SANTA FE, N.M. ? Peter Smith steered his silver Chevy TrailBlazer down a rough dirt road, rolling to a stop at the edge of a dry, sandy wash called the Gallina Arroyo. "Here's the scene of the crime," he said.
Two years ago, Smith cleaned out and graded a few hundred yards of the arroyo that winds through the 20-acre tract he and his wife, Francoise, own in the hills south of Santa Fe, not suspecting that he might be committing a federal offense.
But in June 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent a letter informing him that by failing to obtain a permit before blading the bed of the arroyo with his tractor, he had violated the Clean Water Act. The corps issued a warning but did not impose fines or penalties.
Although the arroyo only runs a few times a year, it is considered, in the formal language of the Clean Water Act, a "water of the United States" because it ultimately drains into the Rio Grande, about 25 miles away, the corps ruled.
Now, with the help of a libertarian-leaning legal nonprofit group from California that opposes what it views as government encroachment on individual liberties, the Smiths have sued, seeking to limit the agency's regulatory powers.
"We hope to get them off of the Smiths' property," says Jennifer Fry, an attorney with the Sacramento-based Pacific Legal Foundation. "We think it's a good vehicle for cutting back on the corps' jurisdiction."
If the case is decided in Smith's favor by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, it would set a precedent, building on another clean-water regulatory case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court last March, Fry said. In that case, the court ruled that an Idaho couple could sue the Environmental Protection Agency over the agency's finding that they improperly filled in a wetland on their property.
Kristen Skopeck, public affairs chief for the corps' Albuquerque District, said she could not comment on the Smith case because of the pending litigation.
The Clean Water Act, passed in 1972, bars the discharge of pollutants into "navigable waters." Since then, courts have ruled that the act also may cover tributaries draining into larger bodies of water ? even so-called ephemeral streams like desert arroyos.
In its letter to Smith, the corps said that sediment from his stretch of the arroyo could have a negative effect on the river, home to the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow. Removal of vegetation might also increase concentrations of toxic nitrates from fertilizers, the agency found.
Smith, 65, a surveyor, grew up in Vancouver, Canada, before moving to the Southwest. He and his French-born wife built their retirement home on a secluded site nestled amid stands of juniper and pi?on trees.
A bark beetle infestation killed hundreds of the pi?ons, so Smith decided to cut and chip them to reduce fire danger. He also cleared trash that had been dumped in the arroyo ? including old sofas and car seats.
Smith also removed the brush that was growing there and smoothed out 2- to 3-foot-deep eroded channels so he could maneuver his equipment.
The corps decided to investigate when a neighbor complained, he said.
"I'm worried about cleaning up the property," Smith said. "I want to make it look good. I never thought the federal government would come into my retirement like this."
After receiving the letter, Smith researched the issue online and even enrolled in a legal course at a local college before learning of the Pacific Legal Foundation, which agreed to handle his case free.
"I'm just waiting for the thing to be decided," he said. "If I'm not too old and frail, I'll get back to work."
Katt Williams Quentin Tarantino Has No Business Using the N-Word
EXCLUSIVE
In between getting out of jail and getting in the middle of a parking lot brawl, Katt Williams took the time to talk to TMZ about "Django Unchained" ... and threatened to beat the crap out of?Quentin Tarantino if he gets the chance.
Williams didn't voice his opinion in a polite way like Spike Lee did. First he threatened to punch QT in the face, then told us, "Qunetin Tarantino thinks he can say the N-word. But I checked with all of Ni**adom and nobody knows where he got his pass from. I hope he didn't get it from Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx cause they aren't going to help you when I see you."
When our photog tried to compare QT to Steven Spielberg (who made "Amistad" in 1997), Katt shot back, "Quentin Tarantino is no Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg doesn't wanna be black, Quentin Tarantino thinks he is. So when he meets a real ni**a, we'll see if he is or not."
no matter what Dad always wants to do the best . make dad foot is very wide , you can?t hear the motor sound and the rain, I can not touch the rain hit everyone?s face. excessive interference?Also it will hinder the child potential release; or look down from a height to the child just ask children to listen listen to the word of the father at home at school listen to the teacher parents and teachers lack of communication not know what course to take the childSuch children are difficult to realistic and innovative it is difficult to set up the correct world outlook outlook nike lebron shoes on life and values it is difficult to form a good habitSome parents think school is a special education place for people it has special venues facilities curriculum and to understand the teacher education therefore to send their child to the school just study hard listen to the teacher can only; and with family education be of no great importance or that it doesn?t matter this kind of understanding is one-sided and irresponsibleIn fact this family education it is very difficult to make the comprehensive child developmentParents are the first teachers of the children family education for a child is not only the elementary education is in educationFirst of all the father and children have predestined relationship close relationship which makes the father and children have special intimacy trust and this decision of family education on children?s growth and development influentialIn second the family education tends to saturate at home in all aspects of life to play the role of influence character by environment parental awareness ethics value orientation in all its words and deeds in shaping children?s character he also went to have a look, as long as two fingers out quietly ,make the chimney smoke rises quietly . did not press the shutter. the final song.Just now returning farmland to forest ,To talk too long ,Monthly total Miss autumn, a flower of dandelion wind to fly,I?m waiting,Rotting my bones, finally,We had come to an end! Turned to ask my colleagues want it spicy . in short , I?m your life in autumn???This article has been edited [good luck] 2006-10-3 21:42:58 mo can be happy,In this only mahjong and wine western poor town , is not much of a beautiful memories .later participated in a literary contest ,month hill high . in fact miss again is lebron james shoes in the autumn season, but. kind of culture positive influence character by environment into your mind ,a road to find ,like a longing for a time,memories of the past , we do not sell. violet was full to keep branch,Life is it not so? ordinary family who try. I also not too much to consider ,But too strong and modification of taste . he was very active,He said that, tears with dream We have just finished 10 ralph lauren shirts days of military life, heart suddenly felt a little sad. some bright.High official positions and riches of life only dust and ralph lauren for sale flying smoke, trickster with shrimp I like catkins.
