Scientists discover molecule that does double duty in stopping asthma attacks

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital are on the brink of the next treatment advancement that may spell relief for the nearly nineteen million adults and seven million children in the United States suffering from asthma. The scientists discovered two new drug targets in the inflammatory response pathway responsible for asthma attacks.

The study will be published on February 27, 2013 in Science Translational Medicine.

Researchers studied the lungs and blood of 22 people with mild and severe asthma. They saw that immune cells called natural killer cells and type 2 innate lymphoid cells played significant roles in airway inflammation in study participants with severe asthma.

Natural killer cells decreased airway inflammation by encouraging programmed cell death in immune cells called eosinophils, whereas type 2 innate lymphoid cells promoted airway inflammation by secreting cell-signaling molecules called interleukin-13.

Both mechanisms were controlled by a molecule called lipoxin A4 which is responsible for resolving inflammation. To achieve this, lipoxin A4 acted in both pro-resolving and anti-inflammatory ways. The researchers saw that lipoxin A4 encouraged natural killer cells to decrease inflammation by facilitating eosinophil cell death. Lipoxin A4 also discouraged type 2 innate lymphoid cells from promoting inflammation by blocking interleukin-13 secretion.

"Stopping airway inflammation is similar to putting out a forest fire," said Bruce Levy, MD, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division, BWH Department of Internal Medicine, senior study author. "Firefighters tackle forest fires in two ways?dousing the fire with water and clearing away dry brush that could fuel the fire. Lipoxin A4 does just that to resolve inflammation. It is an airway inflammation fighter that performs the double duty of dampening pathways that ignite inflammation while at the same time clearing away cells that fuel inflammation."

In previous studies, Levy and his team discovered that lipoxin A4 production was defective in patients with severe asthma. Together with their new findings, this observation provides researchers and drug manufacturers with a new direction toward boosting lipoxin A4 in severe asthmatics when designing next-generation asthma therapies.

"Most patients with severe asthma have chronic airway inflammation that never fully resolves. This can lead to daily and often disabling symptoms despite available therapies. Our study provides new information on cellular targets that regulate inflammation and will enable the development of lipoxin-based therapeutics to decrease chronic inflammation in asthma and other diseases." said Levy.

###

Brigham and Women's Hospital: http://www.brighamandwomens.org

Thanks to Brigham and Women's Hospital for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 52 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127055/Scientists_discover_molecule_that_does_double_duty_in_stopping_asthma_attacks

ambien wwdc madden 13 cover dalai lama tamera mowry slow jam the news madden cover

Singer Anastacia Axes Tour After Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer Again

Singer Anastacia Axes Tour After Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer Again

Anastacia has been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. The 44-year-old singer, who previously battled cancer in 2003, has been forced to cancel her European tour after receiving the scary news. Anastacia expressed her sadness to fans about having to cancel her tour. The singer said in a statement, “I feel so awful ...

Singer Anastacia Axes Tour After Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer Again Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/02/singer-anastacia-cancels-tour-after-being-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer-again/

cher morgellons nhl all star draft seal team 6 touch nitrous oxide rihanna thug life tattoo

Texting Gloves Dangerous in Winter, Says expert

Feb. 26, 2013 ? The popular half-gloves that leave fingers uncovered for texting may be good for communicating electronically but they may also lead to permanent loss of fingers due to exposure to the cold.

"Fingers are one of the first body parts to feel the effects of the cold and damp and along with toes, ears and the nose are frequently subjected to frostbite and even amputation," says Arthur Sanford, MD, Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns, Loyola University Health System. "Better to fat finger a text due to wearing winter gloves than to lose a finger due to the cold."

Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas. "Blood vessels start to constrict at or below 32 degrees Celsius to preserve body temperature," says Sanford. "The lack of blood in areas of the body can lead to freezing and the death of skin tissue."

Sanford says he treats frostbite in people of all ages. "The old lady who goes out in the snow to get her mail, falls, breaks a hip and lays in the cold and wet for hours until being discovered is a typical victim of frostbite," he says. "But the younger person who goes on a drinking bender and walks home in the snow and damp is also a familiar sight at Loyola trauma."

When suffering from prolonged exposure to cold, use room temperature or slightly warm water to gently revitalize the body. "Do not use hot water, do not rub with handfuls of snow and do not vigorously massage the frozen area," warns Sanford. Overstimulation can actually worsen the situation.

Winter wellness tips from Sanford and Loyola include the following:

? Dress in layers. "If a sweater, pair of socks or other article of clothing gets wet, you can quickly remove it and still be protected from the cold and wet," says Sanford.

? Wear a hat, gloves or mittens and proper footwear including socks and boots. "Texting gloves may look cool and be handy for communicating but it is better to wear full gloves or mittens and save your fingers," says Sanford.

? When outerwear becomes wet, go inside and change to dry clothing. "Wet socks especially are dangerous and can lead to a condition called trench foot which results in poor blood circulation, decay of tissue, infections and even amputation," says Sanford.

? If affected area becomes numb, turns red or blue, swells or feels hot, go to the emergency department. "An emergency physician will assess the tissue and take the proper steps to save the body part," says Sanford.

Hypothermia, when the body temperature is below 95 degrees F(35 degrees C), was the cause of death for 700 Americans between 1979 -- 1998. "Frostbite in January, operate in July is a common mantra here at Loyola," says Sanford. "Bundling up for winter may take you out of media circulation temporarily but better that than to permanently lose the ability to text due to frostbite."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Loyola University Health System, via Newswise.

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

---

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/Fix8HP4hpmE/130226141235.htm

sons of anarchy adriana lima victoria secret fashion show SEC Championship Rick Majerus Cotto vs Trout Robin Givens

ListedBy Unlocks Access to Real Estate Listing Data ? Property ...

California-based?ListedBy?has?announced that it has eliminated all user registration requirements previously needed to research listings on ListedBy.com.

The company said that the change has been designed to further enhance user experience on ListedBy.com and it affects all residential and commercial listing data categories including public real estate auctions, government real estate auctions, REO auctions, pre-foreclosure and foreclosure listings, and MLS Listings.

Residential real estate auction, luxury real estate auctions, government real estate auctions, public real estate auction, real estate auction sites, commercial real estate auctions, reo auctions, government real estate auctions, real estate auction companies

The shift reinforces ListedBy?s focus on improving efficiencies and productivity in real estate, by optimizing transparency and connectivity between buyers and sellers, and by eliminating all fees associated with access to listing data and real estate auctions, including subscriptions, participation fees and auction buyers? premiums.

?Our vision for real estate is an open, fully transparent and free environment for everyone,? said Stephan Piscano, CEO and Founder, ListedBy. ?By giving residential and commercial property buyers easy access to data, including distressed assets, and by giving sellers a platform to reach and be reached directly by buyers, we?re cultivating a more vibrant, more productive industry.?

