Saturday, June 30, 2012

Flash Development for e-Learning Websites | Immerse CMS

An institute or university should have a proper website so that anyone from anywhere around the world can get information and if required interact with them. Interesting and interactive website is developed and designed by the use of wonderful software known as and flash development is very important and necessary for e-learning industry. E-learning has become a more contemporary and highly developed education procedure, which is being gradually embraced by everyone. Regular up-gradations are done by the flash programmers and developers to make a better online learning tool and they work on an in-built coding language, Action Script.
?
An online business highly requires a website to mark its regular presence in the web market and also needs to regularly update its website with fresh content appeals to search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Thus a regular need of updating and refreshments is very necessary in the field of web designing so that the web world gets something new to experience daily. In the global web market, there prevail many designers and developers who carry years of expertise and diligence to create something new and unique daily. The legendary innovations in the field of web designing are done through web design Ireland and these people are competent in delivering their clients with the best results.
?
The global technological industry is a breather for the world of Internet for serving it with something new every day, which in turn generates a large number of IT jobs for global employees. There has been a constant rise and need of good and experienced designers and developers who can work consistently and deliver the project within the given stipulated timeframe. The main motive of the firms of website design Ireland is to satisfy their clients to the level where they will look forward to work with them again in the future.

Interacting through your clients or other people is one of the very important modes to promote your business and increase your profits. The most imperative tool of web designing is Flash who does regular Flash development that involves a number of advantages like developers can control the sound level, with 3D support the flash developers can mold 2D objects to 3D format, any content runs more faster, possible to work on a number of platforms like mobile phones, computer systems, and TV, and flash users can work on various languages of the world.
?

Source: http://www.immersecms.com/flash-development-for-e-learning-websites/

obama trayvon martin pietrus cheney tori spelling marion barber marion barber syracuse

Sony, des intras sans pr?tention

Un peu loin de l?orientation basseuse des mod?les XB, ces EX100LP et EX200LP constitue une sorte de rel?ve en entr?e de gamme. Le EX100LP se base sur un driver de 9mm et un design des plus classiques, en 10 coloris possibles, annonc? ? seulement 2 468 Yens. Le EX200LP assez ?l?gant, abrite quant ? lui un driver 13,5mm et un design pas vilain du tout, annonc? en 6 coloris, le tout pour 3 675 Yens.

via

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/generationmp3/~3/ZXAzh8zaleI/

packers giants game golden globe winners 2012 ricky gervais golden globes epidermolysis bullosa miss wisconsin law abiding citizen golden globes 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Do I Need a Copyright or a Trademark? And More Free Legal ...

On Tuesdays and Fridays, attorney Joe Escalante answers legal questions for free on the?LegalZoom Facebook Page. Did you miss the last?Free Joe? Don?t worry. We?ve got it all right here.

Stan: Hello~ THIS one is right up your alley? Just what is the best way to ?understand? (I?ve previously read some LZ replies) when to apply for a Trademark vs. a Copyright? Say, for a phrase relating to a business: ?Look Across Generations To See Your Past? and Speak To Your Future~? as for the business Picture-Yourself-Remembered? Thanks, in advance, for trying to help me better understand~ -SP

Joe Escalante: This is a trademark issue. Not a copyright. Because a copyright is only to protect the creative expression of an idea. Your tagline is pretty long, but probably not long enough to merit copyright protection.

Rhonda: I really need some help here. I need to get out of a horrible 23 year marriage. It wasn?t all bad, but my husband has now completely cut me off from any assets. He works, I don?t, but he will not even give me money to buy groceries?he does the shopping. In our 23 years of marriage, he has NEVER bought me clothes, or shoes?I have had to make due with my daughter?s second hand clothes that she gives me. He keeps the family car in his father?s name, so I am not allowed to drive it. I am a virtual prisoner in my house. Any way I can get any help with this situation? As I mentioned, I have no access to money for a lawyer, and he knows this, so treats me as he chooses.

Joe Escalante: Divorce laws an proceedings vary by state, however, in most states, it shouldn?t be a problem to get a divorce attorney to go into court and ask for an order for a husband like this to pay for your divorce attorney. That?s how the system is set up to help people like you. Find a good one, do whatever they say, and you will be free at last. Click below to get started.

LegalZoom: Here?s the link, Rhonda: http://attorneyconnect.legalzoom.com/?cm_mmc=social-_-fb-_-freejoe-_-na

Suzi: Hi. I own a townhouse condo in the Boston area there is one more which is connected together. There is someone else who owns that. We have a few parts of the property that are feeder to us but there is a back yard that is deeded to us both as a shared yard. We have both own the property for the last ten years. He was not around much until he recently got married not helping care for the property. Recently I found him out back in the yard with the grass ripped out and he built A stone Deck. I spoke to them and they said (he recently got married) that they wrote me a note. I told him that this is shared property but all they said was ok we can share it. The next week they put a huge canoe across the back of the yard and expanded the deck and put flagstone down over more of the property. I asked him to remove the flagstone. Until we talked about it but instead I got a note telling me off and saying they welcome my feedback but that was a purposed area and they did not move it. We are meeting this week. Basically they are taking over and don? t care. What are my rights?

Joe Escalante: You need to show the deed to a property rights attorney in your area. I think it all depends on how this is worded. Sounds medieval. Or you could go nuclear and file for a court ordered injunction and restraining order against any further building on your shared property. That will get their attention.

Donna: Hi Joe, Thank you for answering my question?I employed my ex husband a few years ago and he in return filed a workman?s compensation claim against my company. He is 10 years (minus the months that I deducted it from his pay) behind in child support and has settled with my insurance company for a little over 90k. I offered him to settle with me for 40k and it was agreed (with his attorney on the phone, I live 350 miles away). My question is this. We came to an agreement, his attorney agreed to write up the agreement and have the courts sign it. My ex husband received his portion of the money but his attorney keeps telling me that she has been too busy to write up the agreement. She claims that she has the money in her bank account sitting there waiting for her to have the time. Now, if i get an attorney (I have no money to pay)?I am afraid that it will delay the monies even longer and I am in a bad financial place. What do you recommend that I do to expedite this and do you think that it might be possible that she and my ex husband were just pretending to do this and he actually received the entire amount. I have nothing in writing yet from her only verbal agreements from all parties and her word saying as an attorney she would not risk her reputation by not living up to the agreement.

Joe Escalante: You need to send the attorney and your ex a writing reflecting your understanding of the agreement. Send it certified mail. This will be evidence that there was an agreement. If the attorney and /or your ex responds positively, you have evidence of her assent. Now you have a written contract that doesn?t really need to be signed. If they dispute it, you have a written record of the disputed areas. You should do all correspondence in writing until you both agree on what the terms are. Forget her dumb settlement agreement that she?s never going to produce.

