Joseph Dwyer Dead At 31

Soldier in Iconic Picture Dead at 31

It is good to be reminded at times of the human cost of our effort in Iraq. And that cost is born by our nation's finest - and the scars are not always visible.

In March,2003 a picture flashed around the world of a young American soldier carrying an Iraqi child to safety. The look of determination on the young man's face as well as the look of confusion and fear on the face of the child spoke to millions around the world about America's efforts in Iraq at that time.

But Army Pfc. Joseph Dwyer - the man in the picture - never recovered emotionally from his service. Enlisting two days after 9/11, Joseph came home seeing specters of the enemy everywhere. He shot up his Texas apartment while holding police at bay for hours. Then, after moving to North Carolina, his personal demons apparently followed him as police found his body late last month - a victim of the war as surely as if he had been killed on the battlefield:

The war that made him a hero at 26 haunted him to the last moments of his life.

"He loved the picture, don't get me wrong, but he just couldn't get over the war," his mother, Maureen Dwyer, said by telephone from her home in Sunset Beach, N.C. "He wasn't Joseph anymore. Joseph never came home."

Dwyer's parents said they tried to get help for their son, appealing to Army and Veterans Affairs officials. Although he was treated off and on in VA facilities, he was never able to shake his anxieties.

Inadequate treatment

An April report by the Rand Corp. said serious gaps in treatment exist for the 1 in 5 U.S. troops who exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or depression following service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Half of those troops who experience the disorder sought help in the past year, the report said, and those who did often got "minimally adequate treatment."

"He went away to inpatient treatments, none of it worked," his father, Patrick Dennis Dwyer, said. "And the problem is there are not adequate resources for post-traumatic stress syndrome."

After a PTSD program in Durham, N.C., turned Dwyer away because of a lack of space, Maureen Dwyer said her son received inpatient care for six months at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, beginning last August. After doctors discharged him in March, she said, his anxieties returned with such intensity that Dwyer's wife, Matina, 30, took their daughter Meagan, 2, and moved out five days later.

Maureen Dwyer said her son married a month before his deployment. She said her son began experiencing serious depression soon after his vehicle in Iraq was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in 2003. She said his problems continued after his deployment ended and he returned to an Army facility in Texas.

I don't necessarily see how one can say that Dwyer did not receive "adequate" treatment when he was an inpatient at two separate facilities. Perhaps Dwyer should have been permanently committed given the depth of his anxiety. But such committments are voluntary and few returning vets submit to that regimen.

No, Dwyer was a casualty of war. And we should honor his service and his life as we honor those who fall on the battlefield. His tragedy, while different in scope, is no less horrible than that of any other family who has lost a loved one in the War on Terror.

Original Source : http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/07/soldier_in_iconic_picture_dead.html

Gardasil

Merck shares fall after analyst questions Gardasil sales

Shares of Merck fell more than 5 percent in afternoon trading after a UBS analyst said sales of Gardasil, a vaccine for the virus that can lead to cervical cancer, may be "flattening," according to Marketwatch.com.

Analyst Roopesh Patel changed his rating on the New Jersey drugmaker from "buy" to "neutral," the website said.

Vaccines, and Gardasil in particular, have been a strong point for Merck in the past year. Merck is scheduled to issue its second-quarter earnings report on July 21.

Original Source : http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2008/07/merck_shares_fall_after_analys.html

Andropause

Andropause (or male menopause^[1]) is a somewhat misleading term which is sometimes used to describe a reduction of the production of certain hormones such as testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone, and the consequences of that reduction,^[2] which is associated with a decrease in Leydig cells.^[3][4]

The term andropause is misleading (as is the term "male menopause"), because it suggests an equivalence with menopause, a complete and permanent shutting down of the reproductive system, which occurs only in women.

The term "andropause" is used in peer-reviewed journal articles, both with and without scare quotes; however, there is on-going professional disagreement about whether or not andropause should be considered a normal "state" (the term used by MeSH), or a disorder. A decline in testosterone level with age is well documented,^[5] but there is disagreement over how exactly a "normal" or "healthy" state should be defined.

Researchers who oppose the use of the term "andropause" may not object to the more limited terms "SLOH" or "ADAM", described in more detail below.

