It's Xbox day! Almost exactly 8 years after the announcement of the Xbox 360, Microsoft is back with another one. We're live on the ground at Microsoft's Xbox campus in Redmond, where the company is about to show its next-generation console for the very first time. We'll be bringing you the news as it breaks with our up-to-the-second liveblog. Join us, won't you?
Video-game maker Sony has been making a big push for independent developers lately, both on its handheld PS Vita system and on its upcoming PlayStation 4 console, and yesterday, the company took another big step. Sony has decided to waive its usual US$99 fee for PlayStation Mobile developers, meaning that anyone can join the developer network and publish games on its platforms for free. That's a big move, and while it might not mean a boost in PlayStation Mobile publishing (there are other hiccups, such as the difficulty of game creation and the limited size of the market), it does show just how open Sony is to independent software developers.
So here's a question: Would Apple ever do the same thing? Ever since the App Store opened, Apple has charged $99 a year for a developer account to publish apps on its platforms. Anyone can download and use Xcode to make apps, but to publish them, you've had to pay that fee, and the price has never changed.
If Apple did lower the price or remove it, there would be some benefits: There'd be more apps on the App Store, and thus more potential profit for Apple and its developers. The developer community would be more open, which would lead to better documentation and communication in general. And while, yes, there would probably be even more low-quality apps, there would also be more potential for great or terrific apps that focus on a relatively niche market.
However, Apple would lose all the money it makes from the developer fee, money that probably goes into maintaining the developer network and its services. And Apple likely doesn't want the dev network to be a complete free for all. It still uses that network to beta test new software and operating systems, and there is still (technically) a non-disclosure agreement that binds anyone who signs up for the program.
Plus, it's not like Apple needs more developers. Those numbers are growing every day, even with the fee in place. So it seems unlikely that Apple will drop or even change that fee anytime soon: It's a very low barrier to development, but for Apple, it's better than no barrier at all.
The Cougar Town star (and mom-to-be!) makes a bright fashion statement in an Isabella Oliver maternity dress at a Huggies and Baby2Baby event on April 27.
Family members stand near a boy injured in an explosion at a local hospital in Pakistani tribal area of Parachinar, Monday, May 6, 2013. A bomb blast tore through a political rally held by an Islamist party in northwest Pakistan Monday, killing many people and wounding dozens more as the country?s already bloody election race gets even more dangerous ahead of the May 11 vote. (AP Photo/Ali Murtaza)
Family members stand near a boy injured in an explosion at a local hospital in Pakistani tribal area of Parachinar, Monday, May 6, 2013. A bomb blast tore through a political rally held by an Islamist party in northwest Pakistan Monday, killing many people and wounding dozens more as the country?s already bloody election race gets even more dangerous ahead of the May 11 vote. (AP Photo/Ali Murtaza)
People stand near a man injured from an explosion, at a local hospital in Pakistani tribal area of Parachinar, Monday, May 6, 2013. A bomb blast tore through a political rally held by an Islamist party in northwest Pakistan Monday, killing many people and wounding dozens more as the country?s already bloody election race gets even more dangerous ahead of the May 11 vote. (AP Photo/Ali Murtaza)
PARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) ? A suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated his explosives near a vehicle carrying a candidate from a hard-line Islamist party in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing 12 people in the second attack on the party in as many days, police said.
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the Taliban took credit for an attack the day before on the same party, claiming it was targeting a candidate who had supported military operations against the militants in the northwest.
The blast Tuesday also wounded 35 people, but the candidate from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, Mufti Syed Janan, escaped unharmed, said police officer Haleem Khan. The attack occurred as Janan's convoy passed through a market in the town of Doaba in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Khan.
The Pakistani Taliban set off a bomb at a political rally held by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam in the northwest Kurram tribal region on Monday, killing 25 people and wounding 70, said government official Javed Khan. The targeted candidate was not harmed.
The Taliban have carried out multiple attacks in the run-up to national elections scheduled for May 11. But most of the attacks have targeted secular parties that have opposed the militants and backed the army's attempt to clear them from their sanctuaries in the northwest.
Prior to the last two days' bombings, there was concern that the attacks could benefit parties that take a softer line toward the militants, like Jamiat Ulema -e-Islam, because their candidates are able to campaign more freely ahead of the vote.
But the Taliban have also condemned democracy as a whole, meaning that any political party taking part in the elections could be considered fair game by the militant group. Militants have called on people in many areas to stay away from the polls on election day.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party is considered supportive of the Afghan Taliban's fight against the United States and its allies in neighboring Afghanistan. It's also sympathetic to the Pakistani Taliban, which have been fighting Pakistani troops and would like to establish a hardline Islamic government in Pakistan. The group's leaders have generally opposed the Pakistani military's operations against the militants and instead called for negotiating with them.
But that hasn't made the group immune.
In 2011, a suicide bomber struck a convoy in which the party's head, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, was traveling through northwestern Pakistan, killing 12 people.
____
Associated Press writer Riaz Khan contributed to this report from Peshawar, Pakistan.
Above Image: Market Opportunities for the Collaborative Economy by Vertical, from Sharable Magazine follow them on Twitter.
What?s the next phase of Social Business? ?That?s the question I?m frequently asked. ?Without a doubt, the next phase is the Collaborative Economy.
