Timberlake, Wilson, Miguel shine at BET Awards

Who won video of the year again?

The BET Awards were barely about the actually awards as wild performances stole the night. They also didn't present the top honor Sunday.

Janelle Monae ended the three and a half hour-plus event with a top notch performance of "Q.U.E.E.N." alongside Erykah Badu, who brought a white poodle onstage. It was just one of the night's best performances, which also featured stolen moments from a seductive Ciara, a slick Miguel, a random ? but welcomed ? reggae set and a playful Justin Timberlake with an even more playful Charlie Wilson.

Timberlake took a backseat to the soul singer, joining Wilson onstage for a medley of his solo and Gap Band hits.

Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Pharrell, Snoop Dogg and India.Arie were also part of the tribute to 60-year-old Wilson, who earned the lifetime achievement award.

"Charlie Wilson is soul music. His impact colors the work of many artists, which is basically my nice way of saying I and a lot of other artists have stolen from him," Timberlake said when presenting Wilson the award.

Wilson's lively stage presence was arguably the night's top moment, though others were on fire.

Ciara echoed Janet Jackson when she danced and sang her R&B hit "Body Party," while Dawn Penn, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Beenie Man and Elephant Man electrified the audience when they gave a colorful performance of reggae classics.

Many artists played double or triple duty onstage at the Nokia Theater L.A. Live. Badu sang with Monae and Kendrick Lamar, who also performed with 2 Chainz. Miguel sang alone, and with Mariah Carey and J. Cole, while Minaj performed with Ciara and Chris Brown. Pharrell helped out Wilson and Robin Thicke, who excitedly performed his current No. 1 hit, "Blurred Lines."

Drake, who didn't attend the awards show, led with 12 nominations, including five for video of the year, winning the top honor with "Started from the Bottom." The rapper-singer also won viewer's choice and best collaboration for his appearance on A$AP Rocky's "(Expletive) Problems" with Lamar and 2 Chainz.

Lamar tied Drake with three wins, taking home best new artist, male hip-hop artist and collaboration.

"Most importantly to my little home boys and my home girls back in the city, you looking at me on TV right now, I came up in that same county building, food stamps, welfare section eight ... this is living proof that you can do anything you put your mind to," said 26-year-old Lamar, who is from Compton.

Minaj and Brown picked up their fourth consecutive wins for best female hip-hop artist and the fandemonium award.

"Don't read the bull in the news, I'm a real dude," Brown told the crowd.

Brown opened the show with a medley of new songs, including one that featured vocals from late R&B singer Aaliyah and another with Minaj, who joined him onstage. BET couldn't bleep some of the rapper's expletives ? much like the awards show last year. Expletives from Badu, Wayne Brady and the singers who performed with R. Kelly slipped, too.

Carey was angelic as she belted ? or lip synched ? her latest hit, "#Beautiful," and an excited R. Kelly sang snippets of a dozen of his hits ? including "Bump N Grind" and "Ignition" ? as the crowd cheered on.

Host Chris Tucker sang and danced too ? in tribute to Michael Jackson.

Miguel won the night's first award, best male R&B pop artist, beating out Brown, Timberlake, Usher and Bruno Mars.

"I got to really give it up to all the other guys in this category," Miguel said.

Don Cheadle presented Miguel with the award, and dedicated the night to the ailing Nelson Mandela.

"We want to take a moment and send our prayers and thoughts to a man who literally changed the world," he said. "This evening we would like to offer prayers and support and hope to the extraordinary Nelson Mandela and his family."

Jamie Foxx, wearing a shirt that featured a picture of Trayvon Martin, won best actor, and danced onstage with Kevin Hart when accepting the honor.

Hart, who hosted the BET Awards in the past, was overly excited onstage, even stealing the shine from Tucker, who was a mediocre host.

Rihanna won best female R&B pop artist and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won best group.

Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas won sportswoman of the year and the youngstars award. She thanked BET for "just for embracing me after Olympics."

___

Online:

http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards.html

___

Follow Mesfin Fekadu on Twitter: twitter.com/MusicMesfin

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/timberlake-wilson-miguel-shine-bet-awards-050151387.html

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Washington Post reveals new PRISM slides, offers greater clarity into the US' surveillance operation

PRISM: The surveillance story that started with four leaked slides from the Washington Post, today gets a bit clearer. The publication has revealed four more annotated slides about the once-secret NSA operation, along with detailing the various levels of scrutiny from the FBI and NSA that happen before, during and after approved wiretaps take place. It seems that many of the measures make sure the warrantless data mining of US citizens occurs to the smallest extent possible and that FISA rules are followed.

Detailing the process further, NSA analysts perform checks with supervisors to be certain intended targets are foreign nationals who aren't on US soil; approval is provided by way of "51-percent confidence" in assessments. During a "tasking process" search terms are entered, dubbed "selectors," which can tap into FBI gear installed within the private properties of participating companies -- so much for those denials. For live communications, this data goes straight to the NSA's PRINTAURA processing system, while both the FBI and NSA scan pre-recorded data independently. Notably, live surveillance is indeed possible for the likes of text, voice and and instant message-based conversations, according to a slide that details how cased are notated.

PRINTAURA is an overall filter for others, with names like NUCLEON for voice communications and MAINWAY for records of phone calls. Beyond that, another two layers, called CONVEYANCE and FALLOUT provide further filtering. Again, all of these checks apparently fine-tune results and help make sure they don't match up with US citizens. Results that return info about those in the US get scrapped, while results on foreigner targets get stored for up to five years -- this includes those that have US citizens' info in them, but restrictions are in place to limit the their exposure. A total number of 117,675 active targets were listed as April 5th, but the paper notes that this does not reflect the number of data that may also have been collected on American citizens in the process. It's likely that even more will be revealed in the coming weeks -- so if you haven't already, now might be a great time to catch up on this whole PRISM fiasco to learn about how it might affect you. You'll find all the new slides at the source link.

Comments

Source: The Washington Post (1), (2)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/29/washington-post-reveals-new-prism-slides-offers-greater-clarity/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Obama meets privately with Mandela family

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are meeting privately with the family of Nelson Mandela.

