Is popping pimples bad for your skin? | MNN - Mother Nature Network

We asked the expert: Jeanine B. Downie, M.D., YouBeauty dermatology expert, is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology and is the director of her own practice, image Dermatology, in Montclair, N.J.

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Her answer: Acne comes in many shapes and sizes. There are black heads, white heads, tender red bumps and large red nodules. Whatever form a zit takes, you might be tempted to squeeze it into oblivion. Resist!

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Popping a pimple doesn?t actually make it go away. In fact, it usually exacerbates the problem and can leave you with scars. Or worse, you could end up with a skin infection ??and scars.

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The causes of acne are varied and complex. Family history, hormones and stress can all play a part. Basically, pimples form when sebum, your skin?s natural oil, gets trapped under the surface. It can mix with dead skin cells and form a plug called a comedone, or it might react with P. acnes, a bacterium found in hair follicles, triggering inflammation.

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When you pop a pimple, you force that gunk out so hard that it?s actually ripping your skin. As you press, you?re introducing dirt and bacteria from your fingers onto your face and into the pimple, which might become red and infected. (Dr. Downie has seen nightmares.) This can also create permanent pocks and marks.

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Dermatologists can perform what?s called an extraction, which is when they use an instrument to unblock clogged pores. They press lightly to release a comedone?and know when to stop. For safety, dermatologists use sterile equipment, wear gloves and clean the area with alcohol wipes.

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There are plenty of ways to treat and prevent pimples, from products containing chemical exfoliants and antibacterial agents such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and retinol, to prescription medications and dermatologist procedures including glycolic peels and laser or light treatments.?With these tools you can take pimple problems into your own hands?just not literally.

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Also on YouBeauty.com:

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Source: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/is-popping-pimples-bad-for-your-skin

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Chelsea, United spared as City get fiendish Champions League draw

Fate largely smiled on Manchester United and holders Chelsea in Thursday's Champions League draw, but Manchester City found themselves drawn into a daunting group with Real Madrid, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea, who beat Bayern Munich on penalties in last season's final to claim the trophy for the first time, were drawn in Group E alongside Italian champions Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Danish debutants Nordsjaelland.

Juventus will be appearing in the Champions League for the first time since the 2009-10 season and are likely to present the strongest challenge to Roberto di Matteo's side.

United found themselves in similarly benign surroundings in Group H, having been pitted against Portugal's SC Braga, Galatasaray of Turkey and Romanians CFR-Cluj in the draw in Monaco.

However, manager Sir Alex Ferguson did not need reminding that it was from a similarly straightforward group -- containing Benfica, FC Basel and Cluj's domestic rivals Otelul Gelati -- that the three-time champions failed to progress last season.

"We have the experience of playing against Galatasaray in the past and we will always remember the 'Welcome to Hell' banners," Ferguson told manutd.com.

"Obviously, we've never played Cluj before but, after the experience of last year, we don't want to make any stupid errors this time. We will play our strongest team to make sure we get through."

United, beaten 3-1 by Barcelona in the 2011 final, are appearing in the group phase for a record 18th time.

As in 2011, this season's final will also take place at London's Wembley Stadium, to mark the 150th anniversary of the English Football Association.

City's pool, Group D, unites the reigning champions of England, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, with the Manchester club the only team never to have won the Champions League.

Roberto Mancini's side were drawn in a similarly taxing group last season and failed to reach the knockout phase, with Bayern Munich and Napoli finishing above them on their first appearance in the Champions League.

City defender Joleon Lescott refused to be discouraged by the draw, tweeting: "Group D highlights the fact why it's called Champions league. #TitleWinnersOnly"

Along with Spain, England are one of only two countries with four teams in the group phase and their fourth representatives, Arsenal, will face Schalke, Olympiacos and debutants Montpellier, the French champions, in Group B.

There was one other newcomer in the draw in the shape of Malaga, who qualified by overcoming Panathinaikos in the play-off round earlier this week.

The Spanish side were drawn in Group C with Zenit Saint Petersburg, Anderlecht and seven-time champions AC Milan, who will have been relieved to avoid a more difficult group after a summer in which they lost a glut of leading players.

Barcelona, finalists in two of the last four seasons, landed in Group G, where they will have fellow former champions Benfica and Celtic for company, as well as Spartak Moscow.

Big-spending Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, will fancy their chances of qualifying from a group that also includes FC Porto, Dynamo Kiev and Dinamo Zagreb

Last season's beaten finalists Bayern Munich were placed in Group F alongside Valencia, they team they beat on penalties in the 2001 final, as well as Lille of France and Belarusian outfit BATE Borisov.

"The group is manageable for us, at least on paper," said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.

"But the Champions League is always a difficult challenge and every opponent has to be respected. We are looking forward to the first game."

The opening batch of group matches is scheduled for September 18-19.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chelsea-united-spared-city-fiendish-champions-league-draw-175523095--sow.html

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Is Krill Oil Effective? | ArticlePDQ.com

So, i thought this was all about krill oil in depth. Don?t forget to read this article one or more times. Have fun and enjoy yourself.

Significant sized individuals: Their doasage amounts are similar to normal sized individuals. The initial dose can be continued for 4 several weeks thereafter, it is usually reduced for you to 2 capsules as well as 1000 milligrams of krill oil each day.

Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid, which can reduced the risk of heart disease and lessen the level of Low density lipoprotein (?bad?) cholesterol although increasing the a higher level HDL (?good?) cholesterol levels in the blood vessels.

The benefits of krill oil are very much just like those of fish oil, primarily because they include the same form of EFA-EPA and DHA yet may come with slightly different type of proportions.

The initial difference I actually noticed between krill oil and the various other supplement was the value. Krill oil supplements cost concerning 34 pennies per pill, while fish oil capsules can be bought with 6 cents every capsule. Obviously there may be components affecting this particular price including potency, excellent, and other this sort of items, on the other hand did not use whatever.

