Sunday, March 31, 2013

Signed Iconic Beatles Album Auctioned for $290,500

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A copy of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album autographed by all four band members has shattered expectations at auction.

The iconic album was sold Saturday for $290,500 by Heritage Auctions in Dallas. It had been listed at $30,000 before the sale. The winning bidder was not identified, but The Associated Press reported the rare item had been sold to a person in the Midwest.

The autographs of the band members were obtained in 1967, the same year the record was issued, according to a letter of authenticity posted on Heritage Auctions' website.

PHOTOS: Expensive Items

Each of the Beatles signed next to his image on the inside spread of the album.

Beatles expert Perry Cox said the piece of memorabilia was "extraordinarily special."

"I consider this to be one of the top two items of Beatles memorabilia I've ever seen - the other being a signed copy of 'Meet the Beatles' [the band's second album released in the U.S.]," he said, according to Heritage Auctions' website.

The album was one of the big draws to Saturday's auctions, which included other entertainment and music memorabilia.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/signed-iconic-beatles-album-auctioned-190503155.html

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Murray rallies past Ferrer for Sony Open title

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) ? Andy Murray erased a championship point Sunday and rallied past David Ferrer 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) in a grueling final at the Sony Open.

One point from defeat in the last set, Murray skipped a forehand off the baseline to stay in the match. He then dominated the tiebreaker, while Ferrer appeared to cramp and collapsed to the court after one long point.

The match was filled with grinding baseline rallies, including at least a dozen of more than 20 strokes and one lasting 34. Murray and Ferrer dueled for 2 hours, 44 minutes, and as a result, the 11:30 a.m. start on Easter turned out not to be early enough for CBS.

The network cut away from the final when it went to the tiebreaker, switching to the tipoff of the NCAA tournament game between Michigan and Florida. CBS later showed a replay of match point.

Murray also won the title in 2009. His path to this year's championship was made easier because Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal skipped the tournament and Novak Djokovic lost in the fourth round.

Murray made a breakthrough last year by winning an Olympic gold medal and his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. He'll now move ahead of Federer to No. 2 in the rankings behind Djokovic.

He became the first Key Biscayne men's champion to save a championship point.

The No. 3-seeded Ferrer, who was seeking the biggest title of his career, fell to 0-13 against top-five players in finals. Spaniards are 0-6 in the Key Biscayne men's final, with Nadal losing three of those matches.

Playing in sunny, 80-degree weather, Murray and Ferrer both appeared drained in the third set, which started with six consecutive service breaks.

Murray was a point from defeat serving at 5-6. When he hit a forehand on the line, Ferrer stopped to challenge the call. A weary Murray leaned on his racket while replay confirmed the ruling to make the score deuce.

He won the game to hold two points later, then raced to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker. At 4-1, a 28-stroke exchange ended with Ferrer pulling a backhand wide, and he then crumbled to the concrete, apparently from leg cramps.

Ferrer limped through the final two points. When Murray hit a return winner for the victory, he quickly dropped his racket, eager to call it a day. The two exhausted finalists then met at the net to trade pats on the back.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/murray-rallies-past-ferrer-sony-open-title-184454532--spt.html

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Dozens of teachers indicted in cheating scandal

By David Beasley

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A grand jury indicted 35 former Atlanta public school educators, including an award-winning former superintendent, on Friday for allegedly conspiring to cheat on standardized test scores to obtain cash bonuses.

Former Superintendent Beverly Hall was named National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators in 2009, the same year prosecutors contend widespread cheating took place.

Hall received a $78,000 bonus that year for improving the school system's test scores, prosecutors said.

"The money she received, we are alleging, was ill gotten and it was theft," Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said at a news conference.

Besides Hall, those indicted included administrators, principals and teachers. The 65-count indictment said "test answer sheets were altered, fabricated and falsely certified."

Hall was charged with racketeering, making false statements, theft by taking and false swearing. She and others could face up to 45 years in prison if convicted, Howard said.

A state investigation of test results in 2009 found cheating in 44 of the 56 Atlanta public schools examined. The cheating was prompted primarily by pressure to meet targets in a data-driven environment, according to a investigation conducted by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal's office.

The 2009 cheating was said to include teachers erasing incorrect answers on state standardized tests.

The 2011 state report concluded that there was a "major failure of leadership throughout Atlanta Public Schools with regard to the ethical administration" of the 2009 standardized exams known as the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests.

Amid the investigation, Hall stepped down after nearly 12 years as superintendent of the Atlanta Public Schools. Her successor, Erroll Davis, said on Friday the school system now has extensive training and other safeguards to prevent cheating.

He said 95 percent of the school system's staff was not implicated in the scandal.

Justina Collins, the mother of an Atlanta public school student, told the news conference her daughter had trouble reading yet scored well on the standardized tests.

Collins said when she asked the superintendent about the discrepancy, Hall told her, "Your daughter is simply the kind of person who tests well."

Collins' daughter is now in the ninth grade but reads on a fifth-grade level, Howard told reporters, adding that the real victims of the cheating scandal were the children.

"Her example points out the plight of many children" in the scandal, said the prosecutor.

Richard Deane, Hall's attorney, could not be reached for comment.

