Two BSkyB shareholders to vote against Murdoch at AGM: reports (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Two top 10 shareholders in BSkyB will vote against James Murdoch remaining as chairman of the company at its AGM on Tuesday, according to newspaper reports on Sunday.

The Sunday Telegraph said Legal and General (L&G) will vote against Murdoch, while the Sunday Times said Kames Capital has urged Murdoch to quit.

The Sunday Telegraph said while L&G raised no ethical issues about the way Murdoch operated, its concerns related to his ability to retain independence following News Corp's failed bid for the British broadcaster.

The Sunday Times also said Kames Capital will vote against his re-election as it wants an independent chairman.

L&G has a 2.9 percent stake in BSkyB, while Kames Capital has 1.6 percent, according to Reuters data.

Earlier this month, the company's independent directors unanimously backed James Murdoch as chairman in a letter addressing shareholders' concerns about his suitability following the phone-hacking scandal at the News of the World.

(Reporting by Adveith Nair; Editing by David Holmes)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111127/media_nm/us_murdoch_bskyb

packers vikings bob costas jerry sandusky chelsea clinton kat von d tiki barber minnesota vikings packers vs vikings

Sickle cell anemia as malaria defense

Sickle cell anemia causes pain, fatigue and delayed growth, all because of a lack of enough healthy red blood cells. And yet genetic mutations that cause it ? recessive genes for the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin protein ? have survived natural selection because they also seem to provide a natural defense against malaria. Scientists have long known this, and they have long wondered how it worked.

In a paper published this month in the journal Science, researchers describe their look into how mutated hemoglobin genes defend their cells against attacks by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Study lead author Marek Cyrklaff, an electron microscopist and molecular biologist at Heidelberg University in Germany, explained the results.

How dangerous is this malaria parasite?

There are a large number of casualties every year ? something like 500 million new infections and approximately 1 [million] to 2 million people who die every year. Of the various malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent of all.

When infected or damaged, red blood cells are normally supposed to be removed by the spleen or the liver. But the parasite inside the infected red blood cell sends molecules called adhesins to the cell's surface to make the red blood cell adhere to the blood capillaries, to make it sticky. So the infected cells do not get cleaned out of the blood circulation because they stay in the microvasculature, in the capillaries of the other organs. This is the strategy of the pathogen to survive and multiply.

The invaded red blood cells stick to the epithelium, to the capillaries, and block blood circulation to vital organs like the brain, or the placenta in pregnant women. Very often, this leads to death.

How does the parasite achieve this?

For the first time, we observed the role of what is known as the actin cytoskeleton in the process. Actin is a protein that is one of the skeletal elements in every cell; normally, among other tasks, these actin networks are responsible for maintaining the shape of the cell.

When the malaria parasite invades the red blood cells it hijacks the actin cytoskeleton and uses it to build a cable system out of actin filaments to carry the adhesins to the cell's surface.

Until now, the role of this actin cytoskeleton was not really proven. Our work is the first to show that actin is involved.

Where does sickle cell disease come in?

Some part of the human population has a mutation to their hemoglobin, which is the protein in the red blood cell that carries oxygen. Often, people of sub-Saharan African origins have two copies of this mutated gene, which leads to severe sickle cell disease.

Individuals with that disease suffer a lot, because their abnormally shaped, nonflexible blood cells block blood circulation and deliver less oxygen to the body. But, on the other hand, this trait is beneficial to humans because it prevents the most severe symptoms of malaria, including death. So throughout history, during endemic times of malaria, people who carried such mutations to the hemoglobin code had much better chances of survival.

For people with one normal gene and one mutated gene, the Plasmodium parasite makes itself very comfortable in the cells that they have. These patients also get the typical symptoms of malaria ? the recurring fever, anemia and so on ? but they do not die. This is an advantage from carrying the sickle cell gene ? which is why the mutation has survived in the population.

This has been known for a relatively long time, but the mechanism of this protection has not been understood. So we took sickle cells from sickle cell anemia patients; we infected them with Plasmodium parasites, put them in an electron microscope and studied this actin cytoskeleton.

Rather than the long cables of actin you would see in a normal infected red blood cell, in sickle cells we see actin filaments that are shorter, that are somehow not fully developed. In sickle cells, for some reason, the parasite is not able to form the fully functional actin network in the host cell.

Can we use these findings to defend against the parasite?

This is still in the area of basic science. However, our findings shed light on new and hitherto uncharted territory in the complex interactions between the malaria pathogen and its host. The logical step now is to identify the factors involved in this natural protection, and future studies will aim to develop inhibitors. But before we succeed in an efficient antimalarial strategy, it will take more years of work.

This interview was edited for space and clarity.

amina.khan@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/yVlB6Kvn27A/la-sci-sickle-cell-malaria-20111126,0,4453035.story

matt schaub fire island fire island diaspora social network aaron rodgers diaspora breaking dawn premiere

Polio near-eradicated in India - Pakistan struggling

If the battle to eradicate polio were an action movie, this week would be the part where the good guys have racked up spectacular victories ? but look like they may lose anyway.

On the spectacular side, polio may be gone in India. Of the four countries where polio remained entrenched, the giant country was expected to be the last to fall. Yet its most recent case was in January this year, whereas by this time last year, it had had 40 cases.

The intestinal-borne virus hasn't even been found in sewage in India, says Oliver Rosenbauer, spokesman for the polio programme of the World Health Organization, even though the incidence of the disease usually peaks at this time of year.

The victory, says the WHO, is down to repeated, coordinated vaccination drives spearheaded by local officials in affected areas, and the use of a more efficient vaccine that only targets the strains circulating.

Don't stop now

Yet as long as polio persists somewhere, India must keep doggedly vaccinating. Experts meeting at the WHO in Geneva this month warned that if eradication fails now, it will be "the most expensive public health failure in history".

In Nigeria, another of the four, cases jumped fourfold this year from last, to 43. "It's worrying," says Rosenbauer, as Nigeria has re-infected three neighbouring, formerly polio-free countries. And the area of north-east Nigeria affected is increasingly hard for vaccination teams to access due to an Islamic militant group called Boko Haram.

Still, outbreaks in polio-free areas can be mopped up quickly. Tajikistan, for example, had 460 cases last year, vaccinated, and had none this year. And unlike 2003, when polio in Nigeria soared after local leaders opposed vaccination, those people are now on-side. Cases are down 95 per cent from 2009, and remain only where local leaders have not taken active responsibility for polio.

