Director of Sierra Club explains rationale behind ... - Bike Portland

Sierra Club Oregon Chapter
Director Brian Pasko.

Our story last week about a lawsuit against the Timberline Mountain Bike Park has sparked a lot of conversation. Several people commented and contacted me to express concerns that I failed to offer adequate context to the story. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups that have signed on as plaintiffs to the lawsuit, strongly maintain that their stance is not about bikes at all. Rather, they say their concerns are about the broader environmental impacts, the private developer that will construct the park, and a feeling that the U.S. Forest Service has not fulfilled its obligations within the public process around the project.

In our story last week, I included an email from Kenji Sugahara, the executive director of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, to Brian Pasko, the director of the Sierra Club's Oregon chapter. In that email, Sugahara questioned the Sierra Club's actions and requested their immediate withdrawal from the lawsuit. Today I want to share Pasko's response to Sugahara because I it adds some important context to this debate (emphases mine):

Hi Kenji,

Thank you very much for this note and for your past support of the Sierra Club's work in Oregon. I want to assure you that the Sierra Club did not approach this litigation lightly, nor should our involvement in this lawsuit imply that we oppose increasing the level of mountain bike recreation opportunities on the Mountain.

We chose to engage in this lawsuit because we believe that this particular proposal is not appropriately located and the environmental costs vs. recreational benefits are just too high. In contrast, we chose not to oppose a similar proposal on Mount Bachelor because its location is much better suited to this type of bike park.

Additionally, we appreciate and admire IMBA's exceptional trail maintenance work. It is our understanding that the trails on this proposed bike park would not be trails open to the public and managed by IMBA or other volunteer trail crews, but would instead be maintained by the private owners at Timberline for their economic gain.

More importantly, we are pursuing this lawsuit in part because we believe that the Forest Service has fundamentally failed in its obligation to fully evaluate the potential for additional mountain bike recreational opportunities in the Mount Hood National Forest. We too are disappointed that the Mountain bike and environmental communities are being divided over a debate about the location of a single privately-owned bike park, when instead we should be engaged in a collaborative effort to substantially expand the publicly accessible mountain bike trail system forest-wide.

The Sierra Club believes that the Forest Service should be carrying out a robust analysis and implementing a formal stakeholder process to expand mountain bike opportunities on our national forests. We are keenly interested in working with the mountain bike community to achieve this goal. In fact, we are meeting with leaders in IMBA and others in the next few weeks to discuss this and how we can move forward together.

I appreciate your concerns about our involvement in this litigation, and hope that I have given you some assurances that the Sierra Club is very interested in partnering with the mountain bike community to convince the Forest Service to do better recreational planning on the Mount Hood National Forest. I hope that this is the start of a continuing dialogue with you and others about how we can work together to make that a reality.

Thanks,
Brian
Chapter Director
Sierra Club - Oregon Chapter
1821 SE Ankeny Street

? For more on this story, browse our Timberline Mountain Bike Park story archives.

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Source: http://bikeportland.org/2013/05/21/director-of-sierra-club-explains-rationale-behind-mtb-park-lawsuit-87117

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Schizophrenia symptoms eliminated in animal model

May 22, 2013 ? Overexpression of a gene associated with schizophrenia causes classic symptoms of the disorder that are reversed when gene expression returns to normal, scientists report.

They genetically engineered mice so they could turn up levels of neuregulin-1 to mimic high levels found in some patients then return levels to normal, said Dr. Lin Mei, Director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University.

They found that when elevated, mice were hyperactive, couldn't remember what they had just learned and couldn't ignore distracting background or white noise. When they returned neuregulin-1 levels to normal in adult mice, the schizophrenia-like symptoms went away, said Mei, corresponding author of the study in the journal Neuron.

While schizophrenia is generally considered a developmental disease that surfaces in early adulthood, Mei and his colleagues found that even when they kept neuregulin-1 levels normal until adulthood, mice still exhibited schizophrenia-like symptoms once higher levels were expressed. Without intervention, they developed symptoms at about the same age humans do.

"This shows that high levels of neuregulin-1 are a cause of schizophrenia, at least in mice, because when you turn them down, the behavior deficit disappears," Mei said. "Our data certainly suggests that we can treat this cause by bringing down excessive levels of neuregulin-1 or blocking its pathologic effects."

Schizophrenia is a spectrum disorder with multiple causes -- most of which are unknown -- that tends to run in families, and high neuregulin-1 levels have been found in only a minority of patients. To reduce neuregulin-1 levels in those individuals likely would require development of small molecules that could, for example, block the gene's signaling pathways, Mei said. Current therapies treat symptoms and generally focus on reducing the activity of two neurotransmitters since the bottom line is excessive communication between neurons.

The good news is it's relatively easy to measure neuregulin-1 since blood levels appear to correlate well with brain levels. To genetically alter the mice, they put a copy of the neuregulin-1 gene into mouse DNA then, to make sure they could control the levels, they put in front of the DNA a binding protein for doxycycline, a stable analogue for the antibiotic tetracycline, which is infamous for staining the teeth of fetuses and babies.

The mice are born expressing high levels of neuregulin-1 and giving the antibiotic restores normal levels. "If you don't feed the mice tetracycline, the neuregulin-1 levels are always high," said Mei, noting that endogenous levels of the gene are not affected. High-levels of neuregulin-1 appear to activate the kinase LIMK1, impairing release of the neurotransmitter glutamate and normal behavior. The LIMK1 connection identifies another target for intervention, Mei said.

Neuregulin-1 is essential for heart development as well as formation of myelin, the insulation around nerves. It's among about 100 schizophrenia-associated genes identified through genome-wide association studies and has remained a consistent susceptibility gene using numerous other methods for examining the genetics of the disease. It's also implicated in cancer.

Mei and his colleagues were the first to show neuregulin-1's positive impact in the developed brain, reporting in Neuron in 2007 that it and its receptor ErbB4 help maintain a healthy balance of excitement and inhibition by releasing GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, at the sight of inhibitory synapses, the communication paths between neurons. Years before, they showed the genes were also at excitatory synapses, where they also could quash activation. In 2009, the MCG researchers provided additional evidence of the role of neuregulin-1 in schizophrenia by selectively deleting the gene for its receptor, ErbB4 and creating another symptomatic mouse.