Andropause as a "state"

The impact of low levels of testosterone has been previously reported. In 1944, Heller and Myers^[6] identified symptoms of what they labeled the "male climacteric" including loss of libido and potency, nervousness, depression, impaired memory, the inability to concentrate, fatigue, insomnia, hot flushes, and sweating. Heller and Myers found that their subjects had lower than normal levels of testosterone, and that symptoms improved dramatically when patients were given replacement doses of testosterone.

Andropause has been observed in association with Alzheimer's disease.^[7]

In one study, 98.0% of primary care physicians believed that andropause and osteoporosis risk were related.^[8]

The term "symptomatic late onset hypogonadism" (or "SLOH") is sometimes considered to refer to the same condition as the word "andropause".^{[9] [10]}

Some researchers prefer the term "androgen deficiency of the aging male" ("ADAM"), to more accurately reflect the fact that the loss of testosterone production is gradual and asymptotic^[11] (in contrast to the more abrupt change associated with menopause^{[citation needed]}.) The "D" is sometimes given as "decline" instead of "deficiency".^[9] In some contexts, the term "partial androgen deficiency in aging males" ("PADAM") is used instead.^[12]

Andropause as a "disorder"

Proponents

Its proponents claim that it is a biological change experienced by men during their mid-life, and often compare it to female menopause. Menopause however is a complete cessation of reproductive ability caused by the shutting down of the female reproductive system in its entirety. Andropause is a diminishment of the male hormone testosterone. This drop in testosterone levels is considered to lead in some cases to loss of energy and concentration, depression, and mood swings. Unlike menopause, andropause does not cause a man's reproductive system to stop working altogether in mid-life, but many will experience bouts of impotence.

Some of the current popular interest in the concept of andropause has been fueled by the book Male Menopause, written by Jed Diamond.^[13] According to Diamond's view, andropause is a change of life in middle-aged men, which has hormonal, physical, psychological, interpersonal, social, sexual, and spiritual aspects. Diamond claims that this change occurs in all men, generally between the ages of 40 and 55, though it can occur as early as 35 or as late as 65. The term "male menopause" may be a misnomer, as unlike women, men's reproductive systems do not cease to work completely in mid-life; some men continue to father children late into their lives (at age 90 or older^[14]). But Diamond claims that, in terms of other life impacts, women’s and men’s experience are somewhat similar phenomena.^[15][16][17]

The concept of andropause is perhaps more widely accepted in Australia and some parts of Europe than it is in the United States.^[18]

Opponents

Many clinicians believe that andropause is not a valid concept, because men can continue to reproduce into old age, and do not universally show the same dramatic drops in hormone levels that are characteristic of menopause in women. Others feel that andropause is simply synonymous with hypogonadism or low testosterone levels.^[17] Opposition is not limited to the US.^[19]

Some clinicians argue that many of the cited symptoms are not specific enough to warrant describing a new condition as the cause. For example, people who are overweight may be misguided into treating a 'new illness' rather than addressing the lifestyle that lead to their being overweight. Similarly, energy levels vary from person to person, and for those people who are generally inactive, energy levels will automatically be lower overall.

While it is true that active and otherwise healthy men could in theory develop andropause-like symptoms, how common and widespread the phenomenon is, and whether genetics, lifestyle, environment, or a combination of factors are responsible, is not yet known.

Unlike menopause, the term "andropause" is not currently recognized by the World Health Organization and its ICD-10 medical classification.

Diagnosis

Although there is disagreement over whether or not andropause is a condition to be "diagnosed" and "treated", those who support that position have made several proposals to address andropause and mitigate some of its effects.

• Morley emphasizes the importance of response to treatment, as well as testosterone level and identifiable symptoms.^[20]

• Mintz, Dotson, & Mukai include an emphasis on hormones other than testosterone. They also focus upon diet, and exercise. ^[21]

• Diamond (a lay person) believes that depression is one of the most common problems of men going through andropause, and feels it is greatly under-diagnosed in men, with serious consequences.^[22]

Treatment

Several intervention strategies have been found to be effective.^{[13] [16] [22] [18]} These include:

• Hormone replacement therapy^[23]

• Exercise, dietary changes, stress reduction ^[23]

• Couple counseling, career refocusing, and spiritual support^{[citation needed]}

• Chemical dependency treatment, sexual compulsivity treatment^{[citation needed]}

• Treatment for depression^{[citation needed]}

• Finding and engaging one’s “calling” in the second half of life^{[citation needed]}

Selective androgen receptor modulators have also been proposed.^[24]

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andropause

Eponychium

The eponychium or cuticle in human anatomy refers to the thickened layer of skin surrounding fingernails and toenails.