Faster, stronger

They are starting to, says Rosenbauer. "Our analysis shows the extent of local leadership correlates with viral persistence." That was key in Nigeria and India, he says. That, and switching from the old vaccine which contained all three strains of polio virus, to a new single-strain vaccine that induces faster, stronger immunity.

That may crack a third endemic country, Afghanistan, where polio persists in the south near Pakistan. Local violence prevented vaccination and nearly tripled cases this year, to 53. But the new vaccine can be given over one week instead of six, allowing vaccinators and, again, local leaders to negotiate lightning-strike vaccinations during lulls in the hostilities.

The real worry is Pakistan, where polio has spread all over from three strongholds in Karachi, Quetta and the north-west tribal area. Cases stand at 145 people infected so far this year, up from 113 last year. In the first two regions the key again will be local leadership, which may be bolstered with a new national vaccination initiative this year, says Rosenbauer.

The wild north-west of the country will be harder ? especially as the WHO's polio campaign, as ever, is short of cash. A quarter of its $2.2 billion budget for 2011-2012 has not yet been donated.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

Have your say

Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.

Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article

Subscribe now to comment.

All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.

If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1a676bcb/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Carticle0Cdn212180Epolio0Eneareradicated0Ein0Eindia0E0Epakistan0Estruggling0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

psa test real steel real steel iphone 4 cases dean ornish dean ornish yom kippur

How drought-tolerant grasses came to be

Thursday, November 24, 2011

If you eat bread stuffing or grain-fed turkey this Thanksgiving, give thanks to the grasses ? a family of plants that includes wheat, oats, corn and rice. Some grasses, such as corn and sugar cane, have evolved a unique way of harvesting energy from the sun that's more efficient in hot, arid conditions. A new grass family tree reveals how this mode of photosynthesis came to be.

The results may one day help scientists develop more drought-tolerant grains, say scientists working at the U. S. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center.

From the grasslands of North America, to the pampas of South America, to the steppes of Eurasia and the savannas of the tropics, the grass family contains more than 10,000 species, including the world's three most important crops: wheat, rice and corn. We rely on grasses for sugar, liquor, bread, and livestock fodder.

Like all plants, grasses harvest energy from sunlight by means of photosynthesis. But grasses use two strategies that differ in how they take up carbon dioxide from the air and convert it into the starches and sugars vital to plant growth. The majority of grasses use a mode of photosynthesis called the C3 pathway, but many species ? especially those in hot, tropical climates ? use an alternate mode of photosynthesis known as C4. In hot, arid environments, C4 grasses such as maize, sugar cane, sorghum and millet have a leg up over C3 plants because they use water more efficiently.

An international team of researchers wanted to figure out how many times, and when, the C4 strategy came to be. To find out, they used DNA sequence data from three chloroplast genes to reconstruct the grass family tree. The resulting phylogeny represents 531 species, including 93 species for which DNA sequence data was previously unavailable.

"By working collaboratively across many labs, from the US to Argentina to Ireland to Switzerland ? with some people providing new plant material, and others doing the DNA sequencing ? we were able to get a lot done in a very short amount of time," said co-author Erika Edwards of Brown University.

The results suggest that the C4 pathway has evolved in the grasses more than 20 separate times within the last 30 or so million years, Edwards said.

What's most surprising, she added, is that C4 evolution seems to be a one-way street ? i.e., once the pathway evolves, there's no turning back. "We can't say whether it is evolutionarily 'impossible', or whether there simply hasn't been a good reason to do it, but it seems increasingly unlikely that any C4 grasses have ever reverted to the C3 condition," Edwards said.

"The new tree will be extremely useful for anyone who works on grasses," she added.

For example, scientists are currently trying to engineer the C4 photosynthetic pathway into C3 crops like rice to produce more stress-tolerant plants. By helping researchers identify pairs of closely related C3 and C4 species, the evolutionary relationships revealed in this study could help pinpoint the genetic changes necessary to do that.

"The next challenge is getting these species into cultivation and studying them closely, and ideally, sequencing their genomes," Edwards said.

The results will be published this week in the journal New Phytologist.

###

Grass Phylogeny Working Group II (2011). "New grass phylogeny resolves deep evolutionary relationships and discovers C4 origins."New Phytologist. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03972.x

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent): http://www.nescent.org

Thanks to National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) 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 96 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115455/How_drought_tolerant_grasses_came_to_be

john galt john galt post office hours post office hours coptic coptic breaking bad season finale

Video: Crude Oil Falls As Dollar Gains

A check on whether oil prices will continue to decline on the dollar's strength, with John Kilduff, Again Capital.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/45435876/

rocksmith blackbeard widespread panic widespread panic richard stallman richard stallman williston north dakota

Apple Removes Subscription-Based iPad Gaming App from App ...

posted November 23rd, 2011 11:52 PM EST by Eric Slivka in News

Just yesterday, a report surfaced regarding Big Fish Games' plans to launch a subscription-based gaming service on the iPad. For a monthly fee initially set at $4.99, the service would allow users to access a number of Big Fish-distributed games through a dedicated app.

The app had actually been available since last week, although new subscriptions had been disabled ahead of the official launch due to high demand, according to the developer. But with the Bloomberg report from yesterday and a press release from Big Fish Games this morning, the new service appeared to be up and running.

The offering did not last long, however, as Apple quickly pulled the app following the official launch. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Big Fish Games claims to be in the dark about Apple's reasons for removing the app.

[Big Fish Games founder Paul] Thelen said he was surprised by the move because Big Fish had worked with Apple for several weeks to ensure that it met the requirements for recurring monthly charges made through the App Store, a method most commonly used by magazines and newspaper publishers.

?It was officially approved,? Thelen said. Apple had even seen the app's press release before it went out earlier today, he said.

Apple declined to comment to Bloomberg on the app's removal and has not yet responded to Big Fish's requests for explanation, leaving questions about whether Apple will indeed allow subscription-based gaming services on the App Store and about how to reconcile the app's removal with Big Fish Games' claims that it worked rather closely with Apple to ensure the approval of the app.

[Originally Posted on MacRumors]

Source: http://toucharcade.com/2011/11/23/apple-removes-subscription-based-ipad-gaming-app-from-app-store/

brine turkey uc davis sweet potato casserole super committee walmart black friday ad 2011 nl mvp nl mvp

Pipeline Fellowship to Launch Conference on Angel Investing ...

By A. Lauren Abele (COO, Pipeline Fellowship)

The Pipeline Fellowship will launch its signature conference on angel investing in Boston on Friday, December 2, 2011. The 2011 Boston Pipeline Fellowship Conference features a series of educational presentations and engaging panel discussions covering various aspects of the angel investing process. Regina Pisa, the Chair and Managing Partner of Goodwin Procter LLP, will provide lunch remarks.

