বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৮ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩

Palo Alto Networks results beats Street, 3rd quarter goal in line

(Reuters) - Security software maker Palo Alto Networks reported second-quarter revenue and earnings per share that beat expectations amid strong demand for products that offer protection from cyberattacks.

Revenue in its second quarter, that ended January 31, rose 70 percent to $96.5 million compared with a year earlier, the company said on Thursday.

Non-GAAP earnings were $3.9 million, or 5 cents a share.

Analysts had expected revenue of $93.3 million and earnings per share of 4 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

In the current quarter it expects revenue in a range of $100 million to $104 million with earnings per share of around 5 cents, the company said.

Analysts said the company showed strong numbers and that the third quarter was in line with expectations.

"They were in line with the Street on guidance but some investors may have hoped for more," FBR Capital Markets analyst Daniel Ives.

"They continue to benefit from strong secular tailwinds," he said, adding that "spending is strong on the federal side due to the number of cyberattacks and I don't see that train slowing down."

Palo Alto Networks stock was down 4 percent at $58.70 in after hours trading. The shares closed up at $61.13 on Thursday.

(Reporting By Nicola Leske; editing by Carol Bishopric)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/palo-alto-networks-results-beats-street-220801130--finance.html

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Burundi tea earnings fall 12.3 pct in January on low volumes

BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Burundi's tea export earnings fell 12.3 percent in January compared with the same period last year, due to a drop in sales volume, a tea board official said on Wednesday.

The commodity is the country's second-largest hard currency earner after coffee and employs some 300,000 smallholder farmers in a nation of over 8 million people.

The country's state-run tea board (OTB) said it collected $2.20 million from the export of 712,736 kg, down from $2.51 million earned in 2012 from the selling of 934,361 kg.

"Buyers were reluctant (and are) waiting to see the direction of the market as it is just the beginning of the year," said OTB's export official, Remy Ndayininahaze.

"This affected revenues," he told Reuters.

Landlocked Burundi exports 80 percent of its tea through a regional weekly auction held in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.

OTB said despite worries over next week's Kenyan presidential election, trucks continue to carry tea to the Mombasa port. During the last Kenyan poll key trade routes in east Africa were blocked for several weeks as the post-election violence disrupted trade.

Prices at the regional market were stronger because the year/year export average price per kg for Burundi's tea climbed to $3.10 against $2.69 last year.

Tea export revenues rose sharply to $26.3 million in 2012 from $22.2 million in 2011.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/burundi-tea-earnings-fall-12-3-pct-january-095241347--sector.html

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WHO: Small cancer risk after Fukushima accident

FILE - In this April 16, 2011 file photo, Wakana Nemoto, 3, standing next to her mother Naoko, receives a radiation exposure screening outside an evacuation center in Fukushima, northeastern Japan. People exposed to the highest doses of radiation during the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011 may have a slightly higher risk of cancer that is so small it probably won?t even be detectable, according to a new report from the World Health Organization released on Thursday Feb. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

FILE - In this April 16, 2011 file photo, Wakana Nemoto, 3, standing next to her mother Naoko, receives a radiation exposure screening outside an evacuation center in Fukushima, northeastern Japan. People exposed to the highest doses of radiation during the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011 may have a slightly higher risk of cancer that is so small it probably won?t even be detectable, according to a new report from the World Health Organization released on Thursday Feb. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

FILE - In this April 7, 2011 file photo, Japanese police, wearing suits to protect them from radiation, search for victims inside the deserted evacuation zone, established for the 20 kilometer radius around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors, in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan. People exposed to the highest doses of radiation during the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011 may have a slightly higher risk of cancer that is so small it probably won?t even be detectable, according to a new report from the World Health Organization released on Thursday Feb. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, File)

LONDON (AP) ? People exposed to the highest doses of radiation during Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011 may have a slightly higher risk of cancer but one so small it probably won't be detectable, the World Health Organization said in a report released Thursday.

A group of experts convened by the agency assessed the risk of various cancers based on estimates of how much radiation people at the epicenter of the nuclear disaster received, namely those directly under the plumes of radiation in the most affected communities in Fukushima, a rural agricultural area about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Tokyo.

Some 110,000 people living around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant were evacuated after the massive March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami knocked out the plant's power and cooling systems, causing meltdowns in three reactors and spewing radiation into the surrounding air, soil and water.

Experts calculated that people in the most affected regions had an additional 4 to 7 percent overall risk of developing cancers, including leukemia and breast cancer. In Japan, men have about a 41 percent lifetime risk of developing cancer of an organ, while a woman's lifetime risk is about 29 percent. For those most hit by the radiation after Fukushima, their chances of cancer would rise by about 1 percent.

"These are pretty small proportional increases," said Richard Wakeford of the University of Manchester, one of the authors of the report.

"The additional risk is quite small and will probably be hidden by the noise of other (cancer) risks like people's lifestyle choices and statistical fluctuations," he said. "It's more important not to start smoking than having been in Fukushima."

Experts had been particularly worried about a spike in thyroid cancer, since iodine released in nuclear accidents is absorbed by the thyroid, especially in children. After the Chernobyl disaster, about 6,000 children exposed to radiation later developed thyroid cancer because many drank contaminated milk after the accident.

In Japan, dairy radiation levels were closely monitored, but children are not big milk drinkers there.

WHO estimated that women exposed as infants to the most radiation after the Fukushima accident would have a 70 percent higher chance of getting thyroid cancer in their lifetimes. But thyroid cancer is extremely rare and the normal lifetime risk of developing it is about 0.75 percent. That lifetime risk would be 0.5 percent higher for those women who got the highest radiation doses as babies.

Wakeford said the increase in such cancers may be so small it will probably not be observable.

For people beyond the most directly affected areas of Fukushima, Wakeford said the projected risk from the radiation dropped dramatically. "The risks to everyone else were just infinitesimal."

Some experts said it was surprising that any increase in cancer was even predicted and believe that the low-dose radiation people in Fukushima received hasn't been proven to raise the chances of cancer.

"On the basis of the radiation doses people have received, there is no reason to think there would be an increase in cancer in the next 50 years," said Wade Allison, an emeritus professor of physics at Oxford University, who was not connected to the WHO report. "The very small increase in cancers means that it's even less than the risk of crossing the road," he said.

Gerry Thomas, a professor of molecular pathology at Imperial College London, accused the WHO of hyping the cancer risk.

"It's understandable that WHO wants to err on the side of caution, but telling the Japanese about a barely significant personal risk may not be helpful," she said.

Thomas said the WHO report used inflated estimates of radiation doses and didn't properly take into account Japan's quick evacuation of people from Fukushima.

"This will fuel fears in Japan that could be more dangerous than the physical effects of radiation," she said, noting that people living under stress have higher rates of heart problems, suicide and mental illness.

