Masked 'Black Bloc' a mystery in Egypt unrest

A masked Egyptian protester part of the Black Bloc, flashes the victory sign during clashes with riot police, background, near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. An unpredictable new element has entered Egypt?s wave of political unrest, a mysterious group of black-masked young men calling themselves the Black Bloc. They present themselves as the defenders of protesters against the rule of President Mohammed Morsi, but Islamists have used them to depict the opposition as a violent force wrecking the nation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A masked Egyptian protester part of the Black Bloc, flashes the victory sign during clashes with riot police, background, near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. An unpredictable new element has entered Egypt?s wave of political unrest, a mysterious group of black-masked young men calling themselves the Black Bloc. They present themselves as the defenders of protesters against the rule of President Mohammed Morsi, but Islamists have used them to depict the opposition as a violent force wrecking the nation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A protester part of the Black Bloc, holds the Egyptian national flag during clashes with riot police near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. An unpredictable new element has entered Egypt?s wave of political unrest, a mysterious group of black-masked young men calling themselves the Black Bloc. They present themselves as the defenders of protesters against the rule of President Mohammed Morsi, but Islamists have used them to depict the opposition as a violent force wrecking the nation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

An Egyptian protester part of the Black Bloc, clashes with riot police, not seen, near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. An unpredictable new element has entered Egypt?s wave of political unrest, a mysterious group of black-masked young men calling themselves the Black Bloc. They present themselves as the defenders of protesters against the rule of President Mohammed Morsi, but Islamists have used them to depict the opposition as a violent force wrecking the nation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

CAIRO (AP) ? An unpredictable new element has entered Egypt's wave of political unrest: a mysterious group of masked young men called the Black Bloc who present themselves as the defenders of protesters opposed to the Islamist president's rule.

They boast that they're willing to use force to fight back against Islamists who have attacked protesters in the past ? or against police who crack down on demonstrations. The youths with faces hidden under black masks have appeared among stone-throwing protesters in clashes with police around Egypt the past five days in the wave of political violence that has shaken the country.

During protests in Cairo on Monday, masked youths celebrated around a police armored vehicle in flames in the middle of Tahrir Square, waving their hands in V-for-victory signs.

Their emergence has raised concerns even among fellow members of the opposition, who fear the group could spark Islamist retaliation or that it could be infiltrated to taint their movement. Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi call the bloc a militia and have used it to depict the opposition as a violent force wrecking the nation.

Moreover, some Islamists have threatened to form vigilante groups in response, creating the potential for a spiral of violence between rival "militias."

The bloc's appearance comes amid increasing opposition frustration with Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, and the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists who critics say have imposed a monopoly on power.

The anger has fueled the explosion of violence that at first centered on Friday's second anniversary of the start of the uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak. It accelerated with riots in the Suez Canal city of Port Said by youths furious over death sentences issued by a court against local soccer fans over a bloody stadium riot a year ago. Morsi has struggled to regain control, calling a state of emergency in three Suez Canal-area provinces.

The Black Bloc models itself after anarchist groups by the same name in Europe and the United States that have participated in anti-globalization and other protests the past decade.

In Egypt, the group's secrecy and self-professed dispersed structure make it difficult to determine its actual scope. It communicates mainly by online social media. Its members' identities are unknown and faces unseen, so it's impossible to confirm the authenticity of those who claim to speak in its name.

It's even impossible to know whether every masked young man in the streets belongs to the block or is just a protester hiding his face ? or if the distinction even matters. In Tahrir on Monday, vendors were selling black masks that young men crowded to buy.

"We are the Black Bloc ... seeking people's liberation, the fall of corruption and the toppling of the tyrant," proclaimed a video announcing the group's formation, posted online Thursday. It showed youths dressed in black marching in lines in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

"We have arisen to confront the fascist tyrant regime of the Muslim Brotherhood with its military wing," the video said, warning police not to interfere "or else we will respond without hesitation."

Brotherhood officials, Islamist politicians and pro-government media accuse the group of violence ranging from trying to set fire to the presidential palace and attacking Brotherhood offices to ransacking state buildings, blocking train tracks and even exchanging gunfire with riot police.

The mayhem of the past five days has seen such incidents ? but it is unclear what role Black Bloc members have had, or whether claims the group is armed are true. Security officials say they arrested one suspected bloc member carrying ammunition in Cairo on Sunday.

The state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, which has depicted the group as fueling violence, said that Black Bloc members tried to break into a five-star hotel near Tahrir, and fired guns in the air when other protesters tried to stop them.

A university graduate named Sherif el-Sherafi said he was a founder of the group in an interview with the El-Watan newspaper ? though his claims could not be independently confirmed.

He said the bloc has 10,000 members nationwide, organized into groups of around 20 each, but with no chain of command. Members are trained in self-defense and how to deal with tear gas.

"Violence is not an action but a reaction," he said. He depicted the situation as an inevitable clash between the opposition and government. "What is coming is worse."

Members say the group was created in response to Dec. 4 clashes, when Brotherhood supporters attacked a protest sit-in outside the presidential palace, touching off hours of street battles that left at least 10 dead and hundreds injured.

Many in the opposition saw that incident as a turning point, a sign that Islamists and the Brotherhood were willing to use violence against Morsi's critics.

Monday night, a number of protesters praised the masked men in Tahrir Square.

"They aren't here for sabotage or vandalism, but to protect us from Brotherhood militias," said Ahmed Ali, an engineer.

Ali said police are now "suppressing the revolution on behalf of the murderer Morsi ... So we need these men to defend the revolution."

Hossam al-Hamalawy, a prominent lefist activist, said the Black Bloc youth are "sincere, they want change and they have seen their friends get killed... (So) they have decided to take the matter into their own hands."

But he said it "could be dangerous for the revolution," warning that "this could develop to people carrying arms" ostensibly in response to the Black Bloc.

"Those who topple the regime are the masses," not underground groups, said al-Hamalawy, of the Socialist Revolutionaries, a key group behind the anti-Mubarak uprising.

Morsi's office and the Brotherhood have contended for months that the opposition is using the streets to overturn results of elections that Islamists have consistently won.

Now they point to the Black Bloc as proof their opponents are willing to back violence.

On his Facebook page, Morsi's assistant for foreign affairs Essam el-Haddad accused the Black Bloc of "systematic violence and organized crimes across the country" and accused the opposition of condoning it.

The Brotherhood in a statement denounced "groups of thugs, militias of black gangs" that it accused of attacks on state institution, police and private property. "The silence of opposition political parties on such crimes ... indicates their support."

Morsi's more hard-line Islamist allies have been more vehement.

The Black Bloc "must be liquidated completely. These groups must be dealt with with violence and all force," said Mohammed Abu Samra, head of the political party of Islamic Jihad, which once waged a campaign of militant violence in Egypt.

Some ultraconservatives accused Christians of being behind the bloc, in line with their past attempts to fire up their base with warnings that minority Christians are trying to topple Morsi.

Another former jihadi group, the Gamaa Islamiya, threatened on Sunday to create a vigilante group.

Tareq el-Zomr, a leading figure in the group, said that if security forces don't bring quiet, "it will be the right of the Egyptian people ? and us at the forefront ? to set up popular committees" to protect property and "counter aggression."

A Facebook page also claimed the formation of a new militia called the "Muslims Brigade" ? though it was not possible to confirm that the group exists.

In a video on the page, a group of masked men holding rifles warned of plots by enemies of Islam and a conspiracy by Christians to turn Egypt into a Christian state and accused the main opposition National Salvation Front of helping "burn Egypt."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-28-Egypt-Black%20Bloc/id-eda4a12dfc4147d1973fd6bf409ac4e9

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iOS 6.1 Is Out with a New Siri Feature, iTunes Match Improvements, and More

Fire up Software Update: iOS 6.1 is available, and it contains a couple neat new features to make your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV more useful. Here's what's new.

Straight from Apple's support pages, here's what you'll get in the new version:

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

• LTE support for more carriers (complete list of supported carriers here)
• Purchase movie tickets through Fandango with Siri (USA only)
• iTunes Match subscribers can now download individual songs from iCloud
• New button to reset the Advertising Identifier

9to5Mac is also reporting that the update includes Bluetooth keyboard compatibility for the Apple TV, which could be pretty handy. Open up iTunes or head to Settings > General > Software Update on your device to get the new version. Of course, if you plan on jailbreaking, you may want to hold off just in case the new version isn't supported in the next jailbreak.

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iOS 6.1 Software Update | Apple Support via 9to5Mac

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/hON0p9b2zUk/ios-61-is-out-with-a-new-siri-feature-itunes-match-improvements-and-more

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Source: http://dna2164499.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/satellite-tv-internet-internet-satellite-tv-free.html

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Insert Coin: You have two weeks left to submit your project for a chance at $20,000!

Hey makers, tinkerers, and inventors -- have you entered our Insert Coin: New Challengers contest yet? Seriously, you could win $20,000 at Expand this March, a review on Engadget, and a nice promotional boost before you begin a crowdfunding campaign. What are you waiting for?

We implore you to help us spread the word, so we can get the very best projects up on our stage for you (yes, you!) to vote on for a chance to win 20 grand. If you know anyone with a cool project in the works, or a friendly local makerspace, college campus or startup accelerator/incubator whose members might want money and exposure, please send them our way! We really want to give new inventors an extra boost on the road to success.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 8.

If you don't qualify for our Insert Coin contest but still want to get your sweet product in front of the eyes of the Expand audience of early adopters and tech enthusiasts, we have very affordable sponsorship opportunities in the Indie Corner section of our exhibition hall. You can sign up for a table right here, and please give us a shout at sponsors [at] engadget [dot] com with any questions about getting onto our show floor.

Read on to find out who's speaking at Expand...

Speakers at Expand

Lastly, we hope you've been watching our speaker announcements! We're excited to bring you the news about the awesome folks we're assembling to speak to you at Expand, and look forward to unveiling the remainder of the agenda over the coming weeks. To refresh your memory, here's the list of speakers we've shared so far:

• Chris Anderson: CEO, 3D Robotics and former editor-in-chief, Wired
• Scott Croyle: Vice President of Design, HTC
• Ryan Block: Co-founder of gdgt
• Avi Reichental: President and CEO, 3D Systems
• Julie Uhrman: Founder and CEO, OUYA
• Walter de Brouwer: CEO and Founder, Scanadu
• Veronica Belmont: Co-host, Tekzilla
• Gene Munster: Research Analyst - Devices & Internet, Piper Jaffray

So what are you waiting for?! Grab your tickets at an early-bird discount today!

