CommaFeed

CommaFeed (free) straddles two worlds. It offers a Web-based RSS feed reader to be your Google Reader placement: import your feeds and you are good to go in an environment that looks almost like Google Reader. It also lets the intrepid DIY-er download the actual software from GitHub to build a personal RSS reader on RedHat's OpenShift platform. Build it, and you will never have to worry about losing your RSS reader ever again.

If you don't want to deal with code, you just register for an account on CommaFeed.com. If you are looking for a Google Reader replacement, you check off the "Google Reader import" box to kick off the automatic import. To do so, you have to enter your Google credentials on the second screen of the registration process to let CommaFeed handle the import. If the idea of giving your login credentials to a random Website skeeves you out (as it does for me) you leave the box unchecked and just do the manual import later. Giving the user a choice wins CommaFeed good karma points.

Here is bonus karma: You can poke around the almost-full-featured demo to try it out before signing up. I am so tired of having to register an account just to try out a service.

CommaFeed's interface looks really similar to the classic Google Reader, and many of the keyboard shortcuts are the same. The team has promised to add the remaining shortcuts soon. You can also use the built-in sharing options to share posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or Instapaper. Themes are coming, and if you know a little CSS or HTML, you can modify the look and feel anyway you like.

You can also filter the screen to view just the unread items, mark everything in a feed as read, or sort items by date. The search engine lets you find related posts. It was one of my favorite things about Google Reader and I am thrilled CommaFeed included it.

You can toggle between the option to see only headlines, or headline plus a summary underneath. Google Reader lets me see the first few words of the story in headline view; CommaFeed doesn't. Headline view really is just the headline. I kind of miss it, but it's a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things.

Subscribing to a new feed is as simple as clicking the Subscribe button and pasting a feed URL. Removing it is just a matter of selecting the feed on the left sidebar and clicking on the wrench icon. This brings up the feed details page, and you just hit "Unsubscribe." You can change feed details, such as renaming it, changing the category, and changing the order it shows up in the list of feeds.

There isn't any mobile support, which is a bit of a disappointment. It's not a deal-breaker for me since I generally read via my Web browser, even on my mobile devices, but I know a lot of people prefer using native apps. If you are one of them, look at Feedly?or check out the iOS app for Digg Reader.

The site's popularity has surged in the past few days, which has impacted performance. Even so, it hasn't felt particularly sluggish or difficult to use. In fact, I am feeling forgiving because it's clear the team is actually trying to address the performance issues and improve the service with the influx of new users.

I like CommaFeed, and it is almost as good as Editors' Choice?G2Reader, but what really gets me excited is its build-your-own-reader capabilities. I originally tried Tiny Tiny RSS (a PHP application) and was frustrated at how sluggish the application was, so I was nervous about trying CommaFeed (a Java server application). I needn't have worried, because CommaFeed was quite easy to install and I had no performance issues.

CommaFeed is much more flexible, as it can be installed on either Windows or Linux (provided you install a Web server such as Tomcat). I also liked the fact that the GitHub repository had instructions on how to throw up CommaFeed onto RedHat's OpenShift cloud platform (which uses JBoss). I also liked the fact that CommaFeed can be installed on either Windows or Linux. The instructions are thorough for an open source project, but a little opaque to anyone new to server management or building code. Keep Google handy for assistance.

If you want to try OpenShift, the GitHub README file links to a detailed and well-done "alternate" instruction manual that really smoothes out all the bumps in the process.

Overall, CommaFeed is one of the best alternatives to Google Reader that I've ever used, and I am right now trying to decide if I am going to stick with the Web-based version, the version on my server, or OpenShift. It's a great dilemma to have, really. The interface and usability is on par with The Old Reader, but the platform has a little bit more growing up to do before it can completely take on our Editors' Choice G2Reader. But if you want to host your own RSS Reader, you can't go wrong with CommaFeed.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Sqr2W6DEO90/0,2817,2420840,00.asp

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Report: Bomb hits Syrian capital

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? Syrian media say a bomb has gone off behind a bakery in the capital Damascus, causing casualties.

The Sunday blast hit the Ruken al-Deen neighborhood, the state SANA news agency reported.

It said the bomb caused casualties, but did not say how many.

President Bashar Assad's forces are on the offensive against rebels in districts outside Damascus that are used as launching pads to attack the capita .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-bomb-hits-syrian-capital-081257495.html

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Why Comprehensive Cancer Care is Important

There's more to treating cancer than eliminating the disease itself. The Cancer Support Community, a nonprofit committed to ensuring "whole patient" care, stands by this idea, providing social and emotional support to all those affected by the disease. On Thursday, the organization launched its Cancer Policy Institute as a step toward ensuring that everyone can have access to affordable and comprehensive cancer treatment.

