This Mayhem-Filled Allstate Ad Is The First Thing ... - Business Insider

Good morning, AdLand. Here's what you need to know today:

As soon as the Super Bowl ends, this ad from?Allstate will play in the first commercial break. The Leo Burnett-created spot stars the beloved bad boy Mayhem, who it turns out is responsible for every single bad thing that has ever happened. SVP of marketing Lisa Cochrane told Ad Age that it's all about timing: "Brothers will embrace, all-time greats will speak and Allstate will unveil a special Mayhem spot in Position 1A right when the game ends." Here's a 60-second version of the 30-second spot.

72andSunny poached Audrey Eden from Deutsch LA to create an event marketing aspect of the agency. She was previously the EVP of experiential marketing at Deutsch.

Qualcomm picked DDB to create corporate image advertising on a $2 million account. Ogilvy was the other finalist.

Sales promotions are back at JCP.?

Brad Emmett is going back to Doner to be an executive creative director. He was previously a senior creative at DeVito/Verdi.

OpenX?and?AdTruth have partnered up to develop a joint mobile targeting campaign. This is the first time advertisers will be able to recognize and reach targeted audiences at scale on mobile devices through a global RTB exchange across both mobile web and mobile application inventory, a capability uniquely possible via AdTruth's mobile bridging technology.

Previously on Business Insider Advertising:

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/this-mayhem-filled-allstate-ad-is-the-first-thing-youll-see-after-the-super-bowl-the-brief-2013-1

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New Android apps worth downloading: PushBullet, Ironfell, Dungeon Quest

PushBullet is an app that is likely to make your smartphone or tablet feel new and amazing. The app makes it possible to push lots of things, like documents, websites and notes, from your computer to your device over a wireless connection. We?ve also got two great fantasy games: Ironfell, a mix of multiplayer action and real-time strategy, and Dungeon Quest, an action-role-playing-game of the sword and sorcery variety.

What?s it about? PushBullet allows you to ?push? things from your computer to your phone for later access ? like documents, websites, phone numbers and more.

What?s cool? Getting things from your computer to your mobile device can be surprisingly difficult, and often confusing. Looking up things in your computer?s browser like directions, for example, often requires you to also type in your destination in your phone. PushBullet eliminates those issues by making it easy to beam just about anything to your device. It?ll even go so far as to let you move documents to your Android device so you can access them on the go. The app?s new update interacts with an extension for Google Chrome that makes it easier to send websites across devices.

Who?s it for? PushBullet is useful to just about anyone who has a mobile device.

What?s it like? Google?s Chrome to Phone also makes it easy to share sites between devices, and Google Drive will let you access devices from your cloud storage.

What?s it about? Android game Ironfell combines real-time strategy with massively multiplayer online elements, and lets you play in a universe that stays persistent, reacting to your actions (and those of others) over time.

What?s cool? Ironfell draws a bit from the Sid Meier?s Civilization series on PC, requiring players to gather resources, build towns and raise armies in order to take over more and more of their world. You?ll explore and expand over time, taking on other players and battling them for territory utilizing 64 different kinds of units. Developer DataSmugglers says there are also 50 more unit types currently in development to be added to the game, including time machines and dinosaurs!

Who?s it for? If strategy titles interest you and you think you might want to explore a huge world with other players, try Ironfell.

What?s it like? Both Order & Chaos Online and The Endless Black are solid massively multiplayer online games, perfect for playing with (or against) others.

What?s it about? There are dungeons to explore, clear out, and loot in Dungeon Quest, a top-down dungeon-crawling role-playing title devloped by Shiny Box.

What?s cool? Players familiar with other action-RPG titles will get a familiar vibe from a lot of the mechanics in Dragon Quest. The title has players taking on the role of a hero who has to venture into dungeons to clear them of monsters and discover their secrets. Dungeon Quest is currently a beta release, so bear with the developers as they iron out the bugs. The game puts you in the role of its first available class, the Wizard, and lets you play through 100 randomly generated levels across five difficulty levels. You?ll have to use magic, quick reflexes and strategy to stay alive throughout, and more new content is on the way.

Who?s it for? Action-RPG fans, Dungeon Quest is a solid entry into the genre that is bound to interest you.

What?s it like? Check out Gameloft?s Dungeon Hunter 3 and Eternity Warriors for more great dungeon-exploring action.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/13178-new-android-apps-worth-downloading-pushbullet-ironfell-dungeon-quest

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Cyprus jobless turn to illegal songbird trapping

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? It's just before first light and the bird-catcher strings nets among the orange, pomegranate, fig and carob trees in his orchard. The sound of chirping emanates from inside a massive carob ? a trick sent from speakers to attract tiny songbirds. By mid-morning, the man disentangles about a half-dozen blackcaps, snaps their necks with his teeth and drops them in a bucket.

For centuries, the migratory songbirds have been a prized delicacy among Cypriots. They are also an illegal one, as entry into the European Union forced Cyprus to ban the tradition of catching the creatures, some endangered, in nets or on sticks slathered with a glue-like substance.

Now economic crisis is luring many out-of-work Cypriots back into the centuries-old trade. They risk stiff fines and even jail time by supplying an underground market for the tiny songbirds illicitly served up in the country's tavernas ? but they say it's their only way to make ends meet.

Served whole either boiled or pickled, the fatty birds are such an ugly sight on a plate that outsiders find it hard to fathom how there could be any profit to be made from them. For many Cypriots, however, the tangy-sweet taste of the birds is pure bliss.

Supporters of trapping 'ambelopoulia,' as the blackcaps, robins and other warblers are known locally, ruefully reminisce about how until recently the practice was widely considered an ingrained part of local culture, one so lucrative that it sustained entire livelihoods and put countless kids through college.

That changed when Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004 and authorities began cracking down. Trappers were cast as greedy villains out to line their pockets without regard for the ensnared birds. The threat of a maximum ?17,000 ($22,500) fine, a three-year jail term or both persuaded many to quit trapping.?

It's difficult to say how many have again turned to trapping because they've lost their jobs. Even discreet queries are met by a wall of silence. Trust must be earned, especially in villages in the country's southeast, where ambelopoulia trapping is most prevalent.

But Andreas Antoniou, the head of the special police anti-poaching unit, said songbirds, hares and protected mouflon sheep have been at the center of a surge in illegal hunting island-wide that he blames on the economic crisis. He conservatively estimates a 10 percent spike in recent months, although the number of nabbed trappers has remained steady.

Authorities are alarmed.

"We're concerned that in light of the economic crisis, there are signs of increased poaching and illegal trapping of ambelopoulia," said Cyprus Game and Fauna Service Director Pantelis Hadjiyerou.

Martin Hellicar, a spokesman for conservationist group BirdLife Cyprus, says locals have confirmed that trappers who had given up the practice have been drawn back because of money problems, noting a "dramatic rise" in bird-trapping using both nets and "lime sticks" since last autumn.

The country's southeast straddles well-worn routes for birds migrating in spring and fall from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Coincidentally, it also has one of the island's highest unemployment rates, running as high as 50 percent, according to local officials, with most of the job losses in the construction business.

"With the crisis, people are turning to poaching," says Liopetri Hunting Association President Costas Michael, surrounded by a half-dozen fellow hunters in the Association's cramped headquarters, replete with maps and life-size photos of hares and partridges hanging on the walls. "People who can't find a job know that there's money to be made just in their orchard."

