Monday, December 31, 2012

In The Next Few Weeks, The FAA May Decide To ... - Business Insider

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Using Windows 8 New Photos Of The Next BlackBerry With Keyboard Have Leaked blackbery n series phone with keyboard
You know how you can't use any electronic device during take off and landing on airliner?

There doesn't seem to be any good reason for that.

Seriously: even NASA tried to find one and couldn't.

For the past couple years, Nick Bilton of the New York Times has righteously pressed this point with the FAA, the agency that enforces the rule.

The FAA has mostly stonewalled him.

In October, it finally caved and said it would re-examine the issue.

Over the weekend, Bilton reported that rules-makers will finally meet sometime in January.

Hopefully, they don't blow it.

Aren't you sick of spending $6 on a magazine you'll only read for 10 minutes on the way up and 10 minutes on the way down?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/in-the-next-few-weeks-the-faa-may-decide-to-lift-its-absurd-ban-of-e-readers-during-takeoff-2012-12

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Sugar Bowl 2013: For game against Florida, Louisville players have no curfew

Louisville head coach Charlie Strong doesn't live up to his name when it comes to bowl-week discipline. It has been reported that the Cardinal players will not have a curfew during their stay in New Orleans for the 2013 Sugar Bowl. Opponent Florida certainly will, according to head coach Will Muschamp, though only the players know what the curfew is. Bourbon Street may run Cardinal red this New Year's season.

Meanwhile, Florida safety Matt Elam has declared for the NFL Draft. The junior announced his decision today, just shy of the deadline for underclassmen to declare for April's draft. CBS' draft scouts both have Elam as a first-round pick.

Gator Nation's Matt DiRocco has a breakdown of the Gators third-down defense, which is one of the best in the country. Florida is allowing just a 16% conversion rate on third downs of seven or more yards and only once in 22 tries has the opposition converted a third down of 13 yards or longer. DiRocco cites the secondary play and the Gators' ability to create a pass rush with just four down linemen.

In his first season as a starter, sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel was tasked to simply manage an effective running game and rely on the Gators' defense, third in the country in points allowed. But as Matt DiRocco points out, Driskel can use the Sugar Bowl as a springboard for next season. The Oviedo, Florida, native can use the national stage to make a name for himself and build confidence going into his junior season.

It may also help that Driskel will be facing a defense that went to bed at a questionable hour.

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Source: http://tampabay.sbnation.com/2012/12/30/3818212/2013-sugar-bowl

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Heath Bar Slice 'n Bake Shortbread Cookies for ... - Creative Culinary

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Can you hear that sigh?that huge exhale of relief? I?ve decided that this year I have to be more cognizant of MY priorities and that might include saying no to some interesting but otherwise way too time consuming projects for the blog. I won?t be heading to events that someone hopes I cover in exchange for an entry ticket or a free drink?sometimes they?re fun but not as much fun as meeting my own friends and buying my own drink?and I don?t have to write a post afterwards either! I?m officially taking a leave of absence from another baking group too; I just don?t have enough hours in the day to get it all done and I have some things of my own I want to start. A Cocktail Club. More salads and light dishes. Some posts that are near and dear to my heart about social issues and food. Still; one obligation that I hope to not miss is this one?when I bake with friends. Even if my baking this month would have me win the ?Better Late Than Never? award. Not just the last day of the month?no, I managed to make it the last day of the YEAR..buh bye 2012.

heath-bar-cookies-tray

If I?m perfectly honest, this post for #Baketogether should not be happening at all. I started feeling a bit punk on Christmas Eve and missed a couple of things I wanted to go to; managed to muddle through Christmas OK but just crashed afterwards with a horrible cold?you know, the kind when you honestly feel like you might rip your lungs out of your body when you cough? Yeah, that kind. I was sick in bed Wednesday and Thursday (first time in many years I did that!) and in my fog, my Friday Cocktail post went live but it had not actually been completed so not only was there no photo?the ?post? was basically some notes and a recipe. I think that might have freaked me out more if I hadn?t been sick. Cough medicine was the great equalizer?I was pretty mellow and with an ?Oh, well? attitude I managed to make and photograph this Champagne Cocktail for New Year?s and revised that pathetic post as quick as possible. The cocktail was wonderful but I only had a sip?I could have downed it in a heartbeat but just could not convince myself that it was the perfect pairing for Tylenol Cold and Flu Medicine. Boo.

Now, I could attest to my great fondness for Abby Dodge and my total commitment to her monthly event and there would be truth in those words. But if I?m honest? I didn?t feel good and I wanted two things. Some soup and some cookies. I figure if I was going to make cookies, then I ought to do these and I?m so glad I did. They embody not only a great shortbread cookie but also the flavors of my favorite candy bar; the Heath Bar. I believe that the first cavity I ever got when I was little must have had ?Heath Bar? attributed to it. It?s been a long term love affair and these cookies were the perfect vehicle for those flavors of toffee and milk chocolate. An easy and delicious cookie filled with Heath Brickle Bits and then drizzled with some melted milk chocolate. I will blame the fever on the fact that I ate so many of the first batch I cooked that I had to bake more in order to get photos. They are that good?you know, the ?I think I?ll just have one more? type of good but then you keep saying that same thing over and over until they are all gone good?

heath-bar-cookies-bite

Was it coincidence or is there truth in the fact that I feel better after indulging. I think it was the cookies. Next time? Forget gargling with salt water?I?m eating some more Heath Bar Ice Box Cookies! The doctor you need to call is Abby Dodge! :)

Heath Bar Slice 'n Bake Shortbread Cookies for #Baketogether

Heath Bar Slice 'n Bake Shortbread Cookies for #Baketogether

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (10 1/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Heath 'Bits 'O Brickle'
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) milk chocolate chips for drizzling
  • 3 Tbsp half and half

Preparation

    To make the dough:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  2. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the egg, Heath bits and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat on medium until blended, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough begins to form moist clumps, about 1 minute.
  4. Dump the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the plastic as a guide, gently knead into a smooth dough. Shape into a 18-inch-long, rectangular log. Cut into two pieces and wrap each well in plastic wrap.
  5. Refrigerate until chilled and very firm, about 4 hours.
  6. To bake the cookies:

