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By Ahmer Kazi Who can argue with having more USB ports? This question rings especially true in an age where folks typically have more USB-enabled devices than available USB ports on our PCs. The Satechi 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub ($69.99 list) aims to address this imbalance by serving up a hub that adds a net gain of nine additional USB 3.0 ports and can charge tablet devices like the Apple iPad. Although it's somewhat pricey and requires an external power supply, it nonetheless succeeds in multiplying your connectivity options more than any of the ports that we've seen thus far. If you have a bunch of peripherals or are simply tired of constantly swapping devices in your system's USB ports, it's worth checking out.

The 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub's plastic chassis measures 1.06 by 1.75 by 8.69 inches (HWD), resulting in a long thin strip that looks a lot like a surge protector. While its glossy black finish is easy on the eyes and complements its array of blue USB 3.0 ports and LED lights, it also attracts a considerable amount of smudges and fingerprints much like the Satechi Slim Surge Protector. Although, the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub itself is slim enough to slip into your laptop bag or place on your desk without occupying too much space, its power supply adds some bulk.

As its name suggests, there's a total of ten USB 3.0 ports on the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub. It connects to your system via the included USB 3.0 cable, and the net gain of nine USB 3.0 ports yields far more connectivity options than either the Satechi Ultra Portable 4 Port USB Pocket Hub or the Targus Ultralife USB Hub with Ethernet Port.

Nine of the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub's USB 3.0 ports are housed on the face of the hub. These nine ports are divided into groups of three, and three corresponding switches on the front panel's left side control the power supply for each group. When switched on, a blue LED accordingly illuminates the corresponding trio of ports. Thanks to the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub's strip-shape design, there's enough space to prevent neighboring ports from overcrowding one another. The 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub's tenth and final USB port, meanwhile, sits alone on the right panel alongside its own dedicated on/off switch. Unlike the 0.9 amp of power found in the other nine ports, this particular port provides 2.1 amps, and its increased amperage allows it to charge iPads and other similarly-sized tablets.

During testing, the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub worked just as one would expect, and I experienced no difference in performance when transferring a 1.22GB test folder from a flash drive plugged directly into my computer and when it was plugged into the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub. The 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub is compatible with Windows (98SE/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7/8) and Mac (OS 9.1 or later), and since it's a plug-and-play device, setting it up requires little beyond plugging it into one of your system's USB ports and a power outlet. Like the Satechi 3.0 4-Port USB Hub, it relies on an external power source. While I typically prefer bus-powered hubs for their unfettered portability, this shortcoming is more forgivable in the case of the 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub since it requires more electric current stability for its considerable amount of ports and tablet-charging capability.

All said, the Satechi 10-Port USB 3.0 Hub is an efficient way to multiply your USB 3.0 connectivity options. Although it costs a bit more than the competitors and requires an external power supply, these shortcomings are understandable considering its net gain of nine USB 3.0 ports and compact size. If you find yourself juggling a bunch of peripherals or have simply grown tired of constantly swapping peripherals out of your USB ports, it's worth checking out.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/DdZT60s8qOY/0,2817,2417216,00.asp

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BEIJING (AP) ? Two Shanghai men have died from a lesser-known type of bird flu in the first known human deaths from the strain, and Chinese authorities said Sunday that it wasn't clear how they were infected, but that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.

A third person, a woman in the nearby province of Anhui, also contracted the H7N9 strain of bird flu and was in critical condition, China's National Health and Family Planning Commission said in a report on its website.

There was no sign that any of the three, who were infected over the past two months, had contracted the disease from each other, and no sign of infection in the 88 people who had closest contact with them, the medical agency said.

H7N9 bird flu is considered a low pathogenic strain that cannot easily be contracted by humans. The overwhelming majority of human deaths from bird flu have been caused by the more virulent H5N1, which decimated poultry stocks across Asia in 2003.

The World Health Organization is "closely monitoring the situation" in China, regional agency spokesman Timothy O'Leary said in Manila.

"There is apparently no evidence of human-to-human transmission, and transmission of the virus appears to be inefficient, therefore the risk to public health would appear to be low," O'Leary said.

One of the two men from Shanghai, who was 87, became ill on Feb. 19 and died on Feb 27. The other man, 27, became ill on Feb. 27 and died on March 4, the Chinese health commission said. A 35-year-old woman in the Anhui city of Chuzhou became ill on March 9 and is being treated.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted tests and confirmed Saturday that all three cases were H7N9, the health commission said.

Scientists have been closely monitoring the H5N1 strain of the virus, fearing that it could mutate into a form that spreads easily among people, potentially sparking a pandemic. So far, most human cases have been connected to contact with infected birds.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-china-first-known-deaths-h7n9-bird-flu-092118642.html

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The America Scream - A Netflix Review

Halloween has always been one of my favourite holidays. As a child, my sister and I would join forces with the girl across the street, and the three of us, with our fathers in tow, would traverse the dark and chilled neighbourhood. Pumpkin smoke, dressing up, spooky noises, candy overloads, I loved it all. But the thing I loved the most was being terrified of the brown house halfway down the block. This house went to town adding black lights, cobwebs and to top it off, a figure that would haunt my nightmares for years to come: an enormous Frankenstein?s monster figurine that stood guard by the door. It?s ghastly groans were enough to stop me from climbing the stairs; all I could do was look in horror, deciding that the candy wasn?t worth it. Looking back, this house wasn?t anything like some of the haunted houses I?ve seen since, but it went above and beyond what was in my neighbourhood, and made an impact such that I can remember it now, over 20 years later. Evidently people like this are known as ?home haunters?, a term I recently picked up watching The American Scream. Directed by Michael Paul Stephenson, infamous for his lead role in the film Troll 2, The American Scream is a documentary that follows three families of home haunters as they prepare for Halloween in the suburb of Fairhaven, Massachusetts. All three groups have their own different family dynamics and ideas of what makes a scary Halloween display. Their bonds with family and community, and their passions for their craft make this film a very enjoyable experience.

