism for activating Ras that does not require mutation or hormonal stimulus. In healthy cells, Ras transmits hormone signals into the cell that prompt responses such as cell growth and the development of organs and tissues. A mutation on the RAS gene can chronically activate those signals, leading to tumor initiation and progression.

In an article published on-line in a November issue of Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, the UNC and Harvard teams discovered that modification of Ras at a specific site with a small protein known as ubiquitin can also lock Ras into an active signaling state. Thus, modification of Ras with a single ubiquitin -- a process known as monoubiquitination -- switches Ras to an active signaling state by disrupting the action of another protein known as the GTPase activating protein, or GAP. Work by two of the papers co-authors, Atsuo Sasaki and Lewis Cantley of Harvard, had previously found evidence for Ras's potential to become activated and promote Ras-mediated tumorigenesis by monoubiquitination.

Because of the strong link between Ras and cancer, Ras should be an attractive target for drug discovery efforts. Despite considerable efforts at developing treatments targeting the protein, Ras itself is now considered to be 'undruggable', leading researchers to try new approaches to developing drugs that target activated Ras. This could lead to benefits beyond cancer therapies, as the RAS gene has also been linked to developmental disorders such as Noonan syndrome, Costello syndrome and autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome.

Lead researcher Rachael Baker, a PhD candidate doing joint work in the labs of Henrik Dohlman, PhD, professor of pharmacology and vice chair of biochemistry and biophysics and Sharon Campbell, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UNC, developed a novel method to modify Ras with ubiquitin and then subsequently characterized how ubiquitin modification can lead to Ras activation.

The attachment of ubiquitin to Ras at a specific site leads to Ras activation, much like with an oncogenic mutation, leading to an increased potential for cancer formation. Baker notes that the reaction can be reversed by enzymes in the cell that remove ubiquitin, making these enzymes possible targets for future pharmaceutical research.

"Establishing how Ras is activated by ubiquitin is just the first step in understanding this novel mechanism of cellular regulation." said Campbell.

The researchers next step will be to obtain a more detailed understanding of its role in cancer progression, first in cells and in animals and eventually in cancer patients.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of North Carolina Health Care. The original article was written by William Shawn Davis.

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/Q7rcnACiuCw/121127094311.htm

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Flavorwire ? Adorable Pictures of Famous Writers and Their Pets

A dog may be man?s best friend, but some men make better friends than others. To us, it?s always seemed as though pets attach themselves to artists (and vice versa, of course) in greater numbers than to regular folks ? or at least that almost every artist we know needs a furry friend to talk to. Maybe it?s the pull of a constant, silent listener to bounce ideas against, maybe it?s because of the boundless soul of the writer, maybe it?s a coincidence. Either way, we think pictures of famous authors and their pets are pretty adorable, so we?ve collected a few of them here.?See some of our favorite writers with their dogs and cats (and peacocks, guess who) after the jump, and if we missed your favorite literary pair of man and beast, add them in the comments.

Virginia Woolf and her dog Pinka.

?This you?ll call sentimental ? perhaps ? but then a dog somehow represents ? no I can?t think of the word ? the private side of life ? the play side.?

Photo by Gisele Freund, via.

Source: http://www.flavorwire.com/350238/adorable-pictures-of-famous-writers-and-their-pets

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Who Was the Most-Searched Celeb of 2012?

Maybe it's because everyone wants to know how long she was married or what she's wearing or who she's seeing, but Kim Kardashian was the most-searched celeb on the Internet in 2012, according to search engine Bing.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/who-was-most-searched-celeb-2012/1-a-504848?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Awho-was-most-searched-celeb-2012-504848

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Great Drew Brees Jersey Personal Development Tips That Will Be ...

Everybody has things we put a lot of time and effort into. Possibly it?s your task maybe it?s your social life. But the length of time will you Drew Brees Youth Jersey pay for your self? Self improvement is important, plus it shouldn?t be prevented. This short article will present you with some very nice recommendations on techniques to try to boost oneself.

