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Sunday, March 31, 2013
The Earth-Shattering DDoS That Wasn't, Bill Gates' Condom Challenge, Photoshop Jedi, And More
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sales teleselling: Explore Transforming From Outside Sales to ...
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Transforming your team from outside sales to telesales:
The ability to adapt to the conditions we face may be the only thing that keeps us alive. During these troubled and changing times you must have the ability to learn at a very fast pace. The age of the computer and internet has been ongoing now for over thirty years and it's not looking back.
Going from one form of sales to another requires very different tools and skills. In outside sales your ability to use your physical traits such as a warm smile, firm hand shake or silly expression are all powerful tools. The personal traits that we reference to as being full of "piss and vinegar" don't mean as much today as in the good old days. Many experts teach you to look into a customer's eyes and hold their arm as a symbol of honesty and integrity. In telesales those tools are gone; the ability to communicate is strictly by voice reflections and the written words in text and e-mails.
No longer do you have a choice, becoming a telesales rep is a necessary tool that will help your future employment in sales. While fuel prices and the cost of doing business continue to skyrocket, the cost to sell by telephone has been dramatically reduced. The internet and mobile phone have completely revolutionized the way sales are conducted today! Outside sales has been replaced by web-sites, lead generation software, Facebook and Twitter. The ability to post videos of sales presentations, information, and products on YouTube is simple and extremely fast, this is a must for the new sales techniques.
Telesales will allow you to extend your career, embracing the change from outside sales is a must. No longer will you physically go out and visit your customer, your customer is but a phone call away. You can send him a quote,proposal,or new bit of product information with a click of a mouse. No longer will you have to sit in a lobby and wait endlessly for your customer to "see you now"! The days of dragging and carrying catalogs and brochures up flights of stairs and elevators are over, a virtual catalog is online or sent via PDF file directly to them. Promotional flyers, newsletters and sales letters, are now included in power point presentations and videos and streamlined directly to customers anywhere in the world!
The results have been proven; whether your business is selling appliance, electronics, plants or even office furniture, The new way is better of sales is better, quicker and more efficient. Sales are now conducted world-wide and the cost of the sales have been reduced to almost nothing. A great web-site and a tremendous inside telesales force will bring you an ability to sell your products to the anyone in the country and beyond. As someone once said "GO FOR IT".
Source: http://bestsalesteleselling.blogspot.com/2013/03/explore-transforming-from-outside-sales.html
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Syracuse on to Final Four, beats Marquette 55-39
Syracuse players and coaches celebrate for photographers after their 55-39 win over Marquette in the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Syracuse players and coaches celebrate for photographers after their 55-39 win over Marquette in the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Syracuse forward James Southerland (43) lands on Marquette guard Junior Cadougan (5) as Syracuse center Baye Keita (12) looks for the rebound during the second half of the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Syracuse forward C.J. Fair (5) falls on Marquette guard Junior Cadougan (5) during the first half of the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Syracuse forward C.J. Fair (5) cuts down the net following their 55-39 win over Marquette in the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Marquette forward Steve Taylor Jr., (25) and Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams (1) reach for a loose ball during the first half of the East Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? When played to perfection, there's nothing quite like Syracuse's aggressive, half-court 2-3 zone defense.
It's 40 minutes of trapping and shot-challenging, of closing off angles, of trusting teammates.
"We showed," senior guard Brendan Triche said, "that defense wins games."
Yes, the Orange D certainly does.
With a second suffocating performance at the East Regional, No. 4-seeded Syracuse shut down No. 3 Marquette 55-39 Saturday to earn coach Jim Boeheim his fourth trip to the Final Four ? and first since a freshman named Carmelo Anthony helped win the 2003 NCAA championship.
"A tremendous, tremendous defensive effort," Boeheim said.
Fittingly, a matchup between schools from the soon-to-break-apart, rough-and-tumble Big East became quite a struggle on the offensive end. Syracuse (30-9) was led by senior forward James Southerland's 16 points. Michael Carter-Williams, a 6-foot-6 guard who is out front in the zone, was named the regional's top player after accounting for 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five steals and only one turnover Saturday.
Marquette (26-9) hadn't scored fewer than 47 points all season ? and, indeed, put up 74 in a victory over Syracuse on Feb. 25. But this time, Marquette kept turning the ball over, seeing its shots blocked or just plain missing.
The Golden Eagles' 39 points were a record low for a team in an NCAA tournament regional final since the shot clock was introduced in 1986.
"They beat us from start to finish. We collectively tried everything we knew to try," Marquette coach Buzz Williams said. "It is the zone, and it is the players in the zone."
Much like what happened Thursday in the regional semifinals, when Syracuse knocked off top-seeded Indiana by limiting it to a season-low output, too.
"I don't think we've played as good defensively as these last two games," Triche said. "We held some good teams down."
All told, Marquette made only 12 of 53 shots ? 23 percent ? and was 3 for 24 on 3-pointers. Vander Blue, who carried Marquette to the round of eight, was held to 14 points on 3-for-15 shooting.
"They cover ground really good. You've got to get the ball in the middle, you've got to play inside out, you've got to get to the free-throw line and wear them down with the 3-pointer when you can," Blue said. "They're really good at what they do in that zone."
Consider these numbers through four games in the tournament: Syracuse is averaging 6.5 blocks and 10.8 steals, while forcing opponents into 29 percent shooting, including 15 percent on 3-pointers.
"We couldn't get one to drop in from up close," said Marquette's Jamil Wilson, who was 0 for 5 on 3-pointers, 1 for 9 overall. "We couldn't get one to drop in from outside."
The next team to try to solve that defense will be the winner of Sunday's South Regional final between Florida and Michigan. Syracuse is 3-0 in national semifinal games under Boeheim.
And to think: Exactly three weeks ago, in this very same building, Syracuse wrapped up its final Big East regular-season schedule before heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference with a bad-as-can-be performance in a lopsided loss to Georgetown. Syracuse's 39 points that day were the Orange's tiniest total in a half-century.
That was Syracuse's fourth loss in a span of five games, a stumbling way to head into tournament play.
That night, Boeheim forgot to adjust his alarm clock to account for daylight saving time, and so showed up late for a pre-practice coaches' meeting. His players, turned out, had organized their own session without supervision, starting the work it would take to get going in the right direction.
"I watched them for a few minutes and it was really a good thing. I thought our practices were really good after that," Boeheim said. "You can turn things around in this game."
