The Life and Adventures of an Abroad Student | DU Study Abroad

On my personal blog I began by writing posts about preparing to come to South Africa. ?I had a count down for each week. ?I?ve been avoiding this count down because I am still working on not focusing on home. ?Yet as a math major I?m designed to like numbers and I make count downs and create fractions for everything in my life. ?*cough19dayscough*

Everyone knows that I?ve missed home since I stepped into the airport. ?Hopefully everyone knows that I love Africa too. ?The experience has been great and I don?t regret a second of it. ?Not even the parts that I regret.

Think about it.

Of course my issue is that I am too connected to the people back home. ?I feel like I?m missing so much. ?I feel like I?m letting friends down when I?m missing their break ups, their birthdays, their new relationships, their engagements, their injuries, and their success. ?I?m missing the important milestones in the lives of the children I care about. ?I?m so used to being there for people and now I?m not. ?Even if I?m not letting them down, I just want to be there. ?Whereas here I?m just a blip in the lives of others. ?They have internationals come and go every semester. ?They are friendly to us, they care about us, but it?s hard to connect. ?They know that we are leaving soon. ?There is no point connecting to closely to us when they have life long friends to hang out with. ?With the exception of Thuthu and Dom, my closest friends here are the other international students because they are alone too.

I?m also aware that I was meant to be gone during this time period. ?I needed to miss the things I missed and that?s okay. ?The experience has been great thus far and the last 19 days will be great too. ?Some of my friendships at home have actually strengthened due to the distance. ?My family relationships have?strengthened?too? oddly.

So, how did I spend my day?

It began with a lovely email from Taylor, a best friend from back home, that I didn?t respond to because I woke up late. ?Then it was STUDY STUDY STUDY. ? I had my first final today at two. ?I started studying this morning at 10 because last night I was watching scary movies until 1am for Halloween. ?I spent most of my time staring at a window. ?The trees here are purple and mesmorizing to look at. ?Then I had lunch with a Norwegian named Ola. ?Oh, I?m pretty sure I got an A on my final too. ?I learn quickly under pressure. ?Then I spent some time with Carolyn (An American) and Carla (A German). ?Then I responded to Taylors letter and talked to Adam, another best friend from home, on facebook. ?Then I had dinner with Caleb, an American who also goes to DU. ?I got back and spoke with Cassie from DU and my brother on facebook. ?Then I decided to write a blog post because it?s been a while.

Why has it been a while? ?Because this is my life. ?I remember when I decided to audition to be a DUAbroad Blogger. ?I thought, ?I will have a new blog post every week!? ?What I failed to realize is that eventually being abroad turns into life. ?I mentioned this in a previous post. ?Everything is so natural now; it seems silly to write about. ?I live a life of connecting with friends here, connecting with friends from home, going to school, and watching a lot of tv. ?I don?t watch tv in the states. ?Here there is so much time.

On the note of having time, it is really nice to get a break from the busy life of the States. ?At DU I hold two jobs, have a full schedule, I?m on leadership for three clubs, and I have every meal with a friend plus coffee friend-dates. ?Not to mention family and church life. ? Here it?s not as crazy. ?I do get to?volunteer?a lot though.

Of course I travel?occasionally?and do things like jumping off stadiums, zip lining, and kayaking with crocodiles. ?Truly great experiences and the detailed versions of those trips can be found at sarahsouthafrica.tumblr.com

This blog isn?t for highlighting travels and touristy things though. ?It?s to describe how South Africans live life. ?It?s easy to do when you?re new to their life style. ?It?s a lot harder to do when you?re a part of it. ?If someone asked me four months ago when I was in the states, ?How do you live life?? ?I?d say, ?Uhhh? I live it? ?I go to school, church, work, and hang out with friends.? ?When I first got here my ability to answer that question with an interesting?response?was so incredibly easy. ?Now my answer is the same as it was four months ago.

This is me working at the Salvation Army with the babies. ?You can?t take pictures of their faces.

This is a good thing, just so you know. ?To finally be a part of the community you?re in instead of just observing it. ?It?s a bad thing for a blogger though. ?Maybe I?d be a better?writer?if I?were able to find the and discuss the tiny jewels in life and translate it into blog form. ?Maybe I haven?t been here long enough to do that yet.

In case you?re wondering what my part of South Africa looks like, here is a great video that Caleb made. ?It truly shows the things we see almost every day.

- Sarah Caulkins, ?DUSA Blogger

Source: http://duabroad.com/2012/11/06/the-life-and-adventures-of-an-abroad-student/

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Obama's lease renewed despite tough economic times

WASHINGTON (AP) ? His lease renewed in trying economic times, President Barack Obama claimed a second term from an incredibly divided electorate and immediately braced for daunting challenges and progress that comes only in fits and starts.

