The Weapons

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About VitaminHeart:

"You have no spark of life at all do you. You are a dead to the world, parasitic creature who tries to bring everyone else down to your pathetic and useless level."

VitaminHeart

Scholar

Member for 3 years

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The Relationship Between the Economy and Tourism on Catalina Island

By Sarah Wood Balancing the environment and the economy is difficult, especially on a sparsely populated island such as Santa Catalina Island. Located approximately 20 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina's economy is largely dependent on the tourists that visit the island each year. One of the main draws for tourists is the natural environment, which heavily contrasts the urbanization of Los Angeles. While Catalina has a history of environmental conservation, a variety of challenges lie ahead as Catalina tries to increase the number of tourists that visit each year without negatively impacting the environment. In 1972, Philip Wrigley created the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy in order to balance the tourism and conservation of the island. He gave 88% of the island to the conservancy for the purpose of improving the environment while allowing visitors to explore and enjoy it. Since then, the Conservancy and Island Company have continued to attract tourists to the island and sustain not only the island's environment, but also its economy. Wrigley was wise to include in his mandate to the Conservancy that the island provide a "playground for recreationalists," because to this day, Catalina's economy revolves around tourism, and without it, businesses would likely fail. Many of the Island's residents and business owners rely on tourism as their main income. By and large, the economy is extremely linear to the amount of tourists who visit the island each year. In May 2007, a major brush fire on the island had a devastating impact not only on the Catalina environment, but also the economy. The fire was on national news for three days and made the burn seem much worse than it really was--though ten percent of the island was charred, only one building in Avalon was destroyed, but the news made it seem as though the entire city had burnt to the ground. This significantly decreased tourism for the following summer, with a ten thousand visitor decrease in May and June compared to that of 2006, and a fourteen thousand visitor decline in July compared to the previous year. However, many efforts have been made to bring Catalina back into the economic state it was pre-fire, including extra efforts to restore the original flora that had been destroyed (Chamber of Commerce, personal communication). Spontaneous day-trippers are very seasonal visitors, flocking to Catalina in the hot summertime and staying away during the cold months. The existing attractions are already enough to bring in a maximum number of tourists during the summer season. This uneven distribution of visitors results in businesses suffering most in the winter, but also in the fall and spring. The shoulder months are where Catalina has room to grow and increase their flow of tourism, and the next big way to do this is by enhancing the appeal of Catalina's environment. Ecotourism is a great way to bring visitors to the island during off months because there are many eco-tourist attractions that are ideal for cooler weather. The Conservancy advertises hiking tours and biking across the island, both of which are best to do in the fall or spring because it is not scorching hot, places are not crowded so nature is more exposed, and the vegetation is lush and thriving. This is where Catalina has room to grow when it comes to attracting tourists - not during the summer months, but in the spring, winter, and fall. The Conservancy is also looking into the future to create new projects to improve tourism year round. There are plans for a new campground for people who are backpacking the Trans-Catalina Trail, so they have a more accessible place to stay before and after their hike. The Eagle's Nest Lodge is currently not regularly visited, but the Conservancy is looking to renovate it so it becomes a destination to learn about the history and ecology of the island, as well as hold community events. People like the summer naturalists that the conservancy hires to appeal to families visiting in the summer may hold events at the Eagle's Nest Lodge, such as campfire activities, mini-seminars, or hikes. The ever-contested gondola ride was proposed in May 2012 with the intentions of providing an easy, inexpensive way to leave Avalon and explore the rest of the island. Many biologists were worried about this project, because they believed that it demonstrated the Conservancy's shifted motives of generating revenue rather than protecting the ecology. However, the gondola ride was just a conceptual idea, and is extremely far from being seriously considered, if it ever will be at all (Alexa Johnson, personal communication). So far, the Conservancy has done an excellent job at preserving the environment and balancing conservation, education, and recreation throughout the island. The Catalina Island fox draws a significant amount of people to the island just to encounter this endemic species, so there is even more reason for the Conservancy to focus its efforts on this fox's protection. Vehicles are the main cause of Island fox mortality, mainly because they are either driving dangerously or in places that the fox frequents. To stop these unnecessary deaths, the Conservancy has established a twenty-five mile per hour speed limit on the interior of the island, along with a permit required to enter this area. The Conservancy has also limited the use of roads outside of Avalon, by turning down proposals to build in natural areas, and by using fences to block off certain roads to all but emergency vehicles (Alexa Johnson, personal communication). These restrictions have significantly lowered fox mortality, thus enhancing the appeal of the island to tourists. The Conservancy's efforts may not always center purely on conservation because they also must appeal to tourists, but they make sure to not degrade the environment in the process. Though the bison on Catalina are a non-native species, the Conservancy recognizes them as a tourist attraction. Thus, they must devise a plan that allows the bison to remain on the island while