The 2011 Boston Pipeline Fellowship Conference is open to the public. Aspiring angels, current investors, and entrepreneurs are encouraged to attend.

Women 2.0 members receive 50% off tickets with discount code ?women2?. For more info and to register, click here.

?I thoroughly enjoyed the inaugural NYC Pipeline Fellowship Conference. More of an in-depth educational experience than a conference, the day balanced strategic and tactical talks and panels from experienced investors with breakout case discussions, creating a meaningful, interactive learning environment. The conference featured a variety of experienced professional women and men from many industries, and was a great way for everyone to learn a tremendous amount about angel investing.?
? Taylor Davidson (Senior Associate, kbs+p Ventures)

Panel topics and speakers include:

Is Angel Investing Right for You?

• Galen Moore, Web Editor, Boston Business Journal (moderator)
• Susan Preston, Lead Instructor, Angel Resource Institute
• Judy Robinett, Managing Partner, Golden Seeds & Managing Partner, Willowbend
• Sheryl Schultz, Managing Director, Golden Seeds
• Mary Anne Rooke, President & Managing Director, Angel Investor Forum

Portfolio Strategy for Angels

• Jackie VanderBrug, Managing Director, Criterion Ventures (moderator)
• Anita Brearton, Managing Director, Golden Seeds
• Susan Preston, Lead Instructor, Angel Resource Institute
• Jennifer Lum, Entrepreneur & Investor, Apricot Capital
• David Cappillo, Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP

Entrepreneurs attending the 2011 Boston Pipeline Fellowship Conference will get a sense of what it?s like to sit on the other side of the table. They will learn what investors look for when considering a startup investment and will have an opportunity to become more familiar with the investing process and investment terminology.

?As an entrepreneur, attending the Pipeline Fellowship Conference was the best meeting I?ve been to for connecting with prospective angel investors, learning more about relationship building between investors and entrepreneurs, and connecting with other young female entrepreneurs. I was energized and inspired after the conference. I only wish it could have been longer!?
? Jessica Schiffman (Harvard School of Public Health, MPH; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, MD candidate 2012)

Panels particularly relevant to entrepreneurs (as well as aspiring angels) include:

Discussion of Due Diligence

• Jennifer Hill, Adviser, Pipeline Fellowship (moderator)
• Jean Hammond, Member, Launchpad, Golden Seeds, & Hub Angels
• Whitney Johnson, President, Rose Park Advisors, LLC
• Stephen Charkoudian, Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP
• Gitika Srivastava, Partner, KAHM Capital & CEO, Navya Network

Structuring the Deal

• Rudina Seseri, Principal, Fairhaven Capital (moderator)
• Danielle Lauzon, Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP
• Bettina Hein, Founder & CEO, Pixability, Inc.
• Lizette P?rez-Deisboeck, General Counsel, Battery Ventures
• Jeff Bussgang, General Partner, Flybridge Capital Partners

The Post Investment Relationship

• Dahna Goldstein, Founder & CEO, PhilanTech & Pipeline Fellowship Investee (moderator)
• Laura Fitton, CEO & Founder, OneForty.com
• Geraldine Alias, Principal, North Bridge Growth Equity
• Ian Engstrand, Associate, Goodwin Procter LLP

?The 2011 NYC Pipeline Fellowship Conference was a tremendous launching pad for the Fellows as they embark on investing in promising emerging companies. The session hit the right balance of strategy and nuts-and-bolts, and was led by an impressive group of players in the angel ecosystem.?
? David Cappillo (Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP)

The 2011 Boston Pipeline Fellowship Conference is sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP. In addition to supporting Pipeline Fellowship?s efforts to diversify the investor pool, Goodwin Procter?s commitment to the startup ecosystem includes launching Founder?s Workbench, which ?provides access to critical forms, memoranda, best practices and other resources to enable capital efficient company formation.?

Editor?s note: Got a question for our guest blogger? Leave a message in the comments below.

About the guest blogger: A. Lauren Abele is COO of Pipeline Fellowship, a program aiming to diversify the investor pool and connect women social entrepreneurs with investors who get them. Lauren holds a BA in English Literature and Environmental Studies from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA in Economic Development and Comparative and International Affairs from Indiana University?s School for Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). Follow her on Twitter at @laurenabele.

Source: http://www.women2.org/pipeline-fellowship-to-launch-conference-on-angel-investing-december-2-in-boston/

sonic youth sonic youth make your mark make your mark stop loss stop loss thurston moore

Show the Right Hustle on Small Business Saturday

It seems we like to name everything lately. So, if you didn?t know, the Saturday after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday is now Small Business Saturday.? I was asked to write a post on promos and campaigns small businesses can run to capitalize on the special day, but something else is on my mind today.

I?ve been traveling a bunch lately, speaking at a ton of different events from San Diego to Atlanta to Chicago. As I fat-finger this post on my iPhone, I?m on a plane headed for Toronto. The reason I tell you this is because I just had a simple, yet profound experience during a layover in Philadelphia.

I had a few minutes to grab a bite to eat in between flights. As I surveyed my options in the terminal I noticed two restaurants, side-by-side, with drastic differences. One had a long line and the other had none. For that reason alone I decided to get in the long line. I figured the locals must know where the good food is.

After 30 seconds I realized why Eat At Joe?s had a huge line and next door they sat, waiting. Hustle. The right kind of hustle.? That?s it. That was the secret. There was man behind the counter working the crowd. Every time someone would walk by he would shout out ?Philly cheese steaks here! Don?t go home, don?t leave Philly without one.? His energy was contagious. People lined up at his command.

I began to wonder. We often get caught up in the latest tactics. We search high and low for the hottest tools. We get amped on our amazing technology. We?re connected day and night trying to make our businesses go. We?re hustling. But is it the right hustle?

All the SEO in the world doesn?t do any good, inbound marketing is a waste, and the latest email marketing trick is in vain if we don?t ask for the business.? One wise man, speaking to parents, said ?No other successes can compensate for failure in the home.?? I also believe that for business owners, no other successes can compensate for failure to sell.

It might make you uncomfortable. It might make some of your prospects uncomfortable. But in the end, nothing can substitute for asking for the sale. We can keep ourselves busy, really busy, thinking we?re hustling and therefore the business should grow. But sometimes we avoid the right kind of hustle ? asking for the business.

