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Wednesday, July 17, 2013
MLB All-Star Game Begins With Midtown Parade
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Former Mets pitcher Tom Seaver served as Grand Marshal for the procession, which started at Bryant Park and ran on a red carpet along 42nd Street to Third Avenue.
This is the first time Citi Field is hosting the mid-summer classic.
It's also the first time the Mets are hosting the game since 1964, the year Shea Stadium opened.
The last time the All-Star Game was played in New York was in 2008 at the old Yankee Stadium.
National League manager Bruce Bochy has tapped Mets phenom Matt Harvey to start against Detroit's Max Scherzer.
Harvey joins Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver as the only Mets to start an All-Star Game.
David Wright is the only other Met playing in the game.
He will start at third base.
The two Yankees playing for the American League are Robinson Cano, who will start at second base, and closer Mariano Rivera, who is making his 13th and final All-Star appearance.
The All-Star Game begins at 8 p.m.
Source: http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/185550/mlb-all-star-game-begins-with-midtown-parade
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Monday, July 15, 2013
Golf Magazine creating Myrtle Beach section in its magazine
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) ? Golfing Magazine announced the
creation of a special Myrtle Beach section in its magazine that will be
published twice a year, beginning in fall of 2013.
Golf Magazine is unique in that has both regional and
national material in each publication. Half of the magazine contains editorial
and information on the national golf scene, player and industry personality
profiles, golf equipment testing and resort features. The other half of the
magazine contains regional editorial for each area in the country in which they
publish.
The special Myrtle Beach section will appear online and in
print with professional photography and editorial copy providing a picture of
where America goes to golf. Distribution of the magazine includes a fall and
spring printed edition, two dedicated eblasts to database, Myrtle Beach
eNewsletter, digital magazine emailed to database, inclusion in 6 Northeast
Golf Shows and use of Golfing Magazine user data.
Businesses interested in participating, please contact
Stanton Media Group at 843-233-8088 or email smgusa@aol.com.
Copyright 2013 WMBF News. All rights reserved.
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New form of carbon: Grossly warped 'nanographene'
[unable to retrieve full-text content]By introducing multiple odd-membered ring defects into a graphene lattice, researchers have experimentally demonstrated that the electronic properties of graphene can be modified in a predictable manner through precisely controlled chemical synthesis.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/cJFwVqSxpX4/130715105643.htm
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Sunday, July 14, 2013
Napolitano leaving Homeland Security to head University of California
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, who was only the third person to head the sprawling department created to safeguard the country from threats ranging from natural disasters to terrorism, will leave the government to head the University of California system.
A former governor of border state Arizona, Napolitano, 55, joined Obama?s Cabinet at the start of his administration and was a key player throughout. At one point, she was considered a possible pick for the Supreme Court, and she helped carry out Obama administration policies that drew criticism from immigration advocates who said they deported too many and lawmakers who said they didn?t go far enough.
Her departure at the end of the summer comes as Obama tries to move a sweeping overhaul of immigration laws through a Congress at odds over how to deal with the estimated 11 million people who are in the country illegally.
Names of possible successors began floating within hours of her announcement. New York Sen. Charles Schumer called White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to make a pitch for New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, saying, ?We need someone just as good who can fill (Napolitano?s) shoes.?
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney declined to speculate on any candidates and said Obama would be ?very deliberate? in making a choice.
Obama said Friday that he relied on Napolitano?s judgment and advice and also came to ?value her friendship.? He lauded her work, saying her portfolio had included "some of the toughest challenges facing our country." He said she had worked ?around the clock? to respond to natural disasters and helped secure the country against terrorist attacks.
?Since day one,? he said, ?Janet has led my administration?s effort to secure our borders, deploying a historic number of resources, while also taking steps to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our values.?
Napolitano called her four years at Homeland Security "the highlight of my professional career? and said the department had minimized ?threats of all kinds to the American public."
She said the agency had improved the safety of travelers and took ?smart steps that make our immigration system more fair and focused while deploying record resources to protect our nation?s borders.?
In addition to being mentioned as a potential Obama Supreme Court choice, Napolitano was considered a potential second term replacement to replace embattled Attorney General Eric Holder, who decided to stay on the job.
Napolitano had her share of critics among immigration advocates and those who want more aggressive border enforcement, but she never became a partisan lightning rod for the administration. Republican Sen. John McCain said his fellow Arizonan had served ?with honor? in ?one of the toughest and most thankless jobs in Washington.?
McCain said the two had had disagreements but that he never ?doubted her integrity, work ethic or commitment to our nation?s security.?
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, praised Napolitano?s work but said her pending departure added to a ?growing list of unfilled key leadership positions within the department.?
The head of the department?s crucial Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Morton, previously announced plans to step down at the end of July.
Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/12/3497672/napolitano-leaving-homeland-security.html
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Saturday, July 13, 2013
Fans Facebook Arsenal Indonesia Terbanyak di Dunia
Konferensi Pers Kedatangan tim Arsenal Football Club di Bandara Halim Perdanakusumah, Jakarta, (12/7). Arsenal akan bertanding melawan Timnas Indonesia dalam laga Persahabatan sebagai persiapan pra-musim mereka. TEMPO/Seto Wardhana
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia merupakan salah satu basis penggemar Arsenal terbesar di dunia. "Kami memiliki lebih banyak penggemar Facebook di Indonesia daripada tempat manapun di dunia," kata Direktur Arsenal, Ivan Gazidis, dalam konferensi pers kedatangan Arsenal di Arya Satya Lounge, Bandara Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta, Jumat, 12 Juli 2013.
Gazidis merasa sambutan Indonesia terhadap Arsenal sangat luar biasa. "Kami sangat senang fans bisa melihat pemain beraksi secara langsung, bertemu mereka, dan menghadiri acara-acara (yang kami buat)."
