DETROIT (AP) — John Lackey edged Justin Verlander in the latest duel of these pitching-rich playoffs, and Boston's bullpen shut down Detroit's big boppers with the game on the line to lift the Red Sox over the Tigers 1-0 Tuesday for a 2-1 lead in the AL championship series.
Mike Napoli homered in the seventh inning off Verlander, and Detroit's attempt at a rally fell short in the eighth when Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder both struck out with runners at the corners.
Lackey allowed four hits in 6 2-3 innings, striking out eight without a walk in a game that was delayed 17 minutes in the second inning because lights on the stadium towers went out.
Detroit trails the series despite three straight gems by its starters. Game 4 is Wednesday night at Comerica Park.
Contact: Susan V. Fisk sfisk@sciencesocieties.org 608-273-8091 American Society of Agronomy
October 14, 2013In some areas of Africa, farmers, scientists and policymakers are beginning to win the war on hunger, says Pedro Sanchez, PhD. Several factors have come together in recent years to tip the scales and increase food production.
Sanchez will present "The African Green Revolution at the Tipping Point," on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 at 8:45 AM. The presentation is part of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings, Nov. 3-6 in Tampa, Florida. The theme of this year's conference is "Water, Food, Energy, & Innovation for a Sustainable World". http://www.acsmeetings.org
According to Sanchez, not only will African farmers in countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana and Malawi will be able to sell more food this year, but they will have enough to feed their own families. "All factors are moving along the value chain" says Sanchez, including policies and subsidies, credit guarantees and the creation of buyer groups. Agronomic improvements, bringing fertilizer and better seeds, are the entry point of the success. "In order for us to move Africa above this level of success, we will need to implement agricultural technologies," says Sanchez. He will address these methods in his lecture.
Sanchez is currently Director of the Africulture and Food Security Center of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, 2002 World Food Prize laureate, MacArthur fellow, member of the US National Academy of Sciences and fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, , and the Soil Science Society of America,
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Media Invitation: Members of the media receive complimentary registration to the joint meetings.
Contact: Susan V. Fisk, 608-273-8091, sfisk@sciencesocieties.org. Please RSVP by October 25, 2013.
If you would like a 1-on-1 interview with Dr. Sanchez, contact Susan Fisk.
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The African green revolution at the tipping point
Public release date: 14-Oct-2013 [
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Contact: Susan V. Fisk sfisk@sciencesocieties.org 608-273-8091 American Society of Agronomy
October 14, 2013In some areas of Africa, farmers, scientists and policymakers are beginning to win the war on hunger, says Pedro Sanchez, PhD. Several factors have come together in recent years to tip the scales and increase food production.
Sanchez will present "The African Green Revolution at the Tipping Point," on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 at 8:45 AM. The presentation is part of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America Annual Meetings, Nov. 3-6 in Tampa, Florida. The theme of this year's conference is "Water, Food, Energy, & Innovation for a Sustainable World". http://www.acsmeetings.org
According to Sanchez, not only will African farmers in countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana and Malawi will be able to sell more food this year, but they will have enough to feed their own families. "All factors are moving along the value chain" says Sanchez, including policies and subsidies, credit guarantees and the creation of buyer groups. Agronomic improvements, bringing fertilizer and better seeds, are the entry point of the success. "In order for us to move Africa above this level of success, we will need to implement agricultural technologies," says Sanchez. He will address these methods in his lecture.
Sanchez is currently Director of the Africulture and Food Security Center of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, 2002 World Food Prize laureate, MacArthur fellow, member of the US National Academy of Sciences and fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, , and the Soil Science Society of America,
###
Media Invitation: Members of the media receive complimentary registration to the joint meetings.
Contact: Susan V. Fisk, 608-273-8091, sfisk@sciencesocieties.org. Please RSVP by October 25, 2013.
If you would like a 1-on-1 interview with Dr. Sanchez, contact Susan Fisk.
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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.
New Jersey will choose a new U.S. Senator Wednesday. Pundits thought Newark Mayor Cory Booker would win it easily, but the Democratic Party's rising star is facing a tougher than expected challenge from Tea Party Republican Steve Lonegan — a sign of the Tea Party's growing stature in deep blue New Jersey.
Individuals genetically predisposed to anxiousness may be less likely to volunteer and help others
Public release date: 15-Oct-2013 [
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Contact: Jesslyn Chew ChewJ@missouri.edu 573-882-8353 University of Missouri-Columbia
MU researcher finds biological component of 'prosocial' behavior linked to social anxiety
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Scientists increasingly are uncovering answers for human behavior through genetic research. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has found that prosocial behavior, such as volunteering and helping others, is related to the same gene that predisposes individuals to anxiety disorders. Helping such individuals cope with their anxiety may increase their prosocial behavior, the researcher said.
"Prosocial behavior is linked closely to strong social skills and is considered a marker of individuals' health and well-being," said Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity in MU's College of Human Environmental Sciences. "Social people are more likely to be healthier, excel academically, experience career success and develop deeper interpersonal relationships that may help alleviate stress."
