You know, I'm sort of jealous. Because I've eaten something like three?Po'boy sandwiches in the past three days, and every single time I've wondered, as I was eating, where the odd name Po' boy originated. But didn't want to take out my grubby phone during the meal to find out. I've also wondered whether this is a problem that Google Glass could solve ... "If I had Google Glass right now, I would already know that the term Po'boy originated in a New Orleans restaurant?owned by former streetcar workers Benny and Clovis Martin, who served the sandwiches to off duty street car workers (in Louisiana?dialect Po'boys) during a 1929 strike against the street car company." Guess the name stuck.
Gonzaga's Elias Harris fights for a rebound against San Diego during the first half of an NCAA basketball game in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Gonzaga's Elias Harris fights for a rebound against San Diego during the first half of an NCAA basketball game in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Indiana is No. 1 in The Associated Press' Top 25 for the fourth straight week, while Gonzaga moved to No. 2 for the first time in school history.
While the West Coast Bulldogs made some news at the top of the poll Monday, Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs from Down South, moved into the rankings for the first time since a 13-week run in 1984-85, their only appearance in the poll.
Louisiana Tech, which is 25th this week, was led back then to a ranking as high as No. 7 by a forward named Karl Malone. Gonzaga at that time had a point guard named John Stockton. They went on to become one of the greatest combinations in NBA history with the Utah Jazz, were members of the Dream Team and both were inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Hoosiers, who have been ranked No. 1 for a total of 10 weeks this season, received all but one first-place vote from the 65-member national media panel.
Gonzaga, which got the other No. 1 vote, was ranked third last week. The Bulldogs were also that high in the poll for the final two weeks of 2003-04.
Duke moved up three spots to third and is followed by Michigan and Miami, which dropped from second after falling to Wake Forest, the Hurricanes' first Atlantic Coast Conference loss this season.
Kansas is sixth, followed by Georgetown, Florida, Michigan State and Louisville.
Saint Louis, which beat Butler and VCU last week, moved into 18th in the poll, the Billikens' first ranking since being in for one week last season.
Colorado State, which was 22nd and lost twice last week, and VCU, which was 24th, dropped out.
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Smokeymcpots and I teamed up to rank our 2013 NL-Only and AL-Only position rankings, and links to all of our rankings are a click away.
Smokey and I are teaming up to publish NL-Only and AL-Only position rankings for those of you in "only" leagues. They aren't as popular as mixed leagues, but I play in more "only" leagues than mixed leagues, and always have. I think "only" leagues require you to do a bit more homework to find that corner infielder or 4th-5th outfielder who could end up playing everyday.
Anyway, here are our rankings for catcher, first base, second base and shortstop. We will be publishing out third base and outfielder rankings next week.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States relaxed sanctions on four large banks in Myanmar on Friday, allowing them access to the U.S. financial system as a reward for the country's political reforms.
The Treasury Department issued a general license to the Myanma Economic Bank, Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, Asia Green Development Bank and Ayeyarwady Bank.
A general license eases restrictions and lets the banks deal with U.S. citizens and companies, but leaves sanctions laws on the books, giving Washington leverage should Myanmar start to backslide on reforms.
"Increased access to Burma's banking system for our companies and non-governmental organizations will help to facilitate Burma's continued social and economic development," said David Cohen, the Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The United States still uses the traditional two-syllable name for the Southeast Asian country.
The announcement on Friday follows a similar move last July, when the U.S. Treasury issued general licenses allowing U.S. companies to invest in and provide financial services to Myanmar, as long as they make detailed disclosures about their dealings.
The United States, the European Union and others have gradually loosened restrictions on Myanmar in the last two years after the country started to open up its political system and freed hundreds of political prisoners.
Myanmar's leaders say sanctions have stifled their attempts to revive the economy and lift the resource-rich country out of poverty.
Sanctions have also been suspended or lifted by other developed countries, including Canada, Australia and Japan.
(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by David Brunnstrom)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) ? Quiet most of Speedweeks, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a little noise Saturday.
Earnhardt topped the speed chart for the final practice session before Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500.
The 2004 Daytona 500 champion turned the fast lap by averaging 198.592 mph around the 2? -mile superspeedway. David Gilliland was second, followed by Clint Bowyer, Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola.
Pole-sitter Danica Patrick and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart were among 10 drivers who skipped the 1? -hour final tuneup. Patrick is trying to become the first driver win the Daytona 500 from the pole since Dale Jarrett in 2000. Only nine drivers have accomplished the feat in 54 years.
Three-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon, 2010 Daytona 500 champ Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Terry Labonte and Joe Nemechek also sat out the session. So did Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth.
"We don't have any plans to go out," Gordon said. "We feel like this entire week we have been able to learn everything we need to get prepared for the race tomorrow. ... We've got a great race car. We are excited. We've got a great opportunity here."
Before Saturday, Earnhardt had done little during Speedweeks. He finished eighth in the Sprint Unlimited and ninth in his qualifying race. He will start 19th in the "Great American Race," his lowest opening spot in 14 years at NASCAR's premier event.
His speed in the final practice had to boost the team's confidence.
Almirola, however, posted the best 10-lap average. He averaged 196.195 mph over 10 laps on new tires. Earnhardt was sixth on that chart.
"We are excited about this weekend and feel like we have a good car and got it driving good in that last practice session," Almirola said.
The final session involved little bump-drafting and even less side-by-side action ? no doubt because teams were leery of wrecking race cars about 24 hours before the Daytona 500.
Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski provided the most action when he hit a bird.
"I killed a Tweetie bird," said Keselowski, one of auto racing's top Tweeters.
Keselowski was 17th in the final practice.
