Thursday, February 28, 2013

Here's How You Send Off the First Retiring Pope in 600 Years

No one is entirely sure what a final general audience for a retiring pope is supposed to be like. Somber? Solemn? That weird mix of happy and sad you get when its your favorite co-worker's last day? Since it's been almost 600 years since a living pope quit his job, those gathered in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday got to write their own rules on how to see off a retiring pope, and it actually looks like a lot of fun.?

RELATED: What's Next for the Catholic Church?

"With chants of "Benedetto!" erupting every so often, the mood ? even hours before Benedict was to arrive ? was far more buoyant than during the pope's final Sunday blessing," reported the AP.?The BBC's Jon Sopel was on the ground and had a similar experience:?

Fun and joyous atmosphere in St Peter's Square as pilgrims gather. Lots of chanting. Footballesque - tho no 'come on you Pope...'

? Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) February 27, 2013

Imagine the chanting coming from this crowd:

RELATED: Five Best Monday Columns

Vatican officials had given out 50,000 tickets for the event, but authorities prepared for 200,000, reported The Telegraph.?Reuters says officials are estimating that around 150,000 people showed up.?We're terrible number estimators, so here's a wider shot of the crowd:

RELATED: Where the World's Catholics Are

Here's Pope Benedict XVI rolling out on his final ride in the Popemobile:

Children were kissed:

And like a college basketball game or mega concert, people made signs:?

Lots of them:?

And people wept...

In his final address to the crowd, Benedict acknowledged that his papacy had been punctuated with scandal?the ongoing fallout of the sex abuse cases, "Vatileaks," and controversy in the Vatican's bank. "The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze, days in which the fishing was good. There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds."

Benedict added, "I will continue to accompany the Church with prayers and I ask you to pray for me and for the new?Pope." According to Reuters, the Vatican is aiming to elect a new pope by mid-March, so he will be able to preside over Holy Week masses and services (Easter Sunday is March 31). As for Benedict, he will leave Rome tomorrow afternoon at 5 p.m. local time, take a helicopter to Castel Gandolfo, make a small and final public appearance, and then at 8 p.m. the Swiss Guards "who stand as sentries at the residence will march off in a sign that the papacy is vacant," reports Reuters. Benedict is scheduled to move into a convent back in the Vatican in April.

Here's a video clip from the pope's final address:?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/heres-send-off-first-retiring-pope-600-years-123612384.html

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Weiner says media shouldn't jump to conclusions

(AP) ? Baseball union head Michael Weiner says reporters should refrain from jumping to conclusions about media reports linking players to a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.

Starting his annual tour of the 30 spring training camps, Weiner cautioned that Major League Baseball is still investigating Biogenesis of America, a defunct anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla.

"The players understand that what's happening in Miami at this point remains to be seen in terms of fairness and judging things on the evidence," Weiner said Thursday. "But there is a lot of talk in the clubhouse about where we should be on the joint drug program, and that's a good thing."

After his one-hour session with the Mets, Weiner also discussed the agreement with management last month to extend blood testing for human growth hormone into the regular season. HGH testing began last year but was limited to spring training.

As part of the changes to the joint drug agreement, the World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory in Laval, Quebec, will keep records of each player, including his baseline ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone.

"They understand the blood testing is only postgame, so nobody can have their blood drawn pregame, and they also understand there are protections there in case there's a health-related or a weather/heat related reason why they can't give blood," Weiner said. "Players understand it's important to have the strongest program possible, and given both the testosterone changes and the HGH changes, they're very much for it."

Weiner succeeded Donald Fehr as union head in 2009, and this tour is his first of spring training since announcing in August he is being treated for a brain tumor. The 51-year-old appeared thin and never specifically addressed his health or how he was feeling. He spent time in the Mets clubhouse before the meeting chatting and laughing with players, including third baseman David Wright and pitcher Johan Santana.

Part of Weiner's talk with media was a discussion of changes to draft-pick compensation for free agents under the new labor contract. Teams made $13.3 million qualifying offers last November to nine free agents ? teams signing those players would lose a top selection in this June's amateur draft.

The Mets were hesitant to negotiate with outfielder Michael Bourn because they didn't want to lose the 11th overall pick. While the teams among the top 10 selections cannot lose their first-round pick, the Mets were vulnerable because they dropped from 10th to 11th in the selection order when Pittsburgh failed to sign No. 8 pick Mark Appel last summer ? meaning the Pirates gained an extra selection after this year's eighth pick.

New York had maintained its first-round pick should have been protected because it originally was among the top 10. Bourn agreed to a $48 million, four-year deal with Cleveland, and the issue never went before an arbitrator.

Pitcher Kyle Lohse is the only one of the nine free agents carrying compensation who remains unsigned.

"Prior to going to the qualifying offer system, we had 30, 35 guys that carried compensation with them; it was reduced to nine, and many of those nine had no problem signing like Nick Swisher or B.J. Upton and others," Weiner said. "Is it a concern that it seemed to be an issue and continues to be an issue with Kyle Lohse, that is seemed to be an issue with Adam LaRoche, that it seemed to be an issue with Michael Bourn? Yes. And we'll try to address that.

"The good news is we're down to, in the Basic Agreement, a very small number of players who carry compensation. The compensation affected those guys fairly dramatically this year, and we'd like to try to address that."

While the current collective bargaining agreement runs through 2016, Weiner said there could be discussions about altering the agreement before then.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-21-BBO-MLB-Drug-Investigation-Weiner/id-111b4b1f6c1b4a86b78314baac9c7818

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PFT: 49ers GM: All option on table for Alex Smith

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The 40-yard dash is the marquee event of the NFL Scouting Combine, but it?s also often disparaged by those who say that a player?s speed in running 40 yards in a straight line while wearing shorts and a T-shirt does not say much about what kind of football player he is.

Count longtime NFL executive Bill Polian among those who say the 40 does, in fact, matter.

Polian, who ran the draft room for the Bills for eight years, the Panthers for three years and the Colts for 15 years, said on NFL Live that when he looks at the ways a player can show his stuff at the Combine, it begins with showing off his pure speed.

?No. 1, the 40 times. If you are a believer in speed ? and I am, and was ? the 40 times are very important,? Polian said.

Polian said that while he wouldn?t get too obsessed with separating players by the hundredths of a second, there are certain 40 times that a player simply has to meet if he wants to be considered a high-level draft prospect at his position.

?There are benchmarks,? Polian said. ?A guy doesn?t need to run a 4.42 as opposed to someone who runs a 4.43, but they have to get under the barrier that a club sets for each position. So a receiver who?s more than 4.5? His stock?s going to fall, and there?s no two ways about it.?

Polian had some big first-round hits by drafting for speed early in his tenure with the Colts, including Edgerrin James, Reggie Wayne and Dwight Freeney. Unfortunately for Polian, he missed with speedy first-round picks like Donald Brown, Anthony Gonzalez and Jerry Hughes later in his tenure.