Schizophrenia affects about 1 percent of the population, causing hallucinations, depression and impaired thinking and social behavior. Babies born to mothers who develop a severe infection, such as influenza or pneumonia, during pregnancy have a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/c_topTiy53o/130522123143.htm

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Police recover backpacks of 2 kidnapped Iowa girls

This photo provided by The Iowa Department of Public Safety shows Kathlynn Shepard, 15. Authorities said Tuesday, May 21, 2013, a man suspected of abducting Shepard and a 12-year-old girl from a bus stop in central Iowa has been found dead, but a search continues for Shepard. Authorities said the 12-year-old girl was able to escape and ran to a nearby rural residence for help. (AP Photo/Iowa Department of Public Safety)

This photo provided by The Iowa Department of Public Safety shows Kathlynn Shepard, 15. Authorities said Tuesday, May 21, 2013, a man suspected of abducting Shepard and a 12-year-old girl from a bus stop in central Iowa has been found dead, but a search continues for Shepard. Authorities said the 12-year-old girl was able to escape and ran to a nearby rural residence for help. (AP Photo/Iowa Department of Public Safety)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? Investigators searching for a 15-year-old Iowa girl who was abducted this week have recovered her backpack along with one belonging to a 12-year-old who escaped from the kidnapper.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said a search team of police and dogs found the backpacks Tuesday afternoon.

Kathlynn Shepard and the 12-year-old girl were abducted Monday by 42-year-old Michael Klunder while walking home from school in Dayton. The backpacks were found in a rural area, several miles south of a hog confinement where the girls were taken.

Police say Klunder was found dead of self-inflicted injuries hours after the 12-year-old escaped. Police are searching for Kathlynn around Dayton, about 60 miles north of Des Moines.

Investigators also released an image of Kathlynn exiting a school bus, shortly before her abduction.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-22-Missing%20Teen-Iowa/id-98c2fbd76f224700b743483ec200c1d6

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Guatemala top court overturns genocide conviction

Guatemala's former dictator Jose Efrain Rios Montt stands in the courtroom before the judge enters to read the verdict in his genocide trial in Guatemala City, Friday, May 10, 2013. The court convicted Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, sentencing him to 80 years in prison. The 86-year-old former general is the first former Latin American leader ever found guilty of such a charge. The war between the government and leftist rebels cost more than 200,000 lives and ended in peace accords in 1996. (AP Photo/Moises Castilo)

Guatemala's former dictator Jose Efrain Rios Montt stands in the courtroom before the judge enters to read the verdict in his genocide trial in Guatemala City, Friday, May 10, 2013. The court convicted Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, sentencing him to 80 years in prison. The 86-year-old former general is the first former Latin American leader ever found guilty of such a charge. The war between the government and leftist rebels cost more than 200,000 lives and ended in peace accords in 1996. (AP Photo/Moises Castilo)

Guatemala's former dictator Jose Efrain Rios Montt wears headphones as he listens to the verdict in his genocide trial in Guatemala City, Friday, May 10, 2013. The Guatemalan court convicted Rios Montt on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, sentencing him to 80 years in prison. The 86-year-old former general is the first former Latin American leader ever found guilty of such a charge. The war between the government and leftist rebels cost more than 200,000 lives and ended in peace accords in 1996. (AP Photo/Moises Castilo)

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) ? Guatemala's top court has thrown another curve into the genocide case of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, overturning his conviction and ordering that the trial be taken back to the middle of the proceedings.

The ruling late Monday threw into disarray a process that had been hailed as historic for delivering the first guilty verdict for genocide against a former Latin American leader.

Constitutional Court secretary Martin Guzman said the trial needs to go back to where it stood on April 19 to solve several appeal issues.

The ruling came 10 days after a three-judge panel convicted the 86-year-old Rios Montt of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in massacres of Mayans during Guatemala's bloody, 36-year civil war. The panel found after two months of testimony that Rios Montt knew about the slaughter of at least 1,771 Ixil Mayans in the western highlands and didn't stop it.

The tribunal sentenced the 86-year-old former general to 80 years in prison, drawing cheers from many Guatemalans. It was the first time a former Latin American leader was convicted of such crimes in his home country and the first official acknowledgment that genocide occurred during the war ? something the current president, retired Gen. Otto Perez Molina, has denied.

Rios Montt's lawyers immediately filed an appeal, and he spent three days in prison before he was moved to a military hospital, where he remains.

The top court on Monday said it threw out his conviction because the trial should have been stopped while appeals filed by the defense were resolved.

Defense lawyer Francisco Garcia Gudiel told The Associated Press by telephone that he would seek the former dictator's freedom on Tuesday.

"There is no alternative," Garcia said. "The court has made a legal resolution after many flaws in the process. Tomorrow we will ask that they liberate the general, who is being imprisoned unjustly."

Representatives of the victims who testified against Rios Montt couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

The proceedings, which started in March, had been whipped back and forth ever since April 18, when a Guatemalan judge ordered that the trial should be restarted just as it was nearing closing arguments.

Judge Carol Patricia Flores had been recently reinstated by the Constitutional Court after being recused in February 2012. She ruled that all actions taken in the case since she was first asked to step down were null, sending the trial back to square one.

The next day, April 19, the tribunal hearing the oral part of the trial asked the Constitutional Court to decide if the proceedings should continue.

The trial was suspended for 12 days amid appeals and at times appeared headed for annulment. But it resumed April 30, and on May 10 the three-judge tribunal found Rios Montt guilty after more than 100 witnesses and experts testified about mass rapes and the killings of women and children and other atrocities committed by government troops. Rios Montt ruled Guatemala in 1982-83 following a military coup.

Survivors and relatives of victims had sought for 30 years to bring punishment for Rios Montt. For international observers and Guatemalans on both sides of the war, the trial was seen as a turning point in a nation still wrestling with the trauma of a conflict that killed some 200,000 people.

The defense constantly claimed flaws and miscarriages of justice.

Courts solved more than 100 complaints and injunctions filed by the defense before the trial even started.

Rios Montt's defense team walked out on April 18, arguing that they couldn't continue to be part of such a bad proceeding. When the three-judge tribunal resumed the trial, it ordered two public defenders to represent Rios Montt and his co-defendant, Jose Rodriguez Sanchez.

Rios Montt rejected his public defender and instead brought in Garcia, who was expelled earlier by the tribunal but reinstated by an appeals court.

