Monday, October 29, 2012

Billy Idol plays fan's birthday party in Seattle

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

5 Technological Tools to Boost your Property Investment Efforts ...

Creating seamless interactivity between the property and the buyer

As a property investor, your prime focus to get potential buyers and renters to view your properties is via marketing. However, read any blog or industry newsletter and they?re teaming with reviews plugging a new and ever-more impressive and expensive marketing tool to help your property investment efforts.

Of course the need to stay on the cutting edge as far as investing in a few technological tools is imperative if you expect to woo buyers and put your properties more accessible to the right audience. The following five technological tools can help you boost your property investment efforts by helping you build a visible presence online, make property transactions more seamless?with things like rental and down payments, and even organizing your own business documents so you can access and share files when you need them and do your job more effectively.

In the end, these tech tools can add more time to your already busy day. Here are the must-have technological tools for property investors.

1. Dropbox
Sharing your property files with investors, potential clients and real estate agents can be a constant hassle for property investors hoping to flip a property. Luckily, there?s Dropbox, a tech tool that conveniently and securely stores and shares all of your vital business documents in one central location so you can seamlessly share or access them anytime you need them. Look no further than Dropbox is a cloud based system that you can use to upload all of your business documents?including things like sensitive financial information, client files, legal documents, spreadsheet market data, investment ideas, contractor meeting notes, slide share presentations, home tour videos, and more. When you save any document, image, or video to Dropbox you can securely share files with team members, partners and clients. And if you travel to pitching a potential investor or sale, you can store your presentation in Dropbox and access it across all of your devices (PC, laptop, Android device, iPhone and iPad) ?and with a few clicks?when you arrive at your location.

2. QR code readers
I?m talking about the barcodes that property investors and real estate agents use on signage to drive interested buyers to their websites for home tours and so forth. These QR codes are basically two-dimensional bar codes that appear on every buyable product, from the energy drink ad posted at the subway stop to the one on your favorite box of cereal. The interested user will use their smart phone to scan or snap a photo of the QR code and be instantly taken to the company?s website. You can see how property investors could use a tech tool like this to provide consumers with a compelling ad or poster?then drive potential buyers or renters to your rental website or online open house tour for more detailed information.

3. Cloud storage
Similar to Dropbox, but focused more on internal business productivity, the many cloud-storage tools available, such as open stack, store all of your essential small business data in a cloud, so for example, you can start a monthly financial report in the morning on our office desktop computer, break for lunch and go to the caf? with your tablet to access it and finish it over a coffee and bagel. Cloud storage encourages the mobile property investor to work while outside the office?anytime and from anywhere!

4. Augmented reality
Probably the coolest high tech tool available on the mass market, augmented reality is of particular use to visual businesses like property investment because it goes above and beyond the visual experience, creating a encounter between consumer and product (in this case buyer and house or renter and rental) that?s out of this world! Imagine seeing the front door of an investment property in a real estate magazine and being able to hover over it with your smart phone and go inside to take a tour. Augmented reality creates this sort of out of the world interactivity between interested buyers and the home itself. It?s basically a really cool way to show your clients and business partners that you are on the forefront of out-of-the-box marketing in your industry.

5. Digital watermarking
QR codes are still a hot commodity and their already old news for property investors and other marketers. Why? Because unlike a QR codes that eats up a lot of space on an ad or poster with a scan-able logo, digital watermarks (like those created and embedded in print ads and on websites by Digimarc) invisibly tag images with a mark. When the user scans the image with their smart phone they are instantly taken to a website where they can learn more. Again, like augmented reality, it?s all about creating an interactive experience with your printed marketing materials.

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Source: http://www.lifestylesunlimited.com/5-technological-tools-to-boost-your-property-investment-efforts/

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Court refuses Planned Parenthood appeal of Texas funding cut

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/court-refuses-planned-parenthood-appeal-texas-funding-cut-001603584.html

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Video: Dunham films Obama campaign ad about her 'first time'...voting

Sandy bringing floods, winds, snow -- but where?

