BlackBerry wins dismissal of U.S. shareholder lawsuit

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. shareholder lawsuit accusing smartphone manufacturer BlackBerry of seeking to fraudulently obscure its falling market position was dismissed on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan in Manhattan granted the company's motion to dismiss the proposed class-action lawsuit, finding the plaintiffs failed to adequately allege that the company or various executives had made deliberate and material misstatements.

Sullivan said BlackBerry clearly had failed to keep pace with rivals in developing smartphones and information technology, and the defendants "have paid a price for their mistakes by way of demotions, terminations and sizable financial setbacks."

"Nevertheless, corporate failings alone do not give rise to a securities fraud claim," Sullivan said.

David Brower, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at Brower Piven, declined comment. A spokeswoman for BlackBerry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

BlackBerry, known as Research In Motion Ltd until recently, has sought to achieve a turnaround its new Z10 smartphones after years of losing market share as consumers moved to Apple Inc's iPhone as well as smartphones using Google Inc's Android software.

The lawsuit, filed in 2011 by investor Robert Shemian, sought to recover losses on behalf of U.S. shareholders who bought the company's stock from December 2010 through June 2011.

The lawsuit followed a series of setbacks the company suffered in 2011. The complaint cites slowing sales of its aging BlackBerry phone product line, delays in releasing a new operating system and a botched launch of its first tablet.

The lawsuit contended all those setbacks were known by the company and its executives, who nonetheless allegedly began misleading investors, who bought its stock at inflated prices.

From February 11, 2011 to June 17, 2011, when the company announced disappointing earnings and announced layoffs, the company's stock slid from $69.86 to $27.25.

The case is Shemian v. Research In Motion Limited, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 11-04068.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-wins-dismissal-u-shareholder-lawsuit-140238919--sector.html

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Filmmaker who rescued Romanian orphans is killed

ENCINITAS, Calif. (AP) ? A documentary filmmaker known for helping rescue children from squalid Romanian orphanages in the early 1990s was fatally shot following an apparent dispute over the trimming of shrubbery outside his Southern California home, officials said Friday.

John Charles Upton Jr., 56, was found dead Thursday on a dirt path in the yard of his Encinitas home. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said detectives arrested Michael Vilkin, 61, on suspicion of murder. He was being held without bail, pending arraignment Tuesday.

Upton, after learning of the plight of Romanian orphans, publicized the brutal conditions and was instrumental in bringing an estimated two dozen orphans to America for medical care and adoption.

Vilkin, in an interview conducted in county jail, told KGTV in San Diego he fired gunshots in self-defense after Upton menaced him with a gun during a dispute over foliage.

Vilkin said he owns vacant property next to Upton's home, and the two men had a disagreement over trimming shrubs.

"I did not go to him," Vilkin told the station. "He came to me threatening and pulled a gun (on) me."

A statement from the department said a dispute between the two men led to the shooting, which was under investigation.

Upton's brother, Michael Upton, told U-T San Diego that his brother and Vilkin previously argued about trees.

Upton's work in Romania also gained the attention of influential activists, inspiring billionaire philanthropist Richard Branson and actress Jessica Lange to help rescue youngsters from Romania.

Upton went on to create an online network of films about charitable causes.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/filmmaker-rescued-romanian-orphans-killed-231935649.html

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North Korea puts rockets on standby as US official warns regime is no 'paper tiger'

The threats to the U.S. are becoming more strident as North Korea's leader, Kim Jung Un, says his rockets are ready to strike America at any time. But experts do not believe Pyongyang has the capabilities it claims.

By Courtney Kube and Ian Johnston, NBC News

North Korea put its rocket units on standby Friday to attack U.S. military bases in South Korea and the Pacific, after repeated threats and one day after two American stealth bombers flew over the Korean Peninsula in a military exercise.

A U.S. official warned that the isolated communist state is ?not a paper tiger? and its reaction should not be dismissed as ?pure bluster.?

According to the North Korea's official KCNA news agency, the country's leader Kim Jong Un ?judged the time has come to settle accounts with the U.S. imperialists in view of the prevailing situation? at a midnight meeting of top generals, Reuters reported.

The latest threat comes one day after?two nuclear-capable stealth bombers flew from Missouri?to drop inert munitions on a range in South Korea as part of a major military exercise.

KCNA via EPA

Kim Jong Un, seen at what was described as an urgent meeting overnight, has ordered his rocket forces to be on standby to strike U.S. and South Korean targets at any time.

The U.S. official emphasized the danger posed by North Korea?s military and the unpredictable nature of its 30-year-old leader.

?North Korea is not a paper tiger so it wouldn't be smart to dismiss its provocative behavior as pure bluster. What's not clear right now is how much risk Kim Jong Un is willing to run to show the world and domestic elites that he's a tough guy,? said the official, who asked not to be named. ?His inexperience is certain -- his wisdom is still very much in question.?

There was a mass demonstration in support of Kim?involving tens of thousands of people?in the main square of North Korean capital Pyongyang Friday, The Associated Press reported.

Placards read "Let's crush the puppet traitor group" and "Let's rip the puppet traitors to death!"

'War for national liberation'
The state-controlled KCNA also published an article that said the ?opportunity for peacefully settling the DPRK-U.S. relations is no longer available as the U.S. opted for staking its fate. Consequently, there remains only the settlement of accounts by a physical means.? DPRK stands for Democratic People?s Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

David Guttenfelder / AP

As chief Asia photographer for the Associated Press, David Guttenfelder has had unprecedented access to communist North Korea. Here's a rare look at daily life in the secretive country.

?A battle to be fought by the DPRK against the U.S. will become a war for national liberation to defend the sovereignty and dignity of the country and, at the same time, a revolutionary war to defend the human cause of independence and the justice of the international community,? the article by ?news analyst? Minju Joson said.

South Korea?s Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean military official as saying that there had been ?increased movement of vehicles and forces? at missile launch sites in the North. ?We are closely watching possibilities of missile launches,? the unnamed official said.

North Korea routinely issues hostile statements but analysts have noted recent remarks have become more belligerent. In December, the North carried out a long-range rocket test and then detonated a nuclear bomb in a test earlier this year.

North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un has issued almost daily threats, including the threat of nuclear strikes on Washington, D.C., and Seoul. In addition, Pyongyang has put its troops on combat readiness, warning that war "may break out at any moment." NBC's Ian Williams reports.

At a daily news briefing Friday, China?s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said China was calling for an easing of tensions.

But some fear the situation could be getting out of control.

"It seems that Kim Jong Un is in the driving seat of a train that has been taken on a joyride," Lee Min-yong, an expert on North Korea at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, told Reuters.

Russia, meanwhile, appeared to criticize the U.S. over Thursday's bomber mission.