(Editing by Ian Simpson and Todd Eastham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/former-atlanta-schools-chief-others-indicted-cheating-scandal-010308965.html

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Killer waves: Scientists study how tsunamis changed history

USGS

Beach damage between Banda Aceh and Krueng Sabe on Jan. 28, 2005, after a devastating tsunami.

By Becky Oskin
LiveScience

In a jumbled layer of pebbles and shells called the "Dog's Breakfast deposit" lies evidence of a massive tsunami, one of two that transformed New Zealand's Maori people in the 15th century.

After the killer wave destroyed food resources and coastal settlements, sweeping societal changes emerged, including the building of fortified hill forts and a shift toward a warrior culture.

"This is called patch protection, wanting to guard what little resources you've got left. Ultimately it led to a far more war-like society," said James Goff, a tsunami geologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

The Maori?were victims of a one-two punch. An earthquake on the nearby Tonga-Kermadec fault triggered the first tsunami in the mid-15th century. It was soon followed by an enormous wave triggered by an exploding volcano called Kuwae, near Vanuatu. The volcano's 1453 eruption was 10 times bigger than Krakatoa and triggered the last phase of worldwide cooling called the Little Ice Age.

The tsunamis mark the divide between the Archaic and Classic periods in Maori history, Goff said. "The driver is this catastrophic event," he told OurAmazingPlanet.

Goff is one of many scientists searching for ancient tsunamis in the Pacific and elsewhere. The devastating 2004 Indonesia tsunami and earthquake, which killed 280,000 people, brought renewed focus on the hazards of these giant waves. Understanding future risk requires knowing where tsunamis struck in the past, and how often. As researchers uncover signs of prehistoric tsunamis, the scientists are beginning to link these ocean-wide events with societal shifts.

Government of Australia

"Following 2004, there has been a lot of rethinking and a greater appreciation for how such events would have impacted coastal settlements," said Patrick Daly, an archaeologist with the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

Vulnerable islands
The West's written history and legends clearly illustrate the consequences of tremendous tsunamis in the Mediterranean. A great wave destroyed Minoan culture on the Greek island of Crete in 1600 B.C. The same tsunami may be responsible for the legend of Atlantis, the verdant land drowned in the ocean. More recently, in 1755, an enormous tsunami destroyed Lisbon, Portugal, Europe's third-largest city at the time. The destruction influenced philosophers and writers from Kant to Voltaire, who references the event in his novel "Candide." [10 Tsunamis That Changed History]

But islands face a much greater threat from tsunamis than coastal communities. After the Lisbon tsunami, the king of Portugal immediately set out to rebuild the city, which was only possible thanks to the presence of untouched inland areas.

"An island becomes totally cut off from the outside world," said Uri ten Brink, a marine geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Mass. "Islands are a lot more vulnerable to such disasters. It's the same kind of thing as during bad hurricanes. It takes a lot longer to recover."

Exposed on all sides, islands are simply more likely to be hit by tsunamis. People settle in shallow bays, which are protected from storms but actually magnify the height of incoming tsunami waves. Food in these societies comes from marine resources, which are destroyed by tsunamis, and croplands that become inundated with saltwater. Boats are smashed, halting trade and communication. Goff said women, children and the elderly are most likely to die, and in Polynesian culture, elders hold the knowledge needed to build boats, make tools and grow food.

The islands of the Pacific are particularly vulnerable. About 85 percent of the world's tsunamis strike in the Pacific Ocean, thanks to its perilous tectonics. Tsunamis are waves triggered when earthquakes, landslides or volcanic eruptions shove a section of water. Ringed by subduction zones, spots where one of Earth's plates slides beneath the other, the Pacific suffers the world's most powerful earthquakes, and it holds the highest concentration of active volcanoes.

USGS

A coal barge and tug carried onto land in Lho Nga, Sumatra in 2004. The tsunami runup reached 104 feet (32 m) here.

But the kind of tsunami that can change history, one that sweeps across the entire ocean, is rare.

"There are many tsunamis where there's been no cultural response or no obvious one," Goff said. "The smaller events aren't going to be the game changers."

Polynesia and tsunamis
But Goff thinks he's found a "black swan" that hit 2,800 years ago, the result of an enormous earthquake on the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zone, where two of Earth's tectonic plates collide. The tsunami scoured beaches throughout the Southwest Pacific, leaving distinctive sediments for scientists to decode. Goff's findings are detailed in several studies, most recently in the February 2012 issue of the journal The Holocene.

The tsunami coincides with the mysterious long pause, when rapid Polynesian expansion inexplicably stopped for 2,000 years. Before the pause, settlers had swiftly crossed from New Guinea to Fiji, Tonga and Samoa over the course of about 500 years.

"It's one of those archaeological conundrums," Goff said. "Why? Well, if I just had my culture obliterated, it might take me a little time to recover. It's probably not the only explanation, but it very well could have been the root cause of why they stopped," he told OurAmazingPlanet.

