Sunday, March 31, 2013

Rubio: Immigration deal still needs hashing out

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio cautioned that the bipartisan group of senators working on immigration reform legislation still has details to work out. Democrat Chuck Schumer said the group was on track.

By Philip Elliott,?Associated Press / March 31, 2013

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 12. On Sunday, Rubio said the eight senators working on immigration reform legislation still had many details to work out, and cautioned against premature celebration.

Susan Walsh/AP/File

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Even with one of the largest hurdles to an immigration overhaul overcome, optimistic lawmakers on Sunday cautioned they had not finished work on a bill that would provide a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants.

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The AFL-CIO and the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce reached a deal late Friday that would allow tens of thousands of low-skill workers into the country to fill jobs in construction, restaurants and hotels. Yet despite the unusual agreement between the two powerful lobbying groups, lawmakers from both parties conceded that the negotiations were not finished.

"With the agreement between business and labor, every major policy issue has been resolved," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who brokered the labor-business deal.

But it hasn't taken the form of a bill and the eight senators searching for a compromise haven't met about the potential breakthrough.

"We haven't signed off," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

"There are a few details yet. But conceptually, we have an agreement between business and labor, between ourselves that has to be drafted," he added.

Yet just before lawmakers began appearing on Sunday shows, Sen.?Marco?Rubio?warned he was not ready to lend his name ? and political clout ? to such a deal without hashing out the details.

"Reports that the bipartisan group of eight senators have agreed on a legislative proposal are premature," said?Rubio, a Florida Republican who is among the lawmakers working on legislation.

Rubio, a Cuban-American who is weighing a presidential bid in 2016, is a leading figure inside his party. Lawmakers will be closely watching any deal for his approval and his skepticism about the process did little to encourage optimism.

Rubio, who is the group's emissary to conservatives, called the agreement "a starting point" but said 92 senators from 43 states haven't yet been involved in the process.

The detente between the nation's leading labor federation and the powerful business lobbying group still needs senators' approval, including a nod from Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican whose previous efforts came up short.

"I think we're on track. But as Sen.?Rubio?correctly says, we have said we will not come to final agreement till we look at all of the legislative language and he's correctly pointing out that that language hasn't been fully drafted," Schumer said.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., also noted the significance of the truce between labor and business but added that this wasn't yet complete.

"That doesn't mean we've crossed every 'i' or dotted every 't,' or vice versa," said Flake, who is among the eight lawmakers working on the deal.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/NQLoboKklXQ/Rubio-Immigration-deal-still-needs-hashing-out

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Dungeon Hunter 4 hacking and slashing its way onto iOS this April

Iron Man 3 wasn't the only title Gameloft was showing off at GDC 2013; they also had Dungeon Hunter 4, which promises to be a great addition to their fantasy action-RPG family. Though the game remains free-to-play with optional in-app purchases for some items, Dungeon Hunter 4 has a greater focus single player campaign (while DH3 was more about quick-and-dirty arena matches). DH4 has clearly upped the ante in terms of graphics, too. Character models are more detailed, lighting effects are dramatic, and overall, the whole thing plays very smoothly.

Players work their way through a linear storyline, slaying all manner of monsters using one of four different character classes and their unique special abilities. As they progress, new powers are unlocked and new gear is picked up and upgraded. Players can hook up online for co-operative of competitive multiplayer. Sure, the hack-and-slash gameplay might not be a massive departure from what you're used to, but you know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Keep an eye out for Dungeon Hunter 4 when it hits the App Store this April.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/NPaJYx0G0h4/story01.htm

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Pope leads Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? Pope Francis is celebrating his first Easter Sunday Mass as pontiff in St. Peter's Square, which is packed by joyous pilgrims, tourists and Romans.

Francis strode onto the flower-bedecked esplanade in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Tens of thousands of faithful had already filled the square hours before the Mass began in mid-morning. Francis bowed his head in reflection as the Gospel was sung in Latin, recounting what Christians believe is the central mystery of their faith ? the resurrection of Jesus after this death by crucifixion.

A white canopy sheltered the altar on the steps. After heavy rain battered Rome during the night, more was forecast. But Sunday saw sunny skies alternate with clouds.

After Mass ends, Francis will give his blessing and speech from the basilica's balcony.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-leads-easter-mass-st-peters-square-085656305.html

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Simple Tips For The Do It Yourselfer Home Improvement | How To ...

TIP! Add value to your house by refinishing your wood flooring. Although it takes a lot of work to re-finish floors properly, the job isn?t really that complex.

Would you like to feel confident about home improvement projects? Perhaps you just want to save money, or maybe you don?t want strangers in your home. Whatever your motivation for taking matters into your own hands, here are some home improvement tips that will make your home improvements easier.

TIP! Inspect the foundation of your home for damage as part of your yearly winterizing routine. Insects and rodents will hide in small warm places which is why you need to seal any entry point to keep pest away.

Try reusing materials when you?re doing a home improvement project so that money can be saved as well as the environment. Why not give your cabinets a fresh look by painting them? You can give them a facelift by replacing the handles and knobs on them. Additionally, you can paint your ceramic tile for a new look at a fraction of the cost.

TIP! Don?t forget about safety. Any project involves risk; therefore, you should thoroughly read over instructions on any power tools you plan on using.

Use a sponge when installing drywall. Rather than sanding drywall seams, you should use a sponge. A wet sponge can be as effective as careful sanding when it comes to smoothing out seams. The advantage is that sponging doesn?t kick up all of the dust that sanding does.

TIP! Give an old luggage rack a chance to shine by turning it into a low cost, but effective side table in your living room. Just take glass out of an old picture frame and set it on top, adhering it with permanent glue.

Try planting a tree as an inexpensive way to improve the curb appeal of your home. A well landscaped yard can significantly boost your home?s value. It will also, eventually, shade your home. In addition, a tree placed in the right location can lower cooling costs by 40 percent.

TIP! Add a new sink to an old kitchen. This will create a modernized look to your kitchen.

Keep any small jars (like baby food jars) for use in organizing your space. You can screw or superglue the jar lids under the wall shelf. You can use these jars to store different items like nails and screws. Twist the jars into the lids back under the shelf. This helps take full advantage of a wall shelf and small jars you didn?t think you would ever need.

TIP! Be careful when demolishing areas to be improved in your home. Many people have the urge to go as fast as they can to speed things up.