Carlo and his colleagues found that, on average, those individuals who carried the genotype associated with higher social anxiety were less likely to engage in prosocial behavior.
"Previous research has shown that the brain's serotonin neurotransmitter system plays an important role in regulating emotions," said study co-author Scott Stoltenberg, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Our findings suggest that individual differences in social anxiety levels are influenced by this serotonin system gene and that these differences help to partially explain why some people are more likely than others to behave prosocially. Studies like this one show that biological factors are critical influences on how people interact with one another."
Because prosocial behavior is linked to genetically based anxiety, Carlo suggests that helping nervous individuals cope with their social anxiety through targeted efforts, such as encouragement, support, counseling and medication, could help them engage in more prosocial behavior.
"Some forms of anxieties can be very debilitating for individuals," Carlo said. "When people have severe levels of social anxiety, such as agoraphobia, which is the fear of public places and large crowds, they will avoid social situations altogether and miss the prosocial opportunities."
Carlo said that it is difficult to distinguish how much of prosocial behavior is based on learned environmental behavior and how much is biologically based.
"The nature-versus-nurture debate is always interesting," Carlo said. "However, I think that in our contemporary models of human behavior, we are beginning to understand the interplay between biology and the environment."
Much of Carlo's previous study on prosocial development has focused on how environmental influences, such as family relationships, influence prosocial behavior. This study brings researchers closer to understanding the effect that individuals' biological makeup has on their behaviors, Carlo said.
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Carlo co-authored the study, "Afraid to help: Social anxiety partially mediates the association between 5-HTTLPR triallelic genotype and prosocial behavior," with Stoltenberg and Christa Christ, a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The article appeared in the September 2013 issue of Social Neuroscience, which also contained a commentary about the study.
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Individuals genetically predisposed to anxiousness may be less likely to volunteer and help others
Public release date: 15-Oct-2013 [
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Contact: Jesslyn Chew ChewJ@missouri.edu 573-882-8353 University of Missouri-Columbia
MU researcher finds biological component of 'prosocial' behavior linked to social anxiety
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Scientists increasingly are uncovering answers for human behavior through genetic research. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has found that prosocial behavior, such as volunteering and helping others, is related to the same gene that predisposes individuals to anxiety disorders. Helping such individuals cope with their anxiety may increase their prosocial behavior, the researcher said.
"Prosocial behavior is linked closely to strong social skills and is considered a marker of individuals' health and well-being," said Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity in MU's College of Human Environmental Sciences. "Social people are more likely to be healthier, excel academically, experience career success and develop deeper interpersonal relationships that may help alleviate stress."
Carlo and his colleagues found that, on average, those individuals who carried the genotype associated with higher social anxiety were less likely to engage in prosocial behavior.
"Previous research has shown that the brain's serotonin neurotransmitter system plays an important role in regulating emotions," said study co-author Scott Stoltenberg, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Our findings suggest that individual differences in social anxiety levels are influenced by this serotonin system gene and that these differences help to partially explain why some people are more likely than others to behave prosocially. Studies like this one show that biological factors are critical influences on how people interact with one another."
Because prosocial behavior is linked to genetically based anxiety, Carlo suggests that helping nervous individuals cope with their social anxiety through targeted efforts, such as encouragement, support, counseling and medication, could help them engage in more prosocial behavior.
"Some forms of anxieties can be very debilitating for individuals," Carlo said. "When people have severe levels of social anxiety, such as agoraphobia, which is the fear of public places and large crowds, they will avoid social situations altogether and miss the prosocial opportunities."
Carlo said that it is difficult to distinguish how much of prosocial behavior is based on learned environmental behavior and how much is biologically based.
"The nature-versus-nurture debate is always interesting," Carlo said. "However, I think that in our contemporary models of human behavior, we are beginning to understand the interplay between biology and the environment."
Much of Carlo's previous study on prosocial development has focused on how environmental influences, such as family relationships, influence prosocial behavior. This study brings researchers closer to understanding the effect that individuals' biological makeup has on their behaviors, Carlo said.
###
Carlo co-authored the study, "Afraid to help: Social anxiety partially mediates the association between 5-HTTLPR triallelic genotype and prosocial behavior," with Stoltenberg and Christa Christ, a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The article appeared in the September 2013 issue of Social Neuroscience, which also contained a commentary about the study.
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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.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will return as hosts of the Golden Globes for the next two years, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
There had been speculation that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Globes producer Dick Clark Productions had been in negotiations with the Saturday Night Live alums. The two-year deal is a coup for the Globes because Fey and Poehler's last stint as hosts generated positive reviews and 19.7 million total viewers, a six-year high. The show also generated a 6.4 rating in the coveted 18-49 demo, up 28 percent over the previous year.
“Tina and Amy are two of the most talented comedic writer/performers in our business, and they were a major reason the Golden Globes was the most entertaining awards show of last season,” said NBC president of alternative and late night programming Paul Telegdy. “We’re elated they wanted to host together again and that they committed for the next two years.”