Since then, Syracuse has won seven of eight.
"When you bounce back like that, that says a lot about your kids, your team and your character," Boeheim said. "This is a heck of a bounce back."
And the secret to success? Defense, naturally.
"We got the right personnel for each key position," C.J. Fair said. "We got big long guards, we got big long forwards that can cover ground and our centers do a good job holding down the inside."
Because of that, Syracuse really needed only one run on offense in the second half, making five shots in a row during a spurt that gave it a 41-28 lead with 9? minutes left.
Last season, Syracuse fell a victory short of the Final Four, losing to Ohio State in the round of eight.
"We wanted to get over the hump," Southerland said. "That's what I told the guys: We've still got two more to go."
With President Barack Obama ? a basketball fan who picked Indiana to win the title ? and NFL Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins sitting in the crowd, Syracuse harassed Marquette into missing 14 of its first 15 tries from beyond the 3-point arc.
Marquette started 1 for 10 overall on field-goal tries, with Blue's 3-pointer about 1? minutes in the only make. He celebrated as though it came at the end of the game, not the outset, punching the air and tapping defender Triche on the back while heading to the other end of the court.
After Blue's 3, Marquette missed its next seven shots. There would be other such stretches. Six misses in a row. Six misses in a row. Even nine in a row.
The Golden Eagles also went nearly 6? minutes without a single field-goal attempt in the first half. Forget about putting the basketball through the net; Syracuse was so smothering, Marquette did not even manage to shoot.
When Southerland hit a 3, off a pass and screen by Carter-Williams, the Orange led 24-18 at halftime.
After helping cut down the net to celebrate Saturday, Southerland was asked whether he thought this sort of thing was possible when his team was leaving the same arena on March 9 after losing meekly to Georgetown.
"We just did a good job of recovering from that," Southerland explained, "and not sulking."
___
Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
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Saturday, March 30, 2013
Italy president pledges to stay to deal with crisis
By Giselda Vagnoni
ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Saturday ruled out standing down early to make way for new parliamentary elections, following the failure of attempts to form a government this week.
Napolitano, whose term ends on May 15, spoke after news reports suggested he might resign to get around constitutional provisions which prevent a president dissolving parliament and calling elections in the final months of his mandate.
The 87-year-old told reporters he would continue his efforts to break the deadlock since inconclusive elections last month that left no group able to form a government.
"I will continue until the last day of my mandate to do as my sense of national responsibility suggests, without hiding from the country the difficulties that I am still facing," he told reporters at his Quirinale palace.
He said he would ask two small groups of experts to formulate proposals for institutional and social and economic reforms that could be supported by all political parties.
But he acknowledged that he had limited scope to force the divided parties to find a way out of political situation that he said was "frozen between irreconcilable positions".
Napolitano met leaders of the main parties on Friday to try to find a way out of the stalemate, which has created deep uncertainty just as the Cyprus banking crisis has revived fears about the stability of the euro zone.
However with all of the three main groups in parliament clinging to entrenched positions that have prevented a majority being formed in parliament, hopes of a solution that would prevent the need to go back to the polls have faded.
Center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani, whose party controls the lower house but does not have a majority in the Senate, failed to win enough support to form a government from any of the other parties during a week of talks.
He rejected demands by center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi for a cross-party coalition deal that would give the scandal-plagued former prime minister a share in power and the right to decide Napolitano's successor.
Both Berlusconi's group and the populist 5-Star Movement led by ex-comic Beppe Grillo have also ruled out a new technocrat government like the one led by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti, blocking what appears to be the only other option.
IRRECONCILABLE
With investors mindful of the 2011 debt crisis that brought down Berlusconi's last government, the gridlock has fed worries about Italy's ability to confront an economic crisis that has fuelled rising social tensions and disillusion with its political class.
Napolitano's pledge to stay on appears to rule out the threat of a power vacuum with weeks of uncertainty until new elections, which would have to be called within 70 days of parliament being dissolved.
He stressed that Prime Minister Mario Monti retained full authority at the head of a caretaker administration until a new government can be formed.
Whether or not that can happen, parliament will soon have to begin preparations to vote for a new president either to oversee the first steps of a new government or early elections.
The election of the head of state, by a joint sitting of parliament and representatives from the regions, is likely to cause another bitter fight between the three main blocs which have become increasingly hostile to each other since the election.
A person close to the situation told Reuters on Saturday that Napolitano had considered resigning and the apparently coordinated leak of his thinking to newspapers may have been a move to increase pressure on the parties to secure a deal.
With bond markets closed for the Easter break, investors have been left on the sidelines but a poorly received auction of mid- and long-term debt last week underlined the danger if the crisis drags on.
Italy has been in deep recession for more than a year, with record unemployment, especially among the young and a 2-trillion-euro ($2.6-trillion) public debt that is dangerously exposed to swings on international bond markets.
Economy Minister Vittorio Grilli, responding to questions about market rumors of a ratings downgrade, told reporters on Thursday he had no knowledge of any imminent decision by Moody's to cut Italy's sovereign debt rating.
Moody's already rates Italy only two notches above "junk" grade, partly due to the uncertain political outlook.
(Writing by James Mackenzie; editing by Barry Moody)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-president-could-resign-allow-election-source-083108238--business.html
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Vine enables video embeds, keeps web viewers in the loop
Vine video posts have had an ephemeral quality when there's been few ways to show them off outside of catching a web link the moment it appears. There's a better way to make those six seconds last an eternity now that the Twitter-run service offers support for embedding its loops on the web. As long as you have access to an existing web link or share a clip through an updated iOS app, you can get HTML code to embed a video in two styles and three different sizes. While it's not quite the expanded platform support that some are hoping for, embedded viewing does make it easier to see what Vine is about -- and potentially delight (or annoy) blog readers who'd have otherwise missed your ultra-short movie projects.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/6Ge3NrGuxrw/
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Jun Group Launches HyprMX To Help Mobile Publishers Manage ...
Video ad distribution company Jun Group has launched a new, wholly-owned subsidiary called HyprMX, offering mediation tools for mobile publishers and developers manage video ads from multiple sources.
HyprMX CEO Corey Weiner said that Jun Group runs its ads through hundreds of publishers, and it found that some of those publishers needed more help managing their inventory: ?They?re just not in the ad business ? they?re in the content business, they?re in the games business.? So HyprMX helps those publishers run ads from multiple sources, including Jun Group.