The information you just read will help you as you embark on your home improvement journey. You can achieve your dream look without hiring other people to do the work. Follow the advice in this article and you?ll be well on your way to realizing your dream.

Source: http://www.howtodecorate.us/simple-tips-for-the-do-it-yourselfer-home-improvement/

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NASA seeks $100 million to capture an asteroid, report says

Rick Sternbach / Keck Institute for Space Studies

An artist's illustration of an asteroid retrieval spacecraft capturing a 500-ton, 7-meter-wide asteroid.

By Tariq Malik
Space.com

NASA's budget request for the 2014 fiscal year may include plans for an ambitious mission to send a robotic probe into deep space, capture an asteroid and haul it back within the reach of astronaut explorers, according to a press report.

The space agency is apparently including a request for $100 million in its 2014 budget request to help fund the audacious asteroid capture mission, an Aviation Week report?said.?

The asteroid- retrieval mission was first proposed last year by the Keck Institute for Space Studies at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. That study, released last April, revolved around an Asteroid Capture and Return mission?that would snag a 25-foot-wide (7 meters) space rock and place it in high lunar orbit by 2025 ? the deadline set by the Obama administration for NASA's human mission to an asteroid.

Total estimated cost of the asteroid mission: $2.6 billion.

In January, NASA spokesman Bob Jacobs told Space.com that the wild idea was one of several concepts being explored as a way to fulfill NASA's manned asteroid mission goal while working within current budget realities. [NASA Craft for Asteroid Missions Revealed (Photos)]

"There are many options ? and many routes ? being discussed on our way to the Red Planet," Jacobs, deputy associate administrator for the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., told Space.com via email at the time. "NASA and the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are giving the study further review to determine its feasibility."

NASA officials said Friday?that they cannot comment on details of the agency's 2014 budget request until the Obama administration unveils the complete federal budget request on April 10.

According to the Aviation Week report?by veteran space writer Frank Morring Jr., NASA will include a request for funding in its 2014 budget request for just such a mission in order to bring a small asteroid within reach of astronauts flying on the agency's Orion deep space capsule. The $100 million in funding would be divided among NASA's human spaceflight, science and space technology divisions, Morring wrote.

Scientists who participated in the Keck study spoke before a National Research Council human spaceflight technical feasibility panel on March 28, describing the target as asteroid as essential "dried mudball" rather than a threatening space rock, Morring wrote.

President Barack Obama announced NASA's asteroid goal in April 2010 during a speech at the space agency's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. That year, he canceled NASA's moon-oriented Constellation program and called on the space agency to launch a manned mission to an asteroid by 2025, then aim to send astronauts on a Mars-bound mission in the mid-2030s.

The Keck study released last year cited a near-Earth asteroid capture mission as a potential gateway to manned Mars exploration.

"Experience gained via human expeditions to the small returned NEA would transfer directly to follow-on international expeditions beyond the Earth-moon system: to other near-Earth asteroids, (the Mars moons) Phobos and Deimos, Mars and potentially someday to the main asteroid belt," the mission concept team wrote in the study.

Since the Keck study's release, two U.S. companies have announced plans to send private missions to asteroids as space mining ventures. The firms, Planetary Resources Inc. in Seattle? and the new company Deep Space Industries Inc., are currently developing unmanned spacecraft and telescopes to identify ? and ultimately mine ? asteroid targets.?

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him?@tariqjmalik?and?Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom,?Facebook?and?Google+.?Original article on?Space.com.

Copyright 2013 Space.com, 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/2a23c04e/l/0Lscience0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C290C175187740Enasa0Eseeks0E10A0A0Emillion0Eto0Ecapture0Ean0Easteroid0Ereport0Esays0Dlite/story01.htm

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

A smartphone solution to childhood obesity


The best weapon in the battle against obesity may already be in the hands of children and teenagers.

That?s the thinking behind the work of several researchers and technologists around the country who hope to turn cell phones into devices that can help young people make healthier food and lifestyle choices.

A recent Pew Internet study found that 78 percent of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half of them ? 47 percent -- own smartphones with computing capability.

?It?s interesting because most often we think using technology is part of the problem,? said Dr. Susan Woolford of the Pediatric Comprehensive Weight Management Center at the University of Michigan, pointing to video games and other uses of technology that have made teens more sedentary. ?We actually hope that using this new technology will help us.?

Woolford leads a team that sends highly tailored and targeted text messages to obese adolescents to help them change their behaviors. The messages urge teens to reduce their time in front of TV and computer screens, eat a healthy breakfast and more fruits and vegetables, and reduce the number of sweets and sugary beverages in their diets.

The initial test program had bout 25 volunteer participants -- overweight teens who are participating in university's weight management program.

To get the most effective messages to individual teens, participants in the pilot program filled out an online survey with questions about their activity level, what kind of support they have, what kind of foods they prefer and what inspires them to lose weight.

From there, the team has developed an extensive library of unique automated messages that are sent daily. Their goal is to get the right message at the right time to the right person.

?We aren?t going to suggest you play basketball as an activity if you said your interest was in water sports,? Woolford said.

Or if a teen prefers dairy for breakfast, the team?s text might suggest low-fat yogurt.

Woolford said the feedback from the participants has been crucial in shaping the messages.

She pointed to a text suggesting alternative snacks that said, ?Instead of ice cream try frozen yogurt today." But some teens in the study were quick to point out when they see the words ?ice cream? in a message they were not able to see the healthy alternative that comes later.

So, Woolford said, the text message simply became "Try yogurt this morning."

?I think technology is definitely going to help us,? she said, ?It?s not just sending a text message, it?s send the right text message. And if we pay attention to the content we hope the success will be greater.?

In Massachusetts, Dr. Nicolas Oreskovic is using another common smartphone feature ? the Global Positioning System ? to study where in a city and when young people are active.

?What urban spaces do they use for physical activity and what spaces they do not use for physical activity?? Oreskovic asked.

Oreskovic and his team based at Massachusetts General Hospital?s Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy had teens in Revere, Mass. wear GPS devices on their wrists and accelerometers on their hips for several months over three seasons to collect data on the location and activity of their daily routines.

By plotting the results on a city map, Oreskovic noticed that children tend to be active in outdoor spaces like parks, playgrounds, streets and sidewalks rather than indoor spaces like their home and school. He also charted when they are most active and where and when they walked to a park or playground.

