Friday, March 29, 2013

End of the road for Boston's longest-serving mayor

By Scott Malone

BOSTON (Reuters) - The longest-serving mayor in Boston history told voters on Thursday that he would not seek a sixth term in office, setting the stage for the city's most competitive mayoral race in decades.

Mayor Tom Menino, 70, declared his intention not to seek reelection to the office he has held since 1993 at Boston's historic Fanueil Hall.

"I never dreamed I would end up here, mayor of Boston, during its best years," said Menino, who was hospitalized for a month last year after falling ill while on vacation in Italy.

"I'm back to a mayor's schedule, but not a Menino schedule. And I miss it," he said, referring to his historic practice of spending most evenings at events around the city.

"I will leave the job that I love," Menino told a crowd of a couple hundred staff and supporters, including the state's interim U.S. Senator William "Mo" Cowan and Representative Stephen Lynch, one of two Democratic representatives running for a permanent shot at the senate seat.

"It was a surprise and obviously disappointing, but I'm happy for him," said Henry Vitale, acting executive director of the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, as he waited for the mayor to speak. David Bowie's "Changes" played over a public address system.

Menino took office at a tough time for Boston and much of urban America - crime was high and neighborhoods were struggling economically. Vitale said an important part of Menino's legacy would be the economic resurgence that Boston has undergone in the past two decades.

"Look at all the development he has done, look at the neighborhoods," Vitale said. "Boston is vibrant."

'THIS IS THE TIME'

Before today, only Democrat John Connolly, 39, had jumped into the race. Connolly, a Boston city councilor, has focused his campaign on improving schools.

Menino said he had "no plans to pick the person to fill this seat".

More local leaders are expected to enter the race now that they know they will not be facing a powerful incumbent.

"Boston mayors are rarely defeated for reelection, so if you are going to make a run for it, this is the time to do it," said Peter Ubertaccio, chairman of the political science department at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, south of Boston. "The city councilors are going to be jockeying for this position."

Menino had a formidable campaign organization that he has used both for himself and fellow Democrats. His supporters played a key role in Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren's successful 2012 campaign to unseat Republican Scott Brown.

He has declined to endorse Lynch or his Democratic rival Representative Markey.

Voters will go to the polls in that special election on June 25, a little more than four months before November's mayoral race, making for one of Boston's most lively political calendars in recent years.

On the national stage, Menino has stood out as an advocate for gun control and gay rights, often working alongside New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Menino became mayor in July 1993 after predecessor Raymond Flynn resigned to become U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

His fellow politicians were quick to offer praise.

"It's hard to imagine Boston without Tom Menino as mayor," said Governor Deval Patrick. "No one loves this city and her people more or is more excited about her future."

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Kevin Gray)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boston-mayor-menino-not-seek-sixth-term-boston-024857747.html

college football scores khan academy Espn College Football Eddie Murphy died Suzanne Barr Clint Eastwood speech Maria Montessori

Saturn is like an antiques shop, Cassini suggests; Moons and rings date back to solar system's birth

Mar. 27, 2013 ? A new analysis of data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft suggests that Saturn's moons and rings are gently worn vintage goods from around the time of our solar system's birth.

Though they are tinted on the surface from recent "pollution," these bodies date back more than 4 billion years. They are from around the time that the planetary bodies in our neighborhood began to form out of the protoplanetary nebula, the cloud of material still orbiting the sun after its ignition as a star. The paper, led by Gianrico Filacchione, a Cassini participating scientist at Italy's National Institute for Astrophysics, Rome, has just been published online by The Astrophysical Journal.

"Studying the Saturnian system helps us understand the chemical and physical evolution of our entire solar system," said Filacchione. "We know now that understanding this evolution requires not just studying a single moon or ring, but piecing together the relationships intertwining these bodies."

Data from Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) have revealed how water ice and also colors -- which are the signs of non-water and organic materials --are distributed throughout the Saturnian system. The spectrometer's data in the visible part of the light spectrum show that coloring on the rings and moons generally is only skin-deep.

Using its infrared range, VIMS also detected abundant water ice -- too much to have been deposited by comets or other recent means. So the authors deduce that the water ices must have formed around the time of the birth of the solar system, because Saturn orbits the sun beyond the so-called "snow line." Out beyond the snow line, in the outer solar system where Saturn resides, the environment is conducive to preserving water ice, like a deep freezer. Inside the solar system's "snow line," the environment is much closer to the sun's warm glow, and ices and other volatiles dissipate more easily.

The colored patina on the ring particles and moons roughly corresponds to their location in the Saturn system. For Saturn's inner ring particles and moons, water-ice spray from the geyser moon Enceladus has a whitewashing effect.

Farther out, the scientists found that the surfaces of Saturn's moons generally were redder the farther they orbited from Saturn. Phoebe, one of Saturn's outer moons and an object thought to originate in the far-off Kuiper Belt, seems to be shedding reddish dust that eventually rouges the surface of nearby moons, such as Hyperion and Iapetus.

A rain of meteoroids from outside the system appears to have turned some parts of the main ring system -- notably the part of the main rings known as the B ring -- a subtle reddish hue. Scientists think the reddish color could be oxidized iron -- rust -- or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which could be progenitors of more complex organic molecules.

One of the big surprises from this research was the similar reddish coloring of the potato-shaped moon Prometheus and nearby ring particles. Other moons in the area were more whitish.

"The similar reddish tint suggests that Prometheus is constructed from material in Saturn's rings," said co-author Bonnie Buratti, a VIMS team member based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Scientists had been wondering whether ring particles could have stuck together to form moons -- since the dominant theory was that the rings basically came from satellites being broken up. The coloring gives us some solid proof that it can work the other way around, too."

"Observing the rings and moons with Cassini gives us an amazing bird's-eye view of the intricate processes at work in the Saturn system, and perhaps in the evolution of planetary systems as well," said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist, based at JPL. "What an object looks like and how it evolves depends a lot on location, location, location."

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The visual and infrared mapping spectrometer team is based at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. G. Filacchione, F. Capaccioni, R. N. Clark, P. D. Nicholson, D. P. Cruikshank, J. N. Cuzzi, J. I. Lunine, R. H. Brown, P. Cerroni, F. Tosi, M. Ciarniello, B. J. Buratti, M. M. Hedman, E. Flamini. The radial distribution of water ice and chromophores across Saturn's system. Astrophysical Journal, 2013; (accepted) [link]

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/space_time/astronomy/~3/r2bvS0rQl3A/130327170155.htm

tulsa easter eggs pineapple upside down cake free ecards flying car masters golf tournament the replacements

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Genius Intros $150 Speaker System for PC Gaming

Here's a new 5.1 surround sound speaker system for your PC gaming needs.