What?s that? ?That?s where brands will rent, lend, provide subscriptions to products and services to customers, or even further, allow customers to lend, trade, or gift branded products or services to each other. ?This unstoppable trend is fueled by the social web, the specific features include relationships, online profiles, reputations, expressed needs and offerings and ecommerce. Customers are already starting to conduct these behaviors among themselves using TaskRabbit, AirBnb, Lyft, and many others tools ?some of these are disruptions and opportunities to brands.
[The next phase of Social Business is the Collaborative Economy; Brands will enable customers to share, trade, lend, gift products and goods using social technologies]
While this movement will have broader global and economic impacts, at Altimeter, we?re focused on disruptions to corporations. ?We?re knee deep in interviews for our next report on the Collaborative Economy, and have interviewed startups, VCs, brands, social business software vendors, authors, thought leaders, and are dissecting data of 200 sharing startups, for a broad overview of what it means to business.
Matrix: Phases of Social Business
Phase
Department Impacted
Notable Examples
Phase 1
PR and Brand
Dell Hell incident, Kryptonite Lock
Phase 2
Marketing realizes an opportunity to conduct outreach
Corporate blogs: Fast Lane by GM, Microsoft blogs, IBM Blogs
Phase 3
Customer Support
HP massive online communities, Home Depot Communities, Comcast Cares
Phase 4
Product Innovation
Starbucks Ideas, Dell Ideastorm
Phase 5
The business model, supply chain, various other departments
Using social tools, customers are sharing, selling, and renting your goods to each other
Caveat: There are many broader impacts inside of the company that also impact HR, recruiting, supply chain, IT, and more, the above is just a sample of the most well discussed impacts.
Brands Already On Board: Toyota, Barclays Card, Avis, BMW, Walmart What are examples of companies that are already taking advantage of this new social business trend now? ?Here?s a few from the Master List of Brands Participating in the Collaborative Economy: ?To stay current with car sharing or lending services like Lyft, RelayRide, Zipcar, Uber and more Toyota, OnStar and BMW are allowing cars to be rented. ? Barclays Card sponsored and supported bicycle sharing in the city of London, associating their brand with the movement. ?And retail giant Walmart is considering allowing customers to deliver goods to each other, to compete with Taskrabbit and Amazon.
[The first phase of Social Business impacted branding and PR, it shifted to support and product development. The next phase impacts core business model]
Ecosystem Opportunities Aplenty What are the immediate business opportunities? ?There?s a long list, and the report will probe them in detail, but they?ll include sponsorships, partnership, investments in startups, building branded communities that enable renting and gifting, customer advocacy programs, and more. I?m seeking a SaaS startup that will enable this for brands, and dedicated a whole post outlining the market opportunity. For example, on just the retail vertical, yesterday, I met with Neal of Sharable Magazine, and he shared opportunities for retailers
Mindset Change Required in Corporations So there you have it, the next phase of Social Business goes beyond marketing and customer support, it changes the fundamental business models and relationships that we will have with our customers. The big change that brands will struggle with, as is it means that brands will have to care about the relationship between customers as they trade and rent your products between themselves.
Collaborative Economy Requires a New Business Mindset
Company Mindset:
Traditional Mindset
Social Business Mindset
Collaborative Economy Mindset
How they think:
Brands are in charge. Deal with it.
Customers are in charge, we?re listening and will engage. We care about your current experience with our goods.
We must now care about extended life of good after we sell it, and the relationship between customers.
Strategy they deploy:
Brand Experience
Customer Experience
Marketplace Experience
Stay tuned for Altimeter?s report on the Collaborative Economy in just a few weeks, which I?ll be presenting the findings at LeWeb, which is themed on the Sharing Economy. Thank you Vivian Wang and Neal Gorenflo for the inspiring interviews this last few days.
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index posted its fourth straight session of gains on Tuesday as strength in financial and consumer discretionary stocks following comments from central bankers indicating their support of growth-oriented policies offset declines in gold miners after bullion prices tumbled. The market received further support after Germany, Europe's largest economy, reported a 2.2 percent rise in industrial orders in March, compared with expectations for a 0.5 percent drop.
SoftBank to meet Sprint investors, many eye higher bid
TOKYO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - SoftBank Corp President Masayoshi Son may get a frosty reception when he comes to the United States this week to meet Sprint Nextel Corp's major shareholders, as he tries to drum up support for the Japanese company's proposed takeover of the No. 3 U.S. wireless service provider. SoftBank's billionaire founder, who proposed a $20 billion deal for a 70 percent stake in the U.S. wireless carrier, said on Tuesday that he would discuss the deal with shareholders in a bid to fight off rival Dish Network , a U.S. satellite TV provider, which offered Sprint a $25.5 billion bid.
Brazil's Azevedo becomes first Latin American to head WTO
GENEVA (Reuters) - Brazil's Roberto Azevedo has won the race to become the next head of the World Trade Organization, the first candidate from the BRICS club of emerging economies to take the job. The career trade diplomat now faces a huge challenge to reinvigorate the global body, which has failed to wrap up the Doha trade liberalization talks after years of stalemate and risks becoming irrelevant without a breakthrough.
Disney's profit rises on parks, 'Oz' movie
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Media giant Walt Disney Co reported a 32 percent increase in profit that beat Wall Street expectations, boosted by higher spending and attendance at U.S. theme parks, and the movie box office success of "Oz the Great and Powerful." Revenue for the company that operates cable networks, theme parks and a movie studio increased 10 percent to $10.6 billion. At the parks division, revenue gained 14 percent and operating income climbed 73 percent as resorts in Florida and California attracted more visitors and guests spent more.