The move takes the pair out of the 2015 Oscar conversation. Fey and Poehler, who have both spoken positively about their experience at the Globes, have dismissed speculation about possibly taking on the film kudos as well. "I think the Oscars is just such a bigger task," Fey told THR during their Globes prep, "to sing and dance and do the pre-taped segments and all that stuff."
“We are thrilled Amy and Tina have decided to return as hosts of the Golden Globe Awards for the next two years,” said HFPA president Theo Kingma. “Their return ensures that the Golden Globes will once again be the biggest, best and most entertaining awards celebration of the year.”
Fey and Poehler reassembled their awards show buddy act during September's Emmys, briefly appearing in host Neil Patrick Harris' opener. They further fueled talk by acknowledging on the red carpet that NBC had approached them about reprising their Golden Globes gig.
“Tina and Amy have a truly unique chemistry, making them one of the most talented and captivating pairings of all time,” added Dick Clark Productions CEO Allen Shapiro. “We are thrilled to have them back in 2014 and 2015.”
Though Fey and Poehler are both several years out from Saturday Night Live, they both remain involved with NBC. Poehler vehicle Parks and Recreation is the only returning comedy on the network's Must-See Thursday block, and after seven seasons of 30 Rock, Fey is now developing new series as part of an overall deal with NBCUniversal.
Dick Clark Productions is owned by Guggenheim Partners, parent company of The Hollywood Reporter.
Horror writer Steve Niles, co-creator of 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre and Mystery Society, was amongst many hit by flash floods in the Austin, Texas, area this weekend -- so badly hit, in fact, that Hellboy creator Mike Mignolaposted to Facebook that Niles and his wife, Monica, "lost just about everything" when their house flooded.
Posting to Tumblr yesterday, Niles admitted that "a lot" was gone, including "a scrapbook full of original art I've kept for 30 years." He wrote that he "woke up at 6am to water rushing into the house. Already ankle deep by the time we saw it. We got as much as we could off the ground and tried to block but there wasn't much we could do." He later updated, "We lost a ton of stuff and who knows how much repairs will be needed but right now we are okay."
Niles and his wife didn't have flood insurance, and fans and friends have rallied to help him pay for the cost of repairs to his house with a Paypal account at HelpSteveNiles@gmail.com. "It’s looking like the house is more or less screwed (I think that’s the technical term) so this help will come in very handy over the next few months," Niles updated today, adding, "We are so lucky to have friends like all of you."
So, it's basically what it says on the tin, lol. It's based way back in the WIld Wild West, but theres a twist. For years now, the world has been aware of the fact that there is a supernatural side to the world, and supernatural beings have joined society and even become rather prominant. There's even a police force made of supernaturals dedicated to keeping the evil ones under control. You are a character living in this crazy world. You can be any kind of supernatural being you want, or even just a plain ol human, or human with powers. It's up to you who you want to be, but don't go crazy. Now, let's get down to business.
RULES:(AKA, what you gotta do and not do) 1: No bullies or trolls, I hate those, and will give you one warning, after then,I kill you off.You got a problem with somebody, take it to pm, and discuss it like rational human beings.Basically, be nice! 2: Don't Godmod,metagame, or any other variant of such.That also means don't overpower your character. 3:You have a umlimited amount of characters you can submit,but don't do morethan you can handle, eh? 4: And the most important.....Have fun!
Organizations: The Super Gaurd: Police force formed by supernaturaled and powered beings, dedicated to keeping the peace between the supernaturals and normals. Hell Glories:A secret, evil organization, mixed of normals and supernaturals, their goal is to cause havoc and chaos, toppling the world into darkness. Mavricks:Basicaally, mercs, both supernatural and normal. They have a wide range of ethics and codes, but all sign onto jobs for cash. Wanderers: Same as Mavericks, but whil Mavericks have a base in most cities, Wanderers literlly wander, looking for work.
Profile Name: Age: Sex: Race:(What kind of being are you?) Organization:(Just leave blank if you don't want to be a member of any) Weapons: History:(Can leave blank if you want to reveal it through rp) Looks: (Anime, realistic, or desprition, doesn't matter) Powers:(Can list up to for, but they gotta stem from your race or type of power you entend) Techniques:(Specail attacks stemming from your powers, or training.Up to four)
Washington (AFP) - With House Republicans blaming President Barack Obama Saturday for the collapse of talks on extending US borrowing authority, the Senate scrambled to piece together a bipartisan exit strategy.
Amid bitter accusations by House members that the White House did not negotiate in good faith over a face-saving exit to the twin crises, the focus shifted abruptly to the Senate, where Republicans were claiming "significant progress" towards a possible solution that would reopen the government and ease the threat of default.
For the first time in weeks, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Obama's top wingman in Congress, and top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell entered into face-to-face talks on the issues.
"The real conversation that matters now is the one that's taking place between McConnell and Reid," Senator Bob Corker told reporters.
"I think the fact that they're actually talking for the first time person to person represents some significant progress," said Senator John Cornyn, the number two Republican in the chamber.
But Reid downplayed hopes of a quick fix. Asked if an alternative plan to the House offer could be rolled out Saturday, Reid said "I doubt it."
