Monday, December 17, 2012

Jorge Lorenzo's races in Bangkok against Sebastian Vettel, Michael ...

Jorge Lorenzo?s races in Bangkok against Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher ? MotoGP news

Jorge Lorenzo, the Yamaha Factory rider, who was in Bangkok, Thailand on the last weekend, raced for the first time in the Race of Champions against some of the world?s best drivers, including Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher, Formula 1 legends.

Race of Champions is an annual event which comprises of two phases, the ROC Nations? Cup and the Race of Champions.

This year, the event took place at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand between Dec. 14 and Dec. 16, 2012.

Lorenzo was one of two competitors participating from the MotoGP arena, the other being Mick Doohan. On Saturday, racing for the ROC Nations? Cup, Lorenzo was a part of Team All-Stars his teammate being Tom Kristensen, the Swiss Le Mans 24HR veteran. Lorenzo made it to the semi-finals. It was Team Germany won the Nations? title.

Nations? Cup was followed by Race of Champions on Sunday. Both Lorenzo and Doohan were placed in Group C with Sebastian Vettel, the three times Formula 1 champion, and Tin Sritrai, a local Thai competitor being the other two group members. In the individual challenge, the two wheel champion Lorenzo lost all three of the races proving that he was not very good running on four wheels.

Still, according to Lorenzo, he enjoyed his time participating in the event as he said, ?I have really enjoyed the Race of Champions; the drivers are so talented and it?s a real challenge to try to keep up with them. I would like to come back next time and maybe bring some motorbikes for them to try! I want to thank all my friends at Yamaha Thailand for making me feel so welcomed, I hope to come back and see them again next year.?

Off the racing track, Lorenzo spent his time leading a procession of Thai Yamaha riders out on the roads of Bangkok and through the streets.

Commenting on the hospitality of Thai people, Lorenzo said, ?It?s been a fantastic experience to be here in Thailand again. The people are so friendly and warm; it is always a pleasure to be here.?

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Jorge-Lorenzos-races-in-Bangkok-against-Sebastian-Vettel,-Michael-Schumacher-MotoGP-news-a208992

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91% Lincoln

All Critics (181) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (164) | Rotten (17)

It's the most remarkable movie Steven Spielberg has made in quite a spell, and one of the things that makes it remarkable is how it fulfills those expectations by simultaneously ignoring and transcending them.

Lincoln paints a powerful and compelling portrait of the man who has become an icon. We don't need to see more of his life to understand how rare a figure he was - this window is more than sufficient.

Lincoln offers proof of what magic can happen when an actor falls in love with his character. Because as great as Day-Lewis has been in his many parts, he has never seemed quite so smitten.

The film masterfully captures the dual dilemmas facing the president in the final months of his life: how to bring the war between the states to an end, and how to eradicate slavery, once and for all.

Lincoln is a stirring reminder that politics can be noble. Might there be a lesson here for today's shrill D.C. discourse? 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

Day-Lewis' voice is thin and reedy, which jibes with historical accounts but subverts our expectations. His attitude makes listeners lean in, and so do we, magnetized by his kindly reserve.

This is an almost religiously revered president portrayed as he's never been portrayed on screen before, a tale told with grace and sophistication. If only for this fact alone, Lincoln is a work deserving of praise.

Especially in today's frustratingly gridlocked political environment, Lincoln is timelier than ever. It gives us hope that government can accomplish great things even as it drags itself through the muck and strain of corruption.

While Spielberg captures a time, Day-Lewis captures another brilliant performance, and some of the supporting actors may capture Oscar nominations, the film didn't capture my soul the way I was hoping.

The film presents Abraham Lincoln's deliberations as a function of his innate morality, as well as an emotional rightness.

A fascinating history lesson taking place mostly in the backrooms of Washington.

Good film, but 'Lincoln' is not a movie about Abraham Lincoln - it's about a man in an Abe costume posing as someone who had overwhelming love for African-Americans, when in reality that was far from the Lincoln documented in history.

It's a superior achievement for Kushner, and makes for one of the best of Spielberg's "serious" movies.

A paternalistic Lincoln who freed the slaves? Bad movie and worse politics...

An Oscar-ready historical masterpiece that does double duty as a history lesson and as a reminder of the paralytic limitations of a house divided.

Spielberg's Lincoln shows us that the nasty in-fighting of American party politics is not restricted to the modern era.?

A talky, 150-minute affair but not without interesting modern-day ironies and parallels. One needs to take the one-sided history depicted with a grain of salt.

If this exquisite, immersive, fully entertaining, dramatized account of real events can't get you excited about history... nothing will.

Day-Lewis' wise, rustic, gnarled Lincoln truly seems a creature from another age; remarkably, there's no vanity in the actor's somewhat hobbled gait or high, thin voice.

There is directorial mastery here, and, even for those like me for whom the power of Lincoln is a percolating realization, one thing is certain: The performance by Daniel Day-Lewis is astonishing.

Daniel Day-Lewis reaches new acting heights as Lincoln while Sally Field matches him talent for talent as Mary Todd Lincoln.

