PFT:?Rams' Jackson to opt out? |? Falcons suitor?

AP

Giants right tackle David Diehl said he hasn?t been asked to take a pay cut yet, or? heard any inkling about his future with the team.

But he?s seen enough to know his time could come any time.

Diehl offered Newsday?s Tom Rock a glimpse into the mind of a smart NFL veteran, admitting he never knows when he shows up at the office whether it?s going to be his last.

?The thing you realize at an early age is that as an NFL player you have an expiration date on you and it comes with a price tag,? Diehl said. ?That?s the way that it always goes. Nothing has been said to me yet, but that?s all things you can?t control. The only things you can control are the way you prepare each and every day, getting myself healthy, and whenever that comes about we?ll deal with it. But as of now, nothing has been said.?

The Giants have already parted ways with Chris Canty, Michael Boley and Ahmad Bradshaw, and more moves could be coming.

Diehl has been showing up daily at the Giants facility to rehab his right knee after an arthroscopic procedure, which he had right after the season. Getting well is a big deal, whether it?s for the Giants or another team.

The 32-year-old tackle is entering the last year of his contract, set to earn a base salary of $4.475 million. That makes him ripe for some degree of transaction depending on other moves the Giants make up front.

With Will Beatty and Kevin Boothe pending unrestricted free agents, the Giants might have to prioritize.

?Am I shocked or surprised? No,? Diehl said of Giants roster turnover so far. ?This has happened year in and year out since I?ve been in the NFL, not only with our team but with teams across the league. This is something that always happens.?

Diehl?s approach is at once fatalistic and realistic, as very few players get to leave on their own terms. And with the salary cap a factor in every transaction, having a big salary is only good news if you get to keep it into the regular season.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/26/steven-jackson-to-void-final-year-of-contract-test-free-agency/related/

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Head and neck cancer molecular tumor subtypes documented

Feb. 22, 2013 ? Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most common form of cancer in the United States, but other than an association with the human papillomavirus, no validated molecular profile of the disease has been established. By analyzing data from DNA microarrays, a UNC-led team has completed a study that confirms the presence of four molecular classes of the disease and extends previous results by suggesting that there may be an underlying connection between the molecular classes and observed genomic events, some of which affect known cancer genes. The clinical relevance of the classes and certain genomic events was demonstrated, thus paving the way for further studies and possible targeted therapies.

The study was published in the Feb. 22, 2013 issue of the PLOS ONE.

Neil Hayes, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine and senior author, says, "Cancer is a disease caused by alteration in the DNA and RNA molecules of tumors. A cancer results when broken molecules initiate a cascade of abnormal signals that ultimately results in abnormal growth and spread of tissues that should be under tight control within the body.

"However, most common tumors, including head and neck cancer, have relatively little information in the public record as to how these signals coordinate to create different patterns of abnormalities. This study is among the largest ever published to document reproducible molecular tumor subtypes. Subtypes, such as those we describe, represent attractive models to understand and attack cancers for treatment and prognosis."

Dr. Hayes is a member of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and national co-chair of the Data Analysis Sub-Group for The Cancer Genome Atlas, a program of the National Institutes of Health.

The team, composed of investigators from UNC and five other institutions, analyzed a set of nearly 140 HNSCC samples. By searching for recurrent patterns known as gene expression signatures, they were able to detect four gene expression subtypes. The subtypes are termed basal, mesenchymal, atypical, and classical based on similarities to established gene expression subtypes in other tumor types and expression patterns of specific genes.

In spite of being the seventh most common form of cancer in the United States, HNSCC is relatively under-studied in comparison to other tumor types, e.g. breast and lung. By leveraging the similarities found in the gene expression subtypes, the results of this study provide a connection to a range of well-established findings and additional insight into the disease.

Other UNC authors are: Vonn Walter, PhD; Xiaoying Yin, MD; Matthew Wilkerson, PhD; Christopher Cabanski, PhD, now at Washington University at St. Louis; Ni Zhao, MS; Ying Du,PhD; Mei-Kim Ang, MD, now at the National Cancer Center in Singapore; Michele Hayward, RD; Ashley Salazar, BA; Katherine Hoadley, PhD; Mark Weissler, MD; William Shockley, MD; Adam Zanation, MD; Trevor Hackman, MD; Leigh Thorne, MD; William Funkhouser, MD; Andrew Olshan, PhD; Scott Randell, PhD; and Carol Shores, MD, PhD.

Other institutions are the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

Funding for the study was provided by a Clinical/Translational Award from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the University Cancer Research Fund, and a grant from the National Institutes of Health (K12-RR-023248).

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of North Carolina School of Medicine, via Newswise.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Vonn Walter, Xiaoying Yin, Matthew D. Wilkerson, Christopher R. Cabanski, Ni Zhao, Ying Du, Mei Kim Ang, Michele C. Hayward, Ashley H. Salazar, Katherine A. Hoadley, Karen Fritchie, Charles G. Sailey, Mark C. Weissler, William W. Shockley, Adam M. Zanation, Trevor Hackman, Leigh B. Thorne, William D. Funkhouser, Kenneth L. Muldrew, Andrew F. Olshan, Scott H. Randell, Fred A. Wright, Carol G. Shores, D. Neil Hayes. Molecular Subtypes in Head and Neck Cancer Exhibit Distinct Patterns of Chromosomal Gain and Loss of Canonical Cancer Genes. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (2): e56823 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056823

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/~3/OCdgj_NWGKE/130223111351.htm

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Chinese Arts Festival at the New Haven Museum ? March 2 & 3rd ? live snakes, paper lantern making & more!

The?Chinese Arts Festival in New Haven?is a celebration of the Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake, now rescheduled to March 2-3, 2013. Kick off with the Lion Dance Parade down Whitney Avenue at 10AM on Saturday, March 2. (Rain location: New Haven Museum)

The Chinese Arts Festival has been rescheduled for March 2-3, 2013.

Please register at this link.

See the revised schedule here.

Thank you for your patience, and we are excited to prolong the celebration of the Chinese New Year into the spring!

About the Chinese Arts Festival in New Haven
The Chinese Arts Festival in New Haven is a day-long event offering arts and cultural programs for adults and children of all ages in celebration of the Year of the Snake.

The Chinese Arts Festival in New Haven kicks off at 10:00AM with a traditional lion dance on Whitney Avenue between Grove Street and Trumbull Street. Celebrate alongside the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute?s lion dance troupe as they bring good luck and prosperity to the New Haven merchants and community members. Join us again from 1:00PM ? 5:00PM for a series of Chinese arts and culture workshops and demonstrations, including presentations and performances of traditional Chinese instruments by the EastRiver Ensemble, a Peacock Dance demonstration by Dai ethnic tribe dancer Xi Wang, a snake petting zoo, a Tai Chi workshop with Grandmaster Aiping Cheng, opportunities to learn traditional Chinese dances with Yale dance troupes, a master painting demonstration with Chinese landscape artist Sun Dawei, Chinese calligraphy and papercutting sessions, a Yale-China Fireside Chat with Beijing-based culinary author Audra Ang, and opportunities to learn about Chinese New Year celebrations. Each of the twelve exhibits and workshops presents an opportunity to engage in some of the classic Chinese arts.

