Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/155882922?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Monday, October 31, 2011
Oakland chief defends officers involved in clash
During a news conference, Oakland Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan fields questions about his department's handling of Occupy Oakland demonstrators on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. During a protest Tuesday night, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets injuring Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
During a news conference, Oakland Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan fields questions about his department's handling of Occupy Oakland demonstrators on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. During a protest Tuesday night, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets injuring Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Occupy Oakland protesters and their tents line a plaza near Oakland, Calif., City Hall on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. Demonstrators reestablished the encampment after a police raid on Tuesday left it deserted. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
During a news conference, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan fields questions about her handling of Occupy Oakland demonstrators on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. During a protest Tuesday night, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets injuring Iraq veteran Scott Olsen. At right is Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Filmmaker Michael Moore addresses several hundred Occupy Oakland protesters outside City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. Moore urged the protesters to continue demonstrating against what they see as a growing disparity between rich and poor. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Bob Burt raises his fist in support as filmmaker Michael Moore addresses Occupy Oakland protesters on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. Moore urged protesters, many of whom are demonstrating against what they see as a growing disparity between rich and poor, to continue their movement until they run the country. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Oakland's police chief says he takes responsibility for a crackdown on anti-Wall Street protesters, who have accused police of seriously injuring an Iraq War veteran during a clash earlier this week.
Interim Chief Howard Jordan's comments came Friday as Occupy Wall Street protesters maintained demonstration sites in some California cities and left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore rallied a gathering in Oakland.
Jordan defended the officers involved in the effort to drive protesters from a dayslong encampment, saying they used what they believed to be the least amount of force possible to protect themselves.
"I want to ensure you that all allegations of misconduct and excessive uses of force are being thoroughly investigated," Jordan said.
The plight of Iraq war veteran Scott Olsen, 24 ? who remained hospitalized in fair condition with a fractured skull ? has become a rallying cry at Occupy protests around the world.
Fellow veterans say police fired an object that struck him in the head, but authorities say object has yet to be definitively established, as well as the person responsible for the injury.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, who on Thursday publicly apologized for Tuesday's incident, said Friday that she did so because people got hurt.
Left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore addressed about 1,000 anti-Wall Street protesters in front of Oakland's City Hall, saying the Occupy movement has changed the national discussion.
"When was the last time in the last few weeks you heard them talking about the debt ceiling?" said Moore, the director of the documentary films "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Bowling for Columbine."
Meanwhile, a protest encampment at a plaza near the City Hall grew to about 50 tents, with organizers saying up to a thousand people were in the area late Friday night with very few police in sight.
The Oakland protesters announced a general strike on Nov. 2 where they will be urging banks and corporations to close for the day.
Farther south, police in San Diego descended early Friday on the encampment that housed demonstrators at the Civic Center Plaza and Children's Park for three weeks.
San Diego protester Chuck Stemke, a 32-year-old mechanical designer, said he awoke to a loud noise and looked out of his tent to see hundreds of police marching toward him in the darkness.
"It was very intimidating," he said. "There was a huge show of force."
Authorities arrested 51 people who faced charges including illegal lodging, illegal drug use, unlawful assembly and other charges. Twenty-four people were arrested on charges of blocking officers from performing their duties, police said.
San Diego police Chief William Lansdowne said negotiations with demonstrators had broken down and officers received no cooperation.
In the Central Valley, officials planned to evict a group of about 30 demonstrators from next to a Fresno County courthouse. The group agreed to officials' request not to pitch tents at the site during their 20-day stay, and the county had so far been lenient with the encampment, said protest spokesman Ruben Verdugo.
But officials on Friday gave notice that the protesters' permit would expire midnight Monday, and that demonstrators faced jail time and $500 fines if they remained.
Maria Torres stopped by the encampment to lend moral support. The 86-year-old said she worked with Cesar Chavez as an organizer of the farmworkers' movement in the 1960s.
"I'm too old now to do much, but I want to be a part of it," she said in Spanish.
Peaceful protests continued in San Francisco, where a handful of police officers patrolled the area across from the historic Ferry Building as 200 to 300 demonstrators gathered.
Mayor Ed Lee wants to avoid the type of police confrontations that happened in Oakland and has been meeting with members of the San Francisco camp to address concerns about public health and safety, said mayoral spokeswoman Christine Falvey.
"We can't have the camp for too many more days because it's not healthy," Falvey said.
__
Watson reported from San Diego. Contributing to this report were Associated press reporters Tracie Cone in Fresno; Terence Chea and Jason Dearen in San Francisco; and Garance Burke in Oakland.
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Appeals court upholds dismissal of elephant suit (AP)
WASHINGTON ? A federal appeals court is upholding the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by animal rights activists that claims the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus abuses its elephants.
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington agreed Friday with a lower court judge that the Animal Protection Institute and a former Ringling elephant trainer did not have the legal standing to sue the circus.
The lawsuit claimed the circus is violating the elephants' protection under the Endangered Species Act with the use of bullhooks for training and prolonged chaining during train rides between shows.
Vienna, Va.-based Feld Entertainment argued the elephants are not hurt and that the instruments are necessary to keep the animals under control and protect public safety. The company runs the circus and has an elephant sanctuary in Florida.
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U.S. Mint Creates U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Gold Coins
By Alex Madlangbayan on Oct 30, 2011 in Baseball, Sports, United States, World ? No comments
U.S. Mint of the National Treasury will mint gold coins in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame, according to reports by several international news sites on Friday, October 28, 2011.
The U.S Mint will be producing no more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins and 750,000 half dollar coins over a period of one year starting January 1, 2015. The production was given permission by the U.S. Secretary of National Treasury.
A bill to mint the coins will need the approval of the U.S. Senate and before it can be signed by U.S. President Barack Obama. Reports say that the bill will gain quick approval since baseball is a very popular game in the U.S..
The U.S. baseball hall of fame building opened in 1939 and became a national landmark. About 15 million people reportedly visited the building which exhibits baseball items of the greatest players of the game that include Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantel, Roger Maris and many others.
Gold Coins Custody Given To US Government By Court Ruling
The 1933 gold coins, found by a Philadelphia woman and seized by the US government, was ruled by a jury in favor of the latter on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, according to reports by several international news sites. A woman from a Philadelphia jeweler family reportedly found the gold coins in a safety deposit box that b [...]
Historic Gold Coins Found In Albany Australia By Building Worker Worth $500K
A treasure-trove of historic gold coins was discovered by a worker in a construction site in the port city of Albany, according to reports by several international news sites on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.Gold Coins Found In this site Image Credit: Laurie Benson The building worker unearthed a collection of about 40 [...]