China trade data beats expectations, skepticism remains
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's exports and imports grew more than expected in April, offering the possibility of a better outlook for the world's second-largest economy, but the figures failed to put an end to skepticism that financial maneuvering by exporters and speculative capital inflows are masking weakness in real demand. China's exports rose 14.7 percent in April, while imports grew 16.8 percent, leaving the country with a trade surplus of $18.16 billion for the month, the Customs Administration said on Wednesday.
Morgan Stanley legal costs knock penny per share off profits
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley investors received a penny less in profit per share last quarter due to legal expenses that were booked between the company's earnings press release on April 18 and the time it made its quarterly regulatory filing on Tuesday. The bank originally reported earnings attributable to common shareholders of $958 million, or 49 cents per share, but revised that to $936 million, or 48 cents per share, according to Morgan Stanley's 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Fannie Mae, KPMG agree to pay $153 million to end shareholder lawsuit
(Reuters) - Mortgage finance company Fannie Mae and accounting firm KPMG have agreed to pay $153 million to settle a shareholder lawsuit filed by Ohio pension funds and others accusing the companies of issuing false and misleading financial reports, the Ohio attorney general said on Tuesday. The settlement would end litigation that began in 2004 and requires approval from the judge overseeing the case, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C.
Hedge fund chief Paulson loses big on gold
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge fund billionaire John Paulson is emerging as one of the biggest losers in this year's gold rout, further tarnishing his once legendary status in the $2 trillion hedge fund industry. Paulson's $700 million gold fund lost a whopping 27 percent in April, when the price of the metal plunged 17 percent over a two-week stretch, according to performance figures provided by a person familiar with the fund.
Berkshire may boost DaVita stake to 25 percent
(Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, the largest investor in DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc , has entered an agreement allowing it to nearly double its stake in the largest U.S. operator of dialysis clinics to 25 percent. According to a regulatory filing, the companies on Tuesday entered a "standstill" agreement, which is often used to prevent unsolicited takeovers, indicating the maximum percentage of shares that Berkshire can own.
BlackBerry shares hit by Pacific Crest report
TORONTO (Reuters) - Shares of BlackBerry slid more than 5 percent on Tuesday after Pacific Crest Securities issued a downbeat report on sales momentum for smartphones running the company's new BlackBerry 10 operating system. Pacific Crest analyst James Faucette, who has a underperform rating on the company's stock, said he believes initial shipment and sales volumes for the BlackBerry Q10 - a device that comes with a physical keyboard - have not been strong.
May 7, 2013 ? A new study suggests that your level of sleepiness or alertness during the day may be related to the type of food that you eat.
Results show that higher fat consumption was associated with increased objective daytime sleepiness, while higher carbohydrate intake was associated with increased alertness. There was no relationship between protein consumption and sleepiness or alertness. These findings were independent of the subjects' gender, age, and body mass index as well as the total amount of sleep they were getting and their total caloric intake.
"Increased fat consumption has an acute adverse effect on alertness of otherwise healthy, non-obese adults," said principal investigator Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.
The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal SLEEP, and Vgontzas will present the findings Tuesday, June 4, in Baltimore, Md., at SLEEP 2013, the 27th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.
The study group comprised 31 healthy, non-obese normal sleepers without sleep apnea, ranging in age from 18-65 years, who spent four consecutive nights in a sleep lab. On the fourth day objective sleepiness was assessed with the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), and meals were provided five times to assess diet.
According to the authors, previous studies had found that diet composition affects subjective sleepiness. The current study adds to this body of research by showing a similar association between diet and objective sleepiness.
"Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue are very prevalent in the modern world and on the rise," said Vgontzas. "It appears that a diet high in fat decreases alertness acutely, and this may have an impact on an individual's ability to function and also public safety."
New perspective needed for role of major Alzheimer's genePublic release date: 6-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael C. Purdy purdym@wustl.edu 314-286-0122 Washington University School of Medicine
Scientists' picture of how a gene strongly linked to Alzheimer's disease harms the brain may have to be revised, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.
People with harmful forms of the APOE gene have up to 12 times the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with those who have other variations of the gene.
Many researchers believe that the memory loss and cognitive problems of Alzheimer's result from the buildup over many years of brain amyloid plaques. The plaques are made mostly of a sticky substance called amyloid beta.
For years, researchers have thought that the APOE gene increases Alzheimer's risk by producing a protein that binds to amyloid beta. Scientists thought that this bond could make it easier for plaques to form.
But in a new study now available online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington University researchers show that APOE and amyloid beta don't bind together in cerebrospinal fluid and in fluids present outside cells grown in dishes. This means they are unlikely to bind together in the fluids circulating in the brain. The cerebrospinal fluid was taken from people who were cognitively normal but have forms of APOE that increase the risk of Alzheimer's.
"This is the first time we've looked at naturally produced APOE and amyloid beta to see if and how much they bind together, and we found that they have very little interaction in the fluids bathing the brain," said David M. Holtzman, MD, the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and head of neurology. "This suggests that we may need to rethink any therapeutic strategies that target APOE to slow amyloid plaque accumulation and Alzheimer's."