"This is our 500 engine, so trying to get an idea of how it's going to perform," he said. "My car is really good. Definitely faster than what it was, so that's good, right? I'm definitely optimistic."
Of the teams that didn't practice, most of them valued keeping their car intact over incremental gains that could be found so late in Speedweeks.
Patrick, Stewart, Gordon and the Gibbs cars have been some of the fastest all week.
Startup Pack is back. After giving away 1,000 bundles of free web tools to newly established startups last October, the entrepreneur who set up the giveaway has gone ahead with a second, developer-focused Pack -- with fewer packs up for grabs but a larger range of freebies on board, including from Github, Zencoder and Amazon Web Services.
As Gov. John Kasich continues to push for his proposed Medicaid expansion, an organization of tea party groups in Ohio is talking about how many primary election votes it would take to defeat House Republicans who vote for it.
Kasich will give his third State of the State speech this evening in Lima, and is likely to talk about various aspects of his new two-year, $63.3 billion budget. Part of that budget calls for a Medicaid expansion under the new federal health-care law, to cover about 275,000 people with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty level -- about $23,000 a year for a family of four.
The federal government would pay the full cost for the first three years, and then 90 percent for several years after. The Kasich administration estimates Ohioans would save $404 million over two years with the expansion.
But the Ohio Liberty Coalition is sending its own message, titled ?Replacing the RINOs who support Kasich's Medicaid expansion.? RINO stands for Republicans in name only.
The group also opposes other aspects of Kasich?s budget proposal, particularly his sales tax expansion and new severance tax on shale drillers.
?We are holding the line against the governor?s proposed budget on: no new sales taxes on services, no increase of the severance tax, and absolutely, positively NO expansion of Medicaid in Ohio,? the group wrote.
?Republican state reps on the committee voting to approve a budget proposal that includes the issues mentioned above should be replaced with new representatives.?
The Liberty Coalition goes on to list every Republican member of the House Finance Committee along with an estimated number of votes needed to defeat each one in a 2014 primary.
PS4 Second Screens PS4 integrates second screens, including PlayStation?Vita (PS Vita), smartphones and tablets, to wrap gamers in their favorite content wherever they are. A key feature enabled by second screens is "Remote Play" and PS4 fully unlocks its potential by making PS Vita the ultimate companion device. With PS Vita, gamers will be able to seamlessly pull PS4 titles from their living room TVs and play them on PS Vita's beautiful 5-inch display and intuitive dual analog sticks over Wi-Fi networks It is SCEI's long-term vision is to make most PS4 titles playable on PS Vita.
A new application from SCE called "PlayStation?App" will enable iPhone, iPad, and Android based smartphones and tablets to become second screens. Once installed on these devices, users can, for example, see maps on their second screens when playing an adventure game, purchase PS4 games while away from home and download it directly to the console at home, or remotely watch other gamers playing on their devices.
RealVNC delivers MirrorLink[TM] capabilities to Automotive Systems Company, a division of Panasonic Corporation
Panasonic and RealVNC join forces to bring smartphone to vehicle connectivity to market
19th February 2013: Automotive Systems Company, a division of Panasonic Corporation selects RealVNC to deliver the next generation of in-car entertainment and driving experience. RealVNC?s VNC(R) Automotive technology has been integrated in Panasonic?s Display-Audio infotainment system to enable the screen of a smartphone to be replicated and controlled from the touchscreen display on the vehicle head unit. This provides drivers and passengers with seamless access to a wide range of smartphone content such as maps, music and internet radio.
As a leader in mobile to vehicle integration and cloud connectivity, and a core member of the international Car Connectivity Consortium, RealVNC provides Panasonic with advanced features and functionality that supports the Consortium?s MirrorLink[TM] industry standard. Panasonic?s Display-Audio system, has already been adopted by a major automotive manufacturer, is in production and is currently available to drivers as a dealer option.
?The smartphone is the content hub of this generation and users want access to their content and applications wherever they are, including in vehicle. We faced the challenge of meeting these needs in a way that was safe but where the experience was seamless,? said Kenki Matsuda, Manager, Automotive Systems Company, a division of Panasonic Corporation. ?RealVNC offers the most robust and advanced solution for connecting smartphone and vehicle with its VNC Automotive solution, whilst also providing MirrorLink support. Our Display-Audio infotainment system has been available in vehicles since last year enabling drivers to access the applications on their smartphones safely from the head unit.?
Tom Blackie, Vice President Mobile of RealVNC added, ?We are honoured to be working with Panasonic?s Automotive Division, one of the leading global suppliers of automotive systems and components, to build VNC Automotive and MirrorLink support into its Display-Audio system. Panasonic?s decision to use our technology ensures that they can offer advanced mobile to vehicle connectivity for the widest range of smartphone devices including support for legacy handsets.?
VNC Automotive has been widely adopted by the automotive industry as the standard for integrating mobile and vehicle, with partners including the world?s largest automotive, infotainment, OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers. VNC Automotive provides a seamless experience enabling smartphone connections via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB, the technology also supports other connectivity protocols such as MirrorLink and iPod Out.
The term "rush hour" took on new meaning in?Russia's Ural Mountains last Friday when an early morning meteor with the wallop of 30 Hiroshima atomic bombs showered the outskirts of Chelyabinsk with fireballs, toppling walls, blowing out windows and injuring more than 1,000 residents.
It was a visceral end to a nerve-wracking, Chicken Little-themed week worldwide that also witnessed a surprise nuclear test by North Korea and an uncomfortably close encounter with a passing asteroid.
The suddenly hostile skies left many Americans asking the same question: Will my homeowners insurance cover me if a flaming space rock takes out the guest wing?