The Snake is one of twelve designated animals celebrated as part of the Chinese calendar based on the lunar calendar. The Year of the Snake begins on February 10, 2013 and ends on January 30, 2014.

The venue locations for the Chinese Arts Festival in New Haven are: Henry R. Luce Hall at Yale University (34 Hillhouse Avenue), New Haven Museum (114 Whitney Avenue), and Yale-China Association (442 Temple Street). All events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.?To register, click here.?You can also download a?full schedule of events. For questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at?ChineseArtsFestival@yalechina.org?or call (203) 432-3427.

This event is sponsored by the Council on East Asian Studies at Yale University,
New Haven Museum, and Yale-China Association.

Special thanks to Yale Programs in International Educational Resources.

Source: http://robbinslist.com/?p=29000

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Danica brings new eyes to NASCAR and Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) ? The big boys brought their little girls to see NASCAR's shining star.

Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson all took their daughters to meet Danica Patrick this week at Daytona International Speedway.

It was the ultimate backstage pass.

Patrick dropped to one knee, wrapped her right arm around Ella Gordon's waist and posed for pictures as the 5-year-old flashed an endless smile in Victory Lane last week. Every day since, Patrick's crew has handed out dozens and dozens of lugnuts to little girls clamoring for souvenirs. Annie Edwards wore GoDaddy green shoes for the special occasion. Evie Johnson recognizes only two cars, her Dad said ? his and the green one.

"Carl was saying it's good that she sees me in real life and in person because 'To her, you are like some mythical creature that doesn't exist,' " Patrick said. "Then after qualifying, Jimmie Johnson brought his little girl over. That's three pretty big drivers who have little girls that wanted to meet me."

Danicamania is in full bloom at Daytona ? and with a brand new audience.

The first woman in history to earn the top starting spot in a race at NASCAR's elite Sprint Cup Series, Patrick will bring new eyeballs to Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500. She'll lure in casual sports fans, women who don't know a muffler from a manifold, and little girls in awe of the glamorous driver and her fast green car.

It's an ambassador role Patrick has played since her 2005 debut at the Indianapolis 500, where she became the first woman to lead laps in the biggest race in the world. But it's so much more now.

"You can only lead by example and I don't necessarily want my example to step outside the box and be a girl in a guy's world. That's not what I am trying to say," Patrick said. "But if you have a talent for something, do not be afraid to follow through with it and not feel different. Do not feel like you are less qualified or less competent to be able to do the job because you are different. Ignore that and let it be about what your potential is."

And right now, she believes her potential is to win "The Great American Race."

Patrick starts first on Sunday, next to four-time champion Gordon, and after running 32 laps in Friday's practice and mixing it up with NASCAR's biggest stars, she was more convinced than ever that she can be a player in the race.

"Can I win? Yeah. Absolutely," Patrick said. "I feel comfortable in this kind of race situation. I feel comfortable in the draft. I feel comfortable that the speeds are not a problem. I know I am inexperienced. I know I am rookie out there. I will do the best job I can to win. I do believe I have a chance to win. I do believe experience would help, but that doesn't mean I don't have a chance to win."

Crew chief Tony Gibson was even more convinced he's got a winner for Sunday. He was part of Derrike Cope's improbable 1990 victory, when Cope inherited the win when the late Dale Earnhardt blew a tire on the final lap.

" She has got the talent," Gibson said. "She's already proven in the Nationwide Series, from what I've seen on the speedway stuff, she definitely gets the respect. People know she's fast. She can draft. She knows how the air works. She gets a lot of that from IndyCar. So I have 100 percent confidence she can win the Daytona 500.

"I remember Derrike Cope, nobody gave him a chance, either, but I saw him in Victory Lane. I know it can be done."

But the Daytona 500 is a pressure-packed race unlike anything except the Indy 500. Some of the best drivers never win it ? it took seven-time champion Earnhardt 20 tries to finally get his lone win ? and Tony Stewart, Patrick's teammate and car owner, goes into Sunday's race seeking his first victory in 15 tries.

He's been quiet all week, except, of course, for the nine-car accident he started in an exhibition race last weekend. He lamented afterward, "That is why I haven't won a Daytona 500 yet. I'm not quite sure exactly which move to make."

Don't be fooled, though, by the three-time NASCAR champion. Stewart might just like being out of the spotlight as he heads into one of the few races missing from his resume, and being the favorite for the 500 has never worked out for him before.

He wrapped up his practice with one final run Friday to test his race engine and wound up on top of the speed chart. It was Stewart's intention to sit out Saturday's final day of practice.

"I'm excited we've made it through the whole week without a scratch on the car," he said. "We are as ready as you can get for the 500. I feel like we've got a car capable of winning the race. It's just a matter of whether the driver does a good job with the steering wheel."

The title of favorite this year goes to Kevin Harvick, who has two wins in two races so far at Speedweeks. The driver has dominated in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, led 63 of a possible 135 laps and didn't even bother to take the cover off his car in Friday's two practice sessions.

Harvick, the 2007 race winner, has come into the year with both focus and some inner peace after a pair of life-changing moments. His first child, son Keelan, was born after last July's race at Daytona. Then, in November, Harvick made the difficult decision to leave RCR after his 13th season with the organization that brought him into NASCAR and gave him his Cup ride the week after Earnhardt was killed in the 2001 Daytona 500.

He'll drive for Stewart next season at Stewart-Haas Racing, but is determined to make this last year with RCR count.

"Everybody is just working toward the same goal, that's winning the races," Harvick said. "We have to be professional anyway, whether it's lame duck or not. You can call it whatever you want. We're going to have a helluva lot of fun racing, having a good time, doing our jobs."

The 500 will be the first with a full 43-car field racing NASCAR's new Gen-6 car, which was designed all last season with input from teams, drivers and the manufacturers.

Part of the intent was to design a car that more closely resembled what the automakers sell in the showrooms, and NASCAR succeeded in that area. But NASCAR also needed a car that produced better on-track racing, and the verdict is not in yet.

There are a lot of unknowns with the Gen-6 heading into Sunday, partly because drivers spent Speedweeks learning as much as they can about how it handles on the track. All three races so far have been largely uneventful, resembling something closer to a long parade rather than a high-speed spectacle.

If not for Kyle Busch's win in a Toyota in the second of Thursday's twin qualifying races, it would so far be a Chevrolet rout with Harvick taking the new SS to Victory Lane twice and Patrick winning the pole in her Chevy.

All bets could be off on Sunday, Busch warned.

"It might be we all ran single file because we were scared to run side-by-side," Busch said after Thursday's win. "I don't know. I was ready to put on a show, but I didn't have enough people around me to make one happen."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/danica-brings-eyes-nascar-daytona-500-231553726--spt.html

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Custom Monsters University Letterman Sweatshirt & T-Shirt

As soon as the first images of Monsters University?were released, Julie was in love with the letterman jacket that Mike and Sulley were wearing. Of course, with her history of her custom?PartySaurus Rex toy and additional fun creations, she knew she was going to make a version of the jacket in her own style. She deconstructed two different hooded sweatshirts (one white, one blue) and intricately sewed them together to form the custom letterman sweatshirt shown below.
The logo patch was a labor of love and involved four layers of fabric and a fair amount of detailed sewing. Before starting the sweatshirt, she also created a custom Oozma Kappa shirt to show her support for her favorite Monsters University?fraternity. She wanted more of a vintage patch-work look for the lettering, so she left the corners slightly frayed and distressed. After a few tests between the sweatshirt and the T-shirt, she couldn't be happier with the end results.