According to Holtzman, leading Alzheimer's researchers recently agreed that targeting APOE is a promising approach both for improving treatments for Alzheimer's. But to do that, scientists must first fully understand how the harmful forms of APOE increase risk of the disease.
"APOE is a major player in Alzheimer's, there's no question about that," said Philip Verghese, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate. "We did some additional studies in mice and cell cultures that suggested the APOE protein may be blocking a pathway that normally helps degrade amyloid beta."
APOE is involved in the metabolism of fats, cholesterol and vitamins throughout the body. Scientists have identified three different forms of the gene that each make a slightly different version of the protein.
One version, APOE 2, produces a protein that significantly reduces Alzheimer's risk. Another, APOE 4, increases risk. Each person has two copies of the gene, and if both copies are APOE 4, the chance of developing Alzheimer's rises dramatically.
"About 60 percent of the patients we see in the Alzheimer's clinics have at least one copy of APOE 4," Holtzman said. "In contrast, only about 25 percent of cognitively normal 70-year-olds have a copy of APOE 4."
Verghese tested cerebrospinal fluid samples from people who had either two copies of APOE 4 or two copies of APOE 3, another form of the gene that is not associated with increased Alzheimer's risk.
"We also found that APOE 2, the protective form of the protein, doesn't bind to amyloid beta in body fluids," Verghese said.
In follow-up studies, Verghese showed that APOE and amyloid beta "compete" to bind to a receptor on support cells in the brain known as astrocytes.
"Studies by other researchers have shown that astrocytes can degrade amyloid beta," Verghese said. "The receptor we identified may be important for getting amyloid beta into the astrocyte so it can be broken down. It's possible that when the harmful forms of APOE bind to the receptor, this reduces the opportunities for amyloid to be degraded."
The researchers are planning follow-up studies of the effects of APOE-blocking treatments in mice.
###
This work was supported by the American Health Assistance Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (Grants AG034004 , AG13956, NS074969, and AG027924).
Verghese PB, Castellano JM, Garai K, Wang Y, Jiang H, Shah A, Bu G, Frieden C, Holtzman DM. ApoE influences amyloid beta clearance despite minimal apoE/amyloid-beta association in physiological conditions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published online.
Washington University School of Medicine's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New perspective needed for role of major Alzheimer's genePublic release date: 6-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Michael C. Purdy purdym@wustl.edu 314-286-0122 Washington University School of Medicine
Scientists' picture of how a gene strongly linked to Alzheimer's disease harms the brain may have to be revised, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.
People with harmful forms of the APOE gene have up to 12 times the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with those who have other variations of the gene.
Many researchers believe that the memory loss and cognitive problems of Alzheimer's result from the buildup over many years of brain amyloid plaques. The plaques are made mostly of a sticky substance called amyloid beta.
For years, researchers have thought that the APOE gene increases Alzheimer's risk by producing a protein that binds to amyloid beta. Scientists thought that this bond could make it easier for plaques to form.
But in a new study now available online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington University researchers show that APOE and amyloid beta don't bind together in cerebrospinal fluid and in fluids present outside cells grown in dishes. This means they are unlikely to bind together in the fluids circulating in the brain. The cerebrospinal fluid was taken from people who were cognitively normal but have forms of APOE that increase the risk of Alzheimer's.
"This is the first time we've looked at naturally produced APOE and amyloid beta to see if and how much they bind together, and we found that they have very little interaction in the fluids bathing the brain," said David M. Holtzman, MD, the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and head of neurology. "This suggests that we may need to rethink any therapeutic strategies that target APOE to slow amyloid plaque accumulation and Alzheimer's."
According to Holtzman, leading Alzheimer's researchers recently agreed that targeting APOE is a promising approach both for improving treatments for Alzheimer's. But to do that, scientists must first fully understand how the harmful forms of APOE increase risk of the disease.
"APOE is a major player in Alzheimer's, there's no question about that," said Philip Verghese, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate. "We did some additional studies in mice and cell cultures that suggested the APOE protein may be blocking a pathway that normally helps degrade amyloid beta."
APOE is involved in the metabolism of fats, cholesterol and vitamins throughout the body. Scientists have identified three different forms of the gene that each make a slightly different version of the protein.
One version, APOE 2, produces a protein that significantly reduces Alzheimer's risk. Another, APOE 4, increases risk. Each person has two copies of the gene, and if both copies are APOE 4, the chance of developing Alzheimer's rises dramatically.
"About 60 percent of the patients we see in the Alzheimer's clinics have at least one copy of APOE 4," Holtzman said. "In contrast, only about 25 percent of cognitively normal 70-year-olds have a copy of APOE 4."
Verghese tested cerebrospinal fluid samples from people who had either two copies of APOE 4 or two copies of APOE 3, another form of the gene that is not associated with increased Alzheimer's risk.
"We also found that APOE 2, the protective form of the protein, doesn't bind to amyloid beta in body fluids," Verghese said.
In follow-up studies, Verghese showed that APOE and amyloid beta "compete" to bind to a receptor on support cells in the brain known as astrocytes.
"Studies by other researchers have shown that astrocytes can degrade amyloid beta," Verghese said. "The receptor we identified may be important for getting amyloid beta into the astrocyte so it can be broken down. It's possible that when the harmful forms of APOE bind to the receptor, this reduces the opportunities for amyloid to be degraded."
The researchers are planning follow-up studies of the effects of APOE-blocking treatments in mice.