The answer is yes: a standard homeowners insurance policy typically covers damage to your home and its contents caused by "falling objects," which can include everything from tree limbs and aircraft to self-propelled missiles, spacecraft, satellites and meteors.
Naturally, "falling object" coverage comes with a few rules attached:
The meteor must cause damage to the roof or an outside wall for contents coverage to kick in.
While your policy will cover the cost to repair that unplanned open-air skylight, it may not cover other damage caused by rain or wind coming through the meteor hole unless you take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, say by putting up a tarp.
Coverage limits typically apply.
As with most insurance claims, it's a good idea to forgo making any permanent repairs until an insurance adjuster determines the extent of the damage.
Interesting side note: Damage to the falling object itself is typically not covered under a standard policy. While this clause was probably designed to release the insurers from having to pay to repair fallen airliners and such, it raises a point few homeowners are aware of: Meteors are valuable property. And when one falls on your house, it officially becomes your valuable property.
In the course of covering financial stories, I once interviewed a meteor hunter named Michael Farmer, who travels the world hunting down and selling fallen space rocks. Depending on which ZIP code they hail from (Mars and the moon are highly valued), even small meteorites typically fetch anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 and sometimes as much as $1 million from collectors, Farmer says.
Early?estimates?indicate that?chunks of this meteor?could fetch more than 40 times the?price of gold, which currently sells for $1,610 an ounce.
So, in the unlikely event a meteor should come crashing into your home, for heaven's sake, don't discard it.
That space rock?just might build you a new, vastly improved one.
There's unexpected but not entirely surprising upside to a years-long global economic downturn. Governments don't buy as many guns and bombs. The world's largest weapons manufacturers just saw the first decline in sales since the mid-1990s. Collectively, the top 100 arms manufacturers in the world saw $410 billion in sales in 2011, a five percent decline from the year before.
RELATED: Five Best Wednesday Columns
The trend makes perfect sense not only because of the various recessions around the world but also due to the United States pulling out of Iran and Afghanistan. "Austerity policies and proposed and actual decreases in?military expenditure as well as postponements in weapons?programme procurement affected overall arms sales in North?America and Western Europe," reported the?Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a?think tank that just released a report on global arms sales. North America and Western Europe account for some 90 percent of defense spending at the companies reviewed. "The drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan and the sanctions on?arms transfers to Libya also played a role."
RELATED: Debt Deal Could Slash Hundreds of Billions From Pentagon Budget
The bad news is that as folks like the U.S., Japan and the European Union dial back their arms purchases, the weapons manufacturers turn to the Middle East, Latin America and Asia looking for new accounts. They're also looking towards new fronts. The?shifts in arms sales is matched by "a heightened interest" in cybersecurity products. Three of the world's largest arms companies ? Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics ? have already made cybersecurity-related acquisitions.
RELATED: House Passes Indefinite Detention Bill After Obama Reverses Veto Threat
Meanwhile, the governments that would buy cybersecurity weapons are actually getting interested in cybersecurity. During his State of the Union Address, Obama announced a new cybersecurity order which turned out to be a good move since somebody hacked the Emergency Alert System a few days later. Who knows what the hackers will do next, but at least we know we have a shield to protect ourselves. Unless they figure out how to launch missiles. In that case, we're sort of screwed.
By Marc Mouthaan, Saturday 16 February 2013 13:10, source: Slashgear
It's almost certain that Samsung's upcoming top model smartphone, likely to be called Galaxy S IV, will feature an Exynos 5 chip. This 'octacore' system-on-a-chip combines four efficient Cortex A7 cores with four powerful Cortex A15 ones. The chip can switch between its cores to get the best of both worlds.
In the NenaMark2 database, a mysterious Samsung phone has surfaced, most likely the American version of the Galaxy S IV, intended for telecom provider Verizon. Oddly enough, this SCH-I545 features a 1.9 GHZ processor with Adreno 320 video chip, manufactured by Qualcomm. This could indicate that Samsung won't use its own Exynos chips, but one of Qualcomm's Snapdragon models instead. A likelier explanation is that Samsung will only use that specific chip in the American LTE model, while a Galaxy S IV with Exynos 5 will be released in the rest of the world. Of course, we can't be certain at this point.
The screen has a 1920x1080 pixel resolution. Not a big surprise given the fact we're dealing with a next-gen phone and its competition will have similar screens. The NenaMark2 benchmark was run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
2013-02-16 14:12:28 - Recently published research from GlobalData, "Air Energy SA - Alternative Energy - Deals and Alliances Profile", is now available at Fast Market Research
Air Energy SA (Air) is engaged in power generation through wind energy. Established in the year 2001, Air has acquired a solid reputation and is one of the leaders in wind energy generation in Belgium. Presently, a capacity of 54.5 MW has been installed by Air and by end of 2008, total capacity is expected to reach 78.5 MW. Air manages all project development activities like Site development and technical studies, Wind potential analysis, financial feasibility studies and Project structuring and financing. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered at Grand-Leez, Belgium.
In 2008, the Dutch Group Eneco has acquired a majority stake in the Group Air Energy through its subsidiary Air Energy Holding NV. In accordance with the
legislation in force, Air Energy Holding NV has launched on May 27, 2008, a takeover bid on the floating shares on Alternext Brussels.
Full Report Details at
- www.fastmr.com/prod/538327_air_energy_sa_alternative_energy_deal ..
Air Energy SA - Alternative Energy - Deals and Alliances Profile provides you comprehensive data and trend analysis of the company's Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As), partnerships and financings. The report provides detailed information on Mergers and Acquisitions, Equity/Debt Offerings, Private Equity, Venture Financing and Partnership transactions recorded by the company over a five year period. The report offers detailed comparative data on the number of deals and their value categorized into deal types, sub-sector and regions.
