Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/193634058?client_source=feed&format=rss
tyson chandler tyson chandler best ipad apps chris paul chicago bulls carmelo anthony david lee
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Slingplayer for Kindle Fire due to land in Amazon Appstore tomorrow for $30
Slingplayer for Android devices has been around for a while now. Sadly for Kindle Fire owners and their lack of the Android Market, they haven't been able to indulge upto now. Jan. 31 is the day though, as Slingplayer for Kindle Fire will be arriving in the Amazon Appstore for $30.
Shown off at CES, the interface is pretty much the same as the handset version, and thankfully matches the same price point as its Android Market brother. Definitely a welcome addition to Amazon's media consuming tablet. Download will be available at the source link below from tomorrow. Until then we'll just have to wait patiently.
Source: Amazon Appstore
 |  |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/wYJWzehWwJs/story01.htm
tom brady alex smith alex smith lee evans lee evans birmingham news new england patriots
Monday, January 30, 2012
NDM-1: The Bacterial Gene That's Resistant to 15 Different Antibiotics [Science]
kate upton winter solstice r. kelly x factor finale pro bowl voting kindle fire update college board
UN nuclear team arrives in Iran (AP)
TEHRAN, Iran ? A U.N. nuclear team arrived in Tehran early Sunday for a mission expected to focus on Iran's alleged attempt to develop nuclear weapons.
The U.N. nuclear agency delegation includes two senior weapons experts ? Jacques Baute of France and Neville Whiting of South Africa ? suggesting that Iran may be prepared to address some issues related to the allegations.
The delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency is led by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts, who is in charge of the Iran nuclear file. Also on the team is Rafael Grossi, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano's right-hand man.
In unusually blunt comments ahead of his arrival in Tehran, Nackaerts urged Iran to work with his mission on probing the allegations about Iran's alleged attempts to develop nuclear weapons, reflecting the importance the IAEA is attaching to the issue.
Tehran has refused to discuss the alleged weapons experiments for three years, saying they are based on "fabricated documents" provided by a "few arrogant countries" ? a phrase authorities in Iran often use to refer to the United States and its allies.
Ahead of his departure, Nackaerts told reporters at Vienna airport he hopes Iran "will engage with us on all concerns."
"So we're looking forward to the start of a dialogue," he said: "A dialogue that is overdue since very long."
In a sign of the difficulties the team faces and the tensions that surround Iran's disputed nuclear program, a dozen Iranian hard-liners carrying photos of slain nuclear expert Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan were waiting at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport early Sunday to challenge the team upon arrival.
That prompted security officials to whisk the IAEA team away from the tarmac to avoid any confrontation with the hard-liners.
Iran's official IRNA news agency confirmed the team's arrival and said the IAEA experts are likely to visit the underground Fordo uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom, 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of the capital, Tehran.
During their three-day visit, the IAEA team will be looking for permission to talk to key Iranian scientists suspected of working on a weapons program, inspect documents related to such suspected work and secure commitments from Iranian authorities to allow future visits to sites linked to such allegations. But even a decision to enter a discussion over the allegations would be a major departure from Iran's frequent simple refusal to talk about them.
The United States and its allies want Iran to halt its enrichment of uranium, which they worry could eventually lead to weapons-grade material and the production of nuclear weapons. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity and producing medical radioisotopes to treat cancer patients.
Iran has accused the IAEA in the past of security leaks that expose its scientists and their families to the threat of assassination by the U.S. and Israel.
Iranian state media say Roshan, a chemistry expert and director of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran, was interviewed by IAEA inspectors before being killed in a brazen bomb attack in Tehran earlier this month.
Iranian media have urged the government to be vigil, saying some IAEA inspectors are "spies," reflecting the deep suspicion many in Iran have for the U.N. experts sent to inspect Iran's nuclear sites.
___
AP writer George Jahn contributed to this report from Vienna.
undercover boss sag awards 2012 nominees sag awards fafsa yamaguchi pro bowl 2012 roster road house
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Romney would rank among richest presidents ever (AP)
WASHINGTON ? Just how rich is Mitt Romney? Add up the wealth of the last eight presidents, from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama. Then double that number. Now you're in Romney territory.
He would be among the richest presidents in American history if elected ? probably in the top four.
He couldn't top George Washington who, with nearly 60,000 acres and more than 300 slaves, is considered the big daddy of presidential wealth. After that, it gets complicated, depending how you rate Thomas Jefferson's plantation, Herbert Hoover's millions from mining or John F. Kennedy's share of the vast family fortune, as well as the finer points of factors like inflation adjustment.
But it's safe to say the Roosevelts had nothing on Romney, and the Bushes are nowhere close.
The former Massachusetts governor has disclosed only the broad outlines of his wealth, putting it somewhere from $190 million to $250 million. That easily could make him 50 times richer than Obama, who falls in the still-impressive-to-most-of-us range of $2.2 million to $7.5 million.
"I think it's almost hard to conceptualize what $250 million means," said Shamus Khan, a Columbia University sociologist who studies the wealthy. "People say Romney made $50,000 a day while not working last year. What do you do with all that money? I can't even imagine spending it. Well, maybe ..."
Of course, an unbelievable boatload of bucks is just one way to think of Romney's net worth, and the 44 U.S. presidents make up a pretty small pond for him to swim in. Put alongside America's 400 or so billionaires, Romney wouldn't make a ripple.
So here's a look where Romney's riches rank ? among the most flush Americans, the White House contenders, and the rest of us:
_Within the 1 percent:
"Romney is small potatoes compared with the ultra-wealthy," said Jeffrey Winters, a political scientist at Northwestern University who studies the nation's elites.
After all, even in the rarefied world of the top 1 percent, there's a big difference between life at the top and at the bottom.
A household needs to bring in roughly $400,000 per year to make the cut. Romney and his wife, Ann, have been making 50 times that ? more than $20 million a year. In 2009, only 8,274 federal tax filers had income above $10 million. Romney is solidly within that elite 0.006 percent of all U.S. taxpayers.
Congress is flush with millionaires. Only a few are in the Romney realm, including Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004. Kerry's ranking would climb much higher if the fortune of his wife, Teresa Heinz, were counted. She is the widow of Sen. John Heinz, heir to the Heinz ketchup fortune.
Further up the ladder, top hedge fund managers can pocket $1 billion or more in a single year.
At the top of the wealth pile sits Bill Gates, worth $59 billion, according to Forbes magazine's estimates.
_As a potential president:
Romney clearly stands out here. America's super rich generally don't jockey to live in the White House. A few have toyed with the idea, most notably New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom Forbes ranks as the 12th richest American, worth $19.5 billion. A lesser billionaire, Ross Perot, bankrolled his own third-party campaigns in 1992 and 1996.
