Washington Redskins offseason plan: Be aggressive and build around RG3

Editor?s note: Every team is preparing to attack its offseason to-do list, with free agency set to open Tuesday and the draft April 26-28. This is the final of 32 reports in 32 days looking at the offseason game plan for each team.

WASHINGTON?This is a potentially franchise-defining offseason, which the Redskins seem to understand. It?s why they shipped four draft picks to St. Louis to get the No. 2 overall pick. They initially wanted free agent Peyton Manning, but now will fill their biggest hole in the draft.

This move will shape the franchise for years to come?one way or another. Manning would have represented a desire to win big immediately. If they take Robert Griffin III, they still want to win, but the timetable?and expectations?will be different.

Some will say the Redskins overpaid for Griffin, but they?ve won three playoff games since their last Super Bowl after the 1991 season. Since then, they?ve drafted three quarterbacks in the first round; traded for others, signed some in free agency. None has endured or had more than temporary success. Considering that, the cost of landing a potential franchise quarterback could be worth it.

MORE FROM SPORTING NEWS

? Manning madness provides break from March Madness

? Tired of watching rivals succeed, Redskins take worthy gamble

? Trade for RG3 pick puts extra pressure on Shanahan

? Fantasy Source: Good move for Griffin's value

The Redskins are in between overhauling their roster and tweaking it. They started overhauling it a year ago but need more than tweaking to become a contender. And landing a starting QB and playmaking WR is more than tweaking.

They want to re-sign inside linebacker London Fletcher, though the two sides are not close, as well as defensive end Adam Carriker. But it appears Carriker could end up testing the market. They placed the franchise tag on tight end Fred Davis.

Key Departures

If strong safety LaRon Landry wants anything other than a prove-yourself one-year deal, he?ll go elsewhere. His injuries the past two years have made him unreliable and questions remain about his health. QB Rex Grossman is likely gone, though the team will need a veteran starter in case Griffin is not ready. Linebacker Rocky McIntosh, a six-year veteran, is definitely gone after losing his starting job this past season.

Needs and targets

1. Quarterback. The Redskins haven?t had a franchise quarterback perhaps since Sonny Jurgensen. And they haven?t had one even a consistently good one since Joe Theismann. This helps explain the struggles of the past 20 years. We?ll leave this atop the needs list because they don?t have one ? yet.

The question on Griffin is how quickly he?ll adapt to an NFL offense, but that?s where signing a veteran?perhaps Kyle Orton?comes into play. Regardless, this is Griffin?s team. His mobility, arm and deep-ball accuracy make him a strong fit in Mike Shanahan?s system. And keep in mind the threat of him getting outside works well in the stretch-zone run game by freezing the backside end.

Griffin?s intangibles?brains, work ethic?give him a big chance to succeed. John Beck remains on the roster, but it?s doubtful he enters camp as a serious contender for the starting job.

2. Receiver. The team made numerous changes at this position a year ago, making it better than in 2010 but not nearly good enough. The Redskins lacked playmakers at wideout, though Jabar Gaffney was a steady contributor. But Santana Moss slipped as a slot receiver, and rookie Leonard Hankerson was injured when he finally started to show signs of life.

HEY, FOOTBALL FANS: Sign up for Sporting News' free tournament game, Bracket Insanity

Hankerson will help in 2012, but the Redskins still will look to improve at receiver?most likely via free agency. They will pursue Vincent Jackson and perhaps Reggie Wayne and/or Pierre Garcon. The coaches desperately want a wideout who can pick up yards after the catch. The Redskins lack that player now. Having Griffin, they hope, will entice one or two to sign.

3. Right tackle. Jammal Brown has started here for most of the past two years, but he has dealt continually with hip and groin injuries. When healthy, Brown, a former Pro Bowl left tackle in New Orleans, has been OK. But the injuries have limited his ability to open the backside cutback lanes so necessary in the stretch zone. His long arms have bailed him out of situations, but his feet too often are slow. There?s a sense that if healthy he would be a solid player.

Free agency yields few if any legitimate options, though Cincinnati?s Andrew Collins is a low-cost possibility. And not having their first two picks limit the Redskins? ability to find a starter. Perhaps one of Florida State?s athletic tackles?Andrew Datko or Zebrie Sanders?will slip to the third round.

4. Safety. It?s debatable if a quality alternative exists at strong safety if Landry leaves. Reed Doughty has replaced him in the past, but he?s best used as a backup and part-time starter. And DeJon Gomes did not prove as a rookie that he could be a full-time starter.

The Redskins could use a free safety as well with Oshiomogho Atogwe coming off a season of nagging injuries and diminished play. Washington badly needs a safety who can cover well, too (Cincinnati?s Reggie Nelson?). The Redskins have to wait until the third round where it?ll be tough to get a starter. Oklahoma State?s Markelle Martin has skills and could be around in the third.

FROM SI.COM

? Peter King's take on the Redskins-Rams trade

? Redskins lay it on the line for RG3

5. Cornerback. The Redskins are set with starters DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson. Hall had his issues at various times but was more consistent in 2011 than in 2010 when he made the Pro Bowl. Wilson improved as the season progressed, becoming the team?s best cover guy. But the Redskins need another corner, particularly one who can cover in the slot. Kevin Barnes proved he wasn?t that guy. They?ll have to find this guy in free agency; Cortland Finnegan is a potential target.

Keim?s take

The Redskins will be aggressive in free agency, and as we?ve seen in the past 24 hours, will be aggressive in the draft. The Redskins clearly want to upgrade an offense that ranked 16th in yards and 26th in points scored and must find playmakers. They will be in the market for a playmaking receiver.

The team has approximately $40 million in cap space, so with a couple (of right) moves, they could work themselves into a playoff contender if Griffin matures quickly. They won?t spend all their cash on free agents, but it does allow them to be aggressive. The Redskins still have seven draft picks.

Getting Griffin with the second pick provides hope for a franchise in need of large doses of it. He already has energized the fan base. This also will be a huge season for Shanahan?more so because of the blockbuster trade for the No. 2 pick.

?John Keim covers the Redskins for the Washington Examiner

Source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-03-10/rg3-washington-redskins-offseason-plan-robert-griffin-iii-laron-landry

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Standard Techniques On How To Become A Effective Individual ...

