TW Hydrae: There's more to astronomers' favorite planetary nursery than previously thought

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Using ESA's Herschel Space Telescope, astronomers including Thomas Henning from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg have used a new method to determine the mass of the planetary nursery around the star TW Hydrae. At a distance of merely 176 light-years from Earth, this is the closest star that is currently forming new planets -- hence one of the most important objects for astronomers studying planet formation. The precise new measurement shows a much larger mass for TW Hydrae's disk than in previous studies, indicating that the system could be forming planets similar to those of our own Solar System.

The study is published in the January 31 issue of the journal Nature.

Where Egyptologists have their Rosetta Stone and geneticists their Drosophila fruit flies, astronomers studying planet formation have TW Hydrae: A readily accessible sample object with the potential to provide foundations for an entire area of study. TW Hydrae is a young star with about the same mass as the Sun. It is surrounded by a protoplanetary disk: a disk of dense gas and dust in which small grains of ice and dust clump to form larger objects and, eventually, into planets. This is how our Solar System came into being more than 4 billion years ago.

What is special about the TW Hydrae disk is its proximity to Earth: at a distance of 176 light-years from Earth, this disk is two-and-a-half times closer to us than the next nearest specimens, giving astronomers an unparalleled view of this highly interesting specimen -- if only figuratively, because the disk is to small to show up on an image; its presence and properties can only be deduced by comparing light received from the system at different wavelengths (that is, the object's spectrum) with the prediction of models.

In consequence, TW Hydrae has one of the most frequently observed protoplanetary disks of all, and its observations are a key to testing current models of planet formation. That's why it was especially vexing that one of the fundamental parameters of the disk remained fairly uncertain: The total mass of the molecular hydrogen gas contained within the disk. This mass value is crucial in determining how many and what kinds of planets can be expected to form.

Previous mass determinations were heavily dependent on model assumptions; the results had significant error bars, spanning a mass range between 0.5 and 63 Jupiter masses. The new measurements exploit the fact that not all hydrogen molecules are created equal: Some very few of them contain a deuterium atom -- where the atomic nucleus of hydrogen consists of a single proton, deuterium has an additional neutron. This slight change means that these "hydrogen deuteride" molecules consisting of one deuterium and one ordinary hydrogen atom emit significant infrared radiation related to the molecule's rotation.

The Herschel Space Telescope provides the unique combination of sensitivity at the required wavelengths and spectrum-taking ability ("spectral resolution") required for detecting the unusual molecules. The observation sets a lower limit for the disk mass at 52 Jupiter masses, with an uncertainty ten times smaller than previous result. While TW Hydrae is estimated to be relatively old for a stellar system with disk (between 3 and 10 million years), this shows that there is still ample of matter in the disk to form a planetary system larger than our own (which arose from a much lighter disk).

On this basis, additional observations, notably with the millimeter/submillimeter array ALMA in Chile, promise much more detailed future disk models for TW Hydrae -- and, consequently, much more rigorous tests of theories of planet formation.

The observations also throw an interesting light on how science is done -- and how it shouldn't be done. Thomas Henning explains: "This project started in casual conversation between Ted Bergin, Ewine van Dishoek and me. We realized that Herschel was our only chance to observe hydrogen deuteride in this disk -- way too good an opportunity to pass up. But we also realized we would be taking a risk. At least one model predicted that we shouldn't have seen anything! Instead, the results were much better than we had dared to hope."

TW Hydrae holds a clear lesson for the committees that allocate funding for scientific projects or, in the case of astronomy, observing time on major telescopes -- and which sometimes take a rather conservative stance, practically requiring the applicant to guarantee their project will work. In Henning's words: "If there's no chance your project can fail, you're probably not doing very interesting science. TW Hydrae is a good example of how a calculated scientific gamble can pay off."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Max Planck Institute for Astronomy/Max-Planck-Institut f?r Astronomie.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Edwin A. Bergin, L. Ilsedore Cleeves, Uma Gorti, Ke Zhang, Geoffrey A. Blake, Joel D. Green, Sean M. Andrews, Neal J. Evans II, Thomas Henning, Karin ?berg, Klaus Pontoppidan, Chunhua Qi, Colette Salyk, Ewine F. van Dishoeck. An old disk still capable of forming a planetary system. Nature, 2013; 493 (7434): 644 DOI: 10.1038/nature11805

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.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130130132322.htm

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Slain Chicago teen's family prepares for funeral

Two days after a teen who performed at President Obama's inauguration weekend was gunned down, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is set to yank 200 cops from desk jobs and make them fight crime on the streets. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.

By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News

Hadiya Pendleton's family faced the most heart-breaking of tasks Thursday: choosing the dress the 15-year-old shooting victim will wear at her funeral.

"It's been 48 hours of nothing but love, but now they need some time alone," cousin Shatira Wilks said.

The Chicago teen's death on Tuesday -- just a week after she performed during President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities -- put her loved ones in the spotlight.

They consoled the high school sophomore's many friends and cousins. They met with the mayor and spoke to the city's top cop.

---

Then they asked to be left alone for a day, so they could finalize plans to say farewell to a girl whose death had made headlines across the country and to grieve together.

For Pendleton's 10-year-old brother, Nate, known as Junior, that meant spending time in his big sister's now-empty room.

"He has been sleeping in her bed at night," Wilks said. "It's really sad. He was a serious little brother. And she loved being a big sister."

Pendleton was gathered with fellow members of the volleyball team in a park near the selective King College Prep High School when a gunman opened fire on the group Tuesday afternoon.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

Hadiya Pendleton's parents, Nate and Cleo, and her 10-year-old brother, whom she called Junior.

Police believe the shooter mistakenly thought the teens were members of a rival gang hanging out on disputed turf. He has not been caught.

Pendleton's mother, Cleopatra Cowley, told MSNBC's Al Sharpton on Thursday how she was at work when she got the call that her daughter had been shot.

"I took the first cab I could come across to get to my baby," she said, racked with sobs. "Never in a million years did I imagine I would be getting a call that my baby was shot."

She spoke of her daughter's love of books, her wide-eyed trip to Washington and her promising future.

"She loved life ... and she didn?t want to be anything more than she was ? and that was just 15," Cowley said.