Pixar Post - T.J. & Julie

Source: http://www.pixarpost.com/2013/02/custom-monsters-university-letterman.html

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'Fairy tale': Team slays giants, wins over Dalai Lama

Clive Brunskill / Getty Images, file

Gary Jones, left, and James "Big Jim" Hanson of Bradford City FC celebrate following their team's victory over English Premier League club Arsenal on Dec. 11, 2012. Only three years ago, Hanson was stacking shelves at a local supermarket. On Sunday, he'll play in front of 90,000 people at London's iconic Wembley Stadium.

By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News

BRADFORD, England --?It is the sort of "fairy tale" story that sounds made for Hollywood.?

Led by the unlikeliest of heroes, a passionate team of underdogs emerges from the shadow of near-bankruptcy to go an improbable winning streak, eliminating a series of big-name (and huge-budgeted) rivals and bringing hope to their poverty-stricken hometown.

But the real-life story of Bradford City Football Club might be too unbelievable for even the most cliche-loving studio exec who's watched "Hoosiers" and ?"The Bad News Bears" one too many times.

Assembled for just $10,000, the team's extraordinary exploits?have spirits soaring in the Yorkshire city and far beyond.

Currently?lying in 79th place out of the 92 top clubs in England, Bradford City?will on Sunday contest a national cup final after a succession of thrilling, giant-killing triumphs over teams including Arsenal, the London-based club?valued at $1.5 billion last year.

One of Bradford's biggest stars was stacking shelves in a local supermarket not long ago. Now James "Big Jim" Hanson will find himself playing in front of 90,000 fans at London's iconic Wembley Stadium and a television audience of millions.

A representative of the Dalai Lama even wrote a letter to say the exiled Tibetan religious leader wished Bradford City's fans "every success in the big match."?

Courtesy Friends of Bradford City / Yorkshire International Business Center

The Dalai Lama was presented with a Bradford City FC jersey during a recent visit to Yorkshire.

Lying in wait for "The Bantams" will be?Swansea City, currently eighth in the top English league, and its star striker, Miguel Michu.

Michu is third in the Premier League in goals this season and Swansea's manager has warned rivals it would take $47 million in compensation for the club to let him leave. By contrast, Bradford are currently 11th in the fourth level of English professional soccer.

Mark Lawn, Bradford City's co-chairman, can hardly believe the transformation in fortunes that has seen Bradford reach the?Capital One Cup?final -- a competition traditionally known as the League Cup.

The self-made businessman put money into the 110-year-old club to help it survive after debts of about $55 million saw it threatened with bankruptcy at least twice. It has been "a labor of love" that at times prompted him to question his own sanity.

'We've created history'
Lawn, 52, recalled vomiting on the team bus on the way back from a defeat at Morecambe amid fears the club was on the verge of financial collapse. After another loss, his car was attacked by angry Bradford City fans.

"It's not really sunk in," Lawn said. "We are the only fourth-tier team to get to Wembley ever. We've created history. The town is buzzing. It's amazing ? it's just lifting the town."

"It's nearly got me believing in God again. I lost faith in God or religion in general when I lost my mother and father," he added. "I thought if we win then there's got to be summat ('something' in the Yorkshire dialect). I've said if we did do it, I will look at finding religion again."

Sitting in the club's 1911 room --?named for the year the club last won a major trophy?-- Lawn played down his team's chances.

"I just hope Swansea are easy with us ? They are a great side," he said. "I think they'll beat us, being realistic. But it's not about that for Bradford fans and Bradford City."

Once a thriving industrial city, Bradford is now?one of the most deprived places in the U.K.?Nearly a?quarter of all households are jobless, long-term?youth unemployment rates are soaring, local government spending?is being cut dramatically.

Lawn grew up in Bradford's rundown Thorpe Edge area, where many houses are owned by the local government and rented out cheaply, and recalled as a child sneaking in to watch the team play without paying.

Thorpe Edge is a place with few reasons to celebrate. Annice Brearley, an outreach worker at?Thorpe Edge Community Project, runs a program for children in which they wash cars and pack bags in local stores to raise money for trips to parts of England they would otherwise be unable to visit.

The neighborhood, she said, was "not a wealthy place ? there's a lot of people who don't have much."

But Brearley, 46, said that the team's soccer success has "nobody thinking about stuff like that."?She spent 11-and-a-half hours in line to buy a ticket for the final.?

"It's something like 102 years since anything good like this [the 1911 cup win] happened in Bradford," she said. "Nobody thinks Bradford City is going to lose. We're all really positive. It will be a brilliant day."

Not far from Thorpe Edge is the small Co-operative supermarket where hometown hero Hanson stacked shelves for two years before joining the club in 2009.?

"He used to work at the Co-op" has become a chant among supporters.

Ian Johnston / NBC News

Staff at the Co-op supermarket in Idle Village, Bradford -- Elisa Taylor, 24, her mother Ruth Taylor, and Jeanette McDonald -- will be cheering for former colleague James Hanson in Sunday's Capital One Cup final.

Former colleague Ruth Taylor said Hanson was "really lovely, a really gentle, nice lad."

"He always talked about his football," she recalled. "He loved it. We knew he were going to make it."

She insisted the 25-year-old striker would not choke after stepping into the national spotlight. "He takes it all in his stride, he's quite a laidback chap is James."

"I think he'll be really excited. It's like a big dream come true for him. He deserves it so much." she added. "They haven't had a lot to celebrate recently have Bradford. This would be a great morale booster, especially for this area. It would just go crazy."

Hannah Postles, 27, a journalist with Bradford's?Telegraph & Argus newspaper, has been covering the growing excitement in the city in articles and?a live blog.

'Big, burly men crying'
She recounted going to a bar to report on people watching the second of two semi-final games against top-tier Aston Villa on television.

"In the last four minutes, I swear I didn't breathe. It was so close, and you could see Villa firing on all cylinders," Postles said. After the final whistle, the emotion came. "Big, burly Bradford men crying is not something you see very often."

"It's hard not to find yourself getting swept up in it," she said. "It's been a massive inspiration to everyone in Bradford."

Her blog for the paper has been filled with reports of fans traveling from all over the world to attend Sunday's game.?

One, Mike Hitch, a ship's captain originally from Bradford, said he was planning to spend more than 21 hours in the air to fly halfway around the world from Tahiti to watch the game.?

"This will never happen again in my lifetime," the 46-year-old said Thursday by phone from the Pacific island. "If anything goes wrong, then I'll be looking for a sports bar in an airport."

Jon Super / AP, file

Bradford City supporters take to the stands before their fourth-tier team's win against English giants Arsenal on Dec. 11.

Bradford City beat six teams to get to the final, reaching the quarter-finals by triumphing over Premier League team Wigan on penalties after a 0-0 draw. They then drew 1-1 against Arsenal but were victorious in the penalty shootout.

The semi-final against Aston Villa consisted of two games, ending in a 4-3 aggregate victory for Bradford.

Bradford City FC manager Phil Parkinson said that although his players earned "peanuts" compared to counterparts on the Premier League teams they had knocked out of the competition, they possessed "incredible desire."