We are first introduced to Victor Bariteau, a systems administrator whose favourite holiday is Halloween. He spends the entire year building new props for his haunted house and dreams of going pro. Although his family supports his ambitions, his oldest daughter is the only one who comes close to her father?s passion. Tina, Victor?s wife, pitches in to make costumes and help with preparations, but she seems exasperated with his hobby, which is slowly growing to consume all available space in their small home. Victor?s dedication to his work is notable, and he is always trying to outdo himself, building up his props each year. He looks to expand his knowledge by listening to Hauntcast (?radio for haunters and Halloween fanatics?) and going to Hauntcon, a convention for home haunters who are looking to up their game by attending panels and workshops lead by pros and purchasing new props on the trade floor. In this way, Victor stands in stark contrast to the other two families featured in the film. Unlike them, Victor seems to be gaining a lot more personally by growing his passion, rather than doing it mainly to bond with his family.

We are also introduced to Manny Souza, and Rick and Matthew Broeder, all of whom live in the neighbourhood. Manny is a family man whose Halloween attraction is an intricate collection of creepy found objects. His children love helping set up, and his wife is sure to get friends and family involved. Manny admits that family is everything to him, and he?ll keep doing the haunted house for as long as he can because it gives him more time to bond with his children. This is the same for Rick and Matt Broeder, a father and son duo who spend large amounts of time with each other. Matt admits that his father is his best friend, and the two bond together building props for their haunted house. Matt, an award-winning amateur clown who proudly displays his trophies and plaques, also find home haunting an excellent artistic outlet. What Rick and Matthew may lack in artistry they make up for in ridiculous banter that gave this film a comedic edge.

The American Scream is wonderfully constructed. We meet not just the haunters but their families too. The film relies on interviews with family members to open a window into personal histories and of course, everyone?s opinion about their haunted house. The film is very entertaining but at other times it?s sad. Neither Manny nor Rick is in very good health, though thankfully they both have their family to support them. Victor too seems to be so focused on his dreams that he ignores all else around him, losing himself in his craft and burning himself out. His family is very understanding, but the film portrays them as ignoring their own needs and desires.

Many people write off Halloween as a children?s holiday, but these home haunters believe that it?s a time to bring people together. I felt all warm and fuzzy watching this movie, something that?s perhaps unexpected for a film titled The American Scream. This is a documentary with heart that peers into its subject?s successes, failures, troubles and most importantly their connections with their family and the greater community.

Ford is the latest in a string of manufacturers whose vehicles have been accused of experiencing so-called ?unintended acceleration,? dating back to the late 1980s when Audi?s U.S. subsidiary became embroiled in a case involving its old Audi 5000 model. In 2009 and 2010, Toyota recalled nearly 8 million vehicles due to a variety of problems including sticky accelerators and loose floor mats that could jam gas pedals wide open.

Audi ultimately was vindicated by federal regulators who largely put the blame on driver error. The automaker eventually redesigned the layout of its pedals to make it more difficult for consumers to inadvertently hit the gas instead of the brake. And Toyota is turning to so-called brake interlock systems that automatically throttle back if a motorist hits both pedals simultaneously.

In the lawsuit, attorneys insist Ford should have used a similar override as a ?failsafe.?

Subaru Plans More Hybrids, Battery Cars ? Eventually

According to the lawsuit, a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that Ford products racked up 22 percent of the complaints involving unintended acceleration between 2003 and 2009. Ford not only ?concealed? the defects cited in the lawsuit, but ?could have and should have? used a brake override system, the lawsuit alleges.

In response, Ford issued a statement asserting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ?has investigated alleged unintended accelerations many times over many years and has concluded that driver error is the predominant cause of these events. NHTSA's work is far more scientific and trustworthy than work done by personal injury lawyers and their paid experts. In rare situations, vehicle factors, such as floor mats or broken mechanical components, can interfere with proper throttle operation, and manufacturers have addressed these rare events in field service actions."

Virtually every automaker has, at one point or another, fielded complaints related to unintended acceleration. While a few, notably including Toyota, have been forced to take actions to deal with defects that could cause cars to race out of control, NHTSA has largely echoed Ford?s contentions.

The federal agency authorized two separate studies, one by the National Academy of Sciences, the other by NASA, that essentially cleared Toyota of electronic problems ? though NASA researchers did note that it can be next to impossible to track some digital issues that may not be repeatable.

Mercedes Plugs In With B-Class Electric Drive

Nonetheless, Toyota recently reached a $1.1 billion settlement involving owners who claimed the unintended acceleration scandal resulted in lower trade-in values for their vehicles. And it has negotiated settlements involving some claims of wrongful death and injury.

Among the Ford models targeted in the new lawsuit are the 2008-2010 Taurus sedan, 2007-2010 Edge Crossover and 2004 to 2010 Explorer, as well as the 2006-2010 Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan. A number of models produced by the now-abandoned Mercury division, such as the 2005 to 2009 Grand Marquis, also are cited.

(Ford official wants EPA to come up with more accurate mileage numbers. Click here for that report.)

