Monday, April 29, 2013

5 car bombs kill 36 in Shiite areas across Iraq

Civilians gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in the southern Shiite city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, April. 29, 2013. Five car bombs exploded Monday in predominantly Shiite cities and districts in central and southern Iraq, killing and wounding dozens of people, police said. (AP Photo)

Civilians gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in the southern Shiite city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, April. 29, 2013. Five car bombs exploded Monday in predominantly Shiite cities and districts in central and southern Iraq, killing and wounding dozens of people, police said. (AP Photo)

(AP) ? Five car bombs struck in predominantly Shiite cities and districts in central and southern Iraq on Monday, killing 36 people and wounding dozens in the latest wave of violence roiling the country, Iraqi officials said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Monday's blasts but coordinated bombings in civilian areas are a favorite strategy used by al-Qaida in Iraq.

Since last Tuesday and including the latest deaths, at least 218 people have been killed in attacks and battles between gunmen and security forces that began with clashes at a Sunni protest camp in northern Iraq.

The deadliest attack on Monday was in the southern city of Amarah, where two parked car bombs went off simultaneously in the early morning near a gathering of construction workers and a market, killing 18 people and wounding 42, the police said.

That attack was followed by another parked car bomb explosion near a restaurant in the city of Diwaniyah, which killed nine people and wounded 23. At least three cars were left charred and twisted from the blast outside a two-story building whose facade was damaged in the bombing. Shop owners and cleaners were brushing debris off the bloodstained pavement.

Amarah, some 320 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Baghdad and Diwaniyah, 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, are heavily Shiite and usually peaceful.

Hours later, yet another car bomb went off in the Shiite city of Karbala, killing three civilians and wounding 14, police said. Two early Islamic figures revered by Shiites are buried in the city, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad.

And in the otherwise predominantly Sunni town of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad, a car bomb ripped through a Shiite neighborhood killing six people and wounding 14, another police said.

Ibrahim Ali, a schoolteacher in Mahmoudiya, said he was with his students in the classroom when he heard a thunderous explosion.

"We asked the students to remain inside the classrooms because we were concerned with their safety," Ali said. "The students were panicking and some of them started to cry," added Ali. He described burnt bodies and cars on fire at the nearby blast site.

The school was closed for the rest of the day and frightened students were told to go home. "We have been expecting this violence against Shiites due to the rising sectarian tension in the country," added Ali, the schoolteacher.

Four medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Sectarian violence has spiked since Tuesday, when security forces tried to make arrests at a Sunni Muslim protest camp in the northern city of Hawija. The move set off a clash that killed 23 people, including three soldiers.

In a sign of mounting worries over the deteriorating security situation, Iraqi authorities on Monday decided to close the country's only border crossing with Jordan, beginning on Tuesday. A brief Interior Ministry statement didn't elaborate on the decision, saying only it is "related to the country's domestic affairs."

Iraq shut the same border crossing in January, not long after anti-government protests erupted, citing unspecified security concerns. The route from Jordan passes through the overwhelmingly Sunni cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, west of Baghdad, which have been hotbeds of Sunni anger at the government. A protest camp straddling the Jordan-Iraq highway in Ramadi is the center of the protest movement.

On Sunday, the government suspended the operating licenses of pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera and nine Iraqi TV channels after accusing them of escalating sectarian tensions in Iraq.

That move drew a strong criticism from some of the news outlets and a sharp rebuke from Human Rights Watch. Qatar-based Al-Jazeera said it was "astonished" by the move.

Apart from Al-Jazeera, the decision affected eight Sunni channels and a Shiite one. Al-Jazeera was founded with support from the tiny, energy-rich nation of Qatar, which is a leading backer of rebels fighting in neighboring Syria and is accused by many supporters of the Iraqi government of backing protests in Iraq too.

___

Associated Press writers Adam Schreck and Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-29-Iraq/id-f3bcc3d3da5d4e7cbe580743139d45e4

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Man stabs choir members during closing hymns at New Mexico church, police say

By Daniel Arkin, Staff Writer, NBC News

At least four people were stabbed at an Albuquerque, N.M., church when a man went on a rampage during?a Sunday?service?s closing hymns, police said.

Albuquerque Police Department officials say the unidentified suspect with a weapon leaped over pews and lunged at members of the choir just before noon on Sunday. He repeatedly stabbed choir members, according to police.

Police officers dispatched to St. Jude Thaddeus Parish discovered that several parishioners had?pinned the suspect to the floor, according to police spokesperson Tasia Martinez.

?The scene was chaotic when officers arrived and it was quickly ascertained that numerous parishioners essentially jumped on the male offender and held him down until officers arrived,? Martinez said.

Officials have the suspect in custody. Officials said they have determined that the assailant was not a parishioner at the church but have not determined a motive for the attack.

The four stabbing victims all sustained non-life threatening injuries and were being treated at local hospitals, according to authorities. Officials have not yet released the names of the victims.

Law enforcement officials and the Albuquerque Fire Department plan to release more information about the incident late Sunday.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b470653/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A40C280C179592420Eman0Estabs0Echoir0Emembers0Eduring0Eclosing0Ehymns0Eat0Enew0Emexico0Echurch0Epolice0Esay0Dlite/story01.htm

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Top Screenwriters For Buffy, Battlestar & More To Speak At MCM ...

Buffy The Vampire SLayer Featured Top Screenwriters For Buffy, Battlestar & More To Speak At MCM London Comic Con

The MCM London Comic-Con is all set to take place between 24th and 26th of May, and just announced are a number of legendary screenwriters appearing at the event. The writers include?Jane Espenson (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA), Ashley Miller (THOR, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS), Christian Taylor (SIX FEET UNDER, TEEN WOLF) and Remi Aubuchon (CAPRICA, FALLING SKIES), and if that doesn?t get your geek on then I don?t know what will.

MCM Comic-Con will also be home to appearances by celebrities from the world of all things geek, such as the director of COWBOY BEBOP and the stars of FALLING SKIES and TEEN WOLF. They?ll also be plenty of merchandise stalls and comics to peruse over, as well as experiencing some Asian culture and scoping out the latest video games.

Four top screenwriters will be among the guests at MCM London Comic Con, with Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica), Ashley Miller (Thor, X-Men: First Class), Christian Taylor (Six Feet Under, Teen Wolf) and Remi Aubuchon (Caprica, Falling Skies) hosting TV and film writing panels on Saturday and Sunday of the show.

Jane Espenson has written and produced for a host of acclaimed TV shows, with her credits including Joss Whedon?s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel and Dollhouse, as well as Games Of Thrones; Battlestar Galactica; Once Upon a Time; Torchwood; Caprica; The O.C., Gilmore Girls and The Batman. She is also co-creator of Warehouse 13.

As well as working on movies such as Thor, X-Men: First Class and Agent Cody Banks, screenwriter and producer Ashley Miller has written for popular sci-fi shows including Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Andromeda and Fringe. Miller?s upcoming feature film projects include Top Gun 2 and The Fantastic Four.

London-born Christian Taylor?s television credits include Teen Wolf, Lost, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and critically-acclaimed black comedy Six Feet Under. Taylor also wrote and directed Showboy, which won Best Directorial Debut at the British Independent Film Awards and Best Picture at the Milan International Film Festival.