"Bradford has had some tough times over the last few years -- and not just the football club but the city," he added. "People are now walking around with a spring in their step."

The unlikely success has left many Bradford fans confident of another victory on Sunday.

"We haven?t come this far not to win it,"??said Mark Neale, a member of fundraising group?Friends of Bradford City?who has supported the team for 50 years.?

But he said that "the mere fact they've got to Wembley means this team of players will always be legends in Bradford."

"There's not a lot of pride in Bradford, but the pride in Bradford City (soccer club) is immense and it's rubbing off on people who are not normally interested in football," said Neale, 59.

Alan Carling, of?Bradford City Supporters' Trust, said they had beaten three Premier League clubs "so we?are not phased by a fourth. Bring it on."

"Everyone has been going round Bradford with a big grin on their face.?City's achievements have caught the imagination of the world, and lifted the image of Bradford, which is often subject to condescension?from southern England," he added.

But people with little connection to the area have also been attracted by success of a true underdog.?

Carling said he was interviewed by a Japanese television crew on Wednesday, while Neale received the letter from the Dalai Lama ahead of the game.?

Neale's supporters' group had previously presented the Buddhist spiritual leader with a Bradford jersey while he was in the area, after noticing the similarity between the team's colors and his robes.

In a telephone interview, Tenzin Taklha, one of the Dalai Lama?s secretaries in Dharamsala, India, said while His Holiness was "not really" a soccer fan, Bradford's success was "a fairy tale."?

"Everyone likes these stories and likes to follow that,? he said. "May the best team win ? we?ll keep our fingers crossed."

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/23/17054312-fairy-tale-soccer-team-assembled-for-10000-slays-english-giants-wins-over-dalai-lama?lite

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STATE PROPERTY: Another Sale Of A Taxpayer-Backed Business To China?

Republican senators complained Wednesday that U.S. taxpayer dollars could end up boosting the Chinese economy, following reports that a Chinese firm is leading the pack of companies bidding for a majority stake in government-backed Fisker Automotive.

The troubled California-based electric car maker, which was backed by U.S. taxpayers to the tune of nearly $530 million, for months has been looking for a financial partner. Reuters reported earlier this week that China?s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is favored to take over, though Fisker is also reportedly weighing a bid from another Chinese auto maker.

The development comes after Fisker?s main battery supplier ? U.S. government-backed A123 Systems ? was recently purchased by a separate Chinese firm.

Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, voiced concern Wednesday that Chinese companies are benefiting from U.S. taxpayers? investment.

?Obama?s green energy investments appear to be nothing more than venture capital for eventual Chinese acquisitions,? Thune said in a statement. ?After stimulus-funded A123 was just acquired by a Chinese-based company, it?s troubling to see that yet another struggling taxpayer-backed company might be purchased under duress by a Chinese company.?

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Source: http://www.secretsofthefed.com/state-property-another-sale-of-a-taxpayer-backed-business-to-china/

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First MRI movies capture fetal brain connecting up

Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV

It's the sequel to fertilisation: the brains of unborn babies have now been imaged in action, showing how connections form.

This fMRI movie, produced by Moriah Thomason from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, shows a fly-through of several fetuses in their third trimester. By comparing the scans at slightly different stages of development, Thomason was able to pinpoint when different parts of the brain wire up. "The connection strength increases with fetal age," writes Thomason.

By identifying how brain connectivity normally develops, the scans could help diagnose and treat conditions like schizophrenia and autism before birth. For more on this research, read our full-length news story, "First snaps made of fetal brains wiring themselves up".

If you enjoyed this post, watch a baby's birth captured in an MRI machine for the first time or see the first video MRI of unborn twins.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/28d89d01/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cnstv0C20A130C0A20Cfmri0Emovie0Efetal0Ebrain0Econnecting0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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Mayor: Threat of sequestration already 'crippling' local businesses

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

The potential impact of sequestration in the Tennessee Valley is becoming more apparent.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle wrote a two-page letter to the media Thursday night, detailing what he learned while visiting Congressional offices in Washington D.C. this week.

Mayor Battle, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell traveled to Capitol Hill to discuss the effects of sequestration in Alabama. They met with seven U.S. House and Senate offices on Thursday.

The letter laid out a gamut of possible impacts the looming spending cuts would have on Huntsville-area schools, businesses and the defense industry.

Congress has until March 1 to avoid budget cuts that total more than $1 trillion. If no deal is reached, defense and domestic discretionary spending would see drastic reductions.

The repercussions on schools, the military and federal employees are significant, according to the letter.

It said Huntsville City Schools could stand to lose $1.7 million. The city of Enterprise's school system may see similar cuts of about $1.5 million.

Mayor Battle also stated that active duty rosters in the U.S. Army could see reductions by 2014.

The mayor urged the public to provide feedback to their representatives on preventing sequestration.

"There is a lot of noise about gun control and immigration, but no public outcry about sequestration. If anything is going to happen, the public has to get involved and they need to speak up quickly," Battle wrote.

He said the overall feeling in Congress was that lawmakers will allow sequestration to take effect.

?Copyright 2013 WAFF and AP. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.waff.com/story/21306689/mayor-battle-threat-of-sequestraion-already-crippling-local-businesses

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Drop in bulk diesel sales not a trend Indian Oil

Calcutta News.Net Thursday 14th February, 2013

Bulk sales of diesels have begun to fall and sales of the fuel through retail channels have witnessed a rise after the government decided Jan 17 to allow the state-run oil marketing companies to raise diesel prices in line with increases in global crude oil prices.

"There is a drop in bulk sales and some increase in retail sales. But it is based on a couple of days' sales only. So we would not like to say whether it is a trend or not," Indian Oil Corporation chairman R.S. Butola told reporters on the sidelines of the annual conference of Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) here.

Butola said the drop in bulk sales in diesel might be in the range of 14-15 percent.

"First of all, let us not say that it is a trend. This could be because of other reasons. This could be because of festival seasons when people might have consumed more fuels, or the industry might be slowing. We do not know the exact reasons."

According to reports, consumers of expensive bulk diesel are shifting to retail outlets after the government partially deregulated the prices of the fuel.

Meanwhile, Indian Oil Corporation, the country's largest fuel retailer, said it has chalked out a plan to make a capital investment of Rs.55,000 crore on a constant price basis in the next five years.

"We are expanding our networks. We will spend around Rs.10,000 to 11,000 crore per annum in the next five years," Butola said.

To a question, he said the oil major's operation in Libya was not affected due to political uncertainty there.

"We have some (oil) blocks in Libya. In those blocks only explorations take place. Production has not been affected as they are not in production. The exploration activities are also at a very preliminary level," he explained.

Source: http://www.calcuttanews.net/index.php/sid/212569983/scat/701ee96610c884a6

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Harmonic Energy Inc (PINK:ASUV) Goes Green While Share Price Gets Red

Las Vegas, NV -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/14/2013 -- Harmonic Energy Inc. (PINK: ASUV) share price declined by more than 15 percent and is trading at $0.93. During the period of last 52 weeks, the company?s lowest traded value is $0.10 while highest is $3.00.

Harmonic Energy Inc has planned to fund research and development of integrated tyre technology in UK and USA. The company?s intention is that its manufacturing process does not negatively affect the earth and waste material is properly re-used.