Filed under: Announcements, Meta

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Qi9JvtLlvTY/

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Police push for background checks on gun purchases

President Barack Obama pauses as the press leaves the room as he meets with representatives from Major Cities Chiefs Association and Major County Sheriffs Association in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Washington, to discuss policies put forward by President Obama to reduce gun violence. From left are Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau and Hennepin County Minnesota Sheriff Richard W. Stanek . (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama pauses as the press leaves the room as he meets with representatives from Major Cities Chiefs Association and Major County Sheriffs Association in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Washington, to discuss policies put forward by President Obama to reduce gun violence. From left are Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau and Hennepin County Minnesota Sheriff Richard W. Stanek . (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama meets with representatives from Major Cities Chiefs Association and Major County Sheriffs Association in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Washington, to discuss policies put forward by President Obama to reduce gun violence. Hennepin County Minnesota Sheriff Richard W. Stanek, President Obama, is left, and Charles H. Ramsey Police Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department is right. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama speaks to media as he meets with representatives from Major Cities Chiefs Association and Major County Sheriffs Association in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Washington, to discuss policies put forward by President Obama to reduce gun violence. From left are U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau and Hennepin County Minnesota Sheriff Richard W. Stanek, President Obama, and Charles H. Ramsey Police Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Law enforcement leaders who met with President Barack Obama are urging him to improve the mental health system and strengthen background checks, but did not unify on more controversial gun control measures.

Leaders of the Major County Sheriffs' Association said they told the president Monday to focus on the mental health system.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says there was broad agreement on the need to require stronger background checks for gun purchases. Ramsey is president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which backs an assault weapons ban.

The message reflects the political reality in Congress that the assault weapons ban Obama is pushing is likely to have a hard time winning broad support. But the president may have more hope for getting universal background checks.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-28-Obama-Guns/id-9f4b7c86c1df4b49a48541b77dc542fa

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Twitter launches advertising services in Middle East

DUBAI (Reuters) - Twitter Inc launched advertising services in the Middle East and North Africa on Sunday as the social media firm seeks to exploit a tripling of its regional subscriber base following its widespread use during the Arab Spring protests.

Digital advertising is relatively undeveloped in the region, accounting for an estimated 4 percent of its total advertising spending, but a young, tech-savvy population and rising Internet penetration points to significant potential for growth.

"The two are interconnected - the rapid growth of our user base with the timing of why we want to help brands connect with that audience," said Shailesh Rao, Twitter vice-president for international operations.

Twitter does not provide a regional breakdown of its more than 200 million users worldwide, but Rao said its MENA subscriber base had tripled in the past 12 months.

The company has recruited Egypt's Connect Ads, which is ultimately owned by Cairo-listed Orascom Telecom Media and Technology, to launch advertising initially in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Pepsi and Saudi telecom operator Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) are among its confirmed clients, the company said.

Twitter says the products it promotes typically have an audience response rate of 1 to 3 percent, significantly higher than traditional advertising rate of 0.1 to 0.5 percent.

"Social media advertising is totally different because it relies on what people say. It's about two-way, not one-way, communication," said Mohamed El Mehairy, Connect Ads managing director.

(editing by Jane Baird)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/twitter-launches-advertising-services-middle-east-163041459.html

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Gardeners, businesses prepare for extended drought, water ...

Even though it?s the dead of winter, the drought and the specter of water restrictions have injected a sense of urgency into the way garden-related businesses and gardeners are approaching the coming spring.

Cranmer Grass Farm will increase the number of acres it plants in drought-tolerant Bermuda sod from 14 acres to 66 acres this year. It?s still only a fraction of the 600 acres it has in fescue sod, but it?s an acknowledgment of the increasing demand for a lawn that doesn?t take as much water, company president Josh Cranmer said.

At Hillside Nursery, John Firsching is not sure that the small ?whips? that are planted in the spring to grow into trees will be able to go into the fields this year.

?It?s so dry out there; you need moisture in the ground for them to take hold,? Firsching said. And wells are drying up, too, making it more difficult to supplement what nature provides, he said. ?It makes it critical to plan.?

The City Council will start to discuss watering restrictions in late February, but it could be months before anything is decided, said Ben Nelson, strategic services manager for the city?s Public Works & Utilities department.

The uncertainty makes it hard for gardeners and nurseries to plan, because if the council waits until May or June to impose restrictions, ?then most people will have things planted, but you?re up in the air right now,? Cathy Brady of Brady Nursery said. ?We don?t know what to expect. We hope and pray for rain every night, then you look at Cheney Lake.?

The reservoir, which supplies much of Wichita?s water, is down by more than 40 percent.

Cranmer said that if water restrictions are put in place, ?that?s going to really kill our business ... because fescue?s the main grass.? In addition, because the economy has been bad, houses are not being built, so the demand for grass has been down from that, too, he said.

Garden centers and places with large garden displays such as Botanica ordered their plants last fall for this spring, before talk of water restrictions. Brady Nursery had already slightly increased its offerings of drought-tolerant plants last year, and there will be a bigger increase this year, Cathy Brady said.

?Then you hope they sell. They look a little different; there?s a little more of a gray foliage on some of them.?

Rita Arnold, owner with her husband, George, of Arnold?s Greenhouse in LeRoy, said that they would be helping customers make wise choices on plants that can take dry conditions. ?That is a way we are focusing. ... George is emphasizing native plants.?

Extension agent Bob Neier said people need to start planning long-term for the worst. After two years of drought, ?no one should be caught off-guard by it,? he said.

Even before talk of water restrictions, the Extension Service had decided to base its seminar series at the Outdoor Living & Landscape Show, held at Century II the first weekend of March, on lowering water use, Neier said. A spring gardening workshop on Feb. 9 at the Extension Center will also include seminars on saving water in the garden.

While there was a chance of rain in the forecast this weekend, ?there?s nothing signaling any drought breakage? in the long-range forecast, Scott Smith of the National Weather Service in Wichita said. And above-normal temperatures are forecast in the Climate Prediction Center outlook covering February, March and April, he said.

To put things in perspective, Kay Drennen, environmental specialist in water resources for the city of Wichita, said that the drought now is not much different from the one that Wichita was experiencing when she was hired 20 years ago. It lasted six years.

?There?s always rain in the middle of a drought, there?s just not enough,? Drennen said. ?You work with what Mother Nature gives you. ... I think the biggest thing is we?ve made water so easy to use that we unconsciously waste it. It?s so easy to turn it on and off. In a drought maybe we don?t need to use as much water.?

There are many things that can be done to reduce water usage in the yard, those in the industry said, and frustration has been rising over people who water every day or when their neighbor does, not when their grass or other plants need it.

?The people that work for me, my family, we don?t run our sprinklers the way the public does,? said Brady, who still follows her mother?s practice of saving dishwater to pour on her plants.

?People who have $700 water bills: What are you doing??

The fescue lawn, the most popular grass in these parts because it stays green longer than other grasses and doesn?t rampage into the flower beds, is considered a big culprit when it comes to water usage. Drennen thinks that the lawn may be the thing that takes less priority if the drought continues and water use is restricted.

?Lawns are easy to fix,? she said. ?Even if they die, when the rains come back, you can reseed and everything. The things you don?t want to lose are your trees and your shrubs.?

Firsching of Hillside Nursery said he thinks the sooner people get the message about the drought and any watering restrictions, the sooner they will try to save their trees. ?If they want to save their trees they?ll need to start watering those right away,? Firsching said.

Wichita has lost many large trees already and is in danger of losing more where they haven?t been watered. The city of Wichita removed an estimated 6,000 trees last year, and reforestation money is being used to try to keep trees alive rather than planting new ones, parks and recreation director Doug Kupper said.

?Trees are priorities because the more shade you have you?re going to have a little bit less moisture need for the rest of the lawn and everything else,? Firsching said.

Cranmer and Neier said that fescue needn?t die even in a drought if people water it properly, starting this spring.

?A lot of people way overwater in the spring,? Cranmer said, ?and then in the summer you have no choice,? because the roots have stayed shallow for not having had to grow downward looking for water.

Neier said that the lawn should be given a good watering in the spring when it needs it and then not again until it needs it again, which could take a few weeks. Fertilizing also increases the demand for water, he said, so that can be cut back, and slow-release fertilizer should be used. Dropping grass clippings also helps, as does raising the mowing height, he said.

Mulching with organic mulch ? not rock ? will help other plants retain moisture, Brady said.

Neier said that he wanted to emphasize that Wichita can still be pretty with less water.

?We don?t have to look like a desert. We can look like a prairie, and a prairie is not a desert. You see beautiful pictures of Kansas of the Flint Hills and other areas where they?re not watered.?

Using ornamental grasses in landscapes to replace shrub borders, for example, ?is Kansas,? he said. ?That is our look and it?s very attractive and it?s ... in high-end use all over to reduce water nationally.?

Pat Fowler, who does the landscaping for the Garvey Center downtown, is placing her orders for plants now for the spring and said she was going with all drought-tolerant ones.

?It might not be as gorgeous as last year,? she said, ?but you?ve got to do the best you can do.?

Reach Annie Calovich at 316-268-6596 or acalovich@wichitaeagle.com.

Source: http://www.kansas.com/2013/01/26/2651385/gardeners-businesses-prepare-for.html

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Cell phone Internet access is designed to work

Cell phone Internet access is designed to work when traveling from one global destination to another, day or night, all of the time.Cell Phone Accessories The newer mobile phone service providers are crating a new type of Internet accessible network.

Service providers will push and route calls via the Internet without consumers having to pay roaming fees. The new global mobile phone providers can bundle all of the standard cellular features plus a whole lot of the international calling options like no roaming, mobile to mobile calls, and no limits on call volumes into one simple cell plan.

Through wireless technology, mobile phones can tap into the Web and all the other online services someone may need to access while on the go. The standard cell phone packages these days include international calling, email integration, Internet access, and gobs of data transfer capabilties. Especially valuable for travelers, you can access Web search engines to find and book hotels, transportation, and airline flights.

You can also find the nearest restaurants, entertainment venues and a calendar of events for a particular area. In short, any activity you conduct online from your computer can be done from your mobile phone with the right Web access plan.

The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network offers the best global coverage and high speed cell phone internet access service. This global digital network is available in over 200 countries worldwide, which means far-reaching Web access via your cell phone.

The general rule of thumb is to short smart. There are hundreds of well known cell phone service providers but you may be shocked to realize that some extraordinary mobile phone Internet access is coming new WIFI upstarts. In fact, it's best to use the Internet to look for the best deal. It is possible to get unlimited Internet access for a reasonable flat rate fee. Look for providers that are current with the latest advances in wireless technology.

Cell phone internet access is rapidly progressing to be the default method for surfing in the Internet. With high speed Internet access ranging into the hundreds of MBPs speeds, some people are doing away with broadband cable modems. In addition, you can connect your phone to a personal computer for high speed Internet.
I was visiting my local Verizon store a few days ago trying to find a new cell phone for my wife as an anniversary gift. I was checking out the new "Surge" phone because as you know, All the girls are going absolutely crazy over that thing. What really got my attention though was a cell phone accessory with a smiley face that was hanging with the Cell Phone Clips. The package read Clipacell. My first thought was "Well that's cute, but there's no way this flimsy piece of plastic is any good."

I went on about my shopping and was just about to yell for a sales clerk when a young man approached and asked if he could help me to choose a cell phone accessory. I told him that I wanted to buy the phone and one of the good Cell Phone Clips for my wife. And he immediately pulled a Clipacell from his pocket. "Oh wow," I thought "Not this thing." And he proceeded to show me how this cell phone accessory works. He hooked it through his belt loop with what was actually unimaginable ease, then hooked it on the purse strap of a lady standing close by.

