China's March imports rise in sign of recovery

BEIJING (AP) ? China reported higher import growth in March in a possible positive sign for its economic recovery but analysts said doubts about the accuracy of Beijing's data made it hard to draw conclusions.

Imports rose 14.1 percent from the 5 percent for the combined January-February period, customs data showed Wednesday, suggesting Chinese manufacturers and consumers might be buying more.

Export growth slowed to 10 percent from the previous two-month period's 23.6 percent. That could add to challenges for newly installed Communist Party leaders as they try to sustain the rebound from China's deepest downturn since the 2008 global crisis and avoid job losses.

"Exports growth was expected to decelerate," said Alaistair Chan of Moody's Analytics in a report. "On the imports side, it is too soon to tell if the bounce reflects higher domestic demand or simply a rebound" from February's sharp reported decline.

Economic growth rose to 7.9 percent in the three months ending in December, up from the previous quarter's 7.4 percent. Analysts say the recovery is being propped up by government spending and could be vulnerable if trade or state-driven investment weakens.

Analysts said possible problems with the accuracy of official data made it hard to use them to get a clear picture of China's economic health.

Commentators raised questions after China reported much stronger trade with other countries in recent months than was shown by data from the governments of those economies.

Some suggested Chinese companies might be reporting phony sales abroad as a way to evade currency controls and move money into China. Others say Beijing might have exaggerated trade volume to make the economy look healthier during the transition to a new generation of Communist Party leaders in recent months.

"Today's trade data release has not instilled any more confidence in either the quality of data or the strength of the recovery," said IHS Global Insight analyst Alistair Thornton in a report.

Referring to February's explosive reported export growth, Chan of Moody's Analytics said, "It now seems that it was probably due to some issue with the reporting of exports, or possibly over-invoicing as firms evaded capital controls to bring in more foreign capital."

Beijing's strict controls on capital flows into its economy and tax breaks and other privileges for foreign investors give Chinese companies an incentive to covertly bring in money from abroad. Economists believe a portion of China's reported foreign investment is money sent abroad by Chinese companies and "round-tripped" back into the country.

Francis Lun, managing director of Lyncean Holdings in Hong Kong, said the accuracy of the export number was in doubt, based on what is known about the value of Chinese goods passing through Hong Kong, a semiautonomous Chinese territory.

"Chinese exporters may have over reported their value to get export credit rebates because the figures in Hong Kong to and from China do not add up," he said. "Instead of 10 percent growth, you have 2 or 3 percent."

China's trade data are volatile in the early months of each year as companies shut down for several weeks during the Lunar New Year and then buy raw materials to resume production.

March exports rose to $182.2 billion while imports were $183.1 billion, leaving a rare monthly deficit of $900 million, according to the General Administration of Customs.

The trade surplus with the United States narrowed by 34 percent from a year earlier to $11 billion. The surplus with the 27-nation European Union shrank 35 percent to $5.3 billion.

Exports to Germany, China's biggest European trading partner, fell 7 percent while shipments to France declined 6.7 percent.

___

General Administration of Customs of China: www.customs.gov.cn

__

AP Business Writer Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-10-AS-China-Trade/id-98842c987916490f8e1362da83f4aab2

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Discovery of a blue supergiant star born in the wild

Apr. 10, 2013 ? A duo of astronomers, Dr. Youichi Ohyama (Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica or ASIAA, Taiwan) and Dr. Ananda Hota (UM-DAE Centre for Excellence in the Basic Sciences or CBS, India), has discovered a blue supergiant star located far beyond our Milky Way Galaxy in the constellation Virgo.

Over 55 million years ago, the star emerged in an extremely wild environment, surrounded by intensely hot plasma (a million degrees centigrade) and amidst raging cyclone winds blowing at four million kilometers per hour. Research using the Subaru Telescope, the Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope (CFHT) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) revealed unprecedented views of the star formation process in this intergalactic context and showed the promise of future investigations of a possibly new mode of star formation, unlike that within our Milky Way.

About one thousand galaxies reside in a cluster filled with million-degree hot plasma and dark matter. The Virgo cluster, the nearest cluster of galaxies located about 55 million light years from Earth in the constellation Virgo, is an ideal laboratory to study the fate of gas stripped from the main body of galaxies falling into the intra-cluster medium. Does star formation take place in the clouds of stripped gas? If so, how? Dr. Ohyama and Dr. Hota focused on the trail of IC 3418 to explore a potentially new mode of star formation. Dr. Hota has been collecting data from multiple telescopes since 2006 to understand this galaxy, which he first spotted in the GALEX data during his Ph.D. research.

IC 3418 is a small galaxy falling into the Virgo cluster of galaxies at such a high speed (a thousand kilometers per second) that its blanket of cool gas strips off. As it passed through the cluster, its stripped-off cool gas formed a 55,500 light-years-long trail that looks very much like the water vapour condensation trail from a supersonic jet's path. Hot plasma surrounds the trail of IC 3418, and it has not been clear whether the clouds of cool gas would vaporize like water sprinkled on a hot frying pan or condense further to form new young massive stars. The GALEX ultraviolet image shows that new massive stars do form in the trail. How did the stripped gas condense to form new stars without getting vaporized by the hot plasma? This process does not conform to star formation in our Milky Way Galaxy where massive stars develop in groups inside of stellar nurseries sheltered within giant cold molecular gas clouds.