minimizing their negative impact on native plants and animals. Research has been conducted to calculate the "magic number" of bison (150-200 individuals) that can live on the island without being dangerous to others and still maintain adequate food. After a significant number of bison had been deported to the mainland, the Conservancy implemented a revolutionary contraceptive method where female bison are darted annually with hormones to prevent pregnancy and maintain the 'magic number'. If the population were to decline, fewer females could be darted to allow the population to increase the following year (Alexa Johnson of the Conservancy, personal communication). In this way, the Conservancy does not necessarily focus only on conserving native species, but it sustainably controls the ecology that attracts tourists. The Conservancy's twenty-year "Imagine Catalina" plan gives detailed plans for how to improve the appeal and accessibility of ecotourism on the island. Over the past three years, Catalina Island has already invested twelve million dollars into creating new attractions on the island, including the ever-popular zipline, which has already generated great revenue since its recent implementation. However, the most anticipated project from the plan is the rebuilding of the Hotel Catherine, the oldest hotel on Catalina. The vision for the future is for the Hotel Catherine to become the new Conservancy headquarters located in a much more populated area than the current headquarters that is off an old beaten path. The new location of the headquarters will make booking eco-tours, including jeeps and guided hikes, easier and more accessible for tourists. In addition, people will be able to learn about the island's ecology here before they actually venture out to explore it. Many tourists have complained that they run out of things to do on Catalina, but that is because they do not venture outside of Avalon. The Hotel Catherine will act as a gateway to link tourists to the endless amount of attractions across the whole island, in the hopes that they will continue to come back and see all there is to experience. The local business owners on Catalina have many other ideas for attracting tourists to the island. Tina Kennedy, a worker at the local dive shop called ScubaLuv in Avalon, thinks that by hiring a new trash company that puts more emphasis on recycling and composting, people will appreciate the cleanliness and "go green" initiative Catalina is taking, and will want to support the island more. She also thinks that by cleaning up the water surrounding Avalon, more people will want to dive along the coast and may be more inclined to engage in water activities. The most common response from all of these island locals, however, is to have more cruise ships or ferries to the island so there is more cost-competitive options for travellers. With all of these ideas generated constantly, Catalina has plenty of room to grow in the future. While an increase in ships may enhance tourism and the economy in the short term, however, it may have a negative effect on the environment in the long run. Mass amounts of ships flocking to Catalina may not follow pollution regulations specific to the island, and may have a negative impact on the surrounding waters and thus the diving, snorkeling, and other water-related tourist activities. Additionally, if masses of tourists rush to the island and disregard their personal impact on the environment, they may neglect rules established by the Conservancy that protect the ecosystems. The island must seek a balance between the environment and tourism to be sure they complement each other rather than having one dominate the other. Catalina's economy and amount of tourists are directly related; they rise and fall together. The addition to this relationship that people are just beginning to realize is that the ecology of the island also heavily impacts tourism, and thus the economy. Catalina sets a wonderful example for other small, isolated islands to improve their economy by transforming themselves into a tourist destination. Catalina is already doing many things to improve tourism, from birthday deals to restaurant enhancements. However, the main way Catalina and any small island will have a chance to grow in the future is by focusing on enhancing the environment, understanding how to protect it, and how to advertise its beauty to the world. Most companies on the island have already taken major leaps towards encouraging ecotourism, and by remaining on this path, its likely that this island will continue to have a thriving environment, tourist flow, and economy. About the author: Sarah Wood is a freshman from Huntington Beach, California. She is pursuing Environmental Studies and Business at the University of Southern California, and is a member of the 2013 Guam and Palau dive team. In the future, she hopes to develop new techniques that will make fresh water accessible to all people. Editor's note: Scientific Research Diving at USC Dornsife is offered as part of an experiential summer program offered to undergraduate students of the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This course takes place on location at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island and throughout Micronesia. Students investigate important environmental issues such as ecologically sustainable development, fisheries management, protected-area planning and assessment, and human health issues. During the course of the program, the student team will dive and collect data to support conservation and management strategies to protect the fragile coral reefs of Guam and Palau in Micronesia. Instructors for the course include Jim Haw, Director of the Environmental Studies Program in USC Dornsife, Environmental Studies Lecturer Dave Ginsburg, SCUBA instructor and volunteer in the USC Scientific Diving Program Tom Carr and USC Dive Safety Officer Gerry Smith of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies. Previously in this series: The 2013 Guam and Palau Expedition Begins A New Faculty Member on the Team An Analysis of Sargassum Horneri Ecosystem Impact Marine Protected Areas and Catalina Island: Conserve, Maintain and Enrich Northern Elephant Seals: Increasing Population, Decreasing Biodiversity Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
? 2013 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/relationship-between-economy-tourism-catalina-island-121900510.html