The function is to protect the area between the nail and epidermis from exposure to harmful bacteria.

Beneath the cuticle is a thin layer of pterygium.

The vascularization pattern is similar to that of perionychium.

The Eponychium in Hooved Animals

"The term Eponychium is used to describe the deciduous hoof capsule in veterinary-medical and embryological literature. In other aspects of veterinary medicine, the term is generally reserved for the perioplic corium of the permanent hoof. Epidermal tubules and lamellae are already present in the non-cornified fetal hoof epidermis. These structures, along with the formation of a white line, allow this epidermis to be divided into the same segments as are commonly used when referring to the permanent hoof.

The greatest part of the deciduous hoof epidermis consists of the sole and frog, with significant portions forming in the coronary corium and that of the hoof wall as well. The perioplic corium only makes up insignificant portions of the fetal hoof capsule, however. Between the second half of the gestation period and birth, this deciduous (primary) hoof capsule is continually being replaced from below by newly-forming, cornified permanent hoof capsule."

On the basis of its structure and origin, it is suggested that the term "deciduous hoof capsule (Capsula ungulae decidua)" be used as a replacement for the word "Eponychium" when referring to the primary hoof epidermis.

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eponychium

Hancock Twist

Hancock Twist Ending

There are plenty of problems with Hancock, to be sure. My primary complaint is that the film is too short - the ending, in particular, feels rushed, and I would have liked several more scenes exploring each character’s reactions to the climactic events.

The villain, too, is lacking — though, in a way, he is supposed to be. But I wanted a stronger setup to his role in the third act. There’s an extended action sequence following the film’s big reveal that feels wrong in its details, and I would have preferred to see its context explored through a mix of dialogue and action as opposed to a big budget set piece.

I’m being vague here because there is also a whole lot that’s very right about Hancock, and discussing most of it means getting into spoiler territory. So, that’s what I’ll do… follow to the jump if you’ve seen the film or don’t plan to.

Otherwise, see it before checking back.

Welcome to the spoiler section. Glad you could make it.

Much of the criticism Hancock is getting from reviewers (and it’s getting a lot) is based on the third-act twist often described as coming out of left field. I find that assertion ludicrous, as the “twist” is telegraphed very early in the film. When Ray (Jason Bateman) first brings Hancock home, the reaction of his wife Mary (played beautifully by Charlize Theron) is immediate and powerful. It is obvious she knows him somehow, and my first thought was that she was either responsible for his powers or that she would be the film’s big bad.

The truth is far more interesting… she is his soul mate. They are divine beings, created as a pair, drawn to each other across millenia. Their curse is that when they succumb to this attraction, their powers fade, and forces of evil find a way to attack them. There is a little of the Jesus story in this mythology — they must resist the temptation of a human life together in order to carry on saving the world.

Eighty years prior, Mary and Hancock — having succumbed to their mutual desire — were assaulted on the streets of Miami (I took this as the film’s one nod to their different races, and a suggestion that it could be the most mundane sort of evil that results in the demise of these earthbound angels). Hancock is left with no memory, and Mary sees this as an opportunity to thwart destiny. She eventually settles down with Ray (I’d love to know how she spent the other 75 years), falls into a less destructive kind of love and lives a “normal” human life. Hancock, on the other hand, is lost. Unaware of who or what he is, aching for a connection he can’t articulate, he follows the path of many lost souls and gives himself up to alcohol. This doesn’t stop him from helping people out when he can, though usually with disastrous results.