Those misses do not, however, shake Polian?s belief in the 40.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/21/49ers-gm-says-all-options-are-on-the-table-for-alex-smith/related/

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Notice - DOE/NSF High Energy Physics Advisory Panel

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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 35 / Thursday, February 21, 2013 / Notices The basic structure of the workshops had all the attendees participate in breakout sessions, whereby smaller groups considered particular topics. The underlying purpose of both workshops was not to build consensus among stakeholders, but rather to gather information based on the individual experiences and expertise of the participants relating to the challenges and opportunities facing the electricity distribution and transmission systems. The GTT took all the information from the breakout sessions and synthesized the common themes into the Discussion Summary documents that are hereby available for review and open for comments. The discussion summary documents will be valuable additions to the growing body of relevant reference material. Thus, the summaries of these workshop discussions, including consideration of public comments, will provide a key resource to help DOE guide its R&D investments in the near term. DOE intends to finalize and make publically available these documents with consideration of comments received. Comments are invited on all aspects of the workshop topics, although DOE is primarily seeking answers to the following questions: i. Are there any issues in the discussion summary documents that require particular consideration? Are there any issues in the discussion summary documents that do not warrant further consideration? Please provide any examples or information that further supports your comment. ii. Are there crucial challenges or opportunities associated with the Electricity Distribution or Transmission System (or both) that are not sufficiently represented in these documents? The Department of Energy will review all timely written responses to this notice. DOE intends to finalize and make available the Electricity Distribution and Transmission Workshop Discussion Summary reports. Issued in Washington, DC on February 14, 2013. Anjan Bose, Chairman, Grid Tech Team, U.S. Department of Energy. [FR Doc. 2013?04066 Filed 2?20?13; 8:45 am] erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 6450?01?P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee Office of Science, Department of Energy. AGENCY: VerDate Mar2010 14:47 Feb 20, 2013 Jkt 229001 ACTION: Notice of open teleconference. This notice announces a teleconference of the Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92?463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register. DATES: Thursday, March 7, 2013; 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EST). ADDRESSES: Participants may contact Ms. Joanne Corcoran by March 5, 2013 at email: joanne.corcoran@science.doe.gov or by phone at (301) 903?6488, to receive a call-in number. Public participation is welcomed; however, the number of teleconference lines is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. SUMMARY: Dr. David Thomassen, Designated Federal Officer, BERAC, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, SC?23/Germantown Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585?1290. Phone (301) 903?9817; fax (301) 903?5051 or email: david.thomassen@science.doe.gov. The most current information concerning this meeting can be found on the Web site: http://science.energy.gov/ber/ berac/meetings/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of the Meeting: To provide advice on a continuing basis to the Director, Office of Science of the Department of Energy, on the many complex scientific and technical issues that arise in the development and implementation of the Biological and Environmental Research Program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tentative Agenda Topics ? Discussion of the final edits to the BERAC report based on the charge letter dated, December 20, 2012, (http:// science.energy.gov/?/media/bes/besac/ pdf/2012?1220-brinkman-toadvisorycommittees.pdf). Public Participation: The teleconference meeting is open to the public. If you would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may do so either before or after the meeting. If you would like to make oral statements regarding the item on the agenda, you should contact David Thomassen at the address or telephone number listed above. You must make your request for an oral statement at least five business days before the meeting. Reasonable provision will be made to include the scheduled oral PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 12043 statements on the agenda. The Chairperson of the Committee will conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Public comment will follow the 10-minute rule. Minutes: The minutes of this meeting will be available for public review and copying within 45 days at the BERAC Web site: http://science.energy.gov/ber/ berac/meetings/berac-minutes/. Issued in Washington, DC on February 14, 2013. LaTanya R. Butler, Deputy Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2013?04065 Filed 2?20?13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450?01?P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE/NSF High Energy Physics Advisory Panel Office of Science, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. AGENCY: This notice announces a meeting of the DOE/NSF High Energy Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92?463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register. DATES: Monday, March 11, 2013; 10:00 a.m.?6:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, 2013; 9:00 a.m.? 6:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: Gaithersburg Marriott, Washingtonian Center, 9751 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kogut, Executive Secretary; High Energy Physics Advisory Panel; U.S. Department of Energy; SC?25/ Germantown Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585?1290; Telephone: 301?903?1298. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and guidance on a continuing basis to the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation on scientific priorities within the field of high energy physics research. Tentative Agenda: Agenda will include discussions of the following: SUMMARY: March 11?12, 2013 ? Discussion of Department of Energy High Energy Physics Program. ? Discussion of National Science Foundation Elementary Particle Physics Program. E:\FR\FM\21FEN1.SGM 21FEN1 12044 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 35 / Thursday, February 21, 2013 / Notices ? Reports on and Discussions of Topics of General Interest in High Energy Physics. ? Public Comment (10-minute rule). Public Participation: The meeting is open to the public. If you would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may do so either before or after the meeting. If you would like to make oral statements regarding any of these items on the agenda, you should contact John Kogut, 301?903?1298 or John.Kogut@science.doe.gov. You must make your request for an oral statement at least 5 business days before the meeting. Reasonable provision will be made to include the scheduled oral statements on the agenda. The Chairperson of the Panel will conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Public comment will follow the 10-minute rule. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting will be available on the U.S. Department of Energy?s Office of High Energy Physics Advisory Panel Web site: http://science.energy.gov/hep/hepap/ meetings/. Issued in Washington, DC on February 14, 2013. LaTanya R. Butler, Deputy Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2013?04064 Filed 2?20?13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450?01?P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Office of Science, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. AGENCY: This notice announces a meeting of the DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92?463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register. DATES: Friday, March 8, 2013; 9:00 a.m.?5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 9, 2013; 9:00 a.m.?1:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center, 9751 Washingtonian Boulevard, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878, 301?590?0044. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda L. May, U.S. Department of Energy; SC?26/Germantown Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585?1290; Telephone: 301?903?0536. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and guidance on a continuing erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar2010 14:47 Feb 20, 2013 Jkt 229001 basis to the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation on scientific priorities within the field of basic nuclear science research. Tentative Agenda: Agenda will include discussions of the following: Friday, March 8, 2013 ? Perspectives from Department of Energy and National Science Foundation. ? Update from the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation?s Nuclear Physics Office?s. ? Presentation of the NSAC Subcommittee Report on the Committee of Visitors Charge. ? Report on the Facilities Subcommittee. Saturday, March 9, 2013 ? Continued Discussion of Subcommittee Report and Letter Transmittal. ? Public Comment (10-minute rule). Note: The NSAC Meeting will be broadcast live on the Internet. You may find out how to access this broadcast by going to the following site prior to the start of the meeting. A video record of the meeting, including the presentations that are made, will be archived at this site after the meeting ends: http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/ DOE/130308/. Public Participation: The meeting is open to the public. If you would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may do so either before or after the meeting. If you would like to make oral statements regarding any of these items on the agenda, you should contact Brenda L. May, 301?903?0536 or Brenda.May@science.doe.gov (email). You must make your request for an oral statement at least 5 business days before the meeting. Reasonable provision will be made to include the scheduled oral statements on the agenda. The Chairperson of the Committee will conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Public comment will follow the 10-minute rule. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting will be available on the U.S. Department of Energy?s Office of Nuclear Physics web site: http://science.energy.gov/np/ nsac/meetings/. Issued on Washington, DC on February 14, 2013. LaTanya R. Butler, Deputy Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2013?04063 Filed 2?20?13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450?01?P PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [Case No. RF?025] Notice of Petition for Waiver of Samsung Electronics America, Inc. From the Department of Energy Residential Refrigerator and Refrigerator-Freezer Test Procedure, and Grant of Interim Waiver Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of petition for waiver, notice of grant of interim waiver, and request for comments. AGENCY: This notice announces receipt of and publishes the Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (Samsung) petition for waiver (hereafter, ??petition??) from specified portions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure for determining the energy consumption of electric refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers. In its petition, Samsung provides an alternate test procedure that is the same as the test procedure DOE published in an interim final rule. DOE solicits comments, data, and information concerning Samsung?s petition and the suggested alternate test procedure. Today?s notice also grants Samsung an interim waiver from the electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedure, subject to use of the alternative test procedure set forth in this notice. DATES: DOE will accept comments, data, and information with respect to the Samsung Petition until March 25, 2013. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by case number ??RF?025,?? by any of the following methods: ? Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. ? Email: AS_Waiver_Requests@ee.doe.gov. Include the case number [Case No. RF? 025] in the subject line of the message. ? Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE?2J/ 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585?0121. Telephone: (202) 586?2945. Please submit one signed original paper copy. ? Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L?Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Please submit one signed original paper copy. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\21FEN1.SGM 21FEN1
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 35 (Thursday, February 21, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 12043-12044] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-04064]   -----------------------------------------------------------------------  DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY   DOE/NSF High Energy Physics Advisory Panel  AGENCY: Office of Science, Department of Energy.  ACTION: Notice of open meeting.  -----------------------------------------------------------------------  SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the DOE/NSF High Energy  Physics Advisory Panel (HEPAP). The Federal Advisory Committee Act  (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these  meetings be announced in the Federal Register.  DATES: Monday, March 11, 2013; 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.     Tuesday, March 12, 2013; 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.  ADDRESSES: Gaithersburg Marriott, Washingtonian Center, 9751  Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878.  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kogut, Executive Secretary; High  Energy Physics Advisory Panel; U.S. Department of Energy; SC-25/ Germantown Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC  20585-1290; Telephone: 301-903-1298.  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:      Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and guidance on a continuing  basis to the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation  on scientific priorities within the field of high energy physics  research.     Tentative Agenda: Agenda will include discussions of the following:  March 11-12, 2013       Discussion of Department of Energy High Energy Physics  Program.      Discussion of National Science Foundation Elementary  Particle Physics Program.  [[Page 12044]]       Reports on and Discussions of Topics of General Interest  in High Energy Physics.      Public Comment (10-minute rule).     Public Participation: The meeting is open to the public. If you  would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may do  so either before or after the meeting. If you would like to make oral  statements regarding any of these items on the agenda, you should  contact John Kogut, 301-903-1298 or John.Kogut@science.doe.gov. You  must make your request for an oral statement at least 5 business days  before the meeting. Reasonable provision will be made to include the  scheduled oral statements on the agenda. The Chairperson of the Panel  will conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business.  Public comment will follow the 10-minute rule.     Minutes: The minutes of the meeting will be available on the U.S.  Department of Energy's Office of High Energy Physics Advisory Panel Web  site: http://science.energy.gov/hep/hepap/meetings/.      Issued in Washington, DC on February 14, 2013. LaTanya R. Butler, Deputy Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2013-04064 Filed 2-20-13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