The entire Northeast coast was told Friday to be prepared for potential flooding, high winds and even snow early next week as Hurricane Sandy made its way north after killing 41 people in the Caribbean.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/49574264#49574264

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FTC helps slow tech support scam; don't give remote computer access

By Robb Hicken/ BBB?s chief storyteller

?Oh, I think I?ve done something horrible,? the female voice spoke quickly and somewhat wavering. ?I think I?ve lost control of my computer, and I don?t know what to do.?

Without stopping, she continued to describe how there was a ?wicked? virus on her home computer and that Microsoft Tech Support had contacted her to say they needed to fix her computer.

When she took a breath, I asked if they were in her computer at this time.

?Why, yes! I don?t want this virus to take over my entire computer,? she says.

In spite of the major efforts to close down the tech support scam, calls continue to plague unsuspecting Snake River Region computer owners.?In the end, the con artists charge hundreds of dollars to remotely access and ?fix? the computers.

After calming her down, explaining the scam, I had her simply unplug the computer, call a trusted computer repair shop, and take no further calls from the phone number.

On Oct. 4,?the Federal Trade Commission cracked a major international tech support scam?in which telemarketers masquerade as major computer companies, con consumers into believing their computers are riddled with viruses, spyware and other malware, and then charge hundreds of dollars to remotely access and ?fix? the consumers? computers.

The FTC charged that the five operations ? mostly based in India ? target English-speaking consumers in the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the U.K. from telemarketing boiler rooms.

Telemarketers claimed affiliation with Dell, Microsoft, McAfee and Norton, and told intended victims malware was detected by the company and needed immediate removal. The scammers direct consumers to a?utility area of their computer?to show that the computer had been infected. ?The scammers charge from $49 to $450 to remove it.? When consumers agreed to pay the fee, the scammers took remote access to the victim?s ?computer to ?remove? non-existent malware and downloaded otherwise free programs.

A sixth company lured computer owners through Google ads that appeared when consumers searched for their computer company?s tech support telephone number.

When in operation, FTC claims, tens of thousands of people were tricked into paying removal fees that are ?standard warnings and errors?generated by software companies, and are not viruses.

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Source: http://snakeriverbbb.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/ftc-helps-slow-tech-support-scam-dont-give-remote-computer-access/

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Heart attack victims in rich, white neighborhoods twice as likely to get CPR than people who collapse in poor, black neighborhoods

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2012) ? In the first study of its kind, researchers have found that those who suffer cardiac arrests in upper income, white neighborhoods are nearly twice as likely to get cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) than people who collapse in low-income, black neighborhoods.

"If you drop in a neighborhood that is 80 percent white with a median income over $40,000 a year, you have a 55 percent chance of getting CPR," said study author Comilla Sasson, MD, an emergency room physician at the University of Colorado Hospital. "If you drop in a poor, black neighborhood you have a 35 percent chance. Life or death can literally be determined by what side of the street you drop on."

The study was published October 24 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Sasson, an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, analyzed data from 14,225 patients who suffered cardiac arrests in 29 cities from 2005-2009. She and her colleagues used census data to determine which neighborhood the event took place in, its racial make-up and median household income. Low-income was considered at or below $40,000 a year.

"We found a direct relationship between the median household income and racial composition of a neighborhood and the probability that a person whose heart had stopped would have a bystander perform CPR," the study said. "This association was most apparent in low-income black neighborhoods where the odds of receiving bystander- initiated CPR were approximately 50 percent lower than in high-income, nonblack neighborhoods."

A number of reasons were identified for this disparity. One is the cost of CPR training. Another is a lack of outreach to minority neighborhoods by organizations that promote CPR. And there are also language barriers and cultural issues surrounding the learning and performance of CPR.

Part of the study involved conducting focus groups in poor neighborhoods. In one area of Columbus, OH residents had median incomes of $20,000.

"If they paid $250 for a CPR class you are talking about 15 percent of their salary," Sasson said. "When you look at the competing economic interests -- am I going to eat tonight or attend a CPR class? -- the answer is obvious."

Yet the consequences are also obvious.

According to the study, there are 300,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year with survival rates that vary wildly from 0.2 percent in Detroit to 16 percent in Seattle. The difference can be explained in large part to intervention with CPR.