Copyright ? 2009-2013, The Detroit Bureau

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a23c4ea/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Clawsuit0Eclaims0Eford0Edesign0Edefect0Ecan0Ecause0Esudden0Eacceleration0E1C9142466/story01.htm

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Vine video posts have had an ephemeral quality when there's been few ways to show them off outside of catching a web link the moment it appears. There's a better way to make those six seconds last an eternity now that the Twitter-run service offers support for embedding its loops on the web. As long as you have access to an existing web link or share a clip through an updated iOS app, you can get HTML code to embed a video in two styles and three different sizes. While it's not quite the expanded platform support that some are hoping for, embedded viewing does make it easier to see what Vine is about -- and potentially delight (or annoy) blog readers who'd have otherwise missed your ultra-short movie projects.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet

Comments

Source: App Store, Vine

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/vine-switches-on-video-embeds-keeps-web-viewers-in-the-loop/

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Quote:

A man I know died, with no will and left a house vacant that still has money owed on it. We would like to buy the house and the family gave us the keys to manage the property, but the bank can't do anything till it goes into foreclosure. How would Florida's Adverse Possession Law effect me, if I moved in since I have me the keys and the garage door opener, and permission to be in the house? Is there any kind of legal actions that can be taken towards me if I move into the house and take over the payments?

Unless you meet the statutory requirements for possession for the prescribed period of time, you will not be able to sustain a claim for title by adverse possession.

Some slick operators in Florida are moving into vacant homes in some stage of foreclosure claiming they are holding by "adverse possession." And are getting evicted by the sheriff. Police agencies are getting apprised and vigilant on these squatters and evicting, forcefully, if necessary.

Regardless of the deceased owner, the mortgage company has rights to the house by virtue of its mortgage and the foreclosure process. When one gives a mortgage, they mortgage company actually owns the house, the buyer buying it subject to timely paying. By foreclosing, the mortgage company clears the buyer out of his equity and title.

Forget the 'adverse possession' claim for you will not be allowed to squat that long. Trespasser is what you will be called. And treated.

Source: http://www.worldlawdirect.com/forum/real-estate-law-matters/70532-floridas-adverse-possesion-law.html

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Tapulous, one of the earliest, big mobile games makers for the iPhone, made its splash with Tap Tap Revenge, the first in a series of apps where users tapped on dropping balls in time with music ? a formula that proved wildly successful and eventually resulted in the company getting bought by Disney in 2010 for reportedly $50 million. Now, one of the co-founders of Tapulous, the Australian Andrew Lacy, has hotfooted it to Paris to tackle something new: the online travel market, with the launch of ZapTravel, a semantic travel search engine.

The idea of ZapTravel is to do away with the need for all the extra ?data entry? required by many travel sites today, from selecting calendar dates to entering destinations from pop-up menus and more. ZapTravel searches are based on what you type into a single window, with details ?human? as what you?d type to a friend. For example, ?I?d like to go to Stockholm.?

zaptravel stockholm

When you register, ZapTravel makes note of your location, so all searches are by default from there. You can also set other defaults around, say, how fancy/budget you?d like your accomodation to be. ZapTravel then creates discounted trips based on the information you have provided, offering flights and hotel options. It?s working with some 3,000 partners now to create those deals. With the longer-term emphasis on experiences as much as getting you from point A to B, it looks like the plan is to present more packages in the longer run (not just directing you to a cool city for food, but suggesting and booking a table at a top restaurant).

zaptravel stockholm results

In that sense, ZapTravel is also trying to cater to users who are undecided about where they would like to go. Lacy says that since ZapTravel?s soft launch last week, one of the most popular search terms (go Internet go!) has been ?sex,? to which ZapTravel?s engine ?diligently returns dynamically constructed deals for nightlife destinations and places with lively atmosphere.? It also includes city guides, created by aggregating content from other sites like Frommers and locals enlisted by ZapTravel.

Lacy ? who is a lawyer and MBA by training but coded half the site ? describes ZapTravel as ?a learning system.? He says that there is an ongoing mix of algorithmic processing, along with some human shaping. The platform?s ?vocabulary? already has ?3,000?destinations, 10,000 different reasons to go, and 15,000 events? to trigger search results, says Lacy.

?The more people use it and the more content we feed it, the better it is able to put together packages to match specific interests,? he says. Others on ZapTravel?s team include engineer?Nicolas Martignole, who organizes the French Java conference?Devoxx France,?and used to build?complex financial systems for Reuters; user experience specialist?Olivier Desmoulins; and?Mathieu Seguin. There is also a separate office for development in Eastern Europe, says Lacy.

Where games end and travel begins

ZapTravel and Tapulous couldn?t be more different ? one mobile-first and created for pure entertainment, and the other launching first on desktop and focused on e-commerce and using new technology around semantic search to help complete travel transactions; one based in Palo Alto and the other anchored in Paris ?because Europe is a much bigger market for travel in general.? But there are some threads between the two. In addition to the entrepreneur himself, there is the fact that both are trying to create markets for products that have yet to be established.

In the case of Tapulous, it was making iPhone apps before Apple had even officially moved into the space itself. ZapTravel, meanwhile, is hoping to establish itself as a semantic travel platform at a time when the playing field is still wide open.

But that is changing.

For one, services like Siri on the iPhone and Google Now on Android offer users quicker, less labor intensive ways of discovering new information; and that is whetting people?s appetite to have easier user experience everywhere. In addition, the ever-growing number of online travel options ? why book an expensive, touristy hotel on Travelocity if you can stay in a cute loft with Airbnb? ? will mean that those sites that make it easier to give you the right information stand to win your business.