Many presidents weren't particularly well-off, especially 19th century leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, James Buchanan and Ulysses S. Grant. Nor was the 33rd president, Harry Truman.
"These things ebb and flow," said sociologist Khan. "It's not the case that all presidents were always rich."
A few former chief executives died in debt, including Thomas Jefferson, ranked in a Forbes study as the third-wealthiest president.
Comparing the landlocked wealth of early Americans such as Washington, Jefferson and James Madison, with today's millionaires is tricky, even setting aside the lack of documentation and economic changes over two centuries.
Research by 24/7 Wall St., a news and analysis website, estimated Washington's wealth at the equivalent of $525 million in 2010 dollars.
Yet Washington had to borrow money to pay for his trip to New York for his inauguration in 1789, according to Dennis Pogue, vice president for preservation at Mount Vernon, Washington's Virginia estate. His money was tied up in land, reaping only a modest cash income after farm expenses.
"He was a wealthy guy, there's no doubt about it," Pogue said, and probably among the dozen richest Virginians of his time. But, "the wealthiest person in America then was nothing in comparison to what these folks are today."
_How does Romney stand next to a regular Joe?
He's roughly 1,800 times richer.
The typical U.S. household was worth $120,300 in 2007, according to the Census Bureau's most recent data, although that number is sure to have dropped since the recession. A typical family's income is $50,000.
Calculations from 24/7 Wall St. of the peak lifetime wealth (or peak so far) of Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama add up to a total $118 million ? while Romney reports assets of up to $250 million.
If you consider only those presidents' assets while in office, without millions earned later from speeches and books, their combined total would be substantially lower, and Romney's riches would leave the pack even further behind.
___
Online:
Forbes' richest presidents list: http://tinyurl.com/82erdyb
24/7 Wall St. on presidents' net worth: http://tinyurl.com/328qyu2
___
Associated Press writer Stephen Ohlemacher contributed to this report.
dick clark new years eve ball drop obscura chick fil a chick fil a brock lesnar vs alistair overeem times square new years eve
SUMO-snipping protein plays crucial role in T and B cell development
Saturday, January 28, 2012
When SUMO grips STAT5, a protein that activates genes, it blocks the healthy embryonic development of immune B cells and T cells unless its nemesis breaks the hold, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports today in Molecular Cell.
"This research extends the activity of SUMO and the Sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) to the field of immunology, in particular the early lymphoid development of T and B cells," said the study's senior author, Edward T. H. Yeh, M.D., professor and chair of MD Anderson's Department of Cardiology.
SUMO proteins, also known as the small ubiquitin-like modifiers or Sentrin, attach to other proteins in cells to modify their function or to move them within a cell. SENP1 is one of a family of six proteins that snips SUMO off of SUMO-modified proteins. SUMOylation (SUMO modification) of proteins has been implicated in development of cancer, heart and neurodegenerative diseases, among others.
The team first analyzed the role of SENP1 in the development of lymphoids in mice and found it is heavily expressed in precursor cells, the early stages of B and T cell development.
Working with genetically modified mice they developed that lack SENP1 gene expression, Yeh and colleagues found the mouse embryos had severe defects in their T and B cells, white blood cell lymphocytes that identify and fight infection.
SUMO pins STAT5 in the nucleus
Subsequent experiments led them to STAT5, a transcription factor known to play critical roles in the development and function of immune cells. Transcription factors work in the cell nucleus, activating gene expression by connecting to a gene's promoter region.
"STAT5 works in a cycle, moving from the cytosol of a cell into the nucleus to activate genes and then back out to the cytosol," Yeh said. "We found that when STAT5 is SUMOylated in the nucleus it gets trapped there when there's no SENP1 to remove SUMO."
The team found that SUMO muscles in on two other signaling events that govern STAT5 activity - phosphorylation and acetylation.
SUMO inhibits STAT5 signaling
STAT5 is activated in the cell cytosol when the JAK tyrosine kinase attaches a phosphate group at a specific site on the STAT5 protein. This transformed STAT5 crosses the nuclear membrane into the nucleus to transcribe genes.
The team found that SUMO attaches to STAT5 close to its phosphorylation site and that cells lacking SENP1 have increased SUMOylation and decreased phosphorylation.
SUMOylation vs. acetylation
In addition to phosphorylation, acetylation of STAT5 has been shown to be essential for STAT5 to cross the nuclear membrane into the nucleus to enhance gene transcription. Yeh and colleagues found that SUMO competes directly with acetyl groups for the same binding site, inhibiting acetylation.
"Without SENP1 to remove SUMO, STAT5 can't be acetylated or phosphorylated and can't be recycled for use again," Yeh said. "We discovered that SENP1 controls lymphoid development through regulation of SUMOylation of STAT5."
Since Yeh's lab discovered SUMOylation in 1996, SUMO has been found to alter the function of thousands of proteins.
Yeh is hosting the 6th International Conference SUMO, Ubiquitin, UBL Proteins: Implications for Human Diseases Feb. 8-11 in the Dan L. Duncan Building at MD Anderson. Yeh organizes the meeting every other year.
"There used to be so little known about SUMO. Now, a protein is assumed to be SUMOylated until proved otherwise," Yeh said.
###
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center: http://www.mdanderson.org
Thanks to University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
This press release has been viewed 108 time(s).
Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117155/SUMO_snipping_protein_plays_crucial_role_in_T_and_B_cell_development
olin kreutz au pair au pair trinidad trinidad jeff bezos slither
Saturday, January 28, 2012
James, Wade lead Heat over Knicks, 99-89
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) goes up for a dunk over New York Knicks' Bill Walker (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) goes up for a dunk over New York Knicks' Bill Walker (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat's Shane Battier (31) falls to the court as he passes the ball against New York Knicks' Steve Novak (16) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) goes up for a dunk in front of New York Knicks' Amare Stoudemire (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI (AP) ? LeBron James scored 31 points, Dwyane Wade scored 28 in his return from a sprained right ankle, and the Miami Heat beat the 3-point-obsessed New York Knicks 99-89 on Friday night.
Chris Bosh scored 13 points and James finished with eight rebounds and seven assists for Miami, which plays host to Chicago on Sunday in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference finals.
Bill Walker scored 21 points for New York, which took 43 shots from 3-point range, the most in the NBA this season and a total that had the Knicks flirting with Dallas' NBA record of 49 set in 1996. The Knicks connected on 18 from beyond the arc, Walker making seven of them.
Toney Douglas scored 16 points, Landry Fields had 14 and Amare Stoudemire finished with 12 for New York, which tried more 3's than 2-point shots (41).