"We are concerned that alongside the adequate, collective reaction of the U.N. Security Council, unilateral action is being taken around North Korea that is increasing military activity," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow, according to Reuters.

"The situation could simply get out of control; it is slipping toward the spiral of a vicious cycle," he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related:

PhotoBlog: North Koreans rally in support of leader's call to arms

Nuclear-capable stealth bombers sent to South Korea amid Kim Jong Un's threats

Despite rhetoric from North, South Koreans carry on

This story was originally published on Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:11 AM EDT

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653387/s/2a224652/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C290C175132180Enorth0Ekorea0Eputs0Erockets0Eon0Estandby0Eas0Eus0Eofficial0Ewarns0Eregime0Eis0Eno0Epaper0Etiger0Dlite/story01.htm

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Backed By General Catalyst Partners & First Round Capital, Chloe & Isabel Offers A Modern, Tech-Savvy Take On Direct-Selling

When many people think of direct-selling, they envision Tupperware parties or pink-suited women lugging cases of cosmetics door-to-door. New direct-selling companies, however, are using social media to disrupt the industry. Chloe & Isabel is part of the new wave of startups currently re-defining direct selling, and giving people with an entrepreneurial bent--in particular young women--a way to leverage their social medial contacts into a business.

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

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Boston mayor announces he won't seek re-election

BOSTON (AP) ? Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has announced he won't seek re-election to an unprecedented sixth term after nearly two decades in office.

Menino told well-wishers gathered at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall Thursday afternoon that "I will leave the job that I love."

Menino's announcement came in the wake of persistent health problems including a six-week hospital state last year to treat a respiratory infection and a compression fracture in his spine. He says, "I'm back to a mayor's schedule, but not a Menino schedule"

His decision not to run is expected to spark a political stampede to fill the coveted seat.

Menino wasn't always the smoothest of political figures, but he earned a reputation as one of the hardest working, from filling potholes to shaping the city's skyline.

He also became a prominent voice nationally in favor of stricter gun control measures.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boston-mayor-announces-wont-seek-election-202207109--election.html

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Mortar shells strike Damascus, killing at least 10

BEIRUT (AP) ? Mortar shells crashed into an outdoor cafe at Damascus University on Thursday, killing at least 10 students in the deadliest of a rising number of mortar attacks in the heart of the Syrian capital.

The strikes have escalated as rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad try to enter the city, terrifying civilians whose support the opposition needs to advance its cause.

It was unclear who fired the rounds. The government blamed "terrorists," its blanket term for those fighting Assad's regime. Anti-regime activists accused the regime of staging the attack to turn civilians against the rebels.

Mortar strikes on Damascus are relatively new in Syria's crisis, which began in March 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster, then evolved into a civil war. The U.N. says more than 70,000 have been killed in the conflict.

Since last month, mortar shells have hit previously safe parts of the capital with increasing frequency. The near-daily strikes have frightened residents, and many have begun to avoid open areas and put plastic on their windows to help block flying glass from an explosion or shrapnel.

Some shells appear aimed at government targets, such as one of Assad's palaces and the general command of the Syrian army. Others have hit near civilian targets, including the Sheraton Hotel and a soccer stadium, both on the city's west side. Mortar shells also have struck in areas to the east, like the Christian neighborhood of Bab Touma.

Thursday's strike was the deadliest yet.

State-run Al-Ikhbariya TV showed video of the university cafe where blood pooled on tiles and plastic chairs and pens and eyeglasses littered the area. Later video showed people being treated in a hospital, including a woman with white bandages around her head and a man whose back was peppered with shrapnel wounds.

The dining facility belongs to the Faculty of Architecture in Damascus's central Baramkeh district.

State TV said 15 people were killed in the strike, but the official news agency, SANA, put the death toll at 10 and said dozens were wounded. It also reported three other mortar strikes nearby.

The opposition activist group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, put the death toll at 13.

Similar mortar attacks on Tuesday killed at least three people and wounded dozens. Six people were killed by mortar shells in different parts of the city on March 11.

"No one anywhere in the world can imagine a more criminal act than this," SANA quoted Amer al-Mardini, the president of the university, as saying. He said he hoped the wounded would heal quickly and "resume their studies as soon as possible."

Anti-regime activists accused the regime of launching the attack to tarnish the opposition's image.

Elizabeth O'Bagy, who studies the Syrian rebels at the Institute for the Study of War, said it was not possible to determine who was behind the attack, but it appeared to fit the regime's pattern of escalation. In other aspects of the war, such as the use of airstrikes or Scud missiles, the regime has gone from trying to target rebels to more indiscriminate attacks on civilians, she said.

"Because of the fact that it does follow regime behavior, it is more likely to be a regime attack," she said, while acknowledging it could also have been a rebel misfire.

Rebels have established footholds in a number of Damascus suburbs but have only been able to push into limited areas in the south and northeast parts of the capital. The government has retained its grip of downtown Damascus, although the mortar strikes have deepened fear among many residents that they will soon see the violence that has damaged many other Syrian cities.

Thursday was not the first time Syria's universities have been targeted. On Jan. 15, twin blasts hit Aleppo University, killing more than 80 people. The opposition said the regime had bombed the university, while the government accused rebels of striking it with rockets.

Also Thursday, Ghassan Hitto, the newly elected prime minister of the main opposition bloc, said he was reviewing candidates for a planned rebel interim government. It will be a service-oriented administration with nine to 12 ministries and will be based inside Syria, Hitto said during a meeting with Syrian expats in Qatar.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said the head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Mouaz al-Khatib, has decided to continue serving until his six-month term ends in May. Al-Khatib resigned on March 24, citing frustration with the group and its level of international support. The Coalition rejected his resignation.

Syria's conflict threatens to destabilize neighboring countries, where more than 1 million refugees have fled to escape the violence.

In Jordan, on Syria's southern border, a riot broke out Thursday in a refugee camp after Jordanian authorities refused to let buses full of refugees return to Syria because of violence over the border. U.N. refugee liaison Ali Bibi said it was unclear how many refugees were involved in the melee at the Zaatari camp, but no one was injured.

To the north, Turkey denied reports that it was deporting hundreds of Syrian refugees for rioting on Wednesday in a camp in Akcakale after a fire killed a 7-year-old child. A camp official said local authorities identified 300 people involved in the uprising and prepared to deport them, but the government stopped them.

A Foreign Ministry official said 100 refugees asked to leave the camp and return to Syria on their own.

The U.N. refugee agency did not confirm the reports, but said it was concerned about possible deportations of refugees.

In Israel, on Syria's southeastern border, the military said it was beefing up medical teams along the border because of several cases of wounded Syrians crossing the frontier for medical care. Eleven Syrians have been treated in Israeli hospitals, including one who died from his wounds on Wednesday, a military official said. Others returned home after their conditions improved.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

____

Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Bradley Klapper in Washington; Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Dale Gavlak in Amman, Jordan, contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mortar-shells-strike-damascus-killing-least-10-194108325.html

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Twitter's Ad Revenue Is Getting Close To The ... - Business Insider

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Beware! Old slights can bolster new bias claims ? Business ...