"For every 20 who get CPR you get one life saved," Sasson said. "So you are talking about thousands of lives being saved here."

The problem isn't only about income. Even in wealthier black neighborhoods, those who had cardiac arrest were 23 percent less likely to receive CPR than in high-income nonblack neighborhoods.

And the study showed that regardless of the neighborhood where a cardiac arrest occurs, blacks and Hispanics were 30 percent less likely than whites to receive CPR from a bystander.

"This suggests that, neighborhood effects, though important, do not fully account for observed racial differences," the study said.

Sasson called for more targeted, low-cost CPR training efforts based on the income and racial composition of neighborhoods. She is also working on creating public health programs aimed at increasing bystander-given CPR in specific communities.

As a doctor who once practiced in a level one trauma center in Atlanta, Sasson has witnessed first-hand the human toll of this inequity.

"I would see African-Americans coming in and dying from cardiac arrests after having laid there for 10 minutes with no one delivering CPR," she said. "There is no reason in 2012 that this kind of disparity exists -- that you live or die depending on what side of the street you drop on. It is simply unacceptable."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Colorado Denver, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Comilla Sasson, David J. Magid, Paul Chan, Elisabeth D. Root, Bryan F. McNally, Arthur L. Kellermann, Jason S. Haukoos. Association of Neighborhood Characteristics with Bystander-Initiated CPR. New England Journal of Medicine, 2012; 367 (17): 1607 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1110700

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/most_popular/~3/0ZxqcFi7eWg/121024175518.htm

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If I Relocate, Can I Buy A Home Without Having A Job? | REALTOR ...

questions

Q: If my family relocates after selling our home, will we be able to buy another home without having jobs there yet? Would a cosigner take of that?
?Anonymous, Shreveport, LA

A: You will probably have a difficult time finding financing until you have jobs, preferably in the same industry you previously worked in. A cosigner could help, depending on their financial strength, but if your name is on the title with the cosigner, the lender will still want to review your credit and other financial resources.
Phil Lunnon is a Realtor? with Lunnon Realty in Lakewood, CO.

Are you interested in having a qualified REALTOR answer your questions? Click through to Ask a REALTOR? now.

Are you a REALTOR who would like to answer consumer questions? Click through to become an Ask a REALTOR? participant.

Related posts:

  1. How Do I Calculate A Time Frame For House Hunting?
  2. Can I Use A Credit Towards A Down Payment?
  3. Can I Get My Earnest Money Deposit Back Because I Quit My Job Due To Extreme Personal Circumstances?
  4. Do I Have To Pay Full Commission If I Find The Buyer?
  5. What Can I Do If My Local Banks Won?t Approve Me For A Loan?

Source: http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2012/10/24/if-i-relocate-can-i-buy-a-home-without-having-a-job/

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US NAS and Royal Society Issue Statement on Earthquake Case in Italy

US NAS and Royal Society Issue Statement on Earthquake Case in Italy [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Oct-2012
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Contact: William Kearney
news@nas.edu
202-334-2138
National Academy of Sciences

The case of six Italian scientists sentenced to be jailed for failing to warn of the L'Aquila earthquake in Italy in 2009 highlights the difficult task facing scientists in dealing with risk communication and uncertainty.

We deal with risks and uncertainty all the time in our daily lives. Weather forecasts do not come with guarantees and despite the death tolls on our roads we continue to use bikes, cars, and buses. We have also long built our homes and workplaces in areas known to have a history of earthquakes, floods, or volcanic activity.

Much as society and governments would like science to provide simple, clear-cut answers to the problems that we face, it is not always possible. Scientists can, however, gather all the available evidence and offer an analysis of the evidence in light of what they do know. The sensible course is to turn to expert scientists who can provide evidence and advice to the best of their knowledge. They will sometimes be wrong, but we must not allow the desire for perfection to be the enemy of good.

That is why we must protest the verdict in Italy. If it becomes a precedent in law, it could lead to a situation in which scientists will be afraid to give expert opinion for fear of prosecution or reprisal. Much government policy and many societal choices rely on good scientific advice and so we must cultivate an environment that allows scientists to contribute what they reasonably can, without being held responsible for forecasts or judgments that they cannot make with confidence.