Wade shot 11 for 19 from the field in his return, after missing six games with the ankle issue. The Heat were outscored 54-6 from 3-point range, but held the Knicks to 36 percent shooting and only 18 points in the final quarter.
New York played without Carmelo Anthony, who expects to miss at least two games while dealing with ankle, thumb and wrist problems. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said Anthony would not return before Tuesday, so barring a change of plans that would rule him out of New York's game at Houston on Saturday.
Wade and James went on a highlight display in the first quarter, setting each other up for dunks in the opening minutes and combining for five slams in Miami's first seven field goals. Wade showed no rust from his layoff, scoring eight points in the first nine minutes.
Miami went to the rim. The Knicks stayed outside ? way outside.
D'Antoni said before the game that the Knicks simply had to manufacture more offense, especially now that Anthony will be sidelined for at least the next few days.
Hence, the game plan ? shoot 3's, and shoot them in bunches.
Of New York's first 33 shots, 19 were from 3-point range. That's right: The Knicks had exactly two 2-pointers in the first 15-plus minutes. Over a stretch of nearly 6 minutes in the first half, the Knicks had 13 consecutive 3-point attempts, nothing inside the arc.
Desperate times, desperate measures, perhaps.
By halftime, the Knicks had tried 23 from long range ? the most in the NBA this season and the most ever in a first half against Miami.
Walker's season high had been 15 points. He got there early in the third quarter on Friday, part of a wild personal burst in which he scored nine points in 69 seconds to give the Knicks a 62-58 lead. He connected on three 3-pointers, banking in the last one from 27 feet, talking animatedly to no one in particular after each one.
The Knicks were so committed to the 3-pointer that on one possession midway through the second half, the 7-foot Chandler had the 6-foot-4 Wade posted up, and kicked the ball to Walker for a corner 3 anyway. A few moments later, Chandler had Wade alone in the post again, no one else within about 3 feet of them, and still didn't get the ball for what likely would have been an easy score or at least trip to the foul line.
By the time the Heat made their first 3-pointer of the night late in the third quarter, New York had made 14 ? a surreal 42-point discrepancy.
New York's plan nearly worked. In the end, the Knicks simply did not have an answer for Wade.
He missed in the lane with 7 minutes left, but tipped in his own rebound for a seven-point lead, Miami's largest of the night. About 2 minutes later, Bosh got the ball to James in transition as Wade called for a lob ? which James perfectly provided for a two-handed dunk and an 88-79 edge that left the Heat firmly in control.
Notes: Celebrities were everywhere, especially from the baseball world. Alex Rodriguez sat courtside with Heat CEO Nick Arison, while Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria and one of his former players Miguel Cabrera ? soon to be Detroit's third baseman ? chatted at halftime. Also in the crowd was former Knicks coach and current Florida International boss Isiah Thomas. ... Miami PG Norris Cole was bloodied after getting struck near his left eye in the first half. He returned to play. ... Knicks C Tyson Chandler was back in the building for the first time since helping Dallas win the NBA title in Miami in June. "Good memories and good vibes," said Chandler, who was staying in the same hotel and ate breakfast Friday in the same spot he did during the Mavs' run last season.
Associated Pressindiana jones and the last crusade nba lockout dramamine dramamine nba season iron bowl iron bowl
HBO places a bet on horseracing drama "Luck" (Reuters)
(Reuters) ? David Milch first visited a horse racing track when he was six years-old. Sixty years later he is bringing his passion for the behind-the-scenes world of jockeys, gamblers, horses and trainers to television with the HBO series "Luck".
Milch, 66, the creator of Emmy-winning TV western "Deadwood", says there is no better setting for storytelling than a horse track whether you are a racing fan or not.
"The racetrack is a place of incomparable beauty, and the animals and humans who inhabit it illustrate their best and worst possibilities," said Milch, who has owned a number of thoroughbreds himself.
"The racetrack's an awful lot like the circus. It's tremendous fun to see all these different kinds of creatures rubbing up against each other," he added.
"Luck", starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, comes to HBO on Sunday (January 29) after getting warm reviews when the cable channel ran a preview of the first episode, directed by Michael Mann, in December. The network hope to emulate the success it has had with other dramas including its "Boardwalk Empire."
Hoffman, in the first major TV role of his 40-year career, plays taciturn, mob-like Chester "Ace" Bernstein, who is just out of prison and bent on revenge with the help of a prized $2 million thoroughbred.
Nolte is a veteran trainer-turned-owner with a dark history, and the cast is rounded out by a quartet of grubby gamblers, trainers, young jockeys, veterinarians and dozens of horses.
Crowded with characters, and with multiple plots revealed at a leisurely pace, Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker called "Luck" a "beautiful hour of television to watch".
The Hollywood Reporter said "nothing on television has captured this life-style, which makes this series unique."
"Luck" was filmed largely on location at Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles, framed by mountains and Southern California's ubiquitous palm trees.
It's a place that Milch knows well.
"Because David has spent so much money over his lifetime at Santa Anita, the carpet was rolled out," Mann told TV reporters in January.
But Milch's obsession with racing began much earlier, when he was a child in upstate New York.
"My dad first took me to the track when I was five or six years-old and after that I would sneak out there on my own whenever I could. I would wear my dad's fedora hat and by the time I was eight I was reading the daily racing form," Milch said.
Finally writing a TV series about his world, he said, is "a privilege and it's an enormous responsibility."
(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/tv_nm/us_luck
free kindle books roasted potatoes turkey recipes turkey recipes happy holidays norad how to carve a turkey
Friday, January 27, 2012
Box Office Preview: 'Underworld' to bite again (AP)
LOS ANGELES ? Sony's "Underworld: Awakening" should be wide awake atop the domestic box office again this weekend, with a gross of around $12 million following last weekend's $25 million debut and continued dominance midweek.
Of course, the "Underworld" vampires will have to contend with newfound action star Liam Neeson as Open Road unleashes the R-rated Alaskan adventure "The Grey," which should wolf down from $10 million to $12 million in receipts.
Flying into its second weekend, Fox's World War II drama "Red Tails" from George Lucas will set its sights on a gross in the $10 million range.
Crowding those skies even more will be Sam Worthington as the "Man on a Ledge," a debuting crime thriller from Summit Entertainment that should also earn around $10 million.
With two Oscar nominations, including best picture, the 9/11 drama "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" from Warner Bros. enters its second weekend of wide release with solid momentum. But it will have to contend with the opening weekend of Lionsgate's Katherine Heigl comedy "One for the Money" for a spot in the top 5 and grosses in the $8 million to $10 million range.
Look for major Oscar nominees such as "The Descendants," "Hugo" and "The Artist" to get a bit of an "Oscar bounce" as their higher profiles and additional screens make them more of a "must see" this weekend.
