UK leads world in mobile internet use | Nicosia Business Review ...

The UK?s mobile users are consuming more data on their phones and tablets than any other leading nation for the first time, according to a report published by Ofcom on Thursday.

The communications regulator found that activities such as web browsing, video streaming and the use of social networking sites in Britain now exceed those in Japan, which has long been the trend setter.

Click to enlarge

Shopping is a key driver of the surge in overall data consumption, with the UK now spending more online than any other country in the world. Shoppers spent more than ?1,000 a year via the internet for the first time in 2011, up 14 per cent from 2010, and pushing the UK higher than second-ranked Australia where consumers spent ?842.

The rapid rise in internet usage is in partly due to the widespread use of ?smart? devices, from phones and tablets to internet-enabled televisions, in the UK.

Indeed, UK consumers are the most likely in the world to access television content over the internet, ahead of the US. Almost a quarter of British internet users watch television every week, including popular ?catch-up? services such as BBC iPlayer, Sky Go and 4OD.

Ofcom?s seventh international communications market report shows that the UK online economy is in rude health, despite worries about the country?s digital infrastructure and a future ?capacity crunch?.

There has been criticism of delays in rolling out 4G mobile networks across the UK ? which are best suited for the sort of data-heavy applications that are already in common use by consumers ? as well as delayed attempts to link up remote parts of the UK which have no access to high-speed broadband.

Future superfast networks are seen by analysts as crucial for the future of the growing digital economy, as well as benefiting consumers.

In Britain, there is now at least limited 4G network access through Everything Everywhere, the mobile network operator. The company will on Thursday reveal the next tranche of cities to be included in its coverage ahead of an auction of the 4G spectrum in January.

Paolo Pescatore, director of apps and media at CSS Insight, said: ?Users in this country are very tech savvy. They want to be able to do more with their phones, which is why the auction of spectrum capable of 4G use is very important. People will be doing a lot when they use 4G than ever before, in particular using video.?

Ofcom?s report shows that the UK has one of the highest levels of penetration of smartphones in the world at 58 per cent of the population, while just fewer than one in five owns a tablet computer.

As a result, British consumers are downloading the most data on mobiles and tablets. In December 2011, the average UK mobile connection used 424 megabytes of data, higher than any other leading country, pushing Japan into second place at 392 megabytes and the US into sixth at 319 megabytes.

One-sixth of all website traffic in the UK was on a mobile, tablet or other connected device, higher than any other country in Europe.

James Thickett, Ofcom?s director of research, said: ?Our research shows that UK consumers continue to benefit from one of the most advanced markets for communications products and services.?

Overall, the average UK viewer watches more than four hours of television every day, with only the USA, at 293 minutes, and Italy, 253 minutes, watching more.

Source: http://nicosiamoneynews.com/2012/12/13/uk-leads-world-in-mobile-internet-use/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=uk-leads-world-in-mobile-internet-use

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Ideal Bar and Restaurant | An American in Italy

I?m still exploring my neighborhood and recently found the ?ideal? place for an appertivo. The Ideal Bar and Restaurant located at via Il Prato, 4b. It is quite large by Italian standards and has a nice large outside dining area for nice weather. Inside is very modern and spacious with two large bars and a large seating area.
They have reasonably priced and good looking items available for lunch and dinner, but I haven?t eaten here. They also have a large and reasonably priced wine list.
I visited for the appertivo which cost 8 euro and comes with a drink and a large buffet of food including a hot pasta dish, faro salad, couscous salad, olives, and stuffed celery, pizza and crostini. I had a glass of wine which was a generous pour. There is music promised on Wednesday evenings starting at 7, but I was here between 7-8 and saw no signs of it.Located just down the street, I can see it becoming my new ?hangout?. See you there!

Source: http://www.anamericaninitaly.com/2012/12/13/ideal-bar-and-restaurant/

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News in brief: Fins to limbs with flip of genetic switch

Boost of gene activity may help explain how arms and legs evolved

By Tina Hesman Saey

Web edition: December 12, 2012

Enlarge

LOOK MA, HANDS

Throwing a simple genetic switch was enough to turn one of this zebra fish embryo?s fins into a primitive limb with a bulge where a future hand or foot might have grown.

