Unamboowe aims personal best
Posted: July 26, 2012 at 1:25 am
Dinesh WEERAWANSA reporting from England
Sri Lankas ace swimmer Heshan Unamboowe said that he will make every effort to better his personal best at the forthcoming Olympic Games swimming competition which begins on Saturday.
Sri Lanka national champion Unamboowe, who has been on a training cum competition stint in Melbourne for over an year is in good shape and is roaring to set a new Sri Lanka record in mens 100m back stroke. He is due to compete in the first round qualifiers of his pet event on Sunday (29).
In an exclusive interview with the Daily News at Athletes Village of the London Games, Unamboowe said he has been training hard for the last several months. I am looking forward to set a new Sri Lanka record in my event and the chances are pretty good, he said.
Unamboowe said the level of competition is very high but will do his best to come out with a notable performance and better his own Sri Lanka record. The atmosphere is great and all of us are enjoying the true spirit of Olympics. We are looking forward to make our presence felt, he added.
Besides Unamboowe, who clocked his personal best timing of 57.47 seconds during the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China last year, the only other Lankan swimmer to be seen in action during the London Olympics is Reshika Udugampola who too is determined to set a new Sri Lanka record.
Unamboowe is housed in the same room at the Athletes Village with the overall captain of the Sri Lanka contingent Niluka Karunaratne. Sri Lankas undisputed mens singles badminton champion arrived here yesterday from Warsaw, Poland where he honoured the final leg of his competition cum training series abroad. Karunaratne is keen on improving his world rankings and hopes to get into the top ten in the world within the next two years. Hurdler Sonali Christine Merril arrived here from United Sates to join her team at the Athletes Village. Sri Lanka marathon runner Anuradha Indrajith Cooray, who has been training aborad, is yet to join the team in London.
Cooray, the senior most competitor in the Sri Lank contingent, represented Sri Lanka at the Athens 2004 Games in Greece. He will be seen in action in mens marathon on the final day of the Games - August 12.
Meanwhile, the mens football tournament of the London Olympics begins on Thursday with Honduras meeting Morocco in the curtain raiser game. There are seven other first round qualifiers down for decision in the same afternoon.
The pick of Thursdays eight games will be the be the game between Mexico and South Korea which will be followed by the third match for the day between Spain and Japan.
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Unamboowe aims personal best
Personal Technology Experts(R) at Support.com Discuss Seven Ways to Improve Browser Security When Using Chrome(R …
Posted: at 1:25 am
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Choosing a web browser can be the single most important security decision you make for your computer, so it's vital that the browser you choose not only delivers in performance but also provides top-notch security. The Personal Technology Experts at Support.com (SPRT), a provider of technology services and software for consumers and small businesses, took a closer look at Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer, and identified seven great security features all users should take advantage of, no matter which browser they use:
Consider the security features listed above and choose the web browser you like the most. We also recommend having multiple browsers installed on your computer so you can take advantage of the best each has to offer and use them accordingly.
About Support.com Support.com, Inc. (SPRT) provides technology services and software for consumers and small businesses. Support.com(R) Personal Technology Experts provide a quick, cost-effective and stress-free technology support experience over the Internet and the phone using the Company's advanced technology platform. Support.com also offers a wide range of easy-to-use software products that detect and repair common computer problems and optimize performance and security. Support.com offers programs through many of the nation's leading retailers, broadband service providers and technology companies, and provides software to over a million consumers and small businesses. For more information please visit us at: http://www.support.com, http://www.facebook.com/support.com, or http://twitter.com/support_com.
Support.com, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, visit http://www.support.com/about/careers.
The Support.com, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11893
Copyright (C) 2012 Support.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Support.com and Personal Technology Experts are trademarks or registered trademarks of Support.com, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Internet Explorer is a trademark or registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Firefox is a trademark or registered trademark of Mozilla Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. Google and Chrome are trademarks or registered trademarks of Google, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
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Personal Technology Experts(R) at Support.com Discuss Seven Ways to Improve Browser Security When Using Chrome(R ...
Personal Experience: Are Sports Video Games Better Enjoyed on PCs or Consoles?
Posted: at 1:25 am
PCs are often expensive pieces of equipment that we want to use for all of our electronic activities. It wasn't so long ago that we were prepared to invest 1000's on the right machine. But these days budget laptops can be bought for just a few hundred, this is especially true now we have netbooks.
Nevertheless, those that want a machine that is optimized for gaming may be prepared to part with anything up to 2000. In comparison, consoles are usually an investment of a few hundred, but their performance can often be far better for the latest sports games.