Remi Aubuchon is currently working as writer and executive producer on Steven Spielberg sci-fi series Falling Skies. Aubuchon is also well known as co-creator of the Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica, executive producer and writer for the second season of 24 and writer for the second season of Stargate Universe.

Source: MCM London Comic-Con


Source: http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/2013/04/25/top-screenwriters-for-buffy-battlestar-more-to-speak-at-mcm-london-comic-con/

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Woman's Stolen Wallet: Found 23 Years Later!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/womans-stolen-wallet-found-23-years-later/

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Samsung to block access to app store in Iran

Potential customers try out Samsung mobile phones in a store in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 25, 2013. Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications are saying they have been notified that their access to the company's online store will be denied from May 22. Samsung said it cannot provide access to the store in Iran because of "legal barriers." (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Potential customers try out Samsung mobile phones in a store in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 25, 2013. Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications are saying they have been notified that their access to the company's online store will be denied from May 22. Samsung said it cannot provide access to the store in Iran because of "legal barriers." (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Potential customers try out Samsung cell phones in a store in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 25, 2013. Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications are saying they have been notified that their access to the company's online store will be denied from May 22. In the message, Samsung said it cannot provide access to the store in Iran because of "legal barriers." (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Potential customers try out Samsung mobile phone and tablet computer, in a store, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 25, 2013. Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications are saying they have been notified that their access to the company's online store will be denied from May 22. Samsung said it cannot provide access to the store in Iran because of "legal barriers." (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A potential customer tries out a Samsung mobile phone in a store in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 25, 2013. Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications are saying they have been notified that their access to the company's online store will be denied from May 22. In the message, Samsung said it cannot provide access to the store in Iran because of "legal barriers." (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

(AP) ? Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications said Thursday that the company had notified them that they will no longer have access to the company's online store as of May 22.

The move is seen as part of international sanctions on the country over its disputed nuclear program. The West has imposed banking and insurance sanctions on Iran since it suspects Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.

At a Tehran shopping mall, owners of mobile phones and tablets said Thursday that they had received the message via email from the company late the night before. Retailers said they had no power over the decision.

"We have heard about it, but we are only responsible for hardware here, not software and apps," shopkeeper Bijan Ashtiani said.

In the message, Samsung said that it cannot provide access to the store, known as Samsung Apps, in Iran because of "legal barriers." It apologized to customers in emailed statement seen by the Associated Press on Thursday.

Samsung's offices in Tehran could not be immediately reached for comment due to the weekend there, and its headquarters in South Korea did not immediately respond to a request.

The decision quickly provoked ire on social media.

"Samsung is to stop its apps in Iran, oh how we appreciate our officials," wrote Bahareh, a Twitter user blaming Tehran's policy. Another, named Armin, pointed at the technology giant itself, saying: "Now, Samsung's sanctions honor us as well!"

Samsung spokesman Chris Jung in Seoul declined to comment.

Unlike Apple, Microsoft and Adobe, Samsung has provided localized services to Iranians in their native Persian language. In 2012, Finnish communications giant Nokia stopped its services in the country.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-04-26-ML-Iran-Samsung/id-85a214c98e954ee18ae743182a59dd63

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Kate Middleton Blue Dress: Could She Be Any Cuter?

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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Dogma among researchers exaggerates threat of resistance to best anti-malarial drugs, says malaria expert

Apr. 23, 2013 ? Exaggeration over the extent of the malaria parasite's resistance to the 'wonder drugs' artemisinins could jeopardise the fight against the disease, according to a leading expert.

In an opinion article published on World Malaria Day today (25 April 2013) -- online in the journal Trends in Parasitology, Professor Sanjeev Krishna of St George's, University of London argues that much of the evidence of the malaria parasite's resistance to artemisinin has been misinterpreted. He says this has led to the extent of artemisinin resistance being overstated, and that fears of its demise as an effective treatment are premature.

The artemisinin class of drugs are the best anti-malarial treatments available, and are used most effectively with other drugs as artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). Recent research has suggested that the malaria parasite is developing resistance to ACTs, particularly in Southeast Asia. Experts fear that if artemisinins became obsolete -- as previous anti-malarials have -- the effect could be devastating, as there are currently no other effective alternatives.

However, Professor Krishna argues that -- despite being accepted as dogma by the malaria research community -- most of the descriptions of artemisinin resistance do not meet the criteria by which resistance to other anti-malarials and drugs for other diseases have been measured.

For true resistance to exist, according to criteria used for other drugs, there needs to be: a significant failure in treatment (by not meeting the World Health Organization's target of a 95 per cent cure rate 28 days after treatment); a reduced sensitivity to the drug when the parasite is examined in the lab; and a visible delay in ridding the patient of parasites.

Currently, Professor Krishna says, it seems to be accepted that artemisinin treatment failure has occurred when a three-day course of ACT does not meet the target cure rate. This has been observed in a number of studies and has been used to try and understand 'artemisinin resistance.'

But other studies of seven-day courses of artemisinin monotherapies -- in which artemisinins are used alone, without partner drugs -- have shown up to 100 per cent cure rates after 28 days.

This, Professor Krishna, says, indicates proof of resistance to ACTs, but that there is no compelling evidence that artemisinins themselves are becoming less effective. He says this resistance will usually "be to a combination of an artemisinin with another drug against which there is usually a high background of resistance already."

"Contending that there is artemisinin resistance when cure of patients relies on the partner drug of an artemisinin is difficult to substantiate without additional studies," writes Professor Krishna. "It is more appropriate to describe the lack of observed efficacy as resistance to an artemisinin combination therapy rather than as being artemisinin resistance."

He adds that "crying wolf" and raising fears of artemisinin resistance when it is not yet proven "will itself have significant costs, so that when the wolf finally turns up, exhausted villagers no longer respond."

To ensure better understanding of when true artemisinin resistance occurs, and to learn how to fight it, Professor Krishna says there needs to be further research into the how the drugs work against the parasite. He also urges the development of molecular markers to predict the failure of the partner drugs used in ACTs, as well as further studies on artemisinin monotherapies.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of St George's London, via AlphaGalileo.

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


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/h0Kk4iRgEvc/130424222422.htm

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Thinx upgrades the video monitor with embedded LTE and SMS alerts; ships in Q3 for around $500

Thinx upgrades the video monitor with embedded LTE and SMS alerts ships soon for around $500

As part of our tour through Verizon's Waltham, Mass.-based Innovation Center this week, we were able to see a brief demo of the Thinx 4G LTE video monitor -- a product that was briefly teased at CES, but we've heard precious little about since. Essentially, this is a rather sophisticated 1080p video monitor, designed for small businesses that would prefer that their monitors do more than just capture reels of archived footage. Thinx's solution throws in an admin panel and a smartphone app; users can install the camera and then define hot zones for the sensor to keep tabs on. If and when a specific event occurs (e.g. 50 individuals cross a virtual line), owners can be alerted via SMS -- and, of course, they can then view only the footage pertaining to said event with merely a click.