"At a time when there are multiple viewpoints about how to approach health care, and [the country] stands on the cusp of implementing large structural changes to the health care system, we are here because we want the best possible outcomes for people with cancer and their families," said Kim Thiboldeaux, president and CEO of the Cancer Support Community.

The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club Worldwide joined forces in 2009 to create CSC, and the organization's mission is now "to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community." In 2012, CSC provided more than $40 million in services, such as support groups, educational workshops, exercise programs and social activities, to patients and their families.

[Read: What Causes Cancer? 7 Strange Cancer Claims Explained.]

The cause

In 2008, the Institute of Medicine released a report linking positive social and emotional support to better patient outcomes throughout a cancer treatment process. Modern cancer care offers many state-of-the-art treatments, but those procedures frequently fail to address the psychological and psychosocial issues often associated with the illness, according to the study.

Given treatments, expenses, lifestyle changes and the fear of the unknown, it is not uncommon for people battling cancer to become overwhelmed. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and a breast cancer survivor, knows those feelings firsthand. "My experience taught me about the importance of treating the whole person, not just the illness," Wasserman said on Thursday. "Cancer is not just frightening for those going through treatment. We need a safe and strong place to all come together."

After undergoing seven surgeries, Wasserman is proud to say she is cancer-free and continues to push for comprehensive care. "More and more young people are getting cancer, and metastatic rates are not going down," she said. "We've made progress, but there is certainly a long way to go."

[Read: Diet Changes That Might Cut Breast Cancer Risk.]

By the numbers

Ezekiel Emanuel, the keynote speaker at the Cancer Policy Institute launch, said $2.87 trillion was spent on health care in the United States, including $979 billion in federal spending, in 2012. To put this in perspective, if you compare that number to overall gross domestic products of other countries, the U.S. health care system is the fifth-largest economy in the world, he said.

So where does all this money go? "When you think about the health care system, you have to understand that health care costs and quality of care is not uniformly distributed across the population," said Emanuel, who is also the vice provost for Global Initiatives and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. Approximately 50 percent of the population doesn't participate in the health care system, he explained. This portion is made up of younger, healthy individuals. People who periodically receive medical assistance, such as those with allergies or who are more prone to colds and the flu, make up another 40 percent of the population. The remaining 10 percent, which includes cancer patients, is the portion of the population that utilizes the most health care dollars.

"If [we] want to improve the system, we will have to focus on those patients because those are the ones who are high-cost and where there are quality problems," Emanuel said.

The cost of cancer treatment has risen approximately 600 percent over the past 30 years, according to Emanuel. From the patient-centric perspective of CSC and the Cancer Policy Institute, more comprehensive health coverage could benefit cancer patients several ways, including financially. When patients are more aware of their health care options, they can choose more cost-effective treatments, share decision-making processes with their doctors and have a better overall treatment experience, Emanuel said.

"We need to figure out how to change how we are delivering care," Emanuel said. "No person should go through cancer alone, and no person should go through an uncoordinated, disjointed system where they are suffering from cancer, have to do all the running around and do all the navigation themselves."

[Read: Free Services for Women With Breast Cancer.]

Moving forward

CSC's public policy efforts will continue "so that no one faces cancer alone," according to Institute supporters. "It's absolutely needed, and it's something that our patients and volunteers very much want," said Dick Woodruff, vice president of federal relations and strategic alliances for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. "ACS CAN currently has two bills pending in the House specifically related to improving patient quality of life through the provision of wider access to palliative care, throughout all health care settings, so it's not only something we fully support, but it's something we are actively working on as well."

Last week alone, CSC affiliates had more than 50 scheduled meetings with Capitol Hill representatives regarding health care policy changes stemming from the launch of the Cancer Policy Institute. "There is a lot yet to do to make change and improve cancer care in America, and we are fully committed to putting all our resources, energy and passion behind it," Thiboldeaux said. "We are very excited to move forward with these issues."

[Read: Singer Andrew McMahon on Overcoming Cancer.]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/why-comprehensive-cancer-care-important-151016588.html

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Gunmen kill 11 foreign tourists in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? Gunmen killed 11 foreign tourists before dawn Sunday as they were visiting one of the world's highest mountains in a remote area of northern Pakistan, police said.

The tourists from Russia, China and the Ukraine were shot dead at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain in the world, said local police chief Barkat Ali. It's unclear if they were planning to climb the mountain or were just visiting the base camp, which is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.