"OK, so its easy to use. But it isn't as sturdy as the other Cell Phone Clips." I didn't want something that my wife's brand new phone was going to slip out of, I needed something to hold it. And I said as much. The clerk grabbed an iPod off of the counter, hooked the Clipacell, cell phone accessory on, latched it to his belt and began to jump up and down like a stark raving mad man. Amazingly the Clipacell held strong.

?

He then begin to explain to me why I should trust the Clipacell more than the other cell phone accessory because of not only it's durability, but it's making. This clip is actually made of Lexan material, which is the same stuff they make bullet proof glass with. He also pointed out the neat LED light on the back of the clip, then he really got my attention. They had a 1 year money back guarantee on the Clipacell.apple replacements Now every member of my family is a proud owner.

Source: http://cellphoneparts.devhub.com/blog/1418988-cell-phone-internet-access-is-designed-to-work/

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Team flag waves as 49ers arrive

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? With a team flag waving from an open window of their chartered plane, the San Francisco 49ers arrived at their first Super Bowl in 18 years on Sunday.

The players walked off the airplane in a businesslike manner ? no video recorders or cameras, no waves to onlookers. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, wearing a red wool cap sporting "49ers" on it, mouthed the words to a song on his head phones as he calmly walked on the tarmac.

Most of the team's veteran players disembarked first, including center Jonathan Goodwin, who won a Super Bowl three years ago with the Saints.

The 49ers will play Baltimore next Sunday, seeking their sixth Super Bowl crown but first since the 1994 season. The Ravens arrive Monday.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/team-flag-waves-49ers-arrive-011954876--nfl.html

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New Kids On The Block Fall For 'Outcast' On New Single 'Remix'

NKOTB's 'Remix (I Like the)' is the lead single off 10, which drops before they hit the road with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees.
By Jocelyn Vena

New Kids On The Block
Photo: Michel Linssen/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700791/new-kids-on-the-block-remix-single.jhtml

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Leading In The Customers: Directing Your Direct Mail Business ...

by JacobThomas

It is a fact that every direct mail business we know struggles with tradeoff of investing in while trying to take advantage of its potential increase in the industry. How do we solve this dilemma? Here are surefire methods to grow your direct mail business and make it a profitable one.

Use direct mail business cards to assist your direct mail business stand-out from all the other. Using a free, online service, design your free direct mail business cards to be more eye-catching than others. Order a large number of cards from the site you select, and then distribute your cards in the community at grocery stores, restaurants, and other places that allow you to put out cards.

Investing money into other direct mail businesses may free up some extra cash, but the best way to make the most money in the end is to put most of it into your own direct mail business. Because a direct mail business needs money to be popular, the more money that you put into it, in addition to other factors, will make it even more successful and produce more profits for you in the future.

Create a tag-line for your brand/business. Make the tag-line a succinct representation of your direct mail business and what your direct mail business can provide potential customers. Place your tag line in all marketing materials for your direct mail business.

Clearing clutter can help make a direct mail business look more clean and professional. While almost all direct mail businesses accumulate clutter, it's critical to not permit to it to take over the desk! Set aside time every week to review papers you absolutely need and pitch the ones you don't.

Make use of LinedIn to publish your direct mail business online. As another social media site connecting millions of experts, you gain valuable chances to network with locals and those further away. Invite others to follow you, and pay attention to what others do as well. With so many users, the site offers ample opportunity to open lines of dialogue.

Workforce is the most critical part of any direct mail business. You must choose a diversify workforce to handle the work because in this way you can also enter the global markets. Having a diverse workforce will also help you to know different cultures which will help you to easily work in all parts of the world.

Commit to achieving one goal per day, finally. Finding time to build a direct mail business is complex, particularly when direct mail business is booming. Take time out to work out new ideas, and concentrate on scaling up.

Source: http://business.articletree.info/-marketing/26971-leading-in-the-customers-directing-your-direct-mail-business-advertising

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Finding The Right Hotels

When you are looking at hotels for your next trip, you need to look at what is available as well as what you want. No matter where you go or what you are doing, you are going to want to be comfortable and to feel at home when you are on the road. Whether it is for vacation or business, you want to stay some place where you know you will be rested and have a good time when the day is over.

Consider In Room Amenities

Amenities in hotels are more than simply a bed and a bathroom. You need to look at what is available in the room that would make you want to stay there. This comes down to things like type of TV, bed, and pillows. Amenities also include things like room service, as well as in room refrigerators. With regard to the refrigerators, you might want to see whether they are stocked or not. You will also want to look at aspects like the view as well.

Look At What Is On The Grounds

You will also want to look at what the hotels have to offer on their grounds. Consider options such as a swimming pool, restaurant, or fitness center. These are just some of the things there that can make your trip and stay all that more enjoyable. The closer you feel to being at home and the more comfortable you feel, the more you will want to go there.

See What Else They Offer

If you are on vacation or you will have downtime on your trip, you may want to see what other activities are available. Look to see if they offer tours of areas close to the hotels. See if they provide transportation or can arrange for you to get to where you want to go with little or no help. See what they are willing to do to make your stay more enjoyable and to make you want to come back again.

There are a number of different things you need to look at when it comes to choosing the right hotels. You need to decide what it is you want to see and do that will make your trip more enjoyable. Look to see if they have what you want and if it will meet your needs. Consider your options and decide where you will want to stay on your next trip.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Finding-The-Right-Hotels/4401047

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junal.singh: Forbes Travel Guide City Guides Hit Bookstores and ...

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 7, 2010

With travelers looking for variety, value and an ?Insider?s Edge? in planning their 2010 Summer vacations, Forbes Travel Guide announced that its new City Guides series is available at major bookstores across the country and online.

Authored by Forbes Travel Guide ? formerly Mobil Travel Guide, the originator of the prestigious Mobil Star ratings, certifications and authoritative reviews of hotels, restaurants and spas -, the new City Guides cover New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago and Hong Kong.

Each Guide is a comprehensive resource for prospective visitors to a major urban destination, including shopping, art, music, sports, theater, and nightlife. With the ?inside scoop? from anonymous inspectors and top-notch local writers, the guidebooks use Forbes? time-tested, star-rating system to allow travelers to experience the very best a city has to offer, with planning tools that include updated maps with pinpoints of star-rated properties, key sites, top attractions, quick tips and insider secrets.

?For Summer 2010, it?s all about value and variety,? said Shane O?Flaherty, President and CEO of Forbes Travel Guide.

He concluded, ?Increasingly, individual travelers, couples and families are looking for the diversity and flavor of major urban destinations when planning their leisure time travel ? and we are pleased to make available a series of unmatched resources to help them research and make their travel decisions.?

Forbes Travel Guide expects to release additional City Guides later in 2010.

ABOUT THE CITY GUIDES

Each City Guide contains close to 200 pages of information-packed narrative, photographs and insider perspectives that are based on Forbes Travel Guide?s star rating system that has been the most trusted source for travelers since 1958. The information-packed Guides help direct travelers to the finest lodgings, restaurants, and attractions a city has to offer, making an otherwise daunting task ? planning a visit to a major international destination ? a lively, entertaining and enjoyable experience. Colorfully written and illustrated, each Guide comes in a handy pocket-size format, making it an ideal travel companion for the trip.

The Guides are available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Waldenbooks, Books A Million, and most major booksellers/independent book stores.

For more information about the Guides, please visit any of these retail outlets, or learn more at http://www.forbestravel.guide.com

ABOUT FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE

Forbes Travel Guide, formerly Mobil Travel Guide, originator of the prestigious Mobil Star ratings and certifications, has provided the most comprehensive ratings and reviews of hotels, restaurants and spas since 1958.

In October 2009, Mobil Travel Guide announced a strategic partnership with Forbes Media LLC. This exclusive licensing agreement between two industry leaders with more than 140 years of combined experience transfers the hospitality industry?s premier star rating and travel guide brand from ExxonMobil to Forbes. Forbes Travel Guide has a team of expert inspectors who anonymously evaluate properties against rigorous and objective proprietary standards, providing consumers the insight to make better-informed travel and leisure decisions.

ABOUT FORBES MEDIA LLC

Forbes Media encompasses Forbes and Forbes.com, the #1 business site on the Web that reaches on average more than 17 million people monthly. The company publishes Forbes and Forbes Asia, which together reach a worldwide audience of more than 6 million readers. It also publishes ForbesLife and ForbesWoman magazines, in addition to licensee editions in China, Croatia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia and Turkey.

Other Forbes Media Web sites are: Investopedia.com; RealClearPolitics.com; RealClearMarkets.com; RealClearSports.com; and the Forbes.com Business and Finance Blog Network. Together with Forbes.com, these sites reach on average nearly 40 million business decision makers each month.

###

Find More Indonesia Press Releases

Tags: Amazon.com, Bookstores, City, Forbes, Guide, Guides, Just, Planning, Summer, Time, Travel

Source: http://harikemerdekaan.id1945.com/forbes-travel-guide-city-guides-hit-bookstores-and-amazon-com-just-in-time-for-summer-travel-planning/

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Source: http://scotty110.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/forbes-travel-guide-city-guides-hit-bookstores-and-amazoncom.html

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Source: http://junalsingh9.blogspot.com/2013/01/forbes-travel-guide-city-guides-hit.html

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First Time to Bud's? ? Bud's Warehouse

For the last 18 years, new fantastic home improvement items like appliances, windows, doors, cabinets, flooring and more arrive to Bud?s Warehouse every day from area builders, contractors, and home re-modelers. We advise first time visitors that Bud?s receives more new items than used items on a daily basis. But since we intentionally keep our prices low?probably too low? the best items are quick to fly out the door.

To improve your results in finding what you need for your remodeling project, we recommend shoppers visit often and fill out a Buddy card identifying desired home improvement items. We then match incoming items with customer needs and call or email so shoppers can schedule a trip to the warehouse.

We also recommend the following to improve your shopping experience:

• Call us at 303-296-3990 with questions
• Email us with items you are looking for
• Follow us on twitter @budswarehouse to see updates on the latest arrivals
• Direct message us on twitter with your desired items for an online real time buddy card experience
• Follow us on Facebook by clicking our link the left side of this page
• Follow our craigslist feed on the side of this web page for ads on specific items in the warehouse
• Check our web page for updates on products arrivals

With these strategies in mind, individuals remodeling can achieve great results. And as always, you can be assured you are saving money with Bud?s unbeatable 50 to 70 % off retail pricing while helping individuals rebuilding lives in our employment and job training program.

Also, it never hurts to remember to bring a coat, your measurements, a tape measure and some gloves. Because every day is like Christmas at Bud?s Warehouse. Today you might find that special item at an unbeatable price.

Bud?s?is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

39.781133 -104.935181

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Source: http://budswarehouse.org/2013/01/25/first-time-to-buds/

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Nokia expected to suspend dividend; all eyes on Lumia growth

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia is expected to propose suspending its annual dividend payment for the first time in over 20 years, as it aims to save cash amid falling sales.

The move, which it is set to announce with fourth-quarter results on Thursday, is likely to make many investors cautious about increasing their bets on a recovery at Nokia, which has fallen behind in the smartphone race against rivals Samsung and Apple.

Nokia earlier this month flagged a return to underlying profitability after massive cost cuts and stronger sales of Lumia smartphones, helping its shares surge over 16 percent over the past 10 trading days.