Those apps (available for iOS and Android) will allow owners to look in live at any time, with recorded video automatically stored on the included 4GB SD card, a personal NAS or a cloud storage facility like Dropbox. Better still, the control panel supports multiple cameras for those trying to cast eyes over an entire office complex, and there's room for a 12V battery that'll keep it humming along "for a few hours" should the power cut out. Tom Thomasson, vice president of marketing at Thinx, told us that the product is slated to go on sale in the US during the third quarter of this year, and it's one of "over 30" new products that Verizon will help launch during the 2013 / 2014 time frame.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/24/thinx-video-monitor-embedded-lte-sms-alerts/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Hackers compromise AP Twitter account

(AP) ? Hackers compromised Twitter accounts of The Associated Press on Tuesday, sending out a false tweet about an attack at the White House.

The false tweet said there had been two explosions at the White House and that President Barack Obama was injured. The attack on AP's Twitter account and the AP Mobile Twitter account was preceded by phishing attempts on AP's corporate network.

The AP confirmed that its Twitter account had been suspended following a hack and said it was working to correct the issue. The fake tweet went out shortly after 1 p.m. and briefly sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average sharply lower.

AP spokesman Paul Colford said the news cooperative is working with Twitter to investigate the issue. The AP has disabled its other Twitter accounts following the attack, Colford added. At no time was the AP news wire compromised.

Asked about the incident at a press briefing, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the President is fine.

"I was just with him," Carney said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-23-AP%20Twitter%20Hacked/id-da1c5bc1e5194d78ba930a6600ab475d

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Important fertility mechanism discovered

Apr. 24, 2013 ? Scientists in Mainz and Aachen have discovered a new mechanism that controls egg cell fertility and that might have future therapeutic potential. It was revealed by Professor Dr. Walter St?cker of the Institute of Zoology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) that the blood protein fetuin-B plays an important and previously unknown role in the fertilization of oocytes. Fetuin-B, first identified in the year 2000, is formed in the liver and secreted into the blood stream. During a joint research project with researchers at RWTH Aachen University headed by Professor Dr. Willi Jahnen-Dechent of the Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, it was discovered that fetuin-B contributes to egg cell fertility by regulating the hardening of the protective zona pellucida of oocytes.

The findings have recently been published in the scientific journal Developmental Cell.

The scientists at Aachen discovered that female mice lacking fetuin-B were infertile even though their ovaries developed normally. But fertility was restored when their ovaries were transplanted in wild-type mice with normal fetuin-B production. "This demonstrates that it was not the ovaries themselves but the plasma protein fetuin-B that determined whether the mice were fertile or not," explained St?cker.

The role played by the plasma protein fetuin-B was decoded in cooperation with the team in Aachen. The mechanism appears to operate as follows: The oocytes of humans and other mammals are surrounded by a protective envelope called the zona pellucida. This envelope hardens immediately after the successful fertilization of the egg cell by a sperm, which means that subsequent sperm are unable to penetrate the ovum, thus preventing multiple fertilization (polyspermy). Polyspermy results in the death of the embryo in many mammals. The hardening of the zona pellucida is triggered by the proteolytic enzyme ovastacin, the function of which St?cker's team in Mainz has been investigating. The protease ovastacin is stored in vesicles within the egg cell and when the first sperm penetrates the ovum, the protease is explosively discharged into the gap between the egg cell and the zona pellucida in what is known as the cortical reaction.

However, small amounts of ovastacin continually seep from unfertilized egg cells and this would cause the zona to harden before the first sperm can penetrate. "It is the role of fetuin-B to ensure that these constantly escaping small quantities of ovastacin are inactivated so that oocytes can be fertilized," St?cker added. "However, once a sperm has penetrated an egg cell, the cortical reaction will be unleashed and the amount of ovastacin will overwhelm the inhibition capacity of fetuin-B and initiate the hardening process."

This is the first time that it has been shown that premature hardening of the zona pellucida can be a cause of infertility. It is thus possible that this could represent the basis for the development of future forms of infertility treatment.

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Journal Reference:

  1. Eileen Dietzel, Jennifer Wessling, Julia Floehr, Cora Sch?fer, Silke Ensslen, Bernd Denecke, Benjamin R?sing, Joseph Neulen, Thomas Veitinger, Marc Spehr, Tanja Tropartz, Ren? Tolba, Thomas Renn?, Angela Egert, Hubert Schorle, Yuliya Gottenbusch, Andr? Hildebrand, Irene Yiallouros, Walter St?cker, Ralf Weiskirchen, Willi Jahnen-Dechent. Fetuin-B, a Liver-Derived Plasma Protein Is Essential for Fertilization. Developmental Cell, 2013; 25 (1): 106 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2013.03.001

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/most_popular/~3/w16dNHOPhPk/130424102938.htm

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Sean Lowe Falters on Dancing With the Stars, Catherine Giudici Boos Judges

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Ricin Investigation: Authorities Continue Probe Of Poisoned Letters After Charges Dropped Against First Suspect (VIDEO)

TUPELO, Miss. ? Charges of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and others were dropped Tuesday against an Elvis impersonator from Mississippi who has said since his arrest last week that he had nothing to do with the case.

Meanwhile, in Tupelo, numerous law enforcement officers converged on the home of another Mississippi man, Everett Dutschke, including some in hazmat suits. No charges have been filed against him and he hasn't been arrested. Both men say they have no idea how to make the poisonous ricin and had nothing to do with sending them to Obama, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and a state judge.

Referring to officials' questions for him about the case, "I thought they said rice and I said I don't even eat rice," 45-year-old Paul Kevin Curtis said after he was released from custody Tuesday afternoon. "I respect President Obama. I love my country and would never do anything to pose a threat to him or any other U.S. official."

A one-sentence document filed by federal prosecutors said charges against Curtis were dropped, but left open the possibility they could be re-instated if authorities found more to prove their case. Prosecutors were not immediately available for comment.

The dismissal is the latest twist in a case that rattled the country already on edge over the Boston Marathon bombing last week.

Curtis was well-known to Wicker because he had written to the Republican and other officials about black-market body parts he claimed to have found while working at a hospital ? a claim the hospital says is untrue. Curtis also wrote a book called "Missing Pieces" about his claims and posted similar language on his Facebook page and elsewhere. The documents indicate Curtis had been distrustful of the government for years.

He told The Associated Press Tuesday that he realizes his writings made him an easy target.

"God will get the glory from here on out. It's nothing about me. It's nothing about my book. It's nothing about the hospital. After 13 years of losing everything I have turned it over to God. After all these years God was the missing piece," Curtis said.

The two men the FBI are investigating are not strangers. Dutschke said the two had a falling out and that the last contact they had was in 2010. Dutschke said he threatened to sue Curtis for saying he was a member of Mensa, a group for people with high IQs.

Since his arrest at his Corinth home on April 17, attorneys for Curtis say their client didn't do it and suggested he was framed. An FBI agent testified in court this week that no evidence of ricin was found in searches of his home.

Dutschke (DUHST'-kee) said in a phone interview with the AP that the FBI was at his home for the search connected to the mailings. Dutschke said his house was also searched last week.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Dutschke said just before 7 p.m. CDT, as investigators continued to comb his house.

