Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/302311709?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Adults lack stem cells for making new eggs
Apr. 29, 2013 ? Mammalian females ovulate periodically over their reproductive lifetimes, placing significant demands on their ovaries for egg production. Whether mammals generate new eggs in adulthood using stem cells has been a source of scientific controversy. If true, these "germ-line stem cells" might allow novel treatments for infertility and other diseases. However, new research from Carnegie's Lei Lei and Allan Spradling demonstrates that adult mice do not use stem cells to produce new eggs.
Their work is published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of April 29.
Before birth, mouse and human ovaries contain an abundant supply of germ cells, some of which will develop into the eggs that will ultimately be released from follicles during ovulation. Around the time of birth these germ cells have formed a large reserve of primordial follicles -- each containing a single immature egg. Evidence of new follicle production is absent after birth, so it has long been believed that the supply of follicles is fixed at birth and eventually runs out, leading to menopause.
During the last decade, some researchers have claimed that primordial follicles in adult mouse ovaries turn over and that females use adult germ-line stem cells to constantly resupply the follicle pool and sustain ovulation. These claims were based on subjective observations of ovarian tissue and on the behavior of extremely rare ovarian cells following extensive growth in tissue culture, a procedure that is capable of "reprogramming" cells.
Lei and Spradling used a technique that allows individual cells and their progeny within a living animal to be followed over time by marking the cells with a new gene. This general approach, known as lineage-tracing, has been a mainstay of classical developmental biology research and has greatly clarified knowledge of tissue stem cells during the last decade.
Their research showed that primordial follicles are highly stable, and that germ-line stem cell activity cannot be detected, even in response to the death of half the existing follicles. The research placed a stringent upper limit on the stem cell activity that could exist in the mouse ovary and escape detection--one stem cell division every two weeks, which is an insignificant level.
What about the rare stem-like cells generated in cultures of ovarian cells? According to Spradling, these cells "likely arise by dedifferentiation in culture," and "the same safety and reliability concerns would apply as to any laboratory-generated cell type that lacks a normal counterpart" in the body.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Carnegie Institution, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Lei Lei and Allan C. Spradling. Female mice lack adult germ-line stem cells but sustain oogenesis using stable primordial follicles. PNAS, April 29, 2013 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1306189110
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/lntd-JtlHjc/130429154103.htm
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Mississippi man makes court appearance in ricin letters case
By Robbie Ward
TUPELO, Mississippi (Reuters) - A Mississippi martial arts instructor appeared in federal court on Monday to face charges in connection with mailing letters containing the deadly poison ricin to President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials.
Everett Dutschke, 41, was arrested on Saturday in Tupelo, Mississippi, after authorities searched his former business and home. He is charged with developing and possessing ricin and attempting to use it as a weapon.
Wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, Dutschke responded briefly to a judge's questions at the hearing in Oxford, Mississippi, on whether he understood the charges against him. The judge ordered a preliminary hearing be held on Thursday when prosecutors will present more detailed evidence in the case.
An indictment detailing the charges is under seal but could be made public later on Monday, said George Lucas, Dutschke's court appointed attorney.
Dutschke has denied having any involvement with the ricin letters and said he cooperated with federal officials during their searches.
He faces a possible life sentence if convicted.
Dutschke's arrest came nearly two weeks after suspicious letters intended for Obama and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi were intercepted in Washington. Tests showed they were tainted with ricin, a highly lethal poison made from castor beans. A separate ricin-lased letter was also sent to a Mississippi judge.
Authorities initially arrested another Mississippi man, Kevin Curtis, in the case but dropped the charges last week after a search of his house failed to turn up any evidence of his involvement.
Dutschke's name surfaced at a court hearing when Curtis' attorney suggested someone framed her client and mentioned a running feud between the two men.
He also faces charges in a separate case related to an April 1 indictment for fondling three children between ages 7 and 16, from 2007 to 2013, according to court records.
The ricin-tainted letters were discovered just days after the bombings of the Boston Marathon and during the massive police manhunt for those responsible, helping to fuel anxiety in the United States, especially in the capital.
The case rekindled memories of the 2001 U.S. anthrax attacks that killed five people and puzzled investigators for years. The Justice Department later said that a U.S. scientist who committed suicide was responsible.
(Additional reporting by Kevin Gray in Miami.; Editing by David Adams and Andrew Hay)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mississippi-man-appear-federal-court-ricin-letters-case-100352159.html
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'Army Wives': Colonel Kat Young's Tough Exterior Starts To Soften (VIDEO)
"666 Park Avenue"
<strong>"666 Park Ave.," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/666-park-avenue-canceled_n_2147290.html">ABC pulled the plug</a> on this supernatural drama earlier in the season.
"The Bachelor"
<strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: While ratings may have dropped, "The Bachelor" will likely see another season on ABC as tabloids and viewers still care about the comings and goings of contestants.
"Body of Proof"
<strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: ABC is keen on this Dana Delany drama, but the ratings for this upcoming third season will be the true test.
"Castle"
<strong>"Castle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed. <strong>Why</strong>: Strong ratings and a dedicated viewership will keep "Castle" on the schedule.
"Dancing With the Stars"
<strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series is hurting in the ratings ... by "DWTS" standards. It's still a strong player for ABC, but the new season hasn't premiered yet.
"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23"
<strong>"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/apartment-23-canceled-dont-trust-the-b_n_2528858.html">ABC pulled the low-rated comedy</a> from it schedule and the stars took to Twitter to announce the cancellation.
"Family Tools"
<strong>"Family Tools," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: This ABC comedy has yet to debut, but a May 1 premiere date doesn't look great.
"Grey's Anatomy"
<strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: America still loves McDreamy and the goings on at Seattle Grace. Expect "Grey's" to return.