Menurut Gazidis, sangat menyenangkan berada di Indonesia. "Saya telah beberapa kali berada di Indonesia. Tapi, berada di sini bersama tim Arsenal dengan sambutan yang hangat merupakan hal yang fantastis," kata dia. "Kami sangat menanti-nantikan pengalaman kami berada di Jakarta."
Kedatangan Tim Arsenal ke Jakarta adalah bagian dari rangkaian tur pramusim mereka ke negara-negara Asia. Mereka akan berada di Jakarta selama tiga hari, Jumat-Ahad, 12-14 Juli 2013.? Theo Walcott dan kawan-kawan akan dijamu tim Indonesia All-Stars dalam laga yang berlangsung Ahad, 14 Juli 2013, di Stadion Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta.
Selain bertandang ke Indonesia, tim asuhan Arsene Wenger ini juga akan mengunjungi dua negara lain, yaitu Vietnam dan Jepang. Di Jepang, The Gunners akan melawan klub Nagoya Grampus Eight pada 22 Juli dan Urawa Reds Diamonds pada 26 Juli 2013.
GADI MAKITAN
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LP Tanjung Gusta | Capres 2014 | Kabut Asap | Tarif Progresif KRL | Bencana Aceh
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Source: http://www.tempointeraktif.com/hg/sepakbola/2013/07/12/brk,20130712-495988,id.html
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Friday, July 12, 2013
Quebec premier arrives at rail disaster site
Investigators look over tanker cars that were pulled away from the Lac-M?gantic derailed train inferno, in Nantes, Quebec on Thursday July 11, 2013. Everyone missing in the fiery crash of a runaway oil train in Quebec is presumed dead, police told grieving families, bringing the death toll to 50 in Canada's worst railway catastrophe in almost 150 years. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)
Investigators look over tanker cars that were pulled away from the Lac-M?gantic derailed train inferno, in Nantes, Quebec on Thursday July 11, 2013. Everyone missing in the fiery crash of a runaway oil train in Quebec is presumed dead, police told grieving families, bringing the death toll to 50 in Canada's worst railway catastrophe in almost 150 years. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)
An investigator looks over tanker cars that were pulled away from the Lac-M?gantic derailed train inferno, in Nantes, Quebec on Thursday July 11, 2013. Everyone missing in the fiery crash of a runaway oil train in Quebec is presumed dead, police told grieving families, bringing the death toll to 50 in Canada's worst railway catastrophe in almost 150 years. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)
Rail World Inc. president Edward Burkhardt speaks to the media as he tours Lac-Megantic, Quebec, on Wednesday, July 10, 2013. A Rail World train crashed into the town killing at least 15 people. Burkhardt blamed the accident on an employee who he said had failed to properly set the brakes. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
Angry citizens heckle Rail World Inc. president Edward Burkhardt as he tours Lac-Megantic, Quebec, on Wednesday, July 10, 2013. A Rail World oil train train crashed into the town, killing at least 15 people. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
Rail World Inc. president Edward Burkhardt speaks to the media as he tours Lac-Megantic, Quebec, on Wednesday, July 10, 2013. A Rail World train crashed into the town killing at least 15 people. Burkhardt blamed the accident on an employee who he said had failed to properly set the brakes. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec (AP) ? Quebec Premier Pauline Marois renewed her attacks on a railway chief for demonstrating deplorable attitude in the face of Canada's worst rail disaster in almost 150 years, during a visit to the town where 50 people were killed in a fiery explosion over the weekend.
Police said that 20 bodies had been recovered, so far, and 30 people remained missing and were presumed dead.
"I already commented on his behavior and the behavior of his company yesterday. The leader of this company should have been there from the beginning," Marois said at a news conference.
Prior to arriving in Lac-Megantic, Marois had faulted the train company's response calling the company's chief "deplorable" and "unacceptable," for waiting four days before coming to the town.
Edward Burkhardt, president and CEO of U.S.-based Rail World Inc., ? said he had delayed his visit in order to deal with the crisis from his office in Chicago, saying he was better able to communicate from there with insurers and officials in different places.
Burkhardt arrived Wednesday with a police escort and faced jeers from residents. He was expected to meet with residents and the mayor Thursday.
"I understand the extreme anger," he said. "We owe an abject apology to the people in this town."
On Wednesday, Burkhardt blamed the engineer for failing to set the brakes properly before the unmanned train hurtled down a seven-mile (11-kilometer) incline, derailed and ignited in the center of Lac-Megantic early Saturday. All but one of its 73 cars was carrying oil, and at least five exploded.
Burkhardt said the train's engineer had been suspended without pay and was under "police control."
Investigators also had spoken with Burkhardt during his visit, said a police official, Sgt. Benoit Richard. He did not elaborate.
Until Wednesday, the railway company had defended its employees' actions, but that changed abruptly as Burkhardt singled out the engineer.
"We think he applied some hand brakes, but the question is, did he apply enough of them?" Burkhardt said. "He said he applied 11 hand brakes. We think that's not true. Initially we believed him, but now we don't."
Burkhardt did not name the engineer, though the company had previously identified the employee as Tom Harding of Quebec. Harding has not spoken publicly since the crash.
"He's not in jail, but police have talked about prosecuting him," Burkhardt said. "I understand exactly why the police are considering criminal charges ... If that's the case, let the chips fall where they may."
Investigators are also looking at a fire on the same train just hours before the disaster. A fire official has said the train's power was shut down as standard operating procedure, meaning the train's air brakes would have been disabled. In that case, hand brakes on individual train cars would have been needed.
The derailment is Canada's worst railway disaster since a train plunged into a Quebec river in 1864, killing 99.