Curtis attorney Hal Neilson said the defense gave authorities a list of people who may have had a reason to hurt Curtis.

"Dutschke came up," he said. "They (prosecutors) took it and ran with it. I could not tell you if he's the man or he's not the man, but there was something there they wanted to look into."

An FBI intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said the two letters to Obama and Wicker said: "To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance." Both were signed, "I am KC and I approve this message."

Multiple online posts on various websites that could be seen by anyone under the name Kevin Curtis refer to the conspiracy he claimed to uncover when working at a local hospital from 1998 to 2000. In one post, Curtis said he sent letters to Wicker and other politicians. He signed off: "This is Kevin Curtis & I approve this message."

Curtis attorney Christi McCoy said she doesn't know what new information prosecutors have and that the plot to frame her client was "very, very diabolical."

Curtis, dressed in a black suit, red shirt, necktie and sunglasses, said he met Dutschke in 2005 but for some reason Dutschke "hated" and "stalked" him. "To this day I have no clue of why he hates me."

Dutschke has maintained his innocence and says he doesn't know anything about the ingredients for ricin. Ricin is derived from the castor plant that makes castor oil. There is no antidote and it is at its deadliest when inhaled. It can be aerosolized, released into the air and inhaled. The Homeland Security handbook says the amount of ricin that fits on the head of a pin is enough to kill an adult if properly prepared.

Dutschke said agents asked him about Curtis, whether Dutschke would take a lie detector test and if he had ever bought castor beans, which can be used to make the potent poison.

"I'm a patriotic American. I don't have any grudges against anybody. I did not send the letters," said Dutschke, who was a Republican candidate for the Mississippi House of Representatives in 2007 but lost.

After charges were dropped against Curtis, he said: "I'm a little shocked."

Dutschke said his attorney wasn't with him and he didn't know whether he was going to be arrested.

Tuesday's events began when the third day of a preliminary and detention hearing was cancelled without officials explaining the change. Within two hours, Curtis had been released, though it wasn't clear why at first.

FBI Agent Brandon Grant said in court on Monday that searches last week of Curtis' vehicle and house in Corinth, found no ricin, ingredients for the poison, or devices used to make it. A search of Curtis' computers found no evidence he researched making ricin. Authorities produced no other physical evidence at the hearings tying Curtis to the letters.

All the envelopes and stamps were self-adhesive, Grant said Monday, meaning they won't yield DNA evidence. One fingerprint was found on the letter sent to a Lee County judge, but the FBI doesn't know who it belongs to, Grant said.

The experience, Curtis said, has been a nightmare for his family. He has four children ? ages, 8, 16, 18 and 20. It also has made him reflect deeply on his life.

"I've become closer to God through all this, closer with my children and I've even had some strained relationships with some family and cousins and this has brought us closer as a family," he said.

___

Wagster Pettus reported from Jackson. Associated Press writers Holbrook Mohr in Oxford, Jack Elliott in Jackson and Pete Yost in Washington contributed to this report.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/ricin-investigation_n_3143854.html

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Researchers discover new explanation for diabetes and poor growth

Apr. 23, 2013 ? A group of researchers from the University of Copenhagen has taken a significant step towards understanding the reasons for both diabetes and growth hormone deficiency. Their new discoveries centre on the body's ability to regulate certain hormones, and their findings have just been published in the scientific journal PLOS Biology.

Some people suffering from diabetes or affected by poor growth most likely have problems with the so-called PICK1 protein, a protein that plays a decisive role in the formation of both growth hormone and insulin in the human body.

"We have studied the role played by PICK1 when growth hormone is released by the brain and insulin by the pancreas. Our experiments show that PICK1 deficiency leads to growth hormone and insulin deficiency in both fruit flies and mice. In mice, we can clearly see that the animals become small and fat and less tolerant to sugar when deficient in PICK1. We have reason to believe that the same is true for humans," says Professor Ulrik Gether from the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, who has made the new discoveries together with his research colleagues Ole Kj?rulff, Birgitte Holst and Kenneth Madsen.

"Different cells produce different kinds of hormones, and store the hormones for secretion into the bloodstream when required. Up until now, this has been a poorly understood mechanism which, among other things, plays a key role in the development of diabetes and poor growth. However, given what we now know about the PICK1 protein, we are in a position to say far more about what might have gone wrong when someone is suffering from the two diseases," says Professor Birgitte Holst, explaining that the group wishes to continue looking at whether changes in the PICK1 protein can lead to some people being short, overweight, and diabetic.

Advanced transport system

Hormones are chemicals that regulate the body's functions via the blood in an ingenious transport system. In the so-called Golgi complex -- an organelle made up of four to eight flat discs or cisternae arranged in a stack -- traffic is bustling with proteins and hormones being modified, sorted and packaged so they can be sent out to destinations both within and outside the cells. These proteins and hormones include insulin and growth hormone. The proteins and hormones are packed into small transport particles called vesicles, and they remain there until the cells receive a signal to send the hormones off. The molecular dynamics that has been mapped through identifying PICK1 has shown itself to be a critical component in relation to diabetes and poor growth.

"The process is comparable to a factory where Lego bricks are packed. If the boxes are not packed properly and cannot be sent out at the right time to the right recipient, it causes problems. In this case with growth hormone and insulin," says Birgitte Holst.

From fruit flies to humans

Ole Kj?rulff and his employees started by looking at PICK1 in fruit flies' brains, and then brought in Birgitte Holst, Ulrik Gether and Kenneth Madsen, who all possess expertise within this field of research. Birgitte Holst has looked at how PICK1 deficiency in mice affects their body weight and metabolism, while Ulrik Gether and Kenneth Madsen have been responsible for aspects to do with cell biology.

"PICK1 is part of the basic cellular process which is vital for fruit flies, mice and probably also humans being able to form and store important hormones such as insulin and growth hormone. We don't yet know exactly what our discoveries mean for the development of diabetes and poor growth in humans, but hopefully our new knowledge will lead to better prevention and treatment in the future," says Ulrik Gether.

Background information on hormones

The hormonal system regulates many bodily functions, including the metabolism. Special glands (endocrine glands) secrete hormones directly into the blood. Hormones are signaling molecules , and they are quickly carried by the blood to the target organs, whose function they regulate.

The hormones are recognised by receptors (receptor molecules) on the target organ cells. In just the same way that a key fits a lock, a particular hormone precisely matches its receptor. The receptor therefore only recognises 'its own' hormone and not other kinds of hormones. Hormone binding stimulates the receptor, triggering biochemical processes in the cell. Which processes are triggered depends on which receptor is activated. For example, the endocrine glands in the pancreas secrete insulin after a meal. Insulin binds to receptors on muscles, fat tissue and the liver, thereby increasing the ability of these target organs to absorb and deposit sugar. Another hormone is growth hormone, which is secreted by the pituitary gland. Growth hormone stimulates the growth of a wide range of organs.

