Burgess heads to exit as Florida GOP spox

When Rick Scott?s longtime communications chief, Brian Burgess, left his office for the Florida Republican Party last fall, it looked like a prelude to the launch of? the governor?s re-election campaign.

Not so fast.

Burgess announced Tuesday that he?s leaving the state party to join another former Scott spokesman, Brian Hughes, in his government consulting firm, Meteoric Media Strategies. Burgess? replacement at the state GOP has not been named.

?Overwhelmed with all the kind notes of support from everyone!? Thank you,? Burgess said over his Twitter account Tuesday.

Among Hughes? clients are the Florida Sugar Cane League. Burgess starts Feb. 15. ?Neither spokesman immediately returned calls from the Post about the move and its meaning.

?Since last year, I have been trying to recruit Brian to join me in my business,? Hughes said on the company?s website.? ?I am excited that Meteoric Media is growing and that Brian is ready to help me with that expansion.?

Scott and Burgess go way back ? working together on Conservatives for Patients Rights, the political committee the governor set up as a private citizen to work unsuccessfully on derailing the Affordable Care Act.? Burgess was by Scott?s side as the former health care executive became a longshot candidate for governor in Florida in 2010.

After Scott spent $72 million of his own money pursuing his first elected office, Burgess emerged as prime spokesman for the governor.

Burgess? move to the party last September had been talked of for months. In the end, it will have last five months.

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Tags: Brian Burgess, Brian Hughes, Meteoric Media

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 29th, 2013 at 4:07 pm and is filed under 2014 campaigns, Rick Scott. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Source: http://www.postonpolitics.com/2013/01/burgess-heads-to-exit-as-florida-gop-spox/

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Another green milestone - TopGear Malaysia

BMW Group Malaysia has further strengthened its commitment to its Sustainability Strategy of BMW EfficientDynamics in the country with its latest fleet of BMW ActiveHybrid vehicles, the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series which now benefits from special exemptions accorded to Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEV).

Gerhard Pils, Chief Executive Officer of BMW Group Malaysia said, ?We are grateful that the Malaysian government have extended the Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEV) incentives to include our BMW ActiveHybrid vehicles. This positive step will not only support the growing interest and demand for sustainable technology in the country, but encourage more early adopters of green technology in the automotive industry.?

The BMW ActiveHybrid vehicles are fitted with exemplary and enhanced efficiency technology. The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and BMW ActiveHybrid 5 consume an average of 5.9 litres per 100km and 6.8 litres per 100km respectively and emit CO₂?emissions of only 139 grams per km and 160 grams per km respectively. BMW Group Malaysia is confident in its commitment to introducing the full range of its hybrid variants to Malaysian consumers, and the next phase of the BMW EfficientDynamics strategy will begin with the market introduction of the new BMW ActiveHybrid 7 later in the year.

?We hope that the steps taken towards encouraging the implementation of advanced green technology in the automotive industry will help the country to be on par with their neighbouring counterparts, and be more competitive on a global scale.?The government?s long stated intention of introducing Euro IV specification for fuel for instance, is a critical step towards the country?s evolution into an actual green technology advocate. It is our hope that the government?s next focus will be to support alternative engine technologies that are readily available today,? said Pils.

In a recent statement by the Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Mustapa Mohamed, the EEV forms an important thrust of the soon to be announced revised NAP, which will transform and integrate the local automotive industry into the regional and global industry network. Additionally, MITI is working closely with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to make Euro IV diesel available to move Malaysia forward in fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions.

BMW Group Malaysia has always believed that clean and green technology is the future of the auto industry in the country. The premium automaker has been ranked as the number one automotive company in the specialized field for eight consecutive years by the globally respected Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Fleet Manufacturer of the Year at the Green Fleet Awards 2012, Top 5 and also the Top Automotive brand in this year?s most prestigious sustainability ratings worldwide, The Carbon Disclosure Project.

?The solid performance in 2012 was a historic milestone for BMW Group Malaysia, having exceeded benchmarks in all areas of the business.? As we enter our 10th year in Malaysia, we have recently launched our 4th locally assembled model- the BMW X3 at our Kulim plant facility. In light of this, and with other key activities lined up for this year, we are confident that we will continue to reinforce our number one position in the premium automotive segment,? added Pils.

The revised retail prices (on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI)) now puts the ?BMW ActiveHybrid 3 at RM398,800 and the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 at RM498,800 respectively.

L-R: Dean Brigham, MD of Auto Bavaria; Sakhtivel Narayanasamy, customer and Raymond Tan, Head of Sales BMW Group Malaysia

Source: http://www.topgear.com/my/8796-another-green-milestone/

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'First Time' May Influence Sexual Satisfaction for Life | Psych Central ...

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on January 29, 2013

New research suggests a person?s first sexual experience can set the tone for the rest of one?s sexual life.

Matthew Shaffer, a doctoral student in psychology at the University of Tennessee, and C. Veronica Smith, Ph.D., an assistant psychology professor at the University of Mississippi, devised the research project to study the effects of losing one?s virginity.

The study is published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy and is the first to look at whether the circumstances of losing one?s virginity have lasting consequences.

?The loss of virginity is often viewed as an important milestone in human development, signifying a transition to adulthood,? said Shaffer.

?However, it has not been studied in this capacity. We wanted to see the influence it may have related to emotional and physical development.?

The researchers examined how first-time sexual satisfaction impacts long-term sexual function as well as how first-time physical and emotional responses affect long-term sexual experiences.

They found that positive first-time experiences were predictive of physical and emotional satisfaction. Specifically, those who felt loved and respected by their partner found later encounters more emotionally satisfying.

The researchers asked 331 young men and women about how they lost their virginity. The anonymous participants ranked the experience according to emotions related to anxiety, contentment and regret.

Survey responders also answered questions about their sex life using scales measuring sense of control, satisfaction and well-being. Finally, the participants filled out a diary for two weeks describing each sexual experience.

A series of analyses revealed those who were most emotionally and physically satisfied the first time found their sex lives the most fulfilling. Those who reported higher levels of anxiety and negativity with the first time reported lower overall sexual functioning.

?While this study doesn?t prove that a better first time makes for a better sex life in general, a person?s experience of losing their virginity may set the pattern for years to come,? said Shaffer.

Shaffer suggests that a first-time sexual experience may create a general pattern of thought and behavior that guides sexual experiences and understanding of information concerning sexuality.

Source: University of Tennessee

APA Reference
Nauert PhD, R. (2013). ?First Time? May Influence Sexual Satisfaction for Life. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 29, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/01/29/first-time-may-influence-sexual-satisfaction-for-life/50954.html

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/01/29/first-time-may-influence-sexual-satisfaction-for-life/50954.html

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UN, experts posed to confirm any NKorean N-test

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? With North Korea set to detonate an atomic device the U.N. agency that detected previous tests says it is better position than ever to confirm an explosion when it takes place.