Self-help is written off by many, to be ineffective or a waste of time. In all likelihood, these critics have not paid attention to specific techniques that exist to pursue an organized, directed self-help strategy that slowly but surely, yields results. This article lists some of these techniques in a straightforward, easy-to-implement manner. Click here to know more about how to get women now.

A great way to self help your depression is to help others by volunteering. Many people who are depressed end up feeling sorry for themselves, but lending a helping hand will give you perspective on other peoples lives while making your own life feel more fulfilled. It is also a great way to meet new people.

You should always be ready to stand up for your values. You might feel that your values are being challenged everyday, and sometimes it can seem difficult to be honest and caring. However, you need to stay strong and defend your values. This is the only way to prevent yourself from succumbing to something that you will later regret.

Do not be afraid to smile at yourself, your friends, and even strangers. Answer your phone and speak with a smile on your face; the person on the other end of the line will be able to detect it in your voice, making it easier for you to interact freely and respectfully of one another. The power of a smile should not be underestimated; practice it often!

Find out what you want to do with your life. If that seems too far fetched for you, try figuring out what you want to do within the next 5 years. Make goals for yourself and set out to achieve them. Live your life to meet the goals you have set for yourself.

Wean yourself off of the caffeine. Step away from the energy drinks, coffee, and soda. You will find that it is easier for you to keep your thoughts straight and sleep better at night. It may take some time to get over the withdrawl symptoms, but once they are gone you will feel great.

To ward off feeling sluggish and fatigued, increase your activity level while reducing saturated fats. These fats from fried food and some meat products will cause poor circulation by blocking arteries and smaller blood vessels. Keeping your heart rate up and restricting these foods creates a faster thinking, more ambitious feeling within you.

Do not be afraid of mistakes. If we learn from them, mistakes can be one of the most useful tools for personal development. This does not mean you should try to make mistakes, but rather you shouldn?t let the fear of mistakes keep you from reaching your goals. If you do have a misstep, treat it as a learning experience and add it to your encyclopedia of knowledge.

A great personal development tip is to figure out exactly what you want. If you have vague or hazy goals, it?s not likely that you?ll get anywhere near accomplishing them. Clear and focused goals are much better to have because they give you a sense of purpose everyday.

To really develop as a person, study change. Look for change in your environment and watch how it happens. When you begin to understand change, you will begin honing your capabilities to adapt to any situation and be more prepared in your own life to face your own challenges.

Personal development is not a measure of who you are but of what you can do. It is important to take pride in each of your goals, but it is equally important not to think of yourself as better or worse than others. Perhaps you will become a better swimmer than someone but that does not mean you are a better person.

A great personal development tip is to stay disciplined. It is not easy to improve yourself. It takes hard work and dedication to truly make a positive change in your life. It is extremely important that you realize this and keep yourself disciplined whenever any sort of temptations arise.

Taking time for yourself when you really need it will enable you to handle life better. Being constantly overwhelmed and stressed not only reeks havoc on your mind and body, but it keeps you tightly bound in an out of control cycle. Having control over situations allows you to make better decisions today which leaves you better prepared for tomorrow. Be it a power nap, walk in the park or outright vacation, taking time for yourself is taking care of yourself.

Try using affirmations to make yourself see how great you really are. Repeating phrases like ?I am strong,?"I believe in myself,? ?I am healthy,? etc. can really help you feel better about the kind of person you feel you are. It really helps increase your self-worth and personal strength to achieve your goals.

Knowing something is only half the part of personally growing. You have to actually apply the new material that you have just learned, if you hope to be successful. So take the time to try out these new strategies and see if they work for you. If something from this article does work for you, then keep doing it. If you find that something doesn?t work for you, personally, don?t worry, because on your journey, you?ll find stuff that does and doesn?t work for you. It?s all part of everyone?s personal development. Want to find out more about ways to get the women you love, then read more about how to pick up women now.

Leon Edward helps people in Personal and Career Growth, leadership Development, Goal Setting, Success, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blog posts and special reports . Join Leon Edwards Awesome Success Free, Get his personal success, development and growth weekly newsletter as well as success classics and tips on attracting success and wealth. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org Leon Edward also helps people improve IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking , time management and reducing stress. Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.comLeon Edward helps people improve in Leadership Development, Goal Setting, Success, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blog posts and special reports . Join Leon Edwards Awesome Success Free, Get his personal development training, success and growth weekly newsletter as well as success classics and tips on attracting success and wealth. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

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Jake Gyllenhaal Speeds Towards 'Motor City'

Just as "Motor City" is gearing up to start production, new reports say that Jake Gyllenhaal has replaced former leading man Dominic Cooper. In other film news, Bryan Cranston, Anna Kendrick, Alison Brie and a whole bunch more have joined the cast of "Get a Job," the main teens in "The Evil Dead" remake have [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/03/08/jake-gyllenhaal-speeds-towards-motor-city/

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Get Rid Of Acne Now With These Tips | New Health and Fitness ...

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Get Rid Of Acne Now With These Tips

Acne can be a truly devastating condition, but those affected need not suffer indefinitely. The best way to combat acne is to gain a thorough education about its root causes and the most effective ways of treating it. Grab hold of the tips in this article and start clearing your complexion today.

Don?t fight the fight alone. If your acne is persistent or getting worse, get in contact with a dermatologist. A dermatologist can help you determine if there are specific irritants causing your woes, or if a strict skincare regimen will help you ease your inflammation instead. Acne is a medical problem, and you can benefit from a professional?s help.

In order to prevent acne, avoid stress as much as possible. When a person is extremely stressed out, a hormone called Cortisol is released. Cortisol is a main cause of acne. To prevent stress and therefore prevent acne, try exercising more frequently or practice relaxation techniques like Yoga or meditation.

Treat acne by using tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has natural antibacterial properties which can start clearing up acne quickly. Many people swear by tea tree oil and there are many products available that have tea tree oil in them like soap and cleansing pads for your face.

The skin is the largest of our bodily organs, and it only makes good sense that taking care of the whole body will benefit the skin and help prevent acne. If you keep your system pure and take care of your general health with a holistic approach by eating pure, healthy foods, exercising regularly and staying hydrated with pure water, your acne will be a thing of the past.

Exercise daily to feel healthy, both internally and externally. When you work out you increase your blood flow, which moves oxygen to your skin and helps to keep the process of skin removal moving along smoothly. The most common cause of pimples are clogged pores due to dead skin, so the faster it falls off, the less zits you should have.