Why do we avoid it?? It?s hard.? It?s taxing.? When people say no, it hurts.? We hate rejection.? We want success.? But the avoidance of rejection causes us to miss out on success.? The avoidance is illogical.? When we sell successfully, it feels great.? The bills get paid.? It creates a euphoric high.? But for many people, the fear is greater than the reward.? So, we stay busy with less important things, convincing ourselves that we?re doing meaningful work.

Here are a few tips for getting serious about sales hustle:

• Focus on your higher purpose. You?re not selling just to make a buck.? You have a product or service that makes a difference in people?s lives.? Don?t let another person pass you by without the opportunity to improve their life with your product or service.
• Turn it into a game. Keep track of how many times you ask for the business in one day. Try to beat that number the next day.? Keep track of how many accept versus reject. Try to improve your conversion.
• Find an accountability partner. If you?re having trouble actually doing it, find someone who will hold your feet to the fire and ask you on a daily basis how your progress is coming.? If you have no one who will do this for you, comment on this post ? I?ll check in with you regularly (and publicly).
• Practice. If you feel uncomfortable saying the words, practice.? Sit in front of a mirror and say them to yourself over and over and over until they sound natural.? Then practice with a friend.? Practice until the words come out with 100 percent confidence. Nothing wavering.

So, on Small Business Saturday, whether you?re taking the day off or out there hustling, make a commitment to get back to the basics and ask for the business. It will probably do more good for your business than anything else.

As I picked up my order and walked away from Eat At Joe?s, I noticed a passer-by standing in between the two restaurants, reviewing the menus, trying to decide. I smiled as the man from behind the counter boomed:

?Hey man, you?re on the wrong side of the rope. Get over here and get you a Philly cheese steak.?

The man promptly obeyed. One more customer ? just because he asked. He hustled the right kind of hustle.? What about you?

Image from Yuri Arcurs/Shutterstock

About the Author

Tyler Garns, Director of Marketing for Infusionsoft, has over 10 years of experience in the field and is a recognized expert in Internet marketing. Tyler focuses on building the Infusionsoft brand via marketing, communications and social media. Tyler blogs at the Infusionsoft Blog.

Connect with Tyler Garns:

?

Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/11/right-hustle-small-business-saturday.html

gary johnson gary johnson jim thorpe pa jim thorpe pa terry francona ios 5 release date ios 5 release date

Rob Kardashian tops 'Dancing' leaderboard (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Rob Kardashian swung to the top of the "Dancing with the Stars" leaderboard Monday.

The 24-year-old reality TV star and his professional partner, Cheryl Burke, waltzed ahead of the competition on the ABC ballroom contest's final dance-off. Kardashian and Burke nabbed a combined 57 out of a possible 60 for a breezy waltz and dizzying swing-era freestyle routine that garnered Kardashian his first perfect 30 of the season.

"Never would I ever have thought that I'd get a perfect score, and we did it with the hardest freestyle," he said.

U.S. Army veteran J.R. Martinez and TV personality Ricki Lake tied for second place with 54. Lake remained consistent with a 27 for both her cha-cha and a freestyle number that incorporated everything from quickstep to salsa moves, while Martinez earned a 24 for a so-so cha-cha before winning a perfect 30 for his high-energy salsa-inspired freestyle.

"It was a like a jungle tribal hypnotic experience," judge Bruno Tonioli told Martinez.

Lake and partner Derek Hough have been front-runners throughout the show's 13th season, consistently earning high marks from the judges. Martinez and partner Karina Smirnoff have also ranked high with the panel, occasionally topping the leaderboard. Kardashian has experienced steady growth under Burke and may have peaked at just the right moment.

"You're like the male version of Cinderella who made it to the ball," judge Carrie Ann Inaba told him.

The scores will be combined with viewer votes to determine the champion Tuesday.

Previously dismissed contestants include actor David Arquette, activist Chaz Bono, soccer player Hope Solo, singer Chynna Phillips, actress Elisabetta Canalis, basketball player Metta World Peace and TV personalities Kristin Cavallari, Carson Kressley and Nancy Grace.

___

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this report. Derrik J. Lang and Sandy Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang/ and http://www.twitter.com/APSandy.

___

Online:

http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111122/ap_en_ce/us_tv_dancing_with_the_stars

corporal kelsey de santis ufc on fox juan manuel marquez juan manuel marquez penn state stanford oregon joe paterno

Pink Floyd?s Roger Waters Getting Married To Fiance Laurie Durning

Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters Getting Married To Fiance Laurie Durning

Pink Floyd rocker Roger Waters is finally going to marry his fiance Laurie Durning after a seven-year engagement. The musician and his filmmaker fiance will [...]

Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters Getting Married To Fiance Laurie Durning Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2011/11/20/pink-floyds-roger-waters-getting-married-to-fiance-laurie-durning/

portland news tibetan mastiff manny pacquiao pacquiao blanche blanche gloria allred

List Mania: The Top Five New Malthusians (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/164741904?client_source=feed&format=rss

broncos broncos pumpkin carving texas tech football michigan state michigan state bridge school

Truck strikes Yale-Harvard fans, killing 1

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (AP) ? A driver of a rental truck carrying beer kegs through a parking lot before the Yale-Harvard game Saturday suddenly accelerated, fatally striking a 30-year-old woman and injuring two other women, police said.

It's not clear why the driver sped up, New Haven Police spokesman David Hartman said. The truck then crashed into other rental vans in the lot, an open playing field used for pre-game parties before Yale home games in New Haven.

Tim Walker of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, said he was grilling sirloin tips when he heard the crash behind him. He turned and saw two people lying on the ground.

People huddled around them trying to help, according to a video that appears to have been recorded shortly after the accident and posted online. "We're not getting a pulse," said someone crouched near one victim, while the cameraman notes the ambulance hasn't arrived.

After emergency officials arrived, Walker said, he saw one victim being given cardiopulmonary resuscitation as she was taken away.

"The driver looked shocked. Absolutely shocked," Walker said. Police have not said whether alcohol was a factor.

"He didn't look intoxicated or anything like that," Walker added. "He had a dazed look like he had just hit someone."

Hartman said the driver was in police custody.

He said the woman who was killed was pronounced dead at about 10:15 a.m. at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Police did not immediately release her identity.

A second woman, who Yale said was a student at its School of Management, was listed in critical but stable condition at the hospital.

The third woman suffered minor injuries.

At the annual Yale-Harvard game, the parties outside the stadium are nearly as storied as the competition itself. Elaborate buffets dot the parking lots, and fans frequently fill rental trucks with kegs, grills and hard alcohol.