Then you are going to give her a deadline, after which you will report her to the state bar for keeping money in her client trust account that belongs to you. This is bad.

Ruby: hi. id like to know when your renting with option to buy. home and land. and thire are no airs. and the people wants to get the home and land deeded over to you. at the time of thire death with out costing another arm and leg even if thay have moved to another state! how could we do this? the attorney here has all the paper work.and wants to charge to send any thing,? so im needing some help knowing how to help with this.

Joe Escalante: This is hard to understand, but if you?re talking about transferring property after death, the best way is by transferring the title to the property to a living trust before death. Then after death, the property just transfers to the beneficiary named in the trust without going through probate. Sorry if that doesn?t answer your question.

Eric: Joe,
I?m opening a business working with the elderly in my community. During the process I?ve discovered that a large number of them don?t have will?s for instruction of any assests they may have. My idea is to create video will?s for these individuals at a very discounted rate. I was thinking simple forms notarized documents showing that they are performing the recordings under their own free will would cover me, but I?m not sure. Thanks for any advice you can give

Eric from Florida

Joe Escalante: If you?re going to have notarized documents, you don?t need the video. Courts aren?t set up to examine people?s videos unless there is a disputed will. You?re injecting too much drama into the process. And you also have the problem of practicing law without a license if you don?t do this the right way. I?d think of some other way to make money like building a better bedpan.

Kathy: I would like to know how to file for divorce with no money. Live in VA, husband living with girlfriend in our house in MD. He wouldn?t move out, was cheating after 1st separation. Had agreed to buy my out of the house. Says will send money but hasn?t. We have been separated physically for a year now, but lived in the same house for 6 of those months because he wouldn?t move out with his girlfriend. What can I do? Want him to sell the house but he won?t, also he is now 3 months behind on the mortgage.

Joe Escalante: You can try an uncontested divorce with legalzoom, but if you guys can?t agree on how everything will be split, you will need to hire an attorney or read this book and do it on your own. I?d read the book anyway. http://www.nolo.com/products/nolos-essential-guide-to-divorce-NODV.html

Annette: How do I go about setting up a trust account for my grandchildren who are 4 years old and one month old. We want to have them as beneficiaries for our life insurance policies along with my adult daughter. Do I need an attorney to do this or can I do it prose? If on my own; what steps do I need to take?

Joe Escalante: You don?t need anything to name these kids as beneficiaries, or the adult daughter. You just name them in the policy and when you die, they will only have to fill out a small form and elect a lump sum or some other form of payment and the money will fall out of the sky onto them like magic.
If you want to give them a house, put that in a trust and name them as the beneficiaries. You can do that through legalzoom or hire an attorney if you think you can?t handle it and you like to give money to attorneys. Click below for some details.

LegalZoom: Here?s the link, Annette: http://www.legalzoom.com/living-trusts/living-trusts-overview.html?cm_mmc=social-_-fb-_-freejoe-_-na

Jackie: Is a ?living will? and a ?living trust? the same thing. If not what are the differences?

Joe Escalante: They are very different. I don?t know how they ended up with such similar names. A living will is a medical directive that allows some guy in a lab coat to make end of life decisions for you. A living trust is where you put your home so you can leave it to your heirs without going through probate.
An ?advanced medical directive? is like a living will, but instead of letting some medical professional make your decisions, you name a specific person who shares your values.

Karen: Hello, just wondering how I would go about raising child support in the state of Washington?

Joe Escalante: You petition the court to raise it based on new circumstances you present at the hearing.

Josh: What legal considerations must one take into account when being a licensed Realtor and wanting to start managing property (becoming a Property Manager)?

Joe Escalante: For starters, I would incorporate or start an LLC to protect personal assets and gain tax advantages. Read the book Rich Dad Poor Dad. That?s how he made is money and he explains it quite well. http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Rich+Dad+poor+dad&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8515710351113424472&sa=X&ei=hfzpT-7wHeSZ8QH-1P2RDA&ved=0CHsQ8wIwAg

Kareem: Should i get my wedsite.. LLC-ed, before I start promoting products??

Joe Escalante: My advice is no, but check with your tax lady as well. There is often an minimum state tax to have an LLC. I?d start out as a sole proprietor with insurance and see if it?s really going to make any money to be worth creating an LLC.

Alex: Question: Say I want to start a so-called ?super? PAC. What is the best way to incorporate my organization in order to be able to make unlimited independent expenditures on elections? As a 501(c)3? A 501(c)4? A 527? All of these have certain restrictions on campaign expenditures according to the tax code. Should I just incorporate as a private for-profit business? If so, which form would be best for avoiding taxes on my political advocacy? An LLC, S-corp, or C-corp?

Joe Escalante: If you?re getting into the political realm of supporting candidates or issues with tax exempt funds, you need to incorporate as such, and not as a private corp. and you can?t do it with a 501c3. This is all a can of worms. Make sure you thoroughly read up on it before you make any moves.

Roy: My mom died recently and her will is pretty simple. Since I?m an only child, everything goes to me. Do I need to file any probate court procedures or can I just file the will at the probate court office (I?m in GA).

Joe Escalante: You have to follow your state?s probate procedures. There are no other options regardless of the size of the estate.
They try to make it easier for a small estate, but you sitll have to do it their way.
If you?re not going to use an attorney, you?re going to spend a lot of time dealing with medieval paperwork quagmires. The learning curve is tremendous. By the time you?re done, you will know how to do it, but it will be too late. I?d hire an attorney.

Tan: During divorce proceedings and the issue of dividing up property, how are ownership of pets determined, especially if one spouse doesn?t possess ownership papers?

Joe Escalante: It?s all a negotiation. If you want the pet, you make your case to the judge. He looks at it and makes a decision. I don?t know if the judge would care about the ?ownership papers.? They are more concerned with who?s been the primary care taker day to day.

Sandra: Hi?great service. First time ever posting. I?d like to start a small business?a photography business. What forms do I need ie to have a business name, and for tax purposes. Also?is there a way to post my photographic work on FB and eliminate the ability of others to steal my work? Thanks so much in advance for your help.

Joe Escalante: Regarding facebook, the only way to protect your work to some degree would be to only upload small versions and / or watermark them. Watermarking is the annoying semi-transparent logo that people put all over their precious photos they don?t want people to just use willy nilly.
Regarding start-up. There?s lots of things to do, and lots of information on the Internet. Here?s a link to some helpful Legalzoom articles.
What I would do if I was starting a business for the first time is talk to a friendly banker. As them what they require to open a business checking account. They will give you great free information and at least you know they will open up your checking account if you satisfy their requirements.
Then talk to your insurance guy. Then you?re on your way.