The meeting is taking place at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, which is part of the former South African president's foundation.

The White House didn't say which Mandela family members the Obamas are meeting with.

The president and first lady will not meet with the ailing 94-year-old Mandela, who is hospitalized with a lung infection. The White House says that decision was made in accordance with the Mandela family's wishes.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-meets-privately-mandela-family-124749374.html

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NASA Space Shuttle Runway Gets New Life as Commercial Spaceport

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? The famous?seaside?space shuttle runway here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center may have a second life soon as a launch and landing spot for a whole new type of space mission: tourist flights.

The 15,000-foot-long (4,600 meters)?Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) has been unused for spaceflights since the 30-year space shuttle program retired in 2011. But now NASA is handing over operation of the facility to Space Florida, the aerospace economic development agency for the state of Florida, to put the runway to new uses.

"Space Florida will take over operation of SLF as a combined airport and spaceport," NASA administrator Charles Bolden said here at a press conference today (June 28). "This will continue to expand Kennedy's viability as a multiuser spaceport. We look forward to working with Space Florida over the coming months." [Photos: NASA's Last Shuttle Landing in History]

Space Florida hopes to recruit commercial space companies to perform launches and landings from the Shuttle Landing Facility. The organization has reached out to suborbital launch company XCOR Aerospace, as well as orbital spaceship builders Sierra Nevada Space Systems, Boeing and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), and has high hopes many of these companies will establish operations at Kennedy Space Center.

"It's our job to make it a commercial entity ?we're excited for the challenge," Jim Kuzma, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Space Florida, told SPACE.com.

NASA itself may prove to be a customer of the facility when it starts launching its new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System, and Orion spacecraft, in coming years. Under the new arrangement, NASA is no longer shouldering the everyday cost of running the Shuttle Landing Facility ? Florida is ? so if NASA uses the facility it will have to pay for it like any other customer.

"It's exciting for Florida," Kuzma said. "We think the work force is here, the understanding of the needs of the space industry is here."

Andrew Nelson, chief operating officer of XCOR Aerospace, which hopes to begin launching tourists to the edge of space on its Lynx vehicle soon, agreed.

"The workforce is incredible here," he said. "There's just something in the DNA here."

XCOR said it was attracted to the idea of launching flights out of Kennedy Space Center in part because the Space Coast lures so many tourists ? it's about an hour's drive from the tourist Mecca of Orlando.

"There are 30 million tourist visitors a year here," Nelson told SPACE.com. "A few are going to want to fly to space."

Follow Clara Moskowitz on Twitter?and Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on?SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-space-shuttle-runway-gets-life-commercial-spaceport-115756289.html

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Pakistanis kill 10 tourists, including American

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? At least a dozen Islamic militants wearing police uniforms shot to death overnight a Pakistani and 10 foreign tourists, including an American, who were visiting one of the world's highest mountains in a remote area of northern Pakistan that has been largely peaceful, officials said Sunday.

The shooting was one of the worst attacks on foreigners in Pakistan in recent years and is likely to damage the country's already struggling tourism industry. Pakistan's mountainous north ? considered until now relatively safe ? is one of the main attractions in a country beset with insurgency and other political instability.

The local branch of the Taliban took responsibility for the killings, saying it was to avenge the death of a leader killed in a recent U.S. drone strike.

The 10 foreigners who were killed included two Chinese, one Chinese-American and one Nepalese, said Attaur Rehman, home secretary in the Gilgit-Baltistan area where the attack took place. The other six have not been identified. One Pakistani was also killed, Rehman said.

Matt Boland, the acting spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, confirmed that a U.S. citizen was among the dead, but could not say whether it was a dual Chinese national.

"The U.S. Embassy Islamabad expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the U.S. citizen and the other innocent tourists who were killed in the Northern Areas of Pakistan," Boland said in a statement sent to reporters.

Pakistan's interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said earlier that nine foreigners and one Pakistani were killed. He said the dead included five Ukrainians, three Chinese and one Russian. One Chinese tourist was wounded in the attack and was rescued, said Khan.

It's unclear what caused the discrepancy between the two accounts.

The attack took place at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain in the world at 8,126 meters (26,660 feet). Nanga Parbat is notoriously difficult to climb and is known as the "killer mountain" because of numerous mountaineering deaths in the past. It's unclear if the tourists were planning to climb the mountain or were just visiting the base camp, which is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.

The gunmen were wearing uniforms used by the Gilgit Scouts, a paramilitary police force that patrols the area, said the interior minister. The attackers abducted two local guides to find their way to the remote base camp. One of the guides was killed in the shooting, and the other has been detained and is being questioned, said Khan.

"The purpose of this attack was to give a message to the world that Pakistan is unsafe for travel," said the interior minister in a speech in the National Assembly, which passed a resolution condemning the incident. "The government will take all measures to ensure the safety of foreign tourists."

Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying their Jundul Hafsa group carried out the shooting as retaliation for the death of the Taliban's deputy leader, Waliur Rehman, in a U.S. drone attack on May 29.

"By killing foreigners, we wanted to give a message to the world to play their role in bringing an end to the drone attacks," Ahsan told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.

At least a dozen gunmen were involved in the attack, local police officer Jahangir Khan said.

The attackers beat up the Pakistanis who were accompanying the tourists, took their money and tied them up, said a senior local government official. They checked the identities of the Pakistanis and shot to death one of them, possibly because he was a minority Shiite Muslim, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Although Gilgit-Baltistan is a relatively peaceful area, it has experienced attacks by radical Sunni Muslims on Shiites in recent years.

The attackers took the money and passports from the foreigners and then gunned them down, said the official. It's unclear how the Chinese tourist who was rescued managed to avoid being killed. The base camp has basic wooden huts, but most tourists choose to sleep in their own tents.

Local police chief Barkat Ali said they first learned of the attack when one of the local guides called the police station around 1 a.m. on Sunday. The military airlifted the bodies to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, Sunday afternoon.

"We hope Pakistani authorities will do their best to find the culprits of this crime," the Ukrainian ambassador to Pakistan, Volodymyr Lakomov, told reporters outside the hospital where the bodies were taken.