There?s no skepticism your body needs omega 3 fatty acids. A lot of studies show, individuals who live in fish having cultures have lower prices of cardiovascular disease and despression symptoms. Since fish contain DHA and EPA-two on the omega 3?s your body needs to maintain great health-the evidence items to the fish.

Not like other vitamin antioxidants astaxanthin is known to cross the blood-brain hurdle where in idea it protects the eye, human brain and nervous system from free radical damage. Defending the brain suggests protecting your ability intended for improved memory.

Plus, krill supplements get lower levels involving DHA, one of the our omega 3?s that keep the brain well-defined. High quality fish oil will be loaded with DHA. A lot better, some of the superior fish supplements now have astaxanthin in levels on or higher compared to what?s throughout krill oil.

They are also proven to have therapeutic effects and have absolutely been familiar with treat a number of conditions between dysmenorrheal to Alzheimer?s, from heart diseases in order to psoriasis.

Krill oil positive aspects come from small crustaceans that live throughout cold upper areas. These creatures are called krill, but also could be referred to as euphausiids. This oil from these crustaceans is known to have a volume of benefits pertaining to well-being. Here is a have a look at some of the factors that people are purchasing this product currently.

Neptune Krill Oil or NKO exhibited to effecti within clinical studies to reducie PMS syndrome using EPA & DHA superior forms of Omega-3 efas, Astaxanthin- a powerful anti-oxidant, Phospholipids and vit a & E and it?s also free from hazardous heavy metals, mercury, dioxins and PCBs. Not too long ago there was information about toxic contamination risk of Fish Herbal oils with Volatile organic compounds which made a huge issue among health care professionals and buyers. Luckily Krill Oil will be away from these kind of concerns.

As you have seen, the health benefits of krill oil are much much less compared to a high quality premium fish oil and you?ll be improving your health insurance and helping to improve planets overall health too by selecting natural skin oils from fish as a substitute.

http://neptunekrilloil.org/

Source: http://articlepdq.com/health-fitness/is-krill-oil-effective/

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NASA's 'Mighty Eagle' robotic prototype lander takes 100-foot free flight

ScienceDaily (Aug. 29, 2012) ? With a whistle and a roar, the "Mighty Eagle," a NASA robotic prototype lander, sailed to an altitude of 100 feet during another successful free flight Aug. 28 at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

During the 35-second run, the vehicle was "open loop" -- navigating autonomously without the command of the onboard camera and flying on a preprogrammed flight profile. Once it reached the 100-foot mark, the "Mighty Eagle" identified a new, larger target on the ground about 100 feet away, took pictures, processed the images and safely landed. The test is part of a new series of free flights testing the robotic prototype lander's autonomous rendezvous and capture capabilities. Testing will continue through September.

"We met our goal for this flight, which was to test the new software at triple the height of our last flight," said Dr. Greg Chavers, "Mighty Eagle" test lead at the Marshall Center. "The higher we go, the more realistic the scenario is compared to an actual descent."

"This test article is a vehicle system and requires a lot of team interaction," said Jake Parton, test conductor on the flight. Parton is one of several young engineers gaining experience and getting guidance from senior engineers on the "Mighty Eagle" project. The test team's ages range from 25 to 71.

"We are getting good experience in handling flight hardware and reacting to real-time conditions and anomalies," said Parton. "Each time we test, we load propellant, launch the vehicle, fly the vehicle and land the vehicle. It's hands-on flight experience for young engineers."

Nicknamed the "Mighty Eagle" after one of the characters in the popular "Angry Birds" game, the vehicle is a three-legged prototype that resembles an actual flight lander design. It is 4 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter and, when fueled, weighs 700 pounds. It is fueled by 90 percent pure hydrogen peroxide and receives its commands from an onboard computer that activates its onboard thrusters to carry it to a controlled landing using a pre-programmed flight profile.

NASA will use the "Mighty Eagle" to mature the technology needed to develop a new generation of small, smart, versatile robotic landers capable of achieving scientific and exploration goals on the surface of the moon, asteroids or other airless bodies.

The "Mighty Eagle" was developed by the Marshall Center and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., for NASA's Planetary Sciences Division, Headquarters Science Mission Directorate. Key partners in this project include the Von Braun Center for Science and Innovation, which includes the Science Applications International Corporation, Dynetics Corp., and Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., all of Huntsville.

Watch the video of the Mighty Eagle flight on Aug. 28 at the Marshall Center: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=151295641

For more information on NASA's robotic landers, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/lunarquest/robotic/index.html

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA.

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

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/lA--2917C78/120829145855.htm

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Is Editing a Document Enough? | WritePoint Blog

I can?t tell you how many times a company has come to me and said they have an editing job for us. The content is there, they explain, it?s just a matter of editing it. Last week, ?a client came with this exact comment. Now, there are times when the client genuinely means this. Editing IS enough.

Perhaps it is an internal document ? one that will be passed around within the company. The expected audience knows the industry, knows the product, etc. In this case, the client simply wants to have a well written, nicely formatted document containing specific information (not more, not less). In many cases, the document will be distributed to global branches and, quite honestly, the local Israeli branch does not want to be embarrassed by spelling mistakes and bad grammar.

Very intelligent people wrote the document. If I could speak and write in Hebrew as well as they can speak and write in English, I would be eternally grateful. But still, there are mistakes that need to be corrected ? more based on the cultural understanding of the use of words than a lack of forethought on the part of the writer.

One example ? an engineer we work with would write, ?The user shall?? and I would change it to ?The user can?? ? Finally, the engineer asked me what was wrong with the word ?shall? and why I kept changing it? I answered, ?God shall; the rest of us can.? It?s a cultural thing; not something he should have known and so he was grateful for my corrections.