Leo: Hi Joe. Thanks for taking my question. What is the most cost effective way to open a company that relates directly to a company I already own, but to have it have it?s own seperate name please?

Joe Escalante: That depends on what kind of an entity your original company is. If it is a corp or LLC, you can just start a new DBA owned by your corp or LLC. Talk to your tax lady though. She?s the one with the real info you need to make this decision.

Suzan: I want to expand my retail business from online to brick and mortar and take on a partner. I will be seeking private funding and have a workshop and sources for that part. What papers do I need for the partner, if any?

Joe Escalante: It depends on what kind of an entity it is. If it?s a corp, you need to issue shares, if it is a sole proprietorship, you just draw up a contract detailing each partner?s rights and responsibilities as you have just created a partnership in that case. There are default partnership laws, but you can contract around them or improve upon them with a written document.
You should have a lawyer draw up these papers and make sure you run it all by your tax lady. It might be time to start an LLC.

Alverna: Can a simple will be hand written and noterized legal and binding?

Joe Escalante: It varies by state. In my state it requires two signatures of disinterested parties and no notary.

Scott: If i invent something and patent it, what is the maximum number of similarities another product can have with out being infringement?

Joe Escalante: I?m not sure that there is a hard fast number as a maximum. If you?re going to patent something, you are well served by having at least one consultation with a patent attorney to see if it?s all going to work. At least read the Nolo Press book. http://www.nolo.com/products/patent-it-yourself-PAT.html

Brandon: Joe, What are the legal considerations of which I need to be aware if I would like to receive personal donations via the internet?

Joe Escalante: There are no significant legal considerations unless you are involved in politics or some other tax exempt activities. There are however, significant tax considerations that you should go over with your tax lady.

Najia: My husband has been paying alimony for over 6 years from a 20 year marriage. He did get the clause put in to the divorce that she had to make strides to get back on her feet in a reasonable time. How much longer should we wait to take her back to court to try and get rid of the alimony payment?

Joe Escalante: That is a personal decision. If I liked her I?d say keep paying her forever and don?t be so mean. If I didn?t like her, I?d say cut her off, I don?t like her. Legally the standard varies by state. An experienced divorce attorney in your state would know what the judge will go for, likely.

Kimberly: want to llc my non profit organization what are the steps? kimberly, daytona beach

Joe Escalante: Maybe you mean you want to make it an official 501 c 3 tax exempt non profit organization. Here?s one way to do it: http://www.legalzoom.com/non-profits/non-profit-corporation-overview.html

Mark: If a band?s ex-singer wrote lyrics to a song written by other band members, what does the band need to do to be able to use those lyrics in recordings, live performances, and elsewhere?

Joe Escalante: Copyright law would assume it is a joint work. To take the words and apply them to a new song would be a derivative work. The original author could claim that he has the right to control it?s use as a derivative work and cause problems so you should get a ?license? from him if this is what you want to do.

If the song has been ?published? (e.g., released to the public on a recording), then you can make new recordings of it as a ?cover song? like anyone else. You just have to account to him for any publishing income. If it?s unpublished, it gets really tricky. For more detail, call my radio show on Sunday or go to http://www.barelylegalradio.com/ and put it in the contact section and we?ll arrange to have it answered for you as part of one of the shows. This is what we do.

Norma: What?s the best way to get custody of a grandchild with the mothers consent an the father nowhere to be found?

Joe Escalante: You can file a petition with the court. If they feel it?s in the best interest of the child, they will award you custody. You need lots of evidence as to why this should take place.

Elvyra: I have a court in 2 days for speeding ticket. Didn?t have any tickets or accidents in last 6 years. Should I plea no low and ask judge for mercy or consent guilty and ask for mercy? Trying to avoid points on driving record and possibly reduce the fine. Thanks!

Joe Escalante: If you feel you are probably guilty, to avoid points, plead guilty and ask for traffic school, if your state allows that to remove points. Mine does.

Chrissy: If you have a child support order (in NJ), with all the bells and whistles ordered by the court (probation, wage garnishment, credit reporting, tax refund garnishment, etc.). And the obligor does not conform in anyway, and is now $35K in the arrears. Is there anything else that can be done to force him to do what is ordered by the court? It seems the problem is the fact that the two parties are in two different states, NJ and PA. But still, is there anything else that can be done?

Joe Escalante: The remedy is to go back to court and report that the obligor is in contempt. Contempt of a court order means jail time. Sometimes the threat of this is all it takes but you are at least going to have to file the papers to get the contempt finding started.

LegalZoom: Attorney Joe Escalante will be back on Friday with more free legal advice. Get the details here: http://zoo.mn/bFreeJoe and come join us!

Sign up for the LegalZoom newsletter!


Related:

  1. Do Copyright and Trademark Provide the Same Protection? And More Free Legal Advice ? Free Joe 1/27/12
  2. Copyright for Educational Material and More Free Legal Advice ? Free Joe 11/18/11
  3. How to Trademark a Phrase or Saying & More Free Legal Advice ? Free Joe 4/3/12
  4. Can I Change a Trademark After It Is Registered? And More Free Legal Advice ? Free Joe 10/28/11
  5. If I Publish a Book of Quotes, Am I Infringing on Copyright? And More Free Legal Advice ? Free Joe 5/11/12

Source: http://blog.legalzoom.com/free-joe-friday/do-i-need-a-copyright-or-a-trademark-and-more-free-legal-advice-free-joe-62612/

trump 2012 groundhog day groundhog phil pee wee herman ketamine tracy morgan ground hogs day 2012

Capital News ? Nairobi unveils a Sh15b budget

Finance Committee Chairman Michael Okumu said this is an increase from last year?s budget which amounted to Sh14.8 billion/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 28 ? The City Council of Nairobi (CCN) has unveiled a Sh15.5 billion budget for the year 2012/2013, the last for local authorities before the devolved system of government is implemented.

Finance Committee Chairman Michael Okumu said this is an increase from last year?s budget which amounted to Sh14.8 billion.

Okumu said the council targets to raise revenue from the Central government, land rates, business permits and parking fees.

?The council will receive Sh4.4 billion from the Central Government with Sh11 billion being generated from other sources. Land rates are expected to raise Sh2.8 billion and business permits and parking fees are projected to bring in Sh0.9 billion and Sh1.4 billion respectively,? he said.

He said other monies will be got from the collection of advertisement fees.

?From billboards and advertisements, the council is budgeting to receive Sh0.9 billion and from the other sources, the council is expected to get Sh3.2 billion,? he observed.

He stressed that City Hall will use the revenue collected prudently to rehabilitate roads, health facilities, environmental management and City planning.

?On recurrent expenses, the council is budgeting to spend Sh11.5 billion and in capital expenses, Sh2.3 billion and in debt resolution, we have budgeted to spend Sh1.7billion,? he outlined.