GlobalData derived the data presented in this report from proprietary in-house Alternative Energy eTrack deals database, and primary and secondary research.
Scope
* Financial Deals - Analysis of the company's financial deals including M&A, Equity/Debt Offerings, Private Equity, Venture Financing and Partnerships.
* Deals by Year - Chart and table displaying information encompassing the number of deals and value reported by the company by year, for a five year period.
* Deals by Type - Chart and table depicting information including the number of deals and value reported by the company by type such as M&A, Equity/Debt Offering etc.
* Deals by Region - Chart and table presenting information on the number of deals and value reported by the company by region, which includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa and South and Central America.
* Deals by Sub-sector - Chart and table showing information on the number of deals and value reported by the company, by sub-sector.
* Major Deals - Information on the company's major financial deals. Each such deal has a brief summary, deal type, deal rationale; and deal financials and target Company?s (major public companies) key financial metrics and ratios.
* Business Description - A brief description of the company's operations.
* Key Employees - A list of the key executives of the company.
* Important Locations and Subsidiaries - A list and contact details of key centers of operation and subsidiaries of the company.
* Key Competitors - A list of the key competitors of the company.
* Key Recent Developments - A brief on recent news about the company.
Reasons to Buy
Get detailed information on the company's financial deals that enable you to understand the company's expansion/divestiture and fund requirements
* The profile enables you to analyze the company's financial deals by region, by year, by business segments and by type, for a five year period.
Understand the company's business segments' expansion / divestiture strategy
* The profile presents deals from the company's core business segments' perspective to help you understand its corporate strategy.
Access elaborate information on the company's recent financial deals that enable you to understand the key deals which have shaped the company
* Detailed information on major recent deals includes a summary of each deal, deal type, deal rationale, deal financials and Target Company's key financial metrics and ratios.
Equip yourself with detailed information about the company?s operations to identify potential customers and suppliers.
* The profile analyzes the company's business structure, locations and subsidiaries, key executives and key competitors.
Stay up-to-date on the major developments affecting the company
* Recent developments concerning the company presented in the profile help you track important events.
Gain key insights into the company for academic or business research
* Key elements such as break up of deals into categories and information on detailed major deals are incorporated into the profile to assist your academic or business research needs.
Note*: Some sections may be missing if data is unavailable for the company.
About GlobalData
GlobalData is a leading provider of global business intelligence including market, competitor, product and customer information. It provides in-depth research, analysis, data and forecasts through a range of interactive online databases, reports and management briefings. GlobalData has a large team of experienced research and analysis, consulting, and marketing experts. It has a global presence, including key offices in the US, Europe and Asia. The group has over 50 years of experience of delivering market intelligence data and analysis and a highly experienced senior management team. View more research from GlobalData at www.fastmr.com/catalog/publishers.aspx?pubid=1015
About Fast Market Research
Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.
For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.
It isn?t the biggest update, but for anyone who enjoys changing up the look of their Facebook profile, the best thing to do is change your cover photo. Starting today, Android users can change their cover right from the timeline, setting uploaded pictures directly to their profile.?If you are still riding the Zuckerburg train, go grab the update right meow.
As for Temple Run 2, the developers have added the ability to restore the coin doubler if you happened to have re-installed the app on your device and purchased the power up. I guess some folks were losing their IAP?s after uninstalling and re-installing the app. Good thing they fixed that.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park (California State Parks)
SACRAMENTO (CBS/AP) ? A new audit finds that the state Department of Parks and Recreation does not know how much it costs to operate each of California?s 270 state parks, beaches and recreational areas.
State Auditor Elaine Howle on Thursday reported her findings as part of an investigation into $54 million found hidden last summer in two special funds.
The money was misreported for more than a decade. Howle?s audit shows it was a symptom of deep dysfunction in the department.
Related Content: Full Report From The California State Auditor?s Office
The audit said parks officials have no way of knowing how much the state would have saved by closing 70 parks last year because of budget cuts. Operating costs were estimated based on geographic regions using 10-year-old figures.
Parks Director Ruth Coleman resigned and a senior department official was fired last summer.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
PayPal today announced that it has signed a deal with gas station checkout solution Gilbarco Veeder-Root, which will be implementing PayPal as a payment option at all their gas and convenience stores across the U.S. The initial rollout involves integration with Gilbarco's?Passport Point-of-Sale product, but the company says that going forward, PayPal will be integrated into its suite of media and merchandising applications.
Alcohol abusers' depression often related to drinkingPublic release date: 12-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marcy Gregg jsadeditor@ucsd.edu 858-822-0924 Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
PISCATAWAY, NJ For problem drinkers, bouts of depressive symptoms are often the direct result of their heavy alcohol intake, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Experts have long known that heavy drinking can spur temporary episodes of depressionwhat's known as "substance-induced depression." However, this information is not always apparent to busy clinicians, and the new findings strengthen the evidence that the phenomenon exists as well as how common and clinically important it is.
"I don't know that the average person realizes that heavy drinking can induce mood problems," said lead researcher Marc A. Schuckit, M.D., of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
What's more, not every doctor might be aware of it, either. But it's important that he or she pay close attention to this problem, Schuckit said, because depression caused by heavy drinking has a different prognosis and is treated much differently from major depressive episodes that are not seen in the context of heavy drinking. Although the symptoms of independent and substance-induced depressions can be identical, if the sadness develops in the context of heavy drinking, the symptoms are likely to lift within several weeks to a month of abstinence and rarely require antidepressants to go away.
