Purchext, a new app/service that increases communication between parents, their youngsters and the purchases their youngsters make, is on display at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2013. The concept behind the startup is a way for parents to approve purchases their kids are making. In reality, it works more like a way for kids to submit expense reports to their parents. For each purchase a dependent minor makes, they can scan the receipts with the Purchext app and those receipts are submitted to their parents for approval. If the parent approves it, the amount of money on the receipt will be released to the kid’s bank account that is connected to their Purchext account. In practical terms, the service can also be automated via a series of rules set up to filter purchases. I’m not going to say the concept is not “gameable” by the kids using it. Surely enterprising minors could figure out ways around this, or could forgo submitting those purchases altogether. However as a concept, it could still streamline allowances and keep many relevant purchases on parents’ radar.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to award the Congressional Gold medal to the four girls killed in the bombing of a Birmingham, Alabama church in 1963. Their surviving family members expressed mixed feelings about the award.
By Henry C. Jackson,?Associated Press / April 24, 2013
Sarah Collins Rudolph stands beside her suburban home in Forestdale, Alabama. Rudolph, who survived a 1963 church bombing that killed her sister and three other black girls, said she will not accept a medal that Congress may award posthumously to the victims.
REUTERS/Verna Gates
Enlarge
Four young victims of a deadly Alabama church bombing that marked one of the darkest moments of the civil rights movement are one step closer to receiving Congress' highest civilian honor.
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
By a 420-0 vote, the House on Wednesday passed a measure that posthumously would award the Congressional Gold Medal to Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair.
The girls were killed when a bomb planted by white supremacists exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., in September 1963. The measure will now be considered by the Senate.
The House effort was led by Alabama Reps. Terri Sewell, a Democrat, and Spencer Bachus, a Republican. The two represent?Birmingham?and presented Wednesday's vote as a way to honor the legacy of the victims.
"It was there blood which was shed for the bounty that so many of us now enjoy," Sewell said.
Bachus said the tragedy pushed the civil rights movement forward and honoring its victims was the correct way to commemorate their legacy.
While Congress has shown broad support for awarding the medal, the idea has split relatives of the four victims. Some are supportive but others are seeking financial compensation.
The sisters of two of the victims, Denise McNair and Carol Robertson, sat in the House gallery to watch the vote, with Sewell noting their presence after the vote and asking members to applaud them.
Relatives of Addie Mae Collins and Cynthia Wesley, also known as Cynthia Morris, have both said they do not want the congressional honor.
Addie Mae's sister Sarah, was critically injured in the bombing, losing an eye, though she recovered and later married. In an interview with The Associated Press this month, Sarah Collins Rudolph said she is now seeking millions in financial compensation and would not accept the medal.
"I can't spend a medal," she told the AP.
Cynthia Wesley's brother, Fate Morris, said he also wants compensation and isn't interested in accepting a medal for his sister.
September will mark the 50th anniversary of the church bombing. Three KKK members were convicted years after the attack. Two are dead, with one is still in prison.
Past recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal include Jackie Robinson, former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, and Pope John Paul II.
Apr. 14, 2013 ? A new 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction shows that summer ice melting has intensified almost ten-fold, and mostly since the mid 20th Century. Summer ice melt affects the stability of Antarctic ice shelves and glaciers.
Ice core camp
The research, published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience, adds new knowledge to the international effort that is required to understand the causes of environmental change in Antarctica and to make more accurate projections about the direct and indirect contribution of Antarctica's ice shelves and glaciers to global sea level rise.
In 2008 a UK-French science team drilled a 364-metre long ice core from James Ross Island, near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, to measure past temperatures in the area. They discovered that this ice core could also give a unique and unexpected insight into ice melt in the region.
Visible layers in the ice core indicated periods when summer snow on the ice cap thawed and then refroze. By measuring the thickness of these melt layers the scientists were able to examine how the history of melting compared with changes in temperature at the ice core site over the last 1000-years.
Lead author Dr Nerilie Abram of The Australian National University and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) says, "We found that the coolest conditions on the Antarctic Peninsula and the lowest amount of summer melt occurred around 600 years ago. At that time temperatures were around 1.6?C lower than those recorded in the late 20th Century and the amount of annual snowfall that melted and refroze was about 0.5%. Today, we see almost ten times as much (5%) of the annual snowfall melting each year.
"Summer melting at the ice core site today is now at a level that is higher than at any other time over the last 1000 years. And whilst temperatures at this site increased gradually in phases over many hundreds of years, most of the intensification of melting has happened since the mid-20th century."
This is the first time it has been demonstrated that levels of ice melt on the Antarctic Peninsula have been particularly sensitive to increasing temperature during the 20th Century.
Dr Abram explains, "What that means is that the Antarctic Peninsula has warmed to a level where even small increases in temperature can now lead to a big increase in summer ice melt."
Dr Robert Mulvaney from the British Antarctic Survey led the ice core drilling expedition and co-authored the paper. He says, "Having a record of previous melt intensity for the Peninsula is particularly important because of the glacier retreat and ice shelf loss we are now seeing in the area. Summer ice melt is a key process that is thought to have weakened ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula leading to a succession of dramatic collapses, as well as speeding up glacier ice loss across the region over the last 50 years."
In other parts of Antarctica, such as the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, the picture is more complex and it is not yet clear that the levels of recent ice melt and glacier loss are exceptional or caused by human-driven climate changes.
Dr Abram concludes, "This new ice core record shows that even small changes in temperature can result in large increases in the amount of melting in places where summer temperatures are near to 0?C, such as along the Antarctic Peninsula, and this has important implications for ice instability and sea level rise in a warming climate."
This research was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. Dr Abram is an Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth II Fellow.
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by British Antarctic Survey.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Nerilie J. Abram, Robert Mulvaney, Eric W. Wolff, Jack Triest, Sepp Kipfstuhl, Luke D. Trusel, Fran?oise Vimeux, Louise Fleet, Carol Arrowsmith. Acceleration of snow melt in an Antarctic Peninsula ice core during the twentieth century. Nature Geoscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1787
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.