Free registration remains a requirement for users who wish to post listings, bid on properties and post in the Forum on LB Social?.

Traffic on ListedBy.com is expected to surpass 30,000 unique visitors for February 2013, with the average stay on the site recorded to date at over five minutes.

Tagged as: California, ListedBy.com, Napa, real estate listing data, realtors, unlocks access, USA

Advertising Partner

Source: http://www.propertyportalwatch.com/2013/02/listedby-unlocks-access-to-real-estate-listing-data/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=listedby-unlocks-access-to-real-estate-listing-data

ufc Christmas Abbott clive davis nba trade thomas robinson nba trades ign

Cherry, Cacao & Coconut Cookies | Farm Foodie Fitness | Good ...

Published on February 26th, 2013

Put a new spin on your cookies for the upcoming holidays in March. Instead of regular ol? sugar cookies, we decided to make a healthier version for the holiday. By taking traditional ingredients, we substituted a few of the not so good for you ingredients for ones that are better for your health. My picture didn?t turn out so well. But here?s on from www.healthfulpursuit.com so you can get an idea of what they should look like. Yours will just have sprinkled coconut on top! Hope you love them!

Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

? 2 1/4 C of almond flour

? 1/2 tsp of baking soda

? 3/4 tsp of Pink Himalayan salt

? 1 stick of unsalted butter-room temperature

? 1/2 C of sugar in the raw or xylitol

? 3/4 C light brown sugar

? 2 tsp vanilla extract

? 1 1/2 C cacao powder

? 1 C dried cherries

? 1/2 C unsweetened shredded coconut

? 1/2 tsp of maca powder (remember to check with a doctor or do your research with new supplements or herbs- may not be suitable for particular health concerns)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, basking soda, and salt. In another bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs until combines. Add to flour mixture and beat. Then add cherries and cacao powder.

2. Use a spoon to make about 2 tablespoon-sized cookies. Sprinkle coconut on top. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for 1-2 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

?

kellyroberts (2 Posts)

Kelly is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and received her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York City. Fueled by passion, she founded her holistic health practice, Balanced Living Health and Wellness. She educates and teaches her clients and the community the life changing benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. Kelly is also the owner of Pilates on the Beach in Ocean City, Maryland. She is a Certified Pilates instructor by world renowned Body Arts and Science International. BASI Pilates ? For the past eight years, she has specialized in Pre and Post-Natal, athletes, rehabilitation, and clients with chronic illness. She also offers private one on one sessions, as well as in-home training. Kelly first discovered Pilates twelve years ago after a serious car accident left her with debilitating back and neck pain. She incorporates the Pilates method into her teaching and daily practice to maintain movement, a healthy lifestyle, and to live pain free.

Source: http://goodcleanfunlife.com/2013/02/26/cherry-cacao-coconut-cookies-farm-foodie-fitness/

girl scouts printable bracket game change own stacy francis tournament brackets 2012 ncaa basketball tournament

TEXT-S&P says Singapore budget surplus supports AAA credit rating

SINGAPORE, Feb 26 (Reuters) - (The following statement was

released by the rating agency)

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that

Singapore's projected budget surpluses for the next two fiscal

years continue to support the sovereign's creditworthiness

(unsolicited ratings AAA/Stable/A-1+; axAAA/ax-1+).

The government estimates a surplus of Singapore dollars (S$)

3.9 billion (1.1% of GDP) for the fiscal year ended March 31,

2013. That amount would be significantly higher than the

government's initial projections. The stronger surplus is

attributable to higher-than-expected stamp duties on property

transactions and vehicle-related taxes.

Singapore excludes government land sales and a substantial

portion of fiscal reserve investment returns from its reported

revenue. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Tharman

Shanmugaratnam said on Monday the government is budgeting for an

overall surplus of S$2.4 billion, or 0.7% of GDP, in the next

fiscal year.

We expect Singapore to achieve balanced budgets over the

next three to five years despite the government announcement of

increases in transfers and spending on various support schemes.

Many of the new spending initiatives are either one-off or have

limited lifespans. Consequently, they have limited structural

impact on the budgetary position. We continue to view

Singapore's budgetary position as supportive of the 'AAA'

sovereign credit ratings.

** To read Reuters stories on the Singapore budget, click

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/text-p-says-singapore-budget-surplus-supports-aaa-042101279--business.html

green book some like it hot duke university whale shark whale shark platypus platypus

Bryan Singer Talks Jack the Giant Slayer

Bryan Singer thought he was going to be the first to revive fairy tales with his take on Jack on the Beanstalk, "Jack the Giant Slayer," but the film, which hits theaters this Friday, was beaten the big screen by new spins on "Alice in Wonderland," "Snow White and the Huntsman," and "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters."

Singer (who previously talked to Moviefone about the eagerly anticipated "X-Men; Days of Future Past" sequel), is proud of his update on the ?Jack and the Beanstalk? legend. "I took a look at those other ones and made sure I did my own thing," he says.

He talked to Moviefone about making sure he had the right Jack in Nicholas Hoult, his love of classic adventure films from the '50s and '60s, and creating a race of fearsome giants.

Moviefone: This is a bit of a departure for you. Why make a fairy-tale movie?
Singer: Well, when I originally decided to do it, there were no fairy tale movies. So I thought I was going to be -- like with the comic-book movies -- the first one in a long time. Little did I know that Hansel and Alice and the Huntsman ... there would be a lot of them. But that was okay. As I was making it, I took a look at those other ones and made sure I did my own thing, made it different. It's also quite an original one. It takes from the old Jack and the Beanstalk and the old Jack the Giant Killer myths, but the story of our land -- the kingdom and the history of the monks and all that stuff -- that's all our complete invention. So it is not actually a classic fairy tale, it's just a fairy-tale-like story that's based on icons from a fairy tale.

It reminded me of those very old-fashioned adventure movies, like the original "Journey to the Center of the Earth" or "Mysterious Island."
Yeah, it's funny you should mention that, because I've been asked a lot of that today and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is a movie I brought up. Anything with James Mason in it. I love the kind of movies where there's a buildup to going to a place, like "King Kong," there's a buildup to going to Skull Island, or "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," there's a buildup going to the factory. So here you've got this buildup and our character finally gets there and discovers this mysterious place. Those were favorite movies of mine as a kid.