Error coins worth $2.4 million stolen from US Mint, former employee pleads guilty
A set of so-called error coins worth $2.4 million was stolen from the US Mint, while its former employee pleaded guilty of the charges filed against him on Thursday, September 8, 2011. Presidential $1 coin Image Credit: USMint.gov According to a press release by US Attorney's Office of New Jersey District [...]
Commemorative Stamps now included in the Prince William and Kate Middleton Engagement and Wedding Souvenirs
Commemorative Stamps are to be included in the Prince William and Kate Middleton engagement souvenirs, as published at BBC News on Friday. According to the report, the Isle of Man post office will join the celebration of Prince William and Kate Middleton engagement, which was announced on Tuesday. The post office [...]
Dennis Rodman Joins Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Dennis Rodman Image Credit: NBA.com Dennis Rodman was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, August 12, 2011 in Springfield, Massachusetts, according to reports by several international sports sites. Known in the NBA as the "Worm", Rodman won five NBA championships, two Defensive Play [...]
Gold Prices Per Ounce Today Soars Above $1,500
Gold Prices Per Ounce Soars Image Credit: Mint.com Gold prices per ounce has breached the $1,500 mark today due to global economic recovery concerns, according to a BBC report. A record price of $1,500.70 per ounce of gold was registered in a Hong Kong trade. According to traders, the rise in gold prices is [...]
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2011 list nominees includes Alice Cooper and Bon Jovi
Alice Cooper and Bon Jovi are included in the list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2011, RockHall reports. Both of them are first-time nominees, while there are also old-timers like LL Cool J and Beastie Boys. However, fans of KISS and Rush may somehow be upset since the two were not included. T [...]
$1 million coin minted by Perth Mint In Australia (Video)
$1 million coin Image Credit: JED $1 million coin minted by Perth Mint in Australia is the world's largest gold coin, according to reports by several international news sites on Friday, October 28, 2011. The $1 million coin about the size of a manhole cover weighs about a ton and has a diameter of 80 cen [...]
Deion Sanders belongs to the ?List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees?
Deion Sanders admires his Hall of Fame bust after placing a black do-rag on it. Image Credit: Karen Schiely / MCT Deion Luwynn Sanders, nicknamed ?Prime Time? and ?Neon Deion?, was inducted into the 2011?Pro Football Hall of Fame, Saturday night at Fawcett Stadium?in Ohio, as reported by several intern [...]
President Obama to present 15 Medal of Freedom awards, including former US President George H. W. Bush
US President Barack Obama, along with First Lady Michelle Obama will present Medal of Freedom awards to 15 outstanding individuals on February 15, 2011, Tuesday, including to former US President George H. W. Bush. According to the announcement of White House, this historical event will have a live streaming on its o [...]
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Sunday, October 30, 2011
Brain gene activity changes through life
Studies track biochemical patterns from just after conception to old age
Web edition : Friday, October 28th, 2011
Human brains all work pretty much the same and use roughly the same genes in the same way to build and maintain the infrastructure that makes people who they are, two new studies show. And by charting the brain?s genetic activity from before birth to old age, the studies reveal that the brain continually remodels itself in predictable ways throughout life.
In addition to uncovering details of how the brain grows and ages, the results may help scientists better understand what goes awry in brain disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.
?The complexity is mind-numbing,? says neuroscientist Stephen Ginsberg of the Nathan Kline Institute and New York University Langone Medical Center, who wasn?t involved in the studies. ?It puts the brain in rarefied air.?
In the studies, published in the Oct. 27 Nature, researchers focused not on DNA ? virtually every cell?s raw genetic material is identical ? but on when, where and for how long each gene is turned on over the course of a person?s life. To do this, the researchers measured levels of mRNA, a molecule whose appearance marks one of the first steps in executing the orders contained in a gene, in postmortem samples of donated brains that ranged in age from weeks after conception to old age.
These different patterns of mRNA levels distinguish the brain from a heart, for instance, and a human from a mouse, too, says Nenad ?estan of Yale University School of Medicine and coauthor of one of the studies. ?Essentially, we carry the same genes as mice,? he says. ?However, in us, these genes are up to something quite different.?
To see what those genes were up to, ?estan?s study examined mRNA levels of different genes in 57 brain samples. The team divided the brain tissue up by region, so they were also able to get an idea of genes? behavior in different parts of the brain. A parallel study, headed by Joel Kleinman of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, looked at gene behavior in 269 brain samples from a single region called the prefrontal cortex that also spanned the lifetime.
This approach allowed the researchers to get access to the brain that had previously been impossible.
?One of the limitations in studying human brain development is that you cannot do experiments,? ?estan says. ?It?s very hard to understand when things happen.?
Both studies found lots of variation in gene behavior at different life stages, but one particular period stood out: The prenatal brain had massive changes in gene activity. Many genes there were pumping out big quantities of mRNA, and this production abruptly slowed after birth. ?Prenatally, things are changing faster than they change at any other time,? says Carlo Colantuoni of the Lieber Institute for Brain Development at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, and coauthor on one paper. ?Things are happening fast in there.??
Kleinman and his colleagues turned up a curious finding: Many of the genes that slow down right after birth show a surge of activity as a person gets older. ?The biggest changes that are going on occur fetally,? he says. ?And then they drop off until mid-life, and then in the 50s to 70s, expression changes pick up again and become quite dramatic.?
Researchers don?t yet know what to make of this reversal, says Colantuoni. ?We have just scratched the surface of what it means.?
Genes involved with building new brain cells were highly active early on, and then this activity quickly fell after birth. As these genes grew less active, genes involved in linking up nerve cells took on a greater role and became busier.
What?s more, the differences in gene behavior between male and female brains were greatest at early stages of development. Some of the genes found to be busier in male brains have been linked to schizophrenia, autism and other disorders that are known to be more prevalent among males, the researchers report. These disease-associated genes are very active early on in development and less so as a person ages, the researchers found, suggesting that something goes wrong very early in these conditions.
The scientists don?t know exactly which cells are responsible for these gene behavior differences. Figuring out whether gene behavior changes in all kinds of cells in the brain ? neurons and glia, for instance ? is the next step, says Ginsberg. ?That?s going to be really important, especially for neuropsychiatric disorders.?
Although gene behavior is incredibly dynamic, the results suggest that brains are more alike than different. Despite millions of differences in DNA, brains have a common biochemical shape, Kleinman says. Two people who have very different DNA make-up don?t necessarily have very different gene behavior in the brain. ?These individual genetic variations, they do matter ? no question,? he says. But overall, genes behave similarly from person to person. ?And that?s a really cool thing. It means that we?re much more alike than we are different.?