Contact: Press Office eacconcia@sirweb.org 703-460-5582 Society of Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology treatment reopens totally blocked arteries to the intestines, prevents severe weight loss, pain, death
NEW ORLEANS (April 14, 2013)Stenting reopens completely blocked bowel arteries, preventing damage and even death from a condition that causes individuals severe pain and leads to excessive weight loss, notes research being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, La.
"Stenting blocked mesenteric arteries saves lives," said Daniel A. Leung, M.D., program director of vascular interventional radiology for the Christiana Care Health System based in Wilmington, Del. "Open surgery has traditionally been the primary treatment for patients with a 100 percent blocked mesenteric artery, but that is associated with high mortality rates and a long recovery and many patients don't qualify for surgery due to poor health," said Leung."Our research found that stenting the main mesenteric artery supplying the bowel can almost immediately resolve patients' symptomseven when that artery is 100 percent blockedallowing them to recovery rapidly. And those results last," he added.
Just as plaque can build up in heart arteries and cause a heart attack, it can accumulate in bowel arteries. This condition, called chronic mesenteric ischemia, can cause dangerous weight loss, malnourishment and death because the intestines are prevented from receiving the oxygen-rich blood they require to digest food. Surgery can correct the problem, but is risky. The study suggests minimally invasive mesenteric artery stenting can safely and effectively open blocked arteries and keep them open.
In the study, 40 of 46 patients (87 percent) who had completely blocked superior mesenteric arteries had a successful procedure restoring blood flow to the bowel and all experienced immediate relief of their symptoms. Of the remaining six subjects, one patient could not be reached and five patients were referred for other treatment, including surgery. Leung noted that stenting of a completely blocked mesenteric artery has in the past been considered a difficult and risky procedure. The study shows not only is stenting of this artery possible, but it can safely and successfully restore blood flow to the bowel and promptly resolve patients' symptoms with few complications.
There are three major mesenteric arteries that run from the heart to the small and large intestines. These arteries, called the celiac, superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, supply everything needed to fuel the energy-intensive process of digestion. A build-up of plaque causes hardening and narrowing of these arteries associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and risk factors like smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. A blood clot may also obstruct these arteries. When one or more of these important blood vessels is blocked, digestion is hindered or halted altogether, causing any number of symptoms including terrible abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Those who are too frail for major abdominal surgery can now recover quickly with stenting. The device itself is a miniature mesh cylinder that is navigated through a small incision and the patients' blood vessels to the blocked artery using medical imaging as a guide.
"Elderly patients or anyone with peripheral arterial disease experiencing abdominal pain after a meal and suffering from weight loss should see an interventional radiologist to be evaluated for chronic mesenteric ischemia. There are a variety of options available to them, including minimally invasive treatments like this one," said Leung.
###
More information about the Society of Interventional Radiology, interventional radiologists and minimally invasive treatments can be found online at http://www.SIRweb.org.
Abstract 16: "Stenting of Superior Mesenteric Artery Chronic Total Occlusions in Patients With Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia: Technical and Clinical Outcomes," C.J. Grilli, C.R. Fedele, O.M. Tahir, J. Velez Velez, C. Wrigley, M.M. Ali, G. Kimbiris, M.J. Garcia, D.A. Leung, Christiana Care, Wilmington, Del., SIR 38th Annual Scientific Meeting, April 13-18, 2013. This abstract can be found at http://www.SIRmeeting.org.
About the Society of Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, such as in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.
Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. This year, SIR celebrates 40 years of innovation and advances in interventional radiology. Visit http://www.SIRweb.org.
The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its 38th Annual Scientific Meeting April 13-18 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. The theme of the meeting is 'IR Reaching Out,' adopted to illustrate the many ways the Annual Scientific Meeting provides valuable education to attendees with a broad range of diverse clinical interests and practice settings.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Press Office eacconcia@sirweb.org 703-460-5582 Society of Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology treatment reopens totally blocked arteries to the intestines, prevents severe weight loss, pain, death
NEW ORLEANS (April 14, 2013)Stenting reopens completely blocked bowel arteries, preventing damage and even death from a condition that causes individuals severe pain and leads to excessive weight loss, notes research being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, La.
"Stenting blocked mesenteric arteries saves lives," said Daniel A. Leung, M.D., program director of vascular interventional radiology for the Christiana Care Health System based in Wilmington, Del. "Open surgery has traditionally been the primary treatment for patients with a 100 percent blocked mesenteric artery, but that is associated with high mortality rates and a long recovery and many patients don't qualify for surgery due to poor health," said Leung."Our research found that stenting the main mesenteric artery supplying the bowel can almost immediately resolve patients' symptomseven when that artery is 100 percent blockedallowing them to recovery rapidly. And those results last," he added.
Just as plaque can build up in heart arteries and cause a heart attack, it can accumulate in bowel arteries. This condition, called chronic mesenteric ischemia, can cause dangerous weight loss, malnourishment and death because the intestines are prevented from receiving the oxygen-rich blood they require to digest food. Surgery can correct the problem, but is risky. The study suggests minimally invasive mesenteric artery stenting can safely and effectively open blocked arteries and keep them open.
In the study, 40 of 46 patients (87 percent) who had completely blocked superior mesenteric arteries had a successful procedure restoring blood flow to the bowel and all experienced immediate relief of their symptoms. Of the remaining six subjects, one patient could not be reached and five patients were referred for other treatment, including surgery. Leung noted that stenting of a completely blocked mesenteric artery has in the past been considered a difficult and risky procedure. The study shows not only is stenting of this artery possible, but it can safely and successfully restore blood flow to the bowel and promptly resolve patients' symptoms with few complications.
There are three major mesenteric arteries that run from the heart to the small and large intestines. These arteries, called the celiac, superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, supply everything needed to fuel the energy-intensive process of digestion. A build-up of plaque causes hardening and narrowing of these arteries associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and risk factors like smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. A blood clot may also obstruct these arteries. When one or more of these important blood vessels is blocked, digestion is hindered or halted altogether, causing any number of symptoms including terrible abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Those who are too frail for major abdominal surgery can now recover quickly with stenting. The device itself is a miniature mesh cylinder that is navigated through a small incision and the patients' blood vessels to the blocked artery using medical imaging as a guide.