The police chief learned about the attack when the tourists' local guide called the police station around 1 a.m. local time on Sunday, said Ali.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan is home to several insurgencies and internal conflicts but Gilgit-Baltistan is generally a peaceful area, although it has experienced some sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in recent years. The area is a popular destination for tourists because it includes a large number of very tall mountains in the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, including K2, the second highest mountain in the world.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-06-23-AS-Pakistan/id-effd1dea7728451fab17f8e2784a0577

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Ore. agency blames pesticide for bumble bee kill

WILSONVILLE, Ore. (AP) ? Oregon officials say a pesticide is to blame for the deaths of tens of thousands of bumble bees in a shopping center parking lot southwest of Portland.

The state Department of Agriculture said Friday that tests on bees and foliage showed the deaths are "directly related to a pesticide application on linden trees" that was meant to control aphids.

It said an investigation is under way to see if the application of the pesticide Safari, done last Saturday, violated the law.

The Oregonian reports that the Agriculture Department, the City of Wilsonville, neighboring towns and some local landscape contractors have covered the sprayed trees with netting in an effort to prevent further insect deaths.

The Xerces (ZERK'-zees) Society for Invertebrate Conservation has upped its estimate of the bee kill to 50,000. Spokesman Scott Black calls that a very conservative number.

___

Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ore-agency-blames-pesticide-bumble-bee-kill-184748447.html

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A year in asylum, Assange digs in for the long haul

The Wikileaks founder says even if the Swedish investigation against him were dropped, he would not leave his 'space station' existence in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

By Sara Miller Llana,?Staff writer / June 19, 2013

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange show letters that read 'Free Assange' as they wait for his appearance in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in London Sunday. Today marks the anniversary of Mr. Assange seeking sanctuary in the embassy, where he is trying to avoid being extradited to

Frank Augstein/AP

Enlarge

It?s been a year since Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, walked into the Ecuadorean embassy in London and sought political asylum, living there ever since as if in a ?space station.?

Skip to next paragraph Sara Miller Llana

Europe Bureau Chief

Sara Miller Llana?moved to Paris in April 2013 to become the Monitor's Europe Bureau?Chief. Previously she was the?paper's?Latin America Bureau Chief, based in Mexico City, from 2006 to 2013.

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In an interview with various news outlets marking today?s anniversary, he said that even if Sweden were to drop its investigation into sex allegations against him, he plans to stay put. That means London faces the prospect of an unusual guest for years to come.

"I wouldn't say I wouldn't leave," he said. But "my lawyers have advised me I shouldn't leave the embassy because of the risk of arrest and extradition to the United States."

Mr. Assange?s plight has drawn in equal measure support and disdain. Some call him a criminal and danger to security, others a crusader of freedom of information. And those same divides are apparent within the United Kingdom itself: just read the comments section of any Guardian article on the Wikileaks head, and the range of views are obvious.?

But it appears the UK, after a year hosting Assange, does not want another leaker in its midst. Britain last week warned global airlines not to let Edward Snowden, the American contractor who identified himself as the source of the leak about widespread American surveillance programs called PRISM, into British territory. And this was before Mr. Snowden released documents showing British intelligence spying on foreign diplomats at a G20 in London in 2009.

Assange linked Britain?s position on Snowden?to his own, saying the country "doesn't want to end up with another Julian Assange," he said. Yet, Assange said, the UK should consider Snowden a hero and offer him asylum.

That?s not something that Britain was willing to do for Assange, who walked into the Ecuadorean embassy last June after the British government said it would send him to Sweden, where he faces questioning over sexual assault and rape. Assange, who maintains his innocence in that case, says his real fear is being extradited to the US for being behind one of the biggest leaks of confidential documents in US history.

Ecuador has granted Assange asylum, but he cannot leave the embassy in London because Britain promises to arrest him if he does. Recent talks between Ecuador and the UK did nothing to end the stalemate. So the status quo remains: Assange living without natural sunlight, relying on a sun lamp instead, and working 17-hour days in front of his computer, he says, with police on constant guard. He?s likened his circumstances to living in a space station.

Assange is not the only one to compare himself to Snowden. After Snowden answered questions on an online chat this week, Zeke Miller, in Time, draws parallels between the two men.??There were other clear echoes of Assange?s?past remarks?in Snowden?s responses Monday. Both men suggest that much, if not all, American spying abroad is wrong, including the spying on allies and foreign leaders that perhaps every government has practiced for decades, if not centuries,? Miller writes.

Assange has drawn critics who fault him for putting global security at risk, but also has his share of detractors who distinguish the issue of Wikileaks from the separate sex allegations he faces.

