Thursday, February 28, 2013

Detroit, prepare to be taken over by the state

LANSING, Michigan (Reuters) - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder will officially declare a financial emergency for Detroit on Friday, paving the way for a state takeover of the city, a state government source said on Thursday.

At a forum in Detroit, the Republican governor will endorse the February 19 findings of a six-member review team that concluded the city's dire financial situation constituted an emergency, according to the source, who asked not to be identified.

Sara Wurfel, Snyder's spokeswoman, said the governor will outline "his determination on whether or not there is an emergency."

The official declaration of an emergency for Michigan's biggest city will trigger a 10-day deadline for Detroit officials to request a hearing with Snyder. It will likely result in the appointment of an emergency financial manager to manage its fiscal affairs.

The review team said the city is plagued by "operational dysfunction," but made no official recommendation on the need to appoint an emergency financial manager, leaving that to the governor.

Detroit, which has been struggling for years with a falling population, shrinking tax base and large payroll for city services, has been operating since April 2012 under an agreement that gave the state some oversight. But the slow pace of reforms led Snyder to launch a new review of the city last December.

If the state decides to appoint an emergency financial manager, that person could decide the city's only course for survival would be a bankruptcy filing in what would become the largest municipal bankruptcy in the United States.

The emergency manager would be officially chosen by a state board composed of the state treasurer, budget director, and licensing and regulatory affairs director - all of whom are Snyder appointees.

Snyder has publicly discussed qualifications he would seek in the manager and has said he had a short list of candidates for the job.

(Reporting By Dawson Bell; Additional reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Greg McCune and Leslie Adler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/michigan-governor-declare-detroit-fiscal-emergency-source-231857763.html

megamillions winning numbers lotto winner jerry lee lewis cesar chavez winning lotto numbers lottery tickets mega lottery

State oil firm warns Nigeria rating at risk if debt deal blocked

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's state oil firm has told politicians any move to block its deals to finance payment of $3.5 billion owed to fuel traders could expose Africa's second-largest economy to a sovereign credit downgrade or a banking crisis.

Major oil trading houses including Vitol , Glencore, Trafigura and Mercuria are owed millions of dollars by Nigeria for fuel deliveries, according to a government-commissioned report released last year.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC) accumulated the debts to traders, some of which are three years old, due to non-payment of fuel subsidies by the government, the head of the company told parliament on Monday.

The Finance Ministry did not respond to calls for comment.

Trafigura, Mercuria, Vitol and Glencore all declined comment.

Group Managing Director Andrew Yakubu told lawmakers NNPC was borrowing $1.56 billion through a special purpose vehicle to offset part of the fuel import debts and that it had allocated 15,000 barrels per day of oil output for a period of up to five years to pay back the money, the company said in a statement.

Standard Chartered, which managed the banking deal, declined official comment.

Yakubu said the company planned to settle the remaining debts through a second such forward sales arrangement as well as internal resources.

Lawmakers have questioned the fund-raising deal, saying NNPC is not allowed to take out loans under rules set out in the constitution.

NNPC says it was not a loan.

"The exposure of domestic banks is about $1.5 billion, and a default of this magnitude of exposure could lead to another round of banking crisis," NNPC said in a statement.

"The NNPC GMD stated that the continued delay has dire consequences ranging from a major negative impact on the sovereign credit rating to costly litigation against the federal government in foreign courts," it added.

The House of Representatives committee asked to see NNPC's documents and said it would investigate.

CREDIT RATING

Credit rating agency Standard and Poor's upgraded Nigeria in November, citing improved financial stability and optimism over banking and electricity reforms. Its ratings from the three major agencies are still in junk territory, however, at BB- from S&P and Fitch and Ba3 from Moody's.

Nigeria's banking crisis ended with a sharp recovery in bank earnings last year after a 2009 credit crisis led to the near collapse of nine lenders.

OPEC member Nigeria is among the world's top 10 crude oil exporters but has insufficient refining capacity to meet its domestic fuel needs and relies heavily on imports of oil products. The government uses subsidies to keep a lid on retail petrol prices.

President Goodluck Jonathan attempted to end fuel subsidies a year ago but backed down after it sparked widespread protests.

Decades of mismanagement and corruption have left NNPC heavily indebted, several audits have shown.

Trading companies have been battling for months to recoup the money, and some have stopped supplying Nigeria with fuel. Most have remained in the west African country, however, partly because of the huge opportunities it presents in the trading of crude oil.

The government-commissioned report showed that Glencore was owed $138 million, Vitol $198 million and Trafigura $53 million.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/state-oil-firm-warns-nigeria-rating-risk-debt-151648735--finance.html

amanda bynes arrested f 18 jet crash in virginia beach john tortorella nicki minaj beez in the trap video food network good friday

Art fair at the former Locust Factory joins First Friday - KansasCity.com

March?s First Friday adds an art fair to the evening?s gallery rounds.

Artist Apryl McAnerny, co-director of the Main Street gallery and founder of the Slap-n-Tickle gallery in the East Crossroads, is turning the west end of the gallery?s building at 504 E. 18th St. into a monthly showcase for artists and entrepreneurs.

The new Locust Factory First Friday Art Fair will fill the 3,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by the Locust Factory gallery and studio spaces.

From 6 to 9 p.m. on First Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on the following Saturday, you can view a selection of works and wares by ceramicists, photographers, floral designers and other artists and vendors.

Recently McAnerny held a benefit auction in the space to help with a child?s medical expenses.

?I put the word out to people in the auction and spread the word through Facebook,? she said. ?The artists have to go through a submission process to be accepted. I want high-quality work.?

Art fair participants pay $50 for 6 feet of table or wall space for those two days, McAnerny said. ?We don?t take commission. It?s all artist-run.?

The first fair will feature Hitched Wedding & Events, which will have a table displaying floral arrangements and information about its business. The Kansas City Academy also will have a table and wall space with student work, McAnerny said.

Participants include ceramic artists Erick Bachmann and Mike Cerv, photographer Sadie Jane and painters Ben McCarthy and Betsy Barrat. Chris LaValley will show mixed-media collages.

McAnerny, a 1991 graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute, says the fair ?is perfect for new artists ? high school, college or anyone who has never shown their art ? in that they can learn the submission process, how best to present and display their work and get feedback from the public and learn how to discuss their work with the public.?