"Happy Endings"
<strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Always the bubble show, never the surefire renewal hit. "Happy Endings" has suffered from many ratings ailments, including bad scheduling (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/happy-endings-friday-abc_n_2683091.html">it's moving to Friday night</a>) and lack of promo. But this ahmahzing show has some serious fans that could keep it afloat for another season ... maybe on another network (a la "Cougar Town.")
"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)"
<strong>"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The ABC comedy starring Sarah Chalke has yet to debut, but its late season bow doesn't exactly bode well for its future.
"Last Man Standing"
<strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers still love Tim Allen! Paired with "Malibu Country," "Last Man Standing" has been performing well on Friday nights and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/jonathan-taylor-thomas-last-man-standing-home-improvement_n_2686307.html">will soon see Allen's "Home Improvement" co-star Jonathan Tyler Thomas</a>.
"Last Resort"
<strong>"Last Resort," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/last-resort-canceled-abc_n_2147316.html">ABC killed the Shawn Ryan drama</a> in late 2012.
"Malibu Country"
<strong>"Malibu Country," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: "Malibu Country" has been performing well on Friday nights. Lesson: Never underestimate the star power of Reba.
"The Middle"
<strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its fourth season, "The Middle" is still pulling in more than 8 million viewers an episode as the anchor of ABC's Wednesday comedies.
"Mistresses"
<strong>"Mistresses," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The drama, which is based on the UK series of the same name, just got a Monday, May 27 premiere date. Though the scheduling struggle doesn't bode well, the ABC drama does have Alyssa Milano and "Lost" alum Yunjin Kim leading the foursome.
"Modern Family"
<strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A fan favorite and Emmy darling, "Modern Family" will be back and will make ABC lots of money in syndication.
"Nashville"
<strong>"Nashville," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Critical acclaim doesn't always equate to rating success. The show has stabilized in Nielsen ratings, but its future really depends on the strength of ABC's drama pilots.
"The Neighbors"
<strong>"The Neighbors," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the few "hits" of the season, "The Neighbors" has found an audience and kept it pretty steadily week after week (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/abc-shows-fall-tv-2012-2013_n_1581796.html">much to our dismay</a>).
"Once Upon a Time"
<strong>"Once Upon a Time," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A ratings hit in its second season, "Once Upon a Time" is almost sure to be back for a third season full of fairytale adventures.
"Private Practice"
<strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Ended <strong>Why</strong>: The "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff said goodbye in January 2013.
"Red Widow"
<strong>"Red Widow," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The show has a late February debut on ABC.
"Revenge"
<strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "Revenge" has fallen out of critical favor and seen lower ratings in its new Sunday night home. But none of ABC's freshman dramas are doing well, so that works in the show's favor.
"Rookie Blue"
<strong>"Rookie Blue," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Canadian co-production will return for a fourth season on ABC during the summer of 2013.
"Scandal"
<strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Shonda Rhimes has another hit on her hands. Now in its second season, "Scandal" has benefited from word-of-mouth and has been rising in the ratings (even recently beating out its lead in "Grey's Anatomy"). A likable star -- Kerry Washington -- and continued buzz will keep "Scandal" on the schedule.
"Suburgatory"
<strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The series started Season 2 off strong in the ratings, but its audience has slowly eroded. Its not the worst-performing ABC sitcom, but its buzziness has died down as well.
"Zero Hour"
<strong>"Zero Hour," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: The Anthony Edwards vehicle debuted to 6.3 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, making it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html">the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC's history</a>. Things only got worse from there.
"2 Broke Girls"
<strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS renewed "2 Broke Girls" in March of 2013.
"The Amazing Race"
<strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As an Emmy and fan favorite, "The Amazing Race" has been a strong player for CBS.
"The Big Bang Theory"
<strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its sixth season, "Big Bang" is reaching series-high ratings. Even up against reality powerhouse "American Idol," "The Big Bang Theory" has been delivering with crazy high numbers in the 18-49 demographic, beating out what was once Fox's juggernaut.
"Blue Bloods"
<strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays.
"Criminal Minds"
<strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As one of CBS's strong procedural players, the series has been steady in the ratings and will likely be renewed to help anchor a night and launch a new drama.
"CSI"
<strong>"CSI," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Of the two "CSI" shows on the air, "CSI" is the stronger player in the TV landscape. The show is nowhere near its earlier ratings, but Ted Danson signed on for more and the show will be back.
"CSI: NY"
<strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The spinoff series will be entering Season 10 in the 2013-2014 season. The ratings have faded over the years, but they're still pretty stable, especially for Fridays. It's a toss up, depending on how well CBS's development slate goes.
"Elementary"
<strong>"Elementary," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the very few freshman series hits during the 2012-2013 TV season, CBS is very keen on this modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes. The audience has been steady and the network even gave it the post-Super Bowl timeslot.
"Golden Boy"
<strong>"Golden Boy," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: CBS certainly has a handsome star at the front of this cop drama, but its late season entry and Friday timeslot could be a hint toward CBS's confidence in the show.
"The Good Wife"
<strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A former ratings champ, "The Good Wife" has slipped to series low ratings on Sunday nights. Blame football overrun, fan-detested storylines or too many guest stars, but "The Good Wife" has star power and critical praise, plus its nearing a good syndication sweet spot.
"Hawaii Five-0"
<strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: In March, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/the-good-wife-renewed-season-5_n_2965829.html" target="_hplink">CBS announced "Hawaii Five-0" received an early renewal along with several of its other popular programs</a>.
"How I Met Your Mother"
<strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS handed out a ninth and final season to this comedy with the entire cast returning. Expect to meet the mother, finally.