###
This work was supported by the American Health Assistance Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (Grants AG034004 , AG13956, NS074969, and AG027924).
Verghese PB, Castellano JM, Garai K, Wang Y, Jiang H, Shah A, Bu G, Frieden C, Holtzman DM. ApoE influences amyloid beta clearance despite minimal apoE/amyloid-beta association in physiological conditions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published online.
Washington University School of Medicine's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The Florida Legislature failed to give the people of Miami-Dade County the ability to vote on partial public funding for upgrades to Sun Life Stadium.? And that could lead to a future without the Dolphins in South Florida.
In April, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said that owner Stephen Ross would not renovate the stadium without a public-private partnership.? Ross has reiterated that there will be no renovation in the two days since House Speaker Will Weatherford failed to move the bill forward, and Dee told CBS4 in Miami that it would be ?difficult? to do the renovations on a more limited basis.
Dee also said that the lack of a renovation could result in a relocation.
?I wouldn?t want to prognosticate what the future holds, but it?s clearly bleak,? Dee said.? While Dee reiterated that Ross won?t move the team, Dee pointed out that the next owner could move the team, possibly to Los Angeles.
Ross previously has said that the team won?t be sold in his lifetime, but Dee didn?t rule out a sale during Ross?s lifetime.
So is Ross looking to sell the team?? ?I don?t think so today,? Dee said.? ?It?s not my sense in talking to him.?
If/when the Dolphins leave, the failure of Weatherford to move on a bill that would have given the voters the chance to approve (or kill) the stadium renovation project as the first domino that fell.
Dee said that Weatherford told the Dolphins on at least four occasions that the bill would make it to the House floor for a full vote.? ?Something happened late in the process that caused him to change his mind,? Dee said of Weatherford.? ?We suspect that it?s a pure political decision, that he?s choosing politics over the right for the voters of Miami-Dade County to decide this issue, and that?s a shame.?
Dee tiptoed around the specific political reason, mentioning only Weatherford?s own personal ambitions.? On Saturday, we explained that stadium supporters believe Weatherford aspires to hold statewide office, and that former Eagles owner Norman Braman may have promised support in exchange for killing the bill.
Along the way, Weatherford has cultivated some motivated enemies.? ?This abuse of power will follow his career for a long time,? Dee said.
The sad reality is that it also could follow the Dolphins right out of Miami, putting them in the city where they capped their 17-0 season with a win in Super Bowl VII.
May 6, 2013 ? Nearly one in five children and teens found to be at risk for suicide report that there are guns in their homes, and 15 percent of those at risk for suicide with guns in the home know how to access both the guns and the bullets, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24 years in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Nearly half of youths who die by suicide use a firearm.
Researchers conducted a study to create a suicide risk screening tool that health care professionals in emergency departments (EDs) could use to figure out which youths need further mental health evaluation to keep them from harming themselves. As part of that study, researchers asked youths about access to guns in or around their home and about gun/bullet storage.
"For more than 1.5 million adolescents, the ED is their primary point of contact with the health care system, which makes the ED an important place for identifying youth at risk for suicide," said Stephen J. Teach, MD, MPH, FAAP, associate chief in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and co-author who will be presenting the study at the PAS meeting.
Many clinicians and parents do not know how to ask youth about suicide, so they require screening tools to assist in detection, added study senior author Lisa M. Horowitz, PhD, MPH, staff scientist/pediatric psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. "According to our data, when asked their opinion, nearly all of the kids in our study were in favor of suicide screening in the ED. Our study shows that if you ask kids directly about suicide, they will tell you what they are thinking."
Study participants included 524 patients ages 10 to 21 who were seen for medical/surgical or psychiatric complaints at one of three pediatric EDs. They were asked to fill out a 17-item questionnaire that the researchers used to develop the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ), a four-question screening tool that can be used for all pediatric patients visiting the ED. The ASQ has been validated against a longer more in-depth suicide assessment tool.
"While many youths who kill themselves have mental health disorders, up to 40 percent of youths who kill themselves have no known mental illness," said co-author and youth suicide expert Jeffrey A. Bridge, PhD, principal investigator at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and associate professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University. "Therefore, it is important to screen all children and adolescents for suicide, regardless of the reason they are visiting the ED."
Of the patients who completed the screening tools, 151 (29 percent) were found to be at risk for suicide, and 17 percent of them reported guns in or around the home. Of those at risk for suicide and reporting guns in the home, 31 percent knew how to access the guns, 31 percent knew how to access the bullets, and 15 percent knew how to access both the guns and the bullets.
"This study highlights the importance of parents understanding the risks of having guns in their homes," said Dr. Bridge. "Being at risk for suicide and having access to firearms is a volatile mix. These conversations need to take place in the ED with families of children at risk for suicide."
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.
Zach Galifianakis, the one man wolf-pack, hosted “Saturday Night Live” last night for the third time and brought on the funny. He performed his opening monologue with his normal hilarious dry sense of humor, playing the piano as the 43-year-old comedian cracked jokes. Galifianakis commented, “Sometimes when I?m bored I like to look up things ...