The Pakistani government condemned the "brutal act of terrorism" in a statement sent to reporters.

"Those who have committed this heinous crime seem to be attempting to disrupt the growing relations of Pakistan with China and other friendly countries," said a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan has very close ties with neighboring China and is sensitive to any issue that could harm the relationship. Pakistani officials have reached out to representatives from China and Ukraine to convey their sympathies, the Foreign Ministry said.

Many foreign tourists stay away from Pakistan because of the perceived danger of visiting a country that is home to a large number of Islamic militant groups, such as the Taliban and al-Qaida, which mostly reside in the northwest near the Afghan border. A relatively small number of intrepid foreigners visit Gilgit-Baltistan during the summer to marvel at the peaks of the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, including K2, the second highest mountain in the world.

Syed Mehdi Shah, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, condemned the attack and expressed fear that it would seriously damage the region's tourism industry.

"A lot of tourists come to this area in the summer, and our local people work to earn money from these people," said Shah. "This will not only affect our area, but will adversely affect all of Pakistan."

The area has been cordoned off by police and paramilitary soldiers, and a military helicopter was searching the area, said Shah.

"God willing we will find the perpetrators of this tragic incident," said Shah.

The government suspended the chief secretary and top police chief in Gilgit-Baltistan following the attack and ordered an inquiry into the incident, said Khan, the interior minister.

___

Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar contributed to this report from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pakistanis-kill-10-tourists-including-american-165447640.html

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La Jolla Festival of the Arts Kicks Off at UCSD [Photos] - Entertainment

The La Jolla Festival of the Arts is Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The sun was shining Saturday for the first day of the La Jolla Festival of the Arts at UC San Diego's Warren Field.

The two-day event is produced by Torrey Pines Kiwanis, a non-profit organization that raises funds to support adaptive sports and recreation programs for San Diegans with disabilities.

La Jolla Festival Arts will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23 at UC San Diego Warren Field.

Tickets are $14 at the door. For more info visit?lajollaartfestival.org.

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Source: http://lajolla.patch.com/groups/arts-and-entertainment/p/la-jolla-festival-of-the-arts-kicks-off-at-ucsd-photos

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Getting to grips with migraine

Public release date: 23-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Aileen Sheehy
press.office@sanger.ac.uk
44-012-234-92368
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

Researchers identify some of the biological roots of migraine from large-scale genome study

In the largest study of migraines, researchers have found 5 genetic regions that for the first time have been linked to the onset of migraine. This study opens new doors to understanding the cause and biological triggers that underlie migraine attacks.

The team identified 12 genetic regions associated with migraine susceptibility. Eight of these regions were found in or near genes known to play a role in controlling brain circuitries and two of the regions were associated with genes that are responsible for maintaining healthy brain tissue. The regulation of these pathways may be important to the genetic susceptibility of migraines.

Migraine is a debilitating disorder that affects approximately 14% of adults. Migraine has recently been recognized as the seventh disabler in the Global Burden of Disease Survey 2010 and has been estimated to be the most costly neurological disorder. It is an extremely difficult disorder to study because no biomarkers between or during attacks have been identified so far.

"This study has greatly advanced our biological insight about the cause of migraine," says Dr Aarno Palotie, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "Migraine and epilepsy are particularly difficult neural conditions to study; between episodes the patient is basically healthy so it's extremely difficult to uncover biochemical clues.

"We have proven that this is the most effective approach to study this type of neurological disorder and understand the biology that lies at the heart of it."

The team uncovered the underlying susceptibilities by comparing the results from 29 different genomic studies, including over 100,000 samples from both migraine patients and control samples.

They found that some of the regions of susceptibility lay close to a network of genes that are sensitive to oxidative stress, a biochemical process that results in the dysfunction of cells.

The team expects many of the genes at genetic regions associated with migraine are interconnected and could potentially be disrupting the internal regulation of tissue and cells in the brain, resulting in some of the symptoms of migraine.

"We would not have made discoveries by studying smaller groups of individuals," says Dr Gisela Terwindt, co-author from Leiden University Medical Centre. "This large scale method of studying over 100,000 samples of healthy and affected people means we can tease out the genes that are important suspects and follow them up in the lab."

The team identified an additional 134 genetic regions that are possibly associated to migraine susceptibility with weaker statistical evidence. Whether these regions underlie migraine susceptibility or not still needs to be elucidated. Other similar studies show that these statistically weaker culprits can play an equal part in the underlying biology of a disease or disorder.

"The molecular mechanisms of migraine are poorly understood. The sequence variants uncovered through this meta-analysis could become a foothold for further studies to better understanding the pathophysiology of migraine" says Dr Kri Stefnsson, President of deCODE genetics.

"This approach is the most efficient way of revealing the underlying biology of these neural disorders," says Dr Mark Daly, from the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. "Effective studies that give us biological or biochemical results and insights are essential if we are to fully get to grips with this debilitating condition.

"Pursuing these studies in even larger samples and with denser maps of biological markers will increase our power to determine the roots and triggers of this disabling disorder."

###

Notes to Editors

Publication Details

Verneri Anttila, Bendik S. Winsvold, Padhraig Gormley et al (2013) 'Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies new susceptibility loci for migraine' Advanced online publication in Nature Genetics 23 June Doi: 10.1038/ng.2676

Participating centres

A full list of participating centres can be found in the study

Funding

A full list of funding can be found in the study

Selected Websites

The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT was launched in 2004 to empower this generation of creative scientists to transform medicine. The Broad Institute seeks to describe all the molecular components of life and their connections; discover the molecular basis of major human diseases; develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics; and disseminate discoveries, tools, methods and data openly to the entire scientific community.

Founded by MIT, Harvard and its affiliated hospitals, and the visionary Los Angeles philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the Broad Institute includes faculty, professional staff and students from throughout the MIT and Harvard biomedical research communities and beyond, with collaborations spanning over a hundred private and public institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. For further information about the Broad Institute, go to http://www.broadinstitute.org.