  7. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350?F. Line two (or more if you have them) cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.
  8. Using a thin-bladed knife, cut the dough into slices between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick
  9. Arrange the slices about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, until the tops look dry and the edges are golden brown, 11 to 13 minutes.
  10. Move the sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies sit for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough using cookie sheets that are completely cold.
  11. To drizzle the cookies:

  12. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the milk chocolate chips on high for 20 seconds, until soft (chips hold their shape so go ahead and stir them). Add the half and half and microwave for up to 20 seconds more until all of the chocolate is soft and can be stilled until smooth.
  13. Pour the chocolate into a small ziploc bag and snip off the corner of the bag (Keep it small; you can always enlarge).
  14. Squeeze the bag gently and drizzle the chocolate in both directions across each cookie.
  15. Let sit at room temperature until chocolate is set or put the cookies into the fridge for 10-15 minutes if in a hurry to have them setup.

Notes

The dough can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month before proceeding with the recipe. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. Layer the baked and cooled cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container. These cookies can be stowed for up to 5 days at room temperature or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

2.2

http://www.creative-culinary.com/2012/12/heath-bar-slice-n-bake-shortbread-cookies/

This recipe brought to you by © <b>Creative Culinary</b> | A Food and Cocktail Blog | Website: www.creative-culinary.com

Want to bake with us? Check out the details on Abby?s site and come on along. It?s fun, it?s creative and you?ll meet some new and wonderful bloggers too!

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Source: http://www.creative-culinary.com/2012/12/heath-bar-slice-n-bake-shortbread-cookies/

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

United States Must Destroy All Obama Legislation?Like Rome?s Damnatio Memoriae & Bring Them To Justice!

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A Public Condemnation of Barack is Needed to Set America Back on Course

United States Must Destroy All Obama Legislation?Like Rome?s Damnatio Memoriae

By?Kelly O?Connell

What in the name of Zeus does the GOP think it?s going to achieve by bargaining with Barack Obama and his socialist posse? Instead of pretending we have much in common, why don?t the Republicans get a clue and listen to the results of the last election, and heed Conservatism?and allow liberals to keep?listening to Prozac? It is time to use the ancient Roman act of?Damnatio Memoriae, or public condemnation, to bury old Barack along with all his self-indulgent and imbecilic decisions. The following article explores this option.

I. RomanDamnatio Memoriae?Act of Permanent Political Removal

The phrase ?Damnatio Memoriae? means ?posthumousdenigration.? It is a Latin phrase which loosely translates to historical censure, or to be blotted from the official record. The Romans did this punishment to the emperors they considered to be truly abysmal and worthy of the worst ends. This execration was more lowly than death because of the high esteem Romans paid to fame and immortality achieved through noble deeds. Egyptians also practiced a similar kind of posthumous denigration, as well as the?Holy Roman Church. The USSR also practiced this art with great vigor.

Classicist N.S. Gill?writes about this practice,

The Latin term?damnatio memoriae ?condemnation of the memory? is modern, but is used to describe a variety of ancient Roman processes dealing with individuals judged unfit to be members of a community. Such undesirables include traitors, would-be tyrants, and individuals who were enemies of Rome, according to Harriet I. Flowers. This posthumous dishonor was considered the worst that could be done to a former senator.

This act was done by an official vote of the senate, or also unofficially by another emperor?s whim, and then fulfilled through every manner available. For the person posthumously denigrated, their statues would be?destroyed or defaced, their?coinage melted down, paintings desecrated,?inscriptions from across the Empire defiled, and their?name blotted out of historical records.

Gill continues,

Acts subsumed under the rubric of ?damnatio memoriae? include scratching names and titles from inscriptions, defacing likenesses, banning the condemneds? wax masks from funerals, confiscation and destruction of the condemned man or woman?s writing, annulling of wills, marking the birthday of the condemned as a day of ill-omen, marking the anniversary of the condemned?s death with thanksgiving, mutilation of corpses, and more. The condemnations could be started by the Senate, the emperor, or the army.

Emperors who were historically?blotted from the official record included Caligula and Nero.

This?historical scrubbing of figures out of the public record was done by the USSR, not surprisingly. If a politician or military figure fell out with Stalin, or another leader, he could be totally?removed from every photograph or official record. This then?happened to Stalin himself, and Lenin?who had their statutes removed from many public places.

A very recent example of this type of historical censure have been seen in Canada where the?top Canadian military commander, Colonel Russell Williams, was found guilty of murdering two women, and abusing 88 others. The Canadian military decided not to simply recycle his old uniforms but?to burn them so as to never be worn by any other member. His crimes were of a?sexual fetishist nature, bringing great shame upon the military.

II. Purpose of Historical Erasure

Why was this historical censure done upon Roman emperors, the most powerful men in the ancient world? Classical Rome was a place which took great pride in doing things the right way. Public service, and especially elected office, was considered the high point of Roman existence, before the Empire was established. But to do things the wrong way was shameful and society felt a need to publicly address these evil deeds.Damnatio Memoriae was officially established after the Republic ended, but the idea behind it was in keeping with republican principles. The theory was that no scoundrel or criminal should be honored by history who attacks the very country which gives him fame, honor and sustenance. So let it be for Obama.

III. Damnatio Memoriae?of Obama: Ten Criteria

Principled reasons for canceling and reversing Obama legislation ought be done on the following grounds:

First, those decisions made against our Declaration and Constitution and laws.
Second, those choices?made in opposition to the?obvious will of the people, since ourDeclaration condemns this practice: ?Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed??
Third, acts which clearly go against the best interest of all Americans.
Fourth, choices aiding foreign governments at the cost of America or her allies.
Fifth, commands which elevate Islam over other religions. Let?s not forget we are at war with its radicals.
Sixth, acts which are simply unpatriotic.
Seventh, legislation which undermines our capitalist form of economy.
Eighth, choices that harm our armed services.
Ninth, declarations or acts that denigrate America.
Tenth, legislation which weaken America?s sovereignty in the interest of world bodies.