If you want to shrink the appearance of your pores, switch to a facial cleanser that contains the ingredient salicylic acid. This will wash out excess oils that can stretch out your pores. It is a bonus if the cleanser can exfoliate, as well. When you exfoliate, you wash away dead skin that could clog and stretch the pores.

An important tip to consider concerning acne, is to try to keep your hair out of your face throughout the day. This is important because your hair may transfer dirt and oil to your face. This is especially true, when any sort of physical activity is involved.

There are many options available for men and women of all ages who wish to prevent, treat, or conceal the lasting cosmetic reminders of acne. The information in this article provides a well-rounded look at some of the ways that you can effectively live with acne or avoid it whenever at all possible.

Want to find out more about what REALLY causes your acne, then visit Lauren Scott?s site on how to choose the best treatmentfor your needs.

Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/03/06/get-rid-of-acne-now-with-these-tips/

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Jeremy Lin: China and Taiwan compete for claims to NBA star

Sure, Jeremy Lin was born in California and struggles to speak Mandarin, but China and Taiwan both see themselves in the Knicks basketball star.

Everyone wants a piece of the New York Knicks basketball player Jeremy Lin. He?s almost as hot a topic as an island in the South China Sea. And though there will be no Navy called on over this battle, China and Taiwan are staking their claims to Mr. Lin's success story.

Skip to next paragraph

As the Knicks? only Asian player suddenly lifted his team to seven straight wins this month after years of struggle on the court, people throughout Taiwan found a sudden passion for the NBA and lauded Lin as one of their own.

Taiwanese enthusiastically point out that Lin?s parents lived on their island before moving to the US where he was born.

But just as Taiwan is claiming him based on his parent?s birthplace, China has also been swept up in the 'Linsanity' and found reason to claim him too: One of Mr. Lin?s grandmothers was born in the Chinese province of Zhejiang, trivia hardly overlooked in China?s official media. Like most in Taiwan, the Lin family ancestry traces back to China, just some 160 kilometers (100 miles) away.

In fact, waves of citizens from China are so excited about Lin, they?re urging the 23-year-old 6 foot 3 point guard to play for the Chinese Olympic team, because after all, he?s Chinese, they say.

No matter that he was born in California, that he reportedly struggles to speak Mandarin, or that he has made only a handful of visits back ?home.?

At the end of the claim game, however, Asia is positioned to win over the player who has averaged more than 20 points per game this month, his first major effort for the Knicks. If the fans in Asia don?t woo Lin, the sports marketers sizing him up right now just might.

?If he carries on the way he is, he?s going to be a marketing sensation not only in the United States but pan-Asia,? says Mark Thomas, managing director of the S2M Group, a sports management firm in Shanghai. His ?huge? value is still being calculated, Mr. Thomas says. But according to the China Daily, Forbes magazine?placed his ?worth?around?100?million?yuan?($15.9?million), and has?already?been?registered?as?a?trademark?by?a?Chinese businesswoman.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/21UGMUSDXoA/Jeremy-Lin-China-and-Taiwan-compete-for-claims-to-NBA-star

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Vets prone to drug addiction get risky painkillers

In this photo taken Monday, March 5, 2012, Steve Countouriotis, a Chief Emergency Services Command Officer, stands beside an anchor that sits outside his office at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma, Countouriotis, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, refused to take addictive drugs prescribed for his war-related back and shoulder pain, and says doctors should offer veterans less risky medication. He said he doesn't have PTSD, but that some colleagues who do have also been given the drugs. Doctors are too quick to prescribe them, Countouriotis said, adding, "It's too many, too soon." Morphine and similar powerful painkillers are more often prescribed to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress along with physical pain, and the consequences are sometimes tragic, a government study released Tuesday, March 6, 2012 finds. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this photo taken Monday, March 5, 2012, Steve Countouriotis, a Chief Emergency Services Command Officer, stands beside an anchor that sits outside his office at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma, Countouriotis, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, refused to take addictive drugs prescribed for his war-related back and shoulder pain, and says doctors should offer veterans less risky medication. He said he doesn't have PTSD, but that some colleagues who do have also been given the drugs. Doctors are too quick to prescribe them, Countouriotis said, adding, "It's too many, too soon." Morphine and similar powerful painkillers are more often prescribed to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress along with physical pain, and the consequences are sometimes tragic, a government study released Tuesday, March 6, 2012 finds. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this photo taken Monday, March 5, 2012, Steve Countouriotis, a Chief Emergency Services Command Officer, holds a model of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter that he flew in Iraq, while posing in his office at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma, Countouriotis, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, refused to take addictive drugs prescribed for his war-related back and shoulder pain, and says doctors should offer veterans less risky medication. He said he doesn't have PTSD, but that some colleagues who do have also been given the drugs. Doctors are too quick to prescribe them, Countouriotis said, adding, "It's too many, too soon." Morphine and similar powerful painkillers are more often prescribed to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress along with physical pain, and the consequences are sometimes tragic, a government study released Tuesday, March 6, 2012 finds. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this photo taken Monday, March 5, 2012, Steve Countouriotis, a Chief Emergency Services Command Officer, poses in his office at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma, Countouriotis, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, refused to take addictive drugs prescribed for his war-related back and shoulder pain, and says doctors should offer veterans less risky medication. He said he doesn't have PTSD, but that some colleagues who do have also been given the drugs. Doctors are too quick to prescribe them, Countouriotis said, adding, "It's too many, too soon." Morphine and similar powerful painkillers are more often prescribed to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress along with physical pain, and the consequences are sometimes tragic, a government study released Tuesday, March 6, 2012 finds. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this photo taken Monday, March 5, 2012, Steve Countouriotis, poses on a bridge near his office at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Petaluma, Countouriotis, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, refused to take addictive drugs prescribed for his war-related back and shoulder pain, and says doctors should offer veterans less risky medication. He said he doesn't have PTSD, but that some colleagues who do have also been given the drugs. Doctors are too quick to prescribe them, Countouriotis said, adding, "It's too many, too soon." Morphine and similar powerful painkillers are more often prescribed to war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress along with physical pain, and the consequences are sometimes tragic, a government study released Tuesday, March 6, 2012 finds. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

CHICAGO (AP) ? Morphine and similar powerful painkillers are sometimes prescribed to recent war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress along with physical pain, and the consequences can be tragic, a government study suggests.