___

Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-02-28-EU-MED-Japan-Radiation/id-7e017d38caca4d40b7051f2f3f584181

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Pacific Hospitality Group Announces the Launch of Meritage ...

Pacific Hospitality Group has announced its latest venture for their expanding company. The newly formed Meritage Collection, gives PHG the distinction of being the only operator to provide AAA Four Diamond properties in Napa, Newport Beach, Santa Barbara, and La Jolla, four of California?s most desirable travel destinations. Each of the Meritage Collection?s hotels and resorts reflects the intention to deliver upscale, one-of-a-kind, elevated experiences in outstanding settings.

Also included in the collection is Napa Valley?s Trinitas Cellars. Trinitas provides a wide of variety of California-style wines including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and their signature Meritage blend.

?We are committed to the collective success of these wonderful properties,? said Timothy Busch, founder and chief executive officer of Pacific Hospitality Group. ?Each property in the Meritage Collection is connected through its pledge to high quality culinary, fitness, spa, and cultural programs, along with attentive service, and a dedication to a sustainable and responsible environment. At all our hotels and resorts, we will deliver exceptional experiences for both the business and leisure traveler.?

The Meritage Collection features 1,044?guest rooms and suites to appeal to both the leisure traveler and group attendee.

Meritage Collection, www.meritagecollection.com

Source: http://travelworldnews.com/2013/02/27/pacific-hospitality-group-announces-the-launch-of-meritage-collection-with-four-california-hotels-and-resorts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pacific-hospitality-group-announces-the-launch-of-meritage-collection-with-four-california-hotels-and-resorts

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Knicks overcome Curry's 54 to beat Warriors

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Golden State Warriors' Mark Jackson calls out to his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Tyson Chandler (6) dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Knicks' Tyson Chandler, top, shoots over Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

(AP) ? Stephen Curry rose for another jumper, and by then even the Knicks probably figured it would go in.

Curry had hardly missed in a scintillating second half of the NBA's most electric performance this season, the crowd cheering even before the ball left his hands.

This time, Raymond Felton jumped with him, making the play New York needed to finally withstand Curry.

Felton's blocked shot led to J.R. Smith's tiebreaking basket with 1:10 left, and the Knicks overcame Curry's NBA season-high 54 points to beat the Golden State Warriors 109-105 on Wednesday night.

Curry was 18 of 28 from the field, finishing one shy of the NBA record with 11 3-pointers in 13 attempts, in a performance that had the crowd hanging on his every shot. But the Knicks and Felton finally stopped him with 1:28 to play and the score tied at 105.

"My main thing is to keep playing. Like I said, once a guy gets it going like that, there's nothing I can really do. I've still got to stay in my mindset, still play my game, and I was still able to come up with some big plays at the end," Felton said. "We all came up with some big plays to get that win."

Carmelo Anthony followed Smith's basket with another one and the Knicks hung on to spoil former Knicks star and Warriors coach Mark Jackson's homecoming.

Anthony finished with 35 points and Smith had 26.

"We made the defensive stops we needed to make down the stretch," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said.

Playing all 48 minutes, Curry finished with seven assists and six rebounds while passing his previous career best of 42 points, and Kevin Durant's 52-point performance that had been the best in the NBA this season.

"I felt good all night. Obviously played the whole game, so was just trying to keep my legs underneath me on the offensive end, and you know, just stick to the game on the defensive end," Curry said. "Once I started seeing that 3-ball go down in transition, all sorts of spots on the floor, I knew it was going to be a good night."

But he had little help without All-Star forward David Lee, who was suspended one game for his role in an altercation Tuesday night in Indiana.

Tyson Chandler had 16 points and a career-best 28 rebounds for the Knicks, who won their second straight after a season-high, four-game losing streak. Amare Stoudemire had 14 points and Anthony added eight assists on the day the Knicks learned they could be without reserve forward Rasheed Wallace for the rest of the season because he needs surgery to repair a broken bone in his left foot.

Strutting all over the court whenever one of his 3s swished easily through the nets, Curry easily blew past the 38 points he scored Tuesday in Indiana, which had been his best of the season. That was spoiled when he was fined $35,000 for his role in the skirmish, which was essentially getting thrown to the ground by Roy Hibbert when he tried to intervene.

This performance ? the most points by an NBA player in a loss since Kobe Bryant had 58 in a loss to Charlotte on Dec. 29, 2006 ? was spoiled along with Jackson's trip back to his old home because of a few mistakes down the stretch.

Curry threw away a pass on the break with 3:13 left, and Jarrett Jack was called for a travel following Smith's go-ahead basket.

Plus, Klay Thompson finished 3 of 13 from the field, missing two straight from deep in the final minute.

Jackson, who grew up in Brooklyn and starred at St. John's before being drafted by the Knicks in 1987, didn't get a chance to coach here last season as an NBA rookie on the bench because of the lockout. He brought his wife, Desiree, to a road game for the first time this season, had his mother in the stands, and got a chance to see people he remembered from playing here years earlier.

He said he hadn't gotten to look ahead much to the game because of the schedule, but clearly enjoyed being back in Madison Square Garden once the day did arrive.

"This is a special place and it was part of my dreams as a kid," he said.

His night turned into Curry's, fans cheering even before the ball left his hand in the second half.

"We were short-handed and we needed a performance like that to have a chance," Jackson said. "He put on a clinic. Knocked down shots. Made plays. Carried us. Led us in rebounding. He did it all. I've seen a lot of great performances in this building and his goes up there. I've seen a lot. I've seen a lot, but that shooting performance was a thing of beauty."

The Knicks, who hadn't played since Sunday, looked ready to blow the Warriors out early, taking a 25-11 lead that the Warriors trimmed to 27-18 at the end of the first period before surging ahead behind Curry.

He scored 12 straight Golden State points, cutting it to 35-34 with his third 3-pointer of the second quarter. He followed Richard Jefferson's 3 with another one, giving the Warriors a 40-37 advantage. The Knicks recovered and went back ahead by nine late in the period before Curry answered with six consecutive points, and New York's lead was 58-55 at the break.

"He's a special young player with a very unique talent," Chandler said. "We ran everything at him. He just got hot. There was some shots that he couldn't have seen the rim."

Curry's drive gave the Warriors a two-point lead three minutes into the third quarter, but he didn't score again until hitting a turnaround 3 from 27 feet with 5 seconds left in the period, giving him 38 points again and cutting New York's lead to 84-81.

Already without Andrew Bogut because of a back injury, the Warriors had little size without Lee. Their lineup at one point in the second quarter had nobody taller than 6-foot-9 and Chandler simply climbed over them all night.

He came in leading the league with 4.4 offensive rebounds per game, and grabbed 13 boards in the first quarter alone.