The crash has raised questions about the rapidly growing use of rail to transport oil in North America, especially in the booming North Dakota oil fields and Alberta oil sands far from the sea.
___
Associated Press writers David Crary in Lac-Megantic and Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this report.
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Wednesday, July 10, 2013
NBA free agency: Knicks interested in Chauncey Billups, per report
The Knicks made the mistake of amnestying Chauncey Billups in 2011. Partially because of that, they don't currently have the money necessary to sign him.
The New York Knicks want Chauncey Billups, but due to their salary situation -- ironically, one partically caused by Billups -- they're unlikely to get him. Reason being is that Billups is not interested in playing for a minimum contract, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Billups briefly played for the Knicks following the Carmelo Anthony trade in the middle of the 2011 season. New York opted to exercise a team option for $14.2 million instead of buying him out for $3.7 million. After the NBA's lockout ended, though, the team decided to use the one-time amnesty clause on Billups to create the cap room necessary to trade for Tyson Chandler.
The Knicks currently have several huge contracts on their ledger, most notably the over $40 million in commitments owed to Amar'e Stoudemire. He'd be a prime amnesty candidate due to his inability to stay effective and healthy, but the Knicks have already used their amnesty clause on Billups.
When Jason Kidd went to the Brooklyn Nets as their new head coach, the Knicks lost one of their three point guards on a squad that was most successful playing two at a time. Adding Billups, a 36-year-old whose veteran leadership capabilities rival Kidd's, would help greatly in that department. To convince him to play, though, they'll need more than a minimum salary ... and since the Knicks are over the salary cap, they can't afford that.
More from SB Nation:
? Howard picks Rockets | Prada: How Morey got his man
? Ziller: Lakers need a miracle
? Josh Smith signs with Detroit | Iguodala to Golden State
? The NBA's top 90 free agents | All NBA free agency news
? Grading the NBA free agent deals
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Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/9/4506098/nba-free-agency-chauncey-billups-new-york-knicks
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Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Police log - 7/8; burglary in Union Township
Dauphin County
GRILL FIRE: Campbelltown Fire Co. responded to 269 Bittersweet Drive, Derry Township, at 9:05 p.m. Saturday.
Palmyra
CO DETECTOR: Citizens Fire Co. responded to 157 N. Lincoln St. at 1:42 p.m. Sunday.
Millcreek
TRANSFORMER SMOKING: Richland's Neptune and Newmanstown fire companies and Schaefferstown Volunteer fire police responded to 240 E. Main St. at 11:15 a.m. Sunday.
FIRE ALARM: Richland's Neptune and Newmanstown fire companies and Newmanstown ambulance responded to Kountry Kraft Kitchens, 291 S. Sheridan Road, at 5:13 a.m. Sunday/
Lancaster
CRASH: Lawn ambulance was dispatched to 3500 N. Colebrook Road in Mt. Joy Township at 7:12 a.m. Sunday.
South Lebanon
INVESTIGATION OUTSIDE: Avon Citizens Fire Co. was dispatched to 2014 Allegheny Ave. at 11:26 p.m. Saturday.
Jonestown
THEFT: A 50-year-old Jonestown woman, whom police did not identify, reported to state police at Lickdale that someone stole a white cement lion statue from the front door of her home in the 200 block of West Hill Street between 9 p.m. July 5 and 9 p.m. July 6. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call state police at 865-2194.
Union
BURGLARY: Eugene R. Schamber, 75, of Jonestown reported that someone forced open the kitchen door at the rear of his home at 98 Fort Swatara Road between 7:20 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday. State police at Lickdale said the burgler rummaged through the house and removed several items. Police said the list of items missing is not completed. The investigation continues.
WIRES DOWN: Green Point Fire Co. was dispatched to 1549 Suedberg Road at 6:04 p.m. Sunday.
Lebanon
TREE ON WIRES: City fire crews were dispatched to 537 S. Sixth St. at 6:01 p.m. Sunday.
Cleona
FIRE ALARM: Cleona and Annville's Union Hose fire companies and Central Medical Ambulance Service of Cleona responded to Hauck Manufacturing, 100 N. Harris St., at 5:35 p.m. Sunday.
Bethel
TREE ON ROAD: Fredericksburg Fire Co. was dispatched to 957 Mountain Drive at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Source: http://www.ldnews.com/ci_23615095/police-fire-log?source=rss_viewed
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Monday, July 8, 2013
'Dexter' is 'perfect'?! 4 big moments this week
TV 
3 hours ago
People need to stop hatin' on serial killers! That's the takeaway from "Dexter" this week, anyway. The way Dr. Vogel fawned over Dexter Morgan, you'd think he broke into people's houses at night to deliver toys (olive-green henleys are the new Kris Kringle costume) instead of murdering folks.
But from the point of view of the neuropsychiatrist (whose perspective may be a bit clouded after keeping company with psychopaths all her life), we should be giving Dexter, not Santa Claus, milk and cookies for "making the world a better place."
Here are the four biggest moments from "Every Silver Lining" -- which also marked star Michael C. Hall's directorial debut!
1. Home movies: Dr. V videotaped all her sessions with Harry Morgan, proof for Dexter that she'd been shaping his destiny since he was a boy. And unlike his horrified and conflicted father, Vogel is downright proud of the man -- or "alpha wolf" --- he became. Dexter and his cohorts in crime are "an indispensable demographic" helping "the human race become civilized," she argued. And who are we to argue? We've been rooting for the vigilante for more than seven years now! Still, we might have to draw the line at calling him "perfect."
Randy Tepper / Showtime
As far as Dr. Vogel is concerned, Dexter is exactly what this world needs.