Oreskovic said he hopes such studies help urban planners design cities and towns to promote a more healthy and active lifestyle in children.

If city officials had good data about how children use their sidewalks, parks and open areas, they can redesign communities with the right walking paths to the right parks, Oreskovic said. Decisions could be made using scientific data, which in turn should encourage more use of a city's parks, playscapes and open space.

Oreskovic said a next step could be to use location mapping to help teens find healthy food options and places to spend their time. The GPS on their cellphones and texting technology could be combined to point teens to a safe park to play or suggest a healthier restaurant near their favorite fast food joint.

?I think the wave of the future in these not traditional areas,? Oreskovic said. ?Intervention in schools has had a limited impact. These novel technology areas are where we can individualize obesity counseling may be helpful.?

Technology is making great strides in the fight against obesity according to Dr. Philip Schauer, director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Schauer said hundreds of applications on mobile and desktop and computerized devices, like smart watches and digital jewelry, are being developed to help users maintain a healthy lifestyle.

?Some of these smart watches can help us with weight, they can keep track of the steps day we take each day, the calories burning and track our weight on daily basis," Schauer said.

"There?s all kinds of apps, more and more come out each day and it?s hard to keep track of them,? Schauer said. ?I even think they are working on one where you can take a picture of the food eating with the camera on your smartphone and an app tells you how many calories it is.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/researchers-combat-obesity-tech-tools-popular-teens-135530214.html

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A Brilliant Toilet Paper Dispenser To Leave Crapping Campers Clean and Hassle-Free

Camping purists may prefer to eschew traditional toilet paper in favor of nature's very own brand of sticks and leaves, but to the untrained eye, becoming one with Mother Earth might might leave a lasting, painful reminder on those tender, poison-ivy-scrubbed nether regions. So for those of us who aren't quite ready to give up all the comforts of home, students at the Alberta College of Art and Design have put together this clever, waterproof toilet paper dispenser to make outdoor defecating a delight. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LFHdiE4kzNU/a-brilliant-toilet-paper-dispenser-to-leave-crapping-campers-clean-and-hassle+free

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Movie review: 'Gatekeepers' gives new face to War on Terror | The ...

Former heads of Shin Bet, Israel's secret service, are interviewed in "The Gatekeepers," a documentary by Dror Moreh. Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics

Review ? Former Israeli spymasters talk in riveting doc.

The six men interviewed in director Dror Moreh?s "The Gatekeepers" are not what you would call bleeding-heart liberals.

In fact, the six ? the former directors of Shin Bet, Israel?s secret service, from 1980 to 2011 ? are easily the toughest counterterrorism fighters you?d expect to see in a movie that didn?t have "Expendables" in the title.

?

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?The Gatekeepers?

Six former leaders of Israeli?s secret service talk candidly about missions, spycraft and the slippery nature of fighting terror.

Where ? Opens Friday, March 29.

When ? Broadway Centre Cinemas.

Rating ? PG-13 for violent content including disturbing images.

Running time ? 97 minutes; in Hebrew with subtitles.

They were fighting the War on Terror before it had a name. They developed Shin Bet into an intelligence-gathering institution that could intercept attacks. They ordered targeted assassinations against Palestinian terrorist leaders, and in some cases oversaw interrogation programs that some would call torture.

Considering their toughness, and their shared history of dealing with threats against Israelis, the conclusions they reach at the end of Moreh?s absorbing, thought-provoking (and Oscar-nominated) documentary are breathtaking ? until you hear one of the men say, "when you retire [from Shin Bet], you become a bit of a leftist."

Moreh employs a direct interviewing style, reminiscent of Errol Morris? work, to get the men to talk about their days leading Shin Bet. Some are expansive in their answers, others evasive.

Take, for example, the most senior of the group, Avraham Shalom. Seen today, he looks like a kindly grandpa, the sort who hands out butterscotch candies. But when he talks about the missions Shin Bet carried out during his tenure, from 1980 to 1986, his reputation as a hardened spy and a bully (as others describe him) starts to make sense.

Shalom deflects questions about the incident that ended his Shin Bet career, when agents pulled Palestinian suspects off a bus and, while they were in custody, executed them.

"I didn?t want any live terrorists in court," Shalom declares matter-of-factly. When Moreh presses a question about the morality of such actions, Shalom answers back sharply, "In the war on terrorism, forget about morality. Find morals in the terrorists first."

The problem with that kind of thinking, as Yuval Diskin (head of Shin Bet from 2005 to 2011) says, is "to the enemy, by the way, I was also a terrorist."

Through the interviews and well-chosen archival footage, Moreh traces the modern history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film covers the rise of urban suicide bombings, both Intifadas, peace talks with the PLO, the political acceptance of Hamas and the rise of a far-right Israeli underground that was to Shin Bet as dangerous as the Palestinian terrorists. It was this underground that led to Shin Bet?s greatest security failure: the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a Jewish extremist.

story continues below

The six Shin Bet leaders sometimes get a little twinkle in their eye discussing spycraft, such as when Carmi Gillon (who resigned as head of Shin Bet after Rabin?s death) talks about an operation that planted plastic explosives in the cellphone of a terrorist mastermind. But to a man, they also talk about the limitations of military tactics in securing peace ? and each advocates a two-state solution, creating a Palestinian nation as Israel?s peaceful neighbor.

"We wanted security, and got more terrorism," says Ami Ayalon, who took over Shin Bet after Gillon resigned. "The Gatekeepers" makes the riveting argument that now is the time for the Israeli government to try another approach.

movies@sltrib.com

Twitter: @moviecricket

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/56058338-223/bet-shin-gatekeepers-israeli.html.csp

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Friday, March 29, 2013

OUYA console starts to ship, pre-order from GAME for ?99 - Android ...

The OUYA Android console has started shipping to Kickstarter project backers today. We can expect quite a lot of analysis of the console and a community of users to build up on the web shortly. The general availability of the OUYA has been flagged for June, which isn?t so long off but probably enough time to gauge the early adopter enthusiasm and potential of the new console before deciding to buy one from a store.

Play the GAME

If you live in the UK and want to pre-order an OUYA, from today you have a buying choice other than going direct. You can now pre-order the OUYA from GAME for ?Only ?99.99? with free UK delivery, release date ?TBD?. Extra controllers are also on pre-order at GAME for ?39.99 (Amazingly not at the numerical dollar parity of 49.99). In the US people will be able to visit bricks and mortar stores like GameStop, Target and Best Buy or get an OUYA from Amazon for $99.99.