Background information on the endocrine cell -- a hormone factory

Hormones such as insulin and growth hormone are formed in special glands, insulin in a special part of the pancreas (the islets of Langerhans) and growth hormone in the pituitary gland, which is the size of a pea and sits at the base of the brain. Each gland contains thousands of endocrine cells, which each represent a small hormone-producing factory. Insulin and growth hormone are peptide hormones which are formed in the cell's rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). Subsequently, the peptide hormones are transported to the Golgi complex, which acts as a kind of packaging and refinement factory. Small hormone-filled discs -- secretory vesicles -- bud off from the Golgi complex, after which a large store of hormone builds up in the cell, ready to be released into the bloodstream when the body needs the hormone.

Until now, very little has been known about how the vesicles are formed, and how the cell builds up its hormone stores. The new research findings suggest that the PICK1 protein is crucial to the actual vesicle formation by being able to form the vesicles and provoke their budding-off from the Golgi complex, thereby ensuring sufficient storage capacity of the hormones.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Copenhagen.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Birgitte Holst, Kenneth L. Madsen, Anna M. Jansen, Chunyu Jin, Mattias Rickhag, Viktor K. Lund, Morten Jensen, Vikram Bhatia, Gunnar S?rensen, Andreas N. Madsen, Zhichao Xue, Siri K. M?ller, David Woldbye, Klaus Qvortrup, Richard Huganir, Dimitrios Stamou, Ole Kj?rulff, Ulrik Gether. PICK1 Deficiency Impairs Secretory Vesicle Biogenesis and Leads to Growth Retardation and Decreased Glucose Tolerance. PLOS Biology, 23 Apr 2013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001542

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/qFlLoD6pJog/130423172714.htm

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Current Trends In The Bed And Breakfast Guest Houses

Las Vegas is famous for travel discounts and promotions. So much so that you should never pay full price, especially as it applies to Grand Canyon helicopter tours. How to get the best deals on these flights? On the Internet, of course.

Garden Retreat. The Olde Buffalo Inn Bed & Breakfast is an 1840 former Amish home with modern amenities. This friendly, eclectically homey inn, also features a 10,000 square foot banked barn. The entire property is surrounded by classic white picket fencing, winding gardens, and has a terrific view of the neighboring McCormick Creek Golf Course. A hearty breakfast, evening snacks, and basement game room with 1950s jukebox are just some of the inn's special touches.

You seldom come across such well defined Hotels in terms of luxury provided. The class of hotels matches that of the world's most reputed ones. When you go out to search for the accommodation of your need, you hardly need to put any effort. Every city, be it the capital Bucharest or any other, features one or many luxury hotels at every few strides of yours. Discussion on the luxury hotels always includes all the 5 star hotels in the country that make a perfect bunch of luxurious accommodations. Luxury spa resorts in the country features deluxe accommodation with a truly peaceful luxury vacation.

That's why about three-quarters of the residences in Idyllwild remain vacant most of the time. It's a city of vacation cabins - most now going for more than $300,000 - and at any given time there are only a few of them being used. Only about 2,000 hearty souls choose to reside on "The Hill" as Idyllwild has become known over the years even though as many as 50,000 visitors on a weekend day can make it tough to find a parking spot anywhere close to downtown Idyllwild. Yet no one seems deterred - people flock to Idyllwild because it's so close and yet so different.

For many of us, Thanksgiving drums up visions of turkey, cranberry, pumpkin pie and well, football. But for runners, Thanksgiving is all about the turkey trot.

Along with architecture, a country setting adds flavor to a Bed and Breakfast stay. Typical of country settings are vast green lawns and verdant gardens. In addition, rolling hills and splendid valleys enhance an inn's character.

Honeymooners are looking for more adventure on their vacations these days. Because of this adventurous appetite and the desire to do something different from what everyone else has done, some of the best honeymoon vacations are in the places you would least expect it. As you begin the process of deciding where to spend your first vacation as husband and wife, take a look at what some of the best honeymoon vacations are for the traditionally minded and the old world romantics.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a popular city to visit during any season. What used to be a prime place to travel for work related purposes has become increasingly more popular for those who are simply looking for a fun place to visit for their pleasure. There are many different and unique hotels that that you may opt to stay in while traveling to Pittsburgh. From the city center to the countryside just minutes away or University of Pittsburgh accommodations conveniently located near the college, there are lodging choices aimed towards all visitors. Families, couples and singles alike are sure to find the right accommodations to fit their style and budget.

There's a definite personality to buildings constructed during the 1800s. Galena lodging from this time represents a link to the past. It certainly can stimulate conversation and research into a city's history.

About the Author:
Greetings! I am Larita Langhorne. To read books is the hobby I will never stop doing. I work as a meter reader and it's something I really enjoy. Wisconsin is where our house is but I will have to move in a year or two. I'm not good at webdesign but you might want to check my website: England Bed and Breakfast

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Current-Trends-In-The-Bed-And-Breakfast-Guest-Houses/4561362

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Monday, April 22, 2013

Seven Cherubs: 5 Large Family Blogs

Every month I am going to share with you 5 awesome large family blogs that inspire me as a woman, mother and parent. I find they are a great source of wisdom and motivation for dealing with the daily running of my home and for helping me to make my life easier with a busy schedule. I have already shared with you my first 5 large family blogs that inspire me {click HERE to read who they are} and am excited to share with you my next 5 awesome large family blogs and bloggers.?



1. Nicole from Planning With Kids. This blog is a must follow. Nicole is lovely in person, super fit and super passionate about being an organised mother. She is the mother of five children aged between 13 - 3 and her practical tips and inspiring family will help you keep the chaos in your home under control. Nicole is also a wonderful speaker and caring blogger who takes the time to help others in our blogging community. Check her out!?


2. Shawni from 71 Toes. One of my all time favourite large family blogs ever! I personally read this blog every day. I do not miss a blog post. I love that Shawni is passionate about being a mother, keeps it real with the challenges they face in their home and I adore that she continues to find time for herself by following her passion of photography. Shawni is the mother of five children, 4 girls and 1 boy. Inspiring words, adorable family, great recipes and gorgeous pictures.?


3. Natalie from Mummy Smiles. One of the loveliest ladies you will ever meet. Natalie is the mother to four cherubs and her blog focus is on finding joy in motherhood. She lives in Brisbane and I have had the pleasure of chatting with her on radio a few times. She writes to inspire you to smile each day and to remind you that life is wonderful. I enjoy her posts on home organisation and general topics that relate to the challenges we face in motherhood.?


4. Jacqui from Common Chaos Chronicle. I love Jac. I have known her online for some time and we recently had the wonderful opportunity to meet, share a big hug and a quick chat. It was so lovely to finally meet her in person. Jacqui is the mother to 6 cherubs. She has 5 children of her own and is a step-mum to a sweet 10 year old girl. On her blog she shares her tips on how to maintain some sanity whilst raising a large family, keeps it real with the roller coaster ride of smiles, tears, laughter, daydreams and bucket loads of Chaos that happen in her home.?


5. Leigh from Six By the Bay. Inspiring lady! Mum to four young boys who lives in a gorgeous spot on the coast here in Australia. I love her pictures and gorgeous cherubs. Leigh loves to inspire and motivate those around her with her words. Even though she has a Nursing degree she dreams of writing for a living. I love her posts on happiness, taking care of you and her honest heart.?