"Made In Jersey"
<strong>"Made In Jersey," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS pulled the plug on this legal drama very early on in the season because of low ratings.
"The Mentalist"
<strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- but it was nonetheless renewed in March of 2013.
"Mike & Molly"
<strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise.
"NCIS"
<strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS reached a deal with series star Mark Harmon in early 2013, keeping the No. 1 show in America around for a Season 11.
"NCIS: LA"
<strong>"NCIS: LA," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers love their "NCIS," in any form. The ratings have been strong and the network is producing a backdoor spinoff pilot for this spinoff show. A full night of "NCIS" could be in CBS's future.
"Partners"
<strong>"Partners," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: Low ratings and unfavorable reviews led to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/partners-canceled-cbs_n_2145832.html">early demise</a> of this CBS comedy.
"Person of Interest"
<strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series has developed a nice-sized audience, bigger than its first season.
"Rules of Engagement"
<strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Honestly, who knows <strong>Why</strong>: This comedy has been on the bubble since it premiered ... yet is now in its seventh season. It's too soon to look at the numbers for this season, but the show has been a midseason success for CBS in the past. However, series co-star <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/02/07/cbs-orders-comedy-pilot-starring-patrick-warburton/">Patrick Warburton is attached to star in a new pilot</a> ... for CBS.
"Survivor"
<strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will be back. But due to its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/survivor-ratings-lowest-premiere-ever_n_2687591.html">most recent premiere ratings</a>, we might not see it during the fall season, though a midseason or summer return -- with some new gimmick -- is definitely in the cards for the reality series.
"Two and a Half Men"
<strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS wants another season of this bawdy hit, it's just a matter of getting its stars to sign back on.
"Undercover Boss"
<strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The show is enjoying life in syndication and its Season 4 numbers are better than most of its third season.
"Unforgettable"
<strong>"Unforgettable," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Uncanceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS canceled the Poppy Montgomery drama last season ... and then revived it! Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 28.
"Vegas"
<strong>"Vegas," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Despite star power, the series hasn't been a breakout hit in the ratings. CBS previously canceled "Unforgettable" (then uncanceled it) last season when it was doing about the same as "Vegas."
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/army-wives-kat-softening-video_n_3176360.html
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Computer scientists suggest new spin on origins of evolvability
Monday, April 29, 2013
Scientists have long observed that species seem to have become increasingly capable of evolving in response to changes in the environment. But computer science researchers now say that the popular explanation of competition to survive in nature may not actually be necessary for evolvability to increase.
In a paper published this week in PLOS ONE, the researchers report that evolvability can increase over generations regardless of whether species are competing for food, habitat or other factors.
Using a simulated model they designed to mimic how organisms evolve, the researchers saw increasing evolvability even without competitive pressure.
"The explanation is that evolvable organisms separate themselves naturally from less evolvable organisms over time simply by becoming increasingly diverse," said Kenneth O. Stanley, an associate professor at the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. He co-wrote the paper about the study along with lead author Joel Lehman, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Texas at Austin.
The finding could have implications for the origins of evolvability in many species.
"When new species appear in the future, they are most likely descendants of those that were evolvable in the past," Lehman said. "The result is that evolvable species accumulate over time even without selective pressure."
During the simulations, the team's simulated organisms became more evolvable without any pressure from other organisms out-competing them. The simulations were based on a conceptual algorithm.
"The algorithms used for the simulations are abstractly based on how organisms are evolved, but not on any particular real-life organism," explained Lehman.
The team's hypothesis is unique and is in contrast to most popular theories for why evolvability increases.
"An important implication of this result is that traditional selective and adaptive explanations for phenomena such as increasing evolvability deserve more scrutiny and may turn out unnecessary in some cases," Stanley said.
Stanley is an associate professor at UCF. He has a bachelor's of science in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He has over 70 publications in competitive venues and has secured grants worth more than $1 million. His works in artificial intelligence and evolutionary computation have been cited more than 4,000 times.
Lehman has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in computer science from UCF. He continues his research at the University of Texas at Austin and is teaching an undergraduate course in artificial intelligence.
###
University of Central Florida: http://www.ucf.edu
Thanks to University of Central Florida for this article.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127973/Computer_scientists_suggest_new_spin_on_origins_of_evolvability
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Mother of bomb suspects found deeper spirituality
In this image taken from a video, an undated family photo provided by Patimat Suleimanova, the aunt of USA Boston bomb suspects, shows Anzor Tsarnaev left, Zubeidat Tsarnaev holding Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Anzor's brother Mukhammad Tsarnaev. Now known as the angry and grieving mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, Zubeidat Tsarnaev is drawing increased attention after federal officials say Russian authorities intercepted her phone calls, including one in which she vaguely discussed jihad with her elder son. In another, she was recorded talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, U.S. officials said. (AP Photo/Patimat Suleimanova)
In this image taken from a video, an undated family photo provided by Patimat Suleimanova, the aunt of USA Boston bomb suspects, shows Anzor Tsarnaev left, Zubeidat Tsarnaev holding Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Anzor's brother Mukhammad Tsarnaev. Now known as the angry and grieving mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, Zubeidat Tsarnaev is drawing increased attention after federal officials say Russian authorities intercepted her phone calls, including one in which she vaguely discussed jihad with her elder son. In another, she was recorded talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, U.S. officials said. (AP Photo/Patimat Suleimanova)
FILE - This April 25, 2013 file photo shows the mother of the two Boston bombing suspects, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, left, speaking at a news conference in Makhachkala, the southern Russian province of Dagestan. Two government officials tell The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies added the Boston bombing suspects' mother to a federal terrorism database about 18 months before the attack. At right is her sister-in-law Maryam. (AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev, File)
BOSTON (AP) ? In photos of her as a younger woman, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva wears a low-cut blouse and has her hair teased like a 1980s rock star. After she arrived in the U.S. from Russia in 2002, she went to beauty school and did facials at a suburban day spa.
