Israel, Palestinians deeply divided despite renewed peace talks

By Allyn Fisher-Ilan and Ali Sawafta

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH | Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:59pm BST

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH (Reuters) - Israel and the Palestinians remain far apart over terms of any peace deal, officials from both sides made clear on Wednesday, a day after talks resumed in Washington for the first time in nearly three years.

Israel's lead negotiator, Tzipi Livni, said the parties "need to build confidence" after what she called an encouraging start in Washington, and disputed a Palestinian demand to focus first on agreeing the frontiers of an independent state.

"The goal is to end the conflict," Livni said on Israel Radio. "It cannot be ended merely by setting a border."

Yasser Abed Rabbo, who is close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, forecast "huge difficulties" for the talks begun after intense diplomacy by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Abed Rabbo, speaking on Voice of Palestine radio, cited Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and said any further building there would scupper the negotiations.

He was alluding to Israeli media reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had cajoled far-right allies to back the talks by pledging to permit more settlement expansion.

Kerry has said the negotiators will reconvene in August, aiming to achieve a "final status" deal within nine months.

Previous peace talks collapsed in 2010 over settlement building in the West Bank, which Palestinians see as grabbing land they want for a state that would include the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, all territories captured by Israel in 1967.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem in a move never recognised internationally. Palestinians want it for their capital.

Abed Rabbo said borders, which the Palestinians say must be based on pre-1967 war lines, were "the first issue that must be resolved", countering Israel's demand that all issues, including refugees and Jerusalem, should be tackled simultaneously.

"Putting all the dishes on the table at once may be an attempt to undermine the process," Abed Rabbo said.

Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid defined the ultimate goal of negotiations as the creation of a Palestinian state in "the majority" of the West Bank, but said Israel would keep three large settlement blocs there, as well as East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians might eventually accept this "because they will have no choice", the centrist minister said. "What we are looking for is a fair divorce from the Palestinians, so that we can stand on one side of the border and they on the other."

Decades of peace negotiations sponsored by the United States, Israel's main ally, have failed to resolve the conflict.

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Allyn Fisher-Ilan; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/31/uk-palestinians-israel-idUKBRE96U0SY20130731?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

roger goodell psychosis dianna agron million hoodie march tebow trade mike the situation jacksonville jaguars

Radio waves carry news of climate change: Surprising tool to measure our changing climate

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Radio waves reflecting back to Earth from the ionosphere can offer valuable news about the extent of climate change. His simple, cost-effective measurement can be a valuable contribution to the ongoing effort to track climate change, adding to current measurements for a more holistic picture.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/9szpNZ7lyfQ/130730123421.htm

obamacare Todd Akin Register To Vote Obama 2016 Who Is Winning The Election 2012 Election Coverage 2012 Linda McMahon

Dayton touts projected property tax drops; GOP calls new report 'bunk'

Minnesota's political leaders clashed Tuesday over whether budget measures passed this year by the DFL-led Legislature would reduce property taxes in 2014.

Gov. Mark Dayton held a news conference with his revenue commissioner and fellow Democratic-Farmer-Labor lawmakers to tout a projection showing property taxes would drop for the first time in a decade.

The Revenue Department says 2014 property tax revenue will be $121 million less than this year's estimated revenue due to DFL-backed increased aid to local governments, sales tax exemptions for cities and counties, and refunds to homeowners and renters.

Without those measures, Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans said, property tax revenue would have risen by an estimated $181 million.

At a news conference after Dayton's, Senate Minority Leader David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, said the administration's prediction was "complete bunk."

Local officials will decide what to do with the increased state aid, Hann said, and historically what they've done is spend it.

"I don't think there's any evidence to show that increasing local government aid has the effect that they're claiming, that that somehow translates into reduction of local taxes. It just doesn't work that way," Hann said.

He said the governor's projections "are about as reliable as the e-pulltab projections. They're coming from the same source."

Earlier, Dayton also poked fun at the wildly optimistic projections the state made last year about revenues from charitable gaming to support the new Minnesota Vikings stadium.

"I just want to make clear," he said, "the division of Revenue that makes these projections is different from the one that makes the charitable gaming, e-tab projections. I hope anyway."

Whether property taxes rise or fall will be known by early next year when the state has firmer numbers. But the uncertainty gave politicians the chance for a partisan wrangle in what's been a relatively quiet summer.

Republicans said the bottom line is Minnesotans at all income levels will pay higher taxes because of the DFL budget.

"Minnesotans are going to pay more because they increased taxes by $2.1 billion. It's pretty simple," said House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown.

Dayton said the budget passed in the spring raised taxes in other areas -- in particular, on incomes of the highest-paid Minnesotans -- to relieve pressure on property taxes, which he called "the most unfair tax."

His administration based its projection on an assumption that local leaders will pass along half of the state aid they get in the form of property tax relief and that more homeowners and renters will claim refunds designed to absorb some of their tax burden.

After grappling with stagnant or reduced state aid for years, many communities could opt to hire new police officers, tackle a backlog of road projects or pay off debt.

Those that can't make their money stretch enough could choose to raise tax levies, too.

But they will face an additional obstacle: The Legislature imposed limits on new taxes through local levies, but local leaders won't be notified of those precise caps until September.

Dayton said that even though it's up to local officials how they spend the extra state aid, he expects they'll be "delighted" to use it to reduce property taxes.

"They hear about it just as much as we do here," he said.

The property tax-reduction prediction is based on experience, Dayton said, and the analysis was done the same way it has been done for years by Revenue Department researchers who are "insulated from the political realm."

The report showed property tax revenue will rise an estimated $103 million in 2013 and rose $351 million in 2012.

In response to questions from the media about how close previous predictions have been to reality, Dayton said he would provide that data. Revenue officials said Tuesday the information would take some time to compile.

Also Tuesday, Dayton declined to say where he went or what company he was wooing on an out-of-state business development trip last week. He said companies sometimes want to talk privately, and he criticized the media for pressing him on it.

"Do you want us to go out there and try to get more jobs for people who don't have jobs in Minnesota or not? That becomes your moral responsibility as well as your professional journalistic responsibility," he said.

"If I'm going to have to disclose where I went in that kind of situation, it's going to cost me the opportunity to try to get jobs for Minnesota."

Dayton said "it's been disappointing to me how it's been blown out of, I think, the context that it should be in."

He declined to say how many jobs the company could potentially bring to the state or how often he personally travels to recruit businesses. He said that no financial incentives were offered to the company and that he expects there will be a decision one way or another within weeks.

Dayton's schedule shows he will make another out-of-state business development trip Wednesday, but an aide said it is to a different company in a different location.

This report includes information from the Associated Press. Doug Belden can be reached at 651-228-5136. Follow him at twitter.com/dbeldenpipress.

Source: http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_23763527/dayton-touts-projected-property-tax-drops-gop-calls?source=rss

bo jackson hanukkah justin tv justin tv Sarah Savage Jaimie Alexander Army Navy Game

Choking on food common among U.S. kids: study

By Genevra Pittman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Each day over the past decade, about 34 U.S. children went to the emergency room after choking on food, according to a new study of a group of nationally-representative hospitals.

Researchers found that candy was the most common culprit - although choking on hot dogs, nuts and seeds most often required kids to be hospitalized.

"These numbers are high," said Dr. Gary Smith, who worked on the study at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

What's more, he added, "This is an underestimate. This doesn't include children who were treated in urgent care, by a primary care physician or who had a serious choking incident and were able to expel the food and never sought care."

The estimated 12,435 children ages 14 and younger who were treated for choking on food each year also doesn't include the average 57 childhood food choking deaths reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually, the researchers noted.

Smith and his colleagues analyzed injury surveillance data covering 2001 through 2009.

They found that babies one year old and younger accounted for about 38 percent of all childhood ER visits for choking on food. Many of those infants choked on formula or breast milk.