Snowden, meanwhile, has gotten some support in Britain for leaking information about PRISM, says?Orla Lynskey, a lecturer in law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. ?What really struck people here was the disproportionate nature of that kind of intelligence, the blanket surveillance,? Ms. Lynskey says. ?That?s where Snowden gets some support.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/eNI_fuUOCSI/A-year-in-asylum-Assange-digs-in-for-the-long-haul

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Watson drops into 3-way tie at Travelers

CROMWELL (AP) ? Charley Hoffman lost his chance at winning last year's Travelers Championship on the 71st hole.

His tee shot on the difficult par-4 17th at the TPC of River Highlands found the pond that runs along the fairway and he finished second, missing out on his third PGA Tour win.

This year Hoffman is in a three-way tie for the lead heading into Sunday's final round and he expects a different outcome.

"Obviously if I get on 17 tee (in the lead), I'd be lying to say I'm not going to think about that tee shot," Hoffman said Saturday after his 4-under 66 tied him with Bubba Watson and Graham DeLaet at 10-under 200.

"But I'm a much more mature, better player than I was a year ago and don't feel uncomfortable on that tee shot."

Watson, who led by two shots when he began the third round and by four shots midway through it, made three bogeys in his last six holes to help create the logjam. DeLaet tied for the low round of the day with a 65.

Chris Stroud and Nick O'Hearn are one shot back of the leaders at 9 under, while Ken Duke's 65 put him alone in sixth place.

Justin Rose, less than a week after his U.S. Open victory, is 7 under and in a tie for seventh after a second straight 68.

After shooting a 61 in the opening round, Hoffman struggled and shot 73 on Friday. He bounced back with a 66 Saturday that included five birdies.

"I got off to a pretty quick start and then birdied 10, thought I was going to get going again," Hoffman said. "And then a little three-putt bogey on 12 sort of slowed things down."

Watson made three birdies in his first six holes Saturday and was ahead by four shots after the third. But bogeys on Nos. 13, 15 and 17 brought the 2011 Masters champion back to the field.

Watson, who won the 2010 Travelers, is trying to become the seventh man to win the event at least twice. Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson have also done it.

"I hit some shots today that were really good, quality shots," said Watson, who shot an even-par 70. "I got a couple bad breaks here and there, but that's golf. At the end of the day I still have a chance on Sunday and that's what we're always looking for."

DeLaet may be playing this week in New England but many of his thoughts are about his native Canada. The heavy rain and flooding in Alberta forced the PGA Tour Canada to cancel its event this week, just one of the many issues the area is facing.

The 2009 Canadian Tour player of the year has pledged to donate $1,000 for every birdie he makes this weekend and $2,500 for every eagle to help the relief efforts.

"It's a pretty small part, what we're doing, but anything helps," said DeLaet, a native of Weyburn, Saskatchewan. "There's a lot of help from everyone all across Canada."

DeLaet first made it to 10 under after beginning his back nine with four straight birdies. A bogey at the difficult par-3 16th put a slight damper on his round, but DeLaet finished strong by delicately rolling in a downhill putt from the fringe on the 18th hole.

"I did play well pretty much all day. I had a lot of good birdie chances on the front nine, just couldn't really seem to find the hole," DeLaet said. "Julien (Trudeau), my caddie, just told me to stay patient."

Watson began the day with a two-shot lead and immediately began to extend it. After saving par on the first hole with a sliding, 7-foot putt, Watson made birdie at No. 2 by hitting a wedge some 2 feet from the hole. He followed that by draining a 30-foot putt from the front edge on No. 3 for a second straight birdie.

Another birdie at the par-5 sixth gave Watson a four-shot lead and he seemed ready to lap the field. Watson also made relatively lengthy par-saving putts on Nos. 7 and 10.

The smallest cracks in Watson's armor appeared at the par-5 13th, where his drive faded too far left and ended up in a fairway bunker.

He was still short of the green after three shots and eventually made bogey, his first of the day and first in his last 30 holes.

He made another bogey at the easiest hole at the TPC of River Highlands, the 296-yard, par-4 15th. His drive left him just 50 feet from the hole but his putt through the fringe didn't make it up the steep hill in front of the green. A chip and two putts followed, moving Watson back to 11 under.

Watson's final bogey came on the 17th and was the result of a tee shot pushed left into a fairway bunker.

The lack of rain recently combined with an increase in the wind late Saturday made TPC of River Highlands, one of the shortest courses on tour, increasingly difficult for the players.

"I think we've never seen the golf course like this, as firm as it is and as firm as some of the greens are," Watson said. "It's hard to get to certain points, so a lot of people probably played it safe."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/watson-drops-3-way-tie-travelers-220002037.html

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