But in recent years, people noticed a change. She began wearing a hijab and cited conspiracy theories about 9/11 being a plot against Muslims.
Now known as the angry and grieving mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, Tsarnaeva is drawing increased attention after federal officials say Russian authorities intercepted her phone calls, including one in which she vaguely discussed jihad with her elder son. In another, she was recorded talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, U.S. officials said.
Tsarnaeva insists there is no mystery. She's no terrorist, just someone who found a deeper spirituality. She insists her sons ? Tamerlan, who was killed in a gunfight with police, and Dzhokhar, who was wounded and captured ? are innocent.
"It's all lies and hypocrisy," she told The Associated Press in Dagestan. "I'm sick and tired of all this nonsense that they make up about me and my children. People know me as a regular person, and I've never been mixed up in any criminal intentions, especially any linked to terrorism."
Amid the scrutiny, Tsarnaeva and her ex-husband, Anzor Tsarnaev, say they have put off the idea of any trip to the U.S. to reclaim their elder son's body or try to visit Dzhokhar in jail. Tsarnaev told the AP on Sunday he was too ill to travel to the U.S. Tsarnaeva faces a 2012 shoplifting charge in a Boston suburb, though it was unclear whether that was a deterrent.
At a news conference in Dagestan with Anzor last week, Tsarnaeva appeared overwhelmed with grief one moment, defiant the next. "They already are talking about that we are terrorists, I am terrorist," she said. "They already want me, him and all of us to look (like) terrorists."
Tsarnaeva arrived in the U.S. in 2002, settling in a working-class section of Cambridge, Mass. With four children, Anzor and Zubeidat qualified for food stamps and were on and off public assistance benefits for years. The large family squeezed itself into a third-floor apartment.
Zubeidat took classes at the Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics, before becoming a state-licensed aesthetician. Anzor, who had studied law, fixed cars.
By some accounts, the family was tolerant.
Bethany Smith, a New Yorker who befriended Zubeidat's two daughters, said in an interview with Newsday that when she stayed with the family for a month in 2008 while she looked at colleges, she was welcomed even though she was Christian and had tattoos.
"I had nothing but love over there. They accepted me for who I was," Smith told the newspaper. "Their mother, Zubeidat, she considered me to be a part of the family. She called me her third daughter."
Zubeidat said she and Tamerlan began to turn more deeply into their Muslim faith about five years ago after being influenced by a family friend, named "Misha." The man, whose full name she didn't reveal, impressed her with a religious devotion that was far greater than her own, even though he was an ethnic Armenian who converted to Islam.
"I wasn't praying until he prayed in our house, so I just got really ashamed that I am not praying, being a Muslim, being born Muslim. I am not praying. Misha, who converted, was praying," she said.
By then, she had left her job at the day spa and was giving facials in her apartment. One client, Alyssa Kilzer, noticed the change when Tsarnaeva put on a head scarf before leaving the apartment.
"She had never worn a hijab while working at the spa previously, or inside the house, and I was really surprised," Kilzer wrote in a post on her blog. "She started to refuse to see boys that had gone through puberty, as she had consulted a religious figure and he had told her it was sacrilegious. She was often fasting."
Kilzer wrote that Tsarnaeva was a loving and supportive mother, and she felt sympathy for her plight after the April 15 bombings. But she stopped visiting the family's home for spa treatments in late 2011 or early 2012 when, during one session, she "started quoting a conspiracy theory, telling me that she thought 9/11 was purposefully created by the American government to make America hate Muslims."
"It's real," Tsarnaeva said, according to Kilzer. "My son knows all about it. You can read on the Internet."
In the spring of 2010, Zubeidat's eldest son got married in a ceremony at a Boston mosque that no one in the family had previously attended. Tamerlan and his wife, Katherine Russell, a Rhode Island native and convert from Christianity, now have a child who is about 3 years old.
Zubeidat married into a Chechen family but was an outsider. She is an Avar, from one of the dozens of ethnic groups in Dagestan. Her native village is now a hotbed of an ultraconservative strain of Islam known as Salafism or Wahabbism.
It is unclear whether religious differences fueled tension in their family. Anzor and Zubeidat divorced in 2011.
About the same time, there was a brief FBI investigation into Tamerlan Tsarnaev, prompted by a tip from Russia's security service.
The vague warning from the Russians was that Tamerlan, an amateur boxer in the U.S., was a follower of radical Islam who had changed drastically since 2010. That led the FBI to interview Tamerlan at the family's home in Cambridge. Officials ultimately placed his name, and his mother's name, on various watch lists, but the inquiry was closed in late spring of 2011.
After the bombings, Russian authorities told U.S. investigators they had secretly recorded a phone conversation in which Zubeidat had vaguely discussed jihad with Tamerlan. The Russians also recorded Zubeidat talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, according to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation with reporters.
The conversations are significant because, had they been revealed earlier, they might have been enough evidence for the FBI to initiate a more thorough investigation of the Tsarnaev family.
Anzor's brother, Ruslan Tsarni, told the AP from his home in Maryland that he believed his former sister-in-law had a "big-time influence" on her older son's growing embrace of his Muslim faith and decision to quit boxing and school.
While Tamerlan was living in Russia for six months in 2012, Zubeidat, who had remained in the U.S., was arrested at a shopping mall in the suburb of Natick, Mass., and accused of trying to shoplift $1,624 worth of women's clothing from a department store.
She failed to appear in court to answer the charges that fall, and instead left the country.
___
Seddon reported from Makhachkala, Russia. Associated Press writers Eileen Sullivan and Matt Apuzzo contributed to this report from Washington.