These vets are at high risk for drug and alcohol abuse, but they're two times more likely to get prescriptions for addictive painkillers than vets with only physical pain, according to the study, billed as the first national examination of the problem. Iraq and Afghanistan vets with PTSD who already had substance abuse problems were four times more likely to get these drugs than vets without mental health problems, according to the study.

Subsequent suicides, other self-inflicted injuries, and drug and alcohol overdoses were all more common in vets with PTSD who got these drugs. These consequences were rare but still troubling, the study authors said.

The results underscore the challenge of treating veterans with devastating physical injuries and haunting memories of the horrors of war. But the findings also suggest that physicians treating these veterans should offer less risky treatment, including therapies other than drugs, the study authors and other experts say.

Opium-based drugs like morphine and hydrocodone can dull excruciating physical pain. Relatively few veterans are prescribed such drugs. But some doctors likely prescribe them for vets who also have mental pain "with the hope that the emotional distress that accompanies chronic pain will also be reduced. Unfortunately, this hope is often not fulfilled, and opioids can sometimes make emotional problems worse," said Michael Von Korff, a chronic illness researcher with Group Health Research Institute, a Seattle-based health care system. He was not involved in the study.

The research involved all veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan wars who were diagnosed with non-cancer physical pain from October 2005 through December 2010 ? or 141,029 men and women. Half of them also were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health problems.

The results were published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The Department of Veterans Affairs paid for the study, which is based on VA health care data.

Lead author Dr. Karen Seal, who treats patients at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, said she sometimes prescribes opiates for war vets, but only if other painkillers don't work, and only in collaboration with non-drug treatment from mental health experts, occupational therapists and other specialists.

That type of approach is part of a VA pain management policy adopted in 2009, toward the end of the study period.

Dr. Robert Kerns, the VA's national program director for pain management, said the study "draws attention to growing concerns" about the use of opiate painkillers in veterans. These drugs may have a role in treating chronic pain in vets but only as part of a comprehensive pain management plan, he said.

In a written statement about the study, the VA said its pain management approach has been cited as a model of care, but that "we recognize that more work needs to be done."

Retired Lt. Col. Steve Countouriotis, a 30-year Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, says that after returning home a few years ago, he received a morphine prescription for war-related back and shoulder pain. He refused to take it and used aspirin instead.

"I don't feel comfortable taking those kinds of medicines," said Countouriotis, 60, of Petaluma, Calif. "I don't like mood-altering drugs." He said he doesn't have PTSD, but that some colleagues who do have also been given the drugs.

Doctors are too quick to prescribe them, Countouriotis said, adding, "It's too many, too soon."

Army data provided to The Associated Press last year showed that referrals for opiate abuse among soldiers rose during the decade that ended in 2009, and totaled more than 670 between October 2009 and June 2010.

Some vets in the new study got the drugs from overburdened primary care physicians outside the VA health system.

"Imagine primary care doctors getting about 20 minutes to see a patient expressing high levels of distress," because of war-related physical and mental trauma, said Seal, the study author. The balance between providing pain relief while being cautious with drugs that can be habit-forming "is always in play," she said.

In the study, 15,676 vets received opiate prescriptions for physical pain. These prescriptions went to almost 18 percent of vets with PTSD and 12 percent of those with other mental health problems, compared with about 7 percent of vets without those problems.

Among those with PTSD, subsequent self-inflicted injuries, including suicides, occurred in 3 percent of vets who got the drugs, versus 2 percent who didn't receive those prescriptions. The study doesn't provide a breakdown of suicides vs. nonfatal self-injuries.

The study "brings much needed attention to the complexity of this problem," said Dr. William Becker, a Yale University instructor and primary care physician who treats substance abuse and has worked with veterans.

"Patients are typically younger individuals who are in many cases kind of struggling to find their feet again" after returning home from war, he said. The ideal treatment includes behavioral counseling, therapy for war wounds and management of chronic pain.

"The word is spreading and I think this paper is going to send another strong message that this has really got to become the standard of care," Becker said.

___

Online:

JAMA: http://www.jama.ama-assn.org

PTSD: http://1.usa.gov/ftZKFP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-03-06-US-MED-Veterans-Painkillers/id-1b9bf2647bc1421ab42c696e8dc9d1d8

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ARTICLES MANIAC ? Spinal Decompression Table Chiropractors In ...

Chronic back pain frequently results from a variety of common health disorders. These include herniated or bulging discs, sciatica, posterior facet disease, and long term degenerative disc disorders. Many of these problems share one common source. The common source is compressed vertebral discs. These discs supply a much-needed protection between the spinal vertebrae. As they get weakened and swollen, the condition can easily develop into chronic pain that does not go away.

The primary and most common method of treatment is to just use medications to help with the pain. The drawback with these prescriptions is the fact that the pain relief they supply is only short-lived. Eventually, patients develop a tolerance to these types of pills and therefore have to use larger and larger doses of ever more potent pain medications. These kinds of remedies do not actually heal the actual underlying problem. They only cover up the symptoms.

Many people with low back pain try spinal surgery. Some even get worse from the surgery. Some people simply recover better than others, and others never recover from this kind of operation. There can be no guarantee that this surgery will be effective at all. There is also some risk involved in going through it. For some patients, the pain will get more intense just from the surgery as opposed to no surgery.

Many people who have low back and neck pain come to think that they will experience the pain forever. They give up on doctors and surgeons, and basically try to just live with it. Doing so is really a big trigger for emotional problems. Some people experience anxiety and depression. This can affect your relationships and family members.

Recent years have seen the development of a new health-related technology capable of healing many cases of spinal compression disorder in many patients with back pain. It is referred to as non-surgical spinal decompression therapy. This is accomplished via the use of unique spinal decompression machines, which includes different decompression machines such as the DRX9000, ABS, Triton and more. Treatment with spinal decompression equipment can usually bring rapid relief of chronic back and neck pain without all the risks associated with surgery and medication.

Many people with back pain experience a much faster recovery from their pain from spinal decompression technology. It can be very helpful and the chiropractors at New Century Spine Centers in San Diego have been helping many. A normal course of non-invasive spinal decompression therapy will last a few months. This is an extremely encouraging medical technology used by some orthopedists and chiropractors. Spinal decompression treatment offers a major improvement in the treatment of chronic back pain.