Stavros Neophytou, president of the pro-trapping advocacy group Friends of the Lime Stick, puts it this way: "If you can't eat, what are you supposed to do?"

In headier times, trappers would earn around ?40 ($54) for just a dozen birds, while restaurants would charge customers double that. But demand has dropped amid the crisis, says Game Fund Service official Petros Anayiotos, resulting in an ambelopoulia glut which, in turn, has meant prices at restaurants are down by as much as half.

Even with the plunge in prices, however, the cash enticement to trap birds remains high for those who have lost jobs. Trapping also gives the unemployed a way to fill their hours.

And for many Cypriots, bird-trapping is about more than the money.

Michael says it's about tradition that stretches back centuries. A book entitled "Xoverga" ("Lime Sticks") ? a kind of unofficial bible for trappers ? refers to a 16th-century English traveler named John Locke, who recounted how he witnessed hundreds of bottles of pickled ambelopoulia being exported to Italy during a visit to the then-Venetian ruled island in 1553.

Michael says his association strictly supports lime stick trapping because it's been passed down from father to son for centuries, but frowns upon the more modern and more indiscriminate mist nets.

"Like my father, I would wake up and go out to set traps and I would think of nothing else," says Michael. "Ambelopoulia aren't going to disappear, there's so many of them, how many can poachers possibly catch anyway? Birds are there to be eaten."

Michael says politicians let trappers down during the country's EU membership talks by not asking to allow lime stick trapping as a traditional form of hunting. EU officials say there's no going back to allow for such an exemption.

But for authorities and conservationists alike, the rhapsodizing about tradition simply rings hollow. Both lime sticks and mist nets are non-selective trapping methods that can ensnare threatened birds such as the cuckoo, golden oriole and nightingale.

Axel Hirschfeld, spokesman for The Committee against Bird Slaughter, a group that for several years has dispatched volunteers to the island to help stop trapping, scoffs at the idea that tradition justifies the culling of endangered birds.

"I come from any area in Germany where they used to burn witches," said Hirschfeld. "Maybe it's time for these traditions in Cyprus to go away as well."

??

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-31-Cyprus-Crisis%20Songbirds/id-a6a118e19eea4d05886d224b293416b8

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Long-term review: 2012 Ferrari California - Week 5

Our long-term California?s final week at wheels towers has been a fittingly adventurous one. To give it the send-off that it deserves, we lined up two other stunning grand tourers for one last blast around magnificent dune-lined roads on the fringes of Dubai. Enter the new Aston Martin DB9 and the Maserati Gran Turismo Sport.

With a complement of two snorting V8s and a V12, our noisy cavalcade headed out of town and deep into the UAE desert. While I shall not delve into the finer points of the other cars for the fear of giving away too much about this upcoming story, the California proved every bit a stunning mile-muncher.

It shrugged off the 300km round trip and everything from the suspension to the gearbox is finely tuned for long-haul travels. Greeted with corners, the Cali does tend to lean a bit more than you?d expect, but never alarmingly so.

Although its awkwardly high stance would suggest otherwise, the Ferrari was clearly the quickest of all the cars congregated for our feature. The high ride height also meant it was less likely to scrape its belly while passing over speed bumps than the other two.

Article continues below

When we tested the previous California on the track years ago, the brakes felt spongy. It?s a problem that?s been resolved with the new carbon ceramic discs on our tester: even after hours of hard workout, they remained resolutely fade free. The best thing, by far, though is the 4.3-litre V8 revving to over 8,000rpm ? it makes a glorious noise.

There are some minor problems, however. The back seats are not designed to accommodate humans, the boot space is appalling, it?s thirsty when driven hard, and the infotainment system is straight out of a Jeep and looks completely out of place in the Poltrona Frau-dressed cabin.

However, having spent nearly six weeks with the California, I can say it with utter conviction that it?s a car you can easily live with every day. It?s feisty when you want it to be, but settles down when you?re not in the mood. Most of all, it?s not the temperamental Italian exotic of automotive folklore ? it?s a thoroughly dependable GT.

I know there?s the question of the price. A well-specced car, similar to our long-termer is hardly a snip at over Dh800,000. Furthermore, there are some serious rivals in the class ? such as the aforementioned Aston, which is better looking, although the Fezza looks pretty good in darker shades (avoid the garish yellows and reds; they only look good on the Italia) ? but the California strikes a great balance between sportiness and comfort.

If you?re in the market for, say, something like an M6 or an SL 65, I implore you to raid the back of your designer sofa, find the extra dirhams, and give the California a serious look. You won?t be disappointed.

Average fuel economy: 20 litres-per-100km

Highs: Superb grand tourer, engine, easy to use around town

Lows: Tiny back seats, lack of boot space, some ergonomics issues

Everyone?s in on the brand-name sound systems in cars these days ? you?ve got Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Bang & Olufsen, Bowers & Wilkins, you name it. Well, Volkswagen went with Fender (available exclusively in the new Beetle, Jetta and our Passat), maybe because it ran out of options or maybe because the system is actually really good. But VW?s bit, the software hiding behind the 6.5in screen, messes up the presets of my radio stations.

If I?m on the last preset and I pause to listen and then realise it?s Bieber playing, I scroll to the next station only to find that the thing starts again from the back and selects the last preset again and then, yes, it?s too late and I?ve got the Bieber stuck in my head all day.

Source: http://gulfnews.com/long-term-review-2012-ferrari-california-week-5-1.1139550?localLinksEnabled=false&utm_source=Feeds&utm_medium=RSS&utm_term=Life_RSS_feed&utm_content=1.1139550&utm_campaign=Long-term_review:_2012_Ferrari_California_-_Week_5

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Russia's War On Motherhood - OpEd | Albany Tribune News

Vladimir Putin

Written by James Kimer

January 29, 2013

January has been a particularly rough month for mothers in Russia.

With a disturbing pattern emerging of political decisions that separate families, insult grieving parents, and block orphans from finding new homes, President Vladimir Putin?s ambitious plans to rebuild a patriotic national character run against this seeming lack of empathy for the value of family as the core social unit in the lives of citizens.

Consider the recent events:

On the 28^th, right as the World Economic Forum was wrapping up in Davos, Russian prosecutors began the first ever show trial of a dead man, putting Hermitage lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial three years after he died from mistreatment while unlawfully imprisoned.

The victim?s mother, Natalya Magnitskaya, was crestfallen by the decision.

?I think it is inhuman to try a dead man,? Magnitskaya told Reuters. ?This is not a court case but some kind of farce, and I will not take part in it.?

Earlier, on Jan. 17, a Russian oppositionist named Alexander Dolmatov died in an apparent suicide in a Rotterdam immigration detention center after his plea for political asylum was rejected. Dolmatov?s bereaved mother wrote a pleading letter to Dutch Queen Beatrix asking for an independent investigation to find out if indeed her son chose to give his life instead of facing prosecution for participation in May 6, 2012 anti-government rally.

?Mother, mommy! I?m leaving so as not to return a traitor, having shamed everyone. Our entire kin. It happens. Stay strong. I ask this of you. I?m with you, the same as I was before,? Dolmatov allegedly wrote in a heartbreaking suicide note, however some are not convinced that he authored the note.