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Almost Christmas Movie Review | Video - POPSUGAR Entertainment
I'll see just about any movie with Paul Rudd in it, and it's no surprise I jumped at the chance to see him and Paul Giamatti in Almost Christmas. The comedy was showing at the Tribeca Film Festival, and it was quite the surprise for me ? mainly because Rudd wasn't my favorite part. Watch my review and find out what was!
View Transcript??Source: http://www.buzzsugar.com/Almost-Christmas-Movie-Review-Video-29907824
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Friday, April 26, 2013
Senate deal reached on FAA furlough bill
WASHINGTON (AP) ? With flight delays mounting, the Senate has passed legislation to end air traffic controller furloughs blamed for inconveniencing large numbers of travelers.
Approval came without dissent, and long after many senators had left the Capitol for a weeklong vacation.
A House vote is expected as early as Friday.
Under the measure, the Federal Aviation Administration would gain authority to transfer up to $253 million from accounts that are flush into other programs, to "prevent reduced operations and staffing" through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.
Officials said that would likely be enough to restore full staffing for the furloughed controllers, as well as prevent the closure of small airport towers.
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NY suspects asked for hard drives to hold evidence
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) -- The government's evidence in a political corruption case ? audio and video recordings, text messages, emails and more ? is so voluminous that each of the six defendants is being asked to provide a 150-gigabyte hard drive to hold it.
The hard drives will be used to share the evidence with defense lawyers, federal prosecutor Alvin Bragg said in court Tuesday.
He spoke during a scheduling conference after the defendants, including state Sen. Malcolm Smith, pleaded not guilty at their arraignment. They're accused of bribery schemes, including a plan to buy Smith the Republican line on New York City's mayoral ballot.
None of the defendants spoke at either court session; their pleas were entered through their lawyers. Judge Kenneth Karas gave the lawyers until July 19 to study the evidence and consider any motions they might want to make. He allowed the defendants to remain free on bail.
The complaint and indictment make clear that much of the evidence will come from recordings made by an undercover FBI agent and a cooperating witness.
Between 150 and 200 hours of video would fit on 150 gigabytes of storage space.
Smith is accused of scheming with New York City Councilman Daniel Halloran, a Republican, to bribe county Republican leaders for the GOP line on this year's mayoral ballot.
Because he is a Democrat, Smith would have needed three leaders' permission.
The indictment said two Republican Party leaders, Joseph Savino of the Bronx, and Vincent Tabone of Queens, accepted tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for their agreement.
Halloran is also accused of agreeing to steer City Council funds to a company in exchange for more bribes.
The indictment quotes him as saying, "That's politics; it's all about how much. Not about whether or will, it's about how much, and that's our politicians in New York, they're all like that."
In a separate bribery scheme, Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret are accused of taking money and property to approve a real estate project.
Each defendant could be sentenced to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors said more than $100,000 changed hands.
The bribery and extortion charges produced hand-wringing in the city and in Albany, where Smith was removed from his most influential post. And they came amid a growing perception that corruption is a serious problem in New York.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced several anti-corruption proposals and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who announced the charges three weeks ago, said Monday that he has met with the FBI "to discuss expanding our corruption efforts."
"It seems that a culture of corruption has developed and grown, just like barnacles on a boat bottom," Bharara said. "And just as with barnacles on a boat bottom, when a growth is permitted to spread and grow unchecked, it unsurprisingly takes an unrelenting, collective effort to clean up."
A Quinnipiac University poll released last week found that 48 percent of New Yorkers see corruption as "very serious," the highest share since the poll began asking the question in 2003. And a Siena College poll released Monday showed 81 percent of New York voters expect more corruption arrests.
Neither the undercover agent nor the witness is identified by name in the indictment, but the witness has been widely reported to be Moses Stern, a Rockland County real estate developer. Prosecutors acknowledge that the witness pleaded guilty to unspecified federal charges last month, hoping to win leniency at sentencing.
Desmaret's attorney, Kenneth Gribetz, said Monday he is eager to see the details of that plea bargain.
___
Associated Press writer Michael Gormley in Albany contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-suspects-asked-hard-drives-125511230.html
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Thursday, April 25, 2013
Music Choice Selects Drobo to Protect Audio and Video Files ...
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UK growth boosts sterling, world shares gain
By Richard Hubbard
LONDON (Reuters) - Surprisingly strong British growth lifted sterling on Thursday, while world shares rose for a fifth day as a recent run of weak data from other major economies raised expectations of looser central bank policies.
U.S. stock index futures signaled that Wall Street would start firmer as well, although a flurry of major corporate earnings could influence sentiment. <.n/>
The British economy grew by 0.3 percent in the first three months of 2013, beating forecasts of a 0.1 percent increase, as gross domestic product avoided a second successive quarter of decline that would have marked a formal return to recession.
Year-on-year, Britain's GDP expanded by 0.6 percent in the first quarter, its strongest performance since the end of 2011, sending the pound up nearly one percent to a two-month high of $1.
"The markets expected a moderate return to growth, and sterling had appreciated ahead of the announcement. But such a strong rebound promptly sent it skywards," said Chris Redfern, senior dealer at foreign exchange traders Moneycorp.
Sterling rose 1.2 percent against the dollar to $1.5450, its strongest level since February 20, as the GDP figures lessened the likelihood of the Bank of England opting for more quantitative easing. The yield on 10-year gilts also rose 3 basis points to 1.72 percent.
Britain's top share index the FTSE100 <.ftse>, was little changed after the data, which traders saying was largely due to the fact that a large proportion of big British firms generate revenues overseas.