Dr. Ohyama suspected that a tiny dot of light emission in the trail of IC 3418 might be different from other blobs of ultraviolet light emissions in the trail. Spectroscopy of the little dot from Subaru Telescope's Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph (FOCAS) revealed something stunning. Dr. Ohyama recalls, "When I first saw the spectrum, I was so puzzled, since it did not look like anything I had known of in extra-galactic astronomy." Unlike typical star-forming regions, the telltale signs of stellar nurseries were missing.

Intense UV-radiation usually ionizes/heats-up the surrounding gas when a star is born. Instead of any sign of heated gas, the observation showed fast winds blowing out of the stellar atmosphere at a speed of about 160 kilometers per second. Comparison with emissions from nearby stars made it clear that this massive, hot (O-type) star had passed its youth and was now aging; it was at a stage known as Blue Supergiant star and would soon face its explosive death as a supernova.

Dr. Ohyama commented on the significance of the research: "If our interpretations are correct, this is probably the farthest star ever discovered with spectroscopic observation. Since we only observed for a fraction of the night with the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope, there is huge potential for stellar spectroscopy with extremely large telescopes, e.g., the Thirty Meter Telescope, being planned for the future. We look forward to that exciting time."

Dr. Hota emphasized how important it is for astronomers to pay attention to this exotic system: "Precisely because the thermal and dynamic contrast of star formation that our research shows cannot be observed within our Milky Way, the details revealed by the Subaru Telescope's spectroscopy and the deep, sharp imaging of CFHT are opening up a new avenue for investigating the baffling fundamentals of star formation." Future in-depth investigations of this cocktail of hot plasma and turbulent, cold gas may reveal very different characteristics of stars, which may remain wild, exotic objects, challenging current theories of star formation.

This research was partially supported by the following:

• National Science Council of Taiwan (grant to Dr. Ohyama)
• National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR) and Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), both in India (for Visiting Astronomer position to Dr. Hota).

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Youichi Ohyama, Ananda Hota. Discovery of a Possibly Single Blue Supergiant Star in the Intra-cluster Region of Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. The Astrophysical Journal, 2013; 767 (2): L29 DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/767/2/L29

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/3UKjZOosQyI/130410194227.htm

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Consumption Junction: Childhood Obesity Determined Largely by Environmental Factors, Not Genes or Sloth

In looking for ways to fight childhood obesity, an emerging consensus of literature points to the need to reengineer kids? environments to change what and how they eat

By Tara Haelle

Although kids can typically adjust their energy intake by regulating their food, Temple University public health professor Jennifer Fisher says, their surroundings and options may change that equation for kids in the same way that it does in adults. Image: Flickr/The Familylee

New evidence is confirming that the environment kids live in has a greater impact than factors such as genetics, insufficient physical activity or other elements in efforts to control child obesity. Three new studies, published in the April 8 Pediatrics, land on the import of the 'nurture' side of the equation and focus on specific circumstances in children's or teen's lives that potentially contribute to unhealthy bulk.

In three decades child and adolescent obesity has tripled in the U.S., and estimates from 2010 classify more than a third of children and teens as overweight or obese. Obesity puts these kids at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and bone or joint problems. The variables responsible are thought to range from too little exercise to too many soft drinks. Now it seems that blaming Pepsi or too little PE might neglect the bigger picture.

"We are raising our children in a world that is vastly different than it was 40 or 50 years ago," says Yoni Freedhoff, an obesity doctor and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa. "Childhood obesity is a disease of the environment. It's a natural consequence of normal kids with normal genes being raised in unhealthy, abnormal environments." The environmental factors in these studies range from the seemingly minor, such as kids' plate sizes, to bigger challenges, such as school schedules that may keep teens from getting sufficient sleep. But they are part of an even longer list: the ubiquity of fast food, changes in technology, fewer home-cooked meals, more food advertising, an explosion of low-cost processed foods and increasing sugary drink serving sizes (pdf) as well as easy access to unhealthy snacks in vending machines, at sports games and in nearly every setting children inhabit?these are just a handful of environmental factors research has linked to increasing obesity, and researchers are starting to pick apart which among them play bigger or lesser roles in making kids supersized.

Size matters in "obesogenic environments"
In one of the three new studies dishware size made a big difference. Researchers studied 42 second-graders in which the children alternately used child-size 18.4-centimeter (7.25-inch) diameter plates with 237-milliliter (8-ounce) bowls or adult-size 26-centimeter (10.25-inch) diameter plates with 473-milliliter (16-ounce) bowls. Doubling the size of the dishware, the researchers found, increased the amount of food kids served themselves in a buffet-style lunch line by an average of 90 calories. They ate about 43 percent of those extra calories, on average.

Although kids can typically adjust their energy intake by regulating their food, Temple University public health professor Jennifer Fisher says, their surroundings and options may change that equation for kids in the same way that it does in adults. "This notion that children are immune to the environment is somewhat misguided," says Fisher, who headed up the study. "To promote self-regulation, you have to constrain the environment in a way that makes the healthy choice the easy choice."