But experts say it might be difficult to establish whether the blast was nuclear in nature.

The best indication of a test will be seismic tremors and gases released into the air, phenomena that the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty picked up from previous testing.

The Vienna-based organization's most potent detection tools are more than 150 seismic stations located across the globe. Although very small in yield, the North's first test in 2006 was picked up swiftly and reliably even though the CTBTO back then only had 80 such stations. The second test in 2009 was also detected quickly by 61 stations.

Last week, North Korea warned that it plans a third nuclear test to protest toughened international sanctions meant to punish it for firing a long-range rocket in December. The world sees the launch as a ballistic missile test banned by the U.N., while Pyongyang says it only launched a satellite into orbit as part of a peaceful space development program.

The U.S., South Korea and their allies have pressed the North to scrap its nuclear test plans, saying it will only worsen the country's decades-old international isolation.

The threats have placed scientists and experts in South Korea on high alert as any test is likely to aggravate the already high tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it believes North Korea has nearly completed its nuclear test preparations, confirming satellite analysis last week by the U.S.-Korea Institute, a research group at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Its satellite images of the Punggye-ri site ? where the previous two nuclear tests were conducted ? show that the North Koreans may have been sealing a tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.

In the event of such an underground nuclear test, both the CTBTO facilities and earthquake monitoring stations in South Korea can detect seismic tremors

But although this is a strong indication of a test, it is not an absolute confirmation.

An earthquake expert at the state-run Korea Meteorological Administration said his office aims to find out the magnitude of the tremor, the time it started and the exact location on the map within 10 minutes of the explosion. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.

Experts also note that artificial earthquakes, such as those created by nuclear explosions, rarely trigger the same wave patterns as natural quakes.

North Korea could also try to deceive and give the impression that it exploded a nuclear device by simply exploding sophisticated conventional weapons that would trigger the same seismic waves produced by a nuclear test, said Chi Heoncheol, an earthquake specialist at the government-funded Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources.

By raising tensions this way, North Korea may hope to wrest concessions or aid in return for promises to scale back its unproven nuclear capability.

"Even if they bring truckloads of high-powered conventional explosives, put them (into an underground tunnel) and explode them, they will generate the same seismic wave and sound wave," Chi said. The only difference is no radioactivity would be detected from the explosion of conventional weapons, he said.

The best course for scientists would be to collect air samples to look for increased radiation but the process could take days. Even if the wind is favorable ? and assuming North Korea conducts the test at Punggye-ri in the country's northeastern corner ? it will take more than one day for airborne radioactive isotopes like xenon to reach South Korea, according to an official at the government-run Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

The official, who requested anonymity citing the sensitive nature of the subject, acknowledged it may be impossible for South Korea to confirm a test if the wind doesn't blow southward or if North Korea plugs the underground tunnel so tightly that no radioactive gas escapes.

Both South Korea and the Vienna-based CTBTO confirmed increased radiation levels following the North's 2006 nuclear test but didn't find anything in 2009.

CTBTO spokeswoman Annika Thunborg says that generally speaking it is hard for those conducting nuclear tests to control the escape of noble gases, which is a clear indication of a nuclear test. With her organization's extensive air sampling network, it is less dependent on wind direction than the South Koreans in picking up such traces.

If North Korea decides to conduct a so-called subcritical test, there would be no release of radioactivity at all ? but that may be beyond the North's expertise.

A sub-critical test only works on the properties of plutonium but stop short of creating a critical mass, the point at which a self-sustaining nuclear reaction occurs. Such an experiment requires a "very difficult technology" that only a few countries like the U.S., Russia and England have acquired, said nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University.

"I believe North Korea's technology has not reached that level," Whang said.

North Korea said its upcoming atomic explosion will be a "high-level" test and many analysts said that refers to a device made from highly enriched uranium, which gives the country a second source for manufacturing bombs in addition to plutonium.

Whether North Korea detonates a uranium- or plutonium-based device, there won't be much difference in how easily scientists can detect the tests. The only difference is that they produce different radioactive gases, Whang said.

He also said a uranium-based test explosion would mean that North Korea's nuclear stockpile can continue to be enlarged at a time when there is no evidence of continued production of plutonium at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex.

North Korea watchers in South Korea are speculating various dates for a possible nuclear test, with some predicting it could happen as early as this week and others choosing days just before the Feb. 16 birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

There is no way to determine when North Korea will conduct a nuclear test, said analyst Shim BeomChul at the state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul. U.S. spy satellites "can detect objects 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) in size on the ground but they cannot detect what's happening underground," he said.

____

Online: www.ctbto.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-experts-posed-confirm-nkorean-n-test-234059635.html

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Randy Moss: From star to afterthought with 49ers

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Randy Moss strolled to the podium on Super Bowl media day ? his 49ers hat tilted slightly to the left, his sleeves rolled up high to reveal a cross tattooed on one arm, a large "R'' tattooed on the other.

He carried himself very much like the star he once was.

"I don't know how many questions I'm gonna give you," he barked to reporters, before breaking into a smile. "So go ahead."

Then, for the next hour or so, he was the center of attention ? a role he seemed perfectly suited for, even though he kept saying over and over that he just wants to be treated like anyone else.

Moss proclaimed himself "the greatest receiver ever to play this game." He urged all the coaches out there to listen to their players every now and then.

"I'm me," Moss declared. "I just do it my way. That's just how I feel. I don't try to be better than the next man, or break any laws or any rules. Nothing like that. But what do I believe in? I believe in myself. That's just the way I've always done it.

"I know," he quickly added, "there's some people out there who like me, and I know there's a lot of people out there who don't. For what reason, I don't know and don't really care."

Moss was once the NFL's most dominant receiver, but those days are long past. He's 35 now, clearly on the downside of a career that actually seemed over a year ago. After bouncing around to three different teams in 2010, he didn't play at all last season. But, he wasn't ready to walk away from the sport just yet ? and San Francisco gave him a chance to come back for another shot at the ring.

There was one big caveat: Moss would no longer be the center of the offense.

The 49ers had plenty of others ? from receiver Michael Crabtree to tight end Vernon Davis to running back Frank Gore. Now that Colin Kaepernick has taken over at quarterback, it's easy to forget that No. 84 is even on the field. Sure, Moss is savoring the 49ers run to the Super Bowl, where they'll face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, but he's still struggling to get his arms around the idea of being an afterthought on the field.

"I've always considered myself a playmaker," he said. "Blocking? Yeah, I understand that's part of the game. Me going out to be decoy? Yeah, I know that's part of the game. But for me not to be out here making plays is something I just don't understand."

Then, he remembered why he's here.

"If that's going to win me a ring," Moss said, "yeah, I accept that."