Notes: Chandler was also the last NBA player to grab 13 rebounds in one quarter, hauling in 14 in the third quarter for Dallas on Dec. 1, 2010. ... Wallace, who hasn't played since December, will have surgery this week and the expected recovery time is eight weeks. Woodson said he didn't plan to waive the 38-year-old forward and create a roster spot, instead hoping he could be able to play in the postseason. ... Kenyon Martin, signed last week in part because of the uncertainty around Wallace, made his Knicks debut and was scoreless in 5 first-half minutes.

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-28-Warriors-Knicks/id-0191163411d54a1f955ab6278fba8b6c

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Law Would Force Patent Trolls To Pay For Failed Lawsuits Against ...

America?s esteemed lawmakers want heavy penalties for those who abuse the patent system. A bipartisan bill has been proposed to force so-called patent trolls, those who hoard patents for the sole purpose of suing innovators, to pay the legal costs if their frivolous patent lawsuits fail in court. The Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes (SHIELD) Act has been widely praised by major tech companies and acronym enthusiasts.

?Patent trolls add no economic benefit to our nation,? said co-sponsor Representative Jason Chaffetz (CrunchGov Grade: A). Indeed, one study found that trolling activity accounts for 61 percent of all patent disputes.

Penalties for patent trolls have support from two influential people in the government: President Obama and the new chair of the House Judiciary Committee. During a Google+ hangout earlier this month, Obama said, ?They don?t actually produce anything themselves. They?re just trying to essentially leverage and hijack someone else?s idea to see if they can extort some money out of them.?

Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (CrunchGov Grade: C), who helps set the congressional technology agenda, said he wants ?to focus on reforms to discourage frivolous patent litigation and keep U.S. patent laws up to date.?

In a refutation op-ed for The Hill, CEO of General Patent Corporation, Alexander Poltorak, argued that supporters of the SHIELD Act overestimate the number of frivolous lawsuits against software patent holders and claimed it was designed to ?intimidate patent owners whose IP rights are routinely infringed by corporate bullies.?

The updated version of the SHIELD Act will expand the provisions from tech firms to all industries.

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/27/law-would-force-patent-trolls-to-pay-for-failed-lawsuits-against-innovators/

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Silver nanoparticles may adversely affect environment

Feb. 27, 2013 ? In experiments mimicking a natural environment, Duke University researchers have demonstrated that the silver nanoparticles used in many consumer products can have an adverse effect on plants and microorganisms.

Fifty days after scientists applied a single low dose of silver nanoparticles, the experimental environments produced about a third less biomass in some plants and microbes.

These preliminary findings are important, the researchers said, because little is known about the environmental effects of silver nanoparticles, which are found in textiles, clothing, children's toys and pacifiers, disinfectants and toothpaste.

"No one really knows what the effects of these particles are in the environment," said Benjamin Colman, a post-doctoral fellow in Duke's biology department and a member of the Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEINT).

"We're trying to come up with the data that can be used to help regulators determine the risks to the environment from silver nanoparticle exposures," Colman said.

Previous studies have involved high concentrations of the nanoparticles in a laboratory setting, which the researchers point out, doesn't represent "real-world" conditions.

"Results from laboratory studies are difficult to extrapolate to ecosystems, where exposures likely will be at low concentrations and there is a diversity of organisms," Colman said.

Silver nanoparticles are used in consumer products because they can kill bacteria, inhibiting unwanted odors. They work through a variety of mechanisms, including generating free radicals of oxygen which can cause DNA damage to microbial membranes without harming human cells.

The main route by which these particles enter the environment is as a by-product of sewage treatment plants. The nanoparticles are too small to be filtered out, so they and other materials end up in the resulting wastewater treatment "sludge," which is then spread on the land surface as a fertilizer.

For their studies, the researchers created mesocosms, which are small, human-made structures containing different plants and microorganisms meant to represent the environment. They applied sludge with low doses of silver nanoparticles in some of the mesocosms, then compared plants and microorganisms from treated and untreated mesocosms after 50 days.

The study appeared online Feb. 27 in the journal PLOS One.

The researchers found that one of the plants studied, a common annual grass known as Microstegium vimeneum, had 32 percent less biomass in the mesocosms treated with the nanoparticles. Microbes were also affected by the nanoparticles, Colman said. One enzyme associated with helping microbes deal with external stresses was 52 percent less active, while another enzyme that helps regulate processes within the cell was 27 percent less active. The overall biomass of the microbes was also 35 percent lower, he said.

"Our field studies show adverse responses of plants and microorganisms following a single low dose of silver nanoparticles applied by a sewage biosolid," Colman said. "An estimated 60 percent of the average 5.6 million tons of biosolids produced each year is applied to the land for various reasons, and this practice represents an important and understudied route of exposure of natural ecosystems to engineered nanoparticles."

"Our results show that silver nanoparticles in the biosolids, added at concentrations that would be expected, caused ecosystem-level impacts," Colman said. "Specifically, the nanoparticles led to an increase in nitrous oxide fluxes, changes in microbial community composition, biomass, and extracellular enzyme activity, as well as species-specific effects on the above-ground vegetation."

The researchers plan to continue to study longer-term effects of silver nanoparticles and to examine another ubiquitous nanoparticle -- titanium dioxide.

CEINT's research is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Duke University. The original article was written by Richard Merritt.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Benjamin P. Colman, Christina L. Arnaout, Sarah Anciaux, Claudia K. Gunsch, Michael F. Hochella, Bojeong Kim, Gregory V. Lowry, Bonnie M. McGill, Brian C. Reinsch, Curtis J. Richardson, Jason M. Unrine, Justin P. Wright, Liyan Yin, Emily S. Bernhardt. Low Concentrations of Silver Nanoparticles in Biosolids Cause Adverse Ecosystem Responses under Realistic Field Scenario. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (2): e57189 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057189

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/EctQTz5Sylw/130227183528.htm

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Day care: Grandma of boys found dead seemed fine

This photo released by the Connecticut State Police during an Amber Alert Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, shows Alton Dennison, 6, left, and Ashton Denison, 2 months old, right, who were taken from their daycare by their grandmother Tuesday afternoon. State police said the bodies of Ashton and Alton Perry and their grandmother, Debra Denison, 47, were found dead Tuesday night in Preston, Conn. Connecticut state police are calling the shooting deaths a double murder-suicide and say she had permission to pick them up from their daycare. (AP Photo/Connecticut State Police)

This photo released by the Connecticut State Police during an Amber Alert Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, shows Alton Dennison, 6, left, and Ashton Denison, 2 months old, right, who were taken from their daycare by their grandmother Tuesday afternoon. State police said the bodies of Ashton and Alton Perry and their grandmother, Debra Denison, 47, were found dead Tuesday night in Preston, Conn. Connecticut state police are calling the shooting deaths a double murder-suicide and say she had permission to pick them up from their daycare. (AP Photo/Connecticut State Police)

This photo [provided by the Connecticut State Police during an Amber Alert Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, shows Debra Denison, 47, who was being sought after taking grandsons Alton and Ashton Denison from their daycare Tuesday afternoon. State police said the bodies of all three were found Tuesday night in Preston, Conn. Connecticut state police are calling the shooting deaths a double murder-suicide and say Denison had permission to pick them up from their daycare. (AP Photo/Connecticut State Police)

This Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 photo shows the state boat launch at the end of Lake of Isles Road in Preston, Conn. State police said the bodies of 6-month-old Ashton and 2-year-old Alton Perry and their grandmother, Debra Denison, 47, were found Tuesday night in Denison's van at the boat launch. State police called the deaths a double murder-suicide Wednesday, saying they believe Denison shot the boys and herself. (AP Photo/The Day, Sean D. Elliot) MANDATORY CREDIT: THE DAY/SEAN D. ELLIOT

(AP) ? Debra Denison chatted with day care workers as they helped load her two grandsons into her van.

