3 killed in 95-vehicle pileup at Virginia-NC line

This photo provided by the Virginia State Police shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/Virginia State Police, Sgt. Mike Conroy)

This photo provided by the Virginia State Police shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/Virginia State Police, Sgt. Mike Conroy)

This photo provided by the Virginia State Police shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/Virginia State Police, Sgt. Mike Conroy)

This image provided by WXII Channel 12 news, shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/WXII, William Bottomley) MANDAORY CREDIT: WXII,WILLIAM BOTTOMLEY

This image provided by WXII Channel 12 news, shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/WXII, William Bottomley) MANDAORY CREDIT: WXII,WILLIAM BOTTOMLEY

GALAX, Va. (AP) ? Nearly 100 vehicles crashed Sunday along a mountainous, foggy stretch of interstate near the Virginia-North Carolina border, killing three people and injuring 25 others.

Police said traffic along Interstate 77 in southwest Virginia backed up for about 8 miles in the southbound lanes after the accidents. Authorities closed the northbound lanes so that fire trucks, ambulances and police could get to the series of chain-reaction wrecks.

Virginia State Police determined there were 17 separate crashes involving 95 vehicles within a mile span near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain, spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. The crashes began around 1:15 p.m. Sunday when there was heavy fog in the area.

"This mountain is notorious for fog banks. They have advance signs warning people. But the problem is, people are seeing well and suddenly they're in a fog bank," said Glen Sage of the American Red Cross office in the town of Galax.

Since 1997, there have been at least six such pileups on the mountain but Sunday's crash was the most deadly, according to The Roanoke Times. Two people died in crashes involving dozens of vehicles in both 2000 and 2010.

Overhead message boards warned drivers since about 6 a.m. Sunday to slow down because of the severe fog, Geller said. The crashes were mostly caused by drivers going too fast for conditions.

At the "epicenter" was a wreck involving up to eight vehicles, some of which caught fire, Geller said. Photos from the accident scene showed a burned out tractor-trailer and several crumpled vehicles badly charred. Those taken to hospitals had injuries ranging from serious to minor.

School buses took stranded people to shelters and hotels.

Nina Rose, 20, and her mother, were driving home to Rochester, N.Y., when they encountered the pileup.

"With so much fog we didn't see much around it," Rose told the Roanoke newspaper. "As we got further up we just saw a bunch of people standing on the median, just with their kids and families all together. There were cars smashed into other cars, and cars just underneath other semi-trucks."

Darrell Utt, 17, of Moore County, N.C., was stuck in the northbound lanes for about three hours as he traveled to Huntington, W. Va.

"It was really foggy at first," he said. "We probably saw over 50 tow trucks. We saw about five cars come down and three semi-trucks. One of them, it didn't even look like a car, it looked like a chunk of metal."

Utt said motorists were calm, despite the traffic jam.

"There was no road rage or anything, everyone understood the severity of how bad this was before we even began to figure out what exactly happened," he said.

Authorities reopened the northbound lanes Sunday night and hoped to have the other side cleared later in the evening.

Police did not immediately release the names of those killed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-31-Virginia%20Interstate%20Pileup/id-2f856735e8b44a1abf3390e09b57ce12

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First commercial flight between Egypt and Iran for 34 years

CAIRO (Reuters) - The first commercial flight between Egypt and Iran in 34 years took off on Saturday, the latest step towards normalizing ties broken following the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution.

Egypt and Iran agreed to resume direct flights in October 2010 before President Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power, but no flights were made.

"A flight by Air Memphis, owned by Egyptian businessman Rami Lakah, took off from Cairo to Tehran earlier on Saturday carrying eight Iranians including diplomats," one airport official said adding that the airline could later carry out more tourist and business trips between Egypt and Iran.

Diplomatic relations between Iran and Egypt were cut in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Tehran when the government in Cairo gave sanctuary to the deposed shah.

But ties improved over the years, and have become significantly better since the election of Islamist Mohamed Mursi as president of Egypt in June 2012.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Egypt in February, the first visit by an Iranian leader to Cairo in more than three decades, and called for a strategic alliance with Egypt and offered a loan to the cash-strapped Arab state.

Mursi visited Iran in August to attend an international summit where he initiated a quartet committee that included Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia to discuss ways to end the Syrian civil war. Saudi Arabia later left the group.

(This story was refiled to correct headline)

(Reporting by Yasmine Saleh; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/private-egyptian-jet-flies-iran-first-time-202848954.html

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Marriage Rituals Among Mudaliar Community In 21st Century ...