Following is a truncated list of laws and decisions by Obama & Administration that ought be stricken from the record. Plea feel free to add to this short number, as there are hundreds more.

Obamacare

A large majority want this bill completely eviscerated.?It is unconstitutional and willbadly damage the quality and access of American healthcare. A shocking?74% of doctors may quit medicine because of it.

TARP

TARP was an?unconstitutional taking of American funds, arbitrarily given to businesses without any accountability.

Detroit Bailout

Detroit car maker?bailout was an illegal buying of?private businesses with public fundswhich created de facto socialist results.

Stimulus

The Stimulus bill was?wasted funds not even invested in infrastructure, but doled out as tasty pork medallions to countless Democratic constituents, while a trillion dollars drain from our money supply.

Global Warming

Despite the science behind this idea being?utterly exposed as fraudulent, Obama resolutely still attempts to address it legally. He might as well demand laws to protect Little Bo Peep, while he?s at it.

Cap & Trade

This legislation would?wildly prune America?s economy, done in the name of an already failed Global Warming theory. It is really a?global Marxist ruse to redistribute wealth. The?UN admits it?s socialism.

Cancels NASA?S Mission Then Dedicate it to Islam

Why fly to the moon when you can?advertise for Mohammad, instead?!!

Suing States While Ignoring Border Chaos

Who?s more dangerous to America?armed illegals or the?states trying to stop them?

Obama Attacks Our Allies & Helps Our Enemies

Hating on Britain while?turning a blind eye on Iran.

Absurd Decision Making on Gulf Oil Spill

Obama disappeared when crisis came. But that?s OK?it?s his MO!

Disappears While WikiLeaks Hemorrhages State Secrets

Obama can?threaten to kick BP?s ##### but not?little Julian Assange? Clueless!

Insulting America in Foreign Countries

America is so bad?Barack must escape the continent to then?rat us out to other countries.

Taking Great Pains to Honor Islam

Obama apparently loves Islam, but need he?shove it down our throats?, including the9/11 Mosque?

Huge Mistakes With the Housing Crisis

When it came to the mortgage crisis,?Obama made it worse.

Inexplicably Setting a Course for Years of Ruinous Deficits

Obama does not understand economics, proved by his?choosing decades of trillion dollar deficits.

Picking Winners & Losers Between Loyal Americans

Obama told Hispanics that?Conservatives are their enemies and so must be punished.

Insisting America?s Time of Greatness is Over

So Americans elected Obama to fly around the globe announcing?America?s best days are behind us?

Trying to Establish a Foundation for a Socialist Country

Has there been any decision by Obama that has not involved spending more money orgrowing the government larger?

Many Broken Promises

Here are a few?

IV. Good Effects of Obama?s Historical Public Damnation

We cannot wipe out anyone?s existence in the US like was done in ancient Rome, or during the communist regime of the USSR. But we can decisively repudiate the lawless reign of tin-horn tyrant Barack Obama by canceling all of his horrible legislation.

But is this really necessary, anyway? Wasn?t Obama chastened by the last election results? In a word, No! Contra?because, at some level?to save the standards in this country, a public repudiation must be done in some manner, to reestablish democracy, capitalism, the Bill of Rights, and American sovereignty. In other words, teaching future would-be tyrants that America is the land of the free and home of the brave; not the place of brainless imposters who would be depots, is a lesson we desperately need to establish today.

V. Condemning Obama?s Particular Sins

In particular, the Obama legacy must be challenged, including running a campaign that received hundreds of millions in anonymous global funds over the Internet, a tawdry fact never investigated. Campaign irregularities involving ACORN were also observed across the US, some of which helped catapult Al Franken into office for Barack?s supermajority, used for Obamacare. Obama also employed a remarkable barrage of lies to help himself enter office, Chicago style.

Barack must also be condemned for his insipid ?Cabinet,? a staff of leftist toadies nearly as incompetent as he. Elfish Tim Geithner is a prime example, as well as the rodent-like and spectacularly condescending David Axelgrease. Add ham-fisted media-bear spokesperson Bobby Gibbs, and Rahm ?Ram-Beau? Emanuel, ballet student turned politician. All of these come to mind as outlandish misfits. Too bad town square stockades and public floggings are out of style.

Three major flaws of Obama?s present themselves when considering a need for public censure of this colossal misfit: Honesty, Competence and Orientation. First, Barack has such a problem telling the truth that at some point we must suspect he probably doesn?t understand the concept, for starters. For this he needs psychiatric evaluation.

Second, in no possible universe does Barack even begin to measure up to the most basic level of competence for his role as leader. So the 900 pound donkey in the room is?Why did Obama even decide to run for president??Even he admitted he was utterly unqualified by reason of education and experience. Not only was Obama unfit to lead when elected?doesn?t it seem like he has actually devolved since his ascension? It?s time to put down the golf bag and basketball and start studying world history, economics, American constitutional development, and many other subjects for this lazy vagabond of a POTUS.

The most worrisome aspect of Obama?s worldview, believe it or not, is not his dishonesty or incompetence?but his political orientation. Why does everything have to be leftism, socialism or communism to slake his avaricious leadership style? He?s like a robot programmed by Marx, used to deliver pamphlets for the ACLU.

CONCLUSION

Let?s throw Obama out of office and begin the enjoyable task of a total repudiation of his Marxist agenda. If anything will get the attention of progressive Americans who are bizarrely trying to torpedo their own ship, this action will do the trick.

Every one of the above bad laws and decisions was fomented by obdurate Obama, either through ignorance, ill-will, or red-eyed Marxist fervor. There are so many bad decisions by Barack, and so few good, he cannot simply be treated as another failed leftist president. He must be singled out as almost uniquely wicked, publicly condemned and shamed into permanent exile. Otherwise, how else will our children learn to oppose misuse of public offices and funds, while detesting smooth liars?