Fisher says much recent research in nutrition has focused on the "obesogenic" environments of today's society: a dietary environment offering widespread access to highly palatable foods in large portion sizes. "If we look at adult studies on dieting and weight loss, we know that the prospect of maintaining self-control in this environment is fairly grim," Fisher says. "I think most scientists believe our bodies have evolved to pretty staunchly defend hunger and prevent weight loss, and maybe are not so sensitive in preventing overconsumption."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=6da3eb788ba00335cfff73af2c218e19

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Police raid Samsung offices over LG allegations

"I like small penises," said no women interviewed for an actually scientific study released Monday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS. Yes, PNAS is a funny sounding acronym, and, yes, PNAS has found that size does matter ? and that women prefer "showers" to "growers."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-raid-samsung-offices-over-lg-allegations-152046240.html

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Protected wildlife areas are 'welcome mats' for UK's bird newcomers

Public release date: 10-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Garner
david.garner@york.ac.uk
44-019-043-22153
University of York

A new study by scientists at the University of York and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) shows that bird species which have colonised the UK in recent decades breed initially almost exclusively in nature reserves and other areas specially protected for wildlife.

First author, Jonathan Hiley, a PhD student in the Department of Biology at York, said: "Nature reserves provide ecological welcome mats for new arrivals."

Published online in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B., the study shows that, of the 20 wetland bird species that bred for the first time in the UK since 1960, 18 bred first in these protected areas. Protected areas were crucial as the population established and grew. Once established in reserves, the birds began to spread out into other locations as they expanded their ranges across the country.

For some warmth-loving southern species, such as Little Egrets and Cetti's Warblers, these arrivals appear to be in response to a changing climate. For others, such as Common Cranes, they are a response to other factors, such as recovery from historical loss of habitat or persecution.

The mainstay of traditional conservation has been to establish protected areas to provide refuges against the loss of habitats and other threats in the surrounding countryside. Ironically, this study comes at a time when the value of protected areas is being questioned in some quarters because climate change and other factors cause animals to move away from their traditional haunts and into new regions.

However, species which are shifting their ranges also need high quality places to move into. For birds, at least, it appears that the current network of protected areas in the UK is providing such places.

"This study shows that the hugely important role that nature reserves and protected areas play will continue undiminished in the future," according to Jonathan Hiley.

Co-author Professor Chris Thomas, of the Department of Biology at York, added: "This gives some cause for optimism in the midst of concern that climate change and other factors will imperil many species. Protected areas are helping to give birds and other species a fighting chance of moving into new regions where they can breed successfully."

Co-author Dr Richard Bradbury, of the RSPB, said: "Many species have only been able to colonise, or re-colonise, the UK as a result of a tremendous recent effort by conservationists to recreate and manage large wetland areas. This action has been absolutely vital in creating starter homes that enable these species to settle and flourish.

"But while it is great news that the hard work of conservationists is benefitting these new arrivals, we must not forget that the changes in our climate which brought many of them may prove catastrophic for wildlife in the long term if it continues unabated."

Co-author Mark Holling, Secretary of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, added: "Data on the rarest breeding birds in the UK, collected over the last 40 years, supported the findings of the research. As birds colonise the UK, or move to new parts of the country, the majority of them move initially to areas protected for nature, underlining their importance for conservation of rare species."

###

---

[ | 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.

Public release date: 10-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Garner
david.garner@york.ac.uk
44-019-043-22153
University of York

A new study by scientists at the University of York and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) shows that bird species which have colonised the UK in recent decades breed initially almost exclusively in nature reserves and other areas specially protected for wildlife.

First author, Jonathan Hiley, a PhD student in the Department of Biology at York, said: "Nature reserves provide ecological welcome mats for new arrivals."

Published online in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B., the study shows that, of the 20 wetland bird species that bred for the first time in the UK since 1960, 18 bred first in these protected areas. Protected areas were crucial as the population established and grew. Once established in reserves, the birds began to spread out into other locations as they expanded their ranges across the country.

For some warmth-loving southern species, such as Little Egrets and Cetti's Warblers, these arrivals appear to be in response to a changing climate. For others, such as Common Cranes, they are a response to other factors, such as recovery from historical loss of habitat or persecution.

The mainstay of traditional conservation has been to establish protected areas to provide refuges against the loss of habitats and other threats in the surrounding countryside. Ironically, this study comes at a time when the value of protected areas is being questioned in some quarters because climate change and other factors cause animals to move away from their traditional haunts and into new regions.

However, species which are shifting their ranges also need high quality places to move into. For birds, at least, it appears that the current network of protected areas in the UK is providing such places.

"This study shows that the hugely important role that nature reserves and protected areas play will continue undiminished in the future," according to Jonathan Hiley.

Co-author Professor Chris Thomas, of the Department of Biology at York, added: "This gives some cause for optimism in the midst of concern that climate change and other factors will imperil many species. Protected areas are helping to give birds and other species a fighting chance of moving into new regions where they can breed successfully."

Co-author Dr Richard Bradbury, of the RSPB, said: "Many species have only been able to colonise, or re-colonise, the UK as a result of a tremendous recent effort by conservationists to recreate and manage large wetland areas. This action has been absolutely vital in creating starter homes that enable these species to settle and flourish.

"But while it is great news that the hard work of conservationists is benefitting these new arrivals, we must not forget that the changes in our climate which brought many of them may prove catastrophic for wildlife in the long term if it continues unabated."