Six years ago, Yale began shutting down all parties after halftime in an effort to curb binge drinking and keep students and alumni safe. Saturday, the university said it planned to review its policies and regulations on tailgating before games.

"The Yale community is deeply saddened by the tragic vehicle accident that occurred at a Yale Bowl parking lot this morning," the school said in statement.

"Yale extends our sympathies and prayers to the family of the woman who was killed and hopes for the speedy recovery of the two women hurt," the statement said. "Our thoughts are also with those who witnessed or were affected by this tragic accident."

The fans had gathered for the 128th game of the Ivy League rivalry, which Harvard won 45-7 for its fifth straight victory over Yale. Three hours after the accident, the loud tailgating continued in the lot, with music blaring from large speakers and fans grilling hot dogs, sausage and hamburgers. Some students danced on top of other rental trucks.

The accident scene was cordoned off by yellow police tape.

At halftime of the game, the public address announcer at Yale Bowl informed the crowd of the accident and the woman's death. He asked spectators to stand and observe a moment of silence.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-19-Yale-Harvard-Tailgate%20Accident/id-6e2b368ab3f94ebe82a2a8471acfe0d9

risky business weather nj weather nj nyc weather nyc weather philadelphia weather chris carpenter

Why Your Grandchildren Will Never Respect You [Humor]

I don't care how many stories you tell your grandkids about how terrific you were when you were their age; all it's going to take is one look at your Facebook Timeline to shatter the illusion. Stupid honest history. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/n4qe2vPDetI/why-your-grandchildren-will-never-respect-you

project runway winner hunter s thompson hunter s thompson berkman berkman new beavis and butthead game 7

Financial Times Hits 1M Users On HTML5 Site That Dodges Apple?s Tax

The newspaper industry is struggling to make ends meet. Mobile could be the solution, but the Apple App Store comes with a 30% tax on the subscriptions that established news outlets depend on. To buck Apple's tax, London paper Financial Times decided to launch as a HTML5 mobile web app rather than a native app. Now it has proven the HTML5 model can work for news. Today Financial Times?announced it has hit 1 million registered users who account for 20% of the outlet's online page views, and 15% of new digital consumer subscriptions.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/LqxDvH4hbA4/

oregon stanford oregon stanford jon huntsman darrell hammond darrell hammond tcu boise state

'Day of Remembrance' recalls transgender murders

LONDON?? Ever since she can remember, Katherine Cummings knew she had been born into the wrong body.

"I knew I was transgendered as far back as memories go," said the 76-year old, formerly called John, who works at Australia's Gender Center for people with gender issues. "Four years of age or so."

Since her 1930s childhood, the lives of transgender people have improved dramatically in many countries. But discrimination remains widespread. Hundreds of transgender people are killed every year and many live in constant fear of attack.

"Transgenders often suffer violence, physical and social, from their families, including spouses, parents, children and siblings," Cummings said.

She spoke to Reuters ahead of the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on Sunday commemorating those who have been killed because of their gender identity.

Founded after the 1998 murder of transgender woman Rita Hester in Massachusetts, the day now has a global following.

In the first nine months of 2011, 116 transgender people were murdered globally, according to Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM), a project coordinated by non-profit association Transgender Europe.

Their research indicates there have been at least 681 reports of murders in 50 countries since 2008.

It was at the age of 51, after marrying and fathering three children, that Cummings was finally ready for gender reassignment.

Despite the pervasive discrimination, she says gender activists are winning some battles. Cummings points to significant developments over the last decade, such as the recent ruling that Australians can change their gender on passports without surgery ? to male, female or indeterminate.

"I feel, on the whole, looking back over the past few decades, that matters are slowly improving," said Cummings, whose book about her transition, "Katherine's Diary," won the Australian Human Rights Commission's 1992 non-fiction award.

1. Only on msnbc.com

   1. PressPass: Abramoff asks if Gingrich can survive
   2. Businesses feeling the pinch of NBA lockout
   3. Facebook's porn and gore attack: Who gets the blame?
   4. Sandusky case triggers pain well beyond campus
   5. Congress takes up controversial anti-piracy legislation
   6. Wall Street not too worried by 'supercommittee'
   7. Two youths cross country to combat trash

Seven of this year's murders were in the United States, TMM said. Washington. D.C., made headlines this year after a series of attacks against transgender people ? one of them the fatal shooting of 23-year-old transgender woman Myles Mclean.

"I look forward to the day that no one has to hide or be killed, or bullied or teased or rejected simply for being the person they believe themselves to be," said Eva-Genevieve Scarborough, 56, who is helping organize a remembrance event in Riverside, California.

"Society needs to be made aware that atrocities such as the murder of trans folks are still happening all around the world."

Many transgender people seek surgery or hormones to change their physical gender. Others don't, some by choice and some because discrimination or lack of means stop them accessing medical help.

Discrimination also damages their employment opportunities. And activists worldwide are battling to remove 'gender identity disorder' from lists of officially recognized mental illnesses.

Most of the murders of transgender people TMM recorded this year occurred in Latin America ? 29 in Brazil, 22 in Mexico, 11 in Venezuela and 10 in Columbia, as well as murders in 10 other Latin American countries.

TMM also noted murders in Turkey, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Poland.

United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay said in May that hate crimes against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people are on the rise around the world.

"Transgender people face the worst challenges, regardless of which country they are coming from or situated in," Liesl Theron, executive director of Gender dynamiX, an organization supporting transgender and transsexual rights in South Africa, told Reuters.

"Usually trans people are on the fringes of society, and the most marginalized."

In a 2008 paper on transgender people in Africa, she cited examples of transgender women across the continent being beaten and imprisoned.

"Most African countries still have some form of legal action, legislation and laws against homosexuality and sodomy (which includes all forms of being a trans person)," she wrote.

Poor access to medical services is the number one challenge in much of Africa, she added.

Theron quoted one Ugandan activist as saying that doctors often refuse to treat transgender people and even sometimes tip off police, leading to arrests.

Trans people in Uganda have been forced to resort to self-medication with dangerous long-term implications, the activist added.

In South Africa, the transgender community has won some victories ? the Department of Home Affairs agreed this October to change the gender and forenames of a transgender woman. Yet people awaiting gender-reassignment surgery still join a seven-year waiting list.

Slowly, gender rights are improving in many countries. But the discrimination is proving hard to stamp out.

"Humanity has an ingrained need for a 'pecking order,' that sets some people up as superior to others," said Cummings of Australia's Gender Center. "Transgender (people) will be a target for bigots for a long time."