Credit: Freitas et al/Developmental Cell 2012

Evolving limbs from fins may be as easy as taking the activity of a few genes and kicking it up a notch, a new study suggests.

Many evolutionary biologists have thought that four-limbed creatures evolved from finned ancestors. Forming limbs involves turning on body patterning genes in two precisely timed phases, first in the back legs and then, later, in the part of the limb that will become the hand or foot. Fish have those genes but turn them on only once, or at very low levels during the second phase.

Working with zebra fish, researchers in Spain added a genetic switch called an enhancer to turn up activity of a gene called Hoxd13 at the tips of developing fins. Fish usually lack these genetic switches, but adding them and making more Hoxd13 than usual produced rudimentary limbs that had more cartilage and less fin material, the researchers report in the Dec. 11 Developmental Cell. Ancestors of four-legged creatures may have acquired these enhancers, leading to limb development.

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/346972/title/News_in_brief_Fins_to_limbs_with_flip_of_genetic_switch

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Shock Hill Luxury Homes in Breckenridge CO Real Estate ...

Wednesday, 12 December, 2012 14:11 Last Updated on Wednesday, 12 December, 2012 14:15 Written by Krystal Knott

Shock Hill Luxury Homes in Breckenridge CO Real Estate

Shock Hill Luxury Homes in Breckenridge CO Real EstateShock Hill is known for having luxury homes in Breckenridge CO Real Estate. ?While Shock Hill in Breckenridge is not ski in ski out, the BreckConnect Gondola does stop in the neighborhood to take you to the base of Peak 7 and Peak 8. ?Shock Hill is located up Ski Hill Road and consist of luxury homes, vacant land, and townhomes.

There are currently five luxury homes for sale in Shock Hill. ?These Shock Hill homes start at $2,750,000 up to $5,435,000 and range in size from 3,460 ? 7,449 square feet. ?Several of the homes have not started building so there is time to make changes to the plans and choose your own finishes.

View All Shock Hill Homes For Sale in Breckenridge CO Real Estate

While Shock Hill is known for having large luxury homes in Breckenridge Colorado this area also features smaller subdivisions such as the Cottages at Shock Hill, Cucumber Patch at Shock Hill and Shock Hill Homes. ?The Cottages at Shock Hill are luxury homes with 4-6 bedrooms around 3,500 square feet and are located across the street from the BreckConnect Gondola. ?Cucumber Patch at Shock Hill and Shock Hill Homes are townhomes and duplexes ranging in size from 2,200-2,600 square feet with 3 and 4 bedrooms.

For additional information on vacant land, townhomes and homes for sale in Shock Hill, contact Justin and Krystal Knott with Ten Peaks Sotheby?s International Realty. ?Having sold both land and a couple of homes in Shock Hill we are very familiar with the subdivision and can answer any questions you have. ?Let us assist you in finding the ideal mountain property in Breckenridge Real Estate today!

Search All Property For Sale in Breckenridge CO Real Estate

Shock Hill Luxury Homes in Breckenridge CO Real Estate

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Source: http://www.resideinsummit.com/blog/shock-hill-luxury-homes-in-breckenridge-co-real-estate/

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SARS-Like Virus Has Key Differences

The SARS-like coronavirus that has killed five people and sickened four more has some important -- and possibly dangerous -- differences from the virus that caused the deadly 2003 SARS outbreak, researchers reported.

The new virus -- dubbed hCoV-EMC -- appears to be able to infect a wide range of mammalian cells, including those of bats, according to Dr. Christian Drosten of the University of Bonn Medical Center in Bonn, Germany, and colleagues.

That could mean it has a natural host in the wild and a relatively low barrier against cross-species transmission, Drosten and colleagues reported online in mBio.

Read this story on www.medpagetoday.com.