This is a surprisingly bad movie.

Never before in American cinema have politics and poetry combined to make such spellbinding bedfellows.

[Day-Lewis] brings humanity and warmth to a man too often made static by history.

The weight of history is certainly present in every scene, but so are the undeniable correlations between past and present that make it feel so immediate and pertinent.

The very talented cast of this film is put to good use, thanks to Spielberg's sure direction and a strong script, written by Tony Kushner ('Munich').

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lincoln_2011/

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Newtown, loss, and parenting as though tomorrow will always come ...

Owen

My son Owen, seven years old and in first grade, is as sweet and funny a little bundle of gap-toothed cuteness as I can possibly imagine. Lately I?ve been watching him seem to grow right before my eyes, and have been hugging him a little more often, willing him to stay so adorable and innocent and small just a few days longer, so I can really soak it in.

And it?s Owen I think of now, when I think of Newtown.

Not just Owen, of course, but how much he brings to me as a mother, and defines us as a family. How much his presence would be missed. How absolutely horrifying, unthinkable and devastating it would be to lose him.

I can?t breathe when I think of what the scene at the firehouse must have been like, or what those parents are doing or feeling right now.

Let others debate gun control and mental health issues; they?re important topics, but I don?t feel equipped to weigh in?at least right now. ?I can?t stop imagining myself as one of those parents, and then it becomes too overwhelming and I have to stop myself from thinking about it at all.

Because the thing is, regardless of what the real cause of this senseless tragedy was, even if we could solve that particular problem once and for all, children will still die. It happens every year. It happens every day.

Kids die; not from mass violence, generally, but from sudden sickness or accidents or lingering illnesses. It happens all the time. And yes, until something horrible like the Newtown shootings happen, it?s easy to forget this living as we do in the insulated bubble of the first world. But none of us are truly safe.

*************

I just finished the book At Home by Bill Bryson, which focuses on ordinary life throughout history, based on objects commonly found in homes. One of the things Bryson does an excellent job of illustrating in the book was just how dangerous (and, in many times and places, downright unpleasant) life once was for children.

It was not uncommon for mothers to lose half of their children before adulthood. It was not unheard of for all the children from a large family to be wiped out, whether from disease or house fires or some other tragic, but not all that uncommon event.

And yet, parents brought children into the world, with hope and with love. How?

I sometimes wish I could go back in time and ask them their secrets. ?How do you get through the day, knowing that likely at least one of your children won?t make it to adulthood??

As though their practical 19th-century advice could somehow give me helpful tips for coping with the anxiety of living in the much-more-safe-but-uncertain-enough-to-freak-us-out 21st century. As though maybe, by being around them, I could soak up some kind of fortitude or perspective I?m lacking in my cushy modern-day experience.

But maybe what I?d learn is that there really is no way to prepare for something like this, regardless of how likely or unlikely it is in your current circumstances. And that, while it?s understandable to examine our priorities and maybe, regrets in light of another mother?s tragedy, we really can?t go through life waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I know that for myself, some internal struggles I?ve been having lately over my priorities have suddenly become crystal-clear.?At the same time, I also know that soon enough life will get back to normal, complete with petty annoyances and Calgon moments.

And while we can honor the Newtown parents?who will never see their children again ? and just live better lives ? by making an effort to speak to our own kids more kindly, taking care to look them in the eye when they talk, agreeing to one more round of Go Fish,?it would be unhealthy and unrealistic to parent as though a worst-case-scenario is probable instead of just possible.

************************

One of life?s most hackneyed bits of advice is to ?live every day like it?s your last? or, thanks to Tim McGraw, ?live like you?re dying.?

But I?ve often joked that if I were to live every day like it was my last, I would wind up an anxious mess, trying to cram the most meaning (and, let?s face it, also the most bacon and brownies) as I possibly could into a single 24-hour period.

Maybe it?s healthier to live every day as though it?s a vital, important, irreplaceable part of a long, meaningful life. Because let?s face it: kids still need to hear ?no? and moms still deserve the occasional grumpy or distracted moments.

Life ? imperfect as it is ? goes on, and as much as I might try to tell myself that I?ll never allow myself to heave a sigh at sweet little Owen again, this very day sweet little Owen will probably do something that triggers my ?heave a heavy sigh? button, and he will continue to do so through the rest of his childhood and possibly, beyond.

My kids will annoy me. I will be short with them and sometimes forget to stop and smell the roses. And that?s OK. It?s life. It?s part of the story of family life and childhood and motherhood from the beginning of time. When we try to do better, let?s do it because it will create better lives for ourselves and our children, not because we?re afraid.

For most of us, life will be long, and we will have many, many chances to paint a ?big picture? of beauty and love. At the same time, we can never know if we will be one of those for whom tragedy will strike.

Realizing that ? without focusing on it too much ? can help us strike that balance between ?appreciating every moment? and giving ourselves enough grace to live imperfectly.

****************************

Before I was born, my mother had a baby who died of SIDS, and I have spent much of my adult life trying to make sense of her experience, what effects it had on her and our family, and what I would do in her situation.