Two tsunamis in the 15th century had a similarly chilling effect on Polynesian society. After leaving Samoa between AD 1025 and 1120, Polynesians spread across the Pacific Ocean, discovering nearly all of the 500 habitable islands there, according to a study published Feb. 1, 2011, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The Polynesian network covered an area the size of North America, all traversed by wooden canoes. [7 Most Dangerous Places on Earth]

Following the tsunamis, the culture contracted, with the rise of chiefdoms, insularity and warfare, Goff said. "There was a major breakdown at exactly that time," Goff said. "You have to live on what you have on your island, and that causes warfare and a fundamental shift in how they go about living."

Indian Ocean tsunami history
Paleotsunamis also froze trade in the Indian Ocean, according to recent studies by geologists and archaeologists.

Along the Sunda fault off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, which spawned the deadly 2004 tsunami, growth patterns in coral reefs record past earthquakes. Combined with sediment layers that point to past tsunamis and historic records of cultural shifts, the clues suggest a 14th century tsunami with an impact as great as the modern cataclysm.

After the 14th-century tsunami, Indian Ocean traders shifted to the sheltered northern and eastern coasts in the Straits of Malacca, and activity ceased in coastal settlements in the same area hit by the 2004 wave, said Daly of Singapore's Earth Observatory.

"We think that the 14th-century tsunami disrupted one of the main trading routes connecting the Indian Ocean with China and Southeast Asia, a far more powerful impact on a global scale than what happened in 2004," Daly said.

After about a century, there was a gradual shift back, leading to the establishment of the flourishing Acehnese Sultanate from the 16th century, he said.

"It is interesting to think that later settlement only began after the memory of the previous event had faded," Daly told OurAmazingPlanet. "A huge, unexpected deluge of water that wiped out everything along the coast would have been really traumatic and incomprehensible to people in the past, and it is reasonable to suspect that the survivors would have been very apprehensive about moving back into such areas."

Repeating the past
Warnings would be passed down in oral or written stories and legends. The Maori offer detailed accounts of a series of great waves that hit the New Zealand coast. Along the Cascadia subduction zone, west of Washington state, tribal mythology documents a 1700 tsunami, with warnings to flee to high ground.

But because history-changing waves are rare, the warnings may be lost to time, or disregarded. In Japan, stone markers warned of the height of past tsunamis, and told residents to flee after an earthquake. Not all heeded the ancient admonitions when the 2011 Tohoku earthquake struck and sent a massive wave ashore.

By studying past tsunamis and their causes, researchers such as Goff and ten Brink of the USGS hope to reduce the destruction and loss of life from future waves. Right now, ten Brink is on Anegada Island in the Caribbean, investigating whether a tsunami there between 1450 and 1600?came from Lisbon or a local source. The project started as a hunt for evidence of a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, one similar in size to those in Japan and Sumatra. Goff is assembling a database of Pacific paleotsunamis, including the 1450 wave, which ran 100 feet (30 meters) inland along the New Zealand coast.

"The reason we're interested in looking at old tsunamis is we're worried about how often these things happen," Goff said.

The question is whether increased knowledge about the scope and frequency of tsunamis will change current and future decision-making. [Read: Tsunami Warnings: How to Prepare]

"The early evidence from the last few destructive tsunamis suggests that we don't necessarily learn lessons that well, and people in general seem to be willing to remain in highly vulnerable areas," Daly said.

Email Becky Oskin or follow her @beckyoskin. Follow us?@OAPlanet, Facebook?or Google +. Original article on LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2a254d8f/l/0Lscience0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C290C17520A4440Ekiller0Ewaves0Escientists0Estudy0Ehow0Etsunamis0Echanged0Ehistory0Dlite/story01.htm

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Saudi Arabia to allow women's sports clubs - paper

RIYADH, March 30 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is to license women's sports clubs for the first time, al-Watan daily reported, in a major step for an ultra-religious country where clerics have warned against female exercise.

Last year the conservative Islamic kingdom, where women must have permission from a male relative to take many big decisions, sent women athletes to the Olympics for the first time after pressure from international rights groups.

Until now, women's exercise facilities, including gyms, have had to be licensed by the Health Ministry and designated as "health centres".

Last April Watan, owned by a Saudi prince, reported the government had set up a ministerial committee to allow women's sports clubs. The General Presidency of Youth Welfare, which functions like a sports ministry, only regulates men's clubs.

In 2009 a member of the country's highest council of clerics said girls should not play sports lest they "lose their virginity" by tearing their hymens. State-run girls' schools do not have exercise classes.

Watan said on Friday the Interior Ministry had decided to allow women's sports clubs after reviewing a study that showed flaws in the existing system.

In August two Saudi women, a judoka and a sprinter, became the first to compete for their country in the Olympics. At least one had trained abroad.

Saudi women are barred from driving and must seek the permission of a male "guardian", usually a father, husband or brother, to marry, travel abroad, open a bank account, work or have some forms of elective surgery.

In January King Abdullah named 30 women to the Shura Council, an appointed body that debates future legislation and then gives non-binding advice to the government.

Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1923, is viewed as having pushed for greater women's education and opportunities to work, sometimes in the face of opposition from powerful conservative clerics. (Reporting by Angus McDowall; editing by Andrew Roche)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-arabia-allow-womens-sports-clubs-paper-125319261--sector.html

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Incomes rose in February, helping to boost spending

U.S. consumer spending rose in February and income rebounded, further signs economic activity accelerated in the first quarter, even though part of the increase in consumption reflected higher gasoline prices.