On top of that, there has been some significant M&A in the space as the bigger players in online travel look to expand their features more to compete against others, with huge deals like Priceline?s acquisition of Kayak?for $1.8 billion, Expedia?s majority stake in Trivago?for $632 million, and also smaller startup plays like Tripadvisor buying Tiny Post last week.

Would-be competitors include Expedia, which is beta-testing a semantic search called YourVisit; and?CheapAir, which is beta-testing ?Easy Search? for semantic searches of flights. Among startups, there is Desti, the ?personal travel assistant? spun out from Siri-creators Sri International. And?Hopper, staffed up by a team that left Expedia that has raised $22 million?for what also appears to be a semantic search app, but it is still in stealth mode.

ZapTravel will be trying to meet the market and exceed what others are already doing.

?The travel industry has a lot of poor quality experiences,? says Lacy. ?I learned how to make beautiful products at Tapulous and that?s what i?m trying to do here.?

He says that plans for the mobile app will include the ability to enter search requests by voice as well as text. One area I?ve seen that will need room for improvement is its ability to deal with people who make typos (like me). This too is being worked on, says Lacy.

ZapTravel is currently bootstrapped but is in the process of raising an Angel round that it expects to close in the next few months.

Andrew Lacy is the COO of Tapulous. Andrew is an Australian and an alumni of Stanford Business School. He has hands on experience building several internet and enterprise start-ups in Australia, India and the US in internet and bioscience areas. His current interests are in consumer social applications. He enjoys adventure travel, snowboarding and running. Andrew Lacy holds an MBA from Stanford Business School and degrees in Law and Economics from University of Melbourne.

? Learn more

Tapulous is a developer of applications for the iPhone and Android platforms. Some of their apps include Tap Tap Revenge (the sequel to Tap Tap Revolution), Twinkle (a Twitter client) and Collage (a real-time collaborative photo sharing application) and the newly launched Riddim Ribbon.

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/28/from-tap-to-zap-tapulous-co-founder-shoots-for-the-moon-with-zaptravel-his-semantic-travel-startup/

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Police say they are trying to determine how a medical box containing a pair of eyeballs ended up in a trash bin at a gas station in Kansas City.

Police spokesman Steve Young says a worker at a Conoco station in the city's north called police after finding the cardboard box late Wednesday. The box was labeled, "Keep refrigerated."

Young says police aren't sure if the eyes are human, or whether any crime has been committed. Surveillance video shows two men in a blue Toyota leaving the package on the trash bin.

Police say no eye banks or hospitals in the area were awaiting delivery of any eyeballs.

The Jackson County Medical Examiner's office is holding the package while the investigation continues.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eyeballs-found-trash-kansas-city-gas-station-133200330.html

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Marketing software company HubSpot is announcing that it has acquired two small startups ? Chime and PrepWork. The financial terms of the deals aren't being disclosed, but HubSpot says it's bringing on the full Chime and PrepWork teams and moving them from Toronto and New Haven, Conn., respectively, to the company headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. And these aren't just talent acquisitions. I spoke to Vice President of Product Strategy and Corporate Development Brad Coffey and Chief Product Officer David Cancel about the deal, and while they didn't get too specific about their product integration plans, they did say HubSpot is going to incorporate the Chime and PrepWork services to its offerings in some form.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/G_Tz3ogshlw/

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Apple is in court again in China, defending another of its products from attack based on pre-existing claims from a Chinese company. This time around it's Siri, Apple's virtual assistant, that has landed it in Chinese legal trouble, after last year another company took issue with the iPad trademark resulting in a $60 million settlement deal.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XIY9Ky7kV_A/

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Protestors rally in support of gay marriage in front of the Supreme Court, March 27, 2013.(Reuters/Jonathan Er??

A majority of Supreme Court justices expressed concern Wednesday about a federal law that bars same sex marriage, signaling the nation's highest court may be poised to extend a potentially historic victory to the gay rights movement.

Hearing arguments in the second of two major gay marriage cases over two days, the probing questions from both wings of the court suggest the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars the federal government from recognizing same sex marriage in states where it is legal, could be struck down. Such a decision would be breakthrough for supporters of same sex nuptials, who until now have measured progress at a state by state level.

But the fundamental question of whether gay couples can marry in the U.S. will most likely not be settled by the court this time. Striking down DOMA would likely benefit only married same sex couples in the nine states (and the District of Columbia) where their marriages are legal. And a day earlier, justices hinted they might toss a challenge to Prop 8, a California law banning gay marriage, on procedural grounds.

Justices across the spectrum Wednesday seemed troubled by DOMA, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996. Clinton has since announced his opposition to the law.

The court's conservative leaning justices asked pointed questions about whether the law was anti-federalist, since it intrudes into states' traditional right to regulate marriage. The more liberal justices seemed amenable to the argument that DOMA discriminates against gay people and was passed with the clear intention of excluding an unpopular group.

Justices could strike down the law in a narrow way that would force the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages only in states where it's already allowed. There's a chance the court could rule more broadly, making dozens of state gay marriage bans legally vulnerable. Such an expansive ruling from the court is considered much less likely.

The Justice Department would typically defend a federal law being challenged in the Supreme Court, but he Obama administration has declined to do so because it believes it is unconstitutional. Paul Clement, an attorney chosen by House Republicans who support DOMA, defended it instead.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, a conservative-leaning swing vote who has written two landmark opinions affirming gay rights, seemed unconvinced by the argument advanced by Clement that DOMA defines marriage as only between opposite-sex couples to avoid confusion. Clement said that the federal government has an interest in "uniformity," and had passed the law to avoid having to treat same-sex couples differently based on whether they live in states that allow gay marriage or not.