___
Paul Dergarabedian is president of the Box Office Division of Hollywood.com and provides box office analysis for The Associated Press.
___
Online: http://www.Hollywood.com
ticket city bowl 2011 nfl playoff schedule cowboys vs giants ndaa dallas cowboys weight watchers timberwolves
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Candidates pay homage to Hispanic leaders, Rubio (AP)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ? The GOP presidential candidates say they'd involve a number of top Hispanic GOP office holders in their Cabinet ? and three say they're particularly impressed with Florida's Sen. Marco Rubio.
Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney all name-checked Rubio, the Florida senator elected in 2010. He is a tea party favorite and widely viewed as a potential vice presidential nominee.
Gingrich is implying he would look hard at Rubio as his vice presidential nominee. Santorum and Romney both mentioned Rubio as a top Hispanic leader.
The candidates also mentioned New Mexico Gov. Barbara Martinez and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval among other prominent Hispanic leaders.
Their responses came after a question on what Hispanic leaders they would involve in their Cabinet.
andy rooney dies andy rooney dies bank transfer day daylight savings 2011 day light savings day light savings us geological survey
Government Should Fire Federal Employees on IRS Delinquent Taxes Report (ContributorNetwork)
COMMENTARY | More than 98,000 civilian federal employees were delinquent on their 2010 taxes and owe more than $1 billion, according to Fox News. This report comes weeks after President Barack Obama announced he wanted to give federal employees a 0.5 percent raise, according to the Washington Post. How about we get our money from them first?
There is a bill sitting on calendar for the House of Representatives about firing federal employees who are seriously delinquent with their taxes. It was introduced by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah. I find it ironic how Congress has spent months debating about how money should be raised, saved and spent but have yet to take this bill off of the calendar and debate it. $1 billion is small when compared to the trillions which Congress has to deal with these days, but we all know how every dollar ads up.
As a political consultant, I see this bill gaining more momentum with the IRS results becoming public. While I understand how people face major economic issues from time to time, I believe federal employees need to be more responsible with their positions and with their taxes. How can the government come to the American taxpayer and ask for more money when a large portion of federal workers are not bearing their part of the burden?
Hopefully, this report will cause President Barack Obama to completely back off his idea of giving raises to federal employees right now. Instead, he should focus on pressuring these employees to become up to date with their payments so the rest of us should not have to pick up the extra charges. I believe Chaffetz's bill should move forward so we do not have to see IRS results like this in the future.
Sadly, President Obama will probably find a way to weasel out of holding federal employees responsible for their delinquent taxes. Why would he be hard on them when his go-to-guy Warren Buffet is in court trying to battle the IRS over millions in back taxes? He might even try to bail them out without a chance of ever getting the money back like he did with Solyndra. Only time will tell.
thurston moore the island the island mcdonalds beating dreamcatcher georgia tech big east expansion
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Stocks end lower on Greek talks worries, earnings
A trader rushes across the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. Wall Street is opening slightly higher. Traders are weighing signs that Germany, Europe's largest economy, could slide into a recession against reports that the International Monetary Fund could get more cash to help countries struggling with debts. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
A trader rushes across the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. Wall Street is opening slightly higher. Traders are weighing signs that Germany, Europe's largest economy, could slide into a recession against reports that the International Monetary Fund could get more cash to help countries struggling with debts. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks fell Tuesday on concerns that a deal to prevent a default by Greece might fall through.
A slew of U.S. corporate earnings Tuesday also did little to bolster investors' confidence.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 33 points at 12,676. It has risen or fallen less than 100 points in 13 trading sessions, the longest calm stretch since March and April of last year.
The Standard & Poor's 500 lost a point to close at 1,315. It's only the third time the S&P has ended lower this year ? all those declines have been less than 7 points. So far this year, it's up about 4.5 percent.
The Nasdaq added 2 points Tuesday to close at 2,787 after a day of wavering between small gains and losses. Tech stocks could be in for a strong day Wednesday after Apple Inc. reported sharply higher earnings after the market closed Tuesday, trouncing analysts' estimates.
Rising stocks slightly outnumbered falling ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume was lighter than average at 3.7 billion shares.
Treasury prices rose Tuesday from their lowest levels this year on uncertainty about whether Greece will reach a deal with its creditors. That drew money back into safer investments.
In Europe, Greece's stock market index fell 5.5 percent. Stocks fell less than 1 percent in Germany, France and Spain and ended slightly higher in Italy.
A deal between the Greek government and the banks that hold Greek national bonds is considered crucial to the stability of the European financial system. Investors fear that if Greece can't pay its debt, it could trigger a panic.
"There's a lot of apprehension about the unknowns," said Brian Gendreau, market strategist for El Segundo, Calif.-based Cetera Financial Group. "It's not what people think they know about Europe. It's what they worry they don't know."
Greece is trying to get its creditors to swap Greek government bonds for new ones that have half the face value. But agreeing on a new interest rate has been a stumbling block. Greece faces an important bond repayment deadline in March.
In U.S. news, a number of lower-than-expected earnings also added to investors' concerns.
Kimberly-Clark Corp., which makes Kleenex tissues, Huggies diapers and a number of other household goods, said rising costs pushed its net income down 19 percent in the fourth quarter. The stock fell 1.5 percent.
Chemical maker DuPont Co. said its fourth-quarter net income dipped as lower sales and higher costs overshadowed higher prices. The results still beat analysts' expectations and the stock was flat.
Coal producer Peabody Energy Corp. fell 2 percent after its forecast for the first quarter fell well short of expectations. The stock fell 4 percent.
Leading the pack of companies trading higher after reporting earnings, bag and accessories maker Coach Inc. gained 5.8 percent after quarterly net income rose almost 15 percent because of stronger holiday sales.
Among other stocks making large moves:
? Zions Bancorporation fell 7.5 percent, the most of any stock in the S&P 500, after the Salt Lake City bank reported income that fell far short of Wall Street's expectations. At least one analyst downgraded the stock.
? Hard disk drive maker Western Digital Corp. was one of the top gainers in the S&P after reporting that its results handily beat Wall Street's expectations. The stock jumped 6.3 percent.
Associated Presssweet caroline lottery winning numbers pro bowl roster quirky chrissy teigen chia seeds embers
Lessons in coral reef survival from deep time
Monday, January 23, 2012
Lessons from tens of millions of years ago are pointing to new ways to save and protect today's coral reefs and their myriad of beautiful and many-hued fishes at a time of huge change in the Earth's systems.
The complex relationship we see today between fishes and corals developed relatively recently in geological terms ? and is a major factor in shielding reef species from extinction, says Professor David Bellwood of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University.