There are a number of mediation options when it comes to standard display advertising, but Weiner said it?s an unmet need in video. The other challenge on mobile is delivering video ads in a way that doesn?t annoy users. For example, preroll ads are even more annoying on mobile, because you can?t just ignore them ? they take over your phone for the duration of the ad. That?s why HyprMX focuses on incentivized ads, namely videos that users are rewarded for watching.
Of course, there?s a potential conflict of interest there. In some situations, HyprMX will be determining whether to run an ad from Jun Group or from one of its competitors. But Weiner said, ?We?ve formed a Chinese Wall between the two companies.? The only thing the HyprMX platform cares about is maximizing the amount of money that the publisher makes on each ad view, and if an ad from another source will be more lucrative than an ad from Jun Group, HyprMX will choose the competitor.
At the same time, Weiner said the new company has an advantage in signing up publishers, since they?ve usually heard of or have a relationship with Jun Group already.
Jun Group is the premier opt-in video ad platform. The company delivers millions of monthly video views on every screen across hundreds of premium publishers. Jun Group reaches targeted and pre-qualified viewers who opt-in to watch videos on high-end web, tablet and mobile destinations in exchange for rewards (such as ad-free music or free Wi-Fi) or they click-to-play on embedded ad units. Jun Group distributes videos from 15 seconds to three-minutes long, with some of the highest engagement, sharing...
? Learn moreSource: http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/29/jun-group-launches-hyprmx/
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Santana likely to miss season with torn shoulder
NEW YORK (AP) ? Johan Santana's left shoulder has failed him again. Now he must decide if he has the stomach for another grueling comeback.
After all that arduous rehab work, all those long hours in the training room and on back fields in lonely Florida, Santana probably will have to endure it all again if he wants to resume his major league career.
Even then, a successful return is no sure thing.
Either way, he may have thrown his final pitch for the New York Mets.
The team said Thursday that the two-time Cy Young Award winner probably has re-torn the anterior capsule in his left shoulder and likely will need a second operation that would sideline him for the entire season. Santana missed 2011 following his first shoulder surgery.
"I am not a doctor, nor am I a medical historian, but these injuries are very difficult to recover from after one surgery, and I'm not sure what the history is of recovery from a second more or less identical surgery," general manager Sandy Alderson said on a conference call.
New York owes the 34-year-old left-hander $31 million more as part of the $137.5 million, six-year deal he signed before the 2008 season, and Alderson said the remainder of the contract is not covered by insurance.
Santana had surgery on Sept. 14, 2010, and did not make it back to the majors until last April 5. He went 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 21 starts last year and threw the first no-hitter in franchise history on June 1 against St. Louis.
Santana threw a career-high 134 pitches that night in his second consecutive shutout, but was 3-7 with an 8.27 ERA after that, including 0-5 with a 15.63 ERA after throwing eight scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 30.
He went on the disabled list for three weeks because of a sprained ankle and didn't pitch after Aug. 17 because of lower back inflammation.
Santana hasn't pitched in any exhibition games during spring training because of arm weakness, and he threw his last bullpen session in early March without the team's permission.
"We don't know when it happened, how it happened," Alderson said. "But what we do know is that at some point symptoms appeared and they worsened rather than improved."
Peter Greenberg, the pitcher's agent, said Santana didn't have any comment yet.
Alderson said an MRI in New York on Wednesday with Dr. David Altchek showed the probable re-tear, and that noted orthopedists Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Lewis Yocum concurred with the diagnosis on Thursday after reviewing the MRI.
"Johan will remain in New York over the Easter weekend to decide on next steps," Alderson said. "A second surgery is a strong possibility. If this diagnosis proves to be correct, I think in all likelihood Johan will be lost to the Mets for the season."
Santana is 45-34 with a 3.18 ERA for the Mets after going 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA in eight years with the Minnesota Twins. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006.
He is owed $25.5 million this year in the final guaranteed season of his $137.5 million, six-year contract, and $5.5 million of this year's salary is deferred at 1.25 percent compounded interest until June 30, 2020. The Mets hold a $25 million option for 2014 with a $5.5 million buyout, and the buyout also is deferred.
Alderson said the Mets may have insured earlier years of the contract and that it is not unusual to choose not to insure the final season.
Coming off four consecutive losing seasons and four straight years of declining attendance, the Mets traded reigning NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey to Toronto for a package of prospects during the offseason. New York's remaining rotation includes left-hander Jonathon Niese and righties Matt Harvey, Dillon Gee, Jeremy Hefner and Shaun Marcum, who has been sidelined since March 16 because of a shoulder impingement and neck discomfort.
Niese will start the season opener Monday against San Diego, an assignment that almost surely would have gone to Santana if healthy. Hefner will take Santana's place in the rotation, and Marcum is scheduled to start the sixth game of the season against Miami.
Alderson claimed Santana's injury will not lead the Mets to rush 22-year-old right-hander Zack Wheeler, their top pitching prospect, to the majors.
"We will bring him up when he is ready," Alderson said. "No immediate need will impact that."
In addition to the money owed Santana, the Mets reached an offseason settlement with free-agent bust Jason Bay and released the pricey outfielder after three unproductive seasons. Bay and Santana account for roughly $42 million of New York's 2013 payroll, which will be about $90 million on opening day.
___
AP Sports Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/santana-likely-miss-season-torn-shoulder-003930092--mlb.html
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The DUO DIY 3D sensor changes the way users control a computer
Controlling a computer with a mouse is so last decade. Products like the Leap Motion are on the forefront for using a 3D space to control a PC, and Microsoft's Kinect is bringing similar technology to the gaming world. A new product called the DUO is entering the fray, but with the key difference being that it includes an open source SDK and is available as a DIY product for more adventurous users.
The DUO offers users the ability to perform all kinds of functions on a computer without actually touching anything. Instead, users simply wave their hand in the air over a 3D space, and the software interprets those movements and makes something happen on the screen. Some examples shown by the creator include playing Angry Birds, browsing the web, and using Bing Maps.
Where things get interesting with the DUO is the way users can purchase the product. Unlike Leap Motion, which is sold in a one-size-fits-all setup, the DUO can be purchased as a kit, a fully-assembled unit, or with just an SDK and some parts for users to assemble their own.
The DUO features two PS3 eye cameras, which are readily available and relatively cheap. These cameras, along with software developed for the DUO, is what allows users to interact with their computer without actually making physical contact with anything.