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Top 25 WWE managers

All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. ? 2013 WWE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This website is based in the United States. By submitting personal information to this website you consent to your information being maintained in the U.S., subject to applicable U.S. laws. U.S. law may be different than the law of your home country. WrestleMania XXIX (NY/NJ) logo TM & ? 2013 WWE. All Rights Reserved. The Empire State Building design is a registered trademark and used with permission by ESBC.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/classics/classic-lists/top-25-managers

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Jennifer Lopez to open cellphone stores

NEW YORK (AP) ? "Jenny from the Block" wants the block to buy Verizon phones from her.

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez on Wednesday announced she's opening a chain of 15 cellphone stores and a website under the Viva Movil brand. The aim is to sell Verizon phones and services to Latinos.

The first store will open in New York on June 15, with others following in Los Angeles and Miami. The stores will have bilingual staff and provide a "culturally relevant shopping experience," Viva Movil said.

Viva Movil will be an authorized Verizon reseller, with the same prices and plans as regular Verizon stores.

Lopez is the majority owner and "chief creative officer" of Viva Movil. She said Viva Movil and its Facebook page will be a way for fans to connect with her.

"Latinos need a place to go and they need to be catered to because it is such a growing, growing demographic and market and people want to capture that, and they deserve to be catered to," Lopez said in an interview.

Lopez is no stranger to business. She owns a film and television production company and has launched clothing and perfume lines.

She said she wasn't looking specifically to get into wireless ? "it was just one of those things where you sit down with people and you start spitballing."

Marketing cellphone service specifically to Latinos has not been a winning formula so far in the U.S. One company targeting Spanish speakers, Movida Communications, raised $40 million in 2007 and filed for bankruptcy the following year.

Most attempts to cater to Latinos have focused on low-cost, no-contract service. By partnering with Verizon, Lopez is hitching her business to a company that's focused on premium, contract-based service, backed by a top-rated wireless network.

The U.S. wireless market does have a large but low-profile Latin American presence: Mexican cellphone company America Movil owns Tracfone, the largest provider of no-contract service, with 23 million phones active. That service isn't marketed specifically to Latinos.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-05-22-Jennifer%20Lopez-Wireless%20Stores/id-09dfad24477a4a3ca6c9aa1034541bda

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Report: Surging Toyota tops BMW to regain best global automotive ...

A new report has found that when it comes to global car brands, Toyota now tops them all. ?

The study, released by Global BrandZ, found that with the rebound in car sales following the long recession, Toyota reclaimed its title from BMW as the top-raking automotive brand in the world. ??

The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands report, which is based on data collected from the research company, Millward Brown, indicates that a slowdown in Europe impacted BMW?s earnings and was partially responsible for the change in the rankings.

Drawn from interviews with more than 1 million consumers and an analysis of each company?s business performance, the BrandZ study also suggests that Toyota?s increase in the rankings was likely attributed to the automaker addressing the quality issues following a rash of huge recalls in 2010.

The report, which also considers product sales in assessing the value of a company, also indicated that while car sales improved in some regions, they still remained lower than pre-recession levels.? ?

In the U.S., where year-on-year sales increased to 14.5 million cars, Ford was the country?s best-selling brand with US sales of 2.1 million cars.

General Motor?s Chevrolet brand came in second, selling 1.9 million cars. Volkswagen posted a 35 percent increase in sales, its third consecutive year of double-digit US unit growth.

Volkswagen?s Audi brand experienced its best year ever in the US, with sales growth of 19 percent, according to the report. Toyota?s U.S. sales climbed 26 percent and Honda?s 24 percent. Chrysler?s sales improved 39 percent. Korea?s Hyundai brand sold over 700,000 cars in the US.

The Global Z report states that an improvement and quality and more technology features like remote start was a driving factor with new vehicle purchases.

?

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/report-surging-toyota-tops-bmw-to-regain-best-global-automotive-brand-title/

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WR Crabtree tears right Achilles tendon

FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2012 file photo, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) jumps over Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) during the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco. 49ers leading wide receiver Crabtree is not on the practice field for Wednesday afternoon's, May 22, 2013 organized team activity, though the team has provided no update regarding his absence amid reports he tore his Achilles tendon. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2012 file photo, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) jumps over Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) during the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco. 49ers leading wide receiver Crabtree is not on the practice field for Wednesday afternoon's, May 22, 2013 organized team activity, though the team has provided no update regarding his absence amid reports he tore his Achilles tendon. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

FILE - This is a 2012 file photo showing San Francisco 49ers NFL football player Michael Crabtree. 49ers leading wide receiver Crabtree is not on the practice field for Wednesday afternoon's, May 22, 2013 organized team activity, though the team has provided no update regarding his absence amid reports he tore his Achilles tendon. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Oct. 29, 2012 file photo, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) breaks the tackle of Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz. 49ers leading wide receiver Crabtree is not on the practice field for Wednesday afternoon's, May 22, 2013 organized team activity, though the team has provided no update regarding his absence amid reports he tore his Achilles tendon. (AP Photo/Paul Connors, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2012 file photo, San Francisco 49ers' Michael Crabtree (15) reaches for a pass as he's grabbed by Houston Texans' Brice McCain (21) in the first quarter an NFL preseason football game in Houston. 49ers leading wide receiver Crabtree is not on the practice field for Wednesday afternoon's, May 22, 2013 organized team activity, though the team has provided no update regarding his absence amid reports he tore his Achilles tendon. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2013 file photo, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) scores a touchdown as Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Brad Jones (59), and strong safety Charles Woodson (21) move in to stop him in the first half of an NFC divisional playoff NFL football game in San Francisco. 49ers leading wide receiver Crabtree is not on the practice field for Wednesday afternoon's, May 22, 2013 organized team activity, though the team has provided no update regarding his absence amid reports he tore his Achilles tendon. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) ? The San Francisco 49ers suddenly have a huge void in their receiving corps as they chase another Super Bowl berth: Michael Crabtree is sidelined after surgery on his right Achilles tendon.