Co-author Mark Holling, Secretary of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, added: "Data on the rarest breeding birds in the UK, collected over the last 40 years, supported the findings of the research. As birds colonise the UK, or move to new parts of the country, the majority of them move initially to areas protected for nature, underlining their importance for conservation of rare species."

###

---

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/uoy-pwa041013.php

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Study finds gene that may raise Alzheimer's risk in blacks

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The largest study to date looking for genetic causes of Alzheimer's in African Americans may offer new clues about why blacks in the United States are twice as likely as whites to develop the deadly, brain-wasting disease.

The findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Tuesday, show that mutations in two genes that play a role in whites also contribute to Alzheimer's risk in blacks. One of those, known as ABCA7, may double the risk in blacks who have the mutation versus those who don't.

Although many genes have been found to raise the risk of Alzheimer's, most studies have been conducted in largely white populations, and few studies have looked specifically at genes that drive Alzheimer's in blacks. Part of that is because very few African Americans take part in gene studies looking at Alzheimer's risk.

The latest findings will need to be confirmed by other research teams, and critics say the study is incomplete until that work is done.

To get enough participants for the newly published study, researchers combined genetic information from 18 different Alzheimer's Disease Centers funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. They gathered information on 6,000 African Americans, 2,000 of whom had late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the most common form that occurs in older people.

The team then looked for genes that were most strongly associated with Alzheimer's. The strongest link was with a variant of a gene called apolipoprotein E or APOE, a gene that contains instructions for making a protein that carries cholesterol and is well-known risk factor for Alzheimer's.

The team found that a variant of this gene called APOE-e4 doubled the risk of Alzheimer's in blacks, in much the same way it does in whites.

But the study also turned up another gene that has only been weakly associated with Alzheimer's in whites. This gene, called ABCA7, which also plays a role in the production of cholesterol and fats, appears to have a much stronger effect in blacks.

"In whites, it increases risk by 10 to 20 percent, but in African Americans, it increases risk by about 70 to 80 percent. It has a way larger effect size in African Americans," said Dr. Christiane Reitz of Columbia University Medical Center, who conducted the genetic analyses on the study.

ABCA7 is also involved in cholesterol metabolism, as are several of the genes which have been found in the past five years or so to be linked with Alzheimer's in whites.

"That seems to be a pathway that is involved in Alzheimer's disease," Reitz said.

Reitz said a variant form of APOE called APOE-e4 has the biggest effect, increasing the risk of Alzheimer's by about 200 percent. ABCA7 raised the risk by about 80 percent, and most other genes discovered so far increase risk by 10 to 20 percent.

Like other risk genes for the age-related form of Alzheimer's, the gene explains only part of the risk and likely will not lead to any new treatments soon. Reitz said it is clear that hundreds of genes are at work in Alzheimer's disease.

"ABCA7 and APOE are not the only genes involved in Alzheimer's disease in African Americans," Reitz said, adding that it would take tens of thousands of participants to detect some of the other risk genes. "What the study did show us is at least one gene which seems to have a major effect, and that's important to know."

REPRESENTATIVE ENOUGH?

The next step is to study how the ABCA7 gene works in the brain, and the team still needs to validate the results of this study in another independent population of blacks, something that may be challenging.

According to Neil Buckholtz, director of the division of neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging, the study represented all of the well characterized genetic samples of blacks in the United States.

Dr. Allan Levey, director of Emory University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, said the study was significant for being the first large-scale genetic study done in African Americans. But he said a major limitation is that the study was not replicated in another population of blacks to confirm the findings, which is considered necessary to ensure its validity.

"Had this same study been done in whites, it would never have been published here," said Levey, referring to JAMA, a highly-regarded medical journal.

Troy Duster, a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley and author of "Backdoor to Eugenics" and contributor to "Whitewashing Race: The Myth of a Color-Blind Society," says the findings are too preliminary and the effect sizes too small to draw any definitive conclusions about differences in the risk of Alzheimer's between blacks and whites.

Without a replicating study in other groups who identify as African-American and as white, "it is impossible to interpret whether this small difference has significant meaning, or points to different etiologies (or the need for different treatments) in different groups," he said.

Heather Snyder, director of medical and scientific operations at the Alzheimer's Association, which funded two of the study authors, said the findings should spur new research into the potential reasons for this link between ABCA7 and Alzheimer's in African Americans.

"Really, that all requires more funding for Alzheimer's disease research," Snyder said.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Michele Gershberg)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/study-finds-gene-may-raise-alzheimers-risk-blacks-202839389.html

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The Political Collapse of Bobby Jindal (Little green footballs)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/297581462?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Finally Home, a Veteran Enjoys a Special Easter | WNEP.com

Posted on: 6:17 pm, March 31, 2013, by Suzanne Goldklang, updated on: 08:16pm, March 31, 2013

MAYFIELD? For 2-year-old Anabelle Brummett and her 6-year-old sister Makayla, 2013 may be the best Easter ever

Their aunt Jenn Woznick is home after being away for 8 years in the army, and supper is at her place.

Woznick says ?My family, they were so excited when they knew I was coming home for good. It?s really nice. I feel very loved.?

It was a big day of firsts.

The first Easter together as a family, and Jenn?s first time hosting the holiday. Typically, sister Lisa Brady is the family?s ?top chef.?

?She is doin good pickin out the food. We?ll see how everybody likes it,? Brady says with a wink and a laugh.