But it also said quarterly sales of devices and services fell 35 percent to 3.9 billion euros ($5.2 billion), and analysts estimate its net cash position fell to 3.4 billion from 5.6 billion a year earlier.

Analysts have been cautious, saying Nokia's cost cuts may have given it more breathing space but it still had a long way to go before proving it could claw back market share.

"The turnaround in itself is likely not mid- to long-term sustainable unless Nokia smartphones show clear trends of gaining traction - which they did not," said J.P. Morgan analyst Sandeep Deshpande.

Nokia said it sold 4.4 million Lumias in the fourth quarter, but analysts estimate Nokia's market share in the high-margin smartphone business is still around 5 percent.

That means Chief Executive Stephen Elop, hired in 2010 from Microsoft, is still under pressure to show he made the right decision in February 2011 to adopt Microsoft Windows software.

Elop had said the company's transition with the new software would take two years - a period that is almost over.

Investors have said that without sustained growth in Lumia sales this year, Elop may need to change strategy or leave.

Many see the new Lumia 820 and 920, which use the latest Windows Phone 8 software, as make-or-break models for Nokia.

The products come in vivid colors and are equipped with high-resolution cameras. They earned mostly positive reviews from gadget critics but sales have been hit by supply problems, with industry sources citing a shortage of chips.

While recent sales of less sophisticated "feature phones" such as the Asha model have been stronger than many expected, analysts say the company's long-term survival depends on the success of higher-margin smartphones.

An increasing number of global customers - including those in emerging markets - are demanding Internet access, and use of social networking sites like Facebook, from their mobile phones.

Investors will also be listening for updates to Nokia's plans for Nokia Siemens Networks, its joint venture with Siemens.

Signs of a turnaround at NSN have raised hopes it could go public, meaning more cash for Nokia to keep investing in its smartphones.

With the shares up nearly 60 percent over the past three months, however, most analysts were cautious. According to Thomson Reuters StarMine data, 22 analysts had a "sell" or "strong sell" recommendation on the shares while 13 rated them a "buy" or "strong buy".

Nokia has paid an annual dividend every year since 1989. Its payment last year was 20 euro cents.

($1=0.7530 euros)

(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Helen Massy-Beresford)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nokia-expected-suspend-dividend-eyes-lumia-growth-000238418--finance.html

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New Twitter app lets you add videos to your tweets

They say a photo is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a lot more. By that math, six seconds of video should be worth a whole lot more than 140 characters of text or a Tweet. And that seems to be the point of Vine, an app launched by Twitter today that allows you to add short video clips to your tweets.

The app, which as of now is available only for the iPhone, is really simple to use and works a lot like Instagram. (Many have been calling it the Instagram of video.) Sign in with your Twitter account or via email, hit the video camera button and press down on the viewfinder to record video. Release your finger and the recording stops, so you can easily move to record something else, but you only have six seconds of space (or tape). Watch your video and then share it with others on the service. There are options to then share it on Twitter and Facebook too.

MORE: Take That, Instagram: Twitter Adds Own Photo Filters

The Twitter tie-in is the big one though. When you tweet from Vine it embeds your looped video - or what looks like an animated GIF - right in your tweet. You can see some of the ones we made below. In December, Instagram, now owned by Facebook, stopped allowing its photos to be embedded right in tweets. You now have to click off of Twitter.com to see the photos.

Twitter bought Vine, a video-sharing start-up, last year, and this is the first public release of the service. According to AllThingD's Peter Kafka, the start-up still operates on its own; it is a "Twitter-owned video service" not "Twitter's video service."

"We're also happy to share the news that Vine has been acquired by Twitter. Our companies share similar values and goals; like Twitter, we want to make it easier for people to come together to share and discover what's happening in the world. We also believe constraint inspires creativity, whether it's through an 140-character tweet or a six-second video," Dom Hoffmann, Vine's co-founder and general manager, said on Vine's blog.

What about an Android version? Twitter's VP of product, Michael Sippey, said on the company's blog that "We're working now to bring it to other platforms, so stay tuned for that."

Is Vine the next big app? We saw some bugs in the app, including issues tweeting videos, but as you can tell from our Vines, it didn't stop us from having fun with it. Try it for yourself and let us know.

Is this thing on?! #vine vine.co/v/b5H62QZJaT2

? Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) January 24, 2013

Dear timehop Dan one year from now? Did Vine take off or what? vine.co/v/b5wB5OhjP77

? Dan Milano (@DanMilanoABC) January 24, 2013

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/vine-twitters-app-adding-six-second-videos-tweets-184916584--abc-news-tech.html

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Solo Travelers Find a Berth with Norwegian Cruise Line - ChicagoNow

In exploring several successful new businesses from Nielsen?s Breakthrough Innovation Report, one best practice theme that emerges is redefining a category or inventing an entirely new category, often by meeting the needs of a specific target consumer for a specific situation or need state. ?Norwegian Cruise Line illustrates this innovation best practice with the launch of ?Studio Staterooms? on board the line?s largest ship, Norwegian Epic. The Studios are a 128-cabin complex or ?ship within a ship.?

The Studios staterooms are designed specifically and priced for solo travelers, and the Studios also boast a ?Living Room? area where guests can get their morning coffee, meet up with friends, and plan their day. ?Though the rooms are small, they are stylish, and in 2011, they won a design award from Travel & Leisure.

Is offering a room catering to a solo traveler a new idea?? Actually, it is, as the cruise industry focuses primarily on double occupancy cabins, making booking challenging for travelers who are prefer to go ?solo.? There is typically a stiff penalty- the single supplement- for solo travelers who book a stateroom designed for double occupancy.

Solo travelers represent both a target consumer segment and a situation.? While solo travelers might be expected to skew towards the approximately 12 million single adults ages 30-59 with incomes between $35,000 and $74,999, there can also be occasions where married/partnered adults prefer a solo experience, e.g., family reunions, girlfriend cruises, etc.? It?s estimated that the total market for solo vacationers is 11 million strong, though demand in the cruise business has been restricted due to industry pricing practices.

?The Studios continue Norwegian Cruise Line?s tradition of innovation that was first seen with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising?,? saysMaria Miller, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Norwegian Cruise Line. ?We recognized that solo travelers are a valuable market segment that has typically been overlooked in our industry and therefore, we developed the Studios to meet their needs.? This innovation has both product elements, including the unique stateroom design, and access to the private lounge called the Living Room, as well as and service and experience components. I?m pleased to say that the Studios have received favorable reviews from the press, travel agents, and especially from solo travelers themselves.?

Looking at recent reviews by several solo travelers, we can see that the experience elements, such as the solo traveler coordinator, nightly get-togethers and other special perks (meeting a member of Blue Man Group) are valuable, along with the product itself (the cabin, the lounge with breakfast, lunch and snack offerings). Everything adds up to a unique experience, tailored to the needs of this target.

?Loved the Studio cabin I had on the Epic. The things I really enjoyed: Nightly ?get-together? for those sailing in the Studios. As a solo traveler, I thought it was nice to meet other passengers and make some plans for dinner or events. They had a two-for-one happy hour, again a great way to meet other solo travelers. We had a representative from the Entertainment staff that came to our nightly meetings that helped arrange some special events for the Studio group. We also had one of the Blue Man Group (sans makeup) that came in to talk about how he got in the BMG, etc.?

?I loved my Studio cabin?plenty of room for one?and the Studio Lounge. There was a variety of cereals and danish in the Lounge every morning, and salads, sandwiches and cookies later in the day. Met lots of friendly people of all ages at the 5:30 PM gathering.?

?I just sailed in one for two weeks, and would do it again in an instant. I am not a big breakfast person, but the one day I did need something, it was great to go to the living room for coffee and a pastry, rather than battling the buffet before all of the excursions left. I loved the cabin, the location and highly recommend it.?

The Studios win by ?make cruising more comfortable for the solo traveler? and delivering against a specific target audience for a specific situation.

Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/marketing-strategist/2013/01/solo-travelers-find-a-berth-with-norwegian-cruise-line/

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ReadWrite ? 5 Absurd Copyright Takedowns That Make The Law ...

NOTE: This story has been updated from its original version to clarify some points about the "Birdsong" takedown in the second item.

No matter where you stand on copyright issues, it's hard to argue that the current system is working. In few places are the flaws of modern copyright law more apparent than when it comes to Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests.?

Sure, plenty of legitimate DMCA are received and honored by sites like YouTube, Rapidshare and Grooveshark all the time. But every now and then we hear about a takedown notice that leaves us scratching our heads: Is that really a copyright violation? If not, why was the content removed? Is the system that easily gamed? Oh, it was a violation? How weird.?

Even the legitimate takedowns tend to lead a cat-and-mouse game and may not have a meaningful impact on the piracy they're intended to thwart, research suggests. But either way, some of the headline-grabbing copyright-related content takedowns we've seen raise major questions about the state of copyright law, the DMCA and digital piracy.?

Five prominent examples are listed below, but there are undoubtedly others. If you've heard of an outrageous Web content takedown request, let us know in the comments section. ?

1. Buffy vs. Edward vs. Bogus Takedown Notices

In 2009, Jonathan McIntosh posted a video to YouTube that seemed ripe to go viral. "Buffy vs. Edward: Twightlight Remixed" riffed on two popular vampire-related entertainment franchises by cleverly mashing up scenes from both into one cohesive, six-minute video. Sound like a copyright violation? It's not. In fact, the U.S. Copyright Office cited the remix video as a shining example of fair use.?

In October 2012, McIntosh received an email from YouTube explaining that his video had been pulled due to a copyright complaint from Lionsgate Entertainment, which owns the rights to the Twilight movies. McIntosh challenged the takedown on fair use grounds and a frustrating back-and-forth between YouTube, Lionsgate and McIntosh ensued. At one point, McIntosh was even locked out of his YouTube account and forced to take lessons in copyright infringement from Google.?

As of today, Buffy vs. Edward is back online. For now.?

2. Rumblefish And Birdsong

This one was just an honest mistake and didn't actually lead to a takedown, but it still shows how things can go wrong with the current system. Somehow YouTube's Content ID system got confused and thought that the sound of a bird singing in the background of a video about a man making salad was the same thing as a song called "Birdsong" that was recorded by an artist whose songs are licensed by Rumblefish, a music licensing company, and send a "music claim" to the confused salad man.?Content ID is a system that automates the process of spotting copyrighted work that's been used without permission. If your video gets flagged for copyright violation, you can dispute that, which is what the salad-maker did.?Rumblefish reviewed the dispute but "mistakenly reinstated the claim," its CEO later explained. Still, the video was never actually taken down. Nevertheless, salad man made a stink in the press, and the story went viral. Two days later Rumblefish realized the mistake it had made in reinstating the claim, and released the claim. The whole thing was a misunderstanding. But to be clear: Salad man never had to take down his video; it remained up through all of this, and still is up; and no takedown notice was ever issued.

A spokesperson for Rumblefish says there were two mistakes. First, Content ID screwed up. Second, Rumblefish "did a poor job of reviewing the video manually." The issue, she says, is that there are more than 5 million videos online that use Rumblefish songs, and keeping up with so much material is a huge challenge. Bottom line:?Rumblefish's CEO owned up to the error and the video remains online, but the affair raises some questions about the manageability of the copyright enforcement system. [This item has been updated from its original version.]