Just one day earlier, during an emotional hearing in Berezniki, Perm, a judge decided to reject a plea for a deferred sentence by Maria Alyokhina, one of the jailed members of the punk rock group Pussy Riot whose cause has been so fiercely advocated by international human rights groups.

Alyokhina, who is the mother of a 5-year-old boy named Filipp, had requested the court to defer her 2-year jail sentence on charges of ?hooliganism? until her son reached his teen years.

?I?m in a situation where I have to prove here that my son needs me, which is obvious,? Alyokhina said in court. ?No one will force me to say I?m guilty?I have nothing to repent for.?

The fate of the jailed political prisoner may have already been sealed, judging by history. Back during the crackdown on Yukos executives following the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the lawyer Svetlana Bakhmina was jailed in 2004 and was later sentenced in 2006. Like Alyokhina, Bakhmina also sought the court?s reprieve, requesting parole after four years imprisonment to go home to take care of her two young sons. Additionally, she was 8 months pregnant, and still was denied parole by the court. It wasn?t until a college friend raised 85,000 signatures in a petition that Bakhmina was released in 2009 after serving five years in prison for a crime she plainly did not commit.

And of course, the biggest (and saddest) event of 2013 was the decision to pass into law a ban on adoptions of Russian orphans by U.S. parents as a response to the passage of the Magnitsky Act. American families have adopted about 45,100 Russian orphans over the past decade, however they are the #1 provider of homes to children suffering from major physical disabilities who would not otherwise be likely to find a home. The unnecessary anguish experienced by many prospective mothers, as well as the children, has been the subject of numerous articles in the press.

All this is happening in the midst of an ongoing, if uneven, demographic crisis in Russia, whereby the government is attempting an ?anything-goes? approach to encouraging women to have more children. In 2007, the government gave everyone a day off work to get pregnant. In 2010, another mayor decided to give away prize cars to people who conceived by a certain date. Even the Nashi youth league camp at Seliger had creepy ?love oasis.? Last year, Putin offered cash to prospective mothers (1,500 rubles for the first child, 3,000 rubles for the second), and a few weeks ago, said that he would use sports programs to boost fertility among the shrinking population.

But can any of these efforts be successful in an environment of evident cruelty and dispassionate treatment of the mothers listed above?

As part of his third term, Putin has undertaken bigger national projects which are inconsistent with some of the more abrasive day-to-day decisions. If the first term was establishing authority and the second term consolidating power as the ultimate arbiter of inter-elite disputes, then the third term is maintenance. Despite the absence of any policy ideas of substance, Putin is striving to build something that looks like meaning, that feels like identity, and that at least provides the illusion of national coherence against the public discontent of December 2011.

?Ideology is very important. Patriotism is very important. Without dedication from people, without the trust of people, you cannot expect a positive impact of what you are doing, of your job,? said Putin?s spokesman Dmitri Peskov last fall.

Part of Putin?s project is an undoubtedly a return to the big state, as opposed to Dmitry Medvedev?s experiment with modernization and openness, where Rosneft absorbs TNK-BP to become one of the largest oil companies in the world, where Gazprom?s export monopoly remains unchallenged, and military spending unencumbered by people like Anatoly Serdyukov. The big state exudes confidence, exerts control, and makes decisions on behalf of the citizen as to what kind of country Russia will become ? not dissimilar than a strict parent.

But are these lofty ambitions possible in the face of Russia?s war on motherhood, or simply the consequence of an overbearing paternalism? Let us hope that solutions to both problems come sooner rather than later.

Source: http://www.albanytribune.com/29012013-russias-war-on-motherhood-oped/

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What Is Your Reputation in Your Marriage? | Black and Married With ...

At work, among friends, at church and in almost every relationship we contribute to there is a certain reputation we carry based on our behaviors. We may be considered the hard worker, the funny one, or the giver depending on who we ask. Because we have so many titles and play so many roles we can actually show up differently to those in our life circles.

Jobs, friends, and our faith connections are all important and the opinions of the individuals in these groups matters to us. For that reason, we put forth a great deal of effort to please them. We work harder, sacrifice in certain areas, and go above and beyond when necessary with the goal being not to disappoint those who are counting on us.

While it is awesome to be so considerate to the various people in our lives, we sometimes fail to extend the same courtesy to the most important person in our life, our spouse. We work so hard at building positive reputations with everyone else and the one we have with our mates is sometimes left a little shaky.

If I were to ask what your reputation is in your marriage, how would you answer? More importantly, how would your spouse answer? If they were given the task of describing you as a spouse what words and adjectives would be used?

If you?re not too confident about the answer to the questions above, don?t worry. There is always an opportunity to rebuild any reputation we aren?t very proud of. Here?s how:

Step 1: Think about the other relationships in your life and ask what makes you value those reputations so much. At work, we care because we hope to be noticed and have advancement opportunities ?presented to us. In our marriage we should also consider the affects our current actions have on the future of the relationship. With every action, there is a result. We must take more time and count the cost of our behavior. Being able to take a step back and use a different approach, one that helps the marriage, is always effective.

Step 2: Think about who you want to be in your marriage. Do we desire to be more loving, giving, and supportive? If yes, everything we do should complement that thinking. With our friendships, we often prove we can be trusted and there in times of need. The relationship with our spouse shouldn?t be any different. The person you want to be should be revealed and it shouldn?t depend on what your spouse does or doesn?t do. As the writer Don Miguel Ruiz points out in The Mastery of Love, ?you are only responsible for your half of the relationship?.

Step 3: Just do it! How we show up in our marriage is always up to us. Decide the type of spouse you really want to be and bring him/her to life more frequently. In our spiritual connections we make sacrifices and we quickly put the needs of others above our own. Our spouses deserve the same treatment. Sacrifice is the?ultimate ingredient for a healthy marriage.

A reputation is the one thing we can control and is also what most people use as they develop expectations of us. The goal is building a reputation we can be proud of, especially in our marriage.

BMWK ? What is your reputation in your marriage?

About the author

Tiya Cunningham-Sumter is a Certified Life & Relationship Coach and founder of Life Editing. She helps couples and individuals rewrite their life to reflect their dreams. Tiya was featured in Ebony Magazine in the October 2008 and November 2010 issues. She resides in Chicago with her husband and two children.

Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2013/01/what-is-your-reputation-in-your-marriage/

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River Thames to bathe in upgraded long-distance WiFi

Not that a view over the Thames ever gets old, but commuters should soon find it a bit easier to check their inboxes while they're on or next to the water. Californian WiFi specialist Ruckus says that its wireless steering technology -- which increases network range by up to 4x by directing signals around obstacles and interference -- has just been picked for an upgrade to BT's Thames WiFi service. The new "carrier-grade" equipment should be activated within the next couple of months and will stretch out along the full 27 meandering miles of river that are already covered by traditional antennas. With better hotspot access spreading across the Tube network, black cabs and now the water, EE's central London LTE service will have even more to prove in terms of raw speed.