How hard was it to find the perfect Jack? Of course you'd already worked with Nick before, as a producer on "X-Men: First Class."
I didn't quickly jump to cast him. I wanted to make sure he was right. So I saw a lot of guys. In the end, it was one of those things where I was seeing everybody, but the real guy was right there under my nose. It's a very classic kind of character -- the distracted, awkward farm boy who longs for adventure and falls for a humble princess and goes on a journey and becomes a man. Nick is very charismatic, but he can also play very vulnerable and he has a great sense of humor. After I'd vetted him, then Eleanor [Tomlinson] came in and she had great chemistry with Nick, so I cast her.

At what point did Ewan McGregor's name came up?
I don't remember the timeline, but when I realized he was available and was interested, I was like, ?Absolutely!? I just said, ?Yes, of course.?

His character, Elmont, is very Errol Flynn-like.
That was literally the direction. I literally said, "Errol Flynn," and he said, "Hmm," and just ran with it.

Stanley Tucci's character, Roderick, reminded me a bit of Blackadder, especially since he has an assistant who's not very bright.
You know what? Because I worked with Hugh Laurie on "House," and I'm friends with [his former comedy partner] Stephen Fry as well, and I'm a fan of them separately and together, there's probably a part of them that stuck in my mind a lot -- the bumbling but evil assistant. It's like the giant with two heads, the brains behind the operation and then there's the scary fool that's attached to the brains. So it kind of mimics the big head/little head, like Ewen Bremner was his little head.

How did you come up with the look of the giants? What was your inspiration?
My feeling is the giants weren't born, they don't breed, there are no female giants. So they had to be created, and we saw them as something that was created as a barrier between heaven and earth. When you get too greedy and you want to try to reach heaven, the giants are waiting for you. I felt they should be made of the stuff of earth, so if you see them from a distance, they're living, giant creatures. But if you get really close, things that look like hair and boils can also look like rocks and grass. And so they're kind of made of nature. So that was the idea behind them. And once the actors were cast, then that governed the design of their looks and their attitudes.

Did Bill Nighy, who plays lead giant General Fallon, contribute any ideas?
Yeah, he came up with the accent. What he also did, which was really intense, is before he'd go act the part, he'd go shut the windows and doors in his car and scream for 20 minutes non-stop and really blow his voice out. And he'd come in and do the part and it would really be this ripped-up voice that he brought to it. John Kassir, who played the little head, he developed this whole thing where I just wanted it to be this nonverbal thing, so in the script we would just write "Ack, ack, ack!" like in "Mars Attacks." He brought in this whole notion that the little head is trying to say what the big head does but he can't quite get it out.

RELATED: Bryan Singer Talks Star Wars, Teases 'Epic' Return to X-Men Franchise

What was it like working in 3D?
I shot this in native 3D. We also did some stuff from the giants' POV, so when they're looking at things, I increased the interaxial, I separated the lenses so it miniaturizes things. So that was kind of fun. Giant vision.

Which scene did you most enjoy shooting?
I think the [pantomime], the performance with Warwick Davis and his team. They put together a really great show, telling the story of the legend of the giants, and we had a bunch of kids there and all his crew were great. His kids were in it, and it was a really fun thing. It was all live and real, no special effects. So that was probably the most fun thing to shoot.

Does that mean you're dying to do a movie with no special effects?
[Laughs] I probably will at some point. But who knows? Not for a while, apparently. You should see my Facebook page. It's one giant green screen.

RELATED PHOTOS:

• Disney Cavalry: Snow White and Bambi

  <a href="http://aznnerd.deviantart.com/art/Disney-Cavalry-Snow-White-and-Bambi-278009379" target="_hplink"><strong>By AznNerd</strong></a>

• The Wicked Queen

  <strong><a href="http://sadi3-g.deviantart.com/art/Wicked-Queen-50547614" target="_hplink">By sadi3-g</a></strong>

• Disney Prom - Snow White

  <strong><a href="http://spicysteweddemon.deviantart.com/art/Disney-Prom-Snow-White-276955489" target="_hplink">By spicysteweddemon</a></strong>

• The Huntsman

  <strong><a href="http://renny08.deviantart.com/art/The-Huntsman-305571256" target="_hplink">By Renny08</a></strong>

• Disney Fighter - Snow White

  <strong><a href="http://joshwmc.deviantart.com/art/Disney-Fighter-Snow-White-201250275" target="_hplink">By joshwmc</a></strong>

• The Wizard of Oz

  <strong><a href="http://nadiezda.deviantart.com/art/El-Mago-de-Oz-151083495" target="_hplink">By Nadiezda</a></strong>

• The Wizard of Oz

  <strong><a href="http://jul0022.deviantart.com/art/Wizard-of-Oz-Mago-de-Oz-86107868" target="_hplink">By jul0022</a></strong>

• Maleficent

  <strong><a href="http://pat7.deviantart.com/art/Maleficent-274182832" target="_hplink">By pat7</a></strong>

• Alice in Wonderland

  <strong><a href="http://matthewhoworth.deviantart.com/art/Alice-In-Wonderland-171696379" target="_hplink">By matthewhoworth</a></strong>

• Peter Pan and Wendy

  <a href="http://giacobino.deviantart.com/art/Peter-Pan-And-Wendy-3-85608132" target="_hplink">By Giacobino</a>

• Aslan

  <strong><a href="http://substance20.deviantart.com/art/Aslan-100058943" target="_hplink">By Substance20</a></strong>

• Narnia

  <strong><a href="http://jurithedreamer.deviantart.com/art/Narnia-53651152" target="_hplink">By jurithedreamer</a></strong>

• Labyrinth

  <strong><a href="http://hollytheterrible.deviantart.com/art/Labyrinth-252826623" target="_hplink">By HollyTheTerrible</a></strong>

• Jareth

  <strong><a href="http://doubleleaf.deviantart.com/art/Jareth-186870763" target="_hplink">By doubleleaf</a></strong>

• The Dark Crystal

  <strong><a href="http://ayamefataru.deviantart.com/art/Dark-Crystal-Guest-Art-76532517" target="_hplink">By AyameFataru</a></strong>

• Legend

  <strong><a href="http://radiuszero.deviantart.com/art/Legend-210058931" target="_hplink">By RadiusZero</a></strong>

• Easter Gollum

  <strong><a href="http://rockyoursocks.deviantart.com/art/Easter-Gollum-9079081" target="_hplink">By rockyoursocks</a></strong>

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926921/news/1926921/

wrestlemania 28 results earl scruggs game of thrones wrestlemania 28 game of thrones season 2 dierks bentley kenny chesney

Women's Exposure to Chemicals May Explain Unexpected Breast Cancer

Women attend a fundraiser for breast cancer in San Francisco. Image: Flickr/cpurl

Deep in a laboratory freezer, 100,000 vials of blood have been frozen for the better part of five decades.