"Elderly patients or anyone with peripheral arterial disease experiencing abdominal pain after a meal and suffering from weight loss should see an interventional radiologist to be evaluated for chronic mesenteric ischemia. There are a variety of options available to them, including minimally invasive treatments like this one," said Leung.
###
More information about the Society of Interventional Radiology, interventional radiologists and minimally invasive treatments can be found online at http://www.SIRweb.org.
Abstract 16: "Stenting of Superior Mesenteric Artery Chronic Total Occlusions in Patients With Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia: Technical and Clinical Outcomes," C.J. Grilli, C.R. Fedele, O.M. Tahir, J. Velez Velez, C. Wrigley, M.M. Ali, G. Kimbiris, M.J. Garcia, D.A. Leung, Christiana Care, Wilmington, Del., SIR 38th Annual Scientific Meeting, April 13-18, 2013. This abstract can be found at http://www.SIRmeeting.org.
About the Society of Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, such as in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.
Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. This year, SIR celebrates 40 years of innovation and advances in interventional radiology. Visit http://www.SIRweb.org.
The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its 38th Annual Scientific Meeting April 13-18 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. The theme of the meeting is 'IR Reaching Out,' adopted to illustrate the many ways the Annual Scientific Meeting provides valuable education to attendees with a broad range of diverse clinical interests and practice settings.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Tiger Woods is cheered by spectators as he walks up the 17th fairway during the third round of the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Tiger Woods is cheered by spectators as he walks up the 17th fairway during the third round of the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, chips to the second green during the third round of the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angel Cabrera, of Argentina, reacts to his tee shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Brandt Snedeker waves his cap on the 18th hole after finishing the third round of the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) ? The final round of the Masters is Sunday and here are five things you should keep an eye on:
____
THE BACK 9
The saying is the Masters doesn't begin until Sunday on the back 9, and often it's true. Tiger Woods (here: http://bit.ly/10TMAnV ) believes anyone within six strokes on the back 9 can win, and with 17 players within six shots after the third round it could be a wild finish.
____
RATING TIGER
Love him or hate him, you can't stop watching him, as girlfriend Lindsey Vonn does (here: http://bit.ly/156RUcS). Ratings for the Masters would have plummeted had Woods been disqualified for his bad drop. Now he's in the mix on Sunday, just four shots back, and the cameras will have no trouble finding him.
___
GUAN'S FINISH
Guan Tianlang has made a lot of news this week, not all of it good. The 14-year-old from China (here: http://bit.ly/156SCqJ ) is the youngest player ever in the Masters, and the youngest to make the cut. He speeded his game up Saturday after being penalized for slow play and it cost him with a 5-over 77.
____
CABRERA'S MASTERS
Every other year, Angel Cabrera (here: http://bit.ly/10ZCYcM ) has a Masters to remember. He won in the final group in 2009, played in the final group in 2011, and will be in the final group Sunday with Brandt Snedeker. Can the Argentine win a second green jacket? Stay tuned.
_____
A BIG DAY
Jason Day (here: http://bit.ly/130uAtE ) parred his first 12 holes Saturday and was in the lead after 16 holes before finishing with his only two bogeys of the day. For Day to win his first major title he'll have to be even steadier under the pressure of Sunday at the Masters. No Australian has ever won the Masters, Greg Norman famously included.
? Tim Dahlberg ? http://twitter.com/@APtimdahlberg
SAN DIEGO (AP) ? Zack Greinke's pitch sailed up and into Carlos Quentin's upper left arm, and it was on.
A little personal history was at play, as were rules that aren't in any rule book.
Now the Dodgers will be without their $147 million pitcher for eight weeks and Quentin is expected to be suspended by Major League Baseball, partly because of baseball culture and its fuzzy, unspoken guidelines on just when and how it's OK to bean someone.
After Quentin got hit, the San Diego Padres' slugger took a few steps onto the grass. When Greinke, Los Angeles' prize offseason signing, appeared to say something, Quentin tossed his bat aside and rushed the mound.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Greinke dropped his glove and the two players lowered their shoulders. The 6-2, 240-pound Quentin ? who starred as an outside linebacker in high school ? slammed into the pitcher.
Quentin and Greinke ended up at the bottom of a huge scrum as players from both sides ran onto the field and jumped in.
Greinke took the brunt of the blow, breaking his left collarbone and inciting a fight that didn't even end when the game was over. The Dodgers said Greinke will undergo surgery on Saturday to have a rod inserted into the collarbone.
"It's a man's game on the field," Quentin said. "Thoughts aren't present when things like this happen."
Quentin said later that getting plunked by pitches by Greinke during the 2008 and 2009 seasons was justification enough to charge the mound when it happened again.
If Greinke hadn't said anything, "There's a chance I don't" rush the mound, Quentin said. "Like I said, there is a history there, which is the reason I reacted like I did. Who knows what happens if he doesn't say anything or if he motions that it wasn't intentional?"
While pitching for Kansas City against the Chicago White Sox on July 18, 2008, Greinke hit Quentin with a pitch near the left wrist, loading the bases. Then on April 8, 2009, Greinke hit Quentin between the shoulders in the fourth inning after throwing one high and tight during Quentin's previous at-bat. Quentin took about a step toward the mound then, before plate umpire Bill Hohn jumped in front of him.
At its core, Thursday's brawl was about baseball's quirky decorum.
The game naturally has a tension between pitchers and batters over balls thrown over the inside of the plate, and sometimes that flares into disagreement over who "owns" the inside half. Even if Greinke simply missed his location on the pitch that hit Quentin, the slugger apparently felt there was intent to hit him.
The Dodgers were vehement that Greinke wouldn't put a runner on base leading off an inning in a one-run game. Greinke's body language momentarily appeared like he regretted that he hit Quentin. But the fact he threw his glove down and said something perhaps indicated that he felt he had the right to the inside of the plate.