The pastor of the family's church said there is a sliver of consolation in the knowledge that the teen's death is stirring more debate about crime and guns in a city where more than 500 people were murdered last year.

"Something has to be done," Pastor Courtney C. Maxwell said, not long after Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced he was putting 200 more cops on the street. "I pray something positive comes out of this."

He said he had known Pendleton for about five years and was working on the tribute he will read to mourners at the Greater Deliverance Temple Church.

"What do you say about a young person to her hurt parents, to a hurt community, to a hurt nation?" he said.

Chicago teenager Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed Tuesday, a victim of gun violence. Her death is inspiring people around the country to push for change to gun laws. Hadiya's mother Cleo Cowley shares her story with Rev. Al Sharpton.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/31/16794523-family-of-slain-chicago-teen-hadiya-pendleton-preparing-for-her-funeral?lite

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Sorting out stroking sensations: Biologists find individual neurons in skin that react to massage

Jan. 30, 2013 ? The skin is a human being's largest sensory organ, helping to distinguish between a pleasant contact, like a caress, and a negative sensation, like a pinch or a burn. Previous studies have shown that these sensations are carried to the brain by different types of sensory neurons that have nerve endings in the skin. Only a few of those neuron types have been identified, however, and most of those detect painful stimuli. Now biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have identified in mice a specific class of skin sensory neurons that reacts to an apparently pleasurable stimulus.

More specifically, the team, led by David J. Anderson, Seymour Benzer Professor of Biology at Caltech, was able to pinpoint individual neurons that were activated by massage-like stroking of the skin. The team's results are outlined in the January 31 issue of the journal Nature.

"We've known a lot about the neurons that detect things that make us hurt or feel pain, but we've known much less about the identity of the neurons that make us feel good when they are stimulated," says Anderson, who is also an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "Generally it's a lot easier to study things that are painful because animals have evolved to become much more sensitive to things that hurt or are fearful than to things that feel good. Showing a positive influence of something on an animal model is not that easy."

In fact, the researchers had to develop new methods and technologies to get their results. First, Sophia Vrontou, a postdoctoral fellow in Anderson's lab and the lead author of the study, developed a line of genetically modified mice that had tags, or molecular markers, on the neurons that the team wanted to study. Then she placed a molecule in this specific population of neurons that fluoresced, or lit up, when the neurons were activated.

"The next step was to figure out a way of recording those flashes of light in those neurons in an intact mouse while stroking and poking its body," says Anderson. "We took advantage of the fact that these sensory neurons are bipolar in the sense that they send one branch into the skin that detects stimuli, and another branch into the spinal cord to relay the message detected in the skin to the brain."

The team obtained the needed data by placing the mouse under a special microscope with very high magnification and recording the level of fluorescent light in the fibers of neurons in the spinal cord as the animal was stroked, poked, tickled, and pinched. Through a painstaking process of applying stimuli to one tiny area of the animal's body at a time, they were able to confirm that certain neurons lit up only when stroked. A different class of neurons, by contrast, was activated by poking or pinching the skin, but not by stroking.

"Massage-like stroking is a stimulus that, if were we to experience it, would feel good to us, but as scientists we can't just assume that because something feels good to us, it has to also feel good to an animal," says Anderson. "So we then had to design an experiment to show that artificially activating just these neurons -- without actually stroking the mouse -- felt good to the mouse."

The researchers did this by creating a box that contained left, right, and center rooms connected by little doors. The left and right rooms were different enough that a mouse could distinguish them through smell, sight, and touch. In the left room, the mouse received an injection of a drug that selectively activated the neurons shown to detect massage-like stroking. In the room on the right, the mouse received a control injection of saline. After a few sessions in each outer room, the animal was placed in the center, with the doors open to see which room it preferred. It clearly favored the room where the massage-sensitive neurons were activated. According to Anderson, this was the first time anyone has used this type of conditioned place-preference experiment to show that activating a specific population of neurons in the skin can actually make an animal experience a pleasurable or rewarding state -- in effect, to "feel good."

The team's findings are significant for several reasons, he says. First, the methods that they developed give scientists who have discovered a new kind of neuron a way to find out what activates that neuron in the skin.

"Since there are probably dozens of different kinds of neurons that innervate the skin, we hope this will advance the field by making it possible to figure out all of the different kinds of neurons that detect various types of stimuli," explains Anderson. The second reason the results are important, he says, "is that now that we know these neurons detect massage-like stimuli, the results raise new sets of questions about which molecules in those neurons help the animal detect stroking but not poking."

The other benefit of their new methods, Anderson says, is that they will allow researchers to, in principle, trace the circuitry from those neurons up into the brain to ask why and how activating these neurons makes the animal feel good, whereas activating other neurons that are literally right next to them in the skin makes the animal feel bad.

"We are now most interested in how these neurons communicate to the brain through circuits," says Anderson. "In other words, what part of the circuit in the brain is responsible for the good feeling that is apparently produced by activating these neurons? It may seem frivolous to be identifying massage neurons in a mouse, but it could be that some good might come out of this down the road."

Allan M. Wong, a senior research fellow in biology at Caltech, and Kristofer K. Rau and Richard Koerber from the University of Pittsburgh were also coauthors on the Nature paper, "Genetic identification of C fibers that detect massage-like stroking of hairy skin in vivo." Funding for this research was provided by the National Institutes of Health, the Human Frontiers Science Program, and the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by California Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Katie Neith.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Sophia Vrontou, Allan M. Wong, Kristofer K. Rau, H. Richard Koerber, David J. Anderson. Genetic identification of C fibres that detect massage-like stroking of hairy skin in vivo. Nature, 2013; 493 (7434): 669 DOI: 10.1038/nature11810

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/Er7HdLaT78c/130130152908.htm

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Is There A Galaxy Tab 3 Plus Coming Too?

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Program to overcome early US Math deficiencies could improve workforce

Public release date: 30-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Tim Wall
walltj@missouri.edu
573-882-3346
University of Missouri-Columbia

America's future workers could benefit from improving a certain math skill in preschool

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- One in five adults in the United States lacks the math competency expected of an eighth grader, according to the United States Center for Educational Statistics. University of Missouri researchers identified how a lack of a specific math skill in first grade correlated to lower scores on a seventh grade math test used to determine employability and wages in adults. Intervention programs designed to overcome this early math deficiency could prepare students for later employment, help them make wiser economic choices and improve the future U.S. workforce.