<p> </p>
the <p> 1995 years, the Haikou municipal government declaration to the Hainan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs, built in the edge of the village of Tong Shin Wang Haiping Martyrs Monument (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> now the Memorial of the approximately 10 acres of land has been surrounded by tall erected and the private residence being built round and round and much (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> here four weeds. To this end, Ration families of martyrs and Wang Pi Quan said: "This does not respect the acts of the martyrs of very angry people!" (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering photo) </p>
<p> Tomb Sweeping Festival rain have, pedestrians Deep Sorrow. Annual Ching Ming Festival is approaching, is that people are to worship their own ancestors the busy Haikou Mayor stream town's Wang Pi Jun, Wang Pi-chuen, Wang Pi Yue three brothers are very tangled, anxiety, because they uncle CPC early revolutionaries, Hainan revolutionary martyr Ration Martyrs Memorial still remain a lonely and desolate tombstone now even surrounded by the unauthorized construction of private homes. Ration nephew Wang Pi Chuen to the South China Sea Network reporter said,Jordan 5 Raging Bull, even as a revolutionary martyr not get people's attention, and now Memorial Park unattended due to long-term barren, very heartbreaking. </P>
<p> Ration: performance Fengwei Joan nationality revolutionary martyr </p>
Ration <p>, formerly known as the reign of luan, word Xiang Lin, aka wow Lee, 1904 Lunar March 16, was born in Hainan Haikou Mayor stream town hall Shin Estate, a family of teachers. The name may be not well-known, but still indelible as the Chinese Communist Party members of the great achievements made by the Chinese revolution - Ration six first Qiong Ji Communists. </P>
<p> Ration consecutive years participated in the 1919 May Fourth Movement, 1925 May Thirtieth Movement, 1926 Northern Expedition sport, 1927, "August" Nanchang Uprising, which is unique in the Joan membership Communists in the . </P>
end of <p> 1927, Ration create the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, only twenties Former Provisional Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Provincial CPC Committee propaganda department, Minxi Recorders secretary, peasant riots, commander-in-chief, the provincial party committee The secretary of the Central Military Commission, the provincial party committee and agency secretary, first secretary of the Xiamen Center Municipal (Chief Secretary of War) and other staff. </P>
<p> secretary of the Central Military Commission of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Ration create Minxi revolutionary base areas, the agrarian revolution, he was the commander-in-chief of peasant uprisings; also created and led the 12th Army of the Red Army; him involved in the training of party cadres, culture absorbed more than three thousand new party members. </P>
<p> addition, Ration martyrs also Wenwuquancai to the. Served during the propaganda department of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee Army secretary, when the archive file of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Provincial Committee a written report to the CPC Central Committee, almost all the Ration drafted; He also founded the "battle", "mass Several publications reported "," Agni ". 1930 Ration martyrs is also involved in the leadership and planning was the famous "5.25" Xiamen prison raids event does not harm a single soldier more than forty rescued our revolutionary comrades. Shocked the nation on the subject, rare in the world, a far-reaching impact. High clouds based on this event, after the liberation of a famous writer, writing a novel small town in the Spring and Autumn ", after adapted into a movie won the outstanding works. </P>
<p> Ration martyr Joan membership Communists in the first fight side by side with Mao Zedong. In the Zhangzhou 1932 Battle Ration led local armed forces with the Central Red Army led by Mao Zedong, overcome Zhangzhou victory. Million celebration rally Ration stage to deliver a speech, Mao Zedong sitting listening to the stage, after the two shook hands cordially. The Ration continue with Mao Zedong research. </P>
<p> said: According to the Chinese Communist Party History Office of Fujian Province, Xiamen History Office comrades Ration for the revolutionary cause of the party's contribution to the great, great sacrifice, Luo ranked first in the history of the CPC Fujian Party Ration name second. October 25, 1932, Fujian Party mourning Ration comrades sacrifice: "Haiping comrades sacrifice four months, he is a loyal member of the proletariat, to make his final vocation. Sacrifice of Fujian Party not stroking a giant hit in our ranks, a not fill the gap. "</p>
<p> a family of three are all Revolution sacrifice his comrades Tao Zhu mourn the martyrs on the island </p>
<p> in that turbulent era, the Chinese Communists always at the edge of life. "5.25" Xiamen the prison raids incident after less than a year, Xiamen underground command center has been damage to the enemy, responsible for provincial authorities Ration wife Liang Huizhen and seven other comrades Shop, Ration the day to escape. </P>
early June, <p> 1932, the night of the running revolution Ration secret joints in Xiamen Zhongshan Park, the traitor informer, unfortunately, the ambush spy arrested. Ration sacrifice when he was only 28 years old, his wife Liang Huizhen was only twenty-six, Liang Huizhen have cherished eight months pregnant, along with his unborn child, a Ration all the blood, and sprinkled Lujiang not leave a root seedlings , even the bones can not be looking. </P>
<p> the early 1950s, Hainan liberation, Ration secretary of the Fujian Provincial Military Commission Tao Zhu, all the way to embark on Hainan Island, the two glorious plaque gift Ration and Liang Huizhen the families of the martyrs and son; 1951 Qiongshan County commemorative plaque to the People's Government of the "power of the people" Ration martyrs home; 1957, the government took the glorious commemorative certificate signed by Chairman Mao Zedong gave Ration families of the martyrs ? ? ? ? ? ? Since Ration relatives only know a the Ration Martyrs couple hehe merit, realized Ration Hainan culture as cultural celebrities importance. </P>
the build long <p> Martyrs Memorial bumpy the road </p>
<p> It is understood that, to the Hainan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs in 1995, Haikou Municipal Government to declare built in the edge of the village of Tong Shin Wang Haiping Martyrs Monument was fundraising and government support of the the Ration Martyrs Memorial Preparatory Committee mobilize social forces, by the village committee leadership and the local masses agreement, agreed to set aside about 10 acres of land as Ration Martyrs Memorial sites. </P>
<p> 2013 3 26, Wang Pi Jun, Wang Pi-chuen, Wang Pi ax three brothers presented to reporters the Haikou Municipal People's Government in 1995, it is clearly in response to Recommendation No. 15, the Municipal People's Congress the Third Session of the Eleventh that: planning group was established by the the Xiuying District and the long stream town, society, public donations, municipal and district governments support settlement funds to launch. There Haikou City People's Government of the Secretary-General's office meeting minutes of August 26, 2010,Jordans 5, the above also clear: the construction of Wang Haiping Martyrs Memorial of great significance for strengthening the city patriotic education bases and carry forward the revolutionary history. </P>
<p> Wang Pi-chuen told reporters: "In order to be able to build Ration the Martyrs Memorial, our brothers and several everywhere, personally submit the material to the leadership at all levels, all strongly endorsed However, so many years has not been a practical solution. "</p>
Wang Pi Jun <p> "I hope the leaders of relevant departments can improve attention Hainan capable of such a talent is not easy, it makes sense for us to build an international tourist island, is We Hainan culture is a good indication." Wang Pi-chuen, Wang Pi ax three brothers hope that the years of running not to be wasted. </P>
<p> Martyrs Memorial surrounded by private homes </p>
In 26 am <p> 2013, South China Sea Network reporter in Ration relatives of Wang Pi Jun, Wang Pi-chuen, Wang Pi ax three brothers, accompanied, arrived at the Hainan Haikou City Xiuying Mayor stream town hall Shin Estate Hai Yu the Ration Martyrs Memorial near the west line. The reporter saw about 10 acres of Memorial has been one after another, surrounded tall erected and the private residence being built,Air Jordan 5 Raging Bull, and illegal construction has seriously affected the situation to Memorial. Today it is no longer the past large color door dressed grave monument, both sides of the coconut trees lush downtown scene. Four weeds. To this end, Ration families of martyrs and Wang Pi Quan said: "This lack of respect for the martyr's behavior is very angry people!" </P>
<p> According to reports, though it was an agreement of local people to set aside about 10 acres of land as the the Ration Martyrs Memorial land, but "did not apply for the land certificate, in recent years, because of the increased value of the land, the villagers in this block ground was built illegally built, even into the Memorial of the road blocked illegally built. </P>
at the scene, the reporter also found that the entire Memorial is surrounded by several buildings, some have serious impact on the overall landscape of Memorial. </P>
<p> village: these illegally built almost all of the village committee agreed to cap </p>
<p> According to Wang Pi military brothers in the past few years, because Ration Martyrs Memorial was illegally built "under siege", they have repeatedly reflected to the relevant government departments to put an end to such violations, but the villagers still its own way, these illegally built talks cover more and more to cover the higher. "</p>
<p> 3 26 am, the South China Sea Network reporter this issue to the Xiuying District, Haikou City, the urban management department to report receiving the report, officers said "rural land and building mainly by the town government is responsible for, and said," Now with the town government Contact staff understand the situation. "</p>
<p> at noon that day, a long stream town hall goodness Village Committee Director Wang came to the scene, and said, "commissioned by the town government explain the situation. Director Wang believes that the village committee full support to build the Ration Martyrs Memorial. But he believes that, because Ration Martyrs Memorial sites for the relevant documents had not, this piece of land before the villagers' collective land, so the past few years, many villagers have to apply to the village committee to build a house here, "Village The Committee also agreed to a few households in this building houses. </P>
<p> these collective land homestead documents, Deputy Director Wang believes that "are collective land use permits, long stream town house is officially homestead certificate." </p>
Zeng Yuan, <p> (South China Sea net HAIKOU, March 26, the South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering intern,) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> now the Memorial of the approximately 10 acres of land has been surrounded by tall erected and the private residence being built round and round and much (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> the only road out of the Memorial Garden of very barren (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering photo) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> because the road blocked the only road out of the Memorial also very barren (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering photo) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> 1957 the government took the glorious commemorative certificate signed by Chairman Mao Zedong gave Ration families of the martyrs (South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering photo) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Wang Pi-chuen told reporters: "In order to be able to build Ration the Martyrs Memorial, our brothers and several everywhere, personally submit the material to the leadership at all levels, all strongly endorsed However, so many years has not been a practical solution. "(South China Sea Network reporter Sun thus rendering photo) </p>inhiy7uwietgwy
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Source: http://midtownlunch.com/forums/topic/marriage-rituals-among-mudaliar-community-in-21st-century