It had been a day full of smiles and cupcakes for 2-year-old Alton Perry, who was celebrating his birthday, and nothing seemed amiss, said Nikki Salaun, the director of the Kidds & Co. day care.

But instead of taking the children home as planned, Denison vanished Tuesday and left behind a suicide note. After a frantic search, she and her grandsons, 2-year-old Alton Perry and 6-month-old Ashton Perry, were found shot to death in an apparent murder-suicide.

"We've all gone over it in our heads," Salaun said. "Did she say something that we could have picked up on? But no, there was nothing alarming."

Relatives said Denison had struggled with mental health problems, but family and friends were left struggling to understand what could have prompted the violence.

"She would go along and have seasons where everything was A-OK, and other times when she would be depressed, running to the doctor and getting prescriptions," said Marcia White, a paternal great-grandmother of the slain boys. "She seemed to be doing well."

The boys' parents told WVIT-TV that Denison had split personalities and family members told WFSB-TV that she had bipolar disorder.

The bodies of 47-year-old Denison and the boys were found in a car parked near Lake of Isles in Preston, in the southeastern corner of Connecticut, a town over from the boys' day care center in North Stonington.

Denison had been to the day care before and was on a list of people authorized to pick up the children.

Denison's daughter, Brenda Perry, the boys' mother, had worked at the center several years ago. She now works at a local school and her husband, Jeremy, was a landscaper, Salaun said.

Salaun and day care center co-owner Christine Hare had attended Perry's baby showers and weren't surprised when she enrolled her boys there in October.

"Those boys were her world," Saloun said. "She coveted her family. Those boys were everything."

Alton, with his piercing blue eyes, was always smiling behind his ever-present pacifier, Hare said. He was nicknamed "the greeter" at the day care because he always went to meet visitors at the door while other children hung back.

Their mother had brought in mini-cupcakes for the toddler room to celebrate his birthday. She told staff that Denison would be picking up the children.

Salaun and Hare said that they were aware Denison had some mental health issues in the past but that she was friendly and talkative Tuesday.

"Brenda obviously put her on the list thinking she would be OK," Hare said. "We go with the parents. We can't override their wishes. Obviously, if she had come here obviously distraught, we would have intervened."

After helping Denison to her van with the children, the staff discovered she had taken the wrong car seat. When they couldn't reach her by phone, they alerted Perry, who contacted police. The bodies were found at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, about two hours after state police issued a statewide Amber Alert.

As state police were searching, they learned that Denison had left her home armed with a revolver and they found a suicide note.

White, the great-grandmother, said Denison picked the children up alone Tuesday even though their mother asked her to bring along another relative. White says Denison's struggles with mental health were well known and Perry told Denison the boys were too much for her to handle.

White said Perry told her that Denison asked to pick the boys up to be with Alton on his birthday.

"She was apparently very convincing," said White, who expressed frustration that a gun was apparently available inside the house despite Denison's mental health history. She said the gun belonged to Denison's husband.

Denison also had a 13-year-year-old son who wasn't with her Tuesday afternoon. In her suicide note, she said in part that God was watching over him Tuesday, White said. What exactly she meant by that, and her motive for the killings and suicide, remain unclear.

Denison also has a 27-year-old son, Christopher Allen, who is prison serving a 32-year sentence for felony murder. Allen stabbed a man to death on a boat in Mystic in 2008 as he and a co-defendant boarded the vessel to steal money and drugs.

In Facebook postings, Brenda Perry thanked people for their prayers and said she loved her sons. "God (has) two beautiful angels helping him now," the postings said.

A man who answered the door at the family home Wednesday declined to comment, and a man at the address listed for Denison said the family is asking for space.

Denison's criminal record appeared clean. She had two convictions for minor driving offenses, said Peggy Muckle, a clerk at New London Superior Court. She was fined $35 in 2003 for following too closely and, in 2004, she pleaded guilty to reckless driving, but a judge didn't require her to pay the $100 fine.

Denison and her husband, Jance Denison, have had financial problems over the past several years, including a $5,926 state tax lien put on their home last month.

There were several other liens on the Denison's home dating back to the late 1990s, mostly in Jance Denison's name, records show. They included three liens totaling more than $3,900 against Debra Denison by The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich and a $668 lien by Connecticut Behavioral Health Associates against Jance and Debra Denison.

____

Melia and Associated Press writer Dave Collins contributed to this report from Hartford, Conn.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-28-Grandmother-Children%20Deaths/id-3e3a8571fbca4db58cba136717319fd4

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Video: Sideshow: Alaska toys with nullification



>>> back to "hardball." now to the "sideshow." first, the late night comedy recap of the academy awards .

>> from last night's academy awards a special segment we call first time applauding?

>> only the sisth time in oscar hero there was a tie. the first went to began dolph the gray and the second went to sara mon the white. both men thanked their mothers, blowouts and vidal sassoon .

>> michelle obama announced best picture . something happened. i thought maybe -- i thought this was a bit rude. take a look.

>> mrs. obama, do you have your envelope?

>> and the oscar goes to.

>> "argo."

>> well, the appearance from michelle obama was, of course, one of the night's surprises and there's a reason we didn't know about it before hand. "the l.a. times " has con krl candidate the operation from start to finish. it turns out the idea for the first lady to appear at the oscars was hatched before the producers knew whether it would be michelle obama or ann romney . the idea was brought to the first lady's team by harvey weinstein when he attended the second inauguration. then the logistic were put in place. extra precaution that is kept the whole thing under wraps. the few people who were in the know told a crew last week that they were having an emergency meeting about one of the show's musical numbers. in reality they were helping the first lady rehearse via satellite. the winner envelope was hand delivered to the white house over the weekend. so the first lady knew who was going to win, i guess. throughout the show, the producers were backstage sending text messages to the white house staffers making sure everything was good to go. every the first lady's location in the white house was chosen not so much for the ambiance but because the room they did it would be free all weekend for the set yaup face.

>>> next, the latest state to be toying with nullification. alaska . the state's republican led house passed a bill yesterday which would exempt alaskans from having to follow any federal gun or al nitions restrictions. and would subject federal agents who tried to enforce gun laws up there to felony charges. well, alaska speaker of the house led the charge on this one. here he is last month talking about nullifying the president's executive orders on gun control .