2. Brain teaser: But Vogel has an ulterior motive behind her sick sweet talk: She needs Dexter's help because Miami's latest serial killer, dubbed the Brain Surgeon, is leaving trophies on her doorstep. And not just bits of his victims' brains -- also a DVD proving that the murdered suspect, Sussman, was coerced into killing the last victim.
Randy Tepper / Showtime
The "Brain Surgeon" isn't giving the detectives a fully intact victim.
3. Brother in arms: Unlike Vogel, Deb doesn't want Dexter's help -- but she sure needs it. She found Briggs' stolen jewels in a storage unit (Miamians sure do like their storage facilities!), but El Sapo followed her and absconded with them -- and her gun -- after an epic fight. Worse, he's later found murdered in his car, which contains traces of her blood and her firearm in the glove compartment. To save his sister, Dex replaced her gun in the evidence room.
Randy Tepper / Showtime
Deb hit yet a new low, but this time, Dex was able to help -- a little.
4. Sergeant Quinn: Speaking of stealing evidence, Quinn is finally getting some story lines that don't revolve around hangovers and dirty policing. Unfortunately, one of them is the old "sergeant's exam" plot. (See: "The Wire," "Homicide," etc.) Unfortunately, he and Batista (his future brother-in-law?) are still steps behind both Dexter and P.I. Deb, so it's debatable whether he deserves to be promoted from Deputy Dawg.
Randy Tepper / Showtime
Surprise! Quinn's story line this year doesn't involve being a dirty cop -- but he's still not the smartest one.
Killer sound bites:
- "I don't take requests." -- Dexter when Vogel asks for his help
- "Miami makes more corpses than sunburns." -- Dexter
- "You're exactly what you need to be, Dexter: You're perfect." -- Vogel, whose infatuation with Dex is almost creepier than his sister's
What do you think Dr. Vogel's up to? Will she blackmail Dexter if he doesn't go along with his plans?
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Man holding "Free Manning" sign arrested at 4th of July parade
"Jason Urbanski, 37, of San Francisco, was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for resisting law enforcement, and a Class B misdemeanor for disorderly conduct after refusing to leave the parade route in downtown La Porte. Urbanski was asked to leave after he was caught carrying a sign reading "Free Manning," a reference to Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is facing prosecution after giving intelligence to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks." - Herald Argus Online
Source: http://feeds.boingboing.net/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/yFHp_ylhUuM/story01.htm
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Sunday, July 7, 2013
Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez Party Together July 4th!
Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez Party Together July 4th!
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez appear to be back on yet again! The couple hung out with friends together on the Fourth of July, but Justin hinted things didn’t end well. Justin Bieber tweeted the photo of himself with Selena, but captioned the photo “#heartbreaker”. We bet he is confirming they are back on again ...
Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez Party Together July 4th! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News
Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/07/justin-bieber-selena-gomez-party-together-july-4th/
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Friday, June 28, 2013
Dr. Roach: Sensitivity to gluten causes celiac disease
Dear Dr. Roach: I have several symptoms of gluten intolerance. I?ve read that there are tests to confirm celiac disease. Besides a blood test, one test is a biopsy of tissue taken from the small intestine. How does the doctor retrieve such tissue? How reliable are the results of these tests after following a gluten-free diet? ? S.S.
Celiac disease, also called celiac sprue, is caused by a sensitivity to gliadin, a component of gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. The major symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea and abdominal distention and bloating. The diagnosis is usually made based on a combination of blood tests and a small-intestine biopsy, which is obtained via an endoscopy of the stomach and intestine.
Neither the blood tests nor the biopsy is perfect. In people who have been on a strict gluten-free diet, it is possible the antibody blood test and the biopsy return as normal. In this case, a blood test to determine genetic risk for celiac disease can be done.
Hello, Dr. Roach: I was diagnosed with stage III kidney disease in May 2012. I had been taking HCT for more than 10 years for hypertension; apparently it did not control my blood pressure well enough to ward off kidney damage. I have been prescribed Azor once a day. After taking it with the HCT for two weeks, my GFR (glomerular filtration rate) went down 10 points, although my BP is much better, usually less than 120/80. The drastic change in my GFR concerns me greatly. Is this medication worse than the illness? A few years ago, Vioxx was taken off the market because it caused damage and fatal results in some patients. Is this a similar medication? I would appreciate any advice you can give me. ? P.E.D.
This gets a little confusing, so bear with me. Azor is a combination of two medicines: amlodipine and olmesartan. Olmesartan is in the class of ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers, which work by opening up constricted blood vessels), and these have the effect of reducing blood flow to the kidneys. GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is a measure of kidney function, and is directly related to the blood flow to the kidneys. So a medicine like olmesartan ? or any of the ARBs or ACE inhibitors ? will very often drop GFR. A lower GFR means a higher creatinine level, since creatinine is removed from the blood by the kidneys. Since a higher creatinine means worse kidney function independent of the medication effect, it?s natural for patients to worry that the kidneys are being damaged.
DR. KEITH ROACH is a syndicated columnist with North America Syndicate Inc., P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
Source: http://lubbockonline.com/health/2013-06-26/dr-roach-sensitivity-gluten-causes-celiac-disease
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Recollections from hundreds of executions in Texas
In this photo taken June 12, 2013, Associated Press reporter Michael Graczyk leaves the Huntsville Unit after witnessing the execution of confessed killer Elroy Chester in Huntsville, Texas. Chester was convicted of the 1988 the fatal shooting of Port Arthur firefighter Willie Ryman III. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
In this photo taken June 12, 2013, Associated Press reporter Michael Graczyk leaves the Huntsville Unit after witnessing the execution of confessed killer Elroy Chester in Huntsville, Texas. Chester was convicted of the 1988 the fatal shooting of Port Arthur firefighter Willie Ryman III. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
In this photo taken June 12, 2013, Associated Press reporter Michael Graczyk stands outside the Huntsville Unit before witnessing the execution of confessed killer Elroy Chester in Huntsville, Texas. Chester was convicted of the 1988 the fatal shooting of Port Arthur firefighter Willie Ryman III. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) ? About once every three weeks, I watch someone die.