Here?s an important factor when considering discharge: Dis??crimi??nation complaints made years ago can form the basis for a lawsuit if the underlying events show a pattern of discrimination.

Recent case: Javier worked for Champion for a decade before being terminated for allegedly missing an important safety meeting. Javier is a Mexican citizen who has been in the United States since 1988 as a resident alien authorized to work.

Over the 10 years he worked for the company, he made several discrimination claims. Two involved his super?visor?s decision to give him a smaller raise than others. After complaining, he received larger raises.

He also complained to his boss that non-Mexican co-workers received more privileges, to which the supervisor allegedly replied, ?They are Americans, and you aren?t. You?re Mexican and not the same as them.?

Then the supervisor OK?d Javier?s vacation request, only to revoke the approval and instead allow a non-?Mexican to take vacation during that time period. On the day before he was fired, Javier claims his boss tricked him into leaving early and then got him fired in retaliation for complaining about the vacation incident.

When Javier sued, Champion argued that Javier couldn?t use the old incidents to prove that his boss had set him up for termination in part because of an anti-Mexican prejudice.

The court disagreed and said that while the old incidents couldn?t be used as separate discriminatory acts, they could bolster his claim he was fired because of his national origin. (Gonzalez v. Champion Technologies, No. 14-11-00612, Court of Appeals of Texas, 14th District, 2012)

Final note: Before approving a termination, make sure there aren?t prior complaints against the supervisor who recommended the firing. If there are, get the employee?s version of events and then seek legal advice.

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Why Can't All Matchboxes Look This Nice?

We all know the familiar, dotted pattern of a matchbox striking strip. It's distinctive, but not particularly pretty. But with a splash of color and a little geometric variation, you can actually get something worth having out on the shelf. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-CUwkXEZkCw/why-cant-all-matchboxes-look-this-nice

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Cooking at Montreal's Top Restaurants | Food+Drink

FINALLY! We?ve been working so hard on these shoots, and we?re officially ready to preview what we have in store for our readers.?You may have seen some teaser pictures we?ve been uploading to Instagram?over the last couple of weeks, but it?s now time to see what we?ve been doing ON VIDEO.

The Main Eats Out?takes you behind the scenes of Montreal?s best restaurants. Follow us as we interview local chefs, get drunk with them, prepare some unique plates, and devour our creations over more drinks and random, yet hilarious discussions.

Host: Morgan Rae
Director: Philip Tabah
Camera + Editing: Erik Hutt and Tommy Keith

?

Philip Tabah

Philip founded The Main in 2012 to make it all the easier to discover what?s brewing under the radar in Montreal. When he's not too busy running The Main, he spends his time finding Montreal's Cheapest and Best food and writing about it for the Food section.

More Posts - Website

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Source: http://www.themainmtl.com/2013/03/27/video-the-main-eats-out-teaser/

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Possible Japanese Shrine Fragment Washes Up in Oregon

A curved piece of wood, painted red, removed from a beach in Oregon may be a piece of a shrine set to sea by the 2011 Japanese tsunami.

The debris has not yet been confirmed as originating from the tsunami, but the chief public relations officer of the Association of Shinto Shrines told Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) that the wood appears to be part of a torii, a gate over the entrance of a Shinto shrine.

If so, the driftwood would hardly be the first object to make its way across the Pacific in the two years since the tsunami hit, killing more than 15,000 people. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has confirmed 21 pieces of debris from the tsunami on Pacific isles and the North American coastline. These confirmed pieces include docks, boats and other objects with serial numbers or identifying marks.

Meanwhile, the agency has received reports of more than 1,000 more pieces of debris that may be tsunami-related, and materials such as housing insulation have shown up in larger-than-usual quantities in Alaska and Hawaii. Debris from Japan is a constant visitor to North American shores, so most of the items will likely never be definitively linked to the tsunami, though scientists suspect they are related.

Tsunami damage

The Japanese government estimates that the March 2011 tsunami pulled some 5 million tons of rubble into the Pacific. Most of that debris sank off the coast of Japan, but approximately 1.5 million tons moved farther out to sea. No one knows how much is still drifting.

Oregon has seen its fair share of debris, including an enormous dock covered in sea life that washed up near Newport, Ore., in June 2012. This month alone, several small boats suspected to be tsunami debris washed up onshore, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The boats were taken to landfills. [See Images of the Beached Tsunami Dock]

According to OPB, Judson Randall of Oceanside, Ore., spotted the possible Shinto gate on Friday, March 22.

"My first thought was that it was something from the tsunami, because it had all that marine life on it and it looked man-made," Randall told the news agency. "It was a chilling thought."

Lost shrines

The religious symbolism of the possible shrine fragment could make it more sensitive than other tsunami debris. Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan, and the Association of Shinto Shrines oversees about 80,000 shrines spread throughout the country.?More than 4,500 Shinto shrines were damaged or destroyed by the tsunami or rendered unusable by radiation from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown after the 2011 disaster, according to the Washington Post.

The possible torii has been removed from the beach. Officials are awaiting response from the Japanese government to decide what to do with the object.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter?and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook?& Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/possible-japanese-shrine-fragment-washes-oregon-224803070.html

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OnBlog: Location, location, location?.near public transportation

By Jackie Berg, Marketing Director

A new study by the American Public Transit Association (APTA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed that during the last recession, residential real estate performed 41% better on average if located near public transportation with high-frequency service.

Not surprising, right? Consideration for the environment and buyers? pocketbooks have come to the forefront of the new buyer?s decision to move to an area matching their values. The study also shows buyers are willing to pay more for walkable neighborhoods with access to jobs and amenities such as transit.

Take a few minutes to dive into this great report. We hope you?ll also take a minute to consider adding this crucial transit information to your site as well ? especially for our existing clients who could add this bit of Local Content fairly quickly.

Smart Growth Home Values Performed Better Near Public Transportation 2013 03 by REALTORS?

Tags: public transportation data, real estate location near public transportation, transit data, transit data real estate, transit data vendor.

Source: http://blog.onboardinformatics.com/2013/03/location-location-location-near-public-transportation/

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Obesity may be linked to microorganisms living in the gut

Mar. 26, 2013 ? How much a person eats may be only one of many factors that determines weight gain. A recent Cedars-Sinai study suggests that a breath test profile of microorganisms inhabiting the gut may be able to tell doctors how susceptible a person is to developing obesity.

The study, published online Thursday by The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, shows that people whose breath has high concentrations of both hydrogen and methane gasses are more likely to have a higher body mass index and higher percentage of body fat.