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Mass. transplant doctor, Nobel winner Murray dies

FILE - This July 28, 2004 file photo shows Dr. Joseph E. Murray, who performed the world's first successful kidney transplant and won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work, has died at age 93. Murray's death in Boston was confirmed Monday by Brigham and Women's Hospital spokesman Tom Langford. Murray shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 with Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, who won for his work in bone marrow transplants. (AP Photo/Eric Miller, File)

FILE - This July 28, 2004 file photo shows Dr. Joseph E. Murray, who performed the world's first successful kidney transplant and won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work, has died at age 93. Murray's death in Boston was confirmed Monday by Brigham and Women's Hospital spokesman Tom Langford. Murray shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 with Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, who won for his work in bone marrow transplants. (AP Photo/Eric Miller, File)

BOSTON (AP) ? Dr. Joseph E. Murray, who performed the world's first successful kidney transplant and won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work, has died. He was 93.

Murray suffered a stroke at his suburban Boston home on Thanksgiving and died at Brigham and Women's Hospital on Monday, hospital spokesman Tom Langford said.

Since the first kidney transplants on identical twins, hundreds of thousands of transplants on a variety of organs have been performed worldwide. Murray shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 with Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, who won for his work in bone marrow transplants.

"Kidney transplants seem so routine now," Murray told The New York Times after he won the Nobel. "But the first one was like Lindbergh's flight across the ocean."

Murray's breakthroughs drew criticism from some ethicists and religious leaders. Some people "felt that we were playing God and that we shouldn't be doing all of these, quote, experiments on human beings," he told The Associated Press in a 2004 interview in which he also spoke out in favor of stem cell research.

In the early 1950s, there had never been a successful human organ transplant. Murray and his associates at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, now Brigham and Women's Hospital, developed new surgical techniques, gaining knowledge by successfully transplanting kidneys in dogs. In December 1954, they found the right human patients, 23-year-old Richard Herrick, who had end-stage kidney failure, and his identical twin, Ronald Herrick.

Because of their identical genetic background, they did not face the biggest problem with transplant patients, the immune system's rejection of foreign tissue.

After the operation, Richard had a functioning kidney transplanted from Ronald. Richard lived another eight years, marrying a nurse he met at the hospital and having two children.

Murray performed more transplants on identical twins over the next few years and tried kidney transplants on other relatives, including fraternal twins, learning more about how to suppress the immune system's rejection of foreign tissue. One patient who received a kidney transplant from a fraternal twin in 1959, plus radiation and a bone marrow transplant to suppress his immune response, lived for 29 more years.

But it was the development of drugs to suppress the body's immune response, a less radical approach than radiation, that made real breakthroughs in transplants possible. In 1962, Murray and his team successfully completed the first organ transplant from an unrelated donor. The 23-year-old patient, Mel Doucette, received a kidney from a man who had died.

Murray continued a long career in plastic surgery, his original specialty, and transplants. He was guided by his own deep religious convictions.

"Work is a prayer," he told the Harvard University Gazette in 2001. "And I start off every morning dedicating it to our Creator."

Murray told the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 that he continued to get letters from patients he helped years earlier and from relatives of those who died during the early efforts.

"They often say ... that they are happy to have played some small part in the eventual success of organ transplants," he said, praising the courage of his patients and their families.

Murray was honored at the 2004 Transplant Games, for athletes who have received organ transplants, along with Ronald Herrick, the man who had donated a kidney to his twin brother a half-century earlier.

Murray continued to support and mentor others at Brigham and Women's Hospital after his retirement, hospital president Dr. Elizabeth Nabel said. An exhibit in the hospital's library housing his Nobel Prize, she said, is framed by his own words: "Service to society is the rent we pay for living on this planet."

She said he joined in a Veteran's Day ceremony Nov. 12 at which he was among those honored for their military service.

Murray's interest in transplants developed during his time in the Army during World War II when he was assigned to Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania while awaiting overseas duty. The hospital performed reconstructive surgery on troops who had been injured in battle.

The burn patients, who often were treated with skin grafts from other people, intrigued Murray.

"The slow rejection of the foreign skin grafts fascinated me," Murray wrote in his autobiography for the Nobel Prize ceremony. "How could the host distinguish another person's skin from his own?"

The hospital's chief of plastic surgery had performed skin grafts on civilians and noticed that the closer the donor and recipient were related, the slower the tissue was rejected. A skin graft between identical twins had taken permanently.

Murray said that was "the impetus" of his study of organ transplantation.