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Leadership fight divides Occidental shareholders: report

(Reuters) - Occidental Petroleum Corp chairman and former chief executive Ray Irani is pushing to replace the oil company's current CEO, Stephen Chazen, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing "investors and people familiar with the company's operations."

However, several big investors who support Chazen have considered the possibility of trying to vote some directors, including Irani, off the board, the newspaper said, citing "people familiar with their plans."

The debate over the leadership of the fourth-largest U.S. oil company has divided major shareholders ahead of the company's annual meeting on May 3, the newspaper said.

The boardroom drama comes as shares of Occidental have fallen 18 percent in the past year, compared with an 11 percent rise for California rival Chevron Corp and a 4 percent rise for giant Exxon Mobil Corp .

Occidental, in a brief press release on February 14, announced that it was searching for someone to succeed Chazen, 66, after less than two years in the top job.

Yet, earlier this month at an industry event in New Orleans, Chazen told a group of investors that he did not volunteer to leave, the newspaper said.

Chazen is only the third CEO at Occidental in half a century. Irani was named CEO in 1990 by Armand Hammer, a flamboyant tycoon who spent three decades building the company up from a small firm of just three employees.

Chazen and Irani found both themselves targeted over their high compensation, until a shareholder effort to take board seats sparked reform in 2010. Chazen ended up earning compensation worth $31.7 million in 2011, down from $38.1 million the year before, while Irani made $49.8 million in 2011, down from $76.1 million.

The 78-year-old Irani, who is scheduled to retire at the end of 2014, owns a substantial amount of Occidental stock, the Journal said.

Occidental's lead director, Aziz Syriani, said in a statement that the company's independent directors, and not Irani, were making decisions about Chazen's eventual successor.

"Any suggestion otherwise, or insinuation that Dr. Irani is guiding the process, is completely and flatly wrong," Syriani said in the statement, which Occidental provided to Reuters.

An Occidental spokeswoman had no additional comment.

(Reporting by Julie Ingwersen; editing by Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fight-over-leadership-divides-occidental-shareholders-report-164541947--finance.html

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Must-win matches? Maybe

There are no must-wins four weeks into an eight-month season, but since that?s the language that gets thrown around, we?ll roll with it. Yes, anybody can recover from a winless month, but since nobody wants to go into April with a ?0? in the win column, a sense of urgency is understandable.

One team is already guaranteed a winless month, with Chicago getting the weekend off after a 0-3-1 start. As a result, rumblings are beginning to sound around Frank Klopas, the man at the helm of a team expected to compete for the playoffs. If the Fire can?t get things turned around in April, Steve?s words may prove prescient: ?Klopas cannot possibly survive much more of what we?ve seen around Toyota Park.?

It?s important to note Klopas?s potential peril is the result of expectations ? goals which feed into the early angst. But not every team expected 2013 to be a winning one. Of the league?s four active winless sides, only two expected to be contenders this season, and while the situation in Portland is unique because of the hype around Caleb Porter, the Timbers? Saturday opponents had few expectations of playoff soccer.

With that context, here?s how we rate the severity of today?s must-win scenarios, in terms of need:

1 ? New York Red Bulls: Really need to break through

New York?s at home, against a team they should beat, and haven?t been that bad this season. Their two losses were on one-goal defeats at Montr?al and San Jose, and you could argue the Red Bulls could have won their draws against Portland and D.C. United. Yes, their failure to get wins is more important than their proximity to them, but their underlying form matters when judging how the team?s actually played.

If they carry that form into today?s game in Harrison, New York shouldn?t have much of a problem against Philadelphia (3:30 p.m. Eastern on NBCSN). If they do, new management could start asking questions. Mike Petke?s unlikely to feel much heat, but some of the players ? particularly the ones held over from the previous regime ? could be put under the microscope.

2 ? Portland Timbers: First doubts could surface

The Timbers have looked good this year. They played the perfect Montr?al Impact as well as anybody. They got a point in Seattle, and they overcame Mikael Silvestre?s early hiccups to get a first kick point from New York.

But Saturday at Colorado is a no excuses scenario. If The Caleb Porter Project is worth the hype, Portland wins in Commerce City.

Portland has never done well at DSG (outscored 9-1 in three visits), and the team has only three road wins in franchise history, but if they can?t get three points at Colorado, it will be worth considering if they?ve made any progress under Porter.

3 ? Seattle Sounders: Need a stronger performance

If Seattle loses at Real Salt Lake, the organization isn?t going to panic; however, if the team looks as bad as they did last week in San Jose, growing fan could star consolidating their growing worries about Sigi Schmid.

The most concerning part about Seattle isn?t their lack of wins. It?s their lack of quality. They have one goal this year, a score that was more Steve Zakuani?s individual effort (to set up Eddie Johnson against Portland) then anything systemic.

If Seattle goes four games without showing signs of attacking life, the team should be concerned. They have too much talent to be taking these kinds of steps backward.

Right now, it looks like something?s wrong. At some point, you have enough information to act.

4 ? Colorado Rapids: The bar?s pretty low

Conor Casey, Jeff Larentowicz, and Omar Cummings were shipped out this winter. Edson Buddle?s injured, as is Matt Pickens. Mart?n Rivero has yet to play this season.

Of course Colorado?s going to be concerned if they lose at home to Portland. Any team would be, but there weren?t big expectations coming into the year. Colorado need to take a longer view of the season, one which precludes any must-win scenarios five rounds into the campaign.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/30/major-league-soccer-must-win/related/

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China's first lady serenaded Tiananmen troops

BEIJING (AP) ? A photo of China's new first lady Peng Liyuan in younger days, singing to martial-law troops following the 1989 bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, flickered across Chinese cyberspace this week.

It was swiftly scrubbed from China's Internet before it could generate discussion online. But the image ? seen and shared by outside observers ? revived a memory the leadership prefers to suppress and shows one of the challenges in presenting Peng on the world stage as the softer side of China.