Source: http://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2013/02/21/2013-04064.html

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These insects didn't really suck dinosaur blood

Dr. Diying Huang

A mating pair of strashilids, fossil insects from the Jurassic that resemble modern aquatic flies.

By Stephanie Pappas
LiveScience

A group of Jurassic insects thought to have been parasites of feathered dinosaurs were falsely accused, new research finds. Instead, the tiny creatures were aquatic flies, similar to some still living today.

The findings don't change the reality that dinosaurs really did have lice and other parasites, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology researcher Diying Huang and his colleagues write in the Thursday issue of the journal Nature. Huang and his colleagues had previously discovered dino-fleas 10 times the size of the ones that plague mammals today.

But insects known as the strashilids had been wrongly identified as bloodsuckers, Huang and his colleagues now conclude.

The itsy-bitsy insects, only a few millimeters long, have grasping back legs and what appeared, in fossilized specimens, to be a sucking beak. These remains made scientists think strashilids belonged to an extinct group of dinosaur parasites. But researchers had only discovered a handful of these Jurassic insects.

Now, Huang and his colleagues have examined 13 new specimens of strashilids from 165 million years ago, found in Inner Mongolia. Two of these specimens even preserve males and females having sex. [See Images of the Fossil Flies Having Sex]

The new look at these ancient insects reveals that only male strashilids had grasping back legs, an indication that these limbs were used to hang on to females during sex, not to cling to dinosaur feathers during feeding. What's more, both sexes had vestigial mouthparts, suggesting the short-lived adults didn't feed at all. The insects also had large, membranous wings.

An examination of the insects' genitalia matched them to a modern group of flies, the Nymphomyiidae. These flies have feathery wings and live along rapidly moving streams. Like the Jurassic insects, adults of the present-day flies keep some vestiges of their larval selves. The ancient flies, in particular, often hung on to their abdominal gills, an unusual feature among insects, the researchers report.

Researchers suspect that these flies probably shed their wings toward the end of their lives and returned to the water to mate as their last act. The fossils of flies engaged in the act, which reveal wingless males gripping wingless females, support that theory.

Actual dino-parasites from the Jurassic were larger than strashilids, measuring about 0.7 inches (17 millimeters) in length for species such as Pseudopulex jurassicus and Pseudopulex magnus. In one way, ancient fleas were less scary than modern versions, however ? a 2012 study in the journal Nature found that Jurassic bloodsuckers probably couldn't jump.?

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas?or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook?and Google+.

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

Source: http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/20/17033167-these-jurassic-insects-didnt-really-suck-dinosaur-blood?lite

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Shia LaBeouf Reveals ORPHANS' Creative Differences on Twitter

BroadwayWorld.com presents Twitter Watch, which brings you only the best and most interesting reports straight from the mouths of Broadway stars, shows and more on the hot social networking service - Twitter!