"Our latest research provides strong evidence for a view that today's coral hotspots are both a refuge for old species and a cradle for new ones," said Peter Cowman, lead author of a recent report. "This is the first real inkling we've had that just protecting a large area of reef may not be enough ? you have to protect the right sorts of reef."
Early coral reefs, 300-400 million years ago were much simpler affairs than today's colourful and complex systems, Prof. Bellwood says. The fish were not specialised to live on or among corals ? either lacking jaws altogether, or else feeding on detritus on the seabed or preying on one another.
"By 200 million years ago we are starting to see fish with jaws capable of feeding on corals, but the real explosion in reef diversity doesn't occur till about 50 million years ago when we see fishes very like today's specialist coral feeders emerging."
It is the ever-increasing complexity of this relationship between corals and fishes over the last 20 or 30 million years that produces the wondrous diversity of today's reefs, he says. Each has become more critical to the survival of the other as their lives have become more interwoven.
"When people think of coral reefs, they usually think of the beautiful branching corals like staghorn (Acropora) ? well the evidence is now fairly clear that Acropora needs certain fish for it to flourish. But, it now appears that this may be a reciprocal relationship with Acropora being important for the evolution and survival of fishes on coral reefs. "
Unfortunately Acropora corals are highly vulnerable to external impacts like Crown-of-Thorns starfish, coral bleaching, climate change and ocean acidification. Their demise will have far reaching effects on the fishes which interact with them, such as damsels, butterfly fish, cardinals and wrasses.
"The study of the past tells us that reefs are all about relationships and, like a family, for them to survive those relationships need to remain strong," Peter Cowman said.
"In coming years it is probable reefs will be subject to relentless presses that may cause them to change fundamentally. Those with the best long-term prospects of survival will be the ones where the relationships between fish and corals are healthiest.
Both fish and corals managed somehow to survive the five great mass extinction events of the past, though they sustained massive loss of species. Over time these have left us with a world focus of reef biodiversity centered on the Coral Triangle region to Australia's north, which in turn helps recharge Australian coral reefs, especially in the west.
"The Coral Triangle is currently subject to intensifying human and ecosystem pressure. The latest work by Peter Cowman and Prof Bellwood suggests it is both a cradle for new species and a refuge in troubled times ? so it is vital that it remain intact.
"This isn't about saving individual species or particular reefs, it's about maintaining the basic relationships which ensure the survival of the whole," says Prof Bellwood.
"We've had a 'heads up' from the past that is giving us fresh insights into what is most important on reefs and why we must protect our precious reefs and fishes into the future."
###
Their paper "Coral reefs as drivers of cladogenesis: expanding coral reefs, cryptic extinction events, and the development of biodiversity hotspots" by Peter F. Cowman and David R. Bellwood was published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology 24: 2543-2562. DOI 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02391.x
ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies: http://www.coralcoe.org.au/
Thanks to ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
This press release has been viewed 70 time(s).
Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116938/Lessons_in_coral_reef_survival_from_deep_time
real steel real steel iphone 4 cases dean ornish dean ornish yom kippur yom kippur
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Marine faces 3 months in brig for Iraqi deaths (AP)
CAMP PENDLETON, California ? Military prosecutors worked for more than six years to bring Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich to trial on manslaughter charges that could have sent him away to prison for life.
But only weeks after the long-awaited trial started, they offered Wuterich a deal that stopped the proceedings and could mean little to no jail time for the squad leader who ordered his men to "shoot first, ask questions later," resulting in one of the Iraq War's worst attacks on civilians by U.S. troops.
The 31-year-old Marine, who was originally accused of unpremeditated murder, pleaded guilty Monday to negligent dereliction of duty for leading the squad that killed 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha in 2005 during raids after a roadside bomb exploded, killing a fellow Marine and wounding two others.
Wuterich, who was indicted in 19 of the 24 deaths, now faces no more than three months in confinement.
It was a stunning outcome for the last defendant in the case once compared with the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. The seven other Marines initially charged were exonerated or had their cases dropped.
Military judge Lt. Col. David Jones will hear arguments from both sides Tuesday at Camp Pendleton, Calif., before sentencing Wuterich.
Legal experts said the case was fraught with errors made by investigators and the prosecution that let it drag on for years. The prosecution was also hampered by squad mates who acknowledged they had lied to investigators initially and later testified in exchange for having their cases dropped, bringing into question their credibility.
In addition, Wuterich was seen as taking the fall for senior leaders and more seasoned combat veterans, analysts said. It was his first time in combat when he led the squad on Nov. 19, 2005.
Brian Rooney, an attorney for another former defendant, said cases like Haditha are difficult to prosecute because a military jury is unlikely to question decisions made in combat unless wrongdoing is clear-cut and egregious, like rape.
"If it's a gray area, fog-of-war, you can't put yourself in a Marine's situation where he's legitimately trying to do the best he can," said Rooney, who represented Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking Marine charged in the case. "When you're in a town like Haditha or Fallujah, you've got bad guys trying to kill you and trying to do it in very surreptitious ways. Marines understand it's a crazy environment. You've got to do the best you can with what you've got."
Marine Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Joseph Kloppel said the deal was not a reflection or in any way connected to how the prosecution felt its case was going in the trial.
The Haditha attack is considered among the war's defining moments, further tainting America's reputation when it was already at a low point after the release of photos of prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison.
It still fuels anger in Iraq today.
Kamil al-Dulaimi, a Sunni lawmaker from the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi, called the plea agreement proof that "Americans still deal with Iraqis without any respect."
"It's just another barbaric act of Americans against Iraqis," al-Dulaimi told The Associated Press. "They spill the blood of Iraqis and get this worthless sentence for the savage crime against innocent civilians."
Wuterich, the father of three children, had faced the possibility of life behind bars when he was charged with nine counts of manslaughter, which will be dropped. Besides now facing a maximum of three months in confinement, he could also lose two-thirds of his pay and see his rank demoted to private when he's sentenced.
.Wuterich, his family and his attorneys declined to comment Monday after he entered the plea. Prosecutors also declined to comment on the plea deal.
During the trial before a jury of combat Marines who served in Iraq, prosecutors argued he lost control after seeing the body of his friend blown apart by the bomb and led his men on a rampage in which they stormed two nearby homes, blasting their way in with gunfire and grenades. Among the dead was a man in a wheelchair.
In the deal, Wuterich acknowledged that his orders misled his men to believe they could shoot without hesitation and not follow the rules of engagement that required troops to positively identify their targets before they raided the homes.
He told the judge that caused "tragic events."
"I think we all understood what we were doing so I probably just should have said nothing," Wuterich told the judge.
He said his orders were based on the guidance of his platoon commander at the time, and that the squad did not take any gunfire during the 45-minute raid.