"This is the first large-scale human study to show an association between gas production and body weight -- and this could prove to be another important factor in understanding one of the many causes of obesity," said lead author Ruchi Mathur, MD, director of the Diabetes Outpatient Treatment and Education Center in the Division of Endocrinology at Cedars-Sinai.

The study, which will also appear in JCEM's April 2013 issue, analyzed the breath content of 792 people. Based on the breath tests, four patterns emerged. The subjects either had normal breath content, higher concentrations of methane, higher levels of hydrogen, or higher levels of both gases. Those who tested positive for high concentrations of both gases had significantly higher body mass indexes and higher percentages of body fat.

The presence of methane is associated with a microorganism called Methanobrevibacter smithii. This organism is responsible for the majority of methane production in the human host.

"Usually, the microorganisms living in the digestive tract benefit us by helping convert food into energy. However, when this particular organism -- M. smithii -- becomes overabundant, it may alter this balance in a way that causes someone to be more likely to gain weight," Mathur said.

These organisms scavenge hydrogen from other microbes and use it to produce methane -- which is eventually exhaled by the host. Researchers theorize this interaction helps neighboring hydrogen-producing bacteria thrive and extract nutrients from food more efficiently. Over time, this may contribute to weight gain.

"Essentially, it could allow a person to harvest more calories from their food," Mathur said.

In an ongoing study funded by the American Diabetes Association, Mathur is working to confirm the link between M. smithii, obesity and pre-diabetic conditions by determining how efficiently people digest food before and after eliminating the microorganism with a targeted dose of antibiotic. Participants who have evidence of methane on their breath are given a standard diet over three days, undergo an oral glucose challenge, and swallow a "smart pill" to track how fast the food moves through their bodies. In addition, their stool is collected and sent for calorie analysis allowing researchers to determine how many calories are being harvested during digestion. Participants then repeat the same tests after taking the antibiotic regimen to see if elimination of the organism results in measureable changes.

"This should let us know just how energy balance is affected by M. smithii," Mathur said, "We're only beginning to understand the incredibly complex communities that live inside of us. If we can understand how they affect our metabolism, we may be able to work with these microscopic communities to positively impact our health."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

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Journal Reference:

1. Ruchi Mathur et al. Methane and Hydrogen Positivity on Breath Test is Associated with Greater Body Mass Index and Body Fat. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2013; (in press)

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/1rYGnU62ogc/130326095058.htm

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Music review: Kacey Musgraves' album makes her a Nashville star ...

This Feb. 20, 2013 photo shows Kacey Musgraves at the Barista Parlor in Nashville, Tenn. Musgraves' latest CD, "Same Trailer Different Park," was released on March 19, 2013. (Photo by Donn JonesInvision/AP)

Music review: Kacey Musgraves? album makes her a Nashville star

By david burger

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Mar 25 2013 01:55 pm ? Last Updated Mar 25 2013 01:56 pm

Grade ? B+

CD ? 2013 has already proved to be rich for first-rate country albums, with superb releases from The Mavericks and Ashley Monroe. The trend continues with Kacey Musgraves, whose major-label debut "Same Trailer Different Park" is not only intriguing vocally but engaging lyrically, with every song co-written by the 24-year-old East Texas native.

Showing the verve that she displayed when writing Miranda Lambert?s single "Mama?s Broken Heart," Musgraves looks to be on the right path ? as long as she keeps the slickness away and continues writing about deferred dreams and the not-so-quiet desperation of women yearning to breathe free.

Don?t miss her when she opens for Kenny Chesney this July.

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/56006249-81/musgraves-continues-kacey-writing.html.csp

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Remains of the Day: Google+ Mobile App Updates Bring Photo Editing and Communities

Google+ gets a big update for its mobile apps, Facebook Pages get threaded comments, the F.A.A. is reconsidering its ban on electronics during takeoff and landing, and Spotify may be looking into streaming video.

• Google+: New apps for iPhone and Android Today Google launched new versions of their Google+ app for iPhone and Android. Now you can use some of Snapseed's basic photo edits and filters from within Google+. display your current location on your profile, and manage Communities on your phone. The update is now available in both the App and Play Stores. [Google+]
• Improving Conversations on Facebook with Replies Facebook has introduced threaded comments to Pages users, allowing those who follow and moderate popular pages to reply to specific comments in an indented hierarchy. [Facebook]
• Disruptions: F.A.A. May Loosen Curbs on Fliers' Use of Electronics A New York Times report states that sources in the F.A.A. claim that the Administration hopes to relax restrictions on the use of electronics during takeoff and landing by the end of the year. The relaxed rules would only cover reading devices like tablets, not cell phones. [NYTimes]
• Spotify Plans To Take On Netflix And HBO With Streaming Video Service Rumor states that on-demand music service Spotify may be looking to add video its stream. However, Spotify's streaming video plans may include original content, as the company is rumored to be looking for partners that can help fund or create original content. [Business Insider]

Photo by photastic (Shutterstock), a2bb5s (Shutterstock), and Feng Yu (Shutterstock).

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/ZhWyqpXGWJ0/remains-of-the-day-google%252B-mobile-app-updates-bring-photo-editing-and-communities

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Woods back on top in golf

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) ? The moment was vintage Tiger Woods, and so was his reaction.

Seconds after Rickie Fowler made a 40-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole to pull within two shots of the lead, Woods posed over his 25-foot birdie putt until he swept the putter upward in his left hand and marched toward the cup as it dropped for a birdie.

Fowler, standing on the edge of the green, turned with a slight smile as if to say, "What else can I do?"

Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Monday and returned to No. 1 in the world for the first time since October 2010, the longest spell of his career. After all that time, after so much turmoil with his personal life and his health, Woods looks as good as ever.

Maybe better.

"It's a byproduct of hard work, patience and getting back to winning golf tournaments," Woods said.

He essentially wrapped up his eighth title at Bay Hill with an 8-iron out of a fairway bunker on the par-5 16th that easily cleared the water and landed safely on the green for a two-putt birdie. Woods dangled his tongue out of his mouth as the ball was in the air, another sign of his swagger.

Just like his other two wins this year, Woods never let anyone get closer than two shots in the final round. With a conservative bogey he could afford on the final hole, he closed with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot win over Justin Rose.

Woods walked off the 18th green waving his putter over his head ? truly a magic wand at Bay Hill ? to acknowledge the fans who have seen this act before. His eighth win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational tied a PGA Tour record that had not been touched in 48 years.

This win had extra significance. He's back to No. 1.

"If I get healthy, I know I can play this game at a high level," Woods said. "I know I can be where I'm contending in every event, contending in major championships and being consistent day in and day out ? if I got healthy. That was the first step in the process. Once I got there, then my game turned."

A year ago, he came to Bay Hill without having won in more than 2? years. He left this year having won six times in his last 20 starts on the PGA Tour.