Comparing prices, the OUYA Console direct from the company can currently be pre-ordered for $99.99 plus shipping to the UK for $25, totalling $124.99. That?s currently around ?82.50. If you get your import stopped for tax/duty then you will easily end up paying around ?100 or more with an admin charge, so GAME may indeed be the best option, for now.

Other OUYA news

Today the BBC published a story featuring the OUYA console. The report called the OUYA disruptive technology which could upset the console gaming market. However it was pointed out that others may soon upset OUYA?s plans for success. Similar projects from the likes of GameStick, the Project Shield from Nvidia and even Valve?s SteamBox were cited as potential OUYA party poopers. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft might also have plans to do something to avoid being disrupted but there is no such evidence as yet.

Yesterday TechCrunch revealed that the OUYA may well be successful on the back of its good support for emulators. The report says that there are many emulators on the Android platform that will work very nicely on an OUYA with a big screen and dedicated games controller. With all your classic games on tap via emulation the ?OUYA is set to become a nostalgia machine for gamers who grew up in the 80s and 90s? according to TechCrunch.

Finally for all you case customisation crazy readers there?s an interesting bit of news regarding cooperation between OUYA and Makerbot. There is now a MakerBot Replicator 2 optimised template available for printing your own custom OUYA case. However the original cases look better than the MakerBot efforts to me.

Source: http://hexus.net/gaming/news/android/53537-ouya-console-starts-ship-pre-order-game-99/

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CA-NEWS Summary

U.S. flies stealth bombers over South Korea in warning to North

SEOUL (Reuters) - The United States flew two nuclear-capable stealth bombers on practice runs over South Korea on Thursday, in a rare show of force following a series of North Korean threats that the Pentagon said have set Pyongyang on a dangerous path. The drill by the two B-2 Spirit bombers - flying all the way from the United States and back - appeared to be the first exercise of its kind and showed America's ability to conduct long-range, precision strikes "quickly and at will," the U.S. military said.

Mortar kills 15 at Damascus University, Syria says

BEIRUT/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Fifteen Syrian students were killed when rebel mortar shells hit a Damascus University canteen on Thursday, state-run news agency SANA said, as attacks intensified in the center of the capital. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group, said a mortar killed 13 people at the university, without saying who fired the bombs.

Attempt to end Italy crisis stalls, president mulls next move

ROME (Reuters) - Center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani has failed in his attempt to find a way out of Italy's political deadlock and President Giorgio Napolitano will now seek another solution, the president's palace said on Thursday. Bersani reported back to Napolitano on Thursday night after being given a mandate almost a week ago to see if he could muster enough support to form a government after the inconclusive election in February.

U.S. debates how severely to penalize Russia in human rights spat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a controversy underscoring continued stresses in U.S.-Russia relations, Obama administration officials are debating how many Russian officials to ban from the United States under a new law meant to penalize Moscow for alleged human rights abuses. The debate's outcome, expected in about two weeks, is likely to illustrate how President Barack Obama will handle what critics say is a crackdown on dissent in Russia and set the tone for Washington-Moscow relations in the president's second term.

Kenyatta apologizes for judges gaffe before Kenya poll ruling

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's president-elect, whose victory is being challenged in the Supreme Court, apologized on Thursday for seeming to dismiss the judges as "some six people" who will "decide something or other". Uhuru Kenyatta, who also faces trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity over post-election violence five years ago, made the remarks - which went viral on social media - while consulting allies at a resort.

Analysis: Gay marriage rights may carry bigger U.S. tax burden for some

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a federal law defining marriage as between a man and woman, the newfound rights for gay married couples may bear something not so welcome - a bigger tax burden. That's because with equality, gay couples will face the same tax woes of many heterosexual couples with similar incomes, including the tax hit known in America as the marriage penalty.

Spy who foiled jet bomb plot to be Britain's intelligence chief

LONDON (Reuters) - A British counterspy who helped to thwart an al Qaeda plot to blow up planes with explosives hidden in soft drink bottles and led the response to the 2005 London transport bombings will be the new head of Britain's domestic intelligence agency, the U.K. government said on Thursday. Andrew Parker has three decades' experience at the Security Service, known as MI5, countering Islamist militants, violent Irish republicans and organized criminals. He has been deputy chief since 2007, and once served as a British security liaison in the United States.

Irish PM's party wins by-election, junior partner suffers

ASHBOURNE, Ireland (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny's Fine Gael party held its seat in a by-election on Thursday, but its junior coalition partner Labor was beaten into fifth place in a humiliating defeat. Labour went into government for the first time since the late 1990s two years ago on a promise to end the previous administration's Laboradherence to "Frankfurt's Way", an austerity plan the party said was dictated by the European Central Bank.

Beleaguered Hollande to reach out to nation on TV

PARIS (Reuters) - With his approval ratings and most of his economic pledges in tatters, French President Francois Hollande will try to convince a disillusioned nation on television on Thursday to keep faith in him to restore the economy to health. Hollande will be grilled in a 45-minute interview on France 2 television, his first such appearance in several months, in a studio whose backdrop and lighting have been prepared by his media team to create a somber mood.

NATO approves Breedlove's nomination as top commander

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO said on Thursday it had approved the nomination of U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove to be the Western alliance's top military commander. Breedlove, whose nomination was endorsed by ambassadors from the 28 NATO allies, will succeed Admiral James Stavridis as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe. His appointment requires U.S. Senate confirmation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-010147756.html

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Herzing, Owens sign reciprocity agreement | Toledo Newspaper

Herzing University Toledo will sign an agreement with Owens Community College within days establishing a ?3+1? program between the two schools.

?It is an effort to make higher education more affordable and attainable,? said Kevin Milliken, community relations coordinator for Herzing. ?This ?3+1? program is unique to the Toledo campus. It?s the first time we?ve ever done something like this. We have to continue to find unique and creative ways to help students afford and access higher education, as well as retain them and help them complete.?

The 2010 census reports that one in three adults living in Lucas County currently has at least an associate degree. One in 11 has at least a bachelor?s degree.

?And that?s worse than even the Appalachian regions of southern Ohio,? Milliken said. ?The census broke down adult education county by county. Lucas County is pretty much in the middle of the pack with that one in three [statistic]. But because Ohio is an industrial state, there?s the manufacturing mentality that says if you get a high school diploma, you can get a job on the assembly line and make good money. Of course, those days are long gone.?