3. Universal Targets Pro-Megaupload Video Just Because

A few weeks before the now infamous raid that took down Megaupload and its top brass, Kim Dotcom was involved in yet another copyright-related dispute. Shortly after the music video for "Megaupload Song" was uploaded to YouTube, it was taken down due to a copyright complaint from Universal Music Group. ?This was despite the fact that the song and video were original, non-infringing content. UMG apparently didn't like the fact that a video promoting Megaupload featured on-camera cameos by major label mega-stars like Kanye West, Mary J Blige, P Diddy and Will.i.am.?

4. Universal Goes Crazy Over A Prince Song

When Stepahnie Lenz uploaded a short clip of her kids dancing to "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince, the last thing she expected was a copyright takedown notice. Apparently, 26 seconds of low-quality audio was too much for Universal Music Group, which owns the copyright to Prince's catalog. The resulting legal case, Lenz v. Universal, established a precedent stating that copyright owners would need to take the parameters of fair use into consideration before issuing DMCA takedown notices.?

5. Minecraft + Gangnam Style = Copyright Violation?

Taking two things beloved by the Internet and mashing them up is often a surefire recipe for a viral video. It's also apparently an open invitation for accusations of copyright infringement. YouTube user CaptainSparklez learned this the hard way after he uploaded "Minecraft Style," a video that parodies the world's most viewed YouTube Video by merging it with the ever-popular Minecraft video game.?

After being yanked from YouTube, "Minecraft Style" returned in mid-December, only to be pulled again. The jury is still out on whether this video falls under the fair use exception to copyright law. Either way, it's hard to imagine a clever mash-up parody video eating into the massive success wrought by PSY since his bizarrely catchy song went viral.?

Images courtesy of Shutterstock.

Source: http://readwrite.com/2013/01/22/5-absurd-copyright-takedowns-that-make-the-law-look-outdated

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Portsmouth Massage Offering Up Valentine's Day Gift ... - Team Locals

If you?re already planning a Valentine?s Day gift, why not go the extra mile and get your lover a nice relaxing massage? Portsmouth Massage is offering up ??5 off per hour of massage? vouchers which can be adorned with personalised messages, available for purchase through the web on the Portsmouth Massage website. Alternatively, buy them from Kirsten McFarlene (the lovely lady behind Portsmouth Massage) directly for cash/cheque payments.

Get in touch with her on 07789540646 or via email here, on Facebook here, or on Twitter here.

Source: http://teamlocals.co.uk/portsmouth-massage-valentines-day-gift-vouchers

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Joe's Health Calendar 1/22/13 Walk More Eat Less

VA Palo Alto Offers Flu Vaccine to Veterans

The 10 facilities of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System are offering flu vaccinations to thousands of eligible California military veterans. While veterans are encouraged to request their flu vaccination during regularly scheduled appointments, walk-in clinics are available at the following locations and times. Current information from the VA Palo Alto Health Care System is always posted at?www.paloalto.va.gov?and?www.facebook.com/vapahcs:

• Stockton:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 7777 S. Freedom Road, French Camp; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Palo Alto:?3801 Miranda Ave.; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Menlo Park:?795 Willow Road, Bldg. 321, Front Desk; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
• Livermore:?4951 Arroyo Road, Bldg. 62, Third Floor; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Capitola:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 1350 41st Ave., Suite 102; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Fremont:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 39199 Liberty St.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Modesto:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 1524 McHenry Ave.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monterey:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 3401 Engineer Lane, Seaside; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• San Jose:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 80 Great Oaks Blvd.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sonora:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 13663 Mono Way; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CareVan Offers Free Daily Health Clinic

St. Joseph?s Medical Center CareVan offers a free health clinic for low-income and no-insurance individuals or families, 16 years old and older. Mobile health care services will be available to handle most minor urgent health care needs such as mild burns, bumps, abrasions, sprains, sinus and urinary tract infections, cold and flu. Clinics do not offer chronic care services such as high blood pressure and diabetes, unless noted. No narcotics prescriptions will be available. Information:?(209) 461-3471.?Clinic schedule is subject to change without notice. Walk-In appointments are available.

• Jan. 22 (today) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Dollar General, 4232 E. Main St., Stockton.
• Jan. 23 (Wednesday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Rite Aid, 1050 N. Wilson Way, Stockton.
• Jan. 24 (Thursday) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?San Joaquin County Fairgrounds: 1658 S. Airport Way, Stockton. A representative will be available to screen patients for insurance eligibility.
• Jan. 26 (Saturday) 8 a.m. to noon:?St. Joseph?s 4th annual 5K Fun/Run Walk for Wellness at University Park, 1004 N. Grant St., Stockton. All proceeds will benefit St. Joseph?s CareVan Program.
• Jan. 28 (Monday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Dollar General, 310 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Stockton. Includes diabetes and blood pressure screening. This clinic is sponsored by St. Joseph?s Spirit Club members.
• Jan. 29 (Tuesday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Spanos School, 536 S. California St., Stockton.
• Jan. 30 (Wednesday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Rite Aid, 1050 N. Wilson Way, Stockton.
• Jan. 31 (Thursday) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?San Joaquin County Fairgrounds: 1658 S. Airport Way, Stockton. A representative will be available to screen patients for insurance eligibility.

Kidney Smart Class

Jan. 24 (Thursday) 2 to 4 p.m. (or Feb. 28, March 28): Stockton Home Training Davita, 545 E. Cleveland St., Suite B, Stockton, has redesigned its free Community Kidney Disease Education classes offered monthly as space allows. Information:?(209) 944-9055.

Tracy Hospital Foundation Presents Gala for Life

Jan. 24 (Thursday):?The inaugural Tracy Hospital Foundation Gala for Life will be held at?St. Bernard?s Holy Family Center Gathering Hall in Tracy. The gala will feature a three-course wine pairing dinner and an exclusive silent auction featuring art by local photography artist Jim Haskell. The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Champions of Health Awards, which honors those who have committed themselves to better their community and Sutter Tracy Community Hospital through significant professional, civic and charitable contributions. The 2013 recipients are Gloria and Tony Souza, Dr. Sunil Patel, and Owens-Illinois Glass Inc. The gala event is supported by the private and business sector through donations and sponsorships. This year the gala will benefit the Patient Safety Lift Project at Sutter Tracy Community Hospital. Information: executive director Stuart Rogoff at?(209) 832-6090.?

Total-Joint Replacement Class

Jan. 24 (Thursday) 1 p.m. knee class; 2 p.m. hip class:?Lodi Memorial Hospital?s Outpatient-Rehabilitation Services offers a free, educational class for those planning to have total joint-replacement surgery of the hip or knee at?Lodi Memorial Hospital West, 800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi. Learn about preparations and exercises to do before surgery; the day of surgery and what to expect during the hospital stay; rehabilitation following surgery; techniques to decrease pain and swelling; and ways to promote maximum healing and return to normal function. Call?(209) 333-3136?for more information or to sign up for the class. Family and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend. For information on other classes, visit?www.lodihealth.org.

The Secrets of Baby Behavior

The Public Health Breastfeeding Initiative is pleased to bring this terrific four-hour training to San Joaquin County. Our goal is to spread these important?Baby Behaviormessages to hospital staff, health care providers and community organizations throughout the county. You are welcome to attend any session at any location, but pre-registration is required.?Click here for information?or contact Mary Woelfel at?(209) 468-3267?or?mwoelfel@sjcphs.org. Presented by the?UC Davis Human Lactation Center:

• Jan. 25 (Friday) 8 a.m. to noon:?Lodi Memorial Hospital, Lodi; RSVP:?(209) 339-7520.
• Feb. 7 (Thursday) 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.:?San Joaquin General Hospital, French Camp; RSVP:?(209) 468-6914.
• Feb. 15 (Friday) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.:?Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, Tracy; RSVP:?(209) 833-2419.
• March 15 (Friday) 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.:?Dameron Hospital, Stockton; RSVP:?(209) 461-3136.
• March 25 (Monday) 7:45 to 11:45 a.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center, Stockton; RSVP:?(209) 467-6331.
• March 28 (Thursday) 1 to 5 p.m.:?Robert J. Cabral Agricultural Center, Stockton; RSVP:?(209) 468-3267.

Insectfest (Science for Kids)

Jan. 26 (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.:?Come join the?World of Wonders Science Museum, 2 N. Sacramento St., Lodi,?for a day of insect-dedicated fun. The WOW Science Museum will be filled with a variety of insects brought to you by local stores and museums. In addition to the chance to touch some of their creepy crawlers, the WOW will offer temporary face tattoos, arts and crafts, and other bug-related activities. Come see what ?all the buzz? is about! Regular museum admission prices apply.

Kick Off New Year With Pledge to Your Health

Jan. 26 (Saturday) 9 a.m.:?The fun, family-friendly St. Joseph?s 5K Fun Run/Walk for Wellness starts at?Maple and North California streets in Stockton. The race is a flat, double looping, 5km (3.1 mile) run/walk through University Park for people of all ages and fitness abilities. Last year, nearly 400 runners and walkers joined to kick off the new year with a pledge to a healthier lifestyle. Proceeds from this year?s Run/Walk for Wellness will benefit the St. Joseph?s CareVan. St. Joseph?s CareVan is a mobile health clinic that provides health care services for over 4,000 low-income, medically underserved and vulnerable individuals in Stockton. The CareVan decreases unnecessary hospitalizations including emergency department visits and assists patients in finding medical homes. Get your family, friends and co-workers to sign up today and have a great time giving back to the community. Kids and baby strollers are welcomed and encouraged. Registration is $35 and includes an event long-sleeve T-shirt and a goody bag. Children younger than 10 are $10. Each child participant will receive a medal courtesy of Fleet Feet Stockton. Registration and information:www.StJosephsCares.org?or Jenny Cooke at?(209) 461-3338?or?Jenny.Cooke@DignityHealth.org.

Your Diabetes Success Plan in Stockton

Jan. 29 (first of eight Tuesdays) 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center CareVan Program offers free eight-session diabetes class series on basics to a healthy life: diabetes overview and blood sugar monitoring; diabetes nutrition and exercise; heart health; diabetes medications; know your blood sugar numbers; basic carbohydrate counting; your diabetes success care plan; and putting the pieces together, ?Life?s Sweet Journey.??Arnold Rue Community Center Social Hall, 5758 Lorraine Ave., Stockton. Registration is not required. After attending six sessions, participants diagnosed with diabetes will receive a free glucometer. Information:(209) 461-3251?or?www.stjosephscares.org/diabetes.

Stockton Meth & Crime Town Hall

Jan. 31 (Thursday) 6:30 p.m.:?The Stockton Meth & Crime Town Hall will feature award-winning journalist Scott Thomas Anderson, who spent 18 months as an embedded reporter with Northern California law enforcement in order to produce his new book, ?Shadow People: How meth-driven crime is eating at the heart of rural America.? Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva will be a special guest. The free event will be at?San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services, Conference Rooms A & B, 1212 N. California St., Stockton. Light refreshments will be served. Information: Carol at?(209) 323-0499. This event is sponsored by?Celebrate Life Meth Free, St. Joseph?s Behavioral Health Center and Anthem Blue Cross.