Downbeat earnings weighed on the market on Thursday, with drugmaker AstraZeneca off 2.6 percent, leading the decliners after its sales dropped by a bigger-than-expected 13 percent in the first quarter as patent expiries took a heavy toll. <.l/>
ECB RATE CUT
The strong British data went against a recent disappointing run of economic news from Germany, China and the United States which has fuelled speculation about central bank action.
Senior sources have told Reuters that momentum is building for monetary action to help the recession-hit euro zone and the European Central Bank is likely to cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point next week.
Those expectations of an ECB rate cut have lifted European shares back towards their 2013 highs over the past week and kept the euro near a three-week low to the dollar,
On Thursday the FTSE Eurofirst 300 index <.fteu3> index of top European shares was up 0.5 percent at 1,198.50 points and close to the 1,209.05 peak hit in mid-March. Frankfurt's DAX <.gdaxi> was 0.7 percent higher and the Paris CAC-40 <.fchi> rose 0.25 percent. <.eu/>
MSCI's world equity index <.miwd00000pus> had gained 0.5 percent to 346.75 points and was edging back towards its high of for the year of 366.58, hit two weeks ago.
The euro was up 0.4 percent to $1.3070 despite the ECB rate cut talk, moving away from a low of $1.2954 recorded on Wednesday after a German survey of business morale was weaker than expected.
Yields on Italian and Spanish bonds turned higher on Thursday as investors took profits after a recent rally, leaving the Italian 10-year yield up 13 basis points at 4.13 percent. Spain's equivalent bond yield rose 14 basis points on the day to 4.43 percent.
DOLLAR DIP
The dollar was weak, easing 0.6 percent against a basket of major currencies <.dxy>, following news on Wednesday of the biggest drop for seven months in orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured products. Against the yen it had dropped 0.4 percent to around 99.10 yen.
"Talk about an earlier than expected end to the Fed's quantitative easing program has certainly diminished in recent weeks, which has no doubt played a role in taking some of the wind out of the dollar's sails," said Westpac strategist Jonathan Cavenagh.
The dollar's falls gave a lift to gold and copper prices to recover to near one-week highs.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose to $7,046.25 a metric ton, close to its highest level since April 18.
Gold stood at $1,444.11 an ounce up nearly one percent and near its highest level since April 15, when it posted its biggest ever daily drop in dollar terms.
Brent crude oil was steady as the recent disappointing data from Europe and top oil consumers the United States and China, which have stoked worries about global demand for oil, kept a lid on prices.
June Brent crude futures, which have fallen over 5 percent since the start of April, gained 2 cents at $101.75 a barrel, while U.S. crude was up 14 cents at $91.57 a barrel.
(Additional reporting by Anirban Nag and Ana Nicolaci da Costa; Editing by David Stamp and Alastair Macdonald)
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Mormon Bishop With Samurai Sword Runs Off Attacker
SALT LAKE CITY -- A Samurai sword-wielding Mormon bishop helped a neighbor woman escape a Tuesday morning attack by a man who had been stalking her.
Kent Hendrix woke up Tuesday to his teenage son pounding on his bedroom door and telling him somebody was being mugged in front of their house. The 47-year-old father of six rushed out the door and grabbed the weapon closest to him ? a 29-inch high carbon steel Samurai sword.
He came upon what he describes as a melee between a woman and a man. His son stayed inside to call 911 while he approached the man along with other neighbors who came to help. The martial arts instructor didn't hesitate in drawing the sword and yelling at him to get on the ground.
"His eyes got as big as saucers and he kind of gasped and jumped back," Hendrix said by phone Tuesday afternoon. "He's probably never had anyone draw a sword on him before."
The man ran down the street with the barefoot Hendrix and others in pursuit. Hendrix said he couldn't catch the man before he fled in his car, but he picked up ChapStick that the man dropped and memorized his license plate.
"I yelled at him, `I've got your DNA and I've got your license plate: You are so done,'" Hendrix said.
The suspect, 37-year-old Grant Eggersten, turned himself in to police an hour later, said Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal. He was booked on charges of robbery, attempted burglary, trespassing and violation of a stalking injunction.
Hendrix, a pharmaceutical statistician, was one of several neighbors who came to the woman's aid after she began yelling for help, Hoyal said.
The incident began just after 7 a.m. when the 35-year-old woman came out of her front door, Hoyal said. Eggersten was hiding behind her carport and attacked her, knocking her to the ground, Hoyal said.
He took her keys and tried to open the door into her house, Hoyal said. That's when the woman ran down the street calling for help.
The woman did the right thing by fighting back and calling for help, Hoyal said. She suffered minor injuries.
Hendrix, a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said it was the first time in 30 years of practicing martial arts that he's used the sword. He didn't swing it at the man, only showing him he had it.
He said he's proud of his 14-year-old son for alerting him and quickly calling 911. He said the family is still abuzz about the events.
"That kind of thing doesn't happen every day," Hendrix said. "Our neighborhood is a pretty quiet place."
A fourth-degree black belt in the Kishindo form of martial arts, Hendrix owns a collection of swords and weapons that he trains with, said his wife, Suzanne Hendrix. He has trained with the sword he used Tuesday for 20 years and keeps it by his bed.
"Some people have bats they go to," said Hendrix. "I have my sword."
___
Follow Brady McCombs at . https://twitter.com/BradyMcCombs
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/mormon-bishop-samurai-sword_n_3143813.html
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Obama breaks promise?again?on Armenian ?genocide?
Lebanese Girl Scouts of Armenian descent walk on a Turkish flag during a march to Beirut's Martyrs Square, April??President Barack Obama on Wednesday called the mass killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks in 1915 "one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century," but again broke a 2008 campaign promise to label the tragedy a "genocide." Doing so would have angered NATO ally Turkey.