House Republicans huddled on day 12 of a partial federal shutdown following a bitter budget dispute, and as the nation careens toward an October 17 deadline to raise the debt ceiling.
Earlier this week, House Speaker John Boehner and his leadership met with Obama and suggested a six-week extension to US borrowing authority -- without which Washington could begin to default on its obligations for the first time.
Despite previous comments that the White House would be open to such a plan, Obama said Saturday he wanted a long-term deal.
"It wouldn't be wise, as some suggest, to just kick the debt ceiling can down the road for a couple of months, and flirt with a first-ever intentional default right in the middle of the holiday shopping season," Obama said in his weekly radio and video address.
Damage "to America's sterling credit rating wouldn't just cause global markets to go haywire; it would become more expensive for everyone in America to borrow money."
The remarks prompted frustration from House Republicans.
"They felt they were duped," Congressman John Fleming said of the House leadership.
"They were led to believe that the president did want to negotiate in good faith and now they find out that that was never in the cards."
Eric Cantor, the number two Republican in the House of Representatives, looked across the Capitol for the next move: "Right now I'm hoping the Senate is standing strong, and then we as Republicans can speak with one voice."
"We're trying to see a resolution as quickly as possible," he said.
House Republicans have argued for any budget deal to include concessions on funding Obama's health care reforms, while Senate Republicans are more willing to re-open government without such conditions.
One possible compromise was being offered by Republican Senator Susan Collins.
The measure would raise borrowing authority for up to a year, fund the government and repeal a medical device tax introduced under the health care law -- as an incentive to get conservatives on board.
Collins said the parties were discussing her plan, but "I think we're a long way from the end of the negotiations."
"The House strategy hasn't worked so far," she added.
With developments on a possible breakthrough in the Senate, a bill to extend the debt ceiling by 15 months with no conditions failed to advance in the chamber.
The measure would have taken the issue off the table until after the mid-term congressional elections next year, but it was unlikely to become law in the Republican-led House.
Some lawmakers were adamant the House remains the linchpin for any agreement.
"At the end of the day, whatever they do (in the Senate) still has to come through here," House Republican Tom Cole told reporters.
Amid multiple tracks of dialogue Friday, the main principles of a compromise had seemed to emerge in public statements from both sides.
The government, shuttered since October 1, would be fully reopened, possibly on an interim basis, and there would be some kind of commitment from both sides to work towards an elusive deal to tackle the deficit, rein in spending and possibly reform social programs and some aspects of the tax code.
But, perhaps sensing that it now has the upper hand in the fight, the White House appears to be looking for an extension of borrowing authority from the current $16.7 trillion level for a longer duration.
World economies are closely monitoring the impasse, and on Friday the G20 called for Washington to quickly end the paralysis.
Finance chiefs of the globe's most powerful economies said in a statement that "the US needs to take urgent action to address short-term fiscal uncertainties."
The high popularity of online business is clearly a great way for entrepreneurs to generate income. It has a lot of opportunities, endless I may say. It is an advanced way of promoting your products where you can promote your business not only in your local area but even globally, it can be exposed not only with hundreds but thousands or even millions of visitors.
However, be aware that not all internet marketing companies/business that provide you a good offer are legitimate, so you have to be cautious when dealing with the system. You must be aware that internet changes rapidly and there are a lot of opportunities being offered. What you offer today might be obsolete in the future, or what you have known today might not be longer applicable tomorrow. You must keep up to date on what’s hot or trending with regards to internet business, then study and analyze what you can provide. In short term, go with the flow.
Do a lot of research of the type of business you must put up. As been said, there are a lot of opportunities offered online so you must not only think of something that you like but think what most people need. You might offer what’s in demand to people, and this sounds to be a little tricky. The technique is, know what’s popular and get out of it. You will have a lot of competitions if you will offer products that is in demand of the market. Instead, think of something that has less competition but people will love to buy from time to time.
Know your target market. This is one of the most essential factors of internet marketing business. If you don’t know who your prospects or customers are, then you are wasting your time. Take note that there is a high difference between a person who will buy your products or services and a person who will only browse and leave your site. For you to generate sales, make sure to know who your customers are.
The thing is, online business does not go far from any other businesses – a ‘brick and mortar’ business. Reaching wealth does not happen overnight and you really need to undergo a lot of learnings and experience before you can get through a successful internet marketing. Furthermore, make sure that you have full knowledge of the online system because this business is not really for everyone, especially if you are not willing to spend most of your time online.
Want to get more online marketing tips? Visit Linda Credit, my official website. Just click here.
Tagged as: business, internet marketing, lead generation, mlm success, mlm tips, multi-level marketing, network marketing, networking, online business, online success
Planning to move around in NYC in a luxurious Limo? If yes, there are many service providers offering top-quality Limo services in the city. But it is advisable to ask some important questions before hiring a service provider. Read on to know more about it.
Although renting a car helps one to travel form one point to another, nothing comes closer to renting a limo. One will not only be able to travel from one point to another, he or she will also enjoy the luxury that comes with these vehicles and enjoy the condiment that are offered both inside the vehicle and outside the vehicle.