It was announced earlier today that due to creative differences, the producers of Orphans and Shia LaBeouf will be parting ways and he will not be continuing with the production. An announcement on the replacement for the role of "Treat" will be made shortly.

On Twitter, Shia LaBeouf had this to say @thecampaignbook

put my hand thru the door at rehearsals. then apologized to our playwright- this was his response. lesson? PACE.

For more of Twitter Watch, Click Here!


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/broadwayworld/pWRb/~3/7jQPtvaZDy4/Shia-LaBeouf-Reveals-ORPHANS-Creative-Differences-on-Twitter-20130220

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Ingram wins Miami-Dade teachers union election

After needing about 36 hours to count some 7,000 votes, the United Teachers of Dade finally announced a winner of its leadership elections Thursday morning.

Fedrick Ingram, the union?s secretary/treasurer, netted just under 51 percent and beat out four competitors. He will take the post in May when current union boss Karen Aronowitz steps down.

He will be the union?s first black president.

Tom Gammon won the union?s first vice president post.

A March 19 runoff will be needed to decide Ingram?s successor as secretary/treasurer.

All three posts pay six figures.

Ingram?s victory ends a long two-day stretch that began Tuesday with union members filling out ballots in their schools. Results were expected in by early Wednesday, but vote counting slowed dramatically and dragged through Wednesday and into Thursday morning after scanners and vote-tallying software malfunctioned.

The problems led to a legal challenge by three of Ingram?s competitors. A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m.

Current First Vice President Artie Leichner, among the three who challenged the election, sent a statement Thursday morning urging those who supported other candidates to get behind Ingram.

?Everyone needs to stand together and demand respect,? he said. ?I am prepared to retire and pass on the torch.?

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/21/3245556/ingram-wins-miami-dade-teachers.html

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Florida governor expands Medicaid

By Maggie Fox, Senior Writer, NBC News

Florida governor Rick Scott, one of the biggest critics of President Obama?s health reform efforts, said Wednesday he would do the administration?s bidding and expand the Medicaid program.

But Scott said he was doing the expansion on his own terms: for three years only, while the federal government is footing the entire bill.

?While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care,? Scott said in a news conference.

?We will support a three-year expansion of our Medicaid program under the new health care law, as long as the federal government meets their commitment to pay 100 percent of the cost during this time. This legislation would sunset after three years and need to be reauthorized.?

Scott denied he was giving in to the administration. ?It is not a white flag of surrender to government-run health care,? he said.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act was designed to transform health care in the United States, which most experts agree currently costs too much and leaves far too many people without health insurance.?It was meant to provide more care to people who can?t buy insurance by forcing states to expand Medicaid.

The hope was to add about 16 million of the poorest people to the rolls -- about half of those who need health insurance. But after a series of challenges to the law, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that the Medicaid expansion requirement went too far. While most of the Affordable Care Act was constitutional, the court ruled, the federal government could not force states to offer Medicaid to more people.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that 12 million people will become newly eligible for Medicaid in the states that choose to expand their offerings by 2022.?The law required states to extend Medicaid to people earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $14,800 for single people and $31,000 for a family of four.

Many Republican governors immediately said they wouldn?t expand Medicaid.

Texas governor Rick Perry turned down $76 billion in federal matching funds that would have helped pay to do it over the first five years. ?We?re just not going to be a part of ? socializing health care in the state of Texas,? Perry told reporters in July.

South Carolina?s Nikki Haley said expanding Medicaid would bring people out who were already qualified -- and she said that her state would go broke taking care of them, even if the federal government paid the bill for those who would newly qualify. In addition, states will have to start paying a very small percentage in 2017.

But health care experts predicted that many red states would not turn away free money from the federal government.

Arizona governor Jan Brewer said her state would expand Medicaid to about 300,000 residents in her state of the state address last month. Michigan governor Rick Snyder made his announcement Feb. 6: His state will add about 320,000 people to the joint state-federal health insurance plan for the low-income.

?I am forced to accept it as today?s reality and I have decided to expand Nevada?s Medicaid coverage,? Nevada governor Brian Sandoval, another Republican, ?said in December.

Republican-leaning holdouts include Alabama, Louisiana, Idaho, Mississippi, South Carolina, Maine and 12 others.

Scott said he wasn?t happy, but said he was facing reality.

?There are no perfect options. Our options are either having Floridians pay to fund this program in other states while denying health care to our citizens or using federal funding to help some of the poorest in our state with the Medicaid program as we explore other health care reforms,? he said.

Left-leaning groups applauded.

?Now about 613,000 Florida women stand to gain the security of quality health coverage and the ability to get the care they need, when they need it, without facing huge medical bills,? said Judy Waxman of the National Women?s Law Center.

?Combined with other reforms in the Affordable Care Act, this expansion would reduce the percentage of uninsured women in Florida from 25.3 percent to 5.8 percent.?

Scott says he?s not against health reform, he just doesn?t like the approach taken in the 2010 health reform law.

?Before I ever dreamed of standing here today as Governor of this great state, I was a strong advocate for better ways to improve health care than the government-run approach taken in the President?s health care law,? he added.

?I believe in a different approach. But, regardless of what I -- or anyone else -- believes, a Supreme Court decision and a presidential election made the President?s health care mandates the law of the land.?

Scott says he will still refuse to set up a state health insurance exchange, leaving the federal government to run it.

Related stories:

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Source: http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/20/17034418-florida-governor-a-health-reform-foe-expands-medicaid?lite

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HTC offers $100 trade-in for HTC One purchases

HTC trade in

HTC seems very excited (and rightfully so) about the new HTC One, and they want to make it a little easier for you to put their latest in your pocket. They’ve announced a new HTC One cash-back program, where they’ll give you $100 when you trade in your old phone for the new HTC One. It's pretty simple:

There's a lot to like about the HTC One. It has incredible specs, offers a brand new take on HTC's flavor of Android with the new HTC Sense, BlinkFeed and Zoe, and it's premium design and materials can't be ignored. Giving us $100 on top of it all is a great way to get our attention.

Complete HTC One preview | HTC One forums

Source: HTC



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/l5nf_IxjU0g/story01.htm

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Bracelet-like device controls chronic acid reflux

Feb. 20, 2013 ? A bracelet-like device with magnetic beads can control the chronic digestive disorder gastroesophageal reflux disease, according to a study published online February 20 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The device encircles the valve at the junction of the esophagus and stomach and helps it stay closed when a person is not eating or drinking. It eased symptoms in 92 of 100 patients with chronic acid reflux and allowed 87 percent of patients to stop using acid-suppressing drugs, third-year results from the five-year study showed. Ninety four percent of patients were satisfied with the treatment.

The advance is significant, says study co-author C. Daniel Smith, M.D., chair of the Surgery Department at Mayo Clinic in Florida and a specialist in treating reflux disease. Mayo Clinic is the only medical center in Florida and one of two in the Southeast to help study the device. Mayo Clinic in Arizona also offers treatment with the device.