"Ninety-eight years ago, 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. We pause to reflect on the lives extinguished and remember the unspeakable suffering that occurred," Obama said in a statement released by the White House. "In so doing, we are joined by millions across the world and in the United States, where it is solemnly commemorated by our states, institutions, communities, and families. We also remind ourselves of our commitment to ensure that such dark chapters of history are not repeated."
Obama, who called the massacre "genocide" during his 2008 run for the White House and vowed to use the term as president, stopped short of doing so in his statement, as he has in the past. Turkey, a NATO member, fiercely disputes the genocide charge and has warned that formal U.S. steps to use the term will hamper relations. Turkey's ambassador to Washington, Namik Tan, sharply criticized a similar statement from Obama in 2011, taking to Twitter to denounce it as inaccurate, flawed and one-sided.
"Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future," Obama said, in an implicit appeal to Turkey. "We appreciate this lesson in the United States, as we strive to reconcile some of the darkest moments in our own history. We recognize those courageous Armenians and Turks who have already taken this path, and encourage more to do so, with the backing of their governments, and mine."
The chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America, Aram Hamparian, denounced Obama?s statement, accusing the president of bowing to Turkey?s ?gag rule? on the issue.
"Our President's complicity in Turkey's denial of truth and its ongoing obstruction of justice will not derail our progress toward a truthful, fair, and comprehensive international resolution of Turkey's still unpunished crime against the Armenian nation,? Hamparian said in a statement.
Armenian-American celebrity Kim Kardashian marked the event on her official Twitter feed, @kimkardashian.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Please help me get this trending today! It means a lot to me!<a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23RecognizeArmenianGenocide">#RecognizeArmenianGenocide</a> Everyone RT</p>? Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) <a href="https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/327071523011702784">April 24, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The issue is a powerful one for Armenian-Americans. The Armenian Reporter news site has repeatedly and forcefully condemned what it mockingly calls "amnesia" on the part of Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who as senators co-sponsored a resolution calling for the use of the term "genocide" when discussing the tragedy.
On Oct. 2, 2008, the paper published a letter from then-candidate Obama in which he trumpeted "my firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence."
"The facts are undeniable. An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an untenable policy," Obama wrote. "As President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide."
Twenty-two countries have recognized the events of 1915 as genocide, and 42 U.S. states have done so as well, either by legislation or proclamation. Congressional resolutions aimed at doing the same at the national level have never become law. Successive presidents have objected on grounds that doing so risks angering Turkey.
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Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Senator aims for bipartisan trade promotion bill
By Doug Palmer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An influential Democratic senator said on Wednesday he was working on a bipartisan bill to boost President Barack Obama's ability to negotiate trade deals, but Republicans have made clear that more White House involvement is needed to pass the measure.
"I would like to see a bipartisan TPA (trade promotion authority) bill introduced by June," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said at a hearing on the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, a proposed free trade agreement among 12 countries on both sides of the Pacific.
Approving the measure would help the White House conclude the three-year-old Asia-Pacific trade talks, which were expanded on Saturday to include Japan, Baucus said.
The Montana Democrat, who has been a driving force in Congress behind trade legislation, announced on Tuesday that he plans to retire at the end of his term next year.
Passing trade promotion authority this year would be a major achievement, setting the stage for votes on both the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact and another proposed free trade agreement with the European Union.
Representative Dave Camp, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, also wants to move quickly on a bill on trade promotion authority, said a spokeswoman for that panel.
Karan Bhatia, a former U.S. trade official now a senior counsel and vice president at GE, underscored the need to pass TPA to finish the Trans-Pacific deal, which is expected to cover about 40 percent of global economic output.
"If the goal is to close this agreement done this year, I think we need to get TPA and we need to get it relatively soon," Bhatia referring to the current target of finishing talks on the Trans-Pacific pact in 2013.
Trade promotion authority, also known as "fast-track" trade legislation, allows the White House to submit trade deals to Congress for straight up-or-down votes without any amendments.
The legislation, which expired in 2007, is considered essential to assure other countries that any deals they reach with the United States will not be picked apart by Congress.
Staff on both the Senate Finance Committee and the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee have already begun work on TPA legislation, which could face strong resistance from many Democratic who believe trade deals lead to U.S. job losses.
Senator Robert Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said he had a "high degree of skepticism" about the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact because of the potential for job losses in the U.S. auto sector and other industries.
Obama has not formally requested TPA from Congress, although acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis told the Senate Finance Committee last month the administration was prepared to work with lawmakers on a bill.
Senator John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said he worried that White House foot-dragging on the legislation could lead to delays in concluding the Trans-Pacific talks.
"We know renewal of TPA is likely to be contentious and it's going to take time, obviously, for Congress to work through the process," Thune said, urging the White House to put a greater priority on passing the bill.
Senator Orrin Hatch, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, echoed those concerns.
"I have yet to see any real commitment on the part of the White House to achieving (TPA's) quick consideration and approval in Congress," he said.
"A formal request from the administration for TPA would send a strong signal to our negotiating partners and the proponents of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that the president is serious about making sure the rhetoric surrounding the agreement meets the reality of the negotiating table," Hatch said.
(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Neil Stempleman and Christopher Wilson)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senator-aims-bipartisan-trade-promotion-bill-192714564--business.html
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Event: Does Your Marketing Suck? - Dana Wilde
2013 is going to be an exciting year for the small business, direct sales and network marketing industry. More and more people are taking their business from hobby to profit. Even if you?ve been established, growing isn?t always easy and many entrepreneurs begin to feel stuck, or stagnant in their business.
Join Desiree Wolfe, CEO of Desiree Marketing and VP of Marketing at The Mind Aware, along side host, Dana Wilde of The Mind Aware on this FREE webinar that every small business owner will want to attend!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
9am Pacific Time / 10am Mountain / 11am Central / 12pm Eastern Time
RSVP for this special event designed to give you all the empowerment you need to take your business to the next level.
https://br122.infusionsoft.com/app/page/grow2013
This 60 minute class will teach you:
- How to effectively manage your time
- How to control your sales.