It used to be the case that computers offered vastly impressive specifications to consoles, but that has changed somewhat in recent years. The latest consoles now come with their own processors, hard drives, and the ability to connect to the internet.
The thing about owning a console such as an Xbox360, PlayStation 3, or Wii is that you know it will work with any game designed for that particular system. However, PC sports games are always a bit of a lottery, unless you have an expensive system designed for gaming.
The problem usually stems to the fact that most low-cost systems and the majority of laptops use a shared graphics card. This means the amount of power available for gaming, depends on what the computer is using for other tasks.
If you happen to have a system with a dedicated graphics card, then you are likely to receive much better performance from the latest sports games. The graphics card problem is a bigger issue for owners of laptops than those that have a desktop system. This is because a dedicated graphics card can be installed in a desktop PC to solve these problems.
Unfortunately, the problems do not necessarily end with getting the game to run, because many users may receive lagging game play, which makes certain sports games impossible to play. So, playing games on a PC can certainly produce a big challenge.
However, that doesn't mean that consoles are for everyone and PC gaming still certainly has its place. One of the main reasons for this is the way the console gaming industry is going. I personally think the more active style of gaming that was first introduced by the Nintendo Wii is great and has opened up video games to many more people.
But it may not be for everyone, especially avid gamers that aren't used to it and prefer to play the traditional way. In the future, PC gaming may be the only way to remember how gaming used to be, and it still appeals to a lot of people. The debate between gaming on PC or via console systems is really one of personal choice; although, many people may ultimately decide on a combination of the two.
James Kent is a fan of many sports as well as a keen player of sports video games. Follow James on Twitter and Facebook.
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Personal Experience: Are Sports Video Games Better Enjoyed on PCs or Consoles?
ISTE 2012 Attendees Say Professional Development is Crucial to Technology Success in Classroom, According to …
Posted: at 1:24 am
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Technology continues to play a critical role in K-12 education. Not surprisingly, 100 percent of the 43 participants interviewed by CompassLearning at the recent 2012 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference say that technology plays some role in the education of students at their school or school district. However, 37 percent say that professional development for teachers to help them embrace and properly use the vast array of technology options currently available is critical to the success of technology integration in the classroom. On the flipside, 30 percent of those interviewed believe technology presents a tremendous opportunity for students and teachers by giving them access to virtually unlimited resources across the Internet.
It is clear that the future success of our students, teachers and districts will be incumbent upon the successful use of technology to create 21st century learning environments, said Fred Waugh, vice president of marketing for Compass Learning. The attendees at ISTE overwhelmingly embrace the need to implement technology. However, selecting technology that supports strong academic outcomes, as well as training teachers to use technology to engage students that are digital natives, can be a challenge. Thats one of the reasons weve made it a priority to support our personal learning solutions with the most comprehensive professional development program in the industry. We want to help teachers fully embrace the technology available to them so that they are empowered to engage students in learning anytime, anywhere.
Key Findings from the Interviews:
Forty-three attendees of the 2012 ISTE conference were interviewed, responding to four questions about technology use in the classroom, the biggest challenge facing education and the biggest opportunity for education. While not statistically valid, the direction of the answers is enlightening. For video compilation of the interviews, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fJIjA6wVSU.
About Compass Learning
Compass Learning provides K-12 educational software that empowers teachers to unlock every students potential for academic success and personal growth. Compass Learning takes a student-centered approach by providing comprehensive solutions that address the needs of every student and student-type to create personalized learning and differentiation programs that reach, engage, and inspire students to succeed. Teachers and administrators can more efficiently and effectively manage and measure progress, freeing time to focus on delivering academic results. Both of the companys software solutions, CompassLearning Odyssey and the Renzulli Learning System deliver academic rigor that is based on more than 40 years of research into how students learn and are aligned to state and Common Core Standards to support classroom and district accountability. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Compass Learning serves more than 7,800 schools across the United States.
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ISTE 2012 Attendees Say Professional Development is Crucial to Technology Success in Classroom, According to ...
Merlene Davis: Tutors needed at the Carnegie Center
Posted: July 25, 2012 at 7:20 pm
As I was walking to the gym for an aerobics class recently, I spoke to a group of youth who appeared to be of middle school age.
"Are you ready for school to start?" I asked cheerfully.
Their response was a variety of moans, groans and no's.
Well, ready or not, it's coming. Public school starts Aug. 15 in Fayette County.
I always looked forward to school starting when I was a student. For the most part, so did my children.
But the young people I've known who wanted to put off school as long as they could were the ones who had difficulty in one of the core subjects such as reading or math. A little tutoring in those areas could have changed their minds.