Harmonic Energy Inc manufactures tyres by using methods that are green like recycling. The company believes to either use material that can be recycled or otherwise material that is most effective with minimum level of input in case it cannot be recycled like petroleum. With increase in production costs, America?s production is readily being outsourced that Harmonic Energy Inc hopes to fight by offering jobs to locals by using green and efficient production and manufacturing processes.

To find out what OTCMAGIC projects for Harmonic Energy Inc for both short term and long term please click here: ASUV

OTCMAGIC Spends all day scouring the markets for the next huge Penny Stock Winner. Investors have come to trust us for our up to date commentary on all hot stocks so please visit OTCMAGIC right now and see what it?s all about for yourself! At 30,000 Visitors a Month and growing rapidly OTCMAGIC is the hottest thing in penny stocks!

Never invest in any stock featured on our site or emails unless you can afford to lose your entire investment. PLEASE NOTE: OTCMagic.com employees are not registered as an Investment Advisor in any jurisdiction whatsoever. Full disclaimer can be read at http://OTCMagic.com/disclaimer. Release of Liability: Through use of this website viewing or using you agree to hold OTCMagic.com, its operators owners and employees harmless and to completely release them from any and all liability due to any and all loss monetary or otherwise, damage monetary or otherwise, or injury (monetary or otherwise) that you may incur. The information contained herein is based on sources which we believe to be reliable but is not guaranteed by us as being accurate and does not purport to be a complete statement or summary of the available data. OTCMagic.com affiliates may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and may increase or decrease such positions without notice. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. OTCMagic.com encourages readers and investors to supplement the information in these reports with independent research and other professional advice. All information on featured companies is provided by the companies profiled, or is available from public sources and OTCMagic.com. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the disclosure by the profiled companies. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Any claims or Statements should be deemed hypothetical. OTCMagic.com, nor any of its affiliates are not registered investment advisors or broker dealers.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/harmonic-energy-inc-pinkasuv-goes-green-while-share-price-gets-red-207647.htm

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Life experiences put their stamp on the next generation: New insights from epigenetics

Feb. 14, 2013 ? The 18th century natural philosopher Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed that the necks of giraffes lengthened as a consequence of the cumulative effort, across generations, to reach leaves just out of their grasp. This view of evolution was largely abandoned with the advent of modern genetic theories to explain the transmission of most important traits and many medical illnesses across generations.

However, there has long been the impression that major life events, like psychological traumas, not only have effects on individuals who directly experience these events, but also have effects on their children. For example, cross-generational effects have been well-documented in the children of Nazi death camp survivors. Similar issues have been reported in the context of mood disorders and addiction. Until recently, these trans-generational effects were attributed to changes in the way that parents treated their children or the child's reaction to learning about the parent's history.

In the most recent issue of Biological Psychiatry, Swiss researchers from the University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, led by Dr. Isabelle Mansuy, discuss how the emergence of the field of epigenetics has introduced a new component to this discussion -- the trans-generational transmission of changes in the regulation of gene expression.

"The question of the inheritance of acquired traits has puzzled biologists and clinicians for decades. Although it has been consistently observed as early as in the 18th century, the time has now come that sufficiently strong and convincing evidence has accumulated to firmly accept it," said Mansuy.

The genetic transmission of traits reflects alterations in genetic structure, i.e., the base pairs that form DNA. Epigenetics, on the other hand, involves cellular processes that do not alter the structure of DNA. Instead, epigenetic mechanisms, including the methylation of DNA or of specific residues on histone "supporter" proteins, influence the extent to which individual genes are converted into messenger RNA. These changes can occur in any cell of the body, but when they occur in the germ cells (sperm or eggs) the changes may be passed to the next generation.

The changes in DNA structure are random events that acquire functional significance in the context of Darwin's "natural selection" process. In contrast, the epigenetic reactions to specific environments are designed to enable that organism to cope with that context. When these traits are passed to the next generation, it is as if the newborn arrives prepared for that specific environment. Problems arise when the epigenetic processes give rise to traits that are not adaptive for the offspring, such as heightened stress reactivity, or when the environment has changed.

"This is a remarkable story with far-reaching implications," commented Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "There is a suspicion that epigenetic processes may be reversed more easily than genetic traits, exemplified by the development of HDAC inhibitors. This is a rapidly evolving research area that has captured a great deal of attention."

The article is "Transgenerational Epigenetic Effects on Brain Functions" by Johannes Bohacek, Katharina Gapp, Bechara J. Saab, and Isabelle M. Mansuy. The article appears in Biological Psychiatry, Volume 73, Issue 4 (February 15, 2013), published by Elsevier.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Johannes Bohacek, Katharina Gapp, Bechara J. Saab, Isabelle M. Mansuy. Transgenerational Epigenetic Effects on Brain Functions. Biological Psychiatry, 2013; 73 (4): 313 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.019

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/GyM09mz7YnM/130214075539.htm

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MP first state to fully utilise plan funds by Union Tourism Ministry

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.] detailNews.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +133 System.Web.Util.CalliHelper.EventArgFunctionCaller(IntPtr fp, Object o, Object t, EventArgs e) +14 System.Web.Util.CalliEventHandlerDelegateProxy.Callback(Object sender, EventArgs e) +35 System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +99 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +50 System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +627

---

Version Information:?Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.3634; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.3634

Source: http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=15952&sid=1

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Firoz Rasul: Aga Khan Development Network to construct varsity for East Africa

Kampala:?The Aga Khan Development Network has announced plans to embark on constructing a university with branches across East Africa.

Mr Firoz Rasul, the president of the Aga Khan University of East Africa, said the institution will train local human resource and open centres of excellence in each member state so that they stop sending their students to abroad.

via Aga Khan to construct varsity for East Africa ? National ? monitor.co.ug.

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This entry was posted in Aga Khan University, Uganda and tagged Firoz Rasul by ismailimail. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/firoz-rasul-aga-khan-development-network-to-construct-varsity-for-east-africa/

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Mexico: Men confess in rapes of tourists

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) ? Authorities in Mexico say six men who were detained in the recent rape of six Spanish tourists in Acapulco have confessed to the crimes.

Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam says prosecutors have gathered evidence against them and another suspect who remains at large.

He said Wednesday that the men gave a complete recount of the attacks on Feb. 4, in a beach house on the outskirts of Acapulco where 12 Spanish tourists and a Mexican woman were staying.

The crime has further tainted the reputation of the Pacific resort, already damaged by gruesome beheadings and mutilations by drug cartels.

Authorities had already announced the detentions, which prompted family members to protest that they were simply scapegoats and demand their release.

Guerrero Gov. Angel Aguirre said authorities are carrying out the investigation professionally.

?

?2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.9wsyr.com/news/world/story/Mexico-Men-confess-in-rapes-of-tourists/0iSeaK3hh06X0masTOO7yA.cspx?rss=115

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Video Zombies are not welcome in Canada John Baird

The Globe and Mail Wednesday 13th February, 2013

When asked a question about Canada's preparedness in the event of a zombie attack, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird assured Canadians the government will never let the country become a "safe haven for zombies."

Read more

Source: http://www.canadastandard.com/index.php/sid/212556876/scat/71df8d33cd2a30df

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Small Russian banks help Iran's oil exports: minister

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Small Russian banks are participating in schemes to finance Iranian oil exports, which are the target of U.S. and European sanctions against Tehran, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday.