The findings come from a 30-year study of nearly 400 men who were 18 years old at the outset. About half were at increased risk for drinking problems because their fathers were alcoholics. Over three decades, about 41 percent of the men with alcoholic fathers developed alcohol abuse or dependence, and nearly 20 percent suffered at least one bout of major depression.
For men with alcohol problems, though, almost one third of those major depressive episodes were seen only while they were drinking heavily.
It's important for doctors to consider alcohol use disorders as a possible cause of patients' depression symptoms, Schuckit saidrather than simply "reaching for the prescription pad" and recommending an antidepressant.
If alcohol is the cause, "the depression is very likely to disappear with abstinence," Schuckit said.
Many people think that some individuals drink heavily because they are depressed, and that is the case for some. But Schuckit's team actually found no evidence that people with a history of major depression were at increased risk for developing alcohol problems in the future.
"If you're an alcoholic, you're going to have a lot of mood problems," Schuckit said. "And you may be tempted to say, 'Well, I drink a lot because I'm depressed.' You may be right, but it's even more likely that you're depressed because you drink heavily."
###
Schuckit, M. A., Smith, T. L., & Kalmijn, J. (March 2013). Relationships Among Independent Major Depressions, Alcohol Use, and Other Substance Use and Related Problems Over 30 Years in 397 Families. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 74(2), 271, 2013.
To arrange an interview with Marc A. Schuckit, M.D., please contact Marcy Gregg at (858) 822-0924 or jsadeditor@ucsd.edu.
The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs is published by the Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. It is the oldest substance-abuse journal published in the United States.
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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.
Alcohol abusers' depression often related to drinkingPublic release date: 12-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marcy Gregg jsadeditor@ucsd.edu 858-822-0924 Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
PISCATAWAY, NJ For problem drinkers, bouts of depressive symptoms are often the direct result of their heavy alcohol intake, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Experts have long known that heavy drinking can spur temporary episodes of depressionwhat's known as "substance-induced depression." However, this information is not always apparent to busy clinicians, and the new findings strengthen the evidence that the phenomenon exists as well as how common and clinically important it is.
"I don't know that the average person realizes that heavy drinking can induce mood problems," said lead researcher Marc A. Schuckit, M.D., of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
What's more, not every doctor might be aware of it, either. But it's important that he or she pay close attention to this problem, Schuckit said, because depression caused by heavy drinking has a different prognosis and is treated much differently from major depressive episodes that are not seen in the context of heavy drinking. Although the symptoms of independent and substance-induced depressions can be identical, if the sadness develops in the context of heavy drinking, the symptoms are likely to lift within several weeks to a month of abstinence and rarely require antidepressants to go away.
The findings come from a 30-year study of nearly 400 men who were 18 years old at the outset. About half were at increased risk for drinking problems because their fathers were alcoholics. Over three decades, about 41 percent of the men with alcoholic fathers developed alcohol abuse or dependence, and nearly 20 percent suffered at least one bout of major depression.
For men with alcohol problems, though, almost one third of those major depressive episodes were seen only while they were drinking heavily.
It's important for doctors to consider alcohol use disorders as a possible cause of patients' depression symptoms, Schuckit saidrather than simply "reaching for the prescription pad" and recommending an antidepressant.
If alcohol is the cause, "the depression is very likely to disappear with abstinence," Schuckit said.
Many people think that some individuals drink heavily because they are depressed, and that is the case for some. But Schuckit's team actually found no evidence that people with a history of major depression were at increased risk for developing alcohol problems in the future.
"If you're an alcoholic, you're going to have a lot of mood problems," Schuckit said. "And you may be tempted to say, 'Well, I drink a lot because I'm depressed.' You may be right, but it's even more likely that you're depressed because you drink heavily."
###
Schuckit, M. A., Smith, T. L., & Kalmijn, J. (March 2013). Relationships Among Independent Major Depressions, Alcohol Use, and Other Substance Use and Related Problems Over 30 Years in 397 Families. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 74(2), 271, 2013.
To arrange an interview with Marc A. Schuckit, M.D., please contact Marcy Gregg at (858) 822-0924 or jsadeditor@ucsd.edu.
The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs is published by the Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. It is the oldest substance-abuse journal published in the United States.
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That fancy Vertu Ti handset we saw pop up last month? It's finally been priced, predictably out of the average buyer's price range. Sticker shock starts at €7,900, or about $10,587, and buys eccentrics with money to burn a sapphire-covered 800 x 480 display, 1.5GHz of processing power and a 1,250mAh battery -- all wrapped in a durable titanium shell. What's it missing? 4G connectivity, unfortunately. "Vertu will never be at the bleeding edge of technology," Vertu head of design Hutch Hutchison told the BBC. "It has to be about relevant technology and craftsmanship -- it's not a disposable product." At those prices, we'd certainly hope not. Vertu phones might not be packed with the mobile world's latest tech, but Hutchison says that the top dollar pricetag buys better durability. "People think sapphire is just posh glass," he explained to the BBC. "The only thing that scratches it is a diamond." At the very least, Vertu customers won't have to worry about which pocket they keep their keys in.
Japan?s economy has been far too stagnant for far too long: everybody can agree on that. The aging population, now used to deflation, prefers saving to spending ? an entirely reasonable stance if prices will be lower tomorrow than they are today. So the government has long been facing a very tough task: to change the psychology of a nation, basically. You can?t do that ? as Japan learned the hard way ? with old-fashioned public-works spending. Instead, you have to target expectations.