But fate intervenes, as it must, and after a chance encounter, public relations man Ray takes Hancock on as a personal redemption project and takes him home to Mary. Smith and Theron have wonderful chemistry, and I bet a second viewing of the film would make their early scenes resonate even more. I’m glad director Peter Berg didn’t try to mask the cosmic connection between these two characters in the interest of better guarding his twist. Theron comes across as a bit other-worldly from the start, as she should if the film is to be honest about its characters. Hancock mistakes their mystical bond for sexual attraction (can you blame him?) and winds up thrown through a wall for his trouble.

It’s here that the film begins to delve into its underlying mythology, and it’s here that many critics seem to have tuned right out. Were they truly thrown by the twist? If so, they weren’t paying very close attention. Or were they peeved that the film turned out to be something different than what they expected? It’s not really a comedy about a drunk superhero — it’s a drama about fate, love and sacrifice. Is there some rule that it can’t be both?

As I said, there are problems with the film, many of which I’d love to see resolved in a longer director’s cut if one exists. But those problems keep it from being a truly great film, as opposed to a very good one. My guess is it will be recognized as such several years from now, when its $100 million weekend and 35% Tomato rankings are a distant memory.

Original Source : http://www.huliq.com/63648/hancock-twist-ending

Kabul Car Blast Kills 41

Kabul car blast kills 41, including Indian envoys

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A car bomb went off on a crowded street Monday near the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan, killing at least 41 people and wounding more than 100, officials said.

Authorities said the attack in the capital of Kabul was the work of a suicide bomber, and it prompted swift condemnation from the Afghan president, the Indian government and the White House.

Among those killed was an Indian defense attaché and a political consul, said an Indian diplomatic source. The person spoke to CNN anonymously because he is not authorized to comment officially.

Also killed were two embassy security guards and six Afghan police officers, Afghan officials said. Another 139 were injured.

"It is very important to say that among the dead were innocent civilians and shopkeepers, women and children," said Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary.

The embassy is in the center of Kabul, across from the Interior Ministry and close to several other government buildings. Dozens of people line up every morning outside the embassy gates to apply for visas to India.

"We heard an explosion, then the dust and glass hit our faces," a resident near the scene of the blast said. "After that we saw that people were dead and lying everywhere." iReport.com: Smoke rises from blast zone

A man who answered the phone at the Indian embassy abruptly hung up, saying, "We are not fine. All communications have been cut off."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai deplored what he called an "abominable act" and said it "is the work of the enemies of Afghanistan's friendship with India."

"India has made a significant contribution to development and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. Resorting to these types of hellish acts will not damage the friendly relationship between Afghanistan and India."

The Indian Ministry for External Affairs said the country's ambassador in Kabul was overseeing arrangements for medical assistance.

"The government of India strongly condemns this cowardly terrorists' attack on its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan. Such acts of terror will not deter us from fulfilling our commitments to the government and people of Afghanistan."

The blast sent plumes of smoke into the air and was heard for miles across the city.

Kabul, like the rest of Afghanistan, has been rocked by explosions in recent months. Authorities blame the Taliban -- the Islamic militia that once ruled most of Afghanistan -- and its al Qaeda allies.

"Extremists continue to show their disregard for all human life and their willingness to kill fellow Muslims as well as others," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, condemning the attack.

On June 1, a remote-controlled bomb targeted a mini-bus carrying Afghan army personnel. The blast killed a woman and wounded five others -- all civilians.

Three days before that, a suicide bomber struck a convoy of international soldiers in eastern Kabul. Three civilians were killed. No soldiers were hurt.

Original Source : http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/07/afghanistan.explosion/?iref=mpstoryview

Infinity Pool

Merriam-Websters adds new dictionary entries

UNDATED (AP) - The wordsmiths at Merriam-Webster are out with their latest edition of the Collegiate Dictionary. And they've added about 100 new words and expressions.

Some reflect current events, like "dirty bomb" and "Norovirus." Others define new technology or products, such as "infinity pool." That's an outdoor pool with an edge designed to make water appear to flow into the horizon.

The poker game "Texas Hold 'em" is now in the dictionary.

"Pescatarian" describes a vegetarian who eats fish.

And then there's "mondegreen." In a category of its own, it describes words mistaken for other words. A mondegreen most often comes from misunderstood phrases or lyrics, such as "'Scuse me, while I kiss this guy" in place of "kiss the sky" in the 1967 Jimi Hendrix classic "Purple Haze."