Jockey Calvin Borel greets his 2009 Kentucky Derby winning mount, Mine That Bird, with a kiss in the paddock at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Louisville, Ky. The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby is Saturday. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)
Jockey Calvin Borel greets his 2009 Kentucky Derby winning mount, Mine That Bird, with a kiss in the paddock at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Louisville, Ky. The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby is Saturday. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)
Karen Vanzant, from Brookfield, Colo., walks through the paddock with her fancy hat before the running of the 139th Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs Friday, May 3, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A spectator holds a mint julep before the running of the 139th Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs Friday, May 3, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A spectator checks her betting tickets after the seventh race before the running of the 139th Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs Friday, May 3, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) ? The Kentucky Derby is Saturday at Churchill Downs. Here are five things you should know before the 6:24 p.m. post time:
DOUG'S DOUBLE
Doug O'Neill is back at Churchill Downs trying to win his second straight Derby. He put unknown Mario Gutierrez on I'll Have Another last year and they won. This time, he's got another relative unknown, black jockey Kevin Krigger, aboard Goldencents. No trainer since Bob Baffert in 1997-98 has won two in a row.
DERBY TRADITIONS
If you're at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, tradition calls for a mint julep in your hand and a fancy or outrageous hat on your head. Consumed early and often, the juleps are served over crushed ice in souvenir Derby glasses. Bigger and bolder is the rule for hats that often dwarf their owners. And don't forget some cash to push through the betting windows.
BO-RAIL
No jockey's been hotter in the Derby than Calvin Borel, having won three of the last six. He's aboard Revolutionary for the first time, one of five horses in the race trained by Todd Pletcher. Look for him to live up to his "Bo-rail" nickname with a rail-skimming ride.
ON A ROLL
Verrazano is the only unbeaten runner in the 19-horse field. In the last decade, three undefeated horses kept their records intact by winning the Derby ? Smarty Jones, Barbaro and Big Brown. Verrazano didn't run as a 2-year-old, a bad omen. No horse since Apollo in 1882 has won without racing as a juvenile. Verrazano is named for the bridge that links Brooklyn with Staten Island in New York City.
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Injuries weren't going to keep John Velazquez ( http://bit.ly/16A60V2 ) from riding undefeated Verrazano in the Kentucky Derby. The jockey busted a rib and his wrist in a racing accident nearly a month ago. He hustled back two days ago and rode a handful of races in preparation for the big day.
Alt-week takes a look at the best science and alternative tech stories from the last seven days.
Well, here we are. It's happening. We're officially talking about setting up a human colony on Mars. Not only is this very real, it's something you can be part of. You don't have to leave the planet to get your extra-terrestrial fix though, as our two other stories demonstrate. This is alt-week.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) ? Vice President Joe Biden is scolding Republicans in Congress, telling Democrats in South Carolina that the new Republican Party is down on America.
Biden is questioning what Republicans don't understand about the U.S. and the people who built the country and fought to defend it.
He says the one thing all Democrats have in common is an absolute commitment to the middle class.
Biden spoke Friday night at an annual fundraising dinner for the South Carolina Democratic Party.
He says he knows his appearance will generate buzz about whether he's getting ready for a presidential run. South Carolina usually holds one of the first primary contests and is a frequent stop for potential candidates.
But Biden says he came to South Carolina to support Democratic congressman James Clyburn.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - At first blush the two leading U.S. stock exchanges won a sweeping victory this week in a long-running legal battle over market data - the stock quotes, share prices and other trading information that are highly prized in the electronic marketplace.
But a ruling by the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit may also have opened the door for the Internet companies, brokers and others in the case to achieve a decade-old goal of cutting the fees the exchanges charge for the data.
The court ruled in a decision earlier this week it had no jurisdiction over a case brought by the NetCoalition of some 20 Internet companies, including Google Inc and Yahoo Inc, and the Securities Industry and Finance Markets Association, a 600-member lobby for brokers, bankers and asset managers.
The decision appeared to slam the door on the petitioners and remove a potential obstacle to efforts by the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market to offset sharp drops in revenue from stock transactions by boosting market data sales.
But the court did offer a path for Sifma and the NetCoalition group to mount a new battle, several people close to the case said.
The court indicated the Securities Exchange Act, which governs exchanges and their responsibilities as self-regulatory organizations, requires that the exchanges provide for the "equitable allocation" of reasonable fees, among other dues and charges.
The petitioners have argued the exchanges are effectively monopolies and competition is not sufficient to restrain prices.
"I intend to submit a ... petition," said Roger Blanc, a lawyer with Willkie Farr who represented the NetCoalition, the name by which the case is also called. "As soon as we can put it together, we'll be back before the circuit court."
The case is notable because of the importance of market data in an electronic market that relies on "signal processing," the analysis of data by high-speed computers, to trade.
Sifma and the NetCoalition had sought judicial review of the proprietary data both NYSE and Nasdaq sell after the Securities and Exchange Commission let stand almost all their filings for new schedules and higher prices for market data in recent years.
The petitioners challenged the SEC over more than a dozen filings, saying the fees were exorbitant and regulators had abdicated their duties to ensure data fees were "fee and reasonable," a loosely defined standard the agency must uphold.
Four of the complaints were combined before the appeals court, which has oversight of the SEC, and the two exchanges with the regulators provided a joint opinion in the case.
Market data has been a thorn in the side of the SEC for years, with regulators unable to resolve the issue despite a series of high-profile hearings and studies from 1999 to 2005.
A former senior SEC official said market data is highly contentious with no easy answer.
Although the appeals court said the Dodd-Frank act stripped it of jurisdiction in the case, the court left intact its August 2010 ruling that there must be evidence that competition is constraining the fees the exchanges charge for the data.