If you're looking for a good speaker system to compliment your library of PC games and movies, Genius has released the SW-G5.1 3500 here in the States for $149.99 USD. It's a 5.1 surround sound 80-watt RMS speaker system that promises gameplay advantages in first-person shooters over your standard off-the-shelf solution.

According to the specs, the system contains one 6.5-inch subwoofer (5 ohm) providing 30 watts of "heart-thumping" bass as low as 50Hz. There are also five 3.5-inch satellite speakers (4 ohm) which can be hung on walls thanks to their hook design, pumping out 10 watts each for positional audio. A remote control is provided for convenient volume and bass adjustment.

"The 5.1 surround sound setup of the SW-G5.1 3500 gives gamers an advantage in first person shooter games by allowing them to pinpoint enemy locations by sound alone," the company said on Tuesday. "Gaming on regular stereo speakers only allows users to discern between right and left. The 5.1 sound enables gamers to listen to opponents' footsteps from all surrounding directions."

In addition to the remote control, users can adjust sound and bass from the control panel on the subwoofer itself. Control options also include a STANDBY and an AUX/5.1 CH switch function, which enables users to flip between gaming and music listening. On the front is a headphone and microphone jack, and on the back are three RCA jacks with 5.1 CH color coding and an additional AUX 3.5-mm input.

"Offering booming bass, crisp middle to high range sound, and the flexibility to connect to gaming, music, and other entertainment devices, the SW-G5.1 3500 surround sound speaker system epitomizes the high-quality that the GX Gaming Series represents in a louder more versatile design," the company said.

The Genius SW-G5.1 3500 system is now available in the US and Canada for the suggested retail price of $149.99. It's part of the company's GX Gaming series which can be seen here.

Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback

', noButtonBorders:true, containerID: 'shareBarBottom', cid:'TH News', operationMode: "autoDetect", snapToElementID: "btnShare", shortURLs: "never", enabledProviders: 'facebook,twitter,yahoo,messenger,linkedin', scope: 'both', privacy: 'friends', onSendDone: function() { SocialShare.publishUserAction('Genius Intros $150 Speaker System for PC Gaming', 'http://www.tomshardware.com/news/GX-Gaming-5.1-Surround-SW-G5.1-3500-Speaker-System-PC-Gaming,21716.html#xtor=RSS-993', 'If you\'re looking for a good speaker system to compliment your library of PC games and movies, Genius has released the SW-G5.1 3500 here in the States for $149.99 USD. It\'s a 5.1 surround sound 80-watt RMS speaker system that promises gameplay...'); } } ); BOM.Share.setActions([ ['setLinkBack' , 'http://www.tomshardware.com/news/GX-Gaming-5.1-Surround-SW-G5.1-3500-Speaker-System-PC-Gaming,21716.html#xtor=RSS-993#xtor=RSS-993'], ['setTitle' , 'Genius Intros $150 Speaker System for PC Gaming'], ['setDescription' , 'If you\'re looking for a good speaker system to compliment your library of PC games and movies, Genius has released the SW-G5.1 3500 here in the States for $149.99 USD. It\'s a 5.1 surround sound 80-watt RMS speaker system that promises gameplay...'], ]); BOM.Share.display();

Source: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/GX-Gaming-5.1-Surround-SW-G5.1-3500-Speaker-System-PC-Gaming,21716.html

Salwa Amin Grammys 2013 2013 Grammy Winners abraham lincoln Chris Dorner 1800 Flowers walking dead

Acer Aspire AT3-600-UR11


Although most attention these days is lavished upon sleek tablets, ultrabooks, and all-in-one systems, tower desktops have persisted, often while bearing much less expensive price tags than the headline-grabbing devices. A good example is the Acer Aspire AT3-600-UR11 ($599.99 list), a Windows 8-equipped mainstream desktop that totes a reasonable price tag and offers decent performance without entirely skimping on perks like USB 3.0 ports and a roomy 1TB hard drive. While it's not the most impressive system we've ever seen, there's still value to be found here.


Design and Features
The Aspire AT3-600-UR11 is housed in a midrange tower that measures 14.9 by 7.1 by 15.8 inches (HWD), making it nearly identical in size to the HP Pavilion P7-1235 and the Editors' Choice-winning Gateway DX4870-UR11P. At any rate, while its chassis isn't exactly the flashiest, its subdued aesthetic isn't entirely devoid of personality, either. Its black metallic body is complemented by dashes of white LED lights on its upper lip and Acer logo, as well as a glossy plastic face and a rubbery gray storage deck for peripherals on the top. The system's front ports are also housed on this gray upper lip, which protrudes above the tower, where you'll find a pair of USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, headphone and mic jacks, and a multicard reader. Beneath that, the system's front panel houses a DVD burner and a vacant optical drive bay. The rear of the chassis sports four USB 2.0 ports, an additional pair of USB 3.0 ports, two PS/2 ports (for older mice and keyboards, even though the bundled peripherals are USB 2.0), HDMI- and VGA- out, audio ports, and Ethernet.

After unscrewing two bolts to pop open the side of the Aspire AT3-600-UR11's chassis, you'll be greeted with moderate potential for internal expansion. In addition to an empty optical drive bay, there's also a pair of vacant 3.5-inch bays for two additional hard drives. The system's 6GB DDR3 RAM is made up of one 4GB module and a 2GB module, leaving two empty sockets for RAM upgrades. One of the motherboard's three PCIe x1 slots is occupied by the built-in 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi card, leaving the other two PCIe x1 slots available.

The Aspire AT3-600-UR11's 1TB, 7,200rpm HDD offers users plenty of room to store programs and media files. Still, those with a preference for starting from a clean slate will initially need to shovel through a moderate amount of preloaded software. As is often the case, these programs range in utility from useful (DVD-burning software like CyberLink Media Espresso and Nero 12 Essentials) to trialware (thirty days of Microsoft Office 365, McAfee Internet Security, and McAfee Online Backup, respectively) to bloatware (desktop links to Netflix, Skype, Amazon, and Hulu Plus; WildTangent Games). Acer also throws in some proprietary software, like access to the Acer Cloud network, Acer Power Management, and Acer Recovery Manager. The Aspire AT3-600-UR11 is covered by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

Performance
Aspire AT3-600-UR11

With its 3.0GHz Intel Core i5-3330 processor and 6GB RAM, the Aspire AT3-600-UR11 performed admirably in our benchmark tests. While its PCMark 7 score of 3,185 points fell slightly short of the class-leading Gateway DX4870-UR11P (3,450 points) and the HP Pavilion P7-1520t (3,445 points), it had little difficulty surpassing the rest of the pack, including the Acer Aspire AM3970G-UW10P (2,611 points) and the Lenovo H520s (2,864 points). Its Cinebench R11.5 score of 3.99 points, meanwhile, falls between the HP P7-1235 (2.76 points) and both the HP P7-1520t and Acer AM3970G-UW10P (4.91 points each, respectively).