Next up is the Masters, where Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors.

"I'm really excited about the rest of this year," Woods said.

Woods fell as low as No. 58 in the world as he coped with the collapse of his marriage, a loss of sponsors and injuries to his left leg. One week after he announced he was dating Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, Woods returned to the top of golf.

"Number 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!" Vonn tweeted moments after his win.

Asked if there was any correlation to him winning right after going public with his relationship, Woods smiled and said, "You're reading way too much into this."

Like so many other victories, this one was never really close.

Fowler pulled to within two shots with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, but after he and Woods made bogey on the 15th, Fowler went at the flag on the par-5 16th and came up a few yards short and into the water. Fowler put another ball into the water and made triple bogey.

"I was swinging it well. I made a few putts, and trying to put a little pressure on them, let them know I was there," Fowler said. "Just would like to have that 7-iron back on 16. Just kind of a touch heavy."

Woods played it safe on the 18th, and nearly holed a 75-foot par putt that even drew a big smile from the tournament host.

Woods tied the tour record of eight wins in a single tournament. Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times from 1938 to 1965 at two golf courses. Woods tied his record for most wins at a single golf course, having also won eight times at Torrey Pines, including a U.S. Open.

"I don't really see anybody touching it for a long time," Palmer said while Woods made his way up the 18th fairway. "I had the opportunity to win a tournament five times, and I knew how difficult that was."

Rose, who played the first two rounds with Woods, closed with a 70 to finish alone in second.

He pulled to within two shots of Woods with a birdie on the 16th. Woods was in the group behind him in the fairway bunker on the par 5, and hit 8-iron over the water and onto the middle of the green for a two-putt birdie to restore his margin.

"He plays every shot like he plays them on Sunday," Rose said. "His intensity is the same on Thursday often as it is on Sunday, and that makes Sunday a lot less different for him. He plays in that kind of atmosphere far more regularly than a lot of guys do, and it's an adjustment for most of us. It's a known for him."

Fowler had to settle for a 73 and a tie for third with Mark Wilson (71), Keegan Bradley (71) and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (72).

Rory McIlroy had been No. 1 since he won the PGA Championship last August. He can reclaim the No. 1 ranking by winning the Houston Open this week. Woods heads home to south Florida for two weeks before the Masters.

Asked the last time he felt this good going to Augusta National, Woods replied, "It's been a few years."

This was the fourth time in his career that he already had three PGA Tour wins before the Masters ? he didn't win a green jacket in any of the previous years (2000, 2003 and 2008). More telling, perhaps, is that Woods has won back-to-back starts for the first time since the Buick Open and Bridgestone Invitational in August 2009.

"I think it shows that my game is consistent," he said. "It's at a high level."

Woods finished at 13-under 275 and won for the 77th time on the PGA Tour, moving to within five of Snead's record.

Fowler, his first time playing with Woods in the final group, opened with eight pars when he needed to be making up ground. And when he finally had a few openings on the back nine, Woods refused to let him through.

Woods salvaged a two-putt par with a 7-footer on the 11th hole to keep a three-shot lead. On the next hole, Fowler looked to gain some momentum when he made a 40-foot birdie putt only for Woods to match him with that 25-foot birdie.

Woods produced some absurd statistics with the putter this week, making 19 of 28 putts from between 7 feet and 20 feet.

He walked off the green to share a handshake with Palmer, along with a big smile and some words that Woods said were best kept private. He left the course in that familiar blue blazer that goes to the winner.

And he left as the No. 1 player in the world.

It's the 11th time that Woods has gone back to No. 1, tied with Greg Norman since the ranking began in 1986. Still to be determined is how long Woods stays there this time.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/woods-back-top-golf-210032311--golf.html

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Southwest Airlines leads travel industry in mobile customer ...

Southwest Airlines is the leader when it comes to mobile customer satisfaction in the travel industry thanks to a simple, no-frills approach that translates well to the mobile experience, according to a new report from ForeSee.

The rest of the airline industry trails behind Southwest Airlines, with no company within 5 points of it in mobile satisfaction. Customers gave Southwest Airlines a score of 82 on ForeSee?s 100-point scale, followed by Choice Hotels with 80 and Marriott with 79.

?Southwest is clearly ahead of the rest,? said Eric Feinberg, senior director of mobile, media and entertainment at ForeSee, Ann Arbor, MI. ?Consumers love the simplicity of their whole experience.

?The other thing worth noting is that competition is really pretty tight, few companies are really standing out from the pack, and as a whole the scores are fairly blah,? he said.

?That means there is a lot of opportunity to innovate and provide a superior experience, but that?s going to take a better understanding of what the customer wants.?

Understanding mobile users
The ForeSee ?Mobile Satisfaction Index: Travel Edition? report?found that of all the measured travel categories, hotel mobile customers are most satisfied, with an average score of 78. Airlines and car rental companies tied at 77 while online travel agencies score lowest at 76.

When it comes to mobile customer satisfaction with hotel sites and applications, Choice Hotels is on top with a score of 80, followed by Marriott with 79, Hyatt with 78, Intercontinental and Wyndham each with 78, Hilton and Starwood each with 77 and Best Western with 76.

With 84 percent of leisure travelers visiting the mobile sites and apps of online travel agencies, the competition is tight in this category with room for differentiation and innovation.

Kayak.com has a mobile customer satisfaction score of 78

The result suggests travel aggregators need to do a better job of understanding what leisure travelers need in the mobile space.

Kayak.com and Travelocity.com come out on top in terms of mobile customer satisfaction in the online travel agency category and each has a score of 78. They are followed by Expedia.com and Priceline.com, each with 76, and Hotels.com and Orbitz.com, each with 75.

After Southwest Airlines? commanding lead in the airlines category with a score of 82 comes American Airlines and Delta Airlines, each with a score of 77. They are followed by United Airlines with a score of 75 and US Airways with 74.

The mobile experience
In the car rental category, Avis Rent-a-Car and Enterprise Rent-a-Car each have a score of 78, Budget and Hertz each come in at 77 and Dollar has 75.

For car rentals, Avis and Enterprise share the podium at 78, Budget and Hertz tie for second with a 77. Dollar trails everyone at 75.

The results also show that 70 percent of mobile users book from home while only 12 percent are on the go when booking these services.

?Our research finds that more than 70 percent of those surveyed who were using a mobile device to do some travel planning were doing so from the comfort of their own home,? Mr. Feinberg said. ?So location isn?t so much about where in the world are you using your mobile device, but where in the home.

?That could mean trouble for PC makers, but it also emphasizes the importance of providing the best experience possible on the mobile platform,? he said.

Other key findings include customers using mobile apps are slightly more satisfied than those using mobile sites, with respective scores of 78 and 77.