"Large (banks) are not taking part. Small ones are, yes," Novak told reporters, in the first such confirmation by a top Russian official.

"Major banks are not involved as they have taken into consideration the possibility of any sanctions to which they might become subject."

In 2011, the U.S. Congress passed a law requiring buyers of Iranian oil to make significant cuts to their oil purchases, or risk being cut off from the U.S. financial system.

The European Union followed suit by imposing sanctions last July against Iran's oil and shipping industries which barred Europe-based insurers from covering tankers that carry Iranian oil. Later, it also added bans on financial transactions and on sales to Iran of shipping equipment, among other measures.

Novak, who spoke after meeting Iranian Foreign Ali Akbar Salehi in Moscow, declined to name either the banks involved or the scale and nature of their possible financing of oil exports from Iran.

Salehi, in Moscow on a trade mission, said that Russian companies would be welcome to participate in developing the growing oil industry of the OPEC member state.

The West suspects of Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. Six-power talks with Iranian nuclear negotiators are due to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on February 26.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Douglas Busvine and William Hardy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/small-russian-banks-help-irans-oil-exports-minister-160339723.html

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Apple CEO calls Einhorn lawsuit 'a silly sideshow'

Javier E. David, CNBC contributor , CNBC ? ? ? 8 hrs.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday rebutted criticism that his company was too tight-fisted with the $137 billion in cash it has amassed over the years, saying the tech giant "does not have a Depression-era mentality" preventing it from returning money to shareholders.

Wading into a controversy that was bought to a head last week by fund manager David Einhorn, Cook touted his company's investment in product development and research. The CEO rejected the basis of a lawsuit filed by Einhorn that the fund manager asserts will restrict Apple's ability to distribute its excess cash to its investors.

Read more: Apple Pushes Back Against Einhorn Allegations of Cash Hoarding

"Frankly I find it bizarre that we would find ourselves being sued for doing something that's good for shareholders," Cook told the Goldman Sachs' Technology and Internet Conference. He branded Einhorn's lawsuit as a "a silly sideshow."

Countering Einhorn's pointed criticism that the company was behaving like his cash-hoarding grandmother who lived through the Depression, Cook said his company invested $10 billion in capital expenditures last year, and would do the same this year.

"We do have some cash, but it's a privilege to be in this position ...where we can seriously consider returning additional cash to our shareholders."

He nevertheless said that Apple would "thoroughly consider" Einhorn's proposal to return cash to shareholders.

For his part, Einhorn managed to use his lawsuit to advance an issue that has dogged Apple for years. Analysts say the tech giant is notoriously parsimonious with paying dividends to its shareholders, magnified by the fact that the company's stock rose more than 31 percent in 2012.

Tim Lesko, an Apple investor at Granite Investment Advisors, told CNBC that he would prefer to see the company channel "the lion's share" of its cash to research and development. He remains "very constructive" on the stock, adding that he doesn't see "a real reason to make a change in our holdings."

Read more: Apple Sends Another Signal Bigger Capital Distribution Is Coming.

In spite of sitting on a record cash haul, Apple's shares have swooned from a record high above $700 to new 52-week lows, as investors doubt the company's ability to keep pace with its competition. This week, speculation mounted that Apple would release a new watch.

Read more: Sell-Off Costs Apple 'World's Most Valuable' Mantle.

Apple's culture of innovation "has never been stronger," Cook said on Tuesday, adding that it was "deeply embedded" in the value and DNA of the company. He insisted that the smartphone market would continue to be integral to the company's fortunes, based on growth trends in the all-important segment.

The company's dominance in the tablet space represents a big opportunity for Apple, Cook stated, even as challengers line up to erode the yawning market share of its iPad and iPad Mini. Tablets are growing in popularity, as consumers flock to the devices as an alternative to the traditional personal computer.

"We're in the early innings of this game," Cook said, touting projections that the 120 million units sold last year will triple over the next four years.

Cook points out that Black Friday numbers showed customers used iPads and iPhones to shop far more than their Android counterparts ... "I'm not sure what people are doing with these other tablets."

Some Apple watchers have worried that iPad Mini sales will eat into demand for its larger, more expensive iPad ? a process analysts refer to as cannibalization. Cook, however, dismissed those concerns, saying that such talk often accompanied the introduction of newer Apple products.

"The first time I got asked about cannibalization was when Apple came out with the iBook, and people were worried that it would cannibalize the PowerBook," the CEO said. "When we came out with the iPad, people worried it would cannibalize the Mac." Both the PowerBook and Mac rank among Apple's most popular products.

Jon Fortt contributed to reporting for this article from San Francisco.

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/apple-ceo-calls-einhorn-lawsuit-silly-sideshow-1C8346371

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Video: Pope?s brother: ?A younger person is needed?

>>> we're learning more this morning about the vatican's plans to elect a new pope in the wake of pope benedict 's surprise decision to resign at the end of this month. richard engel is in vatican city . richard, good morning.

>> reporter: good morning, matt. the reaction here in st. peter's square to what the pope has done has been overwhelming positive, with people calling it an act of humility and courage, to make way for a younger man. 24 hours later, there's still shock in the vatican city .

>> shock, disappointed, sad.

>> reporter: this morning, roman catholics , tourists and even some church officials wondered if this can be a moment to revitalize the church, after pope benedict xvi 's unexpected decision to step down.

>> personally, i didn't agree with a lot of the things that he believed and preached.

>> i hope this will bring change to the church.

>> reporter: in making his announcement, the 85-year-old pontiff, who has been looking frail, asked for forgiveness. i have to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me, he told a gathering of cardinals in latin, saying his advanced age forced the decision. moments later these pictures circulated the web. more than 700 years ago when a pope abdicated the throne. they are reluctant to leave so they don't send mixed messages or contradict the new pope. the pope's brother spoke in the last few hours.

>> perhaps the new pope will ask for his advice but you notice the aging process impacts body and soul . the younger person is needed to deal with today's problems.

>> although there's no evidence to suggest a motive, other than old age, the pope's unusual departure has left some wonderin wondering.

>> only know what we've been told at the moment.

>> reporter: pope benedict will eventually move to a monastery, praying and reflecting. his age and the weight of scandals, especially revelations of sexual abuse by priests may have gotten to the scholarly pontiff. bets are already being placed on who will lead the more than 1 billion roman catholics when the pope steps down at the end of the month. the pope will not take place in the conclave to choose his successor. vatican officials hope a new pope will be in place by easter, matt.

>> richard engel in vatican city . thank you very much. father robert barron is director of the monline in chicago. good morning.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50780591/

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Child sex abuse crisis overshadows Benedict's legacy

Frantzesco Kangaris / AFP/Getty Images

Demonstrators hold placards during a march protesting against the Pope Benedict XVI's visit to London on Sept. 18, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his "deep sorrow" Saturday for the "immense suffering" of children abused by Catholic priests, in a homily on the third day of his state visit to Britain.

By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

As Pope Benedict XVI?s prepares to step down, his legacy is being viewed through the prism of how he handled the child sex abuse crisis, with some observers saying he dealt with it aggressively while others calling his response to the scandals ?woefully inadequate.?