"Our study made a connection between child psychology and labor economics in order to examine the roots of America's shortage of mathematically proficient workers," said lead author David Geary, professor of psychological sciences at University of Missouri. "We isolated a specific skill that has real world importance in employability and observed how that skill related to grade-school mathematical performance. By identifying a specific numerical skill as a target, we can focus education efforts on helping deficient students as early as kindergarten and thereby give them a better chance at career success in adulthood."

The particular math skill Geary identified, "number system knowledge," is the ability to conceptualize a numeral as a symbol for a quantity and understand systematic relationships between numbers. In Geary's research, having this knowledge at the beginning of first grade predicted better functional mathematical ability in adolescence. On the other hand, skill at solving math problems by counting didn't correlate to later ability. Students who started behind in counting ability were able to catch up, whereas students who were behind in number system knowledge stayed behind their peers.

"An early deficit in number system knowledge creates a weak foundation for later learning," said Geary. "That weak foundation can lead to a lifetime of problems, not limited to reduced employment opportunities. Poor understanding of mathematical concepts can make a person easy prey for predatory lenders. Numerical literacy, or numeracy, also helps with saving for big purchases and managing mortgages and credit card debt."

Geary's study involved 180 13-year-olds who had been assessed every year since kindergarten for intelligence, memory, mathematical cognition, attention span and achievement. All of these factors were controlled for in the analysis of scores on the employability tests administered in seventh grade. Demographic differences also were accounted for along with other factors.

###

The study, "Adolescents' Functional Numeracy is Predicted by Their School Entry Number System Knowledge," was published in the journal PLOS ONE. Mary Hoard and Lara Nugent, who are both senior research specialists at MU, were co-authors along with Drew Bailey, MU doctoral graduate and now postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University. Geary is Curators' Professor and a Thomas Jefferson Fellow in the Department of Psychological Sciences in MU's College of Arts and Science.

---

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

Public release date: 30-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Tim Wall
walltj@missouri.edu
573-882-3346
University of Missouri-Columbia

America's future workers could benefit from improving a certain math skill in preschool

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- One in five adults in the United States lacks the math competency expected of an eighth grader, according to the United States Center for Educational Statistics. University of Missouri researchers identified how a lack of a specific math skill in first grade correlated to lower scores on a seventh grade math test used to determine employability and wages in adults. Intervention programs designed to overcome this early math deficiency could prepare students for later employment, help them make wiser economic choices and improve the future U.S. workforce.

"Our study made a connection between child psychology and labor economics in order to examine the roots of America's shortage of mathematically proficient workers," said lead author David Geary, professor of psychological sciences at University of Missouri. "We isolated a specific skill that has real world importance in employability and observed how that skill related to grade-school mathematical performance. By identifying a specific numerical skill as a target, we can focus education efforts on helping deficient students as early as kindergarten and thereby give them a better chance at career success in adulthood."

The particular math skill Geary identified, "number system knowledge," is the ability to conceptualize a numeral as a symbol for a quantity and understand systematic relationships between numbers. In Geary's research, having this knowledge at the beginning of first grade predicted better functional mathematical ability in adolescence. On the other hand, skill at solving math problems by counting didn't correlate to later ability. Students who started behind in counting ability were able to catch up, whereas students who were behind in number system knowledge stayed behind their peers.

"An early deficit in number system knowledge creates a weak foundation for later learning," said Geary. "That weak foundation can lead to a lifetime of problems, not limited to reduced employment opportunities. Poor understanding of mathematical concepts can make a person easy prey for predatory lenders. Numerical literacy, or numeracy, also helps with saving for big purchases and managing mortgages and credit card debt."

Geary's study involved 180 13-year-olds who had been assessed every year since kindergarten for intelligence, memory, mathematical cognition, attention span and achievement. All of these factors were controlled for in the analysis of scores on the employability tests administered in seventh grade. Demographic differences also were accounted for along with other factors.

###

The study, "Adolescents' Functional Numeracy is Predicted by Their School Entry Number System Knowledge," was published in the journal PLOS ONE. Mary Hoard and Lara Nugent, who are both senior research specialists at MU, were co-authors along with Drew Bailey, MU doctoral graduate and now postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University. Geary is Curators' Professor and a Thomas Jefferson Fellow in the Department of Psychological Sciences in MU's College of Arts and Science.

---

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/uom-pto012413.php

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Rave ?Reviews? For North Korean Gulags On Google Maps

It's no secret that the Internet has a hard time taking things seriously. "Best. Gulag. Ever.', raved Google user, C. Quinn, about Yodok North Korean prison. Google Chairman Eric Schmidt probably expected his recent high-profile visit to the isolated dictatorship to have a more sobering impact on online discourse. But, after Google asked users to help identify important roads and landmarks for the newly mapped country, it should have expected that the Internet would act like, well, the Internet. We're collected the most, er, thoughtful, reviews below.

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After school shooting, Conn. debates mental health

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) ? Connecticut lawmakers on Tuesday began reviewing mental health care following the deadly Newtown school shooting, even though they and the public have little insight into the mental state of the 20-year-old gunman.

The prosecutor in the case, Danbury State's Attorney Stephen Sedensky III, said he cannot release information about Adam Lanza's mental health because of the Connecticut Rules of Professional Conduct, which covers all attorneys in the state. His office is reviewing whether details of Lanza's mental state can be released to the public after the police report is completed, possibly in June.

But Jeremy Richman, father of six-year-old Arielle Richman, one of the 20 first graders killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, told a legislative subcommittee on Tuesday that it is clear Lanza did not commit an impulsive act of violence, but rather a planned crime with the "goal of achieving infamy" like other mass shooters.

"The shooters in Sandy Hook, Tucson, Aurora, Littleton, Blacksburg ? we will not grant them the respect of using their names ? were not in their right minds," said Richman, who, along with his wife, has started a foundation in their daughter's name to protect vulnerable groups from violence and to understand the mental underpinnings of violent behavior.

"Too little is known in the mental health area about what drives these violent behaviors," he said. "Clearly, something is wrong with the person capable of such atrocities."