He further stated that priority will be given to the expansion of education facilities which will receive Sh139 million and that Sh75 million on the completion of projects in the city management and planning.

Sh1 billion has also been set aside for the rehabilitation of roads, procurement of more specialised equipment as well as improvement of council premises.

He further pointed out that City Hall?s total debts are less than Sh17 billion saying that this amount can be cleared if it collected its debts from defaulters which include the Department of Defense.

?Contrary to the perception that we are insolvent, I wish to inform the general public that as we stand today, the council owes the outside world less than Sh17 billion against what we are owed by the ministry of defence of Sh61billion,? he said.

He said the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation owes Sh260 million while other government institutions were in debt to the tune of Sh15 million.

He stated that other institutions that owed City Hall money included the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Kenya Power Company.

?The Kenya Railways Corporation owes the council Sh412 million and Kenya Power owes us Sh497 million. These are just a few highlights which are an indicator that if we can only get five percent of what we are owed, then we will be able to clear all our debts.?

Elsewhere, the Kisumu Municipal Council unveiled a Sh1.7 billion budget for this financial year, but which was faulted for failing to allocate funds for the reconstruction of its ailing infrastructure.

In the budget presented by the chairman of the Finance Committee Walter Muga, the bulk of the funds will go towards settling the council debts that stand at Sh337 million.

Capital projects have been allocated Sh211 million that will see the council among other projects procure various equipments and motor vehicles.

A huge chunk of the budget is expected to come from the local authorities transfer fund and rates which will contribute up to Sh429 million and Sh526 million respectively.


Author: SIMON NDONGA
SIMON NDONGA has written 337 posts

Source: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/06/nairobi-unveils-a-sh15b-budget/

monsanto dr seuss birthday jennifer garner jennifer garner romney michigan derrick williams railgun

Sharing Tanglewood's magic

The Massachusetts concert venue sticks close to its classical roots.

By Gregory M. Lamb,?Staff writer / June 28, 2012

An illumined Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Tanglewood

Enlarge

In 1936, conductor Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) couldn't finish an all-Wagner program when a summer storm racing through the Berkshires in western Massachusetts knocked over the tent they were playing under. That event led to the building of the Koussevitzky Shed, a permanent structure at the orchestra's summer home among the green rolling hills of Lenox, Mass.

Skip to next paragraph

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

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

Now known as the Tanglewood Music Festival, or simply Tanglewood, the concert series is marking its 75th anniversary with special events. Some 300,000 visitors will hear live concerts by the BSO and the Boston Pops Orchestra as well as top jazz and pop performers.

The venue, only a few hours' drive from several major Eastern cities (Boston; Hartford, Conn.; and New York), draws 60 percent of its audience from outside New England, says Mark Volpe, managing director of the BSO. Those unable to attend can listen to radio broadcasts (wgbh.org/995) and watch the 75th anniversary gala concert on TV Aug. 10 as part of the "Great Performances" series on PBS. And for 75 days this summer, the orchestra's website (www.BSO.org) is streaming classic performances given at Tanglewood between 1937 and 2009.

But experiencing Tanglewood in person can never be replaced, Mr. Volpe says. "The [music] students, the energy, the people on the lawn and in the shed," give strolling the grounds its own excitement.

While other summer festivals have moved toward pop music, Tanglewood has kept classical music at its core, Volpe says. "It's the one [summer festival] that has maintained its purpose, its mission: training the next generation of musicians for classical music."

Program highlights for the 75th anniversary season include performances by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Peter Serkin, and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. On Aug. 18 Tanglewood will host a special 80th birthday celebration for John Williams, Hollywood's favorite composer and a former conductor of the Boston Pops. And the orchestra will present world premi?res of eight new works by contemporary composers.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ir0-XTqdPAY/Sharing-Tanglewood-s-magic

nfl 2012 draft miami dolphins buffalo bills minnesota vikings st louis rams baltimore ravens atlanta falcons

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Ancient human ancestors had unique diet

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

When it came to eating, an upright, 2-million-year-old African hominid had a diet unlike virtually all other known human ancestors, says a study led by the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany and involving the University of Colorado Boulder.

The study indicated that Australopithecus sediba -- a short, gangly hominid that lived in South Africa -- ate harder foods than other early hominids, targeting trees, bushes and fruits. In contrast, virtually all other ancient human ancestors tested from Africa -- including Paranthropus boisei, dubbed "Nutcracker Man" because of its massive jaws and teeth -- focused more on grasses and sedges, said CU-Boulder doctoral student Paul Sandberg, a co-author on the new study.

The A. sediba diet was analyzed using a technique that involved zapping fossilized teeth with a laser, said Sandberg. The laser frees telltale carbon from the enamel of teeth, allowing scientists to pinpoint the types of plants that were consumed and the environments in which the hominids lived. The carbon signals from the teeth are split into two groups: C3 plants like trees, shrubs and bushes preferred by A. sediba, and C4 plants like grasses and sedges consumed by many other early hominids.

The teeth from the two A. sediba individuals analyzed in the study had carbon isotope values outside the range of all 81 previously tested hominids. "The lack of any C4 evidence, and the evidence for the consumption of hard objects, are what make the inferred diet of these individuals compelling," said Sandberg.

"It is an important finding because diet is one of the fundamental aspects of an animal, one that drives its behavior and ecological niche. As environments change over time because of shifting climates, animals are generally forced to either move or to adapt to their new surroundings," said Sandberg of CU-Boulder's anthropology department.

The researchers concluded from their scientific tests that bark and other fracture-resistant foods were at least a seasonal part of the A. sediba diet. While bark and woody tissues had not been previously documented as a dietary component of any other ancient African hominids, such foods are consumed by many contemporary primates and contain both protein and soluble sugars. The diet of A. sediba may have been similar to that of today's African savanna chimpanzees, Sandberg said.

One unique aspect of the project was the analysis of microscopic, fossilized particles of plant tissue known as phytoliths trapped in ancient tooth tarter, a hardened form of dental plaque, said corresponding study author Amanda Henry of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

"The fact that these phytoliths are preserved in the teeth of 2-million-year-old hominids is remarkable and speaks to the amazing preservation at the site," said Sandberg. "The phytolith data suggest the A. sediba individuals were avoiding the grasses growing in open grasslands that were abundant in the region at the time."

A third, independent line of study -- analyzing microscopic pits and scratches on A. sediba teeth, which reveal what they were eating at the time just prior to death -- also confirmed that at least one of the hominids was eating harder foods, said Sandberg.

A paper on the subject was published online by Nature on June 27. Other paper authors included Professor Matt Sponheimer of CU-Boulder, Peter Ungar of the University of Arkansas, Benjamin Passey of Johns Hopkins University, Lloyd Rossouw of the Bloemfontein National Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Lee Berger and Marion Bamford of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and Darryl de Ruiter of Texas A&M University.