"This is the first new, safe and effective treatment we have to treat reflux disease in 20 years," Dr. Smith says. "The device is simple, elegant and functional, and it provides an opportunity to help a very large number of patients. The only treatment options in the past have been acid-suppressing agents or surgery. Acid-suppressing agents don't directly address the underlying ineffective valve, leaving patients with persistent symptoms; surgery can lead to distressing side effects of bloating and inability to vomit in 20 percent of patients. These side effects occurred rarely with this new device."

Roughly 1 in 3 people in the United States have the chronic condition, the American Gastroenterological Association estimates. It can lead to serious health problems.

Acid reflux stems from a deficient or incompetent sphincter valve located at the bottom of the esophagus and the top of the stomach. The sphincter, a ring of muscle, normally stays constricted when a person is not eating; that prevents acid and other digestive juice from leaving the stomach and entering the esophagus.

If the muscle is too weak or relaxes inappropriately, stomach acid can work its way into the lining of the esophagus causing pain and burning -- commonly known as heartburn -- and regurgitation. These episodes can happen at any time, and in people of all ages.

Excessive acid can damage the esophagus and lead to a precancerous condition known as Barrett's esophagus and to esophageal cancer, which is rising rapidly in the U.S., Dr. Smith says. The epidemic of chronic acid reflux may explain the increase in cancer, he says. Dr. Smith has been offering the device to patients who qualify since March 2012, when the Food and Drug Administration approved it for use. He performs about 200 acid reflux-related surgeries a year.

Installation of the device is minimally invasive and takes one to two hours. After the procedure, patients stay overnight in the hospital.

Patients who may be helped by the device are those whose acid reflux is chronic with symptoms incompletely controlled by acid-suppressing drugs, Dr. Smith says.

Not all patients in the study fared well with the device. Serious adverse events occurred in six patients, and the device was removed in 4 patients without any significant long-term consequences. Dysphagia -- difficulty swallowing -- occurred in 68 percent of patients following installation of the device, but this side effect tapered off over time.

The study's lead researcher is Robert A. Ganz, M.D., from Minnesota Gastroenterology in Plymouth, Minn.

The study was supported by Torax Medical, which developed the LINX Reflux Management System. Mayo Clinic physicians and scientists helped Torax Medical develop the device, and Mayo Clinic licensed related technology to the company in exchange for equity. Dr. Smith and Ken DeVault, M.D., chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Florida, who also participated in this study, are paid consultants to Torax Medical.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Mayo Clinic.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Robert A. Ganz, Jeffrey H. Peters, Santiago Horgan, Willem A. Bemelman, Christy M. Dunst, Steven A. Edmundowicz, John C. Lipham, James D. Luketich, W. Scott Melvin, Brant K. Oelschlager, Steven C. Schlack-Haerer, C. Daniel Smith, Christopher C. Smith, Dan Dunn, Paul A. Taiganides. Esophageal Sphincter Device for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. New England Journal of Medicine, 2013; 368 (8): 719 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1205544

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/47bQC08YIvg/130220184726.htm

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Split-roll property tax would hit small business hard | CalWatchDog

quitting businessFeb. 18, 2013

By Wayne Lusvardi

The attacks on Proposition 13 never seem to end. The 1978 tax-cut initiative?s enemies, such as former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, conjure up?a misleading image of large corporate owners of commercial real estate dodging taxes by selling commercial properties through ?stock transfers.? They call for a ?split roll? that would increase taxes on commercial property, while leaving residential property tax at current rates (for now).

The reality is that 97 percent of businesses in California are small. And small commercial properties are not sold by stock transfers. Moreover, stock transfers of large commercial properties are only a tiny fraction of the 3 percent of large commercial properties in the state.

Neither politicians nor the public seem to have an understanding how hard changes in Prop. 13, increasing property taxes, would hit small commercial properties with low tax-assessed values:

* A small mom and pop store or restaurant on a 5,000 square-foot lot could be hit with a combined added split roll property tax up to $6,250 per year.

* A family-owned small office building on a typical 10,000 square-foot lot could be facing up to $12,500 in added taxes per year.

* A 3,000 square-foot historical home leased for offices on a 12,000 square-foot commercial-zoned lot in a primed downtown location could experience $15,000 in added property taxes; or about half of the existing net office rent.

* An older convenience store and gas station on a 15,000 square-foot lot could face up to $18,750 in added property taxes.

* An older family-owned grocery store on one acre of land could incur up to $54,450 in added property taxes.

Demolished

In each of the above-described properties, the only way to afford the property tax increase would be to demolish the older, under-improved buildings and construct new, multi-story apartments, condominiums or offices. ?This may be highly speculative.? Thus, taxes on sales of older commercial properties could occur.

Just as senior citizens on fixed incomes had to sell their homes for taxes in 1975 prior to Prop. 13, small businesses with older structures would likely have to sell, as they would be unable to pay the higher taxes.? This is because property taxes are assessed on the highest and best use of commercial land, not on its existing use.

Theoretically, such older properties are under-assessed for property taxes.? But in the real world, such properties may be the only current economic use other than letting the land remain vacant.

Ending Prop. 13 for older structures on commercial-zoned land also would end one of the favorite public policies of many liberal elites: historical preservation. Without the lower tax assessment afforded under Prop. 13, ?many historical properties would have to be demolished, replaced by three to five?floors of condos, apartments, offices or mixed-use residential projects.

The only other alternative would be for small commercial property owners to insulate their properties from such higher taxation by signing 100-year land leases or leasing their properties to non-profit agencies that have property-tax exemptions.? This strategy might escape the higher taxes, but it also would lead to disinvestment and the deterioration of the commercial building stock.

Under-assessed?

There is a perception problem that commercial property owners are under-assessed when it comes to property taxes as a result of Prop. 13. Many single-family property owners believe they are being overtaxed and that businesses should pay their fair share of taxes.

However, an impartial 2008 study?by economists Jose Albero and William G. Hamm found that commercial properties were assessed at 60 percent of their market value and residential properties at only 53 percent. The study estimated that a split-roll property tax alone would result in the loss of 86,000 to 152,400 jobs; and 48,700 families, or about 170,450 people, would migrate out of the state for economic reasons.? That would equate to California losing the population ? and the tax base ? of a city about the size of Santa Rosa, Santa Clarita or Oceanside.

Nonetheless, homeowners that more recently bought their homes and pay full taxes often feel that any under-assessed properties are shifting added taxes onto them.

With their new supermajorities in the Legislature, Democrats already are taking aim at Prop. 13. As the Mercury News reported, ??It is time for a fix, because Proposition 13 is broken,? said Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, who plans to introduce a bill?? aimed at forcing businesses to pay higher property taxes.?