Who else would you add to the list?

What bloggers are inspiring you right now?

Source: http://www.sevencherubs.com/2013/04/5-large-family-blogs.html

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Sunday, April 21, 2013

PFT: Tapes could be used against Browns owner

Jimmy HaslamAP

Predictably, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam denies wrongdoing by the company he runs, Pilot Flying J, in connection with customer discounts and rebates.? Even more predictably, the FBI and IRS wouldn?t have descended on company headquarters on Monday without evidence to support the allegations.

The evidence seems extensive, and much of it in the form of secretly recorded conversations.? Those conversations include an admission from a key employee of the company that Haslam was aware of the practice of shorting customers.

The 120-page affidavit was posted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer after being filed in court on Thursday.? We?ve read the entire thing.

The affidavit explains at paragraph 6 that a confidential informant contacted the FBI on or about May 4, 2011 to report that another employee of Pilot Flying J had confided ?that certain Pilot employees had been intentionally defrauding some of Pilot?s Customers by deliberately charging these Customers a higher price than the contractually agreed upon price, and then concealing the fact and nature of this increased price from these victimized customers.?

The informant recorded conversations with the other employee, who then agreed to cooperate in the investigation.? The second employee, after entering into a non-prosecution agreement, provided information about the fraudulent practices ? and began recording conversations with other Pilot Flying J employees.

The affidavit contains excerpts from numerous conversations and meetings.? For example, at paragraph 63 of the affidavit Pilot Flying J V.P. of Sales John Freeman had this to say during an October 25, 2012 Regional Directors meeting at Freeman?s lake house:? ??Hey this is a game.? We?re playin? f?kin? poker with funny money, and it?s liar?s poker with funny money because of all this cost-plus stuff.? So, you know, I?m not, I don?t want to get into a moral or ethical conversation, because I believe that if a guy?s gonna butt-f?k you then we got to go to butt-f?kin? him harder. . . . Some people are tits and some people ass guys and some people want their discount managed through the system and some people like a big check.? I mean, f?k, sell it to ?em the way they want to buy.? And understand, the f?ker?s got the ability to know what the hell you?re doing to ?em.? Okay??

Freeman said later in the meeting, ?F?k ?em early and f?k ?em often.?

Freeman referred repeatedly to having to ?buy an airplane? when Western Express, a trucking company, realized what was happening.? Specifically, instead of paying Western Express $1 million to rectify the situation, Pilot Flying J bought an airplane from Western Express that was on the books for $7 million, and on which Western Express owed $1 million.

At paragraph 81 of the affidavit, a recorded conversation contains an admission from Freeman that Haslam knew about the Western Express situation.? ?[H]e knew all along that I was cost-plussin? this guy,? Freeman said.? ?He knew it all along.? Loved it.? We were makin? $450,000 a month on him why wouldn?t he love it?. . .? Did it for five years, cost us a million bucks.? I mean, we made $6 million on the guy, cost us a million bucks.?

The recorded conversations potentially represent the tip of the evidentiary iceberg.? The affidavit was submitted to justify the search warrants that the FBI and IRS executed on Monday.? The company?s files and computers (including email chatter) possibly will contain many more references to the alleged scheme.

In the interim, Pilot Flying J should prepare to buy more planes.? While the company allegedly preyed on unsophisticated trucking companies by shorting them on discounts and rebates, those unsophisticated trucking companies are likely sophisticated enough to hire lawyers who will sue Pilot Flying J for a full refund, plus punitive damages.

Likewise, Pilot Flying J can now count on its competitors aggressively trying to convert customers by printing off the affidavit, highlighting some of the comments from Freeman, and asking those customers if they really want to continue doing business with a company like Pilot Flying J.

While these are only allegations and both the company and its employees are entitled to the presumption of innocence, the contents of the affidavit paint a picture that can get ugly for Haslam, in multiple ways.? As to the biggest question ? whether Haslam will face criminal liability ? the most important witness of them all could end up being John Freeman.

If Freeman flips and gives persuasive testimony against Haslam, Jimmy could be going down.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/20/case-against-pilot-flying-j-involves-extensive-recorded-conversations/related/

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Saturday, April 20, 2013

Factbox - Britain's standing with international rating agencies

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's credit standing suffered a blow on Friday when Fitch Ratings became the second international agency to strip the country of its triple-A credit rating.

The move is an embarrassment for the government, which vowed to protect the rating when it took office in 2010, and has fanned a fierce debate about the speed of deficit cuts.

The following is a summary of how each rating agency views Britain's credit profile:

MOODY'S

Moody's was the first major agency to downgrade Britain's credit rating. It lowered Britain's rating by one notch to Aa1 from Aaa in February, citing weak growth prospects and the drag from "ongoing domestic public and private sector de-leveraging".

It put a "stable" outlook on the new rating and said downgraded growth forecasts contained in the government's March budget were unlikely to alter that.

"Moody's is assessing the UK budget and expects that it will confirm the government's policy commitment to reverse the debt trajectory which, along with the country's underlying economic strength, underpins the stable outlook on the UK's Aa1 government bond rating," it said on March 20.

FITCH RATINGS

Fitch downgraded Britain by one notch to AA-plus on April 19, citing a weaker economic and fiscal outlook.

It said it expected general government gross debt to peak at 101 percent of GDP in 2015-16 and start declining only in 2017-18. It was previously projecting debt on this measure to peak at 97 percent and to start falling sooner.

In an interview with Reuters, Fitch said the pace of deficit cuts in Britain was not excessive, but noted that a lot of the burden of fiscal adjustment had been pushed beyond 2015, after the next national elections.

"A lot of the deficit reduction is falling into the next parliament, so it's not just the plans of this government but also what the next government plans to do," said Fitch Managing Director David Riley.

Despite the stable outlook on the rating, Riley also said that another downgrade could be in the offing if growth did not pick up as expected - Fitch is forecasting an average rate of 2.0-2.25 percent over the next 10 years - or if debt stayed high for longer.

STANDARD & POOR'S

S&P rates Britain AAA but cut the outlook on that rating to negative last December, implying a one-in-three chance of a downgrade.

On April 5, it reaffirmed its negative outlook and warned that disappointing economic growth and slow progress in repairing public finances would force it to act.

"The outlook remains negative, reflecting our view of at least a one-in-three chance that we could lower the ratings if the UK's economic and fiscal performances were to weaken beyond our current expectations," S&P said.

(Reporting by Christina Fincher; editing by Ron Askew)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/factbox-britains-standing-international-rating-agencies-182721774--business.html

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Friday, April 19, 2013

Who's really behind 'I'm in love with Margaret Thatcher'?

Thatcher opponents have driven the song 'Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead' to the top of Britain's pop charts. Was the 'retaliatory' promotion of a 1979 punk song fanned by fans - or a good capitalist moment?

By Jason Walsh,?Correspondent / April 13, 2013

Two songs are battling to the top of the British music charts in memory of Margret Thatcher. One is, her supporters say, in bad taste, but the one adopted by fans of the late Conservative prime minister isn't quite what it seems, either.