Quentin's rushing the mound was taking baseball protocol to the extreme, whereas in many other instances, the batter might gesture and yap while being escorted toward first base by the umpire and the catcher.
Quentin was hit by a pitch above the right wrist by Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario in Tuesday's series opener and had to leave the game. He sat out Wednesday night.
The Dodgers weren't buying Quentin's explanation. So much so that Matt Kemp, among four players ejected after the brawl, confronted Quentin as they left Petco Park following LA's 3-2 win. Big Padres lefty Clayton Richard stepped between the two, and police and security moved in to break it up.
Several Dodgers said Quentin should have known by the situation that Greinke's pitch didn't come with a purpose.
"I got emotional because first off, we shouldn't even have been in that situation," Kemp said in the clubhouse before his confrontation with Quentin. "People with good baseball IQs know that when you have a one-run lead in the sixth inning and it's a 3-2 count, Greinke's not going to hit you on purpose.
"I think Carlos Quentin went to Stanford? Something like that. Yeah. I heard there's smart people at Stanford. That wasn't too smart," Kemp said.
Several Dodgers mentioned how Quentin crowds the plate. Manager Don Mattingly called Quentin "a guy that basically dives into the plate."
Mattingly was livid and Kemp wasn't far behind.
"People were saying in the pile, they've got history," Kemp said. "Come on guys, history? I mean, Greinke's trying to win games. He's not trying to hit anybody on purpose. If you look at the video, if you look at where Quentin actually stands on the plate, he gives the pitcher no space to even come inside. Good pitchers have to come inside. Sometimes they miss their spots. Greinke missed his spot right there. That's when he hit Carlos Quentin. No big deal. Take it like a man and walk down to first base. But he had to charge the mound. Now one of our best pitchers is hurt for no reason."
Mattingly added that Quentin showed "zero understanding of the game."
"He should not play a game until Greinke can pitch. If he plays before Greinke pitches, something's wrong," the Dodgers manager said. "He caused the whole thing. Nothing happens if he goes to first base."
After the teams started going back to the dugouts and bullpens following the brawl, Jerry Hairston Jr. came running across the field yelling and pointing at someone in the San Diego dugout and had to be restrained. Hairston claimed a Padres player ? whom he wouldn't name ? was making fun of the fact Greinke had been injured.
Hairston, Quentin, Kemp and Greinke were ejected.
Greinke, the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, had his left arm in a sling and a dazed look on his face as he told his side of the story.
"I never hit him on purpose," said Greinke, who still appeared shaken after the game. "I never thought about hitting him on purpose. He always seems to think that I'm hitting him on purpose, but that's not the case. That's all I can really say about it."
The teams play another three-game series at Dodger Stadium beginning Monday night.
Quentin has been hit by pitches 116 times in his career, including an AL-high 23 times in 2011 with the White Sox. Greinke has hit 46 batters since his big league debut in 2004.
"I've been hit by many pitches," said Quentin, plunked more often than any other major league hitter since the start of 2008. "Some have been intentional, some have not been. For the amount I have been hit and my hitting style, I'm going to repeat: I have never reacted that way."
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York judge on Friday gave J.C. Penney Co Inc the go-ahead to sell home goods designed by Martha Stewart under a "JCP Everyday" label, pending the outcome of an ongoing trial.
Justice Jeffrey Oing, who last year blocked J.C. Penney from selling the goods under a Martha Stewart label, refused the request of Macy's Inc to expand the block.
The ruling was an interim victory for embattled J.C. Penney, which has warehoused the disputed goods as it continues to battle Macy's over the right to sell them. A lawyer for Macy's said it would appeal the ruling.
Oing said he could not ignore the economic reality of the harm that an adverse ruling would have caused J.C. Penney "even if it is the result of their own acts." He said, "J.C. Penney has been a given a proverbial bye in this case."
The rulings came during a trial to decide whether Stewart's company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc, breached its contract with Macy's when it entered into an agreement with J.C. Penney. Macy's sued both companies after they announced their deal in December 2011.
Macy's claims it has the exclusive right to sell Martha Stewart goods in such categories as bedding, bath, and tableware, under a 2006 agreement which runs to 2018.
On Monday, J.C. Penney ousted Ron Johnson, the CEO who negotiated the deal with Martha Stewart, and replaced him with his predecessor, Mike Ullman. The deal with Martha Stewart was a key component of Johnson's plan to re-invent the struggling retailer.
The cases are Macy's Inc v Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc, 650197/2012, and Macy's Inc v J.C. Penney Corp, 652861/2012, New York State Supreme Court, New York County.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; editing by Gunna Dickson)
The number one question Redfin?s real estate agents are being asked these days is: ?Is this another bubble??
For now, the answer is no. Overall, the housing market this spring is hot, way hotter than any normal spring. For the most part, this is just the natural result of supply that is at record lows thanks to the price declines of the last few years.
The Great Bubble
Spring 2013
High price to income (PI) ratios
Low to average PI ratios
Lots of new listings
Record low new listings
Record high sales volume
Average sales volume
Extremely easy credit
Relatively tight credit
A Mini Bubble Brewing in a Few Cities
The market today is so hot that many Redfin Agents are concerned that we?re entering into bubble territory. At a recent lunch with a half-dozen Redfin Agents, Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman asked whether they felt that the market was getting bubbly. They all nodded vigorously.
In some markets, there may be a ?Mini Bubble? going on right now. This map shows the four markets most likely to be in a Mini Bubble, and the four least likely:
* ?Flips? refers to the percentage of home sales where the same home also sold at least once more in the preceding 18 months.
The Most and Least ?Bubbly? Cities
What makes a Bubble?
Multiple offers are becoming the norm in many markets. More than a third of new listings are pending within a week, over half in much of California. Inventory hits a new record low every month. There?s no doubt that this market feels similar in many ways to the bubble of 2005 and 2006, but a real estate bubble is more than stiff competition among buyers and rapidly rising prices.
Consider some of the features of the real estate bubble that dramatically burst in 2008, taking the entire economy with it. The Great Housing Bubble had the following characteristics?