Besides gun violence and school safety, two task forces created by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the General Assembly are focusing on mental health services and reducing the stigma of treatment as they review public policy and recommend law changes after shooting, which also left six educators at Sandy Hook dead. Police said Lanza also killed his mother at the Newtown home they shared and later committed suicide as police approached the school.

The massacre in Newtown has also set off a national discussion about mental health care, with everyone from law enforcement leaders to the gun industry, urging policymakers to focus on the issue as a way to help prevent similar mass shootings.

Members of Malloy's commission said they would like to have details of Lanza's mental health, but it's not essential.

"I don't think not having that information is going to prevent us from doing important work," said Dr. Harold Schwartz, a psychiatrist on the commission. "Adam Lanza is just one case. We really need to think about large populations. We need to think about improving the mental health system for everyone."

Nelba Marquez-Greene, mother of 6-year-old Sandy Hook victim Ana Marquez-Greene and a licensed marriage and family therapist, said she hopes Connecticut will become a national model to improve its mental health system. In written testimony read by her sister on Tuesday, Marquez-Greene suggested that exposing families to trained mental health professionals to de-stigmatize mental health access and treatment. She also called for the state to fully fund programs that provide support to parents.

"My Ana Grace was murdered. She was six years old. She was one of 26 innocent people massacred senselessly," Marquez-Greene wrote. "This tragedy could have been prevented."

Lawmakers were urged to look at numerous issues such as stronger civil commitment laws, mandatory mental health evaluations for gun purchasers, more funding for school-based health centers that provide mental health care and community-based mental health services, and allowing families to put a troubled relative on a list preventing them from obtaining a gun. At the same time, some people diagnosed with mental illness told the legislators not to take out their anger with Lanza against them.

Jennifer Maxwell, a Newtown mother of three whose youngest son is a first grader at Sandy Hook, told the panel about how she worries for her mentally troubled 12-year-old son, who she said can be abusive toward her and his brothers. Maxwell said she's been trying for years to get him services, but the shooting brought his problems to the forefront and prompted an emergency meeting with school officials.

"It took something like this. Because I don't want another tragedy. Would I think he would do it? I don't think so. But who knows? He's 12 years old," she said. "But if I don't get him social skills to prepare himself for when he's 18, what am I going to do?"

State lawmakers were told that individuals with private insurance have much more limited access to services than people using government insurance. Patricia Rehmer, commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, said there are limits on the number of services that can be used annually, which can create problems for families.

"I am often called, especially by parents of young adults who are now keeping their children ? young adults ? on their insurance until they're 26, who need the services that we provide," Rehmer said of her agency, which serves only people without private insurance.

"They need case management. They need supportive housing. They need interactions with their peers," she said. "Those are things that private insurance companies do not pay for."

Associated Press

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Watch: Comatose Ariel Sharon Shows Brain Activity

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New brain imaging test -- showing that former Israeli prime minister -- sure roan. In a coma now for seven years. Might be able to hear and understand. The 84 year old Toronto has been in a vegetative state since his stroke and 2006. A team of Israeli and American scientists conducted a two hour test to gauge -- roads tactile stimulation. We tested. Three different -- doesn't consent sort of moved on it is is some talk to him this is the auditorium -- -- -- -- we -- in -- of the family this is the visual. And we touched him and he's nearest -- team. In its hands. And we tested the different -- -- it is indeed in all of the Madonna does the -- Reacted to the external donation. Which means that the information -- into the brain. And walls and realized what was processed within his brain.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/comatose-ariel-sharon-shows-brain-activity-18338431

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Boko Haram commander declares Nigeria ceasefire

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - A purported commander of Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday, raising fresh questions about possible rifts within the secretive militant movement as it was not clear if he was speaking for the group.

Sheik Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, a man local security sources say is a sect member, twice made statements last year saying Boko Haram is ready for peace talks with the government.

But the group, whose attacks have left hundreds dead since it launched an uprising to try to carve an Islamic state out of Nigeria in 2009, has continued its insurgency unabated. The latest statement is likely to be greeted with scepticism.

In the remarks in English sent to journalists in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, Boko Haram's headquarters, Abdulazeez said Boko Haram had declared "a ceasefire throughout the country with immediate effect ... following a series of meetings with government officials."

It added that he had "the consent and approval of our leader Abubakar Shekau and I call on all members to stop hostilities."

It is unclear if Abdulazeez really is speaking on behalf of Shekau - who has not come out to confirm or denounce him - or whether he represents a rival faction of the Islamist movement seen as the main security threat to Africa's top oil exporter.

The statement came through the usual channels Boko Haram have used to deliver messages; through the Borno state journalists union. It was signed by Abdulazeez who also called to confirm it, union members said.

Shekau denied claims by the government that behind-the-scenes peace talks were being held in October last year, but he has remained silent since Abdulazeez made contact with press in November.

The timing of the alleged ceasefire is likely to be seen as odd given Nigeria's involvement in military efforts to dislodge Islamists in neighbouring Mali, with whom Boko Haram are known to have links. Nigeria's participation in Mali was expected to provoke a violent backlash from Boko Haram.

"We have adopted this measure as a result of the hardship women and children are subjected to, and I urge all members to abide by this directive," Abdulazeez's statement said.

"I urge law enforcement agencies to reciprocate this good gesture," it added.

There was no immediate comment from Nigerian security forces.

Northern Nigeria's conflict has killed around 3,000 people since late 2009, according to Human Rights Watch.

Even if Abdulazeez does not represent Shekau, his statement could add to evidence that military pressure has fragmented Boko Haram, which is now believed to consist of various splinter groups more or less extreme than Shekau's main faction, including ones who have trained with al Qaeda's Saharan wing.

Gunmen killed 23 people in northern Nigeria in attacks that appeared to target gamblers and people selling 'forbidden' meat that Islamist militants disapprove of.

On Sunday, gunmen killed eight in Borno state, an attack that could have been carried out by Islamists or criminal gangs taking advantage of growing lawlessness.

Abdulazeez's statement said any attacks from now on would be the work of "armed robbers and other criminals".

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boko-haram-commander-declares-nigeria-ceasefire-054854038.html

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Hugh Hefner's Secretary Dies; Mary O'Connor Mourned By Playboy Founder

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/hugh-hefners-secretary-dies-mary-oconnor-mourned-by-playboy-foun/

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Internet Privacy Day - Business Insider

Today is Data Privacy Day, it seems.