Overall, candies caused just over one in four ER trips, followed by meat, bones and fruits and vegetables.

Ten percent of children had to be hospitalized after choking. Kids who choked on a hot dog or on seeds and nuts were two to three times more likely to require hospitalization than those who choked on other foods, according to the findings published Monday in Pediatrics.

"We know that because hot dogs are the shape and size of a child's airway that they can completely block a child's airway," Smith told Reuters Health, noting that seeds and nuts are also difficult to swallow when children put a lot in their mouths at once.

Dr. Ronald Litman, an anesthesiologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said it's hard to tell from this study how many kids are "seriously affected" after a choking incident.

"The vast majority of these kids, by the time they get to the emergency room, they've coughed or choked it out," Litman, who wasn't involved in the new research, told Reuters Health.

However, he said that he and his colleagues see a few kids every year who have inhaled peanuts and end up in intensive care because their lungs mount an inflammatory response to the fat in the nuts.

Smith, also the president of the non-profit Child Injury Prevention Alliance, said many choking incidents could be prevented with better food design and labeling from manufacturers and with extra precautions taken by parents of young children.

"Clearly, rule number one is supervision" when kids are eating, said Dr. James Reilly, from Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware.

Making sure food is in small enough pieces is also important, Reilly, who has studied choking but wasn't part of the study team, told Reuters Health.

For example, he said, grapes should be cut in half for young children, but raisins are probably okay whole.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/cxXOG Pediatrics, online July 29, 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/choking-food-common-among-u-kids-study-040920415.html

sessions march madness scores doonesbury padma lakshmi daughtry lakers trade ann arbor news

Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutland Will Energize Offense

Evan Habeeb ? USA TODAY Sports

The hype from the NFL last season was how the read-option was going to revolutionize the league. For those who do not know what the read-option is, get acquainted with it, Philadelphia Eagles fans. The quarterbacks who utilized this type of offense were the ones who were ? and still are ? being talked about by sports announcers. These quarterbacks were Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson. Although the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl with traditional offense, the read-option is not going away.

It is especially going to be a hot topic in Philadelphia. The Eagles acquired Chip Kelly, knowing fully that he is going to implement a similar offense like he did at the University of Oregon. The read-option offense is designed to neutralize both the 3-4 defense and the 4-3. It leaves a defender unblocked, which creates space for the ball handler. For the 4-3, it will leave a defensive lineman unblocked. For a 3-4, it leaves a linebacker free to roam. In each case, the ball handler will have to watch that unblocked player, and that will decide where he will run. It is designed to create open space to maneuver without squeezing between a wall of linemen.

The man who will be in charge of whipping the Philadelphia offensive line into shape is Jeff Stoutland, former offensive line coach for the University of Alabama. Kelly is scavenging for NFL success among the college ranks. Will this strategy pay off??Stoutland is an inexperienced rookie in the NFL, but he has won two national championships at Alabama. These are credentials that will matter less than swirling dust if Kelly doesn?t succeed at the pro level. The pressure is on for them, as the first official rookie training camp kicks off this Monday.

Stoutland, who replaced?Howard Mudd, doesn?t seem to be feeling this weight. He told reporters that he hasn?t changed anything from college, and that he is having fun. When asked about the read-option and if it could be a success, he mentioned his time under head coach Nick Saban. He told reporters that defensive coaches deal with packages, strategies that are used in unique situations, but when an offense runs a no-huddle offense, it throws their world into chaos. So, in short, it seems that Stoutland is confident of Kelly?s approach, as he was with Saban?s. Like any good offense, the road to success relies heavily on its line.

Source: http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/07/20/philadelphia-eagles-offensive-line-coach-jeff-stoutland-will-energize-offense/

Aisha Tyler Marshall Henderson derek jeter Yasiel Puig The Bridge Fx Grown Ups 2 Taste Of Chicago

Shareholders voting on $24.4 billion Dell buyout

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007 file photo, Dell CEO Michael Dell smiles at Oracle Open World conference in San Francisco. A top proxy firm is recommending that Dell shareholders vote in favor of a deal that would allow the company's founder and an investment firm to buy it and take it private, according to reports Monday, July 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007 file photo, Dell CEO Michael Dell smiles at Oracle Open World conference in San Francisco. A top proxy firm is recommending that Dell shareholders vote in favor of a deal that would allow the company's founder and an investment firm to buy it and take it private, according to reports Monday, July 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

In this Aug. 15, 2011 photo, the logo on a Dell computer is displayed, in Philadelphia. Dell Inc. is making a late push to win shareholder support for founder Michael Dell?s plan to take the slumping computer maker private, an indication that the scheduled vote, Thursday, July 18, 2013, could be close. Supporters of the $24.4 billion buyout believe Dell Inc. stands a better chance of turning around if it can make long-term strategic decisions without worrying about meeting Wall Street?s quarter-to-quarter expectations. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

DALLAS (AP) ? Dell Inc. is making a late push to win shareholder support for founder Michael Dell's plan to take the slumping computer maker private, an indication that Thursday's scheduled vote could be close.

Supporters of the $24.4 billion buyout offer believe Dell Inc. stands a better chance of turning around if it can make long-term strategic decisions without worrying about meeting Wall Street's quarter-to-quarter expectations. But some big investors have already signaled opposition to the bid. Activist investor Carl Icahn believes the offer undervalues the company.

The company's decision to go private is a reflection of the tough times facing the personal computer industry as people delay replacing traditional computers and spend their money instead on the latest smartphones and tablets. PC sales have been falling, and tablets are expected to outsell laptops this year.

CEO Michael Dell is hoping to evolve the company into a more diversified seller of technology services, business software and high-end computers ? much the way IBM Corp. had successfully transformed itself in the 1990s.

Shareholders have until Thursday's meeting at the company's headquarters in Round Rock, Texas, to cast votes.

On Tuesday, a special committee of the company's board sent a letter to shareholders emphasizing its opposition to a rival plan by Icahn and his Southeastern Asset Management fund. Together, they own 13 percent of Dell.

The committee said Icahn could have trumped the $13.65-per-share offer from Michael Dell and his group of investors, but instead submitted a recapitalization plan that it called risky and short on details. Icahn's plan calls for rewarding shareholders with some cash now, but leaving about a third of the shares outstanding for shareholders to benefit from a successful turnaround.

"I believe it's a very, very close vote," said Patrick Moorhead, a technology analyst in Austin. "Institutional investors usually let a company know where they stand, so you can imagine a war room where (Dell advisers) are counting votes."

In corporate elections like this, shareholders can change their vote right up to the last minute. Michael Dell's task is made more difficult by an agreement that he would not cast his shares, which represent about 16 percent of the company's stock. That means the board needs slightly more than 42 percent of Dell's outstanding stock to accept Michael Dell's offer to get the deal done.

The company said Thursday's meeting could be called to order and then quickly adjourned without taking a formal vote to give the board more time to round up support for the buyout. If the vote is delayed, analysts say Michael Dell's group might even sweeten his offer.

In an open letter released Wednesday, Icahn called for a vote Thursday regardless of the outcome: "Can you imagine a political election contest where one side could push off the election to wait for a better day to hold the election ? a date when it is hoped they might do better in the vote than they would have done on the originally scheduled election date?"

It would have been hard to imagine the company bearing Michael Dell's name facing this situation a decade ago, when it was riding high and leading the world in PC sales.

That was before the shift in how people engage with technology. Although the company has branched out into servers, storage devices and services, it is still heavily dependent on PCs and has suffered from the rise of smartphones and tablet computers. Last week, research firm IDC said worldwide PC shipments fell 11 percent in the April-June period, compared with a year earlier. That followed a 14 percent decline in the first three months of the year, the steepest quarterly drop since IDC started keeping records in 1994.

Dell shares have never recovered from their split-adjusted peak of nearly $60 during the dot-com boom in 2000. They were at a three-year high of around $18 in February 2012, when they started sliding again in the face of weakening PC shipments. Michael Dell began talking with potential partners about a private buyout even before the shares hit a low of $8.69 in November.