This season of new beginnings has been a long time coming. Jenn?s military career started when she went to basic training as a high school junior. She travelled the world with stops in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Woznick recalls, ?In Iraq we decorated our office. I was sad because I wasn?t home with my family.?

She wasn?t the only one who felt like something was missing

Little Makayla says,?I really missed her.?

By noon on Sunday the ham was baking in the oven, the marshmellows on the sweet potatoes were ready to melt, but most of all Jenn was finally having Easter at home with her family.

Source: http://wnep.com/2013/03/31/finally-home-a-veteran-enjoys-a-special-easter/

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Obama takes jobs pitch to Miami

President Barack Obama will promote a plan to create jobs by attracting private investment in highways and other public works during a visit Friday to a Miami port, the White House said.

The president will flesh out details of his proposals in a speech at the port, which is undergoing $2 billion in upgrades paid for with government and private money. Obama, in the quick trip to South Florida, will try to show that the economy remains his top priority in the midst of high-profile campaigns on immigration reform and gun control.

Among the proposals Obama will call for:

?Higher caps on "private activity bonds" to encourage more private spending on highways and other infrastructure projects. State and local governments use the bonds to attract investment.

?Giving foreign pension funds tax-exempt status when selling U.S. infrastructure, property or real estate assets. U.S. pension funds are generally tax exempt in those circumstances. The administration says some international pension funds cite the tax burden as a reason for not investing in American infrastructure.

?$4 billion in new spending on two infrastructure programs that award loans and grants.

?A renewed call for a $10 billion national "infrastructure bank" ? a proposal from his first term that gained little traction.

The president made private-sector infrastructure investment a key part of the economic agenda he rolled out in his State of the Union address last month. He also called in his address for a "Fix-It-First" program that would spend $40 billion in taxpayer funds on urgent repairs.

Obama's focus on generating more private sector investment underscores the tough road new spending faces on Capitol Hill, where Republican lawmakers often threaten to block additional spending unless it is paid for by tax cuts or other measures.

Any increased spending associated with the proposals Obama was outlining Friday would not add to the deficit, a senior administration official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the plan in advance of Obama's announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official did not detail how the costs would be paid for, saying only that more information would be included in the president's budget.

Obama will release his budget April 10.

???

Follow Josh Lederman on Twitter: http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-pitch-more-jobs-public-142807078.html

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Dorothy Hamill Endorses Smooth Fitness Equipment | Blablapost

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://blablapost.com/2013/03/30/dorothy-hamill-endorses-smooth-fitness-equipment/

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New study aims to prevent sports-related brain injury in youngsters

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Ice hockey accounts for nearly half of all traumatic brain injuries among children and youth participating in organized sports who required a trip to an emergency department in Canada, according to a new study out of St. Michael's Hospital.

The results are part of a first-of-its-kind study led by Dr. Michael Cusimano that looked at causes of sports-related brain injuries in Canadian youth and also uncovered some prevention tactics that could be immediately implemented to make sports safer for kids.

"Unless we understand how children are getting hurt in sport, we can't develop ways to prevent these serious injuries from happening," said Dr. Cusimano, a neurosurgeon and the lead author of the study. "One would think that we know the reasons why kids are having brain injuries in sports, but until know, it was based mainly on anecdotes."

The study used data from The Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program to look at the almost 13,000 children and youth aged 5-19 who had a sports-related brain injury between 1990 and 2009. The results appeared in the journal PLOS ONE today.

The researchers categorized injuries by players' ages, what sport they occurred in and what mechanisms had caused them -- "struck by player," "struck by object" (such as net or post), "struck by sport implement" (such as ball or stick), "struck by playing surface" and "other."

Hockey accounted for 44.3 per cent of all injuries and almost 70 per cent of them occurred in children over 10 as a result of player-to-player contact or being hit into the boards.

Dr. Cusimano said they expected to see high numbers in hockey because it's Canada's "national sport."

"This shows that body contact is still an area where we need to make major inroads to preventing brain injuries," Dr. Cusimano said. "For example, enforcing existing rules and making more effective incentives and disincentives about checking from behind could make huge improvements."

Nineteen per cent of the youth who suffered brain injuries got them during soccer, with most in the 10 to 14 or 15 to 19 age group. In these age ranges, the most common cause of injury was being struck by another player, kicks to the head or head-on-head collisions. In the younger group, age five to nine, players were more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury from striking a surface or a goal post than those in older groups.

"There's a really straightforward solution here," Dr. Cusimano said. "Padding the goal posts could have potentially prevented a large number of these brain injuries in young children."

The results also found that the youngest age group was at the highest risk for getting seriously injured in baseball. Most of the 15.3 per cent of injuries occurred in children under the age of 14, with 45 per cent of them in children under nine.

Ball and bat injuries were most common, with the majority of injuries caused because the players stood too close to the batter or bat and were not supervised by an adult.

"These results give us a very specific prevention message for kids under nine who play baseball: make helmets and supervision a mandatory," said Dr. Cusimano. "The younger the child, the more supervision they need when using things like bats and balls. Simple rules around not being close to the batter can be taught to children and adults."

Football and rugby accounted for 12.9 per cent 5.6 per cent of injuries respectively, and the majority of them were caused by tackling.

Basketball made up 11.6 per cent of injuries, mostly caused by player-to-player elbowing, which increased as players got older.