Words make the cut based on how widely they're used in publications ranging from newspapers to technical manuals.

Original Source : http://www.woai.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=ee764dd3-1d14-4c4e-ba3e-301d3cdc76a8

Navigon 2100

Review: Navigon 2100 max GPS

Navigon’s GPS offerings have been a favorite of ours and we’ve recently covered them in our GPS feature. While the entry level Navigon 2100 continues to be sold at bargain prices, there’s a new version, which we briefly highlighted in our Father’s Day Gift Guide: the Navigon 2100 max.

We recently had a chance to further road test the Navigon 2100 max and came away very impressed.

Display
First off, Navigon made a number of noticeable improvements on the original 2100. Most notably, the display, which is now a 4.3″ widescreen, compared to the 2100’s 3.5″. In addition, it’s super thin.

Software
The company also managed to upgrade the software and worked out a bunch of the kinks that we highlighted in our feature, including a more responsive touch screen, and zippier interface. They also managed to update the POI (points of interest), though I’m still not finding basic things like PetSmart or even a McDonald’s that was down the street.

DirectHelp
One new feature on the 2100 max is called DirectHelp and it provides the user with instant access to his/her exact location and a screen that lets the user immediately route to the nearest hospital, police station, road side assistance, or pharmacy. This is a must-have feature if you ever find yourself in an emergency and need to not only guide yourself to the nearest emergency center, but more importantly communicate exactly where you are.

Lane Assistant
Another new feature, Lane Assistant, shows lane guidance to give the driver a better view of what’s ahead.

As with the earlier 2100, you still have the feature that I like best from Navigon: 3D Reality View. Just check out the picture below. Nothing beats a graphical representation of what the intersection ahead might actually look like.

The only thing I found lacking this time around was Bluetooth connectivity. It would be great if I could pair my mobile to the 2100 max and use it for hands-free calling and also direct dialing from the DirectHelp or POI screens. I know that those features exist to some extent in higher models, but I’d like to see it as a standard going forward.

Overall, the 2100 max is a great improvement on the original, though the 2100 is still worth purchasing, too, especially at its substantially discounted prices.

Original Source : http://www.geek.com/review-navigon-2100-max-gps-20080613/

Ennui

en·nui

noun. Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom: "The servants relieved their ennui with gambling and gossip about their masters" (John Barth).


[French, from Old French enui, from ennuyer, to annoy, bore; see annoy.]

Word History: Were they alive today, users of Classical Latin might be surprised to find that centuries later a phrase of theirs still survives, although as a single word. The phrase mihi in odiō est (literally translated as "to me in a condition of dislike or hatred is"), meaning "I hate or dislike," gave rise to the Vulgar Latin verb *inodiāre, "to make odious," the source of the Old French verb ennuyer or anoier, "to annoy, bore." This was borrowed into English by around 1275 as anoien, our annoy. From the Old French verb a noun meaning "worry, boredom" was derived, which became ennui in modern French. This noun, with the sense "boredom," was borrowed into English in the 18th century, perhaps filling a need in polite, cultivated society.

Original Source : http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ennui

Hurricane Bertha

Bertha becomes 1st hurricane of Atlantic season

MIAMI—Tropical storm Bertha has strengthened to become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season.

As of 5 a.m. EDT Monday, Hurricane Bertha was about 845 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say it is too early to say if or where the storm will hit land.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to speeds of 75 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is expected during the next couple of days.

Bertha is headed west-northwest at about 17 mph.

The first named storm this year, Arthur, formed in the Atlantic the day before the season officially started June 1 and soaked the Yucatan Peninsula.

Original Source : http://origin.mercurynews.com/natbreakingnews/ci_9806652

Marc Chagall Google Logo

Todays hottest search on Google was Marc Chagall (7 July 1887 - 28 March 1985) who was a Russian-Belarusian-French painter of Jewish origin who was born in Belarus, at that time part of the Russian Empire.

He is associated with the modern movements after impressionism.Guide to pictures of works by Marc Chagall in art museum sites are available at http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/chagall_marc.html

The reason why Marc Chagall appeared on at the top of the list was because the Google promoted him on the front page of Google which an excellent logo.

Original Source : http://www.hitsearchlimited.com/news/999883/