?This will help prepare them for submitting and showing at larger galleries,? she said. ?I have a background in teaching art, and after almost seven years in the gallery business, I am quite adept at holding their hand through the whole process in a kind and generous manner that they may not receive at other galleries.

?It?s also,? she said, ?a fabulous opportunity for entrepreneurs and local small businesses to reach a wider audience and test out their products.?

McAnerny plans for the fair to be a monthly event featuring 10 to 20 participants.

?I have a face painter wanting to come and several other photographers and ceramic artists. Sazzy?s lingerie is hoping to become involved,? she said.

Kate E. Burke of the Honeytree Gallery is helping McAnerny with the project, and Honeytree, Tickle and Plenum Space, which all share the building, also will be open on First Saturday afternoons, she said.

By adding responsibility for the monthly art fair to her duties at the Slap-n-Tickle and Main Street galleries, McAnerny, who had been making ends meet by painting houses and doing faux finishing, hopes to make art her full-time job.

?I?ve been running the Slap-n-Tickle for six and a half years. Main Street opened last fall, now I?m launching this,? she said. ?It?s all commission-based sales.?

LaToya Ruby Frazier

at the Nelson

First Friday-goers may want to make their first stop of the evening the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, where renowned American photographer LaToya Ruby Frazier will speak at 6 p.m.

Frazier, who showed in the 2012 Whitney Biennial and the 2009 triennial ?Younger Than Jesus? at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, is known for her social documentary work, most notably a series of searing images about the decline of her hometown of Braddock, Pa.

Frazier tells a story of our times.

As summarized by the Whitney Museum, ?Exposing the underbelly of corporate practices ? rapid de-industrialization and outsourcing, environmental negligence and inner-city gentrification ? Frazier?s work examines the crises of postindustrial communities and the class divisions wrought by capital.?

This spring, Frazier will have a one-person show at the Brooklyn Museum.

Admission to her lecture, which will be in Atkins Auditorium, is free, but tickets are required and can be reserved. Call 816-751-1278 or go to Nelson-Atkins.org.

14 places to see art on First Friday

At the galleries, look for a preponderance of big works in many shows, including Mike Lyon?s ?New Drawings? at Sherry Leedy, Clint Metcalf?s abstract paintings at the Slap-n-Tickle Gallery and a 51/2- by 6-foot work on paper by Malory Ward at the Late Show.

Blue Djinn Gallery

?Sid Laser?

When: Friday (reception 6-9 p.m.) through March 30

Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

Where: 1400 Union Ave.

Info: 816-518-4649

?

Blue Gallery

March group exhibition

When: Friday (reception 7-9 p.m.) through March 30

Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment

Where: 118 Southwest Blvd.

Info: 816-527-0823

?

City Ice Arts

?365 + One: Photography by Fred Trease?

When: Friday (reception 6-9 p.m.) through April 13

Hours: 2-6 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and by appointment

Where: 2015 Campbell St.

Info: 816-820-4105

?

Hilliard Gallery

?A Touch of Spring: Group Show?

When: Friday (reception 6-10 p.m.) through March 28

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday and by appointment

Where: 1820 McGee St.

Info: 816-561-2956

?

Kemper at the Crossroads

?Be Inspired!?

When: Through June 7. Conversation with Bo Joseph at 6 p.m. Friday.

Hours: Noon-10 p.m. on First Friday

Where: 33 W. 19th St.

Info: 816-753-5784

?

Larson Binkley

?Courtney Kenny: Look Again?

When: Friday (reception 6-9 p.m.) through March 29

Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: 310 W. 20th St.

Info: 402-250-4973

?

The Late Show

?The New Kids on the Block?

When: Friday (reception 6-10 p.m.) through March 30

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment

Where: 1600 Cherry St.

Info: 816-474-1300

?

Leedy-Voulkos Art Center

?Ada Koch-La Piazza: Praising Architecture and a Balanced Life?

?Michael Stack: Eagleman and 9/11 Series?

?Vanishing Circles: Portraits of Disappearing Wildlife of the Sonoran Desert Region? and ?The Art of a Desert Recluse by Sheridan Oman (c.1926-1996),? two shows presented by the Arizona Sonora-Desert Museum

When: Friday (reception 6-9 p.m.) through April 27. Museum shows close April 26. ?Cheryl Gail Toh: Linger Still? continues through March 30.

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday

Where: 2012 Baltimore Ave.

Info: 816-474-1919

?

Locust Factory First Friday Art Fair

Various artists and vendors

When: 6-9 p.m. Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday

Where: 504 E. 18th St.

Info: 816-716-5940

?

Main Street Gallery

?Triple Play: Landscapes by Debra Payne, Diana Werts and Carol Zastoupil?

When: Friday (reception 6-9 p.m. Friday) through March 29

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday through Sunday

Where: 1610 Main St. (upstairs at Anton?s Tap Room & Restaurant)

Info: 816-210-6534

?

Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery

?Artifacts of Immigration?

When: Through March 22. Second reception 6-9 p.m. Friday.

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

Where: 915 W. 17th St.

Info: 816-221-2349

?

Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art

?Caleb Taylor: Near/Far?

?Mike Lyon: New Drawings?

When: Friday (reception 7-9 p.m.) through April 27

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

Where: 2004 Baltimore Ave.

Info: 816-221-2626

?

Slap-n-Tickle Gallery

?Vibes: Past & Present Paintings by Clint Metcalf?

When: Friday (reception 6-11 p.m.) through March 17

Hours: Noon-4 p.m. Saturday and by appointment

Where: 504 E. 18th St.

Info: 816-716-5940

?

Todd Weiner Gallery

Art Madness Group Show

When: Friday (reception 5-9 p.m.) through April 1

Hours: 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday

Where: 115 W. 18th St., Suite 101

Info: 816-984-8538

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/02/27/4088265/art-fair-joins-first-friday.html

media matters hana taylor momsen xbox live update joan rivers gary carter dies oolong tea

Protein balance key in preventing cancer

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Two proteins that scientists once thought carried out the same functions are actually antagonists of each other, and keeping them in balance is key to preventing diseases such as cancer, according to new findings published in the February 25 issue of Developmental Cell by scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The results suggest that new compounds could fight cancer by targeting the pathways responsible for maintaining the proper balance between the proteins.

"It's our job now to understand how we can intervene therapeutically in this system, so we can restore balance when it's thrown off," says study author David L. Wiest, PhD, professor and deputy chief scientific officer at Fox Chase.