By 2020, the Ohio Board of Regents projects that three of every five jobs in Ohio will require some form of higher education.

?That?s not necessarily a four-year college degree, but an associate degree or a diploma or certificate program ? something ? because of technological advancements,? Milliken said. ?And that?s seven short years from where we currently are in Lucas County.

?My message (when speaking to high school students) in the classrooms is a high school diploma is now a one-way ticket to working poor. That?s a message from the organization Complete College America.?

Milliken will follow up the March 28 Transfer Fair hosted by Owens for its students graduating with associate degrees when he meets with interested students April 2 at Owens at 10:30 a.m.

Significant cost savings

Milliken said the ?3+1? program allows students to take three years of classes at Owens and the final three semesters at Herzing. ?3+1? will save students almost $20,000 on the cost of a traditional four-year liberal arts university bachelor degree program.

?What this does is accomplish a couple of things,? Milliken said. ?No. 1, it allows students to attend a community college at a lower per credit hour cost. It also allows them to finish in a reasonable amount of time, saving that kind of money so they?re not up to their necks in student loan debt.?

Options for students

Doug Bullimore, assistant director of transfer partnerships at the Toledo campus at Owens, said he is glad Owens signed the agreement.

?I?m always looking for different options for our students after they earn their associate degree,? Bullimore said. ?The whole educational system is changing. We are going through a renaissance. This ?3+1? program can give our students another avenue to follow.?

Herzing?s ?3+1? program will allow students to take three years of classes at Owens, where tuition is $146.03 per credit hour, as opposed to Bowling Green State University ($359), The University of Toledo ($327.66) or Herzing University ($460).

However, Milliken said the cost of classes at both UT and BGSU are closer to the $450 Herzing charges.

?When you look at Herzing?s per-semester cost, we are right there in the ballpark with UT and BGSU because they stack all those fees on top of everything,? he said.

Additional BGSU costs

BGSU?s website reports that students pay a $59 fee for each credit hour, which makes one academic credit hour actually cost $418. BGSU?s website also estimates book and academic supplies will cost $1,194 annually.

Students also pay a mandatory $61 per credit hour fee with a maximum charge of $732 a semester ?to attend most campus activities and athletic events free or at a reduced admission fee.? This fee also supports the student union, intramural sports, and ?other student services, activities and related capital projects? and allows full-time students access to the Rec Center and Perry Field House.

A parking permit costs $60 a semester or $100 a year.

The website also lists 49 other fees? ranging from $7 to $720 per semester that students could potentially be required to pay.

The website also informs students that ?fees are subject to change at any time with Board of Trustees? approval.?

Additional UT costs

UT?s website reports that students pay an additional $49.60 fee for each credit hour, which makes one academic credit hour actually cost $377.26. UT?s website also estimates the ?typical annual cost of books? at $750.

A parking permit costs $120 a semester or $240 a year.

The website provides a link to a 17-page PDF from The Office of the Treasurer that identifies technology fees calculated by the college in which a student is enrolled, ranging in price from $1.25 to $17.50 per credit hour.

Herzing University

The document also lists 21 ?miscellaneous fees? ranging from $3 per credit hour to $4,825 a year that students could potentially be required to pay. The document also lists four of the miscellaneous fee categories as ?vary by course.?

The website informs students that ?fees are for a typical fall/spring semester, 15-week course. Application and new student registration fees may also apply. Tuition and fees are subject to change.?

Additional Owens costs

Owens? website reports that unlike BGSU and UT, Owens does not attach a fee to the cost of a credit hour. The advertised $146.03 cost is final.

The website lists five required fees. Two are one-time fees ? an application fee ($20) and a new student orientation fee ($65).

Recurring required fees are registration fees ($10), laboratory fees, which vary by course, and academic support service fees ($110).

Owens lists 12 optional fees, ranging in cost from $5 per academic program to $50 per semester. Owens does not charge a parking fee.

?No fee? policy

?We don?t stack fees,? Milliken said. ?We include the cost of books (in the price of a credit hour), and we don?t add any fees. We even pay for any certification test that a student would need. For example, our new information technology program will include some Cisco (Computer Information System Company) certifications. If someone has to sit for a Cisco certification test, we pay that fee as a part of their tuition.

?We don?t have technology fees, special services fees, program fees and parking fees. If you were to take a look at the typical bill for a public university, you could see as many as six to 10 different kinds of fees. When the state legislature puts a tuition freeze on what public colleges and universities can charge, those institutions generate additional revenue by establishing fees.?

Global marketplace

?This is career-oriented stuff where graduates can walk right in the door and do the job because, built into our curriculum, we?re using actual case studies that companies faced in logistics, product ordering, HR, benefits, financial accounting ? every aspect of the global marketplace,? Milliken said.

Milliken said Herzing?s Software Applications Platform (SAP) component to the curriculum makes its graduates more marketable.

?SAP is the software system that 60 percent of the world?s companies use, including local employers such as the City of Toledo, Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning, The Andersons and Chrysler,? Milliken said. ?It?s in demand, especially in Northwest Ohio.?

Milliken said SAP allows various software programs that companies use to talk to each other and expand out into all types of devices, including personal computers, smartphones, tablets and the Web. Milliken said SAP allows companies to present information in user-friendly ways.

Liberal arts four-year colleges and universities teach the theory behind SAP and other computing platforms, but they don?t offer students the hands-on training in operating platforms that Herzing provides, Milliken said.

?When graduates walk out with a bachelor?s degree in business with this SAP component, they?re ready to walk into any one of our major local employers,? Milliken said. ?They don?t have to leave the area to find opportunity. And we?re being told anecdotally out in the field that if you don?t have that SAP piece, many of the local employers aren?t going to look at you. Since the unemployment situation is so high right now, employers can pick and choose whom they want.?

Milliken acknowledged that critics will be skeptical of the ?3+1? program, saying it is simply a marketing ploy that a for-profit university is using to entice more students to enroll.

?There will be naysayers out there, but until we start creating the university of the future, we?re going to miss a lot of opportunity,? Milliken said. ?For the traditional bricks-and-mortar university, time is passing it by. There are almost 1,000 online programs out there. Our online bachelor?s program is now ranked 80th in the country by U.S. News & World Report. That puts us at No. 1 on Northwest Ohio and No. 2 in Ohio.?