A. sediba is particularly intriguing to anthropologists. The first two individuals discovered -- a juvenile male and an adult female from the Malapa Cave site roughly 30 miles north of Johannesburg in 2008 --apparently had fallen into a hidden pit in the cave and died. With an upright posture and long arms, the curious creature appears to have characteristics of both primitive and modern hominids, including a human-like ankle, short fingers and a long thumb for possible precision gripping and a relatively complex brain compared to earlier hominids, according to researchers.

The jury is still out on exactly where these hominids land on the family tree. A. sediba may have been a descendant of A. africanus, which was spawned by A. afarensis, a hominid represented by "Lucy" who lived about 3 million years ago and is considered by many to be the matriarch of the human family.

The A. sediba remains at Malapa were dated to 2 million years by scientists, a precise number obtained by measuring the decay of isotopes of uranium into lead that occurred in a type of mineral deposit known as flowstone that capped the fossil-bearing layer.

Paleontological evidence, including pollen and phytoliths, shows that the region around Malapa likely was a mix of abundant grassland and woody vegetation about 2 million years ago, said Sandberg. The team's carbon isotope research on the ancient teeth of rodents and hooved mammals that inhabited the region at the time indicated they had a strong affinity for C4 grasses and sedges.

"What fascinates me is that these individuals are oddballs," said CU-Boulder's Sponheimer. "I had pretty much convinced myself that after 4 million years ago most of our hominid kin had diets that were different from living apes, but now I am not so sure. And while our sample is too small to be conclusive, the rate at which Malapa is spewing hominid fossils makes me reasonably certain we won't have to wait another 2 million years to augment our data set. "

###

University of Colorado at Boulder: http://www.colorado.edu/news

Thanks to University of Colorado at Boulder 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 73 time(s).

2012 pro bowl postsecret ufc on fox 2 supercross christina aguilera etta james funeral sundance film festival victoria azarenka

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

GOP lawmaker loses in Okla., Hatch wins in Utah

U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, gives his victory speech at an election party after his primary win over former state senator, Dan Liljenquist, Tuesday, June 26, 2012, at an election party in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, gives his victory speech at an election party after his primary win over former state senator, Dan Liljenquist, Tuesday, June 26, 2012, at an election party in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

Republican candidates Kevin McDugle (left), Jim Bridenstine (center) and Ken Walker (left) gather during a watch party at LaFortune Park in Tulsa, Okla. on Tuesday, June 26, 2012. (AP Photo/MATT BARNARD, Tulsa World)

(AP) ? Republican divisions resurfaced in congressional primaries, with five-term Rep. John Sullivan falling to a tea party backed opponent in Oklahoma while Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch easily defeated another candidate backed by the insurgent group. It was Hatch's first primary challenge since his election to the Senate in 1976.

Jim Bridenstine, a Navy pilot and the former director of a Tulsa space museum, defeated Sullivan on Tuesday, making him the fourth incumbent congressman to lose in primaries this year. Bridenstine labeled Sullivan a career politician and criticized his votes to rescue financial firms during the height of the 2008 economic downtown and to increase the debt ceiling last year.

Sullivan seemed to be caught off guard by the closeness of the race. He had won his five previous elections with an increasingly larger percentage of the vote.

Hatch, 78, had been bracing for a tough re-election battle, but he breezed to victory. Former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist, who survived a 2008 plane crash in Guatemala that killed 11 of 14 on board, won just enough support at the state GOP's nominating convention to advance to the primary.

But Liljenquist faced an overwhelming financial and organizational disadvantage in the primary. Hatch, learning from the defeat two years ago of his Senate colleague Robert Bennett, spent about $10 million blanketing the airwaves and building a campaign operation unlike anything Utah had seen before.

Hatch told the Associated Press in an interview Tuesday night that he was ready to tackle the nation's debt problems and focus on Social Security and Medicare.

"This is my last term," Hatch said. "I'm ready to bite the bullet."

During the Oklahoma campaign, Bridenstine said Sullivan's history of "substance abuse" made him unfit for office, a reference to Sullivan's battle with alcoholism that involved a one-month stay at the Betty Ford Clinic in California in 2009.

In a series of advertisements and at debates, Bridenstine noted that Sullivan had missed 9 percent of House votes since 2003, much higher than the average rate of 2.4 percent. Sullivan said Bridenstine was making a read-between-the-lines attack on his time at the Betty Ford Center and his missing votes after the death of a child.

Bridenstine, 36, enjoyed the support from many in the tea party movement. He said during the campaign that Sullivan's votes weren't appropriate in a state where President Barack Obama failed to win a single county in 2008.

"He's been there for 10 years and there's a lot of people just like him who have made a career out of this, and when you are a career politician, you vote for things like bailouts, debt ceiling increases, government takeovers, stimulus packages and subsidies," Bridenstine said.

In Hatch's quest for a seventh term, he seemed to have an answer to every criticism. For those who said that 36 years in office was enough, he said that he wouldn't be running again if it weren't for the opportunity to serve as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee if the GOP wins control of the Senate.

For those who said he wasn't conservative enough, he gravitated to the right, scoring a 100 percent rating from the American Conservative Union in 2010 and 2011. His lifetime rating of 89 percent from the ACU would place Hatch among the Senate's most conservative lawmakers.

Liljenquist, 37, a relative newcomer to the Utah political scene, seized on voters' concerns about the growing national debt and tried to make the case that Hatch had been a major contributor to that debt.

A political action committee called FreedomWorks for America spent about $900,000 trying to defeat Hatch. Russ Walker, national political director for the super PAC, said his organization believes it did the right thing by taking on the incumbent. He noted that Hatch's voting record and rhetoric had become more conservative over the past two years.

With the primary victory, Hatch is a huge favorite to win the general election in November against Democratic candidate Scott Howell.

___

Freking reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

Associated Press

2012 dunk contest edgar vs henderson berkshire hathaway ufc 144 james jones james jones aladdin

Obama to urge Congress to stop student loan interest rates from rising (Star Tribune)

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

kowloon walled city ronda rousey vs miesha tate lindsay lohan snl lindsay lohan on snl real housewives of disney awakenings phantom of the opera

Die, cancer! Two-thirds of New Yorkers survive disease | Health and ...


Has death taken a holiday?

New Yorkers are living longer with cancer than ever before as the odds of beating the killer disease skyrocket, a Daily News review of newly released health data shows.

The number of fatalities in New York City has plummeted ? even as total cancer cases rise due to early screening and advanced detection, state Health Department records reveal.