He came oh-so-close during the 2007 season, teaming with Tom Brady to lead New England to an unbeaten regular season and two more wins in the playoffs. Then, in the game that really mattered, the high-powered Patriots were shut down in the Super Bowl by the New York Giants, who rallied for a stunning 17-14 upset after David Tyree ? not Moss ? made a catch that left everyone in awe.

It's a game Moss has never bothered to watch on video. It's a game that sticks with him to this day ? and probably will forever, even if the 49ers win on Sunday.

"There's just something about '07, being undefeated going into a Super Bowl and losing it like that," he said. "I'll never forget that moment because it's not fun when you're sweating and you have confetti dropping down and sticking to your face and knowing that you're not on the winning side of the confetti."

Surely, someone asked, winning this time would ease the pain from five seasons ago.

Not so, Moss replied.

"If I win this one, that means I could have had two," he said. "That's something I'll never forget."

Moss' last big season came with the Patriots in 2009, when he had 83 receptions for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns. The following year was a mess, largely of his own making.

His days in New England were numbered before the season opener when Moss complained about not getting a contract extension and said he didn't feel wanted. After week four, he was traded back to Minnesota, his original team, but that didn't last, either. Moss griped about then-coach Brad Childress and was waived, finishing out the dismal, miserable campaign in Tennessee.

Not surprisingly, no one jumped at the chance to offer Moss a job in 2011.

It looked as though retirement had arrived, whether he wanted it or not.

Moss used the off year to reconnect with his children, to get in some fishing, to watch some games on Sundays. But he also shed some tears, pained at the idea of ending his career before he was ready to go. He made sure to stay in shape, just in case someone wanted to give him another chance.

"I love this game of football so much," Moss said. "I don't like everything that comes with it, but going out on the field between the white lines and playing football is something I've always done. I've been doing it since I was 6 years old. For me to be able to just walk away from the game, knowing that I wasn't ready, mentally or physically, it really hurt me, man. It really depressed me."

Then came a call from the 49ers, who had come up just short of the Super Bowl during his season away. They felt Moss was one of those players who might help them get over the hump ? not so much for what he could do on the field, but the impact he might have on the youngsters in the locker room.

Moss started only two games, finishing with 28 catches, 434 yards and three TDs. But he had the desired impact on Crabtree and Kaepernick, passing on his many experiences to those who will carry the franchise into the future.

"One thing that impressed me the most about Randy is the way that he works with all the other guys, and not even just the receivers," 49ers fullback Bruce Miller said. "He's so knowledgeable about the game of football that he coaches other positions and has all kinds of tips and reminders for everyone."

As the Superdome clock ticked down to zero, indicating the 49ers' hour-long media session was over, Moss continued to chat away at the podium.

Finally, Davis came over to pull him away.

It was almost as if Moss wanted to cling to the spotlight as long as possible.

"It's been fun," he said. "But I've got to go."

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/randy-moss-star-afterthought-49ers-232401818--nfl.html

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Lucasfilm pushes pause on 3-D 'Star Wars' prequels

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The force isn't with the 3-D versions of the "Star Wars" prequels.

Lucasfilm said in a statement Monday that it's postponing the scheduled 3-D releases of "Star Wars: Episode II ? Attack Of The Clones" and "Episode III ? Revenge of the Sith" this fall to instead focus its efforts on "Star Wars: Episode VII."

The Walt Disney Co. confirmed Friday that J.J. Abrams, creator of the TV series "Lost" and director of 2009's "Star Trek" movie, will direct the seventh installment of the franchise, set for a 2014 release.

Disney bought "Star Wars" maker Lucasfilm last month for $4.06 billion.

"Episode I ? The Phantom Menace" was released in 3-D last February and earned $22.4 million domestically its opening weekend.

The original prequels were released from 1999 to 2005.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lucasfilm-pushes-pause-3-d-star-wars-prequels-223459887.html

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UN seeks major aid boost for Syrian 'catastrophe'

KUWAIT CITY (AP) ? International aid officials are framing their latest gathering on Syria's humanitarian crises in terms not seen in the region since the height of the Iraq war: Refugee numbers possibly swelling toward 1 million, more than double that number in need of help inside the country and political policymaking among Bashar Assad's foes torn between the battlefield strategies and the civilian costs.

The urgency for a dramatic increase in international relief funds for Syria ? seeking total pledges of $1.5 billion ? will be the central message Wednesday in Kuwait from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other leaders such as Jordan's King Abdullah II, whose nation is struggling with more than 320,000 refugees and more arriving every day.

The meeting also seeks to reorient some of the political calculations among Western nations and allies supporting the Syrian rebels. With the civil war nearing its two-year mark and no end in sight, U.N. officials and others are pressing governments to recognize the potential long-term humanitarian burdens and spread resources and support to both the Syrian opposition and the millions of people caught in the conflict.

"The crisis is not easing on any front," said Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the U.N. office in charge of coordinating humanitarian affairs. "It's relentless."

The venue in Kuwait also highlights the increasingly high-profile role of Persian Gulf nations in Syria's civil war.

The Gulf states, led by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have been key backers of the political opposition against Assad and have urged for stepped up arms shipments to rebel fighters ? a call that has met resistance from the U.S. and Western allies fearing that heavy weapons could reach Islamist militant factions that have joined the rebellion.

Now, the wealthy Gulf nations may come under direct calls to significantly boost contributions for U.N.-led humanitarian efforts in addition to their own pledges, including $100 million promised by Saudi Arabia in December for Syrian relief and $5 million from the United Arab Emirates this month for the refugees in Jordan.

Representatives from more than 60 nations are expected at the one-day conference, possibly including envoys from Assad's main allies Iran and Russia. They are unlikely to be put under specific diplomatic pressures, but could face uncomfortable descriptions of civilian deaths in a nearly 2-year-old civil war that the U.N. says has claimed more than 60,000 lives.

Last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Syria's bombardment of citizens should be declared a war crime and aid groups must be given greater access to help displaced or suffering people inside the country. Relief groups, however, have struggled in Syria because of shifting front lines and risks of kidnapping or convoys commandeered. The U.N. also has pulled back some staff in Damascus as fighting intensified in the capital.

Also in Davos, the U.N.'s humanitarian chief, Valerie Amos, called the Syrian humanitarian situation "already catastrophic."

"What we are seeing now are the consequences of the failure of the international community to unite to resolve the crisis," she said before heading to Damascus for a two-day visit that included talks with Syrian officials.

While the Kuwait meeting is certain to showcase the strong international coalition against Assad's regime, it also will underscore the shortfall in nailing down funds for humanitarian relief.

Laerke said the U.N. has in hand less than 4 percent of $519 million sought for aid inside Syria. Nearly $1 billion more in emergency money is now needed for the refugee influx into neighboring nations. U.N. officials say more than 21,000 Syrian refugees have arrived at Jordan's sole refugee camp in just the past week.