Other coronaviruses that infect humans -- including the SARS virus -- began as bat pathogens, but lost the ability to infect the flying mammals when they adapted to humans, the researchers noted.

SARS, in particular, is no longer present in the wild and can't pass back and forth from bats to humans. "The (SARS) virus lost its old host and gained a new one," Drosten said in a statement.

The "quite remarkable" range of possible targets for hCoV-EMC suggests that humans might repeatedly acquire the virus, Drosten and colleagues reported.

There have been only a handful of confirmed infections by hCoV-EMC, according to the World Health Organization.

As of Nov. 30, the agency said, there have been nine cases -- two in people from Qatar, five in residents of Saudi Arabia, and two in Jordan. Of those, five ended in death.

There is also some limited evidence of human-to-human transmission, the agency said.

The first two cases in Saudi Arabia were not linked to each other, but the remaining three were members of a single family living in the same household. The two cases in Jordan were found by screening stored samples from a cluster of pneumonia cases in April 2012.

The novel virus rang alarm bells because it is genetically akin to the SARS virus, which caused hundreds of deaths worldwide and because, like SARS, it led to severe respiratory illness with renal failure.

"This virus is closely related to the SARS virus, and looking at the clinical picture, it causes the same pattern of disease," Drosten said.

Given the similarities, the researchers wanted to know if hCoV-EMC used the same receptor to infect cells ? angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

The fact that SARS used that receptor is credited with both the aggressive course of disease and with the relatively slight population-level impact, the researchers noted.

On the one hand, the receptor is expressed on pneumocytes that are deep in the respiratory tract of humans -- but only rarely on cells higher up -- so that a large dose of virus was needed for infection, leading to aggressive disease.

On the other hand, the severe symptoms meant that victims were quickly admitted to the hospital and isolated, possibly limiting wider spread of the disease.

The ability of the virus to infect bats "was a big surprise," Drosten said. "It's completely unusual for any coronavirus to be able to do that -- to go back to its original reservoir."

The findings also mean it's possible that hCoV-EMC could use a receptor in the human lung that is easier to access, which might make it easier to catch and transmit than SARS.

But, the researchers reported, they still don't know what receptor the virus does use, except that it must be present in all three types of mammals.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/sars-virus-dangerous-differences/story?id=17945136

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Give a gift of Health and Fitness This Christmas | Community Buzz

RealLifeFitness_FINALwithoutBleed_1

I create personalised training programmes based on your goals and current fitness level. ?This may be for example to train for a 5k run, a moon-walk or a marathon, or perhaps you want to increase your strength or flexibility, or lose weight. ?I know, through experience, how difficult it can be to get motivated, and how daunting it can be to embark on a new fitness regime. ?

?Help someone to get started by buying a personal training gift voucher for them. ?I have sessions available Monday to Friday between 9am and 3pm. ?If you would like to purchase a voucher or want to find out more please contact me on?07799 353066?or email?joanneleathers@real-life-fitness.com

Source: http://www.communitybuzz.co.uk/give-a-gift-of-health-and-fitness-this-christmas/

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DANIELS: At Pennsylvania Society, indulgence in ... - Watchdog News

SWANK AFFAIR: When the Pennsylvania Society meets annually in New York City, the black ties and fine jewelry come out in force

By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent

New York City is a big, dirty place, and on a rainy December weekend, it kind of becomes a big, dirty mud puddle.

But it appears some sort of magic barrier exists between Park Avenue sidewalks and the revolving doors at The Waldorf Astoria, where marble floors are spotless and sparkling, and no one seems to drop or spill anything, anywhere, ever.

This is where the indulgent side of Pennsylvania?s power brokers comes out to play, one weekend a year, for the Annual Dinner of The Pennsylvania Society.

The four-day weekend features?dozens of party throughout midtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side. Many events, including last weekend?s namesake dinner, are held at the Waldorf, as has been the case for more than 100 years.