So, last week, once again, a client said ?just edit.? But this time, it became clear that the intended audience was not internal, and the holes in the document were more severe than the client realized. While they had most of the procedures, they were missing the explanations that a user would need to know when to use the procedure. Missing was the workflow ? the logic behind the way the user would use the product. Screen captures were poorly used and the quality was seriously lacking. In short, what they needed was not editing but more; what they had was a good resource document, even an excellent one. But what they did not have was a document that could easily be edited into a document for their end-users.

Being a technical writer is more than just writing words. It?s about understanding what information a user needs and, perhaps equally important, what information a user does not need. It?s about using the documentation tools we have effectively to save time and it?s about understanding the product to an extremely high level. We take the knowledge of the developer, the positioning of the marketing department, and the needs of the user and pull it all together to create a document that enhances the companies offering and helps the end-user.

Editing is an important skill. As technical writers, we must edit our own work as diligently as we edit the documents that others have written. I once had a technical writer explain that he didn?t proofread the document because he didn?t realize that checking spelling was part of the process. He didn?t realize I was serious when I had specified that the candidate I hired must be an amazing editor.?I was serious ? then and now.

Editing is a critical skill to have. Part of editing is knowing when to edit and when to rewrite; when to leave the style of the writer intact and when to go back to the client/employer and explain that key elements of the document are missing.

Is editing a document enough? Sometimes it is ? and sometimes it is not. After explaining to the client what was missing ? they budgeted a few more hours, gave us access to the developer, and ended up with a professional document they could send to their users. ?The user ended up with a document that will explain how to use their product and what they can accomplish with it; and we ended up with tremendous satisfaction knowing that we once again, the client listened and appreciated our input.

So, once again, life is good as technical writers in Israel!

from your own site.

Source: http://www.writepoint.com/blog/is-editing-a-document-enough/

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Earphones potentially as dangerous as noise from jet engines, researchers find

ScienceDaily (Aug. 29, 2012) ? Turning the volume up too high on your headphones can damage the coating of nerve cells, leading to temporary deafness, scientists from the University of Leicester have shown for the first time.

Earphones or headphones on personal music players can reach noise levels similar to those of jet engines, the researchers said.

Noises louder than 110 decibels are known to cause hearing problems such as temporary deafness and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), but the University of Leicester study is the first time the underlying cell damage has been observed.

The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

University of Leicester researcher Dr Martine Hamann of the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, who led the study, said:

"The research allows us to understand the pathway from exposure to loud noises to hearing loss. Dissecting the cellular mechanisms underlying this condition is likely to bring a very significant healthcare benefit to a wide population. The work will help prevention as well as progression into finding appropriate cures for hearing loss."

Nerve cells that carry electrical signals from the ears to the brain have a coating called the myelin sheath, which helps the electrical signals travel along the cell. Exposure to loud noises -- i.e. noise over 110 decibels -- can strip the cells of this coating, disrupting the electrical signals. This means the nerves can no longer efficiently transmit information from the ears to the brain.

However, the coating surrounding the nerve cells can reform, letting the cells function again as normal. This means hearing loss can be temporary, and full hearing can return, the researchers said.

Dr Hamann explained: "We now understand why hearing loss can be reversible in certain cases. We showed that the sheath around the auditory nerve is lost in about half of the cells we looked at, a bit like stripping the electrical cable linking an amplifier to the loudspeaker. The effect is reversible and after three months, hearing has recovered and so has the sheath around the auditory nerve."

The findings are part of ongoing research into the effects of loud noises on a part of the brain called the dorsal cochlear nucleus, the relay that carries signals from nerve cells in the ear to the parts of the brain that decode and make sense of sounds. The team has already shown that damage to cells in this area can cause tinnitus -- the sensation of 'phantom sounds' such as buzzing or ringing.

The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Medisearch, GlaxoSmithkline and the Royal Society.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Leicester, via AlphaGalileo.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. N. Pilati, M. J. Ison, M. Barker, M. Mulheran, C. H. Large, I. D. Forsythe, J. Matthias, M. Hamann. Mechanisms contributing to central excitability changes during hearing loss. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; 109 (21): 8292 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1116981109

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/11ba8XB000o/120829064707.htm

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'Avengers,' 'Dark Knight Rises' And More: The Best Of Summer 2012

FROM NEXTMOVIE: Put the bathing suits away, shut down the volley ball courts: that's a wrap on the summer, which is indeed a bummer. But on the plus side, the summer of 2012 will stand out in history as one of the brightest seasons for blockbusters and indies alike, from "The Avengers" to "Moonrise Kingdom" [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/08/29/best-of-summer-2012-polls/

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Leave a comment - Hawaii Real Estate

The housing market recovery appears to be sustainable.

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency?s Home Price Index, home prices rose by a seasonally-adjusted 0.7 percent?between May and June 2012.?The index is now up 3.0% over the past 12 months, and made its biggest quarterly gain since 2005 last quarter.

The FHFA?s Home Price Index measures home price changes through successive home sales for homes whose mortgages are backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and for which the property type is categorized as a ?single-family residence?.

Condominiums, multi-unit homes and homes with jumbo mortgages, for example, are excluded from the Home Price Index, as are all-cash home sales.

June?s HPI gives buyers and seller reason to cheer, but it?s important to remember that the Home Price Index ? like so many other home valuation trackers ? has a severe, built-in flaw. The HPI uses aged data. It?s nearly September, yet we?re talking numbers from June.

Data that?s two months old has limited meaning in today?s housing market. It?s reflective of the housing market as it looked in the past.

And, even then, to?categorize the HPI as ?two months old? may be a stretch.?Because it often takes 45-60 days to close on a home sale, the home sale prices as reported by the July Home Price Index are the result of purchase contracts written from as far back as February 2012.

Buyers and sellers in search of real-time home price data, in other words, won?t get it from the FHFA.

The Home Price Index is a useful housing market gauge for law-makers and economists. It highlights long-term trends in housing which can assist in allocating resources to a particular policy or project. For home buyers and sellers , however, it?s decidedly less useful. Real-time data is what?s most important.

For that, talk to a real estate professional.