"This is the just the six-month price tag," he said. "This just gets us through the middle of year."

On the eve of the Kuwait meeting, President Barack Obama authorized an additional $155 million in humanitarian aid for the Syrian people as his administration grapples for a way to stem the violence there without direct U.S. military involvement.

The fresh funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian aid to Syria over two years to $365 million, according to the White House. Officials said the money was being used to immunize one million Syrian children, purchase winter supplies for a half million people, and to help alleviate food shortages.

"The relief we send doesn't say 'Made in America,' but make no mistake ? our aid reflects the commitment of the American people," Obama said in a video announcing the addition funding, which was posted on the White House website.

The European Union also promised another 100 million euros ($134 million) for Syrian relief aid, said the EU humanitarian aid commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva, in Brussels.

"They seem to be taking the appeals more seriously now when the conflict appears to be taking the shape of a crisis that will last for some time," said Ayham Kamel, a Middle East analyst at the Eurasia Group in London. "Most expected the Assad regime would be toppled by now, ending the crisis. In reality, however, the Assad regime is still there and the international community has no alternative but to face the crisis and managing refugees costs money."

The U.N. estimates more than 700,000 Syrian refugees have fled to surrounding countries ? mostly Jordan and Turkey, but others to Lebanon and smaller numbers to Iraq. At least 2 million people inside Syria have been uprooted or face shortages of food or medicine.

Laerke said the refugee figures could push toward 1 million later this year if the current exodus remains. That could reach about half the refugee figure for Iraq in the years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Amos, the U.N. humanitarian chief, said she hoped the Kuwait conference will bring "a wider range" aid donors than previous appeals that brought mostly Western pledges. She also is likely to stress the desperation of many in the cold months.

In Beirut on Monday, she described visiting a shelter in Damascus where many children were sick or had respiratory problems because of lack of heating fuel.

"It is so cold right now, health care is really important," she said.

In Jordan, about two dozen refugees moved into a school built by aid funds from Bahrain after their tents in the main camp were blown over by wind or flooded. The school is set to reopen next week.

"They haven't given us heaters, tents or trailers," said Abu Mohamed, a 35-year-old businessman who fled Damascus with his family. "Rain is forecast again. Doctors tell us at the camp hospital that our children are sick from the cold."

___

Associated Press writers Dale Gavlak in Zaatari, Jordan; Raf Casert in Brussels, and Barbara Surk and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-seeks-major-aid-boost-syrian-catastrophe-191711139.html

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Hard times can hit autistic children ? Health ? Bangor Daily News ...

It is estimated that up to three million americans struggle with autism, a disorder that affects the brain?s development through social and communication skills. Even though the population is increasing, not everything is known about autism, but more and more facts about autism continue to be well known. Roughly forty six million people worldwide have autism.

Researchers do not know what causes autism, but what is known is that people at the end of the autism spectrum tend to live normal lives just like typical people. However, people who have more significant autism, especially at the beginning or middle of the spectrum rely on life long institutional care, end up isolated living with parents, or unable to hold a career, and can end up on disability insurance.

Autism has a very broad spectrum ranging from a child that remains nonverbal for their whole life, up to brilliant engineers, scientists, and computer technicians. Some require more assistance with social skills, and independent living.

There are many spectrum disorders in the category autism. At the beginning of the spectrum is a disability called childhood disintegrative disorder. Childhood disintegrative disorder is a disability in which an infant makes babbling noises, and says clear words. But before the infant is two years ago, they completely stop speaking, and making eye contact. Most children with childhood disintegrative disorder never regain their speech, but a minority of them do. But their speech will be abnormal, and they will most likely be unable to function in normal life situations.

Another disorder is Kanner?s disorder which involves impaired speech, impaired social skills, and poor motor skills. A child who suffers from Kanner?s will have weak muscles, and not being able to ride a bike, and difficulties with physical activity.

There is also a disorder called Rett?s syndrome which is a type of autism where there?s all the symptoms, but also more significant sensory problems, such as sensitivities to loud noises.

At the very end of the spectrum, there is Asperger?s syndrome, and high-functioning autism which are both very similar. People with Asperger?s have normal speech development, but their lack of social skills is quite significant. Also, people who have Asperger?s syndrome tend to have sloppy handwriting, as well as mild motor issues, but not significantly bad like someone with Kanner?s. Many people with Asperger?s are unable to play sports because of their social abilities, and motor skills.

High-functioning autism is the same term as Asperger?s. However people wih high-functioning autism have speech delay, and people with Asperger?s have normal speech development. Also, people with Asperger?s want to fit in, but are unable to relate to other people, while a person with high-functioning autism can?t in such ways. But these disorder are very similar, and some people say they?re both exactly the same.

But no matter where children are placed on the autism spectrum, everyone with it still struggles with life skills way more than typical people. People on the spectrum should get as much support as possible, and deserve to be treated the same as everyone else, from their teachers, close friends, and family members who love them.

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/community/hard-times-can-hit-autistic-children/

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3D printing and NFC make a great looking Nexus 4 dock

We're all waiting for someone to sell that fancy orb docking station for the Nexus 4. In the meantime, Ingenuity never rests and this 3D printed dock would make an awesome substitute. It uses a standard USB cable for charging, and an NFC sticker to trigger the NFC Task Launcher app to drop it into dock mode.

If you have access to a 3D printer, be sure to give this one a good look. And if you make any extra ones, give me a yell so I can throw my money at you.

Source: Thingiverse; via Android Central forums

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/8f8IGfzzjxw/story01.htm

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One in, two out: Simulating more efficient solar cells

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Using an exotic form of silicon could substantially improve the efficiency of solar cells, according to computer simulations by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in Hungary.

The work was published Jan. 25 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Solar cells are based on the photoelectric effect: a photon, or particle of light, hits a silicon crystal and generates a negatively charged electron and a positively charged hole. Collecting those electron-hole pairs generates electric current.

Conventional solar cells generate one electron-hole pair per incoming photon, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency of 33 percent. One exciting new route to improved efficiency is to generate more than one electron-hole pair per photon, said Giulia Galli, professor of chemistry at UC Davis and co-author of the paper.

"This approach is capable of increasing the maximum efficiency to 42 percent, beyond any solar cell available today, which would be a pretty big deal," said lead author Stefan Wippermann, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis.

"In fact, there is reason to believe that if parabolic mirrors are used to focus the sunlight on such a new-paradigm solar cell, its efficiency could reach as high as 70 percent," Wippermann said.

Galli said that nanoparticles have a size of nanometers, typically just a few atoms across. Because of their small size, many of their properties are different from bulk materials. In particular, the probability of generating more than one electron-hole pair is much enhanced, driven by an effect called "quantum confinement." Experiments to explore this paradigm are being pursued by researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., as well as at UC Davis.