The two proteins?"Rpl22" and "Rpl22-like1", which contribute to the process by which additional cellular proteins are made?are created from two similar genes, leading researchers to previously believe they were performing identical functions in the body. "What we're finding is that is absolutely not true," says Wiest. "Not only are they performing different functions, they are antagonizing each other."

During the study, Wiest and his team knocked out Rpl22 in zebrafish?a common model of human disease. Without Rpl22, the zebrafish don't develop a type of T cells (a blood cell) that helps fight infections. The same developmental defect was observed when they knocked out Rpl22-like1, indicating that both proteins are independently required to enable stem cells to give rise to T cells.

But when the researchers tried to restore T cells in zebrafish that lacked Rpl22 by adding back Rpl22-like1, it didn't work. The reverse was also true?Rpl22 was not enough to restore function after the researchers eliminated Rpl22-like1. These results led Wiest and his team to believe that, although the proteins are both involved in producing stem cells, they do not perform the same function.

To learn more about the proteins' individual functions, the researchers looked at the levels of different proteins involved in stem cell production when either Rpl22 or Rpl22-like1 was absent. Without Rpl22-like1, cells had lower levels of a protein known as Smad1?a critical driver of stem cell development. And when Rpl22 disappeared, levels of Smad1 increased dramatically.

Both proteins can bind directly to the cellular RNA from which Smad1 is produced, suggesting that they maintain balance in stem cell production via their antagonistic effects on Smad1 expression, explains Wiest.

"I like to think of Rpl22 as a brake, and Rpl22-like1 as a gas pedal ? in order to drive stem cell production, both have to be employed properly. If one or the other is too high, this upsets the balance of forces that regulate stem cell production, with potentially deadly effects," says Wiest.

Specifically, too much Rpl22 (the "brake"), and stem cell production shuts off, decreasing the number of blood cells and leading to problems such as anemia. Too much Rpl22-like1 (the "gas pedal"), on the other hand, can create an over-production of stem cells, leading to leukemia.

Previous research has found that Rpl22-like1 is often elevated in cancer, including 80% of cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Conversely, researchers have found that in other cancers, the gene that encodes Rpl22 is deleted. "Either one of these events is sufficient to alter the balance in stem cell production in a way that pushes towards cancer," says Wiest.

###

Fox Chase Cancer Center: http://www.fccc.edu

Thanks to Fox Chase Cancer Center for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 31 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127058/Protein_balance_key_in_preventing_cancer

lunar eclipse alabama football florida lotto sean taylor Lisa Robin Kelly Nexus 4 Girl Meets World

Secrets We Keep From Our Kids

Jerry Mahoney is a stay-at-home gay dad blogger (SAHGDB) who writes about what an awesome and/or horrible parent he is on his site Mommy Man: Adventures of a Gay Superdad, which you should totally read. His family includes him, his partner, Drew, and a couple of meddling 3 1/2 year-old twins.

Hey guys, it?s me, Daddy, and I?m only writing this post because you can?t read, you don?t know what a blog is and because you?re still in that developmental sweet spot where you take everything I tell you at face value.

Suckers.

Your old man is full of secrets, things that could destroy my authority if you ever found out.? Here are 10 highly classified facts that I will take to my grave? or at least wait to tell you until you have kids of your own.

secret

1.? TV is a reward for me, not you.

There?s a reason I never promise you TV for being good.? When you?re behaving, I don?t?need?to turn on the TV.? Overall, you guys are terrific company? but when you?re not, that?s when TV comes to my rescue.? Those 22 blissful minutes ofYo Gabba Gabba?are my reward for getting through the crying, whining, fighting meltdown madness that?s become a recurring feature of your toddlerhood.

Here?s the big secret: if you want more TV, you should act out more.? You know how sometimes I?ll pop popcorn and we?ll have a ?movie day?, where we get to watch all of?Beauty & The Beast?orToy Story?from beginning to end?

When that happens, you?ve been BAAAAAAAAAD.

You can never know this, of course, because that would encourage you to misbehave.? So I have to be clever about it.? I always make sure to calm you down first, so you don?t know that I?m only turning on the TV because I?m on the verge of tearing off your Tickle Me Elmo?s head with my teeth.

?

2.? While you?re napping, I shove my face full of chocolate chip cookies for two hours straight.

You don?t see me eat much, do you?? It?s not because I don?t require sustenance like every other human being, though if it adds to your sense that Daddy is some kind of awesome superhuman, I?m fine with that.? No, the real reason I never eat in front of you is because when you?re watching, I need to model good eating habits.? You think I like eating vegetables and chewing slowly?? Phooey!

I spend every moment in your presence suppressing my natural urge to shovel peanut butter M&Ms through my maw by the fistful.? When you?re asleep, oh boy, do I make up for lost time.? I practically funnel chocolate sauce directly down my throat.? I watch lots of TV, too, and I sit as close to the screen as I want.

?

3. ?I fall for your crocodile tears about 90% of the time.

I don?t know whose side of the family it comes from, but I?d be willing to bet that you two have some Meryl Streep in your blood.? Your performances are unparalleled.? You are gripping emotional powerhouses, both of you, able to summon cascades of tears at will.? I feel like I should be tossing bouquets of flowers at your feet, or at least teaching you to act out?Uncle Vanya?so your talents can be put to good use.

Even when I?m sure you?re faking, I get sucked into the performance.? I want to give you that second cookie you?re demanding only because I don?t have an Oscar to hand over instead.

Seriously, I don?t know how you do it.? You cry over the most trivial things, but still, you get me to believe that nothing matters more in the world than you getting a turn with the ?good? xylophone.

I don?t want to spoil you by always giving in, but I don?t want to stifle your theatrical gifts either.

Bravo, kids.? Brav.? O.

?

4.? I don?t know how we?re going to pay for your college.

I?m really grateful you guys have no concept of money, because if you knew what college costs versus how much money we have in the bank, you?d wake up crying at night even more than you already do.

Let?s put it in terms of Play-Doh.? If you add together all the various sources of Play-Doh at our disposal ? the cans in the craft cabinet, the little mini tubs that came with the Cookie Monster Letter Lunch set, a few unopened packages we keep stashed in the closet for rainy days ? it?s a comfortable amount.