San Francisco's leading wide receiver underwent surgery Wednesday, though the team is optimistic he will return at some point in 2013. Crabtree was operated on at Stanford by Dr. Tim McAdams one day after suffering the injury during 7-on-7 drills in an organized team activity.

"Michael Crabtree underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon that he tore yesterday," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Surgery was successful and we do not anticipate it will be season-ending for Michael. It was completely torn, and completely repaired."

Harbaugh would not speculate when Crabtree might return to play.

The 25-year-old Crabtree, the team's 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft out of Texas Tech, had career highs last season with 85 receptions for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns for the NFC champion Niners, who lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl.

USA Today first reported that Crabtree was hurt during Tuesday's OTA, citing an unidentified source.

Harbaugh said Crabtree went in motion, planted to begin a route and "felt like somebody kicked him in the Achilles, which sometimes people say that feels like." Having the operation right away was considered the best option so Crabtree has the chance to return this year ? unlike with running back Kendall Hunter last season, who had the same injury but the decision was made to wait some time before surgery.

"Good news is he woke up from the surgery and the first thing, asked the doctor how it went," Harbaugh said. "(The doctor) talked about the success of the surgery and he didn't anticipate he'd be out for the year. His comment to that was, 'Got no choice but to be back.' Every day now is a healing day, and that starts today."

This is a tough blow for the two-time defending NFC West champions after Crabtree's breakout 2012 season. He was one of the big reasons the franchise returned to the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years, clicking with quarterback Colin Kaepernick after his promotion to starter in November over departed 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick Alex Smith.

"It's a setback, but Michael's young, he's strong. Everything will be a positive approach to healing and we'll anticipate great things," Harbaugh said. "Another thing right now is if you look at the young receivers on our team that will emerge because they have to emerge. I'm excited to watch them compete for that spot."

Harbaugh wouldn't say whether the 49ers would look outside the organization for a replacement with Crabtree out, or even if the team would consider bringing back Randy Moss.

"We're excited for the young receivers that we have, and feel that somebody's going to emerge there," he said. "Competition will create that, and we'll look forward to watching that."

Anquan Boldin, acquired in a trade with the Ravens this spring, will be counted upon to carry a bulk of the load. Boldin missed Wednesday's practice for what Harbaugh called "some prior commitments for this week."

Boldin had 65 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns for the Ravens last season.

Kaepernick and Crabtree were eager to get back on the field together after falling just short in New Orleans back in February.

"It's an injury. Nobody wants it to happen no matter who it is," Kaepernick said.

Kaepernick's fourth-down throw into the end zone in the closing moments sailed over Crabtree. Harbaugh and the 49ers argued that Crabtree got held, bumped by cornerback Jimmy Smith with safety Ed Reed trailing the play.

Crabtree also had five TDs and 30 catches on third-down plays last season ? both stats among the top five in the NFL.

Kaepernick offered an easy explanation as to why they clicked so well: "He got open."

He has bounced back the past two seasons from several injuries.

After a 71-day contract stalemate as a rookie, Crabtree was sidelined during the 2010 preseason with a neck injury. Again a year later he was out with a broken foot sustained while working out in Alex Smith-organized practices during the NFL lockout.

In 2011, Crabtree led the team in catches (72) and yards receiving (874), but San Francisco came up short of a Super Bowl.

While he had four catches for 25 yards and a 4-yard touchdown reception in a 36-32 victory against Drew Brees and the favored Saints in the NFC divisional playoffs, it was the NFC championship game Crabtree remembers as a most disappointing day.

San Francisco's receivers had just one catch for 3 yards ? yes, it was by him ? and Crabtree was targeted four times in a 20-17 overtime loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Crabtree said that performance helped fuel him last year.

"Obviously he's a great player, he's done a lot for this team," Kaepernick said. "We just have to have someone step up. He's not happy about it, he's just trying to get healthy now. Crab's going to work, he's going to be back."

Notes: The 49ers signed fourth-round draft pick WR Quinton Patton to a four-year contract. ... The team also claimed tight end/long snapper Kyle Nelson off of waivers from the San Diego Chargers and waived P Anthony Santella. ... Also gone Wednesday were S Darcel McBath, who Harbaugh said was ill; LT Joe Staley, C Jonathan Goodwin, CB Tarell Brown and LB NaVorro Bowman.

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-05-22-FBN-49ers-Crabtree/id-b268f1ffe05b4d7c9f87c572b8828d41

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Parent and teacher support protects teens from sleep problems and depression

Public release date: 22-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lynn Celmer
lcelmer@aasmnet.org
630-737-9700
American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Disturbed sleep in adolescents is associated with more symptoms of depression and greater uncertainly about future success

DARIEN, IL A new study suggests that disturbed sleep in adolescents is associated with more symptoms of depression and greater uncertainly about future success. However, perceived support and acceptance from parents and teachers appears to have a protective effect.