Beginning in 1984 when I arrived in Texas for The Associated Press, I've been just a few feet away as one convicted killer after another took a final breath in the Texas death chamber in Huntsville, where the state's 500th execution in modern times took place Wednesday.
I really don't know how many I've seen. I lost count years ago and have no desire to reconstruct a tally.
While death penalty cases are not the only assignments I cover, those certainly leave the strongest impressions.
One inmate, Jonathan Nobles, sang "Silent Night" as his last words as he was receiving the lethal injection. He got to "Round yon virgin, mother and child" before gasping and losing consciousness. Christmas, for me, never has been the same.
When I walked into the death chamber to witness Bob Black's execution, he called my name, said hello and asked how I was doing. What do you say to an otherwise healthy man seconds away from death?
J.D. "Cowboy" Autry was the first lethal injection I saw, in March 1984. A female friend of his who was a witness loudly sobbed about his "pretty brown eyes." Moments later, Autry's eyelids popped open as he died, revealing for a final time his brown eyes.
Autry's case was a memorable one. Six months earlier he was on the gurney with the needles in his arms when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a last-minute reprieve. To make sure no one had to make the final walk twice again, the prison stopped taking inmates to the death chamber until all appeals were resolved.
I remember Charles Rumbaugh's mangled hand, the result of being shot by a federal marshal he attacked in a courtroom. Henry Lee Lucas, who avoided execution when it was determined he hadn't really committed the hundreds of murders he had copped to, always had orange-tinged fingertips from rolling his own cigarettes. The arms of Angel Resendiz, the notorious "Railroad Killer," were scarred by repeated self-inflicted razor cuts. Markham Duff-Smith, who insisted he didn't kill four relatives, made a death chamber confession.
The death chamber, for 50 years home to the electric chair, has undergone its own changes. The gurney, once on wheels, is a permanent pedestal-like structure bolted to the tile floor. The simple horizontal bar between the inmate and the viewing area was replaced by a thick transparent plastic wall after a needle popped out of Raymond Landry's arm, spraying the lethal drugs toward me and other witnesses.
The first executions were carried out just after midnight. Years later, death warrants were set to take effect at 6 p.m., more convenient for lawyers and judges and less costly in prison overtime.
Some executions came with raucous public demonstrations outside. When Ronald Clark O'Bryan, known as "The Candy Man," was executed for lacing his son's Halloween candy ? a Pixy Stick ? with cyanide so he could collect on an insurance policy, dozens of students dressed in Halloween costumes filled the streets. One carried a giant Pixy Stick replica that looked like a barber pole.
One convict, Ponchai Wilkerson, spit out a hidden handcuff key in his mouth as he was about to die. A Houston judge added a smiley face to his signature on Robert Drew's execution warrant. Carl Kinnamon gave a long final statement in hopes of delaying the procedure until his death warrant expired. He thanked me and others for covering his case, then tried to wriggle out of the leather restraints.
The final statements ? which some victims' relatives have criticized as providing prisoners with an opportunity their slain loved ones never had ? have included songs, poems, prayers and Bible verses. Some inmates have spouted profanity. At least two prisoners thanked the Dallas Cowboys for brightening their lives.
Patrick Knight held a contest dubbed "Dead Man Laughing," encouraging people to send him a joke to tell from the chamber. He said he got 1,300 responses. The "joke" turned out to be Knight's claim that the person being executed wasn't really Patrick Knight. But fingerprints confirmed it was.
Richard Hinojosa repeatedly invoked "Yahweh" during his final words as thunder boomed and lightning crackled outside, adding an eerie backdrop to the proceeding.
Johnny Frank Garrett thanked his family for loving and caring for him, then added: "And the rest of the world can kiss my ass."
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Pujols lifts Angels over Tigers 3-1 in 10 innings
DETROIT (AP) ? Albert Pujols got the biggest hit of the game. Jered Weaver delivered the most encouraging performance, as far as the Los Angeles were concerned.
Pujols hit a tiebreaking double in the 10th inning and the Angels beat Detroit 3-1 on Thursday for their ninth straight victory over the Tigers.
Mike Trout had four hits and was in the middle of the decisive rally for the Angels, who completed a three-game sweep. Weaver pitched seven strong innings in a tight duel with Detroit right-hander Doug Fister.
"Just wanted to concentrate on keeping things simple and keeping the mechanics sound and tried to locate," said Weaver, the staff ace who had struggled since coming off the disabled list.
Making his sixth start since returning from a broken left (non-throwing) elbow, Weaver gave up one run and four hits. He walked two and struck out six.
After the Tigers scored in the second, Weaver allowed only a hit and a walk in his final five innings. He retired his last 13 batters.
"We're confident that he's going to pitch more like he did today than the way he has in a couple of his last starts," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
J.B. Shuck singled leading off the 10th against Phil Coke (0-5) and went to third on Trout's single to right field. Pujols sent a drive to deep center, where Austin Jackson tried to make a difficult catch with his back to home plate.
The ball tipped off the webbing of Jackson's glove, hit the wall and trickled to the ground.
"That ball was crushed," Scioscia said.
After an intentional walk to Howie Kendrick loaded the bases, Josh Hamilton made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly.