Want to discover more information about back pain, then New Century Spine Centers site on how to choose the best chiropractor for your needs.

Source: http://articles-maniac.tk/spinal-decompression-table-chiropractors-in-san-diego-helping-patients-with-back-pain/health-fitness/

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UN probes threat to barrier reef

5 March 2012 Last updated at 01:20 ET

A UN team has arrived in Australia to investigate possible damage to the Great Barrier Reef by the mining industry.

Fears that coal exports and oil and gas exploration would jeopardise the reef prompted the Unesco delegation's visit.

Environmentalists have urged the government to suspend mining development until a government review is completed.

The reef is home to 400 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish.

The Great Barrier Reef, which holds Unesco World Heritage status, lies off the coast of the state of Queensland, which is the largest producer of coal in the country.

The Unesco team is scheduled to visit the reef for a week before making recommendations to the World Heritage committee. They will also meet members of the government.

Environmentalists are concerned that an increase in coal production and the shipping traffic that would follow could affect the Great Barrier Reef's World Heritage status.

They want the government to suspend all new developments while a state and federal review of the health of the reef is carried out.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific's senior climate and energy campaigner John Hepburn said the mining industry was threatening the reef's future.

"The Great Barrier Reef is in danger from the coal industry and the fossil fuel boom that is happening, but it is a reckless expansion that will have direct impacts both in terms of the dredging as well as the increased shipping, as well as the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef," he said.

The BBC's Phil Mercer says the exploitation of oil and gas is driving industrial expansion along much of Australia's most famous wilderness area, including plans for the world's biggest coal port near the town of Bowen.

The Australian government has imposed strict guidelines to ensure water quality and protect marine life during development.

But the reef presents a familiar conundrum for resource-rich Australia - the demands of a powerful and lucrative mining industry against the needs of the environment, our correspondent adds.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-asia-17254778

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Importance of Skin Care | New Health and Fitness

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Start treating your skin with an anti-wrinkle skin care cream. With today?s advanced technology many anti-wrinkle creams and lotions are available that can make dramatic changes in your skin?s texture and tone. These anti-wrinkle creams are available without a prescription. But, it is still important that you ask for your doctor?s advice.

Stay away from exotic treatments. Every once in a while a fad beauty trend involving exotic ingredients and becomes a huge trend despite the complete lack of evidence in terms of effectiveness and even safety. Steer clear of weird or just plain weird beauty treatments and focus your attention towards products that have proven their effectiveness over time and are reasonably priced.

Keep reading the remainder of the tips below. If you?re trying to determinine whether you must look deeper into herpeset ingredients list or you?re merely trying to improve your skincare routine, the knowledge introduced in this article will definitely help. Who knows? You just may find yourself saving some money once you implement a number of the free tips talked about here.

Moisturizers not only draw the moisture content from the skin cells, also intake moisture from atmosphere when required. The excess use of moisturizers may clog the skin pores and results in damaging your skin. When you use moisturizer, within one week you will understand the amount of moisturizer that is required by the skin. It is better to apply the moisturizer when the skin is damp.

When choosing any anti-aging product, it is best that they contain water-based Vitamin A, C, and E because these are effective ingredients that can help the signs of aging such as wrinkles, crow?s feet (laugh lines) and other fine lines. Why water based? Mainly due to the fact that most anti aging skin products are water-based and also a water-based vitamin is more easily absorbed by the skin.

When you intend to make use of a skin cleanser, make sure that you resort to the usage of a skin care cleanser that contains a higher percentage of salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide in it which will in turn drastically reduce the oil and bacterial contents on the acne prone skin.

Do not expose your self too much in front of the sun if you are a pregnant woman because during pregnancy your skin becomes more sensitive. This means that it can get irritated and damaged easier when exposed to the sun. Always, try to apply a sunscreen as part of your daily skin care routine.

Acne treatment is also necessary when you?re trying to keep the blemishes away, but still want to maintain a healthy appearance. Many acne treatment methods include concealer and makeup that contains acne-fighting ingredients so that you can prevent breakouts throughout the day while covering up existing blemishes.

More Subjects Published By This Author ? www.HerpesetNow.com. Take a look at these for extra details about this creator?s other web pages.

Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/03/05/importance-of-skin-care/

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Q&A: What does it mean when Obama's poster child for ?green jobs ...

Question: What does it mean when Obama?s poster child for ?green jobs? Solyndra shut down despite government aid?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20106972-503544.html

This is not the first such incident, nor will it be the last.
?It means we aren?t printing enough money to fund it.
Source(s):
Progressive Liberal?

^Reasons why liberalism is a flawed ideology, I submit to you exhibit A above.

Answer:

Green jobs was a bunch of BS the left tried to sell us on as they stole our billions to hand out to donors.

Tags: child, despite, down, Government, green, Jobs, mean, Obama's, poster, shut, Solyndra

Source: http://www.joblink-inc.org/government-jobs/qa-what-does-it-mean-when-obamas-poster-child-for-green-jobs-solyndra-shut-down-despite-government-aid

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Audio Converter free download

You've requested a page on a website (www.1directory.net) that is on the CloudFlare network. Unfortunately, the host web server does not appear to be configured to accept web traffic or serve web traffic. If you are the owner of this website, you should login to CloudFlare and change the DNS records for to resolve to a server configured to serve web traffic.

If you continue to experience this error, you may contact support. Please reference the following information in your message:

• Timestamp: Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:02:23 -0800

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• Error reference number: 1004

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Source: http://www.1directory.net/internet-and-businesses-online/audio-converter-free-download-14421.html

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Lookout for Android

Don't be fooled by the appealing green interface and non-alarmist vibe. Lookout Premium for Android ($2.99/month, direct) offers powerful, triple-threat protection against almost anything that can go wrong with your Android device, which currently means malware, device theft or loss, and apps that access more personal information than you realize. Traditional security companies with their own mobile products, such as Norton Mobile Security, Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android, F-Secure Mobile Security, and McAfee Mobile Security 2.0, have quickly caught up feature-wise. However, Lookout has a better grasp of its user, and it shows in this simple, fuss-free app where the only "work" you have to do is install it.