Many of his squad mates testified that they do not believe to this day that they did anything wrong because they feared insurgents were inside hiding.
Haditha prompted commanders to demand troops be more careful in distinguishing between civilians and combatants.
Former Navy officer David Glazier said the case shows such rules are essential to helping the United States prevail in an armed conflict.
"The reality is that this incident has had significant consequences for the U.S. in Iraq," said Glazier, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. "It probably fueled the resistance and so it probably ended up costing additional soldiers and Marines their lives later on."
___
Associated Press writers Barbara Surk and Mazin Yahya in Baghdad, Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Raquel Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
world series tickets world series tickets nelson cruz nelson cruz michael young bears bears
Your cellphone can now sing like Obama
By Rosa Golijan
barackobama.com
During a?campaign stop at the Apollo Theater in New York City last week,?President Obama surprised the audience by singing the opening lines of "Let's Stay Together,"?the classic tune by Rev. Al Green ??who was on site that evening. Now you can download Obama's rendition of the song as a ringtone for your cellphone.
Yes, you can now really hear the President sing "I'm so in love with you" every time your phone rings. All you have to do is head to the official Obama website and you'll find links to download the brief sound clip.
The ringtone appears to be a recording of Obama's Apollo performance ? audio of the audience cheering unfortunately distracts from the actual singing.
But?perhaps there's hope that someone will convince the President to record a new tune for those who want more. (And?based on a poll by TODAY.com, there are quite a few of those folks out there.)
After all, while Obama must've discussed his singing talents with members of his staff ? he points out that "they" didn't think he'd perform?? on the evening of his performance, many seemed unaware of just how gifted the President is.
Even White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer remarked that he didn't know that Obama could sing until the evening at the Apollo Theater,?says Reuters.
But now that the cat's out of the bag, someone's bound to use it as part of a campaign strategy.
Related stories:
Want more tech news, silly puns or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts, or circling her?on?Google+.
Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10217172-your-cellphone-can-now-sing-like-obama
missoni maker faire the hub the hub pat robertson evan rachel wood i don t know how she does it
Monday, January 23, 2012
Factbox: EU sanctions against Iran (Reuters)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? Here is an outline of EU sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. New sanctions were imposed Monday.
MONDAY'S STEPS
A ban on the transport, purchase and import into Europe of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products and related finance and insurance. Contracts already concluded can be executed until July 1 and the measures will be reviewed before May 1.
The sanctions also ban the export of key technology for the energy sector and new investment in Iranian petrochemical firms and joint ventures with these companies.
The EU also froze the assets of the Iran's central bank in the European Union and banned trade in gold, precious metals and diamonds with Iranian public bodies and the central bank.
In addition, the sanctions bar the sale to Iran of more "sensitive dual use" goods -- those that can have a military or security application -- and add three people to a list of those targeted by asset freezes and visa bans and freeze the assets of eight more entities.
Details of the sanctions will be published in the EU's Official Journal Tuesday.
EXISTING SANCTIONS
The EU has gradually imposed sanctions on Iran since 2007 as part of Western efforts to put pressure on Tehran over its nuclear work. Sanctions include those agreed by the United Nations and autonomous EU measures. Current EU sanctions include:
- Trade ban on arms and equipment that can be used for repression, and a ban on goods and technology related to nuclear enrichment or nuclear weapons systems, including nuclear materials and facilities, certain chemicals, electronics, sensors and lasers, navigation and avionics;
- Ban on investment by Iranian nationals and entities in uranium mining and production of nuclear material and technology within the EU;
- Ban on trade in dual-use goods and technology, for instance telecommunication systems and equipment; information security systems and equipment; nuclear technology and low-enriched uranium;
- Export ban on key equipment and technology for the oil and gas industries (i.e. exploration and production of oil and natural gas, refining and liquefaction of natural gas). Ban on financial and technical assistance for such transactions. This includes geophysical survey equipment, drilling and production platforms for crude oil and natural gas, equipment for shipping terminals of liquefied gas, petrol pumps and storage tanks;
- Ban on investment in the Iranian oil and gas industries (exploration and production of oil and gas, refining and liquefaction of natural gas). This means no credits, loans, new investment in and joint ventures with such companies in Iran;
- Ban on new medium- or long-term commitments by EU member states to financial support for trade with Iran. Restraint on short-term commitments;
- EU governments are banned from extending grants and concessional loans to the Iranian government. Provision of insurance and re-insurance to the Iranian government and Iranian entities (except health and travel insurance) is banned;
- EU financial institutions must report to national authorities any transactions with Iranian banks they suspect concern proliferation of financing; banks must notify transfers above 10,000 euros to national authorities and request prior authorization for transactions above 40,000 euros (with humanitarian exemptions);
- Iranian banks are banned from opening branches and creating joint ventures in the EU; EU financial institutions are banned from opening branches or bank accounts in Iran;
- Ban on the issuance of and trade in Iranian government or public bonds with the Iranian government, central bank and Iranian banks;
- EU governments must require their nationals to exercise vigilance over business with entities incorporated in Iran, including those of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines;
- National customs authorities must require prior information about all cargo to and from Iran. Such cargo can be inspected to ensure trade restrictions are respected;
- Cargo flights operated by Iranian carriers or coming from Iran may not have access to EU airports (except mixed passenger and cargo flights). No maintenance services to Iranian cargo aircraft or servicing to Iranian vessels may be provided if there are suspicions that they carry prohibited goods;
- Visa bans are imposed on persons designated by the UN or associated with or providing support for Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or for the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems, and on senior members of the IRGC; as of January 22, visa bans and asset freezes apply to 113 persons (41 designated by the UN and the rest by the EU);
- Asset freeze on 433 entities associated with Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities or the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems; and senior members and entities of IRGC and the IRISL (UN designations cover 75 entities); these entities include: companies in banking and insurance sectors, the nuclear technology industry and in the field of aviation, armament, electronics, shipping, chemical industry, metallurgy, the oil and gas industry, and branches and subsidiaries of IRGC and IRISL.
HUMAN RIGHTS
In addition to the nuclear track, the EU has imposed travel bans and asset freezes on 61 Iranians seen as responsible for human rights violations.
ECONOMIC RELATIONS
The EU had a free-trade agreement with Iran until 2005 and Tehran's refusal to cooperate with the IAEA on its nuclear work. Europe remains an important trade partner. Ninety percent of EU imports from Iran are either oil or oil-related products. In 2010, the EU imported 14.5 billion euros worth of goods from Iran and exported 11.3 billion euros of goods to it.