The country has no recent precedent for the role of first lady and faces a tricky balance at home. The leadership wants Peng to show the human side of the new No. 1 leader, Xi Jinping, while not exposing too many perks of the elite. And it must balance popular support for the first couple with an acute wariness of personality cults that could skew the consensus rule among the Chinese Communist Party's top leaders.

The image of Peng, wearing a green military uniform, her windswept hair tied back in a ponytail as she sings to helmeted and rifle-bearing troops seated in rows on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, contrasts with her appearances this week in trendy suits and coiffed hair while touring Russia and Africa with Xi, waving to her enthusiastic hosts.

"I think that we have a lot of people hoping that because Xi Jinping walks around without a tie on and his wife is a singer who travels with him on trips that maybe we're dealing with a new kind of leader, but I think these images remind people that this is the same party," said Kelley Currie, a China human rights expert for the pro-democracy Project 2049 Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

"It's using some new tools and new techniques, for the same purposes: to preserve its own power."

Peng, 50, a major general in the People's Liberation Army who is best known for soaring renditions of patriotic odes to the military and the party, kept a low profile in recent years as her husband prepared to take over as Communist Party chief. Her re-emergence has been accompanied by a blitz in domestic, state-run media hailing her beauty and charm, in a bid to harness her popularity to build support for Xi at home and abroad.

"Peng Liyuan: Let the world appreciate the beauty of China," declared the headline of a China News Service commentary that said the first lady's elegant manners, conversation and clothing would highlight Chinese culture. Her presence on diplomatic trips would demystify the first family for the Chinese public, the commentary said.

Chinese First Lady, Madame Peng Liyuan, left,, waves as she is accompanied by Tanzanian First Lady, Salma Kikwete, right, at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Sunday March 24, ... more? Chinese First Lady, Madame Peng Liyuan, left,, waves as she is accompanied by Tanzanian First Lady, Salma Kikwete, right, at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Sunday March 24, 2013. Liyuan is accompanying her husband, Chinese President in his first African tour since he became president of the second largest economy in the world. (AP Photo/ Khalfan Said) less? However, the government is stepping into little-charted and possibly treacherous waters for China.

In 1963, the glamorous Wang Guangmei, wife of President Liu Shaoqi, wore a tightfitting qipao dress to a state banquet in Indonesia. When the political tides turned against Liu four years later, radical Red Guards forced Wang to don the same dress and paraded her through the streets as a shameful example of capitalist corruption.

Revolutionary leader Mao Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing, played a key role in the same radical campaign in which political opponents were mercilessly persecuted; after his death, she was put on trial and imprisoned, then moved to a hospital where she hanged herself.

The lifespan of Peng's Tiananmen image in the finicky world of the Chinese Internet has so far been short, and she remains a beloved household name with huge domestic popularity. The photo has circulated mainly on Twitter, which is blocked in China. The few posts on popular domestic microblogs did not evade censors for long.

Many young Chinese are unaware that on June 3 and 4, 1989, military troops crushed weekslong pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing with force, killing hundreds, possibly thousands, of people. Those who do know about the assault tend to be understanding of Peng's obligations as a member of a performance troupe in the all-powerful People's Liberation Army. At the time, her husband Xi was party chief of an eastern city.

"The photo probably has a negative impact more so internationally than domestically," said Joseph Cheng, a political scientist at City University of Hong Kong. He said more scrutiny of Peng is likely and such images could raise questions about Xi's interest in reforms.

"It has been several months now that Xi Jinping has assumed the top leadership role and certainly, we have found no indicator that he is interested in this stage to push serious political reform."

The image is a snapshot of the back cover of a 1989 issue of a publicly available military magazine, the PLA Pictorial, according to Sun Li, a Chinese reporter who said he had taken a photo of it on his cell phone several years ago when it was inadvertently posted on his microblog. Sun said he quickly deleted it and had no idea how it resurfaced on the Internet years later.

Microblog users can easily save images and recirculate them even after the original posts have been deleted. The picture spread further after it was tweeted by the U.S.-based China Digital Times, which tracks Chinese online media.

Warren Sun, a Chinese military historian at Monash University in Australia, said he had little doubt about the authenticity of the image, citing a 1992 academic report as saying that after the crackdown, Peng performed a song titled "The Most Beloved People" in a salute to martial law troops.

While most of her army career has been in singing, the militaristic overtones of many of Peng's public appearances set her apart from Michelle Obama, former French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and most of their counterparts in other countries. But for Peng, the Tiananmen photo was no one-off: She has been in the military since age 18 and has fronted TV music videos featuring dancing lines of men with combat fatigues and heavy weaponry.

She also starred in a song-and-dance number in 2007 that has perky women in Tibetan garb sashaying behind her while she sings an ode to the army that invaded Tibet in 1959. "Who is going to liberate us? It's the dear PLA!" go some of the lyrics. The video has provoked severe criticism from Tibetan rights groups.

In an indication of Peng's appeal in China despite her past, a man whose 19-year-old son was killed in the Tiananmen crackdown said he bears no grudges against her.

"If I had known about this back then, I would have been very disgusted by it. But now, looking at it objectively, it's all in the past," said Wang Fandi, whose son Wang Nan died from a bullet wound to his head. "She was in the establishment. If the military wanted her to perform, she had to go. What else could she do?"

Wang was a teacher at the China Conservatory of Music when Peng had been sent there by the military to study singing in her 20s. Though he never taught her directly, Wang had known who she was and describes her as being modest, a talented folk singer and an outstanding student.

"When I look back at history, I will look at it from other perspectives," Wang said. "Even if she had done something wrong, we shouldn't make a fuss about it. What's important is what happens in the future."

___

Follow Gillian Wong on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gillianwong

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chinas-first-lady-serenaded-tiananmen-troops-103522468.html

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What I Learned From Lurking Online Dating Sites: Men Are Bitter ...

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I?m tardy to the party, but I?m finally trying out online dating -- again. A few years ago, I made an account on Match.com, but deactivated it immediately after the trial period to make sure they didn?t draft $34.99 out of my bank account.

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I?ve maintained that online dating isn?t for me after hearing a few friends? horror stories, but recently my sorority sister suggested we do a dating challenge.

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She, an online dating virgin, would report back to me, and I, not too crazy about the idea, but willing to try it again, would write about it.?

?

A suggestion from another girlfriend led us to Plenty of Fish (POF). Apparently, it?s the new hotness in online dating (maybe not, but ChristianMingle.com was out of the question), and there?s even an app for that. Download it and chat (or as I call it, ?fake text?) with guys.

?

I lurked around to read guys' profiles. I went outside of my area, looking at guys in Texas, even as far as California just to see what?s out there. With every profile I scanned, one thing became abundantly clear: Men are bitter. As hell.?

?

These weren't your unattractive or average "nice guys" who are down to their last options for date-hunting either. They were pretty hot guys (to me, at least) who seemed to have personalities, be gainfully employed and know where commas and periods should go (some of them).