Source: http://blog.hawaiimoves.com/hpi-home-price-index-june-2012/

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AP Exclusive: Syria defectors live in secret camp

MAFRAQ, Jordan (AP) ? In an isolated stretch of Jordanian desert, a heavily guarded, secret compound houses 1,200 senior police and army officers who defected from nearby Syria.

The men live in trailers with fans but no air conditioning, surrounded by barbed wire, and they pass their days browsing the Internet and watching TV for news of Syria's civil war, longing to join the fight ? but they are largely unable to leave.

The Jordanian military runs the camp near a site formerly used by the U.S. to train some its forces for the war in Iraq, and the defectors are debriefed by intelligence agents. Access to them is tightly restricted for their own protection. They are even separated from their families, who live outside the camp near the northern border city of Mafraq but can get special police permits to visit.

The defectors in the camp are allowed to communicate with the rebel Free Syrian Army in Jordan and abroad, both in person and through telephone and Internet communications, but do not have what is considered valuable intelligence, according to Jordanian security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to make press statements.

The facility is a sign of Jordan's growing role as a quiet supporter of Syria's opposition. But at the same time, Jordan wants to avoid aggravating tensions with its more powerful northern neighbor, fearing that President Bashar Assad may remain in power.

There are more than 160,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan, and their number is increasing by the thousands every day. About 8,000 live in a newly set up camp on the border, while the rest are scattered across Jordan.

Maintaining control over the refugees poses a security threat to the small, tightly controlled kingdom. Jordanian security officials and refugees have said there were pro-Assad "sleeper cells" in Jordan that could act against the refugees.

Jordan has rejected several requests by the Assad government for the extradition of the defectors and has allowed entry to hundreds of Syrian rebels who move freely around the country. It also has helped the refugees by giving them medical treatment.

It is not clear if former Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab, the most prominent defector to flee to Jordan, is housed in the desert facility or one elsewhere. Hijab fled under a plan coordinated between the Amman government and the Free Syrian Army.

The Associated Press asked to visit the desert facility but was denied access. However, the AP spoke to two of the camp residents who described the conditions there.

Khaldoun, a 47-year-old former Syrian army brigadier, said there were dozens of trailers housing up to seven men each, with fans stirring the desert air. Armed Jordanian soldiers guard the compound around the clock, he said.

The men spend their days exercising and playing backgammon and chess, and the Jordanians provide them with access to the Internet, TVs, cellphones and computers, said Khaldoun, who insisted on being identified by his first name only, citing concern for the safety of relatives in Syria.

"It's good to be here, away from the tension and war, but this is not what I had hoped for," he told the AP.

"I wanted to be part of the rebel movement fighting to liberate Syria," Khaldoun added. He said he spends most of his day watching TV, exchanging gossip, or browsing the Internet for news on the violence back home.

"It's difficult to watch the war in Syria on TV and the Internet and not be part of it," he added.

Khaldoun defected to Jordan in January at the height of the Assad regime's crackdown on his hometown, the central city of Homs, which became the hub of the uprising that began in March 2011. Hailing from a prominent Sunni Muslim family, he served in the 7th Armored Division for 23 years until his escape.

The security defectors range in rank from corporal to general ? but they said their access to state and military information was limited because as Sunnis they were kept in the dark by the inner circle of the ruling Alawite minority ? a Shiite Muslim offshoot ? that surrounds Assad.

The Jordanian security officials said access to the defectors was restricted because of concerns that pro-Assad elements could try to attack them.

A series of attacks on Syrians in Jordan has led refugees and Jordanian officials to believe agents of the Assad regime are operating in the kingdom on a campaign to hunt down opponents and intimidate those who have fled. Jordan has also arrested supposed defectors on suspicion that they were spying on Syrian refugees and dissidents.

The camp housing the defectors is near Jordan's largest air force base, which had been used as a training facility for U.S. forces in the past two decades during and after the wars in neighboring Iraq.

Jordanian government officials have refused to comment about the desert camp, saying that they have little information about the defectors.

The camp's refugees fled in batches since the uprising began, with most of them smuggled through a northern border fence by the Free Syrian Army and later interrogated by Jordanian intelligence to verify their identities and the authenticity of their stories, one of the Jordanian security officials said.

The defectors are between 40 and 60 years old, and some have chronic ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes and back problems that prevented them from being in the frontline in Syria or joining the rebels, the officials said.

A handful of other senior military and police defectors are kept at a secret location elsewhere, one of the security officials said, including Syrian air force Col. Hassan Hammadeh, who flew his MiG-21 to Jordan on June 21.

Most of the defectors were seen as "small fish" who for the most part did not provide actionable intelligence, according to the Jordanian security officials and a Jordan-based Western diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because identifying him would compromise his ability to gather information on Syria.

Still, one of the defectors at the desert compound said that as a colonel in the military, he held such a high rank that the Assad regime would go to great lengths to strike back at him.

"They would destroy a whole suburb if they think one of us is there," said the colonel, who identified himself only as Rahal, citing fears of retribution against relatives still in Syria.

"This is why I had to get out of Syria," he added.

Rahal said he and 37 other officers were jailed shortly after the start of the uprising, but a number of them were given amnesty and released in May. The regime told him to report to work but merely shuffled him from one office to another, he said.

"I had no real job, just drinking tea and watching TV," the 45-year-old said.

He said he decided to defect when the security forces "decided to militarize the conflict in order to end the crisis."

Rahal predicted the Free Syrian Army would ultimately get the weapons it needs to finish off Assad.

"The Free Syrian Army is like a group of birds on a tree. If the regime tries to shoot one of the birds, the group flies off to another tree. The regime will never get them all," he said.

___

Gavlak reported from Irbid, Jordan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-syria-defectors-live-secret-camp-193745917.html

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Construction company Orange County - Modern, Innovative ...

by Eternity Construction, Inc.

to Eternity Construction, Inc.