>> the president has the power to issue -- i'm just wondering which --

>> i also have the ability to not like the authorities that he's passed.

>> but you don't necessarily have the ability to nullify things that the federal government has --

>> and that's something that the people in my district are looking at is nullification.

>> seems like this was resolved a long time ago when andrew jackson was president.

>> well, we can go back if we want to all the way back to george washington if we want to go far thuf back. so we all know even before thomas jefferson and how we became a country.

>> i have no idea what that guy is talking about. nullification became a thing of the past legally in 1833 which is why plenty of people are saying the move in alaska is unconstitutional and will never, ever be enforced.

>>> remember this?

>> we took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet. i went to a number of women 's groups and said can you help us find folks and they brought us whole binders full of women .

>> well, if you thought binders full of women left the scene with the rest of 2012 you didn't catch jeopardy yesterday.

>> here are the categories for you. hugo awards for science fiction . 1990s music. world place names . funny things people say. a bunch of stuff. potpourri really. and a binder full of women .

>> a binder full of women for $400.

>> she's the 111th justice of the supreme court .

>> keith?

>> who is sonia sotomayor .

>> yes.

>> $800, binder full of women .

>> in 2012 this berliner topped forbes list of the 100 most powerful women for the second year in a row.

>> colby.

>> who is merkel.

>> angela merkel , correct.

>> binder full of women . lives on on jeopardy.

>>> up next, a group of high profile republicans is urging the supreme court to support marriage equality . it's yet another sign of how fast this country is moving on this issue. you're watching "hardball," the place for politics. [ lorenzo

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/hardball/50963363/

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Jacoby Jones to Go Dancing With the Stars

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/jacoby-jones-to-go-dancing-with-the-stars/

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U.S. companies change way they sell stock, bank fees drop

(Reuters) - A growing number of U.S. listed public companies are changing the way they issue shares to reduce their underwriting costs and protect themselves from big market shocks.

The switch often makes sense for companies, but for Wall Street banks, it stings, further pressuring stock underwriting revenue that has not recovered five years after the financial crisis. The different method of issuing shares, called "at-the-market offerings," involves selling stock on the open market at the prevailing market price, typically in small amounts over weeks or even months, instead of marketing a big block over weeks and selling the shares in a single afternoon.

The trend has been quietly building for some time, but has really taken off in the past few years. In 2012, the number of at-the-market offerings grew 25 percent from the prior year. Of stock issues from public U.S. companies, 22 percent were at-the-market offerings last year, up from 4 percent in 2007, according to data from capital markets research firm Ipreo and the investment bank MLV & Co, which focuses on these types of transactions.

Underwriters may have only themselves to blame for the growth of these offerings. Historically, it was usually only smaller companies that used at-the-market offerings to raise capital. Most big investment banks did not even offer at-the-market deals to their clients.

But during the financial crisis, at-the-market deals made a lot more sense. Markets fluctuated wildly, and it was risky to do a traditional underwritten deal that relied on demand being strong on a particular day. In 2009, Bank of America Corp and other Wall Street firms sold billions of dollars of shares at-the-market, and suddenly the practice seemed much more legitimate, bankers said.

Other companies, including office property owner Boston Properties Inc and electric utility Southern Company , followed suit. More recently, companies like casino operator Caesars Entertainment Corp and wireless services provider Clearwire Corp have done at-the-market offerings as well.

This method of selling shares is still favored by smaller companies, meaning it accounts for just a fraction of overall dollar volume of issuance. The median market cap of at-the-market issuers is still fairly small - nearly $600 million last year compared with $411 million in 2010 - according to MLV & Co.

The costs for the issuer can be much lower: fees are typically around 2 percent of the money raised, compared with 4 to 5 percent for a more traditional offering. For a $100 million offering, that amounts to a savings of $2 million to $3 million.

"It's a very low cost source of equity which was compelling to us," said Jon Grisham, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Acadia Realty Trust . Acadia, a real estate investment trust that owns shopping centers, launched a $75 million at-the-market offering in January 2012 and a $125 million at-the-market deal in August.

IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT

Standard underwritten offerings have their advantages: the company usually knows that it will be able to sell the shares, and often any that aren't sold to investors will be taken up by the underwriters. But if the stock market takes a big hit just before a share sale, and the company ends up pulling its deal, it ends up with a black eye.

In other words, an underwritten deal can offer some measure of certainty to the issuer, but if the market is bad on any given day, the whole deal could end up being scotched.

In an at-the-market deal, a company typically files an initial prospectus indicating the maximum number of shares it plan to sell, but it need not issue the maximum. On any particular day, the issuer has final say over how many shares it sells.

"You can avoid the market if it's a bad day," said Andy Sanford, head of equity capital markets at Wells Fargo & Co

In a typical share offering from a company that is already public, "the investment bank usually dictates whether, when and on what terms the company can sell its securities to raise capital, but with an at-the-market offering, the company sits in the driver's seat," said Anthony Marsico, a lawyer at the firm Greenberg Traurig. "You don't see that in most other types of financings."

Banks are not always excited for their client to be in the driver's seat when it results in lower fee income. Wall Street's stock underwriting business has also been under pressure from a decline in initial public offerings.

Fees for U.S. listed IPOs, traditionally the most lucrative source of profit from stock underwriting businesses, fell 19 percent last year to $1.8 billion, the lowest level since 2009, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Still, banks feel they have little choice but to sell shares for clients through at-the-market deals.

"Many underwriters have come to realize that they need to be able to be able to offer this service to clients because managements and boards are becoming more attuned to the benefits of the product," said Michael Cippoletti, head of U.S. equity capital markets at BMO Capital Markets in New York.

Another form of issuing, known as block trading, also puts pressure on underwriter income.. These deals, where the bank buys a block of shares from an issuer in a single transaction and then sells the stock to clients, typically offer returns of around 2 percent for the bank.

To be sure, there have been some big traditional follow on stock sales in recent weeks from companies. Michael Kors Holdings Ltd , for example, raised $1.5 billion in a share offering last week. So far this year, public companies have sold $23.8 billion of shares, marking the best start to a year for secondary offerings since 2000, according to Thomson Reuters data.

But with more secondary offerings coming in the form of block trades or at-the-market deals, fee income this year is not likely to be as strong as might be otherwise expected, bankers said.

Fee pressure has spurred some banks to scale back their equity capital markets business, which does traditional stock underwriting.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC , for example, said last year it would exit equity capital markets globally.

Although at-the-market offerings are traditionally used by companies that need to continually access the capital markets such as real estate investment trusts and energy companies, issuers across a range of industries including shipping and industrials are also considering the product, say bankers.

"The cat's out the bag, the genie's out of the bottle," said Todd Wyche, CEO of Brinson Patrick Securities which specializes in at-the-market transactions for clients.