?

Yet after reading their profiles, my interest in them dwindled immediately. I found myself suddenly wanting to drink cheap wine straight from the bottle and listen to Carl Thomas' "Emotional" on repeat in sympathy.?

?

Instead, I kept lurking and came across this gem: "...I am not angry, mad or bitter when writing this profile. I speak my mind the way I want to, and if you're a sensitive female, then you know what to do: HIT NEXT. No hard feelings.?

?

Oh.

?

Before he listed his hobbies, interests and dating style like the profile prompter suggested, he made sure to give lurkers seven lengthy paragraphs about what he doesn?t like about women first.?

?

Next up, "I need someone who won't waver in the face of temptation...sick to death of the bullshit women have tried to pull on me." And then there were the profile headlines that read, ?I?M NOT HERE FOR GAMES" or, "Looking for love in all the wrong places?Why is it so hard to find someone?"?

?

Le sigh.?

?

I?m all for disclaimers and being upfront with people, but beginning your About Me section with your do?s and don?ts and why you and your ex didn?t work out isn?t a good look. As I stared at my computer screen, all I could muster up was, ?Bless his heart!? in my best condescending southern voice. Somebody, give these men some hugs immediately.?

?

Let?s be honest. Women get a bad rap for a lot of stuff, especially when it comes to relationships -- on the Internet and in real life. We?re just too emotional. We can?t let go of the guy who we thought ?completed? us or would give us a big, pretty wedding. When it doesn't happen, we're transformed into sour ?bitter bitches.??

?

?

We refuse to move on past the hurt we?ve experienced from our old lovers. We only make ourselves feel better by vowing to make men?s lives hell on Earth or by complaining about the lack of good men (that?s not limited to weekly men-bashing soirees, posting crappy Tweetgrams on Instagram, leaving embarrassing and profane voicemails for exes, etc.) or even by paying thousands of dollars for billboards to publicly expose them for their infidelities (I thought that was pretty clever myself). That?s what the world thinks, right?

?

Meanwhile, men are easy breezy -- created to taunt us and tell us to buck up when it comes to our heartbreak. They scold us and tell us we shouldn?t make them pay for another man?s mistake (I agree with that), and most of all, please, don?t talk about that other guy and your failed relationship. Suck it up like a Bissell, ladies.?

?

A man being just as emotionally scarred by relationships isn?t news to me, but it's especially jarring to see the words glaring at me on my lowly Toshiba. Experiencing hurt and disappointment is inevitable, but here?s a little secret: Women actually cope better.

?

How have men managed to shift the shame of mismanagement of emotions to women for so long? Maybe they haven?t been as vocal as we have. They don?t usually scream at the world, ?Hey, I?m still hurting!!?

?

Some sleep with as many women as possible as a distraction from the pain, instead of engaging in another relationship that could actually work. Perhaps they disregard romantic relationships altogether and focus solely on other life areas. You didn?t really think ?Bros Before Hoes? and ?Fuck Bitches, Get Money? were just pop culture catch phrases, did you? They can become a way of life if allowed.

?

And then some of them, unfortunately, take to their online dating profiles. Excuse me, sir, but your bitterness is showing.?

?

When someone hurts you, you should you feel empowered to voice that. Holding ourselves, as well as others, accountable for the mishandling of our hearts is necessary. Sometimes anger and bitterness is a part of the healing process, and that?s okay.

?

A friend once shared that he listened to Jay-Z?s ?Song Cry? on repeat for three days straight after a bad breakup. Find that outlet that works for you, but don't pull women into your Bitter Fest on online dating sites when the objective is to find a companion. You?re turning us off before we can get to know you.?

?

Simply put, it?s just not sexy. If we have to ?suck it up,? so should you.?

Source: http://www.xojane.com/relationships/what-i-learned-from-lurking-online-dating-sites-men-are-bitter-too

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Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini will reportedly go on sale shortly after GS 4

Not too long after the Samsung Galaxy S 4 was announced, we started hearing whispers of a "miniature" version of the device -- which makes sense, given the Galaxy S III had a smaller sidekick of its own. Today, however, Bloomberg reported the unannounced device is indeed coming soon after the flagship makes its appearance at the end of April. If it follows a similar pattern to its bite-sized predecessor, it likely will be offered in Europe as a lower-cost alternative to the Galaxy S 4. The device is rumored to offer a dual-core 1.6GHz processor, a 4.3-inch display and 8MP camera. Sadly, no official details were given, but we've reached out to Samsung officials for comment and will update when we receive word.

Update: Samsung pinged back with the following comment, which doesn't do much towards confirming or denying whether or not the GS 4 mini is indeed on the horizon. A spokesperson informed us: "We have not announced the product mentioned in the Bloomberg story."

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung

Comments

Via: SamMobile, 9to5Google

Source: Bloomberg

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/samsung-galaxy-s-4-mini/

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Man arrested for smuggling more than 10 percent of an entire species

Rare tortoises discovered in luggage (P.Tansom/TRAFFIC)

A man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok after authorities discovered he was attempting to claim a piece of luggage full of extremely rare tortoises.

Traffic.org, a self-described wildlife trade monitoring network, reports that the man was trying to pick up 54 ploughshare tortoises. "The wild population of Ploughshare Tortoises, considered among the rarest species in the world, is estimated to be as few as 400 individuals, and is declining fast," according to the site. As Popular Science points out, the man was attempting to smuggle more than 10 percent of the entire species.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has classified the ploughshares tortoise as critically endangered.

The piece of luggage had been registered to a woman who was arrested as well. In addition to the 54 ploughshare tortoises, 21 radiated tortoises, also endangered, were being smuggled. Authorities believe the tortoises were going to be sold as pets.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/man-arrested-smuggling-more-10-percent-entire-species-182945812.html

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Kessler Foundation scientists receive Consortium of MS Centers grant to study emotional processing

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Carolann Murphy
CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org
973-324-8382
Kessler Foundation

Helen Genova, Ph.D., and Jean Lengenfelder, Ph.D., were awarded a $40,000 grant for a 1-year study funded by the Consortium of MS Centers titled 'Remediation of emotional processing deficits in MS: A pilot study'

West Orange, NJ. March 27, 2013. Helen Genova, PhD, and Jean Lengenfelder, PhD, were awarded a $40,000 grant to study disorders of emotional processing in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The one-year study, funded by The Consortium of MS Centers, is titled "Remediation of emotional processing deficits in MS: A pilot study." Dr. Genova is a research scientist in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research and Dr. Lengenfelder is assistant director of Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation.

"This is one of the first studies to address emotional processing deficits in MS," noted Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of Neuropsychology, Neuroscience & TBI Research at Kessler Foundation. "The program being tested is an emotional processing training program that has been successful in both autism and schizophrenia. Our scientists will examine its effects on emotional processing abilities, as well as on mood, cognitive processing, and quality of life."