[Image credit: Getty Images]

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Global Reach Technology Selects Ruckus to Bring Smarter, High Capacity Wi-Fi to Users on Land and Water within the UK

Smart Wi-Fi Enables High-Speed Wi-Fi Access for Millions of Passengers Along 27 Miles of the Thames River and Reliable Public Wi-Fi Access in Leeds and Bradford

LONDON, ENGLAND (UK) and SUNNYVALE, CA - January 28, 2013 - Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (NYSE: RKUS) today announced that Global Reach Technology Ltd., an innovative supplier of Wi-Fi, cloud- and IP-based policy management services, has selected its ZoneFlex[TM] Smart Wi-Fi system for a number of high profile Wi-Fi projects in the UK that address the explosive demand for reliable, high-speed data access in densely trafficked areas around the city.

Global Reach has deployed carrier-grade Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi indoor and outdoor ZoneFlex products for its public hotspot infrastructure along 44km (27 miles) of the River Thames and onboard Thames Clippers London River Ferries to support more than 30 million people accessing the river each year. In addition to providing public Wi-Fi access through its own Thames Wi-Fi hot zone branded service, planned for Q1 2013, Global Reach is leveraging its high capacity infrastructure to offer wholesale and international roaming services across the 27 miles of river coverage.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) gives public Wi-Fi access free of charge to all its BT Broadband subscribers via the white-labeled Global Reach service to the Thames River network, while the Transport for London (TFL) authority is using the Wi-Fi infrastructure for private services such as real-time location-based information, tracking boats, network monitoring, timetables, CCTV surveillance and other services.

In addition, Global Reach has selected Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi as the standard underlying technology for the City Wi-Fi services it provides for Virgin Media Business in both Leeds and Bradford.

Carrier-Grade Wi-Fi Solutions with a difference
Global Reach has established a unique position in the market, offering a total managed infrastructure solution coupled with a complete portfolio of value-added network services such as key data on network monitoring, management information systems and customer usage behavior; architecture planning; security; content portal capabilities and gateway functions, and sophisticated policy management.

For mobile network operators and service providers, Global Reach provides bespoke wireless infrastructure and services. Additionally, its policy engine provides seamless and secure 3/4G off load to manage customer's traffic and eCRM, including content filtering, lawful intercept, bandwidth shaping, port and website blocking. Intuitive dashboards allow operators to manage their infrastructure as well as the end user customer experience with complete visibility and precision.

"To effectively deal with the demands and capacity required to deliver service on this scale, we needed a carrier-grade Wi-Fi network in which our customers could have complete confidence," said Nigel Wesley, Chief Executive Officer for Global Reach Technology. "At the end of the day, customers don't really care about how the infrastructure works - they simply want a fast, reliable and affordable Wi-Fi experience that's easy to access and use. That's precisely what we're delivering with Ruckus."

Wesley noted that while providing a reliable Wi-Fi experience in the UK is no easy task, operators are looking for value beyond vanilla connectivity. "Global Reach has developed a different model that not only delivers a carrier-grade Wi-Fi infrastructure at a much lower cost, we are also reducing the time to market for service providers and enterprise customers, allowing them to focus on monetization and bringing value to the subscriber experience."

Smarter Wi-Fi on the Water
Global Reach's Smart Wi-Fi network is one of the world's largest outdoor mesh deployments along a key transport artery weaving through the UK's capital. Four million people travel on the Thames Clippers river ferries every year, with millions more living and working along the riverbank, offices, hotels, cafes and tourist locations.

Global Reach has used new Ruckus ZoneFlex 7782-N, carrier-class 2.4/5 GHz 802.11n outdoor access points (APs) to deploy at main piers crisscrossing the Thames River. 24 Thames Clippers London river ferries are being equipped with ZoneFlex 7363 802.11n indoor dual-band Smart Wi-Fi access points, along with 3G backhaul and ZoneDirector controllers at the Global Reach network operation centers, to provide centralized administration and remote management.

"While we are fundamentally hardware agnostic, we are building carrier-quality Wi-Fi networks that mandate carrier-quality equipment," said Chris Spencer, Chief Technology Officer for Global Reach.

"With its adaptive antenna structure and high-capacity designs, Ruckus has clearly differentiated itself by delivering among the most reliable systems on the market that are distinctly designed for carriers. With the kit we've seen a significant increase in the signal strength as well as the number of concurrent users and sessions we are able to support at any one given time."

City Wi-Fi in Leeds and Bradford for Virgin Media Business
In Leeds and Bradford, Ruckus ZoneFlex 7762 outdoor dual-band 802.11n APs are being deployed on street furniture by Global Reach to provide a completely free City Wi-Fi service that is open to everyone. Global Reach manages and operates the network for Virgin Media Business, building on a partnership that was originally formed for the rollout of the acclaimed London Underground Wi-Fi service.

"There is a massive wireless land grab taking place all over the UK," concludes Wesley. "The super-connected city initiative means a great deal for places like Leeds and Bradford as they focus on growth and regeneration for local businesses, visitors and residents. The Wi-Fi networks we are building are great examples of projects that are making the vision of super-connected cities a reality and enabling future prosperity and innovation."

Filed under: Transportation, Wireless, Internet, Mobile

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/river-thames-wifi-upgrade/

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Skeptics of OZ 2013 | Great Plains Skeptic

One thing that might surprise my readers on the coasts and elsewhere in the world is that, living in Oklahoma, there are a number of great skeptical and freethought conventions within driving distance each year. Here in the state, we have the Oklahoma Freethought Conference (FreeOK), which last summer had speakers like Dave Silverman, Abbie Smith, Hemant Mehta, and some bald guy with a great tie. This summer looks even bigger, with Lawrence Krauss, Dale McGowen, and Sean Faircloth already announced to appear.

If we drive east to Arkansas, last year saw the first Reason in the Rock, which was a resounding success. The Texas Freethought Convention has been operating for five years now, and the 2013 American Atheists 50th anniversary convention will take place in Austin this spring. Turn outs for these are all impressive, and the speaker line-ups tend to be quite excellent.

Just up the road (and by up, I mean north) are two cool yearly events. Reasonfest takes place on the KU campus in Lawrence, and this year will host Peter Boghossian, Matt Dillahunty, James Croft, and a plethora of other great speakers.

A little closer to me is Wichita, Kansas, home to the Skeptics of Oz conference. This will be the third year, and last year it was headlined by Phil ?Bad Astronomer? Plait. The line up of speakers and events looks fantastic this year, so I thought I would share (full disclosure ? I?m one of the speakers).

The official conference will take place on March 16 and 17, but on Friday the 15th a group will be traveling to the Kansas Cosmosophere and Space Center.

At the Cosmosphere, visitors hear the non-biased, definitive story of the Space Race. With a U.S. space artifact collection second only to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts outside of Moscow, the Hall of Space Museum is known by space enthusiasts worldwide.

I love me some space, and this has me pretty excited. Our local, very cool Science Museum Oklahoma has a pretty good space exhibition, but this whole place is dedicated to space exploration and the space race.

Like I said above, the official conference kicks off Saturday morning and goes Sunday as well. Below I?ll post some information on speakers and topics (plus my personal thoughts).

I?m happy to say that I was asked to come speak at the SoOz this year, and am kicking things off at 9:30 am on Saturday. In case you don?t know who I am (and really, if you?re reading this you should have a tiny clue, but nonetheless), I am a clinical psychologist, professor, researcher, and author. I am also a member of CFI?s Speakers Bureau, a contributor to the Skepticism 101 project, and a bit of a skeptical activist. I?m going to be giving an introduction to how to think scientifically about any topic, helping you hone your critical thinking skills.