Garcia had earlier been ordered off the case after he called for the three judges on the tribunal to be removed from the proceedings. He kept trying to have the judges dismissed. And the Constitutional Court ruled Monday that the trial should have been suspended while his appeal was heard.

The trial "was unlawfully reopened," Garcia said at the time.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-21-LT-Guatemala-Rios-Montt/id-fcef545246f6466099d77898f8c7e67a

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Foursquare for Windows Phone gains Lumia-exclusive AR feature

Foursquare for Windows Phone keeps getting better and better. And now Lumia owners will have something else to brag about (besides the stunning design, that is). Nokia devices are being granted access to a small set of exclusive features in the latest Foursquare update. The marquee addition is a new augmented reality view that puts venue information right in your live camera view. All you have to do is tap the camera icon at the top of the map screen. The AR will probably make it somewhat easier to find your mark, and you can always turn to the recently added NFC support for super simple check-ins. Not having an exclusive feature or two is hardly a deal breaker, but it's bound to make non-Lumia Windows Phone fans more than a little jealous.

Filed under: Mobile, Nokia

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/21/foursquare-for-windows-phone-gains-lumia-exclusive-ar-feature/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Ellie Goulding's Powerful Hangout Fest Set Was One For The Girls

British singer invaded Gulf Shores, Alabama, for an electrified performance.
By Tamar Anitai

Ellie Goulding performs at Hangout Music Fest on Sunday
Photo: MTV

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707633/ellie-goulding-hangout-music-fest-2013.jhtml

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It's Beneficial Investing in Goa Property | Real Estate News India Blog

If you want to buy a land in one of the hottest destinations in India, then buy property in Goa. Having tourism as its main industry and foreigners staying for lengthy periods, things like property renting and leasing is now booming and becoming popular in Goa. The real estate market would offer you good returns if you invest in Goa. In point of fact, there are several investors all over the world who are eager to partake in the fruitful dividends that Goa as an investment land offers. It is a fact that Goa is growing in the real estate business with every passing day. It offers various options for Industrial, Residential and Commercial Properties as well. Purchase, Lease Out or Resale a Property in Goa Goa is not just a paradise with beautiful beaches; it is also a land of commercial projects. However, in the modern times, to buy a property in Goa is not at all easy. If you plan to invest in a commercial property in Goa, it is quite clear that your expectations are going to be high. Nonetheless, if you are buying a commercial property you must be sure of your purchase, whether you want to lease it out or sell it. In case, if you plan to put the property out for a resale, then searching for appropriate business locations could be helpful. Proper locations act as an added advantage of the unceasing demand. On the other hand, if you are investing your own capital in a commercial property in Goa, then ensure that the amount you gather from your rent is much higher than the rate of interest you get from the bank. Few Tips to Buy Property in Goa To make sure that your investment is a profitable outcome address the planning cautiously. If needed, consult an estate agent for a proper guidance. In this way, there is a possibility for you to get a much better location to buy property in Goa. In addition to this factor, the rates for purchase and the legality of the property are other imperative factors. It is important to gather a clear picture over the documentation process and verify whether the previous possessor was a landlord or a legal owner. Real estate in Goa is boosting and offering investors lucrative opportunities to invest their capital in exclusive amenities and commercial projects. One such project is the famous and most intelligent project at work called as the Imperium - II. It is one of those elite commercial projects in Panjim, where second-generation intelligence is consolidated to take an individual business to a higher level. Features like centralized water purifier system, building automation systems, fully wi-fi enabled building and optional biometrics locks for every office are offered by this premium project.

The demand and need for such robust projects are growing every year. They are a sound investment and good value for your money. Goa being an ideal location for property investments is anticipating a potential property growth for the next decade. So, if you plan to invest in Goa, do it today!

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Source: http://india-real-estate-news-blog.blogspot.com/2013/05/its-beneficial-investing-in-goa-property.html

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Family life | Hen-house holiday, Morris mynah and Subzi kuku | JCP ...

please note this post is not by Jay Clapp Photography but from the photography news at the guardian for your viewing pleasure please feel free to use the share buttons at the bottom.

Readers? favourite photographs, songs and recipes

Snapshot: A converted hen-house holiday

This photograph of my father and me was taken on holiday in 1947. For 50 weeks of the year, he paid into the holiday club at the engineering factory where he worked so we always had a summer holiday.

We stopped going to stay in seaside boarding houses after visiting one called the Pendennis. Those were the days when the landlady waited at the door to make sure everyone left the premises before 10am and did not return before 5pm.

At the Pendennis, they went further ? if my mother turned to help the children with their food, her plate would be whisked away before she had finished her meal. For 60 years, the family have used ?to Pendennis? as a verb, if someone is prematurely taking away one?s plate.

Dad always found somewhere out of the ordinary ? one year a converted charabanc in a field in Bacton and in this picture we were staying at a converted hen house in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. The ex-hen house accommodation sounds basic, but was bliss. There was a corridor along the length of the building with a lounge and three bedrooms off it. At the end was a kitchen and sun deck, and we had our own stream and garden. We could have been at the other end of the country, but we were only six miles from home.

While we were there, my father?s Aunt Emma paid us a never-to-be forgotten visit. She offered to prepare the bilberries our family had spent hours picking and make them into a pie. Unfortunately, she wasn?t familiar with the kitchen ? and cooked them in salt instead of sugar.

Val East

Playlist: Dear old Morris, our mynah

Release Me by Engelbert Humperdinck

?Please release me, let me go / For I don?t love you any more?

?Ooh, he can park his shoes under my bed any time,? my mum (now a youthful 88) exclaimed when she first clapped eyes on Engelbert Humperdinck singing Release Me on television in 1967. My dad, 18 years her senior and very possessive of the beautiful woman he had married 20 years earlier after a four-week whirlwind romance, was not amused. He sulked for days until Mum apologised. The same year, my parents?bought a mynah bird, aptly named Morris. He was a prolific talker and soon mimicked everything and everyone, particularly my mum, with whom he, too, appeared to be in love.

He could imitate to perfection the sound of the gate opening, then the doorbell chiming. We soon lost count of the number of times we got up to answer the door to a non-existent caller. Even the dogs, Pepe (a poodle), and Rex (a mongrel), were confused when Morris mimicked their barking and then told them ?Shut up!? or ?Be?quiet!?

Even the insurance man who knocked at the door one day was ordered to ?Get on the mat!?