Recent evidence suggests that a significant number of individuals with MS have difficulty in emotional processing. "Specifically, individuals with MS may have difficulty correctly identifying emotions from facial expressions," explained Dr. Genova. "Because deficits in emotional processing can have a significant negative impact on social interactions and quality of life, finding ways to treat these deficits is critical to improving the lives of individuals with MS."

Drs. Genova and Lengenfelder work closely with Dr. Chiaravalloti and John DeLuca, PhD, VP for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation, both of whom are experts in cognitive rehabilitation research in MS and traumatic brain injury. Drs. Genova, Lengenfelder, DeLuca and Chiaravalloti have faculty appointments in the department of physical medicine & rehabilitation at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.

###

Recent article:

Genova HM, Lengenfelder J, Chiaravalloti ND, Moore NB, DeLuca J. Processing speed versus working memory: contributions to an information-processing task in multiple sclerosis. Appl Neuropsychol Adult. 2012;19(2):132-40. doi: 10.1080/09084282.2011.643951.

About MS Research at Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation's cognitive rehabilitation research in MS is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National MS Society, NJ Commission of Brain Injury Research, and Kessler Foundation. Scientists in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation have made important contributions to the knowledge of cognitive decline in MS. Clinical studies span new learning, memory, executive function, attention and processing speed. Research tools include innovative applications of neuroimaging, iPADs, and virtual reality. Among recent findings are the benefits of cognitive reserve; correlation between cognitive performance and outdoor temperatures; the efficacy of short-term cognitive rehabilitation using modified story technique; and the correlation between memory improvement and cerebral activation on fMRI.

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.

Contacts:

Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org

Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, LScrivo@KesslerFoundation.org

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Carolann Murphy
CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org
973-324-8382
Kessler Foundation

Helen Genova, Ph.D., and Jean Lengenfelder, Ph.D., were awarded a $40,000 grant for a 1-year study funded by the Consortium of MS Centers titled 'Remediation of emotional processing deficits in MS: A pilot study'

West Orange, NJ. March 27, 2013. Helen Genova, PhD, and Jean Lengenfelder, PhD, were awarded a $40,000 grant to study disorders of emotional processing in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The one-year study, funded by The Consortium of MS Centers, is titled "Remediation of emotional processing deficits in MS: A pilot study." Dr. Genova is a research scientist in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research and Dr. Lengenfelder is assistant director of Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation.

"This is one of the first studies to address emotional processing deficits in MS," noted Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of Neuropsychology, Neuroscience & TBI Research at Kessler Foundation. "The program being tested is an emotional processing training program that has been successful in both autism and schizophrenia. Our scientists will examine its effects on emotional processing abilities, as well as on mood, cognitive processing, and quality of life."

Recent evidence suggests that a significant number of individuals with MS have difficulty in emotional processing. "Specifically, individuals with MS may have difficulty correctly identifying emotions from facial expressions," explained Dr. Genova. "Because deficits in emotional processing can have a significant negative impact on social interactions and quality of life, finding ways to treat these deficits is critical to improving the lives of individuals with MS."

Drs. Genova and Lengenfelder work closely with Dr. Chiaravalloti and John DeLuca, PhD, VP for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation, both of whom are experts in cognitive rehabilitation research in MS and traumatic brain injury. Drs. Genova, Lengenfelder, DeLuca and Chiaravalloti have faculty appointments in the department of physical medicine & rehabilitation at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.

###

Recent article:

Genova HM, Lengenfelder J, Chiaravalloti ND, Moore NB, DeLuca J. Processing speed versus working memory: contributions to an information-processing task in multiple sclerosis. Appl Neuropsychol Adult. 2012;19(2):132-40. doi: 10.1080/09084282.2011.643951.

About MS Research at Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation's cognitive rehabilitation research in MS is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, National MS Society, NJ Commission of Brain Injury Research, and Kessler Foundation. Scientists in Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation have made important contributions to the knowledge of cognitive decline in MS. Clinical studies span new learning, memory, executive function, attention and processing speed. Research tools include innovative applications of neuroimaging, iPADs, and virtual reality. Among recent findings are the benefits of cognitive reserve; correlation between cognitive performance and outdoor temperatures; the efficacy of short-term cognitive rehabilitation using modified story technique; and the correlation between memory improvement and cerebral activation on fMRI.

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.

Contacts:

Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org

Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, LScrivo@KesslerFoundation.org

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/kf-kfs032813.php

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Amazon reportedly increasing Kindle phone screen size in response to ?phablet? fever

By Simon Evans MEXICO CITY, March 27 (Reuters) - United States central defenders Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler went into Tuesday's game against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium with just two World Cup qualifying starts between them, but looked like they had been alongside each other for years in a spirited 0-0 draw. Gonzalez, making his third start in a qualifier and Besler making his first, held Mexico at bay in front of more than 95,000 fans as the U.S earned just their second point ever at the home of their arch-rivals. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/amazon-reportedly-increasing-kindle-phone-screen-size-response-204859764.html

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College student loan interest rates set to double

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Incoming college freshmen could end up paying $5,000 more for the same student loans their older siblings have if Congress doesn't stop interest rates from doubling.

Sound familiar? The same warnings came last year. But now the presidential election is over and mandatory budget cuts are taking place, making a deal to avert a doubling of interest rates much more elusive before a July 1 deadline.

"What is definitely clear, this time around, there doesn't seem to be as much outcry," said Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. "We're advising our members to tell students that the interest rates are going to double on new student loans, to 6.8 percent."

That rate hike only hits students taking out new subsidized loans. Students with outstanding subsidized loans are not expected to see their loan rates increase unless they take out a new subsidized Stafford loan. Students' non-subsidized loans are not expected to change, nor are loans taken from commercial lenders.

The difference between 3.4 percent and 6.8 percent interest rates is a $6 billion tab for taxpayers ? set against a backdrop of budget negotiations that have pitted the two parties in a standoff. President Barack Obama is expected to release his budget proposal in the coming weeks, adding another perspective to the debate.

Last year, with the presidential and congressional elections looming, students got a one-year reprieve on the doubling of interest rates. That expires July 1.

Neither party's budget proposal in Congress has money specifically set aside to keep student loans at their current rate. House Republicans' budget would double the interest rates on newly issued subsidized loans to help balance the federal budget in a decade. Senate Democrats say they want to keep the interest rates at their current levels but the budget they passed last week does not set aside money to keep the rates low.

In any event, neither side is likely to get what it wants. And that could lead to confusion for students as they receive their college admission letters and financial aid packages.

"Two ideas ... have been introduced so far ? neither of which is likely to go very far," said Terry Hartle, the top lobbyist for colleges at the American Council on Education.

House Republicans, led by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, have outlined a spending plan that would shift the interest rates back to their pre-2008 levels. Congress in 2007 lowered the rate to 6 percent for new loans started during the 2008 academic year, then down to 5.6 percent in 2009, down to 4.5 percent in 2010 and then to the current 3.4 percent a year later.