Kennedy pointed out that DOMA excludes married same-sex couples in more than 1,100 federal statutes and laws, which has a substantial impact on the "day to day life" of those couples and their children. He said the law does not provide uniformity because it affects "only one aspect of marriage."

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said excluding married gay couples from sick leave, tax benefits, Social Security survivor benefits, and hundreds of other federal benefits and obligations, relegates same-sex couples to a "skim milk marriage" that is substantially worse than what heterosexual couples are allowed.

Justice Elena Kagan suggested that the law was not passed for uniformity's sake, but to discriminate. She read aloud from the House report on the law when it passed 17 years ago saying it expressed "moral disapproval of homosexuality."

Chief Justice John Roberts objected to the argument that Congress passed DOMA based on a dislike or hatred for gays and lesbians. He asked Attorney General Donald Verrilli, representing the Obama administration, whether he believed the 84 senators who voted for it at the time were all motivated by animus. Verrilli said the lawmakers could have voted for DOMA due to a "lack of careful reflection," but that the law discriminates no matter why it was passed.

Roberts also objected to Attorney Roberta Kaplan's characterization of gay people as a disadvantaged minority group lacking political power.

"As far as I can tell, political figures are falling over themselves to endorse your case," Roberts said.

But Roberts did seem concerned by the federalist argument. He, Kennedy and Justice Samuel Alito posed tough questions about whether the federal government was overreaching with the statute. Kennedy said DOMA did not seem to recognize states's "historical" responsibility for marriage and suggested the central question of the case is whether the federal government has the authority to regulate marriage.

Both attorneys arguing to strike down DOMA refused to make a federalist argument against the law, however -- instead insisting it was a discrimination case.

Before even getting to the merits of the case, the justices spent nearly an hour grappling with whether they should decide it at all because of procedural issues.They appointed Harvard professor Vicki Jackson to make the case that House Republicans do not have the legal right, or standing, to appeal the lower court's decision.

Several justices were also critical of the Obama administration's decision to stop defending the law in court while still enforcing it. Roberts appeared to have serious doubts about the case's procedural issues, repeatedly saying that it is "unprecedented" for the U.S. government to appeal a case even when the parties agreed with a lower court's ruling.

The two gay marriage cases before the court this term have been dogged by procedural concerns, as both were left orphaned by public officials who no longer wanted to defend them.

On Tuesday, Kennedy wondered whether the court should have agreed to hear the Proposition 8 case at all. Other justices suggested they were skeptical that supporters of Proposition 8 had standing to appeal the case once California officials decided to drop it.

It's possible that neither case could end with a decision. In DOMA, that means the lower court's decision would stand and DOMA would be illegal in the Third Circuit. The plaintiff, Edith Windsor, would be repaid the $360,000 she had to pay in estate taxes when her wife died because the government didn't recognize her marriage in New York, where gay marriage is legal. In the Proposition 8 case, gay marriage would most likely become legal in California if the justices throw it out on standing or do not reach a majority.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/conservative-justices-stress-federal-overreach-gay-marriage-case-163526050--politics.html

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Just 'weight' until menopause

Public release date: 27-Mar-2013
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Contact: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-242-45068
Concordia University

Concordia researcher reveals how estrogen deficiency affects women's fat absorption

This press release is available in French.

Montreal, March 27, 2013 Women tend to carry excess fat in their hips and thighs, while men tend to carry it on their stomachs. But after menopause, things start to change: many women's fat storage patterns start to resemble those of men. This indicates that there's a link between estrogen and body fat storage. This connection is well documented, but the underlying mechanisms remained poorly understood until now.

New research conducted by Sylvia Santosa, assistant professor in Concordia University's Department of Exercise Science and Canada Research Chair in Clinical Nutrition, gives us a new look at the connection between fat storage and estrogen. By examining the fat storage process at a cellular level, Santosa and co-author Michael D. Jensen of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, reveal that certain proteins and enzymes are more active in post-menopausal women. These proteins correspond with fat storage. Their findings were published in the March 2013 issue of Diabetes.

"The fat stored on our hips and thighs, is relatively harmless," explains Santosa, who is also a member of Concordia's PERFORM Centre for better health through prevention. "But the fat stored around the abdomen is more dangerous. It has been associated with diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even some cancers. When post-menopausal women put on more abdominal fat, they dramatically increase their risk for these health problems. Given these dangers, it is very important to understand the how the lower levels of estrogen associated with menopause changes where fat is stored."

Santosa's research compared fat storage in pre- and post-menopausal women. The 23 women who participated in the study were in the same age range, and had similar Body Mass Indices and body fat composition. These similarities allowed Santosa to isolate the effects of estrogen on fat absorption and storage.

She and Jensen were able to examine the activity of certain enzymes and proteins that regulate fat storage in post-menopausal women's abdomens and thighs. By considering these factors together rather than in isolation, the researchers determined conclusively that the overall fat storage "machinery" is more active in post-menopausal women. In other words, these cells now store more fat than they did before menopause.

In addition, post-menopausal women burned less fat than their pre-menopausal colleagues. These changes mean that their cells are not only storing more fat, but are also less willing to part with it. This combination is a recipe for rapid weight gain. "Taken together, these changes in bodily processes may be more than a little surprising and upsetting for women who previously had little trouble managing their weight," comments Santosa.

Though the increased cellular activity revealed by this study was not specific to the abdominal region, more fat stored overall means more abdominal fat. Evidence of changes in the fat storage pathways after menopause is an important contribution to understanding why post-menopausal women begin to put on more visceral fat.