Further implications

?We have to leverage the resources that are available to meet the students where they?re at because the adult learner, formerly known as the nontraditional student, is the norm rather than the exception these days,? Milliken said. ?In order for them to complete an education, we have to work around the work-family-children-life balance. And education is just one more thing piled on all the pressures of life. And unless and until we evolve and adapt to meet those situations, we?re not going to succeed as a region.?

Milliken said Herzing is looking to expand the ?3+1? program ?in any way we can so that students can save money on college. It?s something that may be a good fit for Northwest State [Community College, with its main campus in Archbold and satellite campuses in Bryan, Van Wert and Whitehouse] or Terra [Community College in Fremont], but those discussions have not been completed. The idea has been introduced to their leadership, but further discussions are obviously needed.?

Milliken said reciprocity programs like ?3+1? could be expanded to programs both schools have in common, including:

  • Technology programs in computer networking, network management, security technology and technology management.
  • A public safety program in criminal justice.
  • Health care programs in health information management, health care management, insurance billing and coding, medical assistance services and surgical technology.
  • Business programs in accounting, business management and paralegal services.

?Anything that we offer could be pursued at a higher level toward a bachelor?s degree,? he said. ?Anything we offer is a logical candidate for such a ?3+1? program.?

Milliken said Greg Guzman, Herzing campus president, gets all the credit for establishing the program.

?Greg used to work at Owens so he has some ongoing relationships there,? Milliken said. ?What gives us such a foothold here is that Greg has worked in higher education in many of Northwest Ohio?s public universities, including Owens, Lourdes [University] and Bowling Green [State University].

?As institutions of higher education, we have to do a better job of meeting all students where they?re at and structure programs accordingly to do two things ? help them achieve success and give them the tools and the tool belt necessary for what the workforce demands.

?And if we?ve done neither or either, then we?ve failed the students who are investing in their future success.?

Tags: BGSU, Bowling Green State University, Herzing University, Owens Community College, University of Toledo

Source: http://www.toledofreepress.com/2013/03/28/herzing-owens-sign-reciprocity-agreement/

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Myanmar sets curfews to curb spread of violence

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? Authorities in Myanmar imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in three townships after anti-Muslim religious violence touched new parts of the country, edging closer to the main city of Yangon.

State television Tuesday reported incidents in the three townships in Bago region, all within 150 kilometers (100 miles) of Yangon. The latest attack Monday night was in Gyobingauk, where it said "troublemakers" damaged a religious building, shops and some houses.

The report said similar attacks on religious buildings, shops and houses occurred in nearby Otepho and Min Hla on Sunday night. Official reports use the term "religious buildings" in an apparent attempt to dampen passion, though in most cases the targets were reportedly mosques.

The announcement said an emergency law known as Section 144 would be applied in the three townships which will ban public assemblies, marches and speeches, and impose a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

The religious unrest began with rioting a week ago in the central city of Meikhtila that was sparked by a dispute between a Muslim gold shop owner and his Buddhist customers.

The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said Tuesday that eight more bodies were found in Meikhtila as soldiers cleared devastated areas set ablaze by anti-Muslim mobs during three days of rioting, bringing the death toll to 40. State TV said Tuesday that although calm had been restored in Meikhtila, a 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew has been imposed to prevent any new violence.

Amid fears of spreading violence, shop owners in Yangon, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) south of Meikhtila, were told to close Monday evening by 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m.

The fears appeared unfounded, but most Yangon shops were closed Tuesday for a national holiday.

The upsurge in sectarian unrest casts a shadow over President Thein Sein's administration as it struggles to make democratic changes after a half-century of military rule. Hundreds of people were killed last year and more than 100,000 made homeless in sectarian violence in western Myanmar between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/myanmar-sets-curfews-curb-spread-violence-012405562.html

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The hunt for a successor to lithium for bipolar disorder

The hunt for a successor to lithium for bipolar disorder [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 27-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

Toxicity problems and adverse side effects when taking lithium, the mainstay medication for treating bipolar disorder, are fostering a scientific hunt for insights into exactly how lithium works in the body with an eye to developing a safer alternative. That's the topic of the cover story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News. C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

Bethany Halford, C&EN senior editor, explains that lithium often is the first-line medication used to calm the highs and boost the lows of bipolar disorder, which affects about 9 million people at some point in their lives in the United States alone. Lithium has distinct advantages over the dozen or so other medications. For instance, lithium is the only medication proven effective in preventing suicide in the mania phase of bipolar disorder. Lithium also is inexpensive.

The article explains, however, that lithium also has drawbacks, with a fine line between the effective dose and the toxic dose. Side effects include thyroid problems, weight gain and, in some cases, kidney failure. In the hope of skirting lithium's limitations, scientists are trying to pinpoint exactly how lithium stabilizes mood and how it engenders those unwanted effects. The goal is development of a second-generation successor without lithium's downsides, and Halford describes how scientists are working to do so.

###

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


The hunt for a successor to lithium for bipolar disorder [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 27-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

Toxicity problems and adverse side effects when taking lithium, the mainstay medication for treating bipolar disorder, are fostering a scientific hunt for insights into exactly how lithium works in the body with an eye to developing a safer alternative. That's the topic of the cover story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News. C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

Bethany Halford, C&EN senior editor, explains that lithium often is the first-line medication used to calm the highs and boost the lows of bipolar disorder, which affects about 9 million people at some point in their lives in the United States alone. Lithium has distinct advantages over the dozen or so other medications. For instance, lithium is the only medication proven effective in preventing suicide in the mania phase of bipolar disorder. Lithium also is inexpensive.

The article explains, however, that lithium also has drawbacks, with a fine line between the effective dose and the toxic dose. Side effects include thyroid problems, weight gain and, in some cases, kidney failure. In the hope of skirting lithium's limitations, scientists are trying to pinpoint exactly how lithium stabilizes mood and how it engenders those unwanted effects. The goal is development of a second-generation successor without lithium's downsides, and Halford describes how scientists are working to do so.

###

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter Facebook


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/acs-thf032713.php

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Hollingsworth v. Perry: Full Transcript Of Oral Arguments On Gay Marriage Released

scotusprop8 mlk

(Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

The Dallas Morning News reports:

Gov. Rick Perry reiterated his stance against same-sex unions as the U.S. Supreme Court hears two arguments this week that looks at recognition of gay marriage.

