NE: Goats as therapy animals - American Goat Federation

on Nov 12 in Industry News, News

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) ? The? rose-topped red hat locked into the stubby horns is the first clue Gigi is not? your typical goat.

The second might be her red,? knitted sweater and matching diaper with a hole for her wagging tail.

The fashion-conscious goat was? decked out in Husker red Friday.

Three days a week, she commutes? from an acreage south of Lincoln to Gateway? Senior Living Center to work as a therapy animal. Her job is to lift spirits? just by being herself.

Gigi, a black and white? miniature silky, often finds herself in someone?s lap, being stroked softly and? spoken to kindly by elderly residents.

?Hi sweetie. Hello,? said Jean? Vannice, one of her biggest fans. ?I love her. She?s so agreeable. So cute.? So smart.?

Her husband, Duane? Vannice, likes Gigi, too. Unable to participate in recreational activities? because of Parkinson?s disease, he loves to hold her.

?Well, hello there, rascal,? he? said as Gigi?s owner, Jen? Schurman, placed the goat in his lap.

The 90-something man used to? raise foxes, mink, chickens and dogs on a ranch in western Nebraska, and Gigi? brings back fond memories.

Triggering recollections is just? one of the things therapy animals do, Schurman said.

?There?s really incredible data? for animal-assisted therapy that shows what animals can do and humans can?t do? for patients.?

Studies have shown that goats,? dogs and other therapy animals can ease feelings of separation from loved ones,? lower blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels and reduce aggression and? rage in Alzheimer?s patients.

Cathy? Betz, a self-proclaimed animal lover, said Gigi helps her relax.

?I get happy. It gets me out of? depression,? she said.

Schurman, the center?s activity? director since February, said Gigi does all the work.

?My job is to get out of the way? and let her sense what the people need.?

She began working with therapy? animals about 10 years ago. Gigi, a gift from a goat-raising friend, is her? third therapy goat, and one of seven she owns.

Miniature silkies are bred as? show animals, and Gigi, who weighs 20 pounds, has a body temperature of 103? degrees ? ideal for warming laps ? and who loves people, is ideal for? the job.

?When I am training a therapy? animal, I am training for affection,? Schurman said.

Part of Gigi?s training? includes imprinting.

?She has come to recognize? people as part of her herd,? Schurman said.

The goat does have her? favorites, and Jean? Clausen is one of them.

?She picked me early on. I don?t? know why,? Clausen said. ?I keep forgetting that she?s not a dog.?

Schurman started taking Gigi to? the center in June, and she was an instant hit.

?Animal lovers are animal? lovers. As long as it has four legs and they can pet it, they?re happy,?? she said.

Gigi, like all of the therapy? animals Schurman uses, was born in April and will be certified by an? animal-assisted therapy organization after she turns 1. Schurman also has dogs,? a Great Pyrenees named Skyler, who is too big for the center, and a Lab named? Belle, who isn?t old enough yet.

At work, Gigi follows Schurman? wherever she goes.

?If she can?t find me, she? cries,? Schurman said. ?Her nature is to stay where people are.?

Gigi got her name through a? name-the-goat contest. Schurman said it either stands for Gateway Goat or Good? Girl, take your pick.

?I think she?s pretty cute, and? I like the clothing she wears,? housekeeper Amy? Richardson said. ?The residents just love her.?

Just ask Ed? Bede.

?Well, I?m married. Otherwise, I? would be madly in love with her.?

?

Information from: Lincoln? Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Goat-befriends-elderly-at-Lincoln-care-center-4023504.php#ixzz2C3p05bJc

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Source: http://www.americangoatfederation.org/news/ne-goats-as-therapy-animals

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Syrian opposition strikes unity deal

DOHA (Reuters) - Syrian opposition leaders struck a hard-won deal on Sunday under intense international pressure to form a broad, new coalition to prepare for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Delegates, who had struggled for days in the Qatari capital Doha to find the unity their Western and Arab backers have long urged, said the new body would ensure a voice for religious and ethnic minorities and for the rebels fighting on the ground, who have complained of being overlooked by exiled dissident groups.

Some details remain outstanding, including who will head the new Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces and the final assent of some leaders not present in Doha.

Diplomats and officials from the United States and Qatar, the tiny Gulf emirate whose oil and gas wealth has helped fund the 20-month-old uprising, have particularly been pressing the Syrian National Council (SNC), whose leaders mostly live abroad, to drop fierce objections to joining a wider body.

"An initial deal has been signed. A final formulation has been agreed and signed," Ali Sadreddine al-Bayanouni, a delegate for the Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood, told reporters.