"But with nanoparticles of conventional silicon, the paradigm works only in ultraviolet light," Wippermann said. "This new approach will become useful only when it is demonstrated to work in visible sunlight."

The researchers simulated the behavior of a structure of silicon called silicon BC8, which is formed under high pressure but is stable at normal pressures, much as diamond is a form of carbon formed under high pressure but stable at normal pressures.

The computer simulations were run through the National Energy Research Scientific Supercomputing Center at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, which granted the project 10 million hours of supercomputer time.

The simulations demonstrated that nanoparticles of silicon BC8 indeed generate multiple electron-hole pairs per photon even when exposed to visible light.

"This is more than an academic exercise. A Harvard-MIT paper showed that when normal silicon solar cells are irradiated with laser light, the energy the laser emits may create a local pressure high enough to form BC8 nanocrystals. Thus, laser or chemical pressure treatment of existing solar cells may turn them into these higher-efficiency cells," said co-author Gergely Zimanyi, professor of physics at UC Davis.

Other authors of the paper are Marton Voros and Adam Gali at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary.

The work was funded by a National Science Foundation Solar Collaborative grant awarded to Zimanyi, Galli and colleagues at UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz in 2011. The project brings together experts in material science, chemistry, computer simulations and statistics to develop new approaches to solar power.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/_MBxklkQYnc/130128142900.htm

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How to Create Deep Intimacy In Imperfect Relationships ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Arielle Ford is a leading presence in the personal growth and contemporary spirituality movement. She is the bestselling author of eight books including Wabi Sabi Love. She believes that with a simple Wabi Sabi shift in ...

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-love/201301/how-create-deep-intimacy-in-imperfect-relationships-0

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A look at notable deadly nightclub fires

Firefighters work to douse a fire at the Kiss Club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Firefighters say that the death toll from a fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil has risen to 180. Officials say the fire broke out at the club while a band was performing. At least 200 people were also injured. (AP Photo/Agencia RBS)

Firefighters work to douse a fire at the Kiss Club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Firefighters say that the death toll from a fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil has risen to 180. Officials say the fire broke out at the club while a band was performing. At least 200 people were also injured. (AP Photo/Agencia RBS)

A fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday appears to be the deadliest in a decade. Here is a look at some other recent big nightclub fires:

? A blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, broke out in December 2009, when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152.

? A fire at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok killed 67 people on New Year's Day in 2009. An indoor fireworks display set off after the countdown to the new year ignited the blaze.

?Fireworks sparked a blaze and stampede that killed at least 43 people at a Shenzhen, China nightclub in September 2008.

? A December 2004 fire killed 194 people at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after a flare ignited ceiling foam.

? A nightclub fire in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

?Flames engulfed the tiny La Gojira discotheque in Caracas, Venezuela, in November 2002, leaving 50 people dead.

?A welding accident reportedly set off a Dec. 25, 2000, fire at a club in Luoyang, China, killing 309.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-27-Nightclub-Fires-Glance/id-be75c25d5fb9463bacf06a0f373db4df

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My Life & My Journey Online: Getting a Good Domain Name

One of the most essential and important step in building a brand name online is to have a good and best domain name because it will help you meet your success specially if you have an online business. A good domain name works as brand name of your website or product so think about it before going to buy, don?t just rush for the first name that comes in mind. I believe that getting good domain name is not as hard as you think of, but it is an art of making out the best from your website.?

Just remember that your domain name is the center of your internet identity, so take all the things into consideration before choosing a good domain name because it will represent you on the world wide web. The variety of domain name services available on the internet today is one of the key factors in building a successful and reliable personal or business online that is why choosing an appropriate domain name is a critical part of a successful web site.You need to understand the importance of the domain name and the impact it can have on the success of your web site. Registering your domain name is also necessary as it strategically establish your online presence whether it is for your personal or business use.?

A well chosen and cheapest domain name registration can set you up for the success in your site in many ways.After having more than 20 blogs, one thing that I have learned from getting a domain name is the choice of keywords to use.We need to spend time in picking up the best domain name for your website or you can get some? help from domain tools in finding the right domain. Still there are some real tricks which help you out in choosing an effective domain name so that you can easily run a successful business before creating an excellent web presence.?

Source: http://kayeshayne.blogspot.com/2013/01/getting-good-domain-name.html

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Holocaust archive reunites long lost families

Nearly 70 years after the end of the Second World War, a Holocaust archive in Germany is helping victims and survivors of Nazi atrocities to find clues about the past -- and is still reuniting families. NBC News' Andy Eckardt reports from Bad Arolsen, Germany.

By Andy Eckardt, Producer, NBC News

BAD AROLSEN, Germany -- Wilhelm Thiem may be 72 but he celebrated his first real birthday in November.

Abducted in Poland by Nazi troops aged two, Thiem has spent most of his life on a painful journey, seeking to discover his true name and identity.?

Until just a few months ago, the retired entrepreneur had not known his birth date, where he was born, what had happened to his mother or whether he had any other family members.

"I hardly knew anything about my personal history," Thiem said.?"I always felt like an outsider, it was a feeling of not belonging in this world."

Thiem was raised by a foster parent in northern Germany who was appointed by the Nazis to take care of the young child. Thiem called her "Mrs. Huebner" but was later officially adopted and given her maiden name.

At age 12, Thiem learned that Mrs. Huebner was not his real mother. He started asking her about his past, wanting to learn more about his family, but his questions remained unanswered. For decades, his personal history remained a mystery.

Early last year, Thiem came across a newspaper article about the International Tracing Service?(ITS), an organization that maintains a vast archive of files related to more than 17.5 million victims of the Holocaust and Nazi oppression.

"At first the ITS researchers told me that they could not find any documents with my name on them," Thiem recalled. "But then they contacted the Red Cross in Poland and in the end, there were some leads."

'Very emotional moment'
After several months of research, Thiem was informed that he had been born in Lodz, Poland, and that his birth name was Zbigniew Wilhelm Katmierczak.

For the first time in his life, Thiem held a birth certificate in his hands that gave him an identity.

"It was a very emotional moment," Thiem recalled. "Both my wife and I could not hold back tears."

Researchers revealed that his mother was also sent to Germany as a forced laborer but later returned to Poland. She eventually married a Frenchman and relocated to France.

Thiem was also told of a surviving aunt, who still lives in his Polish hometown.

He is now anxiously making plans for a trip to Lodz with his wife for a very special family reunion.

"I am hoping to learn more facts, maybe find other family members," Thiem said. "Maybe I can find traces of my mother and father.?All of this is of huge interest to me, it means so much."

Established by Allies in the final days of the Second World War and originally run by the Red Cross, the ITS helps to uncover the fates of Holocaust victims and others who suffered under the Nazi regime.

The archive in Bad Arolsen is said to be the largest storage facility of documents related to the Holocaust. It includes 30 million documents in 16 miles of shelves housing information about Holocaust survivors, displaced persons, slave laborers and political refugees from former Eastern Bloc countries.