"There is a real opportunity for prevention here," Dr. Cusimano said. "Having educational programs, proper equipment, rules and other incentives that support a culture of safety in sports should be a mandate of parents, coaches, players, sports organizations, schools, sports sponsors, and other groups like governments."

Funding for the research was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by St. Michael's Hospital, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Michael D. Cusimano, Newton Cho, Khizer Amin, Mariam Shirazi, Steven R. McFaull, Minh T. Do, Matthew C. Wong, Kelly Russell. Mechanisms of Team-Sport-Related Brain Injuries in Children 5 to 19 Years Old: Opportunities for Prevention. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (3): e58868 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058868

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/most_popular/~3/3M3mmJkKrl8/130329125301.htm

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Sun block for the 'Big Dog'

Thursday, March 28, 2013

An international team of astronomers, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and from the University of Cologne, successfully identified two titanium oxides in the extended atmosphere around a giant star. The object VY Canis Major is one of the largest stars in the known universe and close to the end of its life. The detection was made using telescope arrays in the USA and in France.

The discovery was made in the course of a study of a spectacular star, VY Canis Majoris or VY CMa for short, which is a variable star located in the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog). "VY CMa is not an ordinary star, it is one of the largest stars known, and it is close the end of its life," says Tomasz Kami?ski from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR). In fact, with a size of about one to two thousand times that of the Sun, it could extend out to the orbit of Saturn if it were placed in the centre of our Solar System.

The star ejects large quantities of material which forms a dusty nebula. It becomes visible because of the small dust particles that form around it which reflect light from the central star. The complexity of this nebula has been puzzling astronomers for decades. It has been formed as a result of stellar wind, but it is not understood well why it is so far from having a spherical shape.

Neither is known what physical process blows the wind, i.e. what lifts the material up from the stellar surface and makes it expand. "The fate of VY CMa is to explode as a supernova, but it is not known exactly when it will happen", adds Karl Menten, head of the "Millimetre and Submillimetre Astronomy" Department at MPIfR.

Observations at different wavelengths provide different pieces of information which is characteristic for atomic and molecular gas and from which physical properties of an astronomical object can be derived. Each molecule has a characteristic set of lines, something like a 'bar code', that allows to identify what molecules exist in the nebula.

"Emission at short radio wavelengths, in so-called submillimetre waves, is particularly useful for such studies of molecules", says Sandra Br?nken from the University of Cologne. "The identification of molecules is easier and usually a larger abundance of molecules can be observed than at other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum."

The research team observed TiO and TiO2 for the first time at radio wavelengths. In fact, titanium dioxide has been seen in space unambiguously for the first time. It is known from every-day life as the main component of the commercially most important white pigment (known by painters as "titanium white") or as an ingredient in sunscreens. It is also quite possible that the reader consumed some amounts of it as it is used to colour food (coded as E171 in the labels).

However, stars, especially the coolest of them, are expected to eject large quantities of titanium oxides, which, according to theory, form at relatively high temperatures close to the star. "They tend to cluster together to form dust particles visible in the optical or in the infrared," says Nimesh Patel from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "And the catalytic properties of TiO2 may influence the chemical processes taking place on these dust particles, which are very important for forming larger molecules in space", adds Holger M?ller from the University of Cologne.

Absorption features of TiO have been known from spectra in the visible region for more than a hundred years. In fact, these features are used in part to classify some types of stars with low surface temperatures (M- and S-type stars). The pulsation of Mira stars, one specific class of variable stars, is thought to be caused by titanium oxide. Mira stars, supergiant variable stars in a late stage of their evolution, are named after their prototype star "Mira" (the wonderful) in the constellation of Cetus (the 'sea monster' or the 'whale').

The observations of TiO and TiO2 show that the two molecules are easily formed around VY CMa at a location that is more or less as predicted by theory. It seems, however, that some portion of those molecules avoid forming dust and are observable as gas phase species. Another possibility is that the dust is destroyed in the nebula and releases fresh TiO molecules back to the gas. The latter scenario is quite likely as parts of the wind in VY CMa seem to collide with each other.

The new detections at submillimetre wavelengths are particularly important because they allow studying the process of dust formation. Also, at optical wavelengths, the radiation emitted by the molecules is scattered by dust present in the extended nebula which blurs the picture, while this effect is negligible at radio wavelengths allowing for more precise measurements.

The discoveries of TiO and TiO2 in the spectrum of VY CMa have been made with the Submillimetre Array (SMA), a radio interferometer located at Hawaii, USA. Because the instrument combines eight antennas which worked together as one big telescope 226-meters in size, astronomers were able to make observations at unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. A confirmation of the new detections was successively made later with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) located in the French Alps.

###

Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 551, A113 (March 2013). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201220290.

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft: http://www.mpg.de

Thanks to Max-Planck-Gesellschaft 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.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127502/Sun_block_for_the__Big_Dog_

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What Types of Writing Careers Exist Online? - Writing Speaking Tips

Number of View: 22

In the ?real world?, there are many different types of writing careers that you can get into if you are interested in writing for a living. You may want to write for your local newspaper or magazine, you could be an editor, or you could work on short stories, poems, or even a novel. But getting these types of jobs can be difficult if you don?t have experience and you don?t have a few degrees under your belt.