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US NAS and Royal Society Issue Statement on Earthquake Case in Italy [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: William Kearney
news@nas.edu
202-334-2138
National Academy of Sciences

The case of six Italian scientists sentenced to be jailed for failing to warn of the L'Aquila earthquake in Italy in 2009 highlights the difficult task facing scientists in dealing with risk communication and uncertainty.

We deal with risks and uncertainty all the time in our daily lives. Weather forecasts do not come with guarantees and despite the death tolls on our roads we continue to use bikes, cars, and buses. We have also long built our homes and workplaces in areas known to have a history of earthquakes, floods, or volcanic activity.

Much as society and governments would like science to provide simple, clear-cut answers to the problems that we face, it is not always possible. Scientists can, however, gather all the available evidence and offer an analysis of the evidence in light of what they do know. The sensible course is to turn to expert scientists who can provide evidence and advice to the best of their knowledge. They will sometimes be wrong, but we must not allow the desire for perfection to be the enemy of good.

That is why we must protest the verdict in Italy. If it becomes a precedent in law, it could lead to a situation in which scientists will be afraid to give expert opinion for fear of prosecution or reprisal. Much government policy and many societal choices rely on good scientific advice and so we must cultivate an environment that allows scientists to contribute what they reasonably can, without being held responsible for forecasts or judgments that they cannot make with confidence.

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/naos-una102512.php

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Barnes & Noble reports breach of U.S. customer credit card data

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Five Ranches You Ought To Know - Hobbyfarmblog - Farming Blog

CMRanch 300x195 Five Ranches You Ought To Know

CM Ranch, Dubois Wyoming

The CM Ranch was established in 1927 by Charles Moore, the son of a trader who lived on the Shoshone Indian reservation. After switching ownership hands several times, the property became open to guests longing to experience life on a ranch. The unique location of the CM Ranch treats viewers to geologic exposures in the glacial valley which result in an extraordinary display.

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alisal 300x197 Five Ranches You Ought To KnowThe Alisal Guest Ranch

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara?s Wine Country, Alisal Guest Ranch boasts fifty miles of riding trails, scenic canyons, and sprawling meadows full of wildlife. For those guests who enjoy golfing, the ranch has developed a challenging 18-hold course. This working ranch has an activity to interest everyone.

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mountainsky 300x200 Five Ranches You Ought To KnowMountain Sky Guest Ranch

Mountain Sky Guest Ranch located in southwestern Montana and first opened as a dude ranch in 1929.? The ranch is nestled within more than 8,000 acres of beautiful, rugged countryside and backs up to the vast and pristine Gallatin National forest.?Its secluded spot is known for its majestic scenery, peaceful atmosphere and outdoor adventure.

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vistaverde 300x158 Five Ranches You Ought To KnowVista Verde Guest Ranch

Vista Verde Ranch offers an All-Inclusive Colorado Resort Ranch experience with fine food, diverse activities, luxurious accommodations and personal service in a spectacular setting. Offering Talented instructors, quality horses, first class facilities and a commitment to excellence the Vista Verde Horse Program is a great way to get into, or get back into, equine activities.?

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barh 199x300 Five Ranches You Ought To Know

Bar H. Bar Ranch?

The Bar H Bar is tucked away in Southeastern Idaho at the foot of majestic snow capped peaks and amidst fields of glorious aspen and pines. Time spent at the Bar H Bar offers something different from the typical getaway, as you become a guest at the owning family?s full-time home and experience what it?s like to spend time Cattle Ranching while even getting in a little hard work. You?ll truly enjoy the real ranch life.


Source: http://www.hobbyfarmblog.com/uncategorized/ranches/

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US Airways posts record 3Q profit

(AP) ? US Airways made its best profit ever for the 3-month stretch that covers much of the peak summer vacation season.

Net income for the third quarter totaled $245 million, or $1.24 per share, compared with $76 million, or 41 cents per share, a year earlier, the airline said Wednesday.

Shares of US Airways rose 45 cents, or 3.7 percent, to $12.54 in trading before the opening bell.

The results are especially important to US Airways Group Inc. as it pursues a merger with American Airlines. US Airways, the nation's fifth-biggest airline, is trying to impress American's creditors that a combined company would be more successful than American can become on its own.