During Benedict?s eight-year papacy, thousands of people came forward to claim that they had been raped or molested by priests as children, and that bishops had covered it up.

As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, it was Benedict?s old office that dealt with abuse cases, yet he never admitted failure by himself or of the Vatican, and never punished bishops who ignored or covered up the abuse.

?It?s hard to escape the fact that his biggest challenge was the sex abuse crisis and it really didn?t get better during his papacy,? said Michael D?Antonio, author of the upcoming book ?Mortal Sins: Sex, Crime, and the Era of Catholic Scandal.? ?And in fact, one can see that the church declined in moral authority, especially in the developed world and that includes places like Ireland and Belgium, which were until a few years ago the most Catholic and the most conservatively Catholic countries in the world. And all of this, I really think is traceable to his failure.?

Benedict was ?locked into an institution that may not be able to deal with this in a structural way,? he added. ?He could go around and minister to victims, which he did, and I think that was a brave and profound thing to do, but he couldn?t change the definitive elements of the Catholic Church that enable abuse.?

Benedict made apologies and met with victims in the United States, Australia, his native Germany, Britain and Malta. The church also paid out more than $2.1 billion in settlements from 2004-2011 to victims, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In 2002, before he took up the papal post, a zero tolerance policy was implemented. But those efforts were not enough, critics said.
One victims? rights group, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called on Benedict to use his remaining days in the post to turn that around by forcing bishops to reveal the names of those priests facing credible accusations of abuse.

Carl Court / AFP/Getty Images

Demonstrators hold placards before a march protesting against the Pope Benedict XVI's visit to London on Sept. 18, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his "deep sorrow" Saturday for the "immense suffering" of children abused by Catholic priests, in a homily on the third day of his state visit to Britain.

?We can?t mistake words for deeds and, you know, actions speak louder than statements and to be honest with you, we feel that his response has been woefully inadequate,? said Barbara Blaine, the group?s president.

Another group, BishopAccountability.org, a library and internet archive of the scandals, welcomed the church?s efforts to address the troubles among its ranks, such as tackling the issue directly on the Vatican website and by making adjustments to its youth policy.

But the site?s founder, Terence McKiernan, said Ratzinger, even before taking on the papal post, was dogged by the scandal since he had read so many of the accounts of abuse in his role as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

He said Ratzinger had followed Pope John Paul II?s policy of not defrocking all accused priests ? noting that the church was already concerned about losing priests to old age and dwindling seminary numbers.

?I think that it?s a huge opportunity missed, you know, people will say he did things and that?s certainly true,? McKiernan said. ?But given the enormity of the crimes ? and given the enormous power that the Pope has, I think that you could say that Benedict reacted to all of this rather than taking action. And apologies and nice speeches are not the same as actually taking vigorous action to remove the people responsible and revealing all the information that needs to be revealed. So it?s an opportunity missed, and I think as a result, the church has lost incredible amounts of credibility in all this.?

Vincenzo Pinto / AFP/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI puts oil on the altar during the Mass to mark the dedication of the new white marble altar in St. Mary Cathedral in Sydney on July 19, 2008. Pope Benedict XVI apologized explicitly to victims of sex abuse by Catholic clergy, expressing his shame and calling for perpetrators of the "evil" to be brought to justice.

Benedict officially leaves office on Feb. 28. One of those who will participate in electing his successor, Retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop Emeritus of Los Angeles, was himself stripped of his administrative and public duties in early February after church personnel files revealed that he and other top Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles officials maneuvered behind the scenes to shield molester priests, provide damage control for the church and keep parishioners in the dark, NBC Los Angeles reported.

Still, some felt Benedict did step up to tackle the issue engulfing the church.

?He inherited a very tragic situation and he confronted it head on and has been a great reformer on this issue,? said Maureen Ferguson, a senior policy adviser at The Catholic Association. ?The Catholic Church in the United States is now one of the leading institutions in terms of child protection policies.?

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, agreed.

?Nobody clearly did more to counter this problem in the Catholic Church,? he said. ? ? he did move expeditiously, quite frankly, with a lot greater aggressiveness than his predecessor. John Paul II was a great man but this issue did languish there in the Vatican until Joseph Ratzinger ? was able to deal with it.?

Donohue said that about a month before Ratzinger was named Pope, he spoke about the ?filth? in the Catholic Church, referring to priests who were sexually abusing children.

He also banished a popular priest from ministry, Father Marcial Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, who was accused of sexually abusing underage seminaries, according to the National Catholic Reporter.?

?He took a position which took a great deal of courage to go against a very popular priest,? Donohue said. ?An investigation of him had begun (under) John Paul II but it took Benedict to finish him, and he did finish him.?

?I think history will treat him very well in terms of dealing with the problem,? he added. ?I think the issue is basically behind us, almost everything we hear today are these old cases.?

But D?Antonio wasn?t sure history would be so favorable to Benedict.

?He would have had to pick up the church and drag it into the 21st century but, you know, he could have,? he said. ?He might have died trying, the stress of that might have been even more profound, he would have faced tremendous intrigue and opposition, but I suspect that instead he may go down in history as a caretaker, an interpersonally kind pastor who made no mark when he had the chance to.?

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/11/16929418-woefully-inadequate-or-a-great-reformer-child-sex-abuse-crisis-overshadows-benedicts-legacy?lite

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Berlusconi sex trial halted until after election

MILAN (Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi's trial on charges of paying for sex with a minor will be postponed until after this month's election due to his campaign commitments, Italian judges ruled on Monday.

The next hearing in the trial will now be held on March 4, a week after the February 24-25 elections. Milan judges upheld an argument from Berlusconi's legal team that his political campaign constituted a legitimate impediment to his attendance.

The 76-year-old media magnate and leader of the center-right coalition, who faces separate trials for tax fraud and other offences, has had all his trials postponed until March.

The so-called "Bunga Bunga" scandal, in which Berlusconi is accused of paying for sex with an underage night-club dancer, was among factors that accelerated his demise as prime minister in late 2011, at the peak of the euro zone debt crisis.

Berlusconi has conducted a vigorous television campaign which has enabled him to pick up support in opinion polls but his center-right alliance still lags the center-left Democratic Party.

(Reporting by Manuela D'Alessandro; Writing by Antonella Ciancio; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/berlusconi-sex-trial-halted-until-election-140539758.html

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Former Navy SEAL's memorial service ends

In this April 6, 2012, photo, former Navy SEAL and author of the book ?American Sniper?, Chris Kyle poses in Midlothian, Texas. A Texas sheriff has told local newspapers that Kyle has been fatally shot along with another man on a gun range, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Paul Moseley)

In this April 6, 2012, photo, former Navy SEAL and author of the book ?American Sniper?, Chris Kyle poses in Midlothian, Texas. A Texas sheriff has told local newspapers that Kyle has been fatally shot along with another man on a gun range, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Paul Moseley)

Christopher Kyle's wife, Taya, is escorted to her seat after memorializing her husband during a memorial service at Cowboys Stadium, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. Thousands attended the public memorial service for Kyle, the former Navy SEAL sniper who was shot to death at a Texas shooting range.(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

A photo of Christopher Kyle is displayed on the large screen before the start of a memorial service for the former Navy SEAL at Cowboys Stadium, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. Thousands are expected to attend the public memorial service for Kyle, the former Navy SEAL sniper who was shot to death at a Texas shooting range. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Christopher Kyle's wife, Taya, and his two children follow behind his casket during the recession of a memorial service for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. Thousands attended the public memorial service for Kyle, the former Navy SEAL sniper who was shot to death at a Texas shooting range. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

A flag flutters in the wind before a memorial service for Christopher Kyle at Cowboys Stadium, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. Thousands are expected to attend the public memorial service for Kyle, the former Navy SEAL sniper who was shot to death at a Texas shooting range. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? Taya Kyle spoke through tears as she stood in front of her husband's flag-draped coffin, her voice trembling as she described to a crowd of thousands what ex-Navy SEAL Chris Kyle meant to his family, friends and country.