Next up, the affable and irrepressible JT Eberhart will be talking about depression and mental illness (a subject close to my heart). From his website:

JT Eberhard is the author of the popular blog What Would JT Do?, and has been a contributing author to AtheismResource.com. Before joining the SSA, JT was most known as a debater on atheism and LGBT rights and as the co-founder of the Skepticon annual conference?.JT joined the Secular Student Alliance in January 2011 as their first high school specialist.? Previously, the SSA had allowed high schools to affiliate, but JT was hired to build a high school program that catered to the specific needs of teenage activists.? In his time at the SSA the number of high school groups grew over 400%.

Former pastor, current atheist Teresa McBain will take the stage next to talk about her journey from being an evangelical minister to working for American Atheists and now heading up the Humanists of Florida Association. Teresa was also the first female graduate of the Clergy Project, and I was privileged to share the stage with her at FreeOK last year. She?s an engaging, entertaining speaker and had people giving her a standing ovation there.

Benjamin Radford is next, speaking about ?Lake Monsters.? I am very excited to see him speak. An award wining author, science-based paranormal investigator, and film maker,

Radford is deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and a Research Fellow with the non-profit educational organization the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has written hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics, including urban legends, the paranormal, critical thinking, and media literacy?.Radford is one of the world?s few science-based paranormal investigators, and has done first-hand research into mysterious phenomena in sixteen countries on four continents including psychics, ghosts and haunted houses; exorcisms, miracles, Bigfoot, stigmata, lake monsters, UFO sightings, reincarnation, and crop circles, and many other topics. He is perhaps best known for solving the mysteries of the Santa Fe Courthouse Ghost in 2007, and the Hispanic vampire el chupacabra in 2010.

My fellow psychologist and the leader of our team on the Secular Therapy Project, Darrel Ray, will be speaking on recovering from religion. Darrel is an engaging speaker; I first saw him at the 2011 Texas Freethought Conference and the audience was enthralled by his talk on religion and sexuality.

Ray is the founder of Recovering From Religion, as well as the author of four books, two on organizational team issues as well as The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture and Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality. He has been a psychologist for over 30 years, practicing counseling and clinical psychology for 10 years then moved into organizational psychology and consulting. He has been a student of religion most of his life and holds a MA degree in religion as well as a BA in Sociology/Anthropology and a Doctorate in psychology.

?Psychic Charlatanry? is the next talk, presented by DJ Groethe. I first became exposed to Groethe when he was working for CFI and hosting their Point of Inquiry podcast, which I consumed voraciously. His new podcast, For Good Reason, is equally excellent.

D.J. Grothe is President of the James Randi Educational Foundation, the international educational non-profit founded by celebrated social critic and activist James Randi. Grothe has lectured widely on topics at the intersection of education, science and belief at universities such as Stanford, Harvard, Yale, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and dozens of others. Formerly a professional magician, he has special interests in the psychology of belief and processes of deception and self-deception.

Saturday will end with a debate on a to be announced topic by some local skeptics, and then? Sunday morning will kick off with a talk about discrimination by local blogger Lux Pickel.

The second act Sunday, in a well-timed and ironic slot, is none other than the brilliant Robert M Price. I don?t gush much, but let me gush here: this man knows his shit. And by shit, I mean Biblical criticism. I would go so far as to say he is my favorite Biblical critic (What? Don?t act like you don?t have one?.). His ?Human Bible? podcast is informative and entertaining every week, and I learn enormous amounts from it. His books are readable and mind expanding, and he does a great Charlton Heston impersonation. Price is also a Lovecraftian scholar as well as

Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies, Colemon Theological Seminary

Host, The Human Bible

Host, The Bible Geek

Founder and Editor, The Journal of Higher Criticism

Fellow, The Jesus Seminar

Fellow, The Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion

Research Fellow, Center for Inquiry Institute

Blair Scott, the Alabama Atheist, will take over after Price. I?ll let him tell you about himself:

I am the Communications Director, National Affiliate Director, and Alabama State Director for American Atheists, Inc. I am a staff writer for American Atheist Magazine and I manage and moderate the NoGodBlog. My co-host Tom Hand and I run The Critical Eye Podcast. In addition, I am the Founder and Public Relations Director for the North Alabama Freethought Association based in Huntsville, Alabama.

Finally, the speakers are wrapped up for the day by Ben Holman of the WSU Atheists & Agnostics, speaking on ?The Resurrection.? A seminar on group fundraising will take place afterwards, for those interested in bringing in the moolah.

All in all, a very diverse collection of speakers, running pretty much the full gamut of what falls under the banner of skepticism and freethought. I really hope you?ll be able to come out and take part. If you see me, please come over and say hello. I would love to meet some of my readers in person!

Source: http://skepticink.com/gps/2013/01/29/skeptics-of-oz-2013/

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Keryx kidney disease drug meets late-stage trial goal

(Reuters) - Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc said a late-stage trial of its experimental drug for kidney disease met the main study goal of reducing phosphate levels in blood, sending the company's shares up as much as 49 percent.

The level of phosphate in blood increases when kidney function declines. Keryx is testing Zerenex as a treatment for elevated serum phosphorus levels, or hyperphosphatemia, in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis.

The drug showed a statistically significant reduction in patients' blood phosphate level compared with a placebo over a four-week period.

Zerenex also met the two secondary goals of increasing the levels of two proteins in the blood and reducing the need for intravenous iron and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA), an agent used to stimulate red blood cell production. Declining kidney function often leads to anemia.

"The trial has demonstrated profound benefits not just in the primary endpoints but also in the secondary endpoints. As such, we think the risks of this drug, one - being approved, and two - being a commercial success, go down dramatically," Maxim Group analyst Jason Kolbert said.

The company expects to file for regulatory approvals of the drug in the United States and Europe in the second quarter of 2013.

Zerenex, the company's only clinical candidate, is also being tested in a mid-stage study in patients with chronic kidney disease who are not dependent on dialysis.

If approved, Zerenex will compete with Renagel and Renvela, both developed by Sanofi's biotech subsidiary, Genzyme Corp.

Shire Plc's Fosrenol and Fresenius Medical Care's PhosLo also claim market share for the same indication.

These drugs are called phosphate binders as they attach themselves to phosphate in the gastrointestinal tract and prevent its absorption in the body.

"In our view, the differentiated profile of Zerenex represented by these results, positions it, if approved, to potentially overtake Renvela as the market leader in the phosphate binder market over time," MLV & Co Investment Research analyst Ed Arce said in a note.

Maxim Group's Kolbert said even in the face of current standards of care, with drugs like PhosLo or Renvela going generic, there will be substantial health and pharmaco-economic advantages associated with Zerenex.

"We have said all along that Zerenex is the only phosphate binder that has the potential to transcend into another dialysis category, in this case anemia management, and generate a benefit," Keryx CEO Ron Bentsur said on a conference call.