Two out of three cancer patients survive the ravages of the disease today, according to statistics quietly posted online by the New York State Cancer Registry in the last few days. That?s a dramatic turnaround from three decades ago, when the state first began tracking cancer mortality ? and the odds of survival for patients in the five boroughs was less than 50-50.

?This is exciting!? said Dr. Clifford Hudis, incoming president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and a breast cancer specialist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

?We?re seeing a significant change in mortality, and we?re making so much more progress against all these diseases.?

Noting that specific targeted drugs can now control or zap dozens of cancers, Hudis added, ?It?s a very different world. It?s about big gains in many small areas adding up to something big.?

The numbers tell a searing life-and-death story:
l In 1976, there were 13,597 cancer cases among men that resulted in 8,458 deaths, a lethal 62% rate. Among women, there were 14,883 cases that led to 7,978 deaths, a painful 54%.
l By 2009, the latest year available, 18,579 men and 19,267 women were diagnosed with cancers that were fatal in 6,019 and 6,257 cases respectively, a mortality rate of just 32%.
l There were only 2,002 recorded cases of prostate cancer in 1976 because of primitive screening, education and detection. The disease killed 736 men, or a chilling 37%.
l By 2009, with PSA prostate exams common, there were 5,646 diagnosed cases, resulting in 717 deaths, a mortality rate of 12.7%.
l There were 4,105 cases of breast cancer in 1976 that killed 1,647 women, a 40% rate. By 2009, with mammograms a routine for most women, there were 5,501 cases and 1,046 deaths, a rate of 19%.

dfeiden@nydailynews.com


Article source: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/health-department-statistics-show-yorkers-surviving-ravages-cancer-article-1.1101650?localLinksEnabled=false

super bowl snacks appleton super bowl recipes denver weather planned parenthood what time does the superbowl start kobayashi

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Nora Ephron Leukemia: Explaining The Iconic Writer's Illness

Academy Award-winning writer and director Nora Ephron has passed away after battling an aggressive form of leukemia, according to news reports. She was 71.

Ephron was behind iconic films such as "You've Got Mail," "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle" and "Julie & Julia."

CBS News reported that Dr. Gail Roboz, who is Ephron's oncologist, said she died from acute myeloid leukemia. She passed away at Weill-Cornell/New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

However, the International Business Times reported that a Washington Post columnist was told that she actually died from the blood disorder myelodysplasia, which she had been diagnosed with earlier.

Leukemia is cancer that occurs in the blood-forming tissues, such as the bone marrow, according to the Mayo Clinic. In people with leukemia, blood cells aren't produced properly by the bone marrow; over time, these abnormal cells grow and overcome the healthy cells.

There are expected to be 47,150 new cases of the disease this year, and 23,540 deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The main types of leukemia are grouped into four kinds: two chronic, and two acute, each depending on what kind of cell is affected -- either the lymphoid cells, or the myeloid cells. Acute leukemia is aggressive and requires quick treatment, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, while chronic leukemia occurs more slowly and can go undiagnosed for some time.

Ephron was reported to have acute myeloid leukemia. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society said that treatment is imperative immediately after diagnosis with this kind of leukemia.

Risk factors for leukemia include genetic diseases, blood disorders, having been exposed to radiation or certain chemicals, having gone through cancer treatment previously, smoking, and having a family history of the disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The disease is especially deadly among young people -- it is the most common cancer and cause of death from cancer in people younger than age 20, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The disease is treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants to replace disease bone marrow with healthy bone marrow, biological therapy to boost the immune system and targeted therapy to attack the cancer cells, the Mayo Clinic reported.

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

2012 ncaa tournament bracket matterhorn chris harrison girl scouts printable bracket army wives khan academy

Source: Redskins QB Griffin target of extortion

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

lsu football bcs jay z glory alabama crimson tide barry larkin jay z new song torrie wilson

Monday, June 25, 2012

PST: Ripping England? It's our Monday 'Meh'

Quick-hit list of people, places and things we noticed over the weekend that land on the over-done or overly praised side. Not necessarily awful but, you know, just ?meh.?

  • Spain-France
  • Fernando Torres being ?back?
  • Florent Malouda
  • England
  • Criticism of England today (Because, honestly, did anybody really expect something more given the talent available?)
  • Italian chances against Germany
  • Sitting back in defense
  • Journalistic stretching to tie the Greek-German economic skirmish to Greece-Germany on the field
  • Truffles
  • ?Moles? in the German camp
  • Tight camera angles on the run of play
  • Rafa Marquez attempting any kind of defensive work
  • Roy Miller
  • Dismissal of conditions as a ?dry? heat
  • Any MLS ?rivalry? outside a very select few (both matches Sunday pass the ?genuine? test, clearly)
  • Players who cite ?passionate fans? or ?passionate owner? for a new contract, as an obvious proxy for ?big salary?
  • My own analysis of Sporting Kansas City as ?back to early-season form.? Blek!

jetblue michelle malkin october baby sugarland 16 and pregnant ludwig mies van der rohe jamie lynn sigler

Facebook annuncia le like-action sulle app per iOS

Molto presto Facebook introdurr? la possibilit? di integrare il ?like-action?, il classico ?mi piace?, anche nelle applicazioni di terze parti, in modo che gli apprezzamenti degli utenti siano visualizzabili anche sul noto social network.

Gi? oggi molte applicazione consentono di inviare un ?mi piace? alle azioni dei propri amici, vedi titoli come Instagram o Foursquare, ma prossimamente, proprio grazie a questa integrazione, tale ?like-action? verr? pubblicata autonomamente sul feed notizie di Facebook.

Si tratter? di un notevole vantaggio sia per gli utenti, che potranno quindi integrare maggiormente le loro azioni dalle app terze a Facebook, sia per gli sviluppatori, che avranno maggiore visibilit? sul pi? noto social network al mondo. Facebook ha gi? reso disponibile tutta la documentazione e le condizioni alle quali gli sviluppatori devono sottostare per poter integrare questa nuova funzione.

[via]

Per restare sempre aggiornato sul tema di questo articolo, puoi seguirci su Twitter, aggiungerci su Facebook o Google+ e leggere i nostri articoli via RSS.

pittsburgh pirates mariners mets shades of grey pittsburgh penguins record store day jennie garth

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Lichen can survive in space: Space station research sheds light on origin of life; potential for better sunscreens

ScienceDaily (June 23, 2012) ? You can freeze it, thaw it, vacuum dry it and expose it to radiation, but still life survives. ESA's research on the International Space Station is giving credibility to theories that life came from outer space -- as well as helping to create better sunscreens.

In 2008 scientists sent the suitcase-sized Expose-E experiment package to the Space Station filled with organic compounds and living organisms to test their reaction to outer space.

When astronauts venture on a spacewalk, hours are spent preparing protective suits to survive the hostile conditions. No effort was made to protect the bacteria, seeds, lichen and algae attached to the outside of the Space Station, however.