Morris would start up every morning at 7.30am calling, ?Georgina, GEORGINA, GEORGINA!? and then shout ?WHAT??? to get me out of bed every day, especially if my mum, who was a psychiatric nurse, wasn?t home from night duty by that time.

But it was his rendition of Release Me sung in my mum?s voice, followed by ?I don?t care?, that used to have everyone in fits of laughter. My mum would only have to utter the word ?Please?, and off he?d go. Whenever we hear that song on the radio or TV we think of dear old Morris and the gentle chaos he used to cause.

Despite Morris and their very short courtship, my parents spent 43 very happy years together.

Georgina Websdale

We love to eat: Subzi kuku (green omelette)

Ingredients for four

1 packet baby spinach leaves, chopped

1 bunch of spring onions, chopped

1 small bunch of dill, chopped

1 small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

4 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs vegetable oil

Mix the spinach, spring onions, dill and coriander in a bowl. Add the beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. When hot, pour the mixture in and cook for several minutes until the base is cooked. Finish by browning the omelette under the grill.

Subzi kuku has been a favourite dish in my family for several generations. My parents came from Mashad in Persia (now Iran), part of a small Jewish community, who stuck together through thick and thin and passed down recipes by word of mouth, from mother to daughter.

I have very happy memories of my mother?s cooking. We had a large extended family and she created wonderful meals at a moment?s notice for a large crowd of people.

Persian food relies heavily on soft spices, such as cinnamon and allspice as well as dill and coriander. These are used to flavour main course meat-based stews known as choresh, which are usually served with rice.

My mother loved feeding her family and when my children were small she would travel from north to south London on the bus, with bags brimming with tasty dishes, savoury and sweet. This couldn?t have been easy for her as she was a tiny woman, but apparently the Routemaster bus conductors would lift her up on to the bus with her heavy bags.

Subzi kuku has always been a favourite with my children ? so much so that my son Ben, a musician, aka Max Tundra, named a song after it. It is delicious hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch or supper.

Sipora Levy

We?d love to hear your stories

We will pay ?25 for every Letter to, Playlist, Snapshot or We love to eat we publish. Write to Family Life, The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU or email family@guardian.co.uk. Please include your address and phone number

via Art and design: Photography | guardian.co.uk http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/may/18/hen-house-morris-mynah-subzi-kuku Thanks for reading Jay

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New era of fisheries policy needed to secure nutrition for millions

May 17, 2013 ? A new study published in PNAS argues that for fisheries policies to be effective they must take in to account not just fish stock conservation and environmental issues, but also research data on the patterns and dynamics of fish trade, markets and user consumption.

Securing the critical contribution of wild fish stocks to food and nutrition security in the developing world depends on better governance and management of the fisheries sector.

Fish is a key source of animal protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and micronutrients like iron and zinc that contribute to a balanced diet, and is a particularly important food source in many developing countries.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America argues that for fisheries policies to be effective they must take in to account not just fish stock conservation and environmental issues, but also research data on the patterns and dynamics of fish trade, markets and user consumption.

"This is particularly important in the developing world, where the countries whose populations are most dependent on fish for nutrition are found," says Director General of WorldFish, Dr. Stephen J. Hall, lead author of the paper.

Fisheries don't exist in isolation and multi-sectoral perspectives and approaches need to be developed and supported to ensure policies also consider the millions of small-scale fishers.

"These fishers often work part-time during times of seasonal hunger or temporary unemployment, and the ways that they catch, prepare and sell fish are diverse. Policies need to take in to account the varying contexts that fisheries exist in. A 'one size fits all' policy is destined to fail," says Dr. Hall.

Policies developed for open ocean trawlers whose catch is primarily destined for an export market must be different to those for small-scale fishers selling their catch to local customers.

This will help to ensure a constant supply of good quality fish for consumers, a satisfactory standard of living vital for millions of fishers, and the sustainability of wild fish stocks.

FAO estimates that 30% of the world's fish stocks were over-exploited, depleted or recovering in 2009, and this number is increasing.

While aquaculture is the fastest growing agricultural sector for most developing countries, its growth and production rate cannot replace capture fisheries or even make up losses of local wild fish in the next 10 to 15 years.

The paper is highly relevant for responding with effective and efficient policies to the strategic challenges fisheries will face in the future.

The authors argue that such policies will have to consider the appropriate level for decentralized decision making, the primacy of genuine stakeholder dialogues, the inclusion of the whole value chain for fish and the incorporation of fisheries in the perspective of other sectors of the economy and rural development.

With such policies we will secure wild fish stocks, ensure an income for fishers, and food and nutrition security for consumers throughout the developing world.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/NcrieCyIIZc/130517102632.htm

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Texas tornadoes devastate neighborhood built by residents, Habitat for Humanity

Daylight reveals the trail of destruction in Texas left by tornadoes that ripped through the state killing at least six people. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

By Matthew DeLuca, Staff Writer, NBC News

Dozens of families who lived in homes they helped build with their own hands saw their neighborhood devastated by a tornado that struck north Texas on Wednesday night.

Habitat for Humanity, a Christian group that organizes volunteers to build homes for the needy, had worked with residents to construct 61 houses in the Rancho Brazos neighborhood that was battered by the twister in Granbury, Texas.?

Aerial footage taken Thursday showed home after home in Granbury completely demolished, with others severely damaged. Six adults have been confirmed dead after what the National Weather Service said were three tornadoes that swept through Montague and Hood counties in northern Texas.

Rancho Brazos was a ?well-knit? neighborhood were people kept their lawns trimmed and their single-story homes in top shape, said Asa Maddox, 68.

Ralph Lauer / EPA

Debris is piled into a fence after a tornado tore thru the area in Granbury, Texas, USA, 16 May 2013.

?The neighborhood was pretty immaculate,? he said.

The winds that whipped up on Wednesday night spared Maddox?s 897-square-foot home, but lifted up the metal lawnmower shed in his yard and blew out the windows on a van in his driveway, he said. He and his wife took shelter in their home?s laundry room with their dog.

?I had heard the sirens going off and it was a continuous blast from the sirens, so I knew that there was some sort of a weather deal coming on,? Maddox said. ?Then all of a sudden my lights went out and it started hailing, I mean everywhere from pea-sized all the way up to baseball-sized hail coming down and really hitting my roof.?

Gusts bent trees in his yard and sent debris flying toward his home, Maddox said.