Now picture?all the Play-Doh in the world.? That?s what a year of college is going to cost by the time you guys are filling out your applications.? I?m not exaggerating.? Our Play-Doh supply would barely cover one semester of independent study credits at that college in Texas that gets all the oil subsidies.? We?re screwed.

I mean, sure, we have a few years.? We?ll keep stashing away Play-Doh in the meantime, but don?t get your hopes up.

?

5.? I find your speech impediments adorable.

I?ve written here before about?how much I hate baby talk, and I stand by that.? Grownups trying to sound like kids are idiotic.? But secretly, I love hearing little kids try to sound like grownups, and failing.

I love Sutton?s slight lisp, and I get a kick out of the way Bennett drops his ?S? from the start of words (?Daddy, ?utton wants a ?nack!?)? These things remind me, as you?re growing up, that you?re still going to be little kids for a while.

I know better than to encourage poor speech habits, of course.? I do the right thing, suppressing my smiles and correcting you gently, so you?ll learn to speak properly.? But secretly, whenever you mangle the English language, I?m thinking, ?Aww!?

?

6.? Your other Grandpa, my dad, is dead.

Sorry, this one?s kind of a downer.? I?ve shown you pictures of my dad, and I?ve told you a bit about him, but I?m really grateful that you?re still too young to ask the big question: ?How come we?ve never met him??? To explain that, I?d have to tell you about death.? Then you?d figure out the really big secret, that daddies can die.

Ugh, I just can?t have that talk with you.? And it?s not just about you not being ready.? I?m not ready either.? I don?t know when I will be.

When we talk about your mystery Grandpa, I tell you the good things, and then I change the subject.? I know I won?t be able to get away with that forever, but for now, that?s the best plan I have.

Grandpa loved kids, by the way.? You would?ve had so much fun with him.

?

7.? ?F#&%?, ?S*@#?, A$$#@!&?.

You know that Madonna song we love to sing along to?? You?ve probably noticed how I always turn down the volume when M.I.A.?s rap part comes on.? Let?s just say there are a few vocabulary words which may come in handy later in life, but which I?m glad you haven?t picked up on just yet.

?

8.? I was an even pickier eater at your age than you are.

I spend way more energy than any sane person should trying to get you kids to eat things you don?t want to.? Even your junk food diet is limited.? C?mon, why can?t you see how awesome Taco Bell is?

Here?s the truth, though: If I?m always encouraging you to try new foods, it?s mostly because I don?t want you to end up like me.? I?m living proof you can live to the age of 14 eating nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and pretzels.

Sure, at some point my tastes got a bit more exotic (i.e., Taco Bell), but I?m hoping that, unlike me, you?ll have at least sampled each of the four food groups before you reach puberty.

?

9.? Someday, I?m going to go back to work.

I know you don?t understand work.? That?s why you?ll sometimes cry in the middle of the afternoon and demand to pick Daddy up at the train station, as if he?s just waiting there all day for us to swing by.

Work takes daddies away from their kids, that?s all you really grasp of the concept.? Well, this may come as a shock to you, but before you were born, I used to work, too.? Staying home with you is better than any job I?ve ever had, and it?s worth every sacrifice Daddy and I have had to make.? It?s not going to last forever, though.? In the future, you won?t need me as much, at least not as much as we?ll need the second income.

A few months ago, I was in the running for a job, one that would?ve been too good to pass up. ?I?m not going to lie, I was excited about the prospect.? I was also heartbroken.? I imagined what it would be like to tell you I was going back to work, that you would now have two daddies you hardly ever saw.

Then you?d cry about how much you missed both of us, to a person we hired to take care of you all day.

?

10.? You guys are my best friends.

I used to think people who were BFFs with their kids were terrifically sad.? Now, I kind of get it.? No offense to any of my grown-up friends, but you?re way cooler than any of them.

Yes, I need adult conversation once in a while.? I need to talk about politics and celebrity scandals and last night?s?Breaking Bad.? But in general, your reluctant, unfocused recounting of your school day is better than any of that.? Really?? Billy spilled his juice at snack time?? Tell me more!

Again,?you can never know this, because the only thing sadder than you being my best friends would be if I were yours.? You don?t need a graying old doofus roughly 14 times your age as a buddy.? You need me as a parent.? My job isn?t to play trains with you and Billy after school, it?s to serve you juice? and to send Billy?s parents the cleaning bill when he spills it all over you.

F#&%in? Billy.

Source: http://www.scarymommy.com/secrets-we-keep-from-our-kids/

valentines day cards hallmark grammy winners obama budget woolly mammoth belize resorts nikki minaj grammy performance

Giuliana Rancic Puts Marriage Before Baby -- And That's Okay!

Giuliana Rancic and her husband Bill worked really hard to have a baby. After she underwent a double lumpectomy and double mastectomy and failed to conceive on her own, the couple decided to bring in a surrogate and have their child through a gestational carrier. The plan worked, and the Rancics welcomed baby Edward Duke into the world in late August.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/giuliana-rancic-puts-marriage-baby-and-thats-okay/1-a-524561?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Agiuliana-rancic-puts-marriage-baby-and-thats-okay-524561

dolly parton i will always love you beverly hilton hotel whitney houston found dead i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards powerball results pebble beach golf

Dog shoots man in Florida - maybe

MIAMI (Reuters) - Police added a dose of scepticism on Wednesday to a report about a man who says he was shot by his dog while driving down a Florida highway.

Commander Steve Carr, a police spokesman in the central town of Sebring, where the shooting occurred on Saturday, said there were "some indications" the shooting victim may have made up his "dog shoots man" story.

Gregory Lane Lanier, 35, told police he thought the 9mm Beretta semi-automatic handgun on the floor of his pickup truck was unloaded when the black and tan English bulldog kicked it and caused it to fire.

Lanier was hit in his left leg and the bullet wound, patched up at a local hospital, was not serious.

"It's what he claims," Carr said of Lanier's account. "We didn't spend a lot of time investigating it. There doesn't appear to be any criminal act involved. You don't have to be licensed in Florida to carry a handgun."

Lanier could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Calls to a phone number listed for him in a Sebring Police Department report on the highway shooting went unanswered.