"We are exploring the limits of life," explains ESA's Ren? Demets.

Our atmosphere does a wonderful job of protecting life on Earth by absorbing harmful UV rays and keeping temperatures relatively stable.

In contrast, the space samples endured the full power of the Sun's rays. The samples were insulated somewhat by the Space Station but still had to cope with temperatures changing from -12?C to +40?C over 200 times as they orbited Earth.

The samples returned to Earth in 2009 and the results have now been published in a special issue of the journal Astrobiology.

Lichen have proven to be tough cookies -- back on Earth, some species continue to grow normally.

Ren? explains, "These organisms go into a dormant state waiting for better conditions to arrive."

The lichen have attracted interest from cosmetic companies. They can survive the full power of the Sun for 18 months, so knowing more could lead to new ingredients for sunscreen.

Living organisms surviving in open space supports the idea of 'panspermia' -- life spreading from one planet to another, or even between solar systems.

It seems possible that organisms could colonize planets by hitching rides on asteroids. ESA is probing this intriguing theory further on future Station missions with different samples.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Space Agency.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Herv? Cottin, Yuan Yong Guan, Audrey Noblet, Olivier Poch, Kafila Saiagh, M?gane Cloix, Fr?d?rique Macari, Murielle J?rome, Patrice Coll, Fran?ois Raulin, Fabien Stalport, Cyril Szopa, Maryl?ne Bertrand, Annie Chabin, Frances Westall, Didier Chaput, Ren? Demets, Andr? Brack. The PROCESS Experiment: An Astrochemistry Laboratory for Solid and Gaseous Organic Samples in Low-Earth Orbit. Astrobiology, 2012; 12 (5): 412 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0773

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

hes just not that into you texas longhorns texas longhorns francesca woodman kennedy center honors danny gokey sonny rollins

Government pays for sports to ditch alcohol

Return to video

Help with videos

Streaming media

Websites in the Fairfax Digital Network offer streaming video and audio in the Flash format. Streaming media allows you to watch video on a website as a continuous feed, as opposed to waiting for an entire audio or video file to download to your computer before you can use it.

Download the software

To play a video or multimedia clip, you need to have the Flash player installed. You can download one for most systems (including Mac OS X) for free if one is not already installed on your system.

Which Speed?

Our automated system will test your connection speed and send the best video stream so it plays smoothly and continuously.

Alternatively, you can manually choose the speed setting that corresponds most closely with your network connection. We produce clips in a range of speeds to deliver the best quality possible-- the better the quality the faster connection you'll need.

biggie smalls lyrics azores emmylou harris disco inferno b.i.g 1000 words ron white

Google Maps live traffic updates served up to seven new regions, 19 more get 'expanded coverge'

DNPReady for yet another dose of news related to Google Maps? The service's live traffic update functionality has been expanded yet again, and now seven more cities including the likes of Mexico City and Greater Johannesburg, South Africa can join in on the action. Better yet, 19 other major areas that already get traffic information are receiving "expanded coverage" for their roads. Naturally, all of the new goods are accessible through Google's various Maps apps by simply enabling the traffic layer. If you're eager to start scouting the traffic flow, you can hit up source link below to find out whether your locale is on the list.

Google Maps live traffic updates served up to seven new regions, 19 more get 'expanded coverge' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge, Android Community, Android Police  |  sourceGoogle Lat Long Blog  | Email this | Comments

solar storms uganda the parent trap invisible children kony 2012 space weather sunspots pac 12 tournament

Moody's downgrades 15 major global banks

CHARLOTTE, N.C./LONDON (Reuters) - Ratings agency Moody's downgraded 15 of the world's biggest banks on Thursday, lowering credit ratings by one to three notches to reflect the risk of losses they face from volatile capital markets activities, but banks criticized the move as backward looking.

Morgan Stanley, one of the most closely watched firms in the much anticipated review, had its long-term debt rating lowered by just two notches, one level less than had been expected, sending its stock up sharply in after-hours trading.

The downgrade left Morgan Stanley more highly rated than Bank of America Corp and Citigroup, but a step below Goldman Sachs Group.

Credit Suisse, which last week was warned about weak capital levels by Switzerland's central bank, was the only bank in the group to suffer a three-notch downgrade. But its new A1 deposit and senior debt ratings still rank higher than many of its peers.

"All of the banks affected by today's actions have significant exposure to the volatility and risk of outsized losses inherent to capital markets activities," Moody's Global Banking Managing Director Greg Bauer said in the announcement.

Financial markets have been bracing for the downgrades since February, when Moody's Investors Service said it had launched a review of 17 banks with global capital markets operations. These companies faced diminished profitability and growth prospects due to difficult operating conditions, increased regulation and other factors, Moody's said.

The long-term debt ratings cuts could increase funding costs for Morgan Stanley and other banks, and trading partners may ask for more collateral. But the impact could be muted since the changes were in-line with indications given by Moody's on how much the ratings were likely to be cut.

"The biggest surprise is the three-notch downgrade of Credit Suisse, which no one was looking for," said Mark Grant, managing director at Southwest Securities Inc. "In fact, it was Morgan Stanley that was supposed to be downgraded by that amount and Morgan received only two notches of cuts."

David Mathers, Credit Suisse's chief financial officer, said the firm was pleased that Moody's continued to recognize it as one of the most highly rated banks in its peer group.

Besides Morgan Stanley, two other banks fared better than they could have. UBS could have been downgraded by three notches but was only bumped down two spots. HSBC could have fallen by two, but dropped only one notch.

BANKS CHALLENGE RATINGS

Other banks downgraded by two notches were: Barclays, BNP Paribas, Royal Bank of Canada, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs Group, JPMorgan Chase, Credit Agricole, and Deutsche Bank.

Along with HSBC, ratings for Bank of America, Royal Bank of Scotland and Societe Generale were also cut by one notch.

Nomura and Macquarie were included in an original list of global banks under review, but have already been downgraded.

In a statement, Morgan Stanley said its ratings "still do not fully reflect the key strategic actions we have taken in recent years."

"With our de-risked balance sheet, stable sources of funding, diverse business mix and strong leadership team, we are well positioned to deliver for clients and shareholders."

Citigroup went beyond defending itself to blasting Moody's for its treatment of U.S. banks in general, and then to praising institutional investors and the U.S. Congress for showing less respect for the agency.

"We have been especially surprised by Moody's disproportionately adverse treatment of U.S. firms relative to banks in Europe," Citigroup said in a statement.

Moody's released the downgrades after U.S. stock markets had closed on Thursday. Bank stocks had fallen as investor's prepared the announcement, which was anticipated because Moody's had told banks it was coming, according to sources.