Says Santosa, "the information revealed by our study is valuable not only to post-menopausal women and their doctors, but to obesity studies more generally. A clearer picture of which proteins and enzymes increase fat storage makes those productive targets for future medical advances in the fight against obesity."

###

Related links:

Cited study in Diabetes: "Adipocyte Fatty Acid Storage Factors Enhance Subcutaneous Fat Storage in Postmenopausal Women" http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/62/3/775.long

Concordia University's Department of Exercise Science http://excsci.concordia.ca/

PERFORM Centre http://performcentre.concordia.ca/en/index.php

Sylvia Santosa's Research @ Concordia profile http://www.concordia.ca/explore/#!/profile/1593/

Media contact:
Cla Desjardins
Senior Advisor, External Communications
Concordia University
Tel: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068
Cell: 514-909-2999
e-mail: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Web: concordia.ca/media-relations
Twitter: twitter.com/CleaDesjardins

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Just 'weight' until menopause Public release date: 27-Mar-2013
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Contact: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-242-45068
Concordia University

Concordia researcher reveals how estrogen deficiency affects women's fat absorption

This press release is available in French.

Montreal, March 27, 2013 Women tend to carry excess fat in their hips and thighs, while men tend to carry it on their stomachs. But after menopause, things start to change: many women's fat storage patterns start to resemble those of men. This indicates that there's a link between estrogen and body fat storage. This connection is well documented, but the underlying mechanisms remained poorly understood until now.

New research conducted by Sylvia Santosa, assistant professor in Concordia University's Department of Exercise Science and Canada Research Chair in Clinical Nutrition, gives us a new look at the connection between fat storage and estrogen. By examining the fat storage process at a cellular level, Santosa and co-author Michael D. Jensen of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, reveal that certain proteins and enzymes are more active in post-menopausal women. These proteins correspond with fat storage. Their findings were published in the March 2013 issue of Diabetes.

"The fat stored on our hips and thighs, is relatively harmless," explains Santosa, who is also a member of Concordia's PERFORM Centre for better health through prevention. "But the fat stored around the abdomen is more dangerous. It has been associated with diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even some cancers. When post-menopausal women put on more abdominal fat, they dramatically increase their risk for these health problems. Given these dangers, it is very important to understand the how the lower levels of estrogen associated with menopause changes where fat is stored."

Santosa's research compared fat storage in pre- and post-menopausal women. The 23 women who participated in the study were in the same age range, and had similar Body Mass Indices and body fat composition. These similarities allowed Santosa to isolate the effects of estrogen on fat absorption and storage.

She and Jensen were able to examine the activity of certain enzymes and proteins that regulate fat storage in post-menopausal women's abdomens and thighs. By considering these factors together rather than in isolation, the researchers determined conclusively that the overall fat storage "machinery" is more active in post-menopausal women. In other words, these cells now store more fat than they did before menopause.

In addition, post-menopausal women burned less fat than their pre-menopausal colleagues. These changes mean that their cells are not only storing more fat, but are also less willing to part with it. This combination is a recipe for rapid weight gain. "Taken together, these changes in bodily processes may be more than a little surprising and upsetting for women who previously had little trouble managing their weight," comments Santosa.

Though the increased cellular activity revealed by this study was not specific to the abdominal region, more fat stored overall means more abdominal fat. Evidence of changes in the fat storage pathways after menopause is an important contribution to understanding why post-menopausal women begin to put on more visceral fat.

Says Santosa, "the information revealed by our study is valuable not only to post-menopausal women and their doctors, but to obesity studies more generally. A clearer picture of which proteins and enzymes increase fat storage makes those productive targets for future medical advances in the fight against obesity."

###

Related links:
Cited study in Diabetes: "Adipocyte Fatty Acid Storage Factors Enhance Subcutaneous Fat Storage in Postmenopausal Women" http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/62/3/775.long
Concordia University's Department of Exercise Science http://excsci.concordia.ca/
PERFORM Centre http://performcentre.concordia.ca/en/index.php
Sylvia Santosa's Research @ Concordia profile http://www.concordia.ca/explore/#!/profile/1593/
Media contact:
Cla Desjardins
Senior Advisor, External Communications
Concordia University
Tel: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068
Cell: 514-909-2999
e-mail: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Web: concordia.ca/media-relations
Twitter: twitter.com/CleaDesjardins

[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/cu-jwu032713.php
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juhanbotha

While ZigBee hasn't become as ubiquitous in wireless as the likes of Bluetooth or WiFi, it has carved out niches in home automation and low-power gear. The format is about to expand its world a little further now that a more network-savvy spec, ZigBee IP, is officially available for everyone. The upgrade adds IPv6 and tougher security to the open mesh networking formula, letting it more easily join an internet of things where there's potentially billions of connected devices. The ZigBee Alliance isn't naming customers at this stage, although it's quick to note that ZigBee IP was built for smart grid use: don't be surprised if you first see it behind the scenes, keeping energy use in check.

Filed under: Household, Networking

Comments

Source: ZigBee Alliance

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ZkzyxVKfeSw/

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juhanbotha

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) ? North Dakota's governor positioned the oil-rich state Tuesday as a primary battleground in the decades-old fight over abortion rights, signing into law the nation's toughest restriction on the procedure and urging lawmakers to set aside cash for an inevitable legal challenge.

Minutes after Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed three anti-abortion measures ? one banning them when a heartbeat can be detected, which is as early as six weeks into a pregnancy ? unsolicited donations began pouring into the state's lone abortion clinic to help opponents prove the new laws are unconstitutional.

