Archive for August 26, 2012

320 found in Syrian mass grave; rebels blame Assad – NBCNews.com

ALEPPO, Syria — Syrian opposition activists accused President Bashar al-Assad’s army on Sunday of massacring hundreds of people in a town close to the capital that government forces recaptured from rebels.

In the town of Daraya, southwest of Damascus, some 320 bodies, including women and children, were found in houses and basements, according to activists who said most had been killed “execution-style” by troops in house-to-house raids.

Activists uploaded several videos to the Internet showing rows of bloodied bodies wrapped in sheets. Most of the dead appeared to be young men of fighting age, but at least one video showed several children who appeared to have been shot in the head. The body of one toddler was soaked in blood.

Due to restrictions on non-state media in Syria, it was impossible to independently verify the accounts.

via 320 found in Syrian mass grave; rebels blame Assad – World news – Mideast/N. Africa – NBCNews.com.

Neuropsychological testing for concussions might not be panacea – ESPN

Concussions have become big business in the football world. With 1,700 players in the NFL, 66,000 in the college game, 1.1 million in high school and 250,000 more in Pop Warner, athletes and families across the country are eager to find ways to cut the risks of brain injury, whose terrifying consequences regularly tear across the sports pages. And a wave of companies offering diagnostic tools and concussion treatments are just as eager to sell them peace of mind.

That’s actually a slogan for one company. ImPACT, the maker of the world’s most popular concussion evaluation system, offers a 20-minute computerized test that players can take via software or online to measure verbal and visual memory, processing speed, reaction time and impulse control. The idea behind ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) and similar batteries is that doctors or athletic trainers can give a baseline test to a healthy athlete, conduct follow-up tests after an injury and then compare the results to help figure out when it’s OK to return the athlete to play. Selling itself as “Valid. Reliable. Safe,” ImPACT dominates the testing market and has spread throughout the sports world: Most NFL clubs use the test, as do all MLB, MLS and NHL clubs, the national associations for boxing, hockey and soccer in the U.S., and nine auto racing circuits.

for the full article visit – Neuropsychological testing for concussions might not be panacea – ESPN.

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Isaac on verge of becoming hurricane, watch extends to Louisiana – CNN.com

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Parts of Louisiana, including New Orleans, under hurricane watch
• Republican convention gets pushed back a day in Tampa
• Isaac is expected to become a hurricane Monday as it moves past the Florida Keys
• At least two people die in storm-related incidents in Haiti, officials say

Miami (CNN) — As Tropical Storm Isaac moved quickly through the Straits of Florida on Sunday morning, coastal communities in Florida issued mandatory evacuations and Republicans delayed the start of their national convention.

With sustained winds of 65 mph, Isaac lashed Cuba with strong winds and dumped rain on the island early Sunday. No major damage or injuries were immediately reported in Cuba.

Heavy rains were already falling in some parts of south Florida, where a tornado watch is in effect until 5 p.m. ET.

via Isaac on verge of becoming hurricane, watch extends to Louisiana – CNN.com.