A few years ago I wrote a post questioning how mothers can go on living after a child has died, and how we can make peace with the idea that our kids are mortal, without holding ourselves back from loving them and living whole lives, defined by joy and optimism rather than fear and anxiety.

Here are the last two paragraphs of my post, which seem appropriate right now:

It?s too late, in any case. My children are here; I?ve allowed myself to love them wholly and without reserve. They are as familiar to me as my own skin. It?s likely I?ve got several decades left on this earth; our family will grow exponentially, and car accidents, diseases and other tragedies will always lurk in the wings, threatening to claim one of us.

There is no way to make peace with that awful reality. But in the meantime, there is nothing I can do but love them, love them, love them, as if tomorrow would always come.

And in the midst of all this horror and sadness, that?s what I?m trying to do. Love my children not with the clutching, anxious certainty that they could be taken from me, but with the peace and pleasure and trust of believing that they?ll live long and healthy lives, and that even if, God forbid, one didn?t, that the rest of us would somehow go on and find joy in our lives.

I could be wrong. Any of us could. But in order to live a happy, functional, peaceful life, I?m willing to take it on faith that everything will be OK in the end.

Really, what other choice do I have?

Source: http://thehappiestmom.com/newtown-loss-and-parenting-as-though-tomorrow-will-always-come/

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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Brave old world (Powerlineblog)

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Apparent headbutt mars Everton-Stoke draw

Associated Press Sports

updated 12:54 p.m. ET Dec. 15, 2012

STOKE, England (AP) -An apparent headbutt by Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini marred his team's 1-1 draw at Stoke in the English Premier League on Saturday.

Fellaini lunged at Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross as they jostled at a second-half corner but it wasn't seen by match officials. The Belgium international could still find himself in trouble when Football Association disciplinary chiefs look at the incident on Monday.

"I have told him in the dressing room that it is not acceptable - I won't accept it as a manager that he does that," Everton manager David Moyes said.

"It should have been a sending-off. . If the referee (Mark Halsey) had been able to see it, it should have been."

Everton would have gone level on points with third-place Chelsea had it maintained the lead given to the visitors by Shawcross' own goal in the 36th minute.

Kenwyne Jones equalized with a header in the 50th for his first goal in 28 league appearances, preserving Stoke's unbeaten record at home this season.

"I told the lads at halftime to go and give it a blast and we had four other great opportunities to score a second," Stoke manager Tony Pulis said.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Capital Business ? Confusion on Internet future after UN treaty split


A total of 89 countries endorsed the global treaty on telecom regulations at the UN?s International Telecommunication Union gathering in Dubai on Friday/AFP-File

WASHINGTON, Dec 15 ? The freewheeling, unregulated Internet seemed to survive a push for new rules at a UN treaty meeting, but the collapse of talks leaves unanswered questions about the Web?s future.

A total of 89 countries endorsed the global treaty on telecom regulations at the UN?s International Telecommunication Union gathering in Dubai on Friday, but the United States and dozens of others refused to sign, saying it opened the door to regulating the Internet.

ITU chief Hamadoun Toure insisted that the treaty had nothing to do with the Internet, despite what he called ?a non-binding resolution which aims at fostering the development and growth of the Internet.?

?This conference was not about the Internet control or Internet governance, and indeed there are no provisions on the Internet,? the ITU secretary-general told participants at the signing ceremony.

But James Lewis, who follows Internet governance at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said backers of the treaty distorted the facts.

?They were lying,? he said. ?It was totally about the Internet.?

Lewis told AFP the ITU lost credibility because ?they swore up and down there wouldn?t be a vote, that a decision would be by consensus, and then they took a vote.?

The outcome underscored a deep divide between the US and its allies, which seek to keep the Internet open and unregulated, and authoritarian regimes that want to impose controls over online use and content.

Russia, China and Saudi Arabia have been among countries seeking such changes.

Still, Lewis said the World Conference on International Telecommunication, organized by the ITU in Dubai, failed to wrest control of the Internet addressing system from the global nonprofits group called ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

It remains unclear, said Lewis, whether the treaty can even become effective without a majority of the 193 ITU members endorsing it.

?The ITU has to suspend consensus rules to say this treaty is to take effect, and then it becomes an issue for the lawyers,? he said, adding that the matter could end up before the UN Security Council.

US officials, who led opposition to new Internet rules, said the document adopted in Dubai will have little immediate impact.

Countries can exercise control of online activity within their borders, but Washington and others objected to a treaty that would legitimize new Internet controls under UN auspices.

The head of the US delegation, Terry Kramer, walked out of the hall as the signing started after protesting that the treaty was ?seeking to insert governmental control over Internet governance.?

That position drew praise from lawmakers and activists back home.

House Cybersecurity Caucus co-chairs Jim Langevin and Michael McCaul said the treaty, if implemented, ?would result in a significant setback for anyone who believes free expression is a universal right.?

Google, another critic of the conference, said that many governments taking part in Dubai proved they wanted increased censorship.