For 20 years, that's exactly what the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning has been trying to do through its after-school and summer tutoring programs.
The program started with 12 students when the Carnegie Center opened, according to tutoring coordinator Carol G. Bradford. Last year, which was her first with the program, saw 160 students at the center and at four schools with many students from low-income families.
"Over the years, it has grown tremendously," she said.
For one hour each week, a volunteer tutor meets with a student to help with just about any subject troubling the student. The program is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grades. Most come from Fayette County, but some come from Woodford, Jessamine and Scott counties as well.
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Merlene Davis: Tutors needed at the Carnegie Center
Yoga Reduces Stress For Caregivers Of Those With Dementia
Posted: at 7:20 pm
July 25, 2012
Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online
Inhale. Exhale. Stretch. Repeat. These are just a few steps of yoga, a therapeutic workout that has gained in popularity over the years. Researchers recently found that a particular type of yoga that allows participants to practice brief meditation on a daily basis will help decrease stress for people who take care of patients with Alzheimers and dementia.
According to scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), participating in a specific type of chanting yogic meditation for a minimum of 12 minutes daily for eight weeks caused a decrease in the biological mechanism that manages an uptick in the bodys immune systems inflammation response. If inflammation is continuously present, it can lead to a number of chronic health problems.
In the project, investigators from UCLA worked with 45 family dementia caregivers in an experiment that highlighted the benefits of Kirtan Kriya Meditation (KKM). Following meditation, 68 of the genes reacted differently and led to a decrease in inflammation. The results are highlighted in the current online edition of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
We know that chronic stress places caregivers at a higher risk for developing depression, explained Dr. Helen Lavretsky, senior author and a professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, in a prepared statement. On average, the incidence and prevalence of clinical depression in family dementia caregivers approaches 50 percent. Caregivers are also twice as likely to report high levels of emotional distress.
The researchers described caregivers as unsung heroes who took the burden of taking care of friends and family who suffered from Alzheimers and other types of dementia. In particular, the burden of taking care of someone with dementia can take a toll on people. As such, older adult caregivers generally show higher levels of stress and depression along with lower level of satisfaction and vigor. These same caregivers also tend to have a high level of biomarkers of inflammation and are at high risk for diseases related to stress. Furthermore, the number of caretakers for those with dementia will increase significantly as the population ages. Presently, there are around five million individuals in the U.S. who are caring for a patient with dementia.
While past studies have examined psychosocial interventions like meditation, there hasnt always been a strong understanding as to the pathways psychosocial interventions take in influencing biological processes. The researchers wanted to look at how these interventions could decrease the number of adverse effects on caregivers. The participants were placed into two random groups. The mediation group learned how to do 12-minute yogic practice, including Kirtan Kriya, and completed these exercises at the same time over a period of eight weeks. The other group was placed in a quiet place to listen to instrumental and relaxation music for 12 minutes on a daily basis over eight weeks. The scientists took blood samples at the beginning and end of the study.
The goal of the study was to determine if meditation might alter the activity of inflammatory and antiviral proteins that shape immune cell gene expression, emphasized Lavretsky, who also directs UCLAs Late-Life Depression, Stress and Wellness Research Program, in the statement. Our analysis showed a reduced activity of those proteins linked directly to increased inflammation.
The researchers believe that the results are very positive and Lavretsky, in particular, has launched an Alzheimers and Dementia Care Program that includes coordinated care for patients and caregivers; the caregiver portion of the program includes yoga practice.
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Yoga Reduces Stress For Caregivers Of Those With Dementia
USC coach known as a rare hero at quiet blood drives
Posted: at 5:14 pm
Jim Carlen lived a rare life -- coaching three major college football teams and winning the Heisman Trophy.
The roars could be deafening at the University of South Carolina when the coach ran George Rogers right into the record books.
By the time he got to Hilton Head Island in the 1980s, Carlen had been running with the big dogs since 1951, when he left Cookeville, Tenn., for Coach Bobby Dodd's Georgia Tech football team. While Carlen was there, the Yellow Jackets shared a national championship, won 31 games in a row and brought home trophies from the Orange Bowl, the Cotton Bowl and two Sugar Bowls.
Carlen was comfortable as the center of attention as head football coach at USC, Texas Tech and West Virginia University.
But there were no cheering crowds in the church halls of Hilton Head where Carlen pecked away at his rarest achievement: monumental blood donation.
When blood drives were held at Christ Lutheran Church near his island home in Shipyard Plantation or in the Fellowship Hall at First Presbyterian Church, Carlen was always one of the first in line.