Publicly condemning Obama is no different than any other kind of calling out wickedly unacceptable public behavior. Barack needs to be disciplined and put in his place just like the bully on the block collecting other kid?s lunch money. Unless the bad politicians of America see Obama put in his place decisively after his giant folly, it will only embolden them, and then we truly will have hell to pay.

CANADA FREE PRESS

Source: http://politicalvelcraft.org/2012/12/31/u-s-conservatives-must-destroy-all-obama-legislation-like-romes-damnatio-memoriae-bring-them-to-justice/

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Carlesimo has Prokhorov's trust and a win in debut

Brooklyn Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov speaks to the media concerning the firing of head coach Avery Johnson. Prokhorov spoke at half time of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday, Dec., 28, 2012 at Barclays Center in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Brooklyn Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov speaks to the media concerning the firing of head coach Avery Johnson. Prokhorov spoke at half time of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday, Dec., 28, 2012 at Barclays Center in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

FILE- In this Dec. 17, 2011, file photo, New Jersey Nets head coach Avery Johnson, right, talks with assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the New York Knicks in Newark, N.J. The Nets fired Johnson on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, and Carlesimo will coach the team on an interim basis, starting Friday night with a home game against Charlotte. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

Brooklyn Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov smiles as he speaks to the media concerning the firing of head coach Avery Johnson. Prokhorov spoke at half time of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday, Dec., 28, 2012 at Barclays Center in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

(AP) ? Skiing in Canada is postponed. Mikhail Prokhorov's new agenda calls for lunch with his basketball coach.

Prokhorov can always reschedule his vacation. Fixing his team couldn't wait.

So the Brooklyn Nets owner fired Avery Johnson, made P.J. Carlesimo the team's interim coach, and put aside pleasure for business.

Prokhorov flew to New York and watched the Nets hand the Charlotte Bobcats their 17th straight loss, 97-81 on Friday. He and Carlesimo will meet Saturday for lunch, where the Russian billionaire will likely remind Carlesimo of his high ? perhaps unrealistic ? goals for the Nets.

Carlesimo, uncomfortable with how he got the job, isn't worried about what it will take to keep it.

"Honestly, am I anxious to hear what he's got to say? Of course I do. But we've just got to go out and do the best job we can and see whatever happens," Carlesimo said. "I certainly don't want to lobby for it or anything like that."

He won't need to if the Nets keep performing like they did Friday.

The Nets played as they did last month, when they were 11-4 and Johnson was Eastern Conference coach of the month. They are just 4-10 in December, a slump that cost Johnson his job, but got back over .500 against the hapless Bobcats.

Brook Lopez had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Deron Williams added 17 of his 19 points in the first half, and Joe Johnson had 16 for the Nets, who led by 29 points and won for just the second time in seven games.

"I felt we're a good team all year and we just hit a rough patch," said Williams, who struggled under Johnson. "We've got to fight our way out of it, so we made a step in the right direction tonight and we just keep going."

Prokhorov cut short heli-skiing in British Columbia to travel to New York. He said he decided to fire Johnson last week but will be patient with Carlesimo. Even with big names such as Phil Jackson potentially available and Prokhorov vowing to spend whatever it takes to build a championship team, he said repeatedly that Carlesimo was the head coach.

Prokhorov did say that if the Nets do look for a new coach, he would be personally involved. He wouldn't discuss anyone by name, even joking he had never heard of Jackson, the 11-time champion coach whom ESPN.com reported was the Nets' top target.

"Now P.J. is the head coach and if it becomes necessary, you know who the usual suspects are," Prokhorov told reporters at halftime.

The Nets had been blown out of their previous two games and Prokhorov said the Nets were lacking team spirit.

Still, deciding Johnson would be fired last week means Prokhorov had made up his mind even before the lackluster Christmas performance at home against Boston that preceded a rout Wednesday in Milwaukee.

"I think we have very talented players, but they are capable of much more than what we have seen in the recent weeks," Prokhorov said. "I respect Avery and really I wish him well, but sometimes chemistry just isn't right. It happens.

"I think the main question is why we were unable to bounce back and to play like champions," he added.

Prokhorov added around $300 million in payroll this summer and has set the expectations high, saying he believes the Nets can reach the Eastern Conference finals. Though it's believed he wouldn't back away from paying top dollar for a coach, he left open the possibility that he may already have the guy he wants.

"P.J. is the head coach and just I think we have a lot of trust in him and really I want him to lead the team," Prokhorov said.

The Nets played with energy under Carlesimo after forward Gerald Wallace had criticized the team following Wednesday's 108-93 loss in Milwaukee in Johnson's last game.

"To me, it's kind of frustrating and sad because that's the first time in my career that a coach's been let go in the middle of the season like that," Wallace said. "But I understand the business part of it. We move on and obviously regardless of who's sitting at the head of the chair, we know what we got to do as players."

Carlesimo, who had stints coaching Portland and Golden State, is perhaps best known for his infamous run-in with Latrell Sprewell when he was leading the Warriors. A terse exchange at a December 1997 practice resulted in Sprewell choking Carlesimo. It took several players and team officials to break up the attack, which an angry Sprewell renewed 15 minutes later.

Carlesimo last coached his own team when he was fired by the Oklahoma City Thunder after a 1-12 start to the 2008-09 season and said before the game he was a little more apprehensive than normal for his return to running his own club.

"Your head's spinning a little bit, you're trying to think of all the things that were second nature," Carlesimo said. "Hopefully, I haven't forgotten. I'm old, but hopefully I haven't forgotten."

It was quickly obvious he had nothing to worry about.

The Bobcats missed 13 of their first 16 shots, making it easy for the Nets. Brooklyn scored nine straight in the middle of the first quarter to open a 12-point lead, extended it to 18 later in the period, and were ahead 33-15 headed to the second.

"It's tough. We can't put ourselves in that kind of position," Bobcats guard Kemba Walker said. "We don't have a lot of depth on our team to come back against great teams, but we do every once in a while, but we can't do that all the time. We dig ourselves in holes we can't get out of."