Many more studies are needed before scientists fully understand how the brain is built. Both teams plan on boosting the number of brain samples and studying the brains of people with disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. But the work is a major step forward, says geneticist Christopher Mason of Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. ?This is extraordinary work,? he says. ?This is the beginning of telling us what the whole brain looks like.?
Found in: Body & Brain
Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/335629/title/Brain_gene_activity_changes_through_life
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Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sean Penn to direct pal De Niro in "The Comedian" (Reuters)
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Sean Penn will direct his friend and method acting idol Robert De Niro in "The Comedian."
Kristin Wiig, hot off her "Bridesmaids" success, will co-star.
Despite the title, the movie is a drama centering on a once loved TV comic (De Niro) who is past his prime.
After being sentenced to community service for hitting an audience member in the head with his microphone, the comic meets a defiant redhead (Wiig) who turns his life upside down.
De Niro demonstrated in Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" (1983) that he's well-equipped to play a jokester who is missing a few marbles along with the punchlines, and Penn, whose scuffles with the paparazzi are legendary, knows a thing or two about court-ordered community service.
Production is slated to start in the spring.
Art Linson ("American Hot Wax") and Jeffrey Ross wrote the movie. Linson will produce along with John Linson, Jon Kilik and De Niro.
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Inside Social Games ? Social Gaming News Roundup: Zynga, DeNA ...
Gameloft May Create Social Gaming Network ? In a feature interview with Gamasutra, Gameloft?s SVP Gonzague de Vallois revealed the French company is considering bypassing its existing partners, Japanese mobile social network operators DeNA and GREE and creating their own social mobile network.
CastleVille Supporting $100k in Charity Donations - This week Zynga announced that it had created a unique partnership between its charitable arm Zynga.org and the upcoming CastleVille. By Liking the CastleVille Facebook fan page, players will be able help decide how donations of $40k, $30k and $20k will be allocated to Direct Relief, Save the Children and Water.org. The donations will be made once CastleVille reaches 5 million Likes. In addition to player determined donations, Zynga.org is also donating $10k to Dallas? Direct Relief Community Health Clinic to celebrate the release of CastleVille, the first game developed by Zynga Dallas.
TeePee Recruiting Beta Testers ? UK-based TeePee Games is recruiting gamers interested in playing social, online and mobile games before their release. Beta testers will be compensated for the work, which will include reporting on bugs and giving feedback on features and possible improvements. The deadline to sign up for a beta testing role is October 30th, and all those interested must register an account at www.teepeegames.com and send an email to Darren Newnham, TeePee Games? director of content: darren (dot) newnham (at) teepeegames (dot) com.
Final Fantasy Coming to a Social Network Near You ? Square Enix is teaming with DeNA to take its beloved gaming franchise, Final Fantasy to Mobage. The as-yet unannounced social game will feature familiar characters from the Final Fantasy series.
Apples to Apples Going Social, Mobile ? THQ is teaming with Mattel to take the popular party game Apples to Apples into the digital realm. The game will be available on Facebook and mobile devices, as well as on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network in time for the 2011 holiday season.
DeNA Purchasing Baseball Team?! ? Andriasang is reporting that Mobage owners DeNA are very close to signing a deal that would see them take a 70% ownership claim in struggling Japanese baseball team the Yokohama Bay Stars. If the deal goes through, DeNA will be on the hook to pay current team owners TBS Holdings upwards of 10 billion yen for the club.
Pixonic Opens US Office - Russian social game developer Pixonic has opened a new American office as part of its international expansion plan. The company, which has published more than 40 games on 14 different social networks, as well as iOS and Android, is now co-headquartered in Moscow and San Francisco.
Dungeon Overlord Headed to Korea ? Facebook MMO Dungeon Overlord is making the jump across the Pacific and into the Korean Market. The the exclusive Korean operating rights for the hardcore strategy game were obtained by The9 Korea in a deal with Austin based Dungeon Overlord developer Night Owl Games. According to AppData, Dungeon Overlord currently has 60,000 MAU.
Zynga VP Leaves After Six Months ? Zynga?s vice president of studios Lou Castle has left the company after just six months according to IndustryGamers.com. Castle reportedly made the move to spend more time with his family.
Facebook To Spend $1 Million on Lobbying in 2011 - TechCrunch is reporting that Facebook is set to spend more than $1 million lobbying the US government in 2011, a sharp increase over what the social network spent petitioning government in 2010.
Rift Makers Trion Worlds Also Making IPO Plans ? Trion Worlds may soon be filing for an IPO. The company?s chief executive Lars Butler revealed the information in a Reuters interview last week, telling reporters that the company is considering an IPO ?at some point.? Trion?s most popular game is MMORPG Rift.
We R Interactive Improves Service With Parature ? According to a press release sent out by Facebook game developer We R Interactive and cloud-based customer support tool Parature, after implementing Parature?s services into their game I AM PLAYR, We R Interactive has seen a 40% reduction in incoming support tickets. We R Interactive integrated Parature?s services into I AM PLAYR two months ago.
Farmer?s Insurance Expands Zynga Marketing to CityVille ? American insurer Farmer?s Insurance is following up its branded promotions in Zynga?s FarmVille, Mafia Wars and Cafe World with a new campaign in CityVille. As part of the promotion, players will be able to add branded Farmer?s Insurance buildings and items to their cities, and enter to win a trip to New York.
[Funding] SoshiGames Sprouts Seed Funding ? SoshiGames has secured $500,000 of seed funding. The UK startup is using the money to start hiring new team members for development of its social music Facebook game Music Festivals, which is currently in beta.
[Launch] Resort World on Google+ ? Game Insight?s Resort World is now on Google+. The game is one of the first available on Google+ and the move makes Game Insight one of the first 12 developers who have brought their games to the new social network.
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Experts Design 'Toolkit' to Help Spot Teens With Mental Health Issues (HealthDay)
FRIDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Because many adolescents with mental health problems are never diagnosed and treated, an expert team has come up with a "toolkit" aimed at identifying those kids and getting them the right help.
"One in 10 youths have a mental health condition that is severe enough to impair functioning, either at home, school or in the community," said Gary Blau, chief of the child, adolescent and family branch of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Blau spoke at a Friday news conference to unveil the toolkit, which appeared online simultaneously in Pediatrics. Although the journal is published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, that organization has not endorsed the toolkit. SAMHSA provided partial funding for the project.
"This toolkit will allow pediatricians, teachers and others that could help get the word out to families we can close the gap so the three out of four children with mental health disorders who aren't identified do get identified," said Dr. Peter Jensen, who was the lead investigator on the project.
About half of mental health disorders manifest themselves by the time a child has turned 14, and 75 percent manifest by age 24, Blau said.
Yet treatment is often years away for that child, added Lisa Hunter Romanelli, an assistant professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City.