"We have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," Obama said.

The same voters who gave Obama another four years also elected a divided Congress, re-upping the dynamic that has made it so hard for the president to advance his agenda. Democrats retained control of the Senate; Republicans renewed their majority in the House.

It was a sweet victory for Obama, but nothing like the jubilant celebration of four years earlier, when his hope-and-change election as the nation's first black president captivated the world. This time, Obama ground out his win with a stay-the-course pitch that essentially boiled down to a plea for more time to make things right and a hope that Congress will be more accommodating than in the past.

The vanquished Republican, Mitt Romney, tried to set a more conciliatory tone on the way off the stage.

"At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering," Romney said after a campaign filled with it. "Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work."

House Speaker John Boehner spoke of a dual mandate, saying, "If there is a mandate, it is a mandate for both parties to find common ground and take steps together to help our economy grow and create jobs."

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell had a more harsh assessment.

"The voters have not endorsed the failures or excesses of the president's first term," McConnell said. "They have simply given him more time to finish the job they asked him to do together" with a balanced Congress.

Obama claimed a commanding electoral mandate ? at least 303 electoral votes to 206 for Romney ? and had a near-sweep of the nine most hotly contested battleground states.

But the close breakdown in the popular vote showed Americans' differences over how best to meet the nation's challenges. With more than 90 percent of precincts reporting, the popular vote went 50 percent for Obama to 48.4 percent for Romney, the businessman-turned-politician who had argued that Obama had failed to turn around the economy and said it was time for a new approach keyed to lower taxes and a less intrusive government.

Obama's re-election assured certainty on some fronts: His signature health-care overhaul will endure, as will the Wall Street reforms enacted after the economic meltdown. The drawdown of troops in Afghanistan will continue apace. And with an aging Supreme Court, the president is likely to have at least one more nomination to the high court.

The challenges immediately ahead for the 44th president are all too familiar: an economy still baby-stepping its way toward full health, 23 million Americans still out of work or in search of better jobs, civil war in Syria, an ominous standoff over Iran's nuclear program, and more.

Sharp differences with Republicans in Congress on taxes, spending, deficit reduction, immigration and more await.

And even before Obama gets to his second inaugural on Jan. 20, he must grapple with the threatened "fiscal cliff" ? a combination of automatic tax increases and steep across-the-board spending cuts that are set to take effect in January if Washington doesn't quickly come up with a workaround budget deal. Economists have warned the economy could tip back into recession absent a deal.

Despite long lines at polls in many places, turnout overall looked to be down from four years ago as the president pieced together a winning coalition of women, young people, minorities and lower-income voters that reflected the country's changing demographics. Obama's superior ground organization in the battleground states was key to his success.

The president's victory speech ? he'd written a concession, too, just in case ? reflected the realities of the rough road ahead.

"By itself the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock, or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward," Obama said.

"But that common bond is where we must begin. Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over, and whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you, I have learned from you and you have made me a better president."

The president said he hoped to meet with Romney and discuss how they can work together. They may have battled fiercely, he said, "but it's only because we love this country deeply."

Romney's short concession ? with misplaced confidence, he'd only prepared an acceptance speech ? was a gracious end note after a grueling campaign.

He wished the president's family well and told subdued supporters in Boston, "I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction, but the nation chose another leader and so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him and for this great nation."

Obama's re-election was a remarkable achievement given that Americans are anything but enthusiastic about the state they're in: Only about 4 in 10 voters thought the economy is getting better, just one quarter thought they're better off financially than four years ago and a little more than half think the country is on the wrong track, exit polls showed.

But even now, four years after George W. Bush left office, voters were more likely to blame Bush than Obama for the fix they're in.

It wasn't just the president and Congress who were on the ballot. Voters around the country considered ballot measures on a number of divisive social issues, with Maine and Maryland becoming the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote while Washington state and Colorado legalized recreational use of marijuana.

From the beginning, Obama had an easier path than Romney to the 270 electoral votes needed for victory. The most expensive campaign in history was narrowly targeted at people in nine battleground states that held the key to victory, and the two sides drenched voters there with more than a million ads, the overwhelming share of them negative.

Obama claimed at least seven of the battleground states, most notably Ohio, the Ground Zero of campaign 2012. He also got Iowa, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada, Virginia and Wisconsin, and he was ahead in Florida. Romney got North Carolina.

Overall, Obama won 25 states and the District of Columbia and was leading in too-close-to-call Florida. Romney won 24 states.