Over the past 50 years, the ITS has answered more than 10 million requests. About 1,000 search requests continue to trickle in to the archive monthly.

"Many people still do not know what has become of their loved ones,"?said Dr. Ingeborg Berggreen-Merkel from Germany's federal commission of culture. "Even decades after the end of the Holocaust and the war, there is this persisting uncertainty, which results from the fact that part of one's own history remains untold."?

Visitors to the archive come into direct contact with the bureaucracy of mass murder.

Its meticulous records include concentration camp files, "deportation cards," patient records and a post-war index of non-German citizens. Its researchers plow through the stacks of yellowing paper, registering and scanning as many of the historic documents as possible. More than 95 percent have now been digitized.

But due to concerns about the victims' privacy, the ITS and the German government kept the files closed to the public for half a century. While search requests have been accepted since the end of the war, the archive was initially not "open source."

Following public pressure from survivor groups, historians and researchers, who called for public access to the archives, the ITS Commission -- consisting of 11 member states -- declared itself in favor of opening up Bad Arolsen in 1998.

Yet, scholars and researchers were only given access to the documents beginning in 2007.

"I think it was criminal that the documents were not opened up earlier," said Holocaust survivor and U.S. judge Thomas Buergenthal. He was able to find?records of his father's ordeal in the concentration camps of Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen and Buchenwald at Bad Arolsen.

"This archive is my father's only memorial, we have no other," Buergenthal added.

But although time has claimed many eyewitnesses, the archive is still helping to reunite survivors of Nazi terror -- such as Thiem and his long lost aunt. She remembers her nephew -- who is now an elderly man -- as a "little child."

"I spent a lifetime wondering who I really am, now I know," Thiem said.

Related:?

A retired teacher's courageous crusade: Tackling neo-Nazi hate

Despite dark past, young Israelis seek new lives in German capital

Warm glow of Berlin's 'beautiful' gas streetlights set to fade

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/26/16641847-holocaust-archive-rescues-lost-identities-reunites-long-lost-families?lite

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Video: Does Obama have political capital to pass gun control?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50597587/

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For dung beetles, Milky Way is guiding light

When humans gaze up at the night sky, they may view the fuzzy streak of the Milky Way and contemplate their place in the universe.

When dung beetles see the Milky Way, their thoughts turn to keeping their food source away from other insects.

Scientists have found that these inch-long creatures use the glowing edge of the galaxy to guide them as they roll their balls of dung across the African landscape. The report, published online Thursday by the journal Current Biology, provides the first documentation of animals using the Milky Way for navigation.

Considering that birds, seals and butterflies are known to rely on the stars to find their way around, the study authors noted that using the Milky Way as a compass "might turn out to be widespread in the animal kingdom."

If any bug needs a straight line to follow, it's the dung beetle. These nocturnal insects make a habit of balling up pieces of animal manure and rolling the spheres away from the larger pile to save for their own use. The balls, which are considerably bigger than the beetles' bodies, serve as food and even a nesting place for some species.

Given the importance of these dung balls, it's essential that the beetles keep them away from any would-be thieves. Hence the importance of rolling in a straight line: If they take a curvy route, they could mistakenly wind up back where they started, giving other beetles a chance to steal it.

"The whole point of moving the ball away is to avoid the competition," said Keith Philips, a dung beetle expert at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, who wasn't involved in the new study. "Stop wasting energy moving your ball around."

Vision scientist Marie Dacke of Lund University in Sweden, who led the study, had noticed in previous studies that even on moonless nights, dung beetles were able to move their spheres in straight paths. To put the critters' routing skills to the test, she and her colleagues tracked their insect subjects through a dung-rolling course on a South African game reserve called Stonehenge.

The researchers put the beetles and their balls of dung in the center of an arena of sand surrounded by a meter-high wall so nothing on the ground could be used as a point of reference. An overhead camera filmed their paths.

The beetles' performance was telling. On clear nights when the moon and stars were visible, the insects' trajectories were more or less straight. Even on a moonless night, the beetles were pretty efficient in their dung-rolling as long as the Milky Way was visible. But when the sky was overcast, the insects went every which way but straight.

In a second round of experiments, the researchers put the bugs and their dung balls in the center of a wooden platform two meters across and clocked how long it took for them to reach the edge. With the galaxy in sight, their paths led them to the edge of the platform in as little as 40 seconds. But with clouds blocking their view, it took them nearly two minutes.

The researchers even taped makeshift cardboard visors to the beetles' heads, blocking their view of the sky to eliminate all doubt. To no one's surprise, the beetles wandered aimlessly, showing no sense of direction.

Were the dung beetles navigating by the stars or the Milky Way? To find out, the researchers repeated some of their experiments inside a planetarium in Johannesburg.

When the beetles labored under a simulated sky lit only by the Milky Way's glow, the insects and their dung balls reached the edge of the platform in about 50 seconds. When the galaxy was removed and only the sky's brightest stars were visible, the task took just over a minute.

"This clearly shows that the beetles do not orientate to a single bright 'lodestar,' but rather to the band of light that represents the Milky Way," the researchers concluded.

The findings have made the scientists wonder about other species. Cricket frogs travel in only two directions on moonless nights, they noted in their study; perhaps they use the Milky Way's glow for orientation too.

Bradley Mullens, an entomologist at UC Riverside, said the research team's suspicion was probably correct.

"I would not be surprised if other nocturnal insects ? or maybe other animal groups ? might be able to use a diffuse but directional cue such as the Milky Way," said Mullens, who wasn't part of Dacke's team. "Maybe this paper will stimulate more studies of that nature."

joseph.serna@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/1syxPZs5mkE/la-sci-dung-beetles-milky-way-20130125,0,6369724.story

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Chelsea player criticized after ball boy kicked

LONDON (AP) ? Just when it seemed Chelsea's reputation couldn't sink any lower, along came "Ballboygate."

The Football Association's disciplinary body will review the game after winger Eden Hazard was sent off for kicking a 17-year-old ball boy while attempting to retrieve the ball near the end of a League Cup semifinal match against Swansea on Wednesday.

The Belgian winger has apologized to the ball boy ? and will not face criminal charges ? but will be handed a minimum three-match ban for violent conduct. The FA could increase the suspension in "exceptional circumstances."

The European champions likely will face more accusations that its millionaire players are out of control, soon after the racism scandals involving John Terry, Ashley Cole and John Obi Mikel in 2012.

"There's no defense for that," former referee Dermot Gallagher said. "It was an extreme, but you can't have that at a football match."

The kick sparked a flurry of activity on social networking sites and induced imaginative headlines in British newspapers, such as "Ed Case," ''Occupational Hazard" and "Boots of Hazard." BBC radio has already been referring to it as "Ballboygate."