"The evening session will be for electing the president of the body and his deputy," he added. The meeting was due to resume around 6 p.m. (1500 GMT).

Delegates said there would be specific representation for women and ethnic Kurds as well as for Christians and Alawites, the religious minority to which Assad belongs and from which he has drawn much of the leadership of his security forces.

It was not entirely clear whether full agreement had been reached, however.

Some delegates had to refer back to leaders who were absent: "Everybody agreed to sign," said Bassem Said Ishak of the SNC. "But the Kurds need 48 hours to get approval from their leadership."

The Coalition's president, once chosen, will automatically become the focal point for opposition activities in a rapidly developing conflict in which Washington and its allies have been concerned that a sudden collapse of Assad's rule could see anti-Western militants benefit from chaos to seize control of a large and pivotal country at the heart of the Middle East.

The SNC, which elected its own new leader, George Sabra, on Friday, had lost the confidence of Washington and other powers, who saw it as unable to provide overall direction for the anti-Assad forces and riven with personal disputes.

In marathon talks that lasted into the early hours of Sunday in Doha, the SNC had threatened to pull out of the initiative altogether. Qatar's prime minister and the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates came personally to try to persuade them, insisting that a deal would secure international backing.

"The SNC agreed only under pressure. They only want to monopolize representing the revolution," one source at the meetings said. "They were given a deadline of 10 a.m. today to either come join or risk it being announced without them."

NEW ASSEMBLY

Delegates said privately that Riad Seif, an influential businessman and SNC member who first presented the U.S.-backed unity initiative had been a possible candidate to head the body. But he has said he is unwell and not interested in the post.

Under the agreement outlined in Doha, the SNC will be among groups to have seats in an assembly of 55 to 60 members under a president, two deputies and a secretary general, all of whom may be elected later on Sunday. People close to Seif said the SNC will have 14 seats but SNC sources said their group expected 20.

SNC member Wael Merza said a number of consensus candidates were already likely to gain seats. These included leftist Haytham al-Maleh, the Muslim Brotherhood's Bayanouni, independent Islamists Munzer al-Khatib and AbdulKareem Bakkar and a noted opposition activist, Suhair al-Atassi.

Merza said the Kurdish National Council and a prominent Alawite, Munzer Makhous, would have places on the assembly, as would local representatives of Syria's 14 provinces.

"We are open to all the real opposition powers that have weight, influence and the same aims as the Coalition to bring down the regime and establish a democratic Syria," Merza told Reuters. "It is not a closed club."

The SNC's leadership repeatedly rejected criticisms over the past week in Doha, saying the body was reforming internally, holding its first leadership election - as opposed to appointing leaders as in the past - and bringing in more youth activists.

But some Council members quit over what they said was Islamist domination of the SNC and the failure of women to win any seats on its general secretariat in voting last week.

However, the Muslim Brotherhood - which has around 25 percent of the SNC general secretariat - and other Islamists allied to them, gave support to Seif's unity initiative.

TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT

Delegates said the coalition would try to form a 10-member transitional government in the coming weeks - along the lines of Libya's Transitional National Council, which was formed during last year's uprising and took power when Muammar Gaddafi fell.

The Arab League is expected to allow the group to take over Syria's representation on that inter-governmental body - from which Assad was suspended. Efforts to win wider international recognition, including at the United Nations, could follow.

The SNC had sought guarantees that such international recognition should come first before agreeing to form the new coalition. Its new leader, Sabra, had said on Saturday that foreign powers should focus on providing arms to rebels rather than prodding the SNC to submerge itself in a new organization.

Robert Ford, the U.S. ambassador for Syria, told SNC members bluntly last week that they should forget dreams of U.S. military intervention in President Barack Obama's second term.

Rebels have been at the mercy of Assad's air force, putting them at a critical strategic disadvantage. Protests for democratic reform broke out 20 months ago, meeting a violent response which led to a conflict that has cost more than 38,000 lives and threatens to spill into neighboring countries.

(Additional reporting by Regan Doherty; Writing by Andrew Hammond; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-opposition-sign-initial-deal-form-body-delegate-112752391.html

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ROI: When What You See Isn't Necessarily What You Get | USBlawg

by cbennett on November 10, 2012

All investors exercise a large degree of trust in their stock brokers and tend to hold great trust in their advisers. Others that understand the market better often handle their own purchases in this time of digital technology. With the rise of employer-employee contribution savings plans the number of investors has grown dramatically, as evidenced by the rise in Dow trading volume. There is also a significant climate for investor fraud where public trading through centralized investment institutions can aid a fraudulent company in covering their weaknesses and overstating their strengths. It is important to remember that there are investment statutes that specifically protect the investor.