Rumors of a deal sent the shares higher before the board announced the agreement with Michael Dell and other investors on Feb. 5. A four-member special committee of the Dell board recommended that shareholders take the buyout, saying that it minimized their risk and gave them an all-cash payment at a premium over the share price before news of a possible deal leaked.

The committee said that it had wrangled six price increases from the group and that despite contacting dozens of other potential buyers, no superior offers emerged. One possible buyer, private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, dropped out in April, citing Dell's "rapidly eroding financial profile."

Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management have said that the buyout offer undervalues Dell, an opinion that has been echoed publicly by at least four more of Dell's top 20 shareholders. Icahn has proposed that the company buy back 1.1 billion shares at $14 each and added another element last week that will give stockholders warrants to buy additional shares. He has valued his plan at $15.50 to $18 per share. If Icahn and Southeastern succeed in defeating the private-buyout offer, they would seek to replace the Dell board ? but haven't named their candidates ? and put their own plan in effect.

Michael Dell's group got a boost when that offer was endorsed by three big shareholder-advising firms.

One of them, Glass, Lewis & Co., said it sympathized with those who believe the buyout offer was too low, "especially considering that many of the unhappy shareholders are long-term investors in Dell who likely purchased the stock at higher average prices" than $13.65. Still, the firm said, the certainty of a cash payout was better than the risk in continuing to hold Dell shares, which it said would fall "significantly" if the buyout is rejected ? maybe by nearly half.

Dell's stock fell 14 cents, or 1.1 percent, to close Wednesday at $12.88, below the $13.65 offered in the buyout. That's an indication that investors aren't holding out for a higher bid. Some analysts fear the stock will sink below $9 again if the deal with Michael Dell falls apart.

Michael Dell, the company's largest shareholder, is throwing in all of his stock and $750 million of his $16 billion fortune to help finance the sale to a group led by the investment firm Silver Lake. Dell's stock-and-cash contributions to the deal are valued at about $4.5 billion.

Software maker Microsoft, which counts Dell among its biggest customers, is backing the deal by lending $2 billion to the buyers. The remaining money to pay for the acquisition is being borrowed through loans arranged by several banks, saddling Dell with more than $15 billion in debt that could raise doubts about its financial stability among its risk-averse corporate customers.

The sale is structured as a leveraged buyout, which requires the acquired company to repay the debt taken on to finance the deal. Dell's sale is the second-highest-priced leveraged buyout of a technology company, trailing the $27 billion paid for First Data Corp. in 2007.

The Dell story is now famous: A 19-year-old started a business in 1983 by selling computer disk drives from his dorm room at the University of Texas at Austin. Soon he was assembling computers and undercutting conventional retailers on price. He then raised $30 million by taking the company public in 1988. Dell went on to change the PC business with low costs, customized orders and direct sales ? first over the phone and later the Internet. The CEO climbed the ranks of the richest Americans.

In 2004, when Dell stepped aside as CEO, sales topped $40 billion a year and were on their way to more than $60 billion. Dell returned as CEO in 2007, after the company had fallen behind Hewlett-Packard Co. as the world's largest PC maker and after it endured an accounting scandal that resulted in a $100 million corporate penalty and Dell himself paying $4 million. The company's stock is down by more than 40 percent from where it stood when Dell returned for his second stint as CEO.

Now 48, Dell is seeking to turn the company around away from the glare of Wall Street and the demand for short-term, next-quarter results that investors demand from public companies. He would build upon the company's recent efforts through acquisitions to get into more-profitable lines including business software, network security and consulting.

Cindy Shaw, a technology analyst in San Francisco, said shareholders should take the $13.65 and get out. She remains skeptical about the company's ability to reinvent itself.

"The proposed strategy isn't substantially different from plans that haven't worked since Michael came back as CEO six years ago," Shaw said. In her view, the company lacks speed and panache in pursuing openings created by new technology, but Dell wants to secure his reputation and "really believes he can turn this around."

Moorhead was more upbeat and said that getting away from Wall Street's obsession with short-term results would help.

"It could take five or six years to switch from a PC maker to an end-to-end enterprise IT player," he said. "I have a lot of confidence in Michael Dell's ability to lead this company's transformation."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-07-17-Dell's%20Future/id-2aa04bf3c5b843569f9607e007732a2b

notorious big biggie smalls lyrics azores emmylou harris disco inferno b.i.g 1000 words

Ranking the NFL Starters: Quarterbacks

? ? ?In the National Football League, the Quarterback is widely considered the most important position on the field, and thought to be the natural leader of any team. So, as I start my series on ranking the best players in the league, we start out with the most important player. No team has the ability to be successful in the end without a franchise player behind the center.?

? ? ?Throughout history, the elite dynasties of history have all had Hall of Famers playing at the Quarterback position: '60s Packers (Bart Starr), '70s Steelers (Terry Bradshaw), '70s Dolphins (Bob Griese), '80s 49ers (Joe Montana), '90s Cowboys (Troy Aikman), '90s Broncos (John Elway), '00s Patriots (Tom Brady). Each of these teams had at least 3 Super Bowl Appearances and at least 2 Super Bowl wins, and their successes are largely due to the prowess of their field generals.?

? ? ?Right now, the NFL is in a golden age of passing. 10 years ago, 4,000 passing yards in a season was an outstanding feat, but nowadays, 5,000 yards has replaced it as the new benchmark as 3 players have done it in the past 2 years. Rookies are carrying their teams to the playoffs, and mediocre players are rising to the competition in the postseason.?

Taking all that into account, these are your quarterback rankings for the 2013-14 NFL season.?

? ? ? 32. Blaine Gabbert - Jacksonville Jaguars?
In 2 years as an NFL Starter, he has scored only 21 touchdowns and has a passer rating of 70.1.?

? ? ? 31. Terrelle Pryor - Oakland Raiders?
The highlight of Pryor's NFL Career to this point is entering the supplemental draft after?agreeing?to stay in college for his senior season.?

? ? ? 30. Mark Sanchez - New York Jets
?2 words: Butt Fumble.

? ? ? 29. Christian Ponder - Minnesota Vikings
?A fine starter, but his success last year was largely due to the amazing comeback season of Adrian Peterson.?

? ? ? 28. Brandon Weeden - Cleveland Browns
?Recieved strong consideration for worst in the league. Turns 30 in October, don't expect him to get any better.?

? ? ? 27. Jake Locker - Tennessee Titans?
Doesn't seem to be a great passer, but he has above average athleticism. Below average overall, but serviceable as a game manager.?

? ? ? 26. Ryan Tannehill - Miami Dolphins
?Not a great player, but he gets points for versatility with two years as a college wide receiver and his wife on HBO's HardKnocks.?

? ? ? 25. Kevin Kolb - Buffalo Bills
?I don't understand this move at all. Would have been better off with Fitzpatrick, but I expect EJ Manuel to take away his time as the season goes on.?

? ? ? 24. Michael Vick -?Philadelphia Eagles?
Arguably the greatest running quarterback of all time. Arguably the least durable quarterback of all time.?

? ? ? 23. Carson Palmer - Arizona Cardinals?
Hasn't been the same since he met Kimo Von Oelhoffen.?

? ? ? 22. Sam Bradford - St. Louis Rams?
Surgically-repaired shoulder. Lost Stephen Jackson. Despite this, they're projected to have a big season. I don't believe in the hype.?

? ? ? 21. Alex Smith - Kansas City Chiefs
?Bad in San Francisco for years before his breakout season. Expect him to return to form, mediocre.

? ? ? 20. Josh Freeman - Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Very up and down in his first 4 years. 27-17 TD:Int ratio is respectable, needs to be more consistent. Team has put great players around him on offense and defense.