"The Pujols pitch wasn't a bad pitch. I think that maybe it wasn't the right pitch in that particular moment," Coke said. "I didn't feel like I made the perfect pitch to him by any means, but the last thing I thought he was going to do is hit it as far as he did. It was away from him. I looked at where (catcher Brayan) Pena was set up and he was going away from Pujols with his glove, going away to receive the ball. He found it with his barrel."
Kevin Jepsen (1-2) worked a scoreless ninth for the win and Ernesto Frieri got three outs for his 19th save in 21 chances.
Neither team could do much against the starters.
Scott Downs replaced Weaver and set down the leadoff man in the eighth. But Downs then allowed Omar Infante's pinch-hit double and hit Jackson with a pitch. Downs was pulled for Michael Kohn, who struck out former Angel Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera, both swinging, to end the inning.
"Having a situation with Torii, as clutch as they come, and then you've got the best hitter in the league up next," Scioscia said. "What he did to get out of that eighth inning was huge."
Fister yielded one run and seven hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out four. After the Angels tied the game in the fourth, he gave up only one hit in his final three innings and didn't allow a runner past second.
"He did a tremendous job. The fact that he was able to contain that offense, that shows that he's a good pitcher," Pena said. "He kept us in the ballgame and he gave us a chance to win the ballgame. That's what you ask. He pitched beautifully."
Fister was relieved by Al Alburquerque, who pitched a scoreless eighth. The Angels got runners to second and third with two outs in the ninth against Joaquin Benoit, but he struck out Erick Aybar swinging at a 3-2 pitch to get out of the jam.
Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the second on Brayan Pena's two-out RBI single. It scored Victor Martinez, who singled with one out and went to second when Jhonny Peralta followed with a single.
Los Angeles tied it in the fourth on three consecutive singles to start the inning. Brad Hawpe's single to right scored Hamilton from third. Alberto Callaspo was thrown out at third by Hunter on the play.
NOTES: Los Angeles placed RHP Tommy Hanson on the 15-day disabled list. Hanson was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday night when he felt tightness in his right forearm while warming up in the bullpen. Scioscia said Hanson (4-2, 5.10 ERA) would have an MRI on Thursday. The team recalled LHP Michael Roth from Double-A Arkansas. ... Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez, on the 15-day DL with a right shoulder strain, threw to batters before the game. ... Cabrera is the sixth player since 1920 with 1,200 RBIs and 300 home runs in his first 11 seasons. The others were Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jeff Bagwell and Pujols. ... Cabrera went 1 for 4 on Thursday to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, which tied a season high. ... The Tigers begin a three-series road swing this weekend at Tampa Bay. Max Scherzer looks to run his record to 12-0 on Friday night when he faces Alex Colome (1-0, 0.00 ERA). ... The Angels head for Houston, where Jerome Williams (5-3, 3.36) will oppose Astros RHP Bud Norris (5-7, 3.60).
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pujols-lifts-angels-over-tigers-3-1-10-210840986.html
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Thursday, June 27, 2013
Obama's Africa Trip to Focus on Democracy, Development, Investment (Voice Of America)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Efficient production process for coveted nanocrystals
June 25, 2013 ? A formation mechanism of nanocrystalline cerium dioxide (CeO2), a versatile nanomaterial, has been unveiled by scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
The research results were published in the scientific journal Chemistry -- A European Journal. This finding potentially simplifies and alleviates the existing synthetic processes of nanocrystalline CeO2 production.
Nanocrystalline CeO2 particles are widely used, for example, in catalysts for hazardous gas treatment, in electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells, in polishing materials for advanced integrated circuits, in sunscreen cosmetics, and in such medical applications as artificial superoxide dismutase. Current industrial syntheses of nanocrystalline CeO2 are based on sol-gel processes followed by thermal treatment and/or the addition of accelerant reagents. Any further improvement of the synthetic strategy for CeO2 nanocrystals requires a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in their formation at the atomic scale.
Dr. Atsushi Ikeda-Ohno from the University of New South Wales, Australia, together with Dr. Christoph Hennig from the HZDR opted for a sophisticated multi-spectroscopic approach that combines dynamic light scattering and synchrotron-based X-ray techniques. These complex investigations involved the use of two world-leading synchrotron facilities of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France and SPring-8 in Hyogo, Japan.
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For the first time ever, the scientists were able to perform an in-situ observation of nanocrystal evolution. So far, little has been known of the formation mechanism of metal nanocrystals; mainly because appropriate analytical techniques were lacking. The most widely used techniques for metal nanocrystal research are electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. They are powerful enough to visualize the appearance of nanocrystals and to acquire their lattice information, but they are not applicable to the solution state where the evolution of metal nanocrystals occurs. "To probe the formation of nanocrystalline CeO2 in an aqueous solution, we combined different spectroscopic techniques, including dynamic light scattering, synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and high energy X-ray scattering," says Dr. Atsushi Ikeda-Ohno.
The information the researchers obtained is fundamental to simplifying and alleviating the synthetic process of CeO2 nanocrystals. They revealed that uniformly sized nanoparticles of CeO2 can be produced simply by pH adjustment of tetravalent cerium (Ce(IV)) in an aqueous solution without subsequent physical/chemical treatment such as heating or adding accelerant chemicals. The produced CeO2 crystals have a uniform particle size of 2 -- 3 nanometers, irrespective of the preparation conditions (e.g. pH and type of pH adjustment). This particle size is exactly in the range which is interesting for industrial applications. A key finding is that mononuclear Ce(IV) solution species do not result in nano-sized CeO2 crystals. The prerequisite is the presence of oligomeric Ce(IV) solution species, such as dimers or trimers.