"That is too long in the life of a child," said Romanelli, who is also executive director of the nonprofit REACH Institute, whose mission is to shorten the length of time it takes for effective interventions to reach teens. Jensen is president and CEO of the institute.
Researchers convened over a period of several years to analyze data collected from more than 6,000 children and parents to identify the most common symptoms of mental health disorders and to see if children with these troubling signs were receiving appropriate care.
This information was then translated into warning signs that are written in "crisp, easy-to-understand language," said Jensen, who is vice chair of research in the department of psychiatry and psychology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "They don't sound like mental health jargon. It was deliberate, to make them as parent-friendly as possible."
Because differentiating a true mental health disorder from the inevitable ups and downs of adolescence is difficult, the authors chose to focus on the more severe end of the mental health spectrum.
"We realized there was a potential for harm for parents to worry when they didn't need to be worried," said Jensen. "So we decided to target not the 15 percent or so who have these problems, but the 8 percent who are at the more severe end."
If your child has any of these 11 warning signs, he or she may have a mental health disorder and should be referred to treatment as soon as possible:
- Feeling very sad or withdrawn for two or more weeks
- Seriously trying to harm or kill themselves, or making plans to do so
- Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing
- Involved in multiple fights, using a weapon, or wanting badly to hurt others
- Severe out-of-control behavior that can hurt the teenager or others
- Not eating, throwing up, or using laxatives to lose weight
- Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities
- Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that puts a teenager in physical danger or causes school failure
- Repeated use of drugs or alcohol
- Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
- Drastic changes in behavior or personality
"This data substantiates what we already knew, that there are warning signs of significant mental illness, but children and adolescents aren't getting help because health care providers don't share the same language," said Dr. Abigail Schlesinger, medical director of outpatient behavioral health services at Children's Hospital Pittsburgh.
"This toolkit will help mental health providers and others on the front lines, such as teachers, people in the juvenile justice system [and] parents speak the same language," added Schlesinger, who was not part of the research team.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on child and adolescent mental health issues.
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A Very Happy Birthday to a Very Special Lady
The Statue of Liberty. She is a symbol of freedom, an icon of New York City, and today is her birthday. In honor to celebrate, I?d like to share some images from an article from the August 14th, 1886 Scientific American that highlighted the methods of assembling Lady Liberty. After all, what?s birth without a gestation period?
While still in France, the statue?s shell was assembled and each piece was assigned a number or figure. Pieces that lined up next to each other had identical figures on sides which needed to fit together, creating a reassembly map. Each piece had a row of small holes on its edges, and when adjacent pieces lined up, their holes coincided so they could be riveted together.
The shell of the statue is made of very thin copper, making it somewhat pliable. When the pieces left France, they were tightly packed in wooden frames to prevent them from bending. However, some distortion inevitably occurred and once the pieces arrived, the laborers ?with a lot of skill and patience?had to refit each piece. Iron bars were fitted to line the interior to give the shell extra strength and rigidity. The bars were bent to fit the contours of the copper, as seen in the close up of the face?s interior. Copper and iron were insulated from each other by a layer of shellac and asbestos in order to prevent and chemical reactions happening between the two metals.
The statue is braced by 2 systems of heavy girders, embedded deep into the pedestal, and 4 eye beams that connect the girders. The concrete foundation, which the article reported as ?easily the largest single block of artificial stone in the world,? measured 90 feet square at the base, 65 feet square at the top, and 52 feet 10 inches in height.
The original date of the statue?s unveiling was set for September 3, 1886. However, all the intricate work needed to reassemble and erect the statue delayed the ceremony until October 28, 1886?which makes today the Statue of Liberty?s 125 Birthday!
Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=d29014574de8a3d1a2417feaebe4ff8c
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Friday, October 28, 2011
Hurricane Rina gaining strength on path to Cancun (AP)
CANCUN, Mexico ? Mexican authorities set up emergency shelters and cruise ships shifted course on Tuesday as Hurricane Rina strengthened off the Caribbean coast, following a projected track that has it whirling through Cancun and the resort-filled Mayan Riviera, Mexico's most popular tourist destination.
Rina's maximum sustained winds remained steady at about 110 mph (175 kph), said the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, making it a Category 2 storm. Forecasters predict it will strengthen as it nears the Mexican coast Wednesday night before rolling over the island of Cozumel, a popular dive spot and cruise-ship port, then along the coast to Cancun.
Authorities decided to evacuate the small, low-lying fishing village of Punta Allen, just south of Tulum, said Quintana Roo state Civil Defense Director Luis Carlos Rodriguez.
Soldiers, marines and state police arrived with vehicles in Punta Allen Tuesday to evacuate about 275 residents and take them to a storm shelter at a middle school; about 500 people are expected to be evacuated there in total.
The coastal area around Tulum is dotted with Mayan ruins, and further north is Playa del Carmen, another popular spot for international tourists and the departure point for ferries serving Cozumel.
Douglas Baird, 40, of Glasgow, Scotland, said he had been in Playa del Carmen for 11 days on a tour with 10 other people. He plans to stay for the five remaining days of his vacation.
"I'll go to the bar," he said about his plans for waiting out his first hurricane. "It won't be a problem."
State Tourism Director Juan Carlos Gonzalez Hernandez said there were about 83,000 tourists in the state, with about 45,000 of those in stretch of coast south of Cancun that includes Tulum and Playa de Carmen, and almost 28,000 in Cancun.
There were only about 1,719 tourists in Cozumel, and many of them were leaving, Gonzalez Hernandez said.
"In the case of Cozumel, which could be hit hardest, people are leaving of their own accord and are cutting their reservations short," said Gonzalez Hernandez.
Cancun Tourism Director Maximo Garcia said authorities had asked hotel managers to warn tourists of the hurricane.
But Wendy Powers, a 49-year-old from Louisiana who was taking a stroll at a shopping mall with two other friends, said she hadn't heard anything about the storm until a reporter told her about it. Still, she said she wasn't worried.
"We had Katrina and we survived it," Powers said. "If the one coming here is a category 1 or 2, we could have a beach party."
Laura Valles, a receptionist at the Hotel Jashita in coastal Tulum, said four of its 15 guests moved inland to hotels at the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, some 90 miles (150 kilometers) west, and others were still deciding what to do.
"We are letting those with a reservation know they will have to change their dates," Valles said.
Yassir Espinoza, a clerk at the small Plaza Azul hotel in Cozumel, said tourists were being warned of the impending storm.
"We told them if there is a hurricane there won't be any electricity or water for at least three days," she said.
In Cancun's hotel zone, a string of pickup trucks hauled small boats and jet skis away from marinas, while workers at shopping malls began boarding up windows.