(Reporting by Tom Brown; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Dan Grebler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dog-shoots-man-florida-maybe-230045799.html

free pancakes at ihop martina navratilova high school shooting ohio school shooting sean young arrested matt kenseth bridge to nowhere

Caterpillar CAT B15 rugged smartphone hands-on

Caterpilar CAT B15 rugged smartphone handson

Caterpillar's signature yellow and black CAT branding was definitely spinning heads and getting passerby's attention as it showed off its rugged B15. As far as tough goes the handset's corners are wrapped in rubber with the connections in between covered with anodized aluminum. The B15 is IP67 certified, which means both protected from dust and waterproof up to 3.3 feet for 30 minutes and can be dropped from about six feet and live to tell the tale -- you, however, may not. Other notables include a 4-inch WVGA display, dual-core 1GHz Cortex-A9 and a 5-megapixel camera that'll shoot 720p video and can do continuous pic shooting.

Sadly, we forgot our rubber mallet at home so we couldn't try to beat it to pieces but we did appreciate the housing on the CAT phone it's surprisingly nice to hold and well put together. Sure, there's a wee bit of overkill with the tough machine branding, but we're sure this phone will garner a bit of a following. Our favorite bit? The Caterpillar phone features something called wet finger tracking, so even if you happen to fall into a deep puddle while using your B15, you can finish whatever you were up to before tumbling. The B15 ships in March for a cool $436, though, there's no word on what carrier's planning to scoop this up -- see what we did there? There's a gallery of the B15 in all its tough guy splendor after the break.

Filed under:

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/27/caterpillar-cat-b15-rugged-smartphone-hands-on/

bowl projections Jovan Belcher Charlie Batch Miguel Calero Bret Bielema blake shelton sons of anarchy

Rapid, point-of-care tests for syphilis: The future of diagnosis

Rapid, point-of-care tests for syphilis: The future of diagnosis [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Julie Robert
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca
514-934-1934 x71381
McGill University Health Centre

Montreal, February 27th Syphilis is on the rise worldwide and there is an urgent need for reliable and rapid screening, particularly for people who live in areas where access to healthcare is limited. An international research team, led by scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montreal, has demonstrated that rapid and point-of-care tests (POC) for syphilis are as accurate as conventional laboratory tests. The findings, which were published in PLoS ONE, call for a major change in approach to syphilis testing and recommend replacing first line laboratory tests with POC tests globally, especially in resource-limited settings.

"There is a need to embrace rapid and POC tests for syphilis in global settings," argues Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, the study's senior and corresponding author, clinical researcher at the RI-MUHC and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University. "This meta-analysis generates global evidence across all populations for POC tests for syphilis and is the first to use sophisticated analyses to explore the accuracy of POC tests compared to the best reference standards."

Currently, syphilis is screened using conventional laboratory-based tests that can take up to three weeks to deliver results. These tests require chemical agents, trained staff and a continuous supply of electricity, which are not readily available in some parts of the world. Rapid and POC tests can be performed on a simple finger stick sample one patient at a time, and the results communicated to the patient within 20 minutes, saving time and helping doctors order confirmatory tests and rapidly flagging patients who need treatment.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the rod-like bacterium Treponema pallidum. It is transmitted between sexual partners through direct contact with a Syphilis sore. It may also be transmitted from mother to foetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis. "As well timely screening and treatment in first trimester is extremely important for pregnant women to prevent still births, pre-term births and mother-to-child transmission of syphilis," adds Yalda Jafari, the study's first author and a former master's student of Dr. Pant Pai.

As many as 50 million people worldwide are being treated for syphilis and about 12 million new cases are diagnosed every year. However, approximately 90% of those infected do not know it, and this is the driving force behind the worldwide epidemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) often refers to syphilis as the "great imitator," because many of its symptoms are similar to other diseases.

"Our study has major worldwide implications for populations living in rural areas with limited access to healthcare," says Dr. Pant Pai. "These tests offer the potential to expedite first line screening in settings where people have no access to a primary care physician or where laboratories take more than a week to deliver results."

###

About this study

The study entitled "Are Treponema pallidum Specific Rapid and Point-of-Care Tests for Syphilis Accurate Enough for Screening in Resource Limited Settings? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis", was coauthored by Yalda Jafari (Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Canada); Rosanna W. Peeling (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK); Sushmita Shivkumar (Clinical Epidemiology and McGill University , Canada); Christiane Claessens (Institut national de sant publique, Canada); Lawrence Joseph (Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University/RI-MUHC and Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Canada); and Nitika Pant Pai (Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University and RI-MUHC, Canada).

This work was funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Click on the link below to access the PDF: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0054695

Useful links

Media

Julie Robert
Communications Research
Public Affairs & Strategic Planning
McGill University Health Centre
Phone: 514-934-1934 (ext. 71381)
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Rapid, point-of-care tests for syphilis: The future of diagnosis [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 27-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Julie Robert
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca
514-934-1934 x71381
McGill University Health Centre

Montreal, February 27th Syphilis is on the rise worldwide and there is an urgent need for reliable and rapid screening, particularly for people who live in areas where access to healthcare is limited. An international research team, led by scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montreal, has demonstrated that rapid and point-of-care tests (POC) for syphilis are as accurate as conventional laboratory tests. The findings, which were published in PLoS ONE, call for a major change in approach to syphilis testing and recommend replacing first line laboratory tests with POC tests globally, especially in resource-limited settings.

"There is a need to embrace rapid and POC tests for syphilis in global settings," argues Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, the study's senior and corresponding author, clinical researcher at the RI-MUHC and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University. "This meta-analysis generates global evidence across all populations for POC tests for syphilis and is the first to use sophisticated analyses to explore the accuracy of POC tests compared to the best reference standards."

Currently, syphilis is screened using conventional laboratory-based tests that can take up to three weeks to deliver results. These tests require chemical agents, trained staff and a continuous supply of electricity, which are not readily available in some parts of the world. Rapid and POC tests can be performed on a simple finger stick sample one patient at a time, and the results communicated to the patient within 20 minutes, saving time and helping doctors order confirmatory tests and rapidly flagging patients who need treatment.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the rod-like bacterium Treponema pallidum. It is transmitted between sexual partners through direct contact with a Syphilis sore. It may also be transmitted from mother to foetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis. "As well timely screening and treatment in first trimester is extremely important for pregnant women to prevent still births, pre-term births and mother-to-child transmission of syphilis," adds Yalda Jafari, the study's first author and a former master's student of Dr. Pant Pai.