Murray was ever the optimist and kept on his desk a quotation, "Difficulties are opportunities," his son Rick Murray said.

"It reflects the unwavering optimism of a great man who was generous, curious, and always humble," Rick Murray said in a statement released by the hospital.

Joseph Murray is survived by his wife, Bobby, five other children and 18 grandchildren.

___

Associated Press writer Sylvia Lee Wingfield contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-11-27-Obit-Murray/id-e9d85cb9fbac4d2daa5870f6d02b1c50

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Banished diseases making a comeback in Europe

A perfect storm of warmer weather, tropical migrants and plummeting health budgets is stoking the resurgence of once-banished, mosquito-borne diseases in Europe.

Several countries have been hit by Europe's financial crisis, and by diseases brought in by human and insect migrants from tropical countries. Now, the Portuguese island of Madeira is in the midst of Europe's first sustained outbreak of dengue fever since the 1920s, with over 1600 cases so far.

Meanwhile, Greece warned last May that public health cuts might undermine its control of malaria. It has contained sporadic outbreaks since 1990, but local cases surged to 20 in 2011, with eight this year. Public health agencies report that healthcare and surveillance must be "kept intact" to keep malaria from becoming permanent.

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Anti-semitism rears its head in London (Powerlineblog)

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Wal-Mart distances itself from fire in Bangladesh

A man takes photographs inside a garment-factory where a fire killed more than 110 people Saturday on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. Bangladeshi workers protested blocks from the gutted fire Monday, demanding justice for the victims and improved safety. Some 200 factories were closed for the day after the protest erupted in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka, the capital. (AP Photo)

A man takes photographs inside a garment-factory where a fire killed more than 110 people Saturday on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. Bangladeshi workers protested blocks from the gutted fire Monday, demanding justice for the victims and improved safety. Some 200 factories were closed for the day after the protest erupted in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka, the capital. (AP Photo)

Bangladeshis protest outside a garment-factory where a fire killed more than 110 people Saturday on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. About 15,000 Bangladeshi workers protested blocks from the gutted fire Monday, demanding justice for the victims and improved safety. Some 200 factories were closed for the day after the protest erupted in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka, the capital.(AP Photo)

Bangladeshi officials inspect a garment-factory where a fire killed more than 110 people Saturday on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. Bangladeshis were Monday blocking the streets near Dhaka, throwing stones at factories and smashing vehicles, as they demanded justice for those killed in the fire. Saturday's blaze highlighted unsafe conditions in an industry producing for retailers around the world. (AP Photo)

A Bangladeshi man, right, reacts as he looks for his son's body outside a garment factory where a fire killed more than 110 people Saturday on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. Bangladeshis Monday blocked the streets near Dhaka, throwing stones at factories and smashing vehicles, as they demanded justice for those killed in the fire. Saturday's blaze highlighted unsafe conditions in an industry producing for retailers around the world. (AP Photo)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? The garment factory in Bangladesh where a weekend fire killed at least 112 people had been making clothes for Wal-Mart without the giant U.S. retailer's knowledge, Wal-Mart said Monday.

In a statement, Wal-Mart said that the Tazreen Fashions Ltd. factory was no longer authorized to produce merchandise for Wal-Mart, but that a supplier subcontracted work to it "in direct violation of our policies."

"Today, we have terminated the relationship with that supplier," America's biggest retailer said. "The fact that this occurred is extremely troubling to us, and we will continue to work across the apparel industry to improve fire safety education and training in Bangladesh."

The blaze on Saturday was one of the deadliest fires of its kind in Bangladesh and threw a spotlight on the way the country's garment factories often ignore safety in the rush to supply major retailers in the U.S. and Europe. More than 200 people have died over the past six years in garment factory fires in Bangladesh, including a blaze that killed 63 in 2006.

Survivors of the latest tragedy said that an exit door was locked, that fire extinguishers didn't work and apparently were there just to impress inspectors, and that when the fire alarm went off, workers were told by their bosses to go back to their sewing machines. Victims were trapped or jumped to their deaths from the eight-story building, which had no emergency exits.

On Monday, about 15,000 Bangladeshi workers protested blocks from the gutted building in the Dhaka suburb of Savar, demanding justice for the victims and improved safety. Some 200 factories were closed for the day after the protest erupted. Demonstrators blocked a major highway, threw stones at factories and smashed vehicles.