At least eight cruise ships were changing itineraries away from the storm's path, said Carnival Cruise Lines spokesman Vance Gulliksen.
Three cruise ships from the company Norwegian and one from Royal Caribbean have canceled their Friday port of call in the area, said Hiram Toledo, Quintana Roo port administrator.
The area was badly damaged by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, when Cancun's famous white-sand beaches were largely washed away. Insurance officials estimated total damage at $3 billion.
State officials said they were readying more than 1,100 shelters that could handle nearly 200,000 people, though so far there was no word of any planned evacuations.
The hurricane was centered about 250 miles (405 kilometers) southeast of Cozumel Tuesday afternoon and was moving west at near 3 mph (6 kph), the Hurricane Center said.
Forecasters said Rina was likely to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of about 115 mph (185 kph) by Wednesday.
The forecast track shows it curving east toward Cuba by the weekend, but senior hurricane specialist Michael Brennan at the hurricane center said it could also move toward southern Florida.
The center said the storm could produce as much as 16 inches (40 centimeters) of rain over at least parts of the eastern Yucatan Peninsula while raising water levels by as much as 5 to 7 feet (about a meter) in places.
___
Associated Press writers Adriana Gomez Licon in Mexico City contributed to this story.
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Religious, spiritual support benefits men and women facing chronic illness, study finds
ScienceDaily (Oct. 26, 2011) ? Individuals who practice religion and spirituality report better physical and mental health than those who do not. To better understand this relationship and how spirituality/religion can be used for coping with significant health issues, University of Missouri researchers are examining what aspects of religion are most beneficial and for what populations. Now, MU health psychology researchers have found that religious and spiritual support improves health outcomes for both men and women who face chronic health conditions.
"Our findings reinforce the idea that religion/spirituality may help buffer the negative consequences of chronic health conditions," said Stephanie Reid-Arndt, associate professor of health psychology in the School of Health Professions. "We know that there are many ways of coping with stressful life situations, such as a chronic illness; involvement in religious/spiritual activities can be an effective coping strategy."
Religious and spiritual support includes care from congregations, spiritual interventions, such as religious counseling and forgiveness practices, and assistance from pastors and hospital chaplains. The recent publication from the MU Center for Religion and the Professions research group, authored by Reid-Arndt, found that religious support is associated with better mental health outcomes for women and with better physical and mental health for men.
"Both genders benefit from social support -- the ability to seek help from and rely on others -- provided by fellow congregants and involvement in religious organizations," said co-author Brick Johnstone, health psychology professor. "Encouragement to seek out religious and spiritual supports can assist individuals in coping with stress and physical symptoms related to health issues. Health care providers can urge patients to take advantage of these resources, which provide emotional care, financial assistance and opportunities for increased socialization."
The study examined the role of gender in using spirituality/religiosity to cope with chronic health conditions and disabilities, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke and cancer. Using measures of religiousness/spirituality, general mental health and general health perception, the researchers found no differences between men and women in terms of self-reported levels of spiritual experiences, religious practices or congregational support. This finding contrasts with other studies that suggest women may be more spiritual or participate in religion more frequently than men.
"While women generally are more religious or spiritual than men, we found that both genders may increase their reliance on spiritual and religious resources as they face increased illness or disability," Johnstone said.
For women, mental health is associated with daily spiritual experiences, forgiveness and religious/spiritual coping, the study found. This suggests that belief in a loving, supportive and forgiving higher power is related with positive mental coping for women with chronic conditions. For men, religious support -- the perception of help, support and comfort from local congregations -- was associated with better self-rated health.
Johnstone is director of the MU Spirituality and Health Research program. He has completed several studies examining the relationships that exist among religion, spirituality and health, particularly for individuals with different chronic disabling conditions and for those from different faith traditions.
The study was published in the Journal of Religion, Disability & Health. It was funded by the Center on Religion and the Professions at MU, funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
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- Stephanie Reid-Arndt, Marian Smith, Dong Pil Yoon, Brick Johnstone. Gender Differences in Spiritual Experiences, Religious Practices, and Congregational Support for Individuals with Significant Health Conditions. Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 2011; 15 (2): 175 DOI: 10.1080/15228967.2011.566792
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/~3/m3p-7MVC6Jw/111026143811.htm
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Automotive Valeting: Making Your Used Automotive Look Like New ...
25 Oct
Article posted by ButchkoHoladay as Cardio
You simply purchased your very own car from the used automobile lot. Although it might not be much to look at, it?s important to think about that it?s an used car. You can?t actually look forward to finding something that sparkling and glossy in an used automotive lot would you?
Anyway, you bought the car for a cut price and that is actually enough for you. You?ve an automotive that?s in working situation which will be able to take you wherever you want to go and it drives actually nice. The one drawback is, is that it misplaced that once wonderful paint that you just see before your eyes. You realize that it could possibly be higher wanting but you just do not have the money to refinish the car paint as well as substitute the leathers on the seats. You even have that injury on the chrome and very dusty and soiled interior as well as carpets that will make your mom take the bus as an alternative of using in your car.
Nevertheless, have you ever ever thought that there?s a technique to make your automotive appear to be new without spending a lot of money?
With automotive valeting or detailing services, you will see that your automotive will regain its once model new look. Although the condition of the engine in addition to the mechanical elements won?t work as it had earlier than when it was model new, you need to contemplate that it will be in a position to appear like new and look as if it just came out of the showroom.
No matter car you bought in the used automotive lot, you will notice that professionals working for car detailing or valeting services will have the ability to provide you with quality service and do their best to make your car stand out from the rest.
Automobile detailing or valeting is the observe of extraordinarily totally cleansing of an automobile. It won?t solely contain washing the car and waxing the outside and hand sprucing it with chamois, however it would contain a number of procedures to really make your automotive look as if it is ready for an automobile show. In truth, most people with traditional automobile don?t dare clean the automobile themselves. What they do is take the automobile to auto detailing or valeting corporations to get it cleaned and get that show high quality level of cleanliness and detail.
In automotive detailing or valeting, cleansing the exterior will contain claying, sprucing and waxing. Claying is used to take away any contamination in the paint reminiscent of highway grime, tar, dried bugs, tree sap and even paint that was sprayed over the unique paint. Claying is basically getting your automobile ready for waxing and polishing.
Within the interior of the car, cleaning will involve vacuuming, brushing and utilizing shampoos and other liquid cleaners for the seats and carpets.
Should you really want the complete service, most automobile detailing or valeting companies will even recondition the leather seats and carpets to look as if it is model new.
The tires aren?t even left out. They will apply a chemical that may make the tire look blacker and cleaner
The engine will even be cleaned. It is going to be rid of dirt and grease and actually present the element of the engine.