?In Texas, it is fairly clear about where this state stands on that issue,? Perry said when asked by reporters about the Supreme Court cases.

?As recently as a constitutional amendment that passed ? I believe, with 76 percent of the vote. The people of the state of Texas, myself included, believe marriage is between one man and one woman,? Perry said.

Click here to read more.

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(Photo by HuffPost Intern William Wrigley)

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(Photo by HuffPost Intern William Wrigley)

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the nation's only openly gay senator, plans to attend the Supreme Court's oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act on Wednesday. In a statement, she reflected on the progress the nation has made since she entered public service and said she is excited to attend the proceedings:

This is a historic week in the U.S. Supreme Court, where they will hear two important cases on marriage equality. Our country has made great progress since I first entered public service and was elected to political office in 1986. Over time, we have all seen with clarity that our nation is moving forward on issues of equal opportunity and fairness with a growing number of Americans supporting marriage equality. People?s views are changing because they believe that gay family members, friends, and neighbors deserve to be treated like everyone else in the United States.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court will listen to arguments in cases that will decide whether our country becomes more equal, not less. The Court will decide whether gay American citizens can continue to be discriminated against simply because of who they love. On Wednesday, I look forward to being a witness to history as I am excited to have a chance to attend the U.S. Supreme Court proceedings. With these two historic cases, America?s highest court will have an opportunity to reflect the progress we have all witnessed across our country. They will have an opportunity to reaffirm our founding belief that all Americans are created equal under the law.

-- Amanda Terkel

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(Photo by Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images)

gay marriage prop 8

(Photo by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

supreme court gay agenda

(Photo by HuffPost Reporter Jen Bendery)

chelsea kiene

(Photo by HuffPost Intern Chelsea Kiene)

Listen to the full audio of Tuesday's oral arguments here.

Read the full transcript of Tuesday's oral arguments here:

12-144 by Joe Palazzolo

President Barack Obama was briefed on Tuesday's Supreme Court oral arguments, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

Carney didn't offer any reaction from the president to the day's proceedings, but confirmed that three administration officials attended the Prop 8 arguments, including senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler.

He also declined to get into predictions, noting that "recent history" has shown that oral arguments don't necessarily predict Supreme Court outcomes.

--Sabrina Siddiqui

prop 8 couples

From the top: Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo

(Photo by HuffPost Reporter Jen Bendery)

Andrew Sullivan, the longtime, openly gay, writer, editor and blogger, says that his ideal outcome for the Prop 8 case is not a ruling that the right to same sex marriage is constitutional, but a ruling that directs California's ban to be thrown out, and for each state to then consider the issue on its own schedule. From his post on Tuesday:

If I had my druthers, the perfect outcome would be dismissing the challenge to the ruling striking down Prop 8 on ?standing? grounds, thereby allowing civil marriages to continue in California, striking down that part of DOMA which forbids the federal government from recognizing a state?s valid legal marriage licenses, on federalism grounds, and on heightened scrutiny grounds, striking down the ?separate-but-equal? segregation of civil unions which are substantively identical to civil marriage.

The end result would be 17 states with marriage equality recognized by the feds, and the debate could then continue democratically as it should state by state.

Sullivan has been a leading voice in advocating same-sex marriage. So this may seem surprising. But he's also a conservative and his federalism approach to the gay marriage debate seems drawn from there.

-- Sam Stein

Constitutional Accountability Center Vice President Judith E. Schaeffer issued this statement following arguments at the Supreme Court on Tuesday:

?When pressed by the justices, the lawyer defending Proposition 8 could not come up with any legitimate reason for excluding gay and lesbian couples from the freedom to marry. The Justices, while uncomfortable with Proposition 8, seemed hesitant to rule on the merits, but as Justice Kennedy noted, there was concern about branding the families of nearly 40,000 children in California as second-class.

"One important question Justice Scalia asked former Bush Solicitor General Theodore Olson, who defended marriage equality, was when it became unconstitutional to deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. The answer is 1868, when the American people added the Fourteenth Amendment's universal guarantee of equality to the Constitution.?

-- Ryan J. Reilly

Ted Olson, the attorney representing the plaintiffs in the Prop 8 case before the Supreme Court, gave two thumbs up when asked by The Huffington Post how he felt about the day's oral arguments.

"We'll see," Olson added with a smile, as he slipped into a car and left the scene outside the court.

-- Jennifer Bendery

The possibility is quite real that the Supreme Court will rule that the parties who appealed the Prop 8 case to the Supreme Court don't have standing to make their appeal.

If that ruling is made it would, in effect, mean that the law remains invalidated, as the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded, and that gay marriage in California is legal. It would also mean that the Supreme Court punted on the question of whether there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage and that other states could continue to not recognize marriage equality.

California is a massive state. And legalizing same-sex marriage there would mean that roughly a quarter of the country would, at this juncture, be able to marry their gay or lesbian partners. But would it be a victory for the legal team that has argued, for years, that there is a constitutional right?

Apparently so. Ted Olson, the Bush solicitor general said as much during his press conference outside the court after oral arguments on Tuesday.

-- Sam Stein

doma protester

(Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

william wrigley

(Photo by HuffPost Intern William Wrigley)

The two top lawyers arguing for the constitutionality of marriage addressed reporters shortly after arguing their case before the Supreme Court. And they readily admitted that they were completely in the dark about how the justices would rule on their arguments.

"Based upon the questions that the justices asked, I have no idea [how they will rule]," said Ted Olson, the former Bush administration solicitor general. "The court has several ways to decide this case."

Olson did note one positive development that came with the oral arguments. No one was actually questioning whether gay marriage should be prohibited, just whether or not it should be the purview of the state government or the federal government. His colleague, David Boies, echoed that point.

"There was no attempt to defend the ban on gay and lesbian marriage," Boies said. "There was no indication of any harm. All that was said in there is that this important constitutional right ought to be decided at the state level and not the federal government. But it is a federal constitution we have."

-- Sam Stein

scotus opponents

(Photo by: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

CNN's Legal Analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, who made some sweeping conclusions about the health care legislation following the Supreme Court's oral argument last year, was a bit more hesitant in his feedback today.

"I am now not in the business of making predictions but I think it is even harder to predict the result of this case after hearing this argument," Toobin said. The conservative justices, he added, seemed very skeptical about imposing same-sex marriage from the bench. But he also noted that the justices "seemed almost to be groping for an answer."