?What is clear from the ITU meeting in Dubai is that many governments want to increase regulation and censorship of the Internet,? a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

?We stand with the countries who refuse to sign this treaty and also with the millions of voices who have joined us to support a free and open Web.?

Kieren McCarthy, general manager of the Global Internet Business Coalition, called the outcome in Dubai ?a humiliating failure? for the UN agency.

?The collapse will come as a severe embarrassment to the ITU,? McCarthy said in a blog post. ?Efforts to bring its core telecom regulations into the Internet era had exposed the organization to modern realities that it was incapable of dealing with.?

Milton Mueller, an Internet governance specialist at Syracuse University, said it?s not clear if the new language is a threat to a free Internet.

?While I didn?t like the resolution nor did most Internet rights advocates, I doubt if its passage would in itself be able to do much harm,? he said.

But Mueller said the diplomatic efforts were complicated by concerns in some countries ? mainly with ?bad? human rights records ? who object to US sanctions that can cut off access to certain Internet services such as those from Google.

?Weird and ironic, in that it is the pro-human rights nations that are using denial of access to Internet services as a form of policy leverage, and the anti-human rights nations that are claiming a universal right of Internet access,? Mueller said.

Author: AFP
AFP has written 690 posts

Source: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/business/2012/12/confusion-on-internet-future-after-un-treaty-split/

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Butler upsets No. 1 Indiana 88-86 in OT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? All Butler guard Alex Barlow saw Saturday was space and an opportunity to make a play.

So the unlikeliest player on the floor took a chance and made the biggest shot of the game.

When Indiana's defenders failed to converge on the 5-foot-11 walk-on, Barlow kept right on going through the lane, drove to the basket and hit a spinning 6-foot jumper with 2.4 seconds left in overtime Saturday to give the Bulldogs another stunning upset ? 88-86 over No. 1 Indiana in the Crossroads Classic.

"The floater is a shot I work on a lot and I happened to get a lucky bounce," Barlow said. "It was a good feeling."

Luckily for the Bulldogs (8-2), Barlow was on the floor.

The kid who spurned college scholarship offers to play his best sport, baseball, and opted to come to Butler for only one reason ? to learn how to coach basketball from Brad Stevens ? showed everyone he can hoop it up, too.

Stevens didn't hesitate to constantly keep the ball in Barlow's hands after three key Butler players had already fouled out. The sophomore who had scored only 12 points in nine games this season and 18 in his college career delivered with a series of key plays.

Barlow finished with a career-high six points, came up with a big steal that led to a go-ahead 3-pointer late in overtime and finally won it with a shot that bounced off the back of the rim, straight into the air and finally through the net.

Indiana (9-1) immediately called timeout to set up a play but could only muster Jordan Hulls' heave from near half-court, a shot that faded to the left of the basket and suddenly the first college in Indiana to go to back-to-back Final Fours had another school first ? its first win in five tries over a No. 1 ranked team.

The sold-out arena roared as the game ended, and the Bulldogs rushed to midcourt where they celebrated with Barlow.

"I thought he just rose up over Hulls and it looked good," Stevens said. "Don't use this as an excuse to get down on Indiana. I still think they're the team to beat in April. Our guys just played really hard and when it really mattered, they figured out a way."

Butler (8-2) has now won six straight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, better known as the home to the NBA's Pacers, and four of the last five when this series been played in Indianapolis. The Bulldogs have wins over Marquette of the Big East, North Carolina of the ACC and back-to-back victories over Northwestern and Indiana of the Big Ten.

And Barlow, the surprising star, overshadowed a supporting cast that had strong games, too.

Roosevelt Jones scored 16 points and matched his career-highs with 12 rebounds and six assists before fouling out with 2:03 left in regulation.

Andrew Smith finished with 12 points and nine rebounds and held national player of the year candidate Cody Zeller in check until fouling out just 17 seconds after Jones.

Rotnei Clarke, who transferred to Butler from Arkansas, scored 13 of his 19 points and made three of his five 3-pointers in the second half.

In all, five Bulldogs players finished in double figures while the defense held one of America's most proficient offenses to just 42.9 percent shooting from the field.

"We cost ourselves at the end of the game defensively," coach Tom Crean said after waiting more than an hour to take questions. "They made the plays, there's no question about that. But we made the mistakes on how we guarded them."

The Hoosiers were led by Cody Zeller, who had 18 points, including a layup to tie the score at 86 with 19.3 seconds left in overtime. Victor Oladipo also had 18 points and Will Sheehey scored 13 points off the bench.

But the Bulldogs grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and outrebounded Indiana ? the first team to do that this season.

Clearly, this was not the same Indiana team that won its first nine games by an average of nearly 32 points while shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

"There's a lot of things," said Zeller, who had only five rebounds and four baskets. "We got outrebounded. There's a lot of little things that we have to figure, but we'll get back to work and figure them out."

The difference Saturday was that Butler never let the Hoosiers get away from them ? even when Smith and Jones went to the bench with four fouls midway through the second half.

Stevens reinserted both players with 9 minutes to go in regulation, trailing 57-50, and the Bulldogs responded with a 12-0 run that gave them a 66-59 lead with 4:31 left in regulation.