Additionally, 43 percent of users access mobile travel sites and apps to research compared with 23 percent who do so to book a service or flight. Those using mobile to research give the services a satisfaction score of 77 while those who do so to book give a score of 79.

?Our research shows that the mobile experience is lagging,? Mr. Feinberg said. ?A better understanding of how customers are using mobile devices in their travel planning can provide some direction to travel brands.

?And let?s get granular with that understanding ?? what?s the experience like on different-sized screens and operating systems,? he said. ?It?s anyone?s game now, and the company that innovates best can solidify the loyalty of its customer base, draw new customers and get ahead of the pack in a the new mobile frontier.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York

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Source: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/southwest-airlines-leads-in-travel-industry-in-mobile-customer-satisfaction-foresee

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Mars Curiosity rover gets back to sending snapshots

NASA / JPL-Caltech / Marco Di Lorenzo / Ken Kremer

The Curiosity rover's instrument-laden robotic arm is front and center in this mosaic view captured by the Mars rover's NavCam system and assembled by Marco Di Lorenzo and Ken Kremer. The colorized black-and-white imagery was captured on March 23. Click on the image to see the full panorama.

By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News

After a week of down time due to a computer glitch, NASA's Mars Curiosity rover is once again sending back pictures of its rocky Red Planet locale at Yellowknife Bay. In this fresh panorama, the rover looks as if it's sticking its drill-equipped robotic arm right in your face.

"That drill is hungry, looking for something tasty to eat, and 'you' (loaded with water and organics) are it," jokes scientist-writer Ken Kremer, who collaborated with Italian colleague Marco Di Lorenzo to assemble the panorama.

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Curiosity's percussive drill played a key role in the science team's most recently reported breakthrough: the finding that powder drilled out of a Martian rock contained the chemical traces of a life-friendly environment that existed on Mars billions of years ago. The team's chemical analysis of the powder indicated that the minerals were probably formed in the presence of drinkable water.

That kind of water no longer exists in liquid form on the Martian surface. The place where Curiosity is currently working may have once been in the vicinity of a riverbed, but it's now a cold and dry wasteland of sand and rock. In the weeks to come, Curiosity's scientists plan to drill into the rock again, looking for confirmatory clues about the potentially habitable environment in the Red Planet's past.

The plan has been held up due to a series of minor setbacks?? including a memory failure that may have been due to a cosmic-ray strike, a precautionary stand-down to weather a solar storm, and most recently a computer file glitch that put the rover into safe mode. The Curiosity team has been carefully bringing the rover back to full operation, and this picture is presumably part of the checkout process.

It won't be long before the rover will once more have to reduce its contact with its handlers back on Earth, due to an Earth-Mars-sun conjunction that will interfere with radio signaling. Curiosity's communication gap is expected to last from April 4 to May 1, as detailed in a mission update from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. During the break, Curiosity is expected to carry on with its experiments, but the transmission of science data and images will have to wait until May. So let's enjoy these fresh images while we can.

For more of Curiosity's raw imagery, check out the galleries on JPL's Mars Science Laboratory website. You'll also find great pictures on UnmannedSpaceflight.com, where Kremer, Di Lorenzo and other image-processing gurus post their work. If you have 3-D glasses, whip 'em out and take a look at Ed Truthan's red-blue view of Curiosity's first drilling site.

Trace the Curiosity rover's journey to Mars and see the pictures that the six-wheeled robot has sent back from the Red Planet.

More about Mars:

---

Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log and the rest of NBCNews.com's science and space coverage, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/29ea2952/l/0Lphotoblog0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C230C174318840Emars0Ecuriosity0Erover0Egets0Eback0Eto0Esending0Esnapshots0Dlite/story01.htm

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Marines ID gunman, 2 victims in base shooting

QUANTICO, Va. (AP) ? A Marine who shot two of his colleagues to death and then killed himself was a tactics instructor at a school that tests Marines who want to become officers, military officials said Saturday.

Sgt. Eusebio Lopez, 25, gunned down 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Sara Castromata and Cpl. Jacob Wooley, 23, on Thursday night inside barracks at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in northern Virginia. Other than to say the three Marines worked together at the school, military officials have not described their relationship or released a motive for the shooting.

Lopez, of Pacifica, Calif., was a teacher whose specialty was machine gunner. He joined the corps in May 2006 and deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Castromata, of Oakley, Calif., was a warehouse clerk who had been in the Marines since December 2011. Wooley, of Guntown, Miss., was a field radio operator. He joined the Marines in February 2010.

Lopez was an instructor at officer candidates school, known for its grueling 10-week program that evaluates Marines on physical stamina, intelligence and leadership. The candidates must complete obstacle courses, hikes of up to 12 miles in full combat gear and take classes on navigation and tactics that help them in the field, according to the school's website.

Lopez's great-grandfather, also Eusebio Lopez, said the Marines contacted their family on Friday night.

"They told us they were investigating more, and they'd let us know. He wasn't the type to do stuff like that," said Lopez, 81.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/marines-id-gunman-2-victims-va-shooting-023203158.html

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The Mediterranean Diet

Food That Can Save Your Life
By Rebecca Taggart

We have been told for two decades that eating like Italians, Spaniards, and Greeks is good for us, because epidemiological studies have shown that people from those Mediterranean countries have lower rates of heart disease. It was not possible, however, to tie those findings directly to their diets?until now.

The first major trial to actually test the Mediterranean diet?s direct effect on the number of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths suffered by participants, concluded that the diet reduced the risk of heart disease by a whopping 30 percent, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February.

So what is a Mediterranean diet? The study defined it generally as a ?high intake of olive oil, fruit, nuts, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals; a moderate intake of fish and poultry; a low intake of dairy products, red meat, processed meats, and sweets; and wine in moderation, consumed with meals.? The research involved 7,447 people in Spain who were randomly assigned to one of three groups?two that followed variations of the Mediterranean diet and a control group. Participants were not told to limit calories, nor were they encouraged to exercise or told to avoid it.

Five a Day
More specifically, the two Mediterranean diet groups were told to eat at least three servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables every day, and to cook and eat a tomato sauce made with garlic, onion, and herbs at least twice a week. They were asked to eat fish and legumes, including beans, peas, and lentils, at least three times a week. Both groups were to eat white meat instead of red, and for those already used to drinking alcohol, to have a glass or two of wine with meals. Finally, both groups were advised to avoid commercially-made cookies, cakes, and pastries, and to limit their consumption of dairy products and processed foods, including processed meats such as sausage and ham.

Both of the Mediterranean diet groups were asked to increase their intake of extra-virgin olive oil and nuts, but in differing amounts. The first group was encouraged to consume at least 50 grams, or four tablespoons, per day of extra-virgin olive oil, both for cooking and to dress dishes. The second group was encouraged to consume 35 grams of nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds) per day, equivalent to a large handful. The control group was simply asked to reduce fat intake, but was not directed to consume any foods in particular. Over the five-year course of the study, participants in the control group weren?t able to reduce their fat intake by much, so their diet mirrored that of the average modern European or American, including the consumption of processed foods and sweets.