There are two versions of Lookout for Android. The free, ad-supported version includes malware scans, a Find My Phone feature that locates your missing phone on a Google map, and cloud-backup of your contacts.

Lookout Premium (the version I tested) adds four more features: Safe Browsing to block phishing and malicious websites located in text messages or when browsing, remote wipe and lock, a privacy advisor for your apps, and cloud backup for photos and call history, which you can restore on a new device. No more pop-up ads, either.

I tested Lookout Premium on an app-laden Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0.2 and a factory reset Samsung Galaxy S II with Android 2.3.5. If you're an iOS user, check out Lookout for iPhone.?

Getting Started
Getting started with Lookout is super easy. After installing the app from the Android Market, you?re asked to register with a valid email address, to which you?ll be sent weekly newsletters about the status of your smartphone?s security. You'll also use this address to log into Lookout's Web-based admin portal, Mylookout.com. ?

From there, Lookout performs a full scan of your device and SD card for malware and spyware; 95 percent of you will pass this bill of health, given that Android malware is still very low?in real numbers .?By default, scans are performed every day and any time you're about to download an app or file (checked as File System Monitoring in your Settings). You can reschedule daily or weekly scans for a specific day and time of the week, or stick to on-demand scans only. I set mine to run daily at 4 AM for minimal interference with my normal use. On a Nexus with 137 apps installed, the scan took about two minutes, and didn't slow down my usage of other apps appreciably.

Anti-virus That Doesn't Hog Resources
Unfortunately here at PCMag, we don't have the capabilities to test with live android malware, so I can't attest to Lookout's ability to detect or remove viruses and spyware. I'm told that if the app does detect anything harmful it is removed automatically. None of the major labs have tested Lookout (or much of its competition), either, but, when they do, rest assured that we'll update this review.

Security applications aren't the popular kids in school. We expect them to interfere with our device's processing speeds and battery life, making it a no brainer when it comes to cleaning out our app library. You won't feel that need with Lookout. On a cold boot up?where I powered off the phone and timed how long it took to reboot, averaging three tests?the Nexus took 54.5 seconds to restart with Lookout and 51.7 seconds without. The GS2 took 37.9 seconds to load with Lookout and 36.2 seconds to load without. Impressive. Lookout also claims that running its app for one day only consumes as much juice as a 30-second phone call.?

After setup, Lookout only turns on when your device connects to a server. You'll notice pop up alerts fade in and out with updates; it tells you that the file you've just downloaded is malware/spyware-free, or that Safe Browsing has been enabled when you launch a new browser for the first time. Because you don't have to tap to close an alert, I found the alerts reassuring rather than excessive and annoying.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Cj7K-CEvFZY/0,2817,2400996,00.asp

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Business Marketing Consultant Engagement

Published by Veena | March 3, 2012 | |

Online Marketing is the process of promoting your website on the Internet to increase its visibility in Search Engine Rankings. The better is its rank on search engine, more no of people will visit the site. My Marketing aid, marketing consultancy in Manchester take care of all your needs like Developing and managing the implementation of your marketing strategy.

Managing the planning process and developing your marketing activity plan.

Internet and online marketing strategy.

Delivering direct marketing campaigns.

Managing your advertising and PR.

Developing your corporate identity and branding.

You can outsource all your marketing activity to us and our marketing consultancy will help you out in the areas where you need most assistance. As a specialist marketing consultant we are able to flex the service we provide dependant upon your needs.

Latest SEO and promotional techniques for online marketing are:

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Organic SEO increases your search engine rankings for your website. Natural SEO includes creating targeted keyword phrases and optimised content for every page.

2. Search Media Marketing (SMM) : Social Media Marketing is the process of setting up Web 2.0 components on your website makes it more user friendly. SMM processes include Blogs, RSS Feeds, Widgets, Tags etc.

3. Keyword analysis : Keyword Research is the most important part of Search Engine Optimisation. Finding the right keywords to optimise your website can be the difference between success and failure for your business. So, keyword research is most important tool of seo.

4. On page optimization : On Page Optimisation performed to a web page will help it rank higher for your keyword phrases. The top of Search Engine Results Pages is where you want your web page to appear, and On Page Optimisation will take you there.

Source: http://www.1directory.net/internet-and-businesses-online/e-marketing/business-marketing-consultant-engagement-13586.html

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AP: Ohio probing adoption agency amid rape charges (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Ohio officials are investigating a private adoption agency that helped place children with a man now accused of raping three boys in his care.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personaltech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120302/ap_on_re_us/us_adoptive_father_rape

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?I Will Never Go Back to Dallas!?

Amanda retreats to the manicured clutches of her socialite mother, Gigi (Annie Potts). Gigi is wonderfully awful?a bad lush, a dexterous hypocrite, a lazy wench, a total nag. Naturally, she gives her maid Lupe (Carla Jiminez) an awful time when the poor woman is just trying to do her job and keep the McMansion sparkling. But also you can tell that Gigi is simply being fair?maybe even restrained, just this once?when answering Amanda's question about whether she, Amanda, was, as a teenager, the tremendous mean girl that all her old frenemies remember. "Oh, darling, you were a bitch with teeth," says Gigi, matter-of-factly.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=6ed37898a81d73781a0e8d3cfd7ce9ec

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Starter's Guide to Bowling Balls | Articles Splendor

Beginner?s Secrets for Bowling Balls

Bowling has been a popular corporate event of medium and big business enterprises. They used the sport to harness relationship between management and employees and to boost team-building spirit. When a casual bowling player develops the interest and love for bowling, he or she went out of his or her way to boost his bowling skills to be at par with professional bowling players. When a person wants to boost his or her bowling techniques, he or she should also purchase quality bowling gear as a worthy investment. You should take not that proper bowling equipment and gear are determining factors on the difference between good and great bowling players.

Important consideration that first time bowlers should consider to better his craft include the manner of picking the right type of bowling ball and holding the bowling ball. For beginners, it is suggested that they use house balls, but for those who bowl regularly and who want to improve his technique, they should select a ball with different holes and weight patterns. Once they improved their skills, they should change the bowling ball and weight. Remember that every bowling ball has different roll attributes and different spins. By varying and changing the weight and ball, bowlers can adjust their skills and competencies accordingly.