Your Diabetes Success Plan in Manteca

Feb. 1 (first of eight Fridays) 9 to 11 a.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center CareVan Program offers free eight-session diabetes class series on basics to a healthy life: diabetes overview and blood sugar monitoring; diabetes nutrition and exercise; heart health; diabetes medications; know your blood sugar numbers; basic carbohydrate counting; your diabetes success care plan; and putting the pieces together, ?Life?s Sweet Journey.??Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane, Manteca. Registration is not required. After attending six sessions, participants diagnosed with diabetes will receive a free glucometer. Information:?(209) 461-3251?orwww.stjosephscares.org/diabetes.

Black Barbershop Free Health Screenings

Feb. 9 (Saturday) noon to 4 p.m.:?Free screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes during the annual Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, hosted by the University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, will be held at three barbershops in Stockton. The program is part of a national outreach effort designed to bring awareness to the African American community about how important it is to obtain regular screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Those three illnesses have been identified as the leading causes of death in African Americans. The event is free and all are welcome to participate. Information: Adaeze Okeh at?(619) 245-9876?or?a_okeh@u.pacific.edu. The Black Barbershop screenings will be held at:

• Dudes and Divas, 345 N. California St., Stockton.
• Bay Kutz, 533 W. Harding Way, Stockton.
• Tru Barber Styles, 8037 West Lane, Suite A, Stockton.?

Healthy by Choice, Not by Chance

Feb. 10 (Sunday) 3 to 6 p.m.:?Manteca CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) presents its fourth annual Valentine?s Banquet at?Robert J. Cabral Agricultural Center, 2101 E. Earhart Ave., Stockton. It will feature vegetarian cuisine, entertainment, drawings and a presentation with featured guest Dr. Hans Diehl, founder of Manteca CHIP. Tickets: $35 for those 16 and older;?$30 early bird by Jan. 18. Information: Linda at?(209) 589-3807.

Free Mass Fatalities Planning and Response Training

Feb. 12 (Tuesday) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.:?The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC) is making it easier for emergency responders in the Northern San Joaquin Valley to be prepared for such events by delivering a free U.S. Department of Homeland Security-certified course in mass fatality planning and response for rural communities. This eight-hour instructor-led course will be offered at the?Stanislaus County Sheriff?s Regional Training Center, 3805 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, giving participants the basics of mass fatality response while providing the opportunities to exchange rural perceptions and brainstorm solutions to simulated emergencies.?Registration deadline is Jan. 29.?Click here to register.

Teaching Healthy Habits for Life: A Community Approach

Join the California Department of Education at one of four forums to forge partnerships among school districts and other agencies that provide nutrition education and promotion in your community. Explore how each organization?s structures, services and goals support students in discovering how to eat and have a healthy life. Together, we will strategize how best to leverage and share resources for the common goal of improving the health and academic success of students. Information: Heather Reed at?hreed@cde.ca.gov.

• Feb. 13:?San Jose.
• Feb. 21:?Woodland.
• March 6:?Fresno.
• March 15:?Los Angeles.

Meet Lodi Hospital?s New Da Vinci Surgical Robot

Feb. 22 (Friday) 2 to 4:30 p.m.:?Don?t miss the special da Vinci open house for the public in the main lobby of?Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi.?The da Vinci technology allows surgeons to use the assistance of a robot for general, gynecological and urological surgeries. It offers less invasive surgeries and, because of its precision, the chance for greatly improved outcomes. Several Lodi Health surgeons have recently become certified experts with the technology, and they will be on hand to demonstrate their skills. And there will be a contest for those 18 and younger to name the robot. The winning entry will receive $250 for their college fund.

Asthmanology

Feb. 23 (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:?Asthmanology ? Aimed to bring asthma awareness and education to the community. Joined by Respiratory Works, the?World of Wonders Science Museum, 2 N. Sacramento St., Lodi,?will be filled with activities aimed to increase awareness of asthma. Educated staff from Respiratory Works will be on site to advocate and bring asthma education and awareness to kids and families. If you have asthma, know someone with asthma or want to learn more about asthma, this event is for you. Regular museum admission applies. Information:?(209) 368-0969?or?jen@wowsciencemuseum.org?orwww.wowsciencemuseum.org.

Childbirth Preparation Class in Lodi

Feb. 23 (Saturday) 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi,?offers a complimentary one-day childbirth-preparation class. Call?(209) 339-7520?to register. For information on other classes, visit?www.lodihealth.org.

Planning a Career in Health Services?

Deadline Feb. 24 (Sunday):?Health Plan of San Joaquin?s Health Careers Scholarship Program awards up to 20 $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors from San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties to pursue a medical career.Click here for information and application.?Visit?www.hpsj.com?to learn more about Health Plan or contact Shani Richards at?(209) 461-2284?or?srichards@hpsj.com.

Volunteer for HICAP in Stockton and Lodi

Week of Feb. 25:?HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program) volunteer counselors help people understand Medicare. Do you enjoy working with seniors? Are you energetic, computer-literate and interested in giving back to your community? Medicare is a complex and often confusing health insurance benefit for individuals 65 and older, as well as for younger disabled individuals. Would you like to help people understand Medicare and assist in the resolution of problems with Medicare or related health plans? Our counselors typically volunteer 20 hours per month during business hours.? We currently need additional counselors in Stockton & Lodi. HICAP Services of Northern California provides a comprehensive training and mentoring program. Our next training session will be held in West Sacramento and begins the last week of February.? Our counselors are registered with the California Department of Aging and provide services right here in San Joaquin County. If this sounds of interest to you, please contact HICAP about becoming a Registered HICAP Counselor. Get an application packet now from Susan Billings, assistant program manager, HICAP Services of Northern California, at?(916) 375-3761?or?sbillings@hicapservices.net.

Covered California Annual Report

The first-ever Covered California Annual Report has been delivered to the governor and Legislature and is now available online.?This annual report is statutorily required. A link to the annual report has been added to Covered California?s homepage at?www.hbex.ca.gov?or access the report using this?link.

Protect Yourself and Pets Against Extreme Cold

San Joaquin County residents can expect very cold weather over the next week or more, particularly overnight, and should take steps to protect themselves, their pets and livestock, according to San Joaquin County Public Health Services. ?Taking precautions and making preparations for extremely cold weather will reduce the risk of weather-related health injuries,? said county Health Officer Dr. Karen Furst. ?Exposure to extreme cold can cause injury or serious health conditions. Those especially at risk during cold weather include seniors, infants and other vulnerable people,? Furst said. Tips to stay healthy and safe during cold weather include the following:

• Maintain a heated environment inside your home. Have extra blankets on hand. Be aware that space heaters can be a fire risk. Choose heaters with an automatic shut-off switch and nonglowing elements.
• If you do not have heat, go to a friend or family member?s home or local shelter.
• Do not bring outdoor heating devices into the home (e.g. barbecues and other cooking equipment) because they can produce deadly carbon monoxide (visit CDC athttp://www.cdc.gov/CDCTV/QuietKiller/index.html).
• Regularly check on family members or neighbors who are elderly or have special needs, especially if they live alone.
• If you live alone, keep in contact with friends and family.
• Wear several layers of lightweight and warm clothing, a hat and mittens, and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs when outside.
• Avoid heavy exertion in the cold; cold weather can put added strain on the heart. If you must work outdoors, dress warmly and work slowly.
• Be cautious when traveling; check road conditions before traveling and let others know of your route and estimated time of arrival. Keep extra blankets, food and water in your vehicle.
• Move family pets indoors or to an enclosure out of the elements. Likewise, protect livestock or other large animals from the cold weather. Make sure they have access to unfrozen water.
• Insulate pipes and allow faucets to drip slowly during cold weather to avoid freezing; learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).

The most common cold-related health problems are frostbite and hypothermia:

• Frostbite results in a loss of feeling and color in affected areas of the body. It most often affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers or toes and can permanently damage the body.
• Hypothermia occurs when the body is exposed to very cold temperatures and begins to lose heat. In adults, hypothermia can appear as shivering, confusion, memory loss, fumbling hands, numbness or slurred speech. Children may have very low energy and cold skin that appears red. If any of these signs appear, the person?s temperature should be checked. Individuals with temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit require medical attention immediately.?San Joaquin County residents who have an emergency related to the cold weather should call 911.

Other common symptoms of cold-related health problems to be aware of include: stiff muscles, slowed breathing, dizziness, puffy face and waxy or discolored skin. If you need emergency medical attention, call your physician or 911 immediately. County officials will continue to monitor the weather conditions. Additional tips to stay healthy and safe during cold weather are available on the San Joaquin County Public Health Services website,?http://www.sjcphs.org/.

Better Mommy Care Will Improve Community

First 5 San Joaquin invites you to partner with us to help expecting and new parents give their baby the best possible start in life, and help keep new moms in good emotional and physical health. Statistics show that the earlier a woman starts prenatal care, the healthier she and her baby will be. San Joaquin County ranks near the
bottom in infant mortality, low birth weights and prenatal care. However, there is much we can all do to address this and help to ensure that new and expecting mothers receive the best ?mommy care? possible.?Read on for?more information and resources to assist you in your efforts!

Baby With Birth Defect Born Every 4? Minutes

January:?Every 4? minutes, a baby is born with a major birth defect in the United States. January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month, a time to focus on raising awareness about the frequency with which birth defects occur and of the steps that can be taken to prevent them.?While not all birth defects can be prevented, there are things a woman can do get ready for a healthy pregnancy. In light of this, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put together a site filled with guidelines, quotes, and rights-free resources on how to manage health conditions and adopt healthy behaviors before, during, and after pregnancy.?View CDC?site here.

CHNA.org?is a free web-based platform designed to assist hospitals (with particular attention to critical access and other smaller facilities), nonprofit organizations, state and local health departments, financial institutions, and other organizations seeking to better understand the needs and assets of their communities, and to collaborate to make measurable improvements in community health and well-being.

State Makes it Easier to Dispute Health Plan

The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) launched?a new secure, easy-to-use online form?to allow Californians to file complaints regarding their health plan quickly and easily from any computer.?The portal?(click here), available in both English and Spanish, enables consumers to request an external review of a health plan?s denial of medical services, known as an Independent Medical Review.? Previously, health plan enrollees had to submit the required forms and paperwork via mail or fax. ?With more Californians to gain health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, this new online portal will ensure there is a fast and easy way for them to get the care they are entitled to,? said Diana Dooley, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. Each year, the DMHC receives and resolves approximately 4,000 complaints from health plan members. Topics range from issues relating to access to care, claims, enrollment, benefits or coordination of care. Additionally, the DMHC annually administers approximately 1,700 Independent Medical Reviews of a health plan denial of service. These reviews are conducted by independent doctors not affiliated with the health plan.??This new online portal will help more Californians take advantage of the free health care assistance available through the Department of Managed Health Care?s Help Center,? said Brent Barnhart, DMHC director. The DMHC also unveiled two new online videos explaining the services available through the DMHC Help Center. Independent Medical Review process:?http://youtu.be/zUjzcAVqjqY. Services available through the DMHC Help Center:?http://youtu.be/zIbsB_1lz6Y. The secure complaint portal and online videos were funded through a federal Affordable Care Act grant. The DMHC regulates managed care health plans in California, protects the rights of approximately 20 million health plan enrollees, educates consumers on their health care rights and responsibilities, and preserves the financial stability of the managed health care system. Since 2000, the department has helped more than 1 million Californians resolve health plan problems through its Help Center. Information and assistance is available 24/7 at?www.HealthHelp.ca.gov?or by calling?(888) 466-2219.