Williams, who missed Wednesday's game with a bruised right wrist and came into the game shooting under 40 percent for the season, was 7 of 14 from the field. Williams, who said recently that he preferred his old offense in Utah to Johnson's, acknowledged his confidence was down as he struggled to play the style that best suited the Nets.

"We came out with a lot more energy," Williams said. "I think we had to. I think our backs are against the wall right now."

Lopez, the starting center whose seven-game absence with a foot injury started the Nets' downward spiral, was 9 of 12 and made all eight free throws. He said it's easy for the Nets to offer Carlesimo the support Prokhorov wants.

"He helped us focus tonight," Lopez said. "He was there for us and you know we support him and he supports us."

___

AP freelance writer Adriano Torres in East Rutherford, N.J., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-29-Nets%20Coach/id-9e33cef449124c18afed8ef6e94c82a0

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Waccamaw Community Hospital blood drive Jan. 4

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GEORGETOWN, SC?- January is National Blood Donor Month, so why not start the year off with a pint? Of blood, that is.

Waccamaw Community Hospital is holding a blood drive Friday, Jan. 4, at ?Wachesaw Conference Center.

Members of the public can donate blood from 10:30 a.m. ? 4 p.m. in Conference Room 1A and 1B. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments take priority. To schedule your appointment you can call 843-652-1135 or register online at www.redcrossblood.org, and enter sponsor code WaccamawHosp.

In addition to having a valid ID, blood donors must be healthy, be at least 17 years old and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds.

Wachesaw Conference Center is located at 4367 Riverwood Drive, 29576, across the street from Waccamaw Community Hospital.

Copyright 2012 WMBF News. All rights reserved.

Source: http://longslittleriverloris.wmbfnews.com/news/news/50345-waccamaw-community-hospital-blood-drive-jan-4

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

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<h2>Reputation Management CompanyStrategies</h2> Blogging is one of the popular interests in the social media these days. It can be likened to the activity of writing a personal account however the difference lies with the chosen venue. The main reason why it is completely different with writing a diary is because the stories are uploaded online for anybody to browse. Bloggers utilize a domain which they keep regularly by posting stories and other articles which are related to their interest. In short, blogging is a new form of journal writing.
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The arrival of internet has provided individuals who have passion for crafting a brand new venue to publish their entry. With the help of web publishing tools, individuals who were not experts in the details of internet were finally given a chance to show their skills to the rest of the community. Because of this many non-technical online users found a way to interact with other users through their blogs.

In the early years of the internet, the activity of blogging was approached with simplicity but because there were changes in the environment, blogging activities were updated too. Before, blogging used to be a simple task of uploading contents online but nowadays this activity is as complex as maintaining a website for business enterprise.

Many individuals today use blogs as a source of income.

For this reason, many bloggers use their resources and skills to maximize their blogs. The tools available were designed to help bloggers handle their sites successfully. One classic example is the web browser equipped with essential blogging tools. WordPress Stats for instance can be a resource utilized by bloggers who would want to know the regularly traffic studies of their blogs.

On the other hand, Scribefire?another app found in Google Chrome is one popular blogging tool which users utilize to manage blogs.

The tool allows every blogger the chance to manage multiple blog sites like Tumbler, MovableType, and WordPress at once in one particular web browser.

This improves productivity and it will help generate income since you can now handle multiple blogs at once.

Finally there is the mobile blogging tool which allows blogger to update and maintain their blogs through their mobile phones. Mobile phones have the capacity to connect in the World Wide Web in a matter of seconds thus allowing users to update their blogs anywhere and anytime.

All in all, maintaining a blog is one of the most easiest ways to connect on the online world. Because of this, it is important that you select the right blogging tools in order for your web pages to run efficiently.
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Search engine optimization or SEO is an aspect found in the World Wide Web used by individuals managing websites. For this reason, many companies now who run websites to represent their engagements in the internet found solution in SEO since techniques here are useful in upholding a site's significance online.

These days, the world of internet is cluttered with so many websites. The problem with this scenario is that these sites compete to be on the top spot particularly in search engine site and for this good reason, all of them are employing Search engine optimisation instruments and ways to succeed in their plan.
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On the other hand, this is a difficult task to achieve because most websites these days are also using SEO techniques to increase their rankings in the online community.

As a consequence of this, a large number of corporations are actually on the lookout for ways to maintain their rankings online.

One specific field which they have set their eyes on is blogging.

The primary reason why companies are employing bloggers to market their products and services is that, bloggers constantly update their page and search engine sites like Yahoo and Google always love fresh content coming from these persons. Spider crawlers used by online search engine web-sites to search for content are programmed to search for clean tips to incorporate inside of the SERPs or search engine benefits webpage. Individuals usually update their blogs through stories or personal accounts which they post in their sites daily. As a result, bloggers and the journals they keep online are two of the most popular aspects in the internet right now. On the other hand, companies view these as a potential web traffic generator for their internet websites too.
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The reputation bloggers get through this activity is usually the result of internet users visiting their sites.

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Source: http://en.netlog.com/duanemyers/blog/blogid=15962149

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Watson seeks approval of generic version of cancer drug Velcade

In a study conducted by the blog TorrentFreak, HBO's gritty documentary series Game of Thrones was found to be the most illegally downloaded TV show of the year, with six bad apples watching the show without paying for it. Haha, just kidding. In truth, there 4.28 million downloads of one episode this year, meaning many millions more likely accessed the rest of the season. So that is a popular show to pirate! Showtime's screwball comedy Dexter was next on the list, its top episode being stolen 3.85 million times. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/watson-seeks-approval-generic-version-cancer-drug-velcade-154734617--finance.html

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Days before deadline, Obama urges Congress to act on 'fiscal cliff' (Washington Bureau)

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Randy Press: Engaged to Brandy!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/randy-press-engaged-to-brandy/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

1 Trend, 3 Ways: Navy Embellished Maternity Dresses

Beyonc?, Kourtney Kardashian and Camila McConaughey look radiant in their blue embellished dresses while expecting. Check them out, plus our picks for every budget.