Using the DUO to track an object in 3D space
In the demonstration video, testers are seen using a stylus to draw lines on the screen in a test program. Of course, being able to track even small object opens up a slew of creative opportunities for developers using the SDK.
Code Laboratories, the Las Vegas-based company responsible for the DUO, is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. The project is currently sitting at a little over US$30,000, which is still a ways off from its $110,000 goal. However, it still has almost a month left before the funding period expires.
As for purchasing your own DUO, the options are plentiful. For users who just want access to the SDK, a pledge of $10 is required. Potential buyers looking build their own DUO based on the blueprints provided by Code Laboratories will need to drop $20. Users who want to handle the actual building of the DUO themselves, but need the case to fit everything in, will need to pledge $40. All the components except the cameras cost $70, and with the camera it will set users back $110. For a completely assembled and ready to go unit, a pledge of $140 is needed. Impatient buyers seeking access to the beta will be required to drop $250.
More information is available in the pitch video below.
Source: Kickstarter
Source: http://www.gizmag.com/duo-diy-3d-sensor/26845/
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Visualized: JetBlue and ViaSat test Fly-Fi in-flight WiFi... from the ground
Gogo's ground-to-air transmitters typically mandate evaluating service while jetting around the country above 10,000 feet. Sure, you don't need to waste fuel flying around an empty airliner, but even the company's small jet can burn through quite a bit of cash. ViaSat, on the other hand, can do much of its service testing on the ground, using that fairly ordinary Ford van pictured just above. The reason, of course, relates to the location of the company's transmitter -- namely, the ViaSat-1 satellite, positioned some 22,000 miles above the ground. In the air, planes will actually be nearer to the orbiting device, rather than farther away, and assuming a line-of-sight link from the road, the truck can work out kinks at a fraction of the cost.
That white dome atop the van, which is similar to the device that'll soon be mounted on JetBlue's fleet, maintains a constant connection by rotating instantly as the van moves -- if the vehicle's heading changes, the antenna array will turn, too, so it's always pointed directly at the sat in the sky. You may have seen ViaSat's van driving down Southern California's freeways, but the rig has just arrived in Orlando, for some additional testing a few degrees away from the company's Carlsbad home. Assuming all goes well here, you'll be shooting around the web courtesy of Fly-Fi in no time at all.
Filed under: Transportation, Wireless
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ANrb0GD5rtk/
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A Simple Trick to Remove Sticky Gunk from Jars - Articles :: Networx
There are so many uses for jars. I actually buy food and beverages for the jars that they come packaged in. Like, I'll buy a glass bottle of apple juice instead of a plastic bottle of apple juice just so that I can have the glass bottle. And wine bottles? Forget it! You can never have too many. Don't even get me started on Mason jars and good, old spaghetti sauce jars. I could buy olives in a can, but I buy them in a jar...you get the picture.
Jars are the best for food storage, and for DIY projects, but there is this one problem: How to remove the labels. Like a lot of adhesives, oil actually removes jar labels well. It's counter-intuitive to clean with oil, but really, it works!
Blogger Beverly, from The Make Your Own Zone, posted her recipe for homemade sticker goo remover on Hometalk, and boy is it green and easy!?
To make homemade sticker gunk remover, mix one part vegetable oil (any inexpensive vegetable oil will do; no need to waste the good extra vigin olive oil on cleaning) and two parts baking soda. Dip a rag in the oil and baking soda mixture, and rub onto the sticker goo. Scrub a bit. It might take a couple applications, but Beverly claims that she used about as much elbow grease as when she uses Goo Gone, the favorite gunk remover of handymen and mechanics.
For more on DIY cleansers: Tips from a Baltimore flooring contractor for cleaning hardwood floors; rubbing alcohol is also good at removing sticker goo!
Chaya Kurtz writes for Networx.com.
Source: http://www.networx.com/article/a-simple-trick-to-remove-sticky-gunk-fro
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Rubella in Pregnancy Rare in U.S., But Can Be ... - Health.com
THURSDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) ? Although rare in the United States, three babies with birth defects caused by rubella (or ?German measles?) were reported in 2012 and doctors need to be on the lookout for such cases, a new government report indicates.
Birth defects caused by what doctors call ?congenital rubella syndrome? can include cataracts, hearing problems and heart abnormalities. The syndrome occurs when a pregnant woman is infected with rubella and passes it to her fetus.
More than 90 percent of people in the United States have been vaccinated against rubella or have natural immunity, which means that congenital rubella syndrome is extremely rare in the nation.
But last year, three cases of the syndrome were reported in Alabama, Illinois and Maryland. In all three cases, the mothers did not have documentation of rubella vaccination, were born in another country, became pregnant and were likely infected in Africa, the report said.
The infants were born with brain malformations, heart defects, cataracts, hearing problems, blood disorders and inflammation of lung tissue (pneumonitis). One of the babies died due to the syndrome.
Even though congenital rubella syndrome is rare in the United States, health care providers and public health officials ?should maintain a high level of suspicion? if they encounter children who have birth defects compatible with the syndrome who were born to mothers who spent time during their pregnancy in countries where rubella is endemic, the researchers said in a news release from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One expert noted that infection is most dangerous early in the pregnancy.
?The most severe manifestations occur when the maternal infection is in the first trimester,? said Dr. Martin Chavez, director of maternal fetal medicine in the department of obstetrics & gynecology at Winthrop University Hospital, in Mineola, N.Y. ?These can include blindness, neurological damage and/or heart defects.?
?While we are fortunate in the United States that most individuals have been vaccinated and are immune, health care providers that serve foreign-born populations must be aware that other countries may have much lower immunity rates,? Chavez added. ?Efforts should be made to document or verify the immune status of all reproductive-age women.?
The report, by Kurt Setoo of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and colleagues there and elsewhere, is published in the March 28 issue of the CDC?s Morbidity and Mortality and Weekly Report.
More information
The March of Dimes has more about rubella and pregnancy.
Source: http://news.health.com/2013/03/28/rubella-in-pregnancy-rare-in-u-s-but-can-be-devastating-for-baby/
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College student loan interest rates set to double
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Incoming college freshmen could end up paying $5,000 more for the same student loans their older siblings have if Congress doesn't stop interest rates from doubling.