No Time Like Now to?GET FIT!

First 5 San Joaquin invites you to partner with us to help families and communities in San Joaquin County?GET FIT!?Recent reports indicate that 1 in 5 children between 2-5 years old are already overweight or obese.? More than two-thirds of obese children will become obese adults.? Obesity can cause health problems that may include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels.? Children who are physically fit are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases in childhood and adulthood, and are more likely to become physically active adults. This quarter?s health messaging efforts will focus on equipping educators and advocates with resources to help families to?GET FIT.??Read on for more information and resources to assist you in your efforts.?Join the movement to help families make the change!

Senior Gateway?Website: Don?t Be a Victim

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has unveiled a new consumer protection tool for California seniors, who have traditionally been prime targets for con artists. The California Department of Insurance (CDI) is hosting a new Web site?www.seniors.ca.gov?to educate seniors and their advocates and provide helpful information about how to avoid becoming victims of personal or financial abuse. The Web site, called?Senior Gateway, is important because seniors, including older veterans, are disproportionately at risk of being preyed upon financially and subjected to neglect and abuse. The Senior Gateway is sponsored by the Elder Financial Abuse Interagency Roundtable (E-FAIR), convened by CDI and includes representatives from many California agencies who share a common purpose of safeguarding the welfare of California?s seniors. ?The goal of this collaborative effort is to assemble, in one convenient location, valuable information not only for seniors, but their families and caregivers. This site will help California seniors find resources and solve problems, and will enable participating agencies to better serve this important segment of our population,? Jones said. The site offers seniors valuable tips and resources in the following areas, and more:

• Avoiding and reporting abuse and neglect by in-home caregivers or in facilities; learn about different types of abuse and the warning signs.
• Preventing and reporting financial fraud, abuse and scams targeting seniors.
• Understanding health care, insurance, Medicare and long-term care; know what long-term care includes.
• Locating services and programs available to assist older adults.
• Knowing your rights before buying insurance; what seniors need to know about annuities.
• Investing wisely and understanding the ins and outs of reverse mortgages.

The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box

The?Central Valley Health Policy Institute?based at Fresno State has developed an Affordable Care Act Policy Education Tool, ?The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box,? to be offered to community organizations and members of the public. The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box can be described as a basic curriculum and process for introducing the Affordable Care Act, understanding its flaws, options for improvement and understanding the Romney/Ryan voucher care alternative. ?It?s a nice, objective, nonpartisan presentation,? said Dr. John Capitman, executive director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute. ?People learn tools that can be used for making their own judgments about health care reform.? Included in The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box is a complete power point presentation with a full script and accompanying participant workbook. The workbook provides a frame through which health care policy should be examined, as well as an examination of the ACA and Ryan/Romney proposal. The Workshop-in-a-Box also includes a supporting glossary, reference section, quick sheets and current health care policy news. The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box is designed so that even a health care policy novice can learn, examine and understand the ACA in a way that allows them the capacity to engage others in the debate around current health care policy options in the U.S. ?We will facilitate workshops with organizations that request the service and will also provide the Workshop-in-a-Box to others in the hopes that they facilitate The Great Health Care Debate Workshop in their own communities or organizations,? Capitman said. To request The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box or to schedule a workshop,?contact Dr. John Capitman at (559) 228-2159.

Affordable Care Act Toolkits

As consumers, businesses and health plans continue to prepare for full implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014, the California Department of Managed Health Care has released a?series of toolkits?to educate Californians about the changes that have already occurred in the health care system. ?The Affordable Care Act puts in place strong new consumer protections, provides additional coverage options and gives people more tools to make informed choices about their health care,? DMHC Director Brent Barnhart said. ?These toolkits?are designed to ensure that individuals, families, seniors and businesses are aware of the ways they can benefit from these changes in our health care system.??The four toolkits?are designed to provide information and resources targeted to individuals, families, seniors and small businesses and contain audience specific questions and answers, a resource guide, and fact sheets on topics such as: when a plan can cancel your coverage; how to file a grievance or appeal; how to keep your coverage through a ?grandfathered? health plan; getting the most from your health care dollars; and the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). The?toolkits?were funded through a federal Affordable Care Act consumer assistance grant.

$5,000 Grants Help Pay for Children?s Medical Expenses

UnitedHealthcare Children?s Foundation (UHCCF)?is seeking grant applications from families in need of financial assistance to help pay for their child?s health care treatments, services or equipment not covered, or not fully covered, by their commercial health insurance plan. Qualifying families can receive up to $5,000 to help pay for medical services and equipment such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, counseling services, surgeries, prescriptions, wheelchairs, orthotics, eyeglasses and hearing aids. To be eligible for a grant, children must be 16 years of age or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the United States and have a commercial health insurance plan. Grants are available for medical expenses families have incurred 60 days prior to the date of application as well as for ongoing and future medical needs. Parents or legal guardians may apply for grants at?www.uhccf.org, and there is no application deadline. Organizations or private donors can make tax-deductible donations to the foundation at this website. In 2011, UHCCF awarded more than 1,200 grants to families across the United States for treatments associated with medical conditions such as cancer, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, hearing loss, autism, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, ADHD and cerebral palsy.

Facts About Fruits and Vegetables

Click here?for lots of great information about fruits and vegetables.

We?re FAT!

Here are the latest statistics?on Stockton and surrounding cities on overweight and obesity.

Questions About Health Reform Law?

• How are small businesses affected by health reform?
• Will everyone have to buy health insurance?
• How will the new provision allowing young adults to remain on a parent?s insurance work?

The FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) section of the Kaiser Family Foundation?s new Health Reform Source provides concise answers to common questions about the health reform law. You can search for your question or submit a new question if yours is not addressed.?http://healthreform.kff.org/faq.aspx. Additional questions addressing the affordability of health insurance, how programs like Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) will be financed under health reform and others are addressed in a series of Video Explainer clips featuring foundation experts answering specific questions about the law on a variety of health policy topics.http://healthreform.kff.org/video-explainers.aspx. Kaiser?s Health Reform Source,?http://healthreform.kff.org, an online gateway providing easy access to new and comprehensive resources on the health reform law, provides these and other new features and tools including an interactive timeline showing when health-reform provisions take effect, all the latest polling data, links to other information resources, and the latest health-reform headlines from Kaiser Health News.

Crystal Meth Anonymous Recovery Group

Mondays 6:30 p.m.:?825 Central Ave., Lodi. Information:?(209) 430-9780?or?(209) 368-0756.

Yoga for People Dealing with Cancer

Mondays 5:30 to 7 p.m.:?This free weekly Yoga & Breathing class for cancer patients will help individuals sleep better and reduce pain. This class is led by yoga instructor Chinu Mehdi in Classrooms 1 and 2, St. Joseph?s Medical Center, 1800 N. California St., Stockton. Information:?(209) 467-6550?or?SJCancerInfo@dignityhealth.org.

Respiratory Support Group for Better Breathing

First Tuesday of month 10 to 11 a.m.:?Lodi Memorial Hospital West, 800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi,? and the American Lung Association of California Valley Lode offer a free ?Better Breathers?? respiratory-support group for people and their family members with breathing problems including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Participants will learn how to cope with chronic lung disease, understand lungs and how they work and use medications and oxygen properly. Pre-registration is recommended by calling?(209) 339-7445. For information on other classes available at Lodi Memorial, visit its website at?www.lodihealth.org.

The Beat Goes On Cardiac Support Group

First Tuesday of month 11 a.m. to noon:?Lodi Memorial Hospital offers a free cardiac support group at?Lodi Memorial Hospital West, 800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi. ?The Beat Goes On? cardiac support group is a community-based nonprofit group that offers practical tools for healthy living to heart disease patients, their families and caregivers. Its mission is to provide community awareness that those with heart disease can live well through support meetings and educational forums. Upcoming topics include exercise, stress management and nutrition counseling services. All are welcomed to attend. Information:?(209) 339-7664.

Planned Childbirth Services

Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?hosts a four-class series which answers questions and prepares mom and her partner for labor and birth. Bring two pillows and a comfortable blanket or exercise mat to each class. These classes are requested during expecting mother?s third trimester. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Say Yes to Breastfeeding

Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers a class that outlines the information and basic benefits and risk management of breastfeeding. Topics include latching, early skin-to-skin on cue, expressing milk and helpful hints on early infant feeding. In addition, the hospital offers a monthly Mommy and Me-Breastfeeding support group where mothers, babies and hospital clerical staff meet the second Monday of each month. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Precious Preemies

Second Tuesday of the month, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.:?Precious Preemies: A Discussion Group for Families Raising Premature Infants and Infants with Medical Concerns required registration and is held at?Family Resource Network, Sherwood Executive Center, 5250 Claremont Ave., Suite 148, Stockton. Information:?www.frcn.org/calendar.asp?or?(209) 472-3674?or?(800) 847-3030.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous

Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a free Twelve Step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating or bulimia. For more information or a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. and the world, call?(781) 932-6300?or visit?www.foodaddicts.org.

• Tuesdays 7 p.m.:?Modesto Unity Church, 2547 Veneman Ave., Modesto.
• Wednesdays 9 a.m.:?The Episcopal Church of Saint Anne, 1020 W. Lincoln Road, Stockton.
• Saturdays 9 a.m.:?Tracy Community Church, 1790 Sequoia Blvd. at Corral Hollow, Tracy.

Break From Stress

Wednesdays 6 to 7 p.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center offers the community a break from their stressful lives with Break from Stress sessions. These sessions are free, open to the public, with no pre-registration necessary. Just drop in, take a deep breath and relax through a variety of techniques. Break from Stress sessions are held in St. Joseph?s Cleveland Classroom (behind HealthCare Clinical Lab on California Street just north of the medical center. Information:SJCancerInfo@DignityHealth.org?or?(209) 467-6550.

Mother-Baby Breast Connection

Wednesdays 1 to 3 p.m.:?Join a lactation consultant for support and advice on the challenges of early breastfeeding. Come meet other families and attend as often as you like. A different topic of interest will be offered each week with time for breastfeeding assistance and questions.?Pre-registration is required. Call?(209) 467-6331. St. Joseph?s Medical Center, Pavilion Conference Room (1st?floor), 1800 N. California St., Stockton.

Adult Children With Aging Relatives

Second Wednesday of month 4:30 p.m.:?Lodi Memorial Hospital offers an Adult Children with Aging Relatives support group at the?Hutchins Street Square Senior Center. Information:?(209) 369-4443?or?(209) 369-6921.

Smoking Cessation Class in Lodi

Wednesdays 3 to 4 p.m.:?Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi,?offers an eight-session smoking-cessation class for those wishing to become smoke free. Classes are held weekly in the LMH Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department. Topics covered include benefits of quitting; ways to cope with quitting; how to deal with a craving; medications that help with withdrawal; and creating a support system. Call the LMH Lung Health Line at?(209) 339-7445?to register.