The chauffeurs are also friendly and well mannered and will always try to give you the best services possible. These has made these vehicles very good for occasions such as weddings, dates and even important business meetings. Since one pay lots of money for limo hire as compared just normal cars, there are questions you should always ask to help you get the best limo service in NYC.
1. How long has the company operating the limousine rental service been in business?
Its very important to check the credibility of the company you hiring a limo from first. the best way to do this is by inquiring how long they have been in business. The company should have be operating for a long time. You should then check the condition of the limos that they are renting out. A good company will have a well maintained fleet. It will be also be having a large fleet of limos for rentals. Lastly, the company should be able to let you see the insurance of the car that you are renting.
2. Are the chauffeurs good?
Before hiring any limo, you should ensure that it comes with not only qualified chauffeurs bu also well trained chauffeurs. The chauffeurs should have licenses. By ensuring you are shown the licenses of the chauffeurs, you will be sure that you are getting someone who will drive you safely and comfortable as you enjoy your trip. You should also ask questions on how you and the chauffeur will meet and how he will cater for you. He should also be able to cater for you in case of long waits and change in drop-off points.
3. What does the policy are include?
The contract for limo rental should include many things. You should make sure that it include the type of limo your are renting, details on payment for the driver, price for the rental, duration period of the service, meeting point with the driver,fuel, and things such as food and drinks. It should also indicate special features such as insurance, red carpet and accidental breakdowns. You should also be given the contacts so that you can confirm anything you need before the rental day.
4. How do clients pay?
Before signing any contract, you should ask how you are expected to pay. The available options should include the provision of you paying a partial down payment and them paying the remaining portion later. The best Limo service in NYC should also be willing to offer you refund in case there is inconsistency with the contract you signed. A prior contingency plan should also be discussed prior in case any damage occurs to you as you use the services of the company. This protects you from loses due to such damages.
About the Author: The author of this article is associated with NY Travel Limo DBA, a reputed provider of top-class Limo services in NYC. For more details, visit website.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Senate is ready to launch an emotion-charged debate on new gun restrictions, four months after the carnage at a Connecticut elementary school spurred President Barack Obama and Congress to address firearms violence.
In an opening showdown Thursday, senators were scheduled to vote on an attempt by conservatives to scuttle the Democratic bill before debate even started. There were no real doubts the conservatives would be defeated and lawmakers would turn to the legislation, which would expand background checks to more gun buyers, toughen penalties against illicit firearms sales and offer slightly more money for school security.
The roll call was coming a day after two leading conservatives, Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., unveiled a compromise to extend required federal background checks to gun shows and online transactions. Only noncommercial, personal transactions would be exempted.
That deal was expected to give gun control forces an initial burst of momentum as debate begins. But the National Rifle Association, along with many Republicans and some moderate Democrats, opposes fresh gun curbs as going too far, and the road to congressional approval of major restrictions remains rocky.
"Those two leaders stepping up is a very good way to start," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who is seeking re-election next year and has stressed her support for both the right to bear arms and reducing gun bloodshed. "How it ends, I don't know."
In December, a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Relatives of some victims were at the Capitol pressing lawmakers to back gun restrictions, and were holding a vigil outside the building where they were reading the names of recent victims of gun violence.
Expanded background checks are the core of the Democratic gun control drive. Other top proposals ? including bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines ? will be offered as amendments during Senate debate but seem destined for defeat.
The compromise between Toomey and Manchin, both owners of guns and "A'' ratings from the NRA, was likely to improve the prospects that the Senate might expand background checks by attracting broader support. But debate could last weeks and it was not known what amendments to the overall bill, either constricting or expanding gun rights, senators might approve.
Neither Toomey nor Manchin predicted the Senate would approve gun legislation and both said their vote on final passage would depend on what the measure looked like when debate ends. Manchin said he would vote against the overall legislation if his compromise with Toomey was defeated.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said the first amendment will be to add the Manchin-Toomey compromise to the legislation. It would replace stricter language extending background checks to virtually all gun sales.
The senators' agreement also has language increasing firearms rights. That includes easing some restrictions on transporting guns across state lines, protecting sellers from lawsuits if buyers passed a check but later used a firearm in a crime and letting gun dealers conduct business in states where they don't live.
Underscoring the difficult path gun curbs face in the GOP-run House, Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, repeated his plan to wait for the Senate to produce something and pointedly noted that the background check agreement had yet to pass Senate muster.
"It's one thing for two members to come to some agreement. It doesn't substitute the will for the other 98 members," he told reporters.
Emotion, always prominent in the gun issue, cropped up late Wednesday when Manchin met with relatives of the Newtown victims in his Senate office, telling them "this will not be in vain." He became choked up when a reporter asked about the impact of the family members' visit, saying, "I'm a parent, a grandparent ... and I had to do something."
Said Toomey: "Criminals and the dangerously mentally ill shouldn't have guns. I don't know anyone who disagrees with that premise." He said expanding the checks wasn't gun control, "just common sense."