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease. http://www.sanger.ac.uk

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. We support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. We are independent of both political and commercial interests. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 23-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Aileen Sheehy
press.office@sanger.ac.uk
44-012-234-92368
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

Researchers identify some of the biological roots of migraine from large-scale genome study

In the largest study of migraines, researchers have found 5 genetic regions that for the first time have been linked to the onset of migraine. This study opens new doors to understanding the cause and biological triggers that underlie migraine attacks.

The team identified 12 genetic regions associated with migraine susceptibility. Eight of these regions were found in or near genes known to play a role in controlling brain circuitries and two of the regions were associated with genes that are responsible for maintaining healthy brain tissue. The regulation of these pathways may be important to the genetic susceptibility of migraines.

Migraine is a debilitating disorder that affects approximately 14% of adults. Migraine has recently been recognized as the seventh disabler in the Global Burden of Disease Survey 2010 and has been estimated to be the most costly neurological disorder. It is an extremely difficult disorder to study because no biomarkers between or during attacks have been identified so far.

"This study has greatly advanced our biological insight about the cause of migraine," says Dr Aarno Palotie, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "Migraine and epilepsy are particularly difficult neural conditions to study; between episodes the patient is basically healthy so it's extremely difficult to uncover biochemical clues.

"We have proven that this is the most effective approach to study this type of neurological disorder and understand the biology that lies at the heart of it."

The team uncovered the underlying susceptibilities by comparing the results from 29 different genomic studies, including over 100,000 samples from both migraine patients and control samples.

They found that some of the regions of susceptibility lay close to a network of genes that are sensitive to oxidative stress, a biochemical process that results in the dysfunction of cells.

The team expects many of the genes at genetic regions associated with migraine are interconnected and could potentially be disrupting the internal regulation of tissue and cells in the brain, resulting in some of the symptoms of migraine.

"We would not have made discoveries by studying smaller groups of individuals," says Dr Gisela Terwindt, co-author from Leiden University Medical Centre. "This large scale method of studying over 100,000 samples of healthy and affected people means we can tease out the genes that are important suspects and follow them up in the lab."

The team identified an additional 134 genetic regions that are possibly associated to migraine susceptibility with weaker statistical evidence. Whether these regions underlie migraine susceptibility or not still needs to be elucidated. Other similar studies show that these statistically weaker culprits can play an equal part in the underlying biology of a disease or disorder.

"The molecular mechanisms of migraine are poorly understood. The sequence variants uncovered through this meta-analysis could become a foothold for further studies to better understanding the pathophysiology of migraine" says Dr Kri Stefnsson, President of deCODE genetics.

"This approach is the most efficient way of revealing the underlying biology of these neural disorders," says Dr Mark Daly, from the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. "Effective studies that give us biological or biochemical results and insights are essential if we are to fully get to grips with this debilitating condition.

"Pursuing these studies in even larger samples and with denser maps of biological markers will increase our power to determine the roots and triggers of this disabling disorder."

###

Notes to Editors

Publication Details

Verneri Anttila, Bendik S. Winsvold, Padhraig Gormley et al (2013) 'Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies new susceptibility loci for migraine' Advanced online publication in Nature Genetics 23 June Doi: 10.1038/ng.2676

Participating centres

A full list of participating centres can be found in the study

Funding

A full list of funding can be found in the study

Selected Websites

The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT was launched in 2004 to empower this generation of creative scientists to transform medicine. The Broad Institute seeks to describe all the molecular components of life and their connections; discover the molecular basis of major human diseases; develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics; and disseminate discoveries, tools, methods and data openly to the entire scientific community.

Founded by MIT, Harvard and its affiliated hospitals, and the visionary Los Angeles philanthropists Eli and Edythe L. Broad, the Broad Institute includes faculty, professional staff and students from throughout the MIT and Harvard biomedical research communities and beyond, with collaborations spanning over a hundred private and public institutions in more than 40 countries worldwide. For further information about the Broad Institute, go to http://www.broadinstitute.org.

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease. http://www.sanger.ac.uk

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. We support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. We are independent of both political and commercial interests. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/wtsi-gtg062113.php

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Trial provides portrait of Jackson as a father

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Courtrooms have supplied the epilogue to Michael Jackson's life. They've provided the forum where his debts have been settled, his final days dissected and his life depicted as a cautionary tale.

In nearly four years of court proceedings, two juries have watched Jackson come to life on video screens. They've watched him spin, dance, and then disappear. They've heard his voice, seen his handwriting and viewed photos of his lifeless body.

His role as a father has been described in little more than platitudes. Until now.

The jury hearing a civil case filed by the superstar's mother ? against AEG Live LLC, the promoter of Jackson's ill-fated concerts ? are experiencing details of a world previously held under lock and key. They've heard of extravagant birthday parties, secret family outings and the leg-clinging devotion of his children.

Jackson shielded the youngsters from the public eye, home-schooling them and often hiding their faces in public.

Away from the cameras, Jackson tried to create an environment of love, attention and special moments for his children, Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson Jr., Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael "Blanket" Jackson.

The following are some of some of the stories they've told. They present a portrait of Jackson as a father that outsiders never saw.

___

The final month of Jackson's life was a busy time. There were rehearsals for "This Is It," planning meetings and film shoots for a series of mini-movies that would precede some of his greatest hits at the London shows.

Jackson brought his children to the shoot for a "Smooth Criminal" video that culminated with Jackson leaping through a window while being shot at by Humphrey Bogart.

Alif Sankey, a backup dancer on the original video who was working on the comeback concerts, sat next to Paris during the shoot. The 11-year-old wanted to share a secret and opened up her purse.

It was filled with candy, Sankey recalled.

Jackson didn't want his children to eat sweets, and Paris asked Sankey to keep it quiet.

The dancer noticed something else inside the purse ? tiny picture frames with images of her father.

"Her purse was full of candy and pictures of Daddy."

___

Despite being home-schooled, there was no shortage of companions for Jackson's children.

Chef Kai Chase recalled numerous pets in the mansion that Jackson was renting while he prepared for his "This Is It" shows.

There was the talking bird, Siberia, who whistled at pretty women.

The children also had a chocolate Labrador named Kenya, whom Chase bought a cookbook for so she could bake him treats and a birthday cake. Two cats, named Katie and Thriller, also roamed the house.