American, meanwhile, made an announcement on Wednesday that seemed to suggest that its parent, AMR Corp., can grow just fine without a merger. It unveiled new flights next year to South Korea, Germany, Ireland and Peru.

US Airways reported that before gains such as the sale of airport landing slots to Delta Air Lines, it would have earned $192 million, or 98 cents per share, in the third quarter. Analysts were expecting 92 cents per share excluding one-time items, according to FactSet.

Revenue rose 3 percent to $3.53 billion but fell short of analysts' expectations of $3.55 billion.

CEO Doug Parker said the revenue environment remains strong. Travel demand and a limited supply of airplane seats have allowed airlines to raise prices about a dozen times since the start of 2011.

The Tempe, Ariz.-based company said it would give more details on the outlook for revenue, spending, changes in the number of flights and other details during a conference call with investors later Wednesday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-10-24-Earns-US%20Airways/id-baa8e7f61dcd491fb2dca16f2281ce56

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CAW Local 2216 President Appointed to Nova Scotia WCB Board of Directors


October 19, 2012, 2:00 PM EST


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CAW Local 2216 President Dean Tupper has been appointed as a worker representative to the Nova Scotia Workers' Compensation Board of Directors.

"I am looking forward to trying to make changes to the policies and procedures of WCB in Nova Scotia that will benefit workers," said Tupper, who stressed he is open to ideas and suggestions that would help improve the system for workers.

Tupper is also President of the Annapolis Valley Labour Council, sits on the Board of Referees for Employment Insurance, and is a Vice President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour.

He thanked CAW Atlantic Canada Director Les Holloway and Rick Clarke, President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour for their endorsement.

Source: http://www.caw.ca/en/11631.htm

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Andy Serkis Directing New Animal Farm Movie

Andy Serkis is obsessed with the animal kingdom. Not happy playing all primates great and small in King Kong and Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, his next move behind the camera will reportedly see him rework George Orwell?s barnyard epic, Animal Farm.

?I think we found a rather fresh way of looking at it,? says Serkis in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. ?It is definitely using performance capture, but we are using an amalgamation of filming styles to create the environments.?

Telling the story of a farmyard coup spearheaded by a power-crazed pig named Napoleon, Orwell?s allegorical tale mirrors the circumstances that led to Stalin?s rise to power, although it seems as though Serkis isn?t planning to go into the politics too deeply.

?We?re keeping it fable-istic and [aimed at] a family audience. We are not going to handle the politics in a heavy-handed fashion. It is going to be emotionally centred in a way that I don?t think has been seen before. The point of view that we take will be slightly different to how it is normally portrayed. We are examining this in a new light.?

Just how you can retell Animal Farm without bringing the politics to the forefront remains to be seen, although the ?50s animation already presented a moderately sanitised version of the original text. In any case, we can at least expect it to look rather special, with Serkis toying with the idea of doing some of the mo-cap acting himself.

?It might well be that I do, but nothing is set in stone yet," he says. "At the moment I?m very fixed on the creation of the characters and world from a directorial point of view."
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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926124/news/1926124/

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Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of ancient New Zealanders

ScienceDaily (Oct. 22, 2012) ? In a landmark study, University of Otago researchers have achieved the feat of sequencing complete mitochondrial genomes for members of what was likely to be one of the first groups of Polynesians to settle New Zealand and have revealed a surprising degree of genetic variation among these pioneering voyagers.

The Otago researchers' breakthrough means that similar DNA detective work with samples from various modern and ancient Polynesian populations might now be able to clear up competing theories about the pathways of their great migration across the Pacific to New Zealand.

Results from the team's successful mapping of complete mitochondrial genomes of four of the Rangitane iwi tupuna (ancestors) who were buried at a large village on Marlborough's Wairau Bar more than 700 years ago will be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Study director Professor Lisa Matisoo-Smith explains that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is only inherited through the mother's side and can be used to trace maternal lineages and provide insights into ancient origins and migration routes.