The court also said the exchanges cannot enforce fee rules that are inconsistent with the exchange act, and said fees need to be tied to "some type of cost-based" standard to guard against excessive profits.
The latter point could be a boon for the petitioners' cause. They have long contended the cost of producing the data is negligible and the exchanges charge far in excess of its cost.
"We are pleased that the court has affirmed our ability to provide high-quality data at reasonable rates to vendors who profit from reselling the data to their customers," a spokesman for the Nasdaq said. The NYSE declined to comment.
The NYSE and Nasdaq presented academic studies to bolster their position that competition exists for market data, and they have strongly resisted any cost analysis of their data.
The Nasdaq's chief financial officer has been telling analysts that market data is an "extremely high-margin" business. Revenue from the U.S. sale of proprietary data at the Nasdaq has expanded at a compound annual growth rate of about 10.8 percent since 2007, a period in which data usage has exploded.
The emphasis on market data as a profit center is misplaced, according to former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt. The exchanges are trying to staunch their hemorrhaging and charging for data is purely a short-term solution to a long-term problem, he said.
A good portion of market data is public and should not be proprietary as the exchanges see it, Pitt said in an interview before the court's ruling this week. Allowing data to be available only for those who can afford it will create hard-to-justify market dislocations, he warned.
"The question is when you've allowed people to treat market data as proprietary for so long, how do you justify making a shift and what accommodations do you make?" Pitt said.
The case is NetCoalition and Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association v Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit; No. 10-1421.
(Reporting by Herbert Lash; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
In this Thursday, May 2, 2013, photo, traders gather at a post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stock markets edged higher on Friday May 3, 2013 ahead of the release of the U.S. government's monthly unemployment report, a key measure of the health of the world's largest economy. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
In this Thursday, May 2, 2013, photo, traders gather at a post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stock markets edged higher on Friday May 3, 2013 ahead of the release of the U.S. government's monthly unemployment report, a key measure of the health of the world's largest economy. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
In this Sunday April 8, 2013, photo, Mary Ma, a bartender at Revel, Atlantic City N.J.'s newest casino, pours a drink at one of the casino's bar. The Institute for Supply Management issues its U.S. non-manufacturing (service-sector) index for April on Friday, May 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Stock futures rose Friday after the April jobs report showed unemployment hitting a four-year low.
After a dismal report in March, the Labor Department said that employers added 165,000 jobs added in April, and upwardly revised figures for the previous two months eased fears that the economic recovery had stalled.
Dow Jones industrial futures rose 113 points to 14,873. S&P futures added 10.2 points to 1,602.50. Nasdaq futures rose 21.50 points to 2,923.50.
Trading before the report had been very light, with markets placing so much weight on the Labor Department report.
There was an average of 208,000 jobs created each month from November through April. That tops the 138,000 jobs added in the previous six months.
Also out Friday are the Institute for Supply Management's index on service companies and the Commerce report on factory orders.
In a study using mice, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that a hormone, adrenomedullin, plays a crucial role in preventing the pregnancy complication preeclampsia. Surprisingly, this hormone protects women from preeclampsia when emitted by the fetus, not the mother, during the most critical times in pregnancy.
"We've identified the fact that the baby is important in protecting the mom from preeclampsia," said the study's senior author, Kathleen M. Caron, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Research at the UNC School of Medicine and an associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology. "If the baby's cells are not secreting this hormone, the mother's blood vessels don't undergo the dilation that they should."
Preeclampsia affects roughly one in fifteen pregnancies. An important characteristic of the condition is that blood vessels in the placenta fail to enlarge, or dilate, to accommodate increased blood flow to the fetus. Untreated, it can threaten the life of both mother and baby.
"We really don't know that a pregnant woman is going to get preeclampsia until she has it," said Caron. Because the condition has numerous risk factors and causes, it's difficult for doctors to know which patients are at highest risk. "Identifying molecules that could predict preeclampsia would be really important."
The researchers studied mice that were genetically programmed to produce either reduced or increased levels of adrenomedullin. The study revealed that in a normal pregnancy, the fetus secretes adrenomedullin into the placenta during the second trimester, signaling special cells called "natural killer cells" to help dilate the mother's blood vessels and allow more blood to flow to the growing fetus.
The study is one of the first to identify an important chemical message sent from fetus to mother in the womb. Scientists understand more about the mom's side of the 'chemical conversation' that goes on between mother and baby, but much of the hormonal signaling in the placenta remains a mystery.
By identifying the key role of adrenomedullin, the research could pave the way to new methods for detecting and preventing preeclampsia. For example, adrenomedullin levels could potentially be used as a biomarker, or early indicator, to identify which patients might be predisposed to the condition. "Having a biomarker would be wonderful?it could allow the physician to manage a woman differently in the early part of her pregnancy," said Caron.
As a next step, the researchers plan to build upon their mouse studies to examine patterns of adrenomedullin levels and preeclampsia in pregnant women.
###
This paper was published online ahead of print on May 1, 2013 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI). The paper will appear in the June 2013 print edition.
University of North Carolina Health Care: http://www.med.unc.edu
Thanks to University of North Carolina Health Care for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
If you use iBooks to purchase and download books to your iPhone or iPad, you have a very easy way to find exactly what you're looking for using the table of contents. It allows you to jump through chapters, read summaries in some cases, and more.