During opening statements of the civil trial, some of the jury's first exposure to life in the Jackson home came from footage shot on a Christmas morning several years ago. Jackson's ode to his children, "You Are My Life" played as jurors watched a video of a Christmas morning from years ago of Prince, Paris and Blanket gleefully receiving their gifts, which included the puppy, Kenya.

___

Chase had been working at Jackson's home for only a few days when it came time to prepare for Paris' 11th birthday.

She wanted a Michael Jackson-themed party.

All around the dining room, posters of the King of Pop were hung alongside album covers and other pictures. Jackson's hit songs played as the family ate cheese pizza, hot wings and banana splits, Chase recalled.

Paris' birthday cake was decorated with Lilo & Stitch, her favorite Disney characters. But the festivities weren't over.

Jackson escorted the children into the backyard, where they watched a private Cirque du Soleil-style circus, complete with men on stilts and a woman performing in a giant balloon.

Chase watched from the kitchen window and later described the scene as "the most beautiful expression of love I've ever seen."

___

Jackson spent the final months of his life in a rented mansion in the upscale Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles.

The mansion had all the amenities fit for a pop superstar ? a palatial entryway, staircase and parlor and in the basement, a home theater and dance studio.

The house was a hub of activity, with security guards posted outside, a pair of housekeepers, a nanny for the children and on many days, a personal chef stationed in the kitchen.

Dinners at the home occasionally featured special guests, including Jackson's personal physician Conrad Murray and choreographer Travis Payne.

But staffers and guests other than Murray weren't allowed upstairs, where the bedrooms were. When Chase wanted to prepare a soul food menu for Jackson and his children, she wrote him a note in Magic Marker and left it at the foot of the stairs.

AEG Live's lead defense attorney has pointed to the secrecy of Jackson's upstairs lifestyle ? where the superstar was receiving nightly doses of the anesthetic propofol in his locked bedroom ? to support the company's contention it couldn't have known about Jackson's drug treatments.

___

Having a stable home for his children was a major motivation for Jackson returning to the concert stage, AEG executives say.

After his acquittal of child molestation charges in 2005, Jackson had become a nomad, spending time in various cities, including Las Vegas, often staying with friends.

"He wanted his kids to have a permanent place to live and a sense of community," AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips recalled Jackson telling him during one meeting held while the family was living in the guesthouse of a rich benefactor.

It was Halloween and the children darted in and out of the rooms, wearing masks. Later that night, they'd go with their father to a party at Elizabeth Taylor's home.

"I felt incredibly bad that this incredible star was at this point where he couldn't buy a house," Phillips said.

___

Jackson was always a magnet for photographers and fans, but he managed to sneak his children into a movie just weeks before his death.

The family and a few others went to see the animated film "Up" at the El Capitan Theatre on a touristy stretch of Hollywood Boulevard.

They came in a back door and remained in a private room while moviegoers filed into the theater. When everyone else was seated, the entourage, including his longtime makeup artist Karen Faye, director Kenny Ortega and others, hit up the concession stand.

The group watched the movie without distraction. "No one knew Michael was there," Faye recalled.

___

Jackson and choreographer Travis Payne were scheduled to rehearse one-on-one several days a week in the dance studio that was in the basement of Jackson's mansion.

It's unclear how often the pair worked out, but when they did they often had a companion, 7-year-old Blanket. He liked to watch his father dance, Payne later recalled, and tried to always stay close to his dad. During their workouts, Payne said Jackson talked to his son, mentoring him.

Preparations for the shows meant that Jackson was frequently out of the house at meetings, film shoots or rehearsals. When he returned home, Prince, Paris and Blanket would rush their father.

"They would take off like lightning," Chase recalls, "... and grab him around the ankles and around the waist."

They'd be hanging off of him, not unlike a picture shown to jurors during opening statements.

In the photo, Jackson was handing Blanket, then a newborn, to President Bill Clinton. Clinging to Jackson's right leg was Paris.

___

When it came time for a science project, Paris settled on studying snails.

She enlisted Chase to help her find snails in the mansion's backyard. The pair carried large flashlights and found several of the slimy creatures and prepared to bring them inside.

Jackson was waiting for them.

"At this point, I knew I was going to get fired," Chase recalled.

The singer looked at the snails and had a different reaction ? he helped make them a home.

The snails ended up in jars made cozier by moss in the bottom and tiny cocktail umbrellas. They lived on the kitchen counter, not far from other reminders of the children.

Blanket's colorings hung on the refrigerator.

On a chalkboard where Chase would write out menus, Paris scrawled a message that remained on the board the day her father died.

"I love daddy," the 11-year-old wrote. "Smile, it's free."

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-provides-portrait-jackson-father-154431713.html

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Bomb suspect influenced by mysterious radical

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Family members of the suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings who died in a shootout with authorities say that the suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev (tsahr-NEYE'-ehv), had fallen under the influence of a Muslim convert who steered the religiously apathetic young man toward a strict strain of Islam.

His family says that, under the tutelage of a friend known to the Tsarnaev family only as Misha (MEE-sha), Tamerlan gave up boxing and stopped studying music. He began opposing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and turned to websites and literature claiming that the CIA was behind the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and that Jews controlled the world.

Tamerlan's uncle, Ruslan Tsarni, tells The Associated Press that the mysterious friend, quote, "just took his brain."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bomb-suspect-influenced-mysterious-radical-202945456--politics.html

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Debris Removal From Hurricane Sandy Is More Costly Than Average

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Officials said they were happy with the Army Corps of Engineers? performance in removing the rubble from Hurricane Sandy, but private contractors might have been less expensive.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/nyregion/debris-removal-from-hurricane-sandy-is-more-costly-than-average.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Video: House report slams Sec. Clinton on Benghazi (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Nine Months After Talking Up The Carrier Deal, FreedomPop Shows Off Its First Sprint-Friendly Hotspot

FreedomPop has been promising to bring mostly free 4G internet access to the masses for over a year now, but those ambitions have been hampered by partner Clearwire's spotty WiMax coverage -- there are sizable swaths of the country where you just can't get service. That won't be the case for much longer though, as FreedomPop has just started taking orders its first Sprint-friendly wireless hotspot.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/gCMSLGLpDCY/

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Rotten to anchor: Listen 'when a man is talking'

By Bruna Nessif, E! Online

Johnny Rotten was acting pretty, well, rotten. The former lead singer of the Sex Pistols (real name John Lydon) got into hot water after telling a female host on the Australian talk show "The Project" on Channel Ten to "shut up when a man is talking" when she cut in with a question about the death of Margaret Thatcher.