The Island Packet ran a front-page story when he hit the 19-gallon mark of lifetime donations in August 1988. He'd been giving since Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta called the 18-year-old freshman, asking for a pint of his A-negative blood. He gave until his health no longer permitted it.
Carlen died peacefully Sunday after a long illness at age 79.
His blood-donor card wasn't immediately available at his Columbia home Tuesday, but a friend of the family said Carlen might have become one of the nation's top blood donors.
It was a quiet act that got less attention in four decades of consistent giving than a single Saturday-afternoon touchdown. One of Carlen's closest colleagues in Beaufort County told me he never heard the coach mention blood donation.
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USC coach known as a rare hero at quiet blood drives
Healthy Foods Haul! (Groceries
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Healthy Foods Haul! (Groceries
June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health Misc videos walking pup 006 – Video
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ARAMARK Creates Hub of Health and Nutrition Education to Help Denver Residents Live Healthier Lives
Posted: at 5:13 pm
DENVER, July 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --In the neighborhoods of west Denver, many residents, particularly the elderly, suffer from nutrition-related illnesses, like high rates of diabetes and heart disease. The problem is compounded by lack of access to adequate nutrition education and grocery stores that offer good selections of fresh, healthy food.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110907/PH63208LOGO )
Today ARAMARK, the global professional services company, will create an ARAMARK Building Community Opportunity Zonethat will be a hub for ongoing nutrition and wellness programs at Southwest Improvement Council (SWIC), which provides health and human services programs, affordable housing, meals for senior citizens and other services to underserved neighborhoods of west Denver. In partnership with the SWIC, the company will also launch a series of health and wellness workshops to help combat health issues facing many local residents
"Obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases are major issues in our community, especially for the elderly. In fact, more than 15 percent of Coloradans over 65 suffer from diabetes," said Jan Marie Belle, SWIC's executive director. "People in this area often have a difficult time finding nutritious food. Our partnership with ARAMARK, and the work they are doing here today to create a place for our families to focus on health and nutrition, will be key to overcoming barriers to healthy lifestyles."
This effort is part of ARAMARK Building Community (ABC), the company's global volunteer and philanthropic program focused on strengthening local community centers and helping struggling families in 50 cities in the U.S. and abroad. Through ABC, employees use their culinary, hospitality, food and nutrition, facilities management and human resources expertise to create strong and vital communities.
"The mission of ARAMARK Building Community is to put our skills to work to improve neighborhoods by working with local community centers to enhance their capacity and programs. Our culinary and nutrition experts help people achieve healthier lifestyles that are essential to leading happy, productive lives," said Carl Mittleman, Regional Vice President for ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment. "Through our partnership with SWIC, we've been helping people succeed and neighborhoods thrive."
The ABC Opportunity Zone will include a new community health garden, created by the participating ARAMARK volunteers, to help senior citizens who are in need of access to fresh, healthy foods. The garden will supplement the center's existing food pantry and be available to the dozens of seniors who visit the center each day, including those who rely on the center for their daily lunch. In addition, an unused outdoor area will be transformed into a welcoming outdoor classroom, and will serve as a dedicated space for local residents to learn about nutrition and healthy and active lifestyles.
ARAMARK volunteers also donated healthy food items such as canned fruits and vegetables and whole-grain cereals for SWIC's food pantry, and a variety of gardening tools for the center's senior citizens to use in the new community garden.
Throughout the year, ARAMARK culinary and nutrition experts will host wellness educational classes for residents to help them understand health issues and identify solutions such as workshops on "Diabetes and Your Health," and "Shopping for Health." Classes will include healthy cooking demonstrations and nutritional information at the annual health and wellness day.
About Southwest Improvement Council (SWIC) Southwest Improvement Council is a nonprofit charity formed in 1987 by the residents of Westwood, an impoverished neighborhood in urban southwest Denver. SWIC's purpose is to improve living conditions for its residents through civic engagement, health and human service programs, and affordable housing, by identifying and building on the assets of the people in the community. SWIC's first projects included neighborhood cleanups, home repairs for seniors, and after-school education programs for children. Today SWIC provides housing counseling, meals and food for seniors, exercise and fitness programs, health and disease-prevention programs, afterschool programs for youth, evening recreation and gang-diversion programs, an urban wildlife refuge and 19 units of affordable multi-family housing. SWIC serves more than 3,000 people each year. Visit http://www.SWIC.denver.org for more information.
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ARAMARK Creates Hub of Health and Nutrition Education to Help Denver Residents Live Healthier Lives