Morgan Stanley shares declined nearly 1.7 percent to close at $13.96, while Bank of America shares fell nearly 4 percent to $7.82. The KBW Banks Index was down 2.3 percent.

But after suffering only a two-notch cut, instead of three as anticipated, Morgan Stanley shares rose 43 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $14.39 in after-market trading.

The market for bank bonds rallied on relief that the long wait for Moody's announcement was over and that Morgan Stanley's rating reduction was only two notches.

"The ratings profile will be seen as having returned to stability," Scott Kimball, senior portfolio manager for Taplin, Canida & Habacht, a fixed-income investment firm affiliated with Bank of Montreal. The rally lifted hopes for an end to an eight-week drought in new bond issues from the biggest U.S. banks.

WAIT AND SEE

Moody's went through "an exceptionally deliberate and detailed process in a four-month review in coming to this," Bob Young, Moody's managing director for North American banking, said when asked about criticism from Citigroup and some outside analysts that Moody's was looking backwards with its downgrades.

Young said that the agency had looked closely at the history of failures of lower-rated banks in setting the new ratings.

In downgrading Citigroup, Moody's said it considered the bank's volatile earnings and the problems it had managing risk in the financial crisis.

"They have brought in new people and changed the risk management structure and that is positive. We will see how they perform," Young said.

After the review, Moody's divided the global banks into three tiers, with HSBC, Royal Bank of Canada and JPMorgan at the top. Bank of America, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Scotland were in the bottom tier.

Capital markets risks are significant for the highest-rated firms, but the institutions have stronger "shock absorbers" in the form of earnings from generally more stable businesses, Moody's said.

The lowest-rated banks have more volatility or problems with risk management, and in some cases thinner shock absorbers.

Moody's said while the banks have been making changes to improve their profits, it was taking a wait-and-see attitude.

"These transformations are ongoing and their success has yet to be tested," Moody's said.

Bank of America spokesman Jerry Dubrowski said the second-largest U.S. bank has strengthened its governance and risk management and ended the first quarter of 2012 with record capital ratios, record liquidity and substantial reserves.

"We have significant liquidity and resources to serve clients and customers as we have transformed the company," he said.

Royal Bank of Scotland said the ratings changes were "backward-looking" and do "not give adequate credit for the substantial improvements the Group has made to its balance sheet, funding and risk profile", but said they were manageable.

Ahead of the Moody's downgrades, corporate treasurers had quietly accelerated their own reviews of where to put their bank deposits, who they trade swaps with and who they borrow from.

Some had prepared by adding more banks to their credit facilities to diversify the risk of a Lehman Brothers-like bank failure. Some also adjusted their deposit relationships.

Banks, for their part, had been reaching out to treasurers both offensively and defensively, trying to keep clients and win new business ahead of potential turmoil from Moody's review.

(Reporting by Steve Slater, Matt Scuffham and Rick Rothacker. Additional reporting by Ben Berkowitz, Jed Horowitz, Lauren Tara LaCapra, Danielle Robinson and David Henry; Editing by Alwyn Scott, Elaine Hardcastle, Carol Bishopric and John Mair)

hatchet leah messer freedom riders 9th circuit court of appeals gisele bundchen tom brady randy travis arrested dickens

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Local sports digest: Stanford diver Kristian Ipsen secures Olympic spot

Stanford freshman Kristian Ipsen is headed to his first Olympic Games after he and Troy Dumais won the 3-meter synchro on Friday with a three-round combined score of 1,296.21 at the U.S. Olympic trials in Federal Way, Wash.

The duo held on to its semifinal lead and defeated Chris Colwill and Drew Livingston, who scored 1,263.51. Stanford alum Dwight Dumais and his brother Justin finished third with a score of 1,151.46.

Rowing

Stanford alum Eleanor Logan and Cal graduate Erin Cafaro are heading back to the Olympics to defend their gold medal in women's rowing.

They were named to the women's eights boat that won a gold medal in Beijing.

U.S. Rowing announced the final assignments headed to London that included six rowers with Bay Area ties.

Kara Kohler of Clayton was named to the women's quadruple sculls, while Stanford graduate Alex Osborne, Cal alum Elliot Hovey and Alameda's Wes Piermarini are in the men's quadruple sculls.

Baseball

Stanford right-hander Mark Appel and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo outfielder Mitch Haniger, a former Archbishop Mitty standout, were named to Baseball America's All-America second team.

Stanford utility player Stephen Piscotty and Hofstra outfielder Danny Poma of Monterey were on the third team.

Miscellany

Saint Mary's guard Matthew Dellavedova was named to Australia's

Olympic men's basketball team, joining former Gaels guard Patty Mills.
  • Alameda's Grace Na was ousted by 16-year-old Ashlan Ramsey 3 and 1 in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links at the Neshanic Valley (N.J.) course.

    Ramsey edged Kim Kaufman 1 up in the semifinals and will play Kyung Kim in the 36-hole final.

  • Raiders assistant athletic trainer Chris Cortez helped pull a woman out of her car in the Oakland estuary last Saturday.

    Cortez, his wife and family friend Taryn Griffin spotted a car sinking in the water while driving home from dinner. When they approached, they noticed a woman was still in the car.

    "We got the woman to roll down her window, and the car started going under," Cortez told Raiders.com. "Taryn ... dove right in and so I just went in right after her. And so did another individual, and we got her out without a scratch."

  • march madness scores doonesbury padma lakshmi daughtry lakers trade ann arbor news ides of march

    Lindsay Lohan Exhaustion Claim Prompts Union Investigation


    Two Hollywood unions are scrutinizing worker safety and welfare on Lifetime's Liz & Dick movie set following Lindsay Lohan's exhaustion incident last week.

    Lindsay reportedly passed out so hard after four marathon days that a doctor found her unresponsive and called 911; paramedics found her to be just fine.

    Lohan later joked about exhaustion and cute paramedics on Twitter, but two unions aren't laughing. Rather, they're concerned about workplace safety.

    Lindsay Lohan on Glee

    Larry A. Thompson, producer of the Lifetime movie starring Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor, said Wednesday that no violations were found in one union’s review.

    The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of TV and Radio Artists confirmed it visited the production and “will continue to visit” to enforce guild rules.

    “We spoke with representatives from the production company, and they are fully aware of their contractual obligations,” the guild said in a statement.

    "We will ensure that all applicable penalties will be paid."

    IATSE, the stage employees union, said it’s keeping a watchful eye on the production’s working conditions following Lohan's four-day, 85-hour claim.

    “We have had union representatives on the set since last Friday and will continue to monitor the hours and working conditions there,” the group said.

    Filming has been rocky for Lohan thus far, to the surprise of no one. The star also was involved in serious car crash on her way to the set on June 8.

    penn state paterno newt gingrich joe paterno dead joe pa joe pa marist