As many as 50 million people worldwide are being treated for syphilis and about 12 million new cases are diagnosed every year. However, approximately 90% of those infected do not know it, and this is the driving force behind the worldwide epidemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) often refers to syphilis as the "great imitator," because many of its symptoms are similar to other diseases.

"Our study has major worldwide implications for populations living in rural areas with limited access to healthcare," says Dr. Pant Pai. "These tests offer the potential to expedite first line screening in settings where people have no access to a primary care physician or where laboratories take more than a week to deliver results."

###

About this study

The study entitled "Are Treponema pallidum Specific Rapid and Point-of-Care Tests for Syphilis Accurate Enough for Screening in Resource Limited Settings? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis", was coauthored by Yalda Jafari (Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Canada); Rosanna W. Peeling (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK); Sushmita Shivkumar (Clinical Epidemiology and McGill University , Canada); Christiane Claessens (Institut national de sant publique, Canada); Lawrence Joseph (Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University/RI-MUHC and Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Canada); and Nitika Pant Pai (Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University and RI-MUHC, Canada).

This work was funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Click on the link below to access the PDF: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0054695

Useful links

Media

Julie Robert
Communications Research
Public Affairs & Strategic Planning
McGill University Health Centre
Phone: 514-934-1934 (ext. 71381)
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/muhc-rpt022713.php

sweet potato casserole turkey Pumpkin Pie Recipe wii u wii u American Music Awards turkey brine

Father of slain Sandy Hook child pleads for gun control (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/287970186?client_source=feed&format=rss

the bachelor Google Docs Huell Howser Justin Bieber Smoking Weed Katherine Webb Cut for Bieber AJ McCarron

Extinct sea predator sliced prey with toothy spiral jaw

Helicoprion, an extinct creature that roamed the seas some 225 million years ago, might have used its toothy spiral jaw to slice and dice prey before swallowing it, suggests?a new study of its fossilized jaw.

By Stephanie Pappas,?LiveScience / February 27, 2013

A fossil Helicoprion jaw from 270 million years ago, found in Idaho.

Ray Troll

Enlarge

An ancient sea predator had a spiraling whorl of teeth that acted as a lethal slicing tool, according to new scans of a mysterious fossil.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Helicoprion?was a bizarre creature that went extinct some 225 million years ago. Like?modern-day sharks,?Helicoprion?had cartilaginous bones rather than calcified ones, so the only traces it left in the fossil record were weird, whorl-like spirals of teeth that look quite unlike anything sharks sport today.

The dearth of fossil evidence has led to multiple attempted reconstructions of what?Helicoprion?would have looked like. In some, the tooth whorl is placed on the upper jaw, curling outward like a spiky elephant trunk. In others, it's on the lower lip, giving the fish a fearsomely pouty expression. Researchers have also debated whether?Helicoprion?was more like a modern shark or another ancient group of cartilaginous fish, the chimaera. [25 Amazing Ancient Beasts]

Now, a team of researchers from led by Leif Tapanila of Idaho State University has scanned a tooth whorl fossil from the Idaho Museum of Natural History using computed tomography (CT), the same type of technology used for disease screening in medicine. This technique provides a more detailed look than ever before at the tooth whorl, revealing the only way the whorl would've fit into the creature's mouth is if it took up?Helicoprion's entire lower jaw and grew continuously in a spiral, curling under itself like a conveyer belt of teeth. Previous reconstructions pictured the spiral as an appendage on the tip of the jaw, the researchers wrote Tuesday in the journal Biology Letters.

The scanned specimen, found in Idaho in 1950, dates back about 270 million years. It's about 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter, about half the size of the largest?tooth whorls?ever found. For comparison, the diameter of a regulation men's basketball is just over 9 inches.

When?Helicoprion?bit down on prey, the tooth whorl would have been forced backward, slicing and dicing the meal and moving it down toward the throat. Few?Helicoprion?fossils show signs of tooth breakage, suggesting that the fish likely ate soft-bodied animals such as?squid.

The anatomy of the jaw also confirms that?Helicoprion?belonged to a group called the?Euchondrocephali, a Greek word meaning "three cartilaginous heads," for the way their jaws fuse. These fish share characteristics of both cartilaginous sharks and bony fishes. That makes?Helicoprion?a distant relative of today's rabbitfish, ratfish and other chimaeras.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter?@sipappas?or LiveScience?@livescience. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Copyright 2013?LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/7ExCMeG4y84/Extinct-sea-predator-sliced-prey-with-toothy-spiral-jaw

vanessa bryant Prince Harry naked Prince Harry Vegas Melky Cabrera Mayim Bialik Rich Kids of Instagram felix hernandez

The Engadget Interview: Qualcomm's Raj Talluri talks Snapdragon at MWC 2013

The Engadget Interview Qualcomm's Raj Talluri talks Snapdragon at MWC 2013

Qualcomm finally detailed its Snapdragon 200 and 400 processors here at MWC, and we got the opportunity to discuss the new chips with Raj Talluri, SVP of product management. While the Snapdragon 600 and 800 SoCs are geared towards high-end devices, the 200 and 400 are targeting sub-$100 and $200-300 phones. He explained that the software remains as close as possible to what's available on the 600 and 800, but the hardware is scaled down to support lower-resolution displays and cameras by using ARM cores instead of the company's own Krait architecture. We then talked about the Snapdragon 800, which was decoding 4K video at CES but is being showcased here in Barcelona handling 4K playback with Dolby and DTS in Qualcomm's movie theater (sans popcorn, sadly). He also mentioned some of the other demos at the company's booth -- 4K encoding and streaming (via TransferJet), realtime video editing, voice activation, games (Modern Combat 4 and Need For Speed) and more. Don't miss our video interview after the break.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/26/the-engadget-interview-qualcomm-svp-of-product-management-raj-t/

veep los angeles kings earth day timothy leary jonathan frid pujols watchmen

Paris Jackson Haircut: So Edgy (and Short)!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/paris-jackson-haircut-so-edgy-and-short/

the last lecture kim jong un josh powell madonna halftime show linsanity the alamo anencephaly

Deal of the Day: 34% off Incipio Lexington Hard Shell Folio Case for iPad mini

Today Only: Purchase the Incipio Lexington Hard Shell Folio Case for iPad mini and save $11.99!