Oh yeah, he went there.

(Note: Brief language, bleeped out, in video.)

NEWS: White House responds to Jay-Z's "Open Letter"

"Hey, hey missus, shut up, whoever you are, shut up, shut up, shut up," Rotten told anchor Carrie Bickmore. "Now listen, when a man is talking do not interrupt."

Bickmore tried her best to play it off and continue with the interview, but the rocker didn't let it slide, telling her, "Stop it. You sound like one of them dreadful loud birds I don't like."

She then proceeded to call him offensive, and Johnny responded with, "So are you when you do that. You have to learn what manners and respect is."

After the interview was over, Bickmore said the celeb was "d--- rude" and fellow reporter Andrew Rochford added, "He was a flat-out sexist, misogynist pig."

The singer's comments quickly spread and attracted backlash in Australia, but he argued his defense by saying, "It's quite clear to me I'm not a sexist and I'm not a misogynist," and added that if someone interrupts "you are going to have to say something at some point, whether it be male or female."

PHOTOS: Biggest celeb dramas ever

More in TODAY Entertainment:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/12/17718297-sex-pistols-johnny-rotten-tells-news-anchor-to-listen-when-a-man-is-talking?lite

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Maya Long Count calendar and European calendar linked using carbon-14 dating

Apr. 11, 2013 ? The Maya are famous for their complex, intertwined calendric systems, and now one calendar, the Maya Long Count, is empirically calibrated to the modern European calendar, according to an international team of researchers.

"The Long Count calendar fell into disuse before European contact in the Maya area," said Douglas J. Kennett, professor of environmental archaeology, Penn State.

"Methods of tying the Long Count to the modern European calendar used known historical and astronomical events, but when looking at how climate affects the rise and fall of the Maya, I began to question how accurately the two calendars correlated using those methods."

The researchers found that the new measurements mirrored the most popular method in use, the Goodman-Martinez-Thompson (GMT) correlation, initially put forth by Joseph Goodman in 1905 and subsequently modified by others. In the 1950s scientists tested this correlation using early radiocarbon dating, but the large error range left open the validity of GMT.

"With only a few dissenting voices, the GMT correlation is widely accepted and used, but it must remain provisional without some form of independent corroboration," the researchers report in today's (April 11) issue of Scientific Reports.

A combination of high-resolution accelerator mass spectrometry carbon-14 dates and a calibration using tree growth rates showed the GMT correlation is correct.

The Long Count counts days from a mythological starting point. The date is composed of five components that combine a multiplier times 144,000 days -- Bak'tun, 7,200 days -- K'atun, 360 days -- Tun, 20 days -- Winal, and 1 day -- K'in separated, in standard notation, by dots.

Archaeologists want to place the Long Count dates into the European calendar so there is an understanding of when things happened in the Maya world relative to historic events elsewhere. Correlation also allows the rich historical record of the Maya to be compared with other sources of environmental, climate and archaeological data calibrated using the European calendar.

The samples came from an elaborately carved wooden lintel or ceiling from a temple in the ancient Maya city of Tikal, Guatemala, that carries a carving and dedication date in the Maya calendar. This same lintel was one of three analyzed in the previous carbon-14 study.

Researchers measured tree growth by tracking annual changes in calcium uptake by the trees, which is greater during the rainy season.

The amount of carbon-14 in the atmosphere is incorporated into a tree's incremental growth. Atmospheric carbon-14 changes through time, and during the Classic Maya period oscillated up and down.

The researchers took four samples from the lintel and used annually fluctuating calcium concentrations evident in the incremental growth of the tree to determine the true time distance between each by counting the number of elapsed rainy seasons. The researchers used this information to fit the four radiocarbon dates to the wiggles in the calibration curve. Wiggle-matching the carbon-14 dates provided a more accurate age for linking the Maya and Long Count dates to the European calendars.

These calculations were further complicated by known differences in the atmospheric radiocarbon content between northern and southern hemisphere.

"The complication is that radiocarbon concentrations differ between the southern and northern hemisphere," said Kennett. "The Maya area lies on the boundary, and the atmosphere is a mixture of the southern and northern hemispheres that changes seasonally. We had to factor that into the analysis."

The researchers results mirror the GMT European date correlations indicating that the GMT was on the right track for linking the Long Count and European calendars.

Events recorded in various Maya locations "can now be harmonized with greater assurance to other environmental, climatic and archaeological datasets from this and adjacent regions and suggest that climate change played an important role in the development and demise of this complex civilization," the researchers wrote.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Penn State. The original article was written by A'ndrea Elyse Messer.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Douglas J. Kennett, Irka Hajdas, Brendan J. Culleton, Soumaya Belmecheri, Simon Martin, Hector Neff, Jaime Awe, Heather V. Graham, Katherine H. Freeman, Lee Newsom, David L. Lentz, Flavio S. Anselmetti, Mark Robinson, Norbert Marwan, John Southon, David A. Hodell, Gerald H. Haug. Correlating the Ancient Maya and Modern European Calendars with High-Precision AMS 14C Dating. Scientific Reports, 2013; 3 DOI: 10.1038/srep01597

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/oSlPYGBfdGs/130411194926.htm

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Marketing research offers prescription for better nutrition

Public release date: 10-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jamie Hanlon
jamie.hanlon@ualberta.ca
780-492-9214
University of Alberta

Consumer data show decisions people make after being diagnosed with conditions like diabetes may lead to higher health risks

It may seem counter-intuitive to take health advice from a marketing professor, but when it comes to analyzing consumer data and its relationship to managing health issues such as diabetes, one University of Alberta researcher may have the right prescription.