For scientist Barbara Cohn, it?s a treasure trove. Collected from more than 15,000 San Francisco Bay Area women after they gave birth in the 1960s, each vial of blood holds a woman?s lifetime of secrets.

Scientists say these vials could help them unravel one of the most enduring medical mysteries: Why do some women, with no family history, develop breast cancer?

The blood bears the chemical signature of environmental pollutants, some long banned, that the women were exposed to decades ago. Cohn, who directs the research in Berkeley, Calif., believes these early-life exposures may hold the key to understanding a woman's risk of breast cancer today.

The women's blood is being tested for traces of dozens of pollutants???used by industry and found in many consumer products???that can impersonate estrogen and other hormones. The theory is that early exposure to these chemicals, even before birth, inside the mother?s womb, may fundamentally alter the way that breast tissues grow, triggering cancer decades later.

Cancer patients and their doctors have long puzzled over what factors in a woman?s environment may raise her risk of breast cancer. One of every eight women in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime, with more than 232,000 new cases diagnosed yearly, according to the American Cancer Society. Only five to 10 percent can be accounted for by genetics; other known risk factors include age, obesity and low physical activity.

Earlier this month, a science advisory panel?urged the federal government to fund more projects aimed at uncovering the environmental causes of breast cancer because eliminating these factors may provide the greatest opportunity to prevent it.

It?s particularly vexing for scientists because it?s difficult to unlock a woman?s exposures during her most critical times for breast development: in the womb and during puberty and pregnancy.

?As researchers looking at adult outcomes of disease processes such as breast cancer, one of the biggest challenges we face is trying to get a handle on prenatal exposures and what is going on in the prenatal environment,? said Shanna Swan, an environmental health scientist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Many scientists have been looking for connections between various environmental exposures and the disease???with mixed results. Some findings suggest links to a few chemicals, including the banned pesticide DDT. But others have found no link.

For example, experts from the American Cancer Society, reviewing previous studies, in 2002 found no association between breast cancer and chlorinated chemicals including DDT.

And in 2011, an institute of the National Academies of Sciences reported ?a possible link? between breast cancer and some common ingredients of vehicle exhaust, benzene and 1,3-butadiene. But the report?said the jury is still out for most other widespread chemicals, such as pesticides, ingredients of cosmetics and bisphenol A (BPA).

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=4be39565ab7b234106a46966811520a8

aurora Angie Everhart tom hardy British Open leaderboard Jessica Ghawi People Water Fred Willard

Hyundai agrees to settle fuel economy cases; Kia weighs options

DETROIT (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co has agreed in principle to settle several lawsuits from U.S. consumers who said they were duped by the automaker's misleading fuel economy claims, according to a filing made in federal court on Tuesday.

Hyundai's affiliate Kia Motors Corp , also being sued for overstating the fuel economy of some models, is evaluating whether to join the settlement, according to the filing.

Both companies are facing lawsuits after announcing in early November that they overstated the fuel economy performance on more than 1 million recently sold vehicles by at least one mile per gallon.

A settlement amount was not disclosed. Hyundai offered a lump sum payment option as part of its settlement proposal.

Lawyers for Hyundai and the plaintiff drivers said they plan to file more details on the settlement with the court. A hearing to discuss the accord and how to implement it is scheduled for Thursday morning.

The companies' admission came after a probe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which found errors in the mileage ratings of 13 Hyundai and Kia models from 2011 to 2013 model years.

Both companies agreed to compensate owners for the added fuel costs. Under the plan, customers will receive a debit card that will reimburse them for the difference in fuel economy, plus an extra 15 percent to acknowledge the inconvenience.

The news was a blow to Hyundai and Kia, both of which bragged about their vehicles' superior fuel economy in advertisements. Hyundai's "4 x 40" strategy centered on offering four models that got 40 mpg, including the Elantra small car.

Hyundai said in Tuesday's court filing that it would offer a lump sum option to drivers in lieu of its reimbursement plan.

Current drivers who bought one of the four Hyundai models that claimed to get 40 mpg will get a higher lump sum payment compensation, according to Hyundai's proposed settlement. Those models include the Accent compact car, the hybrid version of the Sonata sedan and the Veloster small car.

(Reporting By Deepa Seetharaman and Jonathan Stempel. Editing by Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hyundai-agrees-settle-fuel-economy-cases-kia-weighs-004501631--finance.html

Ron Jeremy Rudy Gay Jim Nabors The Americans bank of america online banking Adairsville Ga ashley judd

Humanities professors petition for more hires | The Statesman

NYSUNY 2020 is a program implemented in the summer of 2011 primarily targeted to four SUNY schools: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook. This program was designed to aid in standardizing tuition hikes for five years as well as helping the economic and academic growth in New York State.

Stony Brook created its own plan of action based on SUNY 2020. According to a Stony Brook University press release from June 1, 2011, this plan includes new buildings, hiring of new faculty and staff, creating partnerships with Long Island industries for economic development and increases in financial aid for students with a family income of $75,000 or less.

Professors from the humanities department feel they are underrepresented in hiring. Nina Lin / The Statesman

The hiring plans include employing more than 245 new faculty. In a press release, President Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D., said the plans were not just about expanded research, however, a group of Stony Brook professors feel differently based on the recent faculty hirings and approval of certain cluster hiring proposals.

Cluster hiring is a program born out of 2020. Each group of hires, called a cluster, comprises one to five new faculty members. The Office of the Provost website, under Cluster Hiring Initiative, states, ?The goals of this initiative are to strategically place Stony Brook University on the emerging frontiers of research and knowledge and to enhance our ability to shape new fields of discovery, learning and engagement.?

?Cluster hires are a huge project of the university, managed by the Provost, to cover the future expansion of faculty hires, after years of decline and neglect.? What they are are thematically centered, interdisciplinary groups of hires, instead of traditional allotments by field or department,? history professor Paul Gootenberg said in an email. Gootenberg is one of the faculty members, along with history professor Christopher Sellers, who wrote a petition letter about the recent hirings.

In December, The Statesman wrote that a committee of 12 members met to discuss 36 proposals. The committee had agreed to accept five of these proposals, which totaled to a hiring of 25 new faculty members, according to the article.

Those new faculty members will be hired for the fields of ?behavioral political economy, biomolecular imaging, coastal zone management and engineering, photon science in conjunction with Brookhaven National Laboratory, and smart energy technology,? The Statesman reported.

The Stony Brook SUNY 2020 website currently states that ?these hires are designed to boost research, attract federal and private foundation funding and spur economic development.?

This has caused tension in other departments on campus. A group of professors from the College of Arts and Sciences ? and within that, humanities, arts and social sciences, or HASS ? feel their departments have been underrepresented in the cluster hiring.