Did you know that bowling balls come in different sizes and weights? According to bowling enthusiasts, these balls exist in different types namely: plastic, rubber and reactive resin. At present, you can find bowling balls made of either plastic or reactive resin. Both have similar throwing attributes and usually weigh between six to sixteen pounds. Well, they exist in varying sizes and weights to accommodate the capabilities of neophyte bowling players and experienced players. Bowling players have the option to select which type and weight of bowling ball to use, such as rubber, plastic or resin.

Are you familiar of bowling balls? When you hold and grasp the ball, you will notice that it has up to fix finger holes. These holes exist to give the bowling player the proper grip of the ball and to give him the precision to throw the ball in the proper direction. Right spacing of holes is needed for accurate release of bowling ball. At present, bowling holes come in three different types namely: conventional, semi-fingertip and fingertip holes. The fingertip finger holes let users insert their first knuckles for more precision, while the semi-fingertip is a combination of both the conventional and fingertip bowling holes.

Positive gaming performance and quality sports equipment are correlated with each other and are both determinants in achieving successful bowling game. To ensure positive gaming performance, be sure to prioritize the quality, durability and type of bowling ball when purchasing these items in specialty sports shops. Bowling game comprises of different pieces of equipment, but the most vital of all is the bowling ball.

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Source: http://articlessplendor.com/recreation-sports/starters-guide-to-bowling-balls

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Syria Violence: Wounded Journalists Escape, Military Pounds ...

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis
AMMAN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Syrian forces shelled an opposition stronghold in Hama province, killing 20 people, on Tuesday and hit rebel-held parts of Homs, activists said, as two wounded foreign journalists trapped in the city were reported to have been smuggled safely to Lebanon.
President Bashar al-Assad sent units of an elite armoured division, which is led by his brother Maher, into Homs overnight, activists said. Tanks with the words "Fourth Division Monsters" painted on them moved close to the besieged Baba Amro district.
French journalist Edith Bouvier and British photographer Paul Conroy, both wounded last week in an attack in Baba Amro, were now safe in Lebanon, a diplomat and opposition sources said. It was not clear how they escaped.
In Hama province, security forces bombarded the town of Helfaya, a hotbed of protests in the uprising against Assad.
Activists said the 20 deaths of Sunni Muslim villagers there were among at least 100 killed in the province in the last two weeks in revenge for rebel Free Syrian Army attacks on security forces commanded by members of Assad's minority Alawite sect.
The reports could not be independently confirmed. Syrian authorities tightly restrict media access to the country.

Opposition groups say hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded in the siege of Baba Amro and other rebellious districts in Homs, where terrified residents are enduring dire conditions, without proper supplies of water, food and medicine.
Syrian forces on Tuesday launched the heaviest bombardment in their three-week assault on Baba Amro, activists said.
Assad, projecting an aura of normality in a land ravaged by 11 months of conflict over his right to power, decreed that a new constitution was in force on Tuesday after officials said nearly 90 percent of voters had endorsed it in a referendum.
Opposition groups and Western leaders seeking Assad's removal denounced Sunday's vote as a charade that diverted attention from the violence in Homs and elsewhere.

"BARBARISM"
Assad's government had "broken all the limits of barbarism". French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.
"And when I see the Syrian president paraded around this voting station in Damascus for this phony referendum, it makes you deeply indignant," he told RTL radio.
Juppe said he felt "immensely frustrated" at difficulties in obtaining security guarantees to enable wounded civilians and Western journalists to be evacuated from Homs.
American reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik were killed in Baba Amro on Feb. 22 in a strike on a house in which Conroy and Bouvier were wounded.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent did manage to evacuate three people from Baba Amro on Monday, but not the foreign reporters, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said.
The outside world has proved powerless to halt the killing in Syria, where repression of initially peaceful protests has spawned an armed insurrection by army deserters and others.
"As long as we have not halted the massacres, we are impotent, but we are not inactive," Juppe said.
He told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday it was time to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court and warned Assad he would be brought to justice.
Foreign powers have argued over whether to arm Syrian rebels trying to resist Assad's forces, but there is little appetite in the West for any Libya-style military intervention.
Russia and China have used their vetoes to protect Syria from any action by the U.N. Security Council, where Western and Arab powers had sought backing for an Arab League transition plan under which Assad would voluntarily relinquish office.
Qatar joined Saudi Arabia on Monday in advocating arming the Syrian rebels. "We should do whatever is necessary to help them, including giving them weapons to defend themselves," Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said in Oslo.
Assad says he is battling a foreign conspiracy featuring "armed terrorist groups" and al Qaeda militants, while pressing ahead with political reforms toward greater democracy.
His opponents scorn his calls for dialogue as meaningless while Syrian security forces are violently repressing dissent.
The Syrian leader says the new constitution will lead to multi-party elections within three months.
The document drops a clause making Syria's Baath party the leader of state and society, allows political pluralism and limits a president to two seven-year terms.
But this restriction is not retroactive, implying that Assad, 46 and already in power since 2000, could serve two further terms after his current one expires in 2014.
The opposition dismisses the reforms on offer, saying that Assad, and his father who ruled for 30 years before him, have long paid only lip service to existing legal obligations. (Additional reporting by Dominic Evans, Erika Solomon and Mariam Karouny in Beirut; Writing by Alistair Lyon, Editing by Rosalind Russell)

Venezuela has continued fuel shipments to Syria despite growing international condemnation of the Syrian regime, the country's energy minister said on Tuesday.

From the AP:

Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said the possibility of facing international sanctions won't deter Venezuela from helping Syria. He said Venezuela's state-run oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, has sent two loads of 300,000 barrels each to Syria.

"Syria is a blockaded country," Ramirez said. "If it needs diesel and we can provide it, there's no reason not to do it."

Chavez is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has drawn widespread international criticism for his tough military response to an 11-month-old uprising.

Syria is not facing an economic blockade as Ramirez alleged. But European Union countries have frozen the assets of Syrian government officials and the country's central bank, and the bloc has also sought to cut Syria's supply of equipment for its oil and gas sectors. So far, the EU sanctions have had little effect on Assad's regime.

A Free Syrian Army soldier walks next to a burned tractor in Sarmin, north of Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. According to the residents of the city at least fourteen people were killed yesterday during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and President Assad's forces. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Villagers prepare the tomb for Ghassan Ali, 40, who was killed during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the government forces in Sarmin, north of Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Residents stand by their house destroyed in clashes between the Free Syrian Army and President Assad's forces in Sarmin, north of Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Reuters and the Associated Press released video out of Homs that purportedly shows security forces relentlessly shelling the city's civilian neighborhoods.