The Aspire AT3-600-UR11 displayed a modest capacity for multimedia creation. It ran through our Handbrake video-encoding test in 45 seconds, falling seconds shy of the Pavilion P7-1520t (42 seconds). Similarly, the 3 minutes 57 seconds it took to run through our Photoshop CS6 test nipped at the HP P7-1520t's heels (3:55).

Acer Aspire AT3-600-UR11

While the Aspire AT3-600-UR11 failed to crack the 30 frames-per-second (fps) playability barrier on our high-end gaming tests, its discrete 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 630 GPU gave its 3D rendering capabilities a boost. Its scores in 3DMark11 (2,132 points in Entry-level settings; 397 points in Extreme-level settings) were nearly identical with those of the HP P7-1520t (2,164 points and 397 points, respectively)?a sensible outcome given that both systems pack the same GPU?and breezed past the Gateway DX4870-UR11P (1,460 points in Entry-level settings).

While the Acer Aspire AT3-600-UR11 isn't the flashiest system available, it's nevertheless a good value thanks to its reasonable price tag, USB 3.0 support, and spacious 1TB hard drive. However, users looking for greater processing power should first check out the Gateway DX4870-UR11P, whose robust Core i7 processor, extra RAM, and larger hard drive justify its costlier price tag. That said, there's still plenty to like about the Aspire AT3-600-UR11, and it's certainly worthy of consideration.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/kNNJTHpx0WQ/0,2817,2417190,00.asp

PacSun apple store bestbuy bestbuy gamestop black friday deals Sephora

Carlson named co-host of Fox weekend morning show

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2007 file photo, political commentator Tucker Carlson arrives for the 60th anniversary celebration of NBC's Meet the Press at the Newseum in Washington. Fox News Channel says veteran conservative commentator Tucker Channel will become co-host of the network's weekend morning show, ?Fox & Friends.? (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2007 file photo, political commentator Tucker Carlson arrives for the 60th anniversary celebration of NBC's Meet the Press at the Newseum in Washington. Fox News Channel says veteran conservative commentator Tucker Channel will become co-host of the network's weekend morning show, ?Fox & Friends.? (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

(AP) ? Fox News Channel says veteran conservative commentator Tucker Carlson will become co-host of the network's weekend morning show, "Fox & Friends."

Carlson will replace Dave Briggs, who left Fox at the end of last year. His co-hosts on the weekend chat fest are Alisyn Camerota and Clayton Morris. Carlson will continue to make other appearances on Fox News programming.

The commentator, known for his bow ties, is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Daily Caller. He worked at both CNN and MSNBC before joining Fox News.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-03-27-TV-Fox-Carlson/id-98ebd7f2f40a475495bd8c482ac0f4c2

bloom energy franklin graham jambalaya taylor swift and zac efron basketball wives manny ramirez easter 2012

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Managed Services: it's IT, but not as we know it. ? Tait ...

By Judd Cain, Executive Vice President, Managed Services.

Can you spot the key word in this definition?

?Managed Services is the proactive management of an IT asset or object, by a third party typically known as a MSP, on behalf of a customer. The operative distinction that sets apart a MSP is the proactive delivery of their service, as compared to reactive IT services, which have been around for decades.?? International Association of Cloud & Managed Services Partners

Okay so that was easy. It?s ?proactive? ? an obvious thing to mention from an IT perspective.

But is the proactive manageservices imagement of radio systems something you?d typically associate with Managed Services? Probably not.

We?ve been in the critical communications solutions industry for more than 40 years and we?re seeing a big change that?s affecting both radio systems and IT: they?re coming together.

The demographic of radio system technicians is changing; the capabilities of mobile radio is changing; the span of networks that radio systems integrate with is changing.

No longer is radio a specialized area, detached and distinct. It?s increasingly becoming an area of IT. With retiring radio techs, broadband data joining voice traffic on radio frequencies and cyber security issues, radio systems are morphing into information technology systems.

This may be a contentious point to make, but there?s a gap between radio and IT that?s growing bigger every day.

And that?s why we believe Managed Services can play a vital role in supporting critical communications systems: it plugs that gap.

Organizations that rely on critical communications want to be able to trust a managed service partner to manage their system to a guaranteed level of performance, leaving them to focus on their core business; more cops on the street and more linesmen keeping the power on. Solving problems before they become problems?

But Managed Services has more to offer than that, which brings us back to ?proactive?.

The network monitoring, performance management and asset management elements that combine to provide a managed service give organizations access to data ? or rather, intelligence ? that can transform their operations.

For utilities, it can anticipate network events and prevent them from happening, mitigating system downtime and ?keeping the lights on?. In a public safety sense, this could mean crime prevention and even saved lives.

So while there are clear IT parallels, Managed Services isn?t just about technology at all. It?s really about people. People who have a genuine insight of how an organization?s business, IT and radio objectives are interwoven and can understand how to use them together to support safer and more resilient communities.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Source: http://blog.taitradio.com/2013/03/13/managed-services-its-it-but-not-as-we-know-it/

after christmas sales case mccoy case mccoy UFC 155 Jack Klugman merry Christmas a christmas story

92% No

All Critics (75) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (6)

It's a funny look at the way the media warp public opinion, and a curiously hopeful one.

On every level, "No" leaves one with bittersweet feelings about democracy, love and the cost of compromise.

If you can shake off the inherent grossness of mining the Pinochet years for yet another Mad Man-style deification of zeitgeist-grasping salesmen, this is moderately interesting stuff.

If there are fewer white-knuckle showdowns than in a Hollywood movie, the trade-off is a cool, ironic intelligence that ripples off the screen and up the years to where we live.

"No" stands proudly in a select sub-category of historical fiction films that work, completely and satisfyingly, as their own movies.

Garc?a Bernal quietly carries this film as a soft-spoken kid in blue jeans and untucked shirt.

Stirring as a celebration of voter empowerment, No may also inspire pangs of wistful nostalgia.

Fascinating work from director Pablo Larrain and screenwriter Pedro Peirano, who manage to slip into the skin of a beleaguered country and detail the urgency of a revolution, sold one jingle at a time.

Swims upstream against high-definition with a defiantly lo-fi approach that's also ingeniously evocative of the historical period.

Wildly colorful strokes, full of bitter humor.

It's a fascinating and surprisingly fun look behind the scenes of politics and media.

An Oscar-nominated win for more than just political junkies.