Rapidly Rising Home Prices
All 20 markets tracked by the Case-Shiller home price index experienced year-over-year price gains from 2003 all the way through early 2006. Now, home prices are definitely rising rapidly in many markets. Of the 19 markets we track as part of the Redfin Real-Time Home Price Tracker, 12 saw double-digit price gains between March 2012 and March 2013. Sale-to-list ratios are 98% or higher in over two thirds of Redfin?s markets and up from a year ago in every market but Phoenix:
But a spike in home prices alone does not a bubble make. Over the long term home prices have historically risen slightly faster than the rate of inflation. The recent spike in prices is just a return to the long-term trend in many markets that overcorrected, which leads us to?
Home Prices Detached From Incomes
One of the easiest ways to tell if you?re in a housing bubble is to compare home prices to incomes. If home prices are rising considerably faster than incomes, chances are good that there?s a bubble. Over the long term, price to income ratios should remain relatively stable in any given market, barring dramatic improvements or collapses in the local economy.
To investigate where this metric sits today, we compared the Case-Shiller home price index to per capita incomes from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Between January 2000 and the height of the housing bubble between 2005 and 2006, the price to income ratio rose over 50 percent in half of the twenty metro areas tracked by Case-Shiller. Across the nation as a whole, home prices rose 102% between January 2000 and December 2005, while incomes rose just 24%.
Today, in 11 of the 20 markets, price to income ratios are at or below where they were in 2000. Just four markets are in possible ?bubble? territory, 10% or more above their January 2000 level: Washington DC (+26%), Los Angeles (+26%), San Diego (+13%), and San Francisco (+12%).
Change in home price to per-capita income ratio since Jan. 2000
Lots of Listings and Sales
When home prices were shooting to new highs in 2005, sales and listings were off the charts. Inventory was low, but not for lack of new listings. Plenty of new homes were coming on the market daily?new and existing home sales hit levels in 2005 that were more than double their early 1990s levels?but record sales were keeping standing inventory low.
Contrast that with today?s market, where new listings are scarce and standing inventory is at record lows. Sales are up quite a bit from their post-bubble lows, but current levels are roughly on par with pre-bubble averages. To put it another way, during the frenzy in 2005, inventory felt tight because many buyers were acting crazy, but today inventory is actually tight. Tight inventory naturally leads to price increases.
Proliferation of Sketchy Financing
At the height of the market frenzy in 2006, abundant financing was available to anyone who could fog a mirror. No job, no income, no assets? No problem! Over a quarter of homes were purchased with zero-down loans. Many of those homes ended up as the foreclosures and short sales that caused much of the post-bubble pain the housing market has experienced the last few years. Meanwhile, all-cash deals were relatively rare, making up about 17% of sales.
Today the tables are completely turned. Just six percent of sales are backed by zero-down loans, while nearly half of sales (46%) are all-cash. Much of the frenzy we?re experiencing today is driven by investors. That doesn?t necessarily mean that prices are reasonable, but it does mean that we won?t be seeing the same kind of crash we had in 2008.
So What Will the Next Bust Look Like?
In our most recent buyer survey 58% of buyers?62% in Washington DC and Los Angeles?indicated ?low interest rates? as one of the primary reasons they?re buying now. The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts that the interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage?currently at 3.57%?will rise nearly a full point to 4.5% by this time next year. That?s still low by historic standards but could easily be enough to significantly dampen buyer enthusiasm.
At the same time, the recent upticks in prices will bring more sellers into the market over the next year, and homebuilders are still ramping back up, with new home sales likely to increase quite a bit from their current level.
In other words, over the next year inventory will increase and demand will decrease. In markets where home prices are at or below a level supported by local incomes, this will just slow down appreciation, but in Washington DC and Los Angeles this could trigger a minor correction, knocking around five percent off home prices in those markets.
In Washington DC, where the home price to income ratio is 26% above the January 2000 level, Redfin Agent Philip Gvinter recently wrote an offer with no appraisal contingency, no inspection contingency, accepting the home in as-is condition, a 14 day financing contingency, and a $40,000 escalation clause, but still came in second out of thirteen offers. ?We are definitely in the beginning phases of a bubble,? remarked Gvinter.
San Diego is also a risk, but to a much lesser degree, since prices there haven?t shot up as much yet. In San Francisco, well over a third of the sales are all-cash, but the home price to income ratio is 12% above the January 2000 level, and rising. Redfin Agent Charmaine Frank describes the market there as ?a complete frenzy,? and observes that ?some properties are receiving upward of 40 to 60 offers and selling in 24 hours or less.? This in a market where the median home price in March was over $800,000. However, since income data does not include capital gains such as stock sales, which are a big driving force in the Bay Area right now, it?s unlikely that there will be a correction there unless tech stocks crash first.
What?s a Buyer or Seller to Do?
If you?re buying a home in Washington DC or Los Angeles right now, be cautious. If you find a home that you can?t live without and you can get it for a price that you are 100% comfortable with, go for it, but it?s not worth over-extending or compromising in this market when lower prices, higher selection, and less competition may be just around the corner.
If you?re buying in the middling markets, there?s no need to be concerned about near-term price declines, but it also won?t hurt to wait it out for a year or so for the frenzy to die down. Prices aren?t likely to be much higher. If you?re a price-sensitive buyer in Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, or Dallas, buying soon would be a good idea, since prices are likely to go up before they stabilize at historically supported levels.
If you?re thinking of selling your home to sell in Washington DC or Los Angeles, you would do well to get it on the market now. Take full advantage of the current frenzy, rent a while, then look to buy in a year or so when inventory will probably be higher. If you play your cards right you?ll get a nice down payment out of your current home, so higher rates won?t affect you as much when you buy later.
Don?t Call it a Comeback (of the Bubble)
The dearth of listings and price gains we?re seeing in today?s market are not sustainable, but the evidence points to more of a ?bottom bounce? than a bubble. Things will settle down, the imbalance between buyers and sellers will inevitably tilt back to equilibrium, but barring a massive external economic disruption or major world war, prices are unlikely to drop considerably from where they are today.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama made less in 2012 than in any other year since taking office, with about 40 percent of the nearly $609,000 in income that he and first lady Michelle Obama reported coming from book sales.