Individual Stork Tours At Dameron

Wednesdays 5 to 7 p.m.: Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers 30 minute guided tours that provide expecting parents with a tour of Labor/Delivery, the Mother-Baby Unit and an overview of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. New mothers are provided information on delivery services, where to go and what to do once delivery has arrived, and each mother can create an individual birthing plan. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Brain Builders Weekly Program

Thursdays 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:?Lodi Memorial Hospital and the?Hutchins Street Square Senior Center?offer ?Brain Builders,? a weekly program for people in the early stages of memory loss. There is a weekly fee of $25. Registration is required. Information or to register, call?(209) 369-4443?or?(209) 369-6921.

Infant CPR and Safety

Second Thursday of month 5 to 7 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers a class to family members to safely take care of their newborn.? Family members are taught infant CPR and relief of choking, safe sleep and car seat safety.? Regarding infant safety, the hospital offers on the fourth Thursday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. a NICU/SCN family support group. This group is facilitated by a Master Prepared Clinical Social Worker and the Dameron NICU staff with visits from the hospital?s neonatologist. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Group Meetings for Alzheimer?s Patients, Caregivers

Thursdays 10 to 11:30 a.m.:?The Alzheimer?s Aid Society of Northern California in conjunction with Villa Marche residential care facility conducts a simultaneous Caregiver?s Support Group and Patient?s Support Group at?Villa Marche, 1119 Rosemarie Lane, Stockton. Caregivers, support people or family members of anyone with dementia are welcome to attend the caregiver?s group, led by Rita Vasquez. It?s a place to listen, learn and share. At the same time, Alzheimer?s and dementia patients can attend the patient?s group led by Sheryl Ashby. Participants will learn more about dementia and how to keep and enjoy the skills that each individual possesses. There will be brain exercises and reminiscence. The meeting is appropriate for anyone who enjoys socialization and is able to attend with moderate supervision. Information:?(209) 477-4858.

Clase Gratuita de Diabetes en Espa?ol

Cada segundo Viernes del mes:?Participantes aprender?n los fundamentos sobre la?observaci?n de az?car de sangre, comida saludable, tama?os de porci?n y medicaciones. Un educador con certificado del control de diabetes dar? instruccion sobre la autodirecci?n durante de esta clase. Para mas informaci?n y registraci?n:?(209) 461-3251. Aprenda m?s de los programas de diabetes en el sitio electronico de St. Joseph?s:www.StJosephsCares.org/Diabetes

Nutrition on the Move Class

Fridays 11 a.m. to noon: Nutrition Education Center at Emergency Food Bank, 7 W. Scotts Ave., Stockton.? Free classes are general nutrition classes where you?ll learn about the new My Plate standards, food label reading, nutrition and exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, and other tips. Information:?(209) 464-7369?or?www.stocktonfoodbank.org.

Crystal Meth Anonymous Recovery Group

Fridays 6 p.m.:?St. Joseph?s Behavioral Health (in trailer at the rear of building), 2510 N. California St., Stockton. Information:?(209) 461-2000.

Free Diabetes Class in Spanish

Second Friday of every month:?Participants will learn the basics about blood sugar monitoring, healthy foods, portion sizes, medications and self-management skills from a certified diabetic educator during this free class.?St. Joseph?s Medical Center, 1800 N. California St., Stockton.?Information and registration:?(209) 461-3251.Learn more on St. Joseph?s diabetes programs at?www.StJosephsCares.org/Diabetes.

All Day Prepared Childbirth Class

Third Saturday of month 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers community service educational class of prebirth education and mentoring. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Big Brother/Big Sister

Second Sunday of month:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?has a one-hour class meeting designed specifically for newborn?s siblings. Topics include family role, a labor/delivery tour and a video presentation which explains hand washing/germ control and other household hygiene activities. This community service class ends with a Certification of Completion certificate. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Outpatient Program Aimed at Teens

Two programs:?Adolescents face a number of challenging issues while trying to master their developmental milestones. Mental health issues (including depression), substance abuse and family issues can hinder them from mastering the developmental milestones that guide them into adulthood. The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offered by?St. Joseph?s Behavioral Health Center, 2510 N. California St., Stockton, is designed for those individuals who need comprehensive treatment for their mental, emotional or chemical dependency problems. This program uses Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to present skills for effective living. Patients learn how to identify and change distorted thinking, communicate effectively in relationships and regain control of their lives. The therapists work collaboratively with parents, doctors and schools. They also put together a discharge plan so the patient continues to get the help they need to thrive into adulthood.

• Psychiatric Adolescent IOP meets Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 7:30 p.m.
• Chemical Recovery Adolescent IOP meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.

For more information about this and other groups,?(209) 461-2000?and ask to speak with a behavioral evaluator or visit?www.StJosephsCanHelp.org.

Click here?for Community Medical Centers (Channel Medical Clinic, San Joaquin Valley Dental Group, etc.) website.

Click here?for Dameron Hospital?s?Event Calendar.

Click here?for Doctors Hospital of Manteca?Events finder.

Click here?for Hill Physicians website.

Click here?for Kaiser Central Valley News and Events

Click here?for Lodi Memorial Hospital?Event Calendar.

Click here?for Mark Twain St. Joseph?s Hospital?Classes and Events.

Click here?to find a Planned Parenthood Health Center near you.

Click here?for San Joaquin General Hospital?website.

Click here?for St. Joseph?s Medical Center?s?Classes and Events.

Click here?for Sutter Gould news.?Click here?for Sutter Gould calendar of events.

Click here?for Sutter Tracy Community Hospital?events, classes and support groups.

San Joaquin County Public Health Services General Information

Ongoing resources for vaccinations and clinic information are:

1. Public Health Services Influenza website,?www.sjcphs.org
2. Recorded message line at?(209) 469-8200, extension 2# for English and 3# for Spanish.
3. For further information, individuals may call the following numbers at Public Health Services:

• For general vaccine and clinic questions, call?(209) 468-3862;
• For medical questions, call?(209) 468-3822.

Health officials continue to recommend these precautionary measures to help protect against acquiring influenza viruses:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol based sanitizers.
2. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve, when you cough or sneeze.
3. Stay home if you are sick until you are free of a fever for 24 hours.
4. Get vaccinated.

Public Health Services Clinic Schedules (Adults and Children)

Immunization clinic hours are subject to change depending on volume of patients or staffing. Check the Public Health Services website for additional evening clinics or special clinics at?www.sjcphs.org. Clinics with an asterisk?(*)?require patients to call for an appointment.

Stockton Health Center: 1601 E. Hazelton Ave.; (209) 468-3830.

• Immunizations: Monday 1-4 p.m.; Tuesday 1-4 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thursday 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.; Friday 8-11 a.m.
• Travel clinic*: Thursday 8-11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.
• Health exams*: Tuesday 1-4 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday 8-11 a.m.
• Sexually transmitted disease clinic: Wednesday 3-6 p.m. and Friday 1-4 p.m., walk-in and by appointment.
• Tuberculosis clinic*: Tuesday; second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
• HIV testing: Tuesday 1-4 p.m.; Thursday 1-4 p.m.

Manteca Health Center: 124 Sycamore Ave.; (209) 823-7104 or (800) 839-4949.

• Immunizations: Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m.
• Tuberculosis clinic*: first and third Wednesday 3-6 p.m.
• HIV testing: first Wednesday 1:30-4 p.m.

Lodi Health Center: 300 W. Oak St.; (209) 331-7303 or (800) 839-4949.

• Immunizations: Friday 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
• Tuberculosis clinic*: Friday 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
• HIV testing: second and fourth Friday 1:30-4 p.m.

WIC (Women, Infants & Children) Program

Does your food budget need a boost? The WIC Program can help you stretch your food dollars. This special supplemental food program for women, infants and children serves low-income women who are currently pregnant or have recently delivered, breastfeeding moms, infants, and children up to age 5. Eligible applicants receive monthly checks to use at any authorized grocery store for wholesome foods such as fruits and vegetables, milk and cheese, whole-grain breads and cereals, and more. WIC shows you how to feed your family to make them healthier and brings moms and babies closer together by helping with breastfeeding. WIC offers referrals to low-cost or free health care and other community services depending on your needs. WIC services may be obtained at a variety of locations throughout San Joaquin County:

Stockton?(209) 468-3280

• Public Health Services WIC Main Office, 1145 N. Hunter St.: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; open two Saturdays a month.
• Family Health Center, 1414 N. California St.: Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.
• CUFF (Coalition United for Families), 2044 Fair St.: Thursday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.
• Taylor Family Center, 1101 Lever Blvd.: Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Transcultural Clinic, 4422 N. Pershing Ave. Suite D-5: Tuesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.

?Manteca??(209) 823-7104

• Public Health Services, 124 Sycamore Lane: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.

?Tracy?(209) 831-5930

• Public Health Services, 205 W. Ninth St.: Monday, Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.

Flu Vaccine Available at Calaveras Public Health Department

Recent news reports of an expected severe flu season in 2013 have created an interest in receiving flu vaccine. The Calaveras County Public Health Department encourages residents who have not been vaccinated to do so soon. ?Flu cases in the U.S. have occurred earlier than normal and the severity of the flu this year is greater,? reported Dr. Dean Kelaita, county health officer. State and county health officials anticipate increased flu activity in California in the coming weeks and urge vaccination now.? ?Getting vaccinated now allows time for immunity to develop from the vaccine before cases increase,? Kelaita said. People at high risk for complications from the flu, include:

• Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday
• Pregnant women
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities

All individuals over 6 months of age are recommended to get flu vaccine to protect young infants and high risk family members. Medi-Cal and Medicare are accepted. Fee: $16, but no one is turned away for inability to pay. Information:?(209) 754-6460?or?www.calaveraspublichealth.com. Vaccination clinics:

• Mondays 3 to 5 p.m.:?Calaveras County Public Health Department, 700 Mountain Ranch Road, Suite C-2, San Andreas.
• Third Tuesday monthly 3 to 5:30 p.m.:?Valley Springs United Methodist Church, 135 Laurel, Valley Springs.
• Thursdays 8 a.m. to noon:?Calaveras County Public Health Department, 700 Mountain Ranch Road, Suite C-2, San Andreas.

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What You Need to Know About Joe?s Health Calendar

Have a health-oriented event the public in San Joaquin County should know about? Let me know at?jgoldeen@recordnet.com?and I?ll get it into my Health Calendar. I?m not interested in promoting commercial enterprises here, but I am interested in helping out nonprofit and/or community groups, hospitals, clinics, physicians and other health-care providers. Look for five categories: Community Events, News, Ongoing, Hospitals & Medical Groups, and Public Health.?TO THE PUBLIC:?I won?t list an item here from a source that I don?t know or trust. So I believe you can count on what you read here. If there is a problem, please don?t hesitate to let me know at?(209) 546-8278?or?jgoldeen@recordnet.com.?Thanks, Joe

Source: http://blogs.esanjoaquin.com/stockton-health-care/2013/01/22/joes-health-calendar-12213-walk-more-eat-less/

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