Butler still led 71-64 when Jones fouled out, and the Hoosiers answered with five straight points from the free-throw line. They finally tied the score on Yogi Ferrell's 3-pointer from the right wing with 6.1 seconds to go, and Butler's Chase Stigall missed a 3-pointer off the front of the rim as time expired.

In overtime, Indiana looked like it would take control when Zeller's layup made it 84-80 with 2:12 to play.

But the Bulldogs again rallied, getting a 3 from Clarke, a steal from Barlow that led Stigall's 3-pointer, and Barlow's improbable winning shot.

"I just figured I would throw it up to the rim," Barlow said. "If I missed it, I knew they wouldn't get a shot off. Luckily, it bounced in."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/butler-upsets-no-1-indiana-88-86-ot-220124007--spt.html

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The Dresdenverse: Our Story

The Dresdenverse: Our Story

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New findings on killer bacteria?s defence

Dec. 14, 2012 ? New research from Lund University casts new light on the interaction between the immune system and streptococcus bacteria, which cause both mild tonsillitis and serious infections such as sepsis and necrotising fasciitis. The way in which antibodies attach to the bacteria is linked to how serious the disease is.

Antibodies are key to the recognition and neutralisation of bacteria by our immune system. The most common antibodies have the shape of a Y, and the two prongs fasten to molecules that belong to the bacteria. The cells in the immune system recognise the shaft and can then attack the bacteria.

Since the 1960s, it has been known that certain bacteria have developed the ability to turn these antibodies around, which makes it more difficult for the immune system to identify them. These include streptococcus bacteria, sometimes referred to as 'killer bacteria', that cause both common tonsillitis and more serious diseases such as sepsis (blood poisoning) and necrotising fasciitis (flesh-eating disease). Because it has not been possible to study this phenomenon in detail, researchers have until now presumed that antibodies are always turned around in these streptococcal infections.

Now researchers at Lund University have shown that this is not the case. In less serious conditions, such as tonsillitis, the antibodies are back-to-front, but in more serious and life-threatening diseases such as sepsis and necrotising fasciitis, the antibodies are the right way round. These findings have now been published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine and completely alter the understanding of bacterial infections with several of our most common pathogenic bacteria.

"This information is important and fundamental to improving our understanding of streptococcal infections, but our results also show that the principle described could apply to many different types of bacteria," says Pontus Nordenfelt, who is currently conducting research at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

The present study shows that it is the concentration of antibodies in the local environment in the body that controls how the antibodies sit on the surface of the bacteria. In the throat, for example, where the concentration is low, the antibodies sit the wrong way round, but in the blood, where the concentration is high, the antibodies are the right way round. This explains why the most serious infections are so rare in comparison to the common and often mild cases of throat and skin infections. The bacteria in the blood are quite simply easier for the immune system to find.

In the future, the results could have an impact on the treatment of serious infectious diseases, since a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the diseases is needed to develop new treatments.

Lars Bj?rck, Professor of Infectious Medicine at Lund University, has discovered some of the antibody-turning proteins and has studied their structure and function for over 30 years.

"It is fantastic to have been involved in moving a major step closer to understanding the biological and medical importance of these proteins together with talented young colleagues," he says.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. P. Nordenfelt, S. Waldemarson, A. Linder, M. Morgelin, C. Karlsson, J. Malmstrom, L. Bjorck. Antibody orientation at bacterial surfaces is related to invasive infection. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2012; DOI: 10.1084/jem.20120325

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/mg4QChNa91E/121214112639.htm

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Duplication of family members - Family Tree Maker - Ancestry.co.uk

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

Source: http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/topics.software.famtreemaker/9237.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx

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Friday, December 14, 2012

Farmigo Raises $8 Million for Online

Farmigo, which is working to make buying locally grown food easier, raised $8 million in a Series B venture capital round.

One of the challenges local farmers markets face is?the path of least resistance - although people may want to buy fresh food, it's often?more convenient to go to the supermarket.?

That's why even though farmer's markets have been growing at 40% a year?for the last decade, less than 1% of the US population purchases produce directly from farms.

Farmigo's goal is?to make?buying locally-grown?food far easier?by using the Internet to streamline the process.

Sherbrooke Capital and RSF Social Finance led the investment round along with Benchmaker Capital, which also invested in Farmigo's previous $2 million Series A round.

Farmigo?is creating what it?says its the first?"online farmer's market" ? one that connects local farmers directly to?"food communities" - groups of buyers in workplaces, schools or community centers that want to buy?locally produced food.?

"The Internet has been collapsing supply chains and rewriting conventional business models for nearly two decades, but until now it has had limited impact on the food industry, which is ripe for change," says Benzi Ronen, founder and CEO. "There has never been a better time to disrupt the status quo and Farmigo is poised to fundamentally change the way food is purchased and distributed."?????

Farmigo's approach complements that of?Ecotrust and Organic Renaissance FoodEx, who are using?the Internet to?make?local food distribution far more efficient.