Obama, who renewed his call for higher taxes on the wealthy in the budget he released Wednesday, paid $112,214 in taxes last year, putting his effective federal tax rate at 18.4 percent. The Obamas donated almost one-quarter of their income to charity, according to tax returns released by the White House.
Most of the $608,611 that the Obamas reported in adjusted gross income came from the president's salary, as he reported $394,840 in wages. An additional $258,772 came from royalties from his books, including his 1995 memoir "Dreams From My Father," his 2006 political book, "The Audacity of Hope," and a 2010 children's book, "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters."
Income from Obama's books has fallen off since 2009, when his books sales surged after his inauguration. The Obamas made $5.5 million that year ? his first year in office ? but the figure dropped precipitously the next year to $1.73 million. In 2011, the Obamas reported about $790,000 in income.
The president and Mrs. Obama signed their tax returns on Monday ? one week before the April 15 deadline for Americans to file their 2012 returns.
Itemized deductions of $258,385 brought the Obama's taxable income down to $335,026. The first family deducted $45,056 in interest on the mortgage for their home in Chicago, plus $36,554 in state and local taxes and $26,751 in real estate taxes.
Through withholding and estimated tax payments during the year, the Obamas paid $129,029 to the Internal Revenue Service ? an overpayment of $16,815. The Obamas directed that, rather than receive a refund, the overpayment will be applied to their taxes for next year.
The Obamas also claimed $39,875 in income from outside the United States. A White House official said all of that income came from book royalties, but did not disclose details about which countries the income came from. The official was not authorized to comment publicly on Obama's taxes and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The president and first lady reported donating $150,034 ? or 24.6 percent of their income ? to 33 charities. That's a slight dip from the previous year, when the Obamas donated more than $172,000. The largest contribution last year was a $103,871 donation to Fisher House Foundation, which provides humanitarian services to military members, veterans and their families. Other charitable groups that received donations from the president for $5,000 or less include the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the United Negro College Fund.
The president and the first lady also paid $29,450 in income taxes to Illinois, according to their state tax returns.
The White House also released tax returns for Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, who teaches at Northern Virginia Community College.
The Bidens paid $87,851 in federal income taxes on $385,072 in adjusted gross income, for an effective federal tax rate of 22.8 percent. The vice president and his wife paid state income taxes in two states ? $13,531 in Delaware and $3,593 in Virginia. The Bidens overpaid a bit last year in their withholdings, so they'll get a refund of $4,608 from the IRS.
They reported donating $7,190 to charity. The largest sum of $2,400 went to the Catholic Diocese in Wilmington, Del.
The president this week revived his push for wealthier Americans to pay higher taxes, arguing that higher earners like himself should bear a larger share of the burden for deficit reduction. The $3.8 trillion budget blueprint he unveiled Wednesday proposed that "wealthy millionaires pay no less than 30 percent of income, after charitable contribution, in taxes," to ensure that poorer Americans don't get stuck paying higher rates than the wealthy. Obama also proposed a change in the way inflation is calculated that, if proposed, would have the effect of pushing more Americans into higher tax brackets.
"The president believes we must reform our tax system, which is why he has proposed policies like the Buffett Rule that would ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share while protecting families making under $250,000 from seeing their taxes go up," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement accompanying the release of Obama's tax returns.
During the negotiations with Congress over New Years, Obama won a tax increase on incomes over $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples, although he had wanted those thresholds to be lower. The deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff preserved the lower Bush-era tax rates for the middle class.
___
Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP
Lead poisoning affects more than half a million US children, according to health officials. That means 1 in 38 young adults are at risk.?
By Staff,?Associated Press / April 11, 2013
Lead poisoning estimates among US children, revised, now show a rate twice as high as previously thought. The US has greatly decreased rates of lead poisoning since the 1970s. Here a boy in China receives medical treatment after being poisoned by lead pollution from a factory in 2009.
Andy Wong/Associated Press
Enlarge
More than half a million US children are now believed to have lead poisoning, roughly twice the previous high estimate, health officials reported Thursday.
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
The increase is the result of the government last year lowering the threshold for lead poisoning, so now more children are considered at risk.
Too much lead can harm developing brains and can mean a lower IQ. Lead poisoning used to be a much larger concern in the United States, but has declined significantly as lead was removed from paint and gasoline and other sources.
The new number translates to about 1 in 38 young children. That estimate suggests a need for more testing and preventive measures, some experts said, but budget cuts last year eliminated federal grant funding for such programs.
Those cuts represent "an abandonment of children," said David Rosner, a Columbia University public health historian who writes books about lead poisoning.
"We've been acting like the problem was solved and this?was a thing of?the past," he added.
Lead can harm a child's brain, kidneys, and other organs. High levels in the blood can cause coma, convulsions, and death. Lower levels can reduce intelligence, impair hearing and behavior, and cause other problems.
Most cases of lead poisoning are handled by tracking and removing the lead source, and monitoring the children to make sure lead levels stay down.
Often, children who get lead poisoning live in old homes that are dilapidated or under renovation. They pick up paint chips or dust and put it in their mouth. Children have also picked up lead poisoning from soil contaminated by old leaded gasoline, from dust tracked in from industrial worksites, from tainted drinking water, and other sources.
Lead has been banned in household paint since 1978 and was gone from gasoline by the late 1980s.
After lowering the standard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention went back and looked at old blood tests from 1,653 children under 6 to determine how many would have lead poisoning under the new definition.
About 2.6 percent of them had blood lead levels higher than the new threshold of 5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood. Using that result, CDC officials calculated that an estimated 535,000 young children have lead poisoning.
A year ago, when the threshold was 10 micrograms, experts estimated that somewhere between 77,000 and 255,000 young kids had high levels of lead.
A screen capture of Egyptian President Muhammed Morsi's tweet calling for questions from young people.
By Jeff Black, Staff Writer, NBC News
President Muhammed Morsi, often criticized by young Egyptians for a lack of democratic reforms, on Wednesday took to the social-media site Twitter to request questions from youth.