Home remodeling is one of the most common ways to quickly and affordably enhance the beauty of a home, without all of the drawbacks of purchasing an entirely new property. Many people consider this a better option than construction of a new house, because it is far more cost-effective and much less disruptive. If you are settled in Los Angeles and planning to renovate or remodel your house, then you should be sure to hire professional service providers to get the job done right. There are numerous options for licensed general contracting companies that offer wide range of such services at competitive rates.

Some of the most popular remodeling projects include:

? Kitchens

? Bathrooms

? Bedrooms

? Living Rooms

Most clients find what they are searching for from the area's leading companies, because the best businesses have multiple areas of expertise apart from Los Angeles Remodeling. These professionals will help you update and improve flooring and cabinets, and they have the services of electricians, plumbers and other experts to complete the work quickly and accurately. Experts at these companies work closely with their clients to ensure the finished project reflects the unique creativity of the homeowner.

If you are searching for a reliable Los Angeles bathroom remodeling company, visit some of the client feedback websites for recommendations. Find professionals that are experienced remodelers for all types of bathroom designs, including modern, classic, and traditional. With the help of these services, you can look forward to a beautiful, practical space in your bathroom.

Many companies provide reliable services for kitchen remodeling Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. If you are ready to create the kitchen of your dreams, choose the services of a professional, experienced remodeling company. They will make your kitchen both beautiful and functional, so you and your family can enjoy quality time while cooking and eating together. When you select a company with many years of remodeling experience, you can be confident that they understand what you want in your kitchen. Therefore, they can help create a perfect kitchen design that suits the specific needs of your lifestyle. Homeowners aren't the only ones that can benefit from quality remodeling. These services are also available for commercial buildings like hotels and restaurants, at very competitive prices.

When you look for a quality Construction Company Orange County that you can trust, these are the features that will ensure your project runs smoothly:

? More than two decades of experience

? 3D blueprint design reviewed with clients before construction/renovation begins

? High-quality, effective methods and advanced technologies

? Quality services at reasonable fees

? Guaranteed client satisfaction

Hire professional service providers and take the advantage of their ability to transform your home through remodeling and construction at affordable rates. For more information, visit them online.

Keywords: Construction company Orange County, kitchen remodeling Los Angeles, Los Angeles bathroom remodeling, Los Angeles remodeling

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Self Improvement & Memory Training: Becoming More Intelligent ...

You will surely become more intelligent only by eliminating the negative influence of the primitive side of your brain into your conscience through dream interpretation as a science. This mind empowerment process also works like psychological transformation and spiritual purification.

The human brain is basically absurd because the biggest part of the human brain belongs to our anti-conscience, the primitive side of our conscience that didn't evolve like our human side. Whatever is absurd is idiotic because absurdity is self-destructive.

This means that your brain power goes wasted. Even though you have the potential to become a genius, your anti-conscience doesn't let you positively use your capacities.

Human beings have an idiotic behavior because of the influence of their anti-conscience. This is why our world is characterized by terror, violence, immorality, hypocrisy, indifference, and greed. Instead of using our brain power and evolve without limits, we become mentally ill.

Everyone needs psychotherapy, even if they are not mentally ill. Everyone inherits absurdity into their anti-conscience. Everyone can become a victim of the craziness they inherit in their brain.

Some people have a stronger human conscience and better life conditions, and this is why they seem to be balanced. However, everyone has many psychological problems.

This means that everyone depends on God's guidance in order to escape the craziness imposed by their anti-conscience. The unconscious mind is a doctor and teacher, who helps everyone develop their own intelligence without depending on the unconscious guidance to solve their problems.

However, we all depend on an initial guidance by the unconscious mind so that we may fight absurdity, instead of being victims of our wild side. Alone we cannot manage to fight all the absurdity we have inherited into our anti-conscience. We need many clues, so that we may understand what to do.

You will become more intelligent when you'll analyze your own attitude in your own dreams and you'll understand your behavior. You believe you know who you are, but there are numerous parts of your personality you ignore because they are not conscious. They belong to your anti-conscience.

Your anti-conscience is an evil and absurd part of yourself, which is totally different from you, since you are the human being concentrated into the human side of your conscience. You have to transform this negative part of yourself into positive content that will belong to your conscience, and will be controlled by your human conscience. This is what the unconscious mind helps you carry on through dream therapy.

Your anti-conscience keeps blocking your evolution and generating mental illnesses within your conscience. You must get rid of this dangerous negative content and find sound mental health. Through dream interpretation as a science you learn how to transform the negative energy of your anti-conscience into positive energy. In other words, you learn how to stop being idiotic because you are absurd.

After eliminating the absurdity that constantly invades your conscience you have the chance to become always more intelligent. You will then learn how to be a genius. You have this potential.

When you eliminate your evil and absurd anti-conscience through consciousness thanks to the unconscious guidance in dreams, your evolution has no limits.

The unconscious mind that produces our dreams has a divine origin. Through dream interpretation you learn how to become a perfect human being. This means that your intelligence looks for wise solutions that will help your community. Your sensitivity helps you understand how other people feel.

Sensitivity is indispensable when you are trying to understand your reality. You must be able to perceive all aspects of your reality. Otherwise, you cannot be balanced, and you cannot understand what is really happening to you.

You will become more intelligent when you'll learn how to be a wise human being. This means that you must learn how to be humble, generous, and sincere.

Your intelligence must make you happier, and make everyone glad with your existence. The unconscious mind teaches you how to understand the hidden aspects of your reality, behind the social masks of the world.

You learn how to be sincere, while protecting yourself from those who could take advantage of your honesty. You learn how to feel comfortable with all human beings and understand how their world is. You also learn how to identify signs of absurdity in the human behavior and protect yourself.

For example, when you perceive that someone keeps interrupting your words with irrelevant comments, this is an indication that they are not paying attention to what you are saying. Depending on the comments they make, you can also understand how superficial they are.