Some two-thirds of students are graduating with loans exceeding $25,000; one in 10 borrowers owes more than $54,000 in loans. And student loan debt now tops $1 trillion. For those students, the rates make significant differences in how much they have to pay back each month.

For some, the rates seem arbitrary and have little to do with interest rates available for other purchases such as homes or cars.

"Burdening students with 6.8 percent loans when interest rates in the economy are at historic lows makes no sense," said Lauren Asher, president of the Institute for College Access and Success, a nonprofit organization.

Both House Education Committee Chairman John Kline of Minnesota and his Democratic counterpart, Rep. George Miller of California, prefer to keep rates at their current levels but have not outlined how they might accomplish that goal.

Rep. Karen Bass, a California Democrat, last week introduced a proposal that would permanently cap the interest rate at 3.4 percent.

Senate Democrats say their budget proposal would permanently keep the student rates low. But their budget document doesn't explicitly cover the $6 billion annual cost. Instead, its committee report included a window for the Senate Health Education and Pension Committee to pass a student loan rate fix down the road.

But so far, the money isn't there. And if the committee wants to keep the rates where they are, they will have to find a way to pay for them, either through cuts to programs in the budget or by adding new taxes.

"Spending is measured in numbers, not words," said Jason Delisle, a former Republican staffer on the Senate Budget Committee and now director of the New America Foundation's Federal Budget Project. "The Murray budget does not include funding for any changes to student loans."

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that of the almost $113 billion in new student loans the government made this year, more than $38 billion will be lost to defaults, even after Washington collects what it can through wage garnishments.

The net cost to taxpayers after most students pay back their loans with interest is $5.7 billion. If the rate increases, Washington will be collecting more interest from new students' loans.

But those who lobbied lawmakers a year ago said they were pessimistic before Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney both came out in support of keeping the rates low.

"We were at this point and we knew this issue was looming. But it wasn't anything we had any real traction with," said Tobin Van Ostern, deputy director of Campus Progress at the liberal Center for American Progress. "At this point, I didn't think we'd prevent them from doubling."

This time, he's looking at the July 1 deadline with the same concern.

"Having a deadline does help. It's much easier to deal with one specific date," Van Ostern said. "But if Congress can't come together ... interest rates are going to double. There tends to be a tendency for inaction."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/neither-party-cash-student-loan-rate-fix-185759359--politics.html

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The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: The Universe in 100 Heartbeats

For those of you unfamiliar with the notion of our Universe, here's a quick overview of the entirety of creation. We Are Yeti produced this 100-frame short. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/eT4u-x4dHdc/the-weirdest-thing-on-the-internet-tonight-the-universe-in-100-heartbeats

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19 Not Enough? The Duggars May Adopt More Kids!

As far as Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are concerned, the world could still use more Duggars. The couple, who currently have 19 children (plus two grandchildren and a third on the way), told People that they've started to think about adopting more kids.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/duggars-adopting-michelle-duggar-may-want-more-kids/1-a-530401?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aduggars-adopting-michelle-duggar-may-want-more-kids-530401

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Audioair Wants To Unlock Audio From Muted TVs Everywhere And Give Your Local Bar A New Way To Advertise

If you've ever been in a sports bar with your friends to watch a big game, you've likely run into the "muting" problem. While the bar may have two dozen TVs, each might be playing a different game, and there's either too much sound or none at all. At most local restaurants, bars, airports and health clubs, you'll find TVs muted for this very reason.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/sIzZccJFbM4/

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Developing our sense of smell

Mar. 25, 2013 ? When our noses pick up a scent, whether the aroma of a sweet rose or the sweat of a stranger at the gym, two types of sensory neurons are at work in sensing that odor or pheromone. These sensory neurons are particularly interesting because they are the only neurons in our bodies that regenerate throughout adult life -- as some of our olfactory neurons die, they are soon replaced by newborns. Just where those neurons come from in the first place has long perplexed developmental biologists.

Previous hypotheses about the origin of these olfactory nerve cells have given credit to embryonic cells that develop into skin or the central nervous system, where ear and eye sensory neurons, respectively, are thought to originate. But biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have now found that neural-crest stem cells -- multipotent, migratory cells unique to vertebrates that give rise to many structures in the body such as facial bones and smooth muscle -- also play a key role in building olfactory sensory neurons in the nose.

"Olfactory neurons have long been thought to be solely derived from a thickened portion of the ectoderm; our results directly refute that concept," says Marianne Bronner, the Albert Billings Ruddock Professor of Biology at Caltech and corresponding author of a paper published in the journal eLIFE on March 19 that outlines the findings.

The two main types of sensory neurons in the olfactory system are ciliated neurons, which detect volatile scents, and microvillous neurons, which usually sense pheromones. Both of these types are found in the tissue lining the inside of the nasal cavity and transmit sensory information to the central nervous system for processing.

In the new study, the researchers showed that during embryonic development, neural-crest stem cells differentiate into the microvillous neurons, which had long been assumed to arise from the same source as the odor-sensing ciliated neurons. Moreover, they demonstrated that different factors are necessary for the development of these two types of neurons. By eliminating a gene called Sox10, they were able to show that formation of microvillous neurons is blocked whereas ciliated neurons are unaffected.

They made this discovery by studying the development of the olfactory system in zebrafish -- a useful model organism for developmental biology studies due to the optical clarity of the free-swimming embryo. Understanding the origins of olfactory neurons and the process of neuron formation is important for developing therapeutic applications for conditions like anosmia, or the inability to smell, says Bronner.

"A key question in developmental biology -- the extent of neural-crest stem cell contribution to the olfactory system -- has been addressed in our paper by multiple lines of experimentation," says Ankur Saxena, a postdoctoral scholar in Bronner's laboratory and lead author of the study. "Olfactory neurons are unique in their renewal capacity across species, so by learning how they form, we may gain insights into how neurons in general can be induced to differentiate or regenerate. That knowledge, in turn, may provide new avenues for pursuing treatment of neurological disorders or injury in humans."

Next, the researchers will examine what other genes, in addition to Sox10, play a role in the process by which neural-crest stem cells differentiate into microvillous neurons. They also plan to look at whether or not neural-crest cells give rise to new microvillous neurons during olfactory regeneration that happens after the embryonic stage of development.

Funding for the research outlined in the eLIFE paper, "Sox10-dependent neural crest origin of olfactory microvillous neurons in zebrafish," was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Gordon Ross Postdoctoral Fellowship. Brian N. Peng, a former undergraduate student (BS '12) at Caltech, also contributed to the study.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by California Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Katie Neith.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. A. Saxena, B. N. Peng, M. E. Bronner. Sox10-dependent neural crest origin of olfactory microvillous neurons in zebrafish. eLife, 2013; 2 (0): e00336 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.00336

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/XlWN2zcabwc/130325160625.htm

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Experts cut German economic growth forecast

BERLIN (AP) ? The German government's independent council of economic advisers has cut its forecast for growth this year to 0.3 percent after Europe's biggest economy shrank in the final quarter of 2012.