Responsibility of the Company

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 established a non-profit corporation approved by Congress that would establish informational and accounting standards for all companies that are publicly traded. In addition, The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is under direct oversight of the Securities Exchange Commission. According to our stock fraud attorneys, the SEC can remove board members from the PCAOB in the event of predetermined inaccuracy or failure to comply with the law. They can also field complaints about companies that are not compliant or have purposely altered the financial stability of the company. These are the companies that normally provide much smaller return on investment, or ROI.

Responsibilities of the Broker

Companies that consistently miss their expected earnings statement could also already have a negative record. For investors using a brokerage, the broker must also vet the company info and deliver an accurate assessment of the stock performance. Brokers that promote the purchase of these stocks could also be liable in civil court. It is important to remember that there are legal remedies for all parties involved. However, these cases can be difficult because the determination of premeditated misrepresentation can be problematic to the court. The broker also has a legal remedy against the company if the company has purposely filed an erroneous claim about company stability and earning power, so the claim could easily be an et al legal claim. This issue is especially true in some 401 (K) retirement plans handled by major financial management groups. Always remember that the money being invested is actually your money and it is always a good idea to keep close tabs and do significant homework before authorizing a stock purchase. Even if you are a novice at investment, do not leave it all up to the agent.

Any individual with significant investment resources should always have a securities fraud attorney on notice of some type, regardless of a filed claim. Many investors hold one on retainer or at least know who they will call if needed. An experienced securities fraud attorney will know where to look to establish negligence or malfeasance by any party of any transaction and can be very helpful before any transaction is made. They will also know how to pursue any possible claim and sometimes the broker may want to join the filing. There is a natural assumption of risk for any investor choosing to invest in a publicly traded company, but there are still several avenues for legal recourse in the event of fraudulent activity by a company in which you hold an investment. Always be ready to protect your investment because you are also protecting your financial future.

Chris Bennett is a legal researcher and contributing author for Page Perry, LLC, who are Atlanta based stock fraud attorneys. To ensure your rights are protected, it is recommended you contact an experienced attorney to represent your interests. Page Perry LLC has special experience in the area of fraud and breach of fiduciary duty litigation.

No related posts.

Source: http://www.usblawg.com/commercial-law/roi-when-what-you-see-isnt-necessarily-what-you-get/

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AUD/USD: RBA revises down its 2013 economic growth outlook ...

GCI Forex News - AUD/USD: RBA revises down its 2013 economic growth outlook, pair trading higher this morning

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AUDUSD Movement

For the 24 hours to 23:00 GMT, AUD weakened marginally against the USD to close at 1.0399.

LME Copper prices declined 0.6% or $49.0/MT to $7605.3/MT. Aluminium prices declined 0.2% or $3.3/MT to $1897.3/MT.

In the Asian session, at GMT0400, the pair is trading at 1.0420, with the AUD trading 0.20% higher from yesterday?s close.

Today morning, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revised down its 2013 economic growth outlook to a range of 2.25% to 3.25% compared to a 2.75% to 3.25% growth range predicted earlier, citing reduced investment in the nation?s mining sector and a softer global growth outlook.

Meanwhile, in China, annual consumer price inflation fell to 1.7% in October, giving policymakers scope to further loosen monetary policy if needed to support growth in the nation.

The pair is expected to find support at 1.0384, and a fall through could take it to the next support level of 1.0349. The pair is expected to find its first resistance at 1.0449, and a rise through could take it to the next resistance level of 1.0479.

The currency pair is trading between its 20 Hr and 50 Hr moving averages.

This entry was posted in AUD/USD. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://forexnews.gcitrading.com/currencies/audusd/audusd-rba-revises-down-its-2013-economic-growth-outlook-pair-trading-higher-this-morning.htm

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Parsing polls: Nate Silver picks on target, Rasmussen not so much (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/261451034?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Muscle Myths: 50 Health & Fitness Mistakes You Don't Know You're ...

November 8, 2012, Category: Muscle Building Programs ? 3 Comments

If you?ve ever felt lost in the sea of contradictory training and diet advice out there and you just want to know once and for all what works and what doesn?t?what?s scientifically true and what?s false?when it comes to building muscle and getting ripped, then you need to read this book.

Let me ask you a question. Do any of the following claims sound familiar?

?I have bad genetics?I?m a ?hardgainer.??

?You have to work your abs more to get a six-pack.?

?When doing cardio, you want your heart rate in the ?fat burning zone.??