In a paper recently published in the Journal of Marketing, Alberta School of Business professor Yu Ma uncovered information that has implications for health-care professionals, marketers and consumers alike. He says the data on consumer spending contain streams of information showing that decisions consumers make after being diagnosed with a major health issue like diabetes may seem sound on the outside, but actually expose them to greater health risks. And although education related to disease and proper nutrition should be a major driver of changing habits, Ma says it ranks far lower than another critical factor that could affect the waistline and the bottom line.

"The second-largest factorand only slightly less influential than eating habitsis price. If the price is cheap, they're going to buy that (food item)," he said. "There are lots of things you can do just by changing the price of healthy food."

Changes: Hyperfocusing and the halo effect

Ma's data analysis shows that after a diagnosis of diabetes, patients tend to down the sugary beverages and foods that put them at risk for problems. Yet, while being hyper-vigilant with these choices, they tend to load up on other foods high in sodium or fattwo ingredients that could increase their chances of heart disease or high blood pressure. The key for people with diabetes, he says, is to consult a health-care professional about all foods that pose risks, both now and in the future.

Ma says the other critical factor is that people have a tendency to divide foods into two groups: healthy and unhealthy. In doing so, they tend to over-consume foods in the healthy column.

"What we found is that people paid too much attention to categorization, but they failed to monitor how much of those healthy alternatives they actually take in," said Ma. "It's what we call the health halo effect."

Food for thought: Is healthy eating too expensive?

Ma says it might not be a lack of wanting to eat healthier that drives people to unhealthy foods. Instead, the cost of making the switch may be the biggest hurdle. He says some choices come down to issues of education, such as switching from soft drinks to diet drinks or avoiding fruit juices. But he notes that purchasing and consuming more fruits and veggies or organic foods is not an option for consumers in all income brackets. Ma says that lack of access to better nutritional choiceswhich can also be reinforced by what is available from local storesis difficult to overcome. He says people may think middle-class consumers can easily afford to switch, but the price difference from the healthy option to the "next best thing" can be significant once the whole food bill is totalled up.

"If you compare the price of healthy, whole-grain bread versus regular white bread, there's a cost increase between them," he said. "Sometimes, if you have a family to feed, it's hard to justify the price difference."

People first, profit second?

The goal of businesses is to maximize their profit by marketing and selling their product to target groups. However, Ma says, it comes down to an issue of needs and wants, especially when the need to change eating habits is necessary to stay alive. Health should not be at a premium, he says, and if marketers looked at a bigger, socially responsible picture, they may see the many benefits that would come from lowering their prices and making their products available to broader markets. He says companies may make less profit per customer, but making more money overall would go hand in hand with enhanced brand identity and recognition.

"They might have to sacrifice some short-term profit, but once they build up their brand name, and the goodwill in the consumer's mind, then it's a win-win for the customers and the company in the long run."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 10-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jamie Hanlon
jamie.hanlon@ualberta.ca
780-492-9214
University of Alberta

Consumer data show decisions people make after being diagnosed with conditions like diabetes may lead to higher health risks

It may seem counter-intuitive to take health advice from a marketing professor, but when it comes to analyzing consumer data and its relationship to managing health issues such as diabetes, one University of Alberta researcher may have the right prescription.

In a paper recently published in the Journal of Marketing, Alberta School of Business professor Yu Ma uncovered information that has implications for health-care professionals, marketers and consumers alike. He says the data on consumer spending contain streams of information showing that decisions consumers make after being diagnosed with a major health issue like diabetes may seem sound on the outside, but actually expose them to greater health risks. And although education related to disease and proper nutrition should be a major driver of changing habits, Ma says it ranks far lower than another critical factor that could affect the waistline and the bottom line.

"The second-largest factorand only slightly less influential than eating habitsis price. If the price is cheap, they're going to buy that (food item)," he said. "There are lots of things you can do just by changing the price of healthy food."

Changes: Hyperfocusing and the halo effect

Ma's data analysis shows that after a diagnosis of diabetes, patients tend to down the sugary beverages and foods that put them at risk for problems. Yet, while being hyper-vigilant with these choices, they tend to load up on other foods high in sodium or fattwo ingredients that could increase their chances of heart disease or high blood pressure. The key for people with diabetes, he says, is to consult a health-care professional about all foods that pose risks, both now and in the future.

Ma says the other critical factor is that people have a tendency to divide foods into two groups: healthy and unhealthy. In doing so, they tend to over-consume foods in the healthy column.

"What we found is that people paid too much attention to categorization, but they failed to monitor how much of those healthy alternatives they actually take in," said Ma. "It's what we call the health halo effect."

Food for thought: Is healthy eating too expensive?

Ma says it might not be a lack of wanting to eat healthier that drives people to unhealthy foods. Instead, the cost of making the switch may be the biggest hurdle. He says some choices come down to issues of education, such as switching from soft drinks to diet drinks or avoiding fruit juices. But he notes that purchasing and consuming more fruits and veggies or organic foods is not an option for consumers in all income brackets. Ma says that lack of access to better nutritional choiceswhich can also be reinforced by what is available from local storesis difficult to overcome. He says people may think middle-class consumers can easily afford to switch, but the price difference from the healthy option to the "next best thing" can be significant once the whole food bill is totalled up.

"If you compare the price of healthy, whole-grain bread versus regular white bread, there's a cost increase between them," he said. "Sometimes, if you have a family to feed, it's hard to justify the price difference."

People first, profit second?

The goal of businesses is to maximize their profit by marketing and selling their product to target groups. However, Ma says, it comes down to an issue of needs and wants, especially when the need to change eating habits is necessary to stay alive. Health should not be at a premium, he says, and if marketers looked at a bigger, socially responsible picture, they may see the many benefits that would come from lowering their prices and making their products available to broader markets. He says companies may make less profit per customer, but making more money overall would go hand in hand with enhanced brand identity and recognition.

"They might have to sacrifice some short-term profit, but once they build up their brand name, and the goodwill in the consumer's mind, then it's a win-win for the customers and the company in the long run."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/uoa-mro041013.php

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Gas prices falls to $3 a gallon in some markets

Paul A. Eisenstein , The Detroit Bureau ? ? ? 11 hrs.