Shares of New York City-based Keryx were up about 40 percent at $4.80 early on Monday on the Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Esha Dey and Pallavi Ail in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon and Sreejiraj Eluvangal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/keryx-kidney-disease-drug-meets-stage-trial-goal-135603662--finance.html

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Video: Twin sisters reunited after 70 years apart

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50605244/

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Lawmakers see immigration overhaul this year

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican and Democratic lawmakers were cautiously optimistic Sunday that a long-sought overhaul of the nation's immigration system that includes a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the country will clear Congress this year, the result of changes in the political landscape shown in November's election.

"We are trying to work our way through some very difficult issues," said Illinois' Sen. Richard Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. "But, we are committed to a comprehensive approach to finally, in this country, have an immigration law we can live with. We have virtually been going maybe 25 years without a clear statement about immigration policy. That's unacceptable in this nation of immigrants."

Sen. Robert Menendez, who along with Durbin and Sen. John McCain, is part of the six-member, bipartisan Senate group working on a framework for immigration legislation to be announced this week, said current politics dictate that a pathway for citizenship must be included.

"Let's be very clear: having a pathway to earned legalization is an essential element. And I think that we are largely moving in that direction as an agreement," said Menendez, D-N.J.

But the package "will have the enhancement of the border security," he said, nodding to Republicans' priority to tighten borders to prevent future illegal immigration.

He also said the package would have to crack down on employers hiring undocumented workers.

Arizona Republican McCain has returned to the issue after having led a failed push to fix the nation's broken immigration system ahead of his 2008 bid for the White House.

McCain said: "What's changed is, honestly, is that there is a new, I think, appreciation on both sides of the aisle -- including, maybe more importantly on the Republican side of the aisle, that we have to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill."

Despite making little progress on immigration in his first term, President Barack Obama won more than 70 percent of the Latino vote, in part because of the conservative positions on immigration that Republican nominee Mitt Romney staked out during the GOP primary. Asians, who immigrated to the U.S. in higher numbers than Hispanics in 2010, also overwhelmingly backed Obama. Latino voters accounted for 10 percent of the electorate in November.

Obama is to press his case for immigration changes during a trip to Las Vegas Tuesday: a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants that includes paying fines and back taxes; increased border security; mandatory penalties for businesses that employ unauthorized immigrants; and improvements to the legal immigration system, including giving green cards to high-skilled workers and lifting caps on legal immigration for the immediate family members of U.S. citizens.

In an opinion piece published online Sunday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sen. Marco Rubio, also a member of the bipartisan Senate group, laid out his proposal to address the issue. The Florida Republican, son of Cuban immigrants, wrote that "significant progress" on enforcing immigration laws must be certified before unauthorized immigrants now in the country are allowed to apply for residency and "get in the back of the line."

Rep. Paul Ryan, the 2012 Republican candidate for vice president, said he backs Rubio's proposal.

"Immigration is a good thing. We're here because of immigration. We need to make sure it works," Wisconsin's Ryan said.

If Republicans fail to act, they will pay the price in elections for generations, McCain warned.

"Well, I'll give you a little straight talk: Look at the last election... We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote, which we think should be ours for a variety of reasons," McCain said.

McCain and Menendez spoke with ABC's "This Week," Durbin appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and Ryan was on NBC's "Meet the Press."

------

Associated Press writer Philip Elliott contributed to this report.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/political/lawmakers-see-immigration-overhaul-this-year

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Afghan orphans hope music to win 'American hearts'

In a country where the arts and music suffered heavily under the Taliban, young musicians ? including dozens of girls ? are representing the potential in Afghanistan's future.

By Thanh Truong, Correspondent, NBC News

KABUL, Afghanistan - From the cold basement of an orphanage in Kabul, the beat of a bass drum bounces through the halls.

Hitting the high hat and cymbals was Laila, a 13-year old orphan and the only known female drummer in Afghanistan.?

"I like playing the drums and there are no other girls in Afghanistan playing the drums,? Laila said with a big smile. ?I'm the only girl and I want to become well known as an Afghan girl playing drums.?

For now, she plays in a basement, but soon it'll be D.C.'s Kennedy Center and New York's Carnegie Hall.?

Laila and 10 other girls from her orphanage will be joining ensembles from the Afghan National Institute of Music as they make their U.S. debut.?

For many of the performers, it will be their first time out of the country and their first time in America.?

"I hear it is very clean and has big buildings and you have such freedom there,? 10-year old Sapna said. "I forget the name of the president of America, but I have heard of him."

Sapna plays the piano and likes the "fast songs" that allow her to move her little fingers quickly over the keys.?

As the security in Afghanistan crumbles, 'Nightly' returns to an orphanage that Brian Williams first visited in 2009 to find girls with big dreams who are focused on getting into college.

Music is part of the curriculum at this orphanage run by Andeisha Farid, the executive director of the Afghan Child Education and Caring Organization.?

'Hope for a better future'
In a country where female freedoms are few, Farid said these young girls represent the potential in Afghanistan's future.

"Afghan women, they suffer so badly. They even struggle for their very basic human rights,? Farid said. ?We hope for a better future for Afghanistan. If we can properly invest in these children, a long-term investment, they realize that there is hope in Afghanistan.?

The sheer fact that dozens of girls are practicing and learning music is a sign of progress in a country where only an estimated 15 percent of women can even read and write, never mind read music or play an instrument.

The arts and music suffered heavily under the Taliban, and not just for women.?

Oct. 30: Brian swaps eyewear with one of the girls at the Kabul orphanage.

Since 2001 a small group of Afghans have worked to bring music back to the country. Ahmad Sarmast, who holds a doctorate in music, spearheaded the movement and the effort culminated in the 2010 establishment of the Afghan National Institute of Music.?

Musicians and their mentors from the ANIM will embark on a two-week tour of the U.S. starting February 2. They'll be playing a combination of classical and Afghan pieces.

Music has given these children an opportunity that so few have in Afghanistan and they are eager to share what they've learned.

"People can understand each other's hearts through music. American people can understand Afghan hearts and Afghans can understand American hearts. It's universal," said Sapna.

Yet, hurdles remain.?

Oct. 30 2009: Andeisha Farid is making a difference in a dangerous place, providing a safe haven in Afghanistan. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

Twelve-year-old Fareshta said pressure from her home village prevented her from playing the trumpet.

NBC first met Fareshta when Brian Williams visited her orphanage.

Fareshta said people in her village threatened to make her family outcasts if she kept on attending music school.?

She now only plays when she is in the orphanage. And, while the other girls prepare for their performances in the U.S., she won't be going.?

"I want to go music school and play more music," Fareshta said.

She shrugged when asked if it all seemed unfair. After all, so much that has and is happening in Afghanistan seems unfair.

But after listening to a girl like Laila practicing on the drums, it is easy to understand that the music these young people create is a message of hope in a country awash with disappointments.?

Related:?

Tears of joy: The moment an Afghan teen learned of Oscar nomination

Steeple, cross at U.S. Army base on Afghan frontier raise hackles

Afghanistan: Where actresses risk their lives for their art

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/27/16662922-afghan-orphans-hope-their-music-will-win-over-american-hearts-at-carnegie-hall?lite

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Bradley Cooper As Lance Armstrong: JJ Abrams Confirms Actor Is In Talks For Biopic

Bradley Cooper is reportedly in talks for the Lance Armstrong role.

Bradley Cooper may just be getting exactly what he's wished for. Last week the "Silver Linings Playbook" actor told BBC News that he would be interested in playing Lance Armstrong in the upcoming biopic, and now, director JJ Abrams said that he has been speaking to Cooper about the part.