"Although the likelihood of this measure surviving a court challenge remains in question, this bill is nevertheless a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade," Dalrymple said in a statement, referring to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion up to until a fetus is considered viable ? usually at 22 to 24 weeks.

In an interview later Tuesday, Dalrymple told The Associated Press that the courts opened the door for a challenge by picking a specific moment in the timeline of gestation. He also said he studied the fetal heartbeat bill and "educated myself on the history and legal aspects as best I could. My conclusion is not coming from any religious belief or personal experience."

Dalrymple seemed determined to open a legal debate on the legislation, acknowledging the constitutionality of the measure was an open question. He asked the Legislature to set aside money for a "litigation fund" that would allow the state's attorney general to defend the measure against lawsuits.

He said he didn't know how much the likely court fight would cost, but he said money wasn't the issue.

"The Legislature has decided to ask these questions on additional restrictions on abortions, and I think they have the legitimate right to ask those questions," he said.

He also signed into law measures that would makes North Dakota the first state to ban abortions based on genetic defects such as Down syndrome and require a doctor who performs abortions to be a physician with hospital-admitting privileges.

Lawmakers endorsed a fourth anti-abortion bill last week that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the disputed premise that fetuses feel pain at that point. The governor stopped short of saying he would sign it, but said: "I've already signed three bills. Draw your own conclusion."

The signed measures, which take effect Aug. 1, are fueled in part by an attempt to close the Red River Women's Clinic in Fargo ? the state's only abortion clinic.

Tammi Kromenaker, the clinic's director, called the legislation "extreme and unconstitutional" and said Dalrymple "awoke a sleeping giant" by approving it. The clinic, which performs about 3,000 abortions annually, was accepting cash donations and continued to take appointments Tuesday, she said.

"First and foremost, abortion is both legal and available in North Dakota," she said. "But anytime abortion laws are in the news, women are worried about access."

The Center for Reproductive Rights announced Tuesday that it has committed to challenging the fetal heartbeat bill on behalf of the clinic. The New York-based group already represented the clinic for free in a lawsuit over a 2011 law banning the widely accepted use of a medication that induces abortion. A judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of the law, and a trial is slated for April in Fargo.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem told the AP that lawyers from his office would defend any lawsuits that arise but an increase to the agency's budget would likely be necessary. He did not have a dollar amount.

The state has spent about $23,000 in legal costs to date defending the 2011 legislation, according to agency records obtained by the AP.

Julie Rikelman, litigation director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the group has provided three attorneys to argue that case. But in the recent round of legislation, the fetal heartbeat measure is the priority because it would effectively ban abortion in the state, she said.

"The impact is very, very clear," she said. "It would have an immediate and very large impact on the women in North Dakota."

Rikelman said the center also would support the clinic in other litigation, if need be and at no cost.

Kromenaker said other states have spent millions of dollars defending legislation, if the case reaches the nation's highest court. Rikelman said it's impossible to put a dollar amount on the impending legal fight in North Dakota.

"Litigation is so unpredictable," she said. "It could be very quick with a ruling in our favor."

North Dakota's law, since it would ban most abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, goes further than a bill approved earlier this month in Arkansas that establishes a 12-week ban ? prohibiting them when a fetal heartbeat can be detected using an abdominal ultrasound. That ban is scheduled to take effect 90 days after the Arkansas Legislature adjourns.

A fetal heartbeat can generally be detected earlier in a pregnancy using a vaginal ultrasound, but Arkansas lawmakers balked at requiring women seeking abortions to have the more invasive imaging technique.

North Dakota's legislation doesn't specify how a fetal heartbeat would be detected.

Doctors performing an abortion after a heartbeat is detected could face a felony charge punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Women having an abortion would not face charges.

The legislation to ban abortions based on genetic defects also would ban abortion based on gender selection. The Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion laws throughout the country, says Pennsylvania, Arizona and Oklahoma also have laws outlawing abortion based on gender selection.

The Republican-led North Dakota Legislature has endorsed a spate of anti-abortion Legislation this year. North Dakota lawmakers moved last week to outlaw abortion in the state by passing a resolution defining life as starting at conception, essentially banning abortion in the state. The measure is likely to come before voters in November 2014.

Dalrymple attended a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for a new diesel refinery in western North Dakota and made no public appearance to explain his signing of the abortion legislation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nd-gears-legal-dispute-abortion-laws-222233847.html

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juhanbotha

Rachael Cahill

Emigration? We hear this word so much nowadays. Graduates and final years at career fairs get presented with it as the golden branch that their future life must balance on. Almost as if jumping ship is the only way to save the dream they held at leaving certificate.

I do not say this in condemnation. I say it with understanding. In 2010 I finished college and decided to return to Thailand where I had first experienced the joy of teaching English as a foreign language. I lived in a tiny village in the southern town of Krabi, as one of four westerners who would always be classes as ?farang? (foreigner), not out of spite but because no matter what we would never be Thai.

My nickname was ?Nok?, Thai for bird. My children aged 3-6 gave me it as they couldn?t understand how I ?flew? over.

Throughout my time in Thailand, a country I will always recognise as my second home, I got to experience many pleasures, indulgences and also, most importantly, a re-education. I saw children who wanted so badly to learn and expand their knowledge slowly shrink away from education. They couldn?t keep up, they didn?t work enough, or worse ? schools and teachers just passed them on and on until they fell out of the system at 16.

Some days I would sit with my friend App and talk about her own education experiences. App went to local primary schools and secondary schools- underfunded, teacher-stretched schools. She longed to be a teacher of English and from the age of 12 had attended the free English classes provided by the company I worked for. Her dedication and hard work, which finally granted her the opportunity to go to university, was the starting spark for me. App made me think, what is it I want to achieve in this life?