Sound familiar? The same warnings came last year. But now the presidential election is over and mandatory budget cuts are taking place, making a deal to avert a doubling of interest rates much more elusive before a July 1 deadline.
"What is definitely clear, this time around, there doesn't seem to be as much outcry," said Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. "We're advising our members to tell students that the interest rates are going to double on new student loans, to 6.8 percent."
That rate hike only hits students taking out new subsidized loans. Students with outstanding subsidized loans are not expected to see their loan rates increase unless they take out a new subsidized Stafford loan. Students' non-subsidized loans are not expected to change, nor are loans taken from commercial lenders.
The difference between 3.4 percent and 6.8 percent interest rates is a $6 billion tab for taxpayers ? set against a backdrop of budget negotiations that have pitted the two parties in a standoff. President Barack Obama is expected to release his budget proposal in the coming weeks, adding another perspective to the debate.
Last year, with the presidential and congressional elections looming, students got a one-year reprieve on the doubling of interest rates. That expires July 1.
Neither party's budget proposal in Congress has money specifically set aside to keep student loans at their current rate. House Republicans' budget would double the interest rates on newly issued subsidized loans to help balance the federal budget in a decade. Senate Democrats say they want to keep the interest rates at their current levels but the budget they passed last week does not set aside money to keep the rates low.
In any event, neither side is likely to get what it wants. And that could lead to confusion for students as they receive their college admission letters and financial aid packages.
"Two ideas ... have been introduced so far ? neither of which is likely to go very far," said Terry Hartle, the top lobbyist for colleges at the American Council on Education.
House Republicans, led by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, have outlined a spending plan that would shift the interest rates back to their pre-2008 levels. Congress in 2007 lowered the rate to 6 percent for new loans started during the 2008 academic year, then down to 5.6 percent in 2009, down to 4.5 percent in 2010 and then to the current 3.4 percent a year later.
Some two-thirds of students are graduating with loans exceeding $25,000; one in 10 borrowers owes more than $54,000 in loans. And student loan debt now tops $1 trillion. For those students, the rates make significant differences in how much they have to pay back each month.
For some, the rates seem arbitrary and have little to do with interest rates available for other purchases such as homes or cars.
"Burdening students with 6.8 percent loans when interest rates in the economy are at historic lows makes no sense," said Lauren Asher, president of the Institute for College Access and Success, a nonprofit organization.
Both House Education Committee Chairman John Kline of Minnesota and his Democratic counterpart, Rep. George Miller of California, prefer to keep rates at their current levels but have not outlined how they might accomplish that goal.
Rep. Karen Bass, a California Democrat, last week introduced a proposal that would permanently cap the interest rate at 3.4 percent.
Senate Democrats say their budget proposal would permanently keep the student rates low. But their budget document doesn't explicitly cover the $6 billion annual cost. Instead, its committee report included a window for the Senate Health Education and Pension Committee to pass a student loan rate fix down the road.
But so far, the money isn't there. And if the committee wants to keep the rates where they are, they will have to find a way to pay for them, either through cuts to programs in the budget or by adding new taxes.
"Spending is measured in numbers, not words," said Jason Delisle, a former Republican staffer on the Senate Budget Committee and now director of the New America Foundation's Federal Budget Project. "The Murray budget does not include funding for any changes to student loans."
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that of the almost $113 billion in new student loans the government made this year, more than $38 billion will be lost to defaults, even after Washington collects what it can through wage garnishments.
The net cost to taxpayers after most students pay back their loans with interest is $5.7 billion. If the rate increases, Washington will be collecting more interest from new students' loans.
But those who lobbied lawmakers a year ago said they were pessimistic before Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney both came out in support of keeping the rates low.
"We were at this point and we knew this issue was looming. But it wasn't anything we had any real traction with," said Tobin Van Ostern, deputy director of Campus Progress at the liberal Center for American Progress. "At this point, I didn't think we'd prevent them from doubling."
This time, he's looking at the July 1 deadline with the same concern.
"Having a deadline does help. It's much easier to deal with one specific date," Van Ostern said. "But if Congress can't come together ... interest rates are going to double. There tends to be a tendency for inaction."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/neither-party-cash-student-loan-rate-fix-185759359--politics.html
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Friday, March 29, 2013
7 Things I Was Baffled By When I Started Online
It?s quite interesting for me to see how my thinking and understanding of how to start and build a successful web business has changed over time.
But more importantly I hope you?ll be able to get a lot out of this because from talking to others I?ve learned that most people face the same challenges that I?ve experienced.
Let?s dive in with 7 things I was baffled by when I started out:?
1. How To Create Web Pages
Like all of us I visited lots of different websites on a daily basis but I really didn?t understand how to replicate them. Do you have to learn web design and HTML and get involved in the technical side of things?
Luckily, I was introduced to WordPress pretty early on. Although I have built a few pages in other systems (such as the free HTML editor Kompozer) I really never looked back.
What began as a blogging platform has now developed into a fully fledged content management system (CMS) for websites and for running a home business, there are very few cases when it makes sense to not use WordPress.
My Recommendation: If you don?t know WordPress. Learn it. Just create a simple personal blog and get acquainted. It?s time very well spent.
2. How To Get Traffic
I thought the only options were SEO (ranking your web pages high in Google) or Adwords (Google Paid ads).
Like most newcomers I didn?t want to risk any money so I went down the SEO path.
The trouble was by 2010 SEO was already becoming harder, more long term and increasingly uncertain. This didn?t stop me spending a small fortune on SEO software and training courses which resulted in virtually no revenue whatsoever.
My Recommendation: Traffic is a KEY element in your online success. So invest some time in learning about it. There are countless ways to promote your websites and many of them have been discussed on this blog (here and here?for example). Also, although I wouldn?t completely ignore SEO, I also highly recommend you don?t rely on it. Less than 10% of my traffic comes from SEO ? quite honestly I wouldn?t bother with it much at all!
3. Why The Websites Of Successful Marketers Didn?t Look Like Mine
During my ?SEO phase? I followed several ?gurus? who were very keen to tell me (and sell me) strategies which could rank my websites high in Google. Most of these involved setting up blogs, choosing the keywords, meta tags, headlines, H1 tags correctly and building backlinks to my site.
So how come when I visited these gurus? sites they had none of these things? I remember checking the backlinks and wondering why there weren?t any? How could they be making money if they didn?t seem to do the things they were telling me to do?