It's a totally invented "holiday," but its spirit is one we can get behind ? don't be an idiot with your information online.

There are a number of tips and tools you can use to ensure that your private data stays where it belongs. We've rounded up some of our favorites here.

Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow Dylan Love on Twitter.

Tags: Privacy, Features, Apps | Get Alerts for these topics ?

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Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-privacy-day-2013-1

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Reviews Of 3 Valuable Canon Printer Models - Shopping and ...

Anytime you use a business approach that is designed to generate ideal Canon printers, make your site more popular or any similar benefits, you need to be certain about a few important factors. How well you understand the people in your particular niche is critical, and it seems to us, based on observation, that lots of marketers have no clue about it. There are very many reasons why you should perform effective research on your audience. If you do this and execute well, then your conversions and effectiveness will increase substantially. Communications and words are what power everything in business, and therefore your proficiency with knowing how to apply that with your niche market will determine your success. So that is why you must do the work in terms of discovering what your market is all about.

Canon printers are thought highly of in the industry, and they have an extensive history of producing quality products. When the company started in 1936, they were a camera company and it is highly likely that that is what they are still best known for. However, they have expanded with additional electronic products, such as copiers, scanners and obviously printers. The following are a few of the most popular Canon printers that you might want to consider if you?re looking for a quality printer.

One printer that is well known and quite popular is the Canon ImagePrograf IPF50 large format inkjet printer. Large format printers are expensive but worth it for business purposes and artistic projects. Some projects like posters, maps and CAD or computer aided drafting projects are perfect for these printers. Nonstandard shapes and large sizes are the primary objective of these printers. For just under $1000 you can take home a ImagePrograf IPF50 for your large format jobs. If you need a large format printer at an affordable price, this model by Canon is probably your best bet. If you are not implementing testing in any of your campaigns, then you really are operating in blind mode as well as very inefficiently. There are other things you can test, and running scaled down tests for Asian wedding photography in London or methods previously never used is one of them. Who will ever know why people in business do not do the things that will help them to make more money.

You know what can happen anytime you are rushed, and that is why getting the sequence of things backward, or missed altogether, is so likely to happen. Very often what is in your best interest and what you will eventually do can sometimes diverge. Remember that the nature of testing by default implies it will be a small scale operation.

Remember there is no reason to over-engineer any kind of test, and remember that any type of marketing or advertising test on your sites need to include the appropriate tracking scripts. Testing alone is worthless unless you have the correct data or feedback from visitor behavior.

For under 500 bucks this next printer the PIXMA Pro9000 offers high quality photo printing. No worries about quality of printouts with this patented FINE printhead technology offered by Canon?s PIXMA Pro9000. It has an eight dye system to create amazing colors. Expect fast quality prints in less than 90 seconds per print with this unit, I?d call that quite efficient wouldn?t you? Avoid paying the price the pros pay but still get those professional looking prints with the technology today we can make that happen for you. This unit is by and large not the least expensive machine you can find but the quality makes it an excellent value.

If you?re looking for a high quality inkjet photo printer at a bargain price, the Canon PIXMA iP4820 Premium Inkjet Photo Printer is a good model to consider. Canon has designed a photo printer that can produce 9600?2400 color dpi resolution and that sells for less than $100, which is impressive. You can capture images from HD movies and turn them into prints using the Full HD Movie Print Software. You can save on paper by the built in two sided printing feature. Because of its compact and attractive design, this printer makes a welcome addition to any workplace. The Canon PIXMA iP4820 is perfect if you need an inexpensive but good quality photo printer. We have only discussed a small portion of all of the Canon printers you have available to you. There are of course way more models that you might want to look into as you begin shopping for a new photo printer. Many Canon models are available at discounted prices online at retailers who are willing to cut you a deal just to get your business. Before you buy one though we recommend doing the research and even reading some actual user reviews. Take a look at what others say about Canon?s solid reputation and you?ll see why this is the brand for you.

The truth of the matter is that best Canon printers is something that could keep you busy for a very long time if you took it to the extreme. There is never anything wrong with testing out something you have just read about, and very often you will discover that you have been overlooking something potentially profitable.

What can you see in your current web business as it relates to what you have just read? Nothing beats experience, and that is the power of testing and giving something an honest shot. It is really not in your best interest to try a marketing method when you do not have all the pieces together in terms of knowledge. Using any method for the first time is filled with trepidation, but that will go away soon enough with experience.

The fun part is when you are ready to go because the anticipation for adding another successful marketing avenue is always a great thing.

Join the club if you feel you have wasted money on ideal Canon printers, but do not feel like all is lost. For a refreshing change of pace, visit jewish wedding photographers London where you will be treated to a few explanations regarding ideal Canon printers and best Canon printers. So if you are truly tired of trying to figure things on your own, then take a break and end the pain. So that is it ? time to be a real action-taker because that is the only thing that will make a real difference.

Source: http://shopping-product-reviews.com/reviews-of-3-valuable-canon-printer-models/

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The Nuts And Bolts Of Seo Service Business Advertising ? What You ...

All SEO service business owners always want to achieve success in their SEO service businesses. They try to implement ways to improve their craft and make it on top of the line. Here are great tips you can learn behind every popular SEO service business.

Obtain a memorable URL and e-mail address for the SEO service business and confirm to include both of these products in all of your marketing materials. Continued and repeated exposure to your brand foster brand recognition and we all know brand recognition equals SEO service business increase.

Enter the American Express small SEO service business funding contest. This will offer increased exposure to clients, and will allow you the possibility to work for their vote. You should also ask customers to share the contest with others, gaining more exposure still. Win or lose, your SEO service business will win with greater marketing of you SEO service business.

Money Back Guarantees help ease the purchasers mind when they?re hesitant to buy. Stand behind you products and honor your guarantees. Make it simple and easy for the customers. Some SEO service businesses will even let the customer keep the product, even if they want their money back for it. This could earn you more trust.

Write articles describing your SEO service business and then submit them to various directories. You should also post articles to your SEO service business website. Typically submission is free and should yield positive exposure for your SEO service business. For ideas, try searching online for tips and strategies in developing good articles about your SEO service business.

Clear your head by taking a relaxing yoga class or practicing meditation. Being able to stay focused and react properly under pressure is essential to growing your SEO service business. Think without limits or bounds.