Background checks currently apply only to transactions handled by the country's 55,000 licensed gun dealers. Advocates of expanding the system say too many sales ? the exact proportion is unknown ? escape the checks, which are supposed to keep weapons from going to criminals, the seriously mentally ill, and others.
In a written statement, Obama said, "This is not my bill," adding that he wished the agreement was stronger. Still, he praised it as significant progress, saying, "We don't have to agree on everything to know that we've got to do something to stem the tide of gun violence."
Gun control groups gave the deal warm but not effusive praise, noting that unknown details and some pro-gun provisions gave them pause.
The NRA said it opposed the agreement.
"Expanding background checks at gun shows will not prevent the next shooting, will not solve violent crime and will not keep our kids safe in schools," it said in a statement.
In a letter to senators late Wednesday, NRA lobbyist Chris W. Cox warned that the organization would include lawmakers' votes on the Manchin-Toomey deal and other amendments it opposes in the candidate ratings it sends to its members and supporters.
BRUSSELS, April 8 (Reuters) - A French teenager who had hidden inside a garbage container was crushed to death inside a trash truck in Luxembourg on Saturday, police said. Garbage men only discovered the 17-year-old when he shouted out as they emptied the container into the back of the truck early on Saturday morning, but by then he was already in the grasp of the crushing mechanism. "He cried out, but it was already too late," a spokeswoman for Luxembourg police said on Monday. The young man, whose name was not released, died on the scene, in the city of Luxembourg. ...
Wally's Wine & Spirits, a longtime hub for wine collectors and spirit hounds, is losing its founding member, Steve Wallace. An ABC transfer went live a few days ago naming new owners, Armand Marciano of GUESS? Jeans and William Payne.
What does this mean for Wally's? According to a piece in The Daily Meal last month, Christian Navarro, Wallace's longtime biz partner, will stay on as co-owner with the aforementioned new parties. And for those who have hoped Wally's would expand over the years, shop growth is planned for the future. [EaterWire]
Adolescent medicine focuses on the care of patients as they enter puberty, which for girls is typically from ages 9 to 11, and boys, 11 to 14. The care encompasses their physical, emotional and social needs and extends until they reach the age of 20.
According to a 2011 census from the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), there are 99,121 young people aged between 10-19 years resident in Abu Dhabi, a figure that represents five per cent of the emirate's total population.
"I am very excited about taking on this new role as I believe that there is a need for this particular branch of medicine in the UAE that is dedicated to meeting the specific needs of teenagers and young adults in the country," said Dr. Rizk, speaking yesterday.
"Youngsters are particularly vulnerable at this stage in their lives as they are too grown up to access paediatric services and yet not mature enough to be suitable candidates for adult medicine, which is often geared towards those who are middle-aged and over. It can be a frightening time for them if they need to go to hospital," she added.
Dr Rizk's responsibilities at SKMC and across the Abu Dhabi community include ensuring high quality health care for those who fall between the two disciplines of paediatric and adult medicine, with her appointment adding a new dimension to the scope of healthcare in Abu Dhabi. In addition to providing general pediatric care, including school and sports physicals to children and young adults, she is highly experienced in the diagnosis and management of a wide variety of adolescent-specific disorders. These range from physical ailments that can affect adolescent girls, such as dysmenorrhea and polycystic ovary syndrome, to conditions that can have a psychological as well as a physical component, such as acne, eating disorders and risky behaviours.
Dr. Rizk studied for a three-year post-doctoral fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at The Children's Hospital of Montefiore in New York, an institution ranked in the top three per cent of U.S. hospitals, completing her training in June 2011. Since then, she has authored a number of scholarly articles and research pieces and has been invited to lecture widely on topics in her field. She has been heavily involved in adolescent clinical care, patient & family education and community outreach programs. Honours given to her to date include an Excellence in Teaching Award, which she attained in 2008 from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
"Dr. Rizk's appointment forms part of SKMC's commitment to serving all sectors of UAE society. We identified that there was a need for a medical professional to provide dedicated healthcare for adolescents in the country, as this is often a group that is too often overlooked," said Fred DeGrandis, CEO of SKMC.
"Our philosophy at SKMC is 'Patients First' and this is the underlying drive for all our activities. Providing a physician who has special training to meet the unique health needs of our young adults is one way to help us achieve this goal," he added.
NEW YORK (AP) ? Accounting firm KPMG says it fired a partner at its Los Angeles unit for allegedly giving private client information to a third party, who then used it for stock trades involving several West Coast companies.
KPMG said in a statement that it was informed of the alleged actions last week and that it immediately dismissed the partner. The firm did not disclose the partner's name.
The privately held company said that the partner violated its policies and betrayed the trust of clients and colleagues.
The company also said it had to resign from working with two clients, saying the partner's behavior impacted the firm's independence. KPMG said it told the clients it must withdraw its auditor reports. It says there's no reason to believe the companies' financial statements were materially misstated.
Truncated feeds can be a bummer, especially if you really enjoy reading your favorite blogs via RSS. FeedsAPI is a service that will take any truncated RSS feed, expand it to a full-text feed, and then deliver the resulting stories directly to your inbox, or to your preferred news reader. Best of all, it does this in real-time, so you don't have to wait hours for stories to process.