Also, a lot of their websites just had places for your name and email address (what I later learnt were called ?squeeze pages?) and had no content on them at all. Google wouldn?t rank these surely so I was baffled.
I was very na?ve really. But it just goes to show if you don?t know something then you just don?t know.
Of course, the reality was the the gurus were using joint ventures (JVs), affiliates and paid traffic to promote their websites. As silly as it might sound it really took me about 10 months to fully recognize this.
My Recommendation: Always ask yourself, ?Are the strategies that this person is teaching me what they actually use to make money themselves??. You can?t always be sure but being aware of this question really helps!
4. Who To Trust
A biggy.
As with any business ? online or offline ? there are scams and people who just want your money. In the internet marketing area there are definitely these kinds of people but also many very genuine businesses and marketers who provide solid products and services which can help you.
My Recommendation: Rather than expand on this here I will refer to a previous post where we covered this issue in detail.
5. Which Niche To Go Into
Again, usually a problem most of us have, especially at the early stage of our business.
This is partly related to ?I?m not an expert in anything? thinking but also because there are literally SO many different niches that it can become difficult to decide!
What I did was go into lots of niches. I don?t recommend this because you end up juggling so many balls that you can?t give the attention each niche deserves.
My Recommendation: Brainstorm niches you are interested in, check for sufficient audience size and profitability. Then pick one and go with it. Later on you can (as I have done) expand it more than one niche but that?s when you?ll have the experience of setting them up and promoting them. Also, understand you don?t need to be an expert: 1) You can learn, 2) You can get another expert to help (e.g., by interviewing them), 3) Many products (e.g., software) don?t rely on you being an expert at all.
6. How Can I Keep Up With The Information Coming At Me
Yes, the old information overload problem here!
What I specifically referring to though is the emails that I received as a result of signing up to people?s lists.
This distraction can manifest in at least 2 ways: 1) You are reading emails instead of implementing and taking action, 2) You get mixed messages and conflicting information which stops you taking action on your current plans by introducing doubt and shiny object syndrome.
My Recommendation: Unsubscribe from any list which just promotes things all the time. Follow the people you trust (or at worst think you trust!) ? see above for tips on this. Pick one project and stick with it, emotionally detach (as best you can) and work on your business (imagine you are consulting on someone else?s business which helps) instead of in your business.
7. Sales Funnels
Again I?m admitting naivety here but after coming online I really didn?t understand the importance of having a funnel or even what one was!
Basically, the sales funnel is process people go through after they go up the ?on ramp? into your business.
For example, they might sign up at for your squeeze page, get offered a promotion on the thank you page, receive email follow ups which offer free content and promotions which increase in price and value.
My recommendation: Be aware all the time of sales funnels and every time you purchase something or sign up for something watch what happens and take notes. I actually have a Word files called ?Other Marketers Swipe? which I take notes on what I see from my journeys around the internet in different niches.
3 Final Tips
Overall, If I could go back in time and speak to myself when I started out I?d give this advice:
- Focus soley on building a list of subscribers in a profitable niche that you are interested in
- Go to live events and meetups
- Invest some time and money in solid training from people who have achieved what you want to achieve
If you can relate to any of my experiences I?ve described in this post then this is the same advice I?d give to you. Regardless of your history and where you are right now with your business the PERFECT time is NOW!
What things have baffled you in terms on setting up a successful web business? Please LIKE/TWEET if you enjoyed this and start some discussion by dropping a comment below. 
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Source: http://www.gainhigherground.com/7-things-i-was-baffled-by-when-i-started-online/
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Travel Tips - Better Business Center - Tork
The opportunity to try new and unique foods is one of the best reasons why traveling abroad is so much fun.?
Unfortunately, 20 to 50 percent of international travelers ? an estimated 10 million people ? develop Traveler?s Diarrhea, the most common illness affecting travelers a year and can occur as a result of food poisoning. Foodborne illnesses stem from eating contaminated foods that have not been safely prepared or stored. The most common bacteria include Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter.?
Here are five tips to help prevent foodborne illnesses while overseas:?
1)????? Research your destination. Stay up-to-date on current health news in the location you are visiting. This will help you track any major health advisories, particularly those for E. coli, cholera or Salmonella outbreaks. It will also keep you abreast of foods and areas that you should avoid. Finally, make sure you gather all the necessary healthcare information such as nearby hospitals and/or other healthcare facilities should an emergency occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers useful information on their website.
2)????? Avoid tap water. Contaminated water is one of the leading causes of Traveler?s Diarrhea. Stick to bottled beverages that have been properly sealed and avoid putting ice cubes in your drinks. According to the CDC, filtered water or hot beverages ? such as tea ? are okay to drink as long as it?s had at least a minute to boil.
3)????? Avoid raw or undercooked foods. Stick to foods that have been thoroughly cooked to ensure that all harmful microorganisms are killed. This includes seafood that may have been washed with contaminated water or non-pasteurized dairy products ? all of which can pose a serious risk to your health.
4)????? Talk to your doctor. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to ensure you?re fit for traveling abroad. This is the perfect time to get all of your immunizations and have a thorough discussion with your health care provider about ways to avoid foodborne illnesses. The CDC also offers valuable health information for travel anywhere in the world.
5)????? Hygiene is key. Wash hands thoroughly throughout the day to ensure that you?re not infecting yourself with any harmful bacteria before or during a meal. It might be a good idea to keep bottled water or hand sanitizer with you if clean water isn?t easily accessible. Additionally, always be wary of the establishments you dine at. If it looks dirty, chances are it is dirty.
Source: http://betterbusiness.torkusa.com/travel-tips-how-to-avoid-food-poisoning-while-traveling-abroad/
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Points has an old putter and takes early lead
HUMBLE, Texas (AP) ? The march to the Masters for Rory McIlroy looks more like a crawl.
McIlroy only had four birdie putts on the front nine, none closer than 20 feet. He took two chips to reach the second green. He found the water on the third-easiest hole at Redstone Golf Club and made double bogey. What he salvaged Thursday in the Houston Open was a 73, along with some optimism.
"I think I'm still a little bit tentative on the golf course and not committing to my shots fully," McIlroy said. "But I think that just takes time and, hopefully, another three rounds this week and some good scores will give me confidence going into the Masters."
D.A. Points, using an old putter he once took from his mother, opened with five straight birdies on his way to an 8-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead over Cameron Tringale and John Rollins. Also coming to life was Angel Cabrera, the Argentine with two majors and a house at Redstone. He had a 66.