On the other side of the world, British children's charity Mermaids works to help children who, like Cummings nearly eight decades ago, feel they were born in the wrong body.

Testimonies published on the charity's website, written by children with gender identity issues, bring home the confusion and harassment faced by so many.

"As a child, I acted as my real self, but then the bullying started," reads an extract from a poem that one of these children, Sophie, wrote at the age of 15.

"Why was I born a lie?" the piece ends.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45327020/ns/world_news/

burzynski pete seeger gazelle gazelle pumpkin carving patterns pumpkin carving patterns lizzie borden

Anne Hathaway undercover at Occupy rally

twitter.com/#!/Elana_Brooklyn

By Courtney Hazlett

On Thursday, while at least 300 people were arrested during clashes between police and Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York, actress Anne Hathaway appeared to be peacefully standing by, showing support for students. We say "appeared" because the person who's being identified as Hathaway is somewhat incognito, in oversize glasses, with a hooded jacket.

According to @Elana_Brooklyn, who snapped the photo, Hathaway was holding a sign that read "Blackboards Not Bullets."

Source: http://scoop.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/18/8877633-anne-hathaway-goes-undercover-at-occupy-wall-street

martyn ecri stacey dash deep impact the time machine cloverfield take shelter

Eurozone ekes out growth in Q3 but recession looms (AP)

LONDON ? The economy of the 17-nation euro bloc avoided contracting in the third quarter, thanks mainly to Germany and France, but is widely expected to fall into recession imminently as a result of its raging debt crisis.

In its first estimate for the third quarter, the EU statistics office's Eurostat, said Tuesday that the eurozone economy grew by a paltry 0.2 percent for the second quarter in a row.

And that is likely to be as good as it gets for some time, with economists predicting a recession in coming quarters. Consumers and governments are expected to spend less due to the uncertainty spawned by the debt crisis that is threatening to spiral out of control as it moves from relatively small economies like Greece to much-bigger Italy.

Forward-looking indicators, such as surveys of business managers, households and investors, have all disappointed recently.

"The economic slump will accelerate in the coming months," said Christope Weil, an economist at Commerzbank. "The uncertainty caused by the sovereign debt crisis is lying like mildew upon the eurozone economy."

The worry is that the slowdown will hurt governments' ability to reduce their debt loads as state revenues shrink and interest payments pile up.

For now, the eurozone has managed to avoid a recession ? technically defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

The data showed Europe's two powerhouses Germany and France were still growing ? 0.5 percent and 0.4 percent ? during the July to September period as consumers continued to spend.

Tuesday's figures did not include a number of countries, such as Greece, Ireland and Italy. Their preliminary figures are due later this month but are unlikely to cause much of a change in the headline rate.

How much longer Germany and France can keep the eurozone afloat, however, is debatable.

"Future growth prospects have deteriorated markedly since the summer, making a 'mild recession' more likely," said Frederik Ducrozet, an economist at Credit Agricole.

Signs of a looming eurozone-wide recession were evident in the figures ? Cyprus, Portugal and, perhaps most surprisingly, the Netherlands, all contracted during the quarter.

"There is no reason for growth optimism," said Ferdinand Fichtner of the German Economic Institute, DIW, warning that fourth-quarter growth is expected to be much slower as the bite of the eurozone crisis is felt.

"People are uncertain," Fichtner told the news agency dapd. "That is poison for growth."

When the debt crisis erupted in 2009, Europe's economy was just recovering from its deepest recession since World War II largely on the back of Germany, the region's biggest economy. Germany enjoyed a boom in exports and improved domestic demand, even as many in the eurozone struggle in the face of mammoth debts.

The eurozone's third quarter performance compared poorly with those of its peers. Eurostat said the United States grew by a quarterly rate of 0.6 percent, while Japan boomed by 1.5 percent, though largely because it was making up for lost output in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

The economy of the wider EU, which also includes Britain and Sweden, also grew by 0.2 percent.

___

Melissa Eddy in Berlin contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111115/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_economy

kenny britt matt hughes matt hughes matt dodge matt dodge jon jones lost in space

Stem cell trial halted

15 November 2011 Last updated at 07:39 ET

The world's first official trial using human embryonic stem cells in patients has been halted.

Geron, based in California, made the sudden announcement that it was halting further work in this field.

In a statement the company said in the "current environment of capital scarcity and uncertain economic conditions" it had decided to concentrate instead on developing cancer treatments.

Geron said it was seeking partners to enable further development of its stem cell programmes. The press statement implies the decision is purely a financial one - by stopping its stem cell programme it will cut its workforce by more than a third and save millions of dollars.

But the company has already invested tens of millions in the stem cell therapy over the past decade. Its submission to the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct the first trial in patients of human embryonic stem cells was the largest and most complex ever submitted.

Geron had injected stem cells into the spine of a small number of spinal patients to test safety. In its statement the company said the treatment had been "well tolerated with no serious adverse events".

The decision does seem to be extraordinary given the huge investment of time and resources. When I visited Geron nearly three years ago, the then chief executive Dr Tom Okarma claimed the technology had an incredible future (Green light for US stem cell work):

"What stem cells promise for a heart attack or spinal cord injury or diabetes is that you go to the hospital, you receive these cells and you go home with a repaired organ, that has been repaired by new heart cells or new new nerve cells or new islet cells that have been made from embryonic stem cells."

If that future exists, it won't be Geron that will now lead the way.

Ben Sykes, Executive Director of the UK National Stem Cell Network, said:

"Stem cell research continues to show great promise in helping many people currently suffering from incurable conditions and injuries. It is disappointing that Geron has taken the decision to stop its spinal cord injury trial but we hope that the company is able to find new partners who can take on the work and provide the necessary finance."

Joanna Knott, Co-Founder and Chair of SpinalCure Australia said: "This is incredibly sad and frustrating news for people with spinal injuries and their families. It is devastating for those people who will have a spinal injury and may as a result of this research been cured.

Daniel Heumann, who is on the board of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, was more forthright in The Washington Post online which reported him as saying: "I'm disgusted. It makes me sick. To get people's hopes up and then do this for financial reasons is despicable. They're treating us like lab rats."

John Martin, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at University College London said: "The Geron trial had no real chance of success because of the design and the disease targeted. It was an intrinsically flawed study. And for that reasons we should not be describing this as a set back.

"The first trials of stem cell that will give an answer are our own in the heart. The heart is an organ that can give quantitative data of quality."