According to Morsi?s official Facebook page, the Q&A was so that Morsi could directly communicate with young people. Only questions posted between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time would be answered, his post said.
Morsi?s spokesman said the president would answer the questions on Thursday. It was unclear if he would respond publicly or directly to the person posting the tweet.
Some Twitter users complained that many of the tweets were jokes. Other tweets to Morsi, whose official handle is @MuhammadMorsi, asked for personal meetings and even for results of official investigations into violence.
According to The Associated Press, youth groups have said that Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood did not officially join the uprising against former ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's regime until it became clear that its momentum was irreversible.
Other world leaders, including President Barack Obama, have used social media to communicate directly with citizens.
Revealed while the internet is still recovering from last week's barrage of fake April Fool's products, OrigAudio's Beets headphones—a parody of Dre's Beats headphones—are real and will set you back just $25 a pair. More »
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the second Space-Based Infrared System GEO-2 satellite for the U.S. Air Force at 5:21 p.m. EDT on March 19, 2013.
By Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ? Shrinking government budgets, combined with a growing reliance on space assets by the United States ? especially by its military ? are putting the country in an undefended position, Gen. William Shelton, commander of U.S. Air Force Space Command, said Tuesday.
Every U.S. military action depends on space capabilities such as satellite-based surveillance, communications, and mapping and weather technologies, Shelton said here at the 29th annual National Space Symposium. Yet the satellite networks that provide these services are "fragile" and spread thin, and there are no backups for these technologies if they were to fail, Shelton stressed, at one point describing the conditions as a "perfect storm"-type situation.?
"It's like mountain climbers who depend on a very thin rope," Shelton said.
The threats to U.S. spacecraft include not just deliberate attacks by hostile states, but also the possibility of a collision with a piece of the abundant space trash ? which includes things like spent rocket stages, defunct spacecraft and bits of destroyed satellites ? that litters the corridors of Earth. The government is tracking about 23,000 pieces of space debris, but there are estimated to be more than 500,000 bits up there, many of which are too small for U.S. radar systems to detect. [Photos: Space Debris Cleanup Concepts]
"Space was once a benign, much-less-crowded place," Shelton said. "This is no longer true."
However, fighting that threat, and bolstering the United States' space resources, will cost money at a time when the federal budget sequester has limited defense spending drastically.
"This certainly seems like the potential for a perfect storm to me," Shelton said. He suggested the U.S. space community had reached a fork in the road. "We're going to have to take one of these directions: status quo, or do something different."
Shelton advocated reaching a sweet spot between "capability, affordability and resilience," so that the network of satellites the military relies on can maintain ? and expand ? its capabilities, while becoming more resilient to threats and failures ? all within the confines of the limited federal funding available.
Some tactics to do that, he suggested, include designing future satellites more flexibly, so that they don't have to be custom-made every time, but instead use existing commercial technologies. The military might even consider launching some of its instruments onboard commercial satellites, rather than building special vehicles to carry them on their own ? a practice called hosted payloads.
Yet changing the way the U.S. Defense Department does business in space might be an uphill battle, Shelton acknowledged.
"One of the big problems, though, will be overcoming the naysayers that are out there," Shelton said. "There are people that believe that the status quo is adequate. The status quo, to me, just doesn't seem to be reasonable for our future here."
Follow Clara Moskowitz on Twitter?and Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on?SPACE.com.
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
President Barack Obama is nominating three candidates for full terms on the National Labor Relations Board, which has been in limbo since a federal appeals court invalidated his recess appointments to the agency.
Obama on Tuesday urged the Senate to move swiftly in confirming the members ? two Republicans and one Democrat ? along with two other Democrats he nominated in February. That would fill all five seats on the board.
"By enforcing workplace protections, upholding the rights of workers and providing a stable workplace environment for businesses, the NLRB plays a vital role in our efforts to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class," Obama said in a statement.
The move comes as House Republicans prepare to vote this week on a measure that would effectively shut down the board until it has permanent members confirmed by the Senate.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in January that Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate to fill vacancies on the board. Since then, Republicans have claimed the board lacks any legitimacy to act.
The White House has insisted the appeals court decision is wrong and plans to appeal it to the Supreme Court. But the ruling has prompted more than 100 businesses to claim the board lacks authority to take action against them because two of its members are not there legitimately. It also has frustrated labor unions who worry the board can't crack down on unfair labor practices.
Obama is renominating board Chairman Mark Pearce, a Democrat, and nominating two Republicans ? management-side lawyers Harry I. Johnson, III and Philip A. Miscimarra.
The president nominated Democrats Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to full terms in February. They have been sitting on the board since January 2012, when Obama made the recess appoints after Senate Republicans vowed to block Obama's NLRB nominees. Republicans complained the board was issuing too many pro-union decisions.
The White House hopes that Senate Republicans will favor the five-member package nomination of two Republicans and three Democrats. Both Republican nominees have passed muster with GOP leadership.
The president claimed that he made the recess appointments while the Senate was on a break. But the appeals court panel ruled that a recess occurs only during the breaks between formal yearlong sessions of Congress, not just any informal break. It also ruled that a vacancy must come into being during a recess in order to be valid.
The White House says the first-of-its-kind ruling runs contrary to more than 150 years of practice.
By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is capable of intercepting a North Korean missile, should it launch one in the coming days, but may choose not to if the projected trajectory shows it is not a threat, a top U.S. military commander told Congress on Tuesday. Admiral Samuel Locklear, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific region, said the U.S. military believed North Korea had moved to its east coast an unspecified number of Musudan missiles, with a range of roughly 3,000-3,500 miles. ...
Croatia is highly regarded as a peaceful and beautiful place to tour. The stunning beaches, architecture, and pilgrimage places make it a popular destination. Whether you are planning a vacation with family or a pilgrimage tour, Croatia is the right choice. Lets find out more about the country.
Croatia is also blessed with beautiful coastline, which stretches various miles. The coastline has attracted the growth of yacht industry, which is the main attraction to tourists. Other attraction sites include game parks, beaches, beautiful cities, museums and rich cultural heritage.