Skip to next paragraph Jason Walsh

Ireland Correspondent

Jason Walsh has been the Monitor's Ireland correspondent since 2009, dividing his time primarily between Belfast, Northern Ireland and?Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. During that time he has reported on stumbling blocks in the peace process, the dissident republican threat,?pro-British unionist riots, demands for abortion legislation and Ireland's economic crash.

Recent posts

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Opponents of Thatcher have campaigned successfully to have "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead", a song from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" composed by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, to reach the top spot Britain's official charts.

The response from Conservative Party supporters was swift, with newspapers including The Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph demanding that the BBC refuse to play the song. The BBC has said it will play a five-second clip of the song along with a news item explaining why during its official chart rundown on Radio One, Sunday.

Equally irritated, though less outraged, Tories had another plan: counter Ding Dong with a song of their own. They chose the little-known 1979 punk number "I'm in Love with Margaret Thatcher" by the Notsensibles.

The British press loved it ? and why not? It's a good story, in a silly sort of way: a bit of political argy-bargy in a fun and digestible package.

The media didn't exactly work hard to uncover the truth of the story, such as it is. A phone call to the band's former frontman, Michael Hargreaves, was all it took to discover that the campaign predated the Tories' adoption of it.

Hargreaves himself started the campaign with a Facebook page on Wednesday that soon garnered 8,000 likes. Surprisingly, though, by Friday it had been adopted by Conservative Party supporters as a counter to "Ding Dong." Facebook, Twitter and Tory blogs lit-up with requests that people buy the song in order to keep the anti-Thatcher song from reaching the top spot in the hit parade.

Former Conservative lawmaker Louise Mensch, now based in New York, was among those who urged her Twitter followers to buy the song twice: once from Amazon and once from Apple's iTunes.

Would Maggie be proud?

In some press interviews, Hargreaves has implied, rather unconvincingly, that he is a supporter of Mrs. Thatcher. But if the song is a hit, the royalty checks may represent some private enterprise Margaret Thatcher would approve of.

Hargreaves, an ex-punk rocker who now works with adults with learning disabilities, is an unlikely figure for adoption by Conservative Party members, though he did say "Ding Dong" was disrespectful. (Read a in-depth profile of Margaret Thatcher here.)

"My grandfather was [both] a Christian and a communist. I'm a fat, 50-year-old punk. You make your mind up about my political sensibilities," he says.

Hargreaves, who is due to perform with his old band on BBC television news in Manchester on Monday, says he doesn't really mind how high the song charts in the end, but that the experience has been fun.?"We dunked a pebble in the lake and there seems to be a few ripples."

Eighty-five seconds of the song were previously featured in the 2011 biopic movie "The Iron Lady," starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher.

"I find it hilarious that Tories have adopted it," he says. "The song is a sort-of tribute and sort-of not."

The official chart will be announced on Sunday afternoon, but by today it had already reached No. 6 in the iTunes chart.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/i67ay5w_EFM/Who-s-really-behind-I-m-in-love-with-Margaret-Thatcher

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SanDisk sees brighter 2013 with higher NAND prices

By Noel Randewich

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - SanDisk raised its forecast for revenue this year and said it expects higher prices for its NAND memory chips, which are used in smartphones and tablets.

Chief Financial Officer Judy Bruner's comments to analysts on a quarterly conference call on Wednesday helped reverse losses in SanDisk's stock after the company posted quarterly results that disappointed some on Wall Street, despite beating estimates.

SanDisk said it expects a "healthy" supply/demand balance this year. But it also reaffirmed plans to increase its supply of NAND by less than the industry average, a strategy that should help maintain prices, but could limit the company's growth in shipments.

Bruner told Reuters in a separate interview that slower supply growth this year follows growth in 2012 that outpaced the industry.

"This year, we're growing it somewhat less than the industry. But over time, I believe we are maintaining our share," she said.

SanDisk raised its 2013 revenue target to a range of between $5.6 billion and $5.75 billion from a previous range of $5.3 billion to $5.6 billion.

It also gave a forecast for June-quarter revenue that beat analysts' expectations.

"Based on our decision to add no new wafer capacity beyond productivity improvements in 2013, we expect to be supply constrained for the remainder of the year," Bruner said.

Following an industry slump in memory chip prices last year, prices for DRAM and NAND memory chips have been strengthening.

Last year Apple, a major purchaser of NAND chips worldwide, accounted for almost 13 percent of SanDisk's business. Bruner declined to say how much of SanDisk's business currently comes from Apple.

SanDisk's revenue rose 11 percent year-over-year to $1.34 billion in the January-March quarter. Bruner said she expects revenue in the June quarter to be between $1.35 billion and $1.4 billion.

Analysts on average expected first-quarter revenue of $1.307 billion and June-quarter revenue of $1.35 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Its net income was $166 million, or 68 cents a share, compared to $114 million, or 46 cents a share, in the same quarter last year.

Its non-GAAP EPS was 84 cents per share. Analysts had expected EPS of 79 cents.

Shares of SanDisk were up 0.62 percent in extended trade after closing down 3.08 percent at $55.72.

(Reporting by Noel Randewich; Editing by Dale Hudson and Leslie Gevirtz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sandisks-quarterly-revenue-beats-expectations-201725500--finance.html

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Thursday, April 18, 2013

Captive particles and Dr. Who show physicists are human too

GENEVA | Wed Apr 17, 2013 12:37pm EDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Physicists are deadly serious people, right? Clad in long white coats, they spend their days smashing particles together in the hunt for exotic creatures like quarks and squarks, leptons and sleptons -- and the Higgs Boson.

At night their dreams are all about finding them.

When discoveries show up amid the colorful displays on their monitor screens - as the Higgs Boson did last summer - they may share a glass or two of champagne, but then get down to writing learned papers for the heavy science journals.

True? Well, not quite. They do have a sense of humor too.

At the start of this month, a blog from the Great Temple of the particle hunting profession at CERN, near Geneva, offered a captive boson of the Higgs genus to each of the first 10 readers to e-mail in a request.

Simultaneously, across the Atlantic the U.S. Fermilab announced a months-long search for a new director was over with the appointment of "the obvious candidate," the Time Lord.

It WAS April Fools' Day, and no one was misled, right? Wrong, they were, according to both august institutions.

At CERN, scientist-blogger Pauline Gagnon now reports that over 1,500 eager respondents entered her boson lottery.

"Most of them wrote very enthusiastic notes, explaining why they wanted a Higgs," - so far no more than a ripple on a graph she told Reuters.

"Even some physics students fell for it.... One told me it would help to win his girlfriend's heart as he was about to propose."

Nearly half the entries came from Belarus or Russia. Gagnon suspects that a serious report on the "lottery" by a regional news agency may have had something to do with that response.

Other applications for an original of the ephemeral Higgs came from Australia, China, Canada and Finland - which have strong physics communities. One came from Rwanda, which doesn't.

"Many applicants were not completely fooled but happily played along," says Gagnon. Ten of them, finally selected at random, will get a cuddly toy boson in reward.

Over at Fermilab, which for years competed with CERN in the Higgs chase but lost its particle collider in a U.S. government economy drive, spokesperson Andre Salles reported a "tremendous response" to their April 1 announcement.