Dramatic Results
The results were so dramatic that the study was ended early on ethical grounds?the Mediterranean diet had such a profound positive health impact that researchers decided it was unethical to withhold the information from the control group.? There was little difference in the positive results between the two Mediterranean diet groups.

It?s important to note that study participants were older (55?80 years old for men, 60?80 years old for women) and already had risk factors for heart disease, though none had yet developed it when the study began.

Researchers plan to follow up with a study aimed at people who are at lower risk, but many experts expect eating a Mediterranean diet will have a similar effect on them, and that its benefits would start in childhood.

So what should we take away from this study? Following a Mediterranean diet clearly promotes better health, especially if you are at risk for heart disease. Consume lots of fruit and veggies every day, and include whole-grain cereals (wheat, rice, oats, etc.) in your meals. Eat fish and legumes and avoid red meat.? Make sure you consume about 2 cups of ?extra-virgin olive oil a week, or a handful of mixed nuts, including walnuts, every day. Avoid processed foods and sweets. It may be advice we?ve heard before, but now there?s even more reason to heed it. And go ahead and have a glass of red wine with dinner, and toast to your good health!

Disclaimer: Always consult your healthcare professional before beginning a new exercise or diet regime.
_________________

Rebecca Taggart is a San Francisco-based writer, teacher, and yoga instructor.

Source: http://fruitguys.com/almanac/2013/03/22/the-mediterranean-diet

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Exclusive iPhone Apps - Business Insider

Ellis Hamburger, Business Insider ?

Apple's iOS platform is typically the first choice for app developers.

While Android is right behind iOS in terms of developer preference,?according to a December report from Appcelerator and IDC, it still lacks some popular apps.?

Some of these iPhone-exclusive apps have recently launched, meaning that there's still hope for Android users. But some apps, like the Infinity Blade fighting game franchise, have been around for a couple of years and have no plans to launch on Android.?

Still, that doesn't mean Apple's App Store will always be the first choice for developers.?

Even though Apple is the leader in app revenue, Google Play is growing at a faster rate,?according to a recent App Annie report. In fact, Google Play seems to be on track to hit one million apps in June, months before Apple,?Dan Rowinski of ReadWrite recently predicted.?

Meanwhile, Android is dominating consumer smartphone sales with a nearly 70 percent market share compared to iOS' 20 percent.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-iphone-apps-2013-3

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Climate Change And Allergies And Asthma | Care2 Healthy Living

by?Karen Lee

As the pediatrician told me the lab results for my 3 ? year old son?s blood work, my heart jumped up and lodged in my throat.

?Allergy to Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, and Dust. What?s worse, he may also have asthma.?

ASTHMA!

This news was like a death sentence to a toddler. No cookies, milk, pizza, and mac & cheese! What will he eat? How will he know what NOT to eat at a playdate, or at a birthday party? Does he need to carry an inhaler for the rest of his life, like many of his friends at preschool did?

Are his allergies?my fault in some way?!?

Eczema And Allergies

As they say a mother?s intuition is always right. I was relieved, and also sad that my son?s month-long coughing fits, which prompted me to urge his doctor to do the allergy testing despite her insistence that it was just a cold, was indeed because of his allergies to so many things. And how about his eczema? I always suspected his eczema was related to some sort of an allergy, but the doctors vehemently disagreed with me on that too,??Oh, it?s because his skin is dry. Just put some Vaseline on the affected areas and he?ll be fine.? But I had a gut feeling they were wrong. Yes, he never had an anaphylactic reaction, or broke out in hives, but his eczematous skin always made me curious about allergies. Maybe I should have changed his pediatrician?

My reaction to the lab result is still visceral ? even now, almost twenty years later, because even as a young adult, he still struggles with the same issue. And so does his younger sister. After doing more detailed allergy testing, we recently discovered that they are allergic to more things. Ironically, the current allergist confirmed my belief that eczema is indeed strongly related to allergens. Can doctors agree on anything?

Who?s To Blame?

In my misguided, young and naive mother?s mind, (and of course, filled with inevitable self-guilt), I frequently wondered, are their allergies due to my being too clean and raising them in a semi-sterile environment? Should I have raised?them on a farm? Is it because I inhaled?formaldehyde for 3 three years, dissecting cadavers for Anatomy and Physiology Lab while being pregnant? (I had a miscarriage and a stillbirth during my four years of chiropractic school. My classmates speculated that formaldehyde played a huge role.) Or, maybe my husband should have done genetic testing for everything? After all, I am not allergic to anything, and I didn?t know his full medical history before I giddily accepted his marriage proposal.

The kids current allergists told me allergies are genetic and no one can do anything about it. The only solution was to give my kids a myriad of allergy pills daily or take allergy shots weekly. Sure?let me make my kids into pincushions or medical rats and let the doctors bill my insurance company weekly.

Climate Change And Allergies

The signs and symptoms of allergies differ in people. But when the effects are visible on your skin, the stigma attached to the condition is profound. I was neurotic about managing their condition like a hawk with proper diet and all the necessary precautions during allergy seasons ? even making the kids stay indoors during peak allergy seasons.

Last spring was the worst. Their eczema flared up like a Christmas tree. Starting in early March, afflicted skin areas were red and inflamed. This seemed way too early for allergy season in the Northeast. Rutgers University researchers announced that because of the mild winter, allergy season started early with vengeance in the NE. Since my kids are allergic to mold, rag weed, tree and grass pollen, they were miserable almost all of 2012. When tree and grass pollen season died down, ragweed season started. The particularly dry summer made matters worse in the fall when ragweed season started.

We live in the suburbs to be away from the city?s smog and air pollution?so we thought. We actually suffer worse in the suburbs because of the trees and grass that we are supposed to enjoy! In fact,?climate change and CO2 levels cause trees to produce more pollen. Worse yet, some scientists believe this trend will be worse in the future! Oh joy. So would it be better if we lived in the concrete jungle?

Our Kids Need Clean Air

People have different reasons for being passionate about the environment. My role as a mother of kids with food and environmental allergies has made me work fervently towards making sure the world we borrowed from them is not destroyed. My kids don?t need inhalers now, but who knows what the future holds if the current rate of climate change continues?

What are your reasons for advocating for clean air?