(Reporting by Justyna Pawlak and David Brunnstrom; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
mars rover mars rover trent richardson apple cup jewelry stores sleep no more cyber monday deals
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The biology of politics: Liberals roll with the good, conservatives confront the bad
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 23-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Mike Dodd
mdodd2@unl.edu
402-472-0547
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
New study brings to light physiological, cognitive differences of political left and right
From cable TV news pundits to red-meat speeches in Iowa and New Hampshire, our nation's deep political stereotypes are on full display: Conservatives paint self-indulgent liberals as insufferably absent on urgent national issues, while liberals say fear-mongering conservatives are fixated on exaggerated dangers to the country.
A new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln suggests there are biological truths to such broad brushstrokes.
In a series of experiments, researchers closely monitored physiological reactions and eye movements of study participants when shown combinations of both pleasant and unpleasant images. Conservatives reacted more strongly to, fixated more quickly on, and looked longer at the unpleasant images; liberals had stronger reactions to and looked longer at the pleasant images compared with conservatives.
"It's been said that conservatives and liberals don't see things in the same way," said Mike Dodd, UNL assistant professor of psychology and the study's lead author. "These findings make that clear quite literally."
To gauge participants' physiological responses, they were shown a series of images on a screen. Electrodes measured subtle skin conductance changes, which indicated an emotional response. The cognitive data, meanwhile, was gathered by outfitting participants with eyetracking equipment that captured even the most subtle of eye movements while combinations of unpleasant and pleasant photos appeared on the screen.
While liberals' gazes tended to fall upon the pleasant images, such as a beach ball or a bunny rabbit, conservatives clearly focused on the negative images of an open wound, a crashed car or a dirty toilet, for example.
Consistent with the idea that conservatives seem to respond more to negative stimuli while liberals respond more to positive stimuli, conservatives also exhibited a stronger physiological response to images of Democratic politicians presumed to be a negative to them than they did on pictures of well-known Republicans. Liberals, on the other hand, had a stronger physiological response to the Democrats presumed to be a positive stimulus to them than they did to images of the Republicans.
By studying both physiological and cognitive aspects, the researchers established unique new insights into the growing notion that political leanings are at least partial products of our biology, UNL political scientist and study co-author Kevin Smith said.
Recent research on the subject has focused mostly on physiological reactions to negative stimuli. The new study's use of cognitive data regarding both positive and negative imagery adds to the understanding of how liberals and conservatives see and experience the world, Smith said.
UNL political scientist and co-author John Hibbing said the results might mean that those on the right are more attuned and attentive to aversive elements in life and are more naturally inclined to confront them. From an evolutionary standpoint, that makes sense, he said.
The results also are consistent with conservatives' support of policies to protect society from perceived external threats (support for increased defense spending or opposition to immigration) and internal ones as well (support for traditional values and being tough on crime), Hibbing said.
The researchers were careful to not make a value judgment on either political orientation. But they did note that their discovery provided an opportunity to recognize the relevance of deeper biological variables in politics and turn down political polarization.
Rather than believing those with opposite political views are uninformed or willfully obtuse, the authors said, political tolerance could be enhanced if it was widely understood that political differences are based in part on our physiological and cognitive differences.
"When conservatives say that liberals are out of it and just don't get it, from this standpoint, that's true," Hibbing said. "And when liberals say 'What are (conservatives) so frightened of? Is the world really that dangerous?' Given what each side sees, what they pay attention to, what they physiologically experience the answer is both sides are right."
###
The study, funded in part by the National Science Foundation, is in a forthcoming edition of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B and was authored by Dodd, Hibbing and Smith, as well as UNL's Amanda Balzer, Carly Jacobs and Michael Gruszczynski.
[ | 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.
Public release date: 23-Jan-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Mike Dodd
mdodd2@unl.edu
402-472-0547
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
New study brings to light physiological, cognitive differences of political left and right
From cable TV news pundits to red-meat speeches in Iowa and New Hampshire, our nation's deep political stereotypes are on full display: Conservatives paint self-indulgent liberals as insufferably absent on urgent national issues, while liberals say fear-mongering conservatives are fixated on exaggerated dangers to the country.
A new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln suggests there are biological truths to such broad brushstrokes.
In a series of experiments, researchers closely monitored physiological reactions and eye movements of study participants when shown combinations of both pleasant and unpleasant images. Conservatives reacted more strongly to, fixated more quickly on, and looked longer at the unpleasant images; liberals had stronger reactions to and looked longer at the pleasant images compared with conservatives.
"It's been said that conservatives and liberals don't see things in the same way," said Mike Dodd, UNL assistant professor of psychology and the study's lead author. "These findings make that clear quite literally."
To gauge participants' physiological responses, they were shown a series of images on a screen. Electrodes measured subtle skin conductance changes, which indicated an emotional response. The cognitive data, meanwhile, was gathered by outfitting participants with eyetracking equipment that captured even the most subtle of eye movements while combinations of unpleasant and pleasant photos appeared on the screen.
While liberals' gazes tended to fall upon the pleasant images, such as a beach ball or a bunny rabbit, conservatives clearly focused on the negative images of an open wound, a crashed car or a dirty toilet, for example.
Consistent with the idea that conservatives seem to respond more to negative stimuli while liberals respond more to positive stimuli, conservatives also exhibited a stronger physiological response to images of Democratic politicians presumed to be a negative to them than they did on pictures of well-known Republicans. Liberals, on the other hand, had a stronger physiological response to the Democrats presumed to be a positive stimulus to them than they did to images of the Republicans.
By studying both physiological and cognitive aspects, the researchers established unique new insights into the growing notion that political leanings are at least partial products of our biology, UNL political scientist and study co-author Kevin Smith said.
Recent research on the subject has focused mostly on physiological reactions to negative stimuli. The new study's use of cognitive data regarding both positive and negative imagery adds to the understanding of how liberals and conservatives see and experience the world, Smith said.
UNL political scientist and co-author John Hibbing said the results might mean that those on the right are more attuned and attentive to aversive elements in life and are more naturally inclined to confront them. From an evolutionary standpoint, that makes sense, he said.
The results also are consistent with conservatives' support of policies to protect society from perceived external threats (support for increased defense spending or opposition to immigration) and internal ones as well (support for traditional values and being tough on crime), Hibbing said.
The researchers were careful to not make a value judgment on either political orientation. But they did note that their discovery provided an opportunity to recognize the relevance of deeper biological variables in politics and turn down political polarization.
Rather than believing those with opposite political views are uninformed or willfully obtuse, the authors said, political tolerance could be enhanced if it was widely understood that political differences are based in part on our physiological and cognitive differences.
"When conservatives say that liberals are out of it and just don't get it, from this standpoint, that's true," Hibbing said. "And when liberals say 'What are (conservatives) so frightened of? Is the world really that dangerous?' Given what each side sees, what they pay attention to, what they physiologically experience the answer is both sides are right."