If the tax increase is passed, it will hit small businesses the hardest.?A small commercial property owner by the name of ?Maureen? in Contra Costa County described her plight in a comment left on the Political Blotter of the?ContraCostaTimes.com for Dec. 5, 2012:

?We have owned a small piece of commercial property for several years. The rent on this property is our only livelihood. We are not a corporation. If the split roll goes through either our 2 renters pay more rent (who are already doing badly) or we lose our property to the state, as we won?t be able to afford the taxes. In either case we all lose.?

?Maureen? goes on to explain that it will also be apartment renters ? not just big corporations ? that will be affected by the ending of Prop. 13 for commercial properties:

?[W]e bought the property in 1979. Because this is land it is an unusual piece of property as there isn?t much land in our area. Not only will we become victims of the state but our renters will [be] out of a place to rent for their needs (as there will be no other available) & will also go under.

?I know several other people in the same boat who are definitely not wealthy people. Our property taxes will probably go up 4 or more times to about $30,000/year. This is 1/2 the rent we collect. Our renters can?t afford to pay more. You do the math. The renters at trailer courts & apartment buildings will find their rent will increase for the most part. Read the Pepperdine University report which says minorities & female owned businesses will suffer the most from the impact & that is just the beginning.?

This is the reality of the battle over Prop. 13. It?s not the ?big corporations? that would pay, but the small property owners, the backbone of the economy and jobs creation.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Estimated tax increase on underimproved
? ? ? ? ? ? commercial-zoned land due to split-roll property tax?

LOWAdded$25 per Sq. Ft. LandTax Assessment

@1 percent tax rate

TYPICALAdded$40 per Sq. Ft. Land Tax Assessment
@ 1 percent tax rate
HIGHAdded$125 per Sq. Ft. Land Assessment@ 1 percent tax rate
Mom & Pop Store ? 5,000 Sq. Ft. Land $1,250 $2,000 $6,250
Old Family Owned Office Bldg. 10,000 Sq. Ft. Land $2,500 $4,000 $12,500
Historical 3,000 Sq.Ft. Office on 12,000 Sq. Ft. Lot $3,000 $4,800 $15,000
OlderConvenience Store ? 15,000 Sq. Ft. Land $3,750 $6,000 $18,750
OlderFamily-Owned Grocery Market1-acre Land $10,890 $17,424 $54,450

?

?

?

Tags: California Split-Roll Property Tax, California tax flight, Go East, Proposition 13, Wayne Lusvardi, Young Man

Source: http://www.calwatchdog.com/2013/02/18/split-roll-property-tax-would-hit-small-business-hard/

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When it comes to genetic code, researchers prove optimum isn't always best

Feb. 18, 2013 ? Imagine two steel springs identical in look and composition but that perform differently because each was tempered at a different rate.

A team of researchers including a Texas A&M University molecular biologist has shown that concept -- that the speed of creation affects performance -- applies to how a protein they studied impacts an organism's circadian clock function. This discovery provides new insights into the significance of the genetic code for controlling the rates at which critically important proteins are synthesized, and could lead to better understanding of cancers and other diseases.

"Living organisms' inner clocks are like Swiss watches with precisely manufactured spring mechanisms," said Matthew Sachs, a professor in the Texas A&M Department of Biology. "For example, if you fast-temper a critical spring, the watch may be unable to keep time, as opposed to slow-tempering it. It's not just about the composition of the components, such as which alloy is used. It's about the manner in which the components are made. Our research says the genetic code is important for determining both composition and fabrication rate for a central component of the circadian clock, and that the fabrication rate also is critical. And that's essentially a discovery."

The research was selected for Advanced Online Publication (AOP) in the journal Nature.

The team, which is led by Yi Liu, a researcher in the Department of Physiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, was perplexed when it found a paradoxical result years ago: that optimizing the use of codons (a sequence of three nucleotides that form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or RNA molecule) specifying an essential biological clock component actually abolished the organism's circadian rhythms.

The group's research indicates that the protein in the fungal genus Neurospora they studied, frequency, performs better when the genetic code specifying it has non-optimal codon usage, as is normally found. However, when the genetic code is deliberately altered so that codon usage is optimized, clock function is lost. The reason for this is that non-optimal codon usage slows translation of the genetic code into protein, allotting the frequency protein the necessary time to achieve its optimal protein structure. The team's results also demonstrate that genetic codons do more than simply determine the amino acid sequence of a protein as previously thought: They also affect how much protein can be made as well as the functional quality of that protein.

"We found that less is more, in many cases," Liu said.

Because many genetic diseases are the result of improperly functioning proteins, Sachs says knowledge about how proteins are made and why they have impaired functions is critical to understanding almost all diseases.

"Understanding gene expression is crucial for understanding cancer and other diseases, because ultimately many of these processes involve either mutations of genes or altered expression of genes," said Sachs, who was asked by Liu to help on the research because of his translational expertise in Neurospora.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Texas A&M University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Mian Zhou, Jinhu Guo, Joonseok Cha, Michael Chae, She Chen, Jose M. Barral, Matthew S. Sachs, Yi Liu. Non-optimal codon usage affects expression, structure and function of clock protein FRQ. Nature, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nature11833

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/xMlp5uWaK2g/130219121457.htm

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The Micronutrient Initiative, Government of Canada and Teck Launch Child Health Initiative with Governments of Ethiopia and Burkina Faso

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 19, 2013) - Canadian partners the Micronutrient Initiative (MI), the Government of Canada (CIDA) and Teck are launching major projects this week with two African ministries of health. The Zinc Alliance for Child Health (ZACH) initiative will scale up zinc supplementation programs to treat and reduce diarrheal disease in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.

The projects build on the success of ZACH's initial pilot project that launched in Senegal in May 2012. Since then, 39,000 zinc treatments have been supplied to health facilities and over 8,000 cases of diarrhea have been treated with zinc and oral rehydration salts (ORS).

Each year, 750,000 children under the age of five die from complications associated with diarrhea. This includes 27,000 children in Ethiopia and 22,000 children in Burkina Faso.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient that can prevent and treat diarrhea, yet two billion people around the world do not get enough zinc through their diets.

"The governments of Ethiopia and Burkina Faso have both made clear commitments to reducing child deaths. The ZACH projects to scale up zinc supplementation will complement efforts in both of these countries and help save children's lives," says John McCullough, Regional Director for the Micronutrient Initiative in Africa. "We are proud to work with the Government of Canada and Teck on this initiative to improve the health of children and save lives."

Treating diarrhea with a combination of zinc and ORS has been shown to reduce the incidence of diarrhea by 27%. A course of zinc treatment can also increase a child's resistance to further episodes of diarrhea and other disease for two to three months following supplementation. Zinc supplementation only costs between 50 and 85 cents per treatment.