If your wallet is still hurting from the painfully high fuel prices much of the country experienced over the winter there?s some good news next time you head to the pump.

The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas has dipped to just $3.58, a three-cent dip since late last week, 15 cents from a month ago, and 36 cents off of what the typical American motorist was spending this time in 2012.

That?s a sharp turnaround from February when some states saw gas surge to near or all-time records, particularly along the West Coast.

The Detroit Bureau: Are Wagons Ready for Revival?

Buyers are still paying an average $4.359 in Hawaii and $4.027 in Washington, D.C., but California is back under the $4 mark, at $3.998, according to GasBuddy.com, a fuel price tracking service. And it?s down to $3.286 in Montana ? where motorists are paying just $3.261 in Billings.

Some reports indicate that the price has dropped below the $3 mark in a few Rocky Mountain communities near major refineries. And GasBuddy is forecasting still ?more markets? will dip under that break point in the coming days.

The Detroit Bureau: Fisker Fiasco Worsens

While crude prices posted some gains in early Monday trading, petroleum futures have been in sharp decline for several weeks. One key reason, reports the federal Energy Information Administration is that the country?s inventories are now at a 22-year peak.

The U.S. has been rapidly ramping up oil production for several years and is expected to actually be a larger producer than Saudi Arabia and other OPEC providers by mid-decade. That doesn't necessarily translate into lower prices, as petroleum is traded as a global commodity. But despite concerns about Mideast instability ? notably reductions in production in war-torn Syria ? there appears to be a good supply, if not a glut of the black gold now available around the world.

The Detroit Bureau: Germans May Give UAW Breakthrough Chance to Unionize VW "Transplant"

According to Tom Kloza, chief analyst with the Oil Price Information Service, only a major ?disruption in the Mideast? would likely provoke a sharp spike in fuel prices around the world.

That said, analysts warn that Americans can?t be complacent. Traders continue trying to push up the price of crude. And as U.S. motorists have been seeing, regional spikes are becoming more common. That can follow the changeover from summer to winter fuel blends designed to reduce regional air pollution problems. It can also result from maintenance and other issues, such as those that affected large swaths of the Midwest and Pacific Coast over the last year.

Even in areas where prices top the national charts today, the figures are significantly down from year-ago levels ? when California stood at $4.28 a gallon, for example.

The Detroit Bureau: Ford Reveals Alternatives for F-150

The sudden decline in gas prices may be fueling a shift in the U.S. new car market, meanwhile. Sales of pickups, in particular, surged during March and light trucks outsold passenger cars on the whole, despite recent trends moving in the opposite direction.

Copyright ? 2009-2013, The Detroit Bureau

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a78d130/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cgas0Eprices0Efalls0E30Egallon0Esome0Emarkets0E1C9255115/story01.htm

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Communicating the science of the '6x?C egg'

Apr. 7, 2013 ? Why does the "65-degree egg" and its "6X?C" counterparts continue to entice chefs and diners at chic restaurants, when the science underpinning that supposed recipe for perfection in boiling an egg is flawed?

It all boils down to the need for greater society-wide understanding of basic scientific concepts, an expert said in New Orleans on April 7 at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. And in one of the keynote addresses at the meeting, which features almost 12,000 scientific reports, C?sar Vega, Ph.D., explained why cooking ranks as an ideal way of fostering broader awareness about science.

"Cooking is chemistry, and the kitchen is a laboratory," said Vega. "Cooking and food are the single most direct and obvious personal experiences that people have with chemistry. Food is personal. Food is fun! Seemingly simple foods like cookies, fondue and eggs help illustrate key scientific principles. Why are some cookies chewy and others crunchy -- or even better, both at the same time? Why do egg whites whip better if we add cream of tartar? Why does Gruy?re cheese make the perfect fondue? The sights, the smells, the textures of food can help people remember the science."

The fascination by both diners and chefs de cuisine with that "6X?C" egg is a good example, said Vega, who has a Ph.D. in food science, culinary training from Le Cordon Bleu, and is research manager at Mars Botanical, a division of Mars, Incorporated. Vega also co-edited, with Job Ubbink and Erik van der Linden, The Kitchen as Laboratory: Reflections on the Science of Food and Cooking.

Heating an egg may seem like the simplest form of cooking, next to boiling water, Vega pointed out. But the best way of doing so remains a surprisingly contentious issue among great chefs. Eggs are a gastronomic enigma because the ovotransferrin and ovalbumin proteins in the white begin to coagulate or solidify at around 142 and 184 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The phosvitins and other egg yolk proteins, however, can start thickening even at temperatures as low as 130 degrees F. So what's the right temperature for the perfect egg?

Vega explained that some professional cooks have taken a relatively new approach by cooking eggs in temperature-controlled water circulators. Using these devices, chefs cook eggs at relatively low temperatures (such as 60 degrees C, or 140 degrees F), for relatively long periods of time (at least 1 hour). And what Vega terms the "6X?C egg" is now ubiquitous on menus in chic restaurants. The "X" varies depending on the cook, but usually is from 0 to 5, such as the "65?C egg." But chefs claim that temperature alone translates into the perfectly cooked egg, and cooking time -- one hour or three hours -- does not matter.

"The idea that cooking time does not matter is nonsense," Vega said, citing research he did and published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Biophysics that debunked the idea. It carefully documented that the texture of a cooked egg yolk depends on both temperature and time. The study gives chefs precise numbers of the time and temperature combinations needed to cook eggs to whatever firmness they want.

Eggs certainly are not the only entry on the menu of scientific misconceptions in the kitchen. Vega pointed out that research published last year challenged time-honored ideas about the browning of sugar, known as caramelization. Everyone thought that sugar had to first melt before undergoing that mouth-watering transformation into caramel. The new research showed, however, that sugar can caramelize when heated while it's still solid.

"It's dismaying to think that so many could be so wrong for so long about what actually happens to such basic ingredients like sugar or eggs during cooking," Vega said. "But it also provides a rare opportunity to rethink the possibilities of the basic, and to communicate accurate information and the fun and excitement of science to the public."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Chemical Society (ACS).

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/KuI1BN1jvD4/130407183535.htm

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