The video above shows you how the service works. Once you're signed up, you'll get an access key that you can use to add and expand any feed you want to your profile. Just give the service the feed URL you want expanded or added to your collection, your access key, and some details about how you'd like FeedsAPI to handle links in the text. From there, the service will do the rest of the work.
By default, every time a story is published, FeedsAPI will expand it and email the full text to you. That's fine for a few feeds, but once you get into dozens or more, it can overwhelm an inbox, so we'd suggest either setting up a different email address for feed reading or using a Gmail filter to pipe the articles over to a label or set of labels just for the news (and to keep your inbox organized). Alternatively, FeedsAPI can export your subscriptions as XML or RSS to be imported into whatever feedreading tool you prefer to use, whether you're rolling your own or a hosted alternative.
I've been playing with FeedsAPI for a while now, and while it works like a charm, it's definitely aimed at organizations that want to aggregate content for their own apps, or developers looking to build their own platform around it. That said, it still works for individuals who just want a better way to read and organize their feeds. You can try the service for free to see if it fits your needs. To continue using it you'll have to pony up either $54/yr ($4.50/mo) or $9/month if you don't want to pay for a year up front, which is a bit of a sour note. You can check out FeedAPI's pricing plans here.
Mick Fleetwood, drummer of Fleetwood Mac, is filing for legal separation from his wife. Mick Fleetwood and the rest of the band are on tour now. The band has been together for four decades.
By Staff,?Associated Press / April 10, 2013
Court records show Mick Fleetwood has filed for legal separation from his wife of more than 17 years in Los Angeles.
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Fleetwood and Lynn Frankel Fleetwood have been married since July 1995 and have twin 11-year-old daughters together. He is seeking joint legal custody but wants his estranged wife to have physical custody of their children.
The Fleetwood Mac drummer filed for separation on March 22, but the documents were not publicly available until Tuesday. He does not list a date for the couple's separation but wants a judge to award him sole control of music royalties and other earnings from before their marriage.
The 65-year-old Grammy Award winner cites irreconcilable differences for the separation, but no other details are included in the filing.
Fleetwood Mac is currently on tour and is expected to release a new album shortly. Rolling Stone reported that "Fleetwood Mac will release an EP of brand new material "in a few days," Lindsey Buckingham said onstage during a show this past Saturday in Philadelphia. "It's the best stuff we've done in a long time," Buckingham said as he introduced one such new cut,?"Sad Angel."
NIH scientists, grantees map possible path to an HIV vaccinePublic release date: 3-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Laura S. Leifman laura.sivitz@nih.gov 301-402-1663 NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Co-evolution of HIV and strong antibody response charted for first time
In an advance for HIV vaccine research, scientists have for the first time determined how both the virus and a resulting strong antibody response co-evolved in one HIV-infected individual. The findings could help researchers identify which proteins to use in investigational vaccines to induce antibodies capable of preventing infection from an array of HIV strains. Previously, a study of antibody genetics enabled scientists to deduce the step-by-step evolution of certain broadly neutralizing antibodiesthose that can prevent infection by the majority of HIV strains found around the globe. Yet the specific viruses that gave rise to those antibodies and the virus mutations that drove them to reach their final form remained unknown, hampering HIV vaccine discovery.
In the current study, scientists identified one of the roughly 20 percent of HIV-infected individuals who naturally develop broadly neutralizing antibodies to the virus after several years of infection. This person in Africa was a volunteer in a study in which participants gave weekly blood samples beginning early in the course of infection. This individual had joined the study just 4 weeks after infection and was followed for more than 3 years. Having blood samples from such an early stage enabled researchers to pinpoint the particular "founder" virus that triggered the immune system to make an immature broadly neutralizing antibody against HIV, as well as the cell from which that antibody emerged. Analyses of the weekly samples also enabled the scientists to see the series of changes that the virus and antibody underwent over 2.5 years until the antibody matured to a form capable of potently neutralizing the virus. Scientists are now attempting to create a vaccine that harmlessly mimics the virus at key points in the observed process to generate broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies, first in uninfected animals and then in uninfected people.
###
The study was led by Duke University's Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine ImmunologyImmunogen Discovery (CHAVI-ID), which is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Scientists at NIAID's Vaccine Research Center (VRC) also played a central role, collaborating with researchers at the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, administered by the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, along with seven other institutions.
ARTICLE:
H. Liao et al. Co-evolution of a broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibody and founder virus. Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature12053 (2013).
WHO:
NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and VRC Section Chief Peter D. Kwong, Ph.D., are available for comment.
CONTACT:
To schedule interviews, please contact Laura S. Leifman, (301) 402-1663, laura.sivitz@nih.gov.
NIAID conducts and supports researchat NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwideto study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov/.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health
[ | E-mail | 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.