"As one of the world's largest producers of zinc, we are committed to addressing the problem of global zinc deficiency," says Doug Horswill, Senior Vice President at Teck. "Through this partnership we will improve local awareness, enhance zinc distribution systems and, ultimately, help save children's lives."

The ZACH projects in these two countries represent a $5.6 million investment from MI, CIDA and Teck as part of a broader $20 million commitment to scale up zinc supplementation programming in at least five countries.

"The Zinc Alliance for Child Health partnership is an excellent example of Canadian innovation working to save children's lives," said the Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation. "I congratulate the governments of Ethiopia and Burkina Faso in supporting this initiative to ensure that zinc and oral rehydration salts are incorporated into every day treatment of diarrhea to save children's lives."

In both Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, ZACH will support existing national plans to strengthen the management of childhood diarrhea. Implementation will take place at all levels of government in both countries to help ensure the availability and affordability of supplies. Treatment of diarrhea will be monitored to track progress on the projects.

Ethiopia

ZACH Ethiopia, launched on February 19, will scale up the use of zinc supplementation and ORS to treat diarrhea across the country, with the goal of treating 6.5 million cases by 2015. While diarrhea is a leading cause of illness and death in the country, many families do not seek treatment for the disease, or use ineffective methods of treatment. The ZACH project will concentrate on social marketing efforts to increase demand for zinc and promote its correct use in combination with ORS; supporting decision makers to ensure that diarrhea programming in the public health system matches treatment policy; and bundling zinc and ORS for easier distribution across the country.

Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, the ZACH project will launch on February 22. It aims to treat more than 7 million cases of diarrhea in children under the age of five over the next three years. Project components include increasing knowledge and awareness so that more caregivers, health practitioners and community members recognize the importance of treating diarrhea with zinc and ORS. The project also aims to make the management of childhood diarrhea a key component of efforts to reduce child mortality.

About the Micronutrient Initiative

The Micronutrient Initiative is an Ottawa-based, international not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that the world's most vulnerable - especially women and children - in developing countries get the vitamins and minerals they need to survive and thrive through supplementation and food fortification programs. Its mission is to be a global leader in advancing integrated, innovative and sustainable solutions to reduce vitamin and mineral deficiencies through advocacy, technical and programmatic support, in collaboration with others. With Canadian support, the organization is saving and improving the lives of 500 million people annually in more than 70 countries with its child survival, child health, growth and development and women's and newborn survival and health programs.

About Teck

Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. The pursuit of sustainability guides Teck's approach to business. Teck is building partnerships and capacity to confront sustainability challenges within the regions in which it operates and at the global level. As one of the world's largest producers of zinc, Teck is committed to raising awareness about, and helping solve the global health issue of, zinc deficiency. Teck's Zinc & Health program includes partnerships with UNICEF, Free The Children, the Micronutrient Initiative, the Government of Canada and other organizations. To learn more about Teck's Zinc & Health program, visit www.zincsaveslives.com. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK.

About the Canadian International Development Agency

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is Canada's lead agency for development assistance. CIDA's aim is to manage Canada's support and resources effectively and accountably to achieve meaningful, sustainable results. It also engages in policy development in Canada and internationally, enabling Canada's effort to realize its development objectives.

Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=1758458&sourceType=3

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Fergie, Josh Duhamel expecting their 1st child

NEW YORK (AP) ? Her hump, her hump, her lovely lady lump: Fergie is pregnant with her first child.

A representative for the Black Eyed Peas singer confirmed the news Monday. Fergie's actor husband Josh Duhamel tweeted about the news with joy, saying: "Fergie and Me and BABY makes three."

The 37-year-old Fergie and 40-year-old Duhamel married in 2009. She joined the Black Eyed Peas when the group released its third album, "Elephunk," in 2003. The foursome is known for its pop-inspired hip-hop tunes like "My Humps," ''I Gotta Feeling" and "Boom Boom Pow."

Fergie launched her solo debut, "The Duchess," to much success in 2006. It featured five Top 5 hits, including "Fergalicious" and "Big Girls Don't Cry."

Duhamel has appeared in the "Transformer" films and most recently in "Safe Haven."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fergie-josh-duhamel-expecting-1st-child-212443510.html

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Monday, February 18, 2013

Ex Chinese football chiefs given life bans

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Gallo Images

Beijing ? Two former Chinese soccer chiefs have been banned for life after they were jailed in June for accepting bribes while Shanghai Shenhua have been hit by a points deduction for next season, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

Nan Yong, the former head of Chinese soccer, was sentenced to 10 and a half years for taking bribes worth more than 1.48 million yuan ($237,500) while his predecessor Xie Yalong received an identical sentence and was also fined 200,000 yuan.

In total 58 people have been punished by the Chinese Football Association's (CFA) discipline commission, concluding a three-year long push to clean up rampant corruption in the sport.

Former CFA deputy head Yang Yimin and World Cup referee Lu Jun, once hailed as China's ?Golden Whistle?, were among 33 people banned from soccer for life.

Four former Chinese national team players Shen Si, Qi Hong, Jiang Jin and Li Ming, all jailed for up to six years in June for match-fixing, were also handed life bans.

Super league club Shenhua, who recently lost big name strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka to Galatasaray and Juventus, were fined one million yuan and deducted six points for next season for fixing a game in their 2003 league-winning campaign.

The CFA have said Shenhua will lose their 2003 title as a result. ? Reuters

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/ex-chinese-football-chiefs-given-life-bans-1.1472413

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Claiborne Co. woman uses Facebook in search for new kidney

Erica Morse is looking for someone to give her the gift of life.?

The 25-year old Claiborne County woman needs a new kidney, and has turned to Facebook to find a donor.

"She was born with quite a bit
of birth defects," said Morse's mother, Kathy Mills. "She's gone through about 35 surgeries in her life, and her
kidney was cystic when she was born."

As Erica grew, her kidney didn't and it caused further? complications. When she was 11 years old her father, Rick Morse, gave her one of his kidneys.

Mills remembers the stress of having both her loved ones hospitalized.

"Here I had him going in and her going in and the only
thing I can remember him saying is 'take care of my baby' as he was wheeled
off. He said 'don't let her die'." ?

After the transplant, Morse lived a relatively normal life. She graduated from high school
and college, and is now engaged to be married.

However, her transplanted organ is now losing its ability to function, putting her back in a dangerous position.

Finding another donor has proved difficult, because none of Morse's relatives are able to donate for various medical reason.

Instead Morse turned to social media to find her match, creating a Facebook page, "Find a Kidney for Erica." The page has collected more than 170 "likes" in just a few days.

"I have had several offers, but nobody has come through, which hurts
more than anything. You try not to get your hopes up, but it's hard not
to," said Morse, who's blood type is O+.

Morse is on dialysis for now. She's hoping to find a living donor because she says living
organs last longer than organs taken from cadavers.

Anyone interested in donating can find out if they're a match by calling the UT Medical Center's Center for Transplant Services at865-305-9236.