Labor leaders hope outrage over the latest disaster will prompt change. Tahmina Rahman, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment Workers Federation, said government needs to do more to punish factories for safety lapses.

"The owners go unpunished and so they don't care about installing enough security facilities," she said. "The owners should be held responsible and sent to jail."

Wal-Mart did not say why it dropped the Tazreen factory. But in its 2012 Global Responsibility report, Wal-Mart said it stopped working with 49 factories in Bangladesh in 2011 because of fire safety issues. And online records appear to indicate the Tazreen factory was given a "high risk" safety rating after an inspection in May 2011 and a "medium risk" rating in August 2011.

For more than a day after the fire, Wal-Mart said it could not confirm whether it was still doing business with Tazreen, which was making T-shirts and polo shirts. The uncertainty illustrated how major retailers in the U.S. and Europe rely on a highly complex chain of foreign manufacturers and middlemen to keep their shelves stocked.

Tazreen Fashions Is a subsidiary of the Tuba Group, a major Bangladeshi garment exporter whose clients include Wal-Mart, Carrefour and IKEA, according to its website. Its factories supply garments to the U.S., Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, among other countries. The Tazreen factory opened in 2009 and employed about 1,700 people.

Neither Tazreen nor Tuba Group officials could be reached for comment.

Maj. Mohammad Mahbub, fire department operations director, said investigators suspect a short circuit caused the fire.

But the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association urged investigators not to rule out sabotage.

"Local and international conspirators are trying to destroy our garment industry," association President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin said. He provided no details.

Mahbub said it was the lack of safety measures in the building that made the blaze so deadly. "Had there been at least one emergency exit through outside the factory, the casualties would have been much lower," he said.

He said firefighters recovered at least 100 bodies from the factory, and 12 more people died at hospitals after jumping from the building. Local media reported that about 100 injured people were being treated at hospitals.

The government was unable to identify many victims because they were burned beyond recognition; they were buried Monday in a grave outside Dhaka. The government said Tuesday will be a day of national mourning, with the flag lowered to half-staff.

Mohammad Ripu said he tried to run out of the building when the fire alarm rang but was stopped.

"Managers told us, 'Nothing happened. The fire alarm had just gone out of order. Go back to work,'" Ripu said. "But we quickly understood that there was a fire. As we again ran for the exit point we found it locked from outside, and it was too late."

Ripu said he jumped from a second-floor window and suffered minor injuries.

Another worker, Yeamin, who uses only one name, said fire extinguishers in the factory didn't work, and "were meant just to impress the buyers or authority."

TV footage showed a team of investigators finding some unused fire extinguishers inside the factory.

Bangladesh has some 4,000 garment factories. The country earns about $20 billion a year from exports of garments, mainly to the U.S. and Europe.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said it would stand by the victims' families and offered $1,250 to each of the families of the dead.

___

Associated Press video journalist Al Emrun Garjan contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-11-26-Bangladesh-Factory%20Fire/id-7be6defee48b4beb8cf572a8ea2b896b

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How do WiiU First Week Sales Compare to Other Consoles? | Video ...

In an interview with CNET, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime revealed that the Nintendo Wii U sold upwards of 400,000 units during its launch week and that it is pretty much entirely sold out of retail. This must be promising news for Nintendo as they have sold everything they produced for the first week, but how does this compare to the first week sales of other consoles in North America?

Sticking in the Nintendo family, their last major console launch was the Wii and it sold for over 600,000 units in its first 8 days. This was considered to be a success and the console is still selling quite well. During the launch week of the Wii U, the Wii also sold for over 300,000 units which is roughly 75% of the amount of Wii U units sold.

In turn, when the GameCube came out in 2001, it sold for more than 500,000 units in its first week. This was partly due to the fact that this console launched at Nintendo?s lowest price (inflation included). In the end though, this console underperformed when compared with it?s main competitors, the PS2 and Xbox.

When the ps3 launched, they sold out immediately, but Sony was unclear with the amount they sold in the first week saying that it ranged from 150,000 to 400,000. This went on to be an extremely successful console that has picked up steam after a lukewarm reception. It was priced high and didn?t have a strong launch line-up, but has gone on to have numerous high quality exclusives along with favorable price cuts.