"We're indeed very glad that our multi-spectroscopic approach is also applicable to any other research on metal nanocrystals. That's why this study contributes to an emerging research area on metal nanocrystals in a broader context," says Dr. Christoph Hennig. "And the HZDR's own measuring station at the ESRF provides the best possible opportunities for this research area of metal nanocrystals which directly contributes to industrial applications."
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Saturday, June 22, 2013
Yahoo News on Obama's Africa Trip: "He Won't Be Stopping in the Country of His Birth" (Little green footballs)
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
?Kinky Boots? cast wants to ?Raise You Up?
musicals 
43 minutes ago
Actor Billy Porter joins his fellow ?Kinky Boots? castmates for a performance of the finale number from the show, which won six Tony awards.
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Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/tony-winning-kinky-boots-cast-wants-raise-you-6C10361925
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Syrian exiles get taste of home: Beloved ice cream
Syrian refugee worker, Mohammed Ali, 25, from Yalda, Damascus, organizes ice cream cups, at the Bakdash ice cream store, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. A painting of a neighborhood in Old Damascus is seen at background. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
Syrian refugee worker, Mohammed Ali, 25, from Yalda, Damascus, organizes ice cream cups, at the Bakdash ice cream store, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. A painting of a neighborhood in Old Damascus is seen at background. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
An Arab tourist from UAE leaves the Bakdash ice cream store, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. Arabic, top center, reads, "Bakdash." (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
A Syrian worker prepares ice cream, at the Bakdash ice cream store, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
Hamza Hashish, 20, poses for a photograph as he holds a wooden mallet, used to pound ice cream at the Bakdash ice cream store, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
Hamza Hashish, 20, pounds ice cream with a wooden mallet at the Bakdash ice cream store, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios.
Now those who fled their country's bloody civil war can savor a nostalgic taste from back home. Damascus' most famed ice cream shop, Bakdash, has opened a branch in the Jordanian capital, and both Jordanians and Syrians living here are flocking to it.
With its mix of milk, gum Arabic and sahlab ? a flour made from orchids ? Bakdash ice cream is distinct from American brands like Ben & Jerry's and H?agen-Dazs, which also typically ignite a craze when they open outlets in the Middle East. The traditional Syrian ice cream has a more elastic texture and slightly more perfumed flavor than the Western versions.
The Damascus landmark's appearance in Jordan is a bittersweet sign of one of the civil war's tragic repercussions: The dispersal of Syria's population and culture. Jordan alone is home to more than half a million Syrians, out of nearly 2 million who have fled into neighboring countries with no immediate prospects of return. The number is rising by the thousands daily, as life in Syria becomes more tenuous.
Things are not easy even in Damascus, the core of President Bashar Assad's regime, with prices mounting and the currency draining value.
Bakdash's owners ? the third generation of the Bakdash family ? still keep the Damascus parlor running. But they have set up shop in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, hoping the new businesses will help keep the store at home afloat. The stores abroad could also be insurance for the future as the war, now in its third year, batters Syria's economy and annihilates all traces of tourism.
In Damascus before the war, a visit to the Bakdash parlor topped the to-do lists for Syrians, tourists and other visitors exploring the winding alleys of the capital's fabled Old City. Since 1895, the shop has been a fixture in the Souq al-Hamidiya, the Old City's main traditional market.
For Basima, a housewife who fled Syria seven months ago to Jordan, running across the branch in Amman was a cherished touch of home.
"We were walking outside along the street and saw Bakdash. It reminded us of when we would walk in the Souq al-Hamidiya," she said as she spooned into a creamy bowl at the parlor this week. She asked to be identified only by her first name to protect her family still in Syria.
"Any name from Syria sounds wonderful to us," said the 45-year-old woman, wearing a traditional headscarf. "My heart beats faster whenever I see Syrians ... When I meet other Syrians here in the parlor, I feel my spirit lift."
A Sunni Muslim ? the community that makes up the majority of the rebellion ? she fled her Damascus neighborhood after violence hit the capital. "There were clashes near where we lived. It wasn't safe anymore. There was no safe place to go there," she recalled.
About half of the customers are Syrians, said the Amman branch's assistant manager, Yarob Ababneh, whose father is Bakdash's Jordanian partner. The Amman parlor opened last month.
"Once or twice I saw people cry" he said. "Bakdash has been in Syria since 1895, so those who grew up there know the place and have been there many times."
Getting to the Jordanian branch is a far cry from a charming meander through Old Damascus ? it's located on a popular but traffic-clogged shopping thoroughfare. But once inside, a visitor is transported to the ambience of the Syrian original.
Waiters rush about carrying large trays with glasses brimming with "booza," the traditional Arab ice cream. Black basalt and ochre-colored natural stones line the walls while customers sit at metal tables.
In front of the customers, Syrian ice cream makers ? traditionally, a man's job ? pound the booza with large wooden mallets inside metal containers to get it into shape. Sometimes, the pounding sound resembles the fierce drumbeat of a belly-dancing rhythm, to the customers' delight.
It's then scooped and topped with finely chopped green pistachios ? and the taste, some say, can touch heartstrings.
The ice cream base arrives in refrigerated trucks overland from Syria, sometimes at great risk crossing the volatile border, Ababneh said.
"We deal with a shipping company. They make their calls to ensure that the road is safe before the truck travels. We stay in contact with the drivers hour by hour," he said. "It is dangerous, but what can we do? The drivers take the risk and we pay them for that."
Hamza Hashish, 20, is one of Bakdash's best "pounders." He started working at the Damascus shop when he was just 12, so short he had to "stand on a box" just to reach the ice cream, he said.
As fierce fighting between Syrian rebels and Assad's troops made it increasingly difficult for Hashish and other employees to get to work, he decided to try his chances in Jordan. "Some of the workers were killed on the way, others joined the rebels," he said.