A worthy and a quite interesting slice of modern international history ...

Paranoia mixes neatly with optimism in this dramedy about the ad campaign that made Chile democratic.

It hangs on three ideas...While each...is intriguing, the execution of all is less than satisfying.

Larra?n's script is punctuated by dark bursts of humour, and the filmmaker knowingly navigates his audience to a nail-biting - though never cloying, and fully warranted - climax.

No quotes approved yet for No. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/no_2012/

the forgotten man mike jones just friends chronicle george lopez bedtime stories micron

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Free People Horoscopes, March 11-17 - Free People Blog

Post image for Free People Horoscopes, March 11-17

Horoscopes by Tracy Allen

?

pisces star sign illustrationPISCES

February 19?March 20

A new moon in your sign is like the wish you make when you blow out candles on your birthday cake. But don?t expect the planets to start simply granting wishes?astrology never discounts free will. And since mystical Fish are prone to passivity, your challenge is to firmly resolve to make your own dreams come true. The moon links with the charged-up sun, covetous Venus and just-do-it Mars, supplanting Piscean vagueness with desire-driven vision. Your perspective is growing, and your self-image is changing; it?s time to start taking action based on your inner evolution. As Mars segues into your worth sector, think about what you felt impelled to do this past month and how you can walk the talk more, increasing your confidence. Speaking of talk, you?ll be less tongue-tied at week?s end when clever Mercury goes direct. It will feel good to articulate what?s been going on inside you, so express it!

?

aries star sign illustrationARIES

March 21?April 19

The sensitive new moon in your metaphysical sector this week beckons you to honor unconscious feelings that have been making themselves known to you lately. New moons have an initiatory vibe, so?given where this one falls in your chart?it?s a good time for starting a new spiritual practice or making a resolution to serve a higher good. You?re been uncovering deep emotions connected either to a one-on-one relationship or to your relationship with yourself. Think about how you can introduce something new into your life that makes space for what you?ve uncovered in yourself. Mars enters Aries later in the week, mobilizing you for the first time in weeks. Use your newfound energy to put into play whatever has been waking up in you. Mercury?s direct turn will help to clarify the ideas brewing within.

?

taurus star sign illustrationTAURUS

April 20?May 20

When a new moon rises in your group zone this week, give some more thought to what you need from others and how you feel about where you?re fitting in. You?ve been thinking so abstractly of late and have probably struggled to sort out where you?re headed next. That fuzziness has likely impacted your relationships, directly or indirectly. But the reverse can also apply?and work in your favor. A partner or friend can help you to identify interests and set new goals now if you let them. You may lack momentum as energetic Mars shifts into your seclusion sector, making you feel like hiding out. But that will give you a chance to figure out what you need to fully wrap up in order to move on.

?

gemini star sign illustrationGEMINI

May 21?June 20

Your ambition gets a jolt this week when the new moon joins with appetent Venus and driven Mars in your goals angle. A fresh start in your professional life requires that you first ask what you need and want from your place in the world. You?re in a position to do quality work and to be of use, and your efficiency will surely improve when adept Mercury goes direct at week?s end. Technology difficulties and misunderstandings with authority figures should subside, and you?ll be able to think through career issues more clearly and verbalize your thoughts. You can derive energy from people with common aims, so get out there and network based on where you see yourself in a year, not on where you are now.

?

cancer star sign illustrationCANCER

June 21?July 22

The universe is challenging you to commit to hope, as a new moon in starry-eyed Pisces unites with lovely Venus and gutsy Mars in your vision sector, launching a new cycle of beliefs. Mercury?s direct turn will help to clear your head and solidify your ideas about the future, but it?s up to you to adopt a bravely optimistic view of your potential. Opportunities for learning and creative expression abound, and if you shake things up a little, you?ll start to have more faith in how far you can go. Plan a major trip or a weekend getaway, apply to grad school or sign up for a class. Whether you go big or start small, you need to take in the full spectrum of possibilities and develop a taste for adventure.

?

leo star sign illustrationLEO

July 23?August 22

When your ruling planet the sun conjoins the moon about once a month, we officially have a new moon. This week?s new moon occurs in your sharing sector and links up with Venus and Mars, congregating the planets? respective energies around issues of intimacy and trust. The sun represents the ego identity, while the moon rules feelings and needs. Venus symbolizes the attraction principle, and Mars the modus operandi. Who are you in your close relationships, and how do they make you feel? Are you getting what you need and want? And how do you go about doing that? You can foster a stronger attachment with a partner?romantic or business?or a friend now if you?re open to it. And ironically, you?ll get a whiff of independence when Mars charges into your journeys house, making you want to go places and meet different people.

?

virgo star sign illustrationVIRGO

August 23?September 22

The planets are requesting that you think about other people?s feelings and desires this week, when the sun, the moon, Venus and Mars assemble in your partnership angle. The moon is behind the sun, beginning a new monthly cycle and suggesting that you can begin a new chapter in that part of life?one-on-one relationships. The moon?s correlation with its karmic north node in your cognition sector implies that these relationships can help you to learn and may even change your mind. When your ruler Mercury goes direct, it will slowly clear up confusion in your relationships and enable you to express yourself better in emotional dialogues. Mars is moving into your intensity zone, making this the proper time for you to passionately and single-mindedly pursue someone or something.

?

libra star sign illustrationLIBRA

September 23?October 22

You?ll be relieved to hear that Mercury turns direct in your job zone this week, improving your effectiveness at work and your communication with colleagues. That same part of your chart concerns self-improvement such as habits, diet and fitness, daily time-management, and skills. A new moon combines with three other planets there earlier in the week, calling for a new approach to those issues. What key change can you make to your schedule or your health regimen that comes from a place of positive self-esteem? Or how can you hone your craft and in turn feel better about yourself? On a different note, feisty Mars marches into your partnership house now, increasing assertiveness in your one-on-one relations. Be mindful of the Libran tendency toward passive-aggressiveness, which causes you to project aggression onto others and provoke it in them. If you?re aware of the possibility, you can check yourself when you notice it.

?

scorpio star sign illustrationSCORPIO

October 23?November 21

You get another much-needed reminder this week that all the heavy changes you?re going through should ultimately pertain to what?s in your heart, when a new moon lands in your joy sector, planting a seed for love and happiness. The moon?s meet-up with the vibrant sun, desirous Venus and go-for-it Mars urges you to honor what makes you feel alive, what you want and what you would do if you could. Let the joyous spirit of this lunation mix with the darker tone of this period in your life. Embrace the truth that authentic self-expression and personal fulfillment are not frivolous, but essential. Your creativity is roused by Mercury?s forward motion, compelling you to write about or talk about a passion that?s been marinating. When Mars forges ahead into your self-improvement sector, get enthused to work harder, conquer bad habits and make healthful changes.