Lets discover Croatia
Exploring the beautiful coastline is one of the most amazing experiences in Croatia. This coastline is well complimented by white sand and blue waters. This creates a wonderful view for relaxation and enjoyment, helping your mind to wonder away from the physical world. This creates an environment for snorkeling, as well as scuba diving. Other famous activities in these beaches are wind surfing, swimming and sailing. There are various beaches in Croatia, but Brela is one of the best. It is covered with white sands and pine trees, which creates a serene environment.
Wildlife Lovers
Croatia national parks are other attraction sites, which you should not miss to visit. There are about eight national parks in Croatia. These national parks are rich in flora and fauna, which connects you to the real nature. Some of these national parks have amazing waterfalls, which spread freshness all over the environment. You will not miss to see wonderful species of trees, and herbs spread all over the ecosystem. To make the tour more interesting, these parks are well parked with various species of animals. While you are in these parks, you will have a chance to see the wild animals at a closer distance. Croatia national parks are magnificent places to have a wild experience, and take photos.
Croatia cities are also a part of the amazing attraction sites. Zagreb is the main city in Croatia, and it is the largest. The city is vibrant at night, and it offers luxurious shopping experience. The city will connect you with the rich cultural heritage of the Croatians. Croatians have various dressing styles, which you can incorporate in your own wardrobe. Within the city you will also explore various mountains, caves and forests. Zagreb city is home to one of the biggest museums, within the nation. These museums houses over half a million monuments as well as other artifacts, like the Zagreb mummy.
Pilgrim Tourists
Religion tourism has a long history in Croatia. If you are a catholic traveler, you will feel right at home. Croatia has wealth of churches and cathedrals. Several pilgrimage sites are dedicated to Virgin Mary, which attract pilgrims from different parts of the world. Marija Bistrica is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Croatia. The statue of Mary here is believed to have miraculous powers. Aljmas, a Marian shrine on the banks of river Danube dates from 1704. The church was destroyed in the last war and was re-built in 2003. It attracts 200,000 pilgrims every year.
Music Lovers
If you are love music, then tours to Croatia will be your best experience. This is especially if you visit during the celebrations of Zagreb fest. Zagreb fest is a traditional musical festival to commemorate pop music and other sporting activities. During this festival you will see various monuments and paintings, which are designed with Croatian culture. You will also get a chance to enjoy Croatian food in restaurants or bistros. Croatia is the final destination for every tourist, who dreams of enjoying every second during his holiday season.
About the Author: Author of this article is associated with Blue Heart Travel, the renowned catholic pilgrimage tour company. It provides several packages for Europe, Croatia, and Medjugorje tours.
Apr. 8, 2013 ? Monarch butterflies have long been admired for their sense of direction, as they migrate from Canada and the United States to Mexico. According to new findings from a team of scientists, including researchers from the University of Guelph, the winged insects fly without a map, and use basic orientation and landmarks to find their way to their wintering sites, thousands of miles away.
Recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study examined the insects' flight patterns and whether those patterns changed when the butterflies were displaced.
The team, which included researchers from Queen's University, Germany and Denmark, also analyzed more, also analyzed more than 50 years' worth of migration data to learn how monarchs find their way for the first time to their wintering habitat in Mexico.
A monarch flies the full migration route just once during its life cycle.
The flight patterns and data suggest that, when butterflies are blown off course, they likely use major geographic landmarks to funnel them to their destination.
Looking at the distances that these insects fly each year, scientists had long thought that monarchs were "true navigators."
"To be a true navigator, you need both a compass and a map," explained Prof. Ryan Norris, Department of Integrative Biology. "We've know for some time that monarchs use external cues, such as the sun and magnetic field, as a built-in compass that can indicate their latitude. But having an internal map requires knowledge of both latitude and longitude."
To test whether monarchs could detect longitude displacements, the team, led by U of G undergraduate student Rachael Derbyshire, examined the butterflies' flight patterns in a funnel on the University of Guelph campus. They then tested the same monarchs in Calgary.
"The monarchs we tested in Guelph flew southwest, in the general direction of Mexico," said Derbyshire. "When we tested them in Calgary, they flew in the same general direction as if they were in Ontario, suggesting that they did not know they had been displaced 2,500 kilometres."
Studying data from monarchs tagged and recaptured throughout North America from 1952 to 2004, the team found that migrating monarchs do not use an internal map to reach Mexico. Instead, they use landmarks, such as coastlines and the Rocky and Appalachian mountains.
"Given the challenge of this migratory journey and the fact that these insects are less than a gram, it is a remarkably simple system they used to travel thousands of kilometres to a site they have never seen," said Norris.
Monarchs use the same sites in the highlands of central Mexico each year. One mystery remains: how do they pinpoint these exact locations in Mexico?
Derbyshire said, "One possibility we think is likely, and would need to be tested, is that they -- like some other migratory animals -- use smell to guide them to their final destination."
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Guelph, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Henrik Mouritsen, Rachael Derbyshire, Julia Stalleicken, Ole ?. Mouritsen, Barrie J. Frost, and D. Ryan Norris. An experimental displacement and over 50 years of tag-recoveries show that monarch butterflies are not true navigators. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1221701110
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.
Purchext, a new app/service that increases communication between parents, their youngsters and the purchases their youngsters make, is on display at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2013. The concept behind the startup is a way for parents to approve purchases their kids are making. In reality, it works more like a way for kids to submit expense reports to their parents. For each purchase a dependent minor makes, they can scan the receipts with the Purchext app and those receipts are submitted to their parents for approval. If the parent approves it, the amount of money on the receipt will be released to the kid’s bank account that is connected to their Purchext account. In practical terms, the service can also be automated via a series of rules set up to filter purchases. I’m not going to say the concept is not “gameable” by the kids using it. Surely enterprising minors could figure out ways around this, or could forgo submitting those purchases altogether. However as a concept, it could still streamline allowances and keep many relevant purchases on parents’ radar.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 14-Apr-2013
Share ] 