Good morning, AdLand. Here's what you need to know today:
Spike Lee?starred and directed a new NBA commercial called "The King of New York," about Knicks legend Bernard King's 60-point game against the Nets on Christmas in 1984. Public Enemy's "Get Up Stand Up" provides a soundtrack for this Goodby Silverstein & Partners spot.
Get ready for more targeted television commercial with?Gracenote's?ad replacement system. It will premiere at CES.?
George Foreman Grills?is taking a new marketing approach. It has launched a $3 million campaign that uses a weight loss contest as a way to advertise the appliance.
Ad Age?looks at?what advertisers did wrong this year.
Here are five common?Facebook?marketing mistakes via All Facebook.
Previously on Business Insider Advertising:
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PARIS (AP) ? Europeans are finding fewer reasons to pop open a bottle of Champagne as another year of economic troubles and high unemployment saps the region's appetite for the finer things. But while the latest industry figures show that sales might be on the wane in Europe, other markets, particularly Japan and the United States, are developing a taste for a glass of bubbly.
In what is certain to be bad news for the vineyards, France ? Champagne's largest market ? is drinking fewer bottles. Sales of Champagne for the country were down 4.9 percent, and 5 percent elsewhere in the 27-country European Union, in the first nine months of 2012 compared with the same period in 2011, according to CIVC, the national association of growers and producers of the wine.
Nineteen months of rising unemployment and growing fears that the worst is yet to come have taken their toll on France ? nearly seven in 10 French are worried about their country's future, according to a recent poll.
"The French are pessimist by nature," said Antoine Chiquet, whose family has been producing Champagne for three generations and wine for eight. "We had a difficult election, we're in an economy where Europe's foundations are being questioned."
Nonetheless, the country managed to drink 175.7 million bottles of Champagne from Nov. 1 2011 to Oct. 31 2012, according to CIVC ? enough for nearly 3 bottles a year for every man, woman and child but about 10 million bottles fewer than the previous year. In contrast, the U.S. consumed enough sparkling wine for about 1.5 bottles per person in 2010, the latest figures available from the California-based Wine Institute.
But while the news out of France and Europe is bad, CIVC figures show export sales were up 3 percent in the first three quarters of the year. Top markets included the U.S., Japan and, to a lesser extent, China. A total of 19.4 million bottles of Champagne went to the United States and 7.9 million went to Japan ? the only two countries outside Europe in the top seven export markets.
Takayasu Ogata, a Tokyo-based sommelier, said Champagne and sparkling wine consumption is climbing in Japan at a time when overall wine demand peaked about 2000. According to the French figures, Champagne consumption alone was up nearly 7 percent over a year there.
"Both individuals and restaurants are taking to Champagnes with personality, including those that are from small makers but taste good," he said.
Lower price is another reason. Gone are the days when a bottle of Moet & Chandon went for 5,000 yen ($60) or more in Japan. These days, you can get real Champagne for as little as 2,000 yen ($25).
Of course, for those with rich tastes and a budget to match there are still lots of expensive Champagnes, selling for 10 times that, according to Ogata, who works at Venture Republic, an Internet retailer, and is in charge of wines.
Beer remains the drink of choice for many "salarymen," but younger people and women are taking a liking to Champagne, Ogata says.
"It's about the bubble ? a sense of gorgeousness," he said in a telephone interview. "There's that thrill to opening up a bottle of Champagne."
China is also emerging as a potentially strong market for a glass of fizz, although the numbers remain small. In 2011, the latest figures available, it ranked 19th in export markets for Champagne, apparently because consumers are less discriminating about precise origins. According to an EU ruling, only sparkling wine made in a particular region in northeast France is allowed to carry the name Champagne. The United States makes some exceptions, as long as the labeling is clear.
"People enjoy the 'boom' moment of opening sparkling wine. It is fun. It offers a more festive atmosphere and it tastes good," said said Yu Ming, a 29-year-old who operated a bar in Beijing's Sanlitun nightlife district until 2010. In China, he added, "people call all sparkling wine Champagne. They don't care where it is from or whether the fermentation is inside the bottle."
The sales manager at the BHG supermarket in a luxury shopping mall in Beijing confirmed that Champagne budgets are largely out of reach in China, saying most customers at the chic store will instead choose sparkling wine: "The most expensive Champagne is 7,800 yuan ($1,250) a bottle at my store, but the most expensive sparkling wine is only 268 yuan ($43)," said the manager, who gave his surname, Hou.
Chiquet, whose label Gaston Chiquet produces about 200,000 bottles a year, said France and Europe generally will remain the most important markets for Champagne. But for the numbers to climb again "we'll have to rediscover optimism."
"Champagne remains a drink for celebrating the big events of life," said Chiquet. "Happily for sales, at the end of the year, the French rely on tradition. Still, we're not going to catch up. Unfortunately, what's lost already is lost."
___
Associated Press writer Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo and researchers Fu Ting in Shanghai and Flora Ji in Beijing contributed to this report.
If you have a good job, making good money still living at home shows you fear living alone and being independent. Is your Mother indigent? Are your Father's life insurance and other death benefit not enough for your Mom to be self sustaining financially without you? If the house is too much, it's time to down size to something more affordable so she can live comfortable and you can be an independent adult.
What I see in this situation is, you being your Mom companion until she dies, which could be many, many years from now and with that you'll find yourself isolated, unmarried and no family. And then the resentment will set in and you'll find yourself a unhappy old woman.
Granted the economy has many moving back home because they can't afford housing or don't have the jobs to afford housing depending on where one lives.
You have to figure out what you want for YOUR life. You have been living your life FOR your parents - now Mom - which leaves you with no life of your own. Do you want to have a man in your life? Do you want to get married? Have children? You certainly can't do that living with Mom. Newlywed couples can't have their parents as a part of their marriage as it will cause issues. If you truly need to take care of your indigent Mother, you have her in an assisted living facility or her own apartment where you can watch over her, yet have your own space and own life.