Even the safety of being out of Syria can't keep him from longing for home. In between pounding at the Bakdash branch in Amman, Hashish reminisces with other Syrians.
Jordanians familiar with the ice cream also cram the Amman store.
Amman taxi driver Raad Abdel-Majid said whenever he and his family used to visit Damascus, one of the first things they would do once they got there was "rush over to Bakdash for ice cream."
"While we really hope the crisis will soon end, I am ecstatic that Bakdash has opened its doors here," said Abdel-Majid.
___
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Bad Connection
President Obama is shown digital learning programs during a visit to Mooresville Middle School in Mooresville, N.C., June 6, 2013.
Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
If you visit one of the public schools in Mooresville, N.C., you can get a glimpse into what the classroom of tomorrow might look like. A high-speed broadband network, personalized software, and laptops for every student allow each member of the class to learn at his or her own pace while teachers receive real-time feedback about their learners? progress. That?s why President Barack Obama went to Mooresville in early June to launch a new initiative called ConnectED, which aims to bring similar next-generation connectivity to classrooms across America in the next five years.
?In an age when the world?s information is just a click away, it demands that we bring our schools and libraries into the 21st century,? Obama declared in his speech at Mooresville Middle School. ?We can't be stuck in the 19th century,? he said, referring to the sad state of broadband connectivity at most of America?s schools. It?s a great idea. But Obama?s proposal leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The biggest unknown is perhaps the most important: funding. How the money is spent and where it comes from will determine not only whether the program meets its benchmarks but also whether it really helps ensure that ?every child in America?s classrooms has access to the fastest Internet and the most cutting-edge learning tools.?
The administration has indicated that it will let the FCC figure out those details. ConnectED would be part of the commission?s E-Rate program, which provides subsidies to broadband providers to offer discounted service to schools and libraries. E-Rate, in turn, is part of the Universal Service Fund, which administers several programs to bring better access to telecommunications services across the country, especially in low-income, rural, insular, and high-cost areas.
In the past two decades, E-Rate has helped connect thousands of schools and libraries, but the program is now struggling to meet growing demand. Currently, most of the schools that receive E-Rate funding have connection speeds that are similar to those of the average home broadband user?a far cry from what they need to support large numbers of students using the next generation education applications being developed for classrooms. (It?s an even farther cry from ConnectED?s stated goal of providing 99 percent of America?s schools and libraries with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps per 1,000 students and a target of 1 Gbps by 2018.) In fact, in a survey of E-Rate subsidized schools, nearly 80 percent reported that they did not even have the bandwidth to meet their current needs, let alone to account for future growth. As FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said recently, ?The problem now is not connection, it?s capacity.?
One challenge is that the program needs to ensure that schools upgrade to technology that won?t become obsolete in just a few years, like cable or wireless. Fiber is the only option that remains largely future-proof: It?s already capable of gigabit speeds and more readily scalable than other technologies to meet future demands.
The FCC should also carefully consider who would be the best stewards of E-Rate dollars. Large phone companies haven?t always proven themselves reliable in that regard, charging some schools up to 325 percent more than they charged others in the same region for essentially the same services. And the cable companies don?t even think gigabit speeds are necessary (a convenient perspective when your service relies on technology that is incapable of actually achieving those speeds). In reality, projects like Google Fiber and community networks in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Lafayette, La.; and Santa Monica, Calif.; where cities have invested in fiber infrastructure that can then be leveraged by area school districts, tend to have the fastest speeds?and these sorts of alternative models should be supported. E-rate ought to be used primarily to support substantial upgrades to infrastructure?the high investment costs that most broadband providers use to justify what they charge per month?and in return require that the network providers offer free or heavily discounted services to the schools..
So where will the money come from? President Obama?s remarks in Mooresville last Thursday and a supplemental fact sheet are notably light on details. There may be a temporary increase in the surcharge that you pay on your monthly phone bill (or bills, since it?s applied to both landline and mobile plans) to pay for the ?one-time investment.? Commissioner Rosenworcel has also suggested that savings from recent reforms in the Lifeline program (which is part of the Universal Service Fund and provides discounts for telephone service for eligible low-income households) should be used to support her version of the proposal called E-Rate 2.0, while several news articles refer to ?rechanneling? funds from Lifeline. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has even called for eliminating the Lifeline program entirely and moving all funds to the E-Rate program.
However, none of these ideas are very promising, and the call to reduce or eliminate Lifeline entirely is particularly troubling. Finding the money under the existing USF system will be difficult, and even a small increase on monthly phone bills that are already steadily rising could be problematic. And while the Lifeline program has faced some criticism, many of the problems have already been addressed by FCC reforms. Importantly, the program is currently underutilized by eligible users, and any restrictions in funding will hinder its ability to support broadband access in the future.
But ConnectED?s success will also depend on home access. Obama recognizes that students? connectivity needs to extend beyond school walls. In his remarks, he imagines ?a young boy with a chronic illness that means he can't go to school [who now] can join his classmates via Skype or FaceTime and fully participate in what's going on??a scenario that would require robust connectivity at the student?s home as well as his school. Mooresville has addressed the problem of home broadband access by convincing a local, community-owned cable company to offer broadband access to students? families for $9.99 a month, plus free Wi-Fi connections in parks, local libraries, and municipal buildings. If the Lifeline program were updated to support stand-alone broadband service, it could mean that low-income students could have broadband access in schools and other public areas, as well as complementary access at home. Simply moving funds from one Universal Service Fund program to another could cripple Lifeline?s ability to support existing service and make it much more difficult for it to support home broadband service in the future.
The ConnectED program has the potential to dramatically improve broadband access for schools across the country, but its goals won?t be achieved by tinkering at the edges of existing programs, or relying on models that have already proven inadequate.
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