The Xbox 360, sold 400,000 units within North America and Europe in its first week and they too were severely understocked at launch as many potential customers were left without the console. This console was the first of its generation to release and because of that enjoyed the market to themselves until the PS3 and Wii emerged and Microsoft enjoys a consistent revenue stream because of Xbox Live.

Worldwide, the Wii has enjoyed the most success?of the last generation of gaming consoles by selling 96 million consoles . The PS3 and Xbox 360 are neck in neck by selling 64 and 67 million consoles respectively.

It is difficult to determine if a console will be successful based on its first week of sales as it can turn out to be a major success like the Wii or it can fall of considerably as the GameCube did. However, the Wii U opened with a strong launch of games and should continue to enjoy success by targeting hardcore gamers and casual gamers alike.

Did you pick up a Wii U in its first week, are you waiting to pick it up at a later date or are you disinterested with Nintendo?s latest console?

Article from Gamersyndrome.com

Related posts:

1. Black Friday ? Massive Sales All Round For Console Manufacturers
2. More Wii U Stock Available For Black Friday In North America
3. Sales up 10% since US price cut on 3DS
4. It?s Official: Wii Price Cut
5. Video Game Sales for May 2010

Source: http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/video-games/how-do-wiiu-first-week-sales-compare-other-consoles/

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Springfield, Massachusetts, blast blamed on gas company worker

(Reuters) - A utility worker who punctured a natural gas line caused an explosion in a Massachusetts city last week that injured 18 people, a city hall spokesman said on Sunday.

Investigators have found that the Columbia Gas of Massachusetts worker breached the high-pressure line with a probe as he checked for the source of a gas smell on Friday at a downtown Springfield strip club, said Tom Walsh, a spokesman for Mayor Domenic Sarno.

The area rapidly filled with gas fumes and was evacuated. The source of the gas odor and what sparked the explosion itself were unknown, he said.

More than 40 buildings were damaged in the blast. Eighteen people were hurt, none seriously.

Walsh spoke after a news conference on the source of the blast that included Sarno, State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan, the Springfield bomb squad and the Department of Public Utilities.

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, a unit of NiSource Inc, will open a claims office in Springfield on Monday, Walsh said.

A Columbia Gas spokesman was not immediately available to comment.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/springfield-massachusetts-blast-blamed-gas-company-worker-195115610--finance.html

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Most people just barely care about politics (Unqualified Offerings)

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112 killed in fire at Bangladesh garment factory

Bangladeshi firefighters douse last of the smoke at the garment factory outside Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday Nov. 25, 2012. At least 112 people were killed in a late Saturday night fire that raced through the multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday. (AP Photo/ khurshed Rinku)

Bangladeshi firefighters douse last of the smoke at the garment factory outside Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday Nov. 25, 2012. At least 112 people were killed in a late Saturday night fire that raced through the multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday. (AP Photo/ khurshed Rinku)

Bangladeshi firefighters battle a fire at a garment factory in the Savar neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh, late Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. At least 112 people were killed in a fire that raced through the multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday. (AP Photo/Hasan Raza)

Relatives of garment factory workers killed in a fire cry as they come to collect bodies from a mortuary in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. At least 112 people were killed in a late Saturday night fire that raced through the multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday. (AP Photo/Khurshed Rinku)

Bangladeshi police officers stand guard outside a burnt garment factory outside Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. At least 112 people were killed in a late Saturday night fire that raced through the multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday. (AP Photo/Khurshed Rinku)

A Bangladeshi police official inspects the burnt garment factory in the Savar neighborhood outside Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday Nov. 25, 2012. At least 112 people were killed in a late Saturday night fire that raced through the multi-story garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, an official said Sunday.(AP Photo/ khurshed Rinku)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? Fire raced through a garment factory that supplies major retailers in the West, killing at least 112 people, many of whom were trapped by the flames because the eight-story building lacked emergency exits, an official said Sunday.

The blaze broke out late Saturday at a factory operated just outside Bangladesh's capital of Dhaka by Tazreen Fashions Ltd., a subsidiary of the Tuba Group, which makes products for Wal-Mart and other companies in the U.S. and Europe.