This is what you have to figure out; what YOU want from life and when you expect to start living it too.
- Response by msadvise, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Transportation
Whether you are managing the demands of a growing family, or are financially sound enough to invest in a home addition, you need to get in touch with a reputable home improvement contractor in Arlington Heights. That?s the first and most important step in a home renovation project. You might need to speak to a structural engineer also if you are planning on altering your home?s structure as well.?
You should talk to more than a few of them in order to ensure that you get the very best available home improvement contractor. But sometimes that will put you in a catch-22 scenario because you will be tempted to go for the lowest bidder. It?s even better if you can talk to every one of them individually to discover why their prices are the way they are. The lowest bidder will not always provide you with the best service; unless it is a newbie trying to secure an impressive portfolio.?
Stay away from the substandard companies and avoid the ones who show up at your door step promising you wonders. One of the very first things that you ought to check about the home remodeling contractor is his track record; demand references and be aware that they are liable to give you a few.?
Generally a firm hires out their contractors, so it is essential they?re both registered by the correct associations. All states have their own licensing firms that hand out Home Improvement Contractor Licenses. Check in the Licensing and Business Registration Information Section of your state to see if the company is included. Every thing you can do to your house will require a different type of contractor, for example a General Building Contractor. The firm and the contractor should be properly insured so you will be safe in case of property damage, worker?s compensation and personal liability.?
Keep these things in mind while selecting your home improvement contractor:
? ? ?Inquire about his experience
? ? ?Check for references
? ? ?Check if he is licensed and registered
? ? ?See if the firm is registered
? ? ?Make sure he has insurance coverage
?
For more interesting facts and tips about home improvement contractors,?click here.
Arguing about money again? Here are 10 ways to work it out.
The more money, the more problems? Sure, that may be true ? but really any amount of money can lead to issues in your marriage. From different spending habits to budgeting preferences, there are plenty of opportunities to disagree about how you handle money as a couple.
More from YourTango: Matchmaking Tips: How to Set Up Your Friends
Luckily, our friends at The Stir came to the rescue with 10 methods for approaching the difficult subject in your marriage. With things like weekly meetings and 'fun money', you'll find out how to not dread the money talk.
See the 10 tips at The Stir:?10 Tips and Tricks for Handling Money Issues in a Marriage
Thursday, December 27th, 2012 Issue 52, Volume 16.
The pace of medical advances and health care availability has seemingly outpaced other service sectors throughout the region in recent years. That surge is expected to continue next year.
Temecula?s first hospital is slated to open in the fall. Services at Murrieta?s first hospital are expanding following the recent opening of a neonatal intensive care unit there. New cardiology techniques and other services will continue to unfold at Murrieta?s second hospital. A 53-acre parcel east of Interstate 15 on the boundary of Temecula and Murrieta is being eyed as a potential site of a Kaiser Permanente hospital and medical complex. And Fallbrook Hospital?s emergence from a contract dispute with a medical group has opened the door for expanded services there.
The projects and new medical offerings are transforming a region that was widely seen as lacking enough hospital beds and key specialty services.
Next year, a second birthday will be celebrated at Loma Linda University, which opened a $230 million complex in Murrieta that is anchored by an emergency room and a five-story, 265,000-square-foot hospital. That hospital, which overlooks Interstate 215, sprouted over a 26-month period that netted Murrieta its second hospital.
Since it opened, Loma Linda Murrieta has brought open heart surgery to the region and introduced new cancer and childbirth strategies. It has also added specialized wound care and bariatric surgery to its offerings.
"We are making plans for expanding our cardiology services and will have some important news to announce in January," said Kathryn Stiles, the hospital?s director of marketing and communication.
As services expand there, Temecula?s first hospital is taking shape at the city?s southeast corner. Southwest Advertisement [ La-Z-Boy ] Healthcare System is building the 140-bed, five-story hospital that is more than 60 percent finished. The hospital is expected to cost the parent company, Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services, about $150 million when it opens next fall.
Work progressed there as Southwest joined forces with Rady Children?s Hospital-San Diego to open the first neonatal care unit in the Temecula Valley. That 11-bed unit ? the first in a vast area from Escondido to Orange County ? recently opened at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta. The neonatal unit is located in a $53 million annex that opened alongside Rancho Springs in February 2011.
Meanwhile, Fallbrook?Hospital, which has been serving the region for more than 50 years, is moving forward with its commitment to provide a growing list of specialty services and surgical options.
The facility?s emergency room, deemed critical for residents in the northern tip of San Diego County, continues to help patients avoid an emergency out-of-town transport as they grapple with threatening health conditions.
The hospital is emerging from a breakdown in communications that occurred during its contract renewal negotiations with Graybill Medical, one of the town?s largest medical groups. After a few stressful months, a new agreement was forged between the two in order to continue providing local hospital services for patients using that group.
Stephen Abbott, president of the Fallbrook Healthcare District said the new agreement was critical in order to deliver quality healthcare services to area residents.
"We are fortunate to have easy, local access to 24-hour emergency services at Fallbrook Hospital along with a wide variety of diagnostic and treatment services," Abbott said.
A comprehensive study of prostate cancer tissue done in the UK has revealed that a completely new gene network takes over driving the cancer in men who are castrate resistant. The research was published in Cancer Cell.
Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute, at the University of Cambridge studied tissue samples from men with prostate cancer. They found that a protein fuels advanced prostate cancer (castrate resistant) by switching on a different set of genes previously not linked with the disease. This research might provide new drug targets to treat the disease and new bio-markers that could be used to monitor progression of advanced prostate cancer.
Previous cell studies have shown that the androgen receptor attaches to and ?switches on? specific genes to drive cancer. This study shows that when androgens are absent from the bloodstream, or when men are on ADT, the androgen receptor continues to fuel the disease by switching on a completely different gene set. This includes genes associated with the production of glucose and fat.