When you desire a clear automobile, then you will see that automobile detailing or valeting companies will be able to offer you the companies that can definitely exceed your expectations with out spending too much money.
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Thursday, October 27, 2011
Judgment due next week in Assange extradition case (AP)
LONDON ? WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will learn next week of the verdict in his fight against his extradition to Sweden to answer allegations of sexual misconduct, the organization said Thursday.
WikiLeaks staffer Joseph Farrell said that Britain's High Court had informed Assange it will deliver judgment on his appeal on Nov. 2,
"The court told us. We have no further details," Farrell said in a text message.
In February, a judge ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual molestation against two women. Lawyers for Assange filed an appeal at the High Court, and insist the activist would not receive a fair trial.
Britain's Royal Courts of Justice could not immediately be reached to confirm details of next week's hearing.
Allegations against Assange date back to a visit to Sweden in August 2010, shortly after the activist's organization had released secret U.S. files on the war in Afghanistan. Assange became involved with two women ? one of whom later accused him of coercion and molestation, another of whom alleged that he had had sex with her as she slept.
Swedish prosecutors have not charged Assange with any crime, but have demanded that he returns to Scandinavia to face questions about the case.
Assange, who was briefly detained in prison custody, has been living under curfew at a supporter's rural mansion in eastern England while he has contested the demand for his extradition.
The activist has been made the subject of an overnight curfew, must wear an electronic tag and report to police daily.
Assange has claimed the Swedish case is being politically manipulated following his organization's disclosure of classified U.S. documents.
At an appeal hearing in July, Assange's lawyer Ben Emmerson said that the women involved in the case may have found sex with his client "disrespectful, discourteous or disturbing," but added that it had been entirely consensual.
Emmerson told that hearing that Assange's actions wouldn't be illegal in the context of English law. "The conduct that is complained of would not constitute a crime in this jurisdiction," he said.
Assange had previously vowed to take his case to Britain's Supreme Court or the European Court of Human Rights if his appeal is rejected by the High Court.
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Associated Press Writer Raphael G. Satter contributed to this report
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Online:
WikiLeaks: http://wikileaks.ch/
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Coroner: Amy Winehouse died from too much alcohol (AP)
LONDON ? Amy Winehouse drank herself to death.
The soul diva who had Grammy-winning songs and fans around the world died with empty vodka bottles in her room and lethal amounts of alcohol in her blood ? more than five times the British drunk driving limit, a British coroner ruled Wednesday.
Coroner Suzanne Greenaway gave a verdict of "death by misadventure," saying the singer died of accidental alcohol poisoning when she resumed drinking after weeks of abstinence.
"The unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels (of alcohol) was her sudden and unexpected death," Greenaway said.
The 27-year-old singer, who had fought a very public battle with drug and alcohol problems for years, was found dead in bed July 23 at her London home. An initial autopsy proved inconclusive, although it found no traces of illegal drugs in her system or signs of injury.
Pathologist Suhail Baithun told the inquest into the singer's death that blood and urine samples indicated Winehouse had consumed a "very large quantity of alcohol" prior to her death. The level of alcohol in her blood was 416 milligrams per 100 milliliters, he said ? a blood alcohol level of 0.4 percent.
The British and U.S. legal drunk-driving limit is 0.08 percent.
Such levels of alcohol intake could have stopped her breathing and sent her into a coma, Baithun added.
Doctors say acute alcohol poisoning is usually the result of binge drinking ? the human body can only process about one unit of alcohol, or about half a glass of wine, an hour. Having too much alcohol in the body can cause severe dehydration, hypothermia, seizures, breathing problems, and a heart attack, among other difficulties.
There is no minimum dose for acute alcohol poisoning and the condition varies depending on a person's age, sex, weight, how fast the alcohol is drunk and other factors such as drug use.
Police Detective Inspector Les Newman, who was called after a security guard found Winehouse, said three empty vodka bottles ? two large and one small ? were found in her bedroom.
Winehouse's doctor, Dr. Christina Romete, said the singer had resumed drinking in the days before her death. Prior to that, Winehouse had stayed away from drink for most of July, she said, although she had been alternating between abstinence and heavy alcohol use for a long time.
"She's made tremendous efforts over the years," Romete said, adding that alcohol became Winehouse's main problem after the singer gave up illicit drugs in 2008.
Romete, who saw Winehouse the night before she died, described the singer as "tipsy" but calm. She said Winehouse had not spoken of suicide, and had talked about her upcoming birthday.
The doctor said Winehouse had been prescribed drugs including the sedative Librium to help her cope with the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, but the coroner said these had played no role in her death.
Winehouse was last seen by her live-in security guard, Andrew Morris, who said he had heard her laughing and listening to music the night before she died.
He said he knew she had resumed drinking, but did not notice anything unusual until he found that she had stopped breathing in bed the next afternoon.
"She did it moderately... she wasn't drinking to get drunk," Morris told the coroner's court.
Dr. Joseph Feldman, chief of emergency services at Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey, said Winehouse likely developed tolerance to larger quantities of alcohol than one would expect after drinking heavily for years. He also said the sedative Winehouse was on, Librium, wouldn't have stopped someone from having seizures if they were in alcohol withdrawal.
"It's easier to withdraw from heroin than it is from alcohol ... withdrawal (from alcohol) can cause anxiety, tremors, hallucinations, the sensation of things crawling all over you," he said.
He said those symptoms sometimes push people back to alcohol, which can result in poisoning.
"It's possible she could have been saved if she had been found (or treated) earlier," he said. "A lot of treatment is supportive care, like IV fluids and making sure they don't vomit."
The singer's parents attended the hearing Wednesday but did not speak to reporters. In a statement, Winehouse family spokesman Chris Goodman said it was a relief to the family "to finally find out what happened to Amy."
"The court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain to us that she could not win in time," he said.
Winehouse's breakthrough "Back to Black" album, released in 2006, was recently certified as the best-selling disc in Britain so far during the 21st century. The updated take on old-time soul also earned her five Grammy Awards.
Although the singer was adored by fans worldwide for her unique voice and style, praise for her singing was often eclipsed by lurid headlines about her destructive relationships and erratic behavior.
In June, the singer abruptly canceled her entire European comeback tour after she swayed and slurred her way through barely recognizable songs in her first show in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. She was booed and jeered off stage and had to return to Britain to recover.
Her last public appearance came three days before her death, when she briefly joined her goddaughter, singer Dionne Bromfield, on stage at The Roundhouse in Camden, near her home.
___
Associated Press Medical Writer Maria Cheng contributed to this report.