Josephine Quintavalle from the group Comment on Reproductive Ethics said: "At long last after 10 years of unremitting hype, reality has caught up with embryonic stem cell claims. If Geron is abandoning this project it is because it is simply not working, despite the millions of dollars and hot air that has been invested in the promotion of this research."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/health-15740133

sonic youth sonic youth make your mark make your mark stop loss stop loss thurston moore

Saudis seek U.N. condemnation of plot to kill envoy (Reuters)

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) ? Saudi Arabia's U.N. delegation said on Tuesday it will submit a draft resolution to the General Assembly soon that condemns an alleged plot to assassinate its U.S. envoy and urges Iran to follow the law.

The draft resolution, provided to Reuters by the Saudi U.N. delegation, would have the 193-nation assembly say it "deplores the plot to assassinate the ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America."

It also condemns "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations" and "strongly condemns acts of violence against diplomatic and consular missions and representatives."

Abdulmohsen Alyas, the Saudi U.N. mission's spokesman, said his delegation would circulate the draft resolution to the assembly on Wednesday and was aiming to put it to a vote on Friday.

U.S. authorities said last month they had uncovered a plot by two Iranian men linked to Tehran's security agencies to hire a hit man to kill ambassador Adel al-Jubeir. One man, Manssor Arbabsiar, was arrested in September while the other is believed to be in Iran.

Iran has denied the charges and expressed outrage, saying the allegations threaten stability in the Gulf, where Saudi Arabia and Iran, the biggest regional powers, are fierce rivals and Washington has a huge military presence.

The draft resolution does not directly accuse Iran of being responsible for the plot or call for a condemnation of Tehran.

It does, however, urge Iran "to comply with all of its obligations under international law ... and to cooperate with states to bring to justice all those who participated in the planning, sponsoring, organization and attempted execution of the plot to assassinate the (Saudi) ambassador."

The Saudi delegation expects that many U.N. member states will ask to jointly sponsor the non-binding General Assembly resolution, Alyas said.

"It's a clear signal that terrorist acts and acts of violence against any country, its citizens and its representatives should not pass without a proper response," he said.

Failure to condemn such acts would be tantamount to condoning them, he added.

Several diplomats told Reuters that Washington would probably be among the resolution's co-sponsors.

Tehran has already complained to the United Nations about the U.S. allegations, saying one of the alleged plotters the United States calls an Iranian military official is really a member of the exiled Iranian rebel group Mujahideen Khalq Organization, which Washington has branded a terrorist group.

The MKO's umbrella group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the Iranian accusation was "preposterous.

The General Assembly's human rights committee is also expected to adopt a separate resolution condemning the human rights situation in Iran later this week. The full assembly is expected approve the human rights resolution next month.

(Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111116/wl_nm/us_saudi_plot_un

flds revenge revenge extremely loud and incredibly close boston redsox red sox law and order svu

Newly identified gene mutation adds to melanoma risk

Monday, November 14, 2011

A major international study has identified a novel gene mutation that appears to increase the risk of both inherited and sporadic cases of malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. The identified mutation occurs in the gene encoding MITF, a transcription factor that induces the production of several important proteins in melanocytes, the cells in which melanoma originates. While previous research has suggested that MITF may act as a melanoma oncogene, the current study identifies a mechanism by which MITF mutation could increase melanoma risk.

The report from researchers from the U.S., the U.K. and Australia is receiving advance online publication in Nature. It is expected to appear in a print issue along with a study from French researchers finding that the same mutation increased the risk for the most common form of kidney cancer, for melanoma or for both tumors.

"We previously knew that MITF is a master regulator for production of the pigment melanin; and several years ago we identified a chemical modification, called sumoylation, that represses MITF activity," says David Fisher, MD, PhD, chief of Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), director of the MGH Cutaneous Biology Research Center and co-senior author of the Nature paper. "The currently discovered mutation appears to block sumoylation of MITF, and the resulting overactivity of MITF significantly increases melanoma risk."

While around 10 percent of patients with melanoma report a family history of the disease, true hereditary melanoma, involving multiple cases across many generations, probably accounts for 1 percent or less of all cases, says co-senior author Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD, of MGH Dermatology and the Wellman Center for Photomedicine. "Most cutaneous melanomas arise as a result of interaction between environmental factors such as excessive sun exposure and more common, inherited low- to moderate-risk gene variants ? such as in the red-hair gene MC1R and this novel variant in MITF."

The investigators began the current study by sequencing the genome of a melanoma patient from a family in which eight cases of melanoma had been reported across three generations ? four in first-degree relatives of the patient ? but with neither of the two identified high-risk mutations. Among several novel variants they found, the investigators focused on a mutation in MITF, since it had previously been identified as a potential melanoma oncogene. Genetic material was available from six additional affected members of this family, and the same MITF mutation ? designated E318K ? was found in two of them.

To further analyze the role of this mutation in melanoma risk, the researchers genotyped samples from several large studies conducted in the U.K. and Australia involving more than 15,000 individuals. The E318K mutation occurred more frequently in individuals with melanoma than in healthy controls, and was even more common among families with two or three cases of melanoma. Analysis of the mutation's effects on MITF function confirmed that it reduces sumoylation and increases the transcription of some but not all genes controlled by MITF. The E318K mutation was also associated with increased numbers of the common skin moles called nevi, a recognized risk factor for melanoma, and with a reduced likelihood of blue eye color.

"This MITF variant doubles the background risk for melanoma, which is approximately the same risk increase conferred by severe sunburns; however, an important aspect of this study is the elegant demonstration of how the E318K change affects MITF function " says Tsao. "Furthermore, documenting this moderate level of risk required thousands of cases and controls worldwide, a testament to the unique collaborative nature of this study and the potential utility of next-generation sequencing for gene discovery."

Fisher adds, "We now need to better understand exactly how this mutation causes melanocytes to become cancerous. That information might help us discover other oncogenes as well as find treatment strategies to block the cancer-promoting activity and kill melanoma cells." Fisher is the Wigglesworth Professor of Dermatology, and Tsao is an associate professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School.

###

Massachusetts General Hospital: http://www.mgh.harvard.edu

Thanks to Massachusetts General Hospital 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 16 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115155/Newly_identified_gene_mutation_adds_to_melanoma_risk

waxahachie waxahachie erin burnett four loko michael savage aj burnett aj burnett

Testers may have caused Chevy Volt fire, GM says

Bill Pugliano / Getty Images

A Chevrolet Volt is shown at a GM plant in Flint, Mich., last year. GM says a battery fire in a test vehicle could have been prevented.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, TheDetroitBureau.com

The spotlight is on the Chevrolet Volt following word that one of the plug-in hybrids caught fire while being tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But TheDetroitBureau.com has learned that the fire was readily preventable had a few simple steps been taken after a Volt was put through a series of tests three weeks earlier.