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

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Americans from Central African Republic capital evacuated

Reuters

Hundreds protest in front of the French Embassy in the Bangui, Central African Republic, on Wednesday, expressing anger over the lack of response by the former colonial power to rebels advancing on the capital.

?

By NBC News and wire services

U.S. diplomats and other American citizens have been evacuated from the Central African Republic and U.S. embassy operations have been suspended in the capital, Bangui, the State Department said Thursday. The move came as?rebel forces?advanced on the city.

"This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations with the (Central African Republic)," said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell.

Insurgents on motorbikes and in pickup trucks have driven to within 45 miles of Bangui after weeks of fighting, threatening to end President Francois Bozize's nearly 10-year rule over the turbulent, resource-rich country.

Bozize appealed to the United States and France to help push back the rebels.


Some U.S. Special Forces are operating in the country, trying to track down the Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group responsible for killing thousands of civilians across four African nations.?There was no indication that these forces would be used to aid Bozize against the advancing insurgents.

Earlier a senior defense official told NBC News that there were "several hundred" civilians, including Americans and citizens of close U.S. allies who may be evacuated, but comments by the State Department's Ventrell suggested fewer had left:?

"Ambassador (Laurence) Wohlers and his diplomatic team left Bangui today along with several private U.S. citizens," according to Ventrell.

The non-combatant evacuation operation transported "U.S. citizens and designated foreign nationals to safe havens in the region," according to a statement from?Defense Department spokesman Todd Breasseale. The flight out of Bangui was "wheels up" at about 7:15 p.m. ET.?

Paris said its troops would protect French nationals, but not be involved in repelling the rebels.?

Some 1,200 French nationals live in the CAR, mostly in the capital, according to the French Foreign Ministry, where they typically work for mining firms or aid groups.

French nuclear energy group Areva mines the Bakouma uranium deposit in the CAR's south ? France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony.?

Bozize on Thursday appealed for French and U.S. military support to stop the SELEKA rebel coalition, which has promised to overthrow him unless he implements a previous peace deal in full.

France: 'Those days are over'
He told a crowd of anti-rebel protesters in the riverside capital that he had asked Paris and Washington to help move the rebels away from the capital to clear the way for peace talks which regional leaders say could be held soon in Libreville, Gabon.

"We are asking our cousins the French and the United States, which are major powers, to help us push back the rebels to their initial positions in a way that will permit talks in Libreville to resolve this crisis," Bozize said.

Georges Gobet / AFP - Getty Images file

Central African Republic President Francois Bozize in 2008.

France has 250 soldiers in its landlocked former colony as part of a peacekeeping mission and Paris in the past has ousted or propped up governments ? including by using air strikes to defend Bozize against rebels in 2006.

But French President Francois Hollande poured cold water on the latest request for help.

"If we have a presence, it's not to protect a regime, it's to protect our nationals and our interests and in no way to intervene in the internal business of a country, in this case the Central African Republic," Hollande said on the sidelines of a visit to a wholesale food market outside Paris.

"Those days are over," he said.

France is increasingly reluctant to directly intervene in conflicts in its former colonies. Since coming to power in May, Hollande has promised to put ties with its former colonies on a healthier footing.

The rebel advance has highlighted the instability of a country that has remained poor since independence from Paris in 1960 despite rich deposits of uranium, gold and diamonds. Average income is barely over $2 a day.

Regional African leaders, meantime, tried to broker a ceasefire deal and rebels said they had temporarily halted their advance on Bangui to allow talks to take place.

Officials from around central Africa were to meet in Bangui later on Thursday to open initial talks with the government and rebels.

A rebel spokesman said fighters had temporarily halted their advance to allow dialogue.

"We will not enter Bangui," Col. Djouma Narkoyo, the rebel spokesman, told Reuters by telephone.

Previous rebel promises to stop advancing have been broken, and a diplomatic source said rebels had taken up positions around Bangui on Thursday, effectively surrounding it.

The atmosphere remained tense in Bangui the day after anti-rebel protests broke out, and residents were stocking up on food and water.

Government soldiers deployed at strategic sites and French troops reinforced security at the French embassy after protesters threw rocks at the building on Wednesday.

Bozize came to power in a 2003 rebellion that overthrew President Ange-Felix Patasse.

The government holds little sway outside the capital, and in some parts of the country, the consequences of conflicts in troubled neighbors Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have spilled over.

This report includes reporting by Reuters and NBC News' Courtney Kube.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16193391-us-evacuates-americans-from-central-african-republic-capital-as-rebels-close-in?lite

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Hawaii lieutenant governor picked to fill Inouye's Senate seat

HONOLULU (AP) ? Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz of Hawaii was appointed Wednesday to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the appointment after receiving a list of three candidates from the state Democratic Party earlier in the day. The other candidates were U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and Esther Kiaaina, a deputy director in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Inouye died Dec. 17 of respiratory complications at the age of 88. He had sent Abercrombie a letter that day, saying he would like Hanabusa, 61, to succeed him.

"Sen. Inouye conveyed his final wish to Gov. Abercrombie. While we are very disappointed that it was not honored, it was the governor's decision to make," Jennifer Sabas, Inouye's chief of staff, said in a statement. "We wish Brian Schatz the best of luck."

Inouye's wishes weren't the only factor he had to consider, Abercrombie said.

"No one and nothing was preordained," he said.

Schatz will serve until an election is held in 2014. Had Hanabusa been appointed, a special election would have been necessary to fill her seat.

Schatz said he will run for re-election in 2014 to try to keep the Senate seat until 2016, the end of Inouye's original term. He said he would run again for Senate in 2016 if given the chance.

"To the people of Hawaii, I can assure you this: I will give every fiber of my being to doing a good job for the state of Hawaii," Schatz said at a news conference. "We have a long and perhaps difficult road ahead of us, but we can succeed if we work together. I understand the magnitude of this obligation and this honor, and I won't let you down."

Hanabusa congratulated Schatz in a statement.