"We found that three of the four individuals had no recent maternal ancestor in common, indicating that these pioneers were not simply from one tight-knit kin group, but instead included families that were not directly maternally related. This gives a fascinating new glimpse into the social structure of the first New Zealanders and others taking part in the final phases of the great Polynesian migration across the Pacific."

The researchers discovered that the four genomes shared two unique genetic markers found in modern Maori while also featuring several previously unidentified Polynesian genetic markers. Intriguingly, they also discovered that at least one of the settlers carried a genetic mutation associated with insulin resistance, which leads to Type 2 diabetes.

"Overall, our results indicate that there is likely to be significant mtDNA variation among New Zealand's first settlers. However, a lack of genetic diversity has previously been characterised in modern-day Maori and this was thought to reflect uniformity in the founding population.

"It may be rather that later decimation caused by European diseases was an important factor, or perhaps there is actually still much more genetic variation today that remains to be discovered. Possibly, it may have been missed due to most previous work only focusing on a small portion of the mitochondrial genome rather than complete analyses like ours."

Professor Matisoo-Smith and colleagues including ancient DNA analysis expert Dr Michael Knapp used Otago's state-of-the-art ancient DNA research facilities to apply similar techniques that other scientists recently employed to sequence the Neanderthal genome.

"We are very excited to be the first researchers to successfully sequence complete mitochondrial genomes from ancient Polynesian samples. Until the advent of next generation sequencing techniques, the highly degraded state of DNA in human remains of this age has not allowed such genomes to be sequenced," she says.

Now that the researchers have identified several unique genetic markers in New Zealand's founding population, work can begin to obtain and sequence other ancient and modern DNA samples from Pacific islands and search for these same markers.

"If such research is successful, this may help identify the specific island homelands of the initial canoes that arrived in Aotearoa/New Zealand 700 years ago," she says.

This research is the most recent output from the Wairau Bar Research Group, a collaboration between Otago researchers and Rangitane-ki-Wairau. The Otago research team is led by archaeologist Professor Richard Walter (Department of Anthropology and Archaeology), and biological anthropologists Associate Professor Hallie Buckley and Professor Matisoo-Smith (Department of Anatomy).

Background information

First excavated over 70 years ago, the Wairau Bar site is one of the most important archaeological sites in New Zealand because of its age and the range of material found there.

It is the site of a fourteenth century village occupied by some of the first generations of people who settled New Zealand. The material excavated from the site, most of which is now cared for in the collections at Canterbury Museum, provided the first conclusive evidence that New Zealand was originally settled from East Polynesia.

This discovery was first reported to the NZ public in 1950 by the late Dr Roger Duff, Director of Canterbury Museum, in his ground breaking book The Moahunter Period of Maori Culture. The principal evidence for his conclusions was in the artefacts found; however, the site also contained a large number of human burials.

Between 1938 and 1959 a total of 44 graves were excavated from the site and the grave contents taken to Canterbury Museum for study. For many years Marlborough Iwi, Rangitane, sought to have the remains repatriated so they could be reburied in the site and an agreement was reached with Canterbury Museum.

The reburial took place in April 2009, following earlier archaeological investigations of the site undertaken in collaboration with Rangitane.

A University of Otago-led multidisciplinary team of scientists have been analysing tooth samples recovered from the koiwi tangata (human remains) of the Rangitane iwi tupuna prior to their reburial. This work includes studies of the diet and health of the tupuna.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Otago.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Michael Knapp, K. Ann Horsburgh, Stefan Prost, Jo-Ann Stanton, Hallie Buckley, Richard Walter, and Elizabeth Matisoo-Smith. Complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequences from the first New Zealanders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1209896109

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/~3/48FGS2NtZ1g/121022162552.htm

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Humane Society hatches bid to unseat Iowa lawmaker - Herald Online

Humane Society King Fued

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2011 file photo, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa speaks in Washington. King has little use for the Humane Society, particularly when it comes to laws designed to give calves, pregnant sows and hens a little more freedom on the farm. The organization?s political arm is devoting most of its campaign budget this year _ nearly $500,000 so far _ to its effort to see that King doesn?t return for a sixth term. King is running against Democrat Christie Vilsack in a district that has become less conservative due to redistricting.