Firefighters recovered at least 100 bodies from the factory, Maj. Mohammad Mahbub, fire department operations director, told The Associated Press. He said 12 other people who were injured after they jumped from the building to escape died at hospitals.

Local media reported that up to 124 people were killed. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear, and authorities ordered an investigation.

Army soldiers and border guards were sent to help police keep order as thousands of onlookers and anxious relatives of the factory workers gathered, Mahbub said.

Tazreen was given a "high risk" safety rating after a May 16, 2011, audit conducted by an "ethical sourcing" assessor for Wal-Mart, according to a document posted on the Tuba Group's website. It did not specify what led to the rating.

Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin Gardner said online documents indicating an orange or "high risk" assessment after the May 2011 inspection and a yellow or "medium risk" report after an inspection in August 2011 appeared to pertain to the factory where the fire broke out. The August 2011 letter said Wal-Mart would conduct another inspection within one year.

Gardner said it was not clear if that inspection had been conducted or whether the factory was still making products for Wal-Mart.

If a factory is rated "orange" three times in a two-year period, Wal-Mart won't place any orders for one year. The May 2011 report was the first orange rating for the factory.

Neither Tazreen's owner nor Tuba Group officials could be reached for comment.

The Tuba Group is a major Bangladeshi garment exporter whose clients also include Carrefour and IKEA, according to its website. Its factories export garments to the U.S., Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, among other countries. The Tazreen factory, which opened in 2009 and employed about 1,700 people, made polo shirts, fleece jackets and T-shirts.

Bangladesh has some 4,000 garment factories, many without proper safety measures. The country annually earns about $20 billion from exports of garment products, mainly to the U.S. and Europe.

In its 2012 Global Responsibility report, Wal-Mart said that "fire safety continues to be a key focus for brands and retailers sourcing from Bangladesh." Wal-Mart said it ceased working with 49 factories in Bangladesh in 2011 because of fire safety issues, and was working with its supplier factories to phase out production from buildings deemed high risk.

At the factory, relatives of the workers frantically looked for their loved ones. Sabina Yasmine said she saw the body of her daughter-in-law, but had seen no trace of her son, who also worked there.

"Oh, Allah, where's my soul? Where's my son?" wailed Yasmine, who works at another factory in the area. "I want the factory owner to be hanged. For him, many have died, many have gone."

Mahbub said the fire broke out on the ground floor, which was used as a warehouse, and spread quickly to the upper floors. Many workers who retreated to the roof were rescued, he said. But he said that with no emergency exits leading outside the building, many victims were trapped, and firefighters recovered 69 bodies from the second floor alone.

"The factory had three staircases, and all of them were down through the ground floor," Mahbub said. "So the workers could not come out when the fire engulfed the building."

"Had there been at least one emergency exit through outside the factory, the casualties would have been much lower," he said.

Many victims were burned beyond recognition. The bodies were laid out in rows at a school nearby. Many of them were handed over to families; unclaimed victims were taken to Dhaka Medical College for identification.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed shock at the loss of so many lives.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said it would stand by the victims' families.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-11-25-Bangladesh-Factory-Fire/id-4f85cda8efd34226a520d0bf40c73385

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bensean98: Shopping and Product Reviews: Christmas Holidays ...

We have all watched the many comical holiday movies that depict their characters rushing around during the holidays to get everything done last minute in a mad and sometimes unsuccessful fury. The Christmas holidays do not have to be a maddening and frantic endeavour filled with stress and fatigue. There are some very easy ways to have yourself a very Merry and relaxing Christmas with just a little planning and organization.

The first step is to set up a budget for gifts, food and decorations and stick to it. Base your budget on what you can afford to spend and avoid racking up those credit cards. After all financial stress can really put a damper on your holiday spirit. If you want to buy that special someone or the family a big ticket item then set up a savings account and save up throughout the year to purchase it outright. There's truly no better feeling than knowing that you can actually afford a wonderful gift for those you care about.