Study author, Naomi Sharma, Urology Academic Registrar at Addenbrooke?s Hospital based at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute, said: ?This is the first comprehensive tissue study of its kind and shines a new light on the biology of prostate cancer.
?Our understanding so far comes from studies in cells grown in the laboratory. In this sophisticated study using samples directly from patients, we?ve uncovered a much more complex network of cell messages. These messages switch on a completely different set of genes that continue to drive the disease in men for whom standard hormone treatments have stopped working.
?These important findings might provide new targets for the development of new drugs to treat advanced stages of prostate cancer, and new ?flags? to help doctors track the progression of the disease in patients.?
This study is significant as it might change our understanding of how the most important androgen receptor actually works to drive castrate resistant prostate cancer. Professor Malcolm Mason, Cancer Research UK?s prostate cancer expert, said: ?This fascinating research reframes our understanding of how the androgen receptor works ? painting a very different picture of how it drives cancer.
WASHINGTON --?A measure of the burden of U.S. household debt tumbled in the third quarter to its lowest level in 29 years, which should help free up money for consumer spending and support the economy.
The household debt service ratio -- an estimate of the share of debt payments to disposable personal income -- fell to 10.61 percent from 10.72 percent in the second quarter, the Federal Reserve said on Thursday.
It was the lowest level since the fourth quarter of 1983.
"Consumers have more money in their pockets to spend, which should be positive for the economic recovery going forward," said Gennadiy Goldberg, an economist at TD Securities in New York.
U.S. households built up a massive debt load as the housing bubble expanded and efforts to pay down those debts have been a restraint on spending and the economy's recovery.
The debt service ratio, which takes into account outstanding mortgage and consumer debt, peaked in the third quarter of 2007, shortly before the economy tipped into recession.
The Fed has sought to help consumers dig out by keeping interest rates near record lows. It has held overnight rates near zero since December 2008 and has bought around $2.4 trillion in bonds to further lower borrowing costs.
Even though households are now in better shape, analysts caution that consumer spending could stall if Congress fails to prevent higher taxes from taking hold next year.
An even broader measure of financial obligations that includes automobile lease payments and the cost of renting a home also fell in the third quarter, dropping to 15.74 percent of disposable income -- the lowest level since the first quarter of 1984.
That drop reflected an easier burden for homeowners as mortgage debt payments dropped to 8.90 percent of disposable income in the third quarter, the lowest in 11 years.
Both the overall homeowners measure and separate mortgage gauge peaked in the third quarter of 2007.
"You have a lot of people refinancing their mortgages at lower rates," Goldberg said.
In contrast, the relative cost of rent rose to its highest level since the first quarter of 2010.
The weak housing market has led Americans away from home ownership and toward renting, pushing up rents. At the same time, a modest economic recovery has encouraged some people who had moved in with family and friends to seek their own lodgings, further strengthening the rental market.
While a lightening of household debt burden puts the recovery on firmer ground, it also highlights a hesitance to take on new debt, which could be an obstacle to spending.
"We all (would) like to see better growth in credit, banks being more willing to make more loans to consumers, demand for loans rising," said Omair Sharif, an economist at RBS in Stamford, Connecticut.
"That would push the ratio higher, but that's not necessarily a such a bad thing, especially if rates are so low and you are able to service that debt."
Monkey see, monkey do: Visual feedback is necessary for imitating facial expressionsPublic release date: 27-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Anna Mikulak amikulak@psychologicalscience.org 202-293-9300 Association for Psychological Science
Research using new technology shows that our ability to imitate facial expressions depends on learning that occurs through visual feedback.
Studies of the chameleon effect confirm what salespeople, tricksters, and Lotharios have long known: Imitating another person's postures and expressions is an important social lubricant.
But how do we learn to imitate with any accuracy when we can't see our own facial expressions and we can't feel the facial expressions of others?
Richard Cook of City University London, Alan Johnston of University College London, and Cecilia Heyes of the University of Oxford investigate possible mechanisms underlying our ability to imitate in two studies published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
In the first experiment, the researchers videotaped participants as they recited jokes and then asked them to imitate four randomly selected facial expressions from their videos. When they achieved what they perceived to be the target expression, the participants recorded the attempt with the click of a computer mouse.
A computer program evaluated the accuracy of participants' imitation attempts against a map of the target expression. In contrast to previous studies that relied on subjective assessments, this new technology allowed for automated and objective measurement of imitative accuracy.
In one experiment, the researchers found that participants who were able to see their imitation attempts through visual feedback improved over successive attempts. But participants who had to rely solely on proprioception sensing the relative position of their facial features got progressively worse.
These results are consistent with the associative sequence-learning model, which holds that our ability to imitate accurately depends on learned associations between what we see (in the mirror or through feedback from others) and what we feel.
Cook and colleagues conclude that contingent visual feedback may be a useful component of rehabilitation and skill-training programs that are designed to improve individuals' ability to imitate facial gestures.
###
For more information about this study, please contact: Richard Cook at Richard.Cook.1@city.ac.uk.
The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. For a copy of the article "Facial Self-Imitation: Objective Measurement Reveals No Improvement Without Visual Feedback" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Monkey see, monkey do: Visual feedback is necessary for imitating facial expressionsPublic release date: 27-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Anna Mikulak amikulak@psychologicalscience.org 202-293-9300 Association for Psychological Science
Research using new technology shows that our ability to imitate facial expressions depends on learning that occurs through visual feedback.
Studies of the chameleon effect confirm what salespeople, tricksters, and Lotharios have long known: Imitating another person's postures and expressions is an important social lubricant.
But how do we learn to imitate with any accuracy when we can't see our own facial expressions and we can't feel the facial expressions of others?