?I could hear a real loud noise, and as I listened it was getting louder and louder,? Maddox said as the tornado approached his home around 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday. ?I kind of peeked out around and I saw the wind was blowing real, real, real hard.?

Maddox drove out of the neighborhood in the dark Wednesday night. His home was mostly spared, he said.

?The mobile home that was on my right is there. The roof?s pretty much gone,? Maddox said. ?The other side of my house is another Habitat house about the same size as mine and it was still there.?

Another Habitat-built home down the street was not so fortunate.

?It just shattered. It disappeared,? Maddox said.

A retired service technician who worked in a mobile-home factory, Maddox said he has been in the Rancho Brazos home he built with the help of Habitat for Humanity volunteers since 2009. It was a ?joyous occasion? when he moved into the home equipped with all-new appliances, he said. He said he has been in touch with his insurance agent and expects to be back on his feet soon.

?I thank God for sparing my house and myself, and I feel real, real bad about the people who lost their house, lost everything,? he said. ?If there was a way that I could help them I would.?

Habitat for Humanity volunteers were working to finish two more homes for waiting families on the day the twister struck, said Michelle Kennedy, assistant director for Trinity Habitat for Humanity, a nearby affiliate that was supporting the local Hood County Habitat organization on Thursday.

?The house that was under construction this week survived,? Kennedy said. ?The house that was ready to dedicate on Saturday was completely destroyed.?

Kennedy said she helped one homeowner who collapsed in tears in the hallway of Granbury?s First Christian Church, where about 50 Rancho Brazos residents took shelter with help from the Red Cross.

?It?s devastating,? Kennedy said.

?The thing that?s different about Habitat is that families actually work in the building of the homes,? she said. ?They have a deep interest not only in their homes but in the community. This devastation, it almost gives them a sense of hopelessness.?

Habitat of Hood County?s newsletter recounts the work done by its volunteers over the years, including some overseas. Families contribute at least 300 hours of work to building the home they will move in to, according to the newsletter.?Each house costs about $50,500 to build, according to the group's website.

Volunteers from Hood County also began partnering with Habitat for Humanity Kyrgyzstan in 2003, according to a post on the non-profit?s website. The Texans helped build homes for nearly two dozen families in Kyrgyzstan, HFH Hood County executive director Carol Davidson said in the post.

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Apple iTunes 11.0.3

Apple's iTunes has long been an unparalleled source and player of music and video. The application had remained largely the same for over two years until the arrival of iTunes 11 (free), which marked a major rebuilding in features, interface, and underlying code. Not only does the iTunes 11 player have a clean new look and improved features, but so does the embedded iTunes Store. A big thrust of iTunes 11 is the inclusion of more iCloud features, jibing with Apple's iOS-and-Mac cloud syncing service. The latest minor update brings improvements to the recently redesigned and more powerful mini-player and a couple of other tweaks.

Here's what Apple has to say about what's new in the iTunes 11.0.3 update:

• New MiniPlayer.?MiniPlayer now includes a beautiful new view that showcases your album artwork. In addition, a progress bar is now built right into MiniPlayer.
• Improved Songs View.?You can now enjoy your album artwork while?in Songs view.
• Multi-Disc Albums.?Albums with multiple discs now appear as a single album.

Hardly as earth-shattering as some recent updates, but desirable stuff nevertheless. Let's take a look at these along with all the other music and video goodness Apple's player and store has to offer.

iTunes still has all those extras we've gotten used to over the years, including iTunes U, podcast playing, Genius, Home Sharing, the equalizer, the visualizer, a book store, and movie and TV show rentals as well as purchases. Another recent minor update adds something classical and jazz fans have been waiting for forever: a Composers View. One thing iTunes no longer shows any sign of is Apple's ill-fated music social network, Ping.

Installing
You can get iTunes for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 in addition to Macintosh OS X version 10.6.8 or later. I tested the new iTunes on both Windows and Mac OS X. It's an 83MB download for Windows?slightly larger than version 10, which was already on the portly side. By comparison, Windows Media Player weighs in at just 12MB, and WinAmp is 11MB. (The Mac installer for iTunes is even larger, at 198MB.) The installer makes iTunes your default player for music files, but you can uncheck the box for this if you prefer an alternative like Windows Media Player or WinAmp. I had to close Outlook for some reason for the installation to proceed.

On first run of the updated app, after agreeing to the updated license agreement, I was offered tutorial videos explaining new features. A privacy option asked me to share details with Apple so it could display album covers and even artist photos from concerts and studio sessions. This choice also enables iTunes' new store recommendations, since poor old Apple really needs you to buy more and more content.

Interface
The interface seems even more trimmed down and muted than before, if that's possible?and it looks great. Even the standard app menu is gone in the Windows version (not Mac though), replacing it with a square icon in the extreme top left. (You can re-enable it if you like from the newfangled menu, however.) The AirPlay button is still there, so you can throw whatever you're playing to a home entertainment system attached to an Apple TV or one that supports AirPlay natively. You also get basic play/pause, fast-forward, and reverse controls, as well as a volume slider, and a search box along the top of the program window.

The left-hand sidebar is gone, but you won't miss it at all. Switching among Music, Movies, TV Shows is faster than before using the button at top left. It drops down choices for these media types. To get the new Classical choice in the Music view, you'll have to go into the Preferences dialog's Views section, and tick the first option, Composers. Switching between your library and the iTunes Store is no done using a button on the right. Next to the dropdown is a cloud icon for iCloud that's merely an indicator of whether iCloud is connected or actively downloading.

Clicking on an album drops down a panel the full width of the program window showing tracks, timings, album art, and play options (shuffle, repeat, and so on). You can also add album tracks to any play list or to Up Next (see next section) from here. In a slick design touch, the color of this panel is based on the album cover, so each will usually have a different shade. A button in this tinted area also lets you see related music available on the iTunes Store.

Up Next
A key new feature in iTunes 11 is Up Next. Accessible from a bullet-list icon next to the top-center song information area, it shows you a list of songs are on deck to be played. You can move or remove upcoming songs with the cursor. A clock icon takes you in the other direction chronologically, showing the list of songs you've already listened to. A new context menu next to song entries includes choices for Add to Up Next, as well as simply Play Next, and adding to playlists. Unfortunately, the Play Next and history lists didn't work for Internet radio stations such as SomaFm in my testing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/U9po12iTxl4/0,2817,2368917,00.asp

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How To Make Sure Your SEO Works | Business Solo Professionals ...