NIH scientists, grantees map possible path to an HIV vaccinePublic release date: 3-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Laura S. Leifman laura.sivitz@nih.gov 301-402-1663 NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Co-evolution of HIV and strong antibody response charted for first time
In an advance for HIV vaccine research, scientists have for the first time determined how both the virus and a resulting strong antibody response co-evolved in one HIV-infected individual. The findings could help researchers identify which proteins to use in investigational vaccines to induce antibodies capable of preventing infection from an array of HIV strains. Previously, a study of antibody genetics enabled scientists to deduce the step-by-step evolution of certain broadly neutralizing antibodiesthose that can prevent infection by the majority of HIV strains found around the globe. Yet the specific viruses that gave rise to those antibodies and the virus mutations that drove them to reach their final form remained unknown, hampering HIV vaccine discovery.
In the current study, scientists identified one of the roughly 20 percent of HIV-infected individuals who naturally develop broadly neutralizing antibodies to the virus after several years of infection. This person in Africa was a volunteer in a study in which participants gave weekly blood samples beginning early in the course of infection. This individual had joined the study just 4 weeks after infection and was followed for more than 3 years. Having blood samples from such an early stage enabled researchers to pinpoint the particular "founder" virus that triggered the immune system to make an immature broadly neutralizing antibody against HIV, as well as the cell from which that antibody emerged. Analyses of the weekly samples also enabled the scientists to see the series of changes that the virus and antibody underwent over 2.5 years until the antibody matured to a form capable of potently neutralizing the virus. Scientists are now attempting to create a vaccine that harmlessly mimics the virus at key points in the observed process to generate broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies, first in uninfected animals and then in uninfected people.
###
The study was led by Duke University's Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine ImmunologyImmunogen Discovery (CHAVI-ID), which is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Scientists at NIAID's Vaccine Research Center (VRC) also played a central role, collaborating with researchers at the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, administered by the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, along with seven other institutions.
ARTICLE:
H. Liao et al. Co-evolution of a broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibody and founder virus. Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature12053 (2013).
WHO:
NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and VRC Section Chief Peter D. Kwong, Ph.D., are available for comment.
CONTACT:
To schedule interviews, please contact Laura S. Leifman, (301) 402-1663, laura.sivitz@nih.gov.
NIAID conducts and supports researchat NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwideto study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov/.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health
[ | E-mail | 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.
In this photo taken Jan. 5, 2012, U.S. director David Fincher smiles during a photo call for the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"in Berlin, Germany. The Walt Disney Studios will film a new version of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in Australia after the country agreed to pay it 21.6 million Australia dollars ($22.6 million) to film the movie there. The inducement announced Tuesday, April 2, 2013, is the biggest ever paid by an Australian government to bring in a Hollywood production. Fincher will direct the Jules Verne science fiction classic, said Disney Asia-Pacific spokeswoman Alannah Hall-Smith. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)
In this photo taken Jan. 5, 2012, U.S. director David Fincher smiles during a photo call for the movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"in Berlin, Germany. The Walt Disney Studios will film a new version of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" in Australia after the country agreed to pay it 21.6 million Australia dollars ($22.6 million) to film the movie there. The inducement announced Tuesday, April 2, 2013, is the biggest ever paid by an Australian government to bring in a Hollywood production. Fincher will direct the Jules Verne science fiction classic, said Disney Asia-Pacific spokeswoman Alannah Hall-Smith. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) ? Australia is paying its biggest Hollywood inducement ever to bring "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" Down Under.
The Walt Disney Studios will film a new version of the science fiction classic in Australia, which will pay the studio 21.6 million Australia dollars ($22.6 million) to film there, the government said Tuesday.
David Fincher of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and "The Social Network" will direct, said Disney Asia-Pacific spokeswoman Alannah Hall-Smith.
"No casting decisions have been made," she said, so the filming schedule and locations haven't been set.
Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Tuesday that producers were believed to have been in discussions with Brad Pitt, who starred in Fincher's "Fight Club."
The newpaper reported that Fincher wanted Pitt for the film's hero Ned Land.
The story centers on Capt. Nemo and his submarine the Nautilus. Jules Verne's book was made into an Academy Award-winning movie in 1954 with Kirk Douglas starring as Land and James Mason as Nemo.
The announcement comes after "The Wolverine," starring Australian actor Hugh Jackman, recently wrapped filming in Sydney. The government paid Fox Studios AU$12.8 million to film in Australia.
Gillard said the "The Wolverine" created more than 1,750 jobs, contracted more than 1,027 Australian companies and generated AU$80 million in investment.
She expects "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" will create more than 2,000 jobs.
A strong Australian dollar buoyed by a mining boom has made Australia less attractive to Hollywood as a filmmaking location in recent years.
It wasn't known how much the payment would offset the film's budget.
"The securing of this film is a huge coup for the Australian film industry and for the near 1,000 local businesses that will be providing goods and services for the film," Gillard said in a statement.
"The Wolverine" in 3D opens in July in the United States, Australia and other countries.
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Truncated feeds can be a bummer, especially if you really enjoy reading your favorite blogs via RSS. FeedsAPI is a service that will take any truncated RSS feed, expand it to a full-text feed, and then deliver the resulting stories directly to your inbox, or to your preferred news reader. Best of all, it does this in real-time, so you don't have to wait hours for stories to process.
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