Richard Cook of City University London, Alan Johnston of University College London, and Cecilia Heyes of the University of Oxford investigate possible mechanisms underlying our ability to imitate in two studies published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
In the first experiment, the researchers videotaped participants as they recited jokes and then asked them to imitate four randomly selected facial expressions from their videos. When they achieved what they perceived to be the target expression, the participants recorded the attempt with the click of a computer mouse.
A computer program evaluated the accuracy of participants' imitation attempts against a map of the target expression. In contrast to previous studies that relied on subjective assessments, this new technology allowed for automated and objective measurement of imitative accuracy.
In one experiment, the researchers found that participants who were able to see their imitation attempts through visual feedback improved over successive attempts. But participants who had to rely solely on proprioception sensing the relative position of their facial features got progressively worse.
These results are consistent with the associative sequence-learning model, which holds that our ability to imitate accurately depends on learned associations between what we see (in the mirror or through feedback from others) and what we feel.
Cook and colleagues conclude that contingent visual feedback may be a useful component of rehabilitation and skill-training programs that are designed to improve individuals' ability to imitate facial gestures.
###
For more information about this study, please contact: Richard Cook at Richard.Cook.1@city.ac.uk.
The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. For a copy of the article "Facial Self-Imitation: Objective Measurement Reveals No Improvement Without Visual Feedback" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
It's a wet nasty day here in the Hudson Valley, but that's not going to bring me down.? After a quick run in the rain, I'm ready to deliver for you.? Now that the?holidays are here we often get busier than ever.? Running from school event to school event, The infamous work party to friends parties, to shopping and getting our nails, hair done to look?our best for?those we love.?(ok, not me)??With?all this madness,?don't let the holidays pass you by without remembering the reason you decided to start a family.??Allow yourself to go back to the roots of your relationship.? Spending time with loved ones,?visiting family and friends that you have not seen in awhile,?partaking in special fun activities with your children to?carrying on traditions or starting new ones. Whatever your cup of cheer is just do it with your family.??
As my oldest is now 11 it really hits home to how fast the years are flying by.? I have loved them all and hope you do as well. Happy Holidays Todd
PS:? Looking for that last minute gift to give to a loved one.? If so then don't miss out on giving the gift that will give back day after day.? And to think it will cost you less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks.? SO STOP READING and click below for your copy of Three Step Parenting. located on the right hand side of the page.? Only $2.99 during the time of giving.
http://threestepparenting.blogspot.com/
Are you still reading, go now and enjoy your holidays that much more.
BAGHDAD (AP) ? One of Iraq's three telecommunications providers is looking to raise $1.3 billion through what is likely to be the country's biggest stock offering yet.
Asiacell said on Tuesday it plans to offer 67.5 billion shares for at least 22 Iraqi dinars, or just under 2 cents, apiece when it launches the initial public offering beginning next month.
The shares being offered represent a quarter of Asiacell's total share capital. The Gulf state of Qatar's Qatar Telecom owns 53.9 percent of the company.
The Iraq Stock Exchange announced the upcoming IPO earlier this month. Tuesday's statement offered the first pricing details for the share floatation.
Asiacell competes against Zain Iraq, part of Kuwait's Zain, and Korek, an affiliate of France Telecom.
There are several different kinds of home remodeling ventures that you might want to think about. Unless you plan to completely renovate your home, however, you have to make some decisions about where to start. Directing your attention toward compulsory repairs first is important and later you can redirect your attention to the things that will make your home more cozy and appealing. You may want to put into practice some of the following suggestions for home remodeling.
Typically, if you wish to make sizable improvements to your home, than you need a permit. This varies from place to place, so it is important that you check into this before beginning any home improvement projects. If you choose not to, then you open up the possibility of being fined by the city or county when someone sees what you have done. All you really need to do is pick up your phone and call the local government offices to learn what is necessary. If a licensed contractor will be doing the work for you, he will usually deal with this for you however if you are hiring a general laborer or handyman, it is something you will have to deal with. Typically, ascertaining a permit is not a hurdle, although it is one thing you do not want to forget about if you wish to steer clear of any hurdles in the future.
All right, we have gone over the first couple of points regarding home remodeling, of course you recognize they play a significant role. Of course we strongly suggest you learn more about them. It is difficult to ascertain all the various means by which they can serve you. However, we always emphasize that anyone takes a closer look at the general big picture as it applies to this subject. Continue reading because you do not want to miss these critical knowledge items.
One way to add a cozy new area for you and your family to gather is to build a deck. If you want to do this yourself, you have to consider all of the specifications first. You?ll want to make your deck as convenient and comfortable as possible, and also located in a spot that you?ll want to spend a lot of time. The best spot for a deck is usually where you?ll have some shade during the day. When planning the location of your deck, you may also want to think about the matter of privacy. If you want a new deck, you have to make the decision of hiring help or making it a DIY project. Just be aware that building a deck is a time consuming project that takes a certain amount of skill.
No matter what kind of home remodeling you?re planning, look for ways to make your home more energy efficient. Every step you take in this area will save you money on bills and also make your home more valuable and up to date. It?s not a good idea to rely on a fireplace for heating your home, and if you do have one make sure the damper is closed when you?re not using it. If this isn?t working properly, your chimney will be a constant source of drafts entering your home. Windows are another area of your home to examine for energy efficiency. Look for windows with a low U-value, which indicates better insulation. How your windows are installed is also a big factor, so make sure this is done by someone who?s an expert.
There are so many types of home remodeling possibilities, so you have to consider your needs and resources. Whether you?re doing your own home improvements or hiring help, don?t underestimate the cost or the amount of time it will take. It?s best to approach home improvement with a workable plan, but also have some flexibility in case you need to make changes.
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Session organizer, David Vine recorded the session Understanding Militarism: Critical Anthropological Perspectives. If you missed the session, click on the play arrow button to listen:
Sponsored by the Society for the Anthropology of North America and Society for Urban, National and Transnational/Global Anthropology, the session was held on Friday, November 16, 2012.