SEO Singapore Firm Gets Organic Results Once you have done all the difficult functions in getting your site up and running you are faced with the task of letting the everybody know that it is there. This means you require your site to rank noticeably on search engine results. The possibility of scoring high on results without undertaking SEO or search engine optimization are pretty bad. Being successful at SEO means learning and realizing how to use internet marketing tactics. This is a complex field and most small businesses will have neither the time nor the money to do this. Outsourcing SEO to a specialist service is the way. Making search engines judge your site as an important website is what SEO is concerned with. Search engines evaluate sites on a complete range of criteria. The most basic criterion is on how properly the site is constructed technically. This means professional SEO starts by appraising the website itself. Websites are written in code, and search engines will validate that the code is well written. They also take into account the amount of time it needs for pages to show, and whether or not pages referred to on the site really exist. Other technical areas examined by search engines include things like having text descriptions for images. The primary step in ranking well in the search engine results is to sort out any of these technical difficulties, and consequently, the best SEO businesses will deal with these first. If any such issues have been identified and dealt with, the SEO team can concentrate on marketing the website to better its ranking. SEO is a science that takes skill and experience if it is to be successful. The best search engine optimization services concentrate on getting a site to do well in organic placement, as distinct from paid placement, which may be prohibitively expensive. SEO Singapore can deliver exactly this kind of organic placement. It is not difficult to fritter away significant amounts of money on SEO that fails to provide long lasting results. Make positive your SEO company has a good track record and is able to deliver on its promises. For related articles on SEO or click here to learn more.

Source: http://velgrimes.4ove.com/how-to-make-sure-your-seo-works/

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NVIDIA's Shield May Be A Tough Sell, But Now You Can Pre-Order It From GameStop And Newegg Anyway

If you were among the select few that signed up for NVIDIA's Shield newsletter then you've been able to pre-order the company's curious handset for a few days now. The remainder of the gaming masses originally had to wait until Monday for their own turn, but that's no longer the case -- NVIDIA's retail partners have jumped on the pre-order bandwagon too so you can now stake your claim on a Shield from Newegg, Gamestop, and Canada Computer starting today.

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

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Outdoor News Daily ? Blog Archive ? ODFW to host family fishing ...

May 15th, 2013 | No Comments ? ?Email This News

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a Family Fishing Event Saturday, May 18 from 8:30-2 at Eckman Lake in Waldport. This event is organized and sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Waldport and is a great opportunity to take your family fishing.

This event is part of the ODFW Outdoors program and is designed to introduce young people and their families to the sport of trout fishing. The department will loan out rods, reels, and tackle to individuals who are learning to fish or do not have their own gear. Participants are welcome to bring their own equipment if they prefer. The department will also provide bait.

The Family Fishing event is free and open to the public. ODFW staff and volunteers will be on hand to help participants learn how to bait the hook, cast the rod and land the fish. Volunteers will even help clean the catch and teach participants about fish anatomy and physiology.

Eckman Lake is located 2.5 miles east of Waldport on Highway 34. The family fishing area will be set-up at the Nelson Wayside State Park across from the church parking lot.

Recruiting young anglers through events like the upcoming Family Fishing event at Eckman Lake has been identified as a top priority in ODFW?s 25-Year Angling Enhancement Plan. The plan lays out strategies, actions and pilot projects that ODFW will take to enhance recreational fishing opportunities in Oregon in the years ahead.

Under the 2013 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, anglers aged 13 and under do not need a fishing license, while those 14-17 must possess a Juvenile Angling License, which can be purchased from any ODFW office or license agent for $9. Licenses will not be sold at the Family Fishing event so those who need them should plan to purchase them ahead of time.

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Source: http://outdoornewsdaily.com/odfw-to-host-family-fishing-event-at-eckman-lake/

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Paper wrap: 'The Office' ends its 8-year run

This publicity image released by NBC shows the cast of "The Office," from left, Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Vance, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly Halpert, Jake Lacy as Pete, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon, right, in a scene from the series finale, airing Thursday, May 16, 2013 on NBC. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)

This publicity image released by NBC shows the cast of "The Office," from left, Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Vance, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly Halpert, Jake Lacy as Pete, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon, right, in a scene from the series finale, airing Thursday, May 16, 2013 on NBC. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)

NEW YORK (AP) ? That's a wrap!

Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. lives on, but "The Office" has closed shop.

The NBC workplace comedy, set at the fictional company's Scranton, Pa., branch, aired its finale Thursday to end an eight-year run.

As expected, office manager Dwight wed tempestuous co-worker Angela, with whom he previously shared a secret affair. He had abruptly proposed to her on last week's episode.

And as a welcome surprise, former manager Michael Scott was back to serve as Dwight's best man.

It was an answered prayer not only for Dwight (who greeted him with a choked-up "I can't believe you came"), but also for viewers who were hoping that Michael might make a surprise visit in the person of Steve Carell. NBC had stayed mum on whether Carell, the star of "The Office" until his departure two seasons ago, would be in the finale or not.

"I feel like all my kids grew up and then they married each other," said Michael to the camera at the wedding reception. "It's every parent's dream!"

"The Office" premiered in 2005. It was based on the British comedy of the same name, which premiered in 2001. It starred and was co-created by Ricky Gervais. During its run on NBC, it picked up four Emmys and a prestigious Peabody award.

Other Dunder Mifflin alumni who were back for the finale included Kelly (Mindy Kaling) and Ryan (B.J. Novak).

Set a year after last week's episode, the finale provided comfortable and affectionate closure for the characters and the viewers who love them.

For instance, Andy (Ed Helms), who had left the company to chase stardom, hadn't gotten very far, beyond becoming a laughingstock from a viral video of him bursting into tears when he auditioned for a talent competition.

He had since landed an administrative job at Cornell University.

A "where-are-they-now?" panel reunited the subjects of the Dunder Mifflin mockumentary, whose make-believe production had consumed the run of "The Office" and functioned as its narrative frame.

"Do you feel that your life is pointless, now that nobody is filming you anymore?" one audience member asked.

"Yes," replied Toby (Paul Lieberstein) sadly.

In response to another question, Pam (Jenna Fischer) described her relationship with husband Jim (John Krasinski) as being "like a long book that you never want to end, and you're fine with that, because you just never, ever want to leave it."

"Like 'Harry Potter,'" cooed the questioner as the audience went, "Awwwwwwwww."

Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey) celebrated their wedding, preceded by scenes of the male and female bachelor parties.

Along the way, Dwight buried the hatchet with Kevin (Brian Baumgartner), who had bought a bar after Dwight fired him from the company.

"It was nothing personal," Dwight tried to explain. "It's just that you were terrible at your job."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," said Kevin, accepting his apology.

At the end of the episode, Pam and Jim committed to an overdue exit from their dead-end Dunder Mifflin jobs to start a new life far away, in Austin, Texas.

When they broke the news to Dwight, he fired them on the spot. But he did it as a favor: to qualify them for severance pay.

Moments later, the series' final words were voiced to the camera by Pam, who marveled at all that "The Office" had captured on film: "There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things," she declared. "Isn't that the point?"

___

Online:

www.nbc.com

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-05-16-TV-The%20Office-Finale/id-0eadbdb96e1e4c6f9bcb5634cd26445e

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Where To Find Quality Hearing Aid Repairs ? Hot Article Depot

The quality of hearing aid repairs matters. It is the most important element in fixing the problems of the device. It can be pretty annoying to have the device fixed only to find out later on that it was not fixed properly.

If you have friends who also wear the same device, ask them where they usually go for the fix. You can bring your device to the technician who fixes the problems of their device. This is granting that they are satisfied with his service. You can also check with the shop where you bought the device from.

Most shops have their own resident technician. Check with your shop if they have one. It is also a better idea to have your device fixed by a resident technician of the shop where you bought it from. They know your device very well. It is their product and they are selling it. It follows that they know its problems and the fixes.

Check for the warranty of the device. The set up is that you either you are to bring the device to a designated service center or bring them over the shop. If you bring it to the shop, their own technician will take a look at the device and check for the problem.

The service center is the shop affiliated with the manufacturer or maker of the device. They authorize this center to service their clients. If you are still well withing the warranty period, you can get the device fix for free. Or at least, you will not pay for the whole price of the fix. You are entitled for a certain discount. You can also find other service centers that are not affiliated in any way with the maker of the device.

You have to be careful when dealing them because you do not know their service very well. You have to do a bit of research about their service before you give your device to them. Look for the license of the technician. He should be a licensed technician for this service. He should have completed some technical training and education about how to fix problems for devices used for the ears. You can check the license in your local licensing authority.

You can also go in to an independent service center. This service center is in no way connected with the shop that sold you your device. They are directly connected with the manufacturer. It is either an own division of the manufacturer or a separate one. One that is run by an independent entrepreneur. Either way, both establishments should be able to accept your warranty.

Check if any of these establishments are located within your area. You can check for the license of the establishment if they are operating within your local area. That is because you can just swing by your local licensing office or your local municipality and ask about them.

There are people who can help you there. Ask for references from the technician. He should be able to provide a good list of people with whom you can ask about their hearing aid repairs. They should also be able to honor the warranty indicated on your paper. The process of getting your device fixed is this. It is either you bring it to them or you ship to them.

You can visit the website www.hearsource.com for more helpful information about How To Find Hearing Aid Repairs

Source: http://hotarticledepot.com/where-to-find-quality-hearing-aid-repairs/

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Senator still trying to find votes for background checks (CNN)

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

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Nets beat Bulls 95-92, force Game 7

Brooklyn Nets forward Andray Blatche, right, celebrates with C.J. Watson during the second half in Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Thursday, May 2, 2013. The Nets won 95-92. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Brooklyn Nets forward Andray Blatche, right, celebrates with C.J. Watson during the second half in Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Thursday, May 2, 2013. The Nets won 95-92. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls guard Nate Robinson reacts after forward Carlos Boozer fouled during the second half in Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets in Chicago, Thursday, May 2, 2013. The Nets won 95-92. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, left, defends against Brooklyn Nets forward Reggie Evans during the first half in Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Chicago, Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah defends against a shot by Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half in Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Chicago, Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah reacts after scoring a basket and a free throw during the first half in Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets in Chicago, Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

CHICAGO (AP) ? The Brooklyn Nets wiped out their deficit. Now, they will try and finish off an improbable comeback.

The Nets are one win away from overcoming a 3-1 series hole after beating Chicago 95-92 Thursday night to force a seventh game.

Then again, the way Gerald Wallace sees it, they never should have been in that predicament.

"We feel like we're the better team," he said. "We feel like we shouldn't have gotten down 3-1. We feel like just as they won three games in a row, we can win three games in a row."

Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson each scored 17 points, and the Nets again avoided elimination, beating the short-handed Bulls.

The series goes back to Brooklyn for Game 7 on Saturday, with the winner getting defending champion Miami in the second round.

"We just believed," Johnson said. "We believed in one another. In practice (Wednesday), we went over a lot. More so than anything, it was about who wanted it badder."

The Bulls hung in until the end even though they were missing Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich, but Brooklyn came away with its second straight win to avoid elimination.

A layup by Nazr Mohammed cut the Nets' lead to 93-92 with 25.2 seconds remaining.

Nate Robinson then fouled Andray Blatche, who had missed a free throw only moments earlier. This time, he hit both to make it a three-point game with 19.2 seconds left.

The Bulls had opportunities to tie it, but Marco Belinelli missed a 3-pointer and Joakim Noah stepped out of bounds with about six seconds left.

Chicago still had a chance, though.

Noah tied up Williams after the inbounds, resulting in a jump ball with 3.6 seconds left.

Johnson controlled the ball, and the Nets hung on.

Wallace added 15 points for Brooklyn.

Only eight NBA teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-7 series, but the Nets are in position to do just that.

"Most people would have counted us out being down 3-1," Blatche said. "But we kept fighting. We showed that we have a lot of heart. Now that it's tied up, we have to go out with the same hunger, the same attitude, finish this off."

And the Bulls?

"We're a team of fighters," Noah said. "We keep getting punched in the face, but we fight back. I'm proud of this team."

The Bulls stood their ground even though Hinrich missed his second straight game with a bruised left calf, and Deng got sent home from the arena with flu-like symptoms, forcing coach Tom Thibodeau to shuffle the lineup.

Belinelli started at shooting guard with Jimmy Butler moving to small forward. He scored 22 points and tied a career high with seven assists. Robinson started his second straight game and finished with 18 points, but it's no secret that the offense runs smoother with Hinrich and that he does a better job containing Williams.

"Yes, it was big," Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "It affects the game because he's one of their best players, not just as a defender."