"Having served as chair of the Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee when the succession law was passed, I fully respect the process and the governor's right to appoint a successor," she said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had urged Abercrombie to name Inouye's successor before the end of the year. Schatz said he will leave Hawaii for Washington on Wednesday night and be prepared to be sworn in on Thursday. That would make him Hawaii's senior senator heading into the new Congress, which begins Jan. 3.

Sen. Daniel Akaka is retiring at the end of this Congress, after 22 years in the Senate. Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono was elected in November to succeed him.

Schatz, 40, is a former state representative and a former chairman of the state Democratic Party. He also was a leader of President Barack Obama's campaign in Hawaii in 2008.

In making his case before the party's central committee Wednesday, he said he understood the importance of seniority in the Senate and said that if he was appointed, he would strive to make serving in the Senate his life's work.

First in line to replace Schatz as lieutenant governor is Senate President Shan Tsutsui, but Abercrombie said he didn't know whether Tsutsui would accept the new role. The law states only that Tsutsui must make a decision on whether to assume the post "promptly," Abercrombie said.

Tsutsui would be an "extraordinarily capable" lieutenant governor, the governor added.

Tsutsui said he planned to discuss the prospect with his family before deciding.

___

Becky Bohrer can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bbohrerap .

___

Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-lieutenant-gov-picked-fill-senate-seat-000914007--election.html

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Justice Sotomayor refuses to block contraceptives mandate

(Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has refused to block enforcement starting next week of a requirement in President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare overhaul that some companies provide insurance coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices.

In an order issued on Wednesday, Sotomayor said two for-profit companies controlled by Oklahoma City billionaire David Green and his family did not qualify for an injunction while they challenge the requirement in court.

Hobby Lobby Stores Inc, an arts and crafts chain with more than 500 stores, and Mardel Inc, a chain of 35 Christian-themed bookstores, said it violated their religious beliefs to require that their group health plans cover treatments that could induce abortions.

They said they face possible fines of $1.3 million a day if they disobey the mandate, which takes effect on January 1.

Sotomayor, who hears emergency appeals from the 10th Circuit, said it was not "indisputably clear" that Hobby Lobby and Mardel deserved an injunction, noting that lower courts have been divided in similar cases on whether temporary relief is proper.

"Even without an injunction pending appeal, the applicants may continue their challenge to the regulations in the lower courts," and following a final judgment ask the Supreme Court at that time to consider their appeal, she said.

Sotomayor did not rule on the merits of the companies' religious-based claims.

Kyle Duncan, general counsel for the nonprofit Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents the chains, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. At least 42 lawsuits have been filed over the issue, the fund has said.

Hobby Lobby and Mardel claimed that the contraceptives provision violated the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.

But on November 19, Oklahoma federal judge Joe Heaton refused to issue a preliminary injunction, saying the chains did not have the same religious rights as Green family members. Then on Thursday, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver refused to issue a injunction during the chains' appeal.

Forbes magazine in September called David Green, 71, the 79th richest American, with a net worth of $4.5 billion.

The case is Hobby Lobby Stores Inc et al v. Sebelius et al, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 12A644.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/justice-sotomayor-refuses-block-contraceptives-mandate-010308206--finance.html

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PST: GK Friedel signs extension with Tottenham

Despite having lost his starting position, Brad Friedel is ready to push on at Spurs. The 41-year-old has signed a new deal with the North London club, one which will carry him through the 2013-14 season.

On one level, the deal is a surprise. After all, it?s not difficult imagining another club giving the veteran goalkeeper a chance to start next season. With the recently acquired Hugo Lloris likely to cement his hold on on first choice at White Hart Lane, Friedel?s likely to see very few Premier League starts going forward.

But for a player well into the twilight of his career, the chance to stay at a big club, not have to relocate his family, and still provide guidance on a team he?s come to know makes for an easy acquiesce. Given the grace with which Friedel?s handled Lloris?s acquisition, the former U.S. international appears to be under no illusions as to the state of his career. His new contract is a sign of that acceptance, with the former Liverpool, Blackburn, and Aston Villa keeper moving into a role he could sustain into his mid-40s.

There had been some small rumblings of Friedel moving back to the U.S., but as long as there was interest from England, the former Crew player was likely to stay abroad. The Friedels are well established in England, with Brad having played in the Premier League since 1997.

During that time, Friedel has made 471 Premier League appearances, a record 310 of which were made consecutively. He is the oldest player to appear in a competitive match in for both Aston Villa and Tottenham.

And while his new deal likely precludes him from adding huge numbers to his appearance total, it does mean he could be making appearances in the Premier League at 43. And realistically, as long as there?s not an appreciable drop off next season, there?s no reason Friedel won?t be asked to continue.

If he?s willing to accept a backup?s role and can maintain his same level of performance, Andr? Villas-Boas and Daniel Levy seem happy to have him at the club.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/26/brad-friedel-signs-one-year-extension-with-tottenham/related

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Eating asparagus may prevent a hangover, study suggests

Dec. 26, 2012 ? Drinking to ring in the New Year may leave many suffering with the dreaded hangover. According to a 2009 study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the amino acids and minerals found in asparagus extract may alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells against toxins.

Researchers at the Institute of Medical Science and Jeju National University in Korea analyzed the components of young asparagus shoots and leaves to compare their biochemical effects on human and rat liver cells. "The amino acid and mineral contents were found to be much higher in the leaves than the shoots," says lead researcher B.Y. Kim.

Chronic alcohol use causes oxidative stress on the liver as well as unpleasant physical effects associated with a hangover. "Cellular toxicities were significantly alleviated in response to treatment with the extracts of asparagus leaves and shoots," says Kim. "These results provide evidence of how the biological functions of asparagus can help alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells."