The Incipio Lexington Hard Shell Folio Case protects your iPad mini with a vegan leather exterior combined with a rigid plextonium frame that can be unfolded to offer multiple viewing angles for easy and comfortable typing. The interior of the case features a micro-suede lining to ensure that the screen of your iPad mini stays free from scratches while inside the case. Multiple color options are also available!

List Price: $34.99???? Today Only: $23.00

Learn More and Buy Now

Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/EoOVTQ1BmEY/story01.htm

vernal equinox mr rogers jamie lee curtis spring equinox audacious pollen count mexico city

Google Chrome 25 for Android arrives with background audio

Google Chrome 25 for Android allows background audio

If you've ever tried to play audio from a web app in Chrome for Android, you've likely had the fun cut short the moment your attention wandered over to Google Maps or Instagram. A stable version of Chrome 25 is here to address that headache. Audio in the new browser build will continue to play in the background, and optionally pauses if there's an incoming phone call. Google has less perceptible upgrades behind the scenes, as well: multi-touch zoom and scrolling are faster, and the V8 rendering engine should be quicker on the draw with interactive pages. Those who won't wait for anything, including the end to an audio stream, can hit Google Play for the Chrome refresh.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Via: Chrome Releases

Source: Google Play

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/n2-ObBHorCI/

shabazz legion baby found alive in morgue rockies second degree murders bobby petrino brian dunn

NHL drafts the wrong players due to birthday bias

Feb. 27, 2013 ? A hockey player's birthday strongly biases how professional teams assess his talent, according to a new study by Grand Valley State University researchers. The findings were published in the online journal PLOS ONE.

The research, led by Robert Deaner, associate professor of psychology at Grand Valley, shows that, on average, National Hockey League (NHL) draftees born between July and December are much more likely than those born in the first three months of the year to have successful careers. In particular, 34 percent of draftees were born in the last six months of the year, but these individuals played 42 percent of the games and scored 44 percent of the points accumulated by those in the study. By contrast, those born in the first three months of the year constituted 36 percent of draftees but only played 28 percent of the games and only scored 25 percent of the points.

The study focused on Canadian players because in Canadian youth ice hockey there is a January 1 cut-off date. This means players born later in the year would have been consistently younger than their age group peers.

"There's no doubt that drafting professional athletes is an inexact science," said Deaner. "Plenty of sure-fire first-round picks fizzle while some late-round picks unexpectedly become stars. But our results show that, at least since 1980, NHL teams have been consistently fooled by players' birthdays or something associated with them. They greatly underestimate the promise of players born in the second half of the year, the ones who have always been relatively younger than their peers. For any given draft slot, relatively younger players are about twice as likely to be successful. So if teams really wanted to win, they should have drafted more of the relatively younger players."

Background and Significance

Previous studies have demonstrated relative age effects (RAEs), which occur when those who are relatively older for their age group are more likely to succeed. For example, in elite Canadian youth ice hockey, roughly 40 percent of players are born in the first three months of the year while only 15 percent are born in the last three months. Although RAEs are well established in many sports and educational settings, their underlying causes remain unclear. The new study provides the most direct evidence yet that selection bias is a crucial cause of RAEs. Selection bias means that evaluators, such as teachers and coaches, grant fewer opportunities to relatively younger individuals than is warranted by their talent.

"There are many possible causes of RAEs," said Deaner. "For instance, a youth coach may mainly select relatively older players because those players' greater size means they are actually more likely to help the team. Researchers believe, however, that selection bias is also a big cause of RAEs, but there has never been a direct test of selection bias. We could make this test because we had a good measure of perceived talent, the order or slot in which each player was drafted. And we had good measures of realized talent, how long they were able to stay in the NHL and how many points they scored there. Because relatively younger players consistently performed better than would be expected based on their draft slots, we've shown selection bias."

The researchers admit that they don't fully understand the selection bias they discovered. "We don't know yet why the evaluations of NHL teams are biased, but there are several ways it could work. Because being many months older than one's peers can be a big advantage as a child or early teen, the relatively older players might be more likely to be on the most elite junior teams when they are 17 or 18, and scouts might be swayed by that," said Deaner. "Another possibility, suggested by educational studies, is an 'underdog' effect. This would involve relatively younger individuals developing better work habits so that they improve more in adulthood."

The authors believe their pro hockey results have implications for education. Deaner noted: "We have to be careful about assuming too much because a teacher deciding which children should be tracked into advanced classes is a much different situation than hockey teams assessing which adults are likely to develop into NHL stars. But, for many reasons, one would think that NHL teams should be less biased than educators. First, NHL teams are evaluating adults not children, meaning that relative age differences are proportionally smaller. Second, NHL teams are aware of RAEs, but educators may not be. Third, NHL teams have vast resources to evaluate individuals while educators do not. Fourth, NHL teams pay a steep price for poor evaluation whereas educators may not. So overall, in many situations, evaluations of ability may be greatly colored by an individual's relative age. This may even happen when the teachers and coaches know about RAEs."

Co-authors of the study were Aaron Lowen of Grand Valley State University and Steven Cobley of the University of Sydney.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Grand Valley State University.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Robert O. Deaner, Aaron Lowen, Stephen Cobley. Born at the Wrong Time: Selection Bias in the NHL Draft. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (2): e57753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057753

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/~3/aiKTLbZhmbM/130227183506.htm

battlestar galactica blood and chrome my morning jacket roger goodell psychosis dianna agron million hoodie march tebow trade

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

After Raising $8.3M, Jibe Mobile Signs MetroPCS To Its Joyn-Approved Voice, Video And Chat Cloud

jibe_reversi_bothWhen it comes to popular mobile apps for messaging and sharing content like Facebook and Twitter, carriers have been on the edges of the picture as data network providers rather than the developers of those services themselves. But a deal signed today between Jibe Mobile and MetroPCS underscores one example of how they hope to become more central players.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/5TR-Wzlst-I/

Sandy Hook conspiracy Stuart Scott Holly Rowe Chief Keef FRANK ZAMBONI Tiffany Six aaliyah

New cars increasingly out of reach for many

Looking to buy a new car, truck or crossover? You may find it more difficult to stretch the household budget than you expected, according to a new study that finds median-income families in only one major U.S. city actually can afford the typical new vehicle.

The typical new vehicle is now more expensive than ever, averaging $30,500 in 2012, according to TrueCar.com data, and heading up again as makers curb the incentives that helped make their products more affordable during the recession when they were desperate for sales.