Butler had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Chicago. Noah added 14 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Carlos Boozer scored 14 and grabbed 13 boards.

The Nets were leading 81-73 early in the fourth after 3-pointers by Wallace and C.J. Watson.

Robinson wowed the crowd when he faked picking up his dribble for a jumper and drove past a leaping Kris Humphries for a layup that made it 83-79 with about 7:30 remaining.

Noah scored on a tip-in that made it 87-85 with four minutes left. Then, after Lopez dunked, he rotated over for a huge block of Lopez, delighting the crowd.

The fans were really screaming when Belinelli made a 3 to pull Chicago within 90-88 with 2:19 remaining.

Blatche then banked in a fadeaway with 1:15 remaining, but Robinson quickly answered with just over a minute left.

He also missed a driving layup with 32 seconds to play. Boozer got called for a loose ball foul on the play, and Blatche hit the second free throw to make it 93-90.

"There is not a team in the league that plays harder than them," Carlesimo said. "We could have made it easier on ourselves and given us more of a cushion if we made some layups and free throws late in the game."

Notes: With the Nets and Bulls meeting in Game 7, Rihanna's concert scheduled for Saturday at the Barclays Center is getting moved to Tuesday. The Nets, however, did invite her to the game. ... Carlesimo had this to say about facing a short-handed Bulls team: "Starting with Derrick, their franchise player hasn't played. It seems almost every time we play them, it's a different roster." ... Thibodeau said Hinrich "made good strides" and the Bulls are "hopeful" he'll be ready.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-05-03-BKN-Nets-Bulls-Folo/id-8cb07451718946ea8e6b0c16edb89d63

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Sahara olive tree: Genetic heritage to be preserved

May 3, 2013 ? The Saharan cousin of Mediterranean olive trees remains largely unknown. However, this subspecies (called the Laperinne's olive tree) is of great interest for several reasons. IRD researchers and their partners showed that its longevity is ensured by its original vegetative reproduction. Extremely drought-resistant, this "relict" tree could act as a genetic resource to improve its domestic counterparts, provided conservation actions are implemented to prevent its disappearance.

The most resistant of all olive trees

Contrary to its cultivated counterpart, the Laperrine's olive tree did not choose the mildness of the Mediterranean climate. It grows in the middle of the Sahara desert at an altitude of between 1400 and 2800m, spanning southern Algeria, Niger and northern Sudan. In order to survive in this inhospitable environment over the past several million years, it had to adapt to extremely arid conditions. In order to preserve this exceptional genetic heritage over the course of time, it developed an unusual reproductive strategy. As researchers have demonstrated in a recent synthetic study, it reproduces through vegetative or clonal growth.

A genetic resource for cultivated plants

A symbol of Saharan mountain ecosystems, the Laperrine's olive tree is a source of wood for local populations. Its leaves are also a valued resource to feed animals and are used as a traditional pharmacopoeia. Scientists also underline its agronomic benefits. Indeed, it can be crossed with cultivated olive trees to improve various properties, such as the drought-resistance of the latter. Thanks to molecular analyses, biologists discovered that such crossing has already been carried out previously, confirming the possibility of hybridizing the two subspecies.

An endangered tree

Developing a conservation niche like the Laperrine's olive tree is not a risk-free process. Today it pays the price of its isolation and genetic protectionism. The limited gene flow among populations and its vegetative reproduction method resulted in less genetic mixing over long periods of time. Under current climatic conditions, the number of trees also tends to decrease. This combination of factors leads to the gradual erosion of the genetic diversity, which lowers the ability of the Laperrine's olive tree to adapt to environmental changes and means this subspecies is potentially endangered in the long term.

This research into the ecology and evolutionary history of the Laperrine's olive tree helps to better identify the danger facing this tree -- endemic to the Sahara desert -- and to establish the priorities for conservation programmes.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institut de Recherche pour le D?veloppement (IRD).

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. G. Besnard, F. Anthelme, D. Baali-Cherif. The Laperrine?s olive tree (Oleaceae): a wild genetic resource of the cultivated olive and a model-species for studying the biogeography of the Saharan Mountains. Acta Botanica Gallica, 2012; 159 (3): 319 DOI: 10.1080/12538078.2012.724281

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_environment/~3/OPMsP2pW8hM/130503094711.htm

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California Gun Control Bill, SB 140, Signed Into Law By Jerry Brown

California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Wednesday a measure that increases funding to confiscate the tens of thousands of weapons owned illegally throughout the state.

SB 140, authored by Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), allocates $24 million to identify and seize assault weapons owned by convicted criminals and individuals with serious mental illnesses.

"Today, each California community is a step closer to being safer," Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said in a statement. "This swift action by the Legislature and the Governor to enforce the laws we already have is a wise and worthy investment to reduce gun violence."

Leno's bill was one of 30 gun control bills authored by California legislators in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 children and six adults dead. Other measures include background checks on ammunition purchases, a requirement that all gun owners use lock boxes and expanding the list of criteria one must meet before owning a firearm.

California has a three-year backlog of some 40,000 guns illegally owned by nearly 20,000 residents, according to the state's Bureau of Firearms. Authorities have been unable to confiscate the weapons due to staffing and funding shortages.

"We are fortunate in California to have the first and only system in the nation that tracks and identifies individuals who at one time made legal purchases of firearms but are now barred from possessing them,? said Leno in a statement. ?However, due to a lack of resources, only a few of these illegally possessed weapons have been confiscated, and the mountain of firearms continues to grow each day."

Opponents of Leno's measure argue that gun owners already face exorbitant fees and the money generated as a result would best be spent elsewhere. Assemblyman Brian Jones (R-Santee) told The Huffington Post earlier this month that he thinks the funds should be used for background checks, not confiscation.

"For example, if you go to the DMV and pay for a driver's license, that fee is for processing the driver's license, not for setting up sting operations for catching drunk drivers," he said at the time. "If the legislature wants to raise extra funds for the DOJ, it would have to impose a tax on firearm sales, which requires a two-thirds vote."

Gun control advocates, however, are pleased. "This makes enormous sense and is one of the only ways available to reduce access to already purchased firearms," Deborah Azrael, associate director of the Harvard Youth Violence Prevention Center, told HuffPost earlier this month. "Universal background checks, as much as we should have them, can affect only the next gun purchased, not the sizable reservoir of guns already out there."

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/01/california-gun-control-bill_n_3197224.html

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