"[Cooper] sent me an email and we've been talking," Abrams told ET.

"I would be interested in [playing Armstrong]," Cooper told BBC News. "I think he's fascinating. What a fascinating character."

Abrams is directing the film adaptation of Juliet Macur's upcoming "Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong."

• Matthew McConaughey

  McConaughey has been on a career renaissance of late (the McConaissance, as he told HuffPost Entertainment), and this is the type of juicy leading role that could get him an Oscar. Since he's friends with Armstrong, however, maybe put the odds of this happening at Infinity-to-1.

• Jake Gyllenhaal

  It almost happened once before ...

• Jeremy Renner

  Squint and these two could play brothers.

• Ryan Gosling

  Every movie benefits from more Gosling.

• Sam Worthington

  In case Jeremy Renner is too expensive.

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt

  Because he starred in "Premium Rush." (See, also: The bike behind him.)

• Tom Cruise

  Both Cruise and Armstrong weathered career low points opposite Oprah Winfrey.

• Jared Leto

  Remember when Leto played Steve Prefontaine? He just needs to grow his eyebrows back.

• Damian Lewis

  Because Lewis is used to playing guys everyone hates.

• Christian Bale

  Bale won an Oscar for playing a drug addict in "The Fighter"; imagine what he could do with Armstrong's sordid PED history.

• Kevin Bacon

  Kevin Bacon can put his "Quicksilver" skills to good use!

• Rob Lowe

  Picture him with a buzz cut. They kind of look alike?

• Daniel Day-Lewis

  Day-Lewis is so versatile, he could play Armstrong <em>and</em> the bike.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/27/bradley-cooper-as-lance-armstrong-jj-abrams-actor-biopic_n_2561968.html

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NYC mayor tops $1B in gifts to Johns Hopkins Univ.

BALTIMORE (AP) ? New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving $350 million to alma mater Johns Hopkins University, pushing his lifetime giving to the private Baltimore university past $1 billion, the university said Saturday.

University officials believe Bloomberg, who earned his fortune creating the global financial services firm Bloomberg LP, is now the first person to give more than $1 billion to a single U.S. university.

Most of the latest gift, $250 million, will go toward a variety of cross-disciplinary subjects, including research on water resources, health care, global health, the science of learning and urban revitalization.

The remaining $100 million will go to need-based financial aid for undergraduate students, awarding 2,600 Bloomberg scholarships in the next 10 years.

"Johns Hopkins University has been an important part of my life since I first set foot on campus more than five decades ago," Bloomberg said in a statement released by the university. "Each dollar I have given has been well-spent improving the institution and, just as importantly, making its education available to students who might otherwise not be able to afford it."

The mayor has stayed closely involved with the university where he graduated in 1964, including stints on its board of trustees from 1996 to 2002 and as chairman of Johns Hopkins Initiative fundraising campaign. Among his past gifts was $120 million toward the construction of a children's section at The John Hopkins Hospital in honor of his late mother.

"This latest initiative allows us to greatly accelerate our investment in talented people and bring them together in a highly creative and dynamic atmosphere," university president Ronald J. Daniels said in a statement. "It illustrates Mike's passion for fixing big problems quickly and efficiently."

___

Online:

NYC Mayor's website: http://www.nyc.gov/mayor

John Hopkins University: http://www.jhu.edu/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-26-Bloomberg-Johns%20Hopkins/id-b4d07945e6c145a1b343eff702e29b14

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Marijuana Wedding: Dad Grows Pot To Pay For Daughter's Wedding

It's true that some fathers will do anything to make their daughters happy -- just ask one British man who started growing marijuana to pay for his daughter's wedding.

Local newspaper The Spenborough Guardian reported Friday that respected builder Wayne Longley was plagued by financial problems caused by the economic recession. Yet, he felt pressured to pay for his daughter's wedding in Jamaica later this year, so he began growing marijuana under his garage and intended to sell it.

In August 2011, police discovered a hidden room under Longley's garage where 31 cannabis plants were growing (valued at about $25,000). He had also been using about $7,900 worth of electricity illegally to grow the plants.

Longley pleaded guilty to producing marijuana and extracting electricity, and destroyed the garage. His family testified that Longley's daughter would be "tremendously affected" if he were unable to attend her wedding. But according to the Spenborough Guardian, Longley will not be able to get a visa to travel to Jamaica -- he was sentenced to 150 hours of community service and 18 months in prison (only if he violates the terms of his two-year probation).

Don't worry, dads -- you are NOT expected to grow pot to earn the cash for your daughter's weddings. HuffPost blogger Maria Lin offers the dos and don'ts of paying for your child's wedding here.

Check out readers' wedding disaster stories in the slideshow below.

• Sara Calvin

• Devon Sundberg

• Cait

• Donna Green

• Heidi Rogalla

• Samantha G. (Dixon)

• Katie Mercury

• Coffee Dollee

• Shari L

• Craig O'Malley

• Stephanie Grimm

• Casper Ghostwriter

• Stephanie Alboum

• Darlene Stimson

• Kevin Griffin

• Wedding Disaster

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/fins814"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/fins814">fins814</a>:<br />

• Wedding Disaster

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Lauren_Young2"><img style="float:left;padding-right:6px !important;" src="http://graph.facebook.com/1547323411/picture?type=square" /></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Lauren_Young2">Lauren Young2</a>:<br />We had to reschedule our wedding because Hurricane Irene Hit us, Best Man couldn't make it because his wife said no because it was their anniversary, Original photographer cancelled with one month till the wedding because she was pregnant and ended up in the hospital...and the list goes on

Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/marijuana-wedding-_n_2553135.html

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Genetic landscape of common brain tumors holds key to personalized treatment

Friday, January 25, 2013

Nearly the entire genetic landscape of the most common form of brain tumor can be explained by abnormalities in just five genes, an international team of researchers led by Yale School of Medicine scientists report online in the Jan. 24 edition of the journal Science. Knowledge of the genomic profile of the tumors and their location in the brain make it possible for the first time to develop personalized medical therapies for meningiomas, which currently are only managed surgically.

Meningioma tumors affect about 170,000 patients in the United States. They are usually benign but can turn malignant in about 10 percent of cases. Even non-cancerous tumors can require surgery if they affect the surrounding brain tissue and disrupt neurological functions.

Approximately half of the tumors have already been linked to a mutation or deletion of a gene called neurofibromin 2, or NF2. The origins of the rest of the meningiomas had remained a mystery.

The Yale team conducted genomic analyses of 300 meningiomas and found four new genetic suspects, each of which yields clues to the origins and treatment of the condition. Tumors mutated with each of these genes tend to be located in different areas of the brain, which can indicate how likely they are to become malignant.

"Combining knowledge of these mutations with the location of tumor growth has direct clinical relevance and opens the door for personalized therapies," said Murat Gunel, the Nixdorff-German Professor of Neurosurgery, professor of genetics and of neurobiology, and senior author of the study. Gunel is also a member of Yale Cancer Center's Genetics and Genomics Research Program.