Members of Farmigo's food communities simply place an order online,?where they can pick seasonal fruit, vegetables, eggs, meats, fish, bread, cheeses or wine and cheese.?Orders are delivered within 48 hours to a specific community delivery location.

There are already several Farmigo communities in the New York and San Francisco areas.

For example, Etsy, a Brooklyn-based handmade and vintage marketplace, gets?fresh local food delivered to its office every week as does Kiva in?San Francisco.

Besides?making the buying process easier for consumers, Farmigo?boost?local farms. By selling direct to consumers, farmers can reap 80% of the sale price, versus the 9%-20%? they earn by distributing their food through traditional grocers. Farmigo earns a 10% fee for each transaction it facilitates.

"We have been committed to our community-supported agriculture program to bring our locally grown, organic produce to San Francisco residents, but there is a big opportunity to expand it so that far more people have access to fresh local food," says Nick Papadopolous of Bloomfield Farms Organics in Petaluma, California. "We believe Farmigo's approach can really accelerate the amount of people who have access to locally harvested, fresh food. It can have a big impact on improving the efficiency and sustainability of our food system."?????

Farmigo plans to expand?to Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Chicago and Philadelphia.

Started in?2009, Farmigo is already?arranging deliveries to more than 3,000 sites that serve?100,000 families.

Here's their website:

Source: http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/24363

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Top officials meet at U.S. Office of Naval Research as Arctic changes quicken

Dec. 13, 2012 ? The U.S. Navy's chief of naval research, Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, met this week with leaders from U.S. and Canadian government agencies to address research efforts in the Arctic, in response to dramatic and accelerating changes in summer sea ice coverage.

"Our Sailors and Marines need to have a full understanding of the dynamic Arctic environment, which will be critical to protecting and maintaining our national, economic and security interests," said Klunder. "Our research will allow us to know what's happening, to predict what is likely to come for the region, and give leadership the information it needs to formulate the best policies and plans for future Arctic operations."

The Arctic Summit, held Dec. 11 at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) headquarters in Arlington, enabled senior leaders from ONR, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Defense Research and Development Canada, the Departments of Energy and Interior, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation, the Navy Task Force Climate Change and more to share important scientific ideas on the region. One of the goals of the summit was to assess the different Arctic research efforts -- and potentially form new research partnerships.

"Vital and varied Arctic research is taking place across a number of agencies," Klunder said. "We are identifying areas of common scientific interest -- and ideally come up with a comprehensive mutual understanding of everyone's current and planned efforts."

In the wake of last week's widely reported release of NOAA's Arctic Report Card -- co-edited by ONR program officer and Arctic science expert Dr. Martin Jeffries -- new concerns have arisen over record-low levels of sea ice and snow in the Arctic.

"We are surely on the verge of seeing a new Arctic," said Jeffries. "And, since the Arctic is not isolated from the global environmental system -- indeed it is an integral and vital part of that system -- we can expect to see Arctic change have global environmental and socio-economic consequences."

While yesterday's summit was not a policy meeting, experts agree that changes in the Arctic could raise substantial future strategy questions.

The U.S. Navy Arctic Roadmap, authored by the Navy's Task Force Climate Change, notes that: "Because the Arctic is primarily a maritime environment, the Navy must consider the changing Arctic in developing future policy, strategy, force structure and investment."

Changing Arctic conditions are opening the region to more human enterprise that could impact naval operations, including:

  • Oil, mineral and other natural resource extraction
  • Shipping
  • Commercial fishing
  • Tourism
  • Scientific research

If, as Klunder hopes, new research partnerships develop from meetings like the one held this week at ONR, it could result in a powerful planning tool for military and civilian officials alike.

"We know that the key to a successful path forward for all parties and nations concerned depends on the ability to plan ahead," said Klunder. "And for that, we are utilizing top-flight research from leading scientists around the globe.

"We'll keep working together to fully understand this changing Arctic."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/p1Ww2oEwA4w/121213172350.htm

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Thursday, December 13, 2012

It's 12/12/12: That's bad ? and good

A seemingly benign number that defines everything from a dozen eggs and the hours of day and night to the days of Christmas and the astrological signs, 12 may be in the spotlight today, 12/12/12.

This date structure, in which the same two-digit number gets repeated three times, won't happen again until next century, according to the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. And this is the last time the same number for the day, month and year (the last two digits, at least) will occur until Jan. 1, 2101 (01/01/01).

But does the triple dose of 12 hold any meaning? That depends on whom you ask, but in Hong Kong and Singapore, couples are crowding the aisles for a chance to tie the knot on a day they say symbolizes love, according to news outlets. Las Vegas is also abuzz with nuptials, according to CNN, which also reported an Indian numerologist saying it's a great day to start a new business venture. Making the rounds online, a boy who turned 12 at 12:12 p.m. in Bronxville, N.Y., suggests we're all a bit "number crazy."

  1. Science news from NBCNews.com

    1. Ancient copy of Ten Commandments goes digital

      The Cambridge Digital Library has just made available thousands of pages from fragile religious manuscripts for Internet users' perusal, including a 2,000-year-old copy of the Ten Commandments, known as the "Nash Papyrus."