Creating loyalty in the heart of your clients and making them feel important is necessary for the continuous expansion of a SEO service business. If your costumer is loyal, they will only prefer your search engine optimization company product even in cases when it is unavailable in the market.

Resist the urge to micromanage your team. Over-managing your employees can stifle their innovation and energy, and it can lead to dissatisfaction in their role. Micromanaging employees can cause them to feel like you lack trust in them or their abilities.

Searching for ways to enhance your knowledge about the information discussed above? Just submit seo free when searching online. You can find some great helpful suggestions about free trial seo services in nottingham.

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• Building Consumer Relationships With Internet Advertising When you find yourself running an online store or looking out for a method to grow the consumer attention of your physical store nothing gives you more solutions than internet advertising. By means of internet advertising you are accessing the most higher and cost effective marketing answer available to businesses to date....
• Internet Advertising Helping You To Accelerate Your Company Growth There are several benefits to a company that makes efforts to utilize internet advertising and invest in its many aspects of opportunity. Whilst maintaining low costs are normally the goal of several companies in order to improve profits, cutting costs relating to internet advertising could decrease your opportunity to achieve greater revenues, thus increasing your profit....
• 3 Tips For Choosing A Great Pro SEO Service ? This Is Vital For Each Business Thinking about letting a professional search engine optimization service handle your website optimization? Using a professional search engine optimization service can change your website from a small business to a productive and profitable business. This is just one of the many reasons that you want to make sure that you choose only the best professional SEO service....
• How To Build Links Easily With Articles Directories And Improve Traffic Every website owner is interested in building traffic to their website. Obviously, there are many ways to build traffic. But article marketing is among the most effective methods. Article marketing is also easy to implement. By writing articles, you can build links easily with articles directories. Once your articles are published online, these writings will draw visitors to your website, without further action from you....
• Keyword Demand: The Nuts and Bolts You may possibly acquire half of the overall web traffic for the keyword "sanddobbing," but that indicates only about 10 visitors per month. If you are lacking a presentable keyword demand, it would be an Impractical expectation to get a sufficient amount of traffic. At any rate, the total demand is merely one aspect to Ponder. Read on to know about a few others....

Source: http://blog.onewaylinksite.com/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-seo-service-business-advertising-what-you-have-to-know/

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Leading Democrat: Gun control faces uphill climb

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who's leading the push to restore an assault weapon ban, acknowledged on Sunday that the effort faces tough odds to pass Congress and she blamed the nation's largest gun-rights group.

Feinstein, D-Calif., on Thursday introduced a bill that would prohibit 157 specific weapons and ammunition magazines that have more than 10 rounds. The White House and fellow Democrats are skeptical the measure is going anywhere, given lawmakers who are looking toward re-election might fear pro-gun voters and the National Rifle Association.

"This has always been an uphill fight. This has never been easy. This is the hardest of the hard," Feinstein said.

"I think I can get it passed because the American people are very much for it," Feinstein said of the measure that follows a similar measure she championed into law 1994 but expired a decade later.

She acknowledged, however, the NRA's political clout.

"They come after you. They put together large amounts of money to defeat you," Feinstein said.

She also said the group was a pawn of those who make weapons.

"The NRA is venal. ... The NRA has become an institution of gun manufacturers," she said.

The NRA disputed her characterization.

"The NRA is a grass-roots organization. We have more than 4 million dues-paying members and tens of millions of supporters all across this country. Our political power comes from them. Decent and logical people would understand that," spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to take up the proposal on Wednesday and hear from the NRA's CEO and senior vice president, Wayne LaPierre. Mark Kelly, the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., who was shot in an assassination attempt, also plans to testify.

Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the GOP vice presidential nominee in 2012, said Congress should focus on the causes of violence and not the weapons alone.

"We need to look beyond just recycling failed policies of the past. ... Let's go beyond just this debate and make sure we get deeper. What's our policy on mental illness? What's going on in our culture that produces this kind of thing? You know, we need to have that kind of a discussion and debate," Ryan said.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., also urged lawmakers to consider mental health issues.

"When I hear some of this conversation, I think that we're looking at symptoms, we're not looking at the root causes," she said. "And I understand the senator's passion for this, but I got to tell you, an assault ban is not the answer to helping keep people safe."

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who favors the assault weapons ban, expressed skepticism that it would be returned to law.

"It's probably a heavy lift in Congress," he said.

In the wake of the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. In December, President Barack Obama has pushed to expanded background checks, restoring the assault weapons ban and banning high-capacity ammunition magazines. But members of his own party may thwart his hopes.

Feinstein appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" and CNN's "State of the Union." Ryan was on NBC's "Meet the Press." Blackburn and Kelly were on CBS.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/leading-democrat-gun-control-faces-uphill-climb-160828132--politics.html

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WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY: Use Social Media for Good ...

YES to logic, kindness and Christian witness.

NO to bluster, star-status and division.

YES to dialogue, reasoned debate and logical argumentation.

NO to an aggressive and divisive atmosphere.

?

That?s Pope Benedict XVI?s vision for the appropriate use of social media, according to his message for World Communications Day.? The message was released on January 26, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists.

Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, carried the Pope?s message to reporters during a press briefing, explaining that the Holy Father asks everyone to take responsibility for creating a more humane culture online by being respectful, honest and contributing to the growth and wellbeing of individuals and society through social networks.

Too often in blogs, on Facebook and Twitter and other forms of social media, Msgr. Tighe said, ?the more provocative I am, the more strident, the more extreme I am in my views, the more attention I get.?? In contrast, the Pope is calling for ?the importance of the quiet voice of reason; we need moderation, reason and logic, otherwise our debates are going nowhere.?

Archbishop Claudio Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, noted that even Catholic sites and forums can be plagued by an aggressive and divisive atmosphere.? ?The problem isn?t so much displaying straightforward fidelity to particular dogmatic statements of faith,? he explained.? ?The problem is how to best show God?s mercy and love, which is often more credibly and effectively done with actions and not just words.?? The archbishop went on to talk about how as a young child he had experienced his parents? love not just through their words, but through his lived experience in his family.