According to the 2013 Car Affordability Study by Interest.com, only in Washington, D.C., could the typical household swing the payments, the median income there running $86,680 a year. At the other extreme, Tampa was at the bottom of the 25 large cities included in the study, with a median household income of $43,832.

The study looked at a variety of household expenses, such as food and housing, and when it comes to purchasing a new vehicle, it considered more than just the basic purchase price, down payment and monthly note, factoring in such essentials as taxes and insurance.

Bottom line? A buyer in the capital can purchase a car with a sticker price of $31,940, slightly more than the new vehicle average for the 2013 model year and about what it would cost for a mid-range Ford Fusion sedan or a stripped-down BMW X1 crossover. The buyer in Tampa? They?ll just barely cover the cost of a basic Kia Rio, with $14,516 to spend.

?If you live in New York City or San Francisco, you?re probably going to have to pay a lot for housing, but you don?t have to pay a lot for a car,? said Mike Sante, the managing editor of Interest.com, a financial decision-making website.

Affordability has been a matter of growing concern for the auto industry in recent years as prices have continued to move upward. Even the most basic of today?s cars are generally loaded with features that were once found on high-line models a few decades back ? if they were available at all ? such as air conditioning, power windows, airbags and electronic stability control, as well as digital infotainment systems. They also have to meet ever tougher federal safety, emissions and mileage standards that have added thousands to the typical price tag.

?The average compact car of today has the features of a midsize model somebody might be trading in ? but it may be just as expensive,? said David Sargent, director of automotive operations for J.D. Power and Associates.

That is one reason why many buyers have been downsizing in recent years, said Bill Fay, general manager of Toyota, though he added that ?there is still a lot of affordability in the marketplace.?

Perhaps, but industry planners have come to recognize that they are targeting a much smaller segment of the American public than in decades past. That?s one reason why most manufacturers are offering more downsized models.

They also are working with their dealers to offer certified pre-owned programs where buyers can stretch their budget by purchasing a two- or three-year-old vehicle that has gone through an extensive inspection and, if necessary, repairs and replacements. Such vehicles may cost slightly more than a conventional used model but usually include a like-new warranty.

While the typical new vehicle will likely nudge up this year, Interest.com editor Sante stressed that car costs are one of the most controllable parts of a household?s budget. ?You?re better off driving something more affordable and saving or investing the difference.?

If the typical new car costs $30,550, with an average monthly payment of $550, the five cities most able to meet ? or come close ? are:

1) Washington, D.C.
Average Household Income: $86,680
Affordable Purchase Price: $31,940
Maximum monthly payment: $628

2) San Francisco
Average Household Income: $71,975
Affordable Purchase Price: $26,786
Maximum monthly payment: $537

3) Boston
Average Household Income: $69.455
Affordable Purchase Price: $26,025
Maximum monthly payment: $507

4) Baltimore
Average Household Income: $65,463
Affordable Purchase Price: $24,079
Maximum monthly payment: $468

5) Minneapolis
Average Household Income: $63,352
Affordable Purchase Price: $24,042
Maximum monthly payment: $470

At the other end of the scale, those five cities least able to handle a car payment are:

21) Phoenix
Average Household Income: $50,058
Affordable Purchase Price: $17,243
Maximum monthly payment: $348

22) San Antonio
Average Household Income: $48,699
Affordable Purchase Price: $17,137
Maximum monthly payment: $334

23) Detroit
Average Household Income: $48,968
Affordable Purchase Price: $17,093
Maximum monthly payment: $332

24) Miami
Average Household Income: $45,407
Affordable Purchase Price: $15,188
Maximum monthly payment: $295

25) Tampa
Average Household Income: $43,832
Affordable Purchase Price: $14,516
Maximum monthly payment: $282

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/new-cars-increasingly-out-reach-many-americans-1C8573730

i am legend san antonio spurs greta van susteren tony parker the five year engagement chris kreider correspondents dinner 2012

Head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union detained

MEXICO CITY (AP) ? The head of Mexico's powerful teachers' union was arrested at an airport outside Mexico City Tuesday for alleged embezzlement, with federal officials accusing her using union funds to pay for plastic surgery, buy a private plane and even pay her bill at Neiman Marcus.

Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said that Elba Esther Gordillo, who has led the 1.5 million-member National Union of Education Worker for 23 years, was detained in Toluca on charges that she embezzled 2.6 billion pesos (about $200 million) from union funds.

Her arrest comes a day after President Enrique Pena Nieto signed Mexico's most sweeping education reform in seven decades into law, seeking to change a system in which teaching positions could be sold or inherited, and no official census of schools, teachers and students was ever carried out. Gordillo was seen controlling the union and much of Mexico's education system like her personal fiefdom.

The overhaul was Pena Nieto's first major proposal since taking office Dec. 1 and was considered a political blow to Gordillo, who has played the role of kingmaker for many Mexican politicians.

The plan moves much of the control of the education system to the federal government from the teachers' union. Gordillo was elected to another six-year term as union leader in October. She was the only candidate and there was not a single dissenting vote.

For years, she has beaten back attacks from union dissidents, political foes and journalists who have seen her as a symbol of Mexico's corrupt, old-style politics. Rivals have accused her of corruption, misuse of union funds and even a murder, but prosecutors who investigated never brought a charge against her.

She was expelled from Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party in 2006 for supporting other parties' candidates and the formation of her own New Alliance party.

Gordillo's arrest recalled the 1989 arrest of another once-feared union boss, Joaquin Hernandez Galicia, known as "La Quina." The longtime head of Mexico's powerful oil workers union, Hernandez Galicia was arrested during the first months of the new administration of then-President Carlos Salinas.

Like Gordillo, Hernandez Galicia's power was believed to represent a challenge to the president, and his arrest was interpreted as an assertion of the president's authority. He was freed from prison after Salinas de Gortari left office.

In 1988, he criticized Salinas' presidential candidacy and threatened an oil workers' strike if Salinas privatized any part of the government oil monopoly, Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex. On Jan. 10, 1989, ? about a month after Salinas took office ? soldiers used a bazooka to blow down the door of Hernandez' home in the Gulf Coast city of Ciudad Madero.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/head-mexicos-powerful-teachers-union-detained-015711820.html

fox sports obama speech Art Modell Frank Ocean Gay bill clinton andy roddick Costa Rica Earthquake