NBC's Pete Williams, however, went more out on a ledge in his analysis. "It's quite obvious SCOTUS isn't ready to issue a sweeping ruling on gay rights," he said.

-- Sam Stein

preston maddock scotus

(Photo by HuffPost Intern Preston Maddock)

preston maddock

(Photo by HuffPost Intern Preston Maddock)

jen bendery scotus

(Photo by HuffPost Reporter Jen Bendery)

Oral arguments in the Prop 8 case concluded at roughly 11:30 a.m. Reporters are rushing to the cameras to offer their interpretations.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/26/hollingsworth-v-perry_n_2952605.html

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Anthony Johnson wins at heavyweight and Josh Burkman scores a KO at World Series of Fighting 2

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

At the World Series of Fighting's second show on Saturday, one-time UFC welterweight won over one-time UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski. As seen in the highlights above, Johnson had Arlovski hobbled at the end of the first round, but Arlovski was saved by the bell. Arlovski's jaw was reportedly broken in the bout that was Johnson's first fight at heavyweight.

As a welterweight who was bigger than other 170 lbers in the UFC, he struggled with his weight cut and missed weight three times. He moved to light heavyweight last August, and now won his heavyweight debut.

In other WSOF action, Marlon Moraes won his fourth straight by knocking out Tyson Nam with a headkick. Paulo Filho, the troubled one-time WEC champ, dropped a decision to Dave Branch.

Josh Burkman knocked out Aaron Simpson in the first round. After the fight, he said the win earned him a title shot, but questioned if one-time UFC title contender Jon Fitch had earned the WSOF title shot against him.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/anthony-johnson-wins-heavyweight-josh-burkman-scores-ko-142146575--mma.html

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Study finds molecular 'signature' for rapidly increasing form of esophageal cancer

Study finds molecular 'signature' for rapidly increasing form of esophageal cancer

Monday, March 25, 2013

During the past 30 years, the number of patients with cancers that originate near the junction of the esophagus and stomach has increased approximately 600 percent in the United States. The first extensive probe of the DNA of these esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) has revealed that many share a distinctive mix-up of letters of the genetic code, and found more than 20 mutated genes that had not previously been linked to the disease. The research, led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Broad Institute, and other research centers, may offer clues to why EAC rates have risen so sharply. The findings, which are being released as an advanced online publication by Nature Genetics, point to an array of abnormal genes and proteins that may be lynchpins of EAC cell growth and therefore serve as targets for new therapies, according to the study's authors.

"Adenocarcinomas of the esophagus, particularly those that arise at the gastroesophageal junction, were extremely uncommon 40 years ago and now account for approximately 15,000 new cases in the United States each year," said Adam Bass, MD, of Dana-Farber and the Broad Institute, who is co-senior author of the paper with Gad Getz, PhD, of the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. "Unfortunately, it's also a disease with a generally poor prognosis: five years after diagnosis, only about 15 percent of patients are still alive. Bass added that despite the increased incidence of EAC, there have been few new approaches to treatment. "The goal of our study was to identify abnormalities within the genome of EAC cells to develop a foundation to better understand these tumors, diagnose them earlier, and develop better treatments," explained Bass.

EAC is thought to be associated with chronic gastroesophageal reflux, which sends stomach acid gurgling into the esophagus. This produces a condition known as Barrett's esophagus, in which cells at the lower end of the esophagus change to resemble cells in the intestine. Patients with Barrett's esophagus often go on to develop EAC.

Researchers don't know why EAC rates are increasing, but they speculate that it may be due to a rise in obesity, particularly in men: A heavier abdomen puts increased pressure on the stomach, causing acid to back up into the esophagus.

In the new study, researchers "sequenced" specific sections of DNA in cells from 149 EAC tissue samples, reading the individual letters of the genetic code within those areas. They focused on the one percent of the genome that holds the codes for making cell proteins. They also sequenced the entire genome ? all the DNA within the cell nucleus ? of cells from 15 of these EAC samples. Prior to this study, the largest sequencing study of EAC involved only a dozen tumor samples.

"We discovered a pattern of DNA changes that had not been seen before in any other cancer type," Getz remarked. The pattern involved a subtle swap in one of the four "nucleobases" that form the rungs of the DNA double helix, often designated by the letters C, T, G, and A. The investigators found that in many places where an A nucleobase was followed by another A nucleobase, the second "A" was replaced by a "C," a process known as transversion.

"We found this type of transversion throughout the genomes of the EAC cells we analyzed," Bass stated. "Overall, about one-third of all the mutations we discovered within these cells involved this type of transversion. In some tumor samples, these transversions accounted for nearly half of all mutations," Getz added.

Although A-to-C changes are not commonly observed in cancer, there is some evidence that oxidative damage can produce these changes. (Oxidative damage occurs when cells cannot neutralize the potentially harmful products of oxygen's reactions with other molecules.) "Gastric reflux can produce this type of damage, suggesting that reflux may underlie this pattern of mutations," Bass commented.

In addition to the mutational "signature" of AA becoming AC, the research team identified 26 genes that were frequently mutated in the tumor samples.

Five of these were "classic cancer genes" that had previously been implicated in EAC, Bass said, and the others were involved in a variety of cell processes.

Among the genes not previously linked to EAC were ELMO1 and DOCK2, mutations that can switch on a gene called RAC1, which can cause cancer cells to invade surrounding tissue. "The discovery of mutated ELMO1 and DOCK2 in many of these tumors may indicate that this invasive process is particularly active in EAC, promoting metastasis," Bass related. "We know that EAC tumors tend to spread at an earlier stage than many other cancers, which may help explain why survival rates for EAC patients tend to be low."

The RAC1 pathway ? the network of genes that control RAC1 activity ? is being pursued for pharmaceutical development. The discovery of ELMO1 and DOCK2 mutations in EAC samples may spur testing of new agents targeting this pathway in EAC, said Bass.

"Identifying the mutated genes within these tumors will help us understand the underlying biology of the disease," said Bass. "It also presents us with a slate of known genetic abnormalities that can someday be used to diagnose the disease at an early stage, classify tumors by the particular mutations within EAC cells, and ultimately develop treatment geared to precisely those mutations."

###

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: http://www.dfci.harvard.edu

Thanks to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 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/127435/Study_finds_molecular__signature__for_rapidly_increasing_form_of_esophageal_cancer

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