? ? ? 19. Tony Romo - Dallas Cowboys?
Epic failure in clutch situations, including one of the worst botches of all time. Otherwise, he is a pro-bowler.

? ? ? 18. Phillip Rivers - San Diego Chargers
?Suffered from the curse of Norv Turner, expect him to improve this year.

? ? ? 17. Matthew Stafford - Detroit Lions?
Benefits from having one of the most dominant receivers in NFL History. Expect him to bounce back from last year.?

? ? ? 16. Jay Cutler - Chicago Bears?
Much better with his bff Brandon Marshall?(Start the video at 2:45)?on the team. If he can stay healthy, he can lead them to the playoffs.?

? ? ? 15. Cam Newton - Carolina Panthers?
With great potential, comes great responsibility. More potential than any other player in the NFL. Has to show it more often.?

? ? ? 14. Andy Dalton - Cincinnatti Bengals?
Underrated. Been to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, I expect more of the same. Not on that elite level yet.?

? ? ? 13. Matt Schaub - Houston Texans?
The real challenge comes this year. 2 straight divison titles for the Texans, but in order for him to hold off Luck and the Colts again this year he will have to step his game up.?

? ? ? 12. Russell Wilson - Seattle Seahawks?
Of the outstanding quarterbacks that burst onto the season, Wilson had the 2nd best supporting cast. Proving himself again will put him in the top 10. Outstanding Playmaker.

? ? ? 11. Colin Kaepernick - San Francisco 49ers?
Fluky player in my opinion. Gets rave reviews and led his team to the?Superbowl? but has most bust potential of young stars of last year. Fans should hope he doesn't leave for the Dolphins.

? ? ? 10. Robert Griffin III - Washington Redskins?
Could be the best player in the NFL a couple years from now. Knee injury is a cause for concern. If he's healthy, he's unstoppable. Bonafide Superstar.?

? ? ? 9. Andrew Luck - Indianapolis Colts?
Improved the Colts' win total by 9 games in his first season with the team, which was done mostly without his head coach. Makes plays when his team needs him. Field General.?

? ? ? 8. Ben Roethlisberger -?Pittsburgh Steelers?
Doesn't get the yards & touchdowns of some of the other guys, but his career 92 passer rating and 97 passer rating last year legitimizes him in the ranks of the best.?

? ? ? 7. Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons?
Been great for a long time, but only recently garnered playoff success. Expect him to be in the NFC Championship for years to come.?

? ? ? 6. Joe Flacco - Baltimore Ravens?
Wacko Flacco has always done more in the postseason than we have suspected of them. This year, I'm expecting big things from this guy.?

? ? ? 5. Eli Manning - New York Giants?
Can't spell elite without Eli. Bounce back year for the Giants, the receivers will be healthy and ready for a late playoff run.

? ? ? 4. Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints?
Struggled last year without Sean Payton, but still does things that no other quarterback has ever done. Could break the all-time record for passing yards and touchdowns by the time he hangs up his cleats. Hall of Famer.?

? ? ? 3. Peyton Manning - Denver Broncos?
One of the most consistent players of all-time. Criticized for lack of playoff success, on multiple occasions, ?but I expect him to return as strong as ever this year. Once in a generation player.

? ? ? 2. Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers?
39:8 TD to Interception ratio was the best in the NFL last season. Discount double check swept over the country the past few years. Has dominated the league for 5 years. Heir Apparent to Brady's crown as the best in the league.

? ? ? 1. Tom Brady - New England Patriots?
34:8 TD to Interception ratio was just behind Rodgers, but his 4,827 passing yards out threw Rodgers by over 500 yards, evident that he is throwing more than ever to keep his team in the fray. 5 Super Bowl Appearances, 3 Super Bowl Titles. Led his team to the AFC Championship once again last season, but has a long road ahead of him with the injuries to Gronkowski and the murder charges for Aaron Hernandez. The defining moment of his career came in the clutch against the Rams in 2001. One of the Top 5 Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time.

Next Week: Running Backs.?
? ? ?

Source: http://literallysports.blogspot.com/2013/07/ranking-nfl-starters-quarterbacks.html

Sergio Garcia kellie pickler miranda kerr brian urlacher NBA Mock Draft 2013 Xbox reveal

Windows Phone 8 to Get ?Small? Update Reports Microsoft

Just few days after we heard that Windows 8.1 Blue will be available next month, Microsoft has announced that it will be rolling out a new small update for its Windows Phone 8. This company has been busy for the past period working on every field. Yesterday, we reported that Windows RT tablets will be getting a new discount but there are no specific details when will this happen.

This is great news for Windows Phone 8 users who were eager to see something new on their devices. Microsoft has announced its new 8.0.10327.77 update. It includes several bug fixes and minor updates. This update is cumulative, meaning when you install it you are getting everything that was included in the previous updates.

They have brought the Xbox Music feature which enables you to pin, select and download music. Users will enjoy accurate album, song and artist information along with many other improvements. FM radio will be available for listening right from the Music + videos Windows hub. This feature won?t be available for all phones. This update includes Data Sense which will enable you to know everything about your device?s data usage. The best thing is that you can set your limit based on the data plan you are using or just keep track of all apps and how much data they are using. This isn?t supported by all operators. Skype now offers improved performance and stability while Internet Explorer has been made better and with improved HTML 5. Microsoft has improved the camera feature in this update which is not available for all mobile phones. There are other slight improvements made to Windows Phone 8.

This is a great indication that Microsoft is working on something big. It was said that Microsoft plans to roll out its Windows Blue version for phones in Q1 of 2014. This comes from sources familiar with the company?s future plans. When this update comes, users will enjoy in enhancements for their built-in apps, OS?s multitasking improvements and brand new notification center. Don?t confuse this Windows Mobile Blue with the other recently previewed Windows 8.1.

According to Microsoft, the Windows Mobile 8 users won?t wait long to see this update available on their devices. It?s just a matter of time when they will release it and it was said that they are currently working on making it available to supported devices.

About the author: Sara Cunningham View all posts by Sara Cunningham

Sarah is a Michigan native who has lived her entire life int he Great Lakes region. She attended MSU where she acquired her bachelor's in Journalism. She currently has been freelancing for various clients and online magazines. She is also a tech geek who has kept up with the latest electronics for the past few years. She will be providing us with "real" reviews on the most popular gadgets and electronic products coming to us from such popular manufacturers as Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and others.

Source: http://www.onlinegadgetstore.com/5863-windows-phone-8-small-update-reports-microsoft/

notre dame notre dame football Bcs Bowl Chuck Hagel ncaa football CES russell wilson

What Apple tax controversy reveals

Times Of India Saturday 13th July, 2013

DUBLIN: Occupying a single floor of a three-storey building in a suburban Dublin office park, Western Union's offices are notably modest for the international headquarters of the world's largest money transfer firm. The set-up is typical of swathes of US companies using Ireland to cut their tax bill. A Reuters analysis of Irish and US filings shows that more than 40 per cent of the S&P 500 have registered subsidiaries in the country. That nexus, which has created over 100,000 jobs for Ireland, was laid bare when the US Senate revealed that technology giant

Read more

Source: http://www.afghanistansun.com/index.php/sid/215807306/scat/d805653303cbbba8

Fatboy Slim Rio de Janeiro Shark Week London 2012 closing ceremony Shark Week 2012 UFC 150 Caster Semenya

After Trayvon Martin Verdict, Protestors Urge Massive Florida Boycott [UPDATE]

News: After Trayvon Martin Verdict, Protestors Urge Massive Florida Boycott [UPDATE]

Sunday, Jul 14, 2013 12:55PM

Written by Cyrus Langhorne

Hours after the shocking not guilty verdict was announced for Trayvon Martin's fatal shooter George Zimmerman, protestors have called for a boycott on the state of Florida.

Immediately following the verdict, a Facebook page urging people to not support select Florida-based companies launched.

"Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law" killed Trayvon Martin's opportunity for justice. Stand Your Ground must be repealed and corporations based in Florida that profit from our patronage must stand with us against Stand Your Ground or we will make them pay in their pockets. Economic embargos and boycotts have worked to debilitate America's unjust laws like Jim Crow and alienate and starve countries like Cuba. A focused, targeted and public economic embargo of Florida-based corporations will force them to take a stand against Stand Your Ground in their own interests, The following post list the top Florida-based corporations who rely upon your patronage and support." (Boycott Florida)

The Boycott Florida page also provides a list with specific Florida-based companies and their addresses.

1. DisneyWorld, Lake Buena Vista, FL Meg Crofton, 2. Publix Supermarkets , Headquarters: Lakeland, FL Tupperware Corporation, 3. Carnival Cruise Company, Miami, 4. Royal Carribean Cruises, Miami, 5. DHL Express, Miami, 6. Darden Restaurants, Orlando (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorm Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Eddie Vs, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52), 7. Lennar Corp, Miami, 8. AutoNation Autonation.com, 9. HERTZ, Estero, Florida, 10. Office Depot, Boca Raton, 11. Winn-Dixie Stores, 12. SteinMart, Jacksonville, FL, 13. Friend Finder.com, Big Church.com, Perfect Match.com, Amigos.com) (Boycott Florida)

Various people upset by Saturday's night's announcement have started putting together petitions to rally in the memory of Martin.

Young men or women despite race or background should be able to walk down the road and not have to worry about being pursued or killed after standing their grown. No one will ever know what exactly happened that night. However, if you believe that the laws that allowed Zimmerman to be not guilty of the murder of Trayvon should be changed or repealed sign this petition and do not visit Florida for vacation or any other reason that could be avoided. Imagine Miami Memorial Day weekend without the supporters of the Martin family. What if families visited the house of mouse in California instead of pumping Millions of dollars into Florida tourism? Like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Bus boycott of the 1960s we can make a change with the power of our dollar and our voices. Maybe we can even prevent the folks of Miami-Dade from waiting over two hours to vote and hanging chads. (The Petition Site)

With the record amount of profits coming straight from tourism, a stern boycott would presumably spark a huge message.

So here's the thing. In Florida, if someone doesn't like the way you look, they can stalk you, provoke a fight with you, and then shoot you. All perfectly legal in Florida. So here's the question: why would any sane person go to Florida? "Florida" is a brand, and that brand is highly dependent on tourism. Damage that brand and you inflict real punishment on Floridians. If you care about what happened to Trayvon Martin, then boycott Florida. No vacations, no conventions, no business trips, no cruises, nothing. Maybe after a year or two of being shunned, the people of Florida will reconsider their barbaric law. Nonviolence. Boycott. (Daily Kos)

Nationwide protests over the verdict took place Saturday night and into Sunday.

Protesters on the West Coast massed, and in some cases marched, in four California cities, beneath the lingering sunshine that had already yielded to twilight and nightfall by the time the decision had been rendered shortly before 10 p.m. on the mostly quiescent East Coast. Mostly, the California demonstrations proved peaceful, although matters were marred by sporadic reports of stray violence and vandalism, including the halt of a passenger train, the burning of American and California flags, the lighting of small fires in city roadways, shattered storefront windows and the spray painting of a courthouse, as well as the damaging of a police squad car. (Fox News)

While Zimmerman was acquitted, he may have to go into hiding for a while.

Zimmerman showed no emotion as the verdict was read. Afterward, he smiled slightly and shook hands with one of his lawyers. Zimmerman may have to go into hiding and be unable to live a normal life for some time, said Jose Baez, the defense attorney who successfully defended Casey Anthony, a Florida mother accused of killing her daughter in a high-profile capital murder case. "The end is not near for George Zimmerman," he said. (USA Today)

To take part in the boycott against Florida and see the full listing of companies and addresses, please click here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sohhdotcom/news/~3/F2ga1VlKnIA/after_trayvon_martin_verdict_protestors.html

brody jenner brody jenner maurice sendak E3 Schedule Gamespot rafael nadal cicely tyson

Dan Bylsma to coach US Olympic team

Dan Bylsma has never coached hockey at the international level. The Pittsburgh Penguins coach does, however, know how to win while juggling a roster dotted with superstars.

That was good enough for USA Hockey to select Bylsma as coach of the U.S. Olympic men's hockey team at the 2014 Winter Olympics on Saturday, hoping the free-flowing style he teaches translates well to the wider rinks that await in Sochi, Russia in February.

Click to read more.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52351062/ns/local_news-pittsburgh_pa/

iOS 6 Features iOS 6 bank of america Yunel Escobar Eye Black Cruel Summer Endeavor shaun white

Obama says not threatened by China focus on Africa

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? President Barack Obama says he doesn't feel threatened by the fact that other countries, led by China, are investing in Africa. In fact, Obama says the more countries that come to Africa, the merrier.

Obama says he's touring three African nations this week because the United States needs to increase its engagement with a continent that's showing promise and possibility.

He says such interaction is good for the U.S. regardless of what other countries do.

But he cautions that Africa must be wary of outside investment and always ask how it will benefit when other countries come seeking its natural resources or to make other investments.

Obama spoke Saturday during a news conference in South Africa with President Jacob Zuma.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-says-not-threatened-china-focus-africa-104209434.html

frank martin pink slime eagle cam trayvon martin case affordable care act the line us soccer

High court to hear NJ housing discrimination case

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court agreed Monday to take another dispute involving race, deciding whether people must prove they were victims of intentional housing discrimination to win lawsuits under federal law.

With highly anticipated decisions on affirmative action and voting rights imminent, the justices added a case to their calendar for the fall that involves the Fair Housing Act, which bars discrimination on the basis of race, among other categories, in residential property sales and rentals. The issue in the case is whether it is enough to show that a practice has a disproportionate effect on a group or whether there must be proof of intent to discriminate.

The outcome also could affect other laws, including one that prohibits discrimination in lending and is enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

African-American and Hispanic residents of a neighborhood pegged for demolition and redevelopment in Mount Holly, N.J., sued to block the project, saying it targeted a predominantly minority area.

Unlike other anti-discrimination laws, the housing act does not explicitly cover disparate impact claims.

The housing law prohibits discrimination in all sorts of transactions involving real estate and applies to banks and mortgage companies as well as governments, like the one involved in this case.

The Obama administration tried to ward off high court review by telling the justices that the Housing and Urban Development Department has recently adopted a new regulation to deal with the sorts of claims at issue in the case and that no federal appeals court has yet addressed the new rule. The administration also said that 11 federal appeals courts have held that the law does allow for claims based on the results of a project or practice, not just intentional discrimination.

The court originally agreed to take up the issue in 2011 in a case from St. Paul, Minn., questioning whether the city's enforcement of its housing code in low-cost rentals disproportionately occupied by African-Americans violated the fair housing law. But Justice Department lawyer Thomas Perez, now nominated to serve as Labor secretary, prevailed on St. Paul to withdraw its appeal because the outcome could have harmed the department's approach to housing discrimination cases.

Republicans have criticized Perez for his role in a deal between the department and St. Paul that also kept the federal government out of two whistleblower lawsuits against the city that could have returned millions of dollars in damages to the federal government.

In Mount Holly, the township has been trying since 2002 to clear the Mount Holly Gardens neighborhood, described by the municipality as "problematic" for many years because of high crime, poor maintenance and overcrowding. Blacks and Hispanics made up three-quarters of the area in the 2000 census. In all, Mount Holly is about 60 percent white.

The residents and former residents who sued claimed that much higher percentages of Mount Holly's black and Hispanic households would be affected by the redevelopment than would white households. Conversely, a far larger share of white residents would be able to afford the new housing, the plaintiffs said.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia agreed that the residents had made enough of a claim to go to trial on the disparate impact of the township's plan. But the court also found that there was insufficient evidence of intentional discrimination.