?You have to do cardio for 20 minutes before your body starts burning fat.?

?Don?t eat at night if you want to lose weight.?

?Steroids make you look great.?

?I?m overweight because I have a slow metabolism.?

You?ve probably heard one or more of these statements before, and the sad truth is lies like these have ruined many people?s fitness ambitions. There are many, many more.

Thanks to the overwhelming amount of fitness pseudo-science and lies being pushed on us every day by bogus magazines and self-styled ?gurus,? it?s becoming harder and harder to get in shape.
Muscle Myths was written to debunk the most commonplace and harmful gimmicks, fads, myths, and misinformation in the health and fitness industry.

Here are just some of the things you?ll learn in this book:

• Why you don?t have to cut carbohydrates (carbs), or fat, or eat weird combinations of food to lose weight.
• The truth about supplements and why 99% of them are a complete waste of money (and the few that are actually scientifically proven to work).
• What it actually takes to ?tone up??and it?s not doing ?shaping exercises? (these don?t exist) or doing a million reps every workout.
• Why women shouldn?t be training differently than men if they want the lean, toned, and sexy type of body that they see in magazines, TV shows, and movies.
• The scientific secrets of getting a six-pack. Forget 6-minute gimmicks, doing endless crunches, and hours of grueling cardio?it?s actually pretty easy when you know what you?re doing.
• Training and diet methods that will completely shatter any perceived ?genetic barriers? that you think are holding you back from building a muscular, lean physique that you love.
• The proper way to stretch so you don?t sap your strength and risk injury. (Most people do this wrong and suffer the consequences without even realizing it.)
• And much more.

With the information in this book, you can save the money, time, and frustration of buying into misleading diet plans and products that promise unattainable results. You can become your own personal trainer and start getting real results with your diet and exercise.

Special Bonus for Readers!

With this book you?ll also get a free 31-page bonus report from the author called ?The No-BS Truth about Building Muscle, Getting Shredded, and Staying Healthy.?

In this free bonus report, you?re going to learn the true fundamentals of building a lean, muscular body without steroids, good genetics, or wasting ridiculous amounts of time in the gym and money on supplements.

Scroll up and click the ?Buy? button now to learn the no-BS truth of how to look good and feel great without having to endure tortuously restrictive diets or long, grueling exercise routines.

Click Here For More Information

Related posts:

1. The Shredded Chef: 114 Recipes for Getting Ripped and Healthy (The Build Healthy Muscle Series)
2. Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body (The Build Healthy Muscle Series)
3. The Shredded Chef: 115 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy (The Build Healthy Muscle Series)
4. Thrive Fitness: The Vegan-Based Training Program for Maximum Strength, Health, and Fitness
5. Stuart McRobert?s New BRAWN Series, Book 1: How to Build up to 50 Pounds of Muscle the Natural Way

Tags: Build, Don't, Fitness, Health, Healthy, Know, Making, Mistakes, Muscle, Myths, Series, You're

Related Posts to Muscle Myths: 50 Health & Fitness Mistakes You Don?t Know You?re Making (The Build Healthy Muscle Series)

Source: http://buildmusclesbig.com/muscle-myths-50-health-fitness-mistakes-you-dont-know-youre-making-the-build-healthy-muscle-series/

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Palm-sized dragonfly could be your robot pal

5 hrs.

John Roach , NBC News

A robot inspired by one of nature?s most agile flying insects ? the dragonfly ? has darted out of the research lab and is taking dead aim at the consumer market. Imagine a personal robot that hovers above your head, taking photos of your adventures, peeking around corners for you, or?challenging you to a new generation of real-world?computer games.

The unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) was developed at Georgia Tech with $1 million in funding from the Air Force. The team behind it created spinoff company TechJect to bring the technology to the people.

Why do we need it? A promotional video on the crowd funding website Indiegogo shows how you can use it to make an aerial video of yourself schussing down the ski slopes, spy on the neighbors, or help protect your home.

Like its biological inspiration, the TechJect Dragonfly is able to hover in place like a helicopter as well as dart around the air with ease. Though big enough to fit in the palm of an adult's hand, it weighs less than an AA battery. The flight controller itself is lighter than quarter ? and smaller than a stick of gum.

A lithium polymer battery provides 8 to 10 minutes of hover time and flight time of up to 30 minutes.

TechJect aims to raise $110,000 to get the project off its feet and sell various versions of the robot, from a $99 basic machine to $949 for dragonfly swarm. Check out their Indiegogo website for more information.

? via Gizmag?

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/palm-sized-dragonfly-could-be-your-robot-pal-1C6891688

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