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Shawn vs. Bret: WWE Superstars weigh in, part one
Perhaps no single event in sports-entertainment history is as polarizing as ?The Montreal Screwjob.? A shocking culmination of the lengthy rivalry that burned between Shawn Michaels and Bret ?Hit Man? Hart both in and out of the ring, the incident created a divide between Superstars, sports-entertainment fans and the men who were in the spotlight that night. Fourteen years later, HBK and The Hit Man address that unforgettable turn of events and much more in WWE: Greatest Rivalries - Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart ? a compelling, in-depth series of unscripted conversations between the two WWE Hall of Famers.
With the DVD stirring up some serious debate in the locker room, WWE.com cornered 15 competitors, including John Cena, Christian and CM Punk, and asked the inflammatory question: ?Shawn or Bret ? whose side are you on?? What we heard in response was controversial, surprising and always entertaining ? just like the rivalry between HBK and The Hit Man.
Who was your childhood hero?
Bret ?Hit Man? Hart made his WWE debut on Aug. 24, 1984 in a tag match alongside The Dynamite Kid. Four years later, on July 7, 1988, Shawn Michaels set foot in a WWE ring for the first time. In the decade that followed, their paths crossed in tag bouts, WrestleMania main events and one life-changing night in Montreal, Quebec in November of 1997. Along the way, they inspired an entire generation of young hopefuls to step through the ropes and pursue the impossible dream of becoming a WWE Champion.
CHRISTIAN: I followed Bret Hart?s career ever since Calgary Stampede Wrestling, so I really enjoyed watching him grow as a performer and move on to the Intercontinental Championship and then, of course, the WWE Championship. I always admired his style. He was just no-nonsense ? a pure wrestler. That?s what he wanted to be known as, and the people loved him because of that.
CM PUNK: Shawn Michaels definitely grabbed my attention when I was a kid.
CODY RHODES: I grew up regularly defending the chaps and ridiculous outfits of Shawn Michaels.
ZACK RYDER: When I was a kid, I was always on the Shawn Michaels side for sure. He was just one of my favorites growing up. I guess I always wanted to be a sexy boy.
DREW McINTYRE: As much as I love Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart was always my No. 1, as far as I can remember. I?m not saying that Michaels wasn?t a close second, but Bret was always No. 1.
TED DIBIASE: Bret Hart was one of my favorites, other than my dad, for the longest time. One day, I was sitting front row and he gave me the glasses. I still have them actually, which is pretty cool.
JOHN MORRISON: Growing up, I was a huge fan of Shawn Michaels. He was the only bad guy I liked as a kid.?
Who was on the better tag team?
Before they broke out as singles stars, both The Hit Man and Michaels established themselves in the tag team division as members of The Hart Foundation and The Rockers, respectively. Alongside the powerful Jim ?The Anvil? Neidhart, Hart captured the World Tag Team Championships on two occasions, and rumbled with legendary teams like Demolition and The British Bulldogs. HBK and his partner, Marty Jannetty, never won the titles, but gained legions of fans with their cocky attitudes and flashy offense. The team may best be remembered, though, for their breakup, which saw Michaels send his longtime friend through a plate-glass window.
McINTYRE: They were both equally innovative, but I?m going to go with The Hart Foundation since they actually held the titles officially. That gives them the edge, but they were both awesome tag teams.
BETH PHOENIX: The Rockers were definitely more fun and upbeat, but The Hart Foundation appealed to me more, because they had the technical style and the colorfulness of Jimmy Hart. They had a way of making sure the job got done by any means necessary.
DIBIASE: I?m going to have to say The Rockers. I just loved watching them come out every time they were on TV.? It was electric and a lot of fun to watch.
RYDER: Definitely The Rockers. The Hart Foundation were the bad guys beating up The Rockers, so I was always going for Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty and I always aspired to be just like them.
JOHN CENA: I prefer me and Shawn Michaels. We were the World Tag Team Champions ? it?s in the book!
Who had the better finishing maneuver?
Like any great Superstar, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart built their reputations around their finishing maneuvers. For HBK, it was Sweet Chin Music ? a devastating thrust kick that the WWE Hall of Famer executed out of nowhere to destroy opponents like Triple H and Chris Jericho. The Excellence of Execution favored the Sharpshooter, a wrenching submission hold that was later adopted by a myriad of competitors, including The Rock and Hart?s niece, Natalya.
CENA: I haven?t been on the wrong side of The Sharpshooter, but if you?re on the wrong side of Sweet Chin Music, by the time you wake up you?ve already lost.
EVAN BOURNE: That?s easy ? The Sharpshooter. The technical prowess it takes to put on a Sharpshooter?? Lock it in and make your opponent give up? I know how to kick, but can I put on a Sharpshooter and make somebody tap? I don?t think so.
McINTYRE: The Sharpshooter. I used that bad boy so many times on people. And I could apply it perfectly ? unlike The Rock.?
RYDER: Sweet Chin Music can come out of nowhere, but I feel like a lot of people throw a similar kick. That Sharpshooter, once Bret Hart has it hooked on, that?s it.?
CURT HAWKINS: How about the HBK elbow drop??
WADE BARRETT: Sharpshooter. I?ve always liked that style of move where you can pose for photographs while it?s happening.
DIBIASE:?I have been kicked in the chin quite a few times by Shawn, so I am going to have to pick Sweet Chin Music, because it hurts.
PHOENIX: Sharpshooter by far, because with Sweet Chin Music there are many counters, but The Sharpshooter is one of those holds that you rarely ever saw countered. Once it was locked in, it was always the tap out.?
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Source: http://www.wwe.com/inside/wwefeaturepage/superstars-on-shawn-vs-bret
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011
School Budget Cuts: Educators Fear Deepest Cuts Are Ahead
LANCASTER, Pa. -- Teenage girls in ponytails and boys in long athletic shorts dash across the gym at Abraham Lincoln Middle School, pausing their game of indoor tennis to motion "Y-M-C-A" with their arms as the Village People's song blares from the loudspeaker.
It's a scene happening less frequently these days. Budget cuts and teacher layoffs have forced the school to cut some PE classes, reduce library hours and eliminate small literacy classes for problem readers and Spanish for sixth- and seventh-graders.
"I'm scared to death. As we continue to look at fewer and fewer non-classroom positions that are there, at some point it's going to impact core classroom positions and that's a very, very scary thing," said principal Josh Keene.
Educators across America, like Keene, are bracing for a tough reality. Even in a best-case scenario that assumes strong economic growth next year, it won't be until 2013 or later when districts see budget levels return to pre-recession levels, said Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators in Arlington, Va. That means more cuts and layoffs are likely ahead.
"The worst part is that it's not over," Domenech said.
Already, an estimated 294,000 jobs in the education sector have been lost since 2008, including those in higher education.