McIlroy, playing in the afternoon when the wind kicked up, was happy just to stay in range. Right when it looked as if the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland was headed for a big number, he rattled off three quick birdies and got it back to even par before he failed to convert a superb flop shot into par.
"I fought back well. I didn't get too down on myself," McIlroy said. "It would have been great to finish even par, but I made a couple of shots back, so that's not too bad."
Even so, the Houston Open is his final stop before the Masters, and it's not as if McIlroy has loads of rounds behind him. Thursday was only the ninth round he has completed in five tournaments this year. And he no longer has the No. 1 ranking, taken back by Tiger Woods last week at Bay Hill.
The first step is making the cut at Redstone on Friday, and seeing more good shots.
"My swing is not as free flowing because I'm working on a few things and getting into a couple of bad habits," McIlroy said. "But it's definitely feeling more natural than it has been the last few weeks."
Points first borrowed the Ping Anser from his mother during his junior years in Illinois, and like most golfers, he abandoned it once he stopped making putts. But he recently asked Ping to clean it up for him and add some weight. He also got a putting lesson ? no, not from Steve Stricker ? and he was on his way.
"Maybe I'm an idiot for not having used this putter the whole time," Points said. "It worked well today."
Points, whose only win came with actor Bill Murray at his side at the Pebble Beach National Pro-am, made all five of his opening birdies from inside 15 feet. He dropped only one shot along the way.
A mild wind gained strength in the afternoon, and Rollins still managed a 65.
"I knew the conditions were going to be tough out there, knew the greens were fast, so that makes it tough as well," Rollins said. "I just kept the ball in front of me and gave myself a lot of opportunities and got a solid round out of it."
Phil Mickelson was at 4 under and right in the mix until he hit his tee shot into the water on the sixth hole and made double bogey, nearly hooked a 3-wood into the hazard on the next hole and three-putted for bogey, and then made bogey on the par-3 ninth from a bunker to wind up at 72.
"It was a disappointing finish," Mickelson said. "I feel really good with the putter, and I believe that as the tournament goes on, I'll get better."
Mickelson played with defending champion Hunter Mahan, who didn't hit the ball his best and it finally caught up with him at the end for a 74. Also in the group was Geoff Ogilvy, who needs to finish in the top 50 in the world to get into the Masters. Ogilvy is currently at No. 50, though he will lose spots through the formula this week. He had three penalty shots in his round of 73.
Lee Westwood hit two shots in the water and still salvaged a bogey and was in the large group at 68 that included Riviera winner John Merrick and Jimmy Walker.
Charles Howell III had a 69 in his bid to get into his hometown major at Augusta National. Howell would need to finish at least in fourth place alone to have any chance of moving into the top 50.
Points was just trying to see some reasonable results, having made only two cuts all year. He did manage to join a group of stars in the Tavistock Cup earlier this week and, upon leaving home Tuesday, he grabbed a handful of putters. One of them once belonged to his mother.
Ping rep Matt Rollins had some weights added to the putter, and equally important was an impromptu lesson from Lamar golf coach Brian White.
"It's one of those things," Points said. "I holed some nice par putts yesterday in my pro-am. I didn't hit it great, but I made a few good putts and the ball was going in the hole with nice pace and rolling real tight. And I thought, 'All right, this might be the key that kind of gets me going.'"
That it did.
For McIlroy, it was another slow start. He has yet to break par in his five opening rounds this year ? that includes the Match Play Championship ? and found himself behind early. He was in a fairway bunker on the eighth hole, opened the face of 9-iron to advance the ball as far as he could, and caught the lip. With some 250 yards for his third shot, a 5-wood leaked into the water and he walked off with a double bogey.
But he never got down on himself.
"I think I learned from that over the last few weeks. I've got to keep my spirits up," McIlroy said. "I felt like I was doing that a bit too much at the Match Play and the Honda, and obviously we saw what happened there."
Frustrations boiled over at the Honda Classic halfway through the second round when McIlroy walked off the course. He vowed not to do that again.
Mickelson, meanwhile, was going along nicely despite some errant tee shots, such as his one on the 12th hole. He sliced the tee shot so far left that it bounced off the cart path, across the 13th tee box and down a slope toward the bushes. He was about pin-high, only 100 yards left of the green. He hit wedge into about 15 feet and turned to the gallery and said, "It's all about angles."
The angles caught up with him. Mickelson tee shot on the sixth never cleared the water, leading to his sloppy finish.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/points-old-putter-takes-early-lead-195234612--spt.html
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Hands-on with Katamari Damacy creator's crazy 16-button game controller (video)
You don't often see a video game specifically designed for a 16-button bespoke controller and for a special one-time party, but that's exactly what Keita Takahashi has done with Tenya Wanya Teens. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Takahashi is responsible for the enormously popular game franchise that is Katamari Damacy along with cult favorite Noby Noby Boy. Teens is his first foray as an independent creator under Uvula, a studio he formed with his wife Asuka Sakai, and is a result of a collaboration with event organizers Wild Rumpus and video game website Venus Patrol. As for the party in question, it's one that is being held concurrently with the 2013 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, which is where we saw the controllers and the game in action.
As you can see above, the controller looks a lot like a modified arcade stick. A hand-made effort by programmer George Buckenham, both boxes were built in about five days for around 200£ ($302.50) each. According to Buckenham, the easiest part was assembling the electronics; it was the plywood housing that took him awhile to master. As for the game, Tenya Wanya Teens is a highly whimsical effort that is described as "a coming-of-age tale about love, hygiene, monsters and finding discarded erotic magazines in the woods." Tasks include peeing in the shower, punching monsters and taking on grizzly bears.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/27/tenya-wanya-teens-16-button-controller/
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Knox case puts Italian justice under scrutiny
FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010 file photo U.S. student Amanda Knox, right, walks past Raffaele Sollecito, as she arrives after a break to attend a hearing in her appeals trial, at Perugia's courthouse, Italy. Italy's highest criminal court has overturned the acquittal of Amanda Knox and of her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, in the slaying of her British roommate and ordered a new trial. The Court of Cassation ruled Tuesday, March 26, 2013 that an appeals court in Florence must re-hear the case against the American and her Italian-ex-boyfriend for the murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010 file photo U.S. student Amanda Knox, right, walks past Raffaele Sollecito, as she arrives after a break to attend a hearing in her appeals trial, at Perugia's courthouse, Italy. Italy's highest criminal court has overturned the acquittal of Amanda Knox and of her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, in the slaying of her British roommate and ordered a new trial. The Court of Cassation ruled Tuesday, March 26, 2013 that an appeals court in Florence must re-hear the case against the American and her Italian-ex-boyfriend for the murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
FILE - This Friday Nov. 2, 2007 file photo shows Amanda Knox, left, and Raffaele Sollecito, looking on outside the rented house where 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher was found dead Friday, in Perugia, Italy. Italy's highest criminal court has overturned the acquittal of Amanda Knox and of her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, in the slaying of her British roommate and ordered a new trial. The Court of Cassation ruled Tuesday, March 26, 2013 that an appeals court in Florence must re-hear the case against the American and her Italian-ex-boyfriend for the murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher (AP Photo/Stefano Medici, file)
ROME (AP) ? When crooked American financier Bernie Madoff was sentenced in New York, the leading Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera published a front-page cartoon mocking Italy's trial system.