Run in its online daily Bulletin, it said the new director to replace departing Pier Oddone - an Italian-born physicist with his feet firmly on the ground - would be "someone dedicated to exploring the mysteries of space and time"

"On July 1, the Time Lord known as the Doctor will join Fermilab," said the Bulletin, alongside a portrait of British actor Matt Smith with a scientifically suitable mop of ruffled hair and tweed jacket.

Smith is currently playing the title role in the cult British television science fiction serial, "Dr Who", now in its 50th year in which the hero battles alien villains seeking the destruction of humankind.

"After facing down Daleks, Cybermen and the Master, I can't think of anyone more qualified to take on a congressional budget committee," the Bulletin quoted Oddone as saying.

But Bulletin readers were not so easily misled. A number of emails came in, one from a Nobel physics prize-winner, appreciating the joke.

Just one writer "was fooled for a few seconds," said Salles. A local reporter, "she initially couldn't believe we'd picked a new director who was so young."

(Reported by Robert Evans, editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/6kvygX6w5wE/story01.htm

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Official: Pakistani quake death toll rises to 34

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? A military official says the death toll in Pakistan from a major earthquake that shook both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border has risen to 34.

The Pakistani military official says at least 80 were also injured in Tuesday's quake.

He says all of the dead and injured so far were in the Pakistani town of Mashkal.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military policy.

The earthquake measured a magnitude of 7.7 and flattened homes and offices on both sides of the border. It was centered near the Iranian town of Saravan, about 50 kilometers (26 miles) from the border.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-pakistani-quake-death-toll-rises-34-174040904.html

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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Kareena Kapoor says Bollywood improving for women

NEW DELHI (AP) ? Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor says the portrayal of women in Indian cinema is changing and increasingly film directors are creating more meaningful roles for them.

Kapoor says Bollywood has begun portraying women in a more positive manner. Women's "roles are being written by new and young directors and they are showing that we are not just objects of desire," she said.

For the most part women lead subservient lives in India, and Bollywood's portrayal of women is no different. In most Indian films, the female lead's job is to pout and make the male protagonist look good.

Kapoor was speaking on New Delhi Television channel on Monday after receiving NDTV's "Entertainer of the Decade" award. She has acted in more than 50 films since joining the film industry in 2000.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kareena-kapoor-says-bollywood-improving-women-011127396.html

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Senator urges colleagues to stand firm on gun background checks for gun buyers

By John Whitesides and David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Pat Toomey defended their plan to expand background checks for gun buyers on Monday, as Manchin opened the Senate's debate on the proposal by urging colleagues to "make a difference" and resist political pressure to reject the measure.

Manchin's call for bipartisanship on one of the nation's most divisive issues came as the background checks plan that he and Toomey devised was headed to a close vote in the Senate later this week.

After an intense, emotional week of lobbying that included family members of victims from the Newtown, Connecticut massacre visiting Capitol Hill to call for action, both sides of the gun-control debate scrambled for votes on a crucial piece of President Barack Obama's gun-control legislation.

Manchin, who is from West Virginia and has long been a strong supporter of gun rights, sought to assure others that the background checks plan would not limit law-abiding citizens' access to guns. He also urged senators to look beyond politics in voting on the plan.

"'No' is the safest vote as a congress person or senator, I understand that. I can vote 'no' on about everything and be fine," Manchin said of the plan, which has drawn opposition from the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights proponents, but is supported by two other gun owners' groups.

"I want to make a difference. I want to do something," Manchin said, saying that members of Congress should not be so worried about "all of the outside pressure, and maybe getting elected, maybe getting campaign funds."

The proposal to expand criminal background checks to include sales made online and at gun shows represents Obama's best hope for meaningful gun-control legislation in the aftermath of the killings of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14.

The deal between Manchin and Toomey, designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, would be the centerpiece of gun-control legislation that also would tighten laws on gun trafficking and increase funding for school security.

Like Manchin, Toomey has been a staunch defender of Americans' constitutional right to bear arms. The Pennsylvania senator said he did not consider the background checks provision to be gun control, while acknowledging that there was no way to prevent all criminals or mentally unstable people from securing firearms.

"But can't we take a very modest step to make it more difficult if we can do it in a way that does not infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens?" Toomey asked.

THE NUMBERS GAME

The Manchin-Toomey amendment needs 60 votes to overcome procedural hurdles erected by Republican opponents in the Senate, where Democrats control 55 seats.

Some Democrats up for re-election in conservative states next year also are expected to oppose the measure. Democrats Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mark Begich of Alaska, both facing tough re-election battles, voted with conservative Republicans last week in an unsuccessful effort to block debate on the measure.

That means the Manchin-Toomey plan will probably need the backing of at least a half-dozen Republicans to clear the chamber. The Senate voted 68-31 last week to take up the broader legislation, with 16 Republicans joining 50 Democrats and two independents in supporting a debate on the bill.

But seven of those Republicans have said they will not support the background checks plan. Aside from Toomey, the only Republicans who support the deal so far are Mark Kirk of Illinois and Susan Collins of Maine. John McCain of Arizona said on Sunday he was "favorably disposed" to vote for it.

'TOUGH TO SAY'

"It's tough to say right now if we've got enough votes" to pass the Manchin-Toomey amendment, a Senate Democratic aide said.

More controversial aspects of Obama's gun-control plan - including a ban on rapid-firing "assault" weapons like the one used in Connecticut and limits on the capacity of ammunition magazines - appear to have a slim chance in the Senate.

Even if the background checks bill clears the Senate, it would face tough opposition in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other administration officials have pushed for the bill in a series of public events; Obama brought the Newtown family members to Washington aboard Air Force One after he visited Connecticut.

The Newtown families had several emotional visits with lawmakers. During their meeting with Manchin, the senator was moved to tears.

The NRA gun lobby group opposes the measure and has warned members of Congress it will include their votes on the Manchin-Toomey amendment in the ratings it compiles on each lawmaker and sends to members.

Manchin and Toomey have been contacting their colleagues in a hunt for support. Former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was badly wounded in a 2011 mass shooting in Arizona, will visit Washington this week to push for gun-control legislation.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police endorsed the background checks deal on Monday.

"Background checks work. Keeping firearms out of the hands of prohibited purchasers is a key factor in reducing gun violence in our communities and protecting our officers," said Craig Steckler, president of the police chiefs' group.

The background checks provision picked up an unexpected boost over the weekend with the backing of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, which bills itself as the second-largest gun-rights group behind the NRA with 650,000 members and supporters.

The group cited some of the sweeteners in the deal for gun-rights supporters, including a provision that would make licensed interstate sales easier and ban the creation of a gun registry, one of the frequent fears cited by groups such as the NRA.

Those provisions, along with the possibility that some Republican amendments to strengthen gun rights could clear the Senate, add to the unpredictability of the outcome of the Senate debate.

"It isn't perfect, but it's certainly a long, big, heavy step forward. Expanding background checks to cover gun shows and Internet sales is common sense," Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said.

(Editing by David Lindsey and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senator-urges-colleagues-stand-firm-gun-background-checks-000658044.html

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