(Reporting By Olivia Oran; Editing by Dan Wilchins, Martin Howell and Leslie Gevirtz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-companies-change-way-sell-stock-bank-fees-192717196--sector.html

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Grocer jailed for $844,000 food stamp fraud

By Amanda Bonafiglia, NBCChicago.com

An Illinois grocer was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in federal prison Monday for defrauding government and nutrition programs.

Khaled Saleh, 48, the owner of Sunset Food Market in Waukegan was charged with illegally exchanging cash with customers using food stamp cards and nutrition coupons during an undercover investigation.

Saleh was sentenced to 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle.

Saleh, along with his wife, Fatima Saleh, 37, acquired more than $844,000 by paying customers approximately half the value in cash for goods purchased at other stores using their benefits.

They then re-sold the same items in their store at a substantially higher price.

During the investigation, an agent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, exchanged food stamp benefits for cash and used benefits to purchase formula at a discount store, which he then re-sold for half the price in cash to the Salehs on several occasions.

Read more from NBCChicago.com

The couple was arrested in May 2011 and both pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to defraud government programs.

The government forfeited $391,616 in cash and bank account funds that were seized from the Salehs, and Khaled Saleh was ordered to pay $453,013 in restitution for the remaining balance.

Sentencing for Fatima Saleh has been postponed to March 22.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/26/17097655-grocer-gets-25-year-sentence-for-844000-food-stamp-fraud?lite

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National Day of Unplugging Starts at Home | Zillow Blog

craftsman dining room

A new trend is trickling into real estate decisions, but it?s not just a popular shade of paint or pattern of wallpaper. People around the world are choosing to ?unplug? their digital lives and, in the process, redefine the home.

?When people are looking at a house, they are not thinking, ?Where can I plug in my iPhone?? Dreaming about a home is really based around family,? said Tanya Schevitz, communications coordinator at Reboot,?a think-tank of sorts behind the unplugging movement and other projects inspired by Jewish traditions. ?It?s about envisioning a more relaxed family life that isn?t ?turned on? all the time.?

This Friday marks the fourth annual National Day of Unplugging, a 24-hour hiatus from technology started by Reboot. The group formed in 2002 when founder Dan Rollman was gazing at a sunset in Park City, UT and said to himself, ?I never do this. I never take time to enjoy my surroundings.?

Fast-forward to today, and hundreds of thousands of people from San Francisco to Venezuela and Mumbai are stepping away from their digital devices for the sole purpose of recharging themselves.

?It?s a zeitgeist of living in the moment,? Schevitz said. ?We?re not saying you have to unplug for 24 hours?? just be more aware of your use.?

Schevitz and others have taken a pledge to ditch technology from sundown to sundown March 1-2, but the day promotes a prevailing lifestyle change. As a Silicon Valley-based mom, Schevitz knows this is easier said than done, yet she?s convinced that once you start to unplug, you?ll look at your house differently.

Without any major renovations, Schevitz has refocused spaces in her apartment to help her family spend time together without digital distractions.

The key? Setting guidelines for yourself. Check out these five tips for unplugging your home:

1. Bring back books and board games

rustic home office
Schevitz focuses on getting back to the basics with her family. ?While everything is whirling around you, your home is your respite,? she said. ?If you can sit and surround yourself with books and unplugged activities, life slows down.?

But kids today are so plugged in that it can be hard to compete. For a fun, kid-friendly unplugged idea, check out this bookshelf with a built-in pulley system:

contemporary home office

2. Remove TVs from the bedroom

craftsman master bedroom

It might sound harsh, but Schevitz is a stickler on this one. While both she and her husband own laptops for work, they have reserved their?bedroom as a quiet escape.

?My husband is always saying we should sit around and read together and turn on classical music,? she said. ?It brings a sense of peace in life.?

Kids? rooms are also a common location for game consoles and gadgets. The contemporary kids? bedroom below provides a compelling alternative with built-in drawers for storing unplugged games and toys.

contemporary kids bedrooms

3. Spend time in the kitchen

craftsman kitchen
Schevitz has friends who have ditched their microwaves for good. While she hasn?t gone that far, she?s an advocate for cooking without modern appliances when possible.

?My son and I love to bake together,? she explained. ?We love to get our hands in the dough without an electric mixer. It?s a bonding experience ? popping something in the microwave is not.?

But what about contemporary homes with the latest cooking appliances already built in?

Schevitz admits the idea of having a completely unplugged house means you have to put more effort into undoing the amenities we?ve become accustomed to. But she argues that you are making your life fuller in the long run.

For inspiration, here?s a kitchen that has maintained an updated look and feel without electric appliances:

traditional kitchen

4. Dine in the dining room

contemporary dining room

Juggling her family?s busy schedule, Schevitz knows it?s hard to find time to sit and eat a meal together?? especially without glancing at your smartphone.

?The expectation that people must be reachable all the time has created a society where people are on edge,? she said. ?It starts to affect your relationships because they don?t feel like they are a priority.?

She thinks it?s doable to have dinner completely unplugged. ?I can sit down with my family and pause and really enjoy it,? she explained.

Try designating a space in your home just for meal times to avoid eating in front of the TV or computer.

5. Use your imagination

contemporary great room
Schevitz?s boys don?t have any beeping toys. She remembers buying her son a coffee maker because he loves to help her husband make his coffee in the morning.

?It makes no noises,? she explained. ?He has to use his imagination to make them.?

And, imagination seems to be a big part of the National Day of Unplugging. Its website shows people from around the world who have sent in photos saying ?I unplug to_________.?

How would you fill in the blank? Play a life-size game of chess? Take a nap?
art deco playroom
Reboot is commemorating the day with device-free events in San Francisco and Los Angeles centered around music, arts and relaxation. A student group at the University of California Berkeley is going on a hike.

Schevitz says the goal is to bring people together.?Recalling an ?unplugged party? she hosted for Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his wife, she argues:??Hey, if the founder of Google can do it, anyone can.?

Related:

Source: http://www.zillowblog.com/2013-02-26/national-day-of-unplugging-starts-at-home/

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Stringer wins 900th as Rutgers tops South Florida

Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer wipes a tear as she stands with athletic director Tim Pernetti and her team to celebrate Stringer's 900th career win in an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J., Rutgers defeated South Florida 68-56. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer wipes a tear as she stands with athletic director Tim Pernetti and her team to celebrate Stringer's 900th career win in an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J., Rutgers defeated South Florida 68-56. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Fans celebrate as Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer wins her 900th NCAA college basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers defeated South Florida 68-56. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer celebrates her 900th win after defeating South Florida 68-56 in an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J., . (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer celebrates with her players on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J., after defeating South Florida 68-56 in an NCAA college basketball game for Stringer's 900th win. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Not much has come easily for C. Vivian Stringer during her Hall of Fame coaching career.