###
The study, funded in part by the National Science Foundation, is in a forthcoming edition of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B and was authored by Dodd, Hibbing and Smith, as well as UNL's Amanda Balzer, Carly Jacobs and Michael Gruszczynski.
[ | 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.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/uon-tbo010412.php
frankincense cloudy with a chance of meatballs the hobbit movie orcl hanukkah gpa calculator menorah
Newly Fallen Meteorites Offer Fresh Look At Mars
Scientists have confirmed that rocks collected recently in the Moroccan desert came from the Red Planet. University of Alberta meteorite expert Chris Herd, who has acquired one of the chunks, talks about how scientists analyze space rocks, and whether organic compounds might be found inside.
Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/01/20/145525004/newly-fallen-meteorites-offer-fresh-look-at-mars?ft=1&f=1007
sherri shepherd sherri shepherd sean avery east river east river harry shum jr workaholics
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Deadly storm grips Northwest in ice, snow (AP)
SEATTLE ? A monster Pacific Northwest storm coated the Seattle area in a thick layer of ice Thursday and brought much of the state to a standstill, sending hundreds of cars spinning out of control, temporarily shutting down the airport and knocking down so many trees that members of the Washington State Patrol brought chain saws to work.
Oregon experienced torrential rain that swept away a car from a grocery store parking lot, killing a mother and her 1-year-old son. East of Seattle, a man was killed by a falling tree as he was backing an all-terrain vehicle out of a backyard shed, authorities said.
The snow, ice and heavy rains continued wreak havoc in the region a day after the system brought a huge snowfall to parts of Washington state. The storm also raised worries that flooding could become a broader concern in days to come.
"It's like a storm in slow motion that keeps happening again and again," said Puget Sound Energy spokesman Roger Thompson.
Amtrak suspended train service Thursday between Seattle and Portland, Ore. Officials in Spokane declared a snow emergency, banning parking along arterials and bus routes beginning Thursday evening. The City of Seattle asked people to get home before dark if possible, fearing even worse icing conditions by nightfall. And authorities told pedestrians to be extra careful on sidewalks and to look out for "falling ice from trees, buildings and power lines."
Freezing rain and ice pellets caused numerous accidents in the Seattle area, where drivers are mostly inexperienced with driving in snow or ice. The State Patrol said it had responded to about 2,300 accidents in a 24-hour period ending at 9 a.m. Thursday, roughly quadruple the average number.
The last widespread freezing rain in Seattle was in December 1996, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Michalski.
The weather service used the Emergency Alert System to break into Thursday morning broadcasts with an ice storm warning for the Seattle area and southwest Washington.
The state Transportation Department closed one highway because of falling trees that also took out power lines, and about 200,000 were without power in the greater Seattle area Thursday, while Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a state of emergency, authorizing the use of National Guard troops if necessary.
Ice closed Sea-Tac Airport completely in the early morning before one runway was reopened. Lines hundreds of people long snaked around nearly every ticket counter at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with many passengers on their cellphones as they tried furiously to rebook their flights. Reader boards showed the vast majority of flights canceled or delayed.
Cabbies struggled to get people from the airport and safely to their homes or hotels. Chris Van Dyk of Yellow Cab said "it's like servicing Dante's part of hell. It's an ice cube, it's just unreal."
Van Dyk said drivers tried to get people as close as they could to their destinations, but when they entered the side streets, they kept getting stuck.
Braving the icy Queen Anne hill in Seattle, commercial truck driver Darrin Sjostrand was loading his Toyota Prius to drive his wife to the airport.
"It was supposed to warm up," he said. "Ice is kind of the great equalizer. It doesn't matter if you have a four-wheel drive, you're going to slide."
Authorities also worried about flooding in the coming days as temperatures warm up. Rain was forecast throughout the weekend.
"It's a very dangerous situation," said Brad Colman, the meteorologist in charge of the weather service office in Seattle.
Oregon didn't receive the snowfall that Washington did but got plenty of rain. Rising water from heavy rains swept a car carrying four people into an overflowing creek in Albany on Wednesday night. Two people escaped, but one child's body was recovered early Thursday morning, and family members in the afternoon located his mother's body, authorities said.
"The water just got high so fast," said fire department spokeswoman Wanda Omdahl. "It's a big tragedy."
Witness Adam Chance said he arrived just after 7 p.m. in the parking lot of the grocery store and saw the trunk of the car submerge in swirling brown water. A few people standing on the banks waded in but were unable to contend with the violent current drawing water and debris into the mouth of the culvert.
"They got sucked into the pipe," Chance said. "(The culvert) was just sucking down like a straw."
Oregon State climatologist Kathie Dello said the Hawaiian "Pineapple Express" is responsible for the wet weather. The system is creating a fire hose-like effect, dumping a concentrated stream of Pacific moisture on a small area in the western Willamette Valley.
Another Willamette Valley town, Scio, contended with floodwaters and many residents were being evacuated as the city manager said water was pouring down Main Street.
Officials in the city of Turner have issued a voluntary evacuation order to residents, asking them to flee to higher ground as floodwaters from the rising Mill Creek swept through town.
To the west of Oregon's Coast Range, residents were being moved out of Mapleton, with a population of about 900.
Near Issaquah, Wash., a man in his 60s backing an all-terrain vehicle out of a shed was killed by a falling tree, King County sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West said.
Washington State University in Pullman was closed. The University of Washington also canceled Thursday classes at three campuses, including Seattle.
The storm caused hundreds of roadway accidents, but no fatalities. On the interstate north of Seattle, a Transportation Department worker responding to an accident was injured in crash. The 36-year-old man was taken to a Seattle hospital and listed in satisfactory condition. The Transportation Department closed state Route 18 near Issaquah because of falling trees.
"We want to make sure all the limbs that are going to come down, come down," said DOT spokeswoman Alice Fiman in Olympia.
Karina Shagren, a spokeswoman for Gregoire, said even though an emergency declaration has been issued, the National Guard has not been called up. Shagren said what sparked the proclamation was concern over truck drivers carrying dairy products not being able to drive more than 12 hours a day due to federal regulations.
Cleanup work at the Hanford nuclear reservation was called off for the day, and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory closed as well.
At a bus stop near the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard, Canadian transplant Jennifer Hastings waited for the downtown bus.
"I didn't buy snow tires. This is Seattle. We were like, `It doesn't snow here,'" said Hastings, who moved here last year.
___
Cooper reported from Albany, Ore. Associated Press writers Doug Esser, Ted Warren, Shannon Dininny, Rachel La Corte, Nigel Duara and Nicholas K. Geranios contributed to this report.
chanukah david archuleta david archuleta hobbit trailer greenhill nj plane crash plane crash new jersey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)