    2. Solving a 100-year-old scientific hoax
    3. Alan Alda and kids ask: 'What is time?'
    4. First cheesemakers date back 7,500 years

Doom isn't far behind the celebrations. While most believers in the Mayan apocalypse think the end of the world will come on Dec. 21, 2012, apparently some have interpreted the end of the Maya Long Count calendar differently, pinpointing Dec. 12, 2012, as a day of reckoning. (There is no evidence to suggest the Mayans predicted the end of their calendar to mean the end of the world.)

Turning doomsday on its head, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific is calling 12/12/12 "Anti-Doomsday."

"While many pundits and prognosticators lament the supposed end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012 (thanks to misinterpreting Mayan predictions), here at the ASP we encourage everyone to go in the opposite ? and accurate ? direction. Thus, we are declaring Dec. 12, 2012 as Anti-Doomsday Day in celebration of rational thinking and reasoned discourse," according to an ASP statement. [End of the World? Top Doomsday Fears]

And if one were to tie any significance to today, and numerology in general, the ASP reminds us of plenty of auspicious associations with the number 12: the months in a year on contemporary calendars; 12 traditional zodiac signs; 12 Olympic gods and goddesses in Greek mythology; and 12 bottles of wine in a case. In Christian belief, Jesus had 12 apostles.

Then there's Mars, which is 12 light-minutes from the sun, and Jupiter, which takes 12 years to orbit the sun, according to the ASP.

The most recent triple-digit setup occurred on Nov. 11, 2011 (11/11/11), another day some associated with Mayan doom. That day most likely became linked with Dec. 21, 2012, when believers noticed that the U.S. Naval Observatory had set the exact time of the 2012 winter solstice ? when Earth's tilt is angled at its farthest from the sun ? for 11:11 Universal Time on Dec. 21, John Hoopes, a scholar of Maya history at the University of Kansas, told LiveScience last year. (The observatory now lists the official time for the winter solstice at 11:12 Universal Time.)

While the meaning behind numbers, called numerology, has yet to be grounded in science, humanity seems hard-wired to find such numerical associations.

"Cognitive scientists have demonstrated that our brains are hard-wired to look for meaningful patterns in the sensory data it collects from the world," said Alan Lenzi, professor of religious studies at University of the Pacific. "Numbers that are already significant to us, such as calendar dates, that also coincidentally fall into an obvious pattern become doubly significant," Lenzi told LiveScience in 2011, speaking about 1/11/11.

Lenzi added, "Given the propensity for people to look for significance in particular days and times (e.g. the "end of the world"), patterns are easily imbued with imaginative meaning," Lenzi said.

And patterns tend to stick in our heads ? you're more likely to remember a birthday that's on 11/11, 12/12, or 10/10, than one on 12/5, for instance. The same would be the case for various times of the day. "People are more likely to remember 11:11 than they are, say, 4:29 or 6:53 or 3:17 or something like that," Hoopes said.

This article was updated to change the year of the next triple-digit date. Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook? and Google+.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50175929/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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lijansharma: kudals: molina anvil: Reference and Education: Proper ...

Becoming an electrician starts with getting the right schooling. One can start quite early, even in High School. Many vocational programs in secondary schools have an electrical program. Following High School graduation, one can enter a program at a college to further their learning. Community colleges often have excellent trades program, including electrical. In addition to their typical general education courses like math and English, students will take practical courses where they learn both the science behind the trade and also get to apply and learn new skills in hands-on work. If one desires to learn more about the scientific end of things, they can attend a four year college that offers advanced programs like electrical engineering or similar majors. Community colleges are great because they offer students practical experience.

One can also do some extra work on their own to increase their skills and education. It is a great idea to find an experienced individual who works in the field and get close to them. An experienced worker can offer electrician training in the form of an apprenticeship or might be able to hire a student to work for them. They can also share the pros and cons of the industry, as well as stories from on the job. This will give the young student a better idea of what daily life is like as an electrical worker, and help them decide if this is really the field that they want to devote their life to. Working with a professional can help one meet others in the field and perhaps potential future customers. The pro may also have some suggestions for training programs or courses that the aspiring electrician can take advantage of. They can serve as a reference for the student's resume.

Before one can be successful in industry, they must have to proper education and training. Fortunately, budding electrical workers have many options to help them reach their goals and better themselves.

Source: http://iscussnisa.blogspot.com/2012/11/proper-electrician-training-and.html

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Microsoft pins Windows Store app purchase exploits on insecure code

Windows Store screen cap

Attention has swirled around what, at least initially, looks to be a surefire way to pirate Windows Store apps: as a warning to developers, Nokia engineer Justin Angel has detailed how at least some Windows 8 apps can be hacked to avoid paying for full versions or in-app purchases, and even strip out ads in free titles. Several apps he tested are stored in such a way that that it's easy to modify apps' data files and Internet Explorer 10 requests. According to a Microsoft spokesperson we contacted, however, many of the vulnerabilities are common to any app store, and supposedly thwarted with the right code.