I moved north to Bangkok and took a job at the Village School in Sukhumvit, which caters for children of all races with learning, behaviour and developmental disorders. The focus is on life skills but each child has independent programmes put in place based on their needs. A speech and language specialist, an occupational therapist and a range of teachers and support staff run the school with love and compassion and it was here I realised I wanted to understand more. I wanted to know more about the psychology behind how people learn, and help children to achieve their potential.

But I could not do it alone. It was time to return home to Ireland where I would be surrounded by friends and family and their support would get me through my next undertaking, a return to college.

Coming home from abroad is hard. I had to sacrifice a lot. I left behind friends who had become like family, and have since missed weddings, the birth of children I long to see grow, and been absent when friends who have supported me have suffered loss.

I imagined time would have stood still for the two years I missed. This wasn?t so. Friends had grown up and moved on with their lives. Old friendships had disappeared as new relationships had sprung up. Even organising a group night out seemed almost impossible and I felt angry at my friends and myself for things being so different.

My family had also changed. Their time was less readily available. The late night chats I had so looked forward to with siblings was limited to those I lived with rather than the whole family. I missed hugely what had been before I left and I failed to understand or adapt to the changes.

I threw myself into college and continued to work part time, but I was struggling. The return to my parent?s house, learning to study again as well as work was too much. I eventually quit my job, as a personal illness of epilepsy along with the fatigue I was feeling had become uncontrollable. I began to feel down and cursed myself for returning.

Friends began to notice. They were concerned but that only angered me. But my friend Grace persevered and told me in the most wonderful way to ?get over myself? ? I had been feeling she had made no effort with me, but where was my effort? I had expected all my friends to come running and hang on my every word about my wonderful two years abroad, but I hadn?t been interested in their two years because they had only stayed in Ireland. In other words, I was rude. I didn?t take into account what it was like to watch friends leave and I never thought of the strength it took to stay and build a life in a country where all you hear is how wonderful it is elsewhere.

I now love being home. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my first niece or nephew. My whole family for the first time in six years are living in the same country. I love hearing news not via email or Skype but face to face. I love being able to casually call up an old friend to go for a walk and a chat.

Coming home is humbling. It reminds you that you cannot just up and leave a life. To those that have the strength to embark on the journey of starting from scratch and building a life elsewhere I applaud you, for I know about those lonely nights where all you want is your mammy and a cup of tea. But to those who stay, I bow down to you. You have managed to continue working towards your dream even though it seems this recession is never ending. You have never given up hope, and that is impressive.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2013/03/26/movin-home-was-harder-than-i-thought/

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juhanbotha

Many cancer institution websites lack nutritional guidance, others give mixed messages

Public release date: 26-Mar-2013
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Contact: Steve Graff
stephen.graff@jefferson.edu
215-955-5291
Thomas Jefferson University

New analysis revealed that online dietary recommendations for cancer patients appear to be consistently inconsistent

PHILADELPHIARadiation oncologists at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital are stressing the need for evidence-based, standardized guidelines on dietary recommendations for cancer patientsand with good reason. A new analysis revealed that online dietary recommendations for cancer patients, if even present on an institution's website, appear to be consistently inconsistent.

A review of all 21 of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) member institutions found that only four provided nutritional guidelines, with seven linking to external sites. What's more, many of the sites with recommendations contradicted each other.

The results were published online March 26 in Nutrition and Cancer: An International Journal.

Given that recent data reveals that dietary factors may influence outcomes in patients undergoing cancer treatment, and that over 60 percent of patients head to the Internet for guidance on diet, it's imperative that information is as accurate and uniform as possible, says senior author Colin Champ, M.D., a resident in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Jefferson .

"More and more patients are coming to their doctors and asking for nutritional recommendations before and after treatment, but there is really no standard direction to send them," said Dr. Champ. "So we started looking at sources where people may go to see what information they were digesting."

There were discrepancies. Half the information presented or linked to on NCCN sites contradicted the other half.

Half promoted a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, and half promoted weight maintenance during treatment, endorsing a 1:1 ratio of carbohydrate to fat. Of the four external sites that provided nutrition guidelines, half favored a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, and half favored high-caloric intake to maintain weight.

What's more, the information is not always cancer-site specific, more general recommendations for all cancers are noted. And the weight maintenance recommendations are really less for survivorship and more about not losing weight during treatment, Dr. Champ said.

But depending on cancer type and stage, one might expect different weight changes attributed to these concerns. For instance, recommendations for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer may diverge dramatically from nutritional recommendations appropriate for patients with localized breast or prostate cancer.

Studies show that the majority of women gain weight during adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, and prospective trials have shown a similar detriment in survival outcomes in obese men during prostate cancer treatment. Promoting low-fat, high-protein diets may cause patients to turn to a high-carbohydrate diet and compound any other weight issues.

It is likely that recommendations favoring calorie-dense diets and therefore weight maintenance are in response to previous findings on weight and cancer. Weight loss during cancer treatment has been associated with a detrimental impact on quality of life, poorer treatment outcomes, and decreased survival time.

Such contradictory information may cause problems for some patients. The lack of data and consistency in recommendations could drastically alter a patient's dietary habits during treatment depending on which site they access.

Many centers, even high-quality institutions such as those reviewed in this study, do not even offer recommendations, and the external referenced websites advocate a variety of nutritional approaches that are inconsistent with each other and NCCN member websites.

"These findings demonstrate an urgent need for consistent, evidence-based nutritional guidelines for patients, and potentially for additional research in this domain," said Dr. Champ.

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