The militarized response of the United States to the attacks of September 11, 2001?involving at least two wars, the expansion of global military deployments, and skyrocketing military spending?has reminded many that militarism is a major underexplored phenomenon affecting the lives of humans worldwide. Militarism is found in places obvious and not-so-obvious from standing armies to camouflage fashion, the military industrial complex to the Pentagon?s relationship with Hollywood, the growth of drone warfare to the militarization of language and our discipline. Panelists will discuss militarism as a phenomenon and the development of a critical reader on the subject aimed at compiling essential readings on militarism and educating students in anthropology, history, political science, international relations, sociology, and beyond. Each panelist will discuss a different facet of militarism including militarism and human nature; histories and roots of militarism; theorizing militarism; militarized economies; military culture and soldiering; militarized families; fear as a way of life; militarized language, militarized minds; the militarization of place; military bases; post-September 11, 2001 wars; the militarization of law; militarized humanitarianism; militarized popular culture; the militarized university; the militarization of anthropology, social movements against militarism, alternatives to militarism, and demilitarization. The panel will conclude by inviting audience members into a critical discussion of militarism and how anthropologists can better investigate, theorize, and understand the phenomenon. The panel will focus special attention on the United States as today?s ?wellspring? of global militarism (C. Lutz), but will explore various forms of militarism across places and times. In the spirit of the panelists? critical reader and as part of efforts to broaden the impact of anthropological scholarship, the panel will be made freely available to the public as an internet podcast.
This session would be of particular interest to: Practicing and Applied Anthropologists, Teachers of Anthropology in Community Colleges, Students, Those involved in mentoring activities
Organizers: ?David Vine (American University) and Andrew Bickford (George Mason University)
Chairs: ?Hugh Gusterson (George Mason University)
Discussants: ?Catherine Besteman (Colby College)
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Filed under: Annual Meeting, Events and Exhibits Tagged: | Adrienne Pine, Catherine Besteman, David H. Price, David Vine, Militarism and anthropology, Roberto J. Gonzalez, Society for the Anthropology of North America, Society for Urban National and Transnational/Global Anthropology
Are you ready for tomorrow? Are you sure you?re ready for the crowd that is about to enter your home? Do you have everything? Gifts, food, dress, food? Drinks? Yeah, drinks! Ain?t no party without some spirits and wine, now, is there?
Allow me to help you out with that answer; No.
Moreover, allow me to help you out with the drinks part. How about we create a delicious hot beverage in the slow cooker? Mulled Wine is a great option! All we have to do is turn the slow cooker dial on low and forget about it until it is time to serve. Best part ? it?s low in sugar!
You can thank me for that after the holidays when you realize that I saved you a few calories and carbs.
As part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker program I was selected to create a low-sugar beverage recipe with Sweet?N Low sweetener.
No problemo!
We love wine. Underline, Bold, Italicize, Caps ? LOVE.?Now you definitely know how much we love wine.
But this time of year, we like our wine a bit spiced. And warm. Don?t you? That is why it was a no-brainer for me when I was given this assignment.
Sweet?N Low has made life a bit easier for people like my dad that are either borderline diabetic or diabetic. Because of my dad, we usually go around about adding sugar to many of my recipes by using Sweet?N Low sweetener in place of sugar.?My dad loves his sweets and these hot drinks, but without the help of Sweet?N Low sweetener, he wouldn?t be able to enjoy them.
For more information about Sweet?N Low Sweetener, hop on over to their website where you will be able to find more great recipe ideas and special offers.
Now you can go rest easy knowing that for tomorrow you have a low-sugar option on that menu, which in turn will allow you to double up on that pie.
I would like to thank DailyBuzz Food and Sweet?N Low for this opportunity -?Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: I was provided with a Sweet?N Low Sweetener Gift Pack and ?a stipend as part of the Tastemakers program from DailyBuzz Food. The opinions expressed are my own.
ENJOY!
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine {Low Sugar}
Ingredients
1 bottle, 750mL, red wine (I use Merlot)
zest of 1 orange
1 orange, peeled, segmented
2 cinnamon sticks
1 small piece of ginger root (about 1-inch piece)
2 tablespoons Maker's Mark Brandy
10 packets Sweet'N Low sweetener
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker pot.
Stir and cover.
Cook on LOW for 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours.
Ladle into mugs without the spices.
When serving, take the lid off and leave the slow cooker on LOW or WARM.
Can a long distance relationship survive? By the way, are long distance relationships realistic? Yes? No? If you think yes, how??? I am curious?
It?s always assumed that relationships are blissful ? but wait! It?s not all candies and kisses, sometimes there a lot of hardship to deal with and it can be really emotionally taunting and mentally demanding. What?s worse is, pairing the idea of a long distance relationship with the sad soppy case of losing communication.
What?s going on? They seemed happy. Although they were going to be far away from each other, they seemed like they were in it forever but then suddenly everything changed! Did he find someone else? Or is it just a simple misunderstanding? Relationships are an uphill battle or sometimes a downwards spiral ? it?s really how you manage it but these two sadly went the wrong way. Who?s that guy at the end? Does he like her? And does she like him too?
Most importantly, in the case of Amy & Nick?s relationship, it shows that if there is no data, you?ll lose it all. After all, everything is on the internet now and it costs almost nothing at all. Just as long as you have data, relationships will go smooth sailing so dial *128# to sign up for any pack to have it all.?
NEW YORK (AP) ? Stock futures are down in very light trading with markets set to close early for the holiday.
The driving force on markets Monday was so-called fiscal cliff, now just seven days away.
Dow Jones industrial futures are down 39 points to 13,097. The broader S&P futures have slipped 5.6 points to 1,420.30. Nasdaq futures are down 12 points to 2,648.50.
Key lawmakers are already predicting that much of their holiday season will be spent in Washington. Many believe that the most that will be achieved is a stop-gap measure to avoid the federal spending cuts and broad tax hikes that would take effect Jan. 1 if no budget deal is reached.