The Bank of Japan started on this road last month, formally adopting a 2% inflation target. That was the BoJ?s way of saying ?start spending now, because your yen won?t be worth as much tomorrow as they are today?. And now the finance minister is doing his part to get the party started as well, in a highly unorthodox manner. In a speech on Saturday, he said that he wants to see the Japanese stock market rise 17% to 13,000 by the end of March.
It was a national holiday in Japan today, so the stock market was closed, but we?ll see tomorrow what effect Amari-san?s words will have: my guess is that they?ll give the market a pretty impressive boost. That?s certainly the intention. The Japanese stock market has been on fire of late, rising more than 30% since mid-November. The clear risk is that the rally will lose steam, and that people will start taking profits; the finance minister, with his speech, is basically trying to extend the rally as much as possible.
There?s no particular reason why the Nikkei shouldn?t continue to rise through the end of March, even reaching 13,000. Momentum is a powerful force, in the stock market, which is why central banks know that FX intervention is much more likely to work if you?re acting broadly with the market rather than broadly against it. Amari?s announcement is a canny way of anchoring expectations: the Nikkei might reach 13,000, or it might not, but for the next few weeks at least the perennial stock-market question is going to be reframed. Rather than ?how far are we from where we closed yesterday?, it?s going to be ?how far are we from 13,000?. The idea is that with stocks, just like with cars, you generally drive in the direction you?re looking.
I like this move: it shows imagination, and the upside is much bigger than the downside. The worst that can happen is that it doesn?t work, and the stock market ends up doing what the stock market would have done anyway; the best that can happen is that it helps accelerate the broad recovery that everybody in Japan is hoping for this year.
What?s more, Amari is not the first policymaker to talk about targeting asset prices. Minneapolis Fed president Narayana Kocherlakota, for instance, said quite clearly in 2011 that stock prices ?are really going to be a central ingredient in the recovery process?, adding:
In this kind of post financial crisis, post net worth driven recession, it makes sense to be thinking about asset value as a way to try to generate more stimulus than you do in a typical recession.
In other words, don?t look to government spending for stimulus: Japan, of course, has learned that lesson the hard way. Instead, simply goose the stock market instead.
There are risks to this approach: if it works too well, you create a bubble ? and when a bubble bursts, that can hurt confidence much more than a rising stock market helped it. But for the time being, the Japanese stock market still looks cheap, both on an absolute basis and in terms of its p/e ratio. Now?s no time to worry about overheating. Instead, Japan?s fiscal and monetary policymakers are working together to try to make the country as bullish and successful as possible. I?d do the same thing, if I were them.
An Egyptian judge ordered the government to block YouTube for 30 days for carrying the 14-minute trailer to 'Innocence of Muslims,' the controversial film that sparked massive protests in the Middle East last September.
By Aya Batrawy,?Associated Press / February 9, 2013
An Egyptian anti-riot soldier stands guard in front of the high constitutional court in Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 3. On Saturday, a Cairo court ordered the government to block access to YouTube for one month, for carrying, 'Innocence of Muslims,' the film that caused deadly riots across the world.
Amr Nabil/AP
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A Cairo court on Saturday ordered the government to block access to the video-sharing website YouTube for 30 days for carrying an anti-Islam film that caused deadly riots across the world.
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Judge Hassouna Tawfiq ordered YouTube blocked for carrying the film, which he described as "offensive to Islam and the Prophet (Muhammad)." He made the ruling in the Egyptian capital where the first protests against the film erupted last September before spreading to more than 20 countries, killing more than 50 people.
The ruling, however, can be appealed and, based on precedent, might not be enforced.
The 14-minute trailer for the movie "Innocence of Muslims" portrays the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, a central figure to Islam, as a religious fraud, womanizer and pedophile. It was produced in the United States by an Egyptian-born Christian who's now a U.S. citizen.
Egypt's?new constitution includes a ban on insulting "religious messengers and prophets." Broadly worded, blasphemy laws were also in effect under former President Hosni Mubarak prior to his ouster in a popular revolt two years ago.
Yet, similar orders to censor pornographic websites deemed offensive have not been enforced in?Egypt?because of high costs associated with technical applications, although blocking YouTube may be easier to enforce. Also, rights activists say the ministry of communications and information technology has appeared unwilling to enforce such bans.
Human rights lawyer Gamal Eid said the decision to ban YouTube stems in large part from a lack of knowledge among judges about how the Internet works. Activists say this has led to a lack of courtroom discussion on technical aspects of digital technology, leaving cases based solely on threats to national security and defamation of religion.
"This verdict shows that judges' understanding of technology is weak," Eid said. "The judges do not realize that one wrong post on a website does not mean you have to block the entire website."
Eid, who is executive director at The Arabic Network for Human Right Information, said the government should file an appeal and make it clear to judges that, at most, only specific pages on websites should be blocked.
His group released a statement saying that the decision to block YouTube is counterproductive, citing thousands of videos that seek to promote a better understanding of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad on the website.
We're just one week into February, and it's turning out to be quite the month for cellphones already. Of course, that's set to go truly bananas once MWC in Barcelona kicks off, but for now, how about a sedate fire-side chat with Myriam, Brad and Richard Lai? Sounds good? Then tuck right in below.
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Google Inc won a landmark court case on Wednesday when Australia's High Court ruled that it had not engaged in misleading behavior with its sponsored links and that it was not responsible for messages conveyed by paid advertisers.
The ruling helps Internet providers and search engines argue that they are not publishers, but simply carriers of information provided by third parties.
While the judgment applies only in Australia, the ruling will be closely watched around the world and could be cited as a precedent in the event of similar cases arising in the rapidly evolving area of law.
"Others will definitely be looking at this ruling. Google is a worldwide business. This is something of a first, and it does add some clarity for the industry," the head of Australia's Internet Industry Association, Peter Lee, told Reuters.