On one side was a U.S. courtroom, where a judge was handing down a 150-year sentence after a six-month trial. On the other, an Italian courtroom with a judge handing down a six-month sentence after a 150-year trial.
That's how the country's No. 1 newspaper summed up Italy's slow-moving, and at times inconclusive, justice system.
The decision by Italy's highest criminal appeals court to overturn the acquittals of American student Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, and order a new trial in the 2007 slaying of her British roommate, is once again raising concerns both at home and abroad about how justice works in Italy.
It's a system where people cleared of serious crimes can have the threat of prison hanging over them for years, while powerful politicians such as former premier Silvio Berlusconi can avoid jail sentences almost indefinitely by filing appeal after appeal until the statute of limitations runs out.
"Lots of confusion and contradictions," said restaurant chef Angelo Boccanero, giving his impression of the Knox case as he sipped his morning espresso.
And it's not just the criminal courts that raise eyebrows.
The back log on civil cases is so severe that it hampers desperately sought foreign investment to Italy. Divorces can take years to process, meaning that couples who've had enough remain legally tied. And forget about getting quick compensation in a fraudulent property deal ? it can take ages (if ever) before you'll see any money.
Successive governments have pledged to streamline proceedings but have so far failed to do so. That's largely because powerful people in politics, business and the judiciary have repeatedly fended off reform to protect their interests and the people close to them.
One criticism of the system is Italy's high number of lawyers. Milan, for example, has more attorneys than all of France. In civil cases, it takes an average of seven years to reach a verdict.
Defenders say that Italy's legal system is one of the world's most "garantista" ? or protective of civil liberties. Defendants are guaranteed three levels of trial before a conviction is considered definitive and both sides are granted the right to appeal ? although prosecutors often don't appeal minor acquittals. It's a system that sprang up in the postwar era to prevent the travesties of summary justice seen under fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, but in reality it means that justice can be delayed until it's denied as cases move at a snail's pace through the bloated legal machine.
Italy is also one of the leading voices in the world in campaigns to abolish capital punishment. In 1996, Italy refused to extradite one of its citizens wanted for murder in Florida, saying it did not receive sufficient guarantees he would not risk execution if convicted. He was tried in Italy, convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
For Knox, the system allowed new evidence in the appeals trial that led to her 2011 acquittal. But it also is exposing her to a third trial ? which in all likelihood will be followed by another round at the supreme court. Knox is not expected to attend her retrial. If she is convicted ? and the conviction is upheld by highest criminal court ? Italy could seek her extradition. The United States law allows extradition of its citizens.
Another key aspect of the Knox case: The Italian system does not include U.S. Fifth Amendment protection against a defendant being put in double jeopardy by government prosecution.
"Our judicial system, like all judicial systems, is fallible," said Stelio Mangiameli, a constitutional law expert at Rome's LUISS University, but added: "It's not worse or better than the United States."
He said that, in addition to guarantees for the defense, Italy takes pains to protect the rights of the victim.
"You need to consider when there is a crime, there is also a victim," said Mangiameli. "In the Amanda Knox case, there is a dead girl and someone needs to respond for this death, no matter if American or French or any other nationality."
But the process, which in some cases runs over decades, can leave people like Knox in judicial limbo.
In September, an Italian civil court ordered the government to pay 100 million euros in civil damages to relatives of 81 people killed in a 1980 air disaster whose cause has been attributed alternately to a bomb on board and to being caught in an aerial dogfight. The court held that the transport and defense ministries had concealed the truth, even though a criminal court acquitted two generals for lack of evidence five years earlier.
It would seem natural that after three decades, the September decision meant the case was closed. Instead, appeals are pending.
For two decades, Berlusconi has been moving from trial to trial on charges that include corruption, tax fraud and sex-for-hire. He has described himself as an innocent victim of prosecutors he routinely slams as communists.
The ex-premier has so far never had a conviction upheld by the highest court and never served any time in jail. His lawyers employ vigorous defense techniques that have included laws ? one struck down as unconstitutional ? blocking top government officials from prosecution. As premier, Berlusconi himself has enacted legislation that is widely seen as tailor-made to shield him from legal difficulties.
Sometimes, however, justice is served.
Parmalat founder Calisto Tanzi is serving an eight-year sentence on market rigging related to the stunning 2003 collapse of his dairy empire despite his advanced age. Tanzi, now 74, has been jailed since 2011 for his role in the scandal that defrauded thousands of small-time investors, despite arguments by his lawyer that his health is failing and that he should be granted house arrest under a law allowing it for convicts over age 70.
Tanzi faces even more jail time ? nearly another 18 years ? on a conviction of fraudulent bankruptcy and criminal association in the 4 billion euro bankruptcy. There is one more appeal on that sentence.
Whether the 25-year-old Knox, who spent four years in prison during the investigation, trial and first appeal, ever returns to Italy to serve more prison time depends on a string of unknowns.
Should she be convicted by an appeals court in Florence court, she could appeal that verdict to the Cassation Court, since Italy's judicial system allows for two levels of appeals ? by prosecutors and the defense. Should that appeal fail, Italy could seek her extradition from the United States.
In defending Italy, some experts say the system cuts both ways.
"If she had been wrongly convicted," said criminal lawyer Manrico Colazza, "she would have been happy there was a court to reverse it."
___
AP correspondent Colleen Barry contributed from Milan.
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