Asparagus officinalis is a common vegetable that is widely consumed worldwide and has long been used as an herbal medicine due to its anticancer effects. It also has antifungal, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), via Newswise.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. B.-Y. Kim, Z.-G. Cui, S.-R. Lee, S.-J. Kim, H.-K. Kang, Y.-K. Lee, D.-B. Park. Effects of?Asparagus officinalis?Extracts on Liver Cell Toxicity and Ethanol Metabolism. Journal of Food Science, 2009; 74 (7): H204 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01263.x

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/WHW_RR0aDoQ/121226101227.htm

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Blades and clades: Why some grasses got better photosynthesis

Dec. 24, 2012 ? Even on the evolutionary time scale of tens of millions of years there is such a thing as being in the right shape at the right time. An anatomical difference in the ability to seize the moment, according to a study led by Brown University biologists, explains why more species in one broad group, or clade, of grasses evolved a more efficient means of photosynthesis than species in another clade did.

Their findings appear this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Biologists refer to the grasses that have evolved this better means of making their food in warm, sunny and dry conditions with the designation "C4." Grasses without that trait are labeled "C3."

What scientists had already known is that while all of the grasses in the BEP and PACMAD clades have the basic metabolic infrastructure to become C4 grasses, the species that have actually done so are entirely in the PACMAD clade. A four-nation group of scientists wondered why that disparity exists.

To find out, Brown postdoctoral researcher and lead author Pascal-Antoine Christin spent two years closely examining the cellular anatomy of 157 living species of BEP and PACMAD grasses. Using genetic data the team also organized the species into their evolutionary tree, which they then used to infer the anatomical traits of ancestral grasses that no longer exist today, a common analytical technique known as ancestral state reconstruction. That allowed them to consider how anatomical differences likely evolved among species over time.

Paradoxically, to understand C4 evolution, the researchers focused on the anatomy of C3 grasses in each clade.

In general what they found was that in the leaves of many PACMAD C3 grasses the veins were closer together, and that the veins themselves were surrounded by larger cells ("bundle sheath" cells) than in BEP C3 grasses. Ultimately PACMAD grasses had a higher ratio of bundle sheath cells to mesophyll cells (cells that fill in the area between veins).

In C4 plants, such an anatomical arrangement facilitates a more efficient transfer and processing of CO2 in the bundle sheath cells when CO2 is in relatively short supply. When temperatures get hot or plants become stressed, they stop taking in as much CO2, creating just such a shortage within the leaf.

So PACMADs as a group had developed an anatomical predisposition to C4 photosynthesis that BEP grasses didn't, said senior author Erika Edwards, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Brown.

"We found that consistently these PACMAD C3s are very different anatomically than the C3 BEPs," she said. "We think that was the evolutionary stepping stone to C4-like physiology."

When the new leaves turned over

It didn't used to be this way. Back around 60 or so million years ago, BEP and PACMAD grasses were more similar and both headed in the same direction. The distance between the leaf veins in both clades had been growing closer together. But then they started to diverge in a key way. The bundle sheath cells surrounding the veins in BEP grasses started to shrink down while those in PACMAD grasses stayed larger.

For a long time the climate didn't particularly punish or reward either of those directions. But then climate changed, and opportunity knocked, Edwards said. Only PACMAD was near the proverbial door.

"When atmospheric CO2 decreased tens of millions of years after the split of the BEP and PACMAD clades, a combination of shorter [distances between veins] and large [sheath] cells existed only in members of the PACMAD clade, limiting C4 evolution to this lineage," Christin and co-authors wrote in the paper.

The researchers also found that evolution among C4 grasses was anatomically nuanced. Some C4 grasses evolved because of advantageous changes in outer sheath cells, while others saw the improvement in inner sheath cells.

Ultimately, Edwards said, studies like this one show that plant biologists have made important progress in understanding the big picture of when and where important plant traits evolved. That could lead to further advances in both basic science, and perhaps agriculture as well.

"Now that we have this increasingly detailed birds-eye view, we can start to become a more predictive science," she said. "Now we have the raw goods to ask interesting questions about why, for example, one trait evolves 10 times in this region of the tree but never over here. In terms of genetic engineering we're going to be able to provide some useful information to people who want to improve species, such as important crops."

In addition to Christin and Edwards, the paper's other authors at Brown were David Chatelet and Laura Garrison. Other authors were Colin Osborne of the University of Sheffield in the U.K.; J. Travis Columbus of Claremont Graduate University in California; Guillaume Besnard of the Universite Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique in Tolouse, France; Trevor Hodkinson of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland; and Maria Vorontsova of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Surrey, U.K.

The National Science Foundation (grants 0920147 and 0843231), the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (252568) and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (10LABX-41) supported the research.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Brown University.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. P.-A. Christin, C. P. Osborne, D. S. Chatelet, J. T. Columbus, G. Besnard, T. R. Hodkinson, L. M. Garrison, M. S. Vorontsova, E. J. Edwards. Anatomical enablers and the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in grasses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1216777110

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/~3/n3yx2Ev9jt4/121226081058.htm

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

President Obama may return to Washington as soon as Wednesday: aide (reuters)

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First Lady Tracks Santa From Hawaii

While President Obama spent his Christmas Eve afternoon golfing with friends, the first lady was hard at work helping children from across the country track Santa's every move.

Mrs. Obama took roughly 30 minutes out of her Hawaiian family vacation to answer calls from children asking where Santa was located as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, according to a White House official.

"Have you been a good boy this year?" Mrs. Obama asked Fischer from North Carolina.

"Yes, ma'am" responded the polite 5-year-old, who asked Santa to bring him a four-wheeler this year. Klye from Winona, N. J., wanted to know what the first lady's favorite present was when she was a young girl.

"When I was little. I loved Barbie dolls. I was a big Barbie doll kid, and every Christmas I got a new Barbie. One year I got the Barbie townhouse and the camper. It was very exciting," Mrs. Obama said. The first lady helped children track Santa and his sleigh as he delivered toys to little girls and boys in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

"He's moving pretty fast. That's pretty exciting, isn't it?" she asked the Schaack children from Rocklin, Calif.

"He's going like 100 miles an hour!" one of the boys replied. "You guys go to sleep soon now so that he'll come to your house, all right?" the first lady cautioned.

The Obamas spending Christmas at their vacation home along the shores of Kailua, a quiet beach town on the east end of Oahu.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-lady-tracks-santa-hawaii-191819077--abc-news-politics.html

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