The case, Township of Mount Holly v. Mount Holly Gardens Citizens in Action, 11-1507, will be argued in the fall.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/high-court-hear-nj-housing-144149626.html

erika van pelt pat robertson hunger games trailer hunger games trailer in plain sight hunger games movie review bats

Unions give lift to Turkish protest movement

ISTANBUL (AP) ? Turkish labor groups fanned a wave of defiance against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's authority, leading rallies and a one-day strike to support activists whose two-week standoff with the government has shaken the country's secular democracy.

Riot police again deployed in Turkey's two main cities, and authorities kept up their unyielding stance against the street demonstrations centering on Istanbul's Taksim Square. But Monday's police sweep was less forceful than in recent days, with only scattered firing of tear gas and water cannon on pockets of protesters.

After activists were ousted from their sit-in in adjacent Gezi Park over the weekend, two labor confederations that represent some 330,000 workers picked up the slack Monday by calling a strike and demonstrations nationwide. Unionists turned up by the thousands in Ankara, Istanbul, coastal Izmir and elsewhere.

The turnout defied Turkey's interior minister, Muammer Guler, who warned that anyone taking part in unlawful demonstrations would "bear the legal consequences." But one analyst called the rallies a "legitimate and a lawful expression of constitutional rights."

"People are raising their voices against the excessive use of police force," said Koray Caliskan, a political science professor at Istanbul's Bosphorus University. Demonstrators, he said, were showing they were no longer cowed by authorities, and "the fear threshold has been broken."

In a sign that authorities were increasingly impatient, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc floated the prospect that authorities could call in troops to quash the protests.

Erdogan's opponents have grown increasingly suspicious about what they call a gradual erosion of freedoms and secular values under his Islamic-rooted ruling party. It has passed new curbs on alcohol and tried, but later abandoned its plans, to limit women's access to abortion.

The government set off protests nationwide and drew criticism abroad over a police crackdown that began May 31 against environmentalists and other activists in Taksim Square who were protesting against plans to tear down trees and re-develop Gezi Park. Thousands have flooded the streets nightly since then, many honking car horns and waving Turkish flags.

Erdogan, who has held power for 10 years and was re-elected in 2011, mobilized his supporters over the weekend in two huge rallies ? insisting his duty was to keep order, railing against media coverage of the protests and lashing out at unspecified foreigners whom he said want to hurt Turkey.

TV images Monday showed crowds of government supporters in Istanbul facing down some protesters and chanting "the hands targeting the police should be broken." On Twitter, a trending topic urged protesters to stay home ? some expressing concern that pro-government mobs might attack them.

But overnight, for hours, a lone man stood silently on Taksim Square, eventually joined by about 20 other people who did likewise before police escorted them away. The group put up no resistance. Pockets of unrest erupted elsewhere in Istanbul, with police resorting to water cannon and tear gas at times.

The labor rallies had a more structured feel than the counterculture-style sit-in at Gezi Park's tent city, and the work stoppage involved many professionals who make up a liberal, urban class that mostly backs the anti-Erdogan protesters. But labor strikes often have little visible impact on daily life in Turkey, a country of about 75 million, and Monday's rallies were no different.

Feride Aksu Tanik, of the Turkish Doctors Union, said it had called its work stoppage "to protest against the police force that attacks children, youngsters and everyone violently, and to the detentions of doctors who provide voluntary services to the injured."

Turkey's doctors association said Monday that four people, including a police officer, had died in violence linked to the crackdown, and an investigation was ongoing into the death of a fifth person who was exposed to tear gas. More than 7,800 people have been injured; six remained in critical condition and 11 people lost their eyesight.

The tough tactics used by the government to disperse protesters during the past two weeks have drawn international criticism.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany ? home to some 3 million Turks ? told German broadcaster RTL she was "appalled" to see footage of police forces moving in to clear Gezi Park over the weekend. She criticized the crackdown by Turkish police as "much too strong."

___

Keaten reported from Ankara, Turkey. Ezgi Akin in Ankara, Burak Sayin and Sophiko Megrelidze in Istanbul, and Juergen Baetz in Berlin contributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/unions-lift-turkish-protest-movement-002632503.html

Royal Rumble 2013 senior bowl norovirus Eclampsia Kendrick Lamar JJ Abrams New Orleans Pelicans

Mapping translation sites in the human genome

June 16, 2013 ? Because of their central importance to biology, proteins have been the focus of intense research, particularly the manner in which they are produced from genetically coded templates -- a process commonly known as translation. While the general mechanism of translation has been understood for some time, protein synthesis can initiate by more than one mechanism. One of the least well understood mechanisms is known as cap-independent translation.

Now, John Chaput and his colleagues at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute have produced the first genome-wide investigation of cap-independent translation, identifying thousands of mRNA sequences that act as Translation Enhancing Elements (TEEs), which are RNA sequences upstream of the coding region that help recruit the ribosome to the translation start site.

The new study outlines a technique for mining whole genomes for sequences that initiate cap-independent translation within the vastness of the genome.

The research has important implications for the fundamental understanding of translation in living systems, as well as intriguing potential in the biomedical arena. (Many viral pathogens are known to use cap-independent translation to hijack and redirect cellular mechanisms to translate viral proteins.)

The lead author of the study is Brian P. Wellensiek, a senior scientist in Biodesign's Center for Evolutionary Medicine and Informatics. The group's results appear in the current issue of the journal Nature Methods.

During most protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells, cap-dependent translation dominates. The process begins after DNA is first transcribed into mRNA, with the aid of an enzyme polymerase. mRNA now forms the coded template from which the translated proteins will be generated. The mRNA code consists of sequences made from 4 nucleic acids, A, C, G & U, with each 3-letter grouping (known as a codon), corresponding to one amino acid in the protein being synthesized.

A key component in the translation process is the ribosome, which migrates along the single stranded mRNA, reading the codons as it goes. Before it can do this however, it must locate a special structure at the 5' end of the mRNA strand known as the cap. In normal cap-dependent translation, the ribosome is recruited to the 5' end of mRNA via a specialized cap-binding complex.

Cap-independent translation allows the ribosome to begin reading the mRNA message without having to first locate the 5' cap structure. Cap-independent translation occurs in eukaryotic cells during normal processes including mitosis and apoptosis (or programmed cell death). It is also a feature in many forms of viral translation, where the viral transcript is able to recruit the ribosome and co-opt its function to preferentially translate viral RNA.

In the current study, Chaput designed an in vitro selection strategy to identify human genome sequences that initiate cap-independent translation. The technique is able to select candidates from a pool of trillions of genomic fragments. Once a set of sequences was identified as translation enhancing elements, they were shown to function effectively in both cell-free and cellular translation systems.

As Chaput explains, most research on cap-independent translation has been conducted using RNA fragments derived from viruses. "These RNA molecules will fold into shapes that appear to mimic some of the initiation factors that that you would find in eukaryotic translation," he says. More recently, similar RNA molecules have been identified in cellular systems, though the sequences tend to be much shorter and function in a different manner.

Chaput's method of studying such sequences on a genome-wide scale involves first generating a DNA library of the entire human genome. Using enzymes, the genome is cut into random fragments of around 200 base pairs each. These sequences are then transcribed into mRNA.

Applying a technique known as mRNA display, the fragments are tagged in specific way, such that amino acid sequences resulting from successful translation events remain bound to the mRNA fragments that generated them. "Essentially, what we're doing is taking a library of human mRNA and tagging those sequences that act as translation enhancing elements," Chaput says. Those sequences bearing an attached peptide affinity tag can then be separated out from the remaining untranslated sequences, reverse transcribed, amplified using PCR technology and subjected to subsequent rounds of selection.

The sequences were later mapped onto the human genome. As expected, the complete library of sequences used at the start of the experiments mapped fairly evenly across the genome. But the sequences selected via mRNA display as translation enhancing elements tended to cluster in non-coding regions of the genome. The authors speculate that such sequences may have been evolutionarily selected against, as they have the potential to disrupt normal cap-dependent translation.