The Commerce Department said on Friday consumer spending increased 0.7 percent last month after an upwardly revised 0.4 percent rise in January. Spending had previously been estimated to have increased 0.2 percent in January.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, to increase 0.6 percent last month.

After adjusting for inflation, spending was up 0.3 percent after advancing by the same margin in January.

While Americans paid 35 cents more for gasoline last month, they also bought long-lasting goods such as automobiles and spent more on services, thanks to a bounce-back in income growth.

Income increased a healthy 1.1 percent after tumbling 3.7 percent in January. A sustained pace of steady job gains is starting to boost wages, which should help to provide some cushion for households from higher taxes and support economic growth.

Personal income in December was sharply higher because of a rush to pay dividends and bonuses before tax hikes took effect this year. That also skewed data for January.

A 2 percent payroll tax cut expired on January 1 and tax rates for wealthy Americans also went up. Data ranging from employment to factory activity has so far shown little sign the tighter fiscal policy has been a major drag on the economy.

First-quarter GDP growth estimates currently range as high as a 3.2 percent annual rate. The economy grew at only a 0.4 percent pace in the fourth quarter.

Last month, the income at the disposal of households after inflation and taxes increased 0.7 percent in February after dropping 4.0 percent in January.

With income growth outpacing spending, the saving rate - the percentage of disposable income households are socking away - rose to 2.6 percent from 2.2 percent in January.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Lindsay Lohan: "Colossal Pain in the Ass" on Anger Management Set

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/lindsay-lohan-colossal-pain-in-the-ass-on-anger-management-set/

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State asks Sandy Hook charities how money is spent


Connecticut?s top law enforcement official is asking charitable groups raising money around the Newtown school shooting to disclose more information, an unprecedented step suggesting the state has questions about how contributors' money is being spent.

At least 69 groups are raising money around the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School last year, where 20 small children and six teachers were killed. Together, they've raised at least $15 million dollars from all over the world to help the victims' families and to assist the Newtown community.

But state Attorney General George Jepsen and Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein say the charities have not disclosed enough information about what they are doing with the money. The two officials want the charities to disclose how they?ve spent the funds they've raised so far and what they plan to do with the remaining money.

?This is a voluntary request for information, but we strongly urge you to participate so this important information can be provided, through our websites or other means, to the giving public,? Jepsen and Rubenstein wrote in a letter to the groups.

Ken Berger, CEO of charitynavigator.org, which helps contributors figure out which charities to trust, applauded Rubenstein's efforts.

?It?s an unusual step, absolutely,? Berger said. ?It?s great what the AG office is doing. We should see more of this to make sure the money gets to victims sooner -- and more of it goes the victims."

Berger said Caryn Kaufman, a representative for a group of Sandy Hook victims said on a recent TV show that only about $800,000 to under a $1 million have been given directly to families.

?It?s been 3 ? months, and so far less than a million (dollars) has been dispensed" Berger said, "So this is really bad and upsetting people a great deal."

After the December 14 shooting, several websites and Facebook pages were quickly created offering things like bracelets, bumper stickers or direct donation pages with Newtown and Sandy Hook remembrances and tributes. It's often unclear where those funds end up.

Weeks after the massacre, New York City resident Nouel Alba was arrested for raising money on Facebook for a "funeral fund" for Noah Pozner, one of the first graders killed in the shooting. The fraud was discovered by his family members.

Newtown itself has established two charitable funds, both accessible through the town's website. One provides direct aid to the families -- each family recently received $3,000 from the fund -- and another is for a public memorial.

Berger said those who wish to contribute to a charity can specify how they want a donation to be spent -- whether on school repair, aiding the victims' families, or in some other way.

Donors should also ask charities where the money goes and how long it will take to reach recipients, Berger said.

?If you don?t get a straight answer from a charity, go to the next one,? he said.

Connecticut officials have asked the charities to respond to the questionnaire by April 12. While the information will be made public, it's not meant to be an endorsement of a specific charity, officials said.

News Editor Grant Burningham contributed to this article.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/connecticut-officials-ask-sandy-hook-charities-disclose-contributions-215528315.html

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Treasure Data Projects 500 Percent Growth This Year, Launches New ?Plazma? Distributed Database

tdlogoIt?s only been six months since cloud data warehousing company Treasure Data launched its services, but they?re already reporting some impressive growth figures. Treasure Data achieved month-to-month profitability last year, and they?re well on track to achieve a 500 percent increase in revenue this year. They?ve also amassed 50 high-profile clients, which include a leading social gaming company, a mobile advertising platform based in France, and some other Fortune 500 companies – unsurprisingly, Treasure declined to name names. Treasure Data is basically a massive warehouse in the cloud for companies to store their data.?Big companies like IBM, Oracle, and Teradata offer data services as well, but with their rates going as high as $5 million, that?s not something every business can afford. Treasure Data, on the other hand, costs $1,500 to $2,500 a month with a year-long commitment. That’s a low enough price point for companies that can’t afford or do not have the resources to roll out services of their own. They?re also launching a new distributed database called Plazma, which offers significant improvements over HDFS (Hadoop Distributed Files System). Plazma is significantly better than HDFS precisely because it?s more efficient and is able to compile and parse data at a much faster rate. ?The reason we did this was for robustness, reliability, and performance,? says Kiyoto Tamura, VP of Product at Treasure Data. ?Hadoop distributed several problems around reliability, and we knew we could do better.? With Plazma, Treasure Data boasts that their systems are processing more than 300 billion data points every day.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xd395rmWfAY/

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Screenings Not to Miss for Colorectal Cancer | Westside Regional ...