Titans like Andrew Carnegie, Charles Schwab and Andrew W. Mellon were early members of the Society, pioneering its traditions and exclusivity. But as times change, so has the event. The executive director, for the first time in the organization?s history, is a woman ??Carol Fitzgerald, who has a long history of running events, campaigns and conventions in Pennsylvania.

These days, the state?s top elected officials, lobbyists, business owners, and political operatives make up the crowd ??and they?re a more diverse bunch than you might expect. They?re young and old, men and women, Republicans and Democrats.

Their common interest, apparently, aside from being Pennsylvanians: Celebration. Swanky parties are a bipartisan affair, for somebodys and hoping-to-be-somebodys alike.

Inside the party rooms at the Waldorf, the drinks were free and the attire was formal cocktail. ?Dim lighting cast a dreamlike glow on the room?s gilded trim, wall scones, ornate carpeting and Versailles-inspired color palette.

As Friday evening turns into early Saturday morning, the parties grew bigger and drink lines longer. It was a bit like a college party ??only with top shelf booze ??as everyone sauntered up to the bar. They inadvertently?bumped and elbowed one another as they passed by, stopping to chat with old friends or attach names to new faces.

But with all these influencers and influencees in attendance, the events are a prime time to collaborate, drumming up any number of future deals in government or business.

Just as annual as the event is the criticism it draws ??for being too decadent, too indulgent and too insular.

Eric Epstein, founder of Rock the Capitol reform group, hosts a counter-party the same weekend, bringing pizza to security guards at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.

Epstein said when the economy is what it is, it?s bizarre to have state leaders reveling in ?$40 chocolate martinis.?

?It?s hard to justify the extravagance,? he said.

Maybe so. But no one seems to mind. Tis the season, after all.

Ask attendees how they feel about being in a formal setting, and some will tell you it?s not their scene, as if they are here out of a sense of obligation. Others seem fueled by splendor, soaking up every moment and opportunity for another party, another drink, another conversation.

Regardless of why they come to Pennsylvanian Society, attendees freely give the gift of gab.

This year, the main gossip centered around the speculation of who would run in the Democrat gubernatorial primary in 2014, with potential contenders U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-13, and Treasurer Rob McCord in attendance.

Former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger, who already announced that he?s running for governor as a Democrat, held a fundraiser in the MetLife building down the block from the Waldorf on Friday afternoon, one of many off-site events that offered candidates a change to mingle intimately with potential donors.

At the Pennsylvania Society, where the parties are grand and the mood is decadent, the pool of money to tap into is not shallow. One fundraiser for Gov. Tom Corbett, held a private residence, cost $5,000 per couple. Tickets for the annual dinner were priced at $350 per member.

On Saturday morning, it was time for some policy talk at the posh Metropolitan Club, which sits on the corner of? 60th Street and Fifth Avenue. The reception room was abuzz as a few hundred attendees milled in and out of a closed-curtain lecture hall where Gov. Tom Corbett, Democrat Sen. Bob Casey, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, Attorney General-Elect Kathleen Kane and others were giving speeches.

In attendance were many past and present leaders of Pennsylvania?s most powerful companies, as well as former elected officials including?Gov. Dick Thornburgh.

As far as a setting for the who?s who goes, it?s tough to top this elite private club. A towering Christmas tree stood in the corner of the cathedral-height room. Above, red stained glass windows loomed over the double-sided staircase, on which maroon carpeting was bordered by cascades of poinsettia plants and framed by icicle lights all the way up the banister.

After Corbett spoke, he took some time to meet with reporters. Speculation swirled that Corbett would give details on a transportation plan during his speech, but those specifics won?t be public until the plan is unveiled sometime before February.

At that point, it was clear the Pennsylvania Society wouldn?t offer much in the way of news. But it does give everyone a chance to pat themselves, and each other, on the back, while brandishing whatever muscle they plan to assert in the new year.

Corbett also told attendees about pension reform and liquor privatization plans ??again, not giving specifics, but acknowledging future plans for two of the state?s most high-profile issues.

For Corbett, who suffers low approval ratings and criticism for a of leadership, the event was a prime chance to show tho the people whose support could make a big difference in his next campaign that he?s got big plans for second half of his first term.