?Some [professors and faculty] realized quite quickly that something needed to be said. A lot of people were upset about it and we got together to talk about it,? Sellers said. These feelings culminated in a petition letter written by Sellers.

That particular letter was written on Friday, Dec. 7, sent out to faculty members and circulated over that weekend. It was then sent to Stony Brook University Provost Dennis N. Assanis and President Stanley before the town meeting on the night of Monday, Dec. 10 being held specifically to discuss the faculty hires.

The letter had accumulated 58 signatures, according to Sellers, and expressed the concerns of the faculty.

?We hereby request that a more balanced means of selection be developed for any further decision-making about cluster hires. Proposals should be judged by colleagues in peer disciplines. A disciplinary balance in funding should be assured at the outset, rather than hinging on a selection committee?s vote,? the letter read.

The letter also called the selection committee biased toward the natural and applied sciences.

Sellers said Assanis was ?upset? by the letter, defending the decision about the hires and the committee at the town meeting

?A second letter was needed,? Sellers said.

In this second petition letter, which is being circulated around the faculty, Sellers and Gootenberg wrote that CAS makes up 58 percent of the West Campus faculty and of that, 68 percent is faculty from HASS departments. They then wrote that 75 percent of the selection committee were faculty from the applied or natural sciences fields and asked that a more ?balanced means of selection be developed for any further decision-making about cluster hires.?

According to Sellers, there are now 85 signatures on this second letter.

?There was one humanist out of 12 committee members. Five people [on the committee] were physicists or engineers and one person [on the committee] was bioscience,? professor and chair of the department of sociology Michael Schwartz, a petition signer, said.

?Our departments have suffered a lot in cutbacks of the last decade. The university needs more than just scientists. We need all intellectual areas,? Sellers said.

Letters were sent to departments with rejected proposals. The rejection letters were nearly identical?each included the sentence, ?The committee was particularly focused on the proposal?s strategic importance, its building on core SBU competencies, its competitive edge, synergy with [Brookhaven National Laboratory], and relevance to the state economy.?

?People got rejection letters because they [the committee] wanted [the new jobs] to relate to Brookhaven Lab,? Schwartz said. He made the point that certain HASS departments, such as sociology, are in need of new professors.

Some criteria listed in the rejection letters were ?national and international relevance of the research field and it?s appropriateness to SBU? and ?the likely impact on the academic world, the state of N.Y., and the larger community.?

While the rejection letters were uniform to one another, each had a few paragraphs that were solely in regard to that particular department?s cluster proposal. These paragraphs outlined what was liked about the proposal as well as what the weaknesses of the proposal were.

In a press release from Nov. 20, 2012, Assanis said, ?Every proposal we received was thoughtful, strategic and quite frankly, outstanding. The range of proposals funded this year hold great promise for helping us accomplish our teaching and research missions and can make a marked difference to our campus? intellectual atmosphere. They are aimed at addressing society?s most vexing challenges through the collaboration of natural, life, and social sciences; technology; medicine; humanities; policy; business; and the arts.?

Committee co-chair Nancy Tomes, professor and chair of the department of history, refused to comment on the story.

Committee co-chair Serge Luryi, distinguished professor and chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering, said in an email that ?as a member of the Cluster Hire Committee that was evaluating proposals, I had pledged to maintain absolute confidentiality about all committee-related communication, both during the review process and after its completion?I must say that in view of the confidentiality pledge, I feel it would not be appropriate for me to be interviewed about these issues.?

Source: http://www.sbstatesman.com/2013/02/25/humanities-professors-petition-for-more-hires/

sturgis sturgis whitney houston laid to rest daytona bike week mary kay ash tiny houses maya angelou

Kentucky Training Program Teaches Job Skills To Those Who Are Struggling

Kentucky.com:

I have never gotten over the sting of standing in a grocery check-out lane with my food stamp coupons and overhearing the woman behind me make disparaging remarks about people on welfare.

That was more than 30 years ago, while I was earning a college degree, working an internship and caring for my daughter. I needed all of the $135 I received monthly, the food stamps, the medical card for my daughter, and the rent assistance just to hang on. The woman in the line assumed I was getting a handout, while I knew it was a hand-up.

Read the whole story at Kentucky.com

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/kentucky-training-program_n_2758676.html

Opening ceremony London 2012 Google Fiber Olympics Schedule 2012 Olympic Medal Count 2012 Olympics 2012 Olympic Schedule 2012 NBC Olympics

Kurdish militant leader to call ceasefire next month: reports

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan will call a ceasefire at the Kurdish New Year next month, moving forward a peace process with Turkey aimed at ending his group's 28-year-old insurgency, media reports said on Monday.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said a planned withdrawal of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants from Turkey after a ceasefire was established would begin the process of ending a conflict which has killed more than 40,000 people.

The premier, criticized for negotiating with Ocalan - a man reviled by most Turks, called for national unity on peace efforts.

Ocalan, head of the PKK, has been holding peace talks with Turkey since last October and met a delegation of Kurdish politicians at the weekend to discuss the negotiations.

At those talks, on the island of Imrali near Istanbul, he signaled the PKK may release Turkish state officials it is holding, according to a statement read by the politicians. Several newspapers on Monday reported details of a timetable to end the conflict.

"Ocalan will make a ceasefire call to the PKK at Newroz for a lasting peace," the liberal Radikal daily said, referring to the March 21 Kurdish New Year. The Yeni Safak newspaper, which is close to the government, carried a similar report. They did not disclose their sources.

Only a few Turkish officials are familiar with details of the negotiations and lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) who visited Ocalan on Saturday only conveyed the brief statement from the PKK leader.

"My health is good but I am getting old. I want to see peace before I die," the Milliyet daily quoted Ocalan, 63, as saying in Imrali where he has been held in virtual isolation since his capture in 1999.

The timetable for ending the conflict envisages a gradual withdrawal of several thousand militants from Turkey after the ceasefire call and Yeni Safak said the PKK fighters would begin leaving Turkey between March and June.

OCALAN PLAN SENT TO PKK

In his first comments since the weekend talks, Erdogan said on Monday that a militant pullout would be a turning point, followed by a process of bringing the guerrillas down from the mountains in northern Iraq where they are based.

"The withdrawal of terrorists in Turkey to a second country will mean the effective beginning of this process," he told reporters on his plane back from a trip to Dubai, acknowledging there were risks of a backlash against negotiating with Ocalan.

"If other sections of society share the risk we are taking, and the media is important in this, we will speed up our progress," Dogan news agency reported him as saying.

In return for the PKK measures, the government is expected to push through reforms extending the rights of a Kurdish minority numbering about 15 million out of a population of 76 million.

Last week the government sent to parliament a penal reform bill which is expected to result in the release of some of the thousands of Kurdish activists who are currently on trial accused of links to the PKK.