The revised 2013 growth forecast issued Monday compares with the 0.8 percent growth that the five-member panel predicted last November.

The economy contracted by 0.6 percent in last year's final quarter. It's expected to return to modest growth in the current quarter, avoiding recession. Across the whole of 2012, Germany's output expanded by 0.7 percent ? slower than in previous years but still a better performance than that of many other European countries.

The reduced forecast from the council of economists puts their outlook slightly below that of the government, which is predicting growth of 0.4 percent this year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/experts-cut-german-economic-growth-forecast-153145718--finance.html

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Experts cut German economic growth forecast

BERLIN (AP) ? The German government's independent council of economic advisers has cut its forecast for growth this year to 0.3 percent after Europe's biggest economy shrank in the final quarter of 2012.

The revised 2013 growth forecast issued Monday compares with the 0.8 percent growth that the five-member panel predicted last November.

The economy contracted by 0.6 percent in last year's final quarter. It's expected to return to modest growth in the current quarter, avoiding recession. Across the whole of 2012, Germany's output expanded by 0.7 percent ? slower than in previous years but still a better performance than that of many other European countries.

The reduced forecast from the council of economists puts their outlook slightly below that of the government, which is predicting growth of 0.4 percent this year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/experts-cut-german-economic-growth-forecast-153145718--finance.html

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Spring snow closes US schools, cancels flights

A city of Winchester crew picks up recycling along snow covered, tree lined Fairmont Ave. in Winchester, Va. as a storm dumped several inches of heavy, wet snow in the area. on Monday March 25, 2013. The National Weather Service says some areas in southwest Virginia could see up to 10 inches of snow Monday. Other areas could receive up to 6 inches. (AP Photo/The Winchester Star, Ginger Perry)

A city of Winchester crew picks up recycling along snow covered, tree lined Fairmont Ave. in Winchester, Va. as a storm dumped several inches of heavy, wet snow in the area. on Monday March 25, 2013. The National Weather Service says some areas in southwest Virginia could see up to 10 inches of snow Monday. Other areas could receive up to 6 inches. (AP Photo/The Winchester Star, Ginger Perry)

Jonathan Hines digs his car out of the snow on State Street, in Lafayette, Ind., on Monday, March 25, 2013, after a record-setting storm dumped more than 7 inches of snow in the area, bringing plows out in force and keeping police busy chasing a string of slide-offs. (AP Photo/The Journal & Courier, Brent Drinkut) MANDATORY CREDIT; NO SALES .

Snow accumulates on crosses at the Church of St John the Baptist in Larksville, Pa., Monday March 25, 2013. There were no major problems reported despite the widespread snowfall. (AP Photo/The Citizens' Voice, Mark Moran) MANDATORY CREDIT Mark Moran PAWIC102

Dakota Kimble 11, left, his brother, Kaden Kimble 9 and father David Kimble teamed up to shovel several inches of snow from their front sidewalk and a neighbor's Monday morning, March, 25, 2013 in Winchester, Va. The National Weather Service says some areas in southwest Virginia could see up to 10 inches of snow Monday. Other areas could receive up to 6 inches. (AP Photo/The Winchester Star, Ginger Perry)

A pedestrian and a baby try to keep the snow off while walking along the Coney Island boardwalk in New York, Monday, March 25, 2013. A wide-ranging storm is hitting the East Coast after blanketing the Midwest and burying thoughts of springtime weather under a blanket of heavy wet snow and slush, though less snow was predicted to fall as the storm moves eastward. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

HAMBURG, Pa. (AP) ? Five days into spring, warm weather and budding flowers were just a rumor Monday as the East Coast endured another blast of winter.

A wide-ranging storm that buried parts of the Midwest weakened as it moved east but still managed to carpet lawns and fields in a fresh layer of white. Many schools opened late or closed early, and hundreds of flights were canceled.

The cold temperatures and miserable mixture of snow and rain had people longing for more agreeable weather.

"I'm ready for flip flops," said Jessica Cunitz, 24 of Westchester County, N.Y., who stopped at a gas station along Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania to fill her overheating car with antifreeze. "It's supposed to be spring."

In Maryland, Michael Pugh donned a wool coat, knit cap, waterproof pants and heavy boots to trudge more than a mile through four inches of wet snow to his bank in downtown Hagerstown, about 70 miles west of Baltimore. He pronounced the weather "dreadful."

By this time of year, "I was hoping it'd be sunny and the weather breaking," said Pugh, a warehouse worker who turned 38 Monday. "Every day I think I can pack up the winter coat, and break out the spring clothes, and I can't."

Earlier, the storm walloped the Midwest, dumping a record 17 inches in Springfield, Ill., and a foot or more elsewhere in the state. Travel remained treacherous Monday afternoon, with Interstate 55 and 57 still covered in snow and ice, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Numerous vehicles were reported to be off roads, according to Illinois state police.

In downtown Springfield, coffee-shop manager Mike Zengilani said food-delivery trucks were hours late. But he didn't think about closing.

"Everyone else closes, so it's good for us to be open," Zengilani said. "It's Monday, it's definitely slower, but we all made the effort to come in."

The system was little more than a nuisance by the time it reached the East Coast. Air travel saw the biggest impact, with nearly 600 flights canceled as of Monday afternoon, according to the FlightAware tracking service. Hardest-hit airports included those in New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

Roadways, meanwhile, were mostly wet.

In Hamburg, Pa. ? which has seen three here-and-gone snowfalls in little more than a week ? carpet installer Seth Hanna drank coffee and surveyed the slush from a covered front porch.

"We got these warm days a few weeks ago, and everybody got their hopes up. March is supposed to be out like a lamb but it's not doing it," said Hanna, 30. "I love the snow, but I'm ready for some warm spring weather."

Robert Fink, 25, of Magnolia, N.J. said the worst part about yet another snow storm was having to shovel. Fink ? shovel in hand outside a truck stop in Bordentown ? said he longed for Florida, where he used to live.

"I'm a wimp when it comes to the cold," he said.

At the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, people waiting in line for tickets to this week's arguments on gay marriage held umbrellas or put tarps over their belongings as the snow fell. Darienn Powers wore a trash bag from the waist down to keep dry, but said the snow still made everything "a little wet and uncomfortable."

The spring snow was not expected to affect Washington's famous cherry blossoms. National Park Service spokeswoman Carol Johnson said the flowering trees are still expected to reach peak bloom between April 3 and April 6.

Mitchell Gaines, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., said colder-than-normal temperatures the past few weeks had created conditions ripe for snow.

"It's fairly late in March to see a system like this," he said.

___

Associated Press writers David Dishneau in Hagerstown, Md., Rema Rahman in Bordentown, N.J., Regina Garcia Cano in Springfield, Ill., and Jessica Gresko in Washington contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-25-Spring%20Storm/id-bb38f59466604465a0698d7d941ed221

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