Pope Benedict encouraged those in the on-line community to reach out to others ?by patiently and respectfully engaging their questions and their doubts as they advance in their search for the truth and the meaning of human existence.?? Efforts at evangelization will bear fruit, the Holy Father reminds us, if people remember that it is the word of God itself, not our own efforts, which will touch hearts.? If we trust in the power of God?s work, then we can tone down the level of debate and sensationalism, focusing instead on sharing God?s word.

?We need to trust,? the Pope said, ?in the fact that the basic human desire to love and be loved, and to find meaning and truth?a desire which God himself has placed in the heart of every man and woman?keeps our contemporaries ever open to?the ?kindly light? of faith.?

Lastly, he reminded people that online communities afford an opportunity to invite others into a faith community, or to religious celebrations and pilgrimages.? These, he noted, are ?elements which are always important in the journey of faith.?

* ? ? * ? ? * ? ? *

Pope Benedict began tweeting in December 2012, sending messages of encouragement and faith in English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Polish, Arabic and French. ?He quickly gained 2.5 million followers from around the world. ?Last week, Latin was added to the list of languages used for papal messages on Twitter. ?

World Communications Day will be held on the Sunday before Pentecost, this year May 12, with the theme ?Social Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith; New Spaces for Evangelization.?

Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2013/01/world-communications-day-use-social-media-for-good-pope-says/

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China&#39;s Legislature Adopts Decision on Strengthening the ...

By Li Jie Han

On December 28, 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People?s Congress (?NPC?) of the People?s Republic of China adopted the Decision on Strengthening the Protection of Online Information (?Decision?). The Decision contains twelve (12) clauses, which are applicable to entities in both the public and private sectors in respect of the collection and processing of electronic personal information on the Internet.

The Decision sets forth a number of provisions specifically governing the activities of Internet service providers (?ISPs?), other business enterprises and non-profit enterprises that handle electronic personal information.? Each of these entities must:

• explicitly state the purpose, means and scope of their collection and use of electronic personal information, publicize their relevant policies, and obtain the consent of the subjects for the collection and use;
• keep collected electronic personal information in strict confidentiality, and shall not disclose, alter or destroy the collected electronic personal information, or not sell or illegally provide such information to other persons;
• adopt technical and other necessary measures to ensure the safety of electronic personal information, and should promptly take remedial measures when such information is disclosed, damaged or lost;
• adopt information security safeguards and take prompt remedial measures in case that they discover users distributing information illegally and notify relevant government agencies.
• refrain from sending messages without consent (or in contravention of directions not to send) to fixed telephones, mobile telephones and individual e-mail boxes

Notably, ISPs must require users to furnish authentic identity information when providing access or information related services to the users.? This provision, which could potentially undermine the protection of personal privacy, has been most widely reported.? Nevertheless, the other provisions, though limited to electronic personal information and thus somewhat narrow in scope, provide additional protection especially in commercial contexts and thus warrant attention form a compliance standpoint.

The provisions under the Decision set out basic principles and are comparatively brief. It is expected that the NPC or other government agencies, e.g., the Ministry of Industry and Information technology (MIIT), will pass further legislation to clarify and substantiate these provisions.? In the meantime, those companies collecting personal information through their websites operated within the PRC should make sure they fully and fairly disclose the type of personal information being collected and the purposes for which it will be used.? The mechanisms for doing this should be reasonable based on how sensitive the data is and how intrusive the use.

The Decision in Chinese language together with a English translation is available here: http://chinacopyrightandmedia.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/national-peoples-congress-standing-committee-decision-concerning-strengthening-network-information-protection.

Source: http://www.globalprivacyblog.com/privacy/chinas-legislature-adopts-decision-on-strengthening-the-protection-of-online-information/

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Michael Buble and wife expecting a 'mini Buble'

By Alex Dobuzinskis, Reuters

Canadian jazz singer Michael Bubl? and his Argentinian actress wife, Luisana Lopilato, are expecting their first baby together, Lopilato said in a video posted to YouTube on Thursday.

The video shows what appears to be an ultrasound of a fetus with the words "Mini Buble !!!" attached to the image.

A written statement that also is part of the 21-second video says, "We're having a baby Bubl?!!!"

Bubl?, 37, is a three-time Grammy Award winner known for such songs as "Haven't Met You Yet," "Home" and "Save the Last Dance for Me."

He and Lopilato, 25, were married in 2011. She has starred in such Spanish-language television series as "Chiquititas, la historia" and "Rebelde Way" and has also worked as a model.

Related content:

More in TODAY Entertainment:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/01/25/16695364-michael-buble-and-wife-expecting-their-first-child-together?lite

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QB Young says he 'probably' signed loan papers

DALLAS (AP) ? Former NFL quarterback Vince Young admitted under oath he probably signed at least some of the documents for a $1.9 million loan he claims he shouldn't have to repay.

"All I know is I probably could have signed some of them, and I feel like some of them are fishy," he testified in a videotaped deposition last month.

A copy of the deposition transcript was obtained by The Associated Press.

Young, who has been out of football since he was cut by the Buffalo Bills before the start of the 2012 season, is fighting a $1.7 million judgment against him obtained by New York-based Pro Player Funding LLC last July. The former University of Texas star has said he wasn't involved in seeking the high-interest loan, funded during the NFL lockout in 2011, and never got the proceeds.

But in the deposition, taken Dec. 13 in Houston, Young acknowledged he probably signed some of the paperwork in the presence of a notary during a visit to the office of a Houston lawyer.

"I went to sign some papers that my financial adviser asked me to go over and sign, but I don't remember what it was," he testified.

Asked by Pro Player's attorney if he bothered to request the documents in their entirety, Young replied: "No. I'd just go and sign and get out of there."

In court filings last year, Young said he didn't recall signing the paperwork. If he did sign something, it happened without the corresponding loan information being made available to him, he said. He also claimed no notary was present.

Young's attorney, Trey Dolezal, did not respond to requests for comment on the deposition.

As part of his testimony, Young acknowledged that he never questioned why $1 million of the salary he earned from the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2011 season went directly from the team to Pro Player.

"I never have discussions about things like that when I'm playing football," he said. "I'm just too focused. ... Like I said, I put my trust in (his accountant) to find out what's going on and my lawyers to figure it out so I can focus on playing football."

At one point, Pro Player attorney Sean Bellew asked Young whether he understood the significance of having a judgment against him.