Related
7 Ways to Beat Allergies Naturally
Treating a Peanut Allergy With?Peanuts?
6 Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/allergies-asthma-climate-change-oh-my.html

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Reuters Sports Schedule at 0600 GMT on Friday, March 22

Reuters sports schedule at 0600 GMT on Friday:

- -

NBA

Nuggets claim 14th consecutive win

Corey Brewer hit three free throws with 2.1 seconds left and the Denver Nuggets rallied from eight down in the final 2:07 to extend their winning streak to 14 games with a 101-100 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, moved, by Sports Xchange, 600 words)

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NHL

Bruins beat Senators

The Boston Bruins found the cure for their blues at a favorite watering hole. Dennis Seidenberg's shot from the point with 64 seconds remaining in regulation found the net as the Bruins snapped out of their first losing streak of the season with a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, moved, by Sports Xchange, 600 words)

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MOTOR RACING

Formula One: Malaysian Grand Prix (to 24)

Webber sets early pace in steamy Sepang

SEPANG - Red Bull's Mark Webber set the quickest time in the first practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix, the Australian edging out Melbourne winner Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus on a hot and steamy morning at Sepang. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/PRACTICE (PIX), moved, second session starts at 0600 GMT/2 AM ET, by John O'Brien, 500 words)

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GOLF

Arnold Palmer Invitational (to 24)

Rose outshines solid Woods at Bay Hill

ORLANDO, Florida - Briton Justin Rose returned a seven-under 65 to grab the first-round clubhouse lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday while Tiger Woods got his bid for an eighth Bay Hill title off to a solid start. (GOLF-PGA/ (UPDATE 1, PIX), moved, by Steve Keating, 500 words)

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European Tour: Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur (to 24)

Donald adrift in Malaysia, Thai Aphibarnrat leads

KUALA LUMPUR - World number three Luke Donald looks to make up nine shots on leader Kiradech Aphibarnrat as the Malaysian Open first round resumes after Thursday's halt in play due to lightning. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 0800, 400 words)

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CRICKET

New Zealand v England, third test (to 26)

New Zealand off to solid start in series decider

AUCKLAND - Peter Fulton scored his maiden test century as he anchored New Zealand to an impressive 250 for one at the close of play on the first day of the series-deciding third test against England at Eden Park. (CRICKET-ENGLAND/ (PIX), moved, by Greg Stutchbury, 600 words)

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West Indies v Zimbabwe, second test, Dominica (to 24)

West Indies establish large first innings lead

ROSEAU - West Indies resume the third day of the second test with a 206 run lead as they seek a substantive advantage after bowling Zimbabwe out for 175 on the opening day at Windsor Park. (CRICKET-ZIMBABWE/, expect from 1600 GMT/2 PM ET, 300 words)

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India v Australia, fourth test, Chennai (to 26)

As a result of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to exclude news agencies working only in the photographic medium from covering its events, Reuters will not be reporting on BCCI events in India.

It is our view that the BCCI's policy unfairly discriminates against genuine editorial news agencies, including Action Images, a Thomson Reuters business.

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TENNIS

Williams begins run at sixth Miami title

Serena Williams, playing her first match since regaining the world number one ranking, made a triumphant start to the Sony Open, thumping Italy's Flavia Pennetta 6-1 6-1. (TENNIS-MIAMI/ (PIX), moved, 350 words)

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RUGBY

Super Rugby round six (to 24)

Chiefs v Highlanders (0635)

The champion Chiefs meet the winless Highlanders for the second time this season after beating them in their opening match in Dunedin and, with Aaron Cruden pulling the strings at flyhalf, will be confident of another win on home turf. (RUGBY-SUPER/CHIEFS, expect by 0830/4.30 AM ET, 350 words)

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SOCCER

World Cup qualifiers

Group A

Croatia v Serbia (1600)

Scotland v Wales (1900)

Macedonia v Belgium (1845)

Group B

Bulgaria v Malta (1500)

Czech Republic v Denmark (1830)

Kazakhstan v Germany

Group C

Austria v Faroe Islands (1830)

Sweden v Ireland (1845)

Group D

Andorra v Turkey (1715)

Netherlands v Estonia (1830)

Hungary v Romania (1830)

Group E

Slovenia v Iceland (1600)

Norway v Albania (1700)

Cyprus v Switzerland (1530)

Group F

Israel v Portugal (1245)

Northern Ireland v Russia (1945)

Luxembourg v Azerbaijan (1815)

Group G

Liechtenstein v Latvia (1730)

Bosnia v Greece (1910)

Group H

Poland v Ukraine (1845)

San Marino v England (1900)

Moldova v Montenegro (1830)

Group I

Spain v Finland (1945)

France v Georgia (1900)

Spain, Germany and England in World Cup qualifying action

LONDON - World and European champions Spain host Finland while Germany face a trip to Kazakhstan and England travel to minnows San Marino in European 2014 World Cup qualifiers. (SOCCER-WORLD/EUROPE (WRAPUP 1, PIX), expect by 2030 GMT/4 PM ET, by Mike Collett, 800 words)

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Spain host Finland before key France clash

GIJON, Spain - Spain host Group I minnows Finland as the world and European champions warm up for Tuesday's crucial meeting with France in Paris. (SOCCER-WORLD/SPAIN (PIX), expect from 2130 GMT/5:30 PM ET, by Iain Rogers, 500 words)

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Oceania World Cup qualifier

New Zealand v New Caledonia, Dunedin (0645)

Attack-minded selection signals Herbert's intentions

New Zealand have selected an attacking lineup to face New Caledonia as they seek victory at the Otago Regional Stadium to sew up a place in the intercontinental playoff against the fourth-placed CONCACAF side later this year with a game to spare in the Oceania tournament. (SOCCER-WORLD/OCEANIA, expect by 0900 GMT/5 AM ET, 400 words)

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South American World Cup qualifiers

Colombia v Bolivia Barranquilla (2000)

Uruguay v Paraguay Montevideo (2200)

Argentina v Venezuela Buenos Aires (0001)

Peru v Chile Lima (0210)

Leaders Argentina look to move six points clear

BUENOS AIRES - Argentina will go six points clear in the South American World Cup qualifiers if they beat Venezuela at the Monumental and Colombia fail to overcome visiting Bolivia. (SOCCER-WORLD/LATAM (WRAPUP 1, PIX), expect by 0200 GMT/10 PM ET, by Rex Gowar, 650 words)

We will file merit cover of the other three matches and the full results and standings

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Asian Cup

China host Iraq in key clash

SINGAPORE - China host Iraq in the pick of Friday's Asian Cup qualifiers with the hosts under pressure to record a victory to ease the pressure on their coach Jose Camacho. (SOCCER-ASIAN/QUALIFIERS, expect by expect from 1600 GMT/2 PM ET, by Patrick Johnston, 350 words)

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CYCLING

Tour of Catalunya, Spain (to 24)

Copy on merit

- - - - (Duty editor: Ian Ransom, Asia Sports Desk, +61 3 9286 1447)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reuters-sports-schedule-0001-gmt-friday-march-22-000153297--spt.html

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