The PKK, which is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, launched its insurgency in 1984 with the aim of carving out a Kurdish state in southeast Turkey but it has moderated its goal to limited self-rule.

A 21-page record of the talks between Ocalan and the BDP was delivered to the PKK leadership in the Qandil mountains of northern Iraq on Saturday night and Ocalan's 61-page peace plan was being delivered to the PKK separately, Yeni Safak said.

It added that the PKK was expected to release several security personnel and officials which it holds this week, while its fighters in Turkey were ordered to keep away from military areas. There was no immediate comment from the PKK.

The PKK holds nine people, including soldiers and civil servants, according to the Diyarbakir-based Human Rights Association.

(Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Pravin Char)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kurdish-militant-leader-call-ceasefire-next-month-reports-123810427.html

binder full of women Microsoft Surface Candy Crowley binders of women Alexis Wright presidential debates Felix Baumgartner

Dwarf Fortress: Ten hours with the most inscrutable video game of ...

11 visitors online now
3 guests, 8 bots, 0 members
Max visitors today: 18 at 02:00 am EST
This month: 33 at 02-12-2013 01:09 pm EST
This year: 33 at 02-12-2013 01:09 pm EST
All time: 88 at 10-17-2011 06:46 am EDT

Source: http://www.bowdengaming.com/?p=17168

best buy sears abercrombie abercrombie Aeropostale Jcpenny ohio state football

Chinese Hackers Attacked German Government, Companies - Report

Chinese hackers have been attacking Germany's government and companies on a grand scale, magazine Der Spiegel reports Sunday, citing intelligence sources.

ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA.XE) was hit by a major cyberattack from China in mid-2012, a spokeswoman for the engineering company confirmed.

European Aeronautics Defence & Space Co. NV (EAD.FR) told the German government that it was also attacked, according to Der Spiegel. A spokesman for the plane maker didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Dow Jones Newswires.

The German government and other federal institutions were subject to more than 1,000 attacks from foreign intelligence agencies last year, said a spokeswoman for the country's intelligence agency, Bundesamt fuer Verfassungsschutz.

The news comes after major U.S. companies such as Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) said they have been hit by cyberattacks.

Write to Friedrich Geiger at friedrich.geiger@dowjones.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Copyright ? 2013 Dow Jones Newswires

Source: http://feeds.foxbusiness.com/~r/foxbusiness/technology/~3/5UzlsP_s7Dk/

kevin costner whitney houston whitney houston funeral live pat buchanan slither slither naacp glen campbell

Say Goodbye To In-Person Consultations, Avvo Debuts ?Marketplace? To Let You Price Lawyer Fees Online

It's a given that if you get yourself into a big mess -- say, a major accident or a big financial pickle -- you're probably going to hire a lawyer. But if you are going through something a bit more routine, such as a traffic ticket or a relatively peaceful divorce, you may hesitate to seek out legal advice, afraid that it will cost more than it's worth. After all, even seeking out the right lawyer for the job and finding out how much their services would cost could take up a lot of time; and we all know that time is money. Avvo, the Seattle-based company that brings legal reviews and Q&A online, has launched a new tool to make seeking out just that information much more accessible. It's called "Marketplace," and it essentially lets you research attorneys for your specific case and receive free proposals from potential legal representatives including details on price and approach. In the beginning, Marketplace, which launched this past week, is aimed initially only at the traffic ticket and divorce markets, with other segments to launch in the future.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/I8yyvWtjPQg/

how to tie a tie sweet potato recipes the sound of music celebration church new york auto show 2012 tulsa easter eggs

Schilling's bloody sock from WS goes for $92,613

NEW YORK (AP) ? A bloody sock worn by Curt Schilling while pitching for the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the 2004 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals was sold for $92,613 at a live auction on Saturday night at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion.

Schilling had loaned his sock to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum but when his Rhode Island-based video game company "38 Studios" went bankrupt, he decided to sell the sock that was bloodied as he pitched on an injured ankle.

Bidding began at $25,000 several weeks ago. Texas-based Heritage Auctions anticipated it would get more than $100,000.

An anonymous bidder submitted the winning bid.

"It's a one of a kind item, so it's really tough to gauge what kind of interest you're going to get," Chris Ivy, director of Sports Auctions for Heritage Auctions said. "Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle where a piece will take off like the Buckner ball. This particular time, it's the first time we sold a sock with blood on it so it's very hard to gauge what kind of final number it's going to end up."

Schilling helped end Boston's 86-year championship drought ? the "Curse of the Bambino" ? by pitching on an ankle that had been sutured more than once through the postseason. Pitching with a damaged tendon resulted in bleeding through the sock. Still, Schilling allowed only a run in six innings.

The right-hander made $114 million over an 18-year career with Baltimore, Houston, Philadelphia, Arizona and Boston but defaulted on loan payments to the state of Rhode Island.

Schilling's company was lured away from Massachusetts to Providence after Rhode Island's economic development agency in 2010 approved a $75 million loan guarantee. The company ran out of money less than two years later and filed for bankruptcy. Rhode Island is facing a tab of approximately $100 million related to the deal, including interest, and the agency is suing Schilling and others, saying it was misled.

Even with the large sale price, Rhode Island is not getting the proceeds from the sale. Schilling listed the sock as bank collateral in a filing in Massachusetts after investing roughly $50 million in the company and losing all his baseball earnings.

The sock up for sale was actually the second of two. The more famous one was stained when Schilling pitched through an ankle injury during Game 6 of the 2004 AL championship series against the New York Yankees; that sock is said to have been discarded at Yankee Stadium.

Schilling's sock was the second notable piece of Red Sox memorabilia to be auctioned off in the last year. The ball that went through Bill Buckner's legs in Game Six of the 1986 World Series was projected to sell for $100,000 but fetched $418,000.

The other marquee part of the auction was several 1980 Winter Olympic items from Mike Eruzione, who scored the game-winning goal for the US Hockey team to the "Miracle on Ice" against Russia 33 years ago Friday. The team won the gold medal by beating Finland.

He was selling nearly everything except for his actual gold medal.

Besides the No. 21 jersey Eruzione wore when he scored the game-winning goal in the comeback victory over the Soviet Union, he sold his stick, the jersey from the "Miracle on Ice" game, his hockey pants, his hockey gloves and the sweatsuit worn at the gold medal ceremony.

The items were sitting in Eruzione's hockey bag for most of the last 33 years, but his stick went for $262,900 while his jerseys went for $657,250 and $286,800 respectively.

"It was fun, obviously I don't know what's going to happen in something like this," Eruzione said. "It's exciting and I'm happy that a few people enjoy it and display it properly."