?

sagittarius star sign illustrationSAGITTARIUS

November 22?December 21

A new moon in your domestic angle signals a fresh start of some sort in your home or your living situation. The moon?s congruency with the energetic sun, action-oriented Mars and creative Venus promotes vigorous activity centered around beautifying your current abode or using your imagination to somehow change where you live. Whether you work on making your place more of a sanctuary or search for new digs that will increase your comfort, Mercury?s direct turn in that same area of your chart should help you to think things through. And with Mars entering your play sector, you?ll start to feel more like getting out of the house and having fun. You might spark up a romance or breathe new life into a creative project. Either way, the point is to express yourself, now that you?ve shored up your foundation.

?

capricorn star sign illustrationCAPRICORN

December 22?January 19

With a receptive new moon joining forces with the vitalizing sun, amicable Venus and bold Mars in your mindset zone this week, you need to take an attitude of open-ended curiosity toward your feelings and desires. This lunation could generate fresh ideas in your mind about what you need and want and how other people can help you to grow. Your thoughts and communication have been directed inward lately, with cerebral Mercury backtracking in subjective Pisces. Hopefully, you?ve made the most of Mercury?s retrograde period (which ends later in the week) by paying more attention to your intuition. Incorporate that touchy-feely thinking before you act on your ideas and try to express them. You?ll find that different areas of your life can benefit from a more layered, less simplistic perspective.

?

aquarius star sign illustrationAQUARIUS

January 20?February 18

It?s time to take (another!) look at your finances, when the new moon in your worth sector forebodes a new beginning in your approach to money matters. The moon calls your attention to what you need, and its collaboration with the egoistic sun, valuable Venus and assertive Mars further asks how you identify with your resources, how you value them and what you?re doing about them.? The moon?s karmic north node in your goals angle gets in on the action as well, asking how your career path feeds into your financial situation. With mental Mercury going direct in this sector, your thinking should start to become sharper again, and a financial deal could move forward. Your best bet is to try to assess your current state of affairs and your future strategy both realistically and imaginatively, without letting creative thinking veer into fantasyland.

?

Email tracy@tracyallenastrology.com and mention Free People to get $25 off your first reading!

Photo credit: Lauren Grucci

More horoscopes on the BLDG 25 blog!

Tags: astrology, horoscopes, star signs, tracy allen, weekly horoscopes, zodiac signs

Source: http://blog.freepeople.com/2013/03/free-people-horoscopes-march-1117/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=free-people-horoscopes-march-1117

wisconsin recall doris day buffalo sabres texas news kim mulkey sarah palin today show dallas tornado video

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Legal issues to consider with cloud computing | TechRepublic

Takeaway: Patrick Gray talks with an attorney who specialized in IT law about the legal details IT leaders need to consider when going to the cloud.

Cloud computing and SaaS arrangements are growing increasingly commonplace, and the benefits of getting IT out of the infrastructure business are obvious. While the technology is rapidly maturing and moving from novelty to commodity, negotiating contracts with cloud vendors can be a challenge.

What if sensitive customer data are stolen from your cloud provider? Who foots the bill if aliens (or government actors) abscond with your provider?s servers? Who is liable when the lawsuits start flying?

I sat down with Marcus Lee, an attorney at Moore & Van Allen, who specializes in IT law. Lee has recently worked with several large companies to negotiate their contracts with cloud providers, and I asked him what advice he is giving his clients on dealing with some of the legal aspects of cloud computing.

Data security and ownership

One of the critical concerns of cloud computing is data security, especially with the recent focus on data theft. While you may think you ?own? the data that your provider uses and gathers on your behalf, detailing the ownership of data in the contract with your service provider is critical.

Lee suggests that ?Data encryption; a right to audit security procedures and data centers; a requirement to be notified immediately of any security breach; and a requirement to allow an outside auditor to assess controls and procedures for storing, handling, and transmitting data? should all be detailed in the contract.

He also suggests that ownership of data not be left to assumptions. ?The contract should clearly state that all data are owned by the client and contain a provision that, at the termination of the contract, the provider should agree to deliver a copy of client data and permanently destroy all copies of the data in its possession.?

Protecting yourself

We have all seen the dreaded ?limitation on liability? clause in everything from amusement parks to complex vendor contracts, and working in the cloud is no exception. The first iteration of a contract is always in favor of the drafting party, and Lee notes that cloud vendor contracts are no exception, especially around limitation on liability clauses.

The provider ?typically includes a provision that limits its liability to a fixed amount, often based on fees paid to the provider,? says Lee. If you are served with a high-dollar lawsuit related to a customer data breach, or suffer damages to your business when the provider has a technical problem, this is unlikely to cover the damages if the breach or outage was a result of the cloud provider?s negligence. With SaaS fees falling to commodity prices, a liability based only on fees paid to the provider can leave your company overly exposed.

The ?green men from Mars? clause

Force majeure clauses (sometimes called ?Acts of God?) are unforeseen circumstances that would prevent the cloud provider from delivering on their promised services, oftentimes services for which you have paid in advance.

These scenarios could range from the relatively mundane-such as a key communications link being severed by a wanton backhoe-to all manner of natural disasters, terrorist incidents, and yes, even little green men from Mars shutting down your provider.

While you cannot expect your cloud provider to stay up and running through every unforeseen disaster scenario, Lee encourages clients to protect themselves from paying for a service they cannot use.

?A contract should only allow a force majeure clause to apply if the provider is in compliance with its backup obligations,? says Lee, ?and the client should receive a credit for each day of interruption, and be allowed to terminate the contract should the force majeure event last more than an agreed-upon time.?

In short, your cloud provider should not be able to claim force majeure if that ?state-of-the-art backup data center? is really a closet in a strip mall and cannot handle the demand if the primary data center fails due to an earthquake.

Similarly, ensure you understand how your provider will handle your data in the event of a government subpoena or other action. When you control the data you may have time to get your legal ?ducks in a row? should a government action take place, whereas your cloud provider may simply turn over anything and everything related to your business without a prior agreement in place.

When bad things happen to good companies

While cloud can be cost effective and allow for innovative new capabilities, it is obviously not without risk. On what seems like a regular basis, we hear about providers ?losing? a batch of backup tapes with sensitive customer information, or a security breach resulting in a similar loss.

Lee recommends several protections, including provisions that ?indemnify, defend, and hold harmless? the company engaging the cloud provider should the company be sued as a result of the provider?s negligence.