If you'll analyze their style and preferences, you will understand their psychological type and then, relate the information you acquired through these observations to the knowledge the unconscious mind gives you in dreams. You have many lessons about how the human brain works and what determines the human behavior.

The unconscious mind helps you clearly understand the human behavior. You learn how to interpret various human reactions. Some movements speak more than words.

The unconscious mind is your doctor and teacher. You will attain always higher levels of knowledge by following the unconscious guidance in dreams.

At the same time, you'll purify your spirit by respecting your moral principles, your human dignity, and your obligation to respect others. The divine wisdom protects your life by showing you how to preserve your sanity and improve your spiritual health.

Christina Sponias continued Carl Jung's research into the human psyche, discovering the cure for all mental illnesses, and simplifying the scientific method of dream interpretation that teaches you how to exactly translate the meaning of your dreams, so that you can find health, wisdom and happiness.
Learn more at: http://www.scientificdreaminterpretation.com

Click Here to download a Free Sample of the eBook Dream Interpretation as a Science (86 pages!).

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

Source: http://selfimprovementandmemorytraining.blogspot.com/2012/08/becoming-more-intelligent-through-dream.html

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ASGE initiative examines real-time imaging of Barrett's esophagus

Public release date: 27-Aug-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anne Brownsey
abrownsey@asge.org
630-570-5635
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

OAK BROOK, Ill. August 27, 2012 The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy's (ASGE) Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable Endoscopic Innovations (PIVI) initiative examines real-time imaging of Barrett's esophagus in an article appearing in the August issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, ASGE's monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal. This PIVI is one in a series of statements defining the diagnostic or therapeutic threshold that must be met for a technique or device to become considered appropriate for incorporation into clinical practice.

Barrett's esophagus is a change in the lining of the esophagus due to chronic acid reflux and can be detected by endoscopy with biopsy. High-risk individuals with longstanding reflux should be screened with endoscopy for this condition. Barrett's esophagus is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (a form of cancer).

"The clinical problem addressed by this PIVI is the effectiveness and cost of current surveillance protocols, as well as rates of compliance with these protocols. Endoscopic surveillance of Barrett's esophagus (BE), as currently practiced, has shortcomings. Dysplasia (abnormal growth) and early adenocarcinoma may be endoscopically indistinguishable from non-dysplastic (benign) tissue. The distribution of dysplasia and cancer is highly variable, and even the most thorough biopsy surveillance program has the potential for a missed diagnosis due to sampling error. Current surveillance programs are expensive and time consuming," said PIVI Committee Co-Chair Prateek Sharma, MD. "Survey data indicate that while surveillance is widely practiced, there is marked variation from practice guidelines in the technique and interval of surveillance. A recent study found that adherence to guidelines occurred only 51 percent of the time and furthermore, the longer the length of the Barrett's segment, the worse the adherence."

The specific clinical issues addressed by this PIVI are what performance characteristics are required for an imaging technology to eliminate the need for random biopsies during endoscopic surveillance of patients with non-dysplastic Barrett's. The document outlines the following:

• Thresholds recommended for this PIVI
  To eliminate the need for random mucosal biopsies during the endoscopic surveillance of patients with nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus, an imaging technology with targeted biopsies should have a per-patient sensitivity of 90 percent or greater and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98 percent or greater for detecting high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) compared with the current standard protocol (white-light endoscopy and targeted and random 4-quadrant biopsies every 2 cm). In addition, the new imaging technology should have a specificity that is sufficiently high (80 percent) to allow a reduction in the number of biopsies (compared with random biopsies).

• Literature review summary
  The most recent meta-analysis of cancer risk in Barrett's esophagus patients produced a pooled estimate of 0.6 percent per year. The majority of patients encountered in clinical practice are those without dysplasia. The operating characteristics of the various currently available imaging modalities for the diagnosis of HGD/cancer were determined by performing a systematic review. Overall, the NPV for current advanced imaging methods ranged from 79 percent to 100 percent, with a mean NPV of 97 percent. The per-patient sensitivity and specificity of new imaging techniques have ranged from 33 percent to 100 percent and 56 percent to 100 percent, respectively. The literature review also outlines the primary costs associated with surveillance.

• Areas for research
  Having a better estimate of which patients are at greatest risk of developing esophageal cancer is important because screening and surveillance efforts should be focused more on these patients, with perhaps less frequent or no surveillance in those patients at relatively low risk. New imaging techniques would need to be compared with the "current standard" available endoscope, which could change in the future as the next generation endoscopes will continue to have improved imaging capabilities. Future studies will need to compare the new imaging technology with the standard 4-quadrant biopsy protocol in the same patient population to determine whether the PIVI thresholds are met. Additionally, cost-effectiveness studies will need to be performed related to the operating characteristics of any new imaging modality as compared to the standard biopsy protocol in the same population.

• Training issues/establishment of competency
  Training needs to be available to ensure the effectiveness of any new technology as it becomes used in non-research settings. Quality measures would need to be developed to ensure consistent, high confidence examinations. Gastroenterological societies, such as ASGE, would develop position statements on minimum requirements for both trainees and practicing clinicians. Important tools for training would include educational materials, both in print and online, image libraries and hands-on workshops. There should be a way for individual practitioners to monitor their own accuracy as a performance quality measure (eg, prediction of neoplasia in lesions using white-light and/or enhanced imaging techniques, similar to detection of colonic adenomas).

• Other issues considered in establishing the thresholds

  • Limitations of current methods for surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus
  • Low risk of high-grade dysplasia/esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus
  • Costs of standard endoscopy and biopsy

The PIVI committee (consisting of a committee of ASGE physician experts) in preparing the document, employed evidence-based methodology, using a MEDLINE and PubMed literature search to identify pertinent clinical studies on the topic. The PIVI is provided solely for educational and informational purposes and to support incorporating these endoscopic technologies into clinical practice. It should not be construed as establishing a legal standard of care. To read the full PIVI document, log on to ASGE's website at www.asge.org.