It's a good Idea to make a list of friends and family to buy for and make gift idea notes to help guide you when shopping. Shop as early as possible and avoid waiting until the last two weeks before Christmas for main gift purchases. There's bound to be some small shopping trips for last minute stocking stuffers and food purchases but having the main shopping done before the malls get busy can really lower your stress. The best times to shop are early in the morning or later in the evening and its best to avoid shopping on weekends during December as the malls will be packed and hectic. For those hard to buy for people start looking for gifts throughout the year and research online for helpful gift ideas. Shopping online for gifts if possible, is a great way to reduce holiday shopping stress and get substantial discounts. You can browse for gift ideas in online flyers and you will find that most online products are usually more likely to be in stock. Most online retailers have free shipping if you spend over a certain amount and will deliver right to your door which is very convenient.

Make a list of all the holiday food you will need and purchase it in late November early December so you are organized and do not have to keep running out for forgotten items at the last minute. Buying the ingredients and freezing holiday baking early in December ready for the holidays is the best way to prepare all those family favorite goodies. There are many breakfast recipes online that can be prepared on Christmas Eve, refrigerated and cooked in the oven while opening gifts on Christmas morning. I recommend the breakfast surprise recipes with eggs, bacon, breadcrumbs and cheese as they are easy to make and will be ready in about 1 hour just as everyone is getting hungry after opening gifts.

Wrapping a few gifts a night during the two weeks before Christmas is much easier and less stressful than trying to wrap them all on Christmas Eve. If you decorate do a little bit each day for a week rather than trying to do it all in one day. Put up your Christmas lights early on a dry day even if you don't have them turned on until closer to Christmas. Then you won't have to try and fit it in during the busy holiday season or have to put them up last minute in the cold, rain, or snow. Think about banking time or booking holidays off of work if it's an option for you earlier in October or November so you can ensure you get the time off preferably with pay. Clean your home thoroughly and tidy/ organize things a week or two before Christmas.

Our families special secret weapon for saving a lot of money and being prepared for Christmas well in advance is to purchase Christmas cards, lights and decorations after Christmas at up to 75% off to use for next Christmas and years to come. If you follow these guidelines your holiday season should be substantially less stressful and much more relaxing and family oriented, after all family and friends are what Christmas is all about.

This article was written by Don Farley the administrator of http://www.Pilotplanet.com which is an online aviation apparel store dedicated to creating and selling top quality products for reasonable prices. At Pilotplanet.com you will find superbly designed aviation calendars, cards, mouse pads, mugs, t-shirts, baby clothing, posters, and Pilotplanet.com merchandise. All purchases at Pilotplanet.com come with a 30 day money back guarantee so you can shop with confidence.

To visit our store please click on the link. http://www.cafepress.ca/pilotplanet

Source: http://mysoupbaby.blogspot.com/2012/11/christmas-holidays-made-easy-helpful.html

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Source: http://bensean98.blogspot.com/2012/11/shopping-and-product-reviews-christmas.html

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The Catalan language is still in danger, despite its ... - Education

Other languages have a state to defend them and their speakers don't have to contend with a state that acts against their tongue

The erosion of the Catalan language began long before 1939, when the dictator Francisco Franco banned the teaching of Catalan after the Spanish civil war. At the beginning of the 18th century, Philip V of Spain ordered the Spanish language to be introduced into Catalan society. This language imposition was designed to creep into all levels of the Catalan community. The king's rather cynical words were: "The mayor must take the utmost care in introducing the Spanish language, using the most discreet and temperate measures, so that only the effects are felt, and not the measures."

Ever since the restoration of democracy, the Catalan language-immersion used in the Catalan education system has been crucial to holding together a society that seemed to be at risk of unravelling towards the end of the 1970s. The linguistic immersion also helps second-generation immigrants to integrate into Catalonia. These are children whose parents have come here from all corners of the world.

The expediency of this system has been recognised at an international level. The "Catalan system" ? as some countries call it ? has been praised by the EU and various international educational bodies, who use it as a reference point for other countries facing similar situations.

When travelling around the world, Catalans will often find themselves in a bar or at a discussion over dinner, and they will be asked if it's really worth saving the Catalan language. The fascinating thing about this is that the people who ask this question are usually people who have never once questioned the systems their own governments have put in place to protect their languages. I'd never dream of asking why the Swedish protect their language, nor why the Germans protect theirs. With us, it's a similar situation.