In addition to legal concerns, many players in the cloud space are relatively new and untried, and some are bound to fail as the market matures. For a particularly risky provider, or in a situation where you cannot easily recreate the data held by your cloud vendor, Lee recommends your data be escrowed with a third party, and that contractual provisions require the vendor to return your data and destroy any copies before turning off the lights and skipping town.

Just as with any other critical vendor, be it an implementation partner or the supplier of a critical component for a new product, old-fashioned due diligence can save you many legal and technical headaches.

When asked what single factor could prevent many of the legal hurdles to cloud computing, Lee notes: ?Even if you have a great contract with the cloud provider with all the right protections, it is still very important for the company to do a thorough due diligence on the cloud provider to be sure it is adequately secured and has appropriate backup capabilities.?

Source: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tech-manager/legal-issues-to-consider-with-cloud-computing/8161

debate marco scutaro Russell Means

Monday, March 4, 2013

Talking Point: The Positive Power of Gaming - Nintendo Life

Stepping away from blaming games

Nintendo Land Zelda Multiplayer

We live in a world where blame is often too easily shifted and personal responsibility too easily avoided. Excuse-making has arguably become the fad of our time; as the laundry-list of blame-accepting environmental influences grows larger, the courage to accept and improve our own faults seemingly becomes more rare.

It?s in this environment that legislators, executive officers and community groups gather to determine the impact of violent games on the minds of impressionable youths and adults. Not to be misunderstood, there is a place, even in an excuse-making world, for these types of investigations and legislative remedies meant to better our societies. And, if there is a proven connection linking violent video games to the ever increasing occurrences of unspeakable acts of rage, our world could be better off without them ? or at least benefit from stronger age-gating. But for every criticism of the video game industry (founded or unfounded), there are many unheard and unrepresented voices of those who have been positively influenced by gaming.

Certainly, violence is not the only criticism of video games. While the debate over violent games rages in the wake of recent tragedies, it is worth noting that criticism of the gaming community is nothing new. Any discussion on the merits or vices of the medium should recognize that this debate is longstanding and broader than the current issues over violence.

To be sure, almost every game has some amount of violence built into its game-play. When they were first introduced to mainstream culture, many of us may remember the shock of seeing the wholesome, even if pixilated, Mickey Mouse fall victim to Peg-Leg Pete in a pirate-ship battle. Even the swing of Link?s sword or the flash of Rock?s blaster deals death to any creature that dares come in their path. Admittedly, the violence in these games (and many like them) pales in comparison to the realistic modern-day shooters, designed to give the player as close to a real-life experience without actually pulling the trigger of a gun. Still, the point bears repeating: violence is inherent to nearly all video games.

Whether well-intentioned or another attempt to shift blame, the recent impetus to investigate and ban violent games ignores one key piece of information: for many, they?re a source of comfort in difficult times.

Video games are familiar, predictable and easy to understand in an otherwise complicated world.

Video games are familiar, predictable and easy to understand in an otherwise complicated world. Examples abound of people who, through no fault of their own, have become lost, scared and, in their own eyes, alone. Despite best efforts, health, family relationships and social surroundings can spin out of control. But every time someone boots up a video game, he or she takes command; the destiny of their character and an entire world, waiting to be saved, is within their power. With hard work and a little luck, the player can accomplish great feats, go on unimaginable adventures and become the hero of an entire civilization.

If he or she stumbles along the way, no matter ? checkpoints, extra lives and fresh starts provide a consequence-free way to keep moving toward an end goal. Video games can offer hope amid bleakness, endow courage to overcome and, put simply, make people feel good about themselves. They offer second chances in a world where re- starts are difficult to come by. Regardless of personal circumstances, many of us have experienced this kind of comfort and healing-power afforded by a simple video game.

One well-documented example of this positive influence of video games is that of Steve Wiebe, a former Donkey Kong champion, whose pursuit of a world-record is chronicled in the documentary film, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. Steve used games to help get him through a difficult time, which included the hardship of a job layoff. In his own words, describing the comfort he received from playing Donkey Kong, Steve said, ?When I got laid off and I had time on my hands, I was thinking ?what can I do to feel like I have control of something?? With this, it?s just me and the machine. It doesn?t matter if you let me down or someone doesn?t come through, I?m in control.?

Looking back on his period of unemployment, Steve?s wife recalled that video games were a ?Godsend to him the last couple of years to get him through, it was a safe-haven for him.? Sometime later, after Steve had been chasing a world record and an elusive matchup with renowned Donkey Kong expert, Billy Mitchell, stress and time away from family had taken its toll on Steve?s wife, who again said of her husband, ?he was searching ? he wanted something and I wanted that for him because I wanted him to be happy, so now I see that.?

Steve Wiebe (Image credit: http://www.classicarcadegaming.com)

Steve Wiebe (Image credit: http://www.classicarcadegaming.com)

Steve Wiebe?s experience may resonate with many, especially young gamers looking for something certain in an uncertain world ? something, as Steve Wiebe put it, to control. It doesn?t matter if school, family or health let them down, video games can be a welcome diversion for many young people searching for happiness. That much needs to be understood by anyone who advocates banning the sale of violent video games. In the process of gathering information and formulating legislation and community rallies, it must be understood that many turn to video games for reasons much nobler than the pursuit of violence.

Again, this is not an attempt to put a stop to these types of investigative discussions. In fact, the tendency to shift blame to violent video games and the call for personal responsibility falls just as squarely on the shoulders of gamers as it does the legislators and lawmakers. Rather, the purpose of this article is to point out that there is a deeper-seeded issue at play and that many turn to games for positive reasons, not with an intention to hurt.

So, as discussions move forward to determine the impact of violent video games, let the unrepresented voices of gamers be heard to say that there is a deeply powerful quality about video games, a quality that helps many to overcome problems, cultivate courage, inspire hope, and most importantly find a source of happiness.

Source: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/03/talking_point_the_positive_power_of_gaming

ipad 3 release date apple store down apple live blog ohio primary cell phone jammer g8 summit netanyahu

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - Family Home and Life: Grandparent's Say ...

Good morning! Well the world seems all shiny ?and bright today....I'm not sick!! And no one is lost :) I am busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and toddlers though. I thought life would be a lot slower during these years than it is. How about you, are you super busy or have you slowed down a bit?


It was a busy week with the grand kids too. My second oldest has wanted a hot air balloon ride since she was tiny and got her wish for her sixth birthday. She wasn't a bit afraid, but then after you have?flown as an angel?dangling from wires I guess a balloon ride isn't that different! That's Lake Pleasant there in the distance. Kc you would have loved it!?
It was Daddy daughter dance this last week. I am one proud mama/grandma of those two!Such a fun and affirming night for girls. Doesn't my grand daughter look like her daddy? ??