###

About the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Since its founding in 1941, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has been dedicated to advancing patient care and digestive health by promoting excellence and innovation in gastrointestinal endoscopy. ASGE, with more than 12,000 members worldwide, promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education. Visit www.asge.org and www.screen4coloncancer.org for more information and to find a qualified doctor in your area.

About Endoscopy
Endoscopy is performed by specially-trained physicians called endoscopists using the most current technology to diagnose and treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Using flexible, thin tubes called endoscopes, endoscopists are able to access the human digestive tract without incisions via natural orifices. Endoscopes are designed with high-intensity lighting and fitted with precision devices that allow viewing and treatment of the gastrointestinal system.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 27-Aug-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anne Brownsey
abrownsey@asge.org
630-570-5635
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

OAK BROOK, Ill. August 27, 2012 The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy's (ASGE) Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable Endoscopic Innovations (PIVI) initiative examines real-time imaging of Barrett's esophagus in an article appearing in the August issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, ASGE's monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal. This PIVI is one in a series of statements defining the diagnostic or therapeutic threshold that must be met for a technique or device to become considered appropriate for incorporation into clinical practice.

Barrett's esophagus is a change in the lining of the esophagus due to chronic acid reflux and can be detected by endoscopy with biopsy. High-risk individuals with longstanding reflux should be screened with endoscopy for this condition. Barrett's esophagus is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma (a form of cancer).

"The clinical problem addressed by this PIVI is the effectiveness and cost of current surveillance protocols, as well as rates of compliance with these protocols. Endoscopic surveillance of Barrett's esophagus (BE), as currently practiced, has shortcomings. Dysplasia (abnormal growth) and early adenocarcinoma may be endoscopically indistinguishable from non-dysplastic (benign) tissue. The distribution of dysplasia and cancer is highly variable, and even the most thorough biopsy surveillance program has the potential for a missed diagnosis due to sampling error. Current surveillance programs are expensive and time consuming," said PIVI Committee Co-Chair Prateek Sharma, MD. "Survey data indicate that while surveillance is widely practiced, there is marked variation from practice guidelines in the technique and interval of surveillance. A recent study found that adherence to guidelines occurred only 51 percent of the time and furthermore, the longer the length of the Barrett's segment, the worse the adherence."

The specific clinical issues addressed by this PIVI are what performance characteristics are required for an imaging technology to eliminate the need for random biopsies during endoscopic surveillance of patients with non-dysplastic Barrett's. The document outlines the following:

• Thresholds recommended for this PIVI
  To eliminate the need for random mucosal biopsies during the endoscopic surveillance of patients with nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus, an imaging technology with targeted biopsies should have a per-patient sensitivity of 90 percent or greater and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98 percent or greater for detecting high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) compared with the current standard protocol (white-light endoscopy and targeted and random 4-quadrant biopsies every 2 cm). In addition, the new imaging technology should have a specificity that is sufficiently high (80 percent) to allow a reduction in the number of biopsies (compared with random biopsies).

• Literature review summary
  The most recent meta-analysis of cancer risk in Barrett's esophagus patients produced a pooled estimate of 0.6 percent per year. The majority of patients encountered in clinical practice are those without dysplasia. The operating characteristics of the various currently available imaging modalities for the diagnosis of HGD/cancer were determined by performing a systematic review. Overall, the NPV for current advanced imaging methods ranged from 79 percent to 100 percent, with a mean NPV of 97 percent. The per-patient sensitivity and specificity of new imaging techniques have ranged from 33 percent to 100 percent and 56 percent to 100 percent, respectively. The literature review also outlines the primary costs associated with surveillance.

• Areas for research
  Having a better estimate of which patients are at greatest risk of developing esophageal cancer is important because screening and surveillance efforts should be focused more on these patients, with perhaps less frequent or no surveillance in those patients at relatively low risk. New imaging techniques would need to be compared with the "current standard" available endoscope, which could change in the future as the next generation endoscopes will continue to have improved imaging capabilities. Future studies will need to compare the new imaging technology with the standard 4-quadrant biopsy protocol in the same patient population to determine whether the PIVI thresholds are met. Additionally, cost-effectiveness studies will need to be performed related to the operating characteristics of any new imaging modality as compared to the standard biopsy protocol in the same population.

• Training issues/establishment of competency
  Training needs to be available to ensure the effectiveness of any new technology as it becomes used in non-research settings. Quality measures would need to be developed to ensure consistent, high confidence examinations. Gastroenterological societies, such as ASGE, would develop position statements on minimum requirements for both trainees and practicing clinicians. Important tools for training would include educational materials, both in print and online, image libraries and hands-on workshops. There should be a way for individual practitioners to monitor their own accuracy as a performance quality measure (eg, prediction of neoplasia in lesions using white-light and/or enhanced imaging techniques, similar to detection of colonic adenomas).

• Other issues considered in establishing the thresholds

  • Limitations of current methods for surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus
  • Low risk of high-grade dysplasia/esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus
  • Costs of standard endoscopy and biopsy

The PIVI committee (consisting of a committee of ASGE physician experts) in preparing the document, employed evidence-based methodology, using a MEDLINE and PubMed literature search to identify pertinent clinical studies on the topic. The PIVI is provided solely for educational and informational purposes and to support incorporating these endoscopic technologies into clinical practice. It should not be construed as establishing a legal standard of care. To read the full PIVI document, log on to ASGE's website at www.asge.org.

###

About the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Since its founding in 1941, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has been dedicated to advancing patient care and digestive health by promoting excellence and innovation in gastrointestinal endoscopy. ASGE, with more than 12,000 members worldwide, promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education. Visit www.asge.org and www.screen4coloncancer.org for more information and to find a qualified doctor in your area.