Alex Brandon, File ? AP Photo

? Rep. Steve King of Iowa has little use for the Humane Society, particularly when it comes to laws designed to give calves, pregnant sows and hens a little more freedom on the farm.

The organization's political arm is devoting the vast majority of its campaign budget this year - nearly $500,000 so far - to ensuring King doesn't return for a sixth term.

The Humane Society of the United States calls its campaign Stop the King of Cruelty. Its ads take King to task for his opposition to bills related to dogfighting and requiring emergency management offices to account for pets and service dogs in their preparedness plans.

"He has made himself the self-appointed leader to oppose animal welfare laws in the House of Representatives," Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said of the conservative Iowa congressman. "He routinely speaks against animal protection policies and tries to defeat them."

King's campaign says the Humane Society is going after him because he's an effective advocate for the state's farmers.

"The (Humane Society) and their legislative fund has a clear agenda of passing more burdensome government regulations down to America's farmers and Congressman King has been particularly effective in working to get government out of the way and allow the Iowa ag industry to produce," said campaign spokesman Jimmy Centers.

The Humane Society's ads focus on pets but don't address the clashes they've had with King on farming issues. Iowa is by far the largest egg-producing state in the nation, and King's district plays a big role in that distinction. King led the effort this past summer to scuttle efforts that a few states are making to increase the quality and size of cages for hens.

California has been a leader in the effort. The California Legislature approved a bill that extends more expansive cage requirements to all eggs sold in California, regardless of where the eggs are produced. Iowa produces about 30 percent of the eggs purchased in California.

King successfully included in the House farm bill a measure that would bar California and other states from essentially exporting their cage standards to agricultural producers in Iowa. King says that California's law violates the clause in the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states.

His amendment will "ensure that radical organizations like the Humane Society of the United States and PETA are prohibited from establishing a patchwork of restrictive state laws aimed at slowly suffocating production agriculture out of existence," King said after the House Agriculture Committee passed it.

King is running against Democrat Christie Vilsack in a newly redrawn district that now includes the college town of Ames. He hasn't faced a tough re-election before but has one on his hands this time, prompting the Humane Society to weigh in.

The Humane Society tried to give Vilsack a $1,000 donation, but the campaign declined the money. It has a policy of not accepting donations from groups that lobby the U.S. Agriculture Department, headed by Vilsack's husband, Tom. He is a former governor of Iowa.

The Humane Society's ads don't touch on the battles they've waged with King on agriculture issues. They're focused primarily on stands King has taken on dogfighting, noting that he voted against a 2007 bill making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for fighting purposes and voted against a 2012 amendment that prohibits bringing a child to organized animal fights.

Centers said King condemns all forms of animal fighting. His problem with the legislation cited by the Humane Society is that dogfighting is already illegal in all 50 states and bringing a child to a dogfight constitutes endangerment.

"How many times do we need to make something illegal if it's illegal?" Centers said. "Why create more and more government bureaucracies and legislation when something is already illegal?"

In its scorecard rating members of Congress based on their voting record and sponsorship of bills, the Humane Society gave King a score of zero for the current Congress. He has a lifetime score of 8 percent.

Meanwhile, King got a seal of approval this year from the Iowa Farm Bureau, which designated him a "friend of agriculture."

Source: http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/10/18/4345705/humane-society-hatches-bid-to.html

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Tagg Romney wanted to ?take a swing? at Obama during debate (Americablog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/256376791?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Video: Planning a vacation? Consider flying on these days



>>> an airfare analyst in " usa today " is out with a list of the four best days to fly. thanksgiving day , december 18th , march 20th because flights to europe go up in price 20% the next day, and june 3rd for the best fares from the west coast to tokyo on singapore airlines , super jumbo airbus 380 . we posted the entire list for you on the web.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49440161/

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Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Time to dump your 529 college savings plan?

When is it worth switching to a better 529 college savings plan, and when isn't it?

    1. Pumpkin impaler: Artist decorates spooky fence with heads for Halloween

      When Jane Greengold moved into her former home in Brooklyn, N.Y., 15 years ago, she took notice of the threatening spikes ...