Thankfully, the internet has opened up a huge market for writers, both those with experience and those without. On the internet, you can be anyone you want to be, and if you say you are experienced, then who is anyone to question you? As long as you can turn out the work on time and it meets with your client?s satisfaction, then they have no reason to ask to see a copy of your diploma!

The fact is, there are an abundance of writing careers online right now, some of which pay extremely good money. Because the internet itself is based on lots and lots of text, someone has to be responsible for creating all of those stories, articles, website, and blogs ? and that someone could well be you. That is why writing careers are the fastest growing are of employment online.

For people who enjoy fast, informal writing, then writing blogs is an incredibly lucrative way to make money writing. These writing careers are essentially based on writing someone else?s blog so that they can make money selling a product or service. You are acting as a ghostwriter and your name will never be seen on the website. You can also write your own blog or website and make money on affiliate marketing, but that is often more effort than it is worth.

Article marketing is also a very profitable way to turn keystrokes into dollars. Many writers are finding that by writing articles on products or services for a client, there is an almost never-ending source of work. These articles are usually very short, easy to write, and require little to no research. You might not get paid much per article, but if you can type quickly, then this type of high-volume writing can provide you with a very good, steady income.

There are also more traditional writing careers online such as in the area of technical writing. Large companies with websites are always looking for freelance technical writers who can help them re-write their website, make it more user-friendly, or to introduce new material to their readership. The compensation on a per word basis is usually much better for technical writing, but it takes longer and there is not as much of this type of work online.

The truth is that as long as you can type, you have a computer, an internet connection, and you can find your way around the internet fairly easily, then you should have no trouble making a living online both now and in the years to come.

Vincent P. King is a professional ghostwriter who writes about any topic under the sun and helps good writers earn a great living.

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Source: http://www.writingspeakingtips.com/what-types-of-writing-careers-exist-online/

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Are Hackers Heroes?

"Hacker" is one of the most loaded Internet words getting thrown around these days. To many (hi cable news), the label is inherently malicious, and goes hand in hand with threats to blow up the interwebs. Others who self-identify as such, will never ever stop whining about how it means just the opposite. But are hackers of either flavor heroes? Can they be? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Sq2fsfI5VSQ/are-hackers-heroes

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'Pawn Stars': John F. Kennedy's Presidential Cigar Box, Complete With Unsmoked Cigars (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>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: It's not doing "The Big Bang Theory" numbers, but "2 Broke Girls" has maintained a viewership over its two seasons.

"The Amazing Race"

<strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be 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>: Likely to be 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>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays. It will likely be back to help launch new Friday shows and produce enough episodes to enter syndication.

"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>: Likely to be 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 after such a successful run, CBS would be smart to bring the show -- and some old faces back -- for an abbreviated farewell season.

"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>: Likely to be 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>: On the bubble <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" is certainly in the danger zone. What it has going for it: 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>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Its ratings -- bouncing around 8-10 million viewers an episode, are great ... if you're a show on NBC. By CBS standards, they're kind of meh, but this show has stars with very active fan followings. CBS could axe the drama to make room for new procedurals, or stick with it to get the show close to syndication gold.

"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>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- and could be axed in favor of making room for a new drama.

"Mike & Molly"

<strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise. CBS will likely bring the show back for another season.

"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>: Likely to be 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>: Likely to be 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>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will likely 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>: Likely to be 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/2013/03/12/pawn-stars-jfk-cigar-box-video_n_2858217.html

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WD TV Play

Western Digital's latest media hub, the WD TV Play, tries to strike a balance for cord-cutters, offering some streaming services along with local file playback for a lower price ($69.99 list) than its Roku 2 XD (and $100 soon-to-be-reviewed Roku 3)?and Apple TV competitors. But as a cord-cutter myself, I found that the WD TV Play doesn't offer quite enough of anything, so I'd suggest that you pay a little more for your set-top box.

Three Different Approaches to Cord-Cutting
While many of today's smart HDTVs and Blu-ray players come with Netflix and the ability to play local files from USB sticks, serious cord-cutters often still turn to dedicated streaming boxes like the Play. The streaming apps tossed onto Blu-Ray players can feel like buggy afterthoughts, and these players rarely offer the range of local file format support you see in media hubs.

Roku, Apple, and WD TV come from three different set-top box lineages. Apple's box is all about extending the company's smooth, seamless, and closed ecosystem to TVs. It's a great ride as long as you're comfortable with doing everything Apple's way and buying only from iTunes. Roku, on the other hand, is a streaming native. It aims to deliver as many streaming services as it can, without fear or favor, so you get a half-dozen big-name movie services, for instance. But it's always had an uneasy, clunky relationship with any media you actually possess at home.

Born from a hard-drive purveyor, the WD TV line has always been the choice for people like myself who have large personal media libraries. While they also stream from a range of services, the current WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub products really shine when they're playing media from local or network drives, and their ability to crunch almost any file format is legendary.

The Play is WD's attempt to eat Roku's lunch. By stripping out some codec support and a USB port and focusing on streaming, WD is appealing to the plug-and-play cord-cutter who doesn't have a big library of ripped DVDs. But it can't quite measure up to the competition.