About Endoscopy
Endoscopy is performed by specially-trained physicians called endoscopists using the most current technology to diagnose and treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Using flexible, thin tubes called endoscopes, endoscopists are able to access the human digestive tract without incisions via natural orifices. Endoscopes are designed with high-intensity lighting and fitted with precision devices that allow viewing and treatment of the gastrointestinal system.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-08/asfg-aie082712.php

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Indian Secrets

The cheifs saughter saw man come onto the island they were on she fell in love with one of them but can't be seen with him.

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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Indian Secrets?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Indian Secrets"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

Otaku

Member for 0 years

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Could I reserve a pilgrim also could it be more of which a man of science looking for knowledge just wondering if I could do that if not it's fine

ceh12

Member for 0 years

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@Ceh12-Thats fine you may resever a Pilgrim. It can be a scienceist.

@ScarnyLuv- I was going to Be Kui. Im sorry you may resever someone else if you like.

Otaku

Member for 0 years

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OK I will reserve the other Indian girl then if I may?

ScarnyLuv

Member for 0 years

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Anti-rocket school protects Israeli kids near Gaza

Israeli high-school students walk through the yard next to a new rocketproof school building, in Shaar Hanegev school, near the southern town of Sderot, Israel, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The 27.5 million US Dollar structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb rocket fire.(AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israeli high-school students walk through the yard next to a new rocketproof school building, in Shaar Hanegev school, near the southern town of Sderot, Israel, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The 27.5 million US Dollar structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb rocket fire.(AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israeli President Shimon Peres, center, sits next to students in a classroom in a new rocketproof school building, in Shaar Hanegev school, near the southern town of Sderot, Israel, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The 27.5 million US Dollar structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb rocket fire. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israeli high-school students sit in the shade provided by a fortified shelter next to a new rocketproof school building, in Shaar Hanegev school, near the southern town of Sderot, Israel, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The 27.5 million US Dollar structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb rocket fire.(AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

An Israeli high-school student stands in the window of a new rocketproof school building, in Shaar Hanegev school, near the southern town of Sderot, Israel, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The 27.5 million US Dollar structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb rocket fire.(AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Israeli high-school students gather in a fortified shelter next to a new rocketproof school building, in Shaar Hanegev school, near the southern town of Sderot, Israel, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. The 27.5 million US Dollar structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb rocket fire. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

SDEROT, Israel (AP) ? For the first time in years, the children of Sderot can study in peace.

Living under a constant threat of rocket fire from militants in the nearby Gaza Strip, their schooldays were often interrupted by mad dashes to bomb shelters. But on Monday, they started the school year safe from attack in a new, fortified, rocket-proof school building.

The $27.5 million structure features concrete walls, reinforced windows and a unique architectural plan all designed specifically to absorb and deflect rocket fire. Notices on the walls of the "Shaar Hanegev" High School remind the 1,200 students of their new reality: In case of a warning siren, it reads, stay put.

"You can finally teach without constantly worrying about what to do when there is a rocket attack," said Zohar Nir-Levi, the principal of the junior high school inside the complex. "You can concentrate on your studies. It used to be that even before you said hello in the morning you were telling people where to run."

In the 12 years since rockets began raining down on Sderot, less than a mile (2 kilometers) from Gaza, residents say life has often been unbearable. Eight people have been killed, hundreds wounded and nearly everyone in the working-class town of some 24,000 has been traumatized by the frequent wail of sirens and explosions.

Schools were often shut for periods during this time, with parents fearing for the safety of their children. Psychologists treated many kids for trauma. In one memorable incident, a rocket hit an empty school, sparking demands for better protection.

Alon Shuster, chairman of the regional Shaar Hanegev council, said the decision to build the new school was made as "a strategic response to a threat we have been coping with for 12 years."

The rocket fire has subsided considerably in the past three years, since Israel carried out a fierce three-week offensive against Gaza militants in which some 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed. Gaza's Hamas rulers have largely halted their rocket fire at Israel since then, though smaller armed groups continue to stage attacks.

The Israeli military says some 440 rockets have been fired so far this year. In a fresh reminder, two rockets fell in the area on Monday, following a similar barrage a day earlier. No one was hurt.

Over the years, authorities have scrambled to protect the town's schools, reinforcing buildings with concrete barricades and stronger roofs. A heavily fortified elementary school was also built, as was a special indoor playground with a mini-soccer field, video games and bomb shelters, according to local officials.

But officials say the new high school takes protection to a new level. The school, built on a sprawling campus, took two years to plan and then two more years to construct.

Each grade has its own color-coded building, with colorful tiles lining the floors. It features concrete shelters in the school yard as well, to allow students on recess to find cover in the 15-second window they have between the sound of the siren and the landing of the rocket. A science lab and an auto shop are fortified. Even the angles of the buildings are specially built to deflect incoming projectiles.

"The walls are thick, the windows are very thick too," said Yuval Gani, the architect who designed the school. "The doors are protected, the roof is protected also. ... The facade of the building, its task is to deviate the missiles."

Israel is by no means the only place where children come into danger when they go to school. In areas of Colombia wracked by guerrilla violence, schools have intentionally been located far away from police stations, which often become targets. In Iraq, police patrols stand near schools, and some roads leading to schools are blocked with barbed wire or concrete walls. A small upper crust in Baghdad is able to live and send its children to school inside the heavily fortified Green Zone.

The students appear to appreciate their new home.

Michael Spitzer, an 11th grader, said the protection of the building made him less concerned about his younger sister, who also studied there and his mother, who is a teacher.

"I don't have to worry about them anymore," he said. "I can just focus on school and not all the other stuff."

Israeli President Shimon Peres attended the school's grand opening Monday and praised the children's resolve.

"I see here a wonderful and strong stance in the face of rockets," he said, seated in a ninth-grade classroom. "This fortified school inaugurated today is the least that can be done for you. In response to the rockets you are making a strong statement."

___

Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Lima, Peru, and Bushra Juhi in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-08-27-Israel-Rocket-proof%20School/id-ab1c93ac3ea3471187f2dd507a7797f8

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