We have celebrated the last birthday (of what I call birthday season) for about 3 weeks before another birthday rolls around. That's about as long as we go without a birthday party around here. I actually stuffed money in a birthday card last week, a very rare thing for me to do because I always make something. But I am running out of time left and right. I need to clone myself or become twins....or have the energy Joyce has ;)?

This month I am celebrating my blog?anniversary?and I would like to have some guest posters from the grandma bloggers; anyone interested? It is last minute I know but if you would like to write a post, please send me an email.Thanks for stopping by today! Love you guys!


Button pic 9


This is a link up for older bloggers; but you don't need to be a grandparent to link up.?Link up to three post, not to your home page, and link that back to Family Home and Life. While you are here I hope you will visit the other linkers and come back to see who links up later. We all love comments! No Etsy shops or giveaways please. This link closes on Monday night.?

Be sure to visit Lisa at?Grandma's Briefs?to join her linky, GRAND Social, on Mondays. Thank you for linking up with me!





If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Please report it! Copyright ? Family Home and Life 2010-2013 All Rights Reserved

Source: http://www.familyhomeandlife.com/2013/03/grandparents-say-it-saturday_2.html

Kaepernick Eddie Vanderdoes finish line puppy bowl national pancake day bar refaeli Paul Harvey

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Hormone Replacement Therapy For Andropause-JVENTUS Health ...

Hormone Replacement Therapy For Andropause-JVENTUS Health Rejuvenation
Hormone Replacement Therapy For Andropause Visit http:www.jventus.com today!! High-profile figures, such as Suzanne Somers, Oprah Winfrey, and others, have come forward with recommendations for Hormone Replacement Therapy, (HRT). And it is beginning to be understood that not only do women experience menopause and have need for HRT, but men also experience a version of menopause called ?andropause.? Understanding hormone replacement therapy for andropause for men is a topic worthy of your understanding When a man develops andropause, and hormone replacement therapy for andropause becomes necessary, it can be from a host of problems. Primarily, the testosterone levels can drop and the estrogen levels increase. This can lead to a loss of sexual interest, a overall tiredness, depression, lethargy and eventually to erectile dysfunction if not corrected. But testosterone levels are the easiest to balance. Jventus Health Rejuvenation Center can offer proven hormone replacement therapy for andropause solutions to regain adequate levels of testosterone to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We will monitor and pinpoint the causes of your drop in testosterone levels, and in combination with diet, exercise, and our Hormone Replacement Therapy Program, (HRT), we will create and help you monitor your levels until you can resume your most-cherished healthy lifestyle. Please contact Jventus Health and Rejuvenation Center to learn more about our approach to hormone replacement therapy for ?

By: JVentusAntiAging

Follow this link:
Hormone Replacement Therapy For Andropause-JVENTUS Health

Related Post

  • Andropause - Great Android App For Men - Vigor - Stamina - Video - March 2nd, 2013
  • Airing March 2 and 3: BBC World News 30-Minute Segment on Andropause/Aging with Dr. Jeff Life, Healthy Aging Expert ... - March 2nd, 2013
  • Andropause and Depression - Voice Article - Video - March 2nd, 2013
  • Andropause - Great Android App For Men - Vigor - Stamina - Video - February 28th, 2013
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy For Andropause-JVENTUS Health - February 28th, 2013
  • Airing March 2 and 3: BBC World News 30-Minute Segment on Andropause/Aging with Dr. Jeff Life, Healthy Aging Expert ... - February 28th, 2013
  • Understanding Andropause: Erectile Dysfunction - Part Two - Video - February 26th, 2013
  • Fox News Reports on Male Menopause: Andropause with Dr Tutera - Video - February 10th, 2013
  • KNXV ABC 15 Dr Tutera speaks about Male Andropause - Video - February 10th, 2013
  • Andropause Awesome Android Application Andropause - Video - February 10th, 2013
  • Fox News Reports on Male Menopause: Andropause with Dr Tutera - Video - February 9th, 2013
  • Andropause Awesome Android Application Andropause - Video - February 9th, 2013
  • KNXV ABC 15 Dr Tutera speaks about Male Andropause - Video - February 9th, 2013
  • Andropause - Killer Android APP - Video - February 8th, 2013
  • Fox News Reports on Male Menopause: Andropause with Dr Tutera - Video - February 8th, 2013
  • KNXV ABC 15 Dr Tutera speaks about Male Andropause - Video - February 8th, 2013
  • Andropause Awesome Android Application Andropause - Video - February 8th, 2013
  • Fox News Reports on Male Menopause: Andropause with Dr Tutera - Video - February 7th, 2013
  • Andropause - Killer Android APP - Video - February 7th, 2013
  • Andropause Awesome Android Application Andropause - Video - February 7th, 2013
  • KNXV ABC 15 Dr Tutera speaks about Male Andropause - Video - February 7th, 2013
  • Andropause - Killer Android APP - Video - February 6th, 2013
  • Andropause Awesome Android Application Andropause - Video - February 6th, 2013
  • Fox News Reports on Male Menopause: Andropause with Dr Tutera - Video - February 6th, 2013
  • Andropause - Killer Android APP - Video - February 5th, 2013
  • Andropause - Killer Android APP - Video - February 3rd, 2013
  • Andropause - Looking for Super Info on Andropause? - Video - January 11th, 2013
  • What Is The Male Menopause - Male Andropause Explained - Video - January 8th, 2013
  • What is Provacyl? - Provacyl HGH Booster Against Male Andropause - Video - January 8th, 2013
  • Andropause - Looking for Super Info on Andropause? - Video - January 8th, 2013
  • Men And Menopause - What Is Male Andropause ? - Video - January 7th, 2013
  • What is Provacyl? - Provacyl HGH Booster Against Male Andropause - Video - January 7th, 2013
  • Provacyl For Men - How Provacyl Can Help You To Fight Andropause Symptoms - Video - January 7th, 2013
  • What Is The Male Menopause - Male Andropause Explained - Video - January 7th, 2013
  • Andropause - Looking for Super Info on Andropause? - Video - January 7th, 2013
  • Men And Menopause - What Is Male Andropause ? - Video - January 6th, 2013
  • Provacyl For Men - How Provacyl Can Help You To Fight Andropause Symptoms - Video - January 6th, 2013
  • What is Provacyl? - Provacyl HGH Booster Against Male Andropause - Video - January 6th, 2013
  • What Is The Male Menopause - Male Andropause Explained - Video - January 6th, 2013
  • Provacyl For Men - How Provacyl Can Help You To Fight Andropause Symptoms - Video - January 5th, 2013

Incoming search terms:

This entry was posted in Andropause and tagged a-man-develops, a-topic-worthy, also-experience, generated, hormone-replacement, jventus-health, replacement, such-as-suzanne, testosterone, therapy-program, understanding. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://www.testosterone.me/hormone-replacement-therapy-for-andropause-jventus-health-3

Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade 2012 Turkey Cooking Times Butterball mashed potatoes Apple Black Friday how to cook a turkey emma stone

Two new genes linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and related disorders

Mar. 3, 2013 ? A study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has discovered mutations in two genes that lead to the death of nerve cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and related degenerative diseases.