Some ex-professionals sympathized with Hazard, who was attempting to get the ball into play quickly with Chelsea needing late scoring to force extra time. The match finished 0-0, with Swansea advancing to the final 2-0 on aggregate goals.

"I'm not saying its the correct thing 2 do but when in the heat of the moment u just want the ball," Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar wrote on Twitter.

For Chelsea, controversy seems to hover over the English club.

"I do not know what you expect from me," Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez said. "Do you think we are not disappointed with the situation, that we do not regret what happened?

"Do you want to change things? We cannot."

Chelsea probably wishes it could change several circumstances in the past 12 months, except for its unexpected Champions League title in May.

Team captain Terry was banned for four matches for hurling a racial slur at an opponent during a league game. The case, which also involved Cole, took a year to be resolved.

In November, a complaint by Chelsea that one of its black players ? Mikel ? had been subjected to racist abuse by a referee during a game was dismissed by the FA. Referee Mark Clattenburg was removed from duty by the Premier League for four straight weekends.

Chelsea responded quickly to the latest situation, putting an apology from Hazard on its website. There are reports the ball boy was welcomed into the locker room and treated well by Terry and Frank Lampard, Chelsea's two most senior players.

"Both parties have come together and we've got a mutual bond," Gallagher said. "That is brilliant for the future, but it doesn't escape the fact that the FA are duty bound to act."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chelsea-player-criticized-ball-boy-kicked-192554246--sow.html

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91% Amour

All Critics (129) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (118) | Rotten (11)

Each actor draws on a lifetime's worth of experience, performing with grace and rare, uncompromising realism.

There's nowhere to hide: The film cuts no corners and stings with the authenticity of life's fragility.

The movie avoids melodrama; instead, it's just extraordinarily intimate, with touches of visual poetry like the pigeon that gets into the apartment and won't leave, an image of our own heedless tenacity.

The film is a graphic portrayal of the unfunny end game we're all fated to play; the title is just a simple declaration of how best to play it.

"Amour" is also unforgettable and one of a kind, two hours of torment that, in the end, you will probably not regret.

Small, sure and stunningly acted, this is a picture of exacting control, which is to be expected from Haneke, whose works include Cache and The White Ribbon.

A viewer may want to watch Amour, because it is a work of art.

Relativamente doce para os padr?es de um cineasta acostumado a torturar seu p?blico e a encarar a humanidade com imenso ceticismo, representa uma experi?ncia dif?cil por nos lembrar o tempo inteiro de que todos dividiremos o mesmo desfecho.

A bitter, pitiless piece of work. We can admire its components, but we're repulsed by its vision.

Haneke's self-indulgent approach is getting old to me. His devoted fans will like it, but others will most likely be scratching their heads trying to figure out how this got a Best Picture nomination.

It's upsetting material lined with lead by Haneke, who searches for the meaning of love but can't help but dwell on the details of decay.

Amour is as heartbreaking and real as it gets.

Tough and beautiful, it secures Haneke's reputation as one of the world's best.

Two of the world's best actors, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, play Amour's octogenarian couple, so it's surprising that the characters aren't very interesting.

Haneke addresses the ravaging effects of aging in a starkly intimate way but Amour oddly lacks affectivity. Something that should be overflowing with emotion is strangely as sterile as Georges and Anne's Parisian apartment.

unforgettable portrait of old age

The audacious performances by both veteran actors are wonderful, and the film never resorts to cheap sentimentality.

Powerful and well-acted, this drama meticulously captures the pain and perils of aging in a way that will be hard to forget.

Haneke treats Georges and Anne with absolute respect, never pandering to sentiment or clich? and most assuredly not sugarcoating the experience of walking one's partner through suffering, toward death.

Haneke doesn't offer easy solutions or pat emotions. He merely offers us a chance to eavesdrop and holds a mirror up to our own fears of old age, hopes for love, and challenges through life.

A confident, lovingly articulated mood piece about a subject that is universal, yet rarely told.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771307454/

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Morning Security Brief: Business Security in North Africa ...

01/23/2013 -

?The Algerian hostage crisis has prompted businesses with operations in North Africa to reassess their security and safety programs, reports the Stamfordadvocate.com. "The incident is prompting businesses operating in North Africa and other politically volatile regions to enact safety programs to protect employees," noted the report. Among the plans currently being carried out by companies in the region is the relocation of nonessential employees.

? India is in the process of setting up a national cybersecurity architecture to prevent sabotage, espionage and other forms of attack, reports the Times of India. "The architecture [will] protect critical information infrastructure and other networks, will involve monitoring, certification and assurance of India's networks by designated agencies and bodies in accordance with the law," noted Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon in the article.

?Texas lawmakers have announced what they are calling the "Texas solution" to school security in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut school massacre. According to Dallasnew.com, "The Texas School District Security Act would allow taxpayers to decide through a local election whether to increase taxes to create a funding source for enhancing school security. The money would help beef up security with the presence of licensed and trained peace officers, metal detectors or other measures only at the campuses taxpayers and school districts approve."

?Meanwhile, in Florida, a local woman is paying an armed deputy to patrol her child's elementary school.

Source: http://www.securitymanagement.com/news/morning-security-brief-business-security-north-africa-cybersecurity-architecture-india-school-s

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Seau's family sues NFL over brain injuries

FILE - This Jan. 10, 2010, file photo shows New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau before an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass. The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

FILE - This Jan. 10, 2010, file photo shows New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau before an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass. The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

FILE - In this May 11, 2012 file photo, the children of Junior Seau, right, stand on stage alongside running back LaDainian Tomlinson, left, during a public memorial service for football player Junior Seau at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. The children are, from right, Tyler, Hunter, Jake and Sydney Seau. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. It says Seau developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from those hits, and accuses the NFL of deliberately ignoring and concealing evidence of the risks associated with traumatic brain injuries.

Seau died at age 43 of a self-inflicted gunshot in May. He was diagnosed with CTE, based on posthumous tests, earlier this month.

An Associated Press review in November found that more than 3,800 players have sued the NFL over head injuries in at least 175 cases as the concussion issue has gained attention in recent years. More than 100 of the concussion lawsuits have been brought together before U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody in Philadelphia.

"Our attorneys will review it and respond to the claims appropriately through the court," the NFL said in a statement Wednesday.

Helmet manufacturer Riddell Inc., also is being sued by the Seaus, who say Riddell was "negligent in their design, testing, assembly, manufacture, marketing, and engineering of the helmets" used by NFL players. The suit says the helmets were unreasonably dangerous and unsafe.

Seau was one of the best linebackers during his 20 seasons in the NFL. He retired in 2009.

"We were saddened to learn that Junior, a loving father and teammate, suffered from CTE," the family said in a statement released to the AP. "While Junior always expected to have aches and pains from his playing days, none of us ever fathomed that he would suffer a debilitating brain disease that would cause him to leave us too soon.