What's the difference then? We're not aliens with fluorescent green skin and trumpets for ears and noses. We're earthlings ? Europeans, in fact ? and the preservation of our language is something we care deeply about. Every language is unique, and no two are the same. The Mexican anthropologist Miguel Le?n-Portilla wrote a poem about this. It starts with these lines:

When a language dies
The divine things
stars, sun and moon
the human things
thinking and feeling
are no longer reflected
in that mirror

The poem is a little twee, granted, but the message couldn't be truer. The Catalan language is, and will be in danger. For three centuries, every single Catalan speaker has lived in a state where there's another, more dominant language spoken (Spanish or French). On top of that, history has at times tried to prohibit or marginalise Catalan.

This has led to a common conclusion for victims of abusive situations: Catalan speakers end up believing that they are to blame for their own maltreatment and humiliation.

I'm a pessimist. Even when my football team, FC Barcelona, are 4-0 up with 15 minutes to go, I still think we'll end up losing. Maybe that's why it saddens me so much to say that with every passing generation, the original syntactical structure of a language diminishes further. I know you'll say to me: "Come on, this happens with every language ? with Spanish, French, and Italian." This is true, of course. But those other languages don't carry the burden of not having their own state to defend them, nor do they have to contend with a state that systematically acts against their language.

That is why my naturally pessimistic spirit was uplifted one day when I read some words written by the great Isaac Bashevis Singer. He was asked why he continued to write in Yiddish, a language that was dying. Singer said: "Yiddish may be a dying language but it is the only language I know well. Yiddish is my mother language and a mother is never really dead." I feel more or less the same. And the longer a dying language holds out, the better.

? This article was commissioned by La Vanguardia for the Guardian and translated by Lydia Smears

Source: http://children-education.best1.eu/the-catalan-language-is-still-in-danger-despite-its-resurgence-quim-monzo/

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New York triple-murder suspect posed as retired cop: neighbors

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Neighbors of the man charged with murdering three New York shopkeepers of Middle Eastern descent described him on Friday as a self-styled "tough guy" who affected a fake Italian accent and claimed to be retired detective.

"He was the kind of guy who you could tell had watched 'The Godfather' too many times,'' said Ben Elchonen, who lives in the same Queens apartment building where murder suspect Salvatore Perrone, 64, often stayed with a girlfriend.

Police say Perrone, an independent clothing salesman who is divorced and owns a home in the city's Staten Island borough, began his killing spree on July 6 when he shot Mohamed Gebeli, 65, in his Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, clothing store.

On August 2, Isaac Kadare, 59, was killed in his Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, budget items store. On November 16, Rahmatollah Vahidipour, 78, was gunned down in a women's clothing boutique in Brooklyn.

Perrone was identified after police circulated a picture taken from a security camera near the scene of the third attack.

A rifle and .22 caliber ammunition consistent with shell casings found at the crime scenes were discovered in a duffel bag Perrone was seen carrying in the surveillance video, police said.

An attorney who represented Perrone at his arraignment could not immediately be reached for comment.

Perrone was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Thursday.

Perrone told police he was affiliated with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, according to the New York Post. A New York police spokesman could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Elchonen, 26, said Perrone gave the impression of playing the role of a cop, once questioning him as to why he was on the building's roof and telling him "we've gotten reports of someone throwing eggs."

"He acted like a tough guy, but he wasn't at all,'' Elchonen said. "He spoke with this heavy Italian accent, but you could tell he was playing a part, playing a role."

Bryan Gibbs, 33, who grew up near Perrone's Staten Island home, said Perrone "speaks 100 percent fluent, northeastern English.

"He has no accent whatsoever."

Gibbs said Perrone told him he was a retired detective, and for years patrolled the neighborhood, taking notes on neighbors' homes and calling in minor violations to the city buildings department.

"He is completely unhinged,'' Gibbs said. "When I was in high school I'd come home at one and two in the morning and (Perrone) would be sitting on a lawn chair in the middle of the street - not on his property, in the middle of the street - wearing a beret and drinking a bottle of wine or a six pack of beer, and just staring up at his house. It was insane."

Investigators said they have yet to determine a clear motive for why Perrone would have carried out the attacks, which occurred near closing time when the victims were alone in their shops.

(Reporting By Chris Francescani; Editing by Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-triple-murder-suspect-posed-retired-cop-neighbors-010555499.html

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