Ivy said that Eruzione was interested in selling his memorabilia after seeing the jersey that Paul Henderson wore for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against Russia sell for over $1.2 million dollars last year.

Eruzione said that proceeds will be used to help his family and his charitable endeavors.

Other noteworthy New York Yankee and Red Sox items, included a $1,150 signing bonus endorsed by a 17-year-old Mickey Mantle that sold for $286,800 and two checks related to the purchase of Babe Ruth, which went for $95,600.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/schillings-bloody-sock-ws-goes-92-613-034641871--mlb.html

earth day 2012 jon jones rashad evans ufc jones vs evans watergate mlb pregnant man outside lands 2012 lineup

Suge Knight: Wanted After Court No-Show!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/suge-knight-wanted-after-court-no-show/

Paige Butcher David Petraeus Petraeus Mia Love wall street journal us map Electoral Map

See the Chic Maternity Fashions Jamie-Lynn Sigler Scored at Calypso

On Feb. 19, Jamie-Lynn Sigler spent time at her fave store Calypso St. Barth in Los Angeles stocking up on maternity essentials.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/2voONHJy8KM/

anencephaly tesla model x lou gehrig toby mac blue ivy carter photos purple squirrel blade runner

Oscars Red Carpet: Past Fashion Fails! PHOTOS

Oscars fashion is always a hot topic, good or bad, people like to gab. This week I am bringing you Oscars Red Carpet photos ? the fashion fail edition from previous years! I also want to hear your thoughts on who is going to make headlines for bad fashion choices – Jennifer Lawrence anyone?   Of course there have been many fashion mishaps on the red carpet over the years, but some are just so bad, we must relive them again. I have a few of my favorite fashion fails from the Academy Awards! At last years Academy Awards, Jennifer stepped out in a Zuhair Murad dress which hugged her curvy figure and was almost breath taking. But the holes in the sleeves took it to that “Jersey Shore” club wear type thing and it just didn’t fly. Other wise, she would have been stunning! Let?s start off with Zooey Deschanel. Her 2005 Oscar dress was a pale 30?s inspired curtain looking thing. In 2006 Naomi Watts’ rocked a beige colored Givenchy gown covered in tulle gown. Back then it was called a “shredded catastrophe” and looking like it “was glued together by a three-year-old”. Yikes. Also in 2006, Charlize [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/0VGNIoBKJrc/

morgellons disease arik armstead sag awards red carpet torrey pines nhl all star game 2012 pollyanna samuel adams

McCarthy's 'Identity Thief' tops box office again

FILE -This undated publicity file image released by Universal Pictures shows Jason Bateman, left, and Melissa McCarthy in a scene from, "Identity Thief." As of Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, ?Identity Thief?, with a cumulative total of $93.7 million viewers, is the biggest hit so far in 2013. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

FILE -This undated publicity file image released by Universal Pictures shows Jason Bateman, left, and Melissa McCarthy in a scene from, "Identity Thief." As of Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, ?Identity Thief?, with a cumulative total of $93.7 million viewers, is the biggest hit so far in 2013. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Hollywood's latest films performed tepidly at the box-office on Oscar weekend, with Melissa McCarthy's "Identity Thief" returning to the top spot in its third week of release.

The Universal comedy earned $14.1 million on the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, enough to regain the box-office title after losing it last week to 20th Century Fox's "A Good Day to Die Hard." The Bruce Willis action sequel faded domestically, but not overseas, where it took in $35.7 million.

With a cumulative total of $93.7 million, "Identity Thief" is the biggest hit so far in 2013. Though the film has been badly reviewed by critics, the road trip duo of McCarthy and Jason Bateman has proved popular at the multiplexes, where no other comedy has been around to challenge it.

More than anything, "Identity Thief" has proven the stardom of McCarthy, following her breakout performance in "Bridesmaids."

"The holding power of a film always gives you an idea of the strength of its concept or its star," said Nikki Rocco, Universal head of distribution. "In this case, it's both."

With the industry gathering for the Oscars on Sunday, it's always a weekend where moviegoers' attention goes more to the Academy Awards than the movie theater. For the fifth week in a row, the box office was down as compared to last year's business

One of the two new films in wide release, Lionsgate's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson action film, "Snitch," opened with $13 million. That was a decent but not strong showing for "Snitch" in a year where action films have largely fared poorly.

Though "A God Day to Die Hard," the fourth film in the franchise, led the box office last week, it slid 60 percent in its second week to $10 million. But it continued to dominate internationally, bringing it to a three-week worldwide total to $184.8 million. (It opened a week earlier in some countries.)

Earlier action films from Arnold Schwarzenegger ("The Last Stand"), Jason Statham ("Parker") and Sylvester Stallone ("Bullet to the Head") performed far worse.

The other new wide release was the Weinstein Co.'s "Dark Skies," a PG-13 horror film starring Keri Russell. It debuted with $8.9 million.

The down weekend was unlikely to dampen the Oscar celebration. The nine best picture nominees have largely fared well at the box office. This weekend, eight of them are in the top 21 films.

For the first time since the category's number of nominees was extended in 2009, six of the nominees grossed more than $100 million domestically: "Argo," ''Lincoln," ''Les Miserables," ''Silver Linings Playbook," ''Django Unchained" and "Life of Pi." ''Zero Dark Thirty" missed narrowly with $91.6 million going into the Oscars.

"It's one of the best performing groups of nominees I've ever seen," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "Great night for Hollywood, tough day at the box office."

A box-office bump could follow for Sunday's big winners, though any benefit might be better found overseas, where some of the films are still expanding. The best picture favorite, Ben Affleck's Iran rescue thriller "Argo," is already out on DVD in North America.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Identity Thief," $14 million, ($170,000 international).

2. "Snitch," $13 million.

3. "Escape From Planet Earth," $11 million.

4. "Safe Haven," $10.6 million, ($1.4 million international).

5. "A Good Day to Die Hard," $10 million, ($35.7 million international).

6. "Dark Skies," $8.9 million.

7. "Silver Linings Playbook," $6.1 million, ($5 million international).

8. "Warm Bodies," $4.8 million, ($2.5 million international).

9. "Side Effects," $3.6 million.

10. "Beautiful Creatures," $3.4 million, ($4 million international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "A Good Day to Die Hard," $35.7 million.

2. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $18.6 million.

3. "Les Miserables," $9.3 million.

4. "Django Unchained," $8.5 million.

5. "Wreck-It Ralph," $8 million.

6. "New World," $7 million.

7. "Miracles in Cell No. 7," $6.2 million.

8. "Mama," $5.5 million.

9. "Flight," $5.1 million.

10. "Lincoln," $5 million.