Screening for colorectal cancer may not be fun, but it could save your life!

So you've hit the big 5-0. What are your plans this year? While we hope you have exciting celebrations in store, it should also be remembered that most patients should begin colorectal screenings after this birthday. According to the National Cancer Institute, colorectal cancer is in second place among cancers that cause fatalities. Worried? You don't have to be. With the right precautions, you should have plenty of birthdays left ahead of you! Learn more about the screenings that could keep you kicking well into old age.

High-Sensitivity Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)
Too many patients shy away from colorectal screenings because they believe they'll be invasive and uncomfortable. The FOBT screening requires only a simple stool test. Supply a sample, taken at home, once a year, and your doctor will let you know if any abnormalities need to be checked out.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
This screening checks for polyps with a small flexible tube that enters your rectum and travels into the lower part of your colon.

Colonoscopy
Not only is this the most thorough and accurate test available, your doctor will be able to remove any polyps during the procedure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a colonoscopy only needs to be performed once every ten years, especially if you are undergoing stool tests or a sigmoidoscopy in the meantime.

Get caught up on your recommended screenings with Westside Regional Medical Center's cancer care department. We are proud of our expert team of physicians and the high-quality care we provide. For more information, visit?our website or call us at 1-866-4HCA-DOCS (442-2362).

Related Posts:
Preventing Colorectal Cancer
How to Get Good Nutrition During Chemotherapy
Caregiver Tips: When Your Loved One Has Cancer

Source: http://blog.westsideregional.com/2013/03/28/screenings-not-to-miss-for-colorectal-cancer/

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Petraeus: Scandal 'was my own doing' (CNN)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/294984085?client_source=feed&format=rss

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New insights into how genes turn on and off

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Researchers at UC Davis and the University of British Columbia have shed new light on methylation, a critical process that helps control how genes are expressed. Working with placentas, the team discovered that 37 percent of the placental genome has regions of lower methylation, called partially methylated domains (PMDs), in which gene expression is turned off. This differs from most human tissues, in which 70 percent of the genome is highly methylated.

While PMDs have been identified in cell lines, this is the first time they have been found in regular human tissue. In addition to enhancing our understanding of epigenetics, this work could influence cancer research and help illuminate how environmental toxins affect fetal development. The paper was published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Since it was unraveled more than ten years ago, the human genome has been the focus of both popular interest and intense scientific focus. But the genome doesn't act alone; there are many factors that influence whether genes are turned on or off. One of these is an epigenetic process called methylation, in which a group of carbon and hydrogen atoms (a methyl group) attaches to DNA, adjusting how genes are expressed.

"I like to think of epigenetics as a layer on top of your genetic code," said senior author Janine LaSalle, professor of medical microbiology and immunology. "It's not the DNA sequence but it layers on top of that ? and methylation is the first layer. Those layers provide a lot of information to the cells on where and when to turn on the genes."

How and when genes are activated (or inactivated) can have a profound impact on human development, cancer and the biological legacy of environmental toxins. Prior to this research, PMDs had only been found in cultured cell lines, which led some scientists to wonder if they existed outside the test tube. This study confirms they exist in placental tissue, a critically important window into fetal development.

"The placenta is the interface between mother and fetus," said LaSalle, who is a researcher affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute. "It's a time capsule from when a lot of important methylation events occurred."

In addition, placental tissue was interesting to study because it has a number of invasive characteristics often associated with cancer. In fact, a number of cancers, such as breast and colon, have widespread PMDs. LaSalle notes that anti-cancer epigenetic therapies that adjust methylation could be refined based on this improved understanding of PMDs.

This work could also enhance our ability to detect genetic defects. Methylation, and other epigenetic data, provides information that cannot be found in the genome alone. For example, the vast majority of cells in the body contain identical genetic code. However, the added information provided by methylation allows scientists to determine where specific DNA came from.

"Methylation patterns are like fingerprints, showing which tissue that DNA is derived from," LaSalle said. "You can't get that information from just the DNA sequence. As a result, methylation studies could be a very rich source for biomarkers."

In the study, PMDs encompassed 37 percent of the placental genome, including 3,815 genes, around 17 percent of all genes. When found in low-methylation regions, these genes were less likely to be transcribed into proteins. Researchers also found that PMDs also contain more highly methylated CpG islands (genomic areas with large numbers of cytosine-guanine pairs), which are often associated with gene transcriptional silencing of promoters.

Because the placental PMDs contained many genes associated with neuronal development, and specifically autism, LaSalle notes that future research could investigate how epigenetics impacts autism genes at birth.

"We are looking for biomarkers that predict neurodevelopmental outcomes," LaSalle said. "Now we have a series of snap shots from a critical period where we think environmental factors are playing a role in the developing brain."