"I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know nothing about this," he replied. "Only information I know is what my lawyer explains to me and lets me know what goes on. I'm just trying to figure it out myself."

Young testified that he was "lied to" by advisers who falsely claimed to have put $5 million of his money in a "trust." He also acknowledged that he allowed people to have power of attorney over his affairs without understanding what that meant.

"If they do anything on your behalf, I thought they had to make sure it goes by you and I'm signing for it," he testified. "I didn't know that ... if they have a power of attorney, they can go do anything with your signature."

Young has sued his former agent, Houston attorney Major Adams, and a North Carolina financial planner, Ronnie Peoples, claiming they misappropriated $5.5 million. The lawsuit, filed five days after the Pro Player loan went into default, also contends that Adams and Peoples obtained the loan for their own benefit.

Adams and Peoples have denied wrongdoing, and Peoples has filed a countersuit in which he alleges that Young caused his money problems by overspending and allowing his uncle, a former middle school teacher, to oversee his finances.

Attempts by Bellew to seek detailed information from Young about his current financial condition were repeatedly cut off by Dolezal.

"He's kept up with his bills," Dolezal said at one point. "And that's about as far as that's going to go."

Financing statements reviewed by the AP show that Young was one of at least 16 current or former NFL players who obtained loans from Pro Player in 2011. Three NBA players also borrowed money from the company, according to the documents.

Pro Player sued Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie last year over what the company said was more than $4.5 million in unpaid loans. That matter was settled in July when McKinnie agreed to have 50 percent of his wages garnished during the 2012 season.

___

Follow Danny Robbins on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RobbinsDanny

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/qb-young-says-probably-signed-loan-papers-193449115--nfl.html

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Canada minister won't comment on possible Lenovo bid for RIM

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Ottawa hopes Research in Motion Ltd will continue to contribute to the Canadian economy, Industry Minister Christian Paradis said on Thursday, but he declined further comment on a possible bid for the BlackBerry maker by China's Lenovo Group.

"Research in Motion has made an important contribution to information and communications technology in Canada, a sector that is so important to the Canadian economy. We hope they continue to do so well into the future. We cannot speculate on how the Investment Canada Act may apply to a potential investment," Paradis said in an emailed statement.

Lenovo Chief Financial Officer Wong Wai Ming told Bloomberg his company was looking at all opportunities including RIM.

(Reporting by Randall Palmer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canada-minister-wont-possible-lenovo-bid-rim-183909819--finance.html

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Praise for secretary of state pick Kerry at Senate hearing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senator John Kerry received backslaps and lavish praise from his Senate colleagues at a hearing on Thursday that left little doubt he will win easy confirmation as secretary of state.

Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which he has chaired for the last four years, the five-term senator from Massachusetts and Vietnam War veteran was praised by Democrats and Republicans alike.

"I look at you, in being nominated for this, as someone who has almost led their entire life, if you will, for this moment, being able to serve in this capacity," said Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, the top Republican on the panel.

"We're honored to welcome you as the president's nominee for a position you have most-deservedly earned," said Senator Robert Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat chairing the hearing for the committee, which is still technically chaired by Kerry.

"You will need no introduction to the world's political and military leaders, and will begin - on day-one - fully conversant not only with the intricacies of U.S. policy, but with an understanding of the nuanced approach necessary," Menendez added.

Kerry was greeted with backslaps as he arrived for his hearing and bantered easily with senators, wryly noting his role reversal after spending 29 years sitting up on the dais and questioning witnesses.

"I don't want this to affect your opening questions, but let me say I have never seen a more distinguished and better-looking group of public officials in my life," he said to widespread laughter.

Several senators said they were certain of his confirmation.

KERRY HOPEFUL ON DIPLOMACY WITH IRAN

The one note of discord during the hearing came when a protester dressed in pink shouted "we need peace with Iran.... I am tired of my friends dying" before being removed by police.

Kerry broke no new ground in his testimony, stressing his commitment to President Barack Obama's policy of seeking a diplomatic solution to persuade Iran to give up its suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Iran says its program is solely for peaceful purposes.

"The president has made it definitive - we will do what we can to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. I repeat here today: our policy is not containment," Kerry said.

"He and I prefer a diplomatic resolution to this challenge and I will work to give diplomacy every effort to succeed," the senator added. "But no one should mistake our resolve to reduce the nuclear threat."

The main vehicle for diplomacy with Iran has been talks between Tehran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany, a group collectively known as the P5+1.

Kerry said "everybody's very hopeful that we can make some progress on the diplomatic front now" and, without disclosing U.S. negotiating strategy, noted Obama had made clear his willingness to have direct negotiations with Iran if need be.

His critics have said Kerry has failed to seek tougher sanctions to discourage the Islamic Republic from pursuing its nuclear program, but the nominee signaled he was ready to keep the pressure on Tehran.

Kerry told Menendez, one of the Senate's most ardent advocates of tighter sanctions against Iran, that he was "totally" committed to enforcing them.

KERRY RECALLS FATHER, CHOKES UP

As a senator, Kerry visited Damascus repeatedly prior to the outbreak of Syria's devastating civil war and was a proponent of U.S. re-engagement with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Kerry said there was a moment where Assad, impelled partly by of his desire to find jobs for his "burgeoning" youthful population, had an interest in improving relations with the United States but that he missed the opportunity.

"He has made a set of judgments that are inexcusable, that are reprehensible and I think is not long for remaining as the head of state in Syria," Kerry said.

The Yale-educated son of a foreign service officer, Kerry, 69, has long been a specialist in foreign affairs. In the 1960s, he differed from some of his well-heeled peers by enlisting in the U.S. Navy and serving two tours of duty in the Vietnam War.

He broke from - and enraged - the military establishment by becoming a prominent anti-war demonstrator after returning home. Bitter personal attacks over that role helped cost him the presidency in 2004 when he lost to Republican George W. Bush.

Kerry, who first testified before the committee in 1971 to express his opposition to the Vietnam War, choked up when recalling his father's service as a career diplomat.

"If you confirm me, I would take office as secretary proud that the Senate is in my blood - but equally proud that so, too, is the foreign service," he said.

(Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Warren Strobel, Jackie Frank and Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/smooth-sailing-seen-ahead-kerry-state-department-pick-060504627.html

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