Physical Features and Performance
The WD TV Play is a petite plastic box measuring 1 by 4.1 by 4.1 inches (HWD) and weighing just 4.9 ounces, making it only slightly bigger than the tiny Roku 3 and Apple TV. Around back, there's a USB port for local storage, along with an Ethernet port and composite video, HDMI, and digital audio outputs. The only indicator on the front is a dim, blue power light, and there are no controls on the box itself other than a reset hole on the bottom. I hooked the box to an HDTV up in less than a minute by plugging in power, Ethernet, and HDMI.

The black plastic IR remote is simple to use, with big dedicated rubber buttons for Netflix, Hulu, and Vudu video services. Unfortunately, our test unit often responded sluggishly to the remote, and the directional keypad is a drag when you're typing searches into on-screen keyboards. I had better luck with WD's free smartphone remote app, which works with Android and iOS phones. The Play responded very quickly to the app, which has multiple screens, a pop-up QWERTY keyboard, and quick access buttons for all of the Play's services. You can also plug a USB keyboard into the single USB port, although you then lose the ability to access local storage.

I had no trouble connecting the Play to both wired Ethernet and wireless 802.11n networks, and connecting via HDMI to both 720p and 1080p TVs. It auto-detected each TV's maximum resolution and set itself up appropriately. You need a good 10Mbps Internet connection to stream 1080p video, but I had no problem doing so from several different services.

I ran into some bugs and instability while testing the Play. Some of the channels didn't support the remote's Back button, only Home, and at one point I needed to pull the plug to kill a misbehaving CinemaNow screen. WD has assured me that a bug-fixing firmware update in the works.

33 Channels and?What's On?
The best thing about the new WD TV Play is its configurable home screen. Like an Android phone, it's a set of user-configurable, resizable widgets. You can stick with the default collection or paste your favorite services onto the main home screen. That means you'll never have to page through channels you don't use. You can also install live widgets which show updates right on the home screen?the weather one is best?or shortcuts to folders deep within a big local hard drive.

Joy turns into a bit of frustration when you dip into the full list of WD's 33 streaming channels. Netflix, Hulu+, and Vudu are the flagship services. In terms of big-name entertainment you can also get CinemaNow, Pandora, Spotify, Vimeo, and YouTube.?

I immediately noticed two huge gaps, which might be deal-breakers: Amazon is missing, and there's no professional sports content. While WD has two college sports channels, you won't find NBA, MLB or NHL, unlike on Roku and Apple TV boxes. I also missed Epix, Crackle, VEVO, and HBO GO, all available on Roku's boxes. WD says more channels are coming, but it won't say what or when.

The company seems to have burned some energy on writing its own semi-pointless social networking apps. The Twitter and Facebook apps here show simple, low-density news feeds rather than doing smart things like finding a way to integrate Tweets with the particular movie or TV show you're watching.

Other channels include AOL.TV (video blogs from AOL Web sites), AccuWeather, Comedy Time (stand-up comedy clips), an odd linear feed from DailyMotion, Facebook, Flickr, Flixster (movie trailers), Funspot (casual games), Launchpad (which looks like it has big names like A&E and FunnyOrDie, but very limited content from each one), Live365 radio, an RSS reader, Picasa, Red Bull TV, Shoutcast radio, SlingPlayer, SnagFilms (indie stuff), TuneIn Radio, Viewster (more random indie films), WatchMojo ('infotainment') and YuppTV (Indian subcontinent programming).

Options to play your own media are more limited than what you get with WD's other products. There's one USB port which accepts flash drives or hard drives, and the box can also detect DLNA servers on your home network. The ability to put arbitrary local folders on the home screen puts the Play way ahead of Roku on that count. The Play also continues WD's legacy of being able to handle a really wide variety of formats, including H.264, x.264, Xvid, DivX, MOV, WMV, and AVI and MKV containers, along with multiple audio and subtitle tracks.

However, the Play can't handle some video formats that the higher-end WD TV Live can play, like "raw" ripped DVD folders, MPEG2 video, DTS audio, and 1080p video files at greater than 24 frames per second. More annoyingly, I found that the box had trouble with a few completely arbitrary Xvid and MKV files that an older WD TV could play, while other Xvid and MKV files worked fine on the new box. Maybe this will also get fixed with a firmware upgrade, but it underscores the fact that the WD TV Live Hub is the one to get for people with large locally stored video libraries.

A positive note for a chosen few: Like other WD TVs, this box appears to be hackable and based on a considerable amount of GPLed open-source code. Earlier WD TV boxes have a lively alternative-firmware community, so that could happen for the Play as well.

Conclusions
If you're looking to stream content off the Internet, the Roku boxes, including the $50 Roku LT), are a better bet than the WD TV Play; they have far more channels available, including professional sports, a better selection of movies, and HBO.

If you have a lot of downloaded or ripped content, you should turn to the $100 WD TV Live or $200 WD TV Live Hub, depending on whether or not you already own a big external hard drive. Those models play an even wider range of video formats than the WD TV Play does, including maintaining the menu layouts of ripped DVDs. They're the gold standard for local media jukeboxes.

Apple's Apple TV, meanwhile, has received rave reviews because of its gorgeous interface and extreme ease of use, as long as you're willing to live within an all-Apple world for your purchased media.

That leaves the WD TV Play in an uncomfortable middle spot. It doesn't support enough services to be a streaming king, and doesn't play enough formats to be a local-video hero. While I absolutely love its configurable interface, I'd like to see that interface appear next on a more capable product.

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