###

University of California - Davis Health System: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu

Thanks to University of California - Davis Health System for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127496/New_insights_into_how_genes_turn_on_and_off

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Kerry stikes out in Baghdad (Powerlineblog)

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Motown songwriter-producer Deke Richards dies

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) ? Motown songwriter-producer Deke Richards has died at a hospice at age 68.

Richards, whose real name was Dennis Lussier, died Sunday at the Whatcom Hospice House, Peace Health St. Joseph Medical Center spokeswoman Amy Cloud confirmed Monday.

Richards had been battling esophageal cancer, according to a statement from Universal Music.

As leader of the Motown songwriting, arranging and producing team known as The Corporation, Richards was involved in writing and producing many Jackson 5 hits, the Universal Music release said. Those songs included the Jackson 5's first three No. 1 hits - "I Want You Back," ''ABC," and "The Love You Save."

He also co-wrote "Love Child" for Diana Ross & The Supremes, as well Ross' solo "I'm Still Waiting."

Other recording artists for whom Richards produced or wrote songs include Bobby Darin, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Lussier, a brother and two nephews.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/motown-songwriter-producer-deke-richards-dies-014758541.html

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Bring back our troops: FF+, union

President Jacob Zuma had announced that thirteen South African soldiers were killed and 27 wounded in clashes with rebels. One was still missing.

"We believe all soldiers should be removed from the area immediately to prevent further loss of life," said Freedom Front Plus spokesman Pieter Groenewald in a statement.

He said the government needed to take full responsibility for the deaths incurred.

"It appears as if President Jacob Zuma had without careful consideration decided to deploy defence force members in the CAR without proper logistical and air support for such operations."

Groenewald said without this kind of support, South African troops could not take on peace operations.

"It is therefore not surprising that the tragedy took place and it could be repeated if the government does not drastically intervene."

On Monday, Zuma said the South African government had not taken any decision to withdraw the army from CAR.

"There has been no reason for us to leave. What we've been looking at is how do we enforce our forces, how do we ensure that there are no further casualties," said Zuma.

"There is no reason for us to issue a command for withdrawal."

The SA National Defence Union (Sandu) said the government needed to make a decision to bring the troops home.

South African troops in CAR had been given "a mandate that is impossible to execute," said SANDU national secretary Pikkie Greef.

In January this year, Zuma authorised the deployment of up to 400 South African soldiers to CAR as part of a military co-operation agreement between the two countries.

Only 200 of the soldiers had been sent at the time of the attack and it was this group which, last weekend, fought armed forces numbering over 1000 in a high tempo battle which lasted nine hours until the rebels raised a white flag and asked for a cease fire.

"South African soldiers inflicted heavy casualties among the attacking bandits," said Zuma.

Earlier on Monday, the SA Security Forces Union (Sasfu) said South Africa did have a responsiblity to deploy its military to help keep peace on the continent.

Nevertheless, Sasfu president Bheki Mvovo said if, in hindsight, it was shown that the troops had not been given adequate support, "tough action should be taken."

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EU finance ministers approve Cyprus bailout deal

Protesters hold a banner during an anti- bailout rally outside of European Union house in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, March 24, 2013. After failing for a week to find a solution to a crisis that could force their country into bankruptcy, Cypriot politicians turned to the European Union on Sunday in a last-ditch effort to help the island nation forge a viable plan to secure an international bailout. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Protesters hold a banner during an anti- bailout rally outside of European Union house in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, March 24, 2013. After failing for a week to find a solution to a crisis that could force their country into bankruptcy, Cypriot politicians turned to the European Union on Sunday in a last-ditch effort to help the island nation forge a viable plan to secure an international bailout. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

From left, French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble speak with each other during an emergency eurogroup meeting in Brussels on Sunday, March 24, 2013. The EU says a top official will chair a high-level meeting on Cyprus in a last-ditch effort to seal a deal before finance ministers decide whether the island nation gets a 10 billion euro bailout loan to save it from bankruptcy. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

A protestor waves a Cyprus flag in front of riot policemen during an anti-bailout rally outside of European Union house in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, March 24, 2013. After failing for a week to find a solution to a crisis that could force their country into bankruptcy, Cypriot politicians turned to the European Union on Sunday in a last-ditch effort to help the island nation forge a viable plan to secure an international bailout. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A protestor holds a banner as he takes part in an anti- bailout rally outside of European Union house in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, March 24, 2013. After failing for a week to find a solution to a crisis that could force their country into bankruptcy, Cypriot politicians turned to the European Union on Sunday in a last-ditch effort to help the island nation forge a viable plan to secure an international bailout. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Personnel carry in boxes of pizza to the European Council building as an emergency eurogroup meeting takes place in Brussels on Sunday, March 24, 2013. The EU says a top official will chair a high-level meeting on Cyprus in a last-ditch effort to seal a deal before finance ministers decide whether the island nation gets a 10 billion euro bailout loan to save it from bankruptcy. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

(AP) ? Cyprus' Parliament president says a deal reached for his country to raise billions in order to qualify for an international bailout is a "painful one" for the island nation's people and a defeat for European solidarity.

Yiannakis Omirou said Monday that Cyprus must work fast to reform its economy and leave the bailout as soon as possible.