    2. Shoppers to splurge on themselves this holiday season
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    4. Biden: Obama, Romney circling each other was ?real moment?
    5. Hot (pink) debate: Michelle, Ann both wear fuschia

These 529 savings plans work like state-sponsored educational piggy banks, using a variety of funds and asset classes to help cover educational expenses. Plans can be targeted for long or short-term savings, depending on how many years there are until college tuition bills start to arrive.

They typically have low minimum contribution amounts and offer significant tax advantages. Though investors feed the accounts with after-tax money, the investment income they earn in the account is tax free if it is used to pay for college. In addition, some states give investors tax deductions if they invest in the plan sponsored by their own states.

But some plans are better than others, and it may be worth investing in an out-of-state plan if its fees are significantly lower and its investment choices better.

College savings plans are becoming more popular among savers, with assets in 529 plans hitting an all-time high of $158.3 billion last March, according to Boston-based Financial Research Corp.

Improved plans
While there's a lot of diversity among the various plans ? including performance, fees and management style ? they have improved en masse, said Laura Pavlenko Lutton, director of funds research at Morningstar.

"The days of everything being expensive and the choices all being poor for 529 savings are over," Lutton said in a telephone interview. "The likelihood that you are sitting in a plan that is a disaster right now is pretty low."

A study released by Morningstar Inc on Monday ranked the largest 529 college savings plans in the United States by their investment choices and likelihood of outperforming their peers. Overall, most 529 plans received solid ratings.

Four 529 college savings plans were recognized as top performers among a group that holds about 95 percent of the total 529 assets. To rate these 64 plans, analysts at Morningstar considered factors such as investment strategies and performance, management, parent firms and the value of the offerings.

The College Savings Plan for Alaska and Maryland College Investment Plan, both managed by T. Rowe Price, and the Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan for Nevada, managed by Upromise Investments, were ranked "gold" by Morningstar, along with Utah Educational Savings Plan, which is self-managed.

Four funds ? iShares 529 Plan for Arkansas, the Michigan Education Savings Plan, the CollegeAdvantage 529 Savings Plan for Ohio and the College America plan for Virginia ? were rated "silver" by Morningstar. Another 19 plans achieved "bronze" status.

Morningstar labeled four plans in three states ? Kansas, Minnesota and Rhode Island ? as "negative" for factors such as high fees or questionable fund choices.

Higher ratings were awarded to funds that are inexpensive and likely to outperform their peers, according to the study.

More than half of the plans were rated "neutral" by Morningstar, meaning they are unlikely to exceed market returns over a full market cycle. "College savers who choose a neutral-rated plan should expect market-like returns, which is a reasonable outcome. But for those in states with no local tax benefits, it may be worth upgrading to a top-rated plan," Lutton wrote in an article on Morningstar's website.

When to switch
Does it make sense to switch out of an expensive or poor-performing plan? Keep in mind that some states such as New York and Illinois require you to pay back the money you deducted from state income taxes if you move money out of that state's 529 plan. And you could also pay a fee of about $50, on average, to make the switch, said Joe Hurley, founder of SavingForCollege.com, a website that offers advice on college savings, particularly 529 plans.

"Sometimes you can find another 529 plan that has essentially the same make-up of mutual funds in another state, with lower fees; then it becomes compelling to make the move. You can expect the same pre-fee investment, for a higher post-investment outcome," said Hurley.

There's no prohibition against having multiple plans, either, so you could always just stop contributing to an in-state plan you don't like and open a new plan in another state, without moving any money and incurring switch fees and taxes.

Before making a switch, it may be possible to improve savings by reallocating the funds that are invested in a 529 that is rated "neutral" or "negative," Lutton said in the telephone interview.

Many plans with options to allocate savings in large equity or bond mutual funds can be reworked to place all or most of the savings in one of these funds. A federal law allows reallocations as well as rollovers to take place no more than once a year.

Lutton said that Morningstar analysts' concerns with some of the "negative" plans were due to the inclusion of a few weak funds. They also largely contained funds groups like Blackrock, however, which provided more stable investment options.

If you are making a small investment, chances are that you won't get much of a tax benefit with your state's deductions. It may be worth shopping for an out-of-state plan with better performance.

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49450853/ns/today-money/

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