So it was fitting that it took her five tries to become the fourth women's basketball coach to have 900 victories. She finally reached the milestone Tuesday night with Rutgers' 68-56 win over South Florida.

Stringer joined Pat Summitt, Jody Conradt and Sylvia Hatchell in the exclusive club. Maybe a half dozen more women's coaches might gain entrance over the next few years. Only three Division I men's coaches have reached 900 victories ? Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight and Jim Boeheim.

Stringer, who was the first coach in men's or women's basketball to take three different schools to the Final Four ? including Rutgers in 2000 and '07 ? fought back tears as her team celebrated their coach's entrance to the group.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-27-BKW-Stringer-900-Wins/id-9d11f7b618034e4aa552debbe83cb089

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Prison Planet.com ? Household chemicals cause cancer, birth ...

J. D. Heyes
Natural News
Feb 26, 2013

A new landmark study by the?World Health Organization says a host of common, everyday household chemicals pose severe health problems including cancer, asthma, reduced fertility and even birth defects.

According to the study, WHO identified a number of ?synthetic chemicals? which the UN agency said had ?serious implications? for health, even going so far as to suggest that so-called ?gender-bending? compounds found in PVC flooring, kids? toys and even credit cards should be banned in order to protect future generations, recent reports detailing the findings said.

The study said more research was likely needed to flesh out the links between endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which are found in a number of household chemicals, and ?specific diseases and disorders.?

?Reasonable to suspect? chemical substances are causing harm

WHO researchers said they have discovered links between EDCs and health issues including breast, prostate and thyroid cancers, testicular problems, developmental effects on children?s nervous systems, and attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity in kids.

Scientists at the UN agency also said it is ?reasonable to suspect? chemical substances called phthalates of disrupting female fertility, and also linked the substances to rising rates of childhood diseases such as leukemia.

Researchers labeled the study the most ?comprehensive? report on EDCs so far because it examined and evaluated several chemicals and related evidence rather than just focusing on a single element or compound. The?study is titled, ?State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.?

  • A d v e r t i s e m e n t

The findings also raised concerns over bispehnol A, a man-made compound found in many daily items such as tin cans and sunglasses. The substance is believed to interfere with the natural hormones that influence human development and growth.

WHO scientists also said there was ?very strong evidence? in animals that the substances can interfere with thyroid hormones; that could lead to brain damage, loss of intelligence, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Regarding the incidence of prostate?cancer, ?significant evidence? exists that suggests a link with agricultural pesticides, according to a team of international medical experts which examined the data. The UN agency also said wildlife was at risk.

?The diverse systems affected by endocrine-disrupting?chemicals likely include all hormonal systems and range from those controlling development and function of reproductive organs to the tissues and organs regulating metabolism and satiety,? the report said. ?Effects on these systems can lead to obesity, infertility or reduced fertility, learning and memory difficulties, adult-onset diabetes or cardiovascular disease, as well as a variety of other diseases.?

The same report, published 10 years ago, found only ?weak evidence? that said chemicals could affect human?health.

?The latest science shows that communities across the globe are being exposed to EDCs, and their associated risks,? said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO?s Director for Public Health and Environment. She said the agency ?will work with partners to establish research priorities to investigate links to EDCs and human health impacts in order to mitigate the risks,? adding: ?We all have a responsibility to protect future generations.?

?We urgently need more research?

The study backed similar warnings by the?European Environment Agency that were issued last year, warning items like cosmetics and medicines containing EDCs could be harmful to human health.

Earlier,?Natural News reported that EDCs identified in this study may have on the body?s hormone system may have ?significant health implications? for humans. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

According to a UN press release, the report ?calls for more research to understand fully the associations between endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) ? found in many household and industrial products ? and specific diseases and disorders.?

?We urgently need more research to obtain a fuller picture of the health and environment impacts of endocrine disruptors,? Neira said.

Sources:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

http://www.naturalnews.com


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Source: http://www.prisonplanet.com/household-chemicals-cause-cancer-birth-defects-wide-range-of-health-issues-who-study-admits.html

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How Much Personal Data Logging Is Too Much?

There's a lot to be said for collecting and storing data about yourself: it can give you a valuable, objective insight into your daily life. But how much is too much? More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8wa-JJRQC54/how-much-personal-data-logging-is-too-much

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Huge Protest Vote Leaves Italy Facing Deadlock


* Global markets shaken by fears of new euro zone instability
* Vote is stunning success for populist movement
* Berlusconi stages comeback but cannot govern alone
* Centre-left big losers although will try to form government
By Barry Moody and James Mackenzie
ROME, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A huge protest vote by Italians enraged by economic hardship and political corruption left the euro zone's third-largest economy facing a dangerous vacuum on Monday after an election in which no group won enough votes to form a government.
The result, in which anti-euro parties took more than 50 percent of the vote and a novice populist movement scored a stunning success, rocked global markets with fears of a new euro zone crisis.
Europe's common currency slumped against the dollar and yen and U.S. stocks suffered their biggest one-day drop since November.
With more than 99 percent of returns in from polling stations, results showed the centre-left had taken a slim victory of around 130,000 votes in the lower house of parliament, enough to give it comfortable control thanks to a big winner's bonus.
But no party or likely coalition won enough seats to form a majority in the upper house, creating a deadlocked parliament - the opposite of the stable result that Italy desperately needs to tackle a deep recession, rising unemployment and a massive public debt.
The outcome fanned fears of a new European financial crisis, with prospects of a long period of paralysis and uncertainty in Italy.
"This is the worst possible outcome from the market's point of view ... It seems inevitable that there will be a new election," said Alessandro Tentori, Citigroup head of global rates.
The result was an extraordinary success for Genoese comic Beppe Grillo, leader of the populist 5-Star Movement, who toured the country in his first national election campaign hurling obscenity-laced insults against a discredited political class.
He was set to become the biggest single party in the lower house, riding a potent wave of anger against rampant waste and corruption by ageing political leaders.
His success fulfilled the predictions of some analysts that the most uncertain and closely watched election in years would herald a political revolution. "This is the end of a system, not a government," respected commentator Massimo Franco told Reuters before the vote.
Grillo polled more around a quarter of the vote in a meteoric rise from the 1.8 percent he garnered in his movement's first local political test in 2010.
The result was a humiliating slap in the face for colourless centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani, who threw away a 10-point opinion-poll lead less than two months ago against Silvio Berlusconi's centre right.
He failed to turn up for a press conference after the result became clear. His deputy, Enrico Letta, as well as outgoing technocrat premier Mario Monti, said responsible forces must form a government and avoid another election. But the result raised a big question over whether that would be possible.
Billionaire media magnate Berlusconi, 76, who staged an extraordinary comeback from sex and corruption scandals since diving into the campaign in December, came in a close second in the Senate race, with an estimated 117 seats.
With almost all results in, the centre-left was set to take 121 seats in the upper house, Grillo 54, and Monti languishing on only 22 after a campaign which never took off. The Senate majority is 158.
Berlusconi, a master politician and communicator, wooed voters with a blitz of television appearances and promises to refund Monti's hated housing tax despite accusations from opponents that this was an impossible vote buying trick.
Grillo has attacked all sides in the campaign and ruled out a formal alliance with any group although it was not immediately known how he would react to his stunning success or how his supporters would behave in parliament.
The next move to solve the crisis will be when head of state Giorgio Napolitano calls in political leaders to discuss how to form a government. But this is not expected until March 10 after the election result is formally confirmed and parliament convened.
Letta said the centre-left, as biggest party in the lower house, had the right to be the first to try to form a government.