If you're new to iBooks, follow along to find out how to quickly navigate a book using the table of contents on your iPhone and iPad.
Launch iBooks from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
Tap on the book cover of the book you'd like to open and read.
In the upper left hand corner there will be two options, one to return to the main library and a table of contents button that is represented by bullet points. Tap on it.
Here you can see the table of contents for the entire book. Scroll through and find the section you'd like to start reading and tap on it.
That's all there is to it. You'll be taken directly to that section immediately. You can always return to the table of contents again at any time by tapping on the same icon.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Frank Vogel made a few simple lineup adjustments and a strong pregame pitch. It was just what the Pacers needed Wednesday night.
Indiana played more physical and more focused basketball than Atlanta, and for the first time in this best-of-seven series played defense the way Vogel has been coaching it all season. Against all that, Atlanta never had a chance.
Veteran David West broke out of a series-long funk to score 24 points, Paul George finished with another double-double and Indiana pulled away for a 106-83 victory to take a 3-2 lead over the Hawks.
"We needed to re-establish our confidence," said Vogel, the Pacers coach. "We're still a young team. We needed to re-establish our ability to slow them down."
Indiana did that and a whole lot more on a night in which it was virtually flawless.
West looked like his old self backing down defenders, then spinning away to hit his trademark step-back shots. George went making 7 of 8 shots from the field, finishing with 10 rebounds and five assists ? another strong showing in a series he's dominated in Indiana's three wins.
Vogel changed the rotations, keeping some starters with the second unit to add scoring punch. And after posting the best defensive field goal percentage in the NBA this season, the Pacers finally managed to hold Atlanta under 50 percent shooting.
The blowout, Indiana's third straight at home in the playoffs, even allowed the starters to get a few extra minutes of rest.
If the Pacers end a 13-game losing streak at Atlanta on Friday, they would win this best-of-seven series and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight year. Thanks to Boston, they might not even go into the next series at a substantial disadvantage after the Celtics closed to 3-2 with a stunning 92-86 win at New York.
A few days ago, Indiana didn't dare contemplate such a possibility with so much at stake against the Hawks. Now, suddenly, everything seems OK, though the home team has won every game.
"It's the playoffs. It's good that both teams know how important it is to get home victories," George said. "In the playoffs, it's all about what team is going to be dominant on the road. Neither team has really done that yet."
The Hawks were the latest victim of the home-court curse on another ugly night at Indiana.
They made only four baskets during a 57-minute decisive third quarter.
Josh Smith picked up his fifth foul with 7:35 left in the third quarter and was non-factor the rest of the way. He finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Al Horford added 14 points and Devin Harris had 13.
Three players ? Smith, Jeff Teague and Ivan Johnson ? drew technical fouls, all on dead balls. Atlanta was called for two more technicals because of defensive 3-second calls, got outrebounded 51-28 and still had to hear Indiana fans complain that the Pacers weren't doing enough on the glass, and were outscored 36-28 in the paint.
The worst part: After losing the lead on a layup by West with 6:36 to play in the second quarter, the Hawks never mounted another serious charge. They headed home again looking for answers.
"We have to pound the ball in there to Al and Smooth (Smith) and when we get the opportunity to get in the lane try to make plays," Teague said when asked what the Hawks must do better. "We just have to shoot the ball better, me personally."
That much was obvious after Wednesday's 25-of-75 performance.
But the Hawks also must figure out a way to contend with the physical Pacers, too.
"This is the first time that I felt like we've played true defense in this series," West said. "I thought everyone came in and stayed with the game plan in terms of being aggressive, and our hands were active and we just made plays on the defensive end."
West scored the last six points in an 8-0 run that turned a 31-28 deficit into a 36-31 Pacers early in the second quarter lead. Indiana followed that with a 9-4 spurt to take a 45-37 lead and never trailed again.
Then the rout was on.
Indiana then opened the second half on a 12-3 run and extended the lead to 68-48 when George knocked down a 3 and George Hill followed that by hitting the free throw for Smith's technical and 19-footer on the ensuing possession. Atlanta cut the lead to 81-67 at the end of three, but the Pacers put it away with a 12-4 fourth-quarter run to that left Atlanta in a 21-point deficit. The Hawks never challenged again.
"I was just dialed in and focused; I really wanted this one tonight," George said. "I'm going to have the same focus on the road."
Notes: Atlanta scored 24 points in the third quarter despite shooting just 4 of 14. ... Colts linebacker Robert Mathis, former Indiana basketball players Jeff Oliphant and Brian Evans, and former Pacers center Rik Smits all attended the game. ... Game 6 will be played in Atlanta, where the Pacers have lost 13 straight. ... The two teams have met three other times in the playoffs. Indiana has only won one of those series.
It's Xbox day! Almost exactly 8 years after the announcement of the Xbox 360, Microsoft is back with another one. We're live on the ground at Microsoft's Xbox campus in Redmond, where the company is about to show its next-generation console for the very first time. We'll be bringing you the news as it breaks with our up-to-the-second liveblog. Join us, won't you?
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Public release date: 6-May-2013
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Zach Galifianakis, the one man wolf-pack, hosted “Saturday Night Live” last night for the third time and brought on the funny. He performed his opening monologue with his normal hilarious dry sense of humor, playing the piano as the 43-year-old comedian cracked jokes. Galifianakis commented, “Sometimes when I?m bored I like to look up things ...