The company points to a recent Dev Center document emphasizing Windows 8's optional app receipt system, which can require any transaction be validated on the developer's server. Programmers can also mask content or move the more valuable material to the internet, Microsoft says in the note. While we're wondering why safeguards like receipts aren't mandatory, we wouldn't immediately fret if our livelihood depended on the Windows Store -- at least, not if we were careful. Read Microsoft's full statement after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft pins Windows Store app purchase exploits on insecure code

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Comments

Source: VentureBeat, Windows Dev Center

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/11/nokia-staffer-windows-store-app-exploit-countered/

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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Defiant North Korea launches long-range rocket

North Korea launched a long-range rocket on Wednesday in defiance of its critics abroad ? and claimed that the mission successfully put a satellite in orbit.

U.S. officials told NBC News that it appeared the North Koreans had indeed launched an object, possibly a satellite, into space.

In a statement, the White House said the rocket launch was a highly provocative act that threatens regional security and violates U.N. resolutions. A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he "deplores" the launch.

Ban said it was "all the more regrettable because it defies the unified and strong call from the international community." He added that he was "in close touch with the government concerned."

Video: Anger, dismay at North Korea rocket launch (on this page)

Missile warning systems detected the launch at 7:49 p.m. ET, and initial reports indicate that the first stage fell into the Yellow Sea. The second stage was predicted to fall into the Philippine Sea, according to a statement issued by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said earlier that the rocket was fired from the Sohae Satellite Launch Center on the secretive country's west coast, and said that the Kwangmyongsong weather satellite went into orbit as planned.

North Korea said Wednesday's launch was an attempt to place a satellite into orbit. But U.S. officials say it is a thinly veiled attempt to test a three-stage ballistic missile that would be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead as far as the West Coast of the United States.

Russia added its voice to the condemnation of the launch and also called on other nations to refrain from further escalating tensions.

"The new rocket launch carried out by North Korea flaunts the opinion of the international community, including calls from the Russian side," it said.

China, North Korea's only major diplomatic ally, had urged it not to go ahead with the launch, and expressed regret on Wednesday that it had taken place.

Launch successful?
This is North Korea's fifth test launch of a long-range rocket or ballistic missile. U.S. officials consider the four previous launches failures. The last rocket was launched in April, but it fell apart shortly after being fired.

Initial word of the launch came from media outlets in Seoul and Tokyo, and a spokesman at South Korea's Defense Ministry confirmed to NBC News that the launch had taken place. Later, a Defense Ministry representative told reporters that the launch "looked successful, but whether it has been really successful needs more time to determine."

  1. Space news from NBCNews.com

    1. Cosmonaut looks down on Everest

      Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: A couple of well-placed tweets have heightened interest in a Russian cosmonaut's picture of Mount Everest as seen from the International Space Station.

    2. Year's best meteor shower set to peak
    3. Curiosity drill issue could threaten mission
    4. Private spaceship builders split $30M from NASA

After the launch, South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak responded by calling an emergency security meeting. The liftoff came as a shock to many South Koreans because they thought it would not take place until after South Korea's presidential election on Dec. 19. The Defense Ministry said the border between North and South was calm and stable as usual.

Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Osamu Fujimura, said North Korea's rocket flew over Okinawa at 10:01 a.m. local time. He could not confirm whether any debris fell on Japanese territory. "The Japanese government regards this launch as an act compromising the peace and stability of the region, including Japan," Fujimura said.

Fujimura said the launch was "completely unacceptable," but he reassured the public that the Japanese government was doing everything possible to ensure national security. "Please go about your daily lives calmly," he said during a briefing.

Video: North Korea launches rocket (on this page)

Japan's NHK television network reported that the rocket's second stage crashed into the sea off the coast of the Philippines as planned, minutes after passing over Okinawa. After separating from the second stage, the rocket's third stage was designed to carry its payload all the way to orbit.

'Stakes are high'
North Korea says the rocket launch is aimed purely at putting its Kwangmyongsong satellite into a pole-to-pole orbit. But critics fear that the mission's true purpose is to test technologies for sending a nuclear warhead to targets as far away as the U.S. West Coast.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying that Washington noted the launch and was monitoring the situation. Earlier this month, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said "a North Korean 'satellite' launch would be a highly provocative act that threatens peace and security in the region." She said such a launch would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

North Korea is banned from conducting missile and nuclear tests, under the terms of U.N. sanctions imposed after a series of nuclear weapons tests in 2006 and 2009.

Wednesday's launch follows up on an attempt in April that ended in failure just minutes after liftoff.

This is the second North Korean test launch since President Kim Jong-un came to power following his father's death a year ago.

U.S. official told NBC News that Kim is under pressure to launch a success.

"He knows the stakes are high either way, and it is really what he does next that matters," the official said.

This report includes information from NBC News' Jim Miklaszewski, Julie Yoo in Seoul and Arata Yamamoto in Tokyo, as well as Reuters and The Associated Press.

? 2012 NBCNews.com? Reprints

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50167891/ns/technology_and_science-space/

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