The cuts are felt from Keller, Texas, where the district moved to a pay-for-ride transportation system rather than cut busing altogether, to Georgia, where 20 days were shaved off the calendar for pre-kindergarten classes. In California, a survey found that nearly half of all districts last year cut or reduced art, drama and music programs. Nationally, 120 districts primarily in rural areas have gone to a four-day school week to save on transportation and utility costs, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Others are implementing fees to play sports, cutting field trips and ending after-school programs.
Districts have little choice but to put off buying textbooks and technology and training teachers, said Rob Monson, a principal in Parkston, S.D., who is president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
At Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Keene says he's worried ? not just about offering electives next year, but whether class sizes in core subjects will jump from around 25 to 35 or 40. His district received $6 million less from the state this year, which meant six staff positions in his school were cut. Even if state funding remains the same next year, the district expects to have from $5 million to $7 million less because of increased pension obligations and other expenses.
Recognizing the reality districts face, President Barack Obama included $30 billion in his $447 billion jobs creation package to save teachers' jobs. The Senate rejected the jobs package as well as a separate measure focused on saving the jobs of teachers and first responders. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said the plan resembles "bailouts" that haven't proven to work and only perpetuate economic problems.
Not everyone sees all doom and gloom in schools' budget woes. Some say many districts haven't wisely spent tax dollars or didn't adequately prepare for the end of the $100 billion in federal stimulus dollars for schools. And that while the number of students per teacher in America dropped from 22.3 in 1970 to 15.3 in 2008, according to the National Center For Education Statistics, they say the reduction hasn't made a noticeable difference.
Karen Hawley Miles, executive director of Education Resource Strategies, a nonprofit based in Watertown, Mass., that helps urban districts develop ways to more effectively use resources, encourages districts to use this time to make changes they have been reluctant to do. They include strategically raising class sizes to refocus on teacher quality and changing teacher compensation to be more tied to performance, she said.
"In tough days when it's incredibly urgent, sometimes these conversations can take place in a different frame. We see districts really thinking about how they can really do things differently and really focus in on their priorities," she said.
In Pennsylvania, at the urging of Gov. Tom Corbett, the Legislature slashed public-education spending by roughly $900 million, or more than 10 percent, to avoid a state budget deficit for the year that began July 1 without raising taxes.
Seemingly overnight, thousands of education jobs in the state were lost. A survey of school districts by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials found that leading into this school year, 44 percent reduced elective course offerings and 70 percent increased class sizes. More than 30 districts said they either reduced or eliminated full-day kindergarten or pre-K programs.
The cuts hit many of the poorer districts harder because they are more reliant on state dollars.
In York, Pa., about a 30-minute drive from Lancaster, full-day kindergarten was saved when administrators and teachers agreed to a pay freeze. But art, music, and physical education teachers in elementary schools were eliminated, forcing classroom teachers to incorporate the electives in their classroom teaching, said Kim Schwarz, 45, a teacher and president of the York City Education Association. High school class sizes now are in the upper 30s, she said.
Schwarz said the changes are tough for kids who really shine in art or physical education and it's been hard on the morale of teachers.
"The district has scrimped and pulled and did everything they could to find additional funds ... and I think the teachers are doing an absolutely phenomenal job of educating the students and giving them the attention that they need given the circumstances, which just adds more to the stress and the level of exhaustion that we're all feeling," Schwarz said.
At Keene's school in Lancaster, about 60 percent of the students are Latino and 80 percent are considered low income. Many are sent home on Friday nights with donated groceries and recipes for cooking them. Among the staff members cut was one who did home visits to follow up on children who weren't attending class. The school was able to continue an after-school program only after a non-profit agreed to run it.
Keene said he wants his children to have a full life, and he thinks music, art and physical education are part of that. He just hopes those classes will be offered in the future.
"You know the old adage sometimes you need to work smarter, not harder? We're frankly at a point where we just need to work harder and more hours, and with the reductions in staff, that's what needs to happen because otherwise, kids are going to suffer, and that's unacceptable," Keene said.
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Chinese leader urges North Korea to better US ties (AP)
BEIJING ? A Chinese leader is urging ally North Korea to improve its strained ties with the United States as U.S. and North Korean diplomats prepare to talk about restarting nuclear disarmament negotiations.
A report early Monday from China's official Xinhua News Agency says Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang told North Korean Premier Choe Yong Rim that improving ties with the U.S. and South Korea would promote stability in the region.
Made at the start of a three-day visit to North Korea, Li's plea comes as U.S. and North Korean diplomats gather in Geneva to see about resuming six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program. North Korea walked out on the talks but now wants to re-engage.
Li says China supports restarting the talks quickly.
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Peres defends Abbas after Israeli foreign minister's attack (Reuters)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) ? Israeli President Shimon Peres came to the defense of Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday after Israel's far-right foreign minister called the Palestinian president an obstacle to peace.
"Abbas and (Palestinian) Prime Minister (Salam) Fayyad are serious leaders that want peace and are working to prevent violence and extremism in our region," said Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
"We must continue to negotiate peace with them in order to achieve full peace that will end this long conflict," he said in public remarks during a meeting with "Seinfeld" actor Jason Alexander, a member of "One Voice," an international movement promoting a two-state solution.
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who heads an ultranationalist party in the governing coalition, said in a briefing to reporters on Monday that Abbas was blocking any progress toward peace.
"If there is an obstacle that could be removed it's Abu Mazen," he said, referring to Abbas and calling on him to resign.
"He threatens he will hand back the keys," Lieberman said, referring to the Western-backed Abbas's warnings in the past that he would quit unless a statehood deal could be achieved. "It's not a threat, it's a blessing."
There was no indication that Lieberman's fiery remarks reflected any change in Israeli government policy, and they elicited no response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has called on Abbas to resume negotiations, which collapsed 13 months ago in a dispute over Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank, and abandon a unilateral bid for U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state.
Lieberman's remarks drew Palestinian anger and condemnation by a spokesman for U.N. Middle East envoy Robert Serry, and from European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, on the eve of a new push by international mediators for renewed talks.
Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for Ashton, said on Tuesday Lieberman's remarks were "regrettably not helpful to create the environment of trust conducive to negotiations."
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Voice of Palestine Radio, "we consider this tantamount to a call for the physical assassination of (Abbas)."
"This is criminal incitement. We called the American administration, we sat with our friends in the Russian Federation and the European Union," Erekat said.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were due to meet separately in Jerusalem on Wednesday with representatives of the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators -- the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.
Expectations were low in Israel and the Palestinian Territories that the indirect talks could lead to a resumption of face-to-face negotiations between the two sides.
(Writing by Jeffrey Heller Additional reporting by Allyn Fisher Ilan in Jerusalem, Justyna Pawlak in Brussels and Tom Perry in Ramallah)
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