It was a more measured victory than four years ago, when Obama claimed 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173, winning with 53 percent of the popular vote.

Obama was judged by 53 percent of voters to be more in touch with people like them. More good news for him: Six in 10 voters said that taxes should be increased. And nearly half of voters said taxes should be increased on income over $250,000, as Obama has called for.

Obama's list of promises to keep includes many holdovers he was unable to deliver on in his first term: rolling back tax cuts for upper-income people, immigration reform, reducing federal deficits, and more.

A second term is sure to produce turnover in his Cabinet: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has made it clear he wants to leave at the end of Obama's first term but is expected to remain in the post until a successor is confirmed. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the presidency four years ago, is ready to leave too. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta isn't expected to stay on.

To the end, the presidential race was a nail-biter. About 1 in 10 voters said they'd only settled on their presidential choice within the last few days or even on Election Day, and they were closely divided between Obama and Romney. Nearly 1 percent of voters went for Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson, who was on the ballot in 48 states.

In an election offering sharply different views on the role of government, voters ultimately narrowly tilted toward Obama's approach.

"We have seen growth in the economy," said 25-year-old Matt Wieczorek, a registered Republican from Cincinnati who backed the president. "Maybe not as fast as we want it to be, but Obama has made a difference and I don't want to see that growth come to an end."

Notwithstanding his victory, Obama will lead a nation with plenty of people who were ready for a change.

"The last four years have been crap," said 73-year-old Marvin Cleveland, a Romney supporter in Roseville, Minn. "Let's try something else."

___

Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-lease-renewed-despite-tough-economic-times-093111734--election.html

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Loss of essential blood cell gene leads to anemia

ScienceDaily (Nov. 7, 2012) ? Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have discovered a new gene that regulates hemoglobin synthesis during red blood cell formation. The findings advance the biomedical community's understanding and treatment of human anemias and mitochondrial disorders.

The study was published online on November 7, 2012 in Nature.

The researchers used an unbiased zebrafish genetic screen to clone mitochondrial ATPase inhibitory factor-1 gene, or Atpif1. The gene allows animals -- zebrafish, mice and humans for instance -- to efficiently make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood.

The researchers found that loss of Atpif1 causes severe anemia. Moreover, the researchers uncovered a broader mechanistic role for Atpif1 -- regulating the enzymatic activity of ferrochelatase, or Fech. Fech is the terminal enzyme in heme (a component of hemoglobin) synthesis.

"Our study has established a unique functional link between Atpif1-regulated mitochondrial pH, redox potential, and [2Fe-2S] cluster binding to Fech in modulating its heme synthesis," said Dhvanit Shah, PhD, BWH Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, first study author.

The researchers were also able to produce data on the human version of Atpif1, noting its functional importance for normal red blood cell differentiation, and noting that a deficiency may contribute to human diseases, such as congenital sideroblastic anemias and other diseases related to dysfunctional mitochondria (the energy powerhouses of cells).

"Discovering the novel mechanism of Atpif1 as a regulator of heme synthesis advances the understanding of mitochondrial heme homeostasis and red blood cell development," said Barry Paw, MD, PhD, BWH Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, senior study author.

Shah and Paw continue to identify new genes responsible for hematopoietic stem cell development and red cell differentiation. Their identification of new genes will elucidate the new mechanisms regulating hematopoiesis -- the formation of blood cell components. Their work not only provides greater insight into human congenital anemias, but also new opportunities for improved therapies.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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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/health_medicine/genes/~3/WjY1attDPyI/121107132902.htm

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95% Sister

All Critics (44) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (2)

L?a Seydoux fulfills Louise, and Kacey Mottet Klein, as Simon, is one more to join the pantheon of film's excellent child actors.

Haunting and sad. And absolutely worth seeing.

The chemistry between the two leads is a razor's-edge dance: feral, childish, tender and always complex.

Movies about wayward kids are a European specialty. The new film "Sister" deepens the specialty.

The influence of Belgian masters Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's documentary eye for youth on the margins is evident in Ursula Meier's calmly heartbreaking drama.

It's a terrific, bracingly sad movie.

Klein and Seydoux give such naturalistic performances that they're never overwhelmed by the spectacle.

"Sister" is loose and episodic, but held together with nicely sketched characters.

[A]voids bathos. . .reveals unexpected depth in a heartbreaking bond. . . Different classes conflict [in] adjacent spaces . . .in spare, realistic Dardennes' style.

Meier draws out wonderfully naturalistic performances from her young stars, with Mottet Klein particularly good as the young roustabout Simon ...

It comes over like a subtle short story and is well acted.

Meier's portrait of Simon ... is richly atmospheric and never sentimental.