U.S. trading closes at 1 p.m. Eastern and a number of markets overseas, including Germany and Italy, are closed.
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) greet each other after their NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. The Redskins won 38-31. (AP Photo/Matt Strasen)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins game that will decide the NFC East is moving to prime time.
The NFL says that Dallas' matchup with rival Washington on Dec. 30 would be on NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
Starting in Week 11, the league's flexible scheduling policy allows it to move a more appealing game to Sunday night. This is the second time this season a switch has been made.
The Cowboys are 8-7 heading into their trip to Washington, which beat the Cowboys 38-31 on Thanksgiving. The Redskins are 9-6.
Another matchup with playoff implications, Packers-Vikings, shifts to 4:25 p.m. EST on Fox.
___
Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Philip M. Parker, a marketing professor at INSEAD (the European Institute of Business Administration), has written and patented a system that uses an algorithm to automatically compile data into book form. Between his works and those of his research group (ICON Group International), he has over 900,000 books currently for sale on Amazon. More than a smart search engine, his system only requires a few minutes or a few hours to scan the databases relevant to any given topic and organize that data into a technical report. Next stop? Romance novels.
There are few things in life quite as boring as writing a technical report. You accumulate all available data on the topic, then categorize and prioritize the information. A general structure within with which to present the data is then chosen from a few common structures, whereupon the collected and sorted information is presented as a report. Such reports are formulaic ? produced in accordance with a slavishly followed rule or style, and their generation is largely a process of intellectual drudgery requiring very little creativity. It's exactly the sort of task for which computers were developed.
Prof. Parker, an author of several conventionally written technical and business reports, realized one day that the process of writing such a report can be described in terms of a reasonably well defined algorithm. He then set out to program a computer to carry out this algorithm, for which he was issued US Patent 7,266,767 (Method and apparatus for automated authoring and marketing.).
Parker designed the algorithm to follow (hopefully closely) the path that an expert would take in writing a summary about a data-rich subject. There are similarities to IBM's Jeopardy grandmaster Watson, which also casts a wide data net, then organizes and summarizes the data so it can respond rapidly to questions.
Some examples of books written by Parker's program include:
Satirists: Webster's Quotations, Facts and Phrases
The 2007 Report on Little Cigarette-Size Cigars Weighing Less Than 3 Pounds Per 1,000 Cigars: World Market Segmentation by City
Webster's English to Portuguese Brazilian Crossword Puzzles: Level 10 (Portuguese Edition)
Webster's Hiligaynon - English Thesaurus Dictionary
The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Blepharitis
While some of these titles seem difficult to believe, there is a (generally small) market for each of them. If a person or company needs in-depth data about a subject, however narrow, that data has value in organized form. Parker's program works especially well with modern distribution technologies, turning print-on-demand into written-on-demand.
Parker has also used an outgrowth of his algorithm to write a comprehensive set of poems about roughly 80,000 words in the English language. Totopoetry is a collection of algorithmically authored poetry that neatly illustrates the strengths and limitations of algorithmic writing. Poems are written in 17 styles (e.g., Haiku, limerick, sonnet) for each word in English.
Each poem is intended to illuminate the meaning of the word on which it is based. For example, the octosyllable poem for "poetry" reads:
???????? "Really instant and overt. ???????? But also distant and covert." ? Totopoetry
And then there is the modern Haiku form, again on "poetry":
???????? "An executive, ???????? evokes many directions, ???????? numbers and manners" ? Totopoetry
At present Parker's algorithm cannot judge its work against some intrinsic or personal measure of poetic merit.
The next area of formulaic writing to which Parker wants to adapt his algorithm is romance novels, which are widely (perhaps unfairly) denigrated as "cookie-cutter" literature. Parker believes their simplicity and limited plot structure suggest romances as the best target for an early attack on fiction writing. Regardless of his level of success, human authors are likely to face progressively more competition from algorithmic authors over the next decade or so. At this point it seems likely that the place of the best human writers is probably safe, but for how long? Time will tell.
Chinese medicine yields secrets to scientists at The Scripps Research InstitutePublic release date: 23-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mika Ono mikaono@scripps.edu 858-784-2052 Scripps Research Institute
Atomic mechanism of 2-headed molecule derived from Chang Shan, a traditional Chinese herb, is shown in unprecedented detail
LA JOLLA, CA December 23, 2012 The mysterious inner workings of Chang Shana Chinese herbal medicine used for thousands of years to treat fevers associated with malariahave been uncovered thanks to a high-resolution structure solved at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI).
Described in the journal Nature this week, the structure shows in atomic detail how a two-headed compound derived from the active ingredient in Chang Shan works. Scientists have known that this compound, called halofuginone (a derivative of the febrifugine), can suppress parts of the immune systembut nobody knew exactly how.
The new structure shows that, like a wrench in the works, halofuginone jams the gears of a molecular machine that carries out "aminoacylation," a crucial biological process that allows organisms to synthesize the proteins they need to live. Chang Shan, also known as Dichroa febrifuga Lour, probably helps with malarial fevers because traces of a halofuginone-like chemical in the herb interfere with this same process in malaria parasites, killing them in an infected person's bloodstream.
"Our new results solved a mystery that has puzzled people about the mechanism of action of a medicine that has been used to treat fever from a malaria infection going back probably 2,000 years or more," said Paul Schimmel, PhD, the Ernest and Jean Hahn Professor and Chair of Molecular Biology and Chemistry and member of The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at TSRI. Schimmel led the research with TSRI postdoctoral fellow Huihao Zhou, PhD.
Halofuginone has been in clinical trials for cancer, but the high-resolution picture of the molecule suggests it has a modularity that would make it useful as a template to create new drugs for numerous other diseases.