Roughly 20 percent of the translation enhancing elements functioned as internal ribosomal initiation sites, again turning up primarily in non-coding genomic regions. The origin of these sequences remains mysterious. It is conceivable that they were surreptitiously brought on board as a result of human interaction with different types of viruses.

Once Chaput's group had acquired a library of 250 distinct translation enhancing elements through selection using mRNA display, the sequences were screened for translation enhancing activity, which was quantified using a light based assay employing a luciferase reporter molecule.

By measuring levels of luciferase, the enhancement of each sequence could be assessed relative to background noise, with the better translation enhancing elements displaying 50-100 fold enhancement (and some as much as 1000-fold enhancement). The next step was to determine which of these sequences could function as internal ribosomal initiation sites.

To do this, the same 250 sequences were inserted into a vector bearing a hairpin structure. As Chaput explains: "If the ribosome latched onto the 5' end, it would hit that hairpin and would fall off. However if the ribosome skipped the hairpin and recognized the sequence on the other side of the hairpin independently and translated it, that's an indication that the sequence is functioning as an internal ribosomal initiation site." Both assays (for translation enhancement and internal ribosomal initiation) were validated under cell-free conditions and in human cells, using a vaccinia virus vector.

A study of this scope is possible thanks to innovative techniques for in vitro selection (such as mRNA display), as well as a revolutionary technology permitting massively parallel RNA sequencing (known as deep sequencing), which provides unprecedented speed and read accuracy.

Much remains to be learned about atypical translation processes. The mechanism of action for translation enhancing elements is still obscure, particularly in the case of internal ribosomal initiation sites. Similarly, the particular gene products that may result from cap-independent translation have yet to be identified and characterized.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/giXLkqwIWhM/130616155211.htm

Stand Up to Cancer Azarenka NFL fantasy football Chris Kluwe Jennifer Granholm Tulane player injured fox sports

Marco Rubio: President's Inaction Has Led to 'Worst Possible Scenario' in Syria (ABC News)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/313101528?client_source=feed&format=rss

WrestleMania 29 Lilly Pulitzer Ben And Jerrys Accidental Racist Lyrics Mad Men Jenna Jameson melissa mccarthy

UFC 161?s Three Stars: James Krause, Shawn Jordan and Stipe Miocic?s night

UFC 161 wasn't the greatest of cards, but some fighters did stand out. Who stood out for you? Speak up on Facebook or Twitter.

No. 1 star -- James Krause: In 2009, Krause had two fights in the WEC. He lost to Donald Cerrone and Ricardo Lamas and missed his chance to get into the UFC when it merged with the WEC. Krause kept training and kept fighting, putting together a seven-fight win streak in promotions like Resurrection Fighting Alliance and Shark Fights.

He was ready when the UFC called and asked him to fill in at the last minute for a tough match-up with Sam Stout. He not only had an entertaining fight with Stout, he finished him with a guillotine with 13 seconds left in the fight. He won both a Fight of the Night bonus and a Submission of the Night bonus, totaling $100,000.* After years of training and fighting in smaller promotions, that money is an excellent reward for keeping the faith.

No. 2 star -- Shawn Jordan: Perhaps it's just that Shawn Jordan is a really busy guy. He has many items on his to-do list, and he doesn't have time to waste on knocking out a fighter. He quickly finished Pat Barry, earning the TKO in 59 seconds. Next item on the to-do list? Heading to the bank to cash his $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus.*

No. 3 star -- Stipe Miocic: Does it actually take throwing a kitchen sink at Roy Nelson's head to knock him out? Because Miocic's strikes were just short of kitchen-sink-level, and Nelson remained standing. That Miocic was able to put such a beating on Nelson showed that he is back to being the striking stud he was before being knocked out by Stefan Struve.

*UFC bonuses are paid out after fighters have passed their post-fight drug tests.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-161-three-stars-james-krause-shawn-jordan-153134442.html

Ryder Cup 2012 Johnny Lewis yom kippur yom kippur avengers soa andy williams

Oriental Trading Company Craft and Party Supplier Review!

Hi all and Happy Father's Day! A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to receive a large box of craft good from Oriental Trading Company in the mail, and today I'm so happy to be able to share my thoughts on their wonderful company with you! Among the craft sets were some wonderful Mother's and Father's Day crafts that made days like today extra fun and special for our family!

?

Oriental Trading Company is?the nation's largest direct merchant of value?priced party supplies, arts and crafts, toys and novelties, and a leading provider of school supplies and affordable home d?cor and giftware. OTC has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Internet Retailers and one of the Top 50 Catalog Companies. You may be familiar with many of their products from your child's classroom or your own; their products are showcased in schools all over the U.S.!

?

I recognized the company from having seen their things in teacher's classrooms growing up, but had no idea that Oriental Trading Company sold so many other great products! From a quick browse on their website, I saw that OTC sells frames and photo supplies, party supplies and gifts for every occasion, graduation garb, and tons of do-it-yourself crafts for hours of fun!
?

Upon receiving the box of goodies, Angie and I were so excited to peek inside. The first thing we pulled out were blank cards, blank gift bags, and some awesome Mom and Dad themed foam stickers!! This was the beginning of our venture into the land of Mother's and Father's day crafts for that day, and we had a blast decorating cards and bags for Mom and Dad! The stickers are super cute and there was SUCH A VARIETY, it was awesome! I loved that not all the stickers said the words "Mom" or "Dad" on them, so they could be used for decorating birthday cards for friends or other types of crafts as well!
?

Since receiving the box of crafts, I've used the blank cards and bags for other purposes as well, such as end-of-the-year thank you notes for teachers! I loved added a couple foam flower stickers to the outside of the envelope for a special treat!

After decorating our cards and gift bags, it was on to the crafts for Angie and I! We were lucky enough to receive two Mother's Day and two Father's Day crafts, and had so much fun creating them! The final products of our Oriental Trading Company crafts looked really well done, yet they had been so easy to create, and that is what I love about this company! The directions were very easy to follow, and every craft bag included extra pieces which was a great add-on in case we made a mistake or lost a piece. It was good to have a glue-gun on hand, which wasn't required for some of the crafts but was something Angie and I found to be helpful. Here are some pictures of the super cool crafts we made!!

?

?

I love the availability of personalization with the crafts from Oriental Trading Company. Even though Angie and I were making crafts from the same kit, both of our creations came out looking uniquely our own, and were both special for our mom and dad! The Mother's Day cards allowed us to include our pictures and handprints, and the Father's Day crafts let us add a picture as well! This was a really nice touch, and definitely made the gifts more special for our parents. Way to Go Oriental Trading Company!!
All of the crafts came in sets of 12, which would have been great for teachers or moms who are buying crafts sets for a birthday party activity (which is something I HIGHLY recommend!) However, since Angie and I only made one each of every style of craft, we were able to donate the rest to an after school program at Angie's school. The teachers sent us a lovely thank you note letting us know the children had LOVED the crafts from Oriental Trading Company, and were so excited to give them to their parents!

The last thing we received from Oriental Trading Company was a pad of craft paper. This paper is so fun and includes many, many spring designs! We discovered that as well as being great craft paper, this paper makes fun and eco-friendly wrapping paper for gifts! How fun to have around!!

I would definitely recommend Oriental Trading Company as an AMAZING company with such a variety of crafts for children and party supplies for adults! I wish my mom had known about this company when I was younger, because they sell everything a family would want for a great themed birthday party. Teachers and Summer Camps can find a variety of crafts to keep children entertained that will not only keep them busy but give them something nice to take home as well! In addition, here are some great products I found on Oriental Trading Company that I personally would love to have for my dorm room this year:

?

?

?