The finding ends a six-year legal battle between Google and Australia's consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which accused Google of engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct over paid advertisements.
The ACCC based its case on search results in 2006 and 2007, where a search for Honda Australia would show a paid advertisement for a Honda competitor, CarSales. The ACCC said the ads were deceptive, as they suggested CarSales was linked to Honda Motor Co Ltd.
Google argued that it was not responsible for the advertisements, as it was only the conduit for the advertiser.
In a unanimous finding, five judges of Australia's High Court ruled in favor of Google, overturning a ruling from the Federal Court. The lower court had ordered Google to set up a compliance program to make sure paid advertisements on its search engine were not misleading.
The five High Court judges said Google did not create the sponsored links and the company was not responsible for messages in the links.
"Ordinary and reasonable users of the Google search engine would have understood that the representations conveyed by the sponsored links were those of the advertisers, and would not have concluded that Google adopted or endorsed the representations," the court said.
Google issued a brief statement saying it welcomed the decision, while the ACCC said it would review the judgment to see if it had wider ramifications for Australian consumer law.
"The ACCC took these proceedings to clarify the law relating to advertising practices in the internet age," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.
The legal victory comes after Google and language software maker Rosetta Stone Inc last year settled a trademark infringement dispute in the United States over Google advertising practices.
Rosetta had argued people searching for its products on Google were being directed to competitors and software counterfeiters.
Google has since changed the way it displays its sponsored links in Australia, now clearly labeling them as advertisements on top of search results.
A Google search for Honda Australia on Wednesday displayed paid ads for Honda Australia's website.
Feb. 6, 2013 ? Hunger, thirst, stress and drugs can create a change in the brain that transforms a repulsive feeling into a strong positive "wanting," a new University of Michigan study indicates.
The research used salt appetite to show how powerful natural mechanisms of brain desires can instantly transform a cue that always predicted a repulsive Dead Sea Salt solution into an eagerly wanted beacon or motivational magnet.
Mike Robinson, a research fellow in the U-M Department of Psychology and the study's lead author, said the findings help explain how related brain activations in people could cause them to avidly want something that has been always disliked.
This instant transformation of motivation, he said, lies in the ability of events to activate particular brain circuitry -- a structure called the nucleus accumbens, which sits near the base of the front of the brain and is also activated by addictive drugs.
Cues for rewards often trigger intense motivation. The smell of food can make a person suddenly feel hungry when this wasn't the case earlier. Drug cues may prompt relapse in addicts trying to quit. In some cases, desires may be triggered even for a relatively unpleasant event.
Researchers studied how rats responded to metal objects that represented either pleasant sugar or disgustingly intense Dead Sea saltiness. The rats quickly learned to jump on and nibble the sweetness cue, but turned away from and avoided the saltiness cue.
But one day the rats suddenly woke up in a new state of sodium appetite induced by drugs given the night before. On their first re-encounter with the saltiness cue in the new appetite state, their brain systems became activated and the rats instantly jumped on and nibbled the saltiness cue as though it were the sugar cue.
"The cue becomes avidly 'wanted' despite knowledge the salt always tasted disgusting," Robinson said.
The sudden brain changes help explain how an event, such as taking an addictive drug, could become "wanted" despite a person's knowledge of the negative and unpleasant consequences of the drug.
"Our findings highlight what it means to say that drugs hijack our natural reward system," said Robinson, who authored the new study with Kent Berridge, James Olds Collegiate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience.
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Journal Reference:
Mike?J.F. Robinson, Kent?C. Berridge. Instant Transformation of Learned Repulsion into Motivational ?Wanting?. Current Biology, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.01.016
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Scholarship: ? Financial literacy is at the heart of high school award.
High school students with money management know-how could earn funds for college.
Four $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who excel in financial literacy, a subject which, as of this year, is required for high school graduation.
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Jump$tart scholarship
Four scholarships of $1,000 each will reward financial literacy. Applicants must be high school seniors and complete an application, which includes an essay. Visit www.utahjumpstart.org for more information.
In a news release, America First President and Chief Executive John Lund said the Jump$tart scholarships aim to recognize students who have passed a financial literacy class and plan to further their education.
"There?s more to financial literacy than just balancing a checkbook," Lund said. "You need to know the difference between good debt and bad debt, and how to take full advantage of existing resources.
The scholarship is open to high school seniors and requires an application, a copy of a college or trade school application and an essay. Jump$tart entries must be received by email or postmarked by March 22. For more information, visit www.utahjumpstart.org.
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RICHFIELD, Ohio (AP) ? Leadership and communications failures led to the chaotic police chase in Cleveland last fall than ended with 13 officers firing 137 rounds and killing two people who were likely unarmed, Ohio's attorney general said Tuesday in reporting the results of an exhaustive investigation.
"It was total lack of control," Attorney General Mike DeWine said during a news conference at the state crime laboratory.
He turned over the report to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty, who said he would take the case to a grand jury to determine if any of the officers should face criminal charges.
Officials didn't announce a timeframe for the grand jury review and McGinty said he hadn't dawn any conclusions about criminal charges.
The report did not assign blame on any of the officers but said "systemic failures" in the Cleveland police department led to the escalation of the Nov. 29 chase and the fatal shootings of the car's driver, Timothy Russell, 43, and his 30-year-old passenger Malissa Williams.
"Command failed, communications failed, the system failed," DeWine said.
Patrick D'Angelo, the police union attorney, watched the news conference and said the shooting would be found to be justified. The chase reflects the risks officers face daily, he said.