For instance, two of the mutations identified ? SMO and AKT1 ? have been linked to various cancers. SMO mutations had previously been found in basal cell carcinoma and are the target of an already approved drug for that form of skin cancer. Another, KLF4, activates a suite of genes and is known for its role in inducing stem cell formation, even in cells that have fully differentiated into a specific tissue type. Mutations in a TRAF7, a gene not previously associated with cancer, were found in approximately one-fourth of tumors. Meningiomas with these mutations are found in the skull base and are unlikely to become cancerous. In contrast, NF2 mutant tumors that flank the brain's hemispheres are more likely to progress to malignancy, especially in males.

Doctors may be able to use targeted chemotherapy on patients with non-NF2 mutations, especially those with recurrent or invasive meningiomas and those who are surgically at high risk. Individualized chemotherapies could also spare patients irradiation treatment, a risk factor for progression of these generally benign tumors. Gunel said it may also be possible to extend these approaches to more malignant tumors.

###

Yale University: http://www.yale.edu

Thanks to Yale University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126464/Genetic_landscape_of_common_brain_tumors_holds_key_to_personalized_treatment

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The Status of Local Telephone Competition

The recent status report issued by the FCC this month is chock-full of statistics with little narrative but one can draw quite a few conclusions from the data.

The easy conclusions are:

a) Wireline connections continue to drop.

b) Wireless and VoIP connections continue to rise.

c) ILECs are still looking for a future strategy while the CLECs and wireless companies are executing a strategy. One principally based upon IP communications.

According to the report, in December 2011 there were 107 million end-user switched access lines, 37 million VoIP subscriptions, and 298 million mobile accounts for a grand total of 442 million retail local telephone service connections. These are just simple accumulations until you get to the next set of numbers and it is here that the trend is magnified. From 2008 to 2011 VoIP subscriptions had a CAGR of 19.0%, exceeding both mobile subscriptions (4.5%) and the once mighty landline, which declined 8.8% a year over the period. While I did not know the exact numbers, the trend has been consistent in each of the reports I have covered since I began this blog in November of 2008. Previously, the blog was called SIP and Serve by a Foodie (check the archives).

Yet, the numbers that presented my wake up call for today were those involving both the adoption rate and suppliers of VoIP. Residential VoIP subscription now represents 22% of the residential installed base; however, the adoption rate of VoIP by business subscribers lags by a substantial amount with a 4% level of penetration. While there are a number of possible reasons for this, I would like to first present an even larger point regarding VoIP and that is with regard to the ILEC and Non-ILEC VoIP sales activity.

Out of 100% of residential lines, the ILECS VoIP deployments represent 5% of the total. It is the Non-ILECs that are supplying the vast majority of VoIP currently representing 32.2% of residential lines. Although, this six to one ratio clearly shows where the two groups are moving with regard to non-wireless services, the ratio is even greater when examining the same numbers for business. Business VoIP subscription satisfied by the ILECs is 0.9% with Non-ILECS delivering 8.6%. The data shows that less than 10% of business communications is performed using VoIP but their demand for such services is received with much less enthusiasm by the ILECs than the Non-ILECs. This is also consistent with the primary reason that businesses make the transition to VoIP which is to reduce the cost of their communications services.

More on the reasons for these trends next week.

Tagged as: CLEC, FCC Local Telephone Competition Status Report, ILEC, IP Communications, VoIP

Source: http://www.anpisolutions.com/david-byrds-eye-view/the-status-of-local-telephone-competition/

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'SpaceLiner' aims to fly passengers in 2050

3 hrs.

Jeremy Hsu, TechNewsDaily Senior Writer , TechNewsDaily

A??hypersonic "SpaceLiner" would whisk up to 50 passengers from Europe to Australia in 90 minutes. The futuristic vehicle would do so by riding a rocket into Earth's upper atmosphere, reaching 24 times the speed of sound before gliding in for a landing.

Many challenges still remain, including finding the right shape for the vehicle, said Martin Sippel, project coordinator for SpaceLiner at the German Aerospace Center. But he suggested the project could make enough progress to begin attracting private funding in another 10 years and aim for full operations by 2050.

The current concept includes a rocket booster stage for launch and a separate orbiter stage to carry passengers halfway around the world without ever making it to space. Flight times between the U.S. and Europe could fall to just over an hour if the SpaceLiner takes off ? that is, if passengers don't mind paying the equivalent of space tourism prices around several hundred thousand dollars.

"Maybe we can best characterize the SpaceLiner by saying it's a kind of second-generation space shuttle, but with a completely different task," Sippel said.

SpaceLiner passengers would have eight minutes to experience the rocket launch before they reached an altitude of about 47 to 50 miles. That falls short of the 62-mile boundary considered the edge of space, but even a suborbital flight would allow SpaceLiner to glide back to Earth at hypersonic speeds of more than 15,000 mph.

Relying on rocket power

The rocket-powered design stands out compared with other proposed hypersonic jets, which feature new air-breathing engine concepts. European aerospace giant EADS previously unveiled a hypersonic jet concept that would rely mainly upon air-breathing ramjets to reach cruising speeds of Mach 4 ? faster than the supersonic Concorde's Mach 2 performances but far slower than the SpaceLiner's Mach 24 goal.

SpaceLiner's European project planners say their reliance upon proven rocket technology could allow their vehicle to fly sooner rather than later. They plan to use liquid oxygen and hydrogen rocket propellants so that the rocket engines leave only water vapor and hydrogen in the atmosphere. [Video: How DARPA's HTV-2 Hypersonic Bomber Test Works]

"We will not try to improve the performance of the engine but would like to have it more reusable," Sippel told TechNewsDaily.

The empty rocket stage from SpaceLiner would return to Earth immediately after launch in preparation for reuse. An aircraft could grab the rocket stage in midair, tow it toward an airfield and release it for an autonomous gliding landing.

Chances of survival

But big challenges remain before SpaceLiner can take off. Researchers first must finalize a design shape capable of surviving the intense heat created by gliding at hypersonic speeds through the upper atmosphere. New cooling technologies and improved heat shielding for SpaceLiner's wing "leading edge" could help in that case.

Launching like a rocket rather than taking off like an aircraft means SpaceLiner would remain restricted to suitable launch sites with uninhabited areas down range. The SpaceLiner also would need a careful flight path during its final landing approach ? the "sonic boom" shock that accompanies aircraft traveling faster than the speed of sound can damage buildings on the ground at low altitudes.

"The profile of the vehicle is very similar to a rocket-propelled vehicle," Sippel explained. "We only have a small corridor in which we can fly safely and economically."

SpaceLiner's design will make use of study results from a FAST20XX (Future High-Altitude High-Speed Transport 20XX) project funded by the European Union and backed by researchers from Germany, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Sweden. It can also draw lessons from upcoming efforts such as Project ALPHA by Aerospace Innovation GmbH ? a space plane that aims to launch in midair from an Airbus A330 aircraft.

But future success ultimately depends upon the success of space tourism efforts by companies such as Virgin Galactic. If enough people prove willing to pay top dollar for suborbital flights as part of their travels around the world, Sippel envisions a fleet of SpaceLiners eventually making 10 to 15 flights per day.

You can follow TechNewsDaily Senior Writer Jeremy Hsu on Twitter @jeremyhsu. Follow TechNewsDaily on Twitter @TechNewsDaily. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/hypersonic-spaceliner-aims-fly-passengers-2050-1C8103589

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