- How to create successful customer service habits.
- How to overcome the biggest challenges you face with your business.
?This free webinar will be recorded but you must register to receive the replay information.
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Source: http://danawilde.com/event-does-your-marketing-suck.html
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Israeli focus on Syria gives Hagel respite on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, welcomes U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel at his office in Jerusalem, on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Hagel said the U.S. and Israel need to ensure that their alliance is "closer than ever," as Mideast security challenges grow more complicated. (AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, welcomes U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel at his office in Jerusalem, on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Hagel said the U.S. and Israel need to ensure that their alliance is "closer than ever," as Mideast security challenges grow more complicated. (AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, center, and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon speak with an Israeli military K-9 unit at Camp Adam near Tel Aviv, on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, center, is welcomed by Saudi ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir, center left, as he arrives at the residence of Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, left, listens at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the latter's office in Jerusalem, on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Hagel said the U.S. and Israel need to ensure that their alliance is "closer than ever," as Mideast security challenges grow more complicated. (AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, center, is welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, at his office in Jerusalem, on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Hagel said the U.S. and Israel need to ensure that their alliance is "closer than ever," as Mideast security challenges grow more complicated.(AP Photo/Jim Watson, Pool)
JERUSALEM (AP) ? On Chuck Hagel's inaugural visit to Israel as U.S. defense secretary, Syria surpassed Iran as the security threat of greatest urgency to the U.S.' closest Mideast ally. That quite unexpectedly gave the new Pentagon chief a temporary respite from the delicate duty of tempering Israeli warnings about attacking Iran to stop it from building a nuclear bomb.
Israeli leaders see Iran's nuclear ambitions as a threat to their country's very existence, given Tehran's vow to wipe it off the map. But Syria suddenly has emerged so prominently that it overshadowed Iran during Hagel's three days in Israel.
That explains, in part, why Hagel repeatedly stressed in public Israel's right to defend itself and to decide on its own, if necessary, whether and when to attack Iran. He gave less emphasis than usual by American officials to Washington's wish that diplomacy and sanctions be given more time to persuade Iran to change course.
Notably, Israel's new defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, said at a joint news conference with Hagel on Monday that he, too, thinks non-military means ought to be pursued further.
"By one way or another, the military nuclear project of Iran should be stopped," Yaalon said. "Having said that, we believe that the military option, which is well discussed, should be the last resort anyhow." He added, "There are other tools to be used and to be exhausted, whether it is diplomacy, economic sanctions, or even more support of the opposition in Iran."
Hagel seemed to sense slightly less urgency in the Israeli concern about Iran, although he by no means dismissed the problem. One year ago, Hagel's predecessor, Leon Panetta, was letting it be known that he feared Israel could attack Iran in a matter of weeks. Washington worries that such a strike could ignite a wider war in which it would be difficult for the U.S. to avoid getting involved.
That was before the Syrian civil war had reached the point of widespread concern that its illicit stockpiles of chemical weapons could pose a threat to Israel and other neighbors.
Jordan, too, is worried about transfers of Syrian chemical weapons. Hagel stopped briefly in Jordan Tuesday.
"The United States and Jordan share mutual concerns about the ongoing crisis in Syria and continue to consult closely on a number of issues including chemical weapons and the demands posed by the influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the violence," Pentagon press secretary George Little said after Hagel's meeting in Amman.
Little said the Pentagon has provided more than $70 million to Jordan this year to help secure its border and prevent the transfer of chemical weapons from Syria.
Hagel ended his day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who also serves as the Saudi defense minister. Little said they discussed a proposed sale of advanced U.S. missiles for Saudi F-15 fighters as well as mutual concerns about Iran's nuclear program and the violence in Syria.
The Israelis see immediate dangers in the Syrian civil war, not only in the threat along Israel's northeastern border but also in the grim possibility that Syrian chemical weapons could fall into the hands of extremists. Israel says each of those possibilities is a "red line" beyond which it would have to act.
The concern is that if President Bashar Assad is overthrown, any of the Islamic extremist groups trying to oust him could turn his extensive arsenal against Israel.
A senior Israeli military intelligence official said Tuesday that Assad has repeatedly used chemical weapons against insurgent groups. It was the first such public claim by Israel and appeared to increase pressure on Washington and other Western countries to intervene in Syria.
President Barack Obama has warned that the use of chemical weapons by Assad would be a "game changer." Little, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday the U.S. government is still assessing reports of Syrian chemical weapons use, adding that such acts would be "entirely unacceptable." He did not elaborate on possible U.S. actions.
The White House said Tuesday the U.S. hasn't yet come to the conclusion that Assad has used chemical weapons even though close U.S. allies say he has.
In his assessment, Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, the head of research and analysis in Israeli military intelligence, told a security conference in Tel Aviv that Assad has used chemical weapons multiple times, including near Damascus, the capital, last month.
During Hagel's visit, Israeli leaders still emphasized the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran ? as did Hagel. But to a degree not foreseen when Hagel arrived in Israel over the weekend, the threat posed by Syria's chemical weapons overshadowed Iran.
Hagel wrapped up his visit Tuesday by meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who greeted him with a brief but pointed caution about resolving the Iran problem. He complained of Iran arming terrorist groups with sophisticated weapons, and its "attempt to arm itself with nuclear weapons."
"This is a challenge that Israel cannot accept, and as you and President Obama have repeatedly said, Israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat," Netanyahu said.
___
Associated Press writer Ariel David contributed to this report.
Robert Burns can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/robertburnsAP
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