The deal reached in Brussels early Monday prevented Cyprus' imminent financial meltdown by securing a last-minute 10 billion euro ($13 billion) bailout on the condition that the country cut back its banking sector and force large losses on big deposits to help pay much of the bill.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-25-Cyprus-Financial%20Crisis/id-350cf525074540de8e053bc083232930

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Monday, March 25, 2013

Normal brain activity linked to DNA damage

msnbc.com

By Charles Choi
LiveScience

Brain activity from experiences as common as exploring new locations surprisingly damages the noggin's DNA, hinting that such disruptions may be a key part of thinking, learning and memory, researchers say.

This damage normally heals rapidly, but abnormal proteins seen in Alzheimer's disease can increase this damage further, perhaps overwhelming the ability of brain cells to heal it. Further research into preventing this damage might help treat brain disorders, scientists added.

Explorer mice
Scientists analyzed young adult mice after they were placed into new, larger cages with different toys and odors that they were allowed to explore for two hours. They measured brain levels of a protein known as gamma-H2A.X, which accumulates when breaks occur in double-stranded molecules of DNA.

"DNA comes in double strands, and has the shape of a twisted ladder," said researcher Lennart Mucke, a neurologist and neuroscientist at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease and the University of California at San Francisco. "Breaks in one strand, in one rail of the ladder, occur quite frequently, but breaking both takes quite a bit of damage and, in the brain, was thought to happen mostly in the context of disease." [10 Odd Facts About the Brain]

Unexpectedly, the researchers found such breaks also happened in the neurons of perfectly healthy mice, with up to six times more breaks in the neurons of explorer mice than in mice that remained in their home cages.

"Breaks of double strands of DNA seem to be a part of normal healthy brain activity," Mucke told LiveScience.

These DNA breaks occurred in various brain regions, especially in the dentate gyrus, an area necessary for spatial memory.

"It is both novel and intriguing, (the) team's finding that the accumulation and repair of DSBs (double-strand breaks) may be part of normal learning," said neuroscientist Fred Gage, of the Salk Institute, who did not take part in this study.

Mystery of DNA breaks
It remains uncertain why brain activity causes DNA breaks. Active neurons do generate DNA-damaging chemicals such as free radicals, but neurons in lab dishes did not have significantly fewer breaks when given antioxidant molecules that counteract free radicals.

Instead, the researchers suggest these breaks could actually help with the genetic activity linked with mental activity.

"We are now very excited to explore why neuron activity causes these breaks in DNA?? whether these breaks somehow facilitate the rapid conversion of genes into proteins involved in memory and learning and in processing all the information you take in when you do something new," Mucke said.

Many of the DNA breaks were fixed within 24 hours via DNA repair mechanisms in the cells. However, mice genetically engineered to produce a protein fragment known as amyloid beta, which accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, had more DNA breaks than normal in their brains, a problem that worsened during exploration.

Mice that produce human amyloid beta in their brains often have abnormal brain activity, including epileptic seizures, which can also occur in Alzheimer's patients. The researchers found that blocking this abnormal brain activity with the widely used anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam reduced the number of DNA breaks in the neurons of these mice.

"Levetiracetam is already an FDA-approved drug, and a very small clinical trial has already shown that it could provide some benefits in people with early-stage Alzheimer's," Mucke said. "These findings support the idea that the drug might be able to modify the disease by preventing the accumulation of DNA breaks that may promote its progress."

"We're in the process now of designing a larger-scale carefully controlled clinical trial to see if such a strategy is of benefit," Mucke added. "We encourage people to wait until this data becomes available and not jump the gun and start taking this drug when it hasn't been validated thoroughly yet."

The scientists also found that when mice lacked a protein known as tau, excess amyloid beta no longer caused more DNA breaks.

"Tau is intimately involved with Alzheimer's ? it seems to cooperate with amyloid beta," Mucke said. "In the absence of tau, amyloid beta doesn't seem to elicit detrimental effects. We're in the process of developing strategies to manipulate tau in Alzheimer's, and these findings encourage us to intensify and accelerate these efforts."

The scientists detailed their findings online Sunday in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Follow?LiveScience @livescience, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on?LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM

  • Pros

    Very sharp. Compact. Inexpensive. Wide aperture.

  • Cons Electronic manual focus. Hood not included. Not stabilized.
  • Bottom Line

    The Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM, the standard prime lens for the EOS M, is compact, fast, and sharp.

By Jim Fisher

The Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM ($249.99 direct) is one of the two lenses that launched along with Canon's EOS M compact interchangeable lens camera. The EOS M uses an APS-C sensor, so the 22mm focal length delivers a 35mm equivalent field of view when compared to full-frame cameras. The lens doesn't feature optical stabilization, but its f/2 aperture will help in low-light shooting.

The lens is impressively small. It measures 0.9 by 2.4 inches (HD) and weighs only 3.7 ounces. Standard 43mm filters are supported, and the lens can focus on objects as close as half a foot away from the camera. There is a manual focus ring, but it's a focus by wire design?moving it simply tells the camera to adjust the focus, rather than physically moving the glass. Because of this, there's a delay when adjusting focus manually. A lens hood is not included, but is available for $29.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness of the lens when paired with the EOS M. It exceeds 1,800 lines per picture height, the figure that we use as a cutoff for an acceptably sharp photo, at every tested aperture. At f/2 it records 2,294 lines, and increases only marginally to 2,331 lines at f/2.8. Resolution peaks at f/5.6, where it notches 2,362 lines. Distortion is completely negligible. The only other lens available for the EOS M, the EF-M 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM, is also quite sharp, but shows a lot of distortion at wider angles.