Results show that disturbed sleep was significantly associated with depressed mood and greater uncertainty about future success. Higher levels of perceived support from parents and from teachers were associated with significantly fewer sleep disruptions and subsequently with fewer symptoms of depression and greater optimism about the future. These associations with better outcomes were not observed from perceptions of support from peers.

"We were surprised that while perceived support and acceptance from parents and teachers had a protective effect, support and acceptance from peers did not," said Fred Danner, PhD, the study's lead author and professor of educational psychology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.

The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal SLEEP, and Danner will present the findings Wednesday, June 5, in Baltimore, Md., at SLEEP 2013, the 27th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.

The study involved 6,092 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years who completed the Swiss Multicentre Adolescent Survey on Health, a comprehensive health and psychological functioning questionnaire. Measures included questions concerning sleep disruption, depressive symptoms, uncertainty about finishing school and getting a job, and levels of emotional support and acceptance from parents, teachers and peers.

"These results confirm the link between sleep quality and depression in a large national sample," said Danner.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), studies have shown that about eight percent of adolescents meet the criteria for major depression. The National Institute of Mental Health also reports that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14.

###

For a copy of the abstract, "The influence of supportive parents, peers, and teachers on adolescent sleep, depression, and hopes for the future," to arrange an interview with Dr. Danner or an AASM spokesperson, or to register for a press pass to attend SLEEP 2013, please contact AASM Communications Coordinator Lynn Celmer at 630-737-9700, ext. 9364, or lcelmer@aasmnet.org.

A joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, the annual SLEEP meeting brings together an international body of more than 5,500 leading clinicians and scientists in the fields of sleep medicine and sleep research. At SLEEP 2013, more than 1,300 research abstract presentations will showcase new findings that contribute to the understanding of sleep and the effective diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine considers sleep disorders an illness that has reached epidemic proportions. Board-certified sleep medicine physicians in an AASM-accredited sleep center provide effective treatment. AASM encourages patients to talk to their doctors about sleep problems or visit http://www.sleepeducation.com for a searchable directory of sleep centers.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 22-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lynn Celmer
lcelmer@aasmnet.org
630-737-9700
American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Disturbed sleep in adolescents is associated with more symptoms of depression and greater uncertainly about future success

DARIEN, IL A new study suggests that disturbed sleep in adolescents is associated with more symptoms of depression and greater uncertainly about future success. However, perceived support and acceptance from parents and teachers appears to have a protective effect.

Results show that disturbed sleep was significantly associated with depressed mood and greater uncertainty about future success. Higher levels of perceived support from parents and from teachers were associated with significantly fewer sleep disruptions and subsequently with fewer symptoms of depression and greater optimism about the future. These associations with better outcomes were not observed from perceptions of support from peers.

"We were surprised that while perceived support and acceptance from parents and teachers had a protective effect, support and acceptance from peers did not," said Fred Danner, PhD, the study's lead author and professor of educational psychology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.

The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal SLEEP, and Danner will present the findings Wednesday, June 5, in Baltimore, Md., at SLEEP 2013, the 27th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.

The study involved 6,092 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years who completed the Swiss Multicentre Adolescent Survey on Health, a comprehensive health and psychological functioning questionnaire. Measures included questions concerning sleep disruption, depressive symptoms, uncertainty about finishing school and getting a job, and levels of emotional support and acceptance from parents, teachers and peers.

"These results confirm the link between sleep quality and depression in a large national sample," said Danner.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), studies have shown that about eight percent of adolescents meet the criteria for major depression. The National Institute of Mental Health also reports that half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14.

###

For a copy of the abstract, "The influence of supportive parents, peers, and teachers on adolescent sleep, depression, and hopes for the future," to arrange an interview with Dr. Danner or an AASM spokesperson, or to register for a press pass to attend SLEEP 2013, please contact AASM Communications Coordinator Lynn Celmer at 630-737-9700, ext. 9364, or lcelmer@aasmnet.org.

A joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, the annual SLEEP meeting brings together an international body of more than 5,500 leading clinicians and scientists in the fields of sleep medicine and sleep research. At SLEEP 2013, more than 1,300 research abstract presentations will showcase new findings that contribute to the understanding of sleep and the effective diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine considers sleep disorders an illness that has reached epidemic proportions. Board-certified sleep medicine physicians in an AASM-accredited sleep center provide effective treatment. AASM encourages patients to talk to their doctors about sleep problems or visit http://www.sleepeducation.com for a searchable directory of sleep centers.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/aaos-pat052213.php

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Boeing resumes deliveries of 787 Dreamliners

By Alwyn Scott

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co resumed deliveries of its high-tech 787 Dreamliner jet on Tuesday, ending a period of nearly four months in which it was unable to provide new planes to customers because of safety concerns about the battery system.

The delivery of the first jet with a redesigned battery system marks a turning point in Boeing's 787 crisis, allowing the jet maker to book revenue for completed sales of the jet, which costs $207 million at list prices.

But resuming deliveries will lower Boeing's profit margin in the near-term. The 787s being delivered now are among the relatively early jets that are more costly to make and that were sold at steep discounts to attract customers.

The deliveries will improve Boeing's cash flow this year, however, and will reduce its inventory, something investors have been anticipating as they bid up its stock.