The same mutation occurred in both genes and led to the abnormal build-up of the proteins inside cells. These proteins play an essential role in normal RNA functioning and have also been linked to cancer, including the Ewing sarcoma, the second most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. The finding is the latest in a series of discoveries suggesting degenerative diseases and cancer may have common origins. RNA is the molecule that directs protein assembly based on instructions carried in DNA.

The study also adds to evidence that seemingly unrelated neurodegenerative diseases may involve similar defects in RNA metabolism. Researchers linked the problems to a specific region of the mutated proteins whose normal function was unclear. The study was published today in the advanced online edition of the scientific journal Nature.

"I hope this study helps to build the foundation for desperately needed treatments for ALS and perhaps a broad range of diseases caused by abnormal RNA metabolism," said J. Paul Taylor, M.D., Ph.D., an associate member of the St. Jude Department of Developmental Neurobiology and senior author of the study. Taylor and James Shorter, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the biochemistry and biophysics department at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, are the study's corresponding authors.

Each year approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are found to have ALS. The disease is nearly always fatal, often within five years. Patients suffer muscle wasting and paralysis that affects their limbs and trunk as well as their ability to talk, swallow and breathe. There is no cure.

For this project, St. Jude sequenced just the portion of the genome called the exome, which carries instructions for making proteins. Researchers sequenced the exomes of two families affected by rare inherited degenerative disorders that target cells in the muscle, bone and brain. Neither family carried mutations previously tied to ALS or related diseases. The project built on the infrastructure developed by the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital -- Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, which played an important role in finding the mutations.

Researchers found the families carried a single, previously unknown mutation in a pair of RNA-binding proteins named hnRNPA2B1 and hnRNPA1. The proteins both bind RNA and help regulate its function. When researchers checked for the same mutations in 517 ALS patients they found hnRNPA1 protein mutated in two patients. One patient had the inherited form of ALS. The other ALS patient had no family history of the disease.

The new mutations occurred in a region of the proteins Taylor refers to as a prion-like domain because it has similarities with yeast proteins called prions. Prions are proteins that can alternate between shapes as needed for different functions. "Until recently we did not know these domains existed in humans and now we realize that hundreds of human proteins have them," Taylor said. "We're only beginning to understand their function in human cells."

Researchers showed the prion-like domains are responsible for the shape change that occurs when these proteins convert into slender threads called fibrils. The mutations accelerate fibril formation and recruit normal proteins to form fibrils. This phenomenon called propagation may explain how ALS and related diseases spread throughout the nervous system.

Taylor speculated that the normal function of prion-like domains is to assemble RNAs into temporary structures called granules, which are part of the cell's normal protein production machinery. Granules are normally short lived, and the RNA-binding proteins involved in their formation are recycled. But in cells with hnRNPA2B1 or hnRNPA1 mutation, RNA granules accumulated in the cytoplasm instead of being disassembled. "That's bad news for RNA regulation, which is bad news for those cells," Taylor said.

The study has several important implications, Taylor said. Recognition that the mutations adversely impact regulation of RNA could lead to targeted therapy to correct the problem. The mutation's location in the prion-like domain might also prove significant. Although the mutations in hnRNPA2B1 or hnRNPA1 appear to be rare, hundreds of other RNA-binding proteins have prion-like domains. Taylor said patients with unexplained neurodegenerative diseases may have mutations in these proteins.

The study's first authors are Hong Joo Kim, Nam Chul Kim, Yong-Dong Wang and Jennifer Moore, all of St. Jude; and Emily Scarborough and Zamia Diaz, both of the University of Pennsylvania. The other authors are Kyle MacLea and Eric Ross, both of Colorado State University; Brian Freibaum, Songqing Li, Amandine Molliex, Anderson Kanagaraj and Robert Carter, all of St. Jude; Kevin Boylan, Aleksandra Wojtas and Rosa Rademakers, all of the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.; Jack Pinkus and Steven Greenberg, both of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; John Trojanowski, Bradley Smith, Yun Li and Alice Flynn Ford, all of the University of Pennsylvania; Bryan Traynor, of the National Institute of Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.; Simon Topp, Athina-Soragia Gkazi, Jack Miller and Christopher Shaw, all of the Institute of Psychiatry, London; Michael Kottlors and Janbernd Kirschner, both of University Children's Hospital Freiburg, Germany; Alan Pestronk and Conrad Weihl, both of the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis; Aaron Gitler, Stanford University School of Medicine; Michael Benatar, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Oliver King, Boston Biomedical Research Institute, Watertown, Mass.; and Virginia Kimonis, University of California-Irvine.

The research was supported in part by the Packard Foundation, by grants (NS053825, AG032953, DP2OD002177 and NS067354) from the National Institutes of Health, the ALS Association, the Ellison Medical Foundation, a grant (MCB-1023771) from the National Science Foundation and ALSAC.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Hong Joo Kim, Nam Chul Kim, Yong-Dong Wang, Emily A. Scarborough, Jennifer Moore, Zamia Diaz, Kyle S. MacLea, Brian Freibaum, Songqing Li, Amandine Molliex, Anderson P. Kanagaraj, Robert Carter, Kevin B. Boylan, Aleksandra M. Wojtas, Rosa Rademakers, Jack L. Pinkus, Steven A. Greenberg, John Q. Trojanowski, Bryan J. Traynor, Bradley N. Smith, Simon Topp, Athina-Soragia Gkazi, Jack Miller, Christopher E. Shaw, Michael Kottlors, Janbernd Kirschner, Alan Pestronk, Yun R. Li, Alice Flynn Ford, Aaron D. Gitler, Michael Benatar, Oliver D. King, Virginia E. Kimonis, Eric D. Ross, Conrad C. Weihl, James Shorter, J. Paul Taylor. Mutations in prion-like domains in hnRNPA2B1 and hnRNPA1 cause multisystem proteinopathy and ALS. Nature, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nature11922

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/pOZEz9hUe_o/130303154857.htm

boston weather dr seuss birthday romney michigan derrick williams railgun jk rowling new book between two ferns

Keystone Pipeline study: We must kill the environment to save it (Americablog)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/288614103?client_source=feed&format=rss

lewis black kirkwood chris brown and rihanna nightline brady quinn brady quinn bloom box