Al Jazeera interviewed two fathers in Damascus, who tell the network their sons have been targeted by Syrian security forces.

The International Committee of the Red Cross delivered food and supplies to the cities of Homs and Idlib, Reuters reports on Tuesday.

"We managed to bring relief material into Homs city and Idlib today which was handed over to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent branches in both cities to be distributed as soon as possible," ICRC spokesman Hicham Hassan said.

Yet the group warns security has to improve before the aid can be distributed. The organization calls for a daily ceasefire to guarantee civilians safe access to the aid supplies. "People need to have a daily window during which they know they will receive the necessary help," Hassan told Reuters.

The Central Bank Building in Damascus on February 28, 2012. (ANWAR AMRO/AFP/Getty Images)

The BBC aired what appears to be some of the most recent images from Syria's Homs. Security forces kept up their attack on the city on Tuesday.

Testifying before the Senate, U.S. Secretary of State Clinton said on Tuesday that Syria's President Bashar Assad fits the definition of a war criminal.

From the AP:

Asked if Assad is a war criminal, Clinton said he would fit into that category. She stopped short of saying the international community should make that designation and level charges, pointing out that such a step often makes it difficult for a leader to step down.

Fayssal al-Hamwi, Syrian Ambassador in Geneva delivers his statement to the urgent debate on Syria during the 19th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Feb. 29, 2012.

The Syrian ambassador blamed members of the human rights body of promoting terrorism and prolonging the Syrian crisis, according to the AP. "We are convinced that the real aim behind holding this session today is to cover up for the violence and murder perpetrated by the armed groups against innocent civilians," Al-Hamwi reportedly said.

The U.N. estimates more than 7,500 people have died since the start of the conflict in Syria in March 2011.

@ AP : BREAKING: UN political chief says "well over" 7,500 people have died in Syria violence.

Reuters reports Tunisia offered to give president Bashar al-Assad and his family political asylum if it would help end Syria's crisis. An aide to Tunisia's president told Reuters that "Tunisia is ready in principle to grant political asylum to Bashar al-Assad and his family if this proposal will contribute to stopping the bloodshed."

A diplomat and rebel sources told Reuters that French journalist Edith Bouvier is also in Lebanon.

Yet according to the Associated Press, Bouvier is still in Syria. "The Syrian opposition group Local Coordination Committees and global activist group Avaaz said Paul Conroy was the only foreign journalist to escape Syria," AP writes.

The Sunday Times said photographer Paul Conroy, who was wounded in the same attack that killed American reporter Marie Colvin and photojournalist Remi Ochlik, arrived in Lebanon. According to the Associated Press, Conroy was smuggled out of the city of Homs by rebels.

The Committee to Protect Journalists reports a 17-year old videographer was killed in Syria's Homs on Friday.

According to news reports, Anas al-Tarsha was filming in the city's Qarabees district when he was killed in a mortar attack.

"At extraordinary risk, Syrians such as Anas al-Tarsha have picked up their cameras to document for the rest of the world the devastation caused by the government's ongoing attacks," Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said on the group's website. "Syrian authorities have done everything they can to shut down news coverage of their actions. Anas al-Tarsha and other local videographers have given their lives to ensure that the Syrian government would not succeed," he added.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice slammed Syria, saying a referendum held in the country on Sunday was "clearly a sham."

According to Reuters, Syria's Interior Ministry announced on Monday that 89.4 percent of voters approved a new constitution, which would allow president Bashar al-Assad to remain in power until 2028.

The United Nations said on Monday that it found the referendum 'unlikely to be credible.'

@ AmbassadorRice : The so-called referendum yesterday in #Syria was clearly a sham.

A woman holds her daughter on the balcony of her building damaged by Syrian Army bombings in central Idlib, north of Syria, Monday, Feb. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
A boy stands in from of a shop destroyed in Syrian Army shelling in the center of Idlib, north of Syria, Monday, Feb. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

A family evacuates their belongings as they flee their home because of the Syrian Army shelling in central Idlib, north Syria, Monday, Feb. 27, 2012.

Activist group the Local Coordination Committees says 124 people have been killed across Syria on Monday. According to the Associated Press, the activists say among those killed were 64 people who were trying to flee Homs' embattled Baba Amr neighborhood.

The city of Homs has been under attack by Syrian security forces for weeks. Activists say hundreds of people have been killed in the assault.

The European Union expanded its sanctions on Syria to target the country's central bank and seven cabinet ministers, Reuters reported on Monday.

"Today's decisions will put further pressure on those who are responsible for the ruthless campaign of repression in Syria," Europe's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, said in a statement obtained by the news service.

"The measures target the regime and its ability to conduct the appalling violence against civilians. As long as the repression continues, the EU will keep imposing sanctions," the statement also said.

Reuters reports U.N.-Arab League envoy on Syria Kofi Annan held talks in Geneva with Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi And French foreign minister Alain Juppe.

Annan was appointed last Thursday as joint special envoy on Syria. In a statement released on Friday, the former U.N. chief called for the full cooperation of all parties and stakeholders to help bring an end to Syria's violence and human rights abuses, Reuters writes.

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad casts his ballot next to his wife Asma at a polling station during a referendum on the new constitution, in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday Feb. 26, 2012. Syrians began voting on a new draft constitution aimed at quelling the country's uprising by ending the ruling Baath Party's five-decade domination of power, but the opposition announced a boycott and clashes were reported across the country. (AP Photo/SANA)

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad casts his ballot next to his wife Asma at a polling station during a referendum on the new constitution, in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday Feb. 26, 2012. Syrians began voting on a new draft constitution aimed at quelling the country's uprising by ending the ruling Baath Party's five-decade domination of power, but the opposition announced a boycott and clashes were reported across the country. (AP Photo/SANA)

MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT?> ??|?? <?PREV

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad casts his ballot next to his wife Asma at a polling station during a referendum on the new constitution, in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday Feb. 26, 2012. Syrians began voting on a new draft constitution aimed at quelling the country's uprising by ending the ruling Baath Party's five-decade domination of power, but the opposition announced a boycott and clashes were reported across the country. (AP Photo/SANA)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/syria-journalists-escape_n_1306010.html

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