Boeing shares rose 1.42 percent on Tuesday to close at $96.11 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Boeing said it delivered a new Dreamliner to All Nippon Airways on Tuesday, its second delivery of the year. The first was delivered before January 16, when regulators grounded the worldwide Dreamliner fleet after two lithium-ion batteries overheated and smoked on two separate jets that month.

Boeing also reaffirmed Tuesday that it expects to hit its target of delivering more than 60 787s this year.

Analysts say the target should be easy to hit. Boeing kept making Dreamliners while the plane was grounded, so about 25 are parked outside its factories waiting to be delivered to customers, the company said.

Boeing also has sped up production. Last week it rolled out the first 787 made at the new rate of seven per month, up from five per month previously. It aims to raise the rate to 10 per month by year-end, with the first delivery at the new rate in 2014.

After the two incidents in January, Boeing redesigned the 787 battery system, adding a steel enclosure and other safeguards to prevent fire.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved the redesigned system on April 19 and a few days later cleared Boeing to begin installing the $500,000 fix on the 50 delivered jets that had been grounded, and those still at the factory.

Ethiopian Airlines began carrying customers on the new jet on April 27. The other seven airlines that fly the jet have begun working them into flight schedules, many with service beginning later this month or in June. United Airlines, the first U.S. carrier with the 787, is due to resume service on May 31.

Boeing still faces potential problems with the new plane, its first all-new jetliner in more than a decade. New planes are typically glitch-prone, and the 787 is no exception, logging a string of minor mishaps in the months leading up to the grounding, ranging from fuel line leaks to brake problems and a cracked cockpit windscreen.

In addition, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating what caused a 787 battery to overheat and catch fire on a parked Japan Airlines plane in Boston. About a week later, another battery overheated on an All Nippon flight in Japan, prompting an emergency landing and evacuation.

The NTSB investigation, which included hearings in April, is expected result in recommendations to the FAA that could alter certification procedures for aircraft.

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott, editing by Gary Hill and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-resumes-deliveries-787-dreamliners-four-month-gap-190704370.html

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Guess Who Joined Team Benghazi Last Night? (Balloon Juice)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/305090372?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Kim Dotcom Makes Another Plea For Legal Relief As U.S., UK ...

Kim Dotcom and his legal team are seizing the moment of a meeting of attorneys general from the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in Auckland to bring more attention to his legal fight with the U.S. government, which wants to extradite Dotcom from New Zealand and try him for copyright violations related to his now-defunct Megaupload venture. Robert Amsterdam, a high-profile lawyer known for human rights cases and the legal defense of political and business leaders who was appointed in January to help Dotcom?s case, has also now published a white paper detailing his take on Dotcom?s legal position.

But while Dotcom?s legal team attempts to take a higher ground, Dotcom is also taking a no-holds-barred approach as well. As Reuters reports, Dotcom is offering a prize of $500 the best film of the U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, while his Dotcom?s own Megaupload theme song plays in the background.

Holder is currently visiting Auckland, New Zealand, along with the AG?s from the UK, Dominic Grieve, and Canada, Rob Nicholson, who are meeting with Australia?s AG Mark Dreyfus and Christopher Finlayson of New Zealand. On the agenda is also a meeting with the Strategic Alliance Group, which brings together policing agencies from the five countries ? the FBI; the Australian Federal Police; the UK?s Serious Organised Crime Agency; the New Zealand Police; and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. During their meetings, the case of Dotcom, who is resident in New Zealand, will inevitably come up. Megaupload is accused of costing film studios and music labels some $500 million in missed revenues, and responsible for some $175 million in ?criminal proceeds.? The criminal copyright case was first filed in January 2012, and an extradition hearing is set for this coming August.

While the Megaupload case continues, Dotcom has busied himself with the launch of Mega, a new file sharing site and cloud-storage service that debuted in January of this year. He?s also preparing an online music and entertainment service called MegaBox; in March, Dotcom said Megabox could launch in the next six months.

The white paper penned by Amsterdam and Ira P. Rothken, another member of Dotcom?s legal team as well as that of Megaupload, brings the focus of Dotcom?s defense down to three main points (the full white paper?s embedded below):

1. There is no provision in U.S. law for ?secondary? copyright infringement in criminal law, in which the person operating the delivery method is prosecuted along with the individual posting material in violation of copyright. Previous cases have only concerned civil cases, Amsterdam and Rothken write.

2. Megaupload was also used for a lot of legitimate purposes, and so should therefore be protected under the so-called ?Sony doctrine,? which accepts that any online service is subject to misuse.

3. They also claim that in fact Megaupload cooperated with copyright owners ?millions of times? (over 15 million, they say) by taking down content when it was flagged by them, and that infringement was no wilful. ?The company?s subjective belief that it was operating within the law (even if it turns out to have somehow been wrong in that regard) should by itself be enough to negate the criminal willfulness requirement, especially considering the novel nature of the prosecution?s legal theory.?

Whether or not any of this holds water, it?s also interesting to see that Dotcom is on some level looking to distance himself from those who have used Megaupload in the past.