"The driver of the car tried to run over numerous police officers, he intentionally rammed other patrol cars and officers were in fear of their life and they did what they were trained to do," D'Angelo said.
A key question remained unanswered: Did the two people fleeing in the car have a weapon that was tossed out during the chase? DeWine said gunpowder residue tests on the two and their vehicle showed traces of gunpowder but it wasn't conclusive on whether they had been armed or on whether the residue, as was possible, came from the extensive gunfire.
Some community leaders called the shootings racially motivated, since Russell and Williams were black, but D'Angelo said race wasn't a factor in the chase.
DeWine described a confusing scene where dozens of police cruisers from multiple jurisdictions became involved in the chase without permission from superiors and little direction after some officers thought someone from the car had fired shots.
Then, at the end of the chase, officers positioned on both sides of the suspect's car began firing, the report said. The crossfire led other officers to believe they were involved in a shootout with the two people in the car.
Many of the officers told investigators they were frightened and legitimately feared for their lives.
Officer Michael Brelo, according to his account, climbed onto the trunk and then the top of a patrol car and reloaded his gun, firing rounds. An Iraq war veteran, the officer said he saw "the suspects moving and I could not understand why they are still moving, shooting at us. Even through Iraq, I never fired my weapon. I never have been so afraid in my life."
Another officer, David Siefer, radioed fellow officers to be careful because the passenger was armed.
"He's pointing the gun. He's pointing the gun out the back window. Heads up. Heads up. Passenger is pointing a gun out the back window. Everybody be careful," Siefer said.
Siefer later told investigators he didn't actually see a gun. "Despite not actually seeing a gun, Siefer broadcast on the radio that the passenger has just pointed a gun out the rear window," the report said
Mayor Michael Frank Jackson, who has said officers who violated department rules in the chase would be disciplined, was preparing to respond to the report later in the day.
The chase involving police, sheriff's deputies and state troopers went through residential neighborhoods and onto a freeway before ending with the car blocked in at the rear of a school in neighboring East Cleveland. It reached 100 mph and lasted 25 miles and 22 minutes.
The report noted that Russell was legally drunk when he became involved in the chase, and he and Williams also tested positive for cocaine. DeWine said they likely had been smoking crack. It wasn't clear why Russell didn't stop for police. He had earlier fled a separate traffic stop.
When a large part of your future is to be determined by a set of examinations less than a month away, it really is time to hit the panic button. From practise papers to last minute cramming to just plain freaking out, we all have had our fair share. And the insurmountable external pressure and ridiculously high expectations doesn?t do anyone any good. There is a lot riding on these treacherous Board Exams so instead of fighting it, accept it and do the best you can. If that piece of advice didn?t soothe your nerves, here is a peek of what to expect to help you work around and with it.
Aries All your aspirations will be met with ease this year if you put your best foot forward. Your dedication towards studies and taking every obstacle in your stride is going to be your two biggest assets which will guarantee you success in the board exams. Avoid slacking off and be open to assistance from others.
Taurus 2013 promises to be a good year for you academically. You might face issues due to your inability to focus. Use your intelligence and intuition to your advantage to crack the exams.
Gemini Your horoscope predicts towards a few stumbling blocks that you might face in handling a couple of subjects. Don?t let it get to you. The key to your success will be fortitude and sincerity.
Cancer Examination stress might take a toll on you. Don?t let it get the best of you. You will be inspired by someone in your family. Relax, take a deep breath and do not panic.
Leo The Leo horoscope suggests that you wouldn?t have it easy in 2013. You may face challenges and difficulties. Perseverance and hard work can get you out of them. Group study will do you immense good.
Virgo Day dreaming during your study time will be your biggest obstacle. You may face depression tendencies. Perform meditation to stay focussed. Don?t forget to have in faith in your preparation.
Libra Even though the stars indicate towards your success in the board examination, you are likely to achieve it without being pushed to your limits. Don?t get affected by any distractions. Be cautious of bad company which is likely to keep you off studying.
Scorpio 2013 seems to be your year as far as board examination is concerned. It will be a highly rewarding year for you on the academic front. You may even get a scholarship and admission in your dream college. The only advice for you is- don?t procrastinate.
Sagittarius This examination is going to provide you with an opportunity to surprise yourself. Make sure you systematically answer questions and don?t waste time.
Capricorn You will invest a lot of time in studying and other productive activities rather than wasting time. Your good memory is going to help you succeed. Don?t forget to take breaks between study session and use music and entertainment as stress busters.
Aquarius Aquarius horoscope points towards a favourable result. You will get mental satisfaction after putting in the required effort into your preparations. Stay calm.
Pisces Domestic politics may distract you from focussing on your study. The biggest challenge for you will be focussing your energy on the preparations. Hard work and concentration will help you climb up the ladder.
You know, I'm sort of jealous. Because I've eaten something like three?Po'boy sandwiches in the past three days, and every single time I've wondered, as I was eating, where the odd name Po' boy originated. But didn't want to take out my grubby phone during the meal to find out. I've also wondered whether this is a problem that Google Glass could solve ... "If I had Google Glass right now, I would already know that the term Po'boy originated in a New Orleans restaurant?owned by former streetcar workers Benny and Clovis Martin, who served the sandwiches to off duty street car workers (in Louisiana?dialect Po'boys) during a 1929 strike against the street car company." Guess the name stuck.
Startup Pack is back. After giving away 1,000 bundles of free web tools to newly established startups last October, the entrepreneur who set up the giveaway has gone ahead with a second, developer-focused Pack -- with fewer packs up for grabs but a larger range of freebies on board, including from Github, Zencoder and Amazon Web Services.
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Public release date: 12-Feb-2013
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