Dorm DIY-ing is all the rage with college girls right now, and I know my friends and I would have a ton of fun making some great dorm accessories from the variety of jars and scrapbooking paper sold at Oriental Trading Company! Additionally, OTC has many great stationary products for college dorm rooms, such as these adorable Sandal Notepads!!

?

?

Highly encouraged for teachers!!

?

?

?
?

Source: http://notoneordinarymoment.blogspot.com/2013/06/oriental-trading-company-craft-and.html

chris kreider correspondents dinner 2012 white house correspondents dinner 2012 whcd 2012 nfl draft jazz fest zurich classic

Hong Kong rally backs Snowden, denounces allegations of U.S. spying

By Grace Li and Venus Wu

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A few hundred rights advocates and political activists marched through Hong Kong on Saturday to demand protection for Edward Snowden, who leaked revelations of U.S. electronic surveillance and is now believed to be holed up in the former British colony.

Marchers gathered outside the U.S. consulate shouting slogans denouncing alleged spying operations aimed at China and Hong Kong, but the numbers were modest compared to rallies over other rights and political issues.

"Arrest Obama, free Snowden," protesters shouted outside the slate grey building as police looked on. Many waved banners that said: "Betray Snowden, betray freedom", "Big brother is watching you" and "Obama is checking your email".

Some blew whistles in support of Snowden, 29, the American former CIA contractor who has acknowledged being behind leaks of the surveillance programs by the National Security Agency.

The procession moved on to government headquarters in the city, which reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 but enjoys far more liberal laws on dissent and freedom of expression.

About a dozen groups organized two rallies, including the city's two largest political camps. Leaders of major political parties sought explanations for Snowden's allegations of spying.

Hong Kong's largest pro-Beijing political party, the DAB, demanded an apology from Washington, clarification of "illegal" espionage activities and an immediate halt to them.

"I think the Hong Kong government should protect him," the DAB's vice-chairwoman, Starry Lee, said outside the consulate.

Snowden reportedly flew to Hong Kong on May 20. He checked out of a luxury hotel on Monday and his whereabouts remain unknown. Snowden has said he intends to stay in Hong Kong to fight any potential U.S. moves to extradite him.

CHINA AVOIDS COMMENT ON CASE

China has avoided any explicit comment on its position towards Snowden. A senior source with ties to the Communist Party leadership said Beijing was reluctant to jeopardize recently improved ties with Washington.

Snowden told the South China Morning Post this week that Americans had spied extensively on targets including the Chinese University of Hong Kong that hosts an exchange which handles nearly all the city's domestic web traffic. Other alleged targets included government officials, businesses and students.

Snowden pledged not to "hide from justice" and said he would place his trust in Hong Kong's legal system. Some legal experts, however, say an extradition treaty between Hong Kong and the United States has functioned smoothly since 1998.

It is unclear whether Chinese authorities would intervene over any U.S. attempts to extradite Snowden, though lawyers say Beijing has rarely interfered with extradition cases.

His arrival comes at a sensitive time for Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying, whose popularity has sunk since taking office last year amid a series of scandals and corruption probes into prominent figures. Leung has offered no comment on Snowden.

Interest among residents into the case is growing and numbers could rise if extradition proceedings are launched.

Demonstrations on issues ranging from denunciations of pro-communist education policy imposed by Beijing, high property prices and a growing wealth gap have attracted large crowds.

A vigil marking the anniversary of China's June 1989 crackdown on democracy advocates drew tens of thousands this month and a record 180,000 last year.

Diplomats and opposition figures in the city have warned of growing behind-the-scenes meddling by Beijing in Hong Kong's affairs, as well as deep-rooted spying activities.

(Additional reporting by James Pomfret and Anne-Marie Roantree; Writing by James Pomfret; Editing by Ron Popeski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hong-kong-rally-backs-snowden-denounces-allegations-u-121300393.html

dominos Perez Hilton Michelle Obama Oscars Wissam Al Mana seth macfarlane oscar winners anne hathaway

Review: Man of Steel - Montreal Gazette

Man of Steel

Rating: 3 stars

Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Running time: 143 minutes

Parental guidance: Violence, coarse language

Playing at: Angrignon, Banque Scotia, Brossard, Cavendish, Cin?ma Carnaval, Colossus, C?te des Neiges, Kirkland, Lacordaire, March? Central, March? Central (Imax), Sources, Sph?retech, Taschereau cinemas

Playing in 3D at: Angrignon, Banque Scotia, Banque Scotia (Imax), Cavendish, Cin?ma Carnaval, Colossus, C?te des Neiges, Deux Montagnes, Kirkland, Lacordaire, LaSalle, March? Central, March? Central (Imax), Sources, Sph?retech, StarCit?, Taschereau, Taschereau (Imax) cinemas

Once upon a time, Superman was the cheeriest of superheroes, a clean-cut do-gooder with a clean-cut conscience. That was back when you could believe truth, justice and the American way were not only possible, they were synonymous.

Now there's a new Superman for a new world: darker, anguished, beset by the responsibilities of his great powers. In Man of Steel, the reboot of the Superman franchise, he's not exactly a bulletproof Batman, but he's torn between loyalties to his native planet and the strange Earthlings who torment him here.

It starts on the planet Krypton, a dark place of spaceships and flying monsters that is about to be destroyed because it has greedily mined the energy in its own core, a sort of intergalactic anti-fracking message. Top scientist Jor-El (Russell Crowe) puts his newborn baby Kal-El in a rocket ship and sends him to safety on Earth, a step ahead of the evil General Zod (Michael Shannon), who is against babies or something.

Then Jor-El is killed and Zod is banished from the planet. However, both will return later in the movie - and at these prices, they'd better.

We next see the boy - now called Clark Kent - as a bearded seaman who must rescue workers on an exploding ocean oil rig. He has grown up to be Henry Cavill, an absurdly bemuscled British actor who moreover has the most bankable dimple since Kirk Douglas. Clark is moving from town to town, or rather from disaster to disaster, disappearing after his heroic feats to remain anonymous. This isn't easy because, in moments of high stress, laser beams come out of his eyes.

Nevertheless, as we learn in one of several flashbacks, his adoptive Earth father, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), has told him he must keep his superpowers a secret. "When the world finds out what you can do, it's going to change everything," he says.

It's an intriguing notion, developed by director Zack Snyder, a veteran of this kind of 3D abs-over-matter legend-making (300, Watchmen) in the picture's more grounded first half.

The Superman story has always served as a sort of Christian parable, the tale of an only son sent to the world to save mankind, and Man of Steel underlines the notion: "They'll kill him," his mother says as they prepare the infant to go to Earth. "He'll be a god to them," his father says.

Jonathan's concern adds a note of ontological interest, creating a more realistic approach: Learning there's a flying alien in our midst could alter our understanding of the universe. However, in the end, when the world does learn of the man of steel, it doesn't seem to make much difference. Everyone just accepts him as a saviour in a red cape. As often happens in big-budget Hollywood films, the philosophical danger turns out to have been exaggerated.

Of course, by then everyone has been battered senseless by the never-ending final hour of Man of Steel, a battle on land, sea and air among flying creatures, U.S. Air Force bombers, long metallic tentacles that come from a spaceship that looks like a flying clam, and the sadly inevitable trope of airplanes flying into buildings, sending glass and concrete tumbling.

Snyder seems more interested in the spectacle of the thing. It lacks any sense of tragedy that you might expect from such a conflicted hero in a post-9/11 world.

Man of Steel is a huge production, and the money is splashed across the screen in endless special effects and lots of action. What are missing are the moments of surprise and humour: the joys of seeing the superhero making everyday magic. Cavill is an appealing hunk, but there's no joy in his feats. Anyone can throw spaceships around. Superman needs to come down to earth and cheer up a bit.

Source: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Review+Steel/8523705/story.html

Elder Scrolls Online joe biden lupe fiasco jason wu jason wu Mavericks Surf Stonewall