This is a change in tactic from a person that up to now has appealed to those same people to continue to support him throughout all of his many legal and publicity battles against the likes of the MPAA and its leader Christopher Dodd. Mega?s CEO, Vikram Kumar, said earlier this month that Mega is on track to reach 6 million monthly users this month. That?s still a far cry from where Megaupload was at its peak, with 60 million registered users, 50 million daily visits and accounting for about 4% of total internet traffic (according to figures provided by Dotcom?s team).

Kim Dotcom is a German born Internet entrepreneur, currently based in New Zealand. He was born as Kim Schmitz. As a teenageer he faced criminal investigations in Germany as a hacker who bypassed the security of the Pentagon, NASA and Citibank. He was also later accused of insider trading. His service Mega Upload was more recently involved in a court case in relationship to charges of copyright infringement by the US claiming to cost the entertainment industry $500M through pirated...

? Learn more

Megaupload is an international one-click hosting website driven by Megaupload Limited, Hong Kong, available in many languages. The basic service is available for free and allows users to upload files of up to 1024 MB. Free users cannot download files larger than 1 GB, however. Free registered users are offered 50 GB of total file storage. Premium users are offered 1 TB total file storage. After a successful file upload, the user is given a unique URL which allows others...

? Learn more

Mega provides a cloud file system at your fingertips, including cross-account folder sharing for easy online collaboration. The new Mega encrypts and decrypts your data transparently in your browser, on the fly. High-speed parallel batch uploading and downloading with resume capability are integral parts of the Mega service. Thanks to encryption, Mega can connect a large number of hosting partners around the world without worrying about privacy breaches. Their servers will be closer to our customers. This will result...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/07/kim-dotcom-makes-another-plea-for-legal-relief-as-u-s-uk-canada-attorneys-general-converge-down-under/

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Possible treatment for serious blood cancer

Public release date: 6-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Markus Hansson
markus.hansson@med.lu.se
46-705-931-110
Lund University

A single antibody could be the key to treating multiple myeloma, or cancer of the blood, currently without cure or long-term treatment.

"We tested the antibody in various ways, including on tumour cells from myeloma patients that have been transplanted into mice. The tests showed that the antibody is able to destroy myeloma cells", explains Markus Hansson, a researcher at Lund University in Sweden.

Using a 'biological library' of thousands of antibodies from the company BioInvent in Lund, the team singled out antibody BI-505, shown to have a powerful effect on the tumour cells in both cell studies and animal experiments. It has also been tested in an initial safety study on seriously ill patients, and a study of its treatment effects has just started.

"This study will include patients who have just been diagnosed and therefore still feel fairly well. We want to test the antibody treatment before the patients are treated with any other drugs", says Markus Hansson.

Today there are a number of drugs to treat multiple myeloma, but no cure. None of the drugs are able to eradicate the disease, meaning cancer cells increase in number after a period of remission. Survival has been extended with new treatments, but less than half of all patients live longer than five years from diagnosis.

Myeloma occurs when a specific type of cell in the bone marrow is converted into tumour cells. Blood formation is disrupted and patients suffer from a lack of blood resulting in fatigue. The bones can be weakened with a risk of fractures and compacted vertebrae, and patients sometimes suffer kidney failure as a result of the disease.

Antibodies are a part of the immune system, fighting off foreign bodies. Antibody-based drugs are now used to treat certain inflammatory diseases and types of cancer.

The treatment study in Lund will involve 15 patients and is expected to be completed this year. If the results are good, Markus Hansson and his colleagues hope to be able to continue testing BI-505 in larger-scale studies. They will be studying the best way of using the new antibody: alone or in combination with other drugs; at the start of the disease or at a later stage.

###

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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: 6-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Markus Hansson
markus.hansson@med.lu.se
46-705-931-110
Lund University

A single antibody could be the key to treating multiple myeloma, or cancer of the blood, currently without cure or long-term treatment.

"We tested the antibody in various ways, including on tumour cells from myeloma patients that have been transplanted into mice. The tests showed that the antibody is able to destroy myeloma cells", explains Markus Hansson, a researcher at Lund University in Sweden.

Using a 'biological library' of thousands of antibodies from the company BioInvent in Lund, the team singled out antibody BI-505, shown to have a powerful effect on the tumour cells in both cell studies and animal experiments. It has also been tested in an initial safety study on seriously ill patients, and a study of its treatment effects has just started.

"This study will include patients who have just been diagnosed and therefore still feel fairly well. We want to test the antibody treatment before the patients are treated with any other drugs", says Markus Hansson.

Today there are a number of drugs to treat multiple myeloma, but no cure. None of the drugs are able to eradicate the disease, meaning cancer cells increase in number after a period of remission. Survival has been extended with new treatments, but less than half of all patients live longer than five years from diagnosis.

Myeloma occurs when a specific type of cell in the bone marrow is converted into tumour cells. Blood formation is disrupted and patients suffer from a lack of blood resulting in fatigue. The bones can be weakened with a risk of fractures and compacted vertebrae, and patients sometimes suffer kidney failure as a result of the disease.

Antibodies are a part of the immune system, fighting off foreign bodies. Antibody-based drugs are now used to treat certain inflammatory diseases and types of cancer.