DANGER OF NEW ELECTION
Investors fear a return of the kind of debt crisis that took the euro zone close to disaster and brought the technocrat Monti to office, replacing Berlusconi, in 2011.
The results showed more than half of Italians had voted for the anti-euro platforms of Berlusconi and Grillo.
A centre-left government either alone or ruling with Monti had been seen by investors as the best guarantee of measures to combat a deep recession and stagnant growth in Italy, which is pivotal to stability in the currency union.
But the failure of Monti to gain traction at the head of a centrist force, despite support from business leaders and foreign governments, and the weak showing by the centre-left meant they do not have nearly enough Senators to do this.
The upper and lower houses have equal law-making power.
The benchmark spread between Italian 10-year bonds and their German equivalent widened from below 260 basis points to above 300 and the Italian share index lost all its previous gains after projections of the Senate result.

Monti helped save Italy from a debt crisis when Rome's borrowing costs were spiralling out of control in November 2011, but few Italians now see him as the saviour of the country, which is reeling under its longest recession for 20 years.
Grillo's movement rode a wave of voter anger about both the pain of Monti's austerity programme and a string of political and corporate scandals. It had particular appeal for a frustrated younger generation shut out of full-time jobs.
"I'm sick of the scandals and the stealing," said Paolo Gentile, a 49-year-old Rome lawyer who voted for 5-Star. "We need some young, new people in parliament, not the old parties that are totally discredited."
Berlusconi, a billionaire media tycoon, exploited anger against Monti's austerity programme, accusing him of being a puppet of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but in many areas Grillo was a bigger beneficiary of public discontent.
Italians wrung their hands at prospects of an inconclusive result that will mean more delays to essential reforms.
"It's a classic result. Typically Italian. It means the country is not united. It is an expression of a country that does not work. I knew this would happen," said 36-year-old Rome office worker Roberta Federica.
Another office worker, Elisabetta Carlotta, 46, shook her head in disbelief. "We can't go on like this," she said.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/italy-deadlock_n_2762230.html

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Is historical claim behind the mystery group of (armed?) Filipinos in Borneo?

Malaysian troops are negotiating with about 100 men from the Philippines who have identified themselves as the 'royal army' of the Sulu Sultanate, which has a historic land claim to the area, say police.

By Simon Roughneen,?Correspondent / February 15, 2013

Malaysian policemen check a vehicle along the main road near Lahud Datu in Malaysia's eastern Sabah state Thursday. Malaysian security forces in Borneo surrounded armed intruders believed to be from the southern Philippines and sought to persuade them to leave peacefully Thursday, authorities said.

Bernama News Agency/AP

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It's around an hour by speedboat from Sulu in the southern Philippines to Sabah in the Malaysian part of Borneo, a route often plied by fishermen, traders, and migrants. The maritime route goes from what is the poorest part of the Philippines to eastern Malaysia, and many make the journey in search of work.

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But when on Tuesday around 100 men arrived in batches to ? and depending on what account you read ? camp out in, or occupy a village called Lahud Datu, it soon become clear these weren't the usual fishermen or migrant workers.

What exactly is going on is unclear, but it has both countries on high alert. Malaysian security forces have sealed off the village, which is 300 miles from Sabah's regional capital Kota Kinabalu, a two-hour flight from Malaysia's main city Kuala Lumpur.

On Thursday, Malaysia's Home Affairs Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said that Malaysian security forces had cornered the group, said to be armed. By Friday, however, the Sabah police chief was reportedly negotiating with the men, some of whom were claiming to be descendants of the Sultan of Sulu and therefore, they said, entitled to land in this part of Malaysia.

What is the Sultanate, anyway?

The sultanate, or the territory the sultan governed, existed from the late 15th century until the late 19th century, governing Muslims spanning parts of Sulu and northern Borneo.
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Though the sultanate is not recognized anymore internationally as a governing entity, Malaysia still pays a token "rental fee" to the heirs of the last sultan.
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The claims could put the Philippines in an awkward position, embroiled in an unwanted territorial dispute, given that the men camped out in Lahud Datu are Filipino nationals.

Who are these men?

Though it?s unclear who this ?royal army? is, analysts are eyeing three southern Filipino militias. Militants from the southern Philippines have a history of crossing the narrow stretches of water to Borneo.
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Some speculated at first that the groups' appearance had something to do with deadly clashes in early February between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Abu Sayyaf, two Muslim armed groups from Mindanao, in the southern part of the Philippines.
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Some Filipino media reports suggested that at least some of the men who crossed the waters to Sabah are MNLF fighters. But that has not been confirmed.
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The MNLF signed a peace deal with the Manila government in 1996, while the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a MNLF splinter, recently forged its own tentative peace agreement with the Filipino government (with the aid of Malaysia).
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By far the smallest of the three groups, Abu Sayyaf opposes the agreements, as they grant autonomy to parts of Muslim Mindanao, because Abu Sayyaf has said it wants an Islamic state in the southern Philippines.
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And Abu Sayyaf has been known to make the same crossing to Malaysia as these self-described descendants of the Sultan of Sulu, much more frequently than other groups, as they have been pursued on and off by the Filipino Army.
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Abu Sayyaf has long been linked to Al Qaeda. It?s known for hosting the likes of Khalid Sheihk Mohammed, a central figure in the 9/11 attacks. And it is also known for taking 20 people, mainly tourists, hostage in 2000 in Malaysia.
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These days, though, the group seems more like a criminal gang than a politically-motivated terror cell. It is currently holding, by some estimates, six foreign hostages who it likely wants to exchange for ransom, a money-making tactic used by Abu Sayyaf in the past.
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MNLF leaders spun a recent attack on Abu Sayyaf as an attempt to crush the group, end such hostage-taking, and thus widen the appeal of the impoverished southern Philippines to tourism.
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If this group of self described descendants are linked to either the MILF or MNLF, Manila will hardly be happy that groups with which it signed peace deals crossed to Malaysia and faced off with Malaysian soldiers. If they're linked to Abu Sayyaf, it would highlight the inability of US-trained Filipino troops to rein in the group.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/bqZeg8Tyb-I/Is-historical-claim-behind-the-mystery-group-of-armed-Filipinos-in-Borneo

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