An enigmatic, heartfelt account of a vulnerable young boy's yearning for a better life.

Most intriguing is how the writers and director have transformed what's essentially a rather dark, bleak story into something involving and emotionally resonant, all without ever turning sentimental.

It is an interesting and well-made movie, though with an uncertain ending.

Sister gradually reveals pattern in its tapestry of everyday life.

An expert piece of storytelling with a host of strong character turns and thematic depth to burn.

A healthy seam of mischief helps cut through the occasionally rote social comment.

An emotionally engaging, beautifully shot and impressively directed Dardennes-esque French drama with a superb script and excellent performances from Kacey Mottet Klein and L?a Seydoux.

An unusual, involving, slightly strained character study from Ursula Meier, the French director of 2008's satirical dystopia, 'Home'.

'Sister' often recalls the recent work of the Dardenne brothers of Belgium and that landmark of the French new wave, Francois Truffaut's 'The 400 Blows' (1959).

Psychologically complex. You may be shocked, you may be moved, but you won't easily forget "Sister."

Director Ursula Meier reveals a whopper of a twist that packs the impact of a piledriver performed on top of a folding table.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lenfant_den_haut/

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RED Cameras Now Much, Much Cheaper

RED's Hollywood-worthy HD video cameras just got way, way cheaper. On Friday, CEO Jim Jannard (who also founded eyewear goliath Oakley) posted in a RED users' forum that the company would be reducing the price of many of its professional-grade ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/CEs1qUOdjNQ/

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Nexus 4 review

Movie sequels often don't live up to the hype of the original blockbuster, but the same isn't always true of smartphones -- on the contrary, they typically get even better. The Nexus lineup, initially thought of as a "playground" for Android developers to test their apps on, has continually gotten better at its craft (and popularity). Not only that, it's picking up momentum: in less than five months, Google has crafted two Nexus tablets as well as its latest and greatest smartphone known as the Nexus 4, and the attractively priced devices are now facing more interest than they ever have before.

The Nexus 4 is a veritable dreamboat when it comes to looks and specs. It's a smooth, elegant-looking device that comes with a large, 4.7-inch, HD display, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and plenty of other appealing components. It exhibits a lot of commonalities to LG's current flagship, the Optimus G. And for a starting price of $299 unlocked, it's sure to attract a whole new demographic that until recently had never even heard of a Nexus. But is this a flagship smartphone that everyone will want to buy, or should the fourth-generation offering just be another target of developers' envy? Stay tuned past the break to find out.

Gallery: Google Nexus 4 review

Continue reading Nexus 4 review

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google, LG

Nexus 4 review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/nexus-4-review/

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Weekly PR Highlights | March Communications

The Intersection of Content Marketing and Advertising

Business2Community ? October 27, 2012

In order to capture an audience?s attention, marketers need to create compelling content that delivers value. But the question is how do you reach such a large scale audience with your content? This article discusses how traditional advertising and PR ?along with native advertising are helping attract a broader consumer base. Native advertising blends advertising and editorial, and allows for a marketer?s content to be placed in the same space as editorial content.

Survey: Most companies still not capitalizing on social media

VentureBeat ? October 28, 2012

For many traditional business men and women, social media is unnerving. They do not understand and do not want to adopt it. This article discusses a recent survey by the Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance that found less than one third of companies today are using social media for business purposes. The survey found a disconnect between a companies? understanding of social media and how to apply it to their business strategy.

82 percent of PR Pros Want a Standard Measurement Tool for Social Media

Ragan.com ? October 29, 2012

So what does the number of retweets mean for a business?? This article discusses a study conducted by the Public Relations Global Network that found that 82 percent of public relations professionals would like to see a standard measurement tool to evaluate social media success. What the study found is most important aspect for a social media campaign is a clearly defined ROI.

Blogging Drives Leads, Website Traffic

MarketingProfs.com ? October 31, 2012

This article reports on a HubSpot survey that found that increasing the number of blog posts to a company website per month helps boost inbound traffic levels and lead counts. The survey found that a business that publishes more than 15 blog posts per month generates five times more traffic than businesses that do not blog at all.

10 Brands Leading the Way in Sandy Relief Efforts

PRNews.com ? October 31, 2012

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, ten major brands are rising to the occasion to bring back a sense of normalcy to many people?s lives. This article highlights Bank of America, BNY Mellon, Chevrolet, CVS, Ford Motor Company, Kellogg?s, Radio Shack, TD Bank Group, Wells Fargo and the New York Yankees and the contributions they are having on the Hurricane Sandy relief.

Source: http://www.marchpr.com/blog/2012/11/weekly-pr-highlights-20/

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