"Chris, there isn't enough time to tell you everything you mean to me and everything you taught me," the widow said during a two-hour memorial service Monday at Cowboys Stadium for her husband, a decorated sniper and best-selling author who was slain earlier this month at a gun range.

She described herself as broken but said the family will "put one foot in front of the other" to get through their grief. She told her two children that they will remember Kyle's silly side, Texas twang and prayers they prayed together.

Nearly 7,000 people, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, attended the service. Dozens of military personnel and others were seated in front of the podium near the Dallas Cowboys' star at midfield, where Kyle's coffin was placed at the beginning of the memorial.

After Taya Kyle's eulogy, country singer Randy Travis sang "Whisper My Name," which he said Taya Kyle had told him was a meaningful song for the couple, and "Amazing Grace." At the conclusion of the service, bagpipers played as military personnel carried out the coffin, and many in the crowd saluted.

His friends and fellow service members told mourners that Kyle was more than an excellent sniper feared by U.S. enemies ? he was a dedicated family man known for his sense of humor, compassion, selflessness and generosity.

Some who served with him said that Kyle was a man, myth and legend because he would do anything for his fellow SEALs. Some of his childhood friends recalled his mischievous side, and one said he and Kyle played with BB guns as kids ? and Kyle "wasn't a good shot back then."

Before and during the service, pictures of Kyle with his family and SEALs were shown on a large screen in the stadium. The back page of the memorial service program included copies of handwritten notes from Kyle's young kids: "I will miss your heart. I will love you even if you died" from his daughter, and "I miss you a lot. One of the best things that has happened to me is you" from his son. The children signed them "Baby Girl" and "Bubba."

Kyle completed four tours of duty in Iraq and wrote the best-selling book "American Sniper."

Iraq War veteran Eddie Ray Routh, 25, has been charged in the Feb. 2 killings of Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield at a North Texas gun range. Routh is being held in Erath County on $3 million bond.

Kyle's funeral service is scheduled for Tuesday. He will be buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin after a 200-mile funeral procession.

Many said before Monday's service that they didn't know the 38-year-old Kyle. Air Force Master Sgt. Kevin Phillips said he came from his Fort Worth home to honor "a brother in arms."

Esperanza Meza, who is in the Texas State Guard, said: "I'm here to pay my respects to him, and also for all of those who have fallen while serving this country."

The director of the nonprofit that Kyle set up to give in-home fitness equipment to physically and emotionally wounded veterans has said the men apparently had been helping Routh work through post-traumatic stress disorder.

Kyle, Littlefield and Routh arrived together at the Rough Creek Lodge shooting range, about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth, authorities say. Routh later fled in Kyle's truck and went to his sister's home.

According to a search warrant, Routh told his sister and brother-in-law that the men "were out shooting target practice and he couldn't trust them so he killed them before they could kill him." Routh's sister called the police, describing her brother as "psychotic." Routh was arrested after a short police chase.

Routh's brother-in-law told authorities that Routh had recently been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

One of Routh's attorneys, J. Warren St. John, said his client had been released from the Dallas Veterans Affairs hospital against his family's wishes just two days before the shootings.

Littlefield's funeral was held Friday in Midlothian. Afteward, Littlefield's relatives said the outing with Routh was intended to be therapeutic.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-11-Sniper%20Author-Shooting-Memorial/id-ea26e1e550214c74a50023749ebb4861

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Eric Chua : Life, Business and Real Estate in Singapore ? Read On ...

Buying real estate is a big step for anyone, especially for the first time buyer. The realization of how much the property truly costs and how big of a commitment it is can cause a lot of stress. Use the advice contained in this article so that you have the most success and ease any of your concerns.

You can find a calculator online that will help you determine a reasonable price range when you are ready to purchase a house. You will be able to take in consideration your current expenses and your income to find the kind of investments you should be looking at. This is the best way to get a realistic idea of what you should buy.

Real Estate

TIP! When the time comes for you to buy property, it is vital to hire a reputable real estate agent. Researching their background is made quite simple and convenient through the use of the Internet and checking with the agencies that monitor consumer complaints.

If you?re interested in investing in real estate, a good idea is to do so with the assistance of a broker or real estate agent. Agents and brokers have the connections and resources at their disposal that only professionals in the industry have access to. Brokers and agents have exclusive access to the MLS and customized software to search the listings. While you are able to look through the MLS by yourself, the tools that a professional will have makes the entire process more efficient and more detailed. You will gain more information letting them help you.

When considering the purchase of a new home, it?s very important that you look at the long-term and not just the short-term. If you are planning on having kids, make sure that you purchase a home that has a good school nearby.

Expect that a foreclosed home will be in need of at least some repairs. Homes that have been foreclosed are often unoccupied for a while before they are sold, so necessary repairs and maintenance may have been neglected. Problems might be easy to fix or more severe, so have an inspector take a look at the house before you close on it. It might need a new HVAC system, or pest control services.

TIP! Keep your options open. Finding the perfect home in a perfect community can be almost impossible.

Write down all the important questions that you need to ask potential real estate agents. You will want to know how many homes were sold during the previous year, as well as the number in your target area. They should answer every question professionally.

It is critical to be educated on mortgage loan terminolgy when purchasing a home. A failure to understand how your monthly payments are structured, especially interest over the life of the loan, may place your home in jeopardy. So take all the time necessary to understand a mortgage and avoid any confusion.

If you are thinking about moving, you may want to research the neighborhoods of properties you are interested in online. You can discover a great deal of information this way. Consider the salary margins, population and unemployment rate of your desired location before purchasing a house there so you ensure that you will love where you live.

TIP! Banks do not always require home inspections, but you should have one done anyway. The absolute best way to know if a home is sound?and to know what kinds of problems you may encounter?is to have a professional inspector check it out before you buy.

Make sure to contact people you helped to buy a house every holiday, and on anniversaries of their first day in the house. If you call them again, they will know how much help you were when they were buying their home. At the close of your greeting, remind them that you work on a referral basis and would consider it a compliment if they would recommend you to their friends.

Real Estate

Now that you have the knowledge you need, are you ready to commit to buy? You should be a lot more relaxed about the whole process of investing in real estate after reading this article. Apply the tips that fit your situation to achieve greater success. Purchasing real estate doesn?t have to be all that complicated. It is exciting to own a piece of something! Just know how much it truly costs and make your decisions as wisely as possible.

TIP! Doing your research beforehand is vital when you get into the rental property business. You will be looking for certain factors when you search for rental property.

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Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/read-on-for-home-buying-tips-you-should-know-2

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