"We know this lawsuit will not bring back Junior. But it will send a message that the NFL needs to care for its former players, acknowledge its decades of deception on the issue of head injuries and player safety, and make the game safer for future generations."

Plaintiffs are listed as Gina Seau, Junior's ex-wife; Junior's children Tyler, Sydney, Jake and Hunter, and Bette Hoffman, trustee of Seau's estate.

The lawsuit accuses the league of glorifying the violence in pro football, and creating the impression that delivering big hits "is a badge of courage which does not seriously threaten one's health."

It singles out NFL Films and some of its videos for promoting the brutality of the game.

"In 1993's 'NFL Rocks,' Junior Seau offered his opinion on the measure of a punishing hit: 'If I can feel some dizziness, I know that guy is feeling double (that)," the suit says.

The NFL consistently has denied allegations similar to those in the lawsuit.

"The NFL, both directly and in partnership with the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and other leading organizations, is committed to supporting a wide range of independent medical and scientific research that will both address CTE and promote the long-term health and safety of athletes at all levels," the league told the AP after it was revealed Seau had CTE.

The lawsuit claims money was behind the NFL's actions.

"The NFL knew or suspected that any rule changes that sought to recognize that link (to brain disease) and the health risk to NFL players would impose an economic cost that would significantly and adversely change the profit margins enjoyed by the NFL and its teams," the Seaus said in the suit.

The National Institutes of Health, based in Bethesda, Md., studied three unidentified brains, one of which was Seau's, and said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."

"It was important to us to get to the bottom of this, the truth," Gina Seau told the AP then. "And now that it has been conclusively determined from every expert that he had obviously had CTE, we just hope it is taken more seriously. You can't deny it exists, and it is hard to deny there is a link between head trauma and CTE. There's such strong evidence correlating head trauma and collisions and CTE."

In the final years of his life, Seau went through wild behavior swings, according to Gina and to 23-year-old son, Tyler. There also were signs of irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression.

"He emotionally detached himself and would kind of 'go away' for a little bit," Tyler Seau said. "And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-23-Seau-Lawsuit/id-945891d381b041a5a8b926b62224eadb

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Farm double payments clear hurdle

23 January 2013 Last updated at 14:48 ET By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst

Farmers could be paid twice for measures to protect the environment under a European Parliament deal.

The Agriculture Committee agreed that EU rules forbidding double payments should be waived to help farmers.

Green campaigners say the vote is a scandal and must be over-turned by the full Parliament and member states.

The motion was passed because many MEPs want to shield farmers? incomes from the Commision's planned reform of the costly Common Agricultural Policy.

At the moment farmers get paid on average 200 euros a hectare in direct payments from taxpayers for doing little more than owning land.

If they want to be paid more they can opt for an extra green payment to help wildlife. It is under a different section of the budget and gains a further 80 euros.

With critics of the EU clamouring to end farm hand-outs, the Commission says farmers should earn a third of their direct payments by farming in a way that benefits the environment.

The committee agrees to that reform of direct payments. It means that all farmers will have to ?green? their activities to get full direct payment.

But the MEPs insisted that farmers who are already gaining extra payments for green activities should be entitled to keep them ? on top of the money they will get from the direct payment - but without doing any more to earn the cash.

In other words, to be paid twice for the same thing.

Faustine Defossez, Agriculture Policy Officer at the European Environmental Bureau, said: "In times of austerity, when governments and citizens across Europe are tightening their purse strings, it is scandalous - not to mention illegal - to expect taxpayers to pay farmers twice."

She urged the full Parliament to over-turn the vote to prove they were representing people, not just farmers. She said a previous planned reform of the farm budget was much more fair.

Campaign group WWF said the committee?s vote was outrageous and would bring the EU into disrepute.

A source close to the negotiations told BBC News that over-turning the committee vote might prove difficult.

The UK government says the double-payment plan must be blocked. It is likely to face extreme pressure on the issue from Conservative back-benchers already angry with the Brussels budget.

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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21171472#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Senate Dems Likely to Pass GOP Debt Limit Fix

Senate Democrats are likely to pass a House Republican bill to suspend the debt ceiling until May, ensuring that the government can pay its bills while lawmakers attempt to solve yet another raft of tricky fiscal issues this spring, Democratic aides said Tuesday.

The House is expected to vote on a bill Wednesday that would suspend the debt limit until May 18 and force lawmakers to pass a budget by April 15 or see their pay frozen until their chamber passes a spending plan. The White House said Tuesday that it would not oppose the bill.

And while the Senate may tweak the legislation, the short-term extension and pay freeze are likely to remain intact, according to senior Democratic aides.

Senate Democrats are looking to deal with looming March deadlines for across-the-board spending cuts and extending a resolution to fund the government through the budget writing process, a senior Democratic leadership aide said.

Forcing Senate Democrats to accept a short-term debt limit fix and write a spending plan, after years of refusing to pass a budget, would be a political victory for Republicans. But, if the bill passes, the House GOP will have also made a major concession in dropping its demand that debt limit legislation be tied to spending cuts.

And Democrats believe that by opting to suspend the debt limit, instead of increasing it, Republicans lose leverage in the next fight. Passing legislation to waive the country?s credit limit only undercuts the debt limit?s importance, Dems argue.

?If this is something that can just be ignored, why is it worth tanking the economy over,? a Senate Democratic leadership aide said.

Writing a budget also gives Democrats a vehicle for crafting tax reforms that bring in more revenues.

Republicans are betting that by passing a short-term debt limit fix, they can use the looming across-the-board spending cuts that kick in March 1 as leverage. The pending cuts are split 50-50 between military and discretionary domestic spending and Republicans are betting that Democrats don?t want to see domestic spending cuts any more than the GOP fancies military spending reductions.

But Senate Democrats are signaling that they?ll only consider replacing the cuts with increased tax revenue, a non-starter for Republicans. So right now, there is a real threat that the spending cuts could go ahead as planned.

Senate Democratic lawmakers signaled openness to the Republican plan on Tuesday, but were cagey about revealing their legislative strategy, which aides said was still being developed.

Asked about the GOP bill, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would only say, ?I?m very glad that ? they?re going to send us a clean debt ceiling bill.?

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, Reid?s point man on the debt ceiling, said, ?My sense of it is that the House action is helpful.?

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said Democratic fiscal strategy ?would be, let?s quit playing political games, try to compromise and get something done.?

?We need to all quit trying to position ourselves politically for a ?win? and we need to start working to get this done,? she said. ?I would like us to see, in a bipartisan way over here in the Senate, us put together -- a budget would be great -- but more importantly a long-term relief for the debt-ceiling along with long-term spending cuts that look at our long term debt without hurting our short-term economic recovery.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-dems-likely-pass-gop-debt-limit-fix-171407878--politics.html

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