Corbett wouldn?t say much about those who were mulling a run against him in 2014. Instead, he deflected the question by affirming his own leadership.

?I?ve got to worry about running the state,? he said.

But while he has all the burdens of state on his shoulders, Corbett said the weekend gives people a chance to speak to him while he can ?give them an open ear.?

Beyond that: ?It?s fun to see everybody,? Corbett said.

He told reporters that his favorite moment of the weekend up to that point was, rather serendipitously, running into U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at the Carnegie Club. The event was private, but Scalia had unknowingly swung by, hoping to smoke a cigar, Corbett said.

They then shared a drink, cigars and conversation ??an ?only-in-New York? moment for the Pennsylvania governor and the longest-serving sitting Supreme Court justice.

PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY hosts its annual dinner at the enormous Grand Ballroom at The Waldorf Astoria.

Later that night, partygoers filled more than 300 tables inside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf, where honorary speaker and Philadelphia native M. Night Shyamalan?was the guest speaker for the evening.

The black-tie hallmark event of the weekend is the grandest of them all. Tuxedo-clad men and women in glittering ball gowns filtered into the reception room to enjoy cocktails before taking their seats at the elegant tables.

Come Sunday morning they headed back to Pennsylvania, by car or train or plane, taking with them the memory of mingling, socializing and deal-making in some of the finest settings Manhattan has to offer, a tradition of the Pennsylvania elite unlike many others.

Contact Melissa Daniels at melissa@paindependent.com

? Edited by Kelly Carson, kcarson@watchdog.org

Source: http://watchdog.org/64236/pa-at-pennsylvania-society-indulgence-in-no-short-supply/

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10 coffee table books that make great gifts

This holiday season, give the gift of learning about the world's best travel experiences, as curated by National Geographic, or going behind the scenes of the 'Harry Potter' films, or any of these other fascinating coffee table books. Check out our 10 picks.

- Molly Driscoll,?Staff Writer

1. 'Life in Color,' curated by Annie Griffiths, published by National Geographic

Curated by photographer Annie Griffiths, "Life in Color" is a collection of photos showcasing everything from young Buddhist monks napping in orange robes to a leopard stalking through grass in Botswana. Photos are organized by color, and essays on what particular shades convey viewers preface each section. "Green means we can breathe," reads the chapter heading for "green." "Green means moisture and shade. A thriving green signals life in the world of nature."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/O0tvCKVcA3g/10-coffee-table-books-that-make-great-gifts

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V-Tech InnoTab Tablet for children review

As any self-respecting gadgeteer parent, I put a lot of thought towards the appropriate gadgets for my son. As Christmas approached last year I had decided to get him a tablet, and had my list down to the V-Tech?and LeapPad Tablets when V-Tech offered one for a review.?Unfortunately?(for me) last Christmas was a hot season [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/12/09/v-tech-innotab-tablet-for-children-review/

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Great Ways To Boost Your Success With Multilevel Marketing | Jim ...

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Posted by Administrator on Dec 10, 2012 in Uncategorized | Comments Off

In this economy today, it makes much more sense to work from home instead of trying to find a second job. There is a bit of difficulty in starting a small business, but there is a manageable opportunity to earn an extra cash flow through what is known as MLM. The below article shows you some solid advice for beginning so that you can have success with multilevel marketing.

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TIP! While it is important to have a solid operational plan as the foundation for your business, it is equally important to include contingency plans that allow some degree of flexibility. Determine your weekly and monthly goals, then determine how much you can actually get done within those time frames.

If you have decided to embark upon a multilevel marketing campaign, it is important to consider the overall compensation package that is available to you and whom ever you have partnered or teamed up with. Only if you know how well you are being paid can you determine if the effort you?re putting out is worth it.

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Many large companies use MLM to reach a larger audience for their business. Implement these tips to help start you off and realize success in the field of network marketing.

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Source: http://leucabiz.com/blog/great-ways-to-boost-your-success-with-multilevel-marketing/

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