The Process of Aminoacylation and its Importance to Life
Aminoacylation is a crucial step in the synthesis of proteins, the end products of gene expression. When genes are expressed, their DNA sequence is first read and transcribed into RNA, a similar molecule. The RNA is then translated into proteins, which are chemically very different from DNA and RNA but are composed of chains of amino acid molecules strung together in the order called for in the DNA.
Necessary for this translation process are a set of molecules known as transfer RNAs (tRNAs), which shuttle amino acids to the growing protein chain where they are added like pearls on a string. But before the tRNAs can move the pearls in place, they must first grab hold of them.
Aminoacylation is the biological process whereby the amino acid's pearls are attached to these tRNA shuttles. A class of enzymes known as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is responsible for attaching the amino acids to the tRNAs, and Schimmel and his colleagues have been examining the molecular details of this process for years. Their work has given scientists insight into everything from early evolution to possible targets for future drug development.
Over time what has emerged as the picture of this process basically involves three molecular players: a tRNA, an amino acid and the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzyme that brings them together. A fourth molecule called ATP is a microscopic form of fuel that gets consumed in the process.
The new work shows that halofuginone gets its potency by interfering with the tRNA synthetase enzyme that attaches the amino acid proline to the appropriate tRNA. It does this by blocking the active site of the enzyme where both the tRNA and the amino acid come together, with each half of the halofuginone blocking one side or the other.
Interestingly, said Schimmel, ATP is also needed for the halofuginone to bind. Nothing like that has ever been seen in biochemistry before.
"This is a remarkable example where a substrate of an enzyme (ATP) captures an inhibitor of the same enzyme, so that you have an enzyme-substrate-inhibitor complex," said Schimmel.
###
The article, "ATP-Directed Capture of Bioactive Herbal-Based Medicine on Human tRNA Synthetase," by Huihao Zhou, Litao Sun, Xiang-Lei Yang and Paul Schimmel was published in the journal Nature on December 23, 2012
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health through grants #GM15539, #23562 and #88278 and by a fellowship from the National Foundation for Cancer Research.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Chinese medicine yields secrets to scientists at The Scripps Research InstitutePublic release date: 23-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Mika Ono mikaono@scripps.edu 858-784-2052 Scripps Research Institute
Atomic mechanism of 2-headed molecule derived from Chang Shan, a traditional Chinese herb, is shown in unprecedented detail
LA JOLLA, CA December 23, 2012 The mysterious inner workings of Chang Shana Chinese herbal medicine used for thousands of years to treat fevers associated with malariahave been uncovered thanks to a high-resolution structure solved at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI).
Described in the journal Nature this week, the structure shows in atomic detail how a two-headed compound derived from the active ingredient in Chang Shan works. Scientists have known that this compound, called halofuginone (a derivative of the febrifugine), can suppress parts of the immune systembut nobody knew exactly how.
The new structure shows that, like a wrench in the works, halofuginone jams the gears of a molecular machine that carries out "aminoacylation," a crucial biological process that allows organisms to synthesize the proteins they need to live. Chang Shan, also known as Dichroa febrifuga Lour, probably helps with malarial fevers because traces of a halofuginone-like chemical in the herb interfere with this same process in malaria parasites, killing them in an infected person's bloodstream.
"Our new results solved a mystery that has puzzled people about the mechanism of action of a medicine that has been used to treat fever from a malaria infection going back probably 2,000 years or more," said Paul Schimmel, PhD, the Ernest and Jean Hahn Professor and Chair of Molecular Biology and Chemistry and member of The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at TSRI. Schimmel led the research with TSRI postdoctoral fellow Huihao Zhou, PhD.
Halofuginone has been in clinical trials for cancer, but the high-resolution picture of the molecule suggests it has a modularity that would make it useful as a template to create new drugs for numerous other diseases.
The Process of Aminoacylation and its Importance to Life
Aminoacylation is a crucial step in the synthesis of proteins, the end products of gene expression. When genes are expressed, their DNA sequence is first read and transcribed into RNA, a similar molecule. The RNA is then translated into proteins, which are chemically very different from DNA and RNA but are composed of chains of amino acid molecules strung together in the order called for in the DNA.
Necessary for this translation process are a set of molecules known as transfer RNAs (tRNAs), which shuttle amino acids to the growing protein chain where they are added like pearls on a string. But before the tRNAs can move the pearls in place, they must first grab hold of them.
Aminoacylation is the biological process whereby the amino acid's pearls are attached to these tRNA shuttles. A class of enzymes known as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is responsible for attaching the amino acids to the tRNAs, and Schimmel and his colleagues have been examining the molecular details of this process for years. Their work has given scientists insight into everything from early evolution to possible targets for future drug development.
Over time what has emerged as the picture of this process basically involves three molecular players: a tRNA, an amino acid and the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzyme that brings them together. A fourth molecule called ATP is a microscopic form of fuel that gets consumed in the process.
The new work shows that halofuginone gets its potency by interfering with the tRNA synthetase enzyme that attaches the amino acid proline to the appropriate tRNA. It does this by blocking the active site of the enzyme where both the tRNA and the amino acid come together, with each half of the halofuginone blocking one side or the other.
Interestingly, said Schimmel, ATP is also needed for the halofuginone to bind. Nothing like that has ever been seen in biochemistry before.
"This is a remarkable example where a substrate of an enzyme (ATP) captures an inhibitor of the same enzyme, so that you have an enzyme-substrate-inhibitor complex," said Schimmel.
###
The article, "ATP-Directed Capture of Bioactive Herbal-Based Medicine on Human tRNA Synthetase," by Huihao Zhou, Litao Sun, Xiang-Lei Yang and Paul Schimmel was published in the journal Nature on December 23, 2012
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health through grants #GM15539, #23562 and #88278 and by a fellowship from the National Foundation for Cancer Research.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
In between getting out of jail and getting in the middle of a parking lot brawl, Katt Williams took the time to talk to TMZ about "Django Unchained" ... and threatened to beat the crap out of?Quentin Tarantino if he gets the chance.
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Public release date: 27-Dec-2012
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