The treatment study in Lund will involve 15 patients and is expected to be completed this year. If the results are good, Markus Hansson and his colleagues hope to be able to continue testing BI-505 in larger-scale studies. They will be studying the best way of using the new antibody: alone or in combination with other drugs; at the start of the disease or at a later stage.

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/lu-ptf050613.php

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Mysterious Hebrew stone displayed in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (AP) ? An ancient limestone tablet covered with a mysterious Hebrew text that features the archangel Gabriel is at the center of a new exhibit in Jerusalem, even as scholars continue to argue about what it means.

The so-called Gabriel Stone, a meter (three-foot)-tall tablet said to have been found 13 years ago on the banks of the Dead Sea, features 87 lines of an unknown prophetic text dated as early as the first century BC, at the time of the Second Jewish Temple.

Scholars see it as a portal into the religious ideas circulating in the Holy Land in the era when was Jesus was born. Its form is also unique ? it is ink written on stone, not carved ? and no other such religious text has been found in the region.

Curators at the Israel Museum, where the first exhibit dedicated to the stone is opening Wednesday, say it is the most important document found in the area since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

"The Gabriel Stone is in a way a Dead Sea Scroll written on stone," said James Snyder, director of the Israel Museum. The writing dates to the same period, and uses the same tidy calligraphic Hebrew script, as some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of documents that include the earliest known surviving manuscripts of Hebrew Bible texts.

The Gabriel Stone made a splash in 2008 when Israeli Bible scholar Israel Knohl offered a daring theory that the stone's faded writing would revolutionize the understanding of early Christianity, claiming it included a concept of messianic resurrection that predated Jesus. He based his theory on one hazy line, translating it as "in three days you shall live."

His interpretation caused a storm in the world of Bible studies, with scholars convening at an international conference the following year to debate readings of the text, and a National Geographic documentary crew featuring his theory. An American team of experts using high resolution scanning technologies tried ? but failed ? to detect more of the faded writing.

Knohl, a professor of Bible at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, eventually scaled back from his original bombshell theory but the fierce scholarly debate he sparked continued to reverberate across the academic world, bringing international attention to the stone. Over the last few years it went on display alongside other Bible-era antiquities in Rome, Houston and Dallas.

Bible experts are still debating the writing's meaning, largely because much of the ink has eroded in crucial spots in the passage and the tablet has two diagonal cracks the slice the text into three pieces. Museum curators say only 40 percent of the 87 lines are legible, many of those only barely. The interpretation of the text featured in the Israel Museum's exhibit is just one of five readings put forth by scholars.

All agree that the passage describes an apocalyptic vision of an attack on Jerusalem in which God appears with angels on chariots to save the city. The central angelic character is Gabriel, the first angel to appear in the Hebrew Bible. "I am Gabriel," the writing declares.

The stone inscription is one of the oldest passages featuring the archangel, and represents an "explosion of angels in Second Temple Judaism," at a time of great spiritual angst for Jews in Jerusalem looking for divine connection, said Adolfo Roitman, a curator of the exhibit.

The exhibit traces the development of the archangel Gabriel in the three monotheistic religions, displaying a Dead Sea Scroll fragment which mentions the angel's name; the 13th century Damascus Codex, one of the oldest illustrated manuscripts of the complete Hebrew Bible; a 10th century New Testament manuscript from Brittany, in which Gabriel predicts the birth of John the Baptist and appears to the Virgin Mary; and an Iranian Quran manuscript dated to the 15th or 16th century, in which the angel, called Jibril in Arabic, reveals the word of God to the prophet Mohammad.

"Gabriel is not archaeology. He is still relevant for millions of people on earth who believe that angels are heavenly beings on earth," said Roitman. The Gabriel Stone, he said, is "the starting point of an ongoing tradition that still is relevant today."

The story of how the stone was discovered is just as murky as its meaning. A Bedouin man is said to have found it in Jordan on the eastern banks of the Dead Sea around the year 2000, Knohl said. An Israeli university professor later examined a piece of earth stuck to the stone and found a composition of minerals only found in that region of the Dead Sea.

The stone eventually made it into the hands of Ghassan Rihani, a Jordanian antiquities dealer based in Jordan and London, who in turn sold the stone to Swiss-Israeli collector David Jeselsohn in Zurich for an unspecified amount. Rihani has since died. The Bible scholar traveled to Jordan multiple times to look for more potential stones, but was unable to find the stone's original location.

Israel Museum curators said Jeselsohn lent the stone to the museum for temporary display.

Lenny Wolfe, an antiquities dealer in Jerusalem, said that before the Jordanian dealer bought it, another middleman faxed him an image of the stone and offered it for sale.

"The fax didn't come out clearly. I had no idea what it was," said Wolfe, who passed on the offer. It was "one of my biggest misses," Wolfe said.

What function the stone had, where it was displayed, and why it was written are unknown, said curators of the Israel Museum exhibit.

"There is still so much that is unclear," said Michal Dayagi-Mendels, a curator of the exhibit. Scholars, she said, "will still argue about this for years."

___

Follow Daniel Estrin at www.twitter.com/danielestrin

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mysterious-hebrew-stone-displayed-jerusalem-161026521.html

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