Federal regulators have promised a full investigation of the spring incident in which the Volt caught fire and burned several nearby vehicles.?That has raised serious questions about the safety of its batteries, though GM officials say it may instead require adapting federal crash tests -? as well as what happens in the field in the event of a real collision.

The fire occurred at a private facility in Wisconsin where NHTSA conducts crash tests on new vehicles.?On May 12, the battery car was subject to a so-called ?pole? test, where it was rammed into a barrier at 20 mph to simulate a side impact.? The vehicle was then subject to what is known informally as the ?rotisserie test,? where it is rolled over into various positions to test for leaks that might have occurred during the crash.

Ironically, the Volt did well enough to earn a five-star rating, the best possible.

The wrecked vehicle was subsequently moved to what GM spokesman Rob Peterson called ?the boneyard,? where it was left unattended, no action taken to deal with either the vehicle?s charged lithium-ion battery or the coolant fluid that had, in fact, leaked out after the crash test.?The gas tank used to power Volt?s back-up gas engine was drained.

Preliminary evidence indicates that over time the normally inert coolant came into contact with some of the LIon battery cells.? In liquid form that would not be a problem, but it eventually ?crystallized? as the Wisconsin weather turned cold at night, according to Peterson.?That eventually led to the battery shorting out and catching fire, apparently, though a formal cause has not been announced by safety regulators.

So, was the fire the cause of negligence by NHTSA? Maybe yes, maybe no, according to the GM spokesman.

?NHTSA didn?t follow our protocol,? which would have required the agency to ?de-energize the battery after the crash test," Peterson said.?But, Peterson quickly added that it appears NHTSA employees ?didn?t know our protocol,? which was developed after GM conducted its own crash tests.

The federal agency has since been advised what to do when crashing a battery car, which apparently would include other electric vehicles besides the Chevrolet Volt, particularly those using liquid cooling systems.?(The Nissan Leaf uses an air cooling system, though it is unclear whether the maker will also be recommending that the battery be de-energized after an accident.)

?I want to make this very clear: the Volt is a safe car,? Jim Federico, the chief engineer on GM?s small and battery-powered vehicles, said in a statement. ?We are working cooperatively with NHTSA as it completes its investigation. However, NHTSA has stated that based on available data, there?s no greater risk of fire with a Volt than a traditional gas-powered car.?

Repeated efforts to reach an NHTSA spokesperson failed as the federal government was closed on Friday for Veterans Day.

With electric propulsion capturing a disproportionate share of the headlines lately ? at least compared to the minuscule market for battery-based vehicles, which will this year account for barely a 3 percent?share of the U.S. market ? world of the Chevy Volt fire has generated widespread headlines.

GM officials are worried that the incident could scuttle demand for the vehicle, which is just beginning to see a ramp-up in sales.? And the impact could spread beyond Chevy showrooms.

The Obama administration is looking to put 1 million battery cars on the road by 2015 and virtually every major automaker now has a plug-in hybrid or battery-electric vehicle in late development.

Lithium technology is already in widespread use.? And there have already been serious concerns raised about the use of lithium-ion technology, which has been linked to a number of fires involving laptop computers, mobile phones and other portable electronic devices. ?That has led to restrictions on carrying or shipping the batteries on airplanes, for examples.

But automakers like GM have insisted they are using safer versions of the LIon chemistry than is often used in consumer goods, where it is critical to maximize energy density ? or stored power.

While NHTSA may eventually give the Volt a clean bill of health, the Chevy plug-in was previously involved in an unexplained garage fire ? though preliminary testing indicated the vehicle was not the cause of the problem.

Looking ahead, GM spokesman Peterson said GM plans to spread the word on the proper procedures for handling a Volt after a collision.?It is currently sending a corporate ?SWAT team? out to any such incidents to try to learn as much as possible about what happens and how to respond.

The maker has been training first responders around the U.S. and one of the first steps involves disconnecting the battery.

By early next year, said Peterson, the maker expects to distribute a special device specifically designed to de-energize the battery after a collision.

More from The Detroit Bureau:

Honda to reveal battery sports car

First Look: 2013 Cadillac XTS

First Look: Buick LaCrosse GL Concept

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/11/8761004-federal-testers-may-have-caused-chevy-volt-fire-gm-says

emmy winners sportsbook sportsbook directions driving de la salle de la salle google doodle

Anna Kournikova exiting "Biggest Loser" after one season (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) ? Tennis star Anna Kournikova is exiting NBC's "The Biggest Loser" after just one season -- one in which her tough style didn't always win over contestants.

"I enjoyed my time on the 'Biggest Loser' ranch. Although I will not be returning as a full time trainer on season 13, I will always be a part of 'The Biggest Loser' family and my commitment to bettering lives through health and fitness will continue," she said in a statement.

Kournikova joined as a host and trainer for the show's 12th season after Jillian Michaels' exit. Kournikova's departure was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Though Kournikova emphasized discipline over inspiration, her toughness did endear her to some contestants. Competitor Joe Mitchell told People that Kournikova helped him "fix my thinking" and believe he could lose weight. He dropped from 348 pounds to 269 at the time of his elimination.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111114/tv_nm/us_annakournikova

oregon stanford oregon stanford jon huntsman

Vaccine Cut Bacterial Strain Linked to Meningitis, Pneumonia (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, Nov. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Vaccination has greatly reduced the incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) among young children in the United States over the past 20 years, a new study finds.

That strain was once the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. The Hib vaccine was introduced in the mid-1980s.

But the researchers also found that other strains of H. influenzae continue to threaten the youngest and oldest people in the United States, according to the study published online Nov. 11 in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The analysis of national data showed that the highest rates of disease from non-b type strains occur in adults 65 and older and infants less than 1 year old. Among infants, most cases occur during the first month of life, with premature and low-birthweight babies the most vulnerable, according to a journal news release.

Among adults 65 and older who become ill because of H. influenzae, nearly 25 percent die, the release noted.

A disproportionately large number of both Hib and non-b type infections continue to occur among Native American and native Alaskan children, the study found. The reasons are not fully understood and should be the focus of future studies, a researcher said. Possible factors include poverty, crowded households and poor air quality.

More information

The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia has more about the Hib vaccine.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111112/hl_hsn/vaccinecutbacterialstrainlinkedtomeningitispneumonia

j edgar hoover ohio state basketball jonathan papelbon jonathan papelbon trisomy 13 veterans barbados resorts