Source: http://claiborne.wbir.com/news/news/47156-claiborne-co-woman-uses-facebook-search-new-kidney

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Sunday morning show roundup: On the GOP?s Twitter problem, Hagel ?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.twytter.net/blog/sunday-morning-show-roundup-on-the-gops-twitter-problem-hagel-3/

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Source: http://www.indianrealestateforum.com/gurgaon/t-best-construction-contrators-architects-landscaping-companies-gurgaon-re-space-51366.html

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Microsoft Surface Pro ? Gaming and App Review

farcry 3 surface pro

The Microsoft Surface PRO has the distinction of being one of the only tablets out there that has the ability to use RT and native Windows apps. This will allow people to run Microsoft Office, Farcry 3, Adobe Photoshop and many more popular programs. In this video review, we look at all of these apps, and show you what to expect when running from on the Surface PRO.

One of the things we noticed about major games that require high-powered system specs, is that you have to tweak the settings to run well on the Surface PRO. We tried Farcry 3 and Star Wars Old Republic, the only way these games were playable is if we turned all of the graphic settings to LOW. In most cases, if there were lots of particles or NPC characters on the screen at once, the framrates would begin to clip. I think the Surface is better suited for RTS style games or casual games, rather then cutting edge ones. We also recommend an external Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, rather then using the default keyboard you buy from Microsoft. You don?t want to be hunched over your tablet, and its better to have a complete wireless setup.

One of the boons about the Surface PRO is the stylus that ships with it. You can write on one side and erase from the other. Most of the native Windows 8 apps don?t have the ability to erase anything. This is evident in Microsoft Office 2013 and Adobe Photoshop. The GUI on Photoshop is really small and you really have to squint to see all of the settings, still, running Adobe Creative Suite 2013 is amazing on a tablet. I can see myself doing lots of website editing on Dreamweaver and then using FlashFXP to upload changes to my websites.


Michael Kozlowski (2641 Posts)

Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about electronic readers and technology for the last four years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the Huffington Post, CNET and more. Michael frequently travels to international events such as IFA, Computex, CES, Book Expo and a myriad of others. If you have any questions about any of his articles, please send Michael Kozlowski an email to michael@goodereader.com


Source: http://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/microsoft-surface-pro-gaming-and-app-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=microsoft-surface-pro-gaming-and-app-review

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Saturday, February 16, 2013

RolePlayGateway?

Hello all,
Scarlett_Rose is here after a long absence :(
I was usually one for realistic role plays, but lately I've been craving fantasy
I attempted to create a role play using the concept of the characters found in Stardust, Golden Compass, and Secret of Moonacre...but sadly that was a flop:(

So what am I here for? Well honestly, one of many things.


1) Improve on my original idea(Click me!)and get a small group together
2) Create an entirely new role play with the help of all interested
3) Possibly join a fantasy based role play

Interested?


Character types I would like to use if one or two are your choice. More can be added or things can be changed. Nothing is set in stone

Gancanagh:
Male. Approximately the same shape and height as a human man(expect with pointed ears and dazzling wings that they can retract), but can shrink when needed. They are especially attractive, usually pale and with dark hair, although they do occasionally come in other human-like shades. Like all fae, Gancanagh are incredibly attuned with nature; they can move through the woods without cracking a single twig or disturbing a single leaf. Gancanagh also have an addictive toxin in their skin that make the females they seduce (other than other fae's) literally addicted to them. Depending on the dosage given, this toxin will make the person pine for the gancanagh long after they have left. Because they are generally charming and possess beautiful singing voices, gancanagh can usually find positions as musicians, or work as traveling minstrels. Some are even prized spies because they are so good at enticing information out of their lovers

Children are INCREDIBLY rare for them - but if they happen to have a son, he too will be gancanagh, while a daughter will be of fae decent.

Faerie:
Female. Faeries, like the Gancanagh, are generally human-like in appearance, but can shrink to a smaller size if needed. Full blooded Faeries have sharply pointed ears and teeth, but their wings can not be retracted. Faeries have an elaborate ability to fool all five senses, such as making themselves appear invisible, and re incredibly attuned with nature; they can move through the woods without cracking a single twig or disturbing a single leaf.

* Pure blooded faeries are only able to birth female fae's unless they mate with a male of Veela bloodline or a Gancanagh .

Half Fae:
A halfings appearance and ability can vary based on his/her parentage.
*Fae/Gancanagh decent can not tell an outright lie or break an oath to another magical being.They can bend the truth or a persons word, but if they are considered an oath breaker or liar they forfeit their magic and life to that being.

Nymph:
There are five different types of nymphs: Celestial Nymphs, Water Nymphs, Land Nymphs, Plant Nymphs and Underworld Nymphs. Nymphs a female spirits who are invariably bound to places and will never die of old age or illness.

* A pure blooded nymph can not leave the place they are bound to, although it is unknown why.

Half-nymph:
Like their mothers, a half-nymph both loves and reveres nature to more or less of an extent, but unlike an actual nymph, a half-nymph does not have the dedication, or the long life span, to stay inside the nymph woods for all eternity. Half-nymphs are naturally charming and likable, getting along with most anyone they meet. They also will generally have the curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition of the human parent, along with the love of nature and free spirited nature of the nymph parent.

To humans, half-nymphs strongly resemble more of their nymph lineage, and to nymphs, they look more like humans. A half-nymph reaches adulthood at 20 years old, but is not immortal (they do, however, retain their physical beauty for all of their lives).

Fallen Star:
A star that hits soil and takes on the appearance of a female human. They live forever stuck in their prime, but are not immortal. The heart of a star can allow a being to never age a day past twenty-five. A fallen star possesses an unearthly beauty, and is impossibly pure when first fallen. A freshly fallen star sees only the good, and can easily be deceived. When happy, a star will "shine, but when provoked the light has been known to destroy anyone, including itself, in its path...although none have lived to confirm such tales.

Half-Star:
I have an idea for this..but I am still playing around with it. Input is welcome!

Daemon:
The spiritual guardians of fallen stars, usually male. Whenever a star hits the ground, a Daemon is born, forever bound to her until she returns to the sky or is killed. A Daemon takes on the appearance of an animal most fitting his stars personality, and will defend her to his death.

Half-Daemon:
I have an idea for this..but I am still playing around with it. Input is welcome!

Now, let me tell you about me :)
I have been role playing for awhile, and I like to consider my self literate but human
Meaning?
I can still make mistakes :)
I adore romance, but it isn't a must have
I can post daily Mon-Fri, possibly multiple times given your time zone
I LOVE ooc activity. It's there for a reason, and I know it helps keep the role play alive and moving
I am always willing to listen to ideas. Group role plays mean a group effort
I play both male and female characters, and enjoy to double
Um....that's all I can think of
Sorry!
Hope to hear from you soon ^.^

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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