Chances are that you'll only be in the market for this lens if you bought the EOS M along with the 18-55mm zoom. The EF-M 22mm f/2 STM limits you to a single focal length, but it captures almost three times as much light, allowing you to shoot in dim conditions and to create a shallow depth of field. It also makes the EOS M a practical camera to slide into your pocket, which just isn't possible when the comparatively large zoom lens is attached.

Jim Fisher By Jim Fisher Analyst, Digital Cameras

Jim Fisher is the digital camera analyst for the PCMag consumer electronics reviews team. He is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he concentrated on documentary video production. Jim's interest in photography really...

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

?Torture? ? the new ?racism? (Powerlineblog)

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Analysis: Obama's climate agenda may face setbacks in federal court (reuters)

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PHOTOS: Given to Texas, but will Texans ever explore new parkland?

by Martha Cerna / KENS 5

kens5.com

Posted on March 24, 2013 at 8:20 AM

Updated today at 4:05 PM

Just a short shot from San Antonio and an even shorter skip from Boerne 3,800 acres of Texas wilderness sits waiting to be explored. Will the new park ever be born?

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department received the property in 2011 - a gift from the Albert and Bessie Kronkosky Foundation of San Antonio.

Now TPWD staff is evaluating the Kronkosky State Natural Area to see what's out there.

And there's a lot to see, according to James Rice, the newly-appointed superintendent of the new parkland.

A Peek Inside: Rare and Endangered

Preliminary baseline surveys have turned up habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler, stands of big tooth Maples, and the rare Madrone tree.

But, Rice was most excited about the endangered Sycamore-leaf snowbell. He says the white-tail deer crave the shrub, that sprouts small clusters of delicate white flowers.

What makes this spot choice has a lot to do with the fact that Red Bluff Creek and Pipe Creek both run through it, sometimes underground, other times slipping through the rocky soil to amble along shady creek beds, pooling up from time to time, much to the delight of ring-tailed cats, raccoons, screech owls, coyotes, opossums, and the nefarious feral hog.

Rice also said they are counting up the milkweed plant. Apparently, migrating monarch butterflies have a singular taste for milkweed.

The Kronkosky SNA was originally delivered as ranch land, fronted by a main residence, ranch manager's residence, three garages and two barns, and is located on Hwy. 46, 8 miles southwest of Boerne.

TPWD is about 18 months or so away from completing the master plans that include possible development of campsites, roads, trails, etc. Then come the cost estimates. That's also where the biggest hurdle comes: the money.

If parkland is given to the people and no one ever sees it, is it still a park?

The Texas legislature is considering two bills that would fund the 84 parks currently in operation. And TPWD says there currently are no plans to close parks.

But, there are parks that have not seen the light of day, so to speak. They are undeveloped, like the Kronkosky SNA, and are not open to the public. The list includes: The Davis Hill Natural Area near Houston; Chinati Mountains State Park, between Presidio and Marfa; and Palo Pinto Mountains State Park near Fort Worth. Will Texans ever be able to explore these parks? Some speculate there aren't enough funds to develop and open these properties for use.

State Representative Lyle Larson of San Antonio says the Sporting Goods Sales Tax was supposed to go to Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Historical Commission, but since it was created in 1993 only a small percentage of the revenue has actually been used for parks. The rest, Larson says, went to pay for unrelated budget items.

Larson is proposing legislation to restrict the use of those revenues, and restore funding to Texas parks.

What a great gift that would be for Texans?and a great birthday gift for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, turning 50 on August 23, 2013!

Speaking of which: If you love parks and love sharing the adventure, log onto www.lifesbetteroutside.org - TPWD?s 50th anniversary site. There you can share photos, videos and your story about "what's made life better outside in Texas."
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?

Source: http://www.kens5.com/news/KRONKOSKY-SNA-199205351.html

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Intel NUC review: a little desktop PC that holds big promise

Intel NUC review a little desktop PC that holds big promise

The name says it all. Late last year, Intel quietly introduced the Next Unit of Computing (NUC): a miniature, barebones desktop PC that represents a modern take on the traditional beige box. The NUC sits a mere two inches tall and comes nestled within a 4-inch square chassis. It also retails for just shy of $300. Don't let its diminutive size or price fool you, though. The Core i3 system is speedy, stable and more than capable of handling day-to-day computing tasks. Yes, it's a hell of a departure from the noisy monstrosities we lusted after just a few years ago. And it's a lot quieter, too.

Before you get too excited, though, let's temper that enthusiasm just a bit. As with any bare-bones kit, you'll need to install your own memory, storage, wireless networking components and operating system. In other words, unless you're willing to get your hands a bit dirty, the NUC isn't for you. And then there's the question of its price, which becomes a lot less tempting once you factor in the laundry list of necessary components. So, is the NUC deserving of its "Next Unit of Computing" title? Let's explore this question together.

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