(tie) "Silver Linings Playbook," $5 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-24-Box%20Office/id-b9ae344d26804eafb48758770c41ce61

patriots vs giants super bowl superbowl halftime show jason wu for target underwood buffalo wings superbowl kick off time 2012 new york giants

Boba Tea, Milk Teas, Taiwanese, Bobalife, Bubble, Fung Brothers ...

I have admittedly not been a huge fan of boba tea in the past. In fact, I kind of don?t like tea in general (I know, I know, it?s amazing, yadda yadda). I do drink it, though, because it?s a much healthier alternative to most flavored drinks. Nevertheless, I have always had an aversion to boba tea until very recently when I went to Tea Chai Te here in Portland. There, I found out you can actually get flavors of the boba beads that are super fruity and a little tart; as a result, I am now completely obsessed. If only I?d listened to my friends who have been raving about boba for ages, much like the comedy duo Fung Brothers,?whose parody video ?Bobalife? is both hilarious as well as a rather accurate depiction of how enamoring boba tea actually is.

The video also features?Kevin Lien,?Priscilla Liang and?Aileen Xu, according to Channel Apa, all singing to the tune of Carly Rae Jepson?s ?Good Time? and eventually to what my limited radio knowledge thinks is ?Faded? by Tyga. The boba team touts the benefits and wonders of this Taiwanese drink, which are actually pretty awesome. You can get boba milk green tea and get all that fantastic stuff we regularly talk about here at Blisstree.

While I realize bubble tea is incredibly popular, I don?t think I?d ever given it quite this much thought before, but now I have a feeling I?ll be thinking about my boobs every time I drink it. Thanks, Fung Brothers! But seriously:?I suggest not drinking while watching this video, as you will probably spray liquid (and tapioca beads, perchance) all over your computer screen. Without further ado, I present you with ?Bobalife?:

[via?Huffington Post]

Source: http://www.blisstree.com/2013/02/24/food/boba-tea/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=boba-tea

Ron Palillo Chad Johnson Twitter Helen Gurley Brown Kathi Goertzen Johnny Pesky spice girls justin theroux

Newest Drone Base Signals American Military Escalation in Africa

In a letter yesterday, President Obama informed Congress that 40 troops, mostly Air Force logistics specialists, have been sent to Niger to establish a new drone base that will run surveillance in west Africa. The drones will support the French-led efforts against extremists in Mali, and is the latest maneuver in a steady US military build-up on the continent.

The New York Times spoke with the spokesman for America's African Command, which was formed in 2008 and has embarked on an unprecedented amount of US military activities on the African continent,

"Africa Command has positioned unarmed remotely piloted aircraft in Niger to support a range of regional security missions and engagements with partner nations," Benjamin Benson, a command spokesman in Stuttgart, Germany, said in an e-mail message on Friday.

Niger signed a "status-of-forces" agreement last month that paved the way for greater American involvement inside of the large, poor strategically-located African country. However, while they might start as strictly surveillance, African Command has left the door open for more deadly use of the drones:

For now, American officials said, Predator drones will be unarmed and will fly only on surveillance missions, although they have not ruled out conducting missile strikes at some point if the threat worsens.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gawker/full/~3/2dOiRqQX_II/newest-drone-base-signals-american-military-escalation-in-africa

supercross christina aguilera etta james funeral sundance film festival the flintstones etta james ufc on fox evans vs davis

Travel & Leisure Blog&#39;s: Use This Advice For A Great Camping Trip

Many people like the experience of camping outdoors. The best way to maximize any camping excursion is to arm yourself with knowledge of the most useful tips and tricks. By taking time to learn from the advice below, your upcoming trip can become the best trip you've ever had.

Master a map and a compass before heading out for your trip. It is still possible to get lost at the camp grounds even though you have already been there, because campsites look similar. You can avoid a possible disaster by becoming knowledgeable about using these items that can save your life.

Buy a sleeping bag which will suit the weather you will be in. If you bring a sub-zero sleeping bag to go camping in mid-summer, you might find that you are sweating all night long. Also, during the winter, you should bring a sleeping bag that has down or heavy material. You might develop hypothermia.

Try to arrange all of your clothing in advance before you go on a camping trip. Make sure you pack enough appropriate clothing for the duration and activity planned for your outing. It's imperative that you have clothing on hand that is right for the weather in the location you will be camping in. Even if you don't plan to do any hiking, you should wear study shoes or boots meant for hiking, in case your vehicle breaks down or you get lost.

Set up camp before the sun goes down. It's hard and frustrating to set up a tent in the dark. If you wait until dark to pitch your tent, you will need to build a fire or light several lanterns to ensure you can see to pitch your tent correctly. It is basically easier to get your campsite set up before it gets dark and you are not fumbling around in the dark.

If you go out camping with kids, have a photo of them on hand. If you lose them at some point, a picture will be very helpful to local authorities. Always have one on you for emergencies.

As silly as it may seem, be sure to pack toilet paper with you on your camping trip. If there are no toilets at your campsite, you will need to use the bathroom outside. Using leaves to clean off is not a good idea because there may be some poison ivy mixed in.

It may sound obvious, but the great outdoors is not yours to do with as you want. You should never litter or damage anything you find at your campsite. Look to leave your site just like you found it. This preserves the land for your next trip and future generations.

Make sure to watch your children very closely. Cars constantly come and go at campsites, and kids can quickly lose their way in the woods. It doesn't take more than a minute for something unexpected to happen.

Practice packing and unpacking multiple times before embarking for long trips. Not only will you find the most space saving spots for all your items, you may also discover something important you forgot!

Be certain you have everything you will need before embarking on your adventure. You do not want to forget essential items. Use a check list that you can use to double check, to be sure that you have everything before you leave home.

What poisonous plants are in your area? Poisonous plants sometimes resemble regular harmless plants, so you have to know what to look for. Search the Internet for information on these plants for your safety. This will allow you to avoid these plants.

Take along a specialized pillow or two for camping. Don't bring the pillows you use in your bedroom. These pillows can trap heat during humid weather. Those big pillows can also mildew, because they absorbs moisture. Pillows made especially for camping have a protective outer layer that prohibits moisture absorption.

At the end of your camping outing, try to leave the site cleaner than you found it. You will want to bring trash bags for cleaning up all refuse. Don't forget to pack up your leftovers. A good rule of thumb is to only leave your footprints behind.

If you enjoy the great outdoors and becoming one with nature, then you likely enjoy camping, in general. In order to obtain the necessary foundation for planning great camping trips, a bit of research is in order. Use the tips provided here on your next great camping escape.

Source: http://travel-leisure-blogs.blogspot.com/2013/02/use-this-